The steel through-truss Traffic Bridge, located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan is over one hundred years old. The bridge has been subject to ongoing maintenance throughout its service life. However, inspection reports from 2005 and 2006 highlighted the severe deterioration experienced primarily by the steel members immediately above and below the deck surface. These reports prompted the City of Saskatoon (COS) to implement a rehabilitation project that involved the installation of a post-tensioning system to relieve the badly corroded bottom chord members of the axial loads due to the self-weight of the structure, in 2006. Due to the severe deterioration and the structural modifications that the Traffic Bridge has endured, a limited scope structural health monitoring (SHM) system, based on strain measurements, was implemented to reduce some of the uncertainty regarding the active load paths occurring at the deck level.<p> The objectives of the SHM study were to obtain more information regarding the actual load paths and ascertain possible types of structural redundancy, to determine how to best model this type of structure, and to find ways to track ongoing deterioration using instrumentation. The SHM study involved controlled truck loading scenarios to permit measurement of the load paths and provide data to compare the measured results to a finite element (FE) model of the instrumented span. In addition, random loading scenarios were used to capture the vertical dynamic response of the structure in order to further refine the FE model.<p> This study focused on the response of one-half of one interior span. A total of 72 strain gauges were installed. The downstream truss was highly instrumented at ten locations, three members of the upstream truss were instrumented to measure the distribution, and the floor joists in the downstream lane were instrumented to establish possible redundancy paths.<p> Using an FE model in combination with the measured strain data, it was found that redundant load paths only existed at the level of the deck. The bottom chord members experienced non-zero strains once the control vehicle was past the span, possibly indicating some level of redundancy. The members believed to relieve a portion of the bottom chord tensile forces included the car joists, edge joists, and the timber deck. The amount of force transferred from the bottom chord to the deck members was found by FE analysis to be highly related to the lateral stiffness of the floor beams.<p> The FE model was adjusted to match the measured results by modifying various modelling parameters. The most important features of the model were that all deck elements were modelled to be located at the elevation of the bottom chord, that the lateral stiffness of the floor beams was reduced by 50% to best represent the transfer of forces to deck elements, and that the stiffness of bottom chord members was reduced to 80% of their pristine values. In combination with calibrated modification factors applied to the measured values, this FE model is believed to be a useful tool to represent the behaviour of the structure to assist in detecting further damage by modelling the strain differential between members, and components of members.

In an effort to achieve lighter and more economical space structures, a new patented steel composite member has been suggested and used in the construction of some steel roof structures. This special element has a sandwich construction composed of some strips of steel plates placed longitudinally along a helical wire core. The function of the helical core is to transfer the shear between the flange plates and increase the sectional inertia of the resulting composite member by keeping the flange plates at a desired distance from each other. Because of the lack of research, design engineers usually treat such elements as a solid member as if it has a full shear transfer between the flanges. However, a detailed analysis shows that this is not a valid assumption and leads to very unsafe results. In this context, the purpose of this study is to investigate the behavior of such members under axial compression and determine their effective sectional flexural rigidity by taking into account the shear deformations. This study applies an analytical investigation to a specific form of such elements with four flange plates placed symmetrically around a helical wire core. Five independent parameters of such a member are selected for this purpose. These are the spiral core and core wire diameters, the pitch of the spiral core, and the flange plate dimensions. Elements with varying combinations of the selected parameters are first analyzed in detail by finite element method, and some design charts are generated for the determination of the effective sectional properties to be used in the structural analysis and the buckling loads. For this purpose, an alternative closed-form approximate analytical solution is also suggested.

Disertacijoje nagrinėjamos santvarų globalaus optimizavimo problemos. Pagrindinis darbo tikslas – sukurti technologiją ir ją aprašančius algoritmus santvarų topologijos optimizavimui ir sinchroniniam topologijos ir formos optimizavimui. Optimizavimui naudojami genetiniai algoritmai. Topologijai optimizuoti pasirinkta perdėtai sujungtos struktūros strategija (angl. ground structure approach). / The dissertation deals with the topology optimization problems of the truss systems. The main aim of the work is to create a technology and implementing algorithms for topology optimization and for simultaneous topology and shape optimization of truss systems. The genetic algorithms are used as the main tool for optimization. The topology optimization problems are formulated using the so-called ground structure approach.

The dissertation deals with the topology optimization problems of the truss systems. The main aim of the work is to create a technology and implementing algorithms for topology optimization and for simultaneous topology and shape optimization of truss systems. The genetic algorithms are used as the main tool for optimization. The topology optimization problems are formulated using the so-called ground structure approach. / Disertacijoje nagrinėjamos santvarų globalaus optimizavimo problemos. Pagrindinis darbo tikslas – sukurti technologiją ir ją aprašančius algoritmus santvarų topologijos optimizavimui ir sinchroniniam topologijos ir formos optimizavimui. Optimizavimui naudojami genetiniai algoritmai. Topologijai optimizuoti pasirinkta perdėtai sujungtos struktūros strategija (angl. ground structure approach).

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:25:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-07-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:08:04Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 martins_o_me_ilha.pdf: 1853643 bytes, checksum: e5ed74dccf9c216b529f9bef47b8a14d (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / No Brasil, é comum o uso de estruturas treliçadas de madeira na construção de coberturas nas edificações e, que, na maioria das vezes, são feitas de forma artesanal ou empírica. Para que haja uma otimização na produção dessas estruturas, através da industrialização, é conveniente o conhecimento e o domínio dos sistemas construtivos disponíveis. A utilização dos conectores metálicos, de chapa com dentes estampados (CDE) nas ligações dos elementos estruturais das treliças, é considerada, pela literatura, uma boa opção de sistema construtivo em escala industrial. Neste trabalho foram determinadas a resistência e a rigidez das ligações por conector CDE, em peças estruturais de madeira, para as classes de resistência: C20; C30 e C40, através dos modos básicos de ruptura das peças ligadas, que são: arrancamento dos dentes na peça de madeira; cisalhamento e tração da chapa. Também foi verificada a influência da variação na umidade das peças de madeira, ao serem prensadas pelo conector CDE, na resistência e rigidez da ligação, visando com isso, contribuir com a Revisão da Norma Brasileira (NBR-7190/97). / The usage of wood trusses is common in the construction of roofs in Brazil, the most of the times are built in way craft or empiric. Obtaining an optimization in the production of these structures, through the industrialization, it is convenient the knowledge and the domain of the available constructive systems. The usage of the metallic connectors, as the metal connectors plates (MCP) in the connections of the structural elements of the truss is considered, for the literature, a nice option of constructive system in industrial scale. In this work, the resistance and the rigidity of the connections for connector MCP, in structural pieces of wood, for the resistance classes C20; C30 and C40, were certained through the basic manners of rupture of the linked pieces are: pull-out of the teeth in the wood piece; cut and traction of the connector. The influence of the variation in the humidity of the wood pieces as they are pressed by the connector MCP, in the resistance and the rigidity of the connections was verified as well, seeking with that, to contribute with Brazilian Code (NBR-7190/97) Revision.

Na presente tese é resolvida a equação de difusão de nêutrons estacionária, bem como problemas de cinética, em geometria unidimensional cartesiana multi-região considerando o modelo de multigrupos de energia. Um dos objetivos e inovação neste trabalho é a obtenção de uma solução aproximada com estimativa de erro, controle de precisão e na forma de uma expressão analítica. Com esse tipo de solução não há a necessidade de recorrer a esquemas de interpolação, geralmente necessários em caso de discretizações do domínio. O fluxo de nêutrons é expandido em uma série de Taylor cujos coeficientes são encontrados utilizando a equação diferencial e as condições de contorno e interface. O domínio é dividido em várias células, cujo tamanho e o grau do polinômio são ajustáveis de acordo com a precisão requerida. Para resolver o problema de autovalor é utilizado o método da potência. A metodologia é aplicada em um benchmark que consiste na solução da equação de difusão como condição inicial e na solução de problemas de cinética para diferentes transientes. Os resultados são comparados com sucesso com resultados da literatura. A convergência da série é garantida pela aplicação de um raciocínio baseado no critério de Lipschitz para funções contínuas. Cabe ressaltar que a solução obtida, em conjunto com a análise da convergência, mostra a solidez e a precisão dessa metodologia. / In the present dissertation the one-dimensional neutron diffusion equation for stationary and kinetic problems in a multi-layer slab has been solved considering the multi-group energy model. One of the objectives and innovation in this work is to obtain an approximate solution with error estimation, accuracy control and in the form of an analytical expression. With this solution there is no need for interpolation schemes, which are usually needed in case of discretization of the domain. The neutron flux is expanded in a Taylor series whose coefficients are found using the differential equation and the boundary and interface conditions. The domain is divided into several layers, whose size and the polynomial order can be adjusted according to the required accuracy. To solve the eigenvalue problem the conventional power method has been used. The methodology is applied in a benchmark problem consisting of the solution of the diffusion equation as an initial condition and solving kinetic problems for different transients. The results are compared successfully with the ones in the literature. The convergence of the series is guaranteed by applying a criterion based on the Lipschitz criterion for continuous functions. Note that the solution obtained, together with the convergence analysis, shows the robustness and accuracy of this methodology.

As treliças espaciais vêm sendo freqüentemente utilizadas, de forma bastante diversificada, mas seu principal uso é como cobertura de grande vãos. Recentemente, vários acidentes com este tipo de estrutura têm acontecido, principalmente devido a uma série de considerações adotadas para dimensionamento, as quais não condizem com a realidade. Neste contexto, foi feito um estudo do comportamento seguido por estas estruturas. Este trabalho apresenta uma análise teórica, via método dos elementos finitos, de modelos de treliça espacial de seção tubular circular. Tem como objetivo verificar o comportamento de cada sistema de ligação, modelado tridimensionalmente com elementos de casca, associado à treliça espacial, modelada em elementos lineares. Foram estudadas as tipologias usuais de ligação deste tipo de estrutura abordando os problemas causados pelas peculiaridades de cada sistema. / Space trusses have been very frequently used in many applications, but its main employment is as roofs of great areas. Recently, many accidents have been occurring with this type of structure, mainly because of a series of adopted design assumptions, which does not fit reality. In this context, the behavior of this type of structure was studied. This study presents a theoretical analysis, using finite element method, of space trusses composed by circular tubular sections. It has as an objective to verify the behavior of each connection system, modeled in 3D by shell finite elements, associated to a space truss, modeled in linear finite elements. The usual typology of connections used in this kind of structure was studied, considering the problems caused by peculiarities of each system.

Les besoins croissants en moyens de télécommunication nécessitent le développement de grands réflecteurs spatiaux paraboliques. Un nouveau concept d'architecture d'antenne déployable est ainsi proposé en partenariat avec le CNES. La conception de son ossature repose sur une revue de solutions pour faire appel à des mécanismes de ciseau associés à des articulations flexibles. Des modélisations numériques par éléments finis sont d'abord développées pour simuler le déploiement par restitution de l'énergie emmagasinée dans ces articulations lors du pliage. Un démonstrateur expérimental avec un système de compensation gravitaire est ensuite réalisé. Des essais et mesures sont effectués pour caractériser son comportement en statique et dynamique puis sont comparés avec les résultats issus des simulations. La mise en forme de la surface réflectrice par un réseau de câbles est étudiée par la suite. Une méthode innovante de recherche de forme permettant d'obtenir un réseau parabolique en tension uniforme est alors proposée. Elle est appliquée à différentes typologies de réseaux et l'erreur de surface résultant de sa facettisation est évaluée. Le procédé d'accrochage de ce réseau sur l'ossature de l'antenne est également traité. / The growing needs in telecommunications require the development of large parabolic reflectors. A new conceptual design for the architecture of a deployable antenna is therefore proposed in partnership with the CNES. The design of its framework is based on a review of solutions which leads to scissor mechanisms associated with flexible joints. Numerical modelings with finite elements are first developed to simulate the deployment by the release of the energy stored in the joints after the folding. An experimental prototype with a gravity compensation device is then realized. Tests and measurements are performed to characterize the static and dynamic behavior and compared with the results of simulations. Shaping of the reflective surface by a net of cables is then studied. A new form-finding method for obtaining a net with a uniform tension is then proposed. It is applied to different parabolic typologies of nets and the error due to surface faceting is evaluated. The process of net attachment on the antenna rim structure is also treated.

Na presente tese é resolvida a equação de difusão de nêutrons estacionária, bem como problemas de cinética, em geometria unidimensional cartesiana multi-região considerando o modelo de multigrupos de energia. Um dos objetivos e inovação neste trabalho é a obtenção de uma solução aproximada com estimativa de erro, controle de precisão e na forma de uma expressão analítica. Com esse tipo de solução não há a necessidade de recorrer a esquemas de interpolação, geralmente necessários em caso de discretizações do domínio. O fluxo de nêutrons é expandido em uma série de Taylor cujos coeficientes são encontrados utilizando a equação diferencial e as condições de contorno e interface. O domínio é dividido em várias células, cujo tamanho e o grau do polinômio são ajustáveis de acordo com a precisão requerida. Para resolver o problema de autovalor é utilizado o método da potência. A metodologia é aplicada em um benchmark que consiste na solução da equação de difusão como condição inicial e na solução de problemas de cinética para diferentes transientes. Os resultados são comparados com sucesso com resultados da literatura. A convergência da série é garantida pela aplicação de um raciocínio baseado no critério de Lipschitz para funções contínuas. Cabe ressaltar que a solução obtida, em conjunto com a análise da convergência, mostra a solidez e a precisão dessa metodologia. / In the present dissertation the one-dimensional neutron diffusion equation for stationary and kinetic problems in a multi-layer slab has been solved considering the multi-group energy model. One of the objectives and innovation in this work is to obtain an approximate solution with error estimation, accuracy control and in the form of an analytical expression. With this solution there is no need for interpolation schemes, which are usually needed in case of discretization of the domain. The neutron flux is expanded in a Taylor series whose coefficients are found using the differential equation and the boundary and interface conditions. The domain is divided into several layers, whose size and the polynomial order can be adjusted according to the required accuracy. To solve the eigenvalue problem the conventional power method has been used. The methodology is applied in a benchmark problem consisting of the solution of the diffusion equation as an initial condition and solving kinetic problems for different transients. The results are compared successfully with the ones in the literature. The convergence of the series is guaranteed by applying a criterion based on the Lipschitz criterion for continuous functions. Note that the solution obtained, together with the convergence analysis, shows the robustness and accuracy of this methodology.

The aim of this diploma thesis is a design of a horse riding centre. The horse riding centre is situated on the outskirts of the village of Střítež nad Bečvou in the Vsetín district. Within the horse riding centre, there are a main building a swell as horse stables with other equestrian facilities for riders and a riding hall. The main centre building has two above-ground floors. On the ground floor, there is a restaurant and a reception hall. On the first floor, there is a guest house providing rooms with ten beds in total. The main building also includes a private residence for the centre owner. The stables provide fourteen boxes for horses to be stabled. The horse riding centre is designed to play a role of a new tourist attraction in the region. The diploma thesis deals with the main building design. The building is supposed to be bricked with ceramic blocks and roofed with a gable roof but partly also with a flat roof. The thesis also looks into two special features – the design of health-technical installation, gas and water plumbing. Last but not least, it designs a steel roof truss.