Very limited research studies have been conducted to examine bond of glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars with high concrete strength. The current research project aims to compare between bond measured from a pull-out test and a hinged beam test for GFRP bars embedded in high strength concrete. Different parameters influencing bond such as GFRP bar diameter, embedment length and surface configuration were investigated in both test methods, while the bar position, i.e. top or bottom, was only studied in hinged beams. Seventy-two pull-out cubes, eight pull-out prisms and twenty-four hinged beams reinforced with GFRP bars were constructed and tested to failure. Twelve pull-out cubes and four hinged beams reinforced with steel bars were also tested for comparison purposes. The results showed that bond stress – slip curves obtained from various testing methods were similar, consisting of high initial stiffness, followed by nonlinear ascending and softening branches. In addition, it was found that the experimental bond strength obtained from hinged beams was higher than both bond strengths measured by the pull-out cube and pull-out prism. However, when a finite element analysis was conducted for hinged beams, it was shown that the tensile force in the reinforcing bar estimated by equilibrium conditions is overestimated as the large deformation of hinged beams at failure was not considered. Therefore, if the tensile force obtained from the finite element analysis is used to calculate the bond strength, it would be similar to that obtained from pull-out cube and prism. Moreover, it was found that the distribution of tensile and bond stresses was nonlinear along the GFRP embedment length and bond stress at the vicinity of the free end increased with increasing the load due to redistribution of bond stresses along the embedment length. Bond strengths were compared against the prediction methods provided in ACI-440.1R, CSA-S806, CSA-S6 and JSCE 1997. In general, all design codes showed conservative results for all specimens tested and ACI predictions gave a good agreement with experimental data compared to other codes. Artificial neural network models were developed to predict bond strength of GFRP bars in concrete. These models used bar diameter, embedment length, concrete compressive strength and concrete cover as input variables. The developed ANN models showed to be able to predict bond strength of GFRP bars in concrete and, therefore, were used to conduct a parametric study. / Higher Education Institute, Government of Libya

This master thesis describes development and analysis of simulation, reconstruction and alignment for tests of Belle II vertex detector sensors as well as alignment procedure for the vertex detector itself. The first goal is to develop and test software tools which would allow analysis of sensor tests within common Belle II software framework. The second goal is to prepare the alignment chain for the vertex detector, being essential component of the detector calibration. First part of the thesis describes the Belle II experiment and its vertex detector, as well as the experimental beam test of the sensors and the common software framework. The theory behind the used alignment procedure utilizing Millepede II for alignment and General Broken Lines for track fitting is explained. Second part of the thesis then summarizes software tools developed or used and the results reached with these tools with emphasis on the alignment.

Dark matter (DM) constitutes one of the most intriguing but so far unresolved issues in physics. In many extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics, the existence of a stable Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) is predicted. The WIMP is an excellent DM particle candidate. One of the most interesting scenarios is the creation of monochromatic gamma-rays from the annihilation or decay of these particles. This type of signal would represent a “smoking gun” for DM, since no other known astrophysical process should be able to produce it. In this thesis, the search for spectral lines with the Large Area Telescope (LAT) onboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi) is presented. The satellite was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA, on 11 June, 2008. The energy resolution and performance of the detector are both key factors in the search and are investigated here using beam test data, taken at CERN in 2006 with a scaled-down version of the Fermi-LAT instrument. A variety of statistical methods, based on both hypothesis tests and confidence interval calculations, are then reviewed and tested in terms of their statistical power and coverage. A selection of the statistical methods are further developed into peak finding algorithms and applied to a simulated data set called obssim2, which corresponds to one year of observations with the Fermi-LAT instrument, and to almost one year of Fermi-LAT data in the energy range 20–300 GeV. The analysis on Fermi-LAT data yielded no detection of spectral lines, so limits are placed on the velocity-averaged cross-section, <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?%3C%5Csigma%20v%3E_%7B%5Cgamma%20X%7D" />, and the decay lifetime, <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?%5Ctau_%7B%5Cgamma%20X%7D" />, and theoretical implications are discussed. / QC20100525 / GLAST

Finite element analysis using Cohesive Zone Method (CZM) is a commonly used method to investigate delamination in laminated composites. In this study, two plane strain, zero-thickness six-node quadratic (6-NQ) and four-node linear (4-NL) interface elements are developed to implement CZM. Two main approaches for CZM formulation are categorized as Unified Mode Approach (UMA) and Separated Mode Approach (SMA), and implemented into 6-NQ interface elements to model a double cantilever beam (DCB) test of a unidirectional laminated composite. The results of the approaches are nearly identical. However, it is theoretically shown that SMA spawns non-symmetric tangent stiffness matrices, which may lower convergence and/or overall performance, for mixed-mode loading cases. Next, a UMA constitutive relationship is rederived. The artificial modifications for improving convergence rates such as lowering penalty stiffness, weakening interfacial strength and using 6-NQ instead of 4-NL interface elements are investigated by using the derived UMA and the DCB test model. The modifications in interfacial strength and penalty stiffness indicate that the convergence may be improved by lowering either parameter. However, over-softening is found to occur if lowering is performed excessively. The morphological differences between the meshes of the models using 6-NQ and 4-NL interface elements are shown. As a consequence, it is highlighted that the impact to convergence performance and overall performance might be in opposite. Additionally, benefits of selecting CZM over other methods are discussed, in particular by theoretical comparisons with the popular Virtual Crack Closure Technique. Finally, the numerical solution scheme and the Arc-Length Method are discussed.

A method for measuring system-on-a-chip (SoC) cache upsets is presented and evaluated. In contrast to methods that predict cache contents through analysis or memory access patterns, this method uses system registers to read cache memories directly, thereby creating and checking golden copies to detect individual memory upsets during operation. The test method is driven by the device under test itself and does not require a user to set or know a priori the cache contents. A bare-metal implementation of this “direct golden method” on a Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC logged upsets in the device’s data cache, data tag, and TLB RAM memories during a neutron radiation beam test. For each of these memories, this direct golden method yields cache upset bit cross sections, such as 7.115 × 10^−16 cm^2 for the data cache. Confidence intervals for these bit cross sections overlap such intervals for three other methods, supporting this method’s validity and candidacy for future use.

In this dissertation, four test approaches were developed to characterize the adhesion performance and durability of adhesive bonds for specific applications in areas spanning from structural adhesive joints to popular confectionaries such as chewing gum. In the first chapter, a double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen geometry is proposed for combinatorial fracture studies of structural adhesive bonds. This specimen geometry enabled the characterization of fracture energy vs. bondline thickness trends through fewer tests than those required during a conventional "one at a time" characterization approach, potentially offering a significant reduction in characterization times. The second chapter investigates the adhesive fracture resistance and crack path selection in adhesive joints containing patterns of discreet localized weak interfaces created using physical vapor deposition of copper. In a DCB specimen tested under mode-I conditions, fracture energy within the patterned regions scaled according to a simple rule of mixture, while reverse R-curve and R-curve type trends were observed in the regions surrounding weak interface patterns. Under mixed mode conditions such that bonding surface with patterns is subjected to axial tension, fracture energy did not show R-curve type trends while it was observed that a crack could be made to avoid exceptionally weak interfaces when loaded such that bonding surface with defects is subjected to axial compression. In the third chapter, an adaptation of the probe tack test is proposed to characterize the adhesion behavior of gum cuds. This test method allowed the introduction of substrates with well-defined surface energies and topologies to study their effects on gum cud adhesion. This approach and reported insights could potentially be useful in developing chewing gum formulations that facilitate easy removal of improperly discarded gum cuds from adhering surfaces. In the fourth chapter we highlight a procedure to obtain insights into the long-term performance of silicone sealants designed for load-bearing applications such as solar panel support sealants. Using small strain constitutive tests and time-temperature-superposition principle, thermal shift factors were obtained and successfully used to characterize the creep rupture master curves for specific joint configurations, leading to insights into delayed failures corresponding to three years through experiments carried out in one month. / Ph. D.

Self-compacting concrete is an innovative construction material / its priority to normal vibrated concrete is that there is not any vibration requirement. Bond strength of reinforcement is one of the key factors that ensures the usefulness of any reinforced concrete structure. In this study, 6 full-scale concrete beams spliced at the mid-span were tested under two-point symmetrical loading. Test variables were bottom cover, side cover, free spacing between longitudinal reinforcement, lap-splice length and presence of transverse reinforcements within the lap-splice region. Specimen SC_22_44_88_800 had cover dimensions close to the code limits and had 36db lap splice length. This specimen showed flexural failure. Specimen SC_44_44_44_710 had 32db lap splice and cover dimensions greater than code minimums. This specimen showed yielding primarily. With the increasing loading, however, bond failure occurred with side splitting. ACI 408 descriptive equation for normal vibrated concrete predicted bar stresses of the unconfined specimens produced with self-compacting concrete acceptably well. The predicted values were lower than the measured values to be on the safe side. The error varied between 3.4% and 6.5%. All predictions of the ACI408 descriptive equation was higher than the measured bar stresses of the confined specimens produced with SCC. All the calculated values were unsafe. The error varied between 10.6% and 34.5%. Specimen SC_44_22_22_530_T4 with 24db lap splice length had side cover and spacing between bars 63.3% and 56.7% less than the ACI 318 limits. The calculated bar stress was 21.6% higher than the measured value. The main reason of the deviation was inadequate cover dimensions. In specimen SC_44_22_22_530_T6, number transverse reinforcement was increased to 6 stirrups to overcome the small cover and spacing problem. However, increased number of stirrups inside a small side and face cover caused weak plane and measured bar stress decreased.

La mise à niveau du détecteur CMS (Upgrade Phase-2) en 2024 prévoit l'installation de nouveaux détecteurs à plaques résistives (RPC) dans les 2 secteurs les plus externes et les plus vers l’avant (RE3/1 et RE4/1) des bouchons. Des RPC en verre de basse résistivité (GRPC) ont été proposées afin d'instrumenter ces secteurs où le flux de particules sera de l’ordre du kHz/cm², valeurs pour lesquelles les RPC actuelles de CMS ne sont pas efficaces. Cette thèse porte sur l'étude et la caractérisation de ces GRPC, de leur électronique de lecture associée et de leur résistance aux irradiations. Deux méthodes de production de chambres de taille moitié des chambres finales à partir de pavages de verres de taille maximale 32*30cm² ont été élaborées et testées. Un nouveau circuit électronique (PCB) à bandes de détection non segmentées en êta et lues par des puces dédiées (PETIROC2A) est également présenté. Il permet grâce à des chronomètres numériques (TDC) de 25 picosecondes de résolution, une précision de l'ordre du centimètre sur la mesure de la position du passage des particules le long des bandes. Cette thèse décrit ces nouveaux dispositifs et présente les résultats obtenus avec ceux-ci lors de tests en faisceaux auprès des accélérateurs PS et SPS du CERN ainsi qu'au Gamma Irradiation Facility (GIF++). Cette étude montre que le verre de basse résistivité, bien que supportant les flux de particules, n'est pas la meilleure solution pour l'environnement de CMS car il nécessite un mélange gazeux différent pour fonctionner. Cependant, la nouvelle électronique a prouvé son adéquation à cet environnement et est maintenant considérée comme l'option privilégiée pour la mise à niveau de CMS / The installation of new resistive plate chamber detectors (RPCs) in the 2 most remote sectors (RE3 / 1 and RE4 / 1) of the CMS End-Caps is planned during the Phase-2 CMS upgrade in 2024. Glass Resistive Plate Chambers (GRPC) with low resistivity glass as electrodes have been proposed to equip these sectors. These detectors should sustain these zones' particle rate. The aim of this Thesis is to study and characterise these detectors, their associated readout electronics and their behaviour under radiations.Two ways of building half size chambers by tesselation of glass plates with maximal size 32*30cm² have been developped. A new PCB with strips readout read by dedicated ASICs (PETIROC2A) without eta segmentation is also described. It allows, thanks to a 25 ns time-resolution TDC to estimate the particle crossing position on the strip with a resolution of the order of cm. This manuscript describes all these devices and discusses the devices' performance measured in beam tests done at the CERN PS and SPS accelerator and at the Gamma Irradiation Facility (GIF++). This study shows that the low resistivity glass, though able to sustain the particule rate, is not the best option for the CMS upgrade. On the contrary, the tested electronic has been proven to fit the CMS upgrade requirements and is now considered as the baseline of the CMS End-Caps RPC upgrade project

The goal of this project was to develop a measuring method and software code to determine and compare the focal ratio degradation of optical fibers for two different coupling technologies. One of the couplings used a fusing technology to splice the fiber, and the other coupling used a refractive index matching technology. Also, an optical fiber without any cleaving or splicing was used as a reference. A collimated beam test was developed as a method for measuring the focal ratio degradation for these different fiber couplings, and a software code was developed to process the results of the experiment. Using the collimated beam test and software code, the focal ratio degradation was calculated and compared between the couplings, and the results clearly stated that the reference fiber had the least focal ratio degradation. The fusing technology used for splicing the fiber had in comparison the least focal ratio degradation of the two different coupling technologies. The results were as expected and therefore the developed measuring method and software were estimated to have been carried out successfully. However, improvements to the measuring method and parts of the software could be done, especially regarding the background light which was a substantial source of error. In conclusion, the goal of the project was reached. / Inom astronomisk forskning används ofta optiska fibrer som informationslänk mellan teleskop och mätinstrument, eftersom de bidrar till att mätningar blir mer tillförlitliga då vibrationer och yttre miljöfaktorer får en mindre påverkan på resultaten. Inom detta projekt undersöktes ett par olika kopplingar av optiska fibrer och deras ljusförluster inom benämningen FRD (Focal ratio degradation). En mätmetod utvecklades tillsammans med en mjukvara som användes för nödvändiga beräkningar och analyser som ledde till att FRD kunde bestämmas. Metoden som användes kallas collimated beam test och innebar att parallellt ljus skickades in i ena fiberänden, vilket genererade en ring av ljus från den andra fiberänden. Mätningarna utfördes på tre olika fiber: en fiber var klyvd och sedan sammansmält, en annan fiber var klyvd och sedan ihopkopplad med hjälp av en vätska av matchande refraktionsindex och den tredje fibern var inte klyvd och fungerade som referens. Resultaten givna av mätningarna och mjukvaran var som man hade förväntat sig; FRD var minst för referensfibern och som högst för fibern med en koppling där refraktionsindex-matchande vätska användes. Även om det finns goda möjligheter att utveckla och förbättra mätmetoden, påvisades ett godtagbart resultat och målet med projektet ansågs därför vara uppnått.