Yes / This paper investigates the bond performance of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) concrete with un-corroded/corroded reinforcing steel bars, with the main parameters being RCA content, corrosion level, bar diameter and embedment length. For this purpose, 60 pull-out specimens containing different percentages of RCA (i.e. 0%, 25%, 50% and 100%) and steel bars of two diameters (12 and 20 mm) and different embedment lengths were tested. In order to establish various levels of corrosion, specimens were exposed to an electrochemical corrosion for 2, 5, 10 and 15 days. The bond strength between RAC concrete and un-corroded/corroded steel are compared to current codes and equations proposed by other researchers. Experimental results showed that larger corrosion rate of steel bars was observed with the increase of the replacement level of RCA due to its high porosity and water absorption. The use of RCA had a slight influence on bond strength for un-corroded specimens compared to that obtained from conventional concrete. Furthermore, the bond strength of RCA concrete was strongly affected by corrosion products; bond strength slightly enhanced for up to about 2% corrosion rate, and then significantly decreased as the corrosion time further increased, similar to that of conventional concrete. However, the rate of bond degradation between RCA concrete and corroded steel bars was much faster than that observed in corroded conventional concrete.

No description available.

Non-overflow flow-through rockfill structures are river engineering elements used to attenuate and delay inflow hydrographs. They represent expedient places to deposit rather enormous quantities of waste rock at mountainous mine sites. Their application has become so common that matters of safety regarding their design have been laid out in Section 8.5 of the Canadian Dam Safety Guidelines (CDA 2007). The research described herein was directed at investigating the different aspects of the hydraulics of these flow-through rockfill structures. In order to assess the potential for an unraveling failure of flow-through rockfill dams, a systematic study of the hydraulic design of these structures was conducted and the non-linear nature of flow through these structures was dealt with using a p-LaPlacian-like partial differential equation. Subsequently, factors of safety against this type of failure are presented for a range of downstream slopes, thus showing the unsafe combinations of embankment slope and particle diameter. Three different index gradients within the toe of such structures were investigated. In this regard, the gradient most suitable for independently computing the height of the point of first flow emergence on the downstream face is examined and a method for independently computing the variation in hydraulic head within that vertical (which allows for the toe of the structure to be isolated) is presented. An additional gradient that allows for the independent estimation of the default tailwater depth is proposed. In order to provide better tools to assess the behavior of these embankments at the toe, laboratory and analytical studies were undertaken. In this regard, the hydraulics associated with the zone of the downstream toe were studied. The depth variation of the seepage-face was computationally modeled, and two approaches for solving the spatially varied flow (SVF) condition problem within the toe region undertaken. The results show that a dual linear variation in depth can be used to good accuracy, without inducing any unrealistic exit gradients in the zone of primary concern with respect to unraveling. It is hoped that these techniques and computational tools provided herein will aid in facilitating the design and assessment of these flow-through rockfill structures.

[pt] A simulação da adsorção da prednisolona em um modelo de surfactante pulmonar foi realizada com sucesso usando dinâmica molecular coarse grained a uma temperatura de 310 K. O modelo coarse grained da prednisolona foi parametrizado usando o modelo do colesterol e validado utilizando cálculos de coeficientes de partição octanol-água e coeficientes de difusão lateral. O coeficiente de partição octanol-água calculado para prednisolona a 298 K é 3,9 mais ou menos 1,6 que possui um acordo razoável com o valor experimental. O coeficiente de difusão lateral da prednisolona na monocamada mista de DPPC/POPC é estimado ser (6 mais ou menos 4) x10(-7) cm(2) s(-1) a 20 mN m(-1), o que está de acordo com o encontrado para o colesterol. A monocamada mista de DPPC/POPC foi utilizada como modelo de surfactante pulmonar onde moléculas de prednisolona foram adsorvidas formando nanoagregados. Os nanoagregados de prednisolona foram transferidos dentro da monocamada mista DPPC/POPC sendo espalhados na tensão superficial de 20 mN m(-1). A 0 e 10 mN m(-1) os nanoagregados de prednisolona induzem o colapso da monocamada mista DPPC/POPC formando bicamadas. A implicação deste trabalho é que a prednisolona pode apenas ser administrada com surfactante pulmonar utilizando baixas frações em massa de prednisolona por lipídio (menor que 10 por cento). Com frações elevadas, o colapso inativa as propriedades do surfactante pulmonar pela formação de uma bicamada. Os resultados desta pesquisa podem ser utilizados para o desenvolvimento de novos tratamentos clínicos de doenças como a síndrome da angústia respiratória do recém-nascido, asma e doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica. / [en] The simulation of prednisolone adsorption on a lung surfactant model was successfully performed using coarse grained molecular dynamics at 310 K (dynamics first performed). The coarse grained model for prednisolone was parameterized using a well-established cholesterol model and validated by using calculations of octanol–water partition coefficients and lateral diffusion coefficients. The calculated octanol–water partition coefficient of prednisolone at 298 K is 3.9 more or less 1.6, which is in reasonable agreement with experiment. The lateral diffusion coefficient of prednisolone in the DPPC/POPC mixed monolayer is estimated to be (6 more or less 4) x10(-7) cm(2) s(-1) at 20 mN m(-1), which is in agreement with that found for cholesterol. The DPPC/POPC mixed monolayer was used as lung surfactant model where prednisolone molecules were adsorbed forming nanoaggregates. The nanoaggregates of prednisolone were transferred into the DPPC/POPC mixed monolayer being spread at the surface tension of 20 mN m(-1). At 0 and 10 mN m(-1) , the prednisolone nanoaggregates induce the collapse of the DPPC/POPC mixed monolayer forming a bilayer. The implications of this work are that prednisolone may only be administered with lung surfactant by using low mass fractions of prednisolone per lipid (less than 10 percent). And, with high fractions, the collapse inactivates the properties of the lung surfactant by forming a bilayer. The results of this research can be used to develop new clinical treatments for diseases such as respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:37:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Palmerston Donizzeti Taveira.pdf: 3709250 bytes, checksum: f7776004371e059d73f0d20c8d735c07 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-08-02 / The optical amplifier has improved the optical communication systems because they lead to an increase in transmission capacity of medium and long haul optical systems, with technological advantages over electronic regenerators. The optical amplifier are relatively simple to deploy and can be used in optical links without any troubles regarding signal transmission rate improvement and signal modulation changes, as a consequence of these issues they can substitute the electronic regenerator enhancing security with low operation cost. The CWDM systems multiplex optical wavelength with a low cost in metropolitan networks. It was developed to connect backbone networks to metro core and edge networks with cost saving over DWDM systems but lower transmission capacity. We have developed and characterized in our research a discrete Raman amplifier for operation in O band. We connected the amplifier in a point to point CWDM in order to analyze the gain on the system transmission capacity and the impairments that appears in the system. Working with a eight channel CWDM in O band, modulated with 2.5 Gbit/s, we have demonstrated that we can use a discrete Raman amplifier in single configurations, pre amplifier, booster and line amplifier and shared configuration with booster and pre amplifier to increase the transmission capacity that means, increase the length of the optical link. We have increased in 110% the length of the optical link with a shared configuration of two amplifiers with 10 dB gain for each one. / Os amplificadores ópticos revolucionaram a tecnológica das comunicações ópticas, pois possibilitaram o aumento da capacidade de transmissão dos sistemas ópticos de média e longa distância, com vantagens tecnológicas sobre os regeneradores. Estes dispositivos são relativamente simples de serem desenvolvidos, utilizam poucos componentes e podem ser utilizados nas redes ópticas de forma transparente a taxa de transmissão e modulação do sinal. Substituem assim, com vantagens, os regeneradores eletrônicos, agregando segurança e baixo custo à operação das redes ópticas. Os sistemas CWDM realizam a multiplexação óptica de comprimentos de onda a um baixo custo em redes metropolitanas. São utilizados para conectar as redes de transporte de alta capacidade às redes de acesso, trazendo uma larga vantagem em custo sobre os sistemas DWDM, porém com menor capacidade de transmissão. Nosso trabalho de pesquisa consistiu em desenvolver e caracterizar um amplificador Raman discreto na banda O (1260 a 1360 nm), aplicando este amplificador em um sistema CWDM ponto a ponto com taxa de transmissão de 2.5 Gbit/s por canal e analisando o aumento na capacidade de transmissão e os efeitos que degradam o sinal transmitido. Trabalhando com um sistema CWDM com oito canais na banda O, demonstramos que podemos utilizar um amplificador Raman discreto nas configurações isoladas de pré-amplificador, booster e amplificador de linha e na configuração simultânea de booster e pré-amplificador para aumentar a capacidade de transmissão. Aumentamos o comprimento original do enlace em 110%.

Les schémas de calcul déterministes permettent une modélisation à moindre coût du comportement de la population de neutrons en réacteur, mais sont traditionnellement construits sur des approximations (décomposition réseau/cœur, homogénéisation spatiale et énergétique…). La thèse revient sur une partie de ces sources d’erreur, de façon à rapprocher la méthode déterministe d’un schéma de référence. L’objectif est de profiter des architectures informatiques modernes (HPC) pour résoudre le problème neutronique à l’échelle du cœur 3D, tout en préservant l’opérateur de transport et une partie des hétérogénéités de la géométrie. Ce travail est réalisé au sein du solveur cœur Sn Minaret de la plateforme de calcul Apollo3® pour des réacteurs à neutrons rapides.Une méthode de décomposition de domaine en espace, est retenue. L'idée consiste à décomposer un problème de grande dimension en sous-problèmes "indépendants" de taille réduite. La convergence vers la solution globale est assurée par échange de flux angulaires entre sous-domaines au cours d'un processus itératif. En favorisant un recours massif au parallélisme, les méthodes de décomposition de domaine contribuent à lever les contraintes en mémoire et temps de calcul. La mise en place d'un parallélisme hybride, couplant les technologies MPI et OpenMP, est en particulier propice au passage sur supercalculateur. Une méthode d'accélération de type Coarse Mesh Rebalance  est ajoutée pour pallier à la pénalité de convergence constatée sur la méthode de décomposition de domaine. Le potentiel du nouveau schéma est finalement mis en évidence sur un coeur CFV 3D, construit en préservant l'hétérogénéité des assemblages absorbants. / Deterministic calculation schemes are devised to numerically solve the neutron transport equation in nuclear reactors. Dealing with core-sized problems is very challenging for computers, so much that the dedicated core codes have no choice but to allow simplifying assumptions (assembly- then core-scale steps…). The PhD work aims to correct some of these ‘standard’ approximations, in order to get closer of reference calculations: thanks to important increases in calculation capacities (HPC), nowadays one can solve 3D core-sized problems, using both high mesh refinement and the transport operator. Developments were performed inside the Sn core solver Minaret, from the new CEA neutronics platform Apollo3® for fast neutrons reactors of the CFV-kind.This work focuses on a Domain Decomposition Method in space. The fundamental idea involves splitting a core-sized problem into smaller and 'independent' subproblems. Angular flux is exchanged between adjacent subdomains. In doing so, all combined subproblems converge to the global solution at the outcome of an iterative process. Domain decomposition is well-suited to massive parallelism, allowing much more ambitious computations in terms of both memory requirements and calculation time. An hybrid MPI/OpenMP parallelism is chosen to match the supercomputers architecture. A Coarse Mesh Rebalance accelration technique is added to balance the convergence penalty observed using Domain Decomposition. The potential of the new calculation scheme is demonstrated on a 3D core of the CFV-kind, using an heterogeneous description of the absorbent rods.

The purpose of this thesis is to improve predictions of irradiation hardening in metals with a focus on coarse-graining via meso-scale simulations. Increasing hardness and decreasing in ductility in nuclear reactor pressure vessel steel is the limiting factor of nuclear reactor life, and accurately predicting reactor life is of the utmost importance for the safe operation of nuclear facilities. This is an inherently multi-scale problem with primary damage occurring at the atomic scale and its effects propagating across ten orders of magnitude in length and time scale to changes in macroscopic material properties, which must be reflected in its methods of prediction. To achieve this goal, this thesis develops two novel approaches to simulate the motion of dislocations in irradiated alpha-iron. First, a dislocation dynamics simulation coarse-graining insight from atomistic dislocation-defect simulations is used to guide the selection of proposed constitutive models. Several studies investigating the effect of size distribution show that the mean defect size can be used with the selected models to predict material hardening without a complex treatment for the defect size distribution. The hardening effect of the commonly observed defect types are found independently and a superposition principle is proposed for materials with both defect types. Second, a link to transition state theory and thermally activated reactions is established using a new method augmenting a discrete dislocation dynamics simulations with the nudged elastic band method to characterise the minimum energy pathways of dislocation reactions. This development enables calculations of activation energy for dislocation events using a continuum method as well as the numerical calculations of dislocation attempt frequency. The thesis concludes with an extension to the analysis of coarse-graining unit events to large scale dislocation-obstacle bypass phenomena.

A series of recent excavations on the 2nd Century AD Antonine frontier forts of the Midland Scottish valley, have produced results which suggest that the army was making its own pottery on an appreciable scale. This was at a time when pottery production was thought to have moved almost exclusively into civilian hands. The possible local ware groups identified by the excavations were largely independent of firm source indicators such as kiln and waster material and the number of available samples was often-small. A program of Neutron Activation and Thin Section petrological analyses was undertaken along with an investigation into Textural Analysis, a facet of the Petrological toolkit. The aim was both to define the site ware groups and a group of specialist vessels thought to be local to Scotland, the Mortaria, and to make statements as to their provenance. Although the Mortaria analysis was limited by problems of sample group size and availability, by improving the objectivity of the statistical handling of the derived data sets and developing methods for the high level study of textural data, the site ware groups were defined successfully at both the "intrall and "inter" site levels. The analyses also furnished interpretations as to the mode and nature of the site production schemes. Through the full analysis of' site Daub samples linked to more traditional provenancing techniques, in all but one case the ware groups could be assigned to the source sites, where contrasting production modes could be identified with military as opposed to civilian production.

In general, this dissertation is concerned with modeling of mechanical behavior of protein molecules. In particular, we focus on coarse-grained models, which bridge the gap in time and length scale between the atomistic simulation and biological processes. The dissertation presents three independent studies involving such models. The first study is concerned with a rigorous coarse-graining method for dynamics of linear systems. In this method, as usual, the conformational space of the original atomistic system is divided into master and slave degrees of freedom. Under the assumption that the characteristic timescales of the masters are slower than those of the slaves, the method results in Langevin-type equations of motion governed by an effective potential of mean force. In addition, coarse-graining introduces hydrodynamic-like coupling among the masters as well as non-trivial inertial effects. Application of our method to the long-timescale part of the relaxation spectra of proteins shows that such dynamic coupling is essential for reproducing their relaxation rates and modes. The second study is concerned with calibration of elastic network models based on the so-called B-factors, obtained from x-ray crystallographic measurements. We show that a proper calibration procedure must account for rigid-body motion and constraints imposed by the crystalline environment on the protein. These fundamental aspects of protein dynamics in crystals are often ignored in currently used elastic network models, leading to potentially erroneous network parameters. We develop an elastic network model that properly takes rigid-body motion and crystalline constraints into account. This model reveals that B-factors are dominated by rigid-body motion rather than deformation, and therefore B-factors are poorly suited for identifying elastic properties of protein molecules. Furthermore, it turns out that B-factors for a benchmark set of three hundred and thirty protein molecules can be well approximated by assuming that the protein molecules are rigid. The third study is concerned with the polymer mediated interaction between two planar surfaces. In particular, we consider the case where a thin polymer layer bridges two parallel plates. We consider two models of monodisperse and polydisperse for the polymer layer and obtain an analytical expression for the force-distance relationship of the two plates. / text

Nous avons tous l'intuition qu'un travail peut être réalisé en beaucoup moins de temps s'il est réparti entre plusieurs personnes ou sur plusieurs machines. Cette notion se nomme le parallélisme qui peut se définir comme l'état de ce qui se développe dans la même direction ou en même temps. C'est naturellement que la notion de parallélisme a été appliquée aux ordinateurs. De ce fait, il a été possible de répondre aux besoins de puissance nécessaire à la réalisation de projets gourmands en temps de calculs et en taille mémoire. Le parallélisme combiné à une algorithmique performante permet de gagner du temps afin de répondre au mieux à d'importants besoins. Il rompt avec l'approche classique qui consiste à gagner de la vitesse en effectuant plus rapidement chaque opération, approche bornée par les lois de la physique. La notion de parallélisme a donc grandement contribué à la multiplication des modèles informatiques. <br /><br />Nous nous intéresserons au modèle systolique et au modèle parallèle à gros grains baptisé (Coarse Grained Multicomputers). Le modèle CGM a été proposé par F. Dehne et al. et il possède des propriétés qui le rendent très intéressant d'un point de vue pratique. Il est parfaitement adapté à la modélisation des architectures existantes pour lesquelles le nombre de processeurs peut être de plusieurs milliers et la taille des données peut atteindre plusieurs milliards d'octets. Un algorithme développé pour ce modèle est constitué de calculs locaux utilisant, si possible, des algorithmes séquentiels optimaux et de rondes de communication dont le nombre doit être indépendant de la taille des données à traiter. Le modèle CGM est donc très intéressant d'un point de vue économique. En effet, ce modèle est indépendant des architectures réelles et permet de réutiliser des algorithmes séquentiels efficaces, ce qui le rend très portable. <br /><br />Dans cette thèse nous nous intéressons à des problèmes d'algorithmique du texte. Ces problèmes peuvent améliorer la compression de données ou bien être utilisés en bio-informatique. Ainsi, nous proposons des solutions CGM aux problèmes de recherche de la plus longue sous-suite croissante, de la plus longue sous-suite commune à deux mots, du plus long suffixe répété en chaque caractère d'un mot et de répétitions. Pour cela, nous sommes partis de solutions systoliques existantes que nous avons adaptées au modèle CGM. Le but de ce travail est en fait double. D'une part, nous proposons pour la première fois des solutions CGM à ces quatre problèmes. D'autre part, nous montrons comment des solutions systoliques peuvent être dérivées en algorithmes CGM. En effet, de nombreux problèmes ont été étudiés sur des architectures systoliques, c'est à dire des machines dédiées, non réutilisables pour d'autres problèmes. Le modèle CGM quant à lui permet de travailler avec des machines peu coûteuses et réutilisables à souhaits. De plus, l'expérience acquise au cours de ces travaux nous permet d'avoir une bonne idée des solutions systoliques adaptables au modèle CGM. Ceci pourrait permettre de consolider le pont existant entre modèles à grains fins et modèles à gros grains. <br /><br />Nous finissons cette thèse par une discussion sur l'équilibrage de charge des solutions proposées et sur la prédictivité de l'adaptation d'autres solutions systoliques au modèle CGM.