An experimental wind tunnel study on the dynamic response of a 300 m tall guyed telecommunication mast under various wind loads was undertaken at the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory (BLWTL) in the University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. Although the dynamic response of guyed masts subjected to turbulent wind loads has been routinely analyzed using a number of numerical models, typically in the frequency domain, limited experimental verification of the dynamic analysis results has been performed. Full-scale measurements, where available, have proven to be difficult to correlate with analytical models due to the tremendous uncertainty inherent in field measurements. As a result, the need for systematic validation of existing analytical models remains.<p>In this investigation, a representative 300 m tall guyed telecommunication mast has been designed and modeled to an appropriate scale. Based on Canadian Standard CSA S37-01, and an empirical study on 41 existing guyed masts, the 300 m tall guyed mast was designed using wind load conforming to representative Canadian climate data obtained from National Building Code of Canada (NBCC 1995). Appropriate properties for the dynamically scaled full aeroelastic model were derived from the 300 m tall prototype guyed mast, which was intended to represent a realistic guyed mast for broadcasting applications in Canada.<p>The wind tunnel test of the guyed mast model was carried out in both open country and over water exposures, simulating medium and low turbulence flow conditions, respectively. Dynamic response characteristics measured during the wind tunnel tests have been analysed and summarized, including dynamic displacements, bending moments, response spectra and peak factors, as well as natural frequencies, mode shapes and structural damping. Comparisons have been made with predictions obtained from an existing frequency domain analysis model. <p>The wind tunnel test results show that good agreement was generally achieved between the frequency domain analytical model and the wind tunnel model with respect to both the magnitude and distribution of the monitored responses. It was found that measured dynamic bending moments were distributed in a fairly uniform manner over the mast height, and that mean (static) bending moments exhibit large variations, along with near-zero response zones at points of contraflexure. It was also found that nonlinear damping effects, associated with vibrations of the highly slackened leeward guys on the upper levels of the mast, may be beneficial in reducing dynamic mast displacements. <p>The spectrum studies indicated that lowest modes were dominated by large guy movements at top guy level and small mast movements, the middle modes were characterized by coupled effects between the guyed cables and mast, meanwhile the highest modes involved significant mast movements with little guy vibration. It is evident that the top of the mast displacement are dominated by the first and second modes.

The topic of smart grids has become one of the most important research arenas recently. Spurred by the urges to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels for several environmental and economic reasons, researchers have written many treatises on this topic. M. He, S. Murugesan and J. Zhang suggested in their article, "Multiple Timescale Dispatch and Scheduling for Stochastic Reliability in Smart Grids with Wind Generation Integration", a new pricing and scheduling model to exploit the wind (or any other stochastic) energy to the fullest extent. I studied this model, and from my experiments, I found a defect. In this thesis, I try to evaluate this model. Firstly, I present it with detailed proofs of the main results. Secondly, I explain the experiments and simulations I did. Then, I analyze the results to show the defect I discovered. Finally, I suggest a solution for that defect, and I point out the advantages of that model.

The energy wave scattering method (EWS method) makes use of transmission lines and junctions to model the systems, and switches physical quantities to be energy wave variables then simulates the dynamic response of the systems, finally switches the analyzed results from energy wave variables back to physical quantities. Although using EWS method to simulate the dynamic response of structures is still on the initial stage, figuring out the time domain problems as example as transient analysis is suitable for use. Transient analysis is an important segment of dynamic analysis, it needs more extensive mathematics and newer method of calculation. Probably the EWS method is a workable and typical way. The study tries to use the EWS method to simulate the dynamic response of mutildegree of freedom systems, the response are due to different factors such as initial condition factors, damping factors and external force factors else. Let the simulated results display as displacement-time figures and displacement tables, and compared the results from lumped method or the finite element software-ANSYS with system characteristics by the figures and time domain displacements by the tables. On the whole, the simulated results almost matched with the analytical lumped methods. From the results of the study could confirm the feasibility that using the EWS method to simulate the dynamic response of mutildegree of freedom systems, and further tested and verified the applications of the EWS method on the dynamic analysis.

ABSTRACT The semi-finite cone model is adopted and modified to discuss the dynamic responses of the foundations, when the problem of liquefaction under the effect of cyclic loading is considered. The dynamic responses of the foundations caused by variation of the soil properties are also included. To achieve a better simulative of the physical phenomenon, this research employs the concept of wave reflections between soil layers. The responses observed for the foundation are vertical displacements, horizontal displacements, rotational angles, and twist angles in different seismic waves. Time-domain analysis is applied, so the research is constructed in time-domain completely. The soil conditions in this research are simulated as a single layer and layered system. Two types of the force simulation are employed; one is regular cycle force, and the other is irregular. To better understand the liquefaction, behavior of the variation of pore water pressure has been taken into accounts and analyzed focusly.

The fundamental character of excitation system is to provide the direct-current power for field windings for synchronous generators. Excitation control system controls the generator output voltage and reactive power by varying the field winding¡¦s currents. Therefore, it can improve the transient stability of power system. The thesis proposed a process for modeling and simulation on a brushless coal-fired unit, since the 40 years-old magnetic amplifier (Type WMA MAG-A-STAT) Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) was replaced by a Programmable Logical Controller based digital redundancy system, for the purpose to verify the excitation system model and dynamic response gains in the future power system study. To establish the generator excitation system and simulations on a popular software program MATLAB/SIMULINK, we wish to manipulate the effective and precise simulation test on a personal-computer and apply Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to find the global optimal solution for AVR controller settings. This thesis contributes in building a reliable excitation system model with dynamic response figures for power system network planning and dispatch.

Earthquake-induced landslides are a significant seismic hazard that can generate large economic losses. Predicting earthquake-induced landslides often involves an assessment of the expected sliding displacement induced by the ground shaking. A deterministic approach is commonly used for this purpose. This approach predicts sliding displacements using the expected ground shaking and the best-estimate slope properties (i.e., soil shear strengths, ground water conditions and thicknesses of sliding blocks), and does not consider the aleatory variability in predictions of ground shaking or sliding displacements or the epistemic uncertainties in the slope properties. In this dissertation, a probabilistic framework for predicting the sliding displacement of flexible sliding masses during earthquakes is developed. This framework computes a displacement hazard curve using: (1) a ground motion hazard curve from a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis, (2) a model for predicting the dynamic response of the sliding mass, (3) a model for predicting the sliding response of the sliding mass, and (4) a logic tree that incorporates the uncertainties in the various input parameters. The developed probabilistic framework for flexible sliding masses is applied to a slope at a site in California. The results of this analysis show that the displacements predicted by the probabilistic approach are larger than the deterministic approach due to the influence of the uncertainties in the slope properties. Reducing these uncertainties can reduce the predicted displacements. Regional maps of seismic landslide potential are used in land-use planning and to identify zones that require detailed, site-specific studies. Current seismic landslide hazard mapping efforts typically utilize deterministic approaches to estimate rigid sliding block displacements and identify potential slope failures. A probabilistic framework that uses displacement hazard curves and logic-tree analysis is developed for regional seismic landslide mapping efforts. A computationally efficient approach is developed that allows the logic-tree approach to be applied for regional analysis. Anchorage, Alaska is used as a study area to apply the developed approach. With aleatory variability and epistemic uncertainties considered, the probabilistic map shows that the area of high/very high hazard of seismic landslides increases by a factor of 3 compared with a deterministic map. / text

No description available.

This research project describes the impact resistance of masonry units bound with fibre-reinforced Type S mortars and hydraulic lime mortar. The dynamic impact factor and stress rate sensitivity were evaluated for the flexural strength of the mortar and the bond strength, and further, the pattern of failure was noted for each mix and loading rate. Results show that the impact resistance of the masonry units increased in the presence of fibres. However, the stress rate sensitivity of the bond strength decreased with an increase in fibre content. Also, whereas the mode of failure in those masonry units bound with plain Type S mortars was through fracture at the mortar-block interface, the addition of fibres transferred the failure plane to within the masonry block. For hydraulic lime mortar, fibre reinforcement retained the sacrificial nature of mortar and also increased the flexural toughness factor of the joint even under dynamic loading. / Structural Engineering

Composite materials are supplanting conventional metals in aerospace, automotive, civil and marine industries in recent times. This is mainly due to their high strength and light weight characteristics. But with all the advantages they have, they are prone to delamination or matrix cracking. These types of damage are often invisible and if undetected, could lead to appalling failures of structures. Although there are systems to detect such damage, the criticality assessment and prognosis of the damage is often more difficult to achieve. The research study conducted here primarily deals with the structural health monitoring of composite materials by analysing vibration signatures acquired from a laser vibrometer. The primary aim of the project is to develop a vibration based structural health monitoring (SHM) method for detecting flaws such as delamination within the composite beams. Secondly, the project emphasises on the method's ability to recognise the locatio n and severity of the damage within the structure. The system proposed relies on the examination of the displacement mode shapes acquired from the composite beams using the laser vibrometer and later processing them to curvature mode shapes for damage identification and characterization. Other identification techniques such as a C-scan has been applied to validate the location and size of the defects with the structures tested. The output from these plots enabled the successful identification of both the location and extent of damage within the structure with an accuracy of 96.5%. In addition to this, this project also introduces a method to experimentally compute the critical stress intensity factor, KIC for the composite beam. Based on this, a technique for extending the defect has been proposed and validated using concepts of fatigue and fracture mechanics. A composite specimen with a 40 mm wide delamination embedded within was loaded under fatigue conditions and extension of the defect by 4mm on either s ide of the specimen's loading axis was achieved satisfactorily. The experimental procedure to extend the defect using fatigue was validated using the SLV system. Displacement and Curvature mode shapes were acquired post-fatigue crack extension. Upon analysing and comparing the displacement and curvature mode shapes before and after crack extension, the extended delamination was identified satisfactorily.

Composite materials are supplanting conventional metals in aerospace, automotive, civil and marine industries in recent times. This is mainly due to their high strength and light weight characteristics. But with all the advantages they have, they are prone to delamination or matrix cracking. These types of damage are often invisible and if undetected, could lead to appalling failures of structures. Although there are systems to detect such damage, the criticality assessment and prognosis of the damage is often more difficult to achieve. The research study conducted here primarily deals with the structural health monitoring of composite materials by analysing vibration signatures acquired from a laser vibrometer. The primary aim of the project is to develop a vibration based structural health monitoring (SHM) method for detecting flaws such as delamination within the composite beams. Secondly, the project emphasises on the method's ability to recognise the locatio n and severity of the damage within the structure. The system proposed relies on the examination of the displacement mode shapes acquired from the composite beams using the laser vibrometer and later processing them to curvature mode shapes for damage identification and characterization. Other identification techniques such as a C-scan has been applied to validate the location and size of the defects with the structures tested. The output from these plots enabled the successful identification of both the location and extent of damage within the structure with an accuracy of 96.5%. In addition to this, this project also introduces a method to experimentally compute the critical stress intensity factor, KIC for the composite beam. Based on this, a technique for extending the defect has been proposed and validated using concepts of fatigue and fracture mechanics. A composite specimen with a 40 mm wide delamination embedded within was loaded under fatigue conditions and extension of the defect by 4mm on either s ide of the specimen's loading axis was achieved satisfactorily. The experimental procedure to extend the defect using fatigue was validated using the SLV system. Displacement and Curvature mode shapes were acquired post-fatigue crack extension. Upon analysing and comparing the displacement and curvature mode shapes before and after crack extension, the extended delamination was identified satisfactorily.