• Refine Query
  • Source
  • Publication year
  • to
  • Language
  • 1028
  • 449
  • 263
  • 227
  • 223
  • 74
  • 42
  • 32
  • 25
  • 25
  • 23
  • 22
  • 21
  • 17
  • 17
  • Tagged with
  • 2813
  • 727
  • 460
  • 436
  • 367
  • 362
  • 290
  • 281
  • 261
  • 212
  • 210
  • 208
  • 197
  • 191
  • 190
  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
551

Can the UN SMART Programme be Smarter? : an analysis of learning outcomes

Human, Christina 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This paper analyses the UN Senior Mission Administration and Resource Training (SMART) programme, a training course which was created to improve the management of UN peacekeeping mission resources and support functions and to improve the performance of managers in the UN Department of Field Support and Department of Peacekeeping. The history of the SMART programme and the context in whic h it was created is provided before evaluating the programme against current training and learning theory literature. The paper also examines the current and potential capacity of SMART to facilitate triple loop learning, or innovation, through the inclus ion of futures studies concepts, such as scenario-building, change and strategy management in the programme. Lastly, the study recommends that SMART learners be equipped with these futures-orientated planning tools to improve their work performance, facilitate triple loop learning and thus improve the overall organisational performance of the Department of Field Support. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingsprojek analiseer die Verenigde Nasies (VN) se SMART Program (Administrasie en Hulpbron Opleidingsprogram), wat ontwikkel is om die bestuur van hulpbronne en ondersteuningsfunksies in VN Vredesmissies asook die werkverrigting van bestuurders in die VN se Departement van Veldondersteuning en Departement Vredesinstandhouding te verbeter. 'n Historiese oorsig van die SMART program asook die konteks waarin die program ontwikkel is, word eers verskaf, voordat 'n literatuurstudie gedoen word van die huidige opleidings- en leerteorië. Die studie ondersoek verder die huidige vermoë van die SMART program om trippelring-leervermoë (of innovasie) te ontwikkel deur die insluiting van toekomsstudiekonsepte soos senario-ontwikkeling en veranderings- en strategiebestuur. Ten slotte word voorgestel dat deelnemers aan die program met toekomsgeörienteerde beplanningsgereedskap toegerus word om hulle met die uitvoering van hulle take te help en trippelring-leerontwikkeling te bewerkstellig, en sodoende die oorkoepelende organisatoriese werkverrigting in die Departement van Veldondersteuning te verbeter.
552

A study of solar radiation pressure acting on GPS satellites

Froideval, Laurent Olivier 22 October 2009 (has links)
An increasing number of GPS applications require a high level of accuracy. To reduce the error contributed by the GPS ephemerides, an accurate modeling of the forces acting on GPS satellites is necessary. These forces can be categorized into gravitational and non-gravitational forces. The non-gravitational forces are a significant contribution to the total force on a GPS satellite but they are still not fully understood whereas the gravitational forces are well modeled. This study focuses on two non-gravitational forces: Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP) and the y-bias force. Different SRP models are available in the University of Texas Multi-Satellite Orbit Determination Program (MSODP). The recently developed University College London model was implemented for the purpose of this study. Several techniques to compute parameters associated with SRP models and the y-bias force during an orbit prediction were examined. Using the International GNSS Service (IGS) precise ephemerides as a reference, five different models were compared in the study. Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) residuals were also studied to validate the approach. Results showed that the analytical UCL model performed as well as a purely empirical model such as the Extended CODE model. This is important since analytical models attempt to represent the physical phenomena and thus might be better suited to separate SRP from other forces. The y-bias force was then shown to have a once per revolution effect. The time evolution of the y-bias was found to be dependent on the SRP model used, the satellite Block type, the orbital plane, and the attitude of the satellite which suggests that estimates of y-bias contain errors from other sources, particularly the SRP models. The dependency of the y-bias evolution on the orbital plane suggests that the orientation of the plane towards the Sun is important. / text
553

Critères de malaxabilité des mélanges granulaires humides / Mixing of wet granular media

Collet, Romain 21 January 2010 (has links)
Le malaxage est une étape clé de la fabrication des bétons. Il consiste à distribuer de façon homogène et à mouiller tous les constituants présents dans le malaxeur. Ce travail de thèse a été réalisé en utilisant des matériaux modèles (billes de verre), des matériaux de référence présent dans la composition du béton (calcaire, ciment, sable) et différents liquides (eau, isopropanol, glycérol). Cette étude a permis d’identifier les leviers d'optimisation de l’opération de malaxage, et de clarifier la notion de bonne ou mauvaise malaxabilité d'un système granulaire. D’autre part, il a apporté des éléments de compréhension pour réduire la dépense énergétique et la durée du malaxage. Nous avons montré que le comportement du milieu granulaire en cours de malaxage (résistance au cisaillement, cinétique de mouillage, compacité), est très largement affecté par les propriétés du mélange et les caractéristiques du malaxeur, particulièrement lors de la transition “granulaire sec / granulaire humide”. Une étude (paramétrique) a permis de hiérarchiser ces grandeurs qui ont été classifiées parmi les propriétés individuelles des poudres (taille, forme), les propriétés collectives (empilement), les propriétés du liquide mouillant (viscosité, tension superficielle, présence d’un adjuvant), les propriétés d’interface liquide/solide (angle de contact), et les paramètres opératoires (mode d’addition du liquide). Deux niveaux d’analyse complémentaires ont été utilisés pour étudier l'impact de ces différents paramètres. Le régime dynamique (utilisation d’un malaxeur planétaire de laboratoire) a permis de caractériser le comportement du milieu granulaire malaxé grâce à la mesure de la dépense en intensité. Le régime quasi-statique (cellule annulaire de Schulze) a été utilisé afin de réaliser une approche du malaxage et des contraintes locales de façon simplifiée ( plan de cisaillement de surface connue et vitesse très faible). Ce système a permis de distinguer les parts frictionnelles et cohésives mises en jeu au cours du malaxage. Parallèlement, la porosité du lit granulaire a été mesurée en cours de malaxage. Cette porosité évolue avec la quantité de liquide additionnée, et conditionne en grande partie l’évolution de la résistance au malaxage. / Mixing is an important operation in the elaboration of concrete. It creates a homogeneous distribution of solids and liquid. This work was carried out with model materials (glass beads), reference materials present in the concrete composition (calcite, cement, sand) and different liquids (water, isopropanol, glycerol). This study allowed us to optimize the mixing operation, and to clarify the difference between good and bad mixing. Moreover, the study offered informations allowing to reduce the energy consumption and the mixing time. We showed that the granular medium behaviour during the mixing (shear resistance, wetting kinetic, compacity), is affected a lot by the granular medium properties and by the mixer parameters, particularly during the “dry granular medium / wet granular medium” transitional period. A systematic study allowed us to classify these parameters among the individual powders properties (size, shape), the collective properties (packing), the wetting liquid properties (viscosity, superficial tension, liquid with an adjuvant), the liquid/solid interface properties (contact angle), and the process parameters (liquid addition method). Two complementary analysis levels were used to study the influence of these different parameters. The dynamic regime (using of a laboratory planetary mixer) allowed us to characterise the granular medium behaviour during the mixing, using the intensity consumption measure. The quasi-static regime (Schulze annular shear cell) was used in order to achieve a simplified approach to the mixing and to the local stresses (shear plan with a known surface and low velocity). This system allowed us to distinguish the frictional and cohesive interactions that take place during the mixing. In addition, the porosity of the granular medium was measured during the mixing. This porosity changes with the added liquid amount, and is partially responsible of the shear resistance modifications.
554

Étude de la filtration des aérosols nanométriques / Study on nanoparticles aerosol filtration

Mouret, Guillaume 07 November 2008 (has links)
Cette étude vise à une meilleure compréhension des phénomènes rencontrés en filtration des aérosols nanométriques, c’est-à-dire inférieurs à 100 nm, neutres et/ou chargés. Pour ce faire, trois différents types de média ont été étudiés : des grilles, en acier et matières synthétiques, des filtres non tissés, en fibres de verre ou polymériques, et des lits granulaires, constitués de billes d’acier ou de zéolithe. Il ressort des résultats expérimentaux obtenus que quel que soit le média testé, l’efficacité de collecte des particules augmente lorsque le diamètre de l’aérosol diminue, et ce jusque 4 nm. Ceci entre en contradiction avec l’approche théorique dite du rebond thermique, développée par Wang et Kasper en 1991, selon laquelle l’efficacité de collecte serait susceptible de diminuer en-dessous de 10 nm. La vérification des calculs de Wang et Kasper permet d’expliquer cette incohérence, et montre, à partir de valeurs plus réalistes de l’énergie d’adhésion particule-fibre, que si le rebond thermique existe, celui-ci ne pourra se manifester qu’en-dessous de 1 nm, au mieux. Ainsi, les perméances expérimentales des différents médias testés ont pu être modélisées en tenant compte des mécanismes de collecte par diffusion et/ou par effets électrostatiques. Une étude originale sur les performances, dans le domaine nanométrique, de filtres en fibres de verre intentionnellement percés complète ce travail. Pour un même média fibreux, la perméance augmente avec le diamètre de perforation réalisée. Par ailleurs, pour une taille de perforation donnée, la perméance devient indépendante du diamètre des particules en-dessous d’une taille limite, fonction de la dimension de la perforation. Il a enfin été mis en évidence que la baisse d’efficacité est d’autant plus importante que la résistance à l’écoulement de l’air du filtre est importante. Un modèle semi-empirique, fondé sur la différenciation du flux d’aérosol traversant la fuite du flux traversant le matelas fibreux résiduel du filtre, permet de bien représenter ces états de fait / This study aims to better understand the mechanisms encountered in nanoparticles aerosol filtration, the particles being charged or not. Three different types of media were studied: stainless steel or synthetics wire screens, unwoven filters in glass or polymer fibres, and at last, granular beds made from steel or zeolite balls. Experimental results show that, whatever the media, collection efficiency increases as the particle diameter decreases down to 4 nm. This point conflicts with the so-called thermal rebound effect developed by Wang and Kasper in 1991, according to which collection efficiency could decrease below 10 nm. The checking of Wang and Kasper’s calculations enables to explain this discrepancy and shows from more probable particle-to-fibre adhesion energy values that if thermal rebound phenomenon exists, it would only be measurable below 1 nm. Then, experimental points can be modelled from both diffusion and electrostatic forces collection mechanisms. An investigation on the filtration behaviour of fibreglass filters in the nanometric domain when intentionally-pierced with calibrated needles completes the above-mentioned works. For a same media, penetration increases as the leak diameter does. On the other hand, for a given hole size, penetration becomes independent of the particle diameter below a critical scale, which is a function of the leak diameter. It was lastly shown that the efficiency of a pierced media decreases all the more that its air flow resistance is higher. A semi-empirical model based on the differentiation between the aerosol flow across the leak and the one through the residual fibrous bed of the filter enables to well represent these points
555

Under new management will America's dedicated CSAR forces finally thrive in AFSOC?

Cline, John D. 12 1900 (has links)
Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. / On 1 October 2003 the USAF transferred control of its CONUS-based combat search and rescue(CSAR) assets from Air Combat Command to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Transferto AFSOC was CSAR's fourth major reorganization in twenty years, and was the latest in a turbulentprocession of attempts to improve the combat effectiveness of CSAR forces. Despite possessing anabundance of brave, motivated, and extremely capable personnel yearning to accomplish their mission, dysfunctional organizational arrays and nagging organizational constraints have prevented USAF dedicatedCSAR forces from "getting to the fight" for the onset of hostilities in three of this nation's past four majorarmed conflicts. Special operations forces had to fill the void. This analysis evaluates CSAR's positionwithin AFSOC's organizational array to determine if this latest reorganization is likely to produce durableimprovements in CSAR combat effectiveness. My conclusion is that "CSAR friendly" organizational cultureand effective organizational constructs within AFSOC Headquarters, combined with highly receptiveattitudes among CSAR crewmembers, form a historically unique organizational mix that favors the long termsuccess of CSAR forces in AFSOC. To ensure AFSOC's favorable organizational posture is translated toimproved combat capability, leadership must immediately increase CSAR representation on HHQ staffs. / Major, United States Air Force
556

Intégration des concepts d’optimisation et de fiabilité dans la conception des machines agricoles / Integrating the concepts of optimization and reliability in the design of agricultural machines

Abo Al-Kheer, Abd Al-Kareem 19 November 2010 (has links)
Les machines agricoles doivent être conçues pour être optimales, fiables et résistantes à la rupture par fatigue. L’approche déterministe de la conception ne garantit pas ces exigences, elle est néanmoins traditionnellement appliquée pour la conception de machines agricoles. Cela est dû à la difficulté de modéliser la nature stochastique des forces agissant sur les machines agricoles, en particulier les machines de labour, car elles fonctionnent dans un environnement irrégulier et dans des conditions de fonctionnement variables. Le principal objectif de cette thèse est de développer un cadre général pour la conception de machines agricoles, en intégrant les outils d'optimisation, de fiabilité et de fatigue. En cela, nous visons à proposer une alternative à l'approche déterministe. Tout d'abord, cette thèse propose des méthodes et des modèles pour modéliser la variabilité des forces durant le labour en prenant en compte à la fois la variabilité des paramètres du système de labour et de rupture du sol. Deuxièmement, sur la base des méthodes d’optimisation fiabiliste et d’analyse de la fatigue, nous proposons des méthodologies pour la conception de machines agricoles. Tout au long de la thèse, les approches développées sont appliquées à la conception de la dent d'un chisel. / Agricultural machines should be designed to be optimal, reliable and have thecapacity to resist failure by fatigue. Although, the deterministic design approach does not guarantee these requirements, it is traditionally applied in the design of agricultural machines. This is due to the difficulties to model the stochastic nature of the forces acting on agricultural machines, especially the forces acting on tillage machines which work in irregular environment and under varying conditions. Therefore, the main objective of this dissertation is to develop a general framework for the design of agricultural machines by integrating the optimization, the reliability and the fatigue tools. We aim to provide an alternative to the traditional deterministic design one. First, this dissertation proposes methods and models for modeling the variability in tillage forces considering both thevariability in tillage system parameters and the soil failure. Second, based on the available methods in reliability-based design optimization and fatigue analysis approaches, itproposes methodologies for the design of agricultural machines. Throughout the dissertation, the developed approaches are applied to the design of the shack of a chisel plough.
557

Penalty methods for the simulation of fluid-solid interactions with various assemblies of resolved scale particles / Méthodes de pénalisation pour la simulation des interactions fluide-solide avec des réseaux variés de particules résolues

Chadil, Mohamed-Amine 30 October 2018 (has links)
Les simulations des écoulements diphasiques à l’échelle réelle de l’application nécessitent des modèles pour les termes non fermés des équations macroscopiques. Des simulations numériques directes à particule résolue utilisant la méthode de pénalisation visqueuse ont été réalisées afin de mesurer les interactions entre des particules de différentes formes (sphérique et ellipsoïdale) et le fluide porteur à différents régimes d'écoulement (de stokes à l'inertiel). Deux méthodes ont été développées durant cette thèse afin d'extraire les forces hydrodynamiques ainsi que le transfert de chaleur sur les frontières immergées représentant les particules. Plusieurs validations ont été conduites pour différentes configurations de particules : de la simulation d’une particule isolée à un réseau aléatoire de sphères en passant par réseau cubique face centrée de sphères. Une corrélation du nombre de Nusselt est proposée pour un sphéroïde allongé plongé dans un écoulement uniforme. / The simulations of multiphase flows at real application scale need models for unclosed terms in macroscopic equations. Particle-Resolved Direct Numerical Simulations using Viscous Penalty Method have been carried out to quantify the interactions between particles of different shapes (spheres, ellipsoids) and the carrier fluid at different regimes (from Stokes to inertial). Two methods have been developed to extract hydrodynamic forcesand heat transfers on immersed boundaries representing the particles. Validations have been conducted for various configuration of particles: from an isolated sphere and spheroid to Face-Centered Cubic to a random arrangement of spheres. A correlation of the Nusselt number for an isolated prolate spheroid past by a uniform flow is proposed.
558

Researching the experiences of children and young people from armed forces families

Bowes, Evelyn Ruth January 2018 (has links)
Children from armed forces families are identified internationally as a group facing challenging situations, circumstances which can have a negative impact on their educational experiences. The main focus in existing research has been on measuring children's outcomes, but these studies generate little insight into how children themselves make sense of their experiences. There are only a few in-depth qualitative studies, mostly conducted outside the UK, exploring the lived experiences of children from armed forces families. This study explores how children of armed forces personnel from schools across Scotland expressed their experiences. It aims to better understand approaches to the provision of inclusive educational support. A suite of methods - object elicitation, video diaries, peer interviewing, drawing, and vignettes - was employed, to generate expressions from a total of 41 children and young people aged eight to 14 years, from three primary and two secondary Scottish schools. A post-qualitative orientation supported the inquiry to look beyond children's voices in isolation. An assemblage approach was taken to the analysis of the audio/video recordings, transcripts, artefacts, and field notes from the research encounters. The analysis showed how the different and shifting conditions of the research led to the creation of ongoing productive encounters. A key insight was that schools have much unrealised capacity to positively contribute to the experiences of these children. Methodological insights alongside empirical findings are used to generate signposts for the provision of improved educational support. The thesis argues that, ultimately, any improvement will involve entering into reciprocal, experimental, and socio-materially mediated dialogues with children in ways that both align with children's lived experience of armed forces life but also allow for the exploration of change and becoming-different as outcomes of those dialogues.
559

Estudio de las fuerzas de arrastre de cables umbilicales de robots de inspección o desobstrucción de tuberías

Marenco, Javier January 2017 (has links)
The present work makes a study of the drag forces of umbilical cables of pipes inspection robots and aims to determine a valid model for their calculation. For this purpose, the physical models are developed in relation to the friction forces for the straight and curved sections in all their possible configurations, obtaining for each case a differential equation that models the friction phenomenon and that includes fluid and cable the characteristics. By solving the differential equation, an explicit expression is obtained for the value of the frictional force in each case. In the present work, the obtained model is evaluated in comparison with the traditional simplified model. It is also presented a study about the influence of the stiffness of the cable and how this characteristic generates the forces of the normal general forces at the ends of the curves that, finally, result in an additional component of the frictional forces. By comparison with actual drag force measurements, the model obtained is validated. The complexity of the calculations required for the determination of the pull forces in real pipes makes it necessary to use software tools to facilitate it. For this reason, two software applications are developed, one specific for rigid pipes and another one for flexible pipes. A series of strategies of how to keep low the maximum value of the cable tension are presented too. / El presente trabajo se dedica al estudio de fuerzas de arrastre de cables umbilicales de robot de inspección o desobstrucción de tuberías y tiene como objetivo la determinación de un modelo válido para el cálculo de las mismas. Para tal fin, se desarrollan los modelos físicos en relación a las fuerzas de rozamiento presentes para tramos rectos y curvas en todas sus configuraciones posibles, obteniéndose así, para cada caso, una ecuación diferencial que modela el fenómeno del rozamiento y que incluye las variables propias del fluido presente y las características pertinentes del cable. Mediante la resolución de esa ecuación diferencial, se obtiene una expresión explícita para el valor de la fuerza de rozamiento en cada caso. En el presente trabajo, el modelo obtenido es evaluado mediante comparación con el modelo simplificado tradicional de manera de ver los alcances del nuevo modelo. Se realiza también una presentación de la influencia que tiene la rigidez del cable y como esta rigidez a la flexión genera fuerzas normales adicionales en los extremos de las curvas que redundan finalmente en una componente adicional de las fuerzas de fricción. Mediante comparación con mediciones reales de fuerza de arrastre se valida el modelo obtenido Dada la complejidad de los cálculos requeridos para la determinación de las fuerzas de arrastre de tuberías reales se desarrollan dos aplicaciones de software para el cálculo de las mismas, una específica para tuberías rígidas y otra para tuberías flexibles utilizando algoritmos de cálculo basados en las ecuaciones determinadas. Son presentadas también, una serie de estrategias de forma de mantener acotado el valor máximo de la tensión de cable. Dentro de las estrategias están la elección de materiales de recubrimiento de cable que presenten un bajo coeficiente de fricción con la tubería, la adopción de cables cuyo peso específico sea tal que el peso se iguale a la fuerza de empuje y la incorporación de varios dispositivos de tracción del cable de modo de mantener bajas las contra tensiones del cable utilizando un sistema distribuido de empuje.
560

Approaching the green market : Swedish natural and organic cosmetic industry analysis. / Approaching the green market : Swedish natural and organic cosmetic industry analysis.

OZHOGINA, SOFYA, PELLONPÄÄ, RIIKKA, ZOTOVA, JEKATERINA January 2013 (has links)
The research in natural & organic cosmetics field is particularly scant, and especially in Sweden, no research has been done on the industry of natural & organic cosmetics. In consideration of the global eco-trend and also in order to overcome this research gap, this current thesis is focused on studying Swedish natural & organic cosmetics industry, which nowadays appears to be competitive and challenging as never before. Sweden is one of the most environmentally conscious countries where the consumption of cosmetics reached 15 billion SEK in 2011. There are number of companies and brands which categorize them as natural, and continuously look for ways to attract new and keep existing customers. The increased consumer demand for natural & organic products can be observed, consumer awareness coupled with willingness to purchase products that fit their principles and values, as well as consumer price-sensitivity as a result of global recession and their pursuit of making the best value of money. The requirement of natural beauty products are increasing and are available on environmentally-conscious Swedish market. The motivation behind this study is to enhance understanding about the natural & organic cosmetics industry in Sweden, and take a deeper look by over viewing some companies which are presented on this market. Understanding the industry structure is particularly important. Modified Porter’s five forces model has been used in this thesis in order to make the industry analysis.

Page generated in 0.0589 seconds