This thesis presents algorithms to utilize the wireless bandwidth efficiently and at the same time meet the quality of service (QoS) requirements of the users. In the proposed algorithms we present an adaptive frame structure based upon the airlink frame loss probability and control the admission of call requests into the system based upon the load on the system and the QoS requirements of the incoming call requests. The performance of the proposed algorithms is studied by developing analytical formulations and simulation experiments. Finally we present an admission control algorithm which uses an adaptive delay computation algorithm to compute the queuing delay for each class of traffic and adapts the service rate and the reliability in the estimates based upon the deviation in the expected and obtained performance. We study the performance of the call admission control algorithm by simulation experiments. Simulation results for the adaptive frame structure algorithm show an improvement in the number of users in the system but there is a drop in the system throughput. In spite of the lower throughput the adaptive frame structure algorithm has fewer QoS delay violations. The adaptive call admission control algorithm adapts the call dropping probability of different classes of traffic and optimizes the system performance w.r.t the number of calls dropped and the reliability in meeting the QoS promised when the call is admitted into the system.

Wireless multi-hop relay systems are the newest amendment to the IEEE 802.16 standard for local and metropolitan area networks, else known as WiMAX. Relay systems come in different flavours, based on their capabilities and have the potential to offer many advantages over the single-hop technology. Upcoming broadband wireless technologies, that utilize multi-hop relays, need good network planning and design in order to achieve their full potential. There are two main types of multi-hop relay stations: transparent, which are not able to transmit control information and non-transparent, which have the capability to transmit such information. This study focuses mainly on non-transparent relay stations due to their complexity and ability to operate in a more than two hop environment. Currently, the latest IEEE amendment provides two different frame structures − single and multi-frame − for utilization in multi-hop relay networks, to allocate bandwidth. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the two proposed frame structures, in various network scenarios in terms of delay, throughput, rate, and user capacity. In addition, we will discuss some of the issues that need to be considered to cost effectively plan and design a multi-hop relay network. The evaluation methodology that we utilize is in accordance with the Multi-hop Relay System Evaluation Methodology developed by the IEEE 802.16 Broadband Wireless Access Working Group. To evaluate the above frame structures we developed an evaluation model for use in the network simulator 2 (ns2) from University of California Berkeley, by modifying the light WiMAX (LWX) add-on from Taiwan University. Unlike the original LWX module, which supports only transparent relay configurations, our module supports both multi-frame and single frame structures, as well as non-transparent multi-hop relay environments. To our knowledge there is no previous work, which analyzes the performance of the single frame and multi-frame system in multi-hope relay environments using the guidelines from the latest amendment to the standard (IEEE 802.16j-2009). Moreover, there is no publicly available software that will enable the study of such performance. The resulting source code of our work has been made publicly available and can be obtained from our website. / Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-09-09 23:55:00.995

This study investigates the global stiffness of a timer frame structure under wind loading using the finite element method by creating parameterized script files. Of key interest was the accuracy of the global stiffness determined from an adaptive 3D beam model in comparison to a 2D beam model and, the stiffness of a 3D beam model when subjected to different types of bracing in the presence of internal bracing provided by a lift shaft structure. Investigation of contact forces on the surfaces between the fastener and the timber at the connection was carried out and a design check for the specified bolts shear capacity done with respect to Eurocode 5. A 3D adaptive connection was created for a 2D frame model and the stiffness of the structure was studied. A comparison of the maximum displacement of the structure in the x direction, under the same wind loading, spring stiffness and boundary conditions, with a 2D beam structure without the adaptive connection initially showed a difference in the displacement. This implied that the rotational stiffness in the beam model was greater than that of the adaptive connection created. Therefore after altering the rotational stiffness of the beam model to achieve similar displacement as in the adaptive model, the rotational stiffness of the created connection was found to be 33.4 · 106Nm. The study also determined the contact forces generated at the surfaces between the fasteners and the timber using the finite element method to integrate over the surfaces and calculate the forces. The results were generated using the History Output in the step module. The only disadvantage of acquiring the contact forces was that, the contact surface simulation caused larger run times for the model to complete the time step. For the adaptive model it took 18 hours to complete each step. Further investigation into the stiffness of a 3D frame structure was conducted. The model of the 3D structure was created by a parameterized script which makes it easy to change input variables such as number of internal walls, geometry in x-z-plane, number of storeys, cross-sectional dimensions, material properties number of diagonals and location of diagonals. A variety of models with different conditions was analyzed. This showed that stiffness has a major impact on the magnitude of reaction forces and displacements.

Master´s thesis describes the design of the railway bridge in Ústí nad Labem. Length of the structure is 200.00 meters, the height of the structure is 32.61 m and width of the structure is 12.10 m. Main structural system is composed of a spatial strut-frame structures. The bridge carries an important railway stations between Usti nad Labem Západ, Usti nad Labem Střekov. Part of the proposal is a footbridge for pedestrians.

The thesis presents background on solar thermal energy and addresses the structural challenges associated with the deployment of concentrating solar power fields in urban areas. Two potential structural systems and urban locales of deployment are proposed and investigated to determine whether they have the potential to be a cost-effective renewable energy solution for urban areas. The structural issues explored in the thesis include flutter, the wind loading of open frame structures, performance-based design, and the design of flexibly mounted equipment on a building.

Submitted by Rodrigo Tumolin Rocha null (digao.rocha@feb.unesp.br) on 2016-09-09T20:48:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_FInal.pdf: 13569204 bytes, checksum: 57c9cb53f7d15296a337d3d7544e5191 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-09-13T13:55:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 tumolinrocha_r_dr_bauru.pdf: 13569204 bytes, checksum: 57c9cb53f7d15296a337d3d7544e5191 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-13T13:55:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tumolinrocha_r_dr_bauru.pdf: 13569204 bytes, checksum: 57c9cb53f7d15296a337d3d7544e5191 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-04 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Recentemente, o interesse e a pesquisa de coleta de energia têm aumentado substancialmente no meio técnico-científico. Com a grande demanda mundial por energia elétrica, muitos pesquisadores, no Brasil e no Mundo, têm concentrado seus esforços na busca de novas fontes de energia. Além disso, com os avanços da tecnologia, é possível utilizar dispositivos de baixo consumo de energia, que são, na maioria das vezes, alimentados por uma bateria, que são fontes de energia finita havendo a necessidade da recarga ou troca periodicamente, das mesmas. No processo de coleta de energia, a energia elétrica é obtida através da conversão de energia mecânica criada por uma fonte de vibração do meio ambiente através de um transdutor. Entre os mais comuns meios de transdução de energia, o uso de materiais piezoelétricos vêm sendo de grande interesse em meio a coleta de energia devido sua facilidade de aplicação e seu uso para coleta de energia em um amplo intervalo de frequências. Fontes de vibração do meio ambiente podem ser causadas em estruturas através do movimento de veículos, um trêm, ondas do mar e até o deslocamento de pessoas. Com isso, este trabalho tem como objetivo estudar a coleta de energia utilizando uma plataforma aporticada não-linear de dois graus de liberdade contendo um material piezoelétrico não-linear acoplado a uma de suas colunas e excitado externamente em sua base. A plataforma não-linear possui ressonância interna 2:1 entre seus modos de vibrar. A não-linearidade do material é considerada através de uma relação matemática não-linear. Além disso, este trabalho será separado em duas partes para a análise das excitações externas. Em sua primeira parte, considera-se uma força harmonica excitando sua base. Na segunda parte, será considerando um vibrador eletrodinâmico com saída harmônica. A metologia empregada para a realização das análises deste trabalho foram: utilizar o método de múltiplas escalas para buscar as melhores configurações dos parâmetros e encontrar fenômenos devido à ressonancia interna 2:1; em seguida foram realizadas excessivas simulações numéricas utilizando o método de Runge-Kutta de quarta e quinta ordem com passo variável buscando otimizar a coleta de energia através da variação de parâmetros, diagramas de bifurcação, expoente de lyapunov, FFTs e históricos no tempo e outros tipos de simulações. Em geral serão feitas duas comparações muito importantes. A influência da não-linearidade do material piezoelétrico e do uso da força harmonica e do vibrador eletrodinâmico na coleta de energia. Os resultados mostraram grande influência da não-linearidade do material piezoelétrico, e utilizando o vibrador foi possível ter um ganho considerável na estabilidade do sistema. / Recently, the interest and research about energy harvesting has been increasing substantially in the technical-scientific community. With the great world demand for electrical energy, many researchers, in Brazil and in the World, have concentrated their efforts to seek new energy sources. In addition, with the technological advances is possible to use low-power consumption devices, that are, most of time, powered by a battery, which are limited energy sources having the necessity of recharging or substituting them periodically. In the energy harvesting process, the electrical energy is obtained through the conversion of mechanical energy created by a vibrating source in the environment using a transducer. Among the most common energy transduction mean, the use of piezoelectric materials has been of great interest in the energy harvesting matter due to its ease of application and its use to harvest energy in a wide range of frequencies. Vibration sources in the environment may occur in structures by vehicle traffics, a train movement, sea waves and even people. With that, the objective of this work is to study the energy harvesting using a nonlinear two-degrees-of-freedom portal frame platform with a nonlinear piezoelectric material coupled to one of its columns and externally base-excited. The nonlinear platform possesses two-to-one internal resonance between its two vibration modes. The nonlinearities of the piezoelectric material is considered as a nonlinear mathematical relation. Moreover, this work is separated in two parts to the analysis of the external excitations. In the first part, a harmonic force base-exciting the system is considered. In the second part is considered an electro-dynamical shaker with harmonic output. The employed methodology to carry out the analysis of this work was: the application of the method of multiple scales to find the best configuration of the parameters, and to find some kind of phenomena due to the two-to-one internal resonance; in the following were carried out several numerical simulations using the method of Runge-Kutta of 4th and 5th order with variable step seeking to optimize the energy harvesting through parametrical variations, bifurcation diagrams, FFTs, time histories and other typos of simulations. In general, it will be done two much important comparisons: the influence of the nonlinearity of the piezoelectric material and the use of the harmonic force and the shaker to the energy harvesting. The results showed great influence of the nonlinearity of the material, and using the electro-dynamical device it was possible to have a considerably gain in the system stability.

With the acceleration of global urbanization trends, more and more intentions are put on multi-storey buildings. As the world leading area of wood construction, European countries started the construction of multi-storey timber building for a decade ago. However, unlike the traditional buildings made of reinforced concrete, the design of wooden high-rise timber buildings would face a substantial amount of new challenges because such high-rise timber buildings are touching the limitations of the timber engineering field. In this thesis, a parameterized three-dimensional FE-model (in ABAQUS) of a multi-storey timber frame building is created. Variable geometrical parameters, connection stiffness as well as boundary connections and applied wind and gravity loads are defined in a Python script to make it possible to analyze the influence of these parameters on the global structural behavior of the studied multi-storey timber frame building. The results and analysis implied that the script successfully worked and was capable to create different complex building geometries in an wasy way for the finite element analysis.

The emphasis on seismic design and assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) frame structure has shifted from force-based to performance-based design and assessment to accommodate strength and ductility for required performance of building. RC frame structure may suffer different levels of damage under seismic-induced ground motions, with potentials for formation of hinges in structural elements, depending on the level of stringency in design. Thus it is required to monitor the seismic behaviour and performance of buildings, which depend on the structural system, year of construction and the level of irregularities in the structural system. It is the objective of the current research project to assess seismic performance of RC frame buildings in Canada, while developing fragility curves as analytical tools for such assessment. This was done through dynamic inelastic analysis by modelling selected building structures and using PERFORM-3D as analysis software, while employing incremental dynamic analysis to generate performance data under incrementally increasing seismic intensity of selected earthquake records. The results lead to probabilistic tools to assess the performance of buildings designed following the National Building Code of Canada in different years of construction with and without irregularities. The research consists of three phases; i) regular buildings designed after 1975, ii) regular buildings designed prior to 1975, and iii) irregular buildings designed prior to 1975. The latter two phases address older buildings prior to the development of modern seismic building codes. All three phases were carried out by selecting and designing buildings in Ottawa, representing the seismic region in eastern Canada, as well as buildings in Vancouver, representing the seismic region in western Canada. Buildings had three heights (2; 5; and 10-stories) to cover a wide range of building periods encountered in practice. The resulting fragility curves indicated that the older buildings showed higher probabilities of exceeding life safety and/or collapse prevention performance levels. Newer buildings showed higher probabilities of exceeding target performance levels in western Canada than those located in the east.

The work is treated as a steel construction multi-storey buildings in the county library Havlickuv Brod. At design requirements were respected in shape and layout of the building. The complex consists of three parts - two, four and five floors. The overall footprint is about 85 x 32 m. The proposal is designed as a composite steel and concrete slab. Pent roof construction is inclined 5 degrees. Anchors are designed as joint. Horizontal forces on the design of frames are transmitted in both directions.

This master’s thesis deals with a project of steel structure of roofed stand of a sports stadium situated nearby the city of Opava. Dimensions of roofed stand are 54 m x 10,5 m and height is 15 m. Structure is devidet into 9 parts, which are 6 m long. Design of elements and inner forces are solved with program SCIA Engineer. Computational model is designed as a three-dimensional bar structure. Two variants was solved in general and more convenient with a truss girder roof is work up in details.