Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1962. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 94).

Thesis, Ph.D., University of Hong Kong, 1983. / Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1964. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: l. 104.

This study is concerned with the minimum cost design of a multi-storey building. The building consists of rectangular steel plane frames which are evenly spaced and support identical floors and a roof. The frame spacing, the column positions within the frame, and the number of intermediate beams spanning between frames are optimized using Box's Complex method and the optimum solution verified by an exhaustive search procedure. Member sizes for the frame and floor system are determined by a fully-stressed design criterion, for the AISC code, within the limits of a discrete set of member properties. The optimum design for several frames with various widths and heights is determined and the influence of the above variables, and the effect of cost parameters on the optimum solution is illustrated and the results discussed. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Elastic structures exhibit instabilities which arise through the occurrence of finite displacements even when constitutive properties remain linear. A non-linear analysis which recognizes rotations in the strain displacement relationship is formulated for analyzing three-dimensional framed structures. A finite element method is used whereby the rotations within each element are restricted in size by use of a local element reference frame attached to the element. Two such coordinate systems are developed. Then an incremental solution technique based on an instantaneous linearization of a Taylor series expansion of the forces about the displacement configuration at the beginning of each increment is developed. The snap-through buckling of shallow frames, arches and domes is studied with a view to documenting the effect on the equilibrium paths of the type of moving coordinate frame, the number of elements, and the size of the increment step. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Two theories for the stability analysis of a spaceframe structure are presented: the first uses only Livesley stability functions, the second includes in addition the effects due to chord rotation and flexural end shortening of a member. The critical condition is defined by the load which makes the tangent stiffness matrix of the structure become singular. Three methods for obtaining the critical load are presented: determinant plot, Southwell plot, and load-deflection curves. The analysis is carried out for the plexiglass model of an actual conical spaceframe, made of glulam timber, and built for the storage of potash. The overall critical load for this structure is found to be in satisfactory agreement with the experimental results obtained in previous model tests. Some additional effects, such as geometric imperfections in the joint coordinates and different member end-fixity conditions are investigated. The concept of effective length for a member is introduced to present the results obtained by varying the height/span ratio of the structure. Finally some design suggestions are given for structures of this type. The analyses were made using spaceframe programs based on the stiffness method, modified to include stability effects. An IBM 360/67 computer was used for the calculations. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

In this dissertation, we investigate methods of modifying a tight frame sequence on a finite subset of the frame so that the result is a tight frame with better properties. We call this a surgery on the frame. There are basically three types of surgeries: transplants, expansions, and contractions. In this dissertation, it will be necessary to consider surgeries on not-necessarily-tight frames because the subsets of frames that are excised and replaced are usually not themselves tight frames on their spans, even if the initial frame and the final frame are tight. This makes the theory necessarily complicated, and richer than one might expect. Chapter I is devoted to an introduction to frame theory. In Chapter II, we investigate conditions under which expansion, contraction, and transplant problems have a solution. In particular, we consider the equiangular replacement problem. We show that we can always replace a set of three unit vectors with a set of three complex unit equiangular vectors which has the same Bessel operator as the Bessel operator of the original set. We show that this can not always be done if we require the replacement vectors to be real, even if the original vectors are real. We also prove that the minimum angle between pairs of vectors in the replacement set becomes largest when the replacement set is equiangular. Iterating this procedure can yield a frame with smaller maximal frame correlation than the original. Frames with optimal maximal frame correlation are called Grassmannian frames and no general method is known at the present time for constructing them. Addressing this, in Chapter III we introduce a spreading algorithm for finite unit tight frames by replacing vectors three-at-a-time to produce a unit tight frame with better maximal frame correlation than the original frame. This algorithm also provides a “good” orientation for the replacement sets. The orientation part ensures stability in the sense that if a selected set of three unit vectors happens to already be equiangular, then the algorithm gives back the same three vectors in the original order. In chapter IV and chapter V, we investigate two special classes of frames called push-out frames and group frames. Chapter VI is devoted to some mathematical problems related to the ”cocktail party problem ”.

No description available.

In late March 2005, three Romanian journalists were kidnapped by an obscure group of Iraqi militants near Baghdad. Several unusual details about the circumstances of the kidnapping prompted the Romanian media to investigate the speculation regarding the authenticity and motives of this high profile case. This thesis project extends framing theory to incorporate macro-level frames such as cynicism, speculation and metacommunication as dominant reporting styles in this evolving democracy. A systematic content analysis was performed on 255 news stories spanning 75 days from Evenimentul Zilei and Jurnalul National. Additionally, 2,941 of their subsequent online reader discussion posts were content analyzed using the same categories as the news stories to serve as a point of comparison between media reports and public discussion about this bizarre case. Results support evidence of generic media framing and extend the theory to demonstrate media's reliance on speculation and metacommunication as overarching reporting styles. Online deliberation between readers in this evolving democracy demonstrates difficulties in citizens' abilities to emerge from the spiral of cynicism characteristic of the post-communist Romania. While media establish the issues for public dialogue, they do not appear responsible for setting the tone. / Master of Arts