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Thesis (M.A.)--University of Florida, 2006. / Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 116 pages. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references.

This study is comprised of three major parts. The first part involved the development of a multi-measurement, confined, free-free resonant column device. This device was developed to improve upon traditional manually excited, vacuum-confined, free-free methods. The device is capable of testing specimens with diameters up to 6-in., under confinements upwards of 50 psi. The device is composed of a seismic-source system, a data acquisition system and a specimen support and confinement system. The seismic source system is used to induce small-strain constrained compression waves, and longitudinal and torsional stress waves in the specimen. The data acquisition system is used to measure: (1) direct travel time of constrained compression waves, (2) longitudinal resonance in unconstrained compression, and (3) torsional resonance. From these measurements, constrained compression wave velocity, Vp, unconstrained compression wave velocity, Vc, and shear wave velocity, Vs, can be determined. With these wave velocities, small-strain, constrained modulus, Mmax, Young’s modulus, Emax, and shear modulus, Gmax can be determined. Poisson’s ratio is also calculated with the wave velocities. Finally, from the resonance measurements, small-strain material damping in unconstrained compression, DCmin, and in shear, DSmin, can be evaluated. The second part of this study involved verification tests with materials of known dynamic properties. The tests were performed with a manufactured aluminum specimen, ASTM graded Ottawa sand, and crushed rock aggregate base. The results compared well with previous results from similar tests. The third part of this study involved testing artificially cemented ASTM graded Ottawa sand. Cement contents (by weight) of 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0%, were used to observe the effect of cementation with curing time at a constant confining pressure of 5 psi. The overall effect of cementation was: (1) a large increase in stiffness, and (2) an increase in material damping. The key effects related to cementation versus curing time are: (1) the increase in wave velocities are reasonably proportional to an increase in cement content up to a curing time of about 5 to 7 days, and (2) after a curing time of 5 to 7 days time the velocity increase with time seems to be similar for all cemented specimens. Additionally, the 2% cemented specimen was tested to observe the effect of confining pressure. The stiffness of this specimen was quite insensitive to confining pressure as was the material damping. / text

Several free-free beam micro-resonators are designed and fabricated using two commercially available surface micromachining processes, the UW-MEMS process and PolyMUMPs. Theoretical derivations of the design parameters are presented and an electrical lumped behavior model is developed for a single resonator with direct mechanic-to-electric analogy. A finite-element analysis (FEA) tool, the COMSOL Multiphysics 4.2a, is utilized to simulate the effects of the critical structural dimensions and electromechanical coupling. A variety of analyses, such as modal, static and dynamic responses are performed in FEA and the results are compared with the analytical solutions. The static and dynamic performances of the fabricated UW-MEMS resonators are tested using the Vecco NT-9100 In-Motion System. The electrical testing is carried out to obtain the frequency characteristics in electrical domain of the device. Measured data are compared with the analytical and simulation results. Discrepancies are discussed and analyzed.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-68). / v, 68 leaves, bound 29 cm

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This thesis primarily details the application of high-level ab initio quantum chemistry techniques in order to understand aspects of free-radical mediated protein oxidation. Traditionally, product analysis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy are the primary means for elucidating the chemistry of protein oxidation. However, in experiments involving relatively small proteins reacting with a controlled radical-flux, a vast array of compounds can be produced, which are often difficult to analyse. Quantum chemical techniques on the other hand, can calculate the properties of any particular species directly, without suffering from the problems associated with experiment, such as side-reactions and chain processes. The results presented in this thesis are aimed at elucidating mechanistic details of protein oxidation, which might otherwise be difficult to probe experimentally. Chapter 1 gives an overview of the free-radical hypothesis of disease and ageing. Protein-derived radicals can undergo a variety of reactions, with the particular reaction that occurs depending on numerous aspects. Many types of reactions have been identified through radiolysis experiments of amino acids, and these are detailed in this chapter. In addition, the key reactive species are characterized and their different chemistries explained. Chapter 2 details the theoretical tools used throughout this thesis. Species with unpaired electrons (radicals) present unique problems for quantum chemistry to handle, thus an appropriate choice of theoretical technique is needed. The approach taken in this thesis is to use high-level compound methods, many of which have been directly formulated to give improved results for radical species, to provide benchmark quality results by which other less demanding techniques can be assessed. During the course of this study, it became apparent there was a void in the armoury of tools that could be used for the theoretical chemistry calculations. Chapter 3 details the formulation of a new tool in an attempt to fill this gap. Historically, the formulation of this new procedure came after much of the work in this thesis had been carried out. Thus, for the study of many of the reactions of this thesis the new method has not been used. However, it is most appropriate to place its formulation after summarizing the current status of techniques in common use today. Chapters 4 and 5 detail computations carried out on models of peptides containing backbone carbon- and nitrogen-centered radicals. A number of different theoretical techniques are used in these chapters, ranging from the highly accurate and computationally intensive to the less reliable and less demanding. The highly accurate techniques are used to gauge the accuracy of the other less demanding theoretical techniques so that the latter can be used with confidence in larger systems. Not only is the choice of theoretical technique important but also the judicious choice of model is essential. With this in mind, models are incrementally built until convergence of the particular property of interest is reached. Chapters 6 and 7 detail the calculations of β-scission reactions of alkoxyl radicals, which are a particular class of reaction known to occur on peptide backbones. Alkoxyl radicals are particularly difficult for theory to describe correctly. Therefore, Chapter 6 extensively assesses and then identifies the theoretical methods needed to portray them. Chapter 7 uses the techniques identified in the previous chapter in order to predict how the preference for a particular type of β-scission reaction changes.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University (Canada), 1992. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-12, Section: B, page: 6173. Adviser: J. Warkentin.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on April 16, 2008) Includes free thought references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, Irvine, 2003. / Chair: Priya Ranjan.