Autonomous vehicle development is a rapidly growing field that has vast possibilities for both military and commercial applications. Removing people from dangerous tasks will save lives. Continued research is necessary in order to build these new technologies and mature those already established. One area of potential in the unmanned vehicle community is that of fully autonomous cooperation. This area of research will allow multiple unmanned platforms to perform new functions on a larger scale by combining their capabilities in a coordinated manner. This thesis addresses the emerging need of research related to fully autonomous cooperation between a heterogeneous team of vehicles, by taking a system level approach and integrating the necessary technologies. Software was developed and then tested that combines an unmanned ground vehicle and an unmanned aerial vehicle in order to perform a task that utilizes the strengths of each platform. The ground vehicle is programmed with a route for which it sends look-ahead waypoints to the aircraft. As it traverses the route, the aircraft searches for possible targets. If a target is detected, the approximate coordinates are sent over the network and the ground vehicle then further localizes and inspects the target. Once the inspection is completed, the ground vehicle continues on its previous route. This thesis demonstrates that pairing ground and aerial vehicles in a fully autonomous target localization problem can indeed provide a team functioning more efficiently than either alone. / Master of Science

Because the roof lithology in an underground coal mine is typically variable and poorly known, the safety and efficiency of these mines is reduced. To address this shortcoming, a device for analyzing rock properties by way of scratching a mine roof borehole was designed and tested in multiple different media with the goal of determining in situ mine roof properties with a nondestructive technique. Tools were developed for measuring extraction force and position of the scratching mechanism and those values were compared versus time for multiple tests to look for changes in applied force over changing positions. Because of signal stability and inconsistencies in scratch depths the data were found to contain too much variation to determine any rock properties or changing rock conditions from the simulated roof material in the concrete block. However, further scratch tests in a sandstone block indicated that increasing the diameter of the wire scratchers (and therefore increasing their stiffness and accompanying normal force) from 0.045 inches to 0.055 inches increased the average pull force from 6.24 to 9.96 lbs. Similar to that test, a scratch test was performed in a PVC pipe where it was found that increasing the scratcher diameter from 0.045 inches to 0.051 inches increased the pull force from a 2.81 lb average to a 36.46 lb average, with considerably better gouging of the host material. / Master of Science

Ground control, one of the key elements in mine safety, is an issue that warrants continuous improvement in the underground coal industry. The United States experienced over 3,300 injuries and 42 deaths between 2006 and 2012 from the fall of a roof or rib (MSHA, 2015). Out of the underground coal mining methods, room and pillar retreat mining lacks significant research to adequately understand the rockmass behavior associated with the process. A microseismic monitoring system was installed in a retreat mine in Southwest Virginia to provide more information about the changing stress conditions created by retreating and ultimately reduce risk to miners. Microseismicity has been proven to be an acceptable method of monitoring stress redistribution in underground coal mines and assist in explaining rockmass behavior (Luxbacher, et al, 2007). An array of geophones was placed underground along a single retreat panel to record failures due to stress redistribution throughout one panel of retreat. These microseismic events were located, and their moment magnitudes were found. An analysis was completed to observe the redistribution of stress and related gob formation throughout the panel's retreat. Expectations for the gob formation were consistent with the distribution of microseismic events. Over 13,000 microseismic events were found in 1.5 months of monitoring. Approximately 2,800 of these events were well enough located to provide analysis of the changing underground stress conditions from the retreat process. On average, recorded microseismic events during retreat produced a moment magnitude of -0.9, with no events higher than a magnitude of 2.0. / Master of Science

Current trends in agricultural equipment have led to an increasing degree of autonomy. As the state of the art progresses towards fully autonomous vehicles, it is important to consider assumptions implicit in the design of these vehicles. Current automation in harvesters have led to increased sensing and automation on current combines, but no published research examines the effect of machine size on the viability of the autonomous system. The question this thesis examines is: if a human is no longer required to operate an individual harvester, is it possible to build smaller equipment that is still economically viable? This thesis examines the appropriateness of automating these machines by developing a conceptual model for smaller, fully autonomous harvesters. This model includes the basic mechanical subsystems, a conceptual software design, and an economic model of the total cost of ownership. The result of this conceptual design and analysis is a greater understanding of the role of autonomy in harvest. By comparing machine size, machine function, and the costs to own and operate this equipment, design guidelines for future autonomous systems are better understood. It is possible to build an autonomous harvesting system that can compete with current technologies in both harvest speed and overall cost of ownership. / Master of Science

In the last decade the world has seen a steadily increasing number of Cube Satellites deployed to Low Earth Orbit. Traditionally, these cubesats rely on Amateur Radio communications technology that are proven to work from space. However, as data volumes increase, the existing Amateur Radio protocols, combined with the restrictions of use for the Amateur Radio Spectrum, as well as the trend to build one control station per cubesat, result in a bottle neck effect whereby existing communications methods are no longer sufficient to support the increasing data volumes of the spacecraft. This Masters Thesis work explores the concept of deploying a network of distributed ground station receiver nodes for the purposes of increasing access time to the spacecraft, and thereby increasing the potential amount of data that can be transferred from orbit to the ground. The current trends in cubesat communications will be analyzed and an argument will be made in favor of transitioning to more modern digital communications approaches for on orbit missions. Finally, a candidate ground station receiver node design is presented a possible design that could be used to deploy such a network. / Master of Science

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Ground handling is a key component of the air transport logistics supply chain as it facilitates the mobility of cargo and people from one destination to another. Ground handling facilitates international trade hence its existence is critical to the competitiveness of a nation. Airline businesses usually overshadow ground handling due to the historical dominance of airlines in the aviation industry. The importance and effectiveness of the ground handling function as part of the air transport business is fast becoming a global issue as the industry is slowly emerging. The following tenets of ground handling are fast becoming key issues in the air transport business: passenger handling, cargo handling, handling ramp handling, baggage handling, equipment, safety, security, and human resources. Ground handling players are mainly concerned with productivity, profitability and maximising returns on investment. Dwindling revenue, unsustainable profit margins, low productivity and low customer satisfaction and loyalty are terms no shareholder or business leader wants to hear. This research will give insight into ground handling best practices that are a panacea for the industry. The ground handling business is time sensitive and requires massive investment. Therefore, sustainable best practices are the right ingredient for customer loyalty and business success. The focus on ground handling in South Africa and Zimbabwe will help in assessing the level of development in each country. This will aid in recommending best practices for the industry taking into account different country-specific risks and operational conditions. There are few studies in the field of ground handling and it is an industry not many individuals know about. Many ground-handling executives admit that the industry absorbed them by accident and not by design. They only realise the importance of the industry when they are in it. This research is a practical study meant to bring out solutions to the industry.

<p>A study has been performed that investigates the variation of iron content in groundwater.</p><p>The study was initiated by Midvatten AB, which noticed that the iron content in groundwater samples can vary greatly over small distances. The purpose of this study was to geochemically and geohydrologically determine the factors that influence the content of iron and manganese in groundwater from a selection of eskers in Dalarna, and determine how to best sample groundwater with the method used by Midvatten AB. An evaluation was made of how the vertical variation in soil material, water composition, pumping time and pipe material affects the content of iron in groundwater. Piper diagrams were used to study the relationship between the chemical composition of the groundwater and the content of iron and manganese in groundwater samples from the studied areas. The groundwater from the studied areas was then classified in the Piper diagrams, according to the content of the major ions. Correlations were then studied between the classification and depth below groundwater table, depth below ground surface, pH, iron- and manganese content.</p><p>Field samples were collected from Lennheden in order to investigate the effect of vertical variations of soil material, pumping time and pipe material on the content of iron and manganese. This was also performed to evaluate the best way of sampling groundwater. The groundwater was sampled from a steel pipe and a plastic pipe. Redox potential, pH, dissolved oxygen, iron content, temperature in groundwater, turbidity and conductivity were measured for different depths and pumping times in field.</p><p>Also a groundwater sample from every sampling depth was sent to a laboratory for analysis. Diagrams and correlation tables were used to analyze these results. No correlation between iron and the major ions in groundwater was found in the Piper diagrams, but the content of manganese in groundwater had a tendency to increase with increasing alkalinity. The results from sampling groundwater showed that the average content of iron in groundwater was 0,11 mg/l from the steel pipe and 0,01 mg/l from the plastic pipe. Turbidity has the greatest effect on the analyzed content of iron in groundwater, thus the turbidity needs to be zero while sampling. A suggestion is that while investigating groundwater quality in large areas, iron pipes can be used. When the best place is located, plastic pipes can be used when the iron content needs to be investigated in detail.</p> / <p>Då företaget Midvatten AB har märkt att järnhalten vid provtagning av grundvattnet kan variera stort på små områden har en studie av järnhaltens variation i grundvattnet utförts.</p><p>Syftet var att geokemiskt och geohydrologiskt bestämma de faktorer som påverkar järn- och manganhalten i grundvattnet i ett urval isälvsavlagringar i Dalarna, samt att bestämma hur man bäst ska provta grundvatten med Midvattens AB:s provtagningsmetodik. Studien skulle då utvärdera hur de vertikala variationerna i jordmaterial, vattensammansättning, pumptid och hur rörmaterialet påverkar järn- och manganhalten i uppumpat grundvatten. För att studera sambandet mellan den kemiska sammansättningen i grundvattnet och järn- och manganhalten analyserades flera tidigare insamlade data på grundvattenprov från de studerade lokalerna i Piperdiagram. I Piperdiagrammet klassificerades grundvattenproverna till en hydrokemisk typ med hjälp av sammansättningen av de vanligaste jonerna. Samband söktes mellan klassningen av grundvattenproverna och det uttagna provets djup under grundvattenytan, det uttagna provets djup under markytan, pH, järn- och manganhalt i brunnen.</p><p>Vid undersökning av hur de vertikala variationerna i grundvattnet, pumptiden och rörmaterialet påverkade järnhalten i grundvattnet togs flera grundvattenprover i fält i Lennheden. Detta gjordes även för att utvärdera bästa tillvägagångssätt vid provtagning av grundvattnet. Grundvattnet pumpades upp i vardera ett stålrör och ett plaströr. Redoxpotential, pH, syrgashalt, järnhalt, temperatur i vattnet, turbiditet och konduktivitet mättes vid olika djup och pumptider. Prov för varje provtagningspunkt skickades in till laboratorium för analys. Resultaten av dessa analyser undersöktes därefter i diagram och korrelationstabeller. I Piperdiagrammen märktes inget samband mellan järn och grundvattnets vanligaste joner, men manganhalten tenderade att öka med ökad alkalinitet. När grundvattnet provtogs i fält var medelhalten på järn 0,11 mg/l från ett stålrör och 0,01 mg/l från ett plaströr. Det tyder på att stålröret bidrog till en högre järnhalt i grundvattnet. Den parameter (förutom stålröret) som visade störst påverkan på analysresultatet av järn i laboratorium var turbiditeten. Således behöver turbiditeten i fält vara noll vid provtagning av järn till laboratorium. Förslagsvis kan stålrör användas vid övergripande undersökning av grundvattenkvalité. Plaströr kan sedan användas vid detaljerad undersökning av järnhalten i grundvattnet när bästa plats valts.</p>

The genetic structure of 26 natural populations of three species (S. tridecemlineatus, S. mexicanus, and S. spilosoma) of the Ictidomys subgenus of ground squirrels was analyzed using chromosomal and electrophoretic techniques. Chromosomal variation was not observed in S. mexicanus, and only slight karyotypic variation was found in the other two species. Chromosomal evidence indicated hybridization between S. tridecemlineatus and S. mexicanus, placing these species within the classical definition of semispecies. Analysis of electrophoretic variation at 29 genetic loci indicated close genetic relationships between these species. Evolution in Ictidomys appears to be linked with Pleistocene events, and speciation appears to have occurred within the last 155,000 years.

Master of Science / Department of Architectural Engineering / Fred Hasler / Ground-coupled heat pump (GCHP) systems use the ground as a heat source or sink that absorbs heat from or rejects heat to the soil, respectively; this is referred to as the geothermal heat exchanger. Apart from the geothermal heat exchanger, there are two other main system components that make up a GCHP system: heat pumps and circulation pumps. This report studies four GCHP pumping systems and makes comparisons between the four using life-cycle cost analyses for six building models. The goal for this analysis was to discover commonalities between the models in order to provide designers insight into which pumping system is the most cost effective. The analysis was performed by first creating energy models to obtain system and zone load information, as well as system part-load data and geothermal heat exchanger performance. From the zone load information, heat pump selections were then performed to indicate the worst case piping path that is required for pump head calculations. Piping layouts were created to establish pipe lengths for the pump head calculations as well. Other piping components such as valves and fittings and the air separator pressure drops were also calculated. Once the pump head calculations were complete for each system, pump schedules were created. From there initial unit and installation costs were determined for each pump, as well as their replacement costs. The part-load data from the energy models were then used to obtain annual pump energy consumption and pump utility cost. Finally, assumptions were made to establish regular and preventative maintenance requirements for each pumping system. Initial and replacement unit costs, annual utility cost and regular and preventative maintenance costs were the components used in the life-cycle cost analysis. Each of these components was converted to 30-year projected costs and added to create a total life-cycle cost for each pumping system. Comparisons were then made and the results showed that a primary pumping system with VFD control and 100% redundancy was the most cost effective system. However, there are other considerations such as controllability, flexibility and availability that might persuade designers to choose one of the other alternate solutions.

No description available.