Thesis (M.S.)--Central Connecticut State University, 2000. / Thesis advisor: John Larkin. " ... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master's of Science program (plan C) [in Technology Education]." Includes bibliographical references.

Unlike conventional propellers, flapping wings may generate large amplitude oscillating forces, which can make them difficult to incorporate into a craft design. This is particularly true for a single, vertically oscillating hydrofoil, as part of a surface water craft where the cyclic lift of the hydrofoil disrupts the craft stability. This thesis begins by reviewing the history of human-powered watercraft with a focus on those having flapping foil propellers. This review combined with a review of the literature provides a balanced overview on how flapping wing propellers are currently designed. Current literature shows that although the mean performance of an oscillating foil has been determined in terms of the Strouhal number and the angle of attack, relatively little describes performance directly in terms of the foil motion. Hence, predicting temporal hydrodynamic forces acting on an oscillating foil is difficult. This provides motivation for research investigating the temporal performance of an oscillating foil directly in terms of its motion. In this thesis, experimental equipment designed to measure the hydrodynamic forces on a heaving object is presented. Key features of the equipment are analysed to show how measurement accuracy is maintained. Experimental measurements of unsteady hydrodynamic forces acting on a heaving cylinder, flat plate, symmetrical foil, and an asymmetrical foil are analysed with respect to the heaving motion. Firstly, the object motion is limited to one degree of freedom; pure heaving with zero forward velocity, to investigate the start-up conditions of the oscillating hydrofoil propeller. Secondly, these results are expanded on by adding a steady forward velocity component to the object motion to investigate how the hydrodynamic forces on the object are affected by the cross-flow. Experimental temporal hydrodynamic force measurements presented in this thesis show how the relative composition of hydrodynamic drag and inertia forces change with oscillating frequency, and forward velocity, affecting the phase, magnitude, and profile of the force cycles. This composition is also influenced by the cross-section of the oscillating object and the presence of a free surface. Current marine engineering equations for unsteady hydrodynamic forces on an object in an oscillating flow are validated for a cylinder. However, they are found to contain significant error when predicting the unsteady hydrodynamic forces on an oscillating hydrofoil. Contributions of this thesis link oscillating foil propulsion research to common marine engineering equations with the intent of making flapping wing propeller design more accessible to the general engineering community.

Nature has an effective approach to cycling materials and energy flows to promote life. This thesis aims to expose urbanite users to nature’s way of cycling materials. The seawall is the largest public space in Vancouver at the edge of land and sea. A neighbourhood community centre along the edge called the Conservatory for Community Matters is created to nurture environmental stewardship by mimicking natural cycles in its function. By conveying architectural systems and form in a cyclical and organic approach, an architectural intervention can address the daily environmental impact of urbanites while rooting people in place and nature in the city. The community centre’s program connects the individually focused daily rituals of eating, making, and exercising to benefit the larger community where urbanites can reintegrate their organic ‘wastes’ into usable by-products. This promotes a paradigm shift transforming the apathetic consumer into an active member of the urban ecosystem.

The objective of this work was to develop an analysis framework for the structural design of the Human-Powered Ornithopter (HPO). This framework was used in a kinematicaerostructural optimizer for apping-wing ight (Ornithia), as well as analytically to design the HPO, and focused on three goals. First was the development of an accurate and computationally inexpensive nite-element method, to be integrated with Ornithia, which would capture the geometric nonlinearity of the aerostructural interaction of the wing when subjected the large deformations in ight. Second was the assembly of a model by which the aircraft primary structure, the wing main spar especially, could be exactly characterized and designed. Third was the establishment of a process and toolbox for failure analysis which could be applied universally in the design of the HPO. The validation and tuning of these models involved extensive testing on prototype carbon ber composite components.

The objective of this work was to develop an analysis framework for the structural design of the Human-Powered Ornithopter (HPO). This framework was used in a kinematicaerostructural optimizer for apping-wing ight (Ornithia), as well as analytically to design the HPO, and focused on three goals. First was the development of an accurate and computationally inexpensive nite-element method, to be integrated with Ornithia, which would capture the geometric nonlinearity of the aerostructural interaction of the wing when subjected the large deformations in ight. Second was the assembly of a model by which the aircraft primary structure, the wing main spar especially, could be exactly characterized and designed. Third was the establishment of a process and toolbox for failure analysis which could be applied universally in the design of the HPO. The validation and tuning of these models involved extensive testing on prototype carbon ber composite components.

This diploma thesis concerns the design proposal for a bicycle gearbox powered by human force. The first part summarizes the existing solutions. The second part includes the proposal of the new design, together with the calculation of the strength for selected parts. Attached are the drawings documenting the findings.

This diploma thesis deals with vehicles that are driven by human power, namely the design of a bicycle frame intended for city traffic. Part of the work is a section that describes the historical development of cycling bikes, as well as an overview of individual bicycle conceptions, focusing on their advantages and disadvantages

In order for a human-powered helicopter (HPH) to fly, lifting the weight of its human pilot-engine and the weight of its own structure, the rotary wings need to be extremely large and exceptionally lightweight. Through centuries of dreaming and decades of modern attempts, no design so far has been able to obtain the combination of an adequately large rotor size, sufficiently lightweight structure, and an inherently stable aircraft. This thesis describes a concept of a wire-braced semi-rigid elevated rotor system for a proposed HPH. Then, using scale models and quantitative analysis, tests a series of supporting hypotheses in order to prove that such a large rotor system could be sufficiently lightweight, maintain its geometry to overcome coning and twisting, avoid interplanar interference, produce sufficient lift, yield inherent aircraft stabilty, and demonstrate that the drag penalty induced by external bracing wires would be more than offset by the benefits of wire bracing.

Multi-Body System Simulation combined with System Identification was developed as a method for determining the stability characteristics of a human powered helicopter(HPH) configurations. HPH stability remains a key component for meeting competition requirements, but has not been properly treated. Traditional helicopter dynamic analysis is not suited to the HPH due to its low rotation speeds and light weight. Multi-Body System Simulation is able to generate dynamic response data for any HPH configuration. System identification and linear stability theory are used to determine the stability characteristics from the dynamic response. This thesis focuses on the method development and doesn't present any HPH analysis results.

The aim of this diploma thesis is the design of the differential of a road vehicle driven by a human force, intended for daily driving in the city with a focus on older users. The vehicle for which the differential is designed is strictly a pedal tricycle. The introduction of this thesis briefly outlines the history of pedal tricycles. The second chapter explains some technical terms relating to tricycles and bicycles in general. Further chapters of the research part describe the current structures of tricycles, the principle of a differential function in motor vehicles and design possibilities of the differential for pedal tricycles. The practical part of my work includes the design of a differential for pedal tricycle, the strength analysis of selected parts of the differential, drawings of the differential assembly, production drawings of selected parts and proposal of the torque transfer from pedals to the differential.