The proliferation of modern wireless networks increases demand for high capacity and throughput in order to provide faster, more robust, efficient and broadband services to end users. Mobile WiMAX and LTE are examples of such networks in which for some cases they have exposed limited connectivity due to harsh environment. Relay stations are preferred to overcome problems of weak or no access for such network devices, that are placed in specific positions to maintain high quality of data transfer at low cost and provide the required connectivity anywhere anytime. These stations should be equipped with an antenna system capable of establishing communication between base station (backhaul link) and end users (access link). This thesis focuses on the design and development of a new antenna system that is suitable for a relay-based wireless network. Planar geometries of microstrip patch antennas are utilized. The antenna system comprises two antenna modules: a new design of a single antenna for access link and a new design of an antenna array for backhaul link realization. Both antenna specifications are compatible with the IEEE802.16j protocol standard. Hence, relay station should be capable of pointing its radiation pattern to the base station antenna, thus to achieve the desired radiation pattern of the relay station, a new beam-forming module is proposed, designed and developed to generate the proper radiation pattern. The beam-forming module incorporating digital phase shifters and attenuator chips is fabricated and tested. The optimization process using the Least Mean Square (LMS) algorithm is considered in this study to assign the proper phase and amplitude that is necessary to each radiation element excitation current, to produce the desired steered radiation pattern. A comprehensive study on the coupling effects for several relative positions between two new backhaul and access link antenna elements is performed. Two new antenna configurations for coupling reduction are tested and the simulated and measured results in terms of antenna radiation performances were compared and commented.

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Tesis por compendio / [ES] La construcción con elementos prefabricados de hormigón es un sector en alza por la aceleración del proceso constructivo, el ahorro de costes derivados de la obra in situ y la mejora de la calidad y acabados, entre otros. En la construcción prefabricada de estructuras de ingeniería civil como puentes y edificios es frecuente el empleo de vigas prefabricadas de hormigón. La construcción con estas vigas requiere el vertido de una capa de hormigón in situ sobre las mismas tras su emplazamiento, que sirve como elemento integrador para garantizar la unidad estructural. Los elementos estructurales que se obtienen de esta forma son conocidos como vigas compuestas de hormigón. En vigas compuestas, aspectos como la resistencia a rasante de la interfaz entre hormigones han sido estudiados en numerosas publicaciones. No obstante, su comportamiento a cortante no ha sido, por el momento, analizado en profundidad. En consecuencia, existe muy poca información, tanto en la literatura existente como en los códigos de diseño actuales, acerca de la resistencia a cortante de estos elementos, de cómo influye la presencia de una interfaz entre los hormigones en la resistencia a cortante o de cómo contribuye la losa hormigonada in situ a dicha resistencia. La presente tesis doctoral tiene como objetivo estudiar la resistencia a cortante de vigas compuestas de hormigón. Para ello, se desarrolla un extenso programa experimental compuesto por vigas monolíticas y compuestas con y sin armadura transversal, con sección transversal rectangular o en forma de T y con hormigones de diferentes calidades en la viga prefabricada y en la losa hormigonada in situ. Se ensaya a cortante un total de 69 vigas de hormigón armado con el fin de analizar las diferentes variables de interés en la resistencia a cortante. A partir de los resultados experimentales, se propone un modelo mecánico de predicción de la resistencia a cortante de vigas compuestas de hormigón con sección transversal rectangular y en forma de T, que también es de aplicación a vigas monolíticas en T. Además, como apoyo al estudio experimental y al modelo mecánico, se modelan numéricamente algunos especímenes del programa experimental. Con todo ello, se busca incrementar el estado actual del conocimiento en este campo, mediante el aporte de un gran número de resultados experimentales y el análisis de los parámetros de diseño, así como sentar las bases para el desarrollo de una formulación de diseño de estructuras compuestas y de evaluación de las ya existentes globalmente aceptada por la comunidad científica. / [CA] La construcció amb elements prefabricats de formigó és un sector en alça per l'acceleració del procés constructiu, l'estalvi de costos derivats de l'obra in situ i la millora de la qualitat i acabats, entre altres. En la construcció prefabricada d'estructures d'enginyeria civil com a ponts i edificis és freqüent l'ús de bigues prefabricades de formigó. La construcció amb aquestes bigues requereix l'abocament d'una capa de formigó in situ sobre les bigues després del seu emplaçament, que serveix com a element integrador per a garantir la unitat estructural. Els elements estructurals que s'obtenen d'aquesta forma són coneguts com a bigues compostes de formigó. En bigues compostes, aspectes com la resistència a rasant de la interfície entre formigons han sigut estudiats en nombroses publicacions. No obstant això, el seu comportament a tallant no ha sigut, de moment, analitzat en profunditat. En conseqüència, existeix molt poca informació, tant en la literatura existent com en els codis de disseny actuals, sobre la resistència a tallant d'aquests elements, de com influeix la presència d'una interfície entre els formigons en la resistència a tallant o de com contribueix la llosa formigonada in situ a aquesta resistència. La present tesi doctoral té com a objectiu estudiar la resistència a tallant de bigues compostes de formigó. Per a això, es desenvolupa un extens programa experimental compost per bigues monolítiques i compostes amb armadura transversal i sense, amb secció transversal rectangular o en forma de T i amb formigons de diferents qualitats en la biga prefabricada i en la llosa formigonada in situ. S'assaja a tallant un total de 69 bigues de formigó armat amb la finalitat d'analitzar les diferents variables d'interés en la resistència a tallant. A partir dels resultats experimentals, es proposa un model mecànic de predicció de la resistència a tallant de bigues compostes de formigó amb secció transversal rectangular i en forma de T, que també és aplicable a bigues monolítiques en T. A més, com a suport a l'estudi experimental i al model mecànic, es modelen numèricament alguns espècimens del programa experimental. Amb tot això, es pretén incrementar l'estat actual del coneixement en aquest camp, mitjançant l'aportació d'un gran nombre de resultats experimentals i l'anàlisi dels paràmetres de disseny, així com establir les bases per al desenvolupament d'una formulació de disseny d'estructures compostes i d'avaluació de les ja existents globalment acceptada per la comunitat científica. / [EN] Construction with precast concrete elements is a booming sector due to the acceleration of the construction process, the saving of costs arising from the on-site construction and the quality and finish improvement, among others. Precast concrete beams are frequently used in the precast construction of civil engineering structures such as bridges and buildings. Construction with these beams requires the pouring of a cast-in-place concrete layer on top of the beams after their placement, which works as a unifying element to ensure structural integrity. Structural elements obtained in this way are known as concrete composite beams. In composite beams, some aspects such as the shear strength of the interface between concretes have been studied in multiple publications. However, their shear behaviour has not yet been analysed in depth. Consequently, there is very little information, both in the existing literature and in current design codes, about the shear strength of these elements, how the presence of an interface between the concretes influences the shear strength or how the cast-in-place concrete slab contributes to the shear strength. The aim of this doctoral thesis is to study the shear strength of concrete composite beams. For this purpose, an extensive experimental programme is developed, consisting of monolithic and composite beams with and without transverse reinforcement, with rectangular or T-shaped cross-section and with concretes of different qualities in the precast beam and in the slab. A total of 69 reinforced concrete beams are tested under shear forces in order to analyse the different variables of interest in shear strength. Based on the experimental results, a mechanical model for predicting the shear strength of concrete composite beams with rectangular and T-shaped cross-section is proposed, which is also applicable to monolithic T-beams. In addition, to support the experimental study and the mechanical model, some specimens of the experimental programme are numerically modelled. All in all, the aim is to improve the current state of knowledge in this field by providing a large number of experimental results and analysing the design parameters, as well as to lay the foundations for the development of a formulation for the design of existing structures and the assessment of existing ones that is globally accepted by the scientific community. / The present doctoral thesis would not have been possible without the financial support of the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCIN) and the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) through Grants BIA2015-64672-C4-4-R and RTI2018- 099091-B-C21-AR, both funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the “ERDF A way of making Europe”. I am thankful as well for their support through Grant BES-2016-078010 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the “ESF Investing in your future”. The project was also supported by the Regional Government of Valencia through Project AICO/2018/250. And finally, thanks to the Concrete Science and Technology University Institute (ICITECH) of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV; Spain) in which this research project has been developed, and to our concrete supplier Caplansa. / Rueda García, L. (2022). Experimental Assessment of the Shear Resistant Behaviour of Precast Concrete Beams with Top Cast-in-Place Concrete Slab [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/183594 / TESIS / Compendio

In a bus chassis, welded connections are often preferred to other fastening techniques due to low cost and broad competence among suppliers but are usually the weakest parts due to fatigue life. Evaluation of welds is often costly in time and competence. Long iteration times are often leaving welded designs unoptimized and poorly understood by designers and engineers. The goal of this thesis is to gather knowledge about a plug-welded bracket commonly found welded to beams in bus chassis and body, aiding the design and dimensioning of such brackets. A factorial design study was performed using FEM analysis with the “Effective notch method,” revealing the effects of seven different design parameters on the stresses in the weld. A theory to analytically calculate the profile of the bracket is presented. The theory is taking the beam’s second moment of area and the bending moment into consideration, essentially tuning the bracket’s stiffness to the beam and the load situation. An improved bracket is presented, analyzed, and compared to the design study. The results show how stresses in the weld are affected by the stiffness of the bend in the bracket, the location of bolts (or other fastening technique) and the plug weld dimensions. When the weld is made to run longer along the beam, the importance of adjusting the stiffness in the bracket increases in order to balance the load throughout the whole weld. / Svetsade fästelement är ofta att föredra i ett busschassi över andra tekniker av kostnadsskäl och att en bred kompetens finns inom svets hos många underleverantörer. Men på grund av utmattning är ofta svetsade infästningar den svagaste punkten i ett chassi. Utvärdering av svetsar är kostsamt i tid och kompetens. Långa iterationstider i svetsutvärderingar lämnar ofta svetsen ooptimerad och undermåligt förstådd av designers och ingenjörer. Målet med detta arbete är att samla kunskap runt ett pluggsvetsat fästelement som ofta förekommer i busschassier och busskarosser, för att underlätta design och dimensionering av dessa fästelement. En faktoriell designstudie var utförd med FEM analys enligt ”Effective Notch” metoden för att undersöka effekten från sju olika designparametrar på spänningskoncentrationerna i svetsen. En teori för att analytiskt beräkna profilen på fästelementet presenteras. Teorin tar balkens böjtröghetsmoment och böjmoment med i beräkningen för att optimera fästelementets styvhet till balken och lastsituationen. Ett förbättrat fästelement är presenterat, analyserat och jämförd med designstudien. Resultaten visar hur spänningarna i svetsen påverkas av styvheten i den böjda delen av fästelementet, placeringen av bultar (eller annan infästningsteknik) och dimensioner på ”svetspluggen.” När svetsen är går längre längs med balken blir fästelementets styvhet allt viktigare för att kunna balansera lasten igenom det svetsade området.

Obtaining the modal parameters of a deflected and rolling tire represents a challenge due to the complex vibration characteristics that cause the tire's symmetry distortion and the natural frequencies' bifurcation phenomena. The modal parameters are usually extracted using a detailed finite element model. The main issue with full modal models (FEA, for example) is the inability to integrate the tire modal model with the vehicle models to tune the suspension system for optimal ride comfort. An in-plane rigid–elastic-coupled tire model was used to examine the 200 DOF finite difference method (FDM) modal analysis accuracy under non-ground contact and non-rotating conditions. The discrete in-plane rigid–elastic-coupled tire model was modified to include the contact patch restriction, centrifugal force, Doppler, and Coriolis effects, covering a range of 0-300 Hz. As a result, the influence of the contact patch and the rotating tire conditions on the natural frequencies and modes were obtained through modal analysis. The in-plane rigid–elastic-coupled modal model with varying conditions was created that connects any two DOFs around the tire's tread or sidewall as inputs or outputs. The vertical movement of the wheel was incorporated into the in-plane rigid–elastic-coupled tire modal model to extract the transfer function (TF) that connects road irregularities as an input to the wheel's vertical movement as an output. The TF was utilized in a quasi-static manner to obtain the tire's enveloping characteristics rolling over short wavelength obstacles as a direct function of vertical wheel displacement under varying contact patch length constraints. The tire modal model was implemented with the quarter car model to obtain the vehicle response rolling over short wavelength obstacles. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the influence of tire parameters and pretension forces on natural frequencies. / Doctor of Philosophy / The goal of vehicle manufacturers is to predict the vehicle's behavior under various driving conditions using mathematical models and simulation. Automotive companies rely heavily on computational simulation tools instead of real-time tests to shorten the product development cycle and reduce costs. However, the interaction between the tire and the road is one of the most critical aspects to consider when evaluating automobile stability and performance. The tires are responsible for generating the forces and moments that drive and maneuver the vehicle. Tires are complex products due to their intricate design, and their characteristics are affected by many factors such as vertical load, inflation pressure, speed, and a road with an uneven surface profile. Consequently, this project aims to describe the influence of various driving circumstances and load conditions on tire properties, as well as to develop a model that can represent the vertical tire and vehicle behavior while traveling over a cleat under different vehicle loads.