This master thesis deals with design and realization of multistage electromagnetic accelerating device (gun) and possibilities to increase its effectivity. This work contains a simulation of a magnetic circuit and designs of each components, inclusive of control circuits. Reached effectivity will be measured by appropriate methods.

Several changes in land use during the last 50 years of 20th century had a significant impact on the composition of traditional meadows. The abundance of many plant species typical for traditionally managed meadows has declined. But some of these species have found a refuge in habitats such as field margins and road verges. The aim of this study was to describe how the reproduction success of two related Achillea species A. millefolium agg. and A. ptarmica depends on (i) the particular habitat in which they grow (meadow/verge); (ii) the abundance of pollinators in the study site; and (iii) timing of flowering within the season. Moreover, the longevity of individual flowers of the two taxa has been studied in order assess the width of the time frame the reproduction takes place in. These objectives were achieved by means of measuring plant total seed production and germination as proxies of reproductive success both in meadow and verge populations at the beginning, peak and end of the flowering season of the two species in 2012. The plants were chosen at plots, where concurrently a pollinator survey has been conducted as the part of the broader project. The durations of the male and female phases of individual flowers have been studied in separate experiments.

Multiple-layer Lamina Emergent Mechanisms (MLEMs) are mechanisms made from multiple sheets (lamina) of material with motion that emerges out of the fabrication plane. This study has shown that understanding how layers are used in existing products and in nature provides insight into how MLEMs can also use layers to achieve certain tasks. The multi-layered nature of MLEMs and the interactions between these layers are what enhance the capabilities of MLEMs and allow them to better meet design objectives. Layer separation is one objective for which MLEMs are well-suited. Layer separation can have a variety of applications and there are a number of different ways to design a MLEM to achieve this objective. Single-layer LEM and MLEM designs could greatly benefit from suitable actuation techniques; those that are consistent with the advantages of these mechanisms and could be incorporated into their design. This work presents shape memory alloys, piezoelectrics and dielectric elastomers as suitable ways of actuating LEMs and MLEMs. A number of novel MLEMs are presented throughout this thesis.

Thesis regarding the application of the Kinematic Element Method to slope stability analysis in geotechnical engineering. / In this thesis, the effectiveness of the Kinematic Element Method (KEM), developed by Dr. Gussmann at the University of Stuttgart, was evaluated by comparing the solutions with the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM), specifically the Morgenstern-Price method. The KEM was evaluated using a variety of problems, ranging from homogeneous slopes to retaining walls. The KEM was shown to predict similar potential failure mechanisms and values for the factor of safety (FS) as the Morgenstern-Price method. The FS were generally within the ±6% which is the range of variance for rigorous limit equilibrium methods. A simplified version of KEM (KEMv) was developed based on limit equilibrium formulations. In KEMv, an alternate iterative scheme to determine the FS is proposed, in which boundaries between elements are vertical. The KEMv provided similar values for the factor of safety and interelement forces as Gussmann’s KEM for vertical interelement boundaries given similar element locations. The KEM was assumed by Gussmann to be an upper bound solution. However, given the similarities in the solutions between KEM and KEMv, it may be a limit equilibrium method. The interelement forces from the KEM and KEMv were found to be sensitive to the location of the elements. Elements in the upper part of the slope often had small normal forces relative to shear forces, possibly being negative as well. Sensitivity analysis regarding the number of elements showed that a 5-element solution predicts the appropriate failure mechanism and provides a reasonably accurate FS. In a parametric study, slope geometry and soil properties were varied and comparisons were made between KEM and the Morgenstern-Price method. The KEMv displayed similar trends in factor of safety as the Morgenstern-Price method but predicted slightly larger values. The change in KEM critical slip surfaces with soil properties was consistent with trends predicted by Janbu’s dimensionless parameter. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / The stability of slopes is a challenging subject in geotechnical engineering. Geotechnical engineers are often interested in the factor of safety (FS), which is a quantitative measure of the stability of a slope. In this thesis, the effectiveness of the Kinematic Element Method (KEM) is evaluated by comparing its solutions to the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM). The KEM was shown to predict similar potential failure mechanisms and values for the factor of safety. A simplified version of the KEM (KEMv) was developed based on LEM formulations. In KEMv, an alternate iterative scheme to determine the FS is proposed, in which the boundaries between elements are vertical. The KEMv provided similar values for the factor of safety and element forces as Gussmann’s KEM for vertical interelement boundaries. In a parametric study, KEM displayed similar trends in the change in FS and critical slip surface as the LEM.

Pour l'analyse de durabilité et la conception économique (moins de matériel) de structures en matériaux ressemblant à du béton, la modélisation de la rupture est essentielle. Dans le cadre de la mécanique des milieux continus, une longueur interne est introduite dans les modèles non locaux pour remédier au problème lié à la sensibilité du maillage qui est une pathologie des modèles d'endommagement classiques , lorsqu'il s'agit de matériaux adoucissantes. Toutefois, l'évaluation de la longueur interne de hétérogénéités du matériau est toujours une question difficile, ce qui rend un problème obscur en utilisant des modèles non locaux. Nos travaux portent sur le développement d'un outil numérique basée sur la méthode des éléments en treillis (LEM) qui est un modèle discret pour la simulation et la prévision de la rupture des structures en béton. En utilisant le modèle de réseau à l'échelle mésoscopique, il n'est pas nécessaire d'introduire une longueur interne dans la loi de comportement, comme cela se fait dans les modèles non locaux, et nous pouvons affranchir ce paramètre en introduisant explicitement la mesotructure matérielle via une description géométrique. Basé sur l'outil numérique développé, nous avons étudié, en effectuant des tests numériques de traction uniaxiale, l'influence géométrique de la mesotructure du matériau ainsi que l'influence des conditions aux limites et de tailles d'échantillons (qui se traduisent par le gradient de sollicitation et le champ de rotation de matériel différents) sur le taille de la FPZ (fracture process zone) et sur la longueur caractéristique du matériau quasi-fragile homogénéisé. Ces études fournissent des recommandations/avertissements lors de l'extraction d'une longueur interne nécessaire pour les modèles nonlocaux à partir de la microstructure du matériau. Par ailleurs, les études contribuent un aperçu direct de l'origine mésoscopic de la taille FPZ et la longueur de la caractéristique du matériau, et par conséquent sur l'origine et la nature du comportement non linéaire du matériau. Ensuite, nous avons implanté le modèle du treillis dans la bibliothèque de SOFA développé par l'INRIA pour réaliser le couplage avec la méthode des éléments finis (MEF) afin de faire face avec des structures à grande échelle. Nous avons proposé un algorithme de couplage entre une approche macroscopique représentée par MEF et une approche mésoscopique infligés par LEM au sein d'une manière adaptative. Le modèle de couplage est d'abord utilisée pour valider l'approche multi-échelle proposée sur des simulations heuristiques. Et à long terme, il fournit un outil prometteur pour des simulations de grandes structures en matériaux quasi-fragiles de la vie réelle. / For durability analysis and economic design (less material) of structures made of concrete-like materials, modeling of cracking process and failure is essential. In the framework of continuum mechanics, an internal length is introduced in nonlocal models to remedy the problem related to mesh sensitivity which is a pathology of classical damage models, when dealing with softening materials. However, the assessment of the internal length from heterogeneities of the material is still a difficult question, which makes an obscure issue in using nonlocal models. Our work concerns developing of a numerical tool based on the Lattice Element Method (LEM) which is a discrete model for simulating and predicting fracture in concrete(-like) material. Using the lattice model at the mesoscopic scale, there is no need to introduce any internal length in the constitutive law, as done in nonlocal models, and we can enfranchise this parameter by explicitly introducing the material mesotructure via geometric description. Based on the developed numerical tool, we studied, by performing numerical uniaxial tensile tests, the geometric influence of the material mesotructure as well as the influence of the boundary conditions and specimen sizes (that result in different stress gradient and material rotation field) on the size of the FPZ (Fracture Process Zone) and on the characteristic length of the homogenized quasi-brittle material. These studies provide recommendations/warnings when extracting an internal length required for nonlocal damage models from the material microstructure. Moreover, the studies contribute a direct insight into the mesoscale origin of the FPZ size and the material characteristic length, and consequently into the origin and nature of the nonlinear behavior of the material. Then, we implemented the lattice model into SOFA library developed by INRIA for realizing the coupling with the Finite Element Method (FEM) in order to deal with large-scale structures. We proposed a strong coupling algorithm between a macroscopic approach represented by FEM and a mesoscopic approach dealt by LEM within an adaptive manner. The coupling model is first used to validate the multiscale approach proposed on heuristic simulations. And in the long term, it provides a promising tool for simulations of large-scale structures made of quasi-brittle materials of real life.

Submitted by Nathalya Silva (nathyjf033@gmail.com) on 2017-05-22T20:30:28Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_FracaoRepresentacaoMedida.pdf: 1854715 bytes, checksum: d5fb3f0a1a6b20a7a938f5ae5c9e9e45 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Edisangela Bastos (edisangela@ufpa.br) on 2017-05-31T13:50:55Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_FracaoRepresentacaoMedida.pdf: 1854715 bytes, checksum: d5fb3f0a1a6b20a7a938f5ae5c9e9e45 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-31T13:50:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_FracaoRepresentacaoMedida.pdf: 1854715 bytes, checksum: d5fb3f0a1a6b20a7a938f5ae5c9e9e45 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-05-29 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A presente pesquisa investigou o processo de reconstrução conceitual de fração como medida de comprimento no contexto de um Laboratório de Educação Matemática (LEM) quando o processo é dirigido por uma atividade estruturada escrita e mediada pelas intervenções de um professor. Para tanto, foram apresentados os conceitos de LEM, elegendo um deles como concepção utilizada para a pesquisa. Foram exploradas possibilidades que o LEM oferece ao professor e alunos enquanto espaço de produção de conhecimento, direcionando para o Ensino por Atividades, que, subsidiado pela Psicologia Histórico-cultural, justifica a atividade pedagógica do professor e apresenta Atividades Orientadoras de Ensino como alternativa para minimizar algumas dificuldades no ensino e aprendizagem, enfatizando a aprendizagem conceitual. Foi aplicada uma atividade estruturada com uma turma de 40 alunos do 6º ano do ensino fundamental de uma escola municipal em Belém, que foi registrada em áudio e vídeo, para posterior análise microgenética das interações entre professor e alunos. Levando em consideração os conhecimentos prévios dos alunos, o trabalho realizado com a turma durante o ano e a atividade estruturada, os resultados apontaram pelo menos dez indícios de aprendizagem pontuais que, ao longo da atividade, tiveram um efeito exponencial nas aprendizagens posteriores. Isto significa que, quanto mais ligações anteriores forem possíveis de ser mobilizadas pelos alunos em suas interações com o professor, mais o sujeito é capaz de avançar na consolidação do objeto de estudo. / The present study investigated the process of conceptual reconstruction fraction as a measure of length in the context of a Mathematics Laboratory Education (LEM) when the process is driven by a structured writing activity and mediated intervention of a teacher. To this end, the concepts of LEM were presented, choosing one as the design used for the survey. LEM offers possibilities that the teacher and students as an area of knowledge production, directing for Teaching Activities for which subsidized by Historic-Cultural Psychology, justifies the pedagogical activity of teachers and presents Guiding Teaching Activities were explored as an alternative to minimize some difficulties in teaching and learning, emphasizing conceptual learning. Structured with a class of 40 students in the 6th grade of elementary school in a public school in Belém, which was recorded on video and audio, for later microgenetic analysis of the interactions between teacher and students activity was applied. Taking into consideration the prior knowledge of students, work with the class during the year and structured activity, the results showed evidence of at least ten specific learning had an exponential effect on later learning. This means that the more previous connections are possible to be mobilized by the students in their interactions with the teacher, the more the subject is able to move forward in the consolidation of the object of study.

In this study, numerical simulations of a low emission lab-scale non-premixed combustor are conducted and analyzed. The objectives are to provide new insight into the physical phenomena in the SPRF (Stagnation Point Reverse Flow) combustor built in the Georgia Tech Combustion Lab, and to compare three Large Eddy Simulation (LES) combustion models (Eddy Break-Up [EBU], Steady Flamelet [SF] and Linear Eddy Model [LEM]) for non-premixed combustion. The nominal operating condition of the SPRF combustor achieves very low NOx and CO emissions by combining turbulent mixing of exhaust gases with preheated reactants and chemical kinetics. The SPRF numerical simulation focuses on capturing the complex interaction between turbulent mixing and heat release. LES simulations have been carried out for a non-reactive case in order to analyze the turbulent mixing inside the combustor. The LES results have been compared to PIV experimental data and the code has been validated. The dominating features of the operational mode of the SPRF combustor (dilution of hot products into reactants, pre-heating and pre-mixing) have been analyzed, and results from the EBU-LES, SF-LES and LEM-LES simulations have been compared. Analysis shows that the LEM-LES simulation achieves the best agreement with the observed flame structure and is the only model that captures the stabilization processes observed in the experiments. EBU-LES and SF-LES do not predict the correct flow pattern because of the inaccurate modeling of sub-grid scale mixing and turbulence-combustion interaction. Limitations of these two models for this type of combustor are discussed.

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of bluff body stabilized premixed and partially premixed combustion close to the flammability limit is carried out in this thesis. The LES algorithm has no ad-hoc adjustable model parameters and is able to respond automatically to variations in the inflow conditions. Algorithm validation is achieved by comparison with reactive and non-reactive experimental data. In the reactive flow, two scalar closure models, Eddy Break-Up (EBULES) and Linear Eddy Mixing (LEMLES), are used and compared. Over important regions, the flame lies in the Broken Reaction Zone regime. Here, the EBU model assumptions fail. The flame thickness predicted by LEMLES is smaller and the flame is faster to respond to turbulent fluctuations, resulting in a more significant wrinkling of the flame surface. As a result, LEMLES captures better the subtle effects of the flame-turbulence interaction. Three premixed (equivalence ratio = 0.6, 0.65, and 0.75) cases are simulated. For the leaner case, the flame temperature is lower, the heat release is reduced and vorticity is stronger. As a result, the flame in this case is found to be unstable. In the rich case, the flame temperature is higher, and the spreading rate of the wake is increased due to the higher amount of heat release Partially premixed combustion is simulated for cases where the transverse profile of the inflow equivalence ratio is variable. The simulations show that for mixtures leaner in the core the vortical pattern tends towards anti-symmetry and the heat release decreases, resulting also in instability of the flame. For mixtures richer in the core, the flame displays sinusoidal flapping resulting in larger wake spreading. More accurate predictions of flame stability will require the use of detailed chemistry, raising the computational cost of the simulation. To address this issue, a novel algorithm for training Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) for prediction of the chemical source terms has been implemented and tested. Compared to earlier methods, the main advantages of the ANN method are in CPU time and disk space and memory reduction.

As drop-on-demand (DOD) applications continue to gain ground in desktop inkjet-printing, 3D printing, fluid mixing, and other areas the demand for higher frequency operations are beginning to push against the current physical boundaries in DOD technology. The current research is exploring the possibility of controlling drop volume and velocity at high frequency ranges where meniscus vibrations can occur between drop formations and affect drop formation characteristics. A periodic voltage is applied to a piezoelectric disk in order to generate pressure fluctuations in a single nozzle droplet generator, causing the fluid meniscus at the nozzle to vibrate. A single stronger pulse is then superimposed over the periodic waveform at different phases in order to drive drop ejection. The characteristics of the resulting drop, specifically the volume and velocity, are experimentally measured using a high speed camera with precise timing control. The results of these experiments are then compared to a lumped element model (LEM) developed for the droplet generator geometry used. Within the LEM model framework, special attention was given to the definition of a novel method by which one can measure drop volume within an electroacoustic circuit and also allow meniscus dynamics to affect present and future drop formations. Experimental results indicate a strong dependence of both drop volume and drop velocity on the phase of the vibrating meniscus at the start of drop formation. Positive meniscus displacements and momentums resulted in large drop volumes and velocities while negative displacements could reduce drop volume or altogether eliminate drop formation. Specifically, positive displacements and momentum of a vibrating meniscus could lead to drop volumes approximately 50% larger than the original drop volume without a vibrating meniscus. Meanwhile, negative meniscus displacements and momentums were shown to have the ability to completely prevent drop formation. Additional potential for drop characteristic control with a vibrating meniscus is discussed alongside observations on the stabilizing affect the vibrating meniscus appears to have on drop velocity as a function of time. Also, flow visualization of the drop formation is provided to demonstrate the added affect the meniscus vibrations have on the drop shapes and break-off profiles. The LEM model presented demonstrates qualitative agreement with the experimental model, but fails to quantitatively predict drop volumes. Sources of error for the LEM model and potential improvements are discussed. / Graduation date: 2012

Diploma thesis deals with three forms of Solaris. Specifically with novel by Stanislaw Lem, a film adaptation of Andrei Tarkovsky and the second film adaptation of Steven Soderbergh. The aim of this work is comparison of individual authors practices that led to different semantic tone. Thesis analyzes six basic aspects of individual works: basis, genre, semantic structure, syntactic structure - a dramatic structure, characters and space-time.