There are approximately 4000 railway bridges in Sweden and a common construction type is the short span concrete trough bridge. With the current standards the load distribution through ballast is assumed to be uniformly distributed with a distribution slope of 2:1 according to the Swedish Administration of Transport or 4:1 according to Eurocode 1. Previous research shows that there are a lot of factors that affects the load distribution through the ballast and that the distribution rarely is uniform. Different load patterns on bridges can result in different responses in the structure and it is possible that a more optimized evaluation of the loads could reduce the internal stresses in the bridge. There are gaps in the current literature regarding the structural response to different load patterns on reinforced concretetrough bridges and this master thesis aims to further the research in this area. This report will consist of a literature study where load distribution in ballast is researched in order to find what different load distributions are common and how different parameters affects the load distribution through the ballast. Further, a non-linear FE-model of a typical trough bridge in Sweden that was located in Lautajokki will be developed using ATENA Science. The model will be complete with ballast, sleepers and rails and will be calibrated using the results from a previous full-scale test on the Lautajokki bridge. Four more models will be developed without ballast, sleepers and ballast where the load distribution instead is modelled directly on top of the slab of the bridge. These models will be compared to the model with ballast, sleepers and rail (called the Full model) to see what load distribution that is the closest to reality and how the behavior of the bridge changes depending on the assumed load distribution. The parameters that will be tested and compared during this master thesis is the maximum load capacity, the stiffness, the crack patterns, the stresses in the reinforcement, the moments and shear forces. The load distributions that are tested in this thesis is the Swedish standard, TDOK 2013:0267 (Trafikverket, 2019), the European standard Eurocode 1 (CEN-1991, 2003), a load distribution that is theoretical according to research done by Andersson (2020) (called Realistic load case), and one where the load is assumed to be partially uniformly distributed under the rail seats under a sleeper according to AREMA (2010) (called Partially distributed). The results showed that the realistic load case was the one that was the closest to the Full model since it was the closest load distribution to the Full model for the stiffness of the bridge, the maximum load capacity, the max stress in the reinforcement and the average shear force in the bridge. The only parameters where it was not the closest was for the maximum strain in the concrete and for the average moment in the bridge. This load distribution is however not realistic to use for designing bridges since the pressure distribution is so unnecessarily complex. When it comes to the Swedish standard it also followed the behavior of the Full model closely, it had capacities that were generally larger compared to the Full model, the only exception was the max axle load where it had 1.5% lower capacity. The Swedish standard was also the second closest to the Full model in all tested parameters except for the stiffness. Furthest from the Full model was the load distribution after Eurocode 1 which had the furthest values from the Full model in every tested parameter except for the average moment distribution in the bridge. Eurocode 1 also had lower capacities compared to the Full model for every tested parameterwhich means that this model probably underestimates the capacity of the bridge. The stiffness of this model was however one of the closest to the Full model. The Partially distributed load case had higher capacities compared to the Full model in every measurement. It also had a stiffness that was the stiffest for every measuring point compared to any other load case. This model can probably overestimate the capacity of the bridge. Since non-linear analyses takes a long time to perform linear analyses are more often used to design structures. To test how big the differences are between non-linear and linear analyses all load distribution models will also be run with linear elastic materials to compare the two FEM methods. The comparison between the non-linear analysis and the linear analysis showed that the linear elastic analyses give larger extreme values for both the moments and shear forces which is reassuring since this means that these values are on the safe side. The one exception is the transversal moments for the slab were the moments at the connection to the beam was greater for the non-linear analyses compared to the linear one

As 5G and O-RAN become more widely used, the number of user equipment requesting access to the network will increase. This will require operators to expand their 5G solutions by purchasing more hardware to handle the increase in demand. The acquisition of new hardware will have both an economic and an environmental impact. Hardware is costly for operators, both in initial cost and when operating it. There is also a significant energy cost associated, which has a negative environmental impact.     This thesis explores the benefits of more advanced control over the path taken within the Radio Access Network, with the goal of increasing the number of user equipment able to connect to a static set of hardware. The control comes from new algorithms designed with the intuition that providing connections with only the bare essentials and nothing more would, in theory, increase the capacity of the whole network. Three algorithms were tested, with one representing a basic control method of selecting the first valid connection, and the other two were built on the intuition of the worst acceptable connection.     The three algorithms were tested on four different shapes of network configuration at four different sizes. The tests were run on a graph data structure implemented in C++ that represents the logical paths a connection could take. This resulted in a noticeable improvement in networks that exhibited a triangular structure, with more units as one moved toward the edge of the network. The largest improvement observed managed to fit 18.9% more units into the network.

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Although sitting is a large part of everyday life is the influence of the sitting positions and chair design on pressure and load distribution as well as comfort for transfemoral amputees quite unexplored. The aim of this study was therefore to examine this further. Two transfemorally amputated females (49 and 57 years old) participated in the study. Three positions were examined for each subject; sitting without foot support and sitting with the knee joints flexed 90◦ and 105◦. The pressure inside the socket was measured by two pressure sensors, placed distally and proximally on the posterior wall inside the socket. The lengthwise pressure distribution and the sidewise load distribution between the socket and the underlying material was measured by a pressure mat. In addition to this, the subjects answered a questionnaire regarding the subjective comfort for each position.  The result showed that the pressure underneath the socket were higher distally than proximally without foot support. The pressure transferred proximally as the knee became more flexed. The most even load distribution sidewise was found when the subjects sat with their knees flexed 105 degrees. Sitting with the knees flexed 90◦ was ranked as the most comfortable position. No conclusion could be made regarding the pressure inside of the socket. Additionally, according to this study the level of comfort does not have any clear relation with the sidewise load distribution or the longitudinal pressure distribution. / En stor del av livet spenderas sittandes, men den påverkan som sittposition och stoldesign har på tryckfördelning och komfort för transfemoralt amputerade är ganska outforskat. Studien ämnar därför undersöka detta. Två transfemoralt amputerade kvinnor (49 och 57 år) medverkade i studien. Tre sittpositioner undersöktes för varje testperson; sittande utan fotstöd samt sittande med knäleden i 90◦ respektive 105◦ flexion. Trycket inuti hylsan mättes med hjälp av två trycksensorer, som placerades distalt och proximalt på den bakre hylsväggen. Tryckfördelningen i längsriktningen och lastfördelningen i sidled mellan hylsan och underlaget mättes med en tryckmatta. Förutom detta svarade testpersonerna även på ett frågeformulär angående den subjektiva komforten för varje position. Resultatet visade att trycket under hylsan var högre distalt än proximalt när inget fotstöd användes. Trycket förflyttades proximalt då knät böjdes. Den mest jämna lastfördelningen mellan sidorna påträffades när knät var flekterat 105◦. Enligt frågeformuläret var den mest bekväma positionen den med 90◦ i knäleden. Ingen slutsats kunde göras angående trycket inuit hylsan. Ingen tydlig relation kunde heller inte hittas mellan den subjektiva komforten och tryck- eller lastfördelningen.

Master of Science / Department of Civil Engineering / Hani G. Melhem / Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) is a relatively new material used in the field of civil engineering. FRP is composed of fibers, usually carbon or glass, bonded together using a polymer adhesive and formed into the desired structural shape. Recently, FRP deck panels have been viewed as an attractive alternative to concrete decks when replacing deteriorated bridges. The main advantages of an FRP deck are its weight (roughly 75% lighter than concrete), its high strength-to-weight ratio, and its resistance to deterioration. In bridge design, AASHTO provides load distributions to be used when determining how much load a longitudinal beam supporting a bridge deck should be designed to hold. Depending on the deck material along with other variables, a different design distribution will be used. Since FRP is a relatively new material used for bridge design, there are no provisions in the AASHTO code that provides a load distribution when designing beams supporting an FRP deck. FRP deck panels, measuring 6 ft x 8.5’, were loaded and analyzed at KSU over the past 4 years. The research conducted provides insight towards a conservative load distribution to assist engineers in future bridge designs with FRP decks. Two separate test periods produced data for this thesis. For the first test period, throughout the year of 2007, a continuous FRP panel was set up at the Civil Infrastructure Systems Laboratory at Kansas State University. This continuous panel measured 8.5 ft by 6 ft x 6 in. thick and was supported by 4 Grade A572 HP 10 x 42 steel beams. The beam spacing’s, along the 8.5 ft direction, were 2.5 ft-3.5 ft-2.5 ft. Stain gauges were mounted at mid-span of each beam to monitor the amount of load each beam was taking under a certain load. Linear variable distribution transformers (LVDT) were mounted at mid-span of each beam to measure deflection. Loads were placed at the center of the panel, with reference to the 6 ft direction and at several locations along the 8.5 ft direction. Strain and deflection readings were taken in order to determine the amount of load each beam resisted for each load location. The second period of testing started in the fall of 2010 and extended into January of 2011. This consisted of a simple-span/cantilever test set-up. The test set-up consisted of, in the 8.5 ft direction, a simply supported span of 6 ft with a 2.5 ft cantilever on one side. As done previously both beams had strain gauges along with LVDTs mounted at mid-span. There were also strain gauges were installed spaced at 1.5ft increments along one beam in order to analyze the beam behavior under certain loads. Loads were once again applied in the center of the 6 ft direction and strain and deflection readings were taken at several load locations along the 8.5 ft direction. The data was analyzed after all testing was completed. The readings from the strain gauges mounted in 1.5 ft increments along the steel beam on one side of the simple span test set-up were used to produce moment curves for the steel beam at various load locations. These moment curves were analyzed to determine how much of the panel was effectively acting on the beam when loads were placed at various distances away from the beam. Using these “effective lengths,” along with the strain taken from the mid-span of each beam, the loads each beam was resisting for different load locations were determined for both the continuously supported panel and the simply supported/cantilever panel data. Using these loads, conservative design factors were determined for FRP panels. These factors are S/5.05 for the simply supported panel and S/4.4 for the continuous panel, where “S” is the support beam spacing. Deflections measurements were used to validate the results. Percent errors, based on experimental and theoretical deflections, were found to be in the range of 10 percent to 40 percent depending on the load locations for the results in this thesis.

An indirect tire pressure monitoring system uses the wheel rolling radius as an indicator of low tire pressure. When extra load is put in the trunk of a car, the load distribution in the car will change. This will affect the rolling radius which in its turn will be confused with a change in the tire pressure. To avoid this phenomenon, the load distribution has to be estimated. In this thesis methods for estimating the pitch angle of a car and an offset in the pitch angle caused by changed load distribution are presented and when an estimate is derived, a load distribution can be derived. Alot of available signals are used but the most important are the longitudinal accelerometer signal and the acceleration at the wheels derived from the velocity of the car. A few ways to detect or compensate for a non-zero road grade are also presented. Based on the estimated offset, a difference between the front and rear axle heights in the vehicle can be estimated and compensating for the changed load distribution in an indirect tire pressure monitoring system will be possible.

Structural analysis of highway bridges using complicated 3-D FEMs to determine live load effects in bridge components is possible due to the readily available computational tools in design offices. However, building such complicated 3-D FEMs is tedious and time consuming. Accordingly, most design engineers prefer using simplified 2-D structural models of the bridge and live load distribution equations (LLDEs) available in current bridge design codes to determine live load effects in bridge components. Basically, the live load effect obtained from a 2-D model is multiplied by a factor obtained from the LLDE to calculate the actual live load effect in a 3-D structure. The LLDE available in current bridge design codes for jointed bridges were also used for the design of straight and skewed integral bridges by bridge engineers. As a result, these bridges are either designed conservatively leading to additional construction cost or unconservatively leading to unsafe bridge designs. Recently, LLDEs for integral bridges (IBs) with no skew are developed. To use these equations for skewed integral bridges (SIBs) a correction factor is needed to multiply these equations to include the effect of skew. Consequently, in this research study, skew correction factors for SIBs are developed. For this purpose, finite element models of 231 different three dimensional and corresponding two dimensional structural models of SIBs are built and analyzed under live load. The analyses results reveal that the effect of skew on the distribution of live load moment and shear is significant. It is also observed that skew generally tends to decrease live load effects in girders and substructure components of SIBs. Using the analyses results, analytical equations are developed via nonlinear regression techniques to include skew effects in the LLDEs developed for straight IBs. The developed skew correction factors are compared with FEAs results. This comparison revealed that the developed skew correction factors yield a reasonably good estimate of the reduction in live load effects due to the effect of skew.

Integral bridges (IBs) are defined as a class of rigid frame bridges with a single row of piles at the abutments cast monolithically with the superstructure. In the last decade, IBs have become very popular in North America and Europe as they provide many economical and functional advantages. However, standard design methods for IBs have not been established yet. Therefore, most bridge engineers depend on the knowledge acquired from performance of previously constructed IBs and the design codes developed for conventional jointed bridges to design these types of bridges. This include the live load distribution factors used to account for the effect of truck loads on bridge components in the design as well as issues related to the seismic design of such bridges. Accordingly in this study issues related to live load effects as well as seismic effects on IB components are addressed in two separate parts. In the first part of this study, live load distribution formulae for IB components are developed and verified. For this purpose, numerous there dimensional and corresponding two dimensional finite element models (FEMs) of IBs are built and analyzed under live load. The results from the analyses of two and three dimensional FEMs are then used to calculate the live load distribution factors (LLDFs) for the components of IBs (girders, abutments and piles) as a function of some substructure, superstructure and soil properties. Then, live load distribution formulae for the determination of LLDFs are developed to estimate to the live load moments and shears in the girders, abutments and piles of IBs. It is observed that the developed formulae yield a reasonably good estimate of live load effects in IB girders, abutments and piles. In the second part of this study, seismic performance of IBs in comparison to that of conventional bridges is studied. In addition, the effect of several structural and geotechnical parameters on the performance of IBs is assessed. For this purpose, three existing IBs and conventional bridges with similar properties are considered. FEMs of these IBs are built to perform nonlinear time history analyses of these bridges. The analyses results revealed that IBs have a better overall seismic performance compared to that of conventional bridges. Moreover, IBs with thick, stub abutments supported by steel H piles oriented to bend about their strong axis driven in loose to medium dense sand are observed to have better seismic performance. The level of backfill compaction is found to have no influence on the seismic performance of IBs.