In this dissertation a formalisation of nonmonotonic reasoning, namely Default logic, is discussed. A proof theory for default logic and a variant of Default logic - Prioritised Default logic - is presented. We also pursue an investigation into the relationship between default reasoning and making inferences in a neural network. The inference problem shifts from the logical problem in Default logic to the optimisation problem in neural networks, in which maximum consistency is aimed at The inference is realised as an adaptation process that identifies and resolves conflicts between existing knowledge about the relevant world and external information. Knowledge and data are transformed into constraint equations and the nodes in the network represent propositions and constraint equations. The violation of constraints is formulated in terms of an energy function. The Hopfield network is shown to be suitable for modelling optimisation problems and default reasoning. / Computer Science / M.Sc. (Computer Science)

Scheduling is extremely important for modern real-time systems. It enables several programs to run in parallel and succeed with their tasks. Many systems today are real-time systems, which means that good scheduling is highly needed. This thesis aims to evaluate the real-time scheduling algorithm earliest deadline first, newly introduced into the Linux kernel, and compare it to the already existing real-time scheduling algorithms first in, first out and round robin in the context of firm tasks. By creating a test program that can create pthreads and set their scheduling characteristics, the performance of earliest deadline first can be evaluated and compared to the others. / Schemaläggning är extremt viktigt för dagens realtidssystem. Det tillåter att flera program körs parallellt samtidigt som deras processer inte misslyckas med sina uppgifter. Idag är många system realtidssystem, vilket innebär att det finns ett ytterst stort behov för en bra schemaläggningsalgoritm. Målet med det här examensarbetet är att utvärdera schema-läggningsalgoritmen earliest deadline first som nyligen introducerats i operativsystemet Linux. Målet är även att jämföra algoritmen med två andra schemaläggningsalgoritmer (first in, first out och round robin), vilka redan är väletablerade i Linux kärnan. Det här görs med avseende på processer klassificerade som firm. Genom att skapa ett program som kan skapa pthreads med önskvärda egenskaper kan prestandan av earliest deadline first algoritmen utvärderas, samt jämföras med de andra algoritmerna.

Industrial steel storage racks are pre-engineered lightweight structures commonly used to store goods from supermarkets to big warehouses. These systems are framed structures, usually made of cold-formed steel profiles and characterised by non-standard details. Their performance is quite complex and the prediction of their global response is more difficult than for the traditional steel frames. This difficulty is due to the racks’ main features: the use of cold-formed thin-walled steel sections which are sensitive to different buckling modes, the presence of regular perforation patterns on the uprights, the highly non-linear behaviour of joints, the influence of the structural imperfections and the significant frame sensitivity to second order effects. The behaviour of racks becomes even more complex when seismic or accidental events induce significant horizontal forces acting on the structures. The complexity and variability that characterise racks make it difficult to identify general design solutions. Hence, racks design is traditionally carried out by using the “design by testing” approach, which requires the experimental characterisation of the main structural components, of the joints and the sub-assemblies. The complexity of the racks also affects their numerical modelling, which results in complex analyses that must take into account all the aforementioned features. The work presented in this thesis focuses on the study of a typical steel pallet rack, identified as case study. The research aims to contribute to building up a comprehensive knowledge of the response of both the main rack components and of the whole structure. The main rack components were first individually studied. The behaviour of the uprights, of the base-plate joints and of the beam-to-column joints was experimentally investigated. The experimental data were then taken as reference for the calibration of FE models that enabled exploring each component’s performance. These models were then incorporated into the whole rack model. The response of the uprights was first investigated through stub column tests. The non-negligible interaction between axial force and bending moment of the upright response was then experimentally and numerically analysed to define the M-N domains. In addition, the rules provided by different European standards for the design of isolated members subjected to combined axial load and bending moment were considered and critically compared, identifying the main critical issues of the different design approaches. Although the contribution of joints on the rack global response is of paramount importance, to date, the knowledge is quite limited. In particular, the experimental studies of the behaviour of base-plate joints are still rather modest, especially for the cyclic range. Therefore, an experimental campaign on the rack base-plate joints was carried out: three levels of axial load were considered and the response in both the down-aisle and the cross-aisle direction was investigated under monotonic and cyclic loadings. Similarly, the beam-to-column joint was tested both monotonically and cyclically, taking into account its non-symmetric behaviour. Numerical models for both joint types were developed and validated enabling the characterisation of joints in the monotonic and cyclic range. This in-depth knowledge of the response of individual components facilitated the evaluation of the global rack behaviour. As a final stage of the research, full-scale tests of four-level two-bay racks were performed taking advantage of an innovative full-scale testing set-up and, on the basis of the experimental outcomes, the racks’ global behaviour was numerically investigated. Critical standards issues and needs for future research were further identified.

[pt] A lógica descritiva intuicionista iALC foi criada para modelar e raciocinar sobre o domínio de Leis baseada na Jurisprudência Kelseniana [1]. No decorrer da década anterior, essa lógica foi usada de diversas maneiras para modelar normas ou formalizar raciocínio jurídico [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]. Neste trabalho pretendemos complementar trabalhos anteriores ralizados com essa lógica ao preencher algumas lacunas encontradas enquanto trabalhando com ela. A primeira lacuna ocorre por iALC não ter um modo intuitivo de explicar raciocínio nela realizado para pessoas fora do domínio da Lógica. Ela tem um Cálculo de Sequentes (CS) [6] correto e completo (com respeito a modelos conceituais intuitionistas [3]) que tem sido menos usado que o desejado, e isso se dá em grande parte devido à maneira pouco intuitiva com que CS representa provas. Apresentamos um sistema de Dedução Natural (DN) correto e completo e com (quasi-)normalização para compensar por essa dificuldade em explicar CS para não-lógicos, especialmente os do domínio legal, essenciais para nossa pesquisa. Normalização completa não é possível devido a um tipo de derivação - tirando essa exceção, o resto do sistema gera derivações uniformes. A segunda lacuna envolve não poder lidar com raciocínio não-monotônico (RNM). Em geral, utiliza-se raciocínio monotônico, no qual, se é possível concluir algo de um conjunto de premissas, não há como acrescentar outra premissa de modo a evitar a conclusão prévia. Isso não é o caso em um julgamento legal, por exemplo, no qual lados opostos buscam convencer um juiz ou júri de consequências opostas ao adicionar premissas diferentes ao caso em questão. Propomos uma investigação de caráter exploratório em busca de uma extensão de iALC para lidar com RNM a fim de representar raciocínio jurídico em outras facetas da Lei como o processo judicial, que é não-monotônico por natureza. Apresentamos propriedades desejadas e uma possível aplicação de um sistema assim via um estudo de caso. Detalhamos mais a motivação tanto para o sistema de DN quanto a extensão de RNM, assim como as decisões tomadas ao criar cada um. / [en] The intuitionistic description logic iALC was created to model and reason over the domain of Law based on Kelsenian Jurisprudence [1]. Over the past decade, this logic has been used in several ways to either model norms or formalise legal reasoning [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]. In this work we intend to complement previous research done with this logic by filling some gaps found while working with it. The first gap occurs in iALC needing an intuitive way to explain reasoning for non-logicians. It has a sound and complete (concerning intuitionistic conceptual models [3]) Sequent Calculus (SC) [6] that has seen less usage than expected due to its non-intuitive way of presenting a proof. We present a (quasi-)normalising, sound and complete (w.r.t. TBox validity for intuitionistic conceptual models) Natural Deduction (ND) System to cover this difficulty in explaining SC to non-logicians, especially those in the domain of Law, which are essential to us. We do not achieve full normalisation due to a kind of derivation which cannot be normalised - aside from this exception, the rest of the system can provide uniform derivations. The second gap is being unable to deal with non-monotonic reasoning (NMR). Usually, one considers monotonic reasoning, in which, if one can conclude something from a set of premises, there is no way to add another premise to avoid said conclusion. This is not the case in a court of law, for instance, in which different parties aim to convince a judge or jury of opposite consequences by adding different premises to the case itself. We provide an exploratory investigation of an extension of iALC to deal with NMR to represent legal reasoning in aspects of the Law, such as the judicial process, which is non-monotonic by nature. We present desirable properties and a possible application of such a system via a case study. We explain further the motivation for both the ND system and the NMR extension and the decisions taken for both.

Indonesia is a developing country that suffers from earthquakes and windstorms and where at least 60% of houses are non-engineered structures, built by unskilled workers using masonry and timber. The non-engineered housing units developed in urban region are also vulnerable to seismic hazard due to the use of low quality of material and constructions method. Those structures are not resistant to extreme lateral loads or ground movement and their failure during an earthquake or storm can lead to significant loss of life. This thesis is concerned with the structural performance of Indonesian low-rise buildings made of masonry and timber under lateral seismic load. The research presented includes a survey of forms of building structure and experimental, analytical and numerical work to predict the behaviour of masonry wall and traditional timber frame buildings. Experimental testing of both masonry and timber have been carried out in Indonesia to establish the quality of materials and to provide material properties for numerical simulations. The experimental study found that the strength of Indonesia-Bali clay brick masonry are below the minimum standard required for masonry structures built in seismic regions, being at least 50% lower than the requirement specified in British Standard and Eurocode-6 (BS EN 1996-1-1:2005). In contrast, Indonesian timber materials meet the strength classes specified in British Standard/Eurocode- 5 (BS EN 338:2009) in the range of strength grade D35-40 and C35).Structural tests under monotonic and cyclic loading have been conducted on building components in Indonesia, to determine the load-displacement capacity of local hand-made masonry wall panels and timber frames in order to: (1) evaluate the performance of masonry and timber frame structure, (2) investigate the dynamic behaviour of both structures, (3) observe the effect of in-plane stiffness and ductility level, and (4) examine the anchoring joint at the base of timber frame that resists the overturning moment. From these tests, the structural ductility was found to be less than two which is below the requirement of the relevant guidelines from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, USA (FEMA-306). It was also observed that the lateral stiffness of masonry wall is much higher than the equivalent timber frame of the same height and length. The experimental value of stiffness of the masonry wall panel was found to be one-twelfth of the recommended values given in FEMA-356 and the Canadian Building code. The masonry wall provides relatively low displacement compared to the large displacement of the timber frame at the full capacity level of lateral load, with structural framing members of the latter remaining intact. The weak point of the timber frame is the mechanical joint and the capacity of slip joint governs the lateral load capacity of the whole frame. Detailed numerical models of the experimental specimens were setup in Abaqus using three-dimensional solid elements. Cohesive elements were used to simulate the mortar behaviour, exhibiting cracking and the associated physical separation of the elements. Appropriate contact definitions were used where relevant, especially for the timber frame joints. A range of available material plasticity models were reviewed: Drucker-Prager, Crystalline Plasticity, and Cohesive Damage model. It was found that the combination of Crystalline Plasticity model for the brick unit and timber, and the Cohesive Damage model for the mortar is capable of simulating the experimental load-displacement behaviour fairly accurately. The validated numerical models have been used to (1) predict the lateral load capacity, (2) determine the cracking load and patterns, (3) carry out a detailed parametric study by changing the geometric and material properties different to the experimental specimens. The numerical models were used to assess different strengthening measures such as using bamboo as reinforcement in the masonry walls for a complete single storey, and a two-storey houses including openings for doors and windows. The traditional footing of the timber structures was analysed using Abaqus and was found to be an excellent base isolation system which partly explains the survival of those structures in the past earthquakes. The experimental and numerical results have finally been used to develop a design guideline for new construction as well as recommendations for retrofitting of existing structures for improved performance under seismic lateral load.

This term project deals with the problem of scheduling real-time tasks in overload conditions and techniques for lowering power consumption. Each of these parts features mechanisms and reasons for their using. There are also described specific algorithms, that are implemented, in operating system uC/OS-II, and compared in next phase of master's thesis.

Die vorliegende Arbeit analysiert die Phänologie photosynthetisch aktiver Vegetation mit Hilfe von NDVI Zeitreihen für einen Zeitraum von 24 Jahren (AVHRR‑GIMMS Daten). Neben einer Datierung des jahreszeitlichen Wechsels zwischen Wachstums-, Reife- und Seneszenzphase wird das Ziel verfolgt, Trends sowohl in phänologischen Ereignissen (Start-of-Season) als auch im NDVI zu identifizieren. Das, in der semi-ariden Sahelregion gelegene, Untersuchungsgebiet weist mit zwei sich teilweise überlagernden Vegetationsperioden eine komplexe Phänologie auf, deren Modellierung durch die sowohl in ihren Zeitpunkten als auch in ihren Ausprägungen hoch variablen Vegetationsabläufe erschwert wird. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist zunächst ein, auf der Fourieranalyse basierender, Ansatz zur flexiblen Glättung der NDVI Zeitreihen entwickelt worden. Um für die Trendanalyse lineare Regressionsverfahren einsetzen zu können, sind die Zeitreihen nach dem Komponentenmodell untergliedert worden (Subtraktion der Saisonfigur). Alternativ kam der saisonale MANN-KENDALL Trendtest zur Anwendung. Die NDVI Zeitreihen wurden ebenfalls auf Änderungen im mehrjährigen Mittelwert (Bruchpunkte) untersucht. Alle Auswertungen sind in einer eigenen Applikation umgesetzt worden. Es konnte gezeigt werden, daß Änderungen im NDVI Niveau eher abrupt als graduell verlaufen. Langfristige Trends weisen nur geringe Anstiege auf. Die Vegetation erholte sich von der Dürre 1984/85 nur im südlichen Teil des Untersuchungsgebietes, im Norden dominieren langfristig negative Trends. Brüche im mean der NDVI Zeitreihen korrelieren mit Brüchen im Abflußverhalten des Niger.

Thèse par articles. / La présente thèse fait état des avancées en logique déontique et propose des outils formels pertinents à l'analyse de la validité des inférences légales. D'emblée, la logique vise l'abstraction de différentes structures. Lorsqu'appliquée en argumentation, la logique permet de déterminer les conditions de validité des inférences, fournissant ainsi un critère afin de distinguer entre les bons et les mauvais raisonnements. Comme le montre la multitude de paradoxes en logique déontique, la modélisation des inférences normatives fait cependant face à divers problèmes. D'un point de vue historique, ces difficultés ont donné lieu à différents courants au sein de la littérature, dont les plus importants à ce jour sont ceux qui traitent de l'action et ceux qui visent la modélisation des obligations conditionnelles. La présente thèse de doctorat, qui a été rédigée par articles, vise le développement d'outils formels pertinents à l'analyse du discours juridique. En première partie, nous proposons une revue de la littérature complémentaire à ce qui a été entamé dans Peterson (2011). La seconde partie comprend la contribution théorique proposée. Dans un premier temps, il s'agit d'introduire une logique déontique alternative au système standard. Sans prétendre aller au-delà de ses limites, le système standard de logique déontique possède plusieurs lacunes. La première contribution de cette thèse est d'offrir un système comparable répondant au différentes objections pouvant être formulées contre ce dernier. Cela fait l'objet de deux articles, dont le premier introduit le formalisme nécessaire et le second vulgarise les résultats et les adapte aux fins de l'étude des raisonnements normatifs. En second lieu, les différents problèmes auxquels la logique déontique fait face sont abordés selon la perspective de la théorie des catégories. En analysant la syntaxe des différents systèmes à l'aide des catégories monoïdales, il est possible de lier certains de ces problèmes avec des propriétés structurelles spécifiques des logiques utilisées. Ainsi, une lecture catégorique de la logique déontique permet de motiver l'introduction d'une nouvelle approche syntaxique, définie dans le cadre des catégories monoïdales, de façon à pallier les problèmes relatifs à la modélisation des inférences normatives. En plus de proposer une analyse des différentes logiques de l'action selon la théorie des catégories, la présente thèse étudie les problèmes relatifs aux inférences normatives conditionnelles et propose un système déductif typé. / The present thesis develops formal tools relevant to the analysis of legal discourse. When applied to legal reasoning, logic can be used to model the structure of legal inferences and, as such, it provides a criterion to discriminate between good and bad reasonings. But using logic to model normative reasoning comes with some problems, as shown by the various paradoxes one finds within the literature. From a historical point of view, these paradoxes lead to the introduction of different approaches, such as the ones that emphasize the notion of action and those that try to model conditional normative reasoning. In the first part of this thesis, we provide a review of the literature, which is complementary to the one we did in Peterson (2011). The second part of the thesis concerns our theoretical contribution. First, we propose a monadic deontic logic as an alternative to the standard system, answering many objections that can be made against it. This system is then adapted to model unconditional normative inferences and test their validity. Second, we propose to look at deontic logic from the proof-theoretical perspective of category theory. We begin by proposing a categorical analysis of action logics and then we show that many problems that arise when trying to model conditional normative reasoning come from the structural properties of the logic we use. As such, we show that modeling normative reasoning within the framework of monoidal categories enables us to answer many objections in favour of dyadic and non-monotonic foundations for deontic logic. Finally, we propose a proper typed deontic system to model legal inferences.

O melhor comportamento de uma estrutura de solo reforçado com geossintéticos não depende só da elevada resistência à tração da inclusão, mas também da sua rigidez e do nível de carregamento sob o qual a estrutura está submetida. Dessa maneira, a interação entre o reforço e as respectivas camadas de solo ao seu redor torna-se de grande importância, pois a mobilização cisalhante combina a deformação da interface solo-reforço e o alongamento do geossintético. Sendo que a melhor forma de avaliar a interação entre o solo e a geogrelha é por meio de ensaios de arrancamento, pensa-se na realização de ensaios de arrancamento cíclico para analisar a interação dinâmica entre o solo e a inclusão quando certas estruturas são submetidas a esse tipo de solicitação. Por causa disso, o objetivo principal deste trabalho é analisar o efeito produzido por carregamentos monotônicos e cíclicos de interface numa geogrelha biaxial de polipropileno, quando inserida na interface de um solo argiloso e um solo arenoso sob diferentes tensões de confinamento. Para isso, são utilizados os equipamentos de pequenas e grandes dimensões do Laboratório de Geossintéticos da EESC-USP, visando avaliar a sua relação e a viabilidade de uso do equipamento de pequenas dimensões. Inicialmente foram realizados ensaios de arrancamento monotônico em ambos os equipamentos sob tensões de confinamento de 25, 50 e 100 kPa, sendo que as resistências obtidas com as tensões de 25 e 100 kPa permitiram definir as amplitudes do carregamento cíclico correspondentes ao 20% de tais valores. Adicionalmente, após a aplicação dos 10.000 ciclos de carga correspondentes à capacidade do equipamento, foi aplicado novamente um carregamento monotônico com o intuito de determinar o efeito do carregamento dinâmico na resistência ao arrancamento e assim poder realizar as respectivas comparações com os valores iniciais. Com base nos resultados obtidos, foi possível observar a diferença no grau de confinamento entre ambos os equipamentos, sendo maior no de grandes dimensões por causa da melhor distribuição das tensões sobre a área ocupada pela geogrelha. Adicionalmente, o grau de confinamento em ambos os equipamentos também influenciou a diferença no efeito do carregamento dinâmico, sendo de desconfinamento no de grandes dimensões e de densificação no de pequenas dimensões. / The best behavior of a reinforced soil structure with geosynthetics not only depends on the high tensile strength of the inclusion, but also on its rigidity and the loading level in which the structure is subjected. Thus, the interaction between the reinforcement and the respective layers of soil around, becomes very important because the shear mobilization combines the deformation of the soil-reinforcement interface and the lengthening of the geosynthetic. Since the best way to assess the soil-geogrid interaction is through pullout tests, it is thought in performing cyclic pullout tests to examine the dynamic soil-inclusion interaction when some structures are submitted to that kind of loads. Because of that, the main objective of this work is to analize the effect that is produced by monotonic and cyclic interface loading on a biaxial polypropylene geogrid, when it is inserted into the interface of a clayey soil and a sandy soil under different confinement stresses. For that, the small and large dimensions equipments of the Geosynthetics Laboratory at EESC-USP are used, looking to evaluate their relationship and the feasibility of using a small dimensions equipment. Initially, they were performed monotonic pullout tests in both equipments under confinement stresses of 25, 50 and 100 kPa, wherein the pullout strengths obtained with 25 and 100 kPa allowed the definition of the load cyclic amplitudes, which corresponded to 20% of such values. Additionally, after applying 10.000 load cycles, corresponding to the capacity of the equipment, it was applied a monotonic loading in order to determine the dynamic loading effect on pullout strength, being useful to compare such values with the initial response. Based on the obtained results, it was possible to observe the difference in the confinement degree between both equipments, being higher in the large one because of the better stress distribution on the geogrid area. Aditionally, the confinement degree in both equipments also influenced the difference in the dynamic loading effect, being deconfinement in the soil-geogrid interface of the large one and densification in the other one.

Segmentação de objetos em imagens é um dos problemas mais fundamentais e desafiadores em processamento de imagem e visão computacional. O conhecimento de alto nível e específico do usuário é frequentemente requerido no processo de segmentação, devido à presença de fundos heterogêneos, objetos com bordas fracamente definidas, inomogeneidade de campo, ruído, artefatos, efeitos de volume parcial e seus efeitos conjuntos. Propriedades globais do objeto de interesse, tais como conexidade, restrições de forma e polaridade de borda, são conhecimentos prévios de alto nível úteis para a sua segmentação, permitindo a customização da segmentação para um objeto alvo. Nesse trabalho, apresentamos um novo método chamado Transformada Imagem-Floresta Orientada Conexa (COIFT, Connected Oriented Image Foresting Transform), que fornece soluções ótimas globais de acordo com uma medida de corte em grafo, incorporando a restrição de conexidade na Transformada Imagem-Floresta Orientada (OIFT, Oriented Image Foresting Transform), com o fim de garantir a geração de objetos conexos, bem como permitir o controle simultâneo da polaridade de borda. Enquanto o emprego de restrições de conexidade em outros arcabouços, tais como no algoritmo de corte-mínimo/fluxo-máximo (min-cut/max-flow), leva a um problema NP-difícil, a COIFT conserva o baixo custo computacional da OIFT. Experimentos mostram que a COIFT pode melhorar consideravelmente a segmentação de objetos com partes finas e alongadas, para o mesmo número de sementes em segmentação baseada em marcadores. / Object segmentation is one of the most fundamental and challenging problems in image processing and computer vision. The high-level and specific knowledge of the user is often required in the segmentation process, due to the presence of heterogeneous backgrounds, objects with poorly defined boundaries, field inhomogeneity, noise, artifacts, partial volume effects and their joint effects. Global properties of the object of interest, such as connectivity, shape constraints and boundary polarity, are useful high-level priors for its segmentation, allowing the customization of the segmentation for a given target object. In this work, we introduce a new method called Connected Oriented Image Foresting Transform (COIFT), which provides global optimal solutions according to a graph-cut measure in graphs, subject to the connectivity constraint in the Oriented Image Foresting Transform (OIFT), in order to ensure the generation of connected objects, as well as allowing the simultaneous control of the boundary polarity. While the use of connectivity constraints in other frameworks, such as in the min-cut/max-flow algorithm, leads to a NP-Hard problem, COIFT retains the low computational cost of OIFT. Experiments show that COIFT can considerably improve the segmentation of objects with thin and elongated parts, for the same number of seeds in segmentation based on markers.