Geomembranes (GMB) are normally used as part of the liner system in heap leach pads. There is a need to quantify tensile strains in the geomembrane that could affect short-term puncture and long-term performance of the GMB. In this thesis, short-term tensile strains arising from indentations caused from the material placed both below and above the geomembrane are quantified, and the potential for puncturing is investigated. Experiments were conducted on 1.5 mm high-density (HDPE) and liner low density polyethylene (LLDPE) geomembranes for applied pressures up to 3000 kPa. The geomembrane punctured from underliner material having gravel and sand placed directly beneath the geomembrane and a peak tensile strain of 40% was induced. Increasing the sand fraction to obtain a well graded gravel and sand underliner resulted in peak tensile strains of 14% in the geomembrane and caused no puncture. When geomembrane is underlain by geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) and compacted clay liner, the tensile strains increased with increasing deformability (due to higher water content) of the underlying material. Experiments were also conducted to examine the implications of overliner material and pressure on geomembrane strains. It was found that the overliner having gravel and some sand resulted in 18% tensile strain in the geomembrane at 2000 kPa and 27% for 3000 kPa. A gravelly sand overliner with some silt induced tensile strains of 9% and 12% at 2000 kPa and 3000 kPa respectively. None of the overliners was able to limit stains in the geomembrane to less the maximum recommended geomembrane strain proposed in the literature. A 150-mm-thick silty sand layer placed above coarsest overliner examined reduced the geomembrane strains to 2%, even when subjected to pressures of 3000 kPa. / Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2013-02-01 10:33:47.733

Due to new environmental regulations, the demand for brake systems producing low polluting emissions and keeping high performance, is increasing. Therefore, a reduction in the toxic substances contained in brake friction materials is required that still meets all applicable safety standards and retaining properties such as low wear, high temperatures resistance, friction coefficient stability and consistency. Among the various ingredients used in formulations, copper has recently become the subject of different regulations on brake pad materials and will be reduced, or even prohibited, in the coming years. Recent studies have found that brake pads are major contributors to the deposit of copper in rivers and lakes, and this has a toxic impact on the environment. This metal is currently added in brake material formulations because of its good physical properties and its contribution to the formation of a uniform and stable friction layer. Its characteristics make it a constituent that is not easy to replace and an adequate substitute covering all the roles of copper has not been found as yet. The present research aims at developing, producing and testing new formulations for brake pads without copper. A relatively wide range of friction materials was investigated, in order to understand the role that selected constituents have in friction and wear behaviour. In the first place, an investigation on the role of copper in friction materials was performed. The study was followed by the selection of a suitable replacement for this constituent in the formulation. To do so, different friction components were studied. Additionally, other aspects relating to friction materials, such as the deterioration of the binder, were subject of investigation. The novel formulations, produced starting from commercially available compositions, were ranked in terms of wear and friction behaviour by means of a pin-on-disc tribometer. Cylindrical specimens were produced directly from powders, so that constituents could be easily modified based on the test outcome. This is a very effective method to study the role of individual constituents in the mixture, considering the relatively small amount of each specific composition to be prepared and the ease of processing it. In order to identify the principal wear mechanisms and their dependence on material properties and test conditions, the worn materials were analysed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDXS). Part of the acquired knowledge from the first part of the work was used in the initial stages of the ECOPADS project (the project started during the doctoral period) to develop and manufacture real brake pads that were tested on brake dynamometers and evaluated in terms of both performance and emissions.

No description available.

The goals of this thesis were: (1) to develop a data acquisition system for measuring gait parameters and (2) to determine the effect of knee pads on gait and comfort. The data acquisition system consisted of a data acquisition card that was inserted in the PC card (PCMCIA) slot of a laptop computer, a knee goniometer, foot switches, and pressure sensors. Various drive circuits were designed to connect the different sensors to the data acquisition card. The gait analysis results showed that the knee pads do not have a significant effect on long range gait correlations calculated from the stride interval. Pressure measurements between the knee pads and the knee showed that a pressure in the range of 0 to 8.31 psi occurred when kneeling. The maximum pressure for the sensor located under the top strap of the knee pad occurred when getting into and out of the kneeling stance. The data acquisition system successfully met the design objectives. The stride interval was recorded and analyzed, and pressures were successfully measured and analyzed.

To improve the wire bondability, interfacial adhesion and popcorn cracking resistance in the packaging processing of IC and MEMS chips, this thesis utilized oxygen and helium plasmas to modify and clean the surface of metal pads. The influences of the plasma cleaning time, metal pad materials and wire bonding time/temperature/power on the strength of wire bonding were investigated. Two different wire materials (Al wire with 32 £gm in diameter and Au wire with 25 £gm in diameter) were bonded on the surface of Al, Au and Pt metal pads using a commercial ultrasonic wire bonder (SPB-U688), respectively. The pull strength detection of the implemented micro joints is characterized by an accurate pull strength testing system (Dage SERIES-4000). Based on hundred measurement results, this research has three conclusions described as follows. (I) The pull strength of Au pad is higher than that of Al and Pt pads no matter with the plasma cleaning process or not. The maximum pull strength (12.286 g) can be achieved as the surface of Au pad was modified by the helium plasma for 180 seconds. (II) Helium plasma cleaned wafer can obtain larger improvement of pull strength than that of the oxygen plasma under the same plasma time. However, this result can not be concluded in Al and Pt pads. (III) The optimized wire bonding time/power of the Au, Al and Pt pads are 0.07 s/2.1, 0.05 s/0.6 W and 0.03 s/2.7 W, respectively.

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: DFA; fractal analysis; knee pads. Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-62).

The theme of Master project is very actual nowadays, cause a safety of human life is the biggest purpose in the world. That’s why engineers of automative industry seeks to find newer and newer solutions to create the level of safety as high as possible. And engineers knows, the main system in the vechile to make safely driving – brake system. Nowadays the most efective brake system type – disk brake system. That means disk brake pads are very important part also. The are a lot of manufacturers of brake pads and linings in the world. Commonly the technologycal procedure of brake pads manufacturing can be described as follows: steel back preparation, friction material mixing, preforming, pressing curing, baking, grinding and grooving, painting, printing and packing. The main purpose of this job is to analyze materials for friction material on brake pads and to make efectiveness tests of two different friction materials. Material No.2 mostly consists of steel wool, while material No.1 has just a little bit of steel wood in it. This material is replaced by fibre “Lapinus” and filler – barytes. Comparing the testing results it is obvious the highest friction coefficient has material No.2. Explanation of such results can be following: steel wool creats higher friction level. This analysis is a small part in the brake pads manufacturing world and always there will be newer improvements in this area.

This thesis extends the applicability of quantum cryptography. First, we prove that quantum cryptography at least equals classical cryptography in an important area, namely authentication. The quantum key distribution protocols presented here show that, contrary to previous belief, authentication can be done with quantum methods only. In addition, we have designed quantum security systems in unconventional settings. The security of sensor networks poses specific challenges, as the sensor nodes in particular can be physically picked up by the intruder. Our scheme protects both the integrity of the communication messages and it also protects the identity of the nodes, such that a reading intrusion of a node is detectable. The problem of access control in a hierarchy refers to a large number of users, organized in a hierarchy, having selective access rights to a database. Our quantum solution introduces quantum keys to the effect that the cryptographic scheme is dynamically adaptable to changes in the user structure, and it exhibits increased security levels. To the best of our knowledge, this thesis is the first to introduce quantum keys, that is secret keys defined by an array of qubits. We show that quantum keys make it possible for two parties to communicate with one-time pads without having to meet in advance. Also, opposite to previous cryptographic ``common sense", the security level of a quantum cryptosystem with quantum keys and quantum messages increases while being used, meaning the security increases over time. / Thesis (Ph.D, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2010-03-12 11:38:07.086

The purpose of this study is to investigate how accurately the distribution factor method estimates the live load deflections under the principles of the 2012 AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications (AASHTO LRFD specifications) compared to the results of the NISA finite element analysis software. The simple span bridge model analyzed is developed very similarly to the design example of the PCI Bridge Design Manual. The main difference is a shorter span length and smaller AASHTO-PCI bulb tee sections. Three main finite element models are created to estimate the live load deflections under the recommended live load conditions as per AASHTO LRFD specifications. The first model is simulated with simple support conditions. The purpose of this model is two-fold: compare the deflections to the distribution factor method and to the deflections of the second model that is simulated with elastomeric steel reinforced bearing pads. Thus, the stiffnesses of the elastomeric bearing pads of the second model are varied within the AASHTO LRFD specifications acceptable limits and under low temperature conditions the stiffness is increased accordingly for two cases. The purpose is to investigate if the stiffness have any significant affect on the deflections of the girders. Then a third model is created to investigate if the removal of the intermediate diaphragms have any affect on the deflections. The results of the first and second models, including the models with the allowed varied stiffnesses of the bearing pads, found only the interior girders deflecting up to 4% more and the exterior girders were deflecting up to 5.55% less than the estimates of the distribution factor method. In the case when the diaphragms are removed, the deflections of the inner most interior girders are deflecting up to 10.85% more compared to the same girders of the model which includes the intermediate diaphragms and the bearing pads. In the unique case of the second model where the bearing pads may stiffen significantly under low temperatures, the girders are deflecting up to 23% less than when at room temperature conditions. All these findings and other summarized results are discussed in greater detail in this study.

Friction contact with both external and internal environments can significantly influence its efficiency, which could cause friction instabilities, vibration, and noise. Focusing on the effects that troubles brake pad, rotor, and friction-induced NVH, the main motivation for this study is to understand its drawbacks for some extent in a braking system. By proper study on applied statistics, an experimental design is planned. The design has friction tests that are performed by scaling down real test properties used in dynamometer to scaled-down properties in a subscale tester by using scaling law of physics. The test has two different types of rubbers with different humidity conditions with respect to two different brake pads in a small-scale tester, the Universal Mechanical Tester (UMT). This friction experiment helps in determining how different rubbers impact its stiffness on the coefficient of friction and noise levels, also to evaluate which scenario has the better damping capacity. The effect on the coefficient of friction and noise levels with and without rubbers is also compared. The results are subjected to the Design of Experiments analyses test know the statistical relationship between factors affecting the process and output of that process at different controllable variables namely humidity and temperature.