Techniques for preliminary analysis of various tall building systems subjected to lateral loads have been studied herein. Three computer programs written in Matlab® graphical user interface language for use on any personal computer are presented. Two of these programs incorporate interactive graphics. A program called Wall_Frame_2D is introduced for two-dimensional analysis of shear wall-frame interactive structures, using the shear-flexural cantilever analogy. The rigid outrigger approach was utilized to develop a program called Outrigger Program to analyze multi-outrigger braced tall buildings. In addition, a program called Frame Tube was developed which allows analysis of single and quad-bundled framed tube structures. The tube grids are replaced with an equivalent orthotropic plate, and the governing differential equations are solved in closed form. Results for lateral deflections, rotations, and moment, shear, and torque distributions within the various resisting elements are compared against other preliminary and "exact" matrix analysis methods for several examples. SAP2000 was used to obtain "exact" results. The approximate analyses are found to give reasonable results and a fairly good indication of the behavior of the actual structure. These programs are proposed for inclusion in a knowledge-based approach to preliminary tall building design. The tall building design process is outlined and criteria are given for the incorporation of these "Resource Level Knowledge Modules" into an integrated tall building design system.

Dans un contexte de mondialisation, face à l’accroissement des échanges et la complexification des contrats internationaux, les négociations précontractuelles ont pris une dimension particulière : création de nouvelles obligations, étirement de la durée des pourparlers, multiplications des contrats préliminaires, tout conduit à transformer cette simple période de transition en une étape primordiale de la vie contractuelle. Les différentes phases de négociation entre partenaires internationaux vont ainsi générer des contentieux qui intéressent le droit international privé. En effet, la valeur juridique de la négociation diverge d’un régime juridique à un autre. Alors que les Etats de common law adoptent une conception individualiste des pourparlers avec pour principe une liberté contractuelle très étendue, la civil law circonscrit la liberté contractuelle par le respect d’un devoir de bonne foi. Par conséquent, il apparaît essentiel, pour les parties, de connaître avec certitude le droit applicable à leur relation précontractuelle.Or les règles de conflits existantes, supposées garantir la sécurité juridique des parties à la négociation en leur assurant une certaine prévisibilité des solutions, ne sont pas adaptées à l’heure actuelle. Dans cette perspective, l’objet de la recherche s’attache à considérer les spécificités de la période précontractuelle et les questions de droit international privé s’y rattachant et tente d’y apporter des réponses efficaces en proposant des règles de conflits adaptées, afin de garantir la sécurité juridique à laquelle aspirent les parties à la négociation. / In a context of globalization, facing increased trade and the increasing complexity of international contracts, pre-contractual negotiations take a special dimension: creating new obligations, stretching the length of talks, multiplications of preliminary contracts, are leading to transform this simple transition in a primordial stage of contracts. The different phases of negotiation between international partners and will generate interest litigation private international law.Indeed, the legal negotiation differs from one legal regime to another. Common law countries adopt an individualistic principle for talks with extensive contractual freedom, whereas civil law circumscribes the freedom of contract in respect of a duty of good faith. Therefore, it is essential for the parties to know with certainty the law applicable to their pre-contractual relationship.However, the existing conflict rules, supposed to guarantee the legal security of the negotiating parties by ensuring predictability solutions are not appropriate at this time. In this perspective, the purpose of the research focuses on considering the specificities of the pre-contractual period and issues of private international law relating thereto and attempts to provide effective responses by providing conflict rules adapted to ensure legal certainty aspired parties to the negotiation.

O Reator Nuclear de Pesquisa IEA-R1 em operação desde 1957 no Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP) é um dos reatores mais antigos do mundo em operação. Em algum momento no futuro, a exemplo de outros reatores, será desligado definitivamente. Antes de chegar este momento a organização operadora precisa planejar o futuro de suas instalações e definir o destino que pretende dar aos equipamentos e materiais radioativos e não radioativos que se encontram no interior das instalações. Estas questões devem estar contidas no chamado \"Plano de Descomissionamento Preliminar da Instalação\" que é o tema deste trabalho. O trabalho apresenta inicialmente uma visão geral sobre este tema e relaciona os objetivos gerais e específicos para sua realização, descrevendo a seguir, as diretrizes que a organização operadora deve considerar para formulação de um plano de descomissionamento. A estrutura atual do setor nuclear brasileiro enfatizando principalmente as normas utilizadas no gerenciamento do rejeito radioativo é apresentada. Uma descrição dos principais equipamentos do reator IEA-R1 que constituem o seu inventário radioativo e não radioativo é apresentada. O trabalho enfatiza também a experiência adquirida pelo corpo técnico do reator com as reformas e modificações realizadas na instalação durante sua vida útil. Esta experiência pode ser de grande valia por ocasião do descomissionamento do reator no futuro. Um experimento usando o método de espectrometria gama de alta resolução e cálculo computacional através da teoria de Monte Carlo foi realizado com o objetivo de se obter uma estimativa do volume de rejeito radioativo gerado pelo desmantelamento das paredes de concreto da piscina do reator. O custo do descomissionamento em função da estratégia escolhida é determinado utilizando o código CERREX. Por fim, é realizada uma discussão sobre as diferentes estratégias consideradas. Na base destas discussões conclui-se que a estratégia mais vantajosa a ser adotada no caso deste reator é aquela que preserva o seu prédio e instalações anexas, tendo em vista o grande volume de rejeito radioativo e custos sensivelmente maiores que resultariam com o seu desmantelamento. É sugerida a preservação de parte das equipes de operação, manutenção, proteção radiológica e física da instalação e utilização do prédio do reator e anexos para divulgação da energia nuclear através de sua transformação em um museu, uma vez que este foi o primeiro reator nuclear construído no Brasil e, desde sua inauguração, tem sido utilizado como forma de divulgação da energia nuclear no país. / The IEA-R1 Nuclear Research Reactor, in operation since 1957, in the Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP), is one of the oldest research reactors in the world. However at some point in time in the future, as example of the other reactors, it will be shutdown definitively. Before that time actually arrives, the operational organization needs to plan the future of its installations and define the final destination of equipment and radioactive as well as non-radioactive material contained inside the installations. These and other questions should be addressed in the so called Preliminary decommissioning plan of the installation, which is the subject of this work. The work initially presents an over view about the theme and defines the general and specific objectives describing, in succession, the directions that the operating organization should consider for the formulation of a decommissioning plan. The present structure of the Brazilian nuclear sector emphasizing principally the norms utilized in the management of radioactive waste is also presented. A description of principle equipment of the IEA-R1 reactor which constitutes its inventory of radioactive and non-radioactive material is given. The work emphasizes the experience of the reactor technicians, acquired during several reforms and modifications of the reactor installations realized during its useful life time. This experience may be of great help for the decommissioning in the future. An experiment using the high resolution gamma spectrometric method and computer calculation using Monte Carlo teory were performed with the objective of obtaining an estimate of the radioactive waste produced from dismantling of the reactor pool walls. The cost of reactor decommissioning for different choices of strategies was determined using the CERREX code. Finally, a discussion about different strategies is presented. On the basis of these discussions it is concluded that the most advantageous strategy that can be adopted in the case of this reactor is the one which preserves its building and installations, in view of the fact that a large volume of radioactive waste which will be produced and consequently a much higher costs that will result if dismantling of the reactor is decided. It is suggested that a part of the team of the technicians of reactor operation and maintenance and radiation protection services should be retained and the reactor with its building and annexes should be used for disseminating the information about the nuclear energy by transforming it in to a museum. This has been the first nuclear reactor built in Brazil and since its inauguration, has been, constantly utilized for disseminating information about the nuclear energy in the country.

No presente trabalho busca-se demonstrar a inovação trazida pela regulamentação dos Estados-partes do Mercosul, especialmente pela brasileira, que conferiu ao particular o direito subjetivo de postular Opiniões Consultivas diretamente ao Tribunal Permanente de Revisão. Para tanto, destaca-se a condição de sujeito de direito internacional adquirida pelo particular por meio de normas advindas de integrações entre Estados soberanos. Da mesma forma, a importância que possui um tribunal legitimado e com atribuições claras, tendo por exemplos a União Europeia e da Organização dos Estados Americanos, onde o Tribunal de Justiça e Corte Interamericana de Direitos Humanos são reconhecidos como responsáveis diretos pelo sucesso destes blocos. Dentre suas competências, destaca-se o protagonismo que tiveram as suas faces consultivas, representadas pelo reenvio prejudicial e pelas opiniões consultivas, respectivamente, instrumentos que não foram apenas responsáveis pela harmonização das legislações internas com a norma da integração, mas também por criar uma verdadeira cooperação jurisdicional entre organismos jurisdicionais interacionais e as jurisdições nacionais. Institutos que se assemelham às opiniões consultivas do Mercosul, cuja legitimação em postulá-las diretamente ao Tribunal Permanente de Revisão é conferida ao particular de forma inovadora em processos de integração. / This paper seeks to demonstrate the innovation brought about by the regulations of the Mercosur States Parties, especially by the Brazilian, which gave the individual the subjective right to apply for Consultative Opinions directly to the Permanent Review Tribunal. In order to do so, the condition of being a subject of international law acquired by the individual is highlighted, through norms derived from integrations between sovereign states. Likewise, the importance of a legitimate and clearly defined court, for example the European Union and the Organization of American States, where the Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights are recognized as directly responsible for the success of these blocs. Among its competences, the leading role played by advisory opinions, represented by the reference for a preliminary ruling and by the advisory opinions respectively, were not only responsible for the harmonization of domestic legislation with the integration rule but also for creating a genuine Jurisdictional cooperation between national courts and national courts. Institutes that resemble the consultative opinions of Mercosur, whose legitimacy in postulating them directly to the Permanent Review Tribunal is given to the individual in an innovative way in integration processes.

La thèse propose d'abolir, pour les besoins du droit international privé, les différents cloisonnements de la phase précontractuelle en retenant une approche unitaire du processus de formation du contrat. Dans cette perspective, il est proposé de dépasser la distinction entre les relations précontractuelles informelles et celles qui sont formalisées par un contrat préparatoire, de même que la distinction entre la phase précontractuelle et le contrat définitif. L'attraction du contrat projeté conduit à emprunter le rattachement de ce dernier pour désigner la loi applicable aux relations précontractuelles. Cette solution pourrait, dans la mesure du possible, être transposée dans le domaine des conflits de juridictions en retenant la compétence du juge du contrat projeté. / The doctoral dissertation proposes to abolish, for the purpose of private international law, the compartmentalisation of the pre-contractual phase by adopting a unitary approach to the contract formation process. In this perspective, it is proposed to overcome the distinction between unformal pre-contractual relations and pre-contractual relations formalized by a preparatory contract, as well as the distinction between the pre-contractual phase and the final contract. The attraction of the intended contract leads to use its connecting factor in order to determine the law applicable to pre-contractual relations. This option could, whenever possible, be extended to conflicts of jurisdictions by considering that the competent judge is the judge of the intended contract.

Lorsqu’un concepteur de systèmes d’électronique de puissance est engagé dans un processus de pré-design, c’est-à-dire la définition du cahier des charges du système, il doit surmonter plusieurs difficultés. La première étant de trouver grâce à son expérience et à la littérature, toutes les architectures, topologies de conversion et technologies de composants susceptibles de répondre aux besoins du système.A partir de cette éventail, le concepteur doit en éliminer un certain nombre via des arguments qualitatifs ou quantitatifs jusqu’à ce qu’il n’en reste plus qu’un nombre très restreint. Il est primordial pour le concepteur que parmi les choix restant, celui-ci en connaisse les limites de design pour définir avec certitude le plan de développement du produit et les problématiques futures à résoudre. En d’autres termes, il lui faut définir la juste formulation du problème qui lui est posée.Posséder une méthode lui permettant d’atteindre cet objectif en toute confiance et dans les délais impartis est fortement désirable. Ceci est l’objet de cette thèse.Nous proposons donc une nouvelle approche basée sur le pré-dimensionnement par optimisation dans le monde continu (imaginaire) de systèmes d’électronique de puissance. La méthode proposée utilise en effet un algorithme d’optimisation basé sur le calcul du gradient du modèle du système. Cet algorithme permet de gérer un très grand nombre de paramètres de design, autrement dit permet d’explorer un large éventail de solutions dans le monde imaginaire. Il nécessite donc des modèles de systèmes d’électronique de puissance continus et dérivables avec des variables d’optimisation continues (imaginaires) malgré le caractère discret des composants utilisés en électronique.Les présents travaux de thèse ont donc consistés à proposer des modèles d’optimisation continus et dérivables d’un convertisseur Buck entrelacé utilisé dans un aéronef appelé « Stratobus » et à valider ces modèles d’optimisation par une démarche expérimentale sur un prototype complet. Ces modèles ont ensuite été utilisés pour le pré-dimensionnement de ce convertisseur dans le cadre du projet Stratobus permettant dans un premier temps une étude sur le mode de conduction et les matériaux magnétique minimisant la masse du convertisseur, puis une analyse de l’impact de variation de cahier des charges sur la masse du convertisseur. Enfin, les convertisseurs étant construits à partir de composants électroniques choisis sur étagère, une procédure de discrétisation a été mise en place pour revenir au monde réel. / When a designer of power electronics systems is involved in a pre-design process, i.e. the definition of the system specifications, he/she has to overcome several difficulties. The first is to find, based on its experience and literature, all the architectures, conversion topologies and component technologies that can meet the needs of the system.From this list of possibilities, the designer must eliminate a certain number of them via qualitative or quantitative arguments until only a small number remains. It is essential for the designer that he/she knows the design limits of each remaining choices to define with certainty the product development plan and the future design issues to be solved. In other words, it must define the correct problem formulation.Having a method to achieve this objective with confidence and on schedule is highly desirable. This is the purpose of this thesis.We therefore propose a new approach based on preliminary design by optimization in the continuous (imaginary) world of power electronics systems. The proposed method uses an optimization algorithm based on the calculation of the gradient of the system model. This algorithm allows to manage a very large number of design parameters, in other words to explore a wide range of solutions in the imaginary world. It therefore requires continuous and differentiable models of power electronics systems with continuous (imaginary) optimization variables despite the discrete nature of the components used in electronics.The present thesis work has thus consisted in proposing continuous and derivable optimization models of an interleaved Buck converter used in an aircraft called "Stratobus" and validating these optimization models by an experimental approach on a complete prototype. These models have then been used for the pre-dimensioning of this converter as part of the Stratobus project. Firstly a study on the conduction mode and magnetic materials minimizing the mass of the converter has been performed. And then the impact of variation of the specifications on the mass of the converter has been analyzed. Finally, since the converters are built from electronic components chosen off the shelf, a discretization procedure has been set up to return to the real world.

La phase préparatoire du procès pénal est une étape décisive, c’est dans ce laps de temps, plus ou moins long, que l’affaire va être mise en état d’être jugée. Regroupant les phases d’enquête, de poursuite et d’instruction, cette phase en amont du procès pénal est par définition complexe et attentatoire aux droits et libertés fondamentaux de l’individu. Dès lors, toute la difficulté de cette période va être de concilier deux intérêts antagonistes : la protection de la société d’une part, par la recherche de la vérité et de l’auteur de l’infraction, et la protection de l’individu suspecté, d’autre part. A l’aune du développement constant du droit européen des droits de l’Homme et du renouvellement des sources de la procédure pénale, force est de s’interroger aujourd’hui sur la vision qu’adopte le droit français quant aux règles applicables à cette étape fondamentale du procès pénal. Soucieux d’atteindre un objectif de perfection, le législateur français n’a cessé, au fil des vingt dernières années, de réformer la phase préparatoire du procès pénal, allant même parfois jusqu’à bouleverser l’équilibre de la matière pénale en général. Ainsi, les rôles des acteurs institutionnels du procès pénal ainsi que les droits accordés à chacune des parties au stade de la phase préparatoire se sont trouvés considérablement modifiés. Animé par l’idée de créer un modèle universel de procès emprunt d’équité et d’un respect accru des droits de la défense, le législateur semble être en quête constante d’un procès pénal idéal. Pour autant, est-il possible de concilier l’inconciliable ? La matière pénale a-t-elle vocation à respecter un équilibre parfait entre la sécurité de la société et la protection de l’individu ? Une telle idée n’est-elle pas utopique ? / The preparatory phase of a penal trial is a decisive stage. It is a variable period of time during which a case is prepared for judgement. The phase includes investigation, prosecution plus preliminary investigation & hearing stages. It takes place ahead of the penal trial. By definition it is complex and detrimental to the fundamental freedoms of the individual. Consequently, it is a period involving a tricky balancing act to reconcile two antagonistic interests: on the one hand, protecting society, by searching for the truth and the author of a crime, and, on the other hand, protecting the suspect. On-going developments in European law on Human rights and renewed criminal procedure sources raise issues in terms of the stance that French law will adopt on rules applicable to this fundamental stage in a penal trial. Anxious to achieve perfection, over the past twenty years the French legislator has persistently reformed the preparatory phase of the penal trial, on occasions even going as far as to overturn the balance of criminal matters in general. Thus, the roles of the institutional players in the penal trial and the rights granted to each of the parties during the preparatory phase stage have been considerably amended. Motivated by the ideal of creating a universal trial model based on a notion of fairness and an increased respect for defence rights, the legislator appears to be on a constant quest for the ideal criminal trial. However, is it really possible to reconcile the irreconcilable? Is the actual purpose of a criminal case to achieve a perfect balance between the safety of society and the protection of the individual? Isn’t such an idea utopian?

The flying-wing is a type of configuration which is a tailless airplane accommodating all of its parts within the outline of a single airfoil. Theoretically, it has the most aerodynamic efficiency. The fuel consumption can be more efficient than the existed conventional airliner. It seems that this configuration can achieve the above mentioned requirements. According to these outstanding advantages, many aircraft companies did a great deal of projects on the flying-wing concept. However, the application was only for sport and military use; for airliner, none of them entered production. FW-11 is a flying-wing configuration airliner which is a design cooperation between Cranfield University and Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Aiming the spatial economic and environmental needs, this 200-seat airliner would attract attention from airline companies for cost saving and environmental protection. Before start, this program is designated for a new generation commercial aircraft to compete with the existing same capability airliner, such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 767. As the first team of this program, the aim is to finish the conceptual design and prepare the relevant document for next two teams that will perform preliminary and detail design. As a member of FW-11 program and as part of the GDP, the author has been through the four conceptual design stages: engine manufacturers, aircraft family issues, structure design and the establishment of 3-D CAD model. The aim of IRP study is to focus on the initial fuselage design.

The aim of this essay is to describe and analyse the legal complications that arise in connection with preliminary investigations involving several juvenile offenders, where all suspected persons have not attained the age of criminal liability. It is also intended to give a broad analysis of the concept preliminary investigation, with particular emphasis on juvenile offenders. It further analyses the legislation and legal complications on the basis of a rule of law perspective. The method previously used is court dogmatic, where in front law text, preparatory work, case law and legal doctrine have been used in order to present the existing sources relating to the subject matter of discussion. The criminal investigative bodies consider juvenile offenders are regulated under the Swedish RB 23 - 28 chapters, FUK and LUL. The fundamental basis used in deciding whether to commence a preliminary investigation, is that of evidence gathered and if it can be reasonably concluded that a crime has been committed under general legislation. A preliminary investigation is initiated and led by either the police authority or the prosecutor. The preliminary investigation is always led by the prosecutor in serious criminal matters. There are certain specific rules that apply when juvenile offenders become the subject of a criminal investigation. The rules applied vary dependant upon and with due regard to the age of the offenders. The age of criminal liability is a crucial and definite factor in this context, where by preliminary investigations can be initiated only against young people that have attained an age of 15 years, but not against those yet to have reached that age. Criminal investigations may however under certain circumstances be initiated against juvenile offenders that have not reached the age of 15 years, as per LUL 31§. The most significant conclusion reached is that the rule of law be applied and met when young people become subjects of a criminal investigation. A majority of the regulations contained within the legislation limit and make the investigative process problematic, particular emphasis being under the interrogation process and the use of means of compulsion. A discussion or inquiry should be entered with regard to the effectiveness of the preliminary investigative process pertaining to juvenile offenders, with a means to improving the procedure whilst maintaining rule of law.

A Damage Assessment Model, Construction Process Model and Parametric Quantity Model were developed with the purpose of capturing the engineering knowledge involved in the estimating process of bridge repair construction projects. The Damage Assessment Model was used to create a sample database in which detailed inspection data was stored in a format compatible with the existing Pontis?tabase. Detailed inspection data, which provided quantitative values for the different damage types observed in bridges, could be retrieved from the sample database so that data could be used as either input parameters in the knowledge rules that triggered the selection of construction tasks in the Construction Process Model, or data could be used as variables in the equations used to estimate quantities in the Parametric Quantity Model. The Construction Process Model was used to incorporate the logic behind the construction process for different repair methods. The Construction Process Model was composed of seven repair matrices that defined specific repair methods for each Pontis?idge element. Construction tasks were grouped in construction modules that were modeled as flowcharts. Each construction module flowchart was composed of construction tasks arranged in sequential order and decision points that triggered the selection of construction tasks based on input parameters and knowledge rules. Input parameters were provided by the user, retrieved from the model or pre-defined in the model by expert knowledge. The construction modules developed involved construction tasks related to the repair of concrete bridge piles that were damaged due to reinforcement corrosion and related concrete deterioration. Data describing the construction tasks that were considered in the construction module flowcharts were modeled using the entity-relationship model and were stored in the sample database described previously. The Parametric Quantity Model combined data generated by the Damage Assessment Model and the Construction Process Model with additional expert knowledge and parameters into equations that were used to estimate quantities. The author investigated the use of neural networks as a tool to predict actual damage in bridge piles, conducted a preliminary survey to define labor productivity factors and collected data to define the duration of construction activities related to bridge repair.