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This thesis presents the results of a research study to investigate the behaviour of axially restrained composite beams at ambient and elevated temperatures, and how composite beams and their connections contribute to the robustness of composite framed structures in fire. The commercial finite element analysis package (ABAQUS, 2010) was used to develop the numerical simulation models. This research includes the following four main parts: (1) validation of the simulation model; (2) behaviour of axially restrained composite beams with partial shear interaction at ambient and elevated temperatures; (3) behaviour of composite beams with realistic connections at elevated temperatures and methods of increasing composite beam survival temperatures; and (4) response and robustness of composite frame structures with different extents of damage at elevated temperatures. Based on the results of composite beams, it was found that the survival of axially restrained beams is dominated by the development of catenary action. By utilising catenary action, it is possible for composite beams to develop load carrying capacity significantly above that based on bending resistance. During the development of catenary action, the compression force in the concrete flange of the composite beam decreases, thus reducing the forces in the shear connectors. As a result, the behaviour of shear connector failures ceases to be an issue during the catenary action stage. The results further show that, the load carrying capacities/survival temperatures of composite beams increase by increasing the level of axial restraint up to a certain limit and then decrease at higher levels. Typical realistic composite structures can provide composite beams with sufficient axial restraint to develop catenary action. For detailed composite beams with composite connections, three different beam sizes were investigated using flushed and extended end plate connections with different amounts of slab reinforcement, different load ratios and different bolt sizes. It has been found that the most important method to increase the survival time of composite beams is to use extended end plate connections with sufficient top and bottom reinforcement meshes in the concrete slab, i.e. increasing the amount of slab reinforcement is more beneficial than increasing the bolt size or the number of bolts. Based on the results of modelling a four bay (9 m each, two storey, 4 m high) composite frame with different extents of fire damage to different members, it was found that whenever any of the columns failed, progressive collapse of the frame would occur. Therefore, damages to columns should be prevented or the columns should be designed and constructed to allow for possible damage. If the beams are damaged, it is still possible for the damaged frame to achieve the reference fire resistance time of the undamaged structure (which is used as the criterion to accept that the damaged frame has sufficient robustness) by developing catenary action in the damaged beam. For this to happen, the columns should be designed to resist the catenary tensile force (tying force) in the beams, in addition to the compressive force.

Scheduling on unrelated parallel machines is a common problem in many systems (as semi-conductors manufacturing,multiprocessor computer applications, textile industry, etc.). In this thesis, we consider two variantsof this problem under uncertain processing time. In the first case, each job can be split into continuoussub-jobs and processed independently on the machines with allowed overlappinf. In the second case whichis termed preemption, we prohibit the overlapping. From a mathematical viewpoint, the splitting problem isa relaxed version of the preemptive problem. The objective is to minimize the makespan.The deterministic linear formulations provided by the literature allow to solve these problems in polynomialtimes under the hypothesis of certainty. But, when we consider uncertain processing times, thesealgorithms suffer from some limitations. Indeed, the solutions compouted based on a nominal instance,supposed to be certain, turn usually to be suboptimal when applied to the actual realization of processingtimes.We incorporate the uncertain processing times in these problems without making any assumption ontheir distribution. Hence, we use discrete scenarios to represent the uncetain processing times and we adopta proactive approach to provide robust solutions. We use special case policies that are commongly used inthe industry to compute robust solutions. We show that the solutions based on some of those policies arepotentially good in terms of robustness according to the worst-case makespan, especially the scenario smaxsolution under which all the processing times are set to their maximal values. However, the robustness costsof these solutions are not satisfying. Thus, we propose to compute optimal robust solutions. For this purpose,we use a mathematical trick that allows us to formulate and solve, in polynomila times, the robust versionsof the considered scheduling problems. Moreover, the computational results affirm that the robustness costof the optimal solution is not usually very high.Moreover, we evaluate the stability of the robust solutions under a new scenario induced by variations.In fact, the decision-maker is only responsible for the consequences of the decisions when the processingtime realizations are within the represented uncertainty set. Thus, we define stability of a robust solution asits ability to cover a new scenario with minor deviations regarding its structure and its performance.The global motivation of this thesis is then to provide a decision support to help decision maker computerobust solutions and choose among these robust solutions those with the most stable structure and the moststable performance. / Scheduling on unrelated parallel machines is a common problem in many systems (as semi-conductors manufacturing,multiprocessor computer applications, textile industry, etc.). In this thesis, we consider two variantsof this problem under uncertain processing time. In the first case, each job can be split into continuoussub-jobs and processed independently on the machines with allowed overlappinf. In the second case whichis termed preemption, we prohibit the overlapping. From a mathematical viewpoint, the splitting problem isa relaxed version of the preemptive problem. The objective is to minimize the makespan.The deterministic linear formulations provided by the literature allow to solve these problems in polynomialtimes under the hypothesis of certainty. But, when we consider uncertain processing times, thesealgorithms suffer from some limitations. Indeed, the solutions compouted based on a nominal instance,supposed to be certain, turn usually to be suboptimal when applied to the actual realization of processingtimes.We incorporate the uncertain processing times in these problems without making any assumption ontheir distribution. Hence, we use discrete scenarios to represent the uncetain processing times and we adopta proactive approach to provide robust solutions. We use special case policies that are commongly used inthe industry to compute robust solutions. We show that the solutions based on some of those policies arepotentially good in terms of robustness according to the worst-case makespan, especially the scenario smaxsolution under which all the processing times are set to their maximal values. However, the robustness costsof these solutions are not satisfying. Thus, we propose to compute optimal robust solutions. For this purpose,we use a mathematical trick that allows us to formulate and solve, in polynomila times, the robust versionsof the considered scheduling problems. Moreover, the computational results affirm that the robustness costof the optimal solution is not usually very high.Moreover, we evaluate the stability of the robust solutions under a new scenario induced by variations.In fact, the decision-maker is only responsible for the consequences of the decisions when the processingtime realizations are within the represented uncertainty set. Thus, we define stability of a robust solution asits ability to cover a new scenario with minor deviations regarding its structure and its performance.The global motivation of this thesis is then to provide a decision support to help decision maker computerobust solutions and choose among these robust solutions those with the most stable structure and the moststable performance.

Face aux enjeux énergétiques actuels, l’électronique de puissance est un domaine de recherche de premier plan. La relative fragilité des composants présents dans les chaînes de conversion implique néanmoins de devoir prendre en compte la gestion des défaillances dès la phase de conception. La défaillance d'un composant est une situation hautement critique tant sur le plan de la sécurité environnante que sur le plan de l'indisponibilité du système qui en découle. Cette problématique de sûreté de fonctionnement constitue la ligne directive de ce travail de thèse, visant à imaginer, et concevoir des solutions permettant de sécuriser ces structures en présence de défauts. Dans cette thèse, nous étudions de nouveaux composants magnétiques offrant un excellent compromis entre la densité de puissance traitée et rendement de conversion, mais très sensibles à toutes perturbations électriques. Une méthode de pré-dimensionnement des composants magnétiques a été développée et des solutions ont été apportés pour sécuriser et maintenir le fonctionnement de la chaîne de conversion suite à l’apparition de plusieurs défauts. / In the research field, power electronics is an important issue in the actual energy challenges. Nowadays, new converters, called « multilevel or multicell converters », are used in many applications requiring high-current with high-power density. This is due to their high frequency performances and good waveforms signals. The main advantages of such converters concern the high efficiency and good system integration. Most embedded systems are required to maintain operation even if failures or faults occur. New magnetic devices called InterCell Transformers (ICTs) in multicell converters help to improve the efficiency and compactness. Nevertheless, such magnetic components are inherently sensitive to any impecfection coming from the converter. The goal of this PhD thesis is to bring solutions to make ICTs more fault tolerant. Therefore, a pre-design methodology for a robust ICT is presented in order to maintain the operation after the occurrence of one or several faults. Several solutions are presented and detailled

A utilização de controladores preditivos multivariáveis na indústria de processos cresceu significativamente nos últimos anos principalmente devido à versatilidade e a confiabilidade que essa ferramenta proporciona em termos de controle avançado. No entanto, aspectos relacionados à aplicação prática do que vem sendo desenvolvido no meio acadêmico possui pouca difusão na indústria devido às configurações clássicas adotadas, como sistemas quadrados (com o mesmo número de variáveis controladas e manipuladas), modelos lineares, utilização de setpoint e etc. diferindo daquilo que está disponível e é amplamente utilizado industrialmente: sistemas não-quadrados (geralmente com mais variáveis controladas do que manipuladas), modelos não-lineares e utilização de soft-constraints. Esse trabalho propõe uma metodologia para ajuste dos parâmetros presentes em um controlador preditivo, atento à variedade de algoritmos presentes na indústria de processos. Essa metodologia se baseia na obtenção do melhor desempenho alcançável para cada cenário de um modelo global do processo, atendendo as restrições de Número de Desempenho Robusto relativo (rRPN), Máxima Sensibilidade e restrições nas ações de controle. Baseado em um desempenho que é alcançável, o modelo linear global é escalonado (assim como a planta não-linear) e os pesos que levam o sistema para a melhor condição operacional são estimados. Essa técnica abrange controladores operando em faixas e/ou setpoint e configurações não-quadradas, i.e., com mais variáveis controladas do que manipuladas. A abordagem proposta foi testada em uma planta de quatro tanques esféricos com aquecimento apresentando resultados coerentes, corroborando seu potencial de aplicação industrial. / Due to their versatility and reliability, Model Predictive Controllers (MPCs) are the standard solution for advanced process control in the process industry. However, there is a gap between the academic developments and the actual industrial applications, since the most academic studies focus on systems working with set-points and same number of manipulated and controlled variables, whereas the industrial application cope with non-squared configuration usually with several controlled variables in ranging and a reduced number of manipulated variables. This work proposes a tuning methodology for the countable parameters presents in a typical industrial predictive controller, considering the variety of the algorithms presents commercially in the process industry. This methodology is based on the estimation of the best attainable performance for each scenario of the global model of the process, constrained by the relative Robust Performance Number (rRPN), Maximal Sensitivity and restrictions in the control actions. Based on a performance that is attainable, the linear global model is scaled (and the non-linear) and the weights that lead the system to the best operational condition are estimated. This technique covers controllers operating in zones of control and/or set-point tracking and non-square configurations, i.e., with more controlled variables than manipulated. The proposed approach was tested in a Quadruple-Spherical tanks heating system presenting coherent results indicating its potential for industrial applications.

abstract: With the projected population growth, the need to produce higher agricultural yield to meet projected demand is hindered by water scarcity. Out of many the approaches that could be implemented to meet the water gap, intensification of agriculture through adoption of advanced agricultural irrigation techniques is the focus for this research. Current high water consumption by agricultural sector in Arizona is due to historical dominance in the state economy and established water rights. Efficiency gained in agricultural water use in Arizona has the most potential to reduce the overall water consumption. This research studies the agricultural sector and water management of several counties in Arizona (Maricopa, Pinal, and Yuma). Several research approaches are employed: modeling of agricultural technology adoption using replicator dynamics, interview with water managers and farmers, and Arizona water management law and history review. Using systems thinking, the components of the local farming environment are documented through socio-ecological system/robustness lenses. The replicator dynamics model is employed to evaluate possible conditions in which water efficient agricultural irrigation systems proliferate. The evaluation of conditions that promote the shift towards advanced irrigation technology is conducted through a combination of literature review, interview data, and model analysis. Systematic shift from the currently dominant flood irrigation toward a more water efficient irrigation technologies could be attributed to the followings: the increase in advanced irrigation technology yield efficiency; the reduction of advanced irrigation technology implementation and maintenance cost; the change in growing higher value crop; and the change in growing/harvesting time where there is less competition from other states. Insights learned will further the knowledge useful for this arid state's agricultural policy decision making that will both adhere to the water management goals and meet the projected food production and demand gap. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Sustainability 2014

abstract: Anderies (2015); Anderies et al. (2016), informed by Ostrom (2005), aim to employ robust feedback control models of social-ecological systems (SESs), to inform policy and the design of institutions guiding resilient resource use. Cote and Nightingale (2012) note that the main assumptions of resilience research downplay culture and social power. Addressing the epistemic gap between positivism and interpretation (Rosenberg 2016), this dissertation argues that power and culture indeed are of primary interest in SES research. Human use of symbols is seen as an evolved semiotic capacity. First, representation is argued to arise as matter achieves semiotic closure (Pattee 1969; Rocha 2001) at the onset of natural selection. Guided by models by Kauffman (1993), the evolution of a symbolic code in genes is examined, and thereon the origin of representations other than genetic in evolutionary transitions (Maynard Smith and Szathmáry 1995; Beach 2003). Human symbolic interaction is proposed as one that can support its own evolutionary dynamics. The model offered for wider dynamics in society are “flywheels,” mutually reinforcing networks of relations. They arise as interactions in a domain of social activity intensify, e.g. due to interplay of infrastructures, mediating built, social, and ecological affordances (An- deries et al. 2016). Flywheels manifest as entities facilitated by the simplified interactions (e.g. organizations) and as cycles maintaining the infrastructures (e.g. supply chains). They manifest internal specialization as well as distributed intention, and so can favor certain groups’ interests, and reinforce cultural blind spots to social exclusion (Mills 2007). The perspective is applied to research of resilience in SESs, considering flywheels a semiotic extension of feedback control. Closer attention to representations of potentially excluded groups is justified on epistemic in addition to ethical grounds, as patterns in cul- tural text and social relations reflect the functioning of wider social processes. Participatory methods are suggested to aid in building capacity for institutional learning. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Anthropology 2017

abstract: Diffusion processes in networks can be used to model many real-world processes, such as the propagation of a rumor on social networks and cascading failures on power networks. Analysis of diffusion processes in networks can help us answer important questions such as the role and the importance of each node in the network for spreading the diffusion and how to top or contain a cascading failure in the network. This dissertation consists of three parts. In the first part, we study the problem of locating multiple diffusion sources in networks under the Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) model. Given a complete snapshot of the network, we developed a sample-path-based algorithm, named clustering and localization, and proved that for regular trees, the estimators produced by the proposed algorithm are within a constant distance from the real sources with a high probability. Then, we considered the case in which only a partial snapshot is observed and proposed a new algorithm, named Optimal-Jordan-Cover (OJC). The algorithm first extracts a subgraph using a candidate selection algorithm that selects source candidates based on the number of observed infected nodes in their neighborhoods. Then, in the extracted subgraph, OJC finds a set of nodes that "cover" all observed infected nodes with the minimum radius. The set of nodes is called the Jordan cover, and is regarded as the set of diffusion sources. We proved that OJC can locate all sources with probability one asymptotically with partial observations in the Erdos-Renyi (ER) random graph. Multiple experiments on different networks were done, which show our algorithms outperform others. In the second part, we tackle the problem of reconstructing the diffusion history from partial observations. We formulated the diffusion history reconstruction problem as a maximum a posteriori (MAP) problem and proved the problem is NP hard. Then we proposed a step-by- step reconstruction algorithm, which can always produce a diffusion history that is consistent with the partial observations. Our experimental results based on synthetic and real networks show that the algorithm significantly outperforms some existing methods. In the third part, we consider the problem of improving the robustness of an interdependent network by rewiring a small number of links during a cascading attack. We formulated the problem as a Markov decision process (MDP) problem. While the problem is NP-hard, we developed an effective and efficient algorithm, RealWire, to robustify the network and to mitigate the damage during the attack. Extensive experimental results show that our algorithm outperforms other algorithms on most of the robustness metrics. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Electrical Engineering 2018

La conception de circuits intégrés asynchrones, notamment de circuits QDI (Quasi-Delay Insensitive), offrent la possibilité de disposer de circuits très robustes aux conditions environnementales (tension, température) ainsi qu'aux variations des procédés de fabrication. Ces bonnes propriétés sont dues à une conception ne comportant pas d'hypothèses temporelles à l'exception de la fourche isochrone --hypothèse finalement très faible. Ainsi, une variation de la tension se traduit par une réduction de la vitesse de fonctionnement sans pour autant altérer la fonctionnalité du circuit. Cette thèse étudie la robustesse des circuits asynchrones dans des environnements de fonctionnement très sévères susceptibles de mettre en défaut la correction fonctionnelle des circuits asynchrones QDI. Cette situation se présente par exemple quand les transitions des signaux sur les portes deviennent très lentes. Cette situation exceptionnelle peut-être directement provoquée par un environnement agressif (émission électromagnétique, particules à haute énergie, ...) ou par les effets du vieillissement du circuit intégré. Dans un contexte où le circuit est employé à des fins sécuritaires telles que les applications aéronautiques, spatiales ou médicales, il s'avère nécessaire de quantifier les limites de fonctionnement des circuits asynchrones et de trouver des moyens pour améliorer leur robustesse. Ce manuscrit propose une étude complète du comportement des circuits asynchrones et propose des techniques de conception pour en améliorer la robustesse. Les résultats obtenus ont été validés sur des technologies CMOS avancées de ST Microelectronics par des simulations analogiques d'une part, et avec l'aide d'un outil de preuve formelle développé à l'Université British Columbia au Canada d'autre part. / The design of self-timed integrated circuits, including QDI (Quasi-Delay Insensitive) circuits, lead to robust circuits against variabilities in manufacturing processes and in running conditions (voltage, temperature). These qualities are consequences of the synthesys flow that does not create timing assumptions excepted a weak one related to isochronic forks. In self-timed circuits, the running speed automatically adjusts to the available supply voltage with no behavioral changes. This work focuses on the self-timed circuit robustness in the context of environments where running conditions can make QDI self-timed circuits failing. For instance, this happens when transition speeds at gate entrances become very slow. This uncommonly encountered situation can be triggered in harsh environments (with electromagnetic disturbences, high-energy particulesdots) or because of age effects on manufactured chips. If the integrated circuit is designed for critical operations such as in aeronautical, spatial or medical applications, the self-timed circuit limits have to be carrefully evaluated and eventually shifted in order to improve the circuit robustness. This publication includes a complete study of the self-timed circuit behaviors and some design proposals in order to enhance the circuit robustness. Experimental results were obtained firstly, during analog simulations targetting advanced CMOS technologies from STMicroelectronics and secondly, using formal methods implemented in a tool from the University of British Columbia.

Cette thèse s'intéresse en premier lieu à l'évaluation des effets fonctionnels des erreurs survenant dans la mémoire SRAM de configuration de certains FPGAs. La famille Virtex II Pro de Xilinx est utilisée comme premier cas pratique d'expérimentation. Des expérimentations sous faisceau laser nous ont permis d'avoir une bonne vue d'ensemble sur les motifs d'erreurs réalistes qui sont obtenus par des sources de perturbations réelles. Une méthodologie adaptée d'injection de fautes a donc été définie pour permettre une meilleure évaluation, en phase de conception, de la robustesse d'un circuit implanté sur ce type de technologie. Cette méthodologie est basée sur de la reconfiguration dynamique. Le même type d'approche a ensuite été évalué sur plusieurs cibles technologiques, ce qui a nécessité le développement de plusieurs environnements d'injection de fautes. L'étude a pour la première fois inclus la famille AT40K de ATMEL, qui permet un type de reconfiguration unique et efficace. Le second type de contribution concerne l'augmentation à faible coût de la robustesse de circuits implantés sur des plateformes FPGA SRAM. Nous proposons une approche de protection sélective exploitant les ressources du FPGA inutilisées par l'application. L'approche a été automatisée sur plusieurs cibles technologiques (Xilinx, Altera) et l'efficacité est analysée en utilisant les méthodes d'injection de fautes précédemment développées. / This thesis focuses primarily on the evaluation of the functional effects of errors occurring in the SRAM configuration memory of some FPGAs. Xilinx Virtex II Pro family is used as a first case study. Experiments under laser beam allowed us to have a good overview of realistic error patterns, related to real disturbance sources. A suited fault injection methodology has thus been defined to improve design-time robustness evaluations of a circuit implemented on this type of technology. This methodology is based on runtime reconfiguration. The approach has then been evaluated on several technological targets, requiring the development of several fault injection environments. The study included for the first time the ATMEL AT40K family, with a unique and efficient reconfiguration mode. The second type of contribution is focused on the improvement at low cost of the robustness of designs implemented on SRAM-based FPGA platforms. We propose a selective protection approach exploiting resources unused by the application. The approach has been automated on several technological targets (Xilinx, Altera) and the efficiency has been analyzed by taking advantage of the fault injection techniques previously developed.