Recently there has been interest in determining what happens to the human brain during a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The blast wave created by explosive devices, such as landmines, is one of the most common causes of TBI. The purpose of this study is to investigate the link between an explosion and a cells reaction to a blast wave on a time scale of a few hours. Three different types of cells were tested by pressure waves exposure, fibroblasts (3T3), epithelial cervical cancer (HeLa), and canine epithelial kidney cells (MDCK). Fluorescent images of the cells before and after pressure wave exposure were used to determine how much damage cells have suffered. 3T3 cells showed the most cellular modification while HeLa and MDCK were more resilient. A simple scaling model is proposed to relate the cellular modification to the shock strength.

abstract: The process of designing any real world blunt leading-edge wing is tedious andinvolves hundreds, if not thousands, of design iterations to narrow down a single design. Add in the complexities of supersonic flow and the challenge increases exponentially. One possible, and often common, pathway for this design is to jump straight into detailed volume grid computational fluid dynamics (CFD), in which the physics of supersonic flow are modeled directly but at a high computational cost and thus an incredibly long design process. Classical aerodynamics experts have published work describing a process which can be followed which might bypass the need for detailed CFD altogether. This work outlines how successfully a simple vortex lattice panel method CFDcode can be used in the design process for a Mach 1.3 cruise speed airline wing concept. Specifically, the success of the wing design is measured in its ability to operate subcritically (i.e. free of shock waves) even in a free stream flow which is faster than the speed of sound. By using a modified version of Simple Sweep Theory, design goals are described almost entirely based on defined critical pressure coefficients and critical Mach numbers. The marks of a well-designed wing are discussed in depth and how these traits will naturally lend themselves to a well-suited supersonic wing. Unfortunately, inconsistencies with the published work are revealed by detailedCFD validation runs to be extensive and large in magnitude. These inconsistencies likely have roots in several concepts related to supersonic compressible flow which are explored in detail. The conclusion is made that the theory referenced in this work by the classical aerodynamicists is incorrect and/or incomplete. The true explanation for the perplexing shock wave phenomenon observed certainly lies in some convolution of the factors discussed in this thesis. Much work can still be performed in the way of creating an empirical model for shock wave formation across a highly swept wing with blunt leading-edge airfoils. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Engineering 2020

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Τα κυκλοφοριακά πλήγματα είναι ένα φαινόμενο που συμβαίνει καθημερινά στα οδικά δίκτυα και προκαλεί από μεγάλες καθυστερήσεις μέχρι σοβαρά ατυχήματα. Η παρούσα μελέτη αφορά στην μικροσκοπική ανάλυση κυκλοφοριακού πλήγματος με την εφαρμογή του μετασχηματισμού wavelet. Με τη βοήθεια του μαθηματικού αυτού εργαλείου για την επεξεργασία των σημάτων της κυκλοφορίας, εξετάζονται 20 διαφορετικές περιπτώσεις συμβάντος, κάθε μία εκ των οποίων περιλαμβάνει ένα πλήγμα. Αποτυπώνονται οι τροχιές των εμπλεκόμενων οχημάτων, υπολογίζονται οι χρονοσειρές των ταχυτήτων τους και από τις κατανομές της ενέργειας wavelet προκύπτουν με ακρίβεια τα σημεία έναρξης και λήξη του πλήγματος. Τα σημεία αυτά χαρακτηρίζουν τον τρόπο που διαδίδονται τα πλήγματα από όχημα σε όχημα και από αυτά προκύπτει το «μονοπάτι» και η ταχύτητα διάδοσης πλήγματος. Τα πλήγματα διαχωρίζονται σε απλά και σύνθετα και αναλύεται η συσχέτιση των ταχυτήτων διάδοσης στα υπό – πλήγματα των σύνθετων πληγμάτων, καθώς και η επίδραση της παρουσίας μεγάλης χρονοαπόστασης στη διάδοση αυτών των πληγμάτων. / One of the most common problems in road networks is the shockwave, which can cause enormous delays and serious problems to traffic. This study presents a microscopic analysis of shockwave, using wavelet transform. Using wavelet transform for traffic signal processing, 20 shockwaves were examinated. By watching videos, trajectories of every single vehicle that was involved in these shockwaves are obtained and speeds are computed. Having the wavelet – based energy distributions, start and end points are marked in the trajectories diagrams. These points characterize the way the shockwave propagates from vehicle to vehicle. Marking these points we can find the shockwave propagation path and we can compute the shockwave propagation speed. A shockwave can be simple or complex. Thus, we can analyze the correlation between the shockwave propagation speeds of the parts of a complex shockwave; and the effect of time headway on shockwave propagation.

Ces travaux de thèse s’inscrivent dans le cadre du développement d’outils métrologiques avancés pour la mécanique des fluides, et en particulier pour les souffleries. La Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS) 3D, développée à l’ONERA, est une technique qui exploite la déviation des rayons lumineux par un milieu non homogène pour mesurer la masse volumique. Elle consiste à comparer l’image de référence d’un fond texturé avec l’image de ce même fond en présence d’un écoulement. La corrélation entre ces deux images permet de calculer la déviation des rayons lumineux. En réalisant une acquisition simultanée à partir de différents points de vue, il est possible de reconstruire le champ de masse volumique associé, par résolution d’un problème inverse. Afin de poursuivre le développement de la technique, nous avons tout d’abord développé une chaîne de traitement plus systématique puis amélioré la robustesse de notre algorithme de reconstruction. Après avoir réalisé une validation sur des données de synthèse, nous avons mise en œuvre notre méthode sur un banc d’essais comportant 12 caméras. Par la suite, la technique a été déployée pour la première fois en soufflerie sur un jet chaud subsonique. Lors de cette campagne, elle a été validée par comparaison avec des mesures de température. Des acquisitions couplées BOS 3D et stéréo PIV ont également été effectuées. Une démonstration à l’échelle d’une soufflerie industrielle a ensuite été réalisée dans la soufflerie S1MAde l’ONERA. Les problématiques rencontrées sur les écoulements compressibles lors de ces essais ont ensuite conduit à étudier de manière plus approfondie les écoulements présentant de forts gradients d’indice optique. Un banc de mesure BOS 3D a été conçu en laboratoire afin d’optimiser la mesure d’un jet sous-détendu. Sur cette configuration, de très bon accords ont été obtenus avec la littérature ainsi qu’avec une simulation DES. A travers cette étude, nous avons étendu le domaine d’application de la BOS 3D aux écoulements compressibles et démontré son utilisation en soufflerie. La qualité des résultats obtenus démontre le potentiel offert par la technique pour l’analyse physique des écoulements. / This PhD work is part of the development of advanced metrological tools for fluid dynamics, especially for wind tunnel applications. 3D Background Oriented Schlieren (BOS), which has been developed at ONERA, is a line-of-sight technique which takes advantage of light rays deviation through an inhomogenous index media to measure density. It consisted in comparing a reference image of a textured background with the image of the background with the flow in presence. Image correlation can then be used to compute light rays deviations. Performing such acquisition from multiple view points, allows to reconstruct the corresponding density field, by solving an inverse problem. In order to pursue the technique development, we first elaborate a systematic processing chain and improved the robustness of the reconstruction algorithm. After validating our method on synthetic data, we applied it on a 3DBOS bench equipped with 12 cameras. Thereafter, the technique has been set up for the first time in a wind tunnel environment, on a subsonic hot jet configuration. During this test campaign, the technique has been validated via thermocouples measurements.Moreover, 3DBOS and stereo-PIV coupled acquisitions have been performed. Thereafter, a demonstration in industrial wind tunnel has been performed in ONERA S1MA facility. Compressible flows issues encountered during those tests lead us to finer analysis high density gradient flows. A 3DBOS test bench has been built in laboratory in order to optimize underexpanded jet measurements. On this specific configuration, very good agreements have bee obtained in comparison with literature and with a DES simulation. This study has allowed the extension of 3DBOS application domain to compressible flows and it has demonstrated its use in a wind tunnel environment. The quality of the results highlights the technique potential for flows physical investigation.

The mitigation of blast hazards on critical reinforced concrete structures has become a major concern in regards to the safety of people and the integrity of buildings. Recent terrorist incidents and accidental explosions have demonstrated the need to study the effects of such threats on structures in order to develop effective methods of reducing the overall impact of blast loads. With the arrival of innovative materials such as steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC), ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) and high strength steel reinforcement, research is required in order to successfully adapt these new materials in blast-resistant structures. Hence, the objective of this thesis to conduct an experimental parametric study with the purpose of investigating the implementation of these innovative materials in reinforced concrete slabs and panels. As part of the study, a total of fourteen one-way slab specimens with different combinations of concrete, steel fibres and steel reinforcement are tested under simulated blast loads using the University of Ottawa Shock-Tube Facility. The test program includes three slabs constructed with normal-strength concrete, five slabs constructed with SFRC and six slabs constructed with UHPFRC. Among these specimens, four are reinforced with high-performance steel reinforcement. The specimens are subjected to repeated blast loading with gradually increasing reflected pressure and reflected impulse until failure. The performance of the slabs is studied using various criteria such as failure load and mode, maximum and residual deflections, as well as tensile cracking, spalling and secondary fragmentation control. The behaviour of all specimens is compared in different categories to determine the effects of concrete type, steel reinforcement type, steel fibre content and steel fibre type on blast performance. As part of the analytical study the response of the slab specimens is predicted using dynamic inelastic single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) analysis. The dynamic analysis is conducted by generating load-deformation resistance functions for the slabs incorporating dynamic material properties.

Titanium dioxide and aluminum oxide are conventional materials used in heterogeneous catalysis as catalyst support. The widely used crystalline phase of both supports is the metastable phase (anatase and γ-Al$_2$O$_3$) in which they possess a higher specific surface area compared to the thermodynamically stable phase (rutile and α-Al$_2$O$_3$). However, these phases have better thermal and mechanical stability than anatase and γ-Al$_2$O$_3$. A novel method to induce phase transformation and structural modification of crystalline materials is by applying shock waves. This study aims to experimentally investigate the effects of shock wave treatment on titania and alumina. A pressure-driven shock tube was used in this work to generate the shock waves. Two sets of experiments were carried out for TiO$_2$ and one for Al$_2$O$_3$. Titania samples were prepared in the form of pellets for the first set. Titania and alumina samples were maintained as powder for the second set of experiments. For titania, twenty shocks were applied at nominal temperature and pressure of ~ 1772 K and 23.3 bar in the first set of experiments, while thirty shocks of ~ 1572 K and 66 bar were applied in the second set of experiments. For alumina, twenty shock loadings were applied at the same conditions used for the second set of titania. Characterization techniques, such as XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TEM, SEM, XPS, and N$_2$ physisorption were employed on treated samples in order to understand the effects of shock wave treatment. Partial phase transformation was observed in shock treated TiO2 from Raman spectra and TEM images. Crystallite size reduction was observed in the first set of experiments, while increase in defects was observed by the enhanced Ti$^{+3}$ in XPS spectra in both sets of experiments. Partial phase transformation was also observed in shock treated Al$_2$O$_3$, when mixed with CNF (carbon nanofibers), from XRD patterns and confirmed with XPS. For alumina, TEM and SEM images showed the smallest particles in contact with carbon fibers, while the biggest particles exhibited agglomeration. Physisorption experiments showed a decrease of 40% in surface area and pore collapse.

The purpose of this study is to summarize the results of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for renal stones following failed extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL), and to investigate the effect of previous SWL on the performances and morbidities of subsequent PCNL. Sixty-two patients with a history of failed SWL who underwent PCNL on the same kidney (group 1) were compared to 273 patients who had received PCNL as first treatment choice (group 2). Patient demographics, stone characteristics, operative findings, and complications were documented and compared. Groups 1 and 2 had similar patient demographics and stone characteristics. Mean time to establish access was comparable in both groups (10.5 ± 4.2 vs. 9.6 ± 4.5 min, p = 0.894). Time required to remove stones and total operative time were longer in group 1 (71.5 ± 10.3 vs. 62.3 ± 8.6 min, p = 0.011 and 95.8 ± 12.0 vs. 80.6 ± 13.2 min., p = 0.018, respectively). Group 1 had lower clearance rate compared to group 2 (83.9 vs. 93.4 %, p = 0.021), while postoperative complications were similar in both groups. Scattered stone fragments buried within the tissues made the procedure more difficult for stone fragmenting and extracting, which lead to longer operative time and inferior stone free rate. However, the PCNL procedure was safe and effective in patients with failed SWL. The risk of complications was similar and clearance rate was encouraging.

The purpose of this study is to summarize the results of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for renal stones following failed extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL), and to investigate the effect of previous SWL on the performances and morbidities of subsequent PCNL. Sixty-two patients with a history of failed SWL who underwent PCNL on the same kidney (group 1) were compared to 273 patients who had received PCNL as first treatment choice (group 2). Patient demographics, stone characteristics, operative findings, and complications were documented and compared. Groups 1 and 2 had similar patient demographics and stone characteristics. Mean time to establish access was comparable in both groups (10.5 ± 4.2 vs. 9.6 ± 4.5 min, p = 0.894). Time required to remove stones and total operative time were longer in group 1 (71.5 ± 10.3 vs. 62.3 ± 8.6 min, p = 0.011 and 95.8 ± 12.0 vs. 80.6 ± 13.2 min., p = 0.018, respectively). Group 1 had lower clearance rate compared to group 2 (83.9 vs. 93.4 %, p = 0.021), while postoperative complications were similar in both groups. Scattered stone fragments buried within the tissues made the procedure more difficult for stone fragmenting and extracting, which lead to longer operative time and inferior stone free rate. However, the PCNL procedure was safe and effective in patients with failed SWL. The risk of complications was similar and clearance rate was encouraging.

Using analytical and numerical Evans-function techniques, we examine the spectral stability of weak-detonation-wave solutions of Majda's scalar model for a reacting gas mixture. We provide a proof of monotonicity of solutions. Using monotonicity we obtain a bound on possible unstable eigenvalues for weak-detonation-wave solutions that improves on the more general bound given by Humpherys, Lyng, and Zumbrun. We use a numerical approximation of the Evans function to search for possible unstable eigenvalues in the bounded region obtained by the energy estimate. For the parameter values tested, our results combined with the result of Lyng, Raoofi, Texier, and Zumbrun demonstrate that these waves are nonlinearly phase-asymptotically orbitally stable throughout the parameter space for which solutions were obtainable.