Fragmenterande stridsdelar har funnits länge och idag finns tre huvudsakliga metoder för att uppnå fragmentering i en stridsdel. Metoden styrd fragmentering som undersöks i arbetet fungerar generellt sett bra men saknar önskad kontrollförmåga. Målet med arbetet var att utveckla koncept av styrt fragmenterande stridsdelar och undersöka om fragmentspridningen kan riktas och snävas in till mindre än ±20° enligt två fall, cirkelskiva och cirkelsektor. De framtagna koncepten önskades vara tillverkningsbara med additiv tillverkning och lämpligheten för detta skulle därför undersökas. I samband med detta önskades även ett materialval. Examensarbetet genomfördes i samarbete med uppdragsgivaren Saab Dynamics AB och Karlstads universitet. Arbetet följde en teknikutvecklingsprocess innefattande en förstudie där vetenskaplig litteratur studerades och kontakt etablerades med tillverkare samt områdesexperter för att undersöka möjligheterna. Följande förstudien genomfördes en konceptutvecklingsprocess där de 3D-modellerade konceptens funktion undersöktes och verifierades med SPH-simuleringar i IMPETUS Afea. Ett materialval gjordes utifrån tillverkarens tillgängliga material samt önskvärda materialegenskaper och konceptens tillverkningsbarhet undersöktes. De slutsatser som kan dras utifrån teknikutvecklingen är att det med styrd fragmentering är möjligt att rikta en stridsdels fragment till önskade spridningsfall, dock med förbättringsmöjligheter med avseende på bland annat fragmentens massfördelning. Koncepten som framställdes visades vara lämpliga att tillverka med additiv tillverkning då de framtagna geometriernas komplexitet gynnas av de ökade frihetsgraderna samt då det valda materialet tillät en godtagbar fragmentering och var tillverkningsbart med AM. Prototyper tillverkades i plast men verkliga tester genomfördes ej. Verkliga tester och vidare optimering av tekniken lämnades som framtida arbete. / Fragmentation warheads have been used for a long time and today there are three main methods of achieving fragmentation in a warhead. The method studied in this work is controlled fragmentation, a method that generally works adequately but can only control the fragmentation to a certain degree. The goal of this project was to develop multiple concepts of controlled fragmentation warheads and investigate whether it is possible to aim and reduce the projection angle of the fragments to ±20° for two cases, circular disc and circle sector. It was wished for the developed concepts to be manufacturable with additive manufacturing, its feasibility to be studied and therefore a material selection with this in mind to be done. The thesis work has been carried out in collaboration with Saab Dynamics AB and Karlstad University. A technology development process was used consisting of a literature study where scientific literature was studied and contact was established with the manufacturer as well as other experts in the field of study in order to examine the possibilities regarding the project. Following the literature study, a concept development process was carried through where the function of the 3D-modeled concepts were examined and verified through SPH-simulations in IMPETUS Afea. A material selection was done with regards to the manufacturers available materials and the sought after material properties. Finally, the concepts manufacturability was examined and verified. The conclusions drawn from this technology development are the following: It is possible to both reduce the projection angle and aim the resulting fragments to the specified cases, although with great room for improvement regarding, among other things, the fragment mass distribution. The presented concepts proved to be suitable for additive manufacturing, because of their geometric complexity where the increased design freedom of AM is greatly benefited. The chosen material also proved suitable for both AM and use in fragmenting warheads. Plastic prototypes were made but real experimental tests were not conducted. Real experiments and further optimization of the technology were left as future work.

A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool is developed in this thesis to solve complex fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems. The fluid domain is based on Smoothed Particle Hydro-dynamics (SPH) and the structural domain employs large-deformation Finite Element Method (FEM). Validation tests of SPH and FEM are first performed individually. A loosely-coupled SPH-FEM model is then proposed for solving FSI problems. Validation results of two benchmark FSI problems are illustrated (Antoci et al., 2007; Souto-Iglesias et al., 2008). The first test case is flow in a sloshing tank interacting with an elastic body and the second one is dam-break flow through an elastic gate. The results obtained with the SPH-FEM model show good agreement with published results and suggest that the SPH-FEM model is a viable and effective numerical tool for FSI problems. This research is then applied to simulate a two-dimensional free-stream flow interacting with a deformable, pressurized surface, such as an ACV/SES bow seal. The dynamics of deformable surfaces such as the skirt/seal systems of the ACV/SES utilize the large-deformation FEM model. The fluid part including the air inside the chamber and water are simulated by SPH. A validation case is performed to investigate the application of SPH-FEM model in ACV/SES via comparison with experimental data (Zalek and Doctors, 2010). The thesis provides the theory of the SPH and FEM models incorporated and the derivation of the loosely-coupled SPH-FEM model. The validation results have suggested that this SPH-FEM model can be readily applied to skirt/seal dynamics of ACV/SES interacting with free-surface flow. / Ph. D.

Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist die Entwicklung von partikelbasierenden Strömungs- und Transportmodellen zur Charakterisierung von kleinskaligen Strömungsprozessen in gesättigten und ungesättigten Poren- und Kluftsystemen. Aufgrund der unzureichenden Prozessbeschreibung von ungesättigter Strömung in Doppelkontinuummodellen mittels der Richardsgleichung und van Genuchten Parametern werden innovative Methoden präsentiert um die zugrunde liegenden hochdynamischen Strömungs- und Transportprozesse zu erfassen. Die Simulation von Strömung und Transport in ungesättigten geklüfteten Aquiferen bildet immer noch ein höchst anspruchsvolles Aufgabenfeld aufgrund von skalenübergreifenden Diskontinuitäten, welche oftmals die Definition eines globalen repräsentativen Einheitsvolumens nicht zulassen. Des Weiteren können die hydraulischen Eigenschaften und potentiellen Parameterräume von geklüfteten Aquiferen oftmals nur durch integrale Ansätze, wie z.B. Pump- und Slugtests, Zeitreihenanalysen von Quellschüttungen und Tracertests ermittelt werden. Doppelkontinuummodelle bieten hierfür einen ausgewogenen Ansatz hinsichtlich der erforderlichen Felddaten und der resultierenden prädiktiven Modellqualität. Der erste Teil dieser Arbeit evaluiert den Doppelkontinuumansatz, welcher die Simulation von Strömung mittels der Richardsgleichung und van Genuchten Parametern in zwei, durch einen linearen Austauschterm gekoppelten, Kontinua ermöglicht. Ganglinien von Karstquellen weisen eine charakteristischen steilen Abfall nach Niederschlagsereignissen auf, der durch das Modell erfolgreich reproduziert werden kann. Das Röhrensystem bildet die hydraulische Brücke zur Karstquelle und nimmt potentialabhängige Wassermengen des geklüfteten Matrixsystems auf. Um die Simulation von schneller Grundwasserinfiltration durch das Röhrenkontinuum innerhalb der ungesättigten Zone zu vermeiden wurde die entsprechende Randbedingung an die untere Grenze des Kontinuums gesetzt. Ein genereller Nachteil des Doppelkontinuumsansatz ist die potentielle Mehrdeutigkeit von Modellergebnissen. Der duale Parameterraum in Kombination mit schwierig zu ermittelnden Parametern, führt zur Existenz von mehr als einem kalibrierten Modell, wie durch mehrdimensionale Sensitivitätsanalysen aufgezeigt wird.  Insbesondere in Karstaquiferen bilden Diskontinuitäten, wie z.B. Lösungsdolinen, Klüfte und Störungssysteme, bevorzugte hydraulische Elemente für schnelle vertikale Grundwasserneubildungsprozesse, die oftmals nicht durch volumeneffektive Modellansätze erfasst werden können. Der Hauptteil dieser Arbeit befasst sich daher mit der Entwicklung von zwei Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) Modellen um ein adäquates numerisches Werkzeug zur partikelbasierenden Simulation von kleinskaligen Strömungen mit freien Oberflächen und Transportprozessen bereitzustellen. SPH Modelle ermöglichen eine Eulersche Beschreibung eines Strömungsfelds auf Basis der Navier-Stokes Gleichung und Partikelbewegung mittels klassischer Newtonscher Mechanik. Der gitterlose Modellansatz ermöglicht flexible Simulationen von hochdynamischen Phasengrenzen in ungesättigten Klüften und Porenräumen. Das erste SPH Modell wird eingesetzt um durch Oberflächenspannung dominierte Tropfen- und Filmströmungen auf glatten und rauhen Kluftoberflächen zu simulieren. Charakteristische dimensionslose Kennzahlen werden über einen weiten Bereich von Benetzungswinkeln und Reynoldszahlen bestimmt. Modellergebnisse weisen einen hervorragende Übereinstimmung mit dimensionslosen Skalierungsfunktionen auf und kritische Kontaktwinkel folgen der zu erwartenden Entnetzungsdynamik. Die Entstehung von adsorbierten Filmen auf trockenen Oberflächen wird für einen breiten Parameterraum bestimmt. Des Weiteren wird der Einfluss von befeuchteten Oberflächen auf die Geschwindigkeitszunahme von Tropfenströmung aufgezeigt und so die Bedeutung der Koexistenz verschiedener Strömungsmodi gezeigt. Der Effekt von Oberflächenrauhigkeit auf Tropfenströmung wird für verschiedene Rauhigkeiten ermittelt und eine deutliche Geschwindigkeitsabnahme demonstriert. Um die makroskopische Kontinuumsbeschreibung der Navier-Stokes Gleichung und atomistische Effekte eines klassischen Partikelsystems der statistischen Mechanik zu kombinieren wurde ein zweites mesoskopisches SPH Modell entwickelt. Diese neue Diskretisation der vollständig gekoppelten Landau-Lifshitz-Navier-Stokes und Advektions- Diffusionsgleichung ermöglicht die Simulation von Strömung und Transport bei gleichzeitiger Berücksichtigung von Fluktuationsdynamiken, welche sich korrekt der Systemskala anpassen. Die Verbindung von klassischer Fickscher Diffusion und thermodynamischen Fluktuationen wird hierbei durch einen effektiven Diffusionskoeffizienten beschrieben. Numerische Experimente zeigen die Präzision des Modells. Grenzflächen zwischen zwei Fluiden unterschiedlicher Konzentration weisen eine korrekte Wellenzahldivergenz entsprechend aktuellen Laborergebnissen auf.

Nesse trabalho, foi desenvolvido um simulador numérico (C/C++) para a resolução de escoamentos de fluidos newtonianos incompressíveis, baseado no método de partículas Lagrangiano, livre de malhas, Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH). Tradicionalmente, duas estratégias são utilizadas na determinação do campo de pressões de forma a garantir-se a condição de incompressibilidade do fluido. A primeira delas é a formulação chamada Weak Compressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (WCSPH), onde uma equação de estado para um fluido quase-incompressível é utilizada na determinação do campo de pressões. A segunda, emprega o Método da Projeção e o campo de pressões é obtido mediante a resolução de uma equação de Poisson. No estudo aqui desenvolvido, propõe-se três métodos iterativos, baseados noMétodo da Projeção, para o cálculo do campo de pressões, Incompressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (ISPH). A fim de validar os métodos iterativos e o código computacional, foram simulados dois problemas unidimensionais: os escoamentos de Couette entre duas placas planas paralelas infinitas e de Poiseuille em um duto infinito e foram usadas condições de contorno do tipo periódicas e partículas fantasmas. Um problema bidimensional, o escoamento no interior de uma cavidade com a parede superior posta em movimento, também foi considerado. Na resolução deste problema foi utilizado o reposicionamento periódico de partículas e partículas fantasmas. / In this work, we have developed a numerical simulator (C/C++) to solve incompressible Newtonian fluid flows, based on the meshfree Lagrangian Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) Method. Traditionally, two methods have been used to determine the pressure field to ensure the incompressibility of the fluid flow. The first is calledWeak Compressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (WCSPH) Method, in which an equation of state for a quasi-incompressible fluid is used to determine the pressure field. The second employs the Projection Method and the pressure field is obtained by solving a Poissons equation. In the study developed here, we have proposed three iterative methods based on the Projection Method to calculate the pressure field, Incompressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (ISPH) Method. In order to validate the iterative methods and the computational code we have simulated two one-dimensional problems: the Couette flow between two infinite parallel flat plates and the Poiseuille flow in a infinite duct, and periodic boundary conditions and ghost particles have been used. A two-dimensional problem, the lid-driven cavity flow, has also been considered. In solving this problem we have used a periodic repositioning technique and ghost particles.

Nesse trabalho, foi desenvolvido um simulador numérico (C/C++) para a resolução de escoamentos de fluidos newtonianos incompressíveis, baseado no método de partículas Lagrangiano, livre de malhas, Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH). Tradicionalmente, duas estratégias são utilizadas na determinação do campo de pressões de forma a garantir-se a condição de incompressibilidade do fluido. A primeira delas é a formulação chamada Weak Compressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (WCSPH), onde uma equação de estado para um fluido quase-incompressível é utilizada na determinação do campo de pressões. A segunda, emprega o Método da Projeção e o campo de pressões é obtido mediante a resolução de uma equação de Poisson. No estudo aqui desenvolvido, propõe-se três métodos iterativos, baseados noMétodo da Projeção, para o cálculo do campo de pressões, Incompressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (ISPH). A fim de validar os métodos iterativos e o código computacional, foram simulados dois problemas unidimensionais: os escoamentos de Couette entre duas placas planas paralelas infinitas e de Poiseuille em um duto infinito e foram usadas condições de contorno do tipo periódicas e partículas fantasmas. Um problema bidimensional, o escoamento no interior de uma cavidade com a parede superior posta em movimento, também foi considerado. Na resolução deste problema foi utilizado o reposicionamento periódico de partículas e partículas fantasmas. / In this work, we have developed a numerical simulator (C/C++) to solve incompressible Newtonian fluid flows, based on the meshfree Lagrangian Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) Method. Traditionally, two methods have been used to determine the pressure field to ensure the incompressibility of the fluid flow. The first is calledWeak Compressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (WCSPH) Method, in which an equation of state for a quasi-incompressible fluid is used to determine the pressure field. The second employs the Projection Method and the pressure field is obtained by solving a Poissons equation. In the study developed here, we have proposed three iterative methods based on the Projection Method to calculate the pressure field, Incompressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (ISPH) Method. In order to validate the iterative methods and the computational code we have simulated two one-dimensional problems: the Couette flow between two infinite parallel flat plates and the Poiseuille flow in a infinite duct, and periodic boundary conditions and ghost particles have been used. A two-dimensional problem, the lid-driven cavity flow, has also been considered. In solving this problem we have used a periodic repositioning technique and ghost particles.

The hands and feet account for half of the complexity of the musculoskeletal system, while the skin of the hand is specialised with many important structures. Much of the subtlety of the mechanism of the hand lies in the soft tissues, and the tactile and proprioceptive sensitivity depends on the large number of mechanoreceptors embedded in specific structures of the soft tissues. This thesis investigates synthetic materials and manufacturing techniques to enable building robots that reproduce the biomechanics and tactile sensitivity of vertebrates – histomimetic robotics. The material and mechanical anatomy of the hand is reviewed, highlighting difficulty of numerical measurement in soft-tissue anatomy, and the predictive nature of descriptive anatomical knowledge. The biomechanical mechanisms of the hand and their support of sensorimotor control are presented. A palate of materials and layup techniques are identified for emulating ligaments, joint surfaces, tendon networks, sheaths, soft matrices, and dermal structures. A method for thermoplastically drawing fine elastic fibres, with liquid metal amalgam cores, for connecting embedded sensors is demonstrated. The performance requirements of skeletal muscles are identified. Two classes of muscle-like bulk MEMS electrostatic actuators are shown theoretically to be capable of meeting these requirements. Means to manufacture them, and their additional application as mechanoreceptors are described. A novel machine perception algorithm is outlined as a solution to the problem of measuring soft tissue anatomy, CAD/CAE/CNC for layup of histomimetic robots, and sensory perception by such robots. The results of the work support the view that histomimetic robotics is a viable approach, and identify a number of areas for further investigation including: polymer modification by graft-polymerisation, automated layup tools, and machine perception.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T14:04:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Wesley Jose Nunes Pinto.pdf: 2090367 bytes, checksum: e676fde8423a3a2cfeac61da24020ea8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-08-19 / Neste estudo foi aplicado do método numérico, sem malhas, baseado em partículas, denominado SPH (Smoothed Particles Hydrodynamics). E um código numérico na linguagem computacional FORTRAN foi utilizado para solucionar as equações de Navier-Stokes. O clássico problema da literatura da dinâmica dos fluidos Computacional, denotado como problema da cavidade quadrada bidimensional (Shear-Driven Cavity Flow) , foi estudado com a intenção de verificar o comportamento do código numérico em relação a resultados específicos já existentes do assunto. O citado problema físico das cavidades abertas é amplamente empregado como benchmark, visando a validação do método numérico utilizado no trabalho desenvolvido na pesquisa. O trabalho de análise e validação do código numérico foi dividido em três seções: a primeira lista as localizações dos centros dos vórtices principais gerados pelo escoamento na aresta superior das cavidades; a segunda plota os perfis das componentes das velocidades centrais das cavidades; e a terceira: lista os desvios absolutos dos perfis das velocidades centrais do presente trabalho, comparados com dados de outros estudos. Constata-se que o método SPH apresentou boa acurácia nas simulações realizadas, obtendo boa concordância entre os resultados das simulações dinâmicas com os dados de referências, validando-se o modelo numérico proposto, tendo melhores resultados para baixos números de Reynolds / In this study, it was applied the numerical method, grid-free, based on particles named SPH (Smoothed Particles Hydrodynamics). Also, a numerical code in the computer language FORTRAN was used to solve the Navier-Stokes Equations. This classic problem of the literature related to Computational Fluid Dynamics indicated as Shear-Driven Cavity Flow was studied to check the behavior of the numerical code regarding specific existing results. Such problem is highly used as Benchmark, aiming the validation of the numerical method used to develop the research. The analysis and validation of the numerical code was divided into three sections: the first one lists the location of the centre of the main vortex generated by the flow of the upper edge of the cavities; the second one plots the profiles of the components of the central speed of the cavities; the third one lists the absolute deviation of the profiles of the central speed of this study compared with other cases data. It is established that the SPH Method presented accuracy in the performed simulations, in a consonance between the results of the dynamic simulations and the reference data, thus the proposed numerical model was validated with better results for low Reynolds numbers

La caractérisation non destructive de l’adhérence des structures du type couche sur substrat est un enjeu industriel et académique important. Ce type d’échantillon est en effet utilisé pour de nombreuses applications et sa durée de vie dépend en grande partie de la qualité d’adhérence des films au substrat. Celle-ci modifie sensiblement le comportement dispersif des ondes acoustiques de surface se propageant dans de ce type de structure. Pour générer et détecter ces ondes, un dispositif Ultrasons-Laser a été privilégié. Dans un premier temps, nous avons cherché à contourner les difficultés d’interprétation rencontrées habituellement dans le contrôle de l’adhérence par ondes acoustiques de surface. Les variations d’épaisseur de la couche peuvent en effet avoir une influence sur la dispersion des ondes comparable à celle due à l’adhérence. Pour ce faire, des films polymères dont l’épaisseur est quasi-constante sont employés et apposés sur un substrat en aluminium. Ces films possèdent en plus la propriété d’être transparents. Cela permet de focaliser l’impulsion laser générant les ondes acoustiques à travers le film, directement à la surface du substrat et de placer ainsi la source acoustique à l’interface film-substrat. L’influence de la position de la source sur le comportement dispersif des ondes acoustiques de surface et par conséquent sur le contrôle de la qualité d’adhérence est alors étudiée expérimentalement ainsi qu’au travers de simulations par éléments finis. Finalement, une caractérisation de l’adhérence de différents échantillons est effectuée grâce aux courbes de dispersion obtenues à l’aide de la méthode Matrix-Pencil appliquée aux résultats expérimentaux. En utilisant un algorithme d’inversion, les raideurs d’interface caractéristiques de l’adhérence des échantillons analysés sont estimées. / The non-destructive characterization of the adhesion of layer-on-substrate structures is an important issue in industrial and academic domains. This type of sample is indeed used for many applications and its lifetime depends mainly on the adhesion of the film to the substrate. This one changes significantly the dispersive behavior of the surface acoustic waves. To generate and detect these waves, a Laser-Ultrasonics setup has been used. First, we are looking to bypass the interpretation difficulties usually encountered in the control of adhesion by surface acoustic waves. Indeed, the layer thickness variations influence the dispersion of the waves in a similar way to the adhesion. Consequently, the polymer films used have a quasi-constant thickness and they are deposited directly on an aluminum substrate. In addition, these films are also transparent. It allows us to generate directly the acoustic waves on the substrate surface, at the interface between the film and the substrate, by focusing the laser pulse through the film. In this way, the influence of the source location on the dispersive behavior of the surface acoustic waves and thus on the adhesion quality control may be studied experimentally and by using finite element simulations. Finally, a characterization of the adhesion of several samples is performed using the dispersion curves obtained applying the Matrix-Pencil method to the experimental results. An inversion algorithm allows us to estimate the interfacial stiffnesses corresponding to the adhesion of the samples.

[Truncated abstract] The hydrodynamics of wave impact on offshore structures is not well understood. Wave impacts often involve large deformations of water free-surface. Therefore, a wave impact problem is usually combined with a free-surface problem. The complexity is expanded when the body exposed to a wave impact is allowed to move. The nonlinear interactions between a moving body and fluid is a complicated process that has been a dilemma in the engineering design of offshore and coastal structures for a long time. This thesis used experimental and numerical means to develop further understanding of the wave impact problems as well as to create a numerical tool suitable for simulation of such problems. The study included the consideration of moving boundaries in order to include the coupled interactions of the body and fluid. The thesis is organized into two experimental and numerical parts. There is a lack of benchmarking experimental data for studying fluid-structure interactions with moving boundaries. In the experimental part of this research, novel experiments were, therefore, designed and performed that were useful for validation of the numerical developments. By considering a dynamical system with only one degree of freedom, the complexity of the experiments performed was minimal. The setup included a plate that was attached to the bottom of a flume via a hinge and tethered by two springs from the top one at each side. The experiments modelled fluid-structure interactions in three subsets. The first subset studied a highly nonlinear decay test, which resembled a harsh wave impact (or slam) incident. The second subset included waves overtopping on the vertically restrained plate. In the third subset, the plate was free to oscillate and was excited by the same waves. The wave overtopping the plate resembled the physics of the green water on fixed and moving structures. An analytical solution based on linear potential theory was provided for comparison with experimental results. ... In simulation of the nonlinear decay test, the SPH results captured the frequency variation in plate oscillations, which indicated that the radiation forces (added mass and damping forces) were calculated satisfactorily. In simulation of the nonlinear waves, the waves progressed in the flume similar to the physical experiments and the total energy of the system was conserved with an error of 0.025% of the total initial energy. The wave-plate interactions were successfully modelled by SPH. The simulations included wave run-up and shipping of water for fixed and oscillating plate cases. The effects of the plate oscillations on the flow regime are also discussed in detail. The combination of experimental and numerical investigation provided further understanding of wave impact problems. The novel design of the experiments extended the study to moving boundaries in small scale. The use of SPH eliminated the difficulties of dealing with free-surface problems so that the focus of study could be placed on the impact forces on fixed and moving bodies.

Esta tesis tiene dos objetivos principales. El primero es proponer métodos multivariantes para el estudio de las desigualdades socioeconómicas en la mortalidad en áreas pequeñas. El segundo es estudiar estas desigualdades en la práctica en varias ciudades españolas. En consecuencia, se han realizado cuatro estudios diferentes: dos de ellos más metodológicos y los otros dos más aplicados al estudio de las desigualdades. El primer estudio metodológico propone usar Análisis Factorial Bayesiano para el cálculo de índices de privación. Además, en este estudio se concluye que ignorar la variabilidad en la estimación del índice puede conducir a un sesgo cuando las áreas se agrupan según cuantiles del índice. En el segundo estudio se ha reformulado el modelo SANOVA de modo que es posible introducir una covariable dentro de este modelo. Asimismo, dicha reformulación permite la descomposición de la varianza de los patrones estudiados como suma de varianzas de todas las componentes del modelo. Finalmente, los estudios restantes evidencian la existencia de desigualdades socioeconómicas en la mortalidad total y en la mortalidad por las principales causas específicas en once ciudades españolas. Además, para las enfermedades isquémicas del corazón estas desigualdades parecen aumentar ligeramente en el tiempo. / This thesis has two main objectives. The first is to propose multivariate methods for the study of socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in small areas. The second is to study socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in small areas of several Spanish cities. Four different studies were conducted to attain these objectives: two of them focussed on the methodological aspects and the other two being empirical studies focussed on the study of inequalities. The first methodological study proposes the Bayesian factor analysis to calculate a deprivation index. Additionally, this study concludes that ignoring the uncertainty obtained in the estimation of the index may result in a misclassification bias when the areas are grouped according to quantiles of the index. In the second methodological study the SANOVA model has been reformulated enabling the introduction of a covariate in the model. Also, this reformulation permits the decomposition of the variance of the studied patterns into the sum of variances of all the model components. Finally, the other studies show the existence of socioeconomic inequalities in total mortality and mortality by specific causes in eleven major Spanish cities. In addition, for ischemic heart disease these inequalities appear to increase slightly over time.