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Construction with composite materials has become increasingly popular in contemporary structural design for multi-storey residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. As a composite structure, pre-stressed heavy timber buildings offer sustainable, environmentally-friendly advantages over competing construction technologies utilising structural steel and concrete components. Research at the University of Canterbury is continually investigating the performance and behaviour of this composite heavy timber construction assembly. The following research report provides a fire resistance analysis for pre-stressed heavy timber structures that includes: • A comprehensive literature review detailing the fire resistance for pre-stressed heavy timber structural components and typical connections; and • A four-phase series of experiments with epoxy grouted steel threaded rods and proprietary mechanical fasteners to determine the fire resistance properties of steel to wood connections. Laboratory experimentation includes cold testing to determine connection performance at ambient temperature, oven testing to evaluate heating effects on steel to wood connections, cooled testing to determine the residual strength of connections in minor fires and, finally, furnace testing to generate fire resistance design and analysis equations to be utilised for steel to wood connections. Recommendations for the fire performance of connections in pre-stressed heavy timber structures are included in the report.

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The present dissertation deals with one of the speech synthesizer components – automatic stressing of a text and two other goals relating to it – homographs (words that can be stressed in several ways) disambiguation and a search for clitics (unstressed words). The method, which by means of decision trees finds sequences of letters that unambiguously define the word stressing, was applied to stress a Lithuanian text. Decision trees were created using large corpus of stressed words. Stressing rules based on sequences of letters at the beginning, ending and in the middle of a word have been formulated. The algorithm proposed reaches the accuracy of about 95.5%. The homograph disambiguation algorithm proposed by the present author is based on frequencies of lexemes and morphological features, that were obtained from corpus containing about one million words. Such methods were not used for Lithuanian language so far. The proposed algorithm enables to select the correct variant of stressing within the accuracy of 85.01%. Besides the author proposes methods of four types to search for the clitics in a Lithuanian text: methods based on recognising the combinational forms, based on statistical stressed/unstressed frequency of a word, grammar rules and stressing of the adjacent words. It is explained how to unite all the methods into a single algorithm. 4.1% of errors was obtained for the testing data among all the words, and the ratio of errors and unstressed words accounts for 18... [to full text] / Disertacijoje nagrinėjama viena iš kalbos sintezatoriaus sudedamųjų dalių – teksto automatinis kirčiavimas, bei su kirčiavimu susiję kiti uždaviniai: vienodai rašomų, bet skirtingai tariamų, žodžių (homografų) vienareikšminimas bei prie gretimo žodžio prišlijusių bekirčių žodžių (klitikų) paieška. Teksto kirčiavimui pritaikytas metodas, kuris naudodamas sprendimų medžius randa raidžių sekas, vienareikšmiai nusakančias žodžio kirčiavimą. Sprendimo medžiams sudaryti buvo naudojamas didelies apimties sukirčiuotų žodžių tekstynas. Buvo sudarytos kirčiavimo taisyklės remiantis raidžių sekomis žodžių pradžioje, pabaigoje ir viduryje. Pasiūlytas kirčiavimo algoritmas pasiekia apie 95,5% tikslumą. Homografams vienareikšminti pritaikyti iki šiol lietuvių kalbai nenaudoti metodai, pagrįsti leksemų ir morfologinių pažymų vartosenos dažniais, gautais iš vieno milijono žodžių tekstyno. Darbe parodyta, kad morfologinių pažymų dažniai yra svarbesni už leksemų dažnius. Pasiūlyti metodai leido homografus vienareikšminti 85,01% tikslumu. Klitikų paieškai pasiūlyti metodai, kurie remiasi: 1) samplaikinių formų atpažinimu, 2) statistiniu žodžio kirčiavimo/nekirčiavimo dažniu, 3) kai kuriomis gramatikos taisyklėmis bei 4) gretimų žodžių kirčių pasiskirstymu (ritmika). Paaiškinta, kaip visus metodus sujungti į vieną algoritmą. Pritaikius šį algoritmą testavimo duomenims, klaidų ir visų žodžių santykis buvo 4,1%, o klaidų ir nekirčiuotų žodžių santykis – 18,8%.

Disertacijoje nagrinėjama viena iš kalbos sintezatoriaus sudedamųjų dalių – teksto automatinis kirčiavimas, bei su kirčiavimu susiję kiti uždaviniai: vienodai rašomų, bet skirtingai tariamų, žodžių (homografų) vienareikšminimas bei prie gretimo žodžio prišlijusių bekirčių žodžių (klitikų) paieška. Teksto kirčiavimui pritaikytas metodas, kuris naudodamas sprendimų medžius randa raidžių sekas, vienareikšmiai nusakančias žodžio kirčiavimą. Sprendimo medžiams sudaryti buvo naudojamas didelies apimties sukirčiuotų žodžių tekstynas. Buvo sudarytos kirčiavimo taisyklės remiantis raidžių sekomis žodžių pradžioje, pabaigoje ir viduryje. Pasiūlytas kirčiavimo algoritmas pasiekia apie 95,5% tikslumą. Homografams vienareikšminti pritaikyti iki šiol lietuvių kalbai nenaudoti metodai, pagrįsti leksemų ir morfologinių pažymų vartosenos dažniais, gautais iš vieno milijono žodžių tekstyno. Darbe parodyta, kad morfologinių pažymų dažniai yra svarbesni už leksemų dažnius. Pasiūlyti metodai leido homografus vienareikšminti 85,01% tikslumu. Klitikų paieškai pasiūlyti metodai, kurie remiasi: 1) samplaikinių formų atpažinimu, 2) statistiniu žodžio kirčiavimo/nekirčiavimo dažniu, 3) kai kuriomis gramatikos taisyklėmis bei 4) gretimų žodžių kirčių pasiskirstymu (ritmika). Paaiškinta, kaip visus metodus sujungti į vieną algoritmą. Pritaikius šį algoritmą testavimo duomenims, klaidų ir visų žodžių santykis buvo 4,1%, o klaidų ir nekirčiuotų žodžių santykis – 18,8%. / The present dissertation deals with one of the speech synthesizer components – automatic stressing of a text and two other goals relating to it – homographs (words that can be stressed in several ways) disambiguation and a search for clitics (unstressed words). The method, which by means of decision trees finds sequences of letters that unambiguously define the word stressing, was applied to stress a Lithuanian text. Decision trees were created using large corpus of stressed words. Stressing rules based on sequences of letters at the beginning, ending and in the middle of a word have been formulated. The algorithm proposed reaches the accuracy of about 95.5%. The homograph disambiguation algorithm proposed by the present author is based on frequencies of lexemes and morphological features, that were obtained from corpus containing about one million words. Such methods were not used for Lithuanian language so far. The proposed algorithm enables to select the correct variant of stressing within the accuracy of 85.01%. Besides the author proposes methods of four types to search for the clitics in a Lithuanian text: methods based on recognising the combinational forms, based on statistical stressed/unstressed frequency of a word, grammar rules and stressing of the adjacent words. It is explained how to unite all the methods into a single algorithm. 4.1% of errors was obtained for the testing data among all the words, and the ratio of errors and unstressed words accounts for 18.8%... [to full text]

The major cause of cracking in bridge decks, concrete pavements, as well as slabs on grade, is restrained shrinkage of the concrete. The resulting steel corrosion problem causes tremendous increase of maintenance and replacement cost. Shrinkage-compensating concrete (SHCC) and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) are explored to develop a hybrid slab system as one possible method of delaying the cracking and eliminating corrosion. To achieve the objective, a hybrid FRP reinforced SHCC structural system was developmed, and short-term and long-term behavior of this hybrid FRP-SHCC beams were investigated in this dissertation. In the first-stage development, a series of “coffee can” tests were carried out to measure and compare the expansion of SHCC from two candidate materials which were ettringite-system SHCC and lime-system SHCC. The selected SHCC candidate mix was then optimized to get the maximum expansion as well as a reasonable concrete strength. The optimized SHCC mix was used to make FRP-SHCC beams. The expansion of the concrete was measured through strain gauges on the FRP composite sheets during curing. Both glass FRP (GFRP) composite sheets and carbon FRP (CFRP) composite sheets were used for comparison. A series of third-point loading experiments were conducted to study the behavior of the proposed hybrid FRP-SHCC beams. In the second-stage development, long term prestress loss and static structural test of the proposed beams are investigated. Test results were evaluated based on maximum expansion strain, cracking load, crack width, load-deflection and ultimate load.The results indicate that the proposed system is promising in terms of its ability to develop a residual pre-stressing effect. Tests also show that the pre-stressing effect from the expansion of SHCC increases as the axial stiffness of the FRP reinforcement increases. A lime-system SHCC structural system shows higher prestress strain and less prestress loss than an ettringite-system SHCC system over the long term.

In this work “The problems of the stress of the noun in “Our language” journal Morphological aspect” is examined in 1986-1989 in Lithuanian language. This work examines sressing mistakes in Lithuanian language. This work tries to explane why words are stressed in one or the other way. This work also presents morphological analysis of some words. This work presents some nouns, wich are difficult to stress and people do mistakes even nowadays. While analysing the words it becomes clear that the most problems acured with international words (66,4 %) and less problems with Lithuanian words (33,6 %). The most mistakes are done with stressing diclensions wich have strong and weak endings. The stressing problems occur because of the influence of the other languages (Russian, Polish). All this survey of the year 1986-1989 shows that the stressing of these parts of speech was not settled and kodificated norms of some words are changing till these days. Thanks to morphological analysis we understand many problems of stressing.

Standing support is often used in conjunction with underground retreat mining. Knowledge of the load-displacement behavior of a standing support and loading induced by the mine opening is critical proper support selection. The NIOSH STOP database contains load-displacement laboratory test data for most commonly used standing supports. Hydraulic load cells currently used to measure in-situ loading of standing supports have exhibited leakage under load, producing irregularities within the dataset. An improved hydraulic load cell eliminates leakage and produces more consistent data. / Master of Science / In retreat mining of a traditional room and pillar or longwall mining operation standing support is utilized. The standing support is comprised over various types of systems, wood timbers, wood cribs, pumpable supports and metal supports. These standing supports help aid in the recovery of the reserves and/or maintain ventilation through the mining excavation. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Support Technology Optimization Program (STOP) has a database of laboratory testing on load displacement used on various standing supports. To relate this laboratory testing to in-situ load of standing support hydraulic load cells have been introduced. The hydraulic load cells design is a thin metal bladder filled with fluid that is placed on the top or bottom of the standing support. These hydraulic load cells have exhibited inconsistencies due to leakage under load, producing irregularities within the dataset. To achieve a reliable dataset on active standing supports it is vital that current load-measuring devices needs to be re-evaluated and redesigned.

M. Tech. (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology), Vaal University of Technology / A project investigating the behaviour of an assembled preloaded rotor was performed for an M-Tech qualification in the Mechanical Engineering Department. Pre-Stressing of mechanical structures is widely applied to improve their performance, and in this project the behaviour of an assembled preloaded rotor was investigated. An Impact Test was done on the structure to see if induced stresses originated by a set of bolts which keep the discs system together, would influence the natural dynamic response or the rotor. Tendencies in the natural response were investigated. Analytical models like the Finite Element Beam model and the Solid Finite Element model were studied in order to find a represntative description of this particular structure's dynamic behaviour after pre-tension. From the experimental results it was apparent that the slenderness of the pre-tensioned sector influences the natural frequency. The solid finite element model appears to be the most applicable model to present the assembled rotor-disk system as a continuous shaft. Furthermore, modelling and predictions for a typical rotor and similar assembled structures can be generated from the findings.

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