<p>  </p> <p>This thesis introduces a 2.4 GHz hybrid 3-dB coupler with improved out-of-band rejection by incorporating a setup of transverse transmission lines, extensions, and open-circuit stubs at each of the coupler branches. To achieve matching at the design frequency, the <em>ABCD</em> matrix of the above-mentioned setup is calculated and associated to that of a 90° transmission line, leading to exact analytical equations for the impedances and electrical lengths. Simulated coupler design shows a return loss and isolation better than –27 dB as well as an in-band and out-of-band transmission losses better than –4 dB and –25 dB, respectively.</p> <p>The resulting design is applied to a 4×4 Butler matrix, which consists of other components; namely, crossovers, phase shifters and phase matchers. After designing and validating each of these components, they are integrated in the Butler matrix. To validate the radiation (i.e., beamforming) patterns, a microstrip patch antenna array is also designed and verified. The overall network (i.e., Butler matrix, antenna array) is simulated and parameters including phase-differences and 2D and 3D radiation patterns are validated. These electrical parameters are also measured for the fabricated Butler matrix. Based on the 2D and 3D radiation patterns, beamforming is obtained at ±10° and ±30°.</p> <p>Beamforming has applications in many different areas. Some applications like tracking and localization, satellite communication, high power beam-steering, and harmonic radar are also referenced in this thesis.</p>

The Vasa ship is not adequately supported. Measurements of the hull show that the ship deforms and rotate towards the port side. In addition, damages on the hull at support areas have been observed. The damages are due to high compressive loads. At damaged zones the support has been removed and the loads are thus transferred to adjacent support stanchions. In order to design an improved support, knowledge of the mechanical behaviour of the material is needed. In particular, radial modulus, strength and deformation mechanisms are of interest. In the present study, the mechanical behaviour of recent oak and oak from Vasa is studied. Furthermore, effects of PEG content, degradation and moisture on the properties of Vasa oak are investigated. Oak is characterized by a very abrupt change from earlywood to latewood, where the latewood is much denser than earlywood. Also present in oak are large rays in the radial direction of the wood. Small specimens were tested in compression using Digital Speckle Photography (DSP) in order to obtain strain fields of the whole specimen surface. This technique also provided data on failure mechanisms. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) was performed to establish differences in moisture softening. In radial compression, modulus and strength of Vasa oak are reduced by 50% compared with recent oak. A significant change of failure mechanism is observed for Vasa oak. In recent oak, failure in radial compression is by continuous folds of rays in the earlywood followed by continued plastic collapse of the earlywood layer. In Vasa oak rays show a more brittle fracture in each earlywood region. DMTA results indicate no effect on moisture softening of Vasa oak from presence of PEG although more work is needed to confirm this. Moisture adsorption for PEG-extracted Vasa oak is not significantly higher than for recent oak below 60% RH, suggesting that the extent of degradation of Vasa oak is limited. Vasa oak containing PEG is much more hygroscopic than PEG-extracted Vasa oak already at 50%. This difference is increasing with increasing relative humidity. / QC 20101118

The design of high power lasers requires large mode areas to overcome various intensity driven nonlinear effects. Increasing the aperture size within the laser can overcome these effects, but typically result in multi-transverse mode output and reduced beam quality, limiting the brightness of the system. As one possible solution, the angular selectivity of a diffractive optical element is proposed as a spatial filter, allowing for the design of compact high brightness sources not possible with conventional methods of transverse mode selection. This thesis explores the angular selectivity of volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) and their use as spatial transverse mode filters in a laser resonator. Selection of the fundamental mode of a resonator is explored using transmission Bragg gratings (TBGs) as the spatial filter. Simulations and experimental measurements are made for a planar, 1 cm long resonator demonstrating near diffraction limited output (M2 < 1.4) for aperture sizes as large as 2.0 mm. Applications to novel fiber laser designs are explored. Single mode operation of a multi-mode Yb3+ doped ribbon fiber laser (core dimensions of 107.8 ?m x 8.3 ?m) is obtained using a single transmission VBG as the filter in an external cavity resonator. Finally, a novel method of selecting a pure higher order mode to oscillate within the gain medium while simultaneously converting this higher order mode to a fundamental mode at an output coupler is proposed and demonstrated. A multiplexed transmission VBG is used as the mode converting element, selecting the 12th higher order mode for amplifications in an Yb3+ doped ribbon fiber laser, while converting the higher order mode of a laser resonator to a single lobed output beam with diffraction limited divergence.

No / In composite steel beams with precast hollow core slabs, the amount of transverse reinforcement can have a significant effect on the shear and slip capacity of the mechanical shear connectors. The issue of connector ductility becomes especially important when partial shear connection is adopted, as premature failure of the shear connectors would lead to sudden failure of the composite beam. This chapter presents its findings on the effect of transverse reinforcement on connector ductility and proposes design equations. Transverse reinforcement is used to provide ties for the slabs and confined concrete from splitting. The ductility of the shear connector, that is, slip capacity is directly affected by the amount of transverse reinforcement. Design equations presented in this chapter for estimating the shear capacity of the headed shear stud show a good correlation with the push-off test results. For full shear connection design, pre-splitting shear capacity of the headed stud can be used for the composite design, while for partial shear connection design, post-splitting shear capacity of the headed stud should be used. In general, a minimum transverse reinforcement of T16 bars should be used if partial shear connection design is used to ensure a minimum ductility of 6mm slip.

Experimental evidence is presented that supports the theory that beats between transverse modes are responsible for the fast modulation carried on occasions by laser relaxation oscillations. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (ME)

<p> A detailed theoretical analysis of the propagation constant and the field components in rectangular waveguide completely filled with a semiconductor subjected to an external transverse applied magnetic field, has been carried out. A numerical solution of the transcendental equation for the propagation constant has been obtained for the n-type germanium samples with different conductivities and magnetic fields. </p> <p> An experimental verification of this theoretical analysis has been made with a 22.2 ohm-em, n-type germanium sample at 9.46 GHz. The applied transverse magnetic field was varied from 0 to 10 Kilogauss. Measurements of the reflection co efficients at the air-semiconductor interface for different values of the applied magnetic field have been made with a high precision microwave reflection bridge. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical results. </p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

<p> An exact analysis for the state of strain in a three dimensional rod continuum is presented. The exact geometrical description of the rod involves the evaluation of a power series expansion of the radius vector. It is shown however, that by a suitable choice of coordinates in the reference configuration and an interpretation of the deformation gradient as a material transformation, the strain tensor may be evaluated to the degree of accuracy inherent in using the full power series expansion of the radius vector without necessitating the explicit evaluation of the power series. Some concepts from the theory of multipolar media are used in order to make this three dimensional analysis compatible with the exact analysis of one dimensional rods.</p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

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