The present study comprised an intensive investigation of the two newly proposed parameterisation forms for the wind input source term S[subscript]in (Donelan et a1., 2006) and the wave dissipation source term S[subscript]ds (Young and Babanin, 2006) proposed on the basis of the recent experimental findings at Lake George, New South Wales, Australia in 1997-2000. The main objective of this study was to obtain advanced spectral forms for the wind input source function S[subscript]in and wave spectral dissipation source function S[subscript]ds, which satisfy important physical constraints. A new approach was developed to achieve the objectives of this study, within the strong physical framework. This approach resulted in a new balance scheme between the energy source terms in the wave model, mentioned before as the split balance scheme (Badulin, 2006). The wave-induced stress was defined as the main physical constraint for a new wave model including recently suggested source functions for the wind input and wave dissipation source terms. Within this approach, a new methodology was developed for correction of the wind input source function S[subscript]in. Another important physical constraint was the consistency between the wave dissipation and the wind energy input to the waves. The new parameter, the dissipation rate, R, was introduced in this study, as the ratio of the wave dissipation energy to the wind input energy. The parameterisation form of the dissipation rate is presented as a function of the inverse wave age U ₁₀ / c[subscript]p Some aspects of wave spectral modelling regarding the shape of the wave spectrum and spectral saturation were revised. The two-phase behaviour of the spectral dissipation function was investigated in terms of the functional dependency of the coefficients a for the inherent wave breaking term and b for the forced dissipation term. The present study found that the both coefficients have functional dependence on the inverse wave age U ₁₀ / c[subscript]p and the spectral frequency. Based on the experimental data by Young and Babanin (2006), a new directional spreading function of bimodal shape was developed for the wave dissipation source term. The performance of the new spectral functions of the wind input S[subscript]in(f) and the wave dissipation S[subscript]ds(f) source terms was assessed using a new third-generation two-dimensional research wave model WAVETIME-I. The model incorporating the corrected source functions was able to reproduce the existing experimental data. / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, 2009

An asymptotically-exact methodology is presented for obtaining the cross-sectional stiffness matrix of a pre-twisted, moderately-thick beam having rectangular cross sections and made of transversely isotropic material. The beam is modelled with-out assumptions from 3-D elasticity. The strain energy of the beam is computed making use of the constitutive law and the kinematical relations derived with the inclusion of geometrical nonlinearities and initial twist. Large displacements and rotations are allowed, but small strain is assumed. The Variational Asymptotic Method (VAM) is used to minimize the energy functional, thereby reducing the cross section to a point on the reference line with appropriate properties, yielding a 1-D constitutive law. In this method as applied herein, the 2-D cross-sectional analysis is performed asymptotically by taking advantage of a material small parameter and two geometric small parameters. 3-D strain components are derived using kinematics and arranged as orders of the small parameters. Warping functions are obtained by the minimisation of strain energy subject to certain set of constraints that renders the 1-D strain measures well-defined. Closed-form expressions are derived for the 3-D non-linear warping and stress fields. The model is capable of predicting interlaminar and transverse shear stresses accurately up to first order.

Orientador : Eric Mitchell Sabinson / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T20:40:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ribeiro_MarthadeMello_D.pdf: 2373647 bytes, checksum: 52db3b1a277cf06dfaa12a24d7e932be (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: Esta tese teve por objetivo analisar a dramaturgia dos últimos dez anos de vida de Luigi Pirandello (1926-1936), em especial os dramas escritos para a atriz Marta Abba, e atualizar o estado da pesquisa em Pirandello. O estudo partiu da constatação de que graças à atriz, as duas metades do imaginário feminino pirandelliano, a mãe santa e a prostituta, passam a conviver em uma mesma imagem de mulher, para chegar até a imagem da vamp virtuosa: uma criatura eroticamente fascinante, mas sexualmente inacessível. Percorrendo a argumentação crítica atual, constatou-se que a produção tardia do escritor é o resultado de um violento intercâmbio, de uma forte influência mútua entre estímulos biográficos e resultado artístico. Tendo isto em vista, buscou-se reconstruir, por meio da crônica e da crítica teatral da época, o estilo da performer Marta Abba, e sua definição como atriz pirandelliana. Tomando como base as propostas teóricas do assim denominado Teatro Novo, suas relações com o idealismo das primeiras vanguardas, e, principalmente, confrontando o epistolário Pirandello-Abba com a sua produção teatral, justifica-se a perspectiva autobiográfica presente no teatro de Pirandello do último período. Ao escrever para a atriz, o dramaturgo não poderia deixar de ter em mente a qualidade interpretativa de sua musa inspiradora, esta excepcional intérprete que foi a co-autora do novo perfil feminino desenvolvido pelo autor e, por outro lado, ao individualizar em Marta Abba as criaturas que ele já havia imaginado anteriormente, Pirandello se vê sob o signo de uma ¿predestinação¿: a atração física do Maestro por sua intérprete, ¿filha de sua arte¿, recupera um antigo fantasma, o tema tabu da escritura pirandelliana: o ¿fascínio paterno¿, incestuoso. Pirandello constrói assim um personagem feminino plural e ambíguo, em consonância com os maiores ícones do cinema dos anos trinta, Greta Garbo e Marlene Dietrich, capaz de absorver o estilo ¿camaleônico¿ e contraditório de interpretar de Marta Abba, ao mesmo tempo em que é capaz de traduzir e incorporar seu próprio tormento interior. / Abstract: This thesis presents an analysis of the plays of Luigi Pirandello in the final ten years of his life (1926-1936), especially the dramas written for actress Marta Abba, consistent with the state-of-art research on the playwright. Our starting point was the verification that, thanks to the actress, the two halves of Pirandellian feminine imagination - the holy mother and the prostitute ¿ came to cohabitate in the same female image, that of the virtuous vamp: an erotically enchanted creature, although sexually unattainable. Reviewing the current criticism, we verified that the writer's late production is the result of a violent interaction and mutual influence between biographic stimulus and artistic concerns.On this basis, we reconstruct, via the chronicle and theatrical criticism of the period, the performer Marta Abba's style and her definition as the Pirandellian actress par excellence. Having as foundation the theoretical propositions of the so-called New Theater, its relationships to the utopianism of the early avant-gardes, and opposing the correspondence between Pirandello and Abba with his own theatrical productions, we believe that the presence of anautobiographical perspective in the last period of Pirandello's theatre is justified. When writing for the actress, the playwright certainly had the interpretation of his inspiring muse in mind, the exceptionally talented Marta Abba as the co-author of the new feminine profile developed by the author. On the other hand, by individualizing in Marta Abba all the female creatures, the playwright sees himself under a sign of predestination: Marta's attractive power over the Master, "his art's daughter", recovers an old phantom, the taboo-theme of Pirandello writing: the incestuous, fatherly fascination. Thus, Pirandello creates an ambiguous feminine profile, related to the major movies icons of the '30s - Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich - pluralistic enough to assimilate theever-changing, contradictory style of the interpreter Marta Abba, translating and incorporating, at the same time, his own inner torment. / Doutorado / Literatura e Outras Produções Culturais / Doutor em Teoria e História Literária

New technologies are constantly introduced in our everyday life. Societies and people have reaped great benefits from integrating information technology into a plethora of societal and commercial functions. However, innovations are not unconditionally accepted by users. Since digital innovations constantly are introduced to aid us, there is an interest in understanding what factors would either influence us or make us prone to adopt new technologies. The main research question is to identify the key influences, both positive and negative, within technology adoption. The scope was limited to Scandinavian supermarkets and the technology of adoption intention was the Smart Cart; a seamless approach to make your shopping experience easier. Through a value-based acceptance model (VAM), a quantitative survey was conducted to explore consumers, attitudes towards Smart Cart through the factors perceived usefulness (PU), perceived enjoyment (PE), perceived privacy risk (PPR) and perceived difficulty to use (PDU), in relation to the perceived value (PV) of the product which can eventually lead to intention to adopt and use(IAU). The findings showed that perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived enjoyment (PE) demonstrated a strong positive correlation to potential users’ perceived value (PV) of Smart Cart while perceived privacy risk (PPR) showed a weak negative and perceived difficulty to use (PDU) showed a medium-strong positive correlation to potential consumers’ perceived value (PV) of the product. Potential consumers’ perception of Smart Cart’s value (PV) showed a strong positive correlation with intention to adopt and use (IAU).

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (a) to determine the relationship between the number of classroom observations and teacher VAM scores and (b) to identify the relationship between the types of feedback provided to teachers and student achievement outcomes as measured by VAM scores. De-identified data for the sample set of teachers in a large urban school district was gathered for the 2013-2014 year from iObservation by administrators observing teachers using the domains of the Marzano instructional model. The number of observations were compared to VAM scores to determine if teachers with a greater number of observations received higher VAM ratings. The comments recorded and submitted as feedback were also reviewed. Data were analyzed to identify relationships between the types of feedback provided to teachers and student achievement outcomes as measured by VAM scores. No significant relationship existed between VAM scores and number of observations or percentage of comments for teachers at any grade level. In addition, no significant relationship existed between predominant feedback for teachers and VAM scores. The information in this study was valuable for understanding the relationships that exist among instructional practice scores, value-added measures, and learning gains to drive conversations with teachers regarding rigorous instruction. Observations and feedback should be a tool for improvement of instruction, but the data confirmed this process continues to be compliance based with inflated scores that do not match the level of performance of students. Changing this is strongly linked to the provision of feedback associated with improving instruction and holding teachers accountable in meeting the standards outlined in the feedback. Observers are in need of professional development on how to provide effective feedback in the areas of instruction that will make the biggest impact on student achievement. Continuing to put time and effort into implementing and monitoring evaluation systems without further training and emphasis on feedback will result in the same lack of impact on student achievement outcomes and may even undermine the role of observers in providing support to teachers.

Much attention in recent years has gone to the evaluation of teacher effectiveness, and some scholars have developed conceptual models to evaluate the effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to compare three teacher evaluation models – the Texas Professional Development Appraisal System (PDAS), the teacher index model (TI), and the value-added model (VAM) – to determine teacher effectiveness using student demographic and longitudinal academic data. Predictive data from students included economic disadvantage status, ethnicity, gender, participation in special education, limited English proficiency, and performance on Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). Data serving as dependent variables were scores from Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT®) verbal/critical reasoning and mathematics. These data came from 1,714 students who were 9.7% Hispanic, 9.2% African American, and 81.2% White. The models were tested for 64 English language arts teachers and 109 mathematics teachers, using student examination scores from the SAT® verbal/critical reasoning and mathematics. The data were aligned for specific faculty members and the students whom they taught during the year of the study. The results of the study indicated that the TI and VAM explained approximately 42% of the variance in college entrance exam scores from the SAT® verbal/critical reasoning and mathematics (R2 = 0.418) across mathematics and English language arts teachers, whereas the TI model explained approximately 40% of the variance in the SAT® scores (R2 = 0.402). The difference, however, in the R-squared values between the VAM and the TI model was not statistically significant (t (169) = 1.84, p > 0.05), suggesting that both models provided similar results. The least effective model used to predict student success on college entrance exams was the PDAS, which is a state-adopted model currently in use in over 1,000 school districts in Texas, The teacher PDAS scores explained approximately 36% of the variance in student success on the SAT® (R2 = 0.359). The study provides school leadership with information about alternative methods of evaluating teacher effectiveness without difficult formulas or high costs associated with hiring statisticians. In addition, results indicate that the models vary significantly in the extent to which they can predict which teachers are most effective in preparing students for college. This study also emphasizes the critical need to provide teacher evaluations that align with student achievement on college entrance exams.

Despite a steady decrease in fatality rates across European nations,Vulnerable Road User (VRU) continue to face significant risks in traffic incidents. Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists make up the majority of fatalities. Vision Zero sets a global standard for road safety,and its implementation complements broader European Union (EU)initiatives in prioritizing a zero-tolerance stance on road fatalities.This thesis underscores the transformative potential of VehicularAd hoc Networks (VANETs) by introducing a protocol to enhance roadsafety through intention sharing, particularly for micro-mobility vehicles such as E-bikes and E-scooters. By integrating this protocolwith Vehicle-to-Anything (V2X) technology, this thesis aims to redefine VRUs’ role in traffic safety from passive to active participants. Theprotocol aims to complement the quality of information and improving energy efficiency while maintaining safety metrics for cooperativetransportation systems. We achieved this by transmitting a reservedarea where the rider intends to be in the near future.Results from simulations demonstrate the efficacy of intention sharing in improving message reliability and efficiency compared to intention detection methods.While preliminary results show promise, further research is necessary to validate real-world applicability fully. Nonetheless, this thesiscontributes to the ongoing efforts to achieve Vision Zero by harnessing technological innovations to protect VRUs and create safer roadenvironments. / Trots en minskning av antalet dödsolyckor i europeiska länder fortsätter oskyddade trafikanter (VRU:er) att möta risker i trafiken. Fotgängare, cyklister och motorcyklister utgör majoriteten av dödsfall. Nollvisionen sätter en global standard för trafiksäkerhet, och dess implementering kompletterar bredare EU-initiativ som prioriterar nolltolerans mot dödsfall i trafiken. Denna avhandling understryker den transformativa potentialen hos Fordons ad-hoc-nätverk (VANETs) genom att introducera ett protokoll för att förbättra trafiksäkerheten genom delning av avsikter, särskilt för mikromobilitetsfordon såsom elcyklar och elsparkcyklar. Genom att integrera detta protokoll med Fordon till allt (V2X)-teknologi strävar detta arbete mot att omdefiniera VRU:ers roll i trafiksäkerhet från passiva till aktiva deltagare. Protokollet fungerar som så att den skickar meddelanden för VRU:ers intentioner till de andra deltagarna inom nätverket. Dessa meddelanden innehåller de framtida förutsägbara positionerna av VRU:n. Dessa positioner är sedan transformerade till en reserverad ellips där VRU:n kan tänkas befinna sig i framtiden.  Resultat från simuleringar visar effektiviteten i metoder som genom att dela avsikter förbättrar meddelandens pålitlighet och effektivitet i jämförelse med metoder som istället försöker detektera avsikter, vilket banar väg för säkrare transportsystem.  Det visade sig att tillförlitligheten bland meddelanden med intentioner var högre, störst skillnad var inom 100 meter från avsändaren. I denna grupp hade detekteringsmetoden en förlust av meddelanden på ungefär 20%, medans intentionsdelning endast hade en förlust på 5%. Dessutom var meddelandestorleken betydligt mindre, en minsking på 64%. De preliminära resultaten ser lovande ut, men vidare forskning är nödvändig för att fullt utvärdera den verkliga tillämpbarheten. Denna masteruppsats bidrar till den pågående eftersträvan att uppnå nollvisionen genom att utnyttja teknologiska innovationer för att skydda VRU:er genom samarbete och att skapa en säkrare trafikmiljö. Dessa resultat har potential att påverka standardiseringen på europeisk nivå och bana väg för framtidens mobilitet. / Trafikverket Skyltfonden 2023/104170

Composites are materials which cater to the present and future needs of many demanding industries, such as aerospace, as they are weight-sensitive for a given requirement of strength and stiff ness, corrosion resistant, potentially multi-functional and can be tailored according to the application. However, they are in particular difficult to join as they cannot be easily machined, without introducing damages which can eventually grow. Any structure is as strong as its weakest joint. Most of the joints belong to the category of mechanically-fastened joints and they pose enormous challenges in modeling due to contact phenomena, nonlinearity and stress concentration factors. It is therefore a necessity to construct an efficient model that would include all the relevant contact phenomena in the joints, as it has been pointed out in literature that damage typically initiates near the joint holes. The focus of this work is to describe the construction of an asymptotically-correct model using the Variational Asymptotic Method (VAM). Amongst its many potential applications, VAM is a well-established analytical tool for obtaining the stress and strain fields for beams and shells. The methodology takes advantage of the small parameter that is inherent in the problem, such as the ratio of certain characteristic dimensions of the structure. In shells and beams, VAM takes advantage of the dimension-based small parameter(s), thereby splitting the problem into 2-D + 1-D (for beams) and 1-D + 2-D (for shells), in turn offering very high computational efficiency with very little loss of accuracy compared to dimensionally unreduced 3-D models. In this work, the applicability of VAM is extended to two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) frictionless contact problems. Since a generalised VAM model for contact has not been pursued before, the `phantom0 step is adopted for both 2-D and 3-D models. The development of the present work starts with the construction of a 2-D model involving a large rectangular plate being pressed against a rigid frictionless pin. The differential equations governing the problem and the associated boundary conditions are obtained by minimizing the reduced strain energy, augmented with the appropriate gap function, by using a penalty method. The model is developed for both isotropic and orthotropic cases. The boundary value problem is solved numerically and the displacement field obtained is compared with the one obtained using commercial software (ABAQUSr) for validation at critical regions such as the contact surfaces. Banking on the validation of the 2-D model, a 3-D model with a pin and a finite annular cylinder was constructed. The strain energy for the finite cylinder was derived using geometrically exact 3-D kinematics and VAM was applied leading to the reduction in the strain energy for isotropic and orthotropic materials in rectangular and cylindrical co-ordinates. As in the 2-D case, the reduced strain energy, subject to the inequality constraint of the gap function, is minimized with respect to the displacement field and the corresponding boundary value problem is solved numerically. The displacements of the contact surface and the top surface of the annular cylinder are compared with those from ABAQUS and thus validated. The displacement fields obtained using the current 2-D and 3-D models show very good agreement with those from commercial finite element software packages. The model could be re ned further by using the gap function derived in this work and applying it to a plate model based on VAM, which could be explored in the future.

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