From the nano scale to the macro scale, large models are used to simulate and predict the responses of dynamic systems. The construction and evaluation of such models, often in the form of finite element models, require tremendous computational resources and time. Due to this large computational endeavor, it is paramount to learn as much as possible from the models and their solutions. In this work, analyses and methods for efficiently deriving significant knowledge of damped systems from models and their solutions are presented. Of primary interest to this work is the analysis of damped structures. Damping, the means by which energy is dissipated, often adds an additional layer of complexity to finite element models and any subsequent analyses. This added complexity is due to the relative complexity of many damping models and their accompanying computational burden. Furthermore, on the micro and nano scale, a variety of damping mechanisms, each with their own unique set of physics, may be present. The research presented in this work is organized in two parts. The first part presents methods for deriving knowledge from models and their solutions. Here, the developed methods perform approximate yet highly efficient analysis on the matrices and solution vectors of finite element models. In this work, methods utilizing the Neumann series approximation are presented. These methods efficiently predict how the response of a structure depends on its damping or any other input model parameter. Additionally, a method for analyzing the spatial dependence of damping with the use of loss factor images is presented. Research presented in the second part derives knowledge solely from solutions of models. In this part, it is assumed that the matrices of the models are not available, and therefore analysis is restricted to the solution itself. Here, research is focused on the analyses of structures on the micro and nano scale. Specifically, micro and nano beams surrounded by a viscous compressible fluid are analyzed. The dynamic responses of the structure and the surrounding fluid are analyzed to determine the prominent damping mechanisms. Here, results from 2--Dimensional analytical models and 3--Dimensional finite element models are complemented by experimental measurements to analyze damping due to viscous dissipation and acoustic radiation.

Ab initio Hartree-Fock and density functional theory calculations were carried out to investigate the structures, energies, and vibrational spectra of indole and two of its hydrogen migration tautomers. The calculated results of indole are in good agreement with experiments. Rotational constants and infrared spectral features of 2H-indole and 3H-indole are predicted to assist future experimental identification of the two tautomers. Transition states of unimolecular isomerization among the three tautomers are also optimized and activation barriers of the isomerization reactions evaluated. The results indicate that unimolecular indole → 3H-indole proceeds via 2H-indole with an activation barrier of 51 kcal/mol.

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Fluid-structure interactions occur in many engineering and industrial applications. Such interactions may result in undesirable forces acting on the structure that may cause fatigue and degradation of the structural components. The purpose of this research is to develop a solver that simulates the fluid-structure interaction, assess tools that can be used to control the resulting motions and analyze a system that can be used to convert the structure's motion to a useful form of energy. For this purpose, we develop a code which encompasses three-dimensional numerical simulations of a flow interacting with a freely-oscillating cylinder. The solver is based on the accelerated reference frame technique (ARF), in which the momentum equations are directly coupled with the cylinder motion by adding a reference frame acceleration term; the outer boundary conditions of the flow domain are updated using the response of the cylinder. We develop active linear and nonlinear velocity feedback controllers that suppress VIV by directly controlling the cylinder's motion. We assess their effectiveness and compare their performance and required power levels to suppress the motion of the cylinder. Particularly, we determine the most effective control law that requires minimum power to achieve a desired controlled amplitude. Furthermore, we investigate, in detail, the feasibility of using a nonlinear energy sink to control the vortex-induced vibrations of a freely oscillating circular cylinder. It has been postulated that such a system, which consists of a nonlinear spring, can be used to control the motion over a wide range of frequencies. However, introducing an essential nonlinearity of the cubic order to a coupled system could lead to multiple stable solutions depending on the initial conditions, system's characteristics and parameters. Our investigation aims at determining the effects of the sink parameters on the response of the coupled system. We also investigate the extent of drag reduction that can be attained through rotational oscillations of the circular cylinder. An optimization is performed by combining the CFD solver with a global deterministic optimization algorithm. The use of this optimization tool allows for a rapid determination of the rotational amplitude and frequency domains that yield minimum drag. We also perform three-dimensional numerical simulations of an inline-vibrating cylinder over a range of amplitudes and frequencies with the objective of suppressing the lift force. We compare the amplitude-frequency response curves, levels of lift suppression, and synchronization maps for two- and three-dimensional flows. Finally, we evaluate the possibility of converting vortex-induced vibrations into a usable form of electric power. Different transduction mechanisms can be employed for converting these vibrations to electric power, including electrostatic, electromagnetic, and piezoelectric transduction. We consider the piezoelectric option because it can be used to harvest energy over a wide range of frequencies and can be easily implemented. We particularly investigate the conversion of vortex-induced vibrations to electric power under different operating conditions including the Reynolds number and load resistance. / Ph. D.

With the rise of wireless sensor networks and the internet of things, many sensors are being developed to help us monitor our environment. Sensor applications from marine animal tracking to implantable healthcare monitoring require small and non-invasive methods of powering, for which purpose traditional batteries are considered too bulky and unreasonable. If appropriately designed, energy harvesting devices can be a viable solution. Solar and wind energy are good candidates of power but require constant exposure to their sources, which may not be feasible for in-vivo and underwater applications. Mechanical energy, however, is available underwater (the motion of the waves) and inside our bodies (the beating of the heart). These vibrations are normally low in frequency and amplitude, thus resulting in a low voltage once converted into electrical signals using conventional mechanical harvesters. These mechanical harvesters also suffer from narrow bandwidth, which limits their efficient operation to a small range of frequencies. Thus, there is a need for a mechanical energy harvester to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy with enhanced output voltage and for a wide range of frequencies. In this thesis, a new mechanical harvester is introduced, and two different methods of rectifying it are investigated. The designed harvester enhances the output voltage and extends the bandwidth of operation using a mechanical frequency up-convertor. This is implemented using magnetic forces to convert low-frequency vibrations to high-frequency pulses with the help of a piezoelectric material to generate high output voltage. The results show a 48.9% increase in the output voltage at 12.2Hz at an acceleration of 1.0g, and a bandwidth increase from 0.23Hz to 11.4Hz. For the rectification, mechanical rectifiers are discussed, which would obviate the need for electrical rectification, thus preventing the losses normally caused by the threshold voltage of electronics. Two designs of mechanical rectifiers are investigated and implemented on the frequency up-converter: a static rectifier and a rotating rectifier. The results show a voltage rectification, which required a sacrifice in the bandwidth and boosted voltage.

<p style="text-align: justify;">Istraživanje modela rizika predstavlja stalnu&nbsp;proveru parametara vibracija sistema, na osnovu&nbsp;kojih se može prognozirati vreme zamene&nbsp;komponenata pre nego &scaron;to dođe do njihovih&nbsp;otkaza. Model se zasniva na stalnom praćenju&nbsp;parametara stanja u cilju eliminacije slabih mesta&nbsp;na tehničkom sistemu. Na taj način će biti&nbsp;ustanovljeni modeli za predviđanje i sprečavanje&nbsp;otkaza u radu tehničkog sistema. Karakteristika&nbsp;ovog modela je u neprekidnom praćenju stanja&nbsp;tehničkog sistema u procesu eksploatacije i&nbsp;iznalaženje uporednog modela za procenu rizika,&nbsp;prema ISO standardima. Istraživanje je imalo za<br />cilj da se izvr&scaron;i: procena dinamičkog stanja,&nbsp;osetljivosti i sklonosti rotirajućih elemenata<br />hidro-elektrane (HE) ka debalansu, kao i procenu&nbsp;sigurnosti funkcionisanja vratila i rotora<br />turbinskog dela uređaja HE sa aspekta&nbsp;minimalnog rizika od pojave zastoja.</p> / <p>Research into risk models is a constant check of&nbsp;the system&#39;s vibration parameters, based on&nbsp;which the time of replacing components can be&nbsp;predicted before their failure occurs. The model&nbsp;is based on continuous monitoring of state&nbsp;parameters in order to eliminate weak spots in the&nbsp;technical system. In this way, models will be&nbsp;established for predicting and preventing failure&nbsp;in the work, technical system. The characteristic<br />of this model is the continuous monitoring of the&nbsp;state of the technical system in the exploitation&nbsp;process and the finding of a comparative risk&nbsp;assessment model, according to ISO standards.&nbsp;The aim of the research was to evaluate the&nbsp;dynamic state, sensitivity and tendency of the&nbsp;rotating elements of the hydroelectric power<br />plant (HE), to the imbalance, as well as to assess&nbsp;the safety of the functioning of the shaft and rotor&nbsp;turbine part of the HE unit from the aspect of&nbsp;minimal risk of occurrence of delays.</p>

Depuis plusieurs années l'équipe de recherche S4M se concentre sur une approche technologique de la SHM avec pour objectif la surveillance de systèmes complexes par des capteurs intelligents distribués: le Smart Sensing. L'équipe S4M conduit des travaux d'instrumentation de structures complexes au travers du déploiement de systèmes de surveillance distribués et de recherche de marqueurs de vieillissement par la mesure et l'exploitation de signaux via des capteurs MEMS déployés. Différents domaines ont déjà été adressés avec des travaux conduits conjointement avec des constructeurs aéronautiques. Ce travail de recherche, effectué en partenariat avec le laboratoire LMDC de l'INSA se focalise sur le matériau de type béton renforcé par des plaques composites, comme structure hétérogène nécessitant une surveillance périodique et/ou continue. Un des enjeux est de contrôler la maintenance préventive ou le surdimensionnement par des coefficients de confiance en proposant une méthode de contrôle non destructif. Notre objectif de recherche est de contribuer dans la recherche d'une ou de signature(s) dans des signaux mesurés par des capteurs piezo en réponse à des impulsions générant la propagation d'ondes mécaniques témoignant un vieillissement ou un endommagement de la structure poutre en béton armé. / For several years the research team S4M focuses on a technological approach to SHM with the aim for monitoring of complex systems by intelligent sensors distributed: Smart Sensing. The S4M team led instrumentation complex structures work through the deployment of distributed monitoring systems and search for markers of aging by measuring and operating signals through deployed MEMS sensors. Different areas have already been addressed with the work conducted jointly with aircraft manufacturers. This research, conducted in partnership with the LMDC-INSA laboratory focuses on the concrete like material reinforced composite plates as heterogeneous structure requiring periodic or continuous monitoring. One of the challenges is to control preventive maintenance or oversizing trusted coefficients by providing a non-destructive testing method. Our research goal is to help in the search for a signature in the signals measured by piezo sensors in response to pulses generating propagation of mechanical waves reflecting an aging or damage to the beam structure of reinforced concrete.

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