A Delay Vector Variance based marker for an output-only assessment of structural changes in tension leg platforms

Although aspects of power generation of many offshore renewable devices are well understood, their dynamic responses under high wind and wave conditions are still to be investigated to a great detail. Output only statistical markers are important for these offshore devices, since access to the device is limited and information about the exposure conditions and the true behaviour of the devices are generally partial, limited, and vague or even absent. The markers can summarise and characterise the behaviour of these devices from their dynamic response available as time series data. The behaviour may be linear or nonlinear and consequently a marker that can track the changes in structural situations can be quite important. These markers can then be helpful in assessing the current condition of the structure and can indicate possible intervention, monitoring or assessment. This paper considers a Delay Vector Variance based marker for changes in a tension leg platform tested in an ocean wave basin for structural changes brought about by single column dampers. The approach is based on dynamic outputs of the device alone and is based on the estimation of the nonlinearity of the output signal. The advantages of the selected marker and its response with changing structural properties are discussed. The marker is observed to be important for monitoring the as- deployed structural condition and is sensitive to changes in such conditions. Influence of exposure conditions of wave loading is also discussed in this study based only on experimental data.

Vibration based health monitoring of civil infrastructure using energy harvesting techniques

The use of structural health monitoring of civil structures is ever expanding and by assessing the dynamical condition of structures, informed maintenance management can be conducted at both individual and network levels. With the continued growth of information age technology, the potential arises for smart monitoring systems to be integrated with civil infrastructure to provide efficient information on the condition of a structure. The focus of this thesis is the integration of smart technology with civil infrastructure for the purposes of structural health monitoring. The technology considered in this regard are devices based on energy harvesting materials. While there has been considerable focus on the development and optimisation of such devices using steady state loading conditions, their applications for civil infrastructure are less known. Although research is still in initial stages, studies into the uses associated with such applications are very promising. Through the use of the dynamical response of structures to a variety of loading conditions, the energy harvesting outputs from such devices is established and the potential power output determined. Through a power variance output approach, damage detection of deteriorating structures using the energy harvesting devices is investigated. Further applications of the integration of energy harvesting devices with civil infrastructure investigated by this research includes the use of the power output as a indicator for control. Four approaches are undertaken to determine the potential applications arising from integrating smart technology with civil infrastructure, namely • Theoretical analysis to determine the applications of energy harvesting devices for vibration based health monitoring of civil infrastructure. • Laboratory experimentation to verify the performance of different energy harvesting configurations for civil infrastructure applications. • Scaled model testing as a method to experimentally validate the integration of the energy harvesting devices with civil infrastructure. • Full scale deployment of energy harvesting device with a bridge structure. These four approaches validate the application of energy harvesting technology with civil infrastructure from a theoretical, experimental and practical perspective.

The effects of formulation and processing on surface characteristics and functional properties of dairy powders

The objectives of this thesis were to (i) study the effect of increasing protein concentration in milk protein concentrate (MPC) powders on surface composition and sorption properties; (ii) examine the effect of increasing protein content on the rehydration properties of MPC; (iii) study the physicochemical properties of spraydried emulsion-containing powders having different water and oil contents; (iv) analyse the effect of protein type on water sorption and diffusivity properties in a protein/lactose dispersion, and; (v) characterise lactose crystallisation and emulsion stability of model infant formula containing intact or hydrolysed whey proteins. Surface composition of MPC powders (protein contents 35 - 86 g / 100 g) indicated that fat and protein were preferentially located on the surface of powders. Low protein powder (35 g / 100 g) exhibited lactose crystallisation, whereas powders with higher protein contents did not, due to their high protein: lactose ratio. Insolubility was evident in high protein MPCs and was primarily related to insolubility of the casein fraction. High temperature (50 °C) was required for dissolution of high protein MPCs (protein content > 60 g / 100 g). The effect of different oil types and spray-drying outlet temperature on the physicochemical properties of the resultant fat-filled powders was investigated and showed that increasing outlet temperature reduced water content, water activity and tapped bulk density, irrespective of oil type, and increased solvent-extractable free fat for all oil types and onset of glass transition (Tg) and crystallisation (Tcr) temperature. Powder dispersions of protein/lactose (0.21:1), containing either intact or hydrolysed whey protein (12 % degree of hydrolysis; DH), were spray-dried at pilot scale. Moisture sorption analysis at 25 °C showed that dispersions containing intact whey protein exhibited lactose crystallisation at a lower relative humidity (RH). Dispersions containing hydrolysed whey protein had significantly higher (P < 0.05) water diffusivity. Finally, a spray-dried model infant formula was produced containing hydrolysed or intact whey as the protein with sunflower oil as the fat source. Reconstituted, hydrolysed formula had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher fat globule size and lower emulsion stability than intact formula. Lactose crystallisation in powders occurred at higher RH for hydrolysed formula. In conclusion, this research has shown the effect of altering the protein type, protein composition, and oil type on the surface composition and physical properties of different dairy powders, and how these variations greatly affect their rehydration characteristics and storage stability.