Response of Grilage-Like Structures by the Mobility Approach

This work presents an application of the Mobility Approach to the analysis of the power flow through grillage-like structures. Such structures are usually found in offshore platforms, supporting large and heavy machines. Different wave kinds (longitudinal, flexural and torsional) were initially considered in the power flow analysis between two beams joined in L. Beams excited by an in-plane point force showed strong coupling between longitudinal-flexural waves, while that for out-of-plane point force excitation, flexural-torsional waves coupling represents the most important mechanism of energy transmission. The response determination of grillages by the mobility approach requires the structure to be separated into simple beam-like structural components. Equations for rotations and displacements at the joints of all beams are written for as mobility functions, and moments and forces acting at the joints. A system of equations relating all such internal forces and moments is obtained. This approach was applied to simple grillages. Response results showed good agreement when compared to those provided by Finite Elements.

An Inspection System to Identify Fatigue Damage on Steel-Bridge Structures

Crack formation and growth in steel bridge structural elements may be due to loading oscillations. The welded elements are liable to internal discontinuities along welded joints and sensible to stress variations. The evaluation of the remaining life of a bridge is needed to make cost-effective decisions regarding inspection, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement. A steel beam model has been proposed to simulate crack openings due to cyclic loads. Two possible alternatives have been considered to model crack propagation, which the initial phase is based on the linear fracture mechanics. Then, the model is extended to take into account the elastoplastic fracture mechanic concepts. The natural frequency changes are directly related to moment of inertia variation and consequently to a reduction in the flexural stiffness of a steel beam. Thus, it is possible to adopt a nondestructive technique during steel bridge inspection to quantify the structure eigenvalue variation that will be used to localize the grown fracture. A damage detection algorithm is developed for the proposed model and the numerical results are compared with the solutions achieved by using another well know computer code.

Control of Structures with Cubic and Quadratic Non-Linearities with Time Delay Consideration

This paper studies the effect of time delay on the active non-linear control of dynamically loaded flexible structures. The behavior of non-linear systems under state feedback control, considering a fixed time delay for the control force, is investigated. A control method based on non-linear optimal control, using a tensorial formulation and state feedback control is used. The state equations and the control forces are expressed in polynomial form and a performance index, quadratic in both state vector and control forces, is used. General polynomial representations of the non-linear control law are obtained and implemented for control algorithms up to the fifth order. This methodology is applied to systems with quadratic and cubic non-linearities. Strongly non-linear systems are tested and the effectiveness of the control system including a delay for the application of control forces is discussed. Numerical results indicate that the adopted control algorithm can be efficient for non-linear systems, chiefly in the presence of strong non-linearities but increasing time delay reduces the efficiency of the control system. Numerical results emphasize the importance of considering time delay in the project of active structural control systems.

Application of the center manifold theory to the study of slewing flexible Non-ideal structures with nonlinear curvature: a case study

In this paper is Analyzed the local dynamical behavior of a slewing flexible structure considering nonlinear curvature. The dynamics of the original (nonlinear) governing equations of motion are reduced to the center manifold in the neighborhood of an equilibrium solution with the purpose of locally study the stability of the system. In this critical point, a Hopf bifurcation occurs. In this region, one can find values for the control parameter (structural damping coefficient) where the system is unstable and values where the system stability is assured (periodic motion). This local analysis of the system reduced to the center manifold assures the stable / unstable behavior of the original system around a known solution.

Welding current effect on diffusible hydrogen content in flux cored arc weld metal

The application of flux cored arc welding (FCAW) has increased in manufacturing and fabrication. Even though FCAW is well known for its good capability in producing quality welds, few reports have been published on the cause of the relatively high diffusible hydrogen content in the weld metal and its relation with the ingredients used in the wire production and with the welding parameters (mainly welding current). This paper describes experiments where data obtained from weld metal diffusible hydrogen analysis, metal droplet collection, and high-speed recording of metal droplet transfer were used to evaluate the effect of welding current on diffusible hydrogen content in the weld metal. The results from gas chromatography analysis showed that weld metal hydrogen content indeed increased with welding current. A polynomial regressional analysis concluded that hydrogen increase with current was better described by a linear function with proportional constant of approximately 0.7 or 70%. Different from the GMA welding transfer behavior, statistical analysis showed only a small increase in metal droplet size with increasing current. The metal transfer mode remained in the globular range for currents between 100 and 150 A. The most surprising findings were with the high-speed cinematography recording. Observing the high speed movies, it was possible to see that at low current, "unmelted" flux sporadically touched the weld pool but at higher current, the flux remained touching the weld pool during the whole time of droplet formation and transfer. It is believed that since the flux has ingredients that contain hydrogen, hydrogen passes through the arc undisturbed, going to the weld bead intact and increasing the hydrogen content in the weld metal. Another important observation is regarding to droplet size. Droplet size increased with increasing current because forces from decomposed gases from the flux could sustain the droplets, retarding their transfer and allowing them to grow.

Effects of anthropogenic and natural hydrological changes on the behavior of the acidic metal discharge from acid sulfate soils in a river- and lake system in western Finland

Larsmo-Öjasjön i Österbotten skapades genom invallningar på 1960-talet pga. industrins behov av sötvatten. Sedan dess har vattenområdet drabbats av återkommande försurning och fiskdöd, och invallningen har ofta beskyllts för problemen. Avhandlingen undersöker syrabelastningen i området; bl.a. hur markanvändning, hydrologi och klimatförändringen påverkar belastningen. Konsekvenserna undersöks med fiskyngel som bioindikator, och olika miljömetoder testas och diskuteras. Ökad kunskap om försurningen hjälper oss att tillämpa effektiva miljömetoder och få förbättrad vattenkvalitet i framtiden. Den primära orsaken till den försämrade vattenkvaliteten under de senaste 40 åren är intensiv dikning av svavelrika sediment. Detta leder till oxidering av svavlet till svavelsyra och uppkomst av sura sulfatjordar. Syran löser upp mängder med toxiska metaller som spolas ut i vattendragen. Undersökningen visar att tiotusentals ton svavelsyra tillsammans med stora mängder metaller rinner till Larsmo-Öjasjön per år från sura sulfatjordar. Åarna bidrar med mest belastning, men den sammanlagda belastningen från de otaliga dikena och bäckarna är oväntat stor. Andra potentiella källor till försurningen, t.ex. muddringar och humussyror, beräknas vara obetydliga. Syra- och metallbelastningen varierar kraftigt med hydrologin, dvs. störst belastning sker under vår- och höstflöden. En eventuell klimatförändring kan ändra på avrinningsmönstret och orsaka mera belastning vintertid. Den årligt återkommande syra- och metallbelastningen kan ofta hindra lakens förökning, vilket kan ha större långtgående konsekvenser för fiskpopulationerna än de relativt sällsynta stora surchockerna med synlig fiskdöd. För att förebygga skador på vattendragen bör man undvika att dränera svavelrika sedimenten. På redan existerande sura sulfatjordar visade sig kontroll av grundvattennivån kunna möjliggöra en effektiverad markanvändning utan märkbart ökade miljökonsekvenser.

Preparation for ramp-up production process in metal manufacturin

Collaboration is essential for successful new product development. In the preparation for ramp-up production collaboration between R&D and supply chain functions is crucial. This thesis examines the meaning of collaboration and the effects of collaboration between R&D and supply chain. The aim of this thesis is to analyse and advice on how to improve the collaboration between the research and development department and supply chain within the preparation for rampup process. This thesis begins by introducing the reader to the product development methodologies and collaboration literature. The following part of the thesis describes the current situation and the results of the qualitative research. The last part of the thesis will explain the improvement suggestions. The main improvement suggestions are clarification of the processes and responsibilities and the introduction of a kick-off meeting.

Optimization of strength and toughness on the effect of the weldable high strength steels (hss) used in offshore structures

Optimization of high strength and toughness combination on the effect of weldability is very vital to be considered in offshore oil and gas industries. Having a balanced and improved high strength and toughness is very much recommended in offshore structures for an effective production and viable exploration of hydrocarbons. This thesis aims to investigate the possibilities to improve the toughness of high strength steel. High carbon contents induce hardness and needs to be reduced for increasing toughness. The rare combination of high strength with high toughness possibilities was examined by determining the following toughening mechanism of: Heat treatment and optimal microstructure, Thermomechanical processing, Effect of welding parameters on toughness and weldability of steel. The implementation of weldability of steels to attain high toughness for high strength in offshore structures is mostly in shipbuilding, offshore platforms, and pipelines for high operating pressures. As a result, the toughening mechanisms suggested have benefits to the aims of the effect of high strength to high toughness of steel for efficiency, production and cost reduction.

EN 1090-laatuvaatimusten kartoitus ja hallinta hitsauksen laatujärjestelmän avulla

Diplomityössä tarkastellaan standardin EN 1090 vaikutuksia Bilfinger Industrial Services Finland Oy:n toimintaympäristössä ja kuinka niitä voidaan hallita hitsauksen laatujärjestelmän avulla. Työssä on myös käsitelty yrityksen pääasiallisen tuotannon eli metallisten teollisuusputkistojen valmistusta sekä laadunhallintaa yleisellä tasolla ja erityisesti hitsauksessa. Rakennustuoteasetuksen mukaisen yhdenmukaistetun standardin EN 1090-1:n siirtymäaika päättyy 1.7.2014 ja se asettaa uudenlaisia vaatimuksia teräsrakentamiseen. Rakennustuotteiden CE-merkintä ja sertifioidun laadunhallinnan järjestäminen vaikuttaa hyvin laajasti suomalaiseen metalliteollisuuteen. Työssä selvitettiin yrityksen nykyiset menettelyt ja kuinka niitä tulisi kehittää uusien vaatimusten mukaiseksi. Tietoa hankittiin keskustelemalla yrityksen henkilöstön kanssa ja tutustumalla sen toimintaperiaatteisiin. Selvitystyötä helpotti jo valmiiksi suhteellisen korkea hitsaustoiminnan laatutaso, joka johtuu vaativien asiakkaiden velvoittamasta laatutyöstä. Työn tuloksena yrityksellä on selkeä kuva miten toimintaa tulee kehittää EN 1090 vaatimusten täyttämiseksi. ISO 3834-2:n soveltaminen paineenalaisten putkistojen valmistuksessa tulee ulottaa myös teräsrakenteiden valmistukseen. Myös vaatimusten mukaisen dokumentaation luomista ja hallintaa tulee kehittää, jotta siitä ei tule liian raskasta henkilöstölle.

Bio-ethanol valorization towards C4s including 1-butanol over metal modified alumina and zeolite catalysts

Bio-ethanol has been used as a fuel additive in modern society aimed at reducing CO2-emissions and dependence on oil. However, ethanol is unsuitable as fuel supplement in higher proportions due to its physico-chemical properties. One option to counteract the negative effects is to upgrade ethanol in a continuous fixed bed reactor to more valuable C4 products such as 1-butanol providing chemical similarity with traditional gasoline components. Bio-ethanol based valorization products also have other end-uses than just fuel additives. E.g. 1-butanol and ethyl acetate are well characterised industrial solvents and platform chemicals providing greener alternatives. The modern approach is to apply heterogeneous catalysts in the investigated reactions. The research was concentrated on aluminium oxide (Al2O3) and zeolites that were used as catalysts and catalyst supports. The metals supported (Cu, Ni, Co) gave very different product profiles and, thus, a profound view of different catalyst preparation methods and characterisation techniques was necessary. Additionally, acidity and basicity of the catalyst surface have an important role in determining the product profile. It was observed that ordinary determination of acid strength was not enough to explain all the phenomena e.g. the reaction mechanism. One of the main findings of the thesis is based on the catalytically active site which originates from crystallite structure. As a consequence, the overall evaluation of different by-products and intermediates was carried out by combining the information. Further kinetic analysis was carried out on metal (Cu, Ni, Co) supported self-prepared alumina catalysts. The thesis gives information for further catalyst developments aimed to scale-up towards industrially feasible operations.

PDM system functions and utilizations analysis to improve efficiency of sheet metal product design and manufacturing

This study will concentrate on Product Data Management (PDM) systems, and sheet metal design features and classification. In this thesis, PDM is seen as an individual system which handles all product-related data and information. The meaning of relevant data is to take the manufacturing process further with fewer errors. The features of sheet metals are giving more information and value to the designed models. The possibility of implementing PDM and sheet metal features recognition are the core of this study. Their integration should make the design process faster and manufacturing-friendly products easier to design. The triangulation method is the basis for this research. The sections of this triangle are: scientific literature review, interview using the Delphi method and the author’s experience and observations. The main key findings of this study are: (1) the area of focus in triangle (the triangle of three different point of views: business, information exchange and technical) depends on the person’s background and their role in the company, (2) the classification in the PDM system (and also in the CAD system) should be done using the materials, tools and machines that are in use in the company and (3) the design process has to be more effective because of the increase of industrial production, sheet metal blank production and the designer’s time spent on actual design and (4) because Design For Manufacture (DFM) integration can be done with CAD-programs, DFM integration with the PDM system should also be possible.

Meristematic endodermis and secretory structures in adventitious roots of Richterago Kuntze (Mutisieae-Asteraceae)

The meristematic endodermis in adventitious roots of Richterago species originates in one of the fundamental meristem cells, which undergo sucessive anticlinal and periclinal divisions to build the inner cortex. The meristematic endodermis or proendodermis remains as a meristematic layer until its differentiation into endodermis, with Casparian strip. When sieve elements differentiate, endodermic secretory canals of esquizogenous origin are present at the region adjacent to primary phloem. Articulated laticifers, with cells perforated at both terminal and transversal walls, also occur during initial phases of secondary development. Presence of inulin as reserve carbohydrate in the inner cortex and vascular tissue may be related to abiotic factors, as an adaptive strategy of these species.

Resonant tunneling effects in semiconductor heterostructures

The thesis is devoted to a theoretical study of resonant tunneling phenomena in semiconductor heterostructures and nanostructures. It considers several problems relevant to modern solid state physics. Namely these are tunneling between 2D electron layers with spin-orbit interaction, tunnel injection into molecular solid material, resonant tunnel coupling of a bound state with continuum and resonant indirect exchange interaction mediated by a remote conducting channel. A manifestation of spin-orbit interaction in the tunneling between two 2D electron layers is considered. General expression is obtained for the tunneling current with account of Rashba and Dresselhaus types of spin-orbit interaction and elastic scattering. It is demonstrated that the tunneling conductance is very sensitive to relation between Rashba and Dresselhaus contributions and opens possibility to determine the spin-orbit interaction parameters and electron quantum lifetime in direct tunneling experiments with no external magnetic field applied. A microscopic mechanism of hole injection from metallic electrode into organic molecular solid (OMS) in high electric field is proposed for the case when the molecules ionization energy exceeds work function of the metal. It is shown that the main contribution to the injection current comes from direct isoenergetic transitions from localized states in OMS to empty states in the metal. Strong dependence of the injection current on applied voltage originates from variation of the number of empty states available in the metal rather than from distortion of the interface barrier. A theory of tunnel coupling between an impurity bound state and the 2D delocalized states in the quantum well (QW) is developed. The problem is formulated in terms of Anderson-Fano model as configuration interaction between the carrier bound state at the impurity and the continuum of delocalized states in the QW. An effect of this interaction on the interband optical transitions in the QW is analyzed. The results are discussed regarding the series of experiments on the GaAs structures with a -Mn layer. A new mechanism of ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductor heterosructures is considered, namely the resonant enhancement of indirect exchange interaction between paramagnetic centers via a spatially separated conducting channel. The underlying physical model is similar to the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction; however, an important difference relevant to the low-dimensional structures is a resonant hybridization of a bound state at the paramagnetic ion with the continuum of delocalized states in the conducting channel. An approach is developed, which unlike RKKY is not based on the perturbation theory and demonstrates that the resonant hybridization leads to a strong enhancement of the indirect exchange. This finding is discussed in the context of the known experimental data supporting the phenomenon.

Printed platforms for paper-based analytical applications

Paper-based analytical technologies enable quantitative and rapid analysis of analytes from various application areas including healthcare, environmental monitoring and food safety. Because paper is a planar, flexible and light weight substrate, the devices can be transported and disposed easily. Diagnostic devices are especially valuable in resourcelimited environments where diagnosis as well as monitoring of therapy can be made even without electricity by using e.g. colorimetric assays. On the other hand, platforms including printed electrodes can be coupled with hand-held readers. They enable electrochemical detection with improved reliability, sensitivity and selectivity compared with colorimetric assays. In this thesis, different roll-to-roll compatible printing technologies were utilized for the fabrication of low-cost paper-based sensor platforms. The platforms intended for colorimetric assays and microfluidics were fabricated by patterning the paper substrates with hydrophobic vinyl substituted polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) -based ink. Depending on the barrier properties of the substrate, the ink either penetrates into the paper structure creating e.g. microfluidic channel structures or remains on the surface creating a 2D analog of a microplate. The printed PDMS can be cured by a roll-ro-roll compatible infrared (IR) sintering method. The performance of these platforms was studied by printing glucose oxidase-based ink on the PDMS-free reaction areas. The subsequent application of the glucose analyte changed the colour of the white reaction area to purple with the colour density and intensity depending on the concentration of the glucose solution. Printed electrochemical cell platforms were fabricated on paper substrates with appropriate barrier properties by inkjet-printing metal nanoparticle based inks and by IR sintering them into conducting electrodes. Printed PDMS arrays were used for directing the liquid analyte onto the predetermined spots on the electrodes. Various electrochemical measurements were carried out both with the bare electrodes and electrodes functionalized with e.g. self assembled monolayers. Electrochemical glucose sensor was selected as a proof-of-concept device to demonstrate the potential of the printed electronic platforms.

Artificial Ribonucleases: Oligonucleotides Conjugated with Metal Ion Chelates of Azacrowns

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) has many biological roles in cells: it takes part in coding, decoding, regulating and expressing of the genes as well as has the capacity to work as a catalyst in numerous biological reactions. These qualities make RNA an interesting object of various studies. Development of useful tools with which to investigate RNA is a prerequisite for more advanced research in the field. One of such tools may be the artificial ribonucleases, which are oligonucleotide conjugates that sequence-selectively cleave complementary RNA targets. This thesis is aimed at developing new efficient metal-ion-based artificial ribonucleases. On one hand, to solve the challenges related to solid-supported synthesis of metal-ion-binding conjugates of oligonucleotides, and on the other hand, to quantify their ability to cleave various oligoribonucleotide targets in a pre-designed sequence selective manner. In this study several artificial ribonucleases based on cleaving capability of metal ion chelated azacrown moiety were designed and synthesized successfully. The most efficient ribonucleases were the ones with two azacrowns close to the 3´- end of the oligonucleotide strand. Different transition metal ions were introduced into the azacrown moiety and among them, the Zn2+ ion was found to be better than Cu2+ and Ni2+ ions.