Wireless injection locking of oscillator circuits

An in-depth investigation of the global behavior of wireless injection-locked oscillator circuits is presented. This kind of operation has been proposed for motion-sensing applications, in which each oscillator is also self-injection locked by the signal reflected by the target, with the overall system behaving in an autonomous manner. The analysis is based on a realistic description of the effect of the self-injection and mutual-injection signals, and the oscillator behavior, described with a reduced-order model, extracted from harmonic balance. As will be shown, sinusoidal dependences on the oscillation frequency, associated with the signal propagation, may give rise to turning points in the solution curves, whereas the mutual synchronization of the oscillator circuits inherently gives rise to a coexistence of solutions with different phase shifts. The investigation includes fundamental aspects such as the bifurcation phenomena and phase-noise variation with the distance and antenna gain. The aim is to develop a useful methodology for the efficient analysis and reliable prediction of the behavior of these promising systems. All the results obtained with the new formulation, for easy application, have been carefully validated with costly circuit-level simulations of the whole system. For experimental validation, a prototype operating at 2.45 GHz has been manufactured and measured.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under the research project TEC2014-60283-C3-1-R and Juan de la Cierva Research Program IJCI-2014-19141 and by the Parliament of Cantabria under the project Cantabria Explora 12.JP02.64069

Applications of the Internet of Things and optimization to inventory and distribution management

This thesis is part of the IoFEED (EU funded) project, which aims to monitor approximately 325 farm bins and investigates business processes carried out between farmers and animal feed producers. We propose a computer-aided system to control and optimize the supply chain to deliver animal feed to livestock farms. Orders can be of multiple types of feed, shipped from multiple depots using a fleet of heterogeneous vehicles with multiple compartments. Additionally, this case considers some business-specific constraints, such as product compatibility, facility accessibility restrictions, prioritized locations, or bio-security constraints. A digital twin based approach is implemented at the farm level by installing sensors to remotely measure the inventories. This thesis also embraces these sensors' design and manufacturing process, seeking the required precision and easy deployability at scale. Our approach combines biased-randomization techniques with a simheuristic framework to make use of data provided by the sensors. The analysis of results is based on these two real pilots, and showcases the insights obtained during the IoFEED project. The results of this thesis show how the Internet of Things and simulation-based optimization methods combine successfully to optimize deliveries of feed to livestock farms.Esta tesis forma parte del proyecto IoFeeD, financiado por la Unión Europea, que tiene como objetivo monitorizar remotamente el stock de 325 contenedores agrícolas e investigar los procesos comerciales llevados a cabo entre agricultores y productores de pienso. Proponemos un sistema de ayuda a la toma de decisiones para controlar y optimizar la cadena de suministro de pienso en las explotaciones ganaderas. Los pedidos pueden ser de varios tipos de pienso y pueden enviarse desde varios centros de fabricación mediante el uso de una flota de vehículos heterogéneos con varios compartimentos. Además, se tienen en cuenta algunas restricciones específicas de la empresa, como, por ejemplo, la compatibilidad del producto, las restricciones de accesibilidad en las instalaciones, las ubicaciones priorizadas o las restricciones de bioseguridad. A escala de granja, se implementa un enfoque basado en gemelos digitales mediante la instalación de sensores para medir los inventarios de forma remota. En el marco de esta tesis, se desarrollan estos sensores buscando la precisión requerida, así como las características oportunas que permitan su instalación a gran escala. Nuestro enfoque combina técnicas de aleatorización sesgada con un marco simheurístico para hacer uso de los datos proporcionados por los sensores. El análisis de los resultados se basa en estos dos pilotos reales y muestra las ideas obtenidas durante el proyecto IoFeeD. Los resultados de esta tesis muestran cómo la internet de las cosas y los métodos de optimización basados en simulación se combinan con éxito para optimizar las operaciones de suministro de pienso para el consumo animal en las explotaciones ganaderas.Aquesta tesi forma part del projecte IoFeeD, finançat per la Unió Europea, que té com a objectiu controlar remotament l'estoc de 325 sitges i investigar els processos de negoci duts a terme entre agricultors i productors de pinso. Proposem un sistema d'ajuda a la presa de decisions per controlar i optimitzar la cadena de subministrament de pinso a les explotacions ramaderes. Les comandes poden ser de diversos tipus de pinso i es poden enviar des de diversos centres de fabricació mitjançant l'ús d'una flota de vehicles heterogenis amb diversos compartiments. A més, es tenen en compte algunes restriccions específiques de l'empresa, com ara la compatibilitat del producte, les restriccions d'accessibilitat a les instal·lacions, les ubicacions prioritzades o les restriccions de bioseguretat. A escala de granja, s'implementa un enfocament basat en bessons digitals mitjançant la instal·lació de sensors per mesurar remotament els inventaris. En el marc de la tesi, es desenvolupa aquest sensor cercant la precisió requerida i les característiques oportunes que en permetin la instal·lació a gran escala. El nostre enfocament combina tècniques d'aleatorització esbiaixada amb un marc simheurístic per fer ús de les dades proporcionades pels sensors. L'anàlisi dels resultats es basa en aquests dos pilots reals i mostra les idees obtingudes durant el projecte IoFeeD. Els resultats d'aquesta tesi mostren com la internet de les coses i els mètodes d'optimització basats en simulació es combinen amb èxit per optimitzar les operacions de subministrament de pinso per al consum animal a les explotacions ramaderes.Tecnologies de la informació i de xarxe

OPERATIONAL METHODS FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF AGING INFRASTRUCTURE

The aims and scope of the Handbook is to provide designers with a general methodology for the assessment of existing structures, which is illustrated step by step, referring to the selected case studies. The case studies have been chosen not only in order to cover as much as possible the actual variety of infrastructures and materials, but also different building periods, from the sixteenth century to the most recent past. In this way, it is possible to consider structures designed according to different approaches; in fact, while recent structures have been designed according to Codes, Standards, Guidelines or theoretical models, the most ancient ones have been designed according to empirical rules or architectural canons, therefore the understanding of original design ideas often requires that survey and in-situ measurements and investigations are supplement with historical studies. In the presentation of case studies, beside the reference to the general procedures provided by modern Codes and ISO 13822 in particular, the above mentioned necessity of understanding original design ideas and the significance of the engineering judgement in the diagnosis of the structural decays are emphasized, aiming to communicate to the reader a correct way to approach existing structures. The references mentioned in each chapter provide additional background materials, further guidance and information, allowing to widen the significance and the field of application of the assessment methods illustrated for each case study

Smart Grain Storage Monitor and Control

Although we are living in an era of fast development in the technology of monitoring and controlling in the field of storage houses, Egypt still suffers from a huge scandals in this field especially in field of wheat that considered to be the main source of nourishment in Egypt that the poor people who represents the majority, depends on. From this point the proposed system suggested a new technique that never implemented before in Egypt to face the problems of huge costs that reaches up to billions of pounds, also the illegal addition of false quantities of wheat and the uncontrollable of the environment inside storage houses. The new technique depends on measuring the level of grains inside silos through an efficient level sensors and monitoring the environment through environmental sensors, all these parameters will be sent periodically to the main station via GSM module, and will be displayed automatically on the LCD. Through this device we tried to decrease the human interface and decrease any manipulation and fraud that is available in the current alternative systems

Decision making and problem solving with computer assistance

In modern guidance and control systems, the human as manager, supervisor, decision maker, problem solver and trouble shooter, often has to cope with a marginal mental workload. To improve this situation, computers should be used to reduce the operator from mental stress. This should not solely be done by increased automation, but by a reasonable sharing of tasks in a human-computer team, where the computer supports the human intelligence. Recent developments in this area are summarized. It is shown that interactive support of operator by intelligent computer is feasible during information evaluation, decision making and problem solving. The applied artificial intelligence algorithms comprehend pattern recognition and classification, adaptation and machine learning as well as dynamic and heuristic programming. Elementary examples are presented to explain basic principles

APPLICATION OF SYSTEM ANALYSIS IN ORDER TO MONITOR GRAIN SILOS

After a presentation of the management of grain silos, we present the necessity of the system analysis and the identification of information in grain silos based on the OOPP method (Objectives Oriented Project Planning). This kind of analysis enables an efficient management and monitoring of the activities of grain silos. In fact, the OOPP method constitutes a tool of a global system modeling that allows us to analyze a difficult situation by a hierarchically decomposition until attainment a basic level allowing to an operational planning. Then, the aim of this paper is the application of the OOPP method to the analysis of grain silos which enables us to contribute to the development and deployment of an Information System and monitoring of grain storage

APPLICATION OF SYSTEM ANALYSIS IN ORDER TO MONITOR GRAIN SILOS

After a presentation of the management of grain silos, we present the necessity of the system analysis and the identification of information in grain silos based on the OOPP method (Objectives Oriented Project Planning). This kind of analysis enables an efficient management and monitoring of the activities of grain silos. In fact, the OOPP method constitutes a tool of a global system modeling that allows us to analyze a difficult situation by a hierarchically decomposition until attainment a basic level allowing to an operational planning. Then, the aim of this paper is the application of the OOPP method to the analysis of grain silos which enables us to contribute to the development and deployment of an Information System and monitoring of grain storage

Avalanching on dunes and its effects: Size statistics, stratification, & seismic surveys

Geophysical research has long been interdisciplinary, with many phenomena on the Earth's surface involving multiple, linked processes that are best understood using a combination of techniques. This is particularly true in the case of grain flows on sand dunes, in which the sedimentary stratification with which geologists are concerned arises from the granular processes investigated by physicists and engineers, and the water permeation that interests hydrologists and soil scientists determines the seismic velocities of concern to exploration geophysicists. In this dissertation, I describe four projects conducted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, using a combination of laboratory experimentation, fieldwork, numerical simulation, and mathematical modelling to link avalanching on dunes to its effects on stratification, on the permeation of water, and on seismic surveys. Firstly, I describe experiments on erodible, unbounded, grain piles in a channel, slowly supplied with additional grains, and I demonstrate that the behaviour of the consequent, discrete avalanches alternates between two regimes, typified by their size statistics. Reconciling the `self-organised criticality' that several authors have predicted for such a system with the hysteretic behaviour that others have observed, the system exhibits quasi-periodic, system-spanning avalanches in one regime, while in the other avalanches pass at irregular intervals and have a power-law size distribution. Secondly, I link this power-law size distribution to the strata emplaced by avalanches on bounded grain piles. A low inflow rate of grains into an experimental channel develops a pile, composed of strata in which blue-dyed, coarser grains overlie finer grains. Associating stopped avalanche fronts with the `trapped kinks' described by previous authors, I show that, in sufficiently large grain piles, mean stratum width increases linearly with distance downslope. This implies the possibility of interpreting paleodune height from the strata of aeolian sandstones, and makes predictions for the structure of avalanche-associated strata within active dunes. Thirdly, I discuss investigations of these strata within active, Qatari barchan dunes, using dye-infiltration to image strata in the field and extracting samples across individual strata with sub-centimetre resolution. Downslope increases in mean stratum width are evident, while measurements of particle size distributions demonstrate preferential permeation of water along substrata composed of finer particles, explaining the strata-associated, localised regions of high water content discovered by other work on the same dunes. Finally, I consider the effect of these within-dune variations in water content on seismic surveys for oil and gas. Having used high performance computing to simulate elastic wave propagation in the vicinity of an isolated, barchan sand dune, I demonstrate that such a dune acts as a resonator, absorbing energy from Rayleigh waves and reemitting it over an extensive period of time. I derive and validate a mathematical framework that uses bulk properties of the dune to predict quantitative properties of the emitted waves, and I demonstrate the importance of internal variations in seismic velocity, resulting from variations in water content.This work was supported by a PhD studentship within the Cambridge Earth Systems Science Doctoral Training Partnership (ESS DTP), funded by the National Environmental Research Council, grant number NE/L002507/1. Additional support was provided by Schlumberger Cambridge Research (SCR), through a CASE studentship

Integration of ground-penetrating radar and gamma-ray detectors for non-intrusive localisation of buried radioactive sources

This thesis reports on the integration of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and gamma ray detectors to improve the non-intrusive localisation of radioactive wastes buried in porous materials such as soil and concrete. The research was undertaken in two phases. In the first phase, a new non-intrusive technique for retrieving the depth of a buried radioactive source from two-dimensional raster radiation images was developed. The images were obtained by moving a gamma-ray detector in discrete steps on the surface of the material volume in which the source is buried and measuring the gamma spectrum at each step. The depth of the source was then estimated by fitting the intensity values from the measured spectra to an approximate three-dimensional gamma-ray attenuation model. This procedure was first optimised using Monte Carlo simulations and then validated using experiments. The results showed that this method is able to estimate the depth of a 658 kBq caesium-137 point source buried up to 18 cm in each of sand, soil and gravel. However, the use of only gamma-ray data to estimate the depth of the sources requires foreknowledge of the density of the embedding material. This is usually III IV difficult without having recourse to intrusive density estimation methods or historical density values. Therefore, the second phase of the research employed integrated GPR and gamma ray detection to solve this density requirement problem. Firstly, four density models were investigated using a suite of materials and the best model was then used to develop the integration method. Results from numerical simulations showed that the developed integration method can simultaneously retrieve the soil density and the depth and radius of disk-shaped radioactive objects buried up to 20 cm in soil of varying conditions with a elative error of less than 10%. Therefore, the integration method eliminates the need for prior knowledge of the density of the embedding material. This work represents the first time data from these two systems i.e., GPR and gamma-ray detector, will be integrated for the detection and localisation of radioactive sources. Furthermore, the results from the developed methods confirm that an integrated GPR and gamma-ray detector system is a viable tool for non-intrusive localisation of buried radioactive sources. This will enable improved characterisation of buried radioactive wastes encountered during the decommissioning of nuclear sites and facilities