Investigation of new and novel techniques of accurately measuring the response of structures to short-duration loads

Although terrorist and accidental industrial explosions are infrequent, engineers still need to understand how structures respond to the short-duration loads generated by such events. Previous research to measure the response of structures, subject to such loads, has often been limited to before and after measurements. Although there are sensors that can measure the transient response, such as linear voltage displacement transducers, accelerometers and laser displacement gauges, these are often expensive and limited to measuring individual points. This research identifies cheaper methods to accurately measure the transient response caused by short-duration loads. A review of sensors used to measure structural response in short-duration and structural health monitoring (SHM) scenarios, identified inertial measurement units (IMUs) as a potential alternative to traditional sensors. Although the individual IMU gyroscopes and accelerometers may be used in isolation, when combined using data fusion techniques improved accuracy is possible. IMUs have been used for vehicle navigation, and to a limited degree SHM, but minimal evidence of their use to measure the response of structures subject to short-duration loads exists. To validate their use in such environments, an MPU9250 IMU was used to monitor the response of several simple structures to various loads, from static, through dynamic to ballistic loading. In a parallel investigation, two full-bridge strain gauge arrangements were used to measure support rotation. The research proved that using data fusion to combine IMU accelerometer and gyroscope results, produced an accurate representation of the response, quantified using existing error and inequality measure criteria. It also showed that, in certain scenarios, a combination of strain gauges could be used to measure an element’s support rotation with a reasonable degree of accuracy. It was concluded that cheap sensor systems, such as IMUs and strain gauges, had the potential to accurately measure the response of structures to short-duration loads.Open Acces

Design and Analysis of Exaggerated Rectilinear Gait-Based Snake-Inspired Robots

Snake-inspired locomotion is much more maneuverable compared to conventional locomotion concepts and it enables a robot to navigate through rough terrain. A rectilinear gait is quite flexible and has the following benefits: functionality on a wide variety of terrains, enables a highly stable robot platform, and provides pure undulatory motion without passive wheels. These benefits make rectilinear gaits especially suitable for search and rescue applications. However, previous robot designs utilizing rectilinear gaits were slow in speed and required considerable vertical motion. This dissertation will explore the development and implementation of a new exaggerated rectilinear gait that which will enable high speed locomotion and more efficient operation in a snake-inspired robot platform. The exaggerated rectilinear gait will emulate the natural snake's rectilinear gait to gain the benefit a snake's terrain adaptability, but the sequence and range of joint motion will be greatly exaggerated to achieve higher velocities to support robot speeds within the range of human walking speed. The following issues will be investigated in this dissertation. First, this dissertation will address the challenge of developing a snake-inspired robot capable of executing exaggerated rectilinear gaits. To successfully execute the exaggerated rectilinear gait, a snake-inspired robot platform must be able to perform high speed linear expansion/contraction and pivoting motions between segments. In addition to high speed joint motion, the new mechanical architecture much also incorporate a method for providing positive traction during gait execution. Second, a new exaggerated gait dynamics model will be developed using well established kinematics and dynamics analysis techniques. In addition to the exaggerated rectilinear gaits which emphasize high speed, a set of exaggerated rectilinear gaits which emphasize high traction will also be developed for application on difficult terrain types. Finally, an exaggerated rectilinear that emphasizes energy efficiency is defined and analyzed. This dissertation provides the foundations for realizing a high speed limbless locomotion capable of meeting the needs of the search, rescue, and recovery applications

Dynamical systems : mathematical and numerical approaches

Proceedings of the 13th Conference „Dynamical Systems - Theory and Applications" summarize 164 and the Springer Proceedings summarize 60 best papers of university teachers and students, researchers and engineers from whole the world. The papers were chosen by the International Scientific Committee from 315 papers submitted to the conference. The reader thus obtains an overview of the recent developments of dynamical systems and can study the most progressive tendencies in this field of science

Social work with airports passengers

Social work at the airport is in to offer to passengers social services. The main methodological position is that people are under stress, which characterized by a particular set of characteristics in appearance and behavior. In such circumstances passenger attracts in his actions some attention. Only person whom he trusts can help him with the documents or psychologically

Large space structures and systems in the space station era: A bibliography with indexes

Bibliographies and abstracts are listed for 1219 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system between July 1, 1990 and December 31, 1990. The purpose is to provide helpful information to the researcher, manager, and designer in technology development and mission design according to system, interactive analysis and design, structural and thermal analysis and design, structural concepts and control systems, electronics, advanced materials, assembly concepts, propulsion, and solar power satellite systems

Aeronautical engineering: A cumulative index to a continuing bibliography

This bibliography is a cumulative index to the abstracts contained in NASA SP-7037 (197) through NASA SP-7037 (208) of Aeronautical Engineering: A Continuing Bibliography. NASA SP-7037 and its supplements have been compiled through the cooperative efforts of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This cumulative index includes subject, personal author, corporate source, foreign technology, contract, report number, and accession number indexes