Checkpointing as a Service in Heterogeneous Cloud Environments

A non-invasive, cloud-agnostic approach is demonstrated for extending existing cloud platforms to include checkpoint-restart capability. Most cloud platforms currently rely on each application to provide its own fault tolerance. A uniform mechanism within the cloud itself serves two purposes: (a) direct support for long-running jobs, which would otherwise require a custom fault-tolerant mechanism for each application; and (b) the administrative capability to manage an over-subscribed cloud by temporarily swapping out jobs when higher priority jobs arrive. An advantage of this uniform approach is that it also supports parallel and distributed computations, over both TCP and InfiniBand, thus allowing traditional HPC applications to take advantage of an existing cloud infrastructure. Additionally, an integrated health-monitoring mechanism detects when long-running jobs either fail or incur exceptionally low performance, perhaps due to resource starvation, and proactively suspends the job. The cloud-agnostic feature is demonstrated by applying the implementation to two very different cloud platforms: Snooze and OpenStack. The use of a cloud-agnostic architecture also enables, for the first time, migration of applications from one cloud platform to another.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, appears in CCGrid, 201

Si/SiGe quantum dot with superconducting single-electron transistor charge sensor

We report a robust process for fabrication of surface-gated Si/SiGe quantum dots (QDs) with an integrated superconducting single-electron transistor (S-SET) charge sensor. A combination of a deep mesa etch and AlOx backfill is used to reduce gate leakage. After the leakage current is suppressed, Coulomb oscillations of the QD and the current-voltage characteristics of the S-SET are observed at a temperature of 0.3 K. Coupling of the S-SET to the QD is confirmed by using the S-SET to perform sensing of the QD charge state.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Identification of critical mechanical parameters for advanced analysis of masonry arch bridges

The response up to collapse of masonry arch bridges is very complex and affected by many uncertainties. In general, accurate response predictions can be achieved using sophisticated numerical descriptions, requiring a significant number of parameters that need to be properly characterised. This study focuses on the sensitivity of the behaviour of masonry arch bridges with respect to a wide range of mechanical parameters considered within a detailed modelling approach. The aim is to investigate the effect of constitutive parameters variations on the stiffness and ultimate load capacity under vertical loading. First, advanced numerical models of masonry arches and of a masonry arch bridge are developed, where a mesoscale approach describes the actual texture of masonry. Subsequently, a surrogate kriging metamodel is constructed to replace the accurate but computationally expensive numerical descriptions, and global sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the mechanical parameters affecting the most the stiffness and load capacity. Uncertainty propagation is then performed on the surrogate models to estimate the probabilistic distribution of the response parameters of interest. The results provide useful information for risk assessment and management purposes, and shed light on the parameters that control the bridge behaviour and require an accurate characterisation in terms of uncertainty

Investigation of defect cavities formed in three-dimensional woodpile photonic crystals

We report the optimisation of optical properties of single defects in three-dimensional (3D) face-centred-cubic (FCC) woodpile photonic crystal (PC) cavities by using plane-wave expansion (PWE) and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methods. By optimising the dimensions of a 3D woodpile PC, wide photonic band gaps (PBG) are created. Optical cavities with resonances in the bandgap arise when point defects are introduced in the crystal. Three types of single defects are investigated in high refractive index contrast (Gallium Phosphide-Air) woodpile structures and Q-factors and mode volumes ($V_{eff}$) of the resonant cavity modes are calculated. We show that, by introducing an air buffer around a single defect, smaller mode volumes can be obtained. We demonstrate high Q-factors up to 700000 and cavity volumes down to $V_{eff}<0.2(\lambda/n)^3$. The estimates of $Q$ and $V_{eff}$ are then used to quantify the enhancement of spontaneous emission and the possibility of achieving strong coupling with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) colour centres in diamond.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figure

Advanced nonlinear analysis of masonry arch bridges

This research investigates the nonlinear response up to collapse of masonry arches and arch bridges using advanced numerical descriptions. Past research has shown that the mesoscale modelling approach for brick-masonry, where bricks and mortar joints are modelled separately, may offer a realistic representation of the mechanical behaviour of masonry components. However, because of the significant computational cost, thus far the use of this modelling strategy has been mainly restricted to 2D analysis of masonry arches and arch bridges. In some cases this may lead to a crude representation of the response which is inherently three-dimensional, especially when the analysed structure is subjected to eccentric loading or is characterised by a complex geometry (e.g. skew arches). In this work, masonry arches and arch bridges are analysed using a partitioned mesoscale approach, which enables the use of a detailed model for describing material nonlinearity at structural scale. This is combined with a partitioned approach allowing for parallel computation which guarantees computational efficiency. In the 3D mesoscale description, brick units and mortar interfaces are modelled separately accounting for the actual texture and arrangement of masonry. 3D elastic continuum solid elements are used to model brick units while mortar interfaces are modelled by means of 2D nonlinear interface elements. In analysing masonry bridges, the backfill material is modelled as an elasto-plastic continuum, while the physical interface between the continuum and mesoscale domain for masonry is represented by nonlinear zero-thickness interface elements allowing separation and plastic sliding. The proposed modelling approach has been applied to the analysis of multi-ring square and skew arches and masonry arch bridges. The numerical results, which also include numerical-experimental comparisons, confirm the accuracy of the adopted numerical strategy. Moreover numerical simulations have been performed to investigate the effects of the arch geometry, loading positions, material characteristics and potential settlements at the supports. The results obtained offer important information and a detailed description on the complex response of these critical structural systems under different loading and boundary conditions.Open Acces

Rapid crack propagation in loosely fitted PE liner pipe

Published versio

Little’s Law Flow Analysis of Observation Unit Impact and Sizing

Expanding hospital capacity by developing an observation unit may be an important strategy in congested hospitals. Understanding the principles for evaluating the potential impact and appropriate sizing of an observation unit is important. The objective of this paper is to contrast two approaches to determining observation unit sizing and profitability, real options, and a flow analysis based on Little’s Law. Both methods have validity and use similar data sets. The Little’s Law approach has the advantage of providing an estimate of appropriate size for the unit and a natural internal consistency check on data. The benefits of an observation unit can depend critically on assumptions regarding backfill patients, and minor changes in data or assumptions can translate into significant changes in annual financial consequences. Using both the real options and the Little’s Law approaches provides some internal consistency checks on data and assumptions. Both are sufficiently simple to be easily mastered and conducted. Using these two simple and accessible methods in parallel for computing the size and financial consequences for an observation unit is recommended.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98762/1/j.1553-2712.2010.00969.x.pd