Higher-order Mechanics: Variational Principles and other topics

After reviewing the Lagrangian-Hamiltonian unified formalism (i.e, the Skinner-Rusk formalism) for higher-order (non-autonomous) dynamical systems, we state a unified geometrical version of the Variational Principles which allows us to derive the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian equations for these kinds of systems. Then, the standard Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of these principles and the corresponding dynamical equations are recovered from this unified framework.Comment: New version of the paper "Variational principles for higher-order dynamical systems", which was presented in the "III Iberoamerican Meeting on Geometry, Mechanics and Control" (Salamanca, 2012). The title is changed. A detailed review is added. Sections containing results about variational principles are enlarged with additional comments, diagrams and summarizing results. Bibliography is update

Gauge transformations for higher-order lagrangians

Noether's symmetry transformations for higher-order lagrangians are studied. A characterization of these transformations is presented, which is useful to find gauge transformations for higher-order singular lagrangians. The case of second-order lagrangians is studied in detail. Some examples that illustrate our results are given; in particular, for the lagrangian of a relativistic particle with curvature, lagrangian gauge transformations are obtained, though there are no hamiltonian gauge generators for them.Comment: 22 pages, LaTe

Symmetries in Classical Field Theory

The multisymplectic description of Classical Field Theories is revisited, including its relation with the presymplectic formalism on the space of Cauchy data. Both descriptions allow us to give a complete scheme of classification of infinitesimal symmetries, and to obtain the corresponding conservation laws.Comment: 70S05; 70H33; 55R10; 58A2

Impact of Hydraulic Variable Conditions in the Solution of Pumping Station Design through Sensitivity Analysis

[EN] A proper pumping station (PS) design should consider multiple criteria, such as technical, economic, and environmental aspects. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method can be applied for multi-criteria analysis in this type of engineering design, and it is based on the judgment of a group of experts for the criteria considered. On the other hand, the most common method for PS design is one based solely on economic aspects or life cycle cost (LCC). This paper presents a sensitivity analysis of the impact of the hydraulic conditions of a water distribution network (WDN) on the ultimate solution in two PS design approaches. The first approach was the classic method based on LCC minimization and the second approach was based on multi-criteria analysis by means of AHP accounting for technical, economic, and environmental aspects. In this way, the effects of different meaningful variables for PS design, such as the mean demand, parameters of the setpoint curve, electric tariffs, and interest rates, were evaluated to determine the robustness of the PS solutions obtained. The obtained results of the sensitivity analysis in the case study demonstrated that the PS design based on multiple criteria decision analysis was more reliable and robust than the classic PS design against variations that can occur in a WDN, especially in the mean flow, setpoint curve, and electric tariff. The variations in these parameters of the WDN did not impact the ultimate solutions of the PS design approaches when within the tolerance ranges, but these ranges were wider in the second approach to PS design than in the first approach.Briceño-León, CX.; Iglesias Rey, PL.; Martínez-Solano, FJ.; Creaco, E. (2023). Impact of Hydraulic Variable Conditions in the Solution of Pumping Station Design through Sensitivity Analysis. Water. 15(17):1-23. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15173067123151

Methodology for Pumping Station Design Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

[EN] Pumping station (PS) designs in water networks basically contemplate technical and economic aspects. Technical aspects could be related to the number of pumps in PS and the operational modes of PS. Meanwhile, economic aspects could be related to all the costs that intervene in a PS design, such as investment, operational and maintenance costs. In general, water network designs are usually focused on optimizing operational costs or investment costs, However, some subjective technical aspects have not been approached, such as determining the most suitable pump model, the most suitable number of pumps and the complexity of control system operation in a PS design. Therefore, the present work aims to select the most suitable pump model and determine the prior-ities that technical and economic factors could have in a PS design by a multi-criteria analysis, such as an analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The proposed work will contemplate two main criteria, and every criterion will be integrated by sub-criteria to design a PS. In this way, technical factors (number of pumps and complexity of the operating system) and economic factors (investment, operational and maintenance costs) will be considered for a PS design. The proposed methodology consists of realizing surveys to a different group of experts that determines the importance of one criterion over each other criterion in a PS design through pairwise comparisons. Finally, this methodology will provide importance weight for the criteria and sub-criteria on the PS. Besides, this work will perform a rating of the considered alternatives of pump models in every case study, evaluating quantitatively every alternative with every criterion in the PS design. The main objective of this work will select the most adequate pump model according to the obtained rating, considering technical and economic aspects in every case study.This research was funded by the Program Fondecyt Regular, grant number 1210410.Briceño-León, CX.; Sanchez-Ferrer, DS.; Iglesias Rey, PL.; Martínez-Solano, FJ.; Mora-Melia, D. (2021). Methodology for Pumping Station Design Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Water. 13(20):1-35. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13202886S135132

Effects of epitaxial strain on the growth mechanism of YBa2Cu3O7-x thin films in [YBa2Cu3O7-x / PrBa2Cu3O7-x] superlattices

We report on the growth mechanism of YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO). Our study is based on the analysis of ultrathin, YBa2Cu3O7-x layers in c-axis oriented YBa2Cu3O7-x / PrBa2Cu3O7-x superlattices. We have found that the release of epitaxial strain in very thin YBCO layers triggers a change in the dimensionality of the growth mode. Ultrathin, epitaxially strained, YBCO layers with thickness below 3 unit cells grow in a block by block two dimensional mode coherent over large lateral distances. Meanwhile, when thickness increases, and the strain relaxes, layer growth turns into three dimensional, resulting in rougher layers and interfaces.Comment: 10 pages + 9 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev.

Design of Pumping Stations Using a Multicriteria Analysis and the Application of the AHP Method

[EN] The pumping station are very important hydraulic system in urban water supply be-cause the pumps raise the water head ensuring the minimum pressure required in drinking water systems. In the design of a pumping station, one of the most important criteria is the number of pumps. However, in the traditional design this criterion is de-fined arbitrarily. The other criteria are defined from the number of pumps and can be produce a design not optimal. In addition, the traditional design does not consider the environment importance to choose the pumps. The objective of this paper is defining a new design methodology for pumping sta-tions. It has been developed using a multicriteria analysis in which nine criteria are evaluated. The application of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) allows finding an optimal solution. These design criteria have been associated in three cluster factors: technical factors, environmental factors, and economic factors. The results obtained allow not only to validate the methodology, but also to offer a solution to the problem of determining the most suitable model and the number of pumps of a pumping sta-tion.Sánchez-Ferrer, DS.; Briceño-León, CX.; Iglesias Rey, PL.; Martínez-Solano, FJ.; Fuertes-Miquel, VS. (2021). Design of Pumping Stations Using a Multicriteria Analysis and the Application of the AHP Method. Sustainability. 13(11):1-22. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13115876S122131

Low skeletal muscle mass assessed directly from the 3rd cervical vertebra can predict pharyngocutaneous fistula risk after total laryngectomy in the male population

Altres ajuts: Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICAltres ajuts: Open Access Funding provided by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. European Regional Development Fund (A Way to Build Europe).Purpose: Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) loss and sarcopenia have been identified as risk factors for postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) formation after total laryngectomy (TL) and SMM assessed from a computed tomography image of the 3rd cervical vertebra (C3). Methods: Retrospective study of 86 male patients who underwent TL between 2013 and 2019 in a single institution. We excluded women from the analysis due to our limited sample. SMM was determined from cross-sectional muscle area (CSMA) measurement at C3 using the ImageJ software. Results were compared with those for the skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI) calculated from the estimated measure at 3rd lumbar vertebra (L3). Results: PCF formation occurred in 21/86 patients. According to the CSMA at a C3 cut-off of 35.5cm2, of 18 patients (20.9%) with low SMM, 9 developed PCFs (50.0%). Among patients with normal SMM (n = 68, 79.1%), 12 developed PCFs (17.6%). The CSMA at C3 was the only variable significantly associated with PCF risk, which was 4.7 times greater in patients with low SMM (p = 0.007). Sarcopenia was more frequent in underweight patients (p = 0.0001), patients undergoing extended surgeries (p = 0.003), or presenting preoperative anaemia (p = 0.009) or hypoalbuminemia (p = 0.027). Conclusion: Measuring the CSMA at C3 obtained results equivalent to those obtained by calculating the SMMI at L3, suggesting that direct SMM assessment from C3 is a useful approach to evaluating PCF formation risk after TL