On Prediction of Wave-Induced Loads and Vibration of Ship Structures with Finite Volume Fluid Dynamic Methods

Rational assessment of wave loads for ultimate strength of ship structures requires appropriate numerical tools capable of dealing with physical phenomena related to severe environmental conditions. In addition to low frequency wave loads, vibration caused by wave action adds to the total wave loading of the primary hull structure. The thesis presents a numerical method for determining ship hull structural loads due to the action of waves, including the contributions from vibration of the fundamental vertical vibration modes of the hull. The proposed numerical method is based on a coupled numerical solution of the dynamics of fluid and structure. The fluid dynamics method is based on solution of the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations combined with a multiphase fluid formulation, whereas the structural dynamics method relies on a simplified representation of the hull girder with a finite element beam. The fluid dynamics method is in principle well suited to capture nonlinear flow features relevant for time domain simulation of ships in severe or extreme environments due to the capability of capturing complex flows including highly disturbed free surfaces. Wave-wave interaction, wave breaking and wave impacts are implicitly accounted for. The coupled method presented here implicitly and consistently accounts for complex resonant excitation of hull girder vibrations in waves as well as impulsive vibratory excitation due to slamming. Fundamental tasks of the work documented herein are the improvement and validation of the coupled numerical method, including investigations of required computational accuracy and estimations of numerical uncertainties. Available computational procedures for obtaining statistical properties of ship loads in irregular waves are adopted to the needs of the computationally expensive numerical method, and applied in case studies

Developments of low cost riverbank protection in Bangladesh

Over the last two decades the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has developed the widely accepted riverbank protection technology of geotextile bag revetments, consisting of multiple layers of systematically dumped geobags below low water plus a single layer of concrete blocks above low water. The original design characteristics from the early 2000s have proven sufficient for the most common application alongside largely agricultural land, with emphasis on the dimensions of the toe apron. In case of more severe design requirements, geotextile bags have been used as filter layer covered with rock. By and large geotextile bag revetments have become the backbone for a more stabilized Brahmaputra River System with a narrowed river corridor

Design decisions for a real time, alcohol craving study using physio- and psychological measures

The current study was a pilot for an alcohol craving monitoring study with a biosensor (E4 wristband) and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) smartphone app. The E4 wristband was evaluated on compliance rates, usability, comfort and stigmatization. Two EMA methodologies (signal- and interval-contingent design) were compared on data variability, compliance and perceived burden. Results show that both EMA methodologies captured variability of craving and compliance rates were between medium to low. The perceived burden of the designs was high, in particular for the signal-contingent design. Participants wore the wristband ranging from occasionally to often and the usability was rated good. Many participants reported frequent questioning about the bracelet, which they indicated as positive. However, addicted individuals are expected not to appreciate this attention, we therefore propose to provide them with coping strategies. Efforts should be made to increase compliance, we therefore propose the interval contingent design with micro incentives

High resolution mapping of a novel late blight resistance gene Rpi-avll, from the wild Bolivian species Solanum avilesii

Both Mexico and South America are rich in Solanum species that might be valuable sources of resistance (R) genes to late blight (Phytophthora infestans). Here, we focus on an R gene present in the diploid Bolivian species S. avilesii. The genotype carrying the R gene was resistant to eight out of 10 Phytophthora isolates of various provenances. The identification of a resistant phenotype and the generation of a segregating population allowed the mapping of a single dominant R gene, Rpi-avl1, which is located in an R gene cluster on chromosome 11. This R gene cluster is considered as an R gene “hot spot”, containing R genes to at least five different pathogens. High resolution mapping of the Rpi-avl1 gene revealed a marker co-segregating in 3890 F1 individuals, which may be used for marker assisted selection in breeding programs and for further cloning of Rpi-avl

Multiple QTLs linked to agro-morphological and physiological traits related to drought tolerance in potato.

Dissection of the genetic architecture of adaptation and abiotic stress-related traits is highly desirable for developing drought-tolerant potatoes and enhancing the resilience of existing cultivars, particularly as agricultural production in rain-fed areas may be reduced by up to 50 % by 2020. The “DMDD” potato progeny was developed at International Potato Center (CIP) by crossing the sequenced double monoploid line DM and a diploid cultivar of the Solanum tuberosum diploid Andigenum Goniocalyx group. Recently, a high-density integrated genetic map based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), diversity array technology (DArT), simple sequence repeats (SSRs), and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers was also made available for this population. Two trials were conducted, in greenhouse and field, for drought tolerance with two treatments each, well-watered and terminal drought, in which watering was suspended 60 days after planting. The DMDD population was evaluated for agro-morphological and physiological traits before and after initiation of stress, at multiple time points. Two dense parental genetic maps were constructed using published genotypic data, and quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis identified 45 genomic regions associated with nine traits in well-watered and terminal drought treatments and 26 potentially associated with drought stress. In this study, the strong influence of environmental factors besides water shortage on the expression of traits and QTLs reflects the multigenic control of traits related to drought tolerance. This is the first study to our knowledge in potato identifying QTLs for drought-related traits in field and greenhouse trials, giving new insights into genetic architecture of drought-related traits. Many of the QTLs identified have the potential to be used in potato breeding programs for enhanced drought tolerance