This dissertation investigates by means of computer simulation the potential of a
Band Variable-Inertia Flywheel (BVIF) to store energy for an urban transit bus.
Replacing both a fixed-inertia flywheel (FIF) and a continuously variable transmission
(CVT), the Band Variable-Inertia Flywheel is capable of accelerating a vehicle
from rest to a...
The focus of this study is the effective prioritization of customer requirements in collaborative product development. The CR priorities are often retrieved by questioning and interviewing targeted customers. But the targeted customer might not always be easily questioned, because they might not always be obvious or clearly known. If customers...
Polymeric composites reinforced with bio-materials have advantages over composites with synthetic reinforcements. Bio-based composites use low-cost and renewable reinforcements, have nonabrasive properties for machining, have improved damping characteristics, and have potential for energy recycling. However, the limited use of bio-based composites is because their mechanical properties are typically much lower...
With growing concerns on environment impact of industrial product development, the product developers are seeking better solutions to achieve desired environmental benign requirements by the regulators and customers besides economic growth. During the last decade, some of the most successful product development companies (such as HP) have established their own...
A significant barrier to the diffusion bonding of large (i.e. 600 mm) microchannel devices is the large capital investment required to setup production. This large capital investment extends from long heating and cooling cycles leading to poor production
capacities. Empirical studies in industry have shown that cooling rate is limited...
Due to age, original design that is deficient by modern standards, inadequate maintenance, environmental conditions, and increasing loads, large numbers of bridges in United States and elsewhere are classified as deficient and in need of rehabilitation or replacement. According to a national bridge inventory established by the Federal Highway Administration,...
In order to estimate wind turbine residL2;characteristics
in the presence of atmospheric turbulence, the important atmospheric
sources for the force excitations felt by the wind turbine system
must be identified and characterized. The goal of this research
is to develop the wind turbulence input model for horizontal axis
wind turbines....
The validity of the widely used stochastic linearization
method for analysing the response of guyed towers to stochastic loads
is investigated. The governing equations of a guyed tower have two
main sources of nonlinearities, fluid-structure interaction and the
restoring force of the cables. In this study, two models are
considered....
The objective of this investigation is the development
of improved techniques for the estimation of robustness for
dynamic systems with structured uncertainties, a problem
which was approached by application of the Lyapunov direct
method. This thesis considers the sign properties of the
Lyapunov function derivative integrated along finite intervals
of...
The main source of the time-dependent behavior of fiber-reinforced composites is their polymeric matrix, which causes concerns about their long term durability. Although for composites where organic fibers such as Graphite are used, the fibers are also a contributing factor. A composite material may exhibit an appreciable amount of creep,...