Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Robert Steele'

This qualitative action research study looked at my collaboration with a science teacher as we combined a Television Production class with an Advanced Placement Environmental Science class. This cross-curricular case study explored the implementation of the principles of media literacy, defined by the National Association for Media Literacy Education, into the science classroom where media literacy has traditionally been a non-factor. The impact of media and technology on everyone's daily lives is making it necessary for us to become media literate. The use of media literacy tools and strategies in a combined media production class and an AP science class created opportunities to explore cross-curricular understandings of media literacy education that would not have existed otherwise.

This thesis is an endeavor to accurately document and define my actor coaching process as a director through Robert Harling's Steel Magnolias. The following chapters contain a record of the development of my actor coaching process in this production, including character & actor analysis, a rehearsal log that provides a daily track of my progress, and an evaluation of the process and resulting performance.

Sir John Steell was the most eminent and respected Scottish sculptor of his generation. He set new standards of achievement during his long and prolific career, and consistently worked towards the advancement of Scottish arts. He executed many important public monument projects for Scotland and Great Britain, and sent work to India, New Zealand and the United States. He introduced fine art bronze casting to Scotland, creating the Grove Foundry in Edinburgh in 1849 to cast the Scottish National Monument to the Duke of Wellington. Designated Sculptor in Ordinary to Her Majesty for Scotland by Queen Victoria in 1838, Steell earned a deserved reputation as the finest sculptor in Scotland. Until now, there has never been a comprehensive assessment of Steell’s life and work. The thesis and accompanying catalogue raisonne examine Steell’s career by focussing upon his major monument projects, but also assess his portraiture work and activities within the Scottish Victorian art world. Steell matured as a sculptor within a nation that was maturing aesthetically. Previous generations of Scottish sculptors with talent and ambition were essentially forced by market conditions to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Steell was the first Scottish sculptor to have a major international career while remaining in Edinburgh. Steell’s success was often used as an example that Scottish sculpture had achieved parity with sculptural practice in England and Europe. The thesis examines the conditions that allowed Steell to enjoy such a huge level of success in Edinburgh, and places Steell in context with English and European counterparts. The thesis also assesses the political and social conditions in Edinburgh that allowed Steell to dominate the local market. Also addressed are Steell’s activities within the Royal Scottish Academy, and his relationship with the Board of Manufactures, which provided early patronage and assistance. In terms of patronage, projects, methods, style, genres, display and opportunities, Steell’s career offers an excellent example of the conditions under which Victorian sculpture was created. Steell sculpted the most eminent and famous Britons of hs day, and played an essential role in the commemoration of such individuals as Sir Walter Scott, Wellington, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria for Scotland. The thesis and catalogue comprehensively examine the life and art of the man known for over fifty years as Sculptor for Scotland.

This thesis is concerned with robust control of an offshore steel jacket platform subject to nonlinear wave-induced forces. Since time delay and uncertainty are inevitably encountered for an offshore structure and their existence may induce instability, oscillation and poor performance, it is very significant to study on how the delay and uncertainty affect the offshore structure. In this thesis, a memory robust control strategy is, for the first time, proposed to reduce the internal oscillations of the offshore structure under wave-induced forces, so as to ensure the safety and comfort of the offshore structure. Firstly, when the system's states are adopted as feedback, memory state feedback controllers are introduced for the offshore structure. By using Lyapunov-Krasovskii stability theory, some delay-dependent stability criteria have been established, based on which, and by combining with some linearization techniques, memory state feedback controllers are designed to control the offshore structure. The simulation results show that such controllers can effectively reduce the internal oscillations of the offshore structure subject to nonlinear wave-induced forces and uncertainties. On the other hand, a new Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional is introduced to derive a less conservative delay-dependent stability criterion. When this criterion is applied to the offshore structure, an improved memory state feedback controller with a small gain is obtained to control the system more effectively, which is sufficiently shown by the simulation. Secondly, when the system's outputs are adopted as feedback, memory dynamic output feedback controllers are considered for the offshore structure. By employing a projection theorem and a cone complementary linearization approach, memory dynamic output feedback controllers are derived by solving some nonlinear minimization problem subject to some linear matrix inequalities. The simulation results show that the internal oscillations of the offshore structure subject to nonlinear wave-induced forces are well attenuated. Finally, robust H control is fully investigated for the offshore structure. By employing Lyapunov-Krasovskii stability theory, some delay-dependent bounded real lemmas have been obtained, under which, via a memory state feedback controller or a dynamic output feedback controller, the resulting closed-loop system is not only asymptotically stable but also with a prescribed disturbance attenuation level. The simulation results illustrate the validity of the proposed method.

Structural engineers and architects have a responsibility for incorporating fire safety into their building designs in order to minimize loss of life and property. To meet this requirement, extensive research has been carried out, aimed at obtaining better understanding of the performance of steel and composite structures under fire conditions. Recent research indicates that the robustness of steel connections is vitally important to the fire resistance of steel-framed composite buildings. The development of effective connection models is a key issue in this research field. This PhD research is focused on the development of robust connection elements, for modelling steel connections at elevated temperatures. In this work, a robust simplified two-node connection element has been developed, for modelling the behaviour of the bolted end-plate connections between steel beam and column at elevated temperatures. The proposed numerical procedure is based on the model proposed by Huang (2011), incorporating additional developments to more precisely determine the tension, compression, and bending moment capacities of end-plate connections in fire. The proper failure criteria are proposed to calculate the tension capacity for each individual bolt row. In this new model, the connection failure due to bending, axial tension, compression and shear are considered. The influence of the axial force of the connected beam on the connection is also taken into account. This new model has the advantages of both the simple and component-based models. A total of 22 tests are used to validate the model. From these validations, it is evident that this new connection model has ability to accurately predict the behaviour of the end-plate connection at elevated temperatures, and can be used to represent the end-plate connections in supporting performance-based fire resistance design of steel-framed composite buildings. For modelling the behaviour of partial end-plate connections between steel beams and columns under fire conditions, a simplified robust 2-node connection element has also been developed. The rotational response of a partial end-plate connection at elevated temperatures comprises of two stages. These stages are due to the shift of the compression centre of the connection from the end of end-plate, to the centre of the beam bottom flange at large rotation. The model proposed in this research accounts for these two stage behaviours, representing the partial end-plate iv connection as a 2-node non-linear spring element. Characteristics of the spring, such as stiffness, tension, compression, shear strengths and bending moment resistance, are determined based on a component-based approach. This model therefore retains the advantages of both the simple and component-based models. Compared to normal component-based models, this simplified model has very good numerical stability under static solver condition, and is computationally efficient. Fourteen tests are used to validate the model, showing that the model is capable of accurately predicting the behaviour of partial end-plate connections under fire conditions. A series of numerical studies has been conducted on a 2D steel frame, subjected to ISO834 Fire and Natural Fire, in order to investigate the influences of the connections on the behaviour of steel structures. It is clear that the model can be used to represent the partial end-plate connections in performance-based fire resistance design of steel-framed composite buildings. According to full-scale fire tests, tensile membrane action within the concrete floor slabs plays an important role in affecting the fire resistance of composite buildings. It is well known that the development of tensile membrane actions relies on the vertical support along the edges of the slab panel. However, there is at present a lack of research into how vertical supports influence the tensile membrane actions of the slab. In this thesis, the performance of a generic three dimensional 45m x 45m composite floor subjected to ISO834 Fire and Natural Fire are investigated. Different vertical support conditions and three steel meshes are applied, in order to assess the impact of vertical supports on tensile membrane action of floor slabs. Unlike other existing large scale modelling which assumed that the connections behave as pinned or rigid for simplicity, the two robust 2-node connection element models described above are used to model the semi-rigid behaviour of end-plate and partial end-plate connections within the fire compartment. The impact of connections on the 3D behaviour of composite floors is taken into consideration. The load-transfer mechanisms of a composite floor, when connections fail due to axial tension, vertical shear and bending are investigated. Based on the results obtained, some design recommendations are proposed for enhancing the fire resistance of composite buildings.

The autonomous control of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) is a growing research area. Skid steered UGVs are desired because of their simple control inputs, however the control algorithm requires complex dynamic analysis. The dynamic model is required to properly implement the control algorithm and this paper presents a linearized model for use in optimal and robust linear control methods. For localization of the robot sensors are required and for many applications low cost sensors are desired. This study used low cost sensors which require proper handling because noise is often increased in lower cost sensors. This study investigated the use of Kalman filtering and fusion on low cost sensors along with a novel approach of satellite selection for improved GPS precision. The sensor information from the Kalman filter was then used in a robust control algorithm and the vehicle?s path tracking ability was tested.

For adaptive motion control of an autonomous vehicle, operating in a generally structured environment, position and velocity feedback are required to ascertain the vehicle location relative to a reference. Whilst the literature offers techniques for guiding vehicles along external references, autonomous vehicles should be able to navigate between despatch locations without the need to rely on external guidance systems. Considerations of the vehicle stability and manoeuvrability favour a vehicle design with four independently steered wheels. A new motion control methodology has been proposed which utilises the geometric relationship of the angular displacements and the rotations of the wheels to estimate the longitudinal and lateral motions of the vehicle. The motion controller consists of three building blocks: the motion control system comprising the position tracking and the motion command generation; the electronic system comprising a data acquisition system and proprietary power electronics; the mechanical system which includes an undercarriage enabling permanent contact of the wheels with the floor. The components have been designed not only to perform optimally in their specific functions but also to ensure full compatibility within the integrated system. For reliable deduction of the wheel rotations with a high degree of accuracy a dedicated data acquisition interface has been developed, which enables data to be captured in parallel from four optical encoders mounted directly on the wheel axles. Parallel sampling of the angular wheel position and parallel actuation of all steering motors improves the accuracy of the system state and gives a higher degree of certainty. Considering only circular motion of the vehicle, a method for calculating the steering angles and wheel speeds based on the complex notation is presented. By cumulating the displacement vectors of the vehicle motion and the location of the centre of rotation between consecutive samples of the controller, the path of the vehicle is estimated. The difference between the nominal and the deduced centre of rotation is determined to minimise deviations from the reference trajectory and to allow the controller to adapt to changes in the road/tyre interface characteristics. The individual mechanical and electronic components have been assembled and tested. Additionally, the performance of the electronic interface has been evaluated on a purpose built test-bed. For the experimental validation of the methodology, a simple method of mapping the centre of curvature with a pen mounted at the nominal centre of rotation has been proposed. Experiments have been conducted with both the steering angles fixed to their theoretical values for the nominal centre of rotation and with the proportional steering controller enabled. The results from the latter method have shown a significantly reduced deviation from the nominal centre of rotation. The data captured of the angular wheel positions and steering angle settings has been analysed off-line. Good agreement is obtained between the deduced and the actual centres of rotation for the measurements averaged over 1.5 seconds. A number of different centres of rotation have been investigated and the required steering angles to compensate for the deviation have been plotted to form a control surface for the motion controller. The deviation between the estimated and the actual centre of curvature was less than 1.6% and adequate results could be obtained with the proportional steering controller.

This thesis studies the navigational control problem for an independently steered and driven four-wheeled ground robotic vehicle, a subset of the larger problem of controlling self-reconfigurable robotic vehicles. A reconfigurable vehicle is kinematically modeled and simplified using a fixed suspension. A combined steering and speed control scheme is proposed that coordinates steering angles by remembering the path of the front axle, given by navigational sensors. Simulation and experimental results are provided to validate the proposed algorithms. One simulation demonstrates the performance of the controller, while the second compares the maneuverability of the proposed steering algorithm with existing methods. The first experiment compares the performance of the proposed algorithm with existing algorithms on a variety of preprogrammed paths, and the second compares the performance by reactively constructing the path in real time using sensors. Results show the proposed algorithm outperformed others consistently by rates up to 40%, depending on path geometry.
NDSU Mechanical Engineering Department

Engineers often make use of component safety factors in order to ensure reliability and robustness of new products. To truly define a suitable safety factor for a given component, an understanding of the variability in the structural performance of the component is required, in addition to the variability in conditions of use. A large variation in either of these two factors can give rise to an overlap between the structural capability of a component and the limits of its service conditions. This may result in a situation where the component's structural capability fall below the in-service requirements, which could lead to catastrophic failure. Accurately defining the variability in the mechanical behaviour of High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) steels used for automotive chassis & suspension applications can help design engineers decide on appropriate safety factors to avoid over-engineering products. By investigating the root-causes of this variability, the steel industry can also benefit from this research, as its findings can assist in reducing the variability of its steel products that arise during production. Variability in steel mechanical behaviour can be due to numerous factors including chemistries, processing temperatures, cooling patterns, and the strip thickness etc. By analysing the variability that exists in the mechanical properties, fatigue behaviour and thickness of strip steel, a prediction of the overall effect of variations within these parameters on manufactured components is possible. Understanding the relationship between material variability and the consistency of component structural capability is paramount for achieving robust and reliable designs. The current research attempts to uncover and present some of these relationships.

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Keywords: structural engineering; fire safety; framework approach; performance-based design; information management; finite element; lumped-parameter; laboratory tests; steel; beam; restrained; plastic analysis. Includes bibliographical references (p. 180-182).

The thesis deals with the design of technology for production of wheels to be manufactured by die forging 15 142 low-alloy steel at an amount of 500,000 items per year. Based on a consideration of the suitable methods of manufacture, die forging on a Jing Duann FP-1600G vertical forging press was chosen as the best, as documented by the necessary technological and design drawings. A die with inserts made of 19 552 steel was designed for this machine. In view of the volume of annual production, a fully automated workplace was designed consisting of three robots and a chain and pan conveyor. In the conclusion there was a technical-economic evaluation of costs for the material of the semi-finished products and price of dies for annual production.

Pretendendo evidenciar uma leitura jurídico-política sobre o começo da integração europeia - iniciada por meio da fundação jurídica da CECA, esta Tese visa a responder à pergunta: quando, como e por meio de quais instituições, países europeus tradicionalmente opostos em termos militares estabeleceram entre si, após o término da Segunda Guerra Mundial, de maneira inédita e inaudita em sua História, um novo modo de relações responsável por tornar impossível e impensável a deflagração de nova Guerra regional? Para responder a essa pergunta, o presente trabalho assume a perspectiva de uma Pesquisa interdisciplinar em Direito, recorrendo não apenas ao Direito Positivo, mas também a outras áreas do conhecimento, tais como a Filosofia Política Antiga e Contemporânea e a História Contemporânea da Europa. O objetivo consiste em formular um aparato discursivo racional conceitual a partir de matriz de leitura fornecida pela Filosofia Política Antiga e Contemporânea para, em seguida, aplicá-lo sobre elementos da experiência histórica e jurídico-normativa positiva da CECA. A chave de leitura conceitual formada a partir de contribuições da Filosofia Política tem sua origem principalmente na aproximação das reflexões de POLÍBIO e de Claude LEFORT. O trabalho evidencia a importância de normas jurídicas institucionalmente previstas para lidar com oposições escalares na construção e na manutenção de um sistema de relações jurídico-Politicamente organizado, de maneira a que tensões entre distintas dimensões existenciais - institucionalmente absorvidas e encaminhadas - não possam significar a ruptura violenta desse sistema. Este aparato racional conceitual pode ser aplicado sobre os elementos da experiência histórica e normativa originária (Tratado de Paris de 1951) da CECA, o que permite diferenciar histórica e institucionalmente esta iniciativa em particular dos demais Projetos de Europa Unida do imediato pós-Segunda Guerra Mundial. Para os fundadores da CECA (Konrad ADENAUER, Jean MONNET e Robert SCHUMAN), um regime juridicamente regulado de simples cooperação política (Unionismo Europeu) não era considerado como suficiente para instaurar um novo modo de relações na Europa. Ao mesmo tempo, eles não visavam à construção jurídica de uma Unificação Política da Europa em torno de um Estado Federal Europeu (Federalismo Europeu). Nesse sentido, a CECA pode ser entendida como exemplo histórico singular de organização jurídico-Política de países europeus. Foram criados pelo Tratado da CECA órgãos comunitários supranacionais e intergovernamentais voltados a compartilhar com os Estados-Membros e com os respectivos povos europeus a formação do sentido normativo que deveria ser impresso sobre questões concretas sensíveis tornadas comuns. A nenhum deles foi atribuída uma posição central na nomogênese comunitária. A leitura jurídico-política da integração europeia iniciada com a CECA se mostra possível assim a partir da constatação de que a arquitetura das instituições do Tratado desta Organização Internacional mesmo das instituições que se referiam a normas jurídico-econômicas - foi responsável pela afirmação e pela conservação de um novo modo de relações entre os países europeus. Buscava-se, não um Estado Europeu, nem uma singela cooperação intergovernamental institucionalizada, mas um meio termo de organização jurídico-Política: um sistema de relações estruturado por um engenhoso mecanismo institucional orientado para promover, por meio de freios e contrapesos, de forma ininterrupta, oposições entre os participantes da vida comunitária.
Aiming to unveil a legal-political reading of the beginning of European integration - initiated by the legal foundation of the ECSC, this Thesis intends to answer the question: when, how and through which institutions, European countries traditionally opposed militarily established between themselves, after the end of the Second World War - unprecedentedly and unparalleled in their history, a new kind of relationship, which was responsible for making impossible and unthinkable the outbreak of new regional war? In order to answer this question, this study follows the path of an interdisciplinary Research in Law, resorting not only to Positive Law, but also to other fields of knowledge, such as Ancient and Contemporary Political Philosophy and Contemporary History of Europe. The objective is to read experience elements given by ECSCs History and positive legal rules through lens framed according to a rational conceptual apparatus grounded on Ancient and Contemporary Political Philosophy. The hermeneutical key framed according to Political Philosophy has its main origins in the conjoint discussion of POLYBIUS thought and Claude LEFORTs contributions. This work highlights the importance of legal institutions dealing with dimensional oppositions within the construction and maintenance of a legal-Politically organized relationships system, by which tensions institutionally absorbed and addressed - between different existential dimensions do not disrupte violently this system. This conceptual apparatus can be applied to understand ECSCs historical and and normative (Treaty of Paris, 1951) experience and helps differentiating from both a historical and institutional perspective this peculiar initiative from alternative European Union Projects immeadiately proposed after the Second World War. For ECSC founding fathers (Konrad ADENAUER, Jean MONNET and Robert SCHUMAN), a mere legal regime of political cooperation (European Unionism) was not regarded as sufficiently capable of creating a new kind of relationship in Europe. At the same time, they did not pursue a legal Political Unification of Europe within a European Federal State (European Federalism). In this sense, the ECSC can be seen as an unique historic example of a legal-Political organization of European countries. Supranational and intergovernmental community bodies were created by ECSCs Treaty in order to share with its own member-States and their respective peoples the construction of the normative sense which would conduct issues concerning sensitive common problems. To none of them was assigned a central position in Communitys normative process. A legal-political reading of European integration - started with the ECSC - seems possible because the institutional framework whithin its Treaty - even when referred to legal and economic rules - was responsible for the affirmation and preservation of a new kind of relationship between European countries. It was envisaged, neither a European State, nor an institutionalized intergovernmental cooperation, but a middle-way legal-Political organization: a relationship system erecte by an ingenious institutional mechanism conceived to promote - through checks and balances - nonstop oppositions between participants of Communitys life.

La conception des ouvrages en Génie Civil se fait habituellement de manière semi-probabiliste en employant des valeurs caractéristiques auxquelles sont associées des facteurs partiels de sécurité. Toutefois, de telles approches ne permettent pas de garantir la robustesse de l’ouvrage conçu vis-à-vis des sources d’incertitudes susceptibles d’affecter ses performances au cours de sa réalisation et de son fonctionnement. Nous proposons dans ce mémoire une méthodologie d’aide à la décision pour la conception robuste des ouvrages qui est appliquée à une structure métallique reposant sur des fondations superficielles. La conception de cet ouvrage est conduite en intégrant le phénomène d’interaction sol-structure qui implique que les choix de conception faits sur la fondation influencent ceux faits sur la structure supportée (et réciproquement). La démarche de conception proposée fait appel à des outils d’optimisation multi-objectif et d’aide à la décision afin d’obtenir une solution qui offre le meilleur compromis entre l’ensemble des préférences énoncées par le décideur sur chaque critère de conception. Des analyses de sensibilité sont menées parallèlement dans le but d’identifier et de quantifier les sources d’incertitude les plus influentes sur la variabilité des performances de l’ouvrage. Ces sources d’incertitude représentées sous une forme probabiliste sont intégrées dans la procédure de conception et propagées à l’aide d’une méthode d’échantillonnage par hypercube latin. Une partie du mémoire est consacrée à l’analyse des effets de l’incertitude relative à la modélisation des paramètres géotechniques sur la réponse de l’ouvrage et sur la démarche plus globale d’optimisation
Design in Civil Engineering is usually performed in a semi-probabilistic way using characteristic values which are associated with partial safety factors. However, this approach doesn’t guarantee the structure robustness with regard to uncertainties that could affect its performance during construction and operation. In this thesis, we propose a decision aid methodology for robust design of steel frame on spread foundations. Soil-structure interaction is taken into consideration in the design process implying that the design choices on foundations influence the design choices on steel frame (and vice versa). The proposed design approach uses multi-objective optimization and decision aid methods in order to obtain the best solution with respect to the decision-maker’s preferences on each criterion. Furthermore, sensitivity analyzes are performed in order to identify and quantify the most influencing uncertainty sources on variability of the structure performances. These uncertainties are modeled as random variables and propagated in the design process using latin hypercube sampling. A part of this dissertation is devoted to the effects of uncertainties involved in soil properties on the structure responses and on the design global approach

Determining the fatigue properties (Manson-Coffin and Ramberg-Osgood parameters) for a steel material requires time consuming and expensive testing. In the early stages of a design process, it is not feasible to perform this testing. To help solve this problem numerous researchers have developed estimation methods to estimate the Manson-Coffin parameters from monotonic properties data. Additionally, other researchers have compared the results from these various estimation methods for large material classifications. However, a comprehensive comparison of these estimation methods has not been made for steels in different heat treatment states. More accurate results for the best estimation method can be made with smaller classifications, which have more consistent properties. In this research, best estimation methods are determined for six steel heat treatments. In addition to looking at steel heat treatment classifications, the estimation of the Ramberg-Osgood parameters is also examined through the compatibility conditions. Without them, the approach of estimating the fatigue properties using the estimation methods would not be practically useful. Finally, in the comparison of the estimation methods, an appropriate statistical comparison methodology is utilized; multiple contrasts comparison. This methodology is implemented into the comparison of the different estimation methods, by comparing the estimated lives and the experimental lives as a regression so that the entire life range can be considered. The estimation methods can also be utilized to get estimates of the variability of the fatigue properties given the variability of the monotonic properties data, since there is a functional relationship developed between the two sets of material properties. This variability is necessary for a stochastic design process, in order to obtain a more optimally designed component or structure. Overall the estimation methods have a number of practical applications within a fatigue design process. Their use and implementation needs to be supplemented by the appropriate knowledge of their limitations and for what classifications they give the best results. An expert system is developed to summarize this knowledge to assist an engineer. This research aims to provide this knowledge and expands their use to account for variability in fatigue properties for stochastic analysis.

碩士
國立高雄應用科技大學
土木工程與防災科技研究所
105
In recent years, the German industry 4.0 standard as a development strategy, automation, robot and wisdom factories issues prompt manufacture industries introduce robotics technology, which help labor cost down, solve the labor shortage problem and promote automated production process. In order to strengthen the national industrial competitiveness and enhance economic development in response to population aging trend, Taiwan is bound to enter the "robot era" to increase the manufacture efficiency especially in steel structure manufacture industries which were concerned in this study. This article introduce the development of robot, the evolution of industrial revolution and the application of welding robots in a wide range of countries - Europe, Japan and mainland China. Taiwan’s steel manufacture industry early leaned a lot from Japan. This research evaluates the feasibility of changing build-up H shape, BH, secondary processing field into automatic welding robot processing in China Steel Structure Co., Ltd. Four sets of ARCMAN-MP welding robots of Kobe, Japan are introduced to have automatic intelligent processing. Research results show that robot processing can reduce 45% slag splashing, need only 1/3 manufacture time, and get investment repayment in 9 years when comparing to the original processing. This study verifies that investment of welding robot in BH secondary processing is feasible.

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2008.
Advisor: Patrick Hollis, Florida State University, College of Engineering, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 23, 2008). Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 61pages. Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis presents a novel state estimation structure, a hybrid extended Kalman filter/Kalman filter developed for a skid-steered, six-wheeled, ARGO® all-terrain vehicle (ATV). The ARGO ATV is a teleoperated unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) custom fitted with an inertial measurement unit, wheel encoders and a GPS. In order to enable the ARGO for autonomous applications, the proposed hybrid EKF/KF state estimator strategy is combined with the vehicle’s sensor measurements to estimate key parameters for the vehicle. Field experiments in this thesis reveal that the proposed estimation structure is able to estimate the position, velocity, orientation, and longitudinal slip of the ARGO with a reasonable amount of accuracy. In addition, the proposed estimation structure is well-suited for online applications and can incorporate offline virtual GPS data to further improve the accuracy of the position estimates. The proposed estimation structure is also capable of estimating the longitudinal slip for every wheel of the ARGO, and the slip results align well with the motion estimate findings.

碩士
國立中山大學
企業管理研究所
86
This is a case study of the china steel corporation. In the beginning,seven cases were studied and analyzed is to construct a model of propagatingparameter design for organization. Then, questionnaire was investigated.Finally, organization behaviour and technical variables of the employee weredeeply discussed, in order to reinforce the model of propagating parameterdesign. Finally, some consequences wee concluded as following :1.In order to successfully propagate robust parameter design model, related department need to make concerted efforted through PDCA ( Plan Do Cheek Action ) of deming Circle.2.During propagating this model, difficulties were finded such as lack of support from partial managers, misunderstanding of parameter design, partial case failure,insufficiency of resources, inconsistency between analyzed result and professional theory, enormous organization and lots of hierarchy.3.After factor analysis, six factors for success were extracted. These factors were training and resource,quality and object, temptation and symposium, consultantand ownership,top management and reward, strategy and integration. Temptation and symposium was the most significance.Temptation of successful case and symposium should be promoted and employed.4.Full support of top management, emulation outside the organization, implementation of total training, applied cases derived from duty and symposium inside the organization were the concrete waies for continuous propagaton of robust parameter design.

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Engenharia Mecânica apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Recently we have witnessed not only the development of mobile robots to perform tasks in dangerous situations for humans but also for activities inside factories or agricultural environments. However, the success of these projects is dependent on the amount of useful research that exists on this subject that results in technology advancements. The aim of this dissertation is to create a simple modular and reconfigurable mobile robot that can fulfil the need of this equipment in research about that matter. It includes the conceptual and detailed design, simulation, prototyping and testing of a skid-steer robot. This study starts by defining and classifying outdoor mobile robots according to their structure and locomotion mechanisms. It also refers to the latest prototypes that have been developed in this field, some of them with commercial application. Furthermore, a study will be done about the forces that will affect the structure, which will be designed with aluminium profiles, and simulated through finite element analysis. This study will not only ensure the development of a viable structure, but also to make it as suitable as possible. This means that the structure must provide the expected characteristics with the lowest possible mass. With that purpose in mind several structures with different types and sizes of profiles will be tested and compared. The results obtained from the tests performed are presented in the last chapters, as well as the characteristics of the implemented robot. Finally, there is an overlook of all the achievements and conclusions made possible with this research work.
Recentemente, temos assistido não só ao desenvolvimento de robôs móveis para executar tarefas em situações perigosas para humanos, mas também para atividades dentro de fábricas ou ambientes agrícolas. No entanto, o sucesso desses projetos depende da quantidade de investigação que existe sobre esse assunto, resultando em avanços tecnológicos.O objetivo desta dissertação é tentar criar um robô móvel simples, reconfigurável e modular que possa satisfazer a necessidade desse equipamento na pesquisa sobre esse tópico. Esta dissertação inclui o design conceitual e detalhado, a simulação, a prototipagem e o teste de um robô móvel.Esta dissertação começa definindo e classificando robôs móveis outdoor de acordo com sua estrutura e mecanismos de locomoção. Também se refere aos protótipos mais recentes que foram desenvolvidos neste campo, alguns deles com aplicação comercial.Além disso, será feito um estudo dos esforços a que este tipo de robôs serão submetidos para que possa ser iniciado o dimensionamento da estrutura, criada com perfis de alumínio, através de análise de elementos finitos. Este estudo visará não só garantir o desenvolvimento de uma estrutura viável, mas também torná-la tão adequada quanto possível. Isso significa que a estrutura deve proporcionar as características esperadas com a menor massa possível. Com esse objetivo em mente, serão testadas várias estruturas com diferentes tipos de perfil.Um capítulo sobre os resultados obtidos a partir dos testes feitos ao robô irá concluir com as características do mesmo. Finalmente, há uma visão geral de todas as realizações neste trabalho de pesquisa e possíveis desenvolvimentos futuros.

碩士
國立臺灣科技大學
機械工程系
107
The purpose of this research is to develop the surface finishing processes on the 6-axis robot for STAVAX material. The optimal processing parameters of ball burnishing and ball polishing which were obtained in the previous study are adopted in this study. The ball polishing parameters were obtained in the same period study are adopted in this study as well. 　　The optimal ball burnishing parameters were as follows：the feed rate of 300 mm/min, the stepover of 30 μm, the burnishing force of 80 N. The surface roughness could be improved to Ra 0.04 μm. The polishing parameters were as follows：FKM rubber, the feed rate of 30 mm/min, the stepover of 10 μm, the depth of penetration of 90 μm, the spindle speed of 7500 rpm, the ratio of lubricant of 1:20. The surface roughness of 2D flat workpiece could be improved from Ra 0.04μm to Ra 0.017μm on a CNC machining center. Applying these parameters to different shape of workpiece by using 6-axis robot, the surface roughness of 2D flat workpiece could be improved from Ra 0.04 μm to Ra 0.027 μm. The surface roughness of 2.5D cylindrical workpiece could be improved from Ra 0.047 μm to Ra 0.033 μm. The surface roughness of 3D saddle workpiece could be improved from Ra 0.07 μm to Ra 0.04 μm.

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Engenharia Civil apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
O presente documento é dividido em duas partes principais: uma referência bibliográfica para abordar a teoria acerca das estruturas mistas, e uma parte analítica. A referência bibliográfica abrange assuntos como o enquadramento histórico do estudo e utilização destes elementos e as principais soluções utilizadas no mercado atual para diversos elementos estruturais, além da apresentação das principais vantagens na utilização das estruturas mistas em projetos de edifícios. A parte principal da revisão bibliográfica é basicamente o levantamento da maioria dos pormenores que a norma europeia considera importante na fase de modelação de estruturas mistas, além da apresentação das diferentes possibilidades se tratando de análise estrutural e as diferenças entre análise fendilhada ou não fendilhada. No que diz respeito aos pormenores de modelação, sempre que possível foi exemplificado como são consideradas as diferentes situações através do software comercial Robot Structural Analisys. Após a revisão bibliográfica, são apresentados todos os modelos que foram analisados no software em causa. Primeiramente foram realizadas análises em vigas simplesmente apoiadas e isoladas de forma a encontrar as metodologias de modelação que geram modelos com os resultados mais próximos da realidade, buscando sempre a metodologia mais eficiente. Após comparar os resultados obtidos na primeira análise, foram escolhidas as modelações mais confiáveis e eficientes para serem utilizadas na análise de um edifício genérico. Foi modelado um edifício misto para cada metodologia em causa, comparando os resultados obtidos e então tirando conclusões acerca da eficiência destas metodologias.
The objective of this document is to present alternatives in regards structural modeling, its analysis and different composite solutions. In order to do so, the document is divided into twomain parts: a bibliographic review of composite structures theories, and an analytical part. The bibliographic review covers subjects like the historical framework of the study and use ofthese elements and the actual usual solutions of composite elements, in addition to the main advantages in the use of various composite solutions. The main part of the bibliographic reviewis a survey about the most important aspects considered by the European Regulation when modeling composite structures is presented as well as different options for a structural analysis, and the difference between cracked and un-cracked analysis. When the aspects of modeling are presented, whenever possible it was exemplified how the different situations are considered through the software Robot Structural Analysis. Following the bibliographic review, all models that were analyzed in the preparation of this document are presented. Focusing on the finding of the most efficient modeling methodology,combined with outcome models with realistic results, analysis where performed on beams with perfect hinge and isolated. After comparing the results, the most reliable and efficient modelswere chosen to be used in building project, therefore considered different methodologies. A composite building was then modeled for each explored methodology, comparing the resultsand drawing conclusions about the efficiency of these methodologies.

The origins of European integration and the factors that made it possible in the post-1945 era have been examined from different perspectives and interpreted in various ways. While federalists argue that the concept of European unity had been developed over centuries by different intellectual movements, the realist approaches of Milward and Dinan stress the importance of economic, political and security motives. Referring to the factors that contributed to the implementation of the Schuman Plan, both the federalist and realist approaches highlight the chief importance of states and their representatives. Yet, the ideas that inspired Jean Monnet, who designed the Schuman Plan, have received little attention. While the state is seen in the literature as the main actor that made the outcome possible, the role of Monnet and that of some of his close associates are almost ignored. By investigating Monnet's thought, this study shows that the source of his inspiration was not the countless plans for European unity put forward by European federalist movements or the random concepts that he came across, such as the New Deal. Rather, it is argued here that he was in fact constantly exposed to a coherent and well-structured philosophy. This thinking reached him through his direct contacts and frequent encounters with Felix Frankfurter and his associates, who formed an epistemic community, as defined by Peter M. Haas. The core concepts of this thinking inherited from Louis Brandeis and developed by Frankfurter – restoring and overseeing free competition – can be identified in Monnet's 1950 plan. The evidence shows that it became a shared philosophy of Monnet's group of friends. This is a fundamental aspect since, once the Schuman Plan was made public, Monnet's friends rallied around his project and contributed not only to overcoming stalemate at critical moments of the negotiations on the future treaty, but also to convincing statesmen of the value of the project.
Graduate

In the early 1990s, a series of gruesome murders of young women in Ciudad Juárez, a city located in the U.S.-Mexico border, shook the political landscape of Mexico. A decade later, the strange and violent murders, known as the feminicides or feminicidios of Juárez, reached international infamy across hemispheres and continents. During this time, the city and the cases became the subjects of an extensive body of scholarship and of any imaginable artistic medium (narrative, poetry, theater, performance, music, and so on). Eventually, the complexity and overexposure of the cases and the sociopolitical conditions of Ciudad Juárez placed them at the center of a paradoxical debate: on one hand, the work of activists, feminists, and scholars of social sciences (like anthropologists and sociologists) studied the murders as a localized example of a larger phenomenon of mysoginistic violence; on the other, journalistic and media investigations of Juárez understood the murders as the products of specific agents (serial killers, murderers, drug cartels, amongst others) and the fractures within the Mexican Nation-State. And yet, despite the expansion and overlapping of these discourses, fictional representations of Juárez remained tangential to this intricate debate. Thus, this research explores the different ways in which writers, artists, and filmmakers deployed and negotiated existent perspectives on the feminicides within fictional environments. As a result of the vast amount of published work available on Ciudad Juárez, I narrowed the objects of my research through a transnational scope. The resulting sample of texts transverses borders (Mexico and the U.S.), continents (Latin America and Europe), genres (fiction and nonfiction), and mediums (literature and film). The first chapter explores the connections of Sergio González Rodríguez’s Huesos en el desierto and Roberto Bolaño’s 2666 through the theoretical framework of the possible worlds of fiction. The second chapter moves to issues of representation, gender, and race through the analysis of two novels written by Chicana scholars: Alicia Gaspar de Alba’s Desert Blood: The Juárez Murders and Stella Pope Duarte’s If I Die in Juárez. Finally, the third chapter focuses on film representations of Juárez and the feminicides in the form of Gregory Nava’s Bordertown and Carlos Carrera’s Backyard/El Traspatio.
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