Engineering Commons^™

Air Breakdown In A Radial-Mode Focusing Element, Lee W. Casperson, Mohammad Shabbir Shekhani

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A new radial focusing device is described that condenses an incident laser beam to an extremely intense and uniformly illuminated focal spot. The focal region is useful for many applications. When used with a 10.6-µm CO₂ TEA laser source, a disk-shaped air-breakdown spark results, and the properties of this spark have been investigated.

Gaussian Light Beams In Inhomogeneous Media, Lee W. Casperson

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Vector wave solutions are obtained for the propagation of beams of light in media having slow spatial variations of the gain, loss, or index of refraction. The formalism developed here is applicable to a wide range of problems, and an exa mple considered in detail is the propagation of off-axis beams in lenslike laser materials and optical waveguides. A procedure is also described for the diagnosis of localized dielectric inhomogeneities such as plasmas by means of Gaussian laser beams.

Recent Developments In The Use Of Precast Concrete Units For Buildings In The United States And Iran, Khosrow Ebadi Farshchi

Dissertations and Theses

The object of this study was to investigate the recent developments in the use of precast prestressed concrete members for buildings in the United States and Iran. In the United States, the study was concerned with developments in the usage of members such as slabs, wall panels, beams and columns. The latest technical and engineering reports, along with personal interviews, were used, and a number of case studies were conducted on recently built structures. The author also studied the newest developments in the precast concrete industry in Iran. A questionnaire was formulated in both Persian (native language of Iran) and …

Response Of Orthotropic Bridge Decks To Highway Loadings, Harry Morris Rexin

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis documents the fabrication, testing techniques, and response of a plastic scale model of an orthotropic bridge deck. To economically investigate a two-lane steel bridge deck, plastic Acrylic^R was used as a modeling material. Welds were simulated with dichloromethane, a capillary action solvent, and PS-30, a polymerizable cement. Deflections were measured with laboratory dial guages while strains were monitored with strain guages mounted on the deck.

The response of the deck to AASHO vehicle axle loads was compared with a discrete element computer program used to analyze orthotropic bridge decks continuous over flexible supports. Results indicate good correlation …

Digital Computer Solution Of Electromagnetic Transients In Large Power Systems, Bijan Navidbakhsh

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis is an introduction to the solution of electromagnetic transients by a combination of the Bergeran method of characteristics and the application of trapezoidal rule of integration.

Three test examples solved by digital computer illustrate the step by step solution and computer programming.

To compare this method with the Laplace transformation technique, a test problem solved by both methods and also digital computer is illustrated. In conclusion, the advantages and disadvantages of both methods are compared.

The Random Sequence Closing Control System, Henri Bernard Joyaux

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis describes a digital control system used by the Network Analog Group of the Bonneville Power Administration. This system, the Random Sequence Closing Control System, provides automatic control for a special purpose analog computer used in the study of switching surge over voltages on power transmission lines. This system, which uses pseudorandom data, has made it feasible to analyze switching surge phenomena on a statistical basis.

Cylindrical Laser Resonators, Lee W. Casperson

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A general class of cylindrical laser resonators is described in which the radiation propagates partially in the radial direction. There is a strong focusing of energy at the axis of such resonators. The low-loss cavity modes are related to ordinary gaussian beam modes. Two limiting forms are the disk laser and the tube laser, and some applications are considered.

Entropy Reduction Of English Text Using Variable Length Grouping, Vincent Norman Ast Jr.

Dissertations and Theses

It is known that the entropy of English text can be reduced by arranging the text into groups of two or more letters each. The higher the order of the grouping the greater is the entropy reduction. Using this principle in a computer text compressing system brings about difficulties, however, because the number of entries required in the translation table increases exponentially with group size. This experiment examined the possibility of using a translation table containing only selected entries of all group sizes with the expectation of obtaining a substantial entropy reduction with a relatively small table.

An expression was …

Moment-Curvature-Thrust Relationships In Hybrid Members, Douglas Wrenn Fiala

Dissertations and Theses

In order to overcome the difficulties encountered in closed form solutions, moment-curvature-thrust relationships are developed for hybrid and nonhybrid cross sections utilizing an open form method. The use of horizontal sectors permits the inclusion of residual stresses and/or nonbilinear stress-strain relationships, if desired. Theoretical and experimental data are compared. Applications to circular tubes and other cross sections are discussed. Results indicate that open form solutions are feasible for calculating moment-curvature-thrust data. Hybrid cross sections are easily treated by open form solutions.

Complex Systems And The Price-Resource Directive Coordination Procedure, Chamberlain Lambros Foes

Dissertations and Theses

In this thesis, the problem considered is that of linear static optimization of a large system which is composed of a finite number of subsystems, each characterized by its own constraint matrix and objective function.

The total system is itself constrained by resource availabilities and other factors, and its objective function is the mathematical linear sum of the objective function of the subsystems. The total system constraints couple together all the subsystems. The total system is first reformulated as a two-level problem by decoupling the total system constraints utilizing an arbitrary partition of the total system resources and other factors …

Application Of Numerical Analysis To Root Locus Design Of Feedback Control Systems, Steve William Justice

Dissertations and Theses

Many practical problems in the field of engineering become so complex that they may be effectively solved only with the aid of a computer. An effective solution depends on the use of an efficient algorithm. Plotting root locus diagrams is such a problem. This thesis presents such an algorithm.

Root locus design of feedback control systems is a very powerful tool. Stability of systems under the influence of variables can be easily determined from the root locus diagram. For even moderately complex systems of the type found in practical applications, determination of the locus is extremely difficult if accuracy is …

Studies Of Bistable Fluid Devices For Particle Flow Control, Gerald H. Hogland

Dissertations and Theses

This study was directed toward the development of a bistable wall attachment Flip-Flop device which was capable of directionally controlling particle flow. The particles were transported by a fluid stream which under the influence of wall attachment. The dominant criteria in the development of the device was the achievement of the highest recovery of particles at the active output, without destroying the wall attachment of the fluid stream The experiment was conducted in several distinct stages; each of which was concerned with at least one aspect of wa1l attachment or particle flow. Results derived from one test were used to …

Gain And Dispersion Focusing In A High Gain Laser, Lee W. Casperson, Amon Yariv

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The transverse modes of a laser resonator containing a medium with a strong radial gain profile differ greatly from the modes of a similar resonator containing a low gain medium. Focusing and defocusing effects result from the gain profile and from the associated dispersion profile. The dispersion focusing causes an asymmetry in the power output as the laser is tuned across the gain line. The theory has been verified using a high gain 3.51-µ xenon laser.

Saddas; A Self-Contained Analog To Digital Data Acquisition System., Walter Anton Petersen

Dissertations and Theses

SADDAS, a. Self-contained Analog to Digital Data Acquisition System, converts analog voltage inputs to formatted BCD (binary coded decimal digital magnetic tape. SADDAS consists of a 16 channel multiplexer, a 17 bit (4 digits + sign) 40 microsecond analog to digital converter, a 512 byte 8 bit core memory, a 30 IPS (inches per second) digital tape recorder at a density of 556 cpi (characters per inch), and a controller which integrates these instruments into a flexible and easy-to-use system. Sampling rates in excess of 360 samples per second may be used when converting seven channels of data, such as …

Computer Solution To Inverse Problems Of Elliptic Form: V²U(X,Y) = G(A,U,X,Y), Frederick Alvin Jeter

Dissertations and Theses

One important aspect of our present age of monolithic high speed computers is the computer's capability to solve complex problems hitherto impossible to tackle due to their complexity. This paper explains how to use a. digital computer to solve a specific type of problem; specifically, to find the inverse solution of a in the elliptical equation V²U(x,y) = g(a,U,x,y), with appropriate boundary conditions. This equation is very useful in the electronics field. The knowns are the complete set of boundary values of U(x,y) and a set of observations taken on internal points of U(x,y). Given this information, plus …

Direct Design Of A Portal Frame, Angel Fajardo Ugaz

Dissertations and Theses

This investigation was undertaken to develop plastic design aids to be used in the direct design of optimum frames. It uses the concept of minimum weight of plastically designed steel frames, and the concept of linear programming to obtain general solutions. Among the special characteristics of this study are: A. The integration of both gravity and combined loading conditions into one linear programming problem. B. The application of the revised simplex method to the dual of a parametric original problem. C. The application of A and B above in the development of design aids for the optimum design of symmetrical …

Comparative Study Of Lightweight And Normal Weight Concrete In Flexure, Mohammad Zareh

Dissertations and Theses

This investigation represents a comparative study of the flexural behavior of lightweight and normal weight concrete. Both theoretical and experimental moment-curvature characteristics of the tested specimens were used to study the flexural behavior.

A generalized computer program to determine the moment-curvature relationships of a singly reinforced rectangular concrete beam was developed.

For this limited study it was observed that lightweight concrete beams when compared to normal concrete beams achieve comparable moment capacity (about 92% of normal weight concrete) but exhibit higher deflections (about 40% more than normal weight concrete).

Longitudinal Modes In A High-Gain Laser, Lee W. Casperson, Amon Yariv

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In lasers employing high‐gain narrow‐linewidth transitions the theory predicts major departures of the mode‐splitting frequencies from their low‐gain values as well as a new type of mode splitting. The first of these effects consisting of a reduction by a factor of 2.5 of the mode splitting in a xenon 3.51‐μ laser is observed experimentally.

Systems Reliability Using The Flow Graph, Kenneth Edward Farrier

Dissertations and Theses

The problem of calculating the reliability of a complex system of interacting elements is delineated to a linear system, no element of the system having a reliability distribution in terms of any other e1ement of the system, where only one path is taken through the system at a time. A precise definition is then developed to specify the reliability of the linear, single path at a time, system. A precise and concise generating function is found that effortlessly produces the reliability of the linear, single path at a time, system directly from the reliability flew graph of the system.

The Gaussian Mode In Optical Resonators With A Radial Gain Profile, Lee W. Casperson, Amon Yariv

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The dependence of the parameters of the Gaussian mode in laser resonators on the properties of the medium in the cavity is studied. Experimental verification of the theoretical results is presented. It is found that the modes in a high‐gain laser may differ widely from the usual free space resonator results. Also, resonator configurations which in free space are unstable may, with a suitable medium, support low‐loss Gaussian modes.