Identifying the role of nucleotide binding and hydrolysis in MutS in the molecular enzymology of E. coli DNA mismatch repair initiation

Burst Pressure Prediction of Cord-Rubber Composite Pressure Vessels: Using Global-Local Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis

This project aims at developing a model to predict the damage initiation and propagation in a cylindrical filament-wound cord-rubber structure under internal pressurization using non-linear FEA, and is conducted in cooperation with TANIQ BV, Netherlands.<br/>Cord-reinforced rubber composites are used in several safety-critical industries such as...

Saving for a rainy day? Estimating the economic impact of the 2021 Limburg flood

In this thesis I use a novel approach to estimate the economic impact of the 2021 Limburg flood using high-frequency transaction data from ABN AMRO bank. High- frequency bank transaction data have previously been proven valuable in accessing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (Neuteboom et al., 2021). To the best of my knowledge, this...

Computing breakwater stability using SWASH: The effects of model choices, shallow foreshore and oblique waves on the stability of a rubble mound breakwater

On the east coast of Romania, at Eforie, coastal erosion manifests. To strengthen the coastal area a large coastal protection project was setup involving beach nourishment combined with the construction of breakwaters. The breakwaters are designed with the well-known modified Van der Meer formulas. To ensure confidence in the breakwaters...

A Strain Energy Limiter Approach for Atherosclerotic Plaque Rupture Modelling

Atherosclerosis is a prevalent cardiovascular disease and defined as plaque formation inside the arterial intima layer. The atherosclerotic plaque is characterized as anisotropic, soft tissue and a potential plaque rupture could result in life-threatening clinical events, such as ischemic attack or stroke. The plaque rupture mechanism is still...

Combined Acoustic and Optic Characterization of Damage Mechanisms in Internally Pressurized Composite Pressure Vessels

To achieve CO2 emissions reductions, the automotive industries are moving towards more sustainable solutions. One of those are fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) which rely on the chemical reaction of hydrogen to produce electricity. The hydrogen is stored in a gaseous and compressed form in composite pressure vessels (CPVs) which must be...

An Integrated Machine Learning and Finite Element Analysis Framework, Applied to Composite Substructures including Damage

Engineering fields such as aerospace rely heavily on the Finite Element Method (FEM) as a modelling tool. In combination with the scale and complexity of the structures typically involved here, computational cost remains a traditional issue. To perform FEM analyses of such structures efficiently nonetheless, engineers rely on techniques such as...

Modelling Impact Damage on Aircraft Structures (MIDAS): Predicting impact damage on (composite) aircraft based on maintenance data of (metal) aircraft

In this thesis, a methodology is presented to predict impact damage on next-generation (composite) aircraft based on maintenance data of in-service (metal) aircraft. To achieve this conversion, an analytical model is developed to Model Impact Damage on Aircraft Structures (MIDAS) for composite (-C ) and metal (-M ) aircraft. The model...

A Progressive Blended Fatigue Framework for FRPs

In general, damage models for Fibre-Reinforced Polymers (FRPs) can be divided into two categories: Continuum Damage Models (CDMs) and Fracture Mechanics Damage Models (FMDMs). Damage models within each of these categories are advantageous for different type of failure mechanisms. Therefore, it is of interest to develop a unified framework in...

Laboratory experiments on the stability of concrete cubes: a comparison of testing methodologies

An important step in the design process of breakwaters is the laboratorial tests which show the performance of the breakwater. One of the important aspects in the performance is the stability of the armour layer. A common methodology for breakwater testing is a method in which the design wave conditions are simulated in four steps of 1000 or...

Identifying Delta Regions Most Vulnerable for Flooding: A Multiple Land Use Flood Risk Assessment for Australia

The global economical losses caused by flooding have increased over the last 50 years (IPCC, 2014; UNISDR, 2013). Deltares and HKV are developing new methods to quantify flood risk on a global scale. A Flood Risk Assessment Tool (FIAT) is used to performcalculations. The definition of risk is hazard x exposure x vulnerability. FIAT is able to...

Evaluation of the Volume-Exchange Model using Van der Meer Laboratory Tests Results

This study extends the theoretical approach developed by JUMELET [2010] to acquire a physical description of the notional permeability coefficient applied in the VAN DER MEER stability formulae [1988]. Van der Meer introduced this coefficient to ensure that the permeability of the structure is taken into account, however due to the empirical...