| 1. |
- Eppanapelli, Lavan Kumar
(författare)
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Experimental investigation of snow metamorphism at near-surface layers
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Snow metamorphism is a direct objective in many snow research areas, and its charac-terisation is a major challenge in areas including winter road maintenance, detection of icing on wind turbine blades, and snow quality mapping for skiing. A common effect of snow metamorphism is compaction, which can be investigated from the associated vari-ations in physical properties of snow. While the relation between snow metamorphism and physical properties of snow is fairly well-known, a method to quantify this relationis not extensively researched. This experimental based thesis focuses on the relationship between the physical properties of snow and its degree of metamorphism. The link isestablished and investigated by quantifying near-infrared (NIR) reflectance measure-ments and analysing the microtomographic data. Three experimental approaches are developed to record the NIR reflectance measurements and to understand the influence of compaction at near-surface layers of a snowpack. In addition, an X-ray microtomogra-phy (micro-CT) system is used to visualise the behaviour of snow microstructure during compaction. In this thesis, snow experienced compaction via aging, the melting-freezing process, uniaxial loading, settling and infiltration of liquid water.A numerical tool based on the well-established Discrete Ordinates Radiative Trans-fer (DISORT) method is used to solve the radiative transfer equation (RTE) for aplane-parallel and semi-infinite snowpack. The numerical solver takes the reflectance measurements as input and returns the coefficients of a first order Legendre phase function of an investigated snowpack at a given wavelength of light. The results from the solver show consistency and strong correlation between the Legendre coefficient sand the physical properties of snow. Furthermore, the physical properties of snow such as specific surface area (SSA) and liquid water content (LWC) were estimated via parameterisation where the reflectance data is used as input. The results suggest that the parameterisation of LWC can provide a qualitative estimate of the LWC in a snowpack, while the parameterisation of SSA provides a quantitative estimate of the snow SSA. As a next step, the influence of compaction on snow microstructure is investigated from three-dimensional (3D) images obtained using the micro-CT system. In this case, compaction is initiated by applying uniaxial load on a snow sample and the effect of compaction is analysed based on digital volume correlation (DVC) and porosity distribution. The micro-CT observations further emphasise that near-surface layers of a snowpack experience a higher degree of impact during compaction.In summary, this thesis presents experimental methods to quantify the link between snow compaction at near-surface layers, and the physical properties of snow. The mode observations show that the estimated Legendre coefficients can provide qualitative descriptions of snow grain distribution and surface texture. The parameterisation methods can provide the details about the LWC and the SSA of a snowpack. Further, the observations from the micro-CT study suggest that grains breakage and recrystallisation are the prevailing effects of snow compaction. All observations in this thesis are helpful in understanding the metamorphism in a snowpack for relevant research areas.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Chen, Hui
(författare)
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Light Scattering Effects in Transparent Wood Biocomposites
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Transparent wood (TW) shows interesting optical properties and offers a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polymer glasses. The influence of the TW internal structure (e.g. fiber alignment, volume fraction of cellulose, lignin content, defects from preparation process) on the optical properties is poorly understood, which limits its use in various applications. It is also true for transparent cellulose biocomposites in general. In this thesis, eco-friendly TW biocomposites are investigated. The work focuses on experimental characterization, structure-optical property relationships and possibilities to quantify such relationships. TWs made of delignified wood substrates with longitudinal direction of the tree parallel to the specimen surface are prepared. Relationships between anisotropic scattering and fiber alignment are studied by scattering angle measurement. Anisotropic photons distributions are compared between two fiber directions and various sample thicknesses. Next, attenuation coefficients (related to the anisotropic diffusion coefficients and absorption coefficient) for TWs are obtained by combining the photon diffusion equation with total transmittance measurements. The results indicate strong influence from the air gaps between wood substrate phase and polymer in the lumen pores on the scattering. Beside the airgaps between wood substrate and polymer, refractive index mismatch between polymer and wood substrate strongly influences the scattering. Thus, immersion liquid method (based on the total transmittance measurement) combined with a light transmission model (based on Fresnel reflection theory) is applied to estimate the refractive index of the delignified wood substrate. This facilitates TW design (i.e. the proper polymer selection for various applications) and modelling of the optical properties of delignified wood based transparent materials. Finally, extinction coefficients, Rayleigh scattering and absorption coefficients of TW are extracted from photon budget measurements combined with a light diffusion model developed. With higher volume fraction of cellulose, all these parameters are increased, although polymer-cellulose refractive index mismatch is the dominating factor controlling transmittance. The strong forward scattering in TW is analysed, and Rayleigh scattering has a strong effect on haze. The influence of lignin content on the absorption coefficient is also discussed.
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| 4. |
- Sollén, Sofia, 1994-
(författare)
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Monitoring winter road friction using floating car data
- 2022
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- More than a million people die every year due to road traffic accidents globally where one in five serious or fatal accidents occurs during severe weather conditions. Sweden is in the lead of Vision Zero, with the aim of zero casualties due to road traffic, and every year new countries and organisations accept the challenge of saving lives. Early studies have shown that one way of decreasing casualties is to implement floating car data (FCD), which is data obtained from connected road vehicles. One example of such an implementation is to gather knowledge about the current state of the road network enabling targeted winter road maintenance. By implementing FCD for winter road maintenance, besides creating safer roads, savings will be made for the environment by reducing the use of fossil fuels and salt.Since the fleet of road vehicles is going towards being fully autonomous, the volumes of FCD will increase rapidly generating new possibilities for FCD usage. Recent research regarding FCD has mainly focused on traffic flow, speed and route optimisation, together with general methods for FCD mining creating intelligent transport systems. Studies have also been made to cover the gap between road weather information systems (RWIS) monitoring the road condition and thereby improving road weather forecasts. But there is a need for research regarding the implementation of FCD at a level of action, closer to the road users improving winter road maintenance.Presented in this thesis are results gathered in the project Digital Winter, a project initiated by the Swedish Traffic Administration, where FCD regarding tire-to-road friction has been procured for all public roads in Sweden. Results show promising numbers regarding coverage and reliability for implementation of FCD for winter road maintenance follow-up, managing that assigned levels of road friction are achieved. Examples are given for different areas in Sweden where harsh weather conditions are detected and statistics show coverage of FCD both at a daily and hourly level. Multiple suppliers of FCD have been participating in Digital Winter and the measurements presented, show a correlation between suppliers of FCD and methods that today are approved for winter road maintenance follow-up in Sweden. But also that the friction measured using FCD is closer to the true road friction experienced by road users.
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| 5. |
- Öhman, Johan, 1991-
(författare)
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Polarization-Resolved Particle Holography
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this thesis, measurement of particle fields using digital holography is the main subject. The questions investigated consider positioning, identification and sizing of nanometer and micrometer particles. The thesis explore these topics using both simulations and experimental measurements. Measuring particles is inherently a three-dimensional problem. Digital holography is, therefore, chosen as the measurement technique since it can record three-dimensional information in the interference pattern.Two main digital holographic setups are considered in this work, one single-view and one dual-view, both with off-axis configuration for the reference wave. Methods for positioning along the optical axis is the central question for the single-view system. This work presents a new method for axial positioning based on the wavefront curvature of the scattered light. In the reconstructed volume, along the optical axis, the scattered wave changes from converging to diverging around its location. This assumption is verified using simulations. An estimation of the position where this change occurs, hence, is an estimation of the actual axial position. Two different methods for quantification of the wavefront curvature is presented. The first uses the finite difference method of the reconstructed phase. The second uses a Chebyshev model for the phase-response. The difference between the two methods is that the one based on the Chebyshev model is more robust and less sensitive to noise.The dual-view system is an extension of the single-view setup where an identical system is placed perpendicular with the first system. The sample is illuminated from below, making the angle between the illumination and the two systems $90^\circ$. The concept of polarization-resolved registration is also incorporated in the detection. This detection is made possible by using two reference waves with linear and mutually orthogonal polarization at different off-axis tilts. One hologram can, therefore, be reconstructed into two complex amplitudes, one for each polarization component. The measurements using this system focus on how particle properties influence the polarization-response. The transition from single to dual-view polarization-resolved detection increases the complexity in the reconstruction. There is a need for accurate calibrations for this type of setup. The thesis contains details on calibrations of both the spatial mapping and polarization detection.The first application of the dual-view polarization-resolved setup is for identification and size estimation of nanometer-sized particles. The T-matrix method is used to establish a model for the sizing of spherical and spheroid particles. It is possible to estimate the size unambiguously up to approximately 200 nm for smooth particles. The sizing is limited to this lower size range.The second application investigates how the detected polarization varies for different kinds of microplastics. The measurements show that the microplastics have a complex polarization-response, indicating an irregular and non-spherical shape. In general, for both sizing and identification, the problem becomes more complex as the size increases and the particle shape is less smooth.This thesis shows that it is possible to estimate particle information from the polarization-response. However, the method is constricted both by the size and complexity of the particles.
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| 6. |
- Brugés, Javier Mauricio
(författare)
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Surface characterization methods for quality assessment of polyethylene-coated paperboard
- 2021
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In manufacturing processes, the quality of a product often depends on its surface, and careful control of surface properties is critical to meet customer requirements. A thin layer of polyethylene (PE) is applied to paperboard to increase barrier functionality and high optical quality of the product. For PE-coated paperboard, product quality inspection is performed at the end of the manufacturing process by taking a portion of the reel to the laboratory for quality inspection. These associated offline characterization methods are destructive and time consuming and are representative of only a small portion of the product.The overall goal of this thesis is to provide new methods to characterize the Surface properties of PE-coated paperboard. Specifically, to determine imaging techniques for measuring surface parameters that affect its barrier functionality and surface roughness.In this thesis, two methods for surface characterization of PE-coated paperboard are presented to quantify the two most important product-related quality parameters, i.e. barrier functionality and optical quality, which are affected by the presence of defects in the coating and by the surface roughness of the product, respectively. First, a full-Stokes imaging polarimeter (FSIP) is used to detect the presence of PE-coated material and to distinguish between coated and uncoated samples at the pixel level. Second, a three-dimensional scanning electron microscope (3D SEM) is employed to calculate the Surface roughness of PE-coated paperboard. These surface characterization techniques offer an advantage over the industry standard due to the high speed and non-contact nature of the measurement, while increasing the throughput of the sample surface parameters studied.A classification accuracy of 99, 74% is achieved using a FSIP to distinguish between PE- and non-PE-coated paperboard at pixel level. Using the 3D SEM technique to measure the topography of PE-coated samples results in a faster method that is comparable in accuracy to a chromatic confocal microscope (CCM). The surface roughness measured with the 3D SEM differs from the standard method by up to 6% and good agreement with statistical parameters is found.In general, surface analysis of PE-coated is often a complex and difficult task for imaging techniques and suitable methods need to be evaluated for their sensitivity to measure the desired surface parameters. The presented characterization techniques inspect larger areas of PE-coated paperboard compared to current industry standards. These methods provide a quantitative solution for surface characterization to inspect the surface parameters necessary to assure the product’s quality.
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| 7. |
- Dahlberg, Tobias, 1990-
(författare)
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KNOW YOUR ENEMY : Characterizing Pathogenic Biomaterials Using Laser Tweezers
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Diseases caused by pathogenic agents such as bacteria and viruses result in devastating costs on personal and societal levels. However, it is not just the emergence of new diseases that is problematic. Antibiotic resistance among bacteria makes uncomplicated infections difficult and lethal. Resilient disease-causing spores spread in hospitals, the food industry, and water supplies requiring effective detection and disinfection methods. Further, we face complex neurological diseases where no effective treatment or diagnostic methods exist. Thus, we must increase our fundamental understanding of these diseases to develop effective diagnostic, detection, disinfection, and treatment methods.Classically, the methods used for detecting and studying the underlying mechanics of pathogenic agents work on a large scale, measuring the average macroscopic behavior and properties of these pathogens. However, just as with humans, the average behavior is not always representative of individual behavior. Therefore, it is also essential to investigate the characteristics of these pathogens on a single cell or particle level. This thesis develops and applies optical techniques to characterize pathogenic biomaterial on a single cell or particle level. At the heart of all these studies is our Optical Tweezers (OT) instrument. OT are a tool that allows us to reach into the microscopic world and interact with it. Finally, by combining OT with other experimental techniques, we can chemically characterize biomaterials and develop assays that mimic different biological settings. Using these tools, we investigate bacterial adhesion, disinfection, and detection of pathogenic spores and proteins.Hopefully, the insights of these studies can lessen the burden on society caused by diseases by helping others develop effective treatment, diagnostic, detection, and disinfection methods in the future.
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| 8. |
- Dittes, Nicholas, 1987-
(författare)
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Sensors for Water Contamination in Lubricating Grease
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The purpose of this dissertation is to summarize the research carried out that led to the development of measurement techniques which measure the water content of lubricating grease. Calcium sulphonate complex (CaS-X) grease was used in all experiments for Papers A through E, with some additional greases used in Paper D.A simple and effective grease mixing method for preparing grease samples was developed and tested for repeatability. The water content of these samples was also tested with time and temperature as added variables to study if and how much water will evaporate from the samples.Additionally, three measurement principles were investigated: optical attenuation in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) region, a dielectric measurement method, and a galvanic current method.The optical attenuation investigation found that the attenuation ratio of two wavelengths of light appear to approximate the water content of grease samples with an acceptable coefficient of determination. Additionally, aged and oxidized grease samples were measured in the experiment and were not found to affect the measurement results. The dielectric method uses the temperature dependence on the dielectric properties of water-contaminated grease to approximate the water content of the grease samples. An additional parameter of incomplete fill/coverage of the sensor has been investigated as a prestudy. The dielectric method was further optimized with computer automated measurements where an improved and miniaturized sensor was developed and used. A different method using the galvanic current between two different metals from the galvanic series was used to estimate water content as well. All three methods were found to provide measurements of water content in the prepared grease samples (ranging from 0.22% to 5.5% added water). The dielectric measurement is likely going to be better for applications requiring the possibility of measuring a larger bulk of the grease within the bearing, with the capability of using several different configurations of sensors for different types of bearings and applications. It shows promise for providing an accurate and robust system for monitoring grease condition as well as the amount of grease contained. The optical measurement will likely provide additional information; however, it will only measure small point samples within the bearing instead of the larger bulk. This could be of use though, because the sensors could be small (in the several millimeter scale) and could measure where water damage is determined to be most important to detect at. The galvanic current method was also found to provide a useful correlation to water content but may provide additional information about how corrosive the grease has become, indirectly estimating the water content.The research contained herein has shown promise for future development for developing new grease condition monitoring tools. The optical, dielectric, and galvanic methods have their own unique challenges and may provide useful information in different applications, or perhaps be used in conjunction with each other to provide a more complete diagnostic tool.
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| 9. |
- Öhman, Johan, 1991-
(författare)
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3D localization in digital holography from scattered light from micrometer-sized particles
- 2018
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- When a particle is illuminated by a beam of light it will scatter and redistribute the light in all directions. How it scatters depends on the size, shape and refractive index of the particle. Additionally, it depends on the wavelength and polarization of the illuminating beam. The direction and distance to the observer relative the particle also needs to be considered. A digital holographic imaging system is used to collect parts of the scattered light from micrometer-sized particles. By utilizing digital holography a three-dimensional reconstruction of the imaged scene is possible. Traditionally, particles are localized based on the intensity in the holographic reconstructions. In this licentiate thesis, the phase response of the scattered light is investigated and utilized. An alternative method for locating spherical particles is presented. The method locate particles based on a simple feature of a propagating wave, namely the fact that the wavefront curvature changes from converging to diverging at the axial location of the particle. The wavefront curvature is estimated using two different methods. The first method estimates the lateral phase-gradients using a finite-difference method. The second method uses a three-dimensional parametric model based on a Chebyshev polynomial expansion. The methods are demonstrated using both simulations and experimental measurements. The simulations are based on the Lorenz-Mie scattering theory for spherical particles and are combined with an imaging system model. Experiments are performed using an off-axis polarization sensitive digital holographic system with a coherent Nd:YAG laser. Measurements of stationary particles are made to validate and evaluate the proposed method. It is found that these methods estimate the true axial position and does not have the offset that is associated with intensity-based methods. Additionally, it is possible to exclude noise that shows up as false particles since noise does not have the same phase response as a real particle. The second method, that uses a parametric model, also improves the standard deviation in the positioning.
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