A matrix-based approach to properness and inversion problems for rational surfaces

We present a matrix-based approach for deciding if the parameterization of an algebraic space surface is invertible or not, and for computing the inverse of the parametrization if it exists.     

Visualization and quantification of the mechanical deformation induced by an electrical field in poly(ethylene naphthalene 2,6‐dicarboxylate) (PEN) films

An optical nondestructive strain measurement technique was performed to analyze the mechanical deformation induced by an electrical field within the insulating materials. Poly(ethylene naphthalene 2,6‐dicarboxylate) (PEN) films were then subjected to constant electrical fields right up to their electrical breakdown. The experimental technique made it possible to follow the various stages of the mechanical behavior of PEN in real time. The final breakdown occurred in the observation zone and the related mechanical deformation was captured. A “margarita” structure was observed with a hole at the center. The experimental results indicated that the level of the induced‐mechanical deformations depended on the local environment. We defined two different zones representing the inside and the outside of the damaged area. The induced‐deformations were larger in the damaged zone. It was also observed that deformations increased when the sample had a lower degree of crystallinity. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Effet de la pression sur la transition ruisselant-pulsé dans les réacteurs catalytiques à lit fixe arrosé

The effect of pressure on transition displacement between trickle and pulsed regimes (TPR: trickle-pulsed transition) in catalytic trickle bed reactors (CTBR) is not properly predicted by existing theoretical models and empirical correlations. Based on high pressure TPR data available to date, a modified Charpentier diagram is proposed to quantify directly the effect of pressure in non-foaming systems.     

Development of damage in a 2D woven C/SiC composite under mechanical loading: I. Mechanical characterization

An investigation has been undertaken to determine the damage mechanisms and the associated mechanical response of a 2D reinforced composite of carbon fibers in an SiC CVI-processed matrix subjected to uniaxial tensile and compressive loadings at room temperature. Under tension loading, an extended non-linear stress/strain response was evidenced and related to a multi-stage development of damage involving transverse matrix microcracking, bundle/matrix and inter-bundle debonding as well as thermal residual stress release. This tensile behavior proved to be damageable-elastic with respect to a fictitious thermalstress-free origin of the stress/strain axis lying in the compression domain. In compression, after an initial stage involving closure of the thermal microcracks present from processing, the composite displayed a linear-elastic behavior until failure. The extent of damage over the material was characterized quantitatively at the microscale by the decrease of the average transverse microcrack spacing and at the macroscale by the decrease of both the longitudinal Young's modulus and the in-plane Poisson's ratio.     

Globally Optimal Point Set Registration by Joint Symmetry Plane Fitting

The present work proposes a solution to the challenging problem of registering two partial point sets of the same object with very limited overlap. We leverage the fact that most objects found in man-made environments contain a plane of symmetry. By reflecting the points of each set with respect to the plane of symmetry, we can largely increase the overlap between the sets and therefore boost the registration process. However, prior knowledge about the plane of symmetry is generally unavailable or at least very hard to find, especially with limited partial views. Finding this plane could strongly benefit from a prior alignment of the partial point sets. We solve this chicken-and-egg problem by jointly optimizing the relative pose and symmetry plane parameters. We present a globally optimal solver by employing the branch-and-bound paradigm and thereby demonstrate that joint symmetry plane fitting leads to a great improvement over the current state of the art in globally optimal point set registration for common objects. We conclude with an interesting application of our method to dense 3D reconstruction of scenes with repetitive objects.

     

A code tagging approach to software product line development

Software product line engineering seeks to systematise reuse when developing families of similar software systems so as to minimise development time, cost and defects. To realise variability at the code level, product line methods classically advocate usage of inheritance, components, frameworks, aspects or generative techniques. However, these might require unaffordable paradigm shifts for developers if the software was not thought at the outset as a product line. Furthermore, these techniques can be conflicting with a company’s coding practices or external regulations. These concerns were the motivation for the industry–university collaboration described in this paper in which we developed a minimally intrusive coding technique based on tags. The approach was complemented with traceability from code to feature diagrams which were exploited for automated configuration. It is supported by a toolchain and is now in use in the partner company for the development of flight-grade satellite communication software libraries.