About MacSphere

MacSphere is McMaster University's Institutional Repository. MacSphere brings together the institution's scholarly works under one umbrella to preserve and provide ongoing open access to them. MacSphere works have been selected and deposited by members of the McMaster community as part of our collective committment to sharing our knowledge with the world.

MacSphere is supported and hosted by the McMaster University Libraries.

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Students wishing to deposit their PhD or Masters thesis, please follow the instructions outlined by the School of Graduate Studies.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 6

Recent Submissions

Behaviour Characteristics of Concrete Blocks
(1992-07) Donald Sandys Wunsch; Drysdale, R.G; Civil Engineering
Masonry construction has a reputation for long-term durability and relative freedom from maintenance. This is largely due to the level of quality control possible in a plant manufacturing environment. Current provisions in the material standard for concrete blocks were not felt to be comprehensive enough in describing properties which might be important for the performance of the material. Blocks from participating manufacturers were tested for: compressive strength, tensile strength, absorption, suction, permeability and shrinkage. In addition to specified standard procedures, alternate test methods for obtaining these properties were investigated. It was found that current provisions in the standard do not adequately account for permability and suction behaviour. A revision of the shrinkage requirements was recommended. Alternate procedures were recommended for some tests
FUEL ROD ASSAY
(1976-08) GORDON SHIGEO OKAWARA; Jeffs, Alan T; Engineering Physics
The performance capabilities of a National Nuclear Corporation Rod/Sample assay unit was investigated. In conjunction with this, the existing program for on-line data analysis on a Hewlett-Packard 9821A calculator is improved by the use of a least squares curve fit to a quarter sine wave in order to introduce better end corrections. Calibration curves of various modes are established after which it becomes possible to study the effect of end off-specs and detectability limits. The aim of the optimization process is to achieve the detection of a 20%-cm off-spec with a detection frequency of 95% in the minimum amount of time. The conditions necessary are presented
Comprehensive Analysis and Control of Front and Rear Electric Drive Units in a Dual Motor Battery Electric Vehicle Through Improved Regenerative Braking and Clutch Utilization
(2026) Barbosa Louback, Eduardo; Emadi, Ali; Mechanical Engineering
Electrification is reshaping the transportation sector, and dual-motor battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have emerged as a prominent architecture for improving traction capability and enabling flexible powertrain operation. However, the added degree of freedom can introduce efficiency penalties, increased actuator activity, and driveability challenges if torque allocation and braking control are not managed carefully. This dissertation investigates how powertrain architecture, braking strategy, and energy management design can be leveraged to improve the energy efficiency of independently driven axle (IDA) dual-motor BEVs while respecting driveability and component durability constraints. The research first reviews the state-of-the-art in dual-motor energy management systems (EMSs), highlighting practical challenges, control objectives, and learning-based trends. It then develops a modeling and evaluation framework to quantify how single-motor and IDA dual-motor BEVs differ in energy use across representative driving cycles and payload conditions, clarifying when the dual-motor powertrain yields net efficiency gains and when it can erode driving range. Next, an experimental characterization of braking control in a production dual-motor BEV is presented, followed by an analysis of how commonly used braking force distribution constraints can affect regenerative energy recovery. Building on these results, a regenerative torque limit curve is introduced to enhance low-speed recuperation without extensive electric machine parameter identification. Finally, the dissertation proposes a deep reinforcement learning–based EMS for a clutched IDA dual-motor BEV that internalizes clutch synchronization dynamics and energy cost. In simulation, the learned policy achieves near-optimal energy consumption (approximately 0.6\% above a dynamic programming benchmark) while reducing clutch toggling by approximately 75\% relative to a LUT baseline. Real-time model-in-the-loop validation in a high-fidelity driving simulator further demonstrates implementability and how transient harshness can be mitigated. This dissertation advances dual-motor BEV control by quantifying architecture- and braking-driven trade-offs and proposing methods that improve efficiency and driveability, guiding future EMS development and deployment.
Duty to Empire and National Interest: Sir Robert Borden and British Dominion Relations 1909-1933
(2026) Sawell, Steven Edward; Heathorn, Stephen; Weaver, John; History
Sir Robert Borden's legacy in Canadian history is related to his tenure as Prime Minister during the Great War and into the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. This narrative examines Borden's decisions and actions related to Canada's Imperial co-operation immediately prior to, during and after the war, with a focus on the contentious issues inherent in the numerous proclaimed British 'emergencies' and the political dilemmas that Borden had to deal with, as well as the machinations he conceived to attempt to resolve those issues in his favour. It is posited that Borden's political motivations were underpinned by a British Imperialist ideology, although his decisions were tempered or altered by consideration of the legal implications, and sometimes his personal convictions, and certainly after the war by the realization that the co-operation he leveraged for a greater voice in British foreign relations matters was a work in progress.
Meeting Package: March 2026 Graduate Council
(2026) School of Graduate Studies

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