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Suggested topics for supervision |
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Suggested thesis topics that are supervised by Dmitri Kartofelev, PhD from Department of Cybernetics. Below, if the topic is broadly formulated, then the specific research task or problem would depend on student's abilities, interests, and skills.
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Topic:
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Wave propagation in felt-like viscoelastic media
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Suited for:
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PhD student in STEM.
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Abstract:
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Felt is a truly unique material that is used for a wide variety of applications, such as vibration isolation, sound absorption, noise control and reduction, etc. Felt is a non-woven fabric that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing natural or synthetic fibres. Felts are highly dissipative and dispersive materials which properties are directly related to their internal structures and fibres that comprise them. Deformation wave propagation through such tight fibre mass is a complex multifaceted phenomenon. The shape of a diffused and rapidly dissipating initial wave is determined by several simultaneous effects: elastic or viscoelastic stretching of fibres; elastic collision of fibres; porosity; viscous friction effects induced by natural waxes and relative motion of fibres in the case of wool felts; etc. The study of porous viscoelastic materials is a new emerging field of study with many open questions ripe for exploration. Example research questions tackled during the projects are: Can previously discovered spectral bandgaps in porous materials be reproduced in felts made of different natural, synthetic or mixed fibres? How can the bandgap regions of felt-type media be widened or narrowed? How to apply this knowledge to the design of noise-cancelling materials?
It is expected that the results of this project will have a significant scientific impact and will be important to other research fields, e.g., civil engineering, musical acoustics, noise control and material science. The project is financed by a grant from the Estonian Research Council.
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Status:
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Position held since 2022 by Maria M. Vuin, MSc.
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Topic:
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Modelling of free-surface waves generated and/or influenced by a non-constant bottom profile
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Suited for:
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PhD student in STEM.
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Abstract:
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The aim of this project is to develop a hydrodynamic free-surface problem solver for a layer of water over an uneven and time variable bottom profile. The mathematical theory of the free-surface problem will be formulated from the general equations of hydrodynamics using the assumption of potential flow in two dimensions. The most promising method of solving the free-surface problem uses the conformal mapping technique that allowes for the development of a numerical algorithm without introducing any additional potentially non-physical assumptions. As a result, a very efficient and accurate numerical method is envisioned to be developed. We wish to generalise a recently developed method from an even bottom profile to any arbitrary bottom profile. The conformal mapping technique will then be generalised to a non-periodic boundary condition case. Mathematical aspects of the resulting theory will be thoroughly studied and compared with the numerical examples and experimental PIV measurements. The developed method/model will be applied to open problems in emergence and propagation of tsunami and other seismic waves in open seas. It is expected that the results of this project will have a significant scientific impact and will be important to other research fields, e.g., civil and coastal engineering, earthquake engineering, marine acoustics, environmental noise control, etc. The proposed project is financed by a grant from the Estonian Research Council.
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Status:
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Position held since 2023 by Päivo Simson, MSc.
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Topic:
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Modelling of bowed violin string vibration
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Suited for:
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BSc and MSc students in STEM.
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Abstract:
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String vibration of violin and other bowed string instruments is a long-standing problem in musical acoustics that has been mostly solved. The oscillations of a string excited by bowing belong to a class of relaxation oscillations which depend upon the fact that dry sliding friction decreases with the velocity of the sliding surfaces. The plan is to develop a simplified model of uniplanar violin string vibration.
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Status:
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Position is vacant.
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Topic:
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Algorithmic melody composition and fractal music
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Suited for:
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BSc and MSc students in STEM.
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Abstract:
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Briefly stated, fractal music possesses at least one measurable, self-similar property (e.g., distribution of melodic intervals or note durations) that reflects an underlying power-law. Aim of the thesis would be to compose fractal music and compare it to human composed music.
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Status:
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Position held since 2023 by Liisi Raudväli, BSc.
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Topic:
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Modelling and analysis of nonlinear dynamical processes
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Suited for:
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BSc and MSc students in STEM.
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Abstract:
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In mathematics and science, a nonlinear system is a system in which the change of the output is not proportional to the change of the input. Nonlinear problems are of interest to engineers, biologists, physicists, mathematicians, and many other scientists because most systems are inherently nonlinear in nature. These systems can be described with systems of simultaneous nonlinear differential equations.
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Status:
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Position is vacant.
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Topic:
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Various topics of musical acoustics
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Suited for:
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BSc and MSc students in STEM.
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Abstract:
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Musical acoustics is a multidisciplinary field that combines knowledge from physics, psychophysics, organology, physiology, music theory, ethnomusicology, signal processing and instrument building, among other disciplines. As a branch of acoustics, it is concerned with researching and describing the physics of music and musical instruments. Examples of areas of study are the function of musical instruments, the human voice, computer analysis of melody, and in the clinical use of music in music therapy. The provided topics will be related to the physics of string instruments.
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Status:
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Position is vacant.
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This work is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (PRG1227), and EU through the European Regional Development Fund.
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Suggested topics for supervision, last updated 13.10.2023
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