Research on Equipment Support Activity Process Simulation Based on Monte Carlo Method

The influencing factors of the equipment support activity process have the characteristics of nonlinearity, high dimension, many constraints, random uncertainty and fuzzy uncertainty. Monte Carlo method can solve the above problems commendably. This paper analyzes the main equipment support activity process and establishes the sampling plan and simulation model of the medium maintenance process based on Monte Carlo method, and the simulation result verifies a fact that the medium maintenance time can be effectively reduced when parallel operation on some procedures is used. It has a practical value and can give good advice to achieve the capability of equipment supportability.     

Damage Detection for Simply Supported Bridge with Bending Fuzzy Stiffness Consideration

The benchmark of a simply supported beam with damage and bending fuzzy stiffness consideration is established to be utilized for damage detection. The explicit expression describing the Rotational Angle Influence Lines (RAIL) of the arbitrary section in the benchmark is presented as the nonlinear relation between the moving load and the RAIL appeared, when the moving load is located on the damage area. The damage detection method is derived based on the Difference of the RAIL Curvature (DRAIL-C) prior to and following arbitrarily section damage in a simply supported beam with bending fuzzy stiffness consideration. The results demonstrate that the damage position can be located by the DRAIL-C graph and the damage extent can be calculated by the DRAIL-C curve peak. The simply supported box girder as a one-dimensional model and the simply supported truss bridge as a three-dimensional model with the bending fuzzy stiffness are simulated for the validity of the proposed method to be verified. The measuring point position and noise intensity effects are discussed in the simply supported box girder example. This paper provides a new consideration and technique for the damage detection of a simply supported bridge with bending fuzzy stiffness consideration.     

Airport management: a strategic approach

In this paper a Dynamic Balanced Scorecard (DBSC) is used for the main purpose of indicating strategy implementation avenues to managers so as to equip them with more efficient decision-making tools. To that end, Fuzzy Multicriteria Decision-Making methodology is used as a source of technical support in formulating a cause and effect system and fuzzy strategic indicators. This methodological instrument brings a strategic vision to performance analysis and is designed to furnish a tool for evaluating the impacts of management action on the BSC fuzzy indicators. The proposed analytical methodology is applied to Brazil’s seven main international airports.     

The effect of location,mobility and socio-demographic factors on task and time allocation of households

This paper investigates the role of location factors in task and time allocation at the household level. It is hypothesized that, if time constraints are less binding as a result of living in an urban area or owning more cars, spouses engage more often and longer in out-of-home activities and schedule their activities more independently. The hypotheses are tested with logistic and Cox regression models of activity participation and time allocation on a data set collected in the Amsterdam–Utrecht region in the Netherlands. Results suggest that the hypotheses are supported with respect to specific household activity scheduling decisions.     

An Evaluation of the Accessibility Benefits of Commuter Rail in Eastern Massachusetts using Spatial Hedonic Price Functions

We estimate spatial hedonic price functions to examine local and regional accessibility benefits of commuter rail service in Eastern Massachusetts, while controlling for proximity-related negative externalities and other confounding influences. The data include 1,860 single-family residential properties from four municipalities with commuter rail service, and three municipalities without commuter rail service. We find some evidence of the capitalization of accessibility to commuter rail stations. Two model specifications suggest that properties located in municipalities with commuter rail stations exhibit values that are between 9.6% and 10.1% higher than properties in municipalities without a commuter rail station. With a third model we detect weak evidence of the capitalization of auto access time or walking time to the stations, suggesting that properties located within a one-half mile buffer of a station have values that are 10.1% higher than properties located outside of this buffer area and that an additional minute of drive time from the station is related to a decrease of 1.6% in property values. Our results also indicate that proximity to commuter rail right-of-way has a significant negative effect on property values, which suggests that for every 1,000 ft. in distance from the commuter rail right-of-way, property values are between $732 and $2,897 higher, all else held equal. At the mean sample values, this result translates into an elasticity of between 0.03 and 0.13, depending on the functional form of the hedonic price equation.     

Real Time Detection and Classification of Arrow Markings in Urban Streets

For highly automated driving in urban regions it is essential to know the precise position of the car. Furthermore it is important to understand the surrounding context in complex situations, e.g. multilane crossings and turn lanes. To understand those situations there is not only the task to detect the lane border, but to detect the painted information inside the lane. The paper is facing and evaluating two methods to classify this additional lane information. Therefore the images from five cameras mounted around the car are used. Four of them with fisheye lenses. The methods have in common, that the input images are transformed into a bird view projection. First introduced method is to extract contours from the transformed images and collect geometrical features and Fourier coefficients. The second introduced way, is to calculate histograms of oriented gradients and use it as input for the classification step. Both classification approaches are implemented and evaluated as multiclass and single class detectors for each arrow type. Furthermore, the classification results from a support vector machine and random forest were faced for this classification problem. The results from the multiclass detectors are evaluated and presented in form of confusion matrices. With the introduced approaches a high detection confidence could be achieved, proofed with validation datasets and in practical use.     

Lateral Collision Avoidance Robust Control of Electric Vehicles Combining a Lane-Changing Model Based on Vehicle Edge Turning Trajectory and a Vehicle Semi-Uncertainty Dynamic Model

This paper presents a new control scheme for lateral collision avoidance (CA) systems to improve the safety of four-in-wheel-motor-driven electric vehicles (FIWMD-EVs). There are two major contributions in the design of lateral CA systems. The first contribution is a new lane-changing model based on vehicle edge turning trajectory (VETT) to make vehicle adapt to different driving roads and conform to drivers’ characteristic, in addition to ensure vehicle steering safety. The second contribution is vehicle semi-uncertainty dynamic model (SUDM), which is SISO model. The problem of stability performance without the information on sideslip angle is solved by the proposed SUDM. Based on the proposed VETT and SUDM, the lateral CA system can be designed with H_∞ robust controller to restrain the effect of uncertainties resulting from parameter perturbation and lateral wind disturbance. Single and mixed driving cycles simulation experiments are carried out with CarSim to demonstrate the effectiveness in control scheme, simplicity in structure for lateral CA system based on the proposed VETT and SUDM.     

Investigation on Spray Behavior and NOx Conversion Characteristic of a Secondary Injector for a Lean NOx Trap Catalyst

Lean NOx trap (LNT) catalyst has been used to reduce NOx emissions from diesel engines. The LNT absorbs NOx in lean condition and discharges N2 by reducing NOx in rich conditions. Thus, it is necessary to make exhaust gas lean or rich conditions for controlling LNT system. For making a rich condition, a secondary injector was adopted to inject a diesel fuel into the exhaust pipe. In the case of secondary injector, the behavior of spray is easily affected by high temperature (i.e., 250 ～ 350 °C) occurred in the exhaust manifold. Therefore, it is needed to investigate the spray behavior of diesel fuel injected into an exhaust manifold, as well as the conversion characteristics for a lean NOx trap of a diesel engine with LNT catalyst. The characteristics of exhaust emissions in NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) mode were analyzed and spray behaviors were visualized in various exhaust gas conditions. The results show that as the exhaust gas mass flow increases, the spray cone angle becomes broad and the fuel is directed to the flow field. Besides, the cone angle of spray is decreased by centrifugal force caused in exhaust gas flow field. In addition, the effects of nozzle installation degree, injection quantity, and exhaust gas flow on NOx conversion performance were clarified.     

System power loss optimization of electric vehicle driven by front and rear induction motors

Power loss optimization aiming at the high-efficiency drive of front-and-rear-induction-motor-drive electric vehicle (FRIMDEV) as an effective way to improve energy efficiency and extend driving range is of high importance. Different from the traditional look-up table method of motor efficiency, power loss optimization of the dual- motor system based on the loss mechanism of induction motor (IM) is proposed. First of all, based on the power loss characteristic of FRIMDEV from battery to wheels, the torque distribution optimization model aiming at the minimum system power loss is put forward. Secondly, referring to d-q axis equivalent model of IM, the power loss functions of the dual-IM system are modeled. Then, the optimal torque distribution coefficient (β _o) between the two IMs is derived, and the theoretical switching condition (T _sw) between the single- and dual-motor-drive mode (SMDM and DMDM) is confirmed. Finally, a dual-motor test platform is developed. The derived torque distribution strategy is verified. The influence of motor temperature on β _o and T _sw are tested, and the correction models based on temperature difference are proposed. Based on the system power loss analysis, it can be confirmed that, under low load conditions, the SMDM takes priority over the DMDM, and the controller of the idling motor should be shut down to avoid the additional excitation loss. While under middle to high load conditions, even torque distribution (β _o = 0.5) is preferred if the temperature difference between the two IMs is small; otherwise, β _o should be corrected based on dual-motor temperatures. The theoretical T _sw derived without dealing with temperature difference is a function only of motor speed, while temperature difference correction of it should be conducted in actual operations based on motor resistance changing with temperature.     

Range Extender Module Transmission Topology Study

Range extender modules are one option to compensate for short drive ranges of electric vehicles. The close interaction of combustion engine and generator poses new challenges in development. A key requirement for range extender systems is to be light and virtually imperceptible in operation. High-speed electrical machines aim at increasing power density. However, their introduction in a range extender requires a gearbox. The combustion engine torque fluctuations can lead to rattle in the gearbox. The rattle can be overcome by a dual mass flywheel. An interdisciplinary model is developed and used to analyse three different range extender systems: one with a low speed generator without gearbox, one with a high-speed generator, and one with a high-speed generator and a dual mass flywheel. The efficiency was found to be higher for the system with a low speed generator, whereas the power density and the costs are beneficial for the high-speed concept. A dual mass flywheel eliminates the changes of torque direction in the gearbox. It reduces the speed fluctuations of the gearbox and generator by over 90 % compared to the low speed setup. But it increases rolling moment and subsequently chassis excitation compared to a setup with only a gearbox.