A new solution for two-bag air suspension system with leaf spring for heavy-duty vehicle

The design problem of a two-bag air suspension system for heavy-duty vehicles is formulated as a two-level (suspension system level and component level) optimization problem. At the suspension system level, optimal stiffness matrix of leaf spring, characteristics of damper and upper rod layout are determined by solving a multi-objective constrained optimization problem with response surface. At the component level, shape and thickness of the leaf spring are formed using cubic-spline curves to make the stiffness matrix as close to the target values cascaded from suspension system level as possible. Simulations using a vehicle model described by multi-body model and FEM of the novel leaf spring validate the suspension system thus derived.     

Methods for probabilistic safety assessments of ships

 At the 62nd MSC conference (MSC62) in 1993, the UK proposed a new methodology for the consideration of safety regulations. This method is called formal safety assessment (FSA). FSA is an application of probabilistic safety assessment (PSA). Risk is used as an index of safety. One of the most important parts of FSA is to evaluate the risk to a ship when it is equipped with the safety measures recommended by the proposed safety regulations. The National Maritime Research Institute (NMRI, formerly the Ship Research Institute) has been developing a method which allows the risk to be obtained holistically by utilizing a scientific method. To obtain the risk, the probability and consequences of every accident must be evaluated. This paper examines the following points: (a) a holistic methodology for risk evaluation; (b) a method used in the process of estimating the probability of collision; (c) a method to reduce the numbers of fire escalation scenarios; (d) a trial risk evaluation of cabin fire. Received: January 10, 2002 / Accepted: April 18, 2002