Fuzzy Control of Clutch Engagement for Automated Manual Transmission

This paper presents a fuzzy control system for the clutch engagement of an automated manual transmission. The servomechanism is assembled with a three-port pneumatic pressure-proportional valve and a position-sensing cylinder which control the release-lever displacement of 25 mm within the position preciseness of 0.1 mm against maximum spring load of 2kN. The fuzzy system is skillful to estimate the driver's will from the accelerator pedal operation. The servomechanism is mounted on a commercial vehicle with 4-ton pay-load. The system parameters are set up by bond graphs simulation and empirical performance tests are carried by using an oil-hydraulically operated engine-vehicle testing rig with a maximum torque capacity of 400 Nm.     

Active control for installation of underwater structures

The trend towards deepwater development requires a new approach to underwater installation of offshore structures. The present method using crane vessels has some drawbacks in operations at more than 2000 m depth. The natural period of the coupled system of the rigged structure and the crane vessel becomes longer, so that it is no longer possible to manipulate the cranes to achieve the desired positioning accuracy. This paper examines the application of an active control technique for underwater installations as one of the solutions to the present problems. An active control technique also has the advantage that it can deal with the structural flexibility which allows the structure to be large and light-weight. This structural flexibility imposes problems of suppressing the elastic responses and securing the stability of the control system. In this paper, anH _∞ controller combined with a low authority control/high authority control (LAC/HAC) feedback controller is designed for cases where structural flexibility cannot be ignored. A robust model-following controller is examined for cases where the structure can be treated as rigid. In order to confirm the control algorithm and verify the possibility of the active control installation method, basin tests are executed using two types of neutrally buoyant flexible models with ultrasound ranging systems and thrusters.     

A consideration of the structural design of a large-scale floating structure

The land area of Japan, especially flat land, is very small compared with its economic size. Large-scale floating structures are one solution to satisfy the demand for space by utilizing the ocean. This paper presents a general view of the dynamic response characteristics of large-scale floating structures, pontoons and semi-submersibles. For example, it is shown that the natural frequencies of eigenmodes are higher than the natural frequency of heaving motion. The response of the outer framework of a structure is shown to be generally larger than the response of the central part. Within the limits of our present understanding of the general dynamic response characteristics of such structures, the design and analysis of semi-submersible, large-scale floating structures is discussed. For a pontoon-type large-scale floating structure, a type whose perimeter structure has been modified to become lighter and more rigid is proposed. With this modification, the dynamic response of the whole structure is imporved.     

Evaluation of consequence assessment methods for pool fires on water involving large spills from liquefied natural gas carriers

This article concerns thermal radiation hazards associated with unconfined liquefied natural gas (LNG) spills on water. Consequence assessment methods were compared to clarify their model characteristics in large-scale LNG spills from an LNG carrier (LNGC). The consequences of LNG release, pool spread, and pool fire hazards were estimated using the following practical methods: the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) method, the Sandia National Laboratories’ method, and the Fay method. The sensitivity of consequence analysis results to the breach size of a tank was examined under the assumption that LNG is released from a common type LNGC of 125000 m³ cargo capacity. Consequently, it was found that the FERC method is useful from the practical viewpoint of being applicable to any breach size. Finally, thermal radiation hazards from pool fires involving spills from one of the latest and largest LNGCs (250 000 m³ cargo capacity), which are currently considered for construction, were investigated using the recommended FERC method, and the results are discussed in comparison with those for common type LNGCs. As a result, it was found that the maximum thermal hazard distance is longer by only about 24% compared with the common type LNGC, whereas the spill volume is twice as much.     

On the vibrational characteristics of a two-tier scaled container stack

It is estimated that around 10,000 containers are lost during maritime transportation every year, representing an economic loss to the liner industry. Regulations and norms used to calculate values to secure them to the ship’s deck account for static loads only, neglecting more realistic conditions. This paper describes an approach to simulate a two-tier scaled model of a 20-ft ISO freight container and its linking connectors, denominated twist locks, subject to a dynamical load induced by its base. To analyze this problem two methods were employed: a shaking table test and finite-element analysis. Results of this study indicate that the numerical model built to simulate two-tier container stack dynamics is a promising tool for further studies. Moreover, the model is able to predict conditions close to real situations faced by container stacks while stored on deck.     

磁悬浮列车交会通过时的车辆动力学特性

从研究3辆编组磁悬浮列车交会动力学性能入手,讨论了5辆编组磁悬浮列车交会时的动力学性能,并介绍了为改善乘坐舒适度而新近采用的控制技术。     

Simulation of the oil spill processes in the Sea of Japan with regional ocean circulation model

A simulation of the movement of spilled oil after the incident of the Russian tanker Nakhodka in the Sea of Japan, in January 1997, was performed by a particle tracking model incorporating advection by currents, random diffusion, the buoyancy effect, the parameterization of oil evaporation, biodegradation, and beaching. The currents advecting spilled oil were defined by surface wind drift superposed on the three-dimensional ocean currents obtained by the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory modular ocean model (GFDL MOM), which was forced by the climatological monthly mean meteorological data, or by the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) daily meteorological data, and assimilated sea surface topography detected by satellite altimeter. A number of experiments with different parameters and situations showed that the wide geographical spread of oil observed is not explained by wind drift alone, and that including the simulated climatological currents gives better results. The combination of surface wind drift and daily ocean currents shows the best agreement between the model and observations except in some coastal areas. The daily meteorological effect on the ocean circulation model results in a stronger variability of currents that closely simulates some features of the nonlinear large-scale horizontal turbulent diffusion of oil. The effect of different parameterizations for the size distribution of model oil particles is discussed. Received for publication on July 26, 1999; accepted on Nov. 17, 1999     

Learning tracking controllers under unknown disturbances for the installation of rigid and flexible structures

During the installation operations of underwater structures, offshore structures such as semisubmersibles, the steady nonlinear hydrodynamic force due to the ocean current, the tidal current, and the hydrodynamic interaction between structures are regarded as major disturbances. Generally, it is difficult and very expensive to collect information about these disturbances in advance, although such knowledge would be important and necessary for precise installation. Because of this situation, we have proposed a learning tracking controller (LTC) for automated tracking/docking operations of offshore structures. The LTC can be operated without any information about current, and can be applied to the installation problem of flexible structures whose flexibility cannot be ignored. In order to confirm the effectiveness of the LTC, basin tests were carried out using experimental models with an unknown current. Two types of basin experiment were executed using an ultrasound ranging system and thrusters. One was trajectory tracking of a semisubmersible, and the other was the precise mating of flexible underwater structures. In both cases the LTC showed good performance, and in the latter case in particular, two flexible models were successfully made to track the given trajectory and dock to the docking targets with an accuracy of ±5 mm, after the trajectory had been tracked six to seven times for learning purposes. No elastic responses were excited in the flexible model. Received for publication on Dec. 1, 1999; accepted on March 13, 2000     

The effects of free surface and end cell on flow around a finite circular cylinder with low aspect ratio

Vortex-induced motion is an oscillatory phenomenon which occurs to a floating body with low aspect ratio. The basic phenomenological study about the effects of free surface and end cell on flow around a finite fixed circular cylinder was investigated in this study using particle image velocimetry and hydrodynamic force measurement. It was found from the former experiment that the wake of the cylinder is influenced by the both end cell and free surface. Blowup and back flow are generated from the end cell, and their effects are suspended by free surface. The result of hydrodynamic force measurement showed the effect of Reynolds number, Froude number, and the aspect ratio of the floating body on the hydrodynamic force. Fluctuating components of hydrodynamic coefficients decrease for increasing Reynolds number, Froude number, and the aspect ratio. On the other hand, the mean drag coefficient increases as Froude number increases and decreases as the aspect ratio increases. The interpretation to these results was discussed in comparison with flow structures observed in the experiment. In addition, it was found that the effect of Reynolds number on the mean drag coefficient changes at different aspect ratios. A possible interpretation to this phenomenon was proposed.