Development and Evaluation of Vehicle Simulation Models for a 4WS Application

In the scope of the European Prometheus project a passenger car with active rear wheel steering was developed by TNO in cooperation with PSA. During development and engineering of the rear wheel steering system simulation tools have been used to reduce development costs. This paper describes the evaluation of different simulation models, from simple to complex, with results of full vehicle driving tests. The optimal balance for model complexity and accuracy was achieved with a 2-dimensional model with an added roll degree of freedom. The results show that validation using time responses can give ambiguous and inaccurate results, and that frequency response functions are much more usable in validation.     

Fleet deployment optimization for liner shipping: an integer programming model

Extending and improving an earlier work of the second author, an Integer Programming (IP) model is developed to minimize the operating and lay-up costs for a fleet of liner ships operating on various routes. The IP model determines the optimal deployment of an existing fleet, given route, service, charter, and compatibility constraints. Two examples are worked with extensive actual data provided by Flota Mercante Grancolombiana (FMG). The optimal deployment is solved for their existing ship and service requirements and results and conclusions are given.     

Conflict in the US maritime industry: An account of historical cycles

Historically there have been only two groups involved in the conflict that has engulfed the US maritime industry for the past fifty years maritime labour unions and shipping companies. The configuration of these groups at different times in this struggle, has led to distinct periods of conflict in the industry. This paper analyses the basis and continuation of the problem.     

Is DOC the main source of organic matter remineralization in the ocean water column?

Recent interpretations of carbon flux data and deep-sea processes have led to a reconsideration of the role of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in supporting water column remineralization and other mid-water biogeochemical transformations (Suzuki et al., 1985; Cho and Azam, 1988; Karl et al., 1988; Christensen et al., 1989; Naqvi and Shailaja, 1993). To date, there have been no direct comparisons of particulate carbon flux data with water column metabolic rates. Here, for the first time, particulate carbon flux and respiratory electron transport activity (from which metabolic CO₂ production is derived), have been monitored simultaneously for one year in the same area of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. In the aphotic layer (200–1000 m), particulate organic carbon (POC) can support only 20% of the overall organic matter remineralization. Remineralization rates are consistent with recent calculations of DOC exported from the euphotic layer in this area, confirming the vital importance of DOC in maintaining deep-water metabolism. This finding would apply to other regions of mesotrophic and oligotrophic production and thus affect our understanding of carbon recycling in the water column, new production and O₂ utilization.     

New approaches to transportation forecasting models

In 1992, the Federal Highway Administration awarded small research contracts to four teams of transportation researchers to design alternative approaches for improving the urban travel demand forecasting process. The purpose of these contracts was to enable each research team to explain how transportation planning models could and should be improved to meet the new forecasting requirements brought on by recent legislation, to address the impacts of new transportation technology, and to exploit the travel behavior theories and methodologies that have developed over the past two decades.This paper presents a summary and synthesis of the ideas which emerged from the four research reports. Its purpose is to identify common themes suggested by several of the research teams, to point out what appear to be critical elements missing from some approaches, and to combine the best aspects of the four approaches into a research plan for improving the current generation of travel demand models.Abbreviations CAAA Clean Air Act Amendments - FHWA Federal Highway Administration - GIS Geographic Information System - IIA Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives - IT Information Technology - IVHS Intelligent Vehicle Highway System - SUE Stochastic User Equilibrium - TCM Transportation Control Measures - UTPS Urban Transportation Planning System - VMT Vehicle Miles of Travel The paper was prepared as a report for the Federal Highway Administration.     

The effects of chord length and boundary conditions on the static strength of a tubular T-joint under brace compression loading

Non-linear finite element analysis is used to assess the static collapse strength of a sample tubular T-joint configuration subjected to compressive brace loading. Two series of models are used to assess the effects of varying the chord length L, one series having simply supported chord ends and the other having fixed chord ends. It is shown that chord length and boundary conditions can have a significant influence on static collapse loads. The results are discussed in the light of current design procedures.     

IEC列车通信网络

国际电工委员会（ＩＥＣ）和国际铁路联盟（ＵＩＣ）为铁路车辆之间和车辆内互相联接的可编程设备制定了一项标准——《列车通信网络》（ＴＣＮ），其目的是有利于铁路运用部门、装配厂和设备供应商实现世界范围的车辆间的相互操作和插入式设备的联接。文章介绍了ＴＣＮ的体系结构，包括绞线式列车总线（ＷＴＢ）和多功能车辆总线（ＭＶＢ）的功能、技术参数、公共协议及网络管理，并对ＴＣＮ原型的开发、试验验证情况和标准草案工作进程作了简要的说明。     

柴油机气缸盖机械变形和应力的精确三维分析

本文在分析了国内外大量气缸盖结构分析算例特点的基础上,对16V240ZJ柴油机气缸盖的机械应力用三维有限元法在微机上进行了比较全面细致的计算,在计算模型中,对气缸盖各部分结构都不作替代简化;在边界条件的处理方面,计入了气缸套的弹性,并与刚性支承边界条件计算结果进行了比较,计算求得的位移和应力分布规律与实测完全一致,最大位移误差6.5％,最大压应力误差7.4％。