Application of Sensitivity Methods to Analysis and Synthesis of Vehicle Dynamic Systems

The development and application of sensitivity methods for determining the effects of parameter changes on the response of vehicle dynamic systems is presented. The procedures shown can be used to enhance the analysis and synthesis processes of virtually any road or rail vehicle system regardless of its complexity. The parametric sensitivity of vehicle models in time domain, steady state models and vehicle models in frequency domain can be investigated using different types of sensitivity functions, both dimensional and dimensionless including first order standard, percentage, logarithmic, second order standard, and logarithmic and percentage sensitivity measures. These sensitivity functions and measures are determined as functions of partial derivatives of system variables taken with respect to system parameters. In the case of sensitivity functions in the frequency domain the variable values are computed as either the magnitude or phase angle of a complex element of the transfer function matrix. The methods presented enable to determine the influence of all system primary (constant) and secondary (non-constant) parameters on system primary and secondary variables. The primary variables are state variables or elements of the transfer function matrix and the secondary variables may be any functions of primary variables and system parameters. Typical secondary system parameters which can be examined include initial conditions, time variant coefficients, natural frequencies, loads, and typical secondary variables are forces, weight transfers, stability factors and energy components. The analysis of sensitivity results obtained for three vehicle handling models in both linear and nonlinear regimes of vehicle performance and utilizing various types of sensitivity functions is also presented.     

半约束模型试验--一种验证随浪和斜浪中波浪力计算的手段

本文采用半约束模型试验技术，对一条高速船在规则波中随浪和斜浪工况进行了流体动力系列试验，以探讨航运的安全性，验证作用于船体上波浪力的估算方法。对每次试验，以波动方程的形式采用数值估算方法确定环绕船模的波浪运动的时间历程。并用同样的方法从测量数据中提取垂荡和纵摇与模型测量运动，一阶波导纵荡、横荡作用力和首摇力矩。因此合理比较理论计算的波浪力与力矩的时间历程成为可能。这表明SSPA海事动力学的研究所(MDL)模型试验设施可以提供高质量的测量，与所述计算方法结合起来可用来验证理论计算和建立半经验方法。     

Simulation of city bus performance based on actual urban driving cycle in China

This paper establishes the simulation model of a city bus on the basis of the EQ6110 bus prototype and its experimental data. According to the actual urban driving cycle, the fuel economy and the traction performance of the EQ6110 city bus have been simulated, and factors such as the driving cycle, the loss of power to engine accessories, the gear-shifting strategy, the fuel shut-off strategy of the engine, etc., which influence on the bus’s fuel economy, are also quantitatively analyzed. Some conclusions are drawn as follows: (1) driving cycles have a great influence on the fuel economy of a city bus; (2) under the typical urban driving cycle of the public bus in China, the engine fuel shut-off strategy can save about 1 to 1.5 percent of the fuel consumption; and (3) the optimized gear-shifting rules can save 6.7 percent of the fuel consumption. Experimental results verify that the fuel economy for the EQ6110 public bus is improved by 7.2 pecent over the actual Wuhan urban driving cycle of the current public bus in China.     

Genetics of traffic assignment models for strategic transport planning

This paper presents a review and classification of traffic assignment models for strategic transport planning purposes by using concepts analogous to genetics in biology. Traffic assignment models share the same theoretical framework (DNA), but differ in capability (genes). We argue that all traffic assignment models can be described by three genes. The first gene determines the spatial capability (unrestricted, capacity restrained, capacity constrained, and capacity and storage constrained) described by four spatial assumptions (shape of the fundamental diagram, capacity constraints, storage constraints, and turn flow restrictions). The second gene determines the temporal capability (static, semi-dynamic, and dynamic) described by three temporal assumptions (wave speeds, vehicle propagation speeds, and residual traffic transfer). The third gene determines the behavioural capability (all-or-nothing, one shot, and equilibrium) described by two behavioural assumptions (decision-making and travel time consideration). This classification provides a deeper understanding of the often implicit assumptions made in traffic assignment models described in the literature. It further allows for comparing different models in terms of functionality, and paves the way for developing novel traffic assignment models.     

On the dense water spreading off the Ross Sea shelf (Southern Ocean)

In this study, current meter and hydrological data obtained during the X Italian Expedition in the Ross Sea (CLIMA Project) are analyzed. Our data show a nice agreement with previous data referring to the water masses present in this area and their dynamics. Here, they are used to further analyze the mixing and deepening processes of Deep Ice Shelf Water (DISW) over the northern shelf break of the Ross Sea. In more detail, our work is focused on the elementary mechanisms that are the most efficient in removing dense water from the shelf: either classical mixing effects or density currents that interact with some topographic irregularity in order to drop to deeper levels, or also the variability of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) which, in its meandering, can push the dense water off the shelf, thus interrupting its geostrophic flow. We also discuss in detail the (partial) evidence of dramatic interactions of the dense water with bottom particulate, of geological or biological origin, thus generating impulsive or quasi-steady density-turbidity currents. This complex interaction allows one to consider bottom particular and dense water as a unique self-interacting system. In synthesis, this is a first tentative analysis of the effect of bottom particulate on the dense water dynamics in the Ross Sea.     

Sensitivity analysis on stochastic equilibrium transportation networks using genetic algorithm

This study deals with the sensitivity analysis of an equilibrium transportation networks using genetic algorithm approach and uses the bi‐level iterative sensitivity algorithm. Therefore, integrated Genetic Algorithm‐TRANSYT and Path Flow Estimator (GATPFE) is developed for signalized road networks for various level of perceived travel time in order to test the sensitivity of perceived travel time error in an urban stochastic road networks. Level of information provided to drivers correspondingly affects the signal timing parameters and hence the Stochastic User Equilibrium (SUE) link flows. When the information on road system is increased, the road users try to avoid conflicting links. Therefore, the stochastic equilibrium assignment concept tends to be user equilibrium. The GATPFE is used to solve the bi‐level problem, where the Area Traffic Control (ATC) is the upper‐level and the SUE assignment is the lower‐level. The GATPFE is tested for six‐junction network taken from literature. The results show that the integrated GATPFE can be applied to carry out sensitivity analysis at the equilibrium network design problems for various level of information and it simultaneously optimize the signal timings (i.e. network common cycle time, signal stage and offsets between junctions).     

工厂火灾,爆炸场所危险度综合评价法

为减少火灾事故，介绍了“工厂火灾、爆炸场所危险度综合评价法”，“道氏法”是该法的基础。分析了“道氏法”的不足，而提出了固定危险和现实补偿的综合性计算方法。还通过实例记述了新方法的优点、基本原理和应用方法。该法能用于评价工厂企业危险设备、装置与场所的火灾、爆炸危险程度。     

Maintenance of quick fluid rotation in the cores of long-lived oceanic eddies

Observations show a lot of coherent vortices in the World ocean with quick fluid rotation in their cores during long life time. To explain this feature, isopycnal balanced models of a circular vortex evolution with different variants of turbulent closure for isopycnal mixing considered. A linear dependence of the mixing coefficient on the local shear allows to describe damping of mixing in nearly solid body rotating core of the vortex and a gradual erosion of the core. Taking into account the radial motion leads even to increase of angular speed in time near the vortex center. There is a limit of angular speed for anticyclones defined by half of the Coriolis parameter. During the vortex evolution its size decreases in time unlike for usually used parameterization of mixing with the constant coefficient. These conclusions are supported by observational data. Maintenance of quick fluid rotation in the cores of long-lived vortices allow them to survive in their interactions with other flows and Rossby waves.     

A note on the interpretation of the dual variables in estimating traffic capacity at signal- controlled road junctions

The values of the dual variables in a constrained optimisation problem can be used to estimate the sensitivity of the optimal value of the objective function to changes in the constraints. Allsop (1972) used standard methods of linear programming to derive expressions for the sensitivity of the reserve capacity at a signal-controlled road junction to various changes in the traffic engineering constraints. That analysis used the assumption that the maximum reserve capacity would be achieved when the cycle time used is maximal. While this normally occurs, some junctions have come to light where a reduction in the cycle time increases the capacity. Allsop's analysis is extended here to account for this possibility.