Sediment geochemistry and mineralogy in Milos bay, SW Kyklades, Aegean Sea, Greece

This work aims at studying the geochemistry and mineralogy of Milos bay surface sediments. The bay forms an enclosed marine area, supplied totally by volcanic formations. Totally 16 samples were subjected to sedimentological (grain size), mineralogical (microscope examination and X-ray diffraction of the bulk sample and the pelitic fraction), and geochemical analyses (X-ray fluorescence in the pelitic fraction). Also the carbonate content was determined. Sediments were sandy with a high carbonate content (14–58%). The dominant minerals recognized in the pelitic fraction were smectite, kaolinite and illite, followed by chlorite, quartz, calcite, Mg-calcite and feldspars. In general, element concentrations appeared to be within the normal range, except Pb and Zn, which exhibited relatively high values. The Index of Geoaccumulation I_geo was computed, in order to investigate a possible enrichment of the surface sediments in metals. The analysis revealed again high values of I_geo class for both Pb and Zn. A careful study of the area, in relation to the quality of the catchment basins petrology, lead to a non-anthropogenic origin of these high concentrations. The enrichment of the surface sediments in Pb and Zn is attributed to the weathering of several mineral deposits, pyroclastic rocks and lavas, covering almost all Milos vicinity. A study of the geochemical data correlation coefficient matrix revealed three major groups of elements: (i) the elements of detrital origin represented by Si, Al, K and a part of the metals; (ii) the carbonates group; and (iii) a Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides–oxides group, which attracts a part of Pb, Cr and Ni.     

Shipping and investment incentives: a trilogy Part 3. The effectiveness of investment incentives for shipping—the UK experience 1950-1987

This paper concentrates on the determinants of investment and examines both theoretical and empirical work on the investment function. The major determinants are considered and a case study of the United Kingdom shipping industry in the period 1963-1987 is undertaken. The analysis is unable to find any real link between the value of the investment incentives packages available to the UK shipping industry and the size of the UK fleet during this period. The conclusion follows that while financial factors (e.g. favourable credit arrangements) or individual components (e.g. investment grants) of fiscal packages may influence the decision to invest, the total package has not affected the level of shipping investment in the manner expected.     

Fleet deployment optimization for liner shipping Part 1. Background, problem formulation and solution approaches

The background and the literature in liner fleet scheduling is reviewed and the objectives and assumptions of our approach are explained. We develop a detailed and realistic model for the estimation of the operating costs of liner ships on various routes, and present a linear programming formulation for the liner fleet deployment problem. Independent approaches for fixing both the service frequencies in the different routes and the speeds of the ships, are presented.     

The Dynamic Effects of Conventional Freight Car Running over a Dipped-joint

Available experimental data of the dynamic force at a rail joint are used to validate the Discrete Support (DS) model of vehicle-track system. The validated DS model is employed to investigate the characteristics of dynamic forces due to a dipped rail joint. The results show that increasing axle load and rail equivalent mass significantly increases the first peak load. The wheel (unsprung) mass, stiffness of bearing rubber pad, and ballast stiffness mainly affect the second peak load. Properly designing a profile near the rail joint may reduce the dynamic load at the joint. The results obtained also indicate that the dynamic load generated at one wheel partially transmits to a neighboring wheel.     

修理用统一型薄轮缘车轮踏面外形

针对运用中因轨距减小而导致轮缘磨加剧的问题，设计并试验了统一型减薄轮缘厚度的修理用车轮踏面外形，试验表明，对减少轮缘磨耗，延长车轮使用寿命均有明显效果。     

A probabilistic damage tolerance concept for welded joints Part 2: a supplement to the rule based S–N approach

The first part of this paper presented the required statistics and stochastic models for reliability analysis of the fatigue fracture of welded plate joints. This present Part 2 suggests a probabilistic damage tolerance supplement to the design S–N curves for welded joints. The goal is to provide the practising engineer with simple tools that predict the reliability against fatigue fracture during service life. The impact of the chosen fatigue design factors (FDF) and the uncertainty in the applied stresses is revealed. The effect of an in-service inspection programme is also predicted. The results are presented as dimensionless matrices and suggested for use in support of decision-making at the design stage, without any advanced fracture mechanics modelling and stochastic simulation. One important advantage of this format is that the probability levels are presented regardless of actual weld class and target service life (TSL). This is obtained by introducing the FDF as a key parameter to the results. This parameter is defined as the ratio of predicted fatigue life over TSL. FDF is always calculated in the S–N approach which is mandatory in fatigue life prediction. Various welded details (classes) will have the same reliability level for the same FDF. This is true at the end of TSL and at earlier stages, i.e. fractions of TSL. The absolute value of TSL is immaterial for a given FDF. In the case of in-service inspection, the inspection interval is also given without dimensions as a fraction of TSL.

Only the influence of future scheduled inspections is treated. Updating based on actual inspection results is not included as the scope of work is inspection planning at the design stage. Results for some frequent cases occurring in practice are readily derived and presented.     

Design and shared use of a terminal departure lounge for new large aircraft operations

New Large Aircraft (NLA) are new aircraft developments larger than any existing aircraft. The NLA's higher seat capacity will significantly impact passenger terminal design and operations. This paper focuses on the issues regarding the departure lounge. Deterministic queuing theory is used to determine the size and seating configuration of the lounge, as well as to decide whether a second level should be built to accommodate the increase in the number of passengers. The paper also discusses the use of the satellite section of a pier‐satellite terminal as a single lounge for the NLA. Spreadsheets are used to implement the analyses.     

Fatigue design for plug/ring type gas welded joints of sts301l including welding residual stresses

This paper presents a fatigue design method for plug and ring type gas welded joints, which incorporates welding residual stress effects. A non-linear finite element analysis (FEA) was first performed to simulate the gas welding process. The numerically predicted residual stresses of the gas welds were then compared to experimental results measured using a hole drilling method. In order to evaluate the fatigue strength of the plug and ring type gas welded joints, a stress amplitude (σ _a ) _R taling the welding residual stress of the gas weld into account was introduced and is based on a modified Goodman equation incorporating the effect of the residual stress. Using the stress amplitude (σ _a ) _R , the ΔP-N _f relations obtained from fatigue tests for plug and ring type gas welded joints having various dimensions and shapes were systematically rearranged into (σ _a ) _R -N _f relations. It was found that the proposed stress amplitude (σ _a ) _R could provide a systematic and reasonable fatigue design criterion for the plug and ring type gas welded joints.     

Ergonomic and biomechnical analysis of automotive general assembly using XML and digital human models

Automotive general assembly requires many manual assembly operations to be carried out by human workers. Ergonomic analysis is an important part of the design and evaluation of products, jobs, tools, machines and environments for safe, comfortable and effective human functioning. Most recent researches have involved the evaluation of working conditions to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The majority of previous research on automotive companies has mainly considered the results of ergonomic analyses such as RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment), REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) and OWAS (Ovako Working Posture Analysis System). Analysis of static posture including reachability, clearances for arm, hand and tool has also been used to evaluate working conditions. However, in addition to static posture analysis, a biomechanical analysis in dynamic conditions should also be conducted. There are no integrated frameworks or standard schema for ergonomic analysis using digital human models in digital environments. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new framework for the evaluation of working conditions by ergonomic and biomechanical analysis using digital models based on XML standard schema, including: products, processes, manufacturing resources and human workers. This paper presents the analysis results using the proposed framework for automotive general assembly operations. We propose a new framework for the evaluation of the assembly operations and their environments. Then we apply a digital human model to the dynamic simulation of general automotive assembly operations based on standard schemas in XML and PPRH (Product, Process, Resource and Human). Using PPRH information based on a standard XML schema to analyze the ergonomic and biomechanical results, the engineer can visualize, analyze and improve assembly operations and working environments in automotive general assembly shops using digital models.     

Prediction of fatigue life and estimation of its reliability on the parts of an air suspension system

Air suspension systems have been implemented in various commercial vehicles, such as buses and special purpose trucks, because of the comfortable ride and easy height control. An evaluation of the durability of vehicle parts has been required for service life and safety starting in the early stages of design. The cyclic load applied to the vehicle can cause fatigue failure of parts, such as the suspension frame. This paper presents a method to predict the fatigue life of the suspension frame at the design stage of the air suspension system used in a heavy-duty vehicle. To estimate the fatigue life using the SN method, the Dynamic Stress Time History (DSTH) is necessary for the part of interest. DSTH can be obtained from the results of the flexible body dynamic analysis using the Belgian road simulation and the Modal Stress Recovery (MSR) method. Furthermore, the reliability of the predicted fatigue life can be evaluated by considering the variations in material properties. The probability and distribution of the expected life cycle can be obtained using experimental design with a minimum number of simulations. The advantage of using statistical methods to evaluate the life cycle is the ability to predict replacement time and the probability of failure of mass-produced parts. This paper proposes a rapid and simple method that can be effectively applied to the design of vehicle parts.