On model-based longitudinal feed-forward motion control for low velocities on known road profiles

ABSTRACT

So far, longitudinal motion control has focused on situations like highway driving, where disturbances of the road profile can be neglected. In this paper, we show how the Two Point Tire Model can be used to derive a novel feed-forward control law for a vehicle's longitudinal motion that considers the effects of the road profile and can complement existing control approaches. For this purpose, we recapitulate the basic model assumptions and equations and briefly discuss how it can be used on arbitrary road profiles. Two approaches for implementation in a real vehicle are presented. Comparisons of these approaches in simulation and to a human driver of an experimental vehicle show that the controller can deal with stepped obstacles of up to 14?cm in height. However, the control performance is essentially limited by the actuator delay and human drivers outperform the controller due to their ability of sensing subtle vehicle motions. The results indicate that the control performance can be further improved by using a preview on the necessary drive torque, which can be provided by the solution that we propose.     

Crash risk factors associated with injury severity of teen drivers

This paper focuses on identifying crash risk factors associated with injury severity of teen drivers. Crash data obtained from the Highway Safety and Information System (HSIS) for the entire state of North Carolina, for years 2011 to 2013, was used for analysis and modeling. Among all the crashes during the study period, a total of 62,990 crashes involving teen drivers (15 to 19?years) were analyzed. A partial proportionality odds model was developed to identify factors contributing to injury severity of teen drivers. The results obtained indicate that teen drivers driving sports utility vehicles and pickup trucks are more likely to be severely injured when compared to teen drivers driving passenger cars. Teen drivers are more likely to be severely injured on weekdays, particularly during peak hours. The chances of teen drivers getting involved in severe injury crashes on Tuesdays and Fridays is higher when compared to Sundays. Age, gender, road configuration, terrain, adverse weather condition, and access control are observed to have a significant effect on teen driver's injury severity.     

Numerical simulation of the anti-shock performance of a gear case

Both sea battles and testing of ship in underwater explosions reveal unacceptably poor anti-shock performance of important shipboard equipment. Anti-shock performance of shipboard equipment is a significant factor determining fighting strength and survivability. The anti-shock performance of a shipboard gear case based on BV043/85 was investigated using numerical simulation. A geometric model of the gear case was built using MDT software and meshed in HyperMesh software, and then the finite element model of the gear case was formed. Using ABAQUS software, the anti-shock performance of the gear case was simulated. First, shock response of typical regions of gear case was determined. Next, some generalizations were made about the anti-shock performance of the gear case by analyzing the Mises stress of typical regions varied with shock inputs. Third, weak regions were determined from simulation results. The threshold values of shock resistance of the gear case at different impulse widths were obtained through interpolating the numerical simulation results selected from the most dangerous spot. This research provides a basis for further optimization of the design of gear cases.     

河流峡谷地段地质选线方案研究

研究目的：河流峡谷地段，不良地质极为发育，规模大，又为地下水的排泄区，发育区域性暗河；线路设计同时受技术标准、投资影响；控制选线的因素极为复杂。本文以渝怀线乌江峡谷地质选线研究为例，对经受施工、运营、汶川地震检验，证明合理的地质选线的经验、成果进行研究、归纳、总结，指导类似河流峡谷地段铁路勘察设计工作。研究结论：先期进行河流左、右岸地质选线；峡谷段不良地质极发育，线路方案受地质条件控制，有条件时，线路内移避开沿岸不良地质；线路绕避不良地质困难或代价极高时，只要地质探明，工程措施到位，线路完全可以通过不良地质；根据岩溶发育规律及暗河标高，宏观指导选线，线路最好尽量选择通过岩溶发育安全带。     

Comparison of several traffic forecasting methods based on travel time index data on weekends

Traffic forecasting provides the estimation of future traffic state to help traffic control,travel guide,etc. This paper compared several widely used traffic forecasting methods,and analyzed each one's performance in detail to make conclusions,which could redound to researchers choosing an appropriate traffic forecasting method in their own works. Compared with conventional works,this paper creatively assessed the performance of traffic forecasting methods based on travel time index (TTI) data prediction,wh...     

A reconfigurable stamping die and its stamping process

A reconfigurable flexible poles die was developed. The die can be used to implement the process of “the multi-point pressing and forming sheet”. Sheet metal is restricted by the elastic pressing forces putting on the upper and lower surfaces of sheet in stamping process. The method is an effective way to enhance the buckling critical stresses and reduce wrinkling of sheet. The results of tests indicate that the die can achieve “one die brings multi-purpose” and suppress the wrinkle of sheet. The process of the multi-point pressing and forming sheet provides a practical and effective way for the curved sheet metal forming.     

Ranking of factors contributing to higher performance in the ocean transportation industry: a multi-attribute utility theory approach

Ocean transportation has been mainly studied from an economic and strategic point of view. This paper adopts an operations management approach aiming at the identification of the value-adding attributes that characterize the ocean transportation industry. This is achieved by using Johansson et al.'s 1 four value metrics—service, quality, cost, time—which are used for the identification of the contribution that different factors make to the total created value. In this paper, multi-attribute utility theory (MAUT) has been used to measure and compare the value of different processes of various sectors of the ocean transportation industry. The application of MAUT methodology is illustrated with an example from the four sectors of the industry: liner, dry bulk, liquid bulk and specialized. Results suggest that there is strong emphasis placed by ocean transportation companies on quality and that there is differentiating importance put on service and cost by different sectors. Time is seen as the lowest value contributor by all four sectors of the surveyed companies.     

An experimental analysis of intelligibility and efficiency of in-vehicle route guidance system displays

This study focuses on the user-interface of the route guidance system with an electronic map display. The ultimate goal of the study is to aid in designing electronic map displays that can deliver information to the user most efficiently and expeditiously with minimum confusion. To evaluate the efficiency and understandability of a map display, laboratory experiments were designed and conducted in this study. In the experiments the subjects were presented with electronic map displays of different attributes and performed a set of tasks. Their understanding of the information contents was measured based on the outcomes of the tasks, and subjective ratings of the ease of using the maps were obtained. Using the experimental data obtained, a structural equations model system is developed to explain the understandability of a map display in terms of the subject’s attributes and the characteristics of the map display. The experimental procedure and the modeling results are presented in this paper.     

The design of single allocation incomplete hub networks

The hub location problem deals with finding the location of hub facilities and allocating the demand nodes to these hub facilities so as to effectively route the demand between any origin–destination pair. In the extensive literature on this challenging network design problem, it has widely been assumed that the subgraph induced by the hub nodes is complete. Relaxation of this basic assumption constitutes the starting point of the present work. In this study, we provide a uniform modeling treatment to all the single allocation variants of the existing hub location problems, under the incomplete hub network design. No network structure other than connectivity is imposed on the induced hub network. Within this context, the single allocation incomplete p-hub median, the incomplete hub location with fixed costs, the incomplete hub covering, and the incomplete p-hub center network design problems are defined, and efficient mathematical formulations for these problems with O(n³) variables are introduced. Computational analyses with these formulations are presented on the various instances of the CAB data set and on the Turkish network.     

An investigation of different methods for the prevention of parametric rolling

The parametric rolling of modern containerships is emerging as a serious problem, to the extent that its effects warrant a study into its prevention. In light of this, two methods for reduction of parametric rolling are proposed and examined by physical model experiments. The first is a sponson attached to the side of a ship, the purpose being to decrease the rate of change of the rollrestoring moment. The second is an antirolling tank to increase roll damping. By conducting free-running model experiments for a 6600-TEU post-Panamax container ship with sponsons under typical parametric rolling conditions, it was found that the sponsons could decrease the magnitude of parametric rolling. The antirolling tank could prevent parametric rolling completely in certain conditions, even in severe head seas. Using the damping coefficients from experimentally derived data of a model ship with an antiroll tank, a numerical simulation was established. The numerical model was then compared with the free-running model experiments. The results indicated that the numerical model could qualitatively verify the experimental results. Finally, an attempt to optimise the size of an antirolling tank for preventing parametric rolling for the subject post-Panamax container ship in the North Pacific Ocean is presented.