Mesh motion approach based on spring analogy method for unstructured meshes

Mesh motion strategy is one of the key points in many fluid-structure interaction problems. One popular technique used to solve this problem is known as the spring analogy method. In this paper a new mesh update approach based on the spring analogy method is presented for the effective treatment of mesh moving boundary problems. The proposed mesh update technique is developed to avoid the generation of squashed invalid elements and maintain mesh quality by considering each element shape and grid scale to th...     

H_∞ Autopilot Design for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

The design approach of H∞ autopilot for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) is proposed. Comprised by the three sub-controllers,i.e. speed,heading and depth controllers,the designed autopilot has advantage over existing H∞ control of AUVs. The overshoot in speed,heading and depth control systems under step commands is restricted by refining the weighting function for robust stability. The dynamic performance of heading and depth control systems is improved by feeding back yaw rate and pitch angle,respecti...     

Method for workspace calculation of 6R serial manipulator based on surface enveloping and overlaying

Aiming at the workspace calculation problem of multi-joint serial manipulators, a surface enveloping and overlaying (SEO) method is presented to identify and visualize the manipulator workspace. The SEO method is composed of two stages: the first stage is to choose reference points of the manipulator and calculate their boundary surfaces using the nth enveloping method; the second stage is to overlay these boundary surfaces to identify the final workspace. The SEO method is basically a combination of the analytic method and the numerical method. By delineating the graphic representation of the workspace step by step, the SEO method is easy to analyze the existence and the shape of voids and holes. The basic theory of the SEO method and formulas for workspace calculation are presented based on a 6R serial manipulator. By showing the workspace calculation results, the SEO method is proved working correctly.     

Mechanical behaviors of the foot after individual releases of plantar fascia and ligaments during the balanced standing

To quantify mechanical effects of plantar fascia and ligaments on the arch structure, a 3D finite element model of the foot was created to simulate the balanced standing posture. Four cases after individual releases of plantar fascia, spring ligament, long and short plantar ligaments were simulated respectively to compare their consequences to the predictions of the intact structure. It was founded that the foot arch didn’t collapse obviously after any individual release of these structures. As plantar fascia was released, tensions of plantar ligaments were largely increased. Long and short plantar ligaments performed mutual compensation functions.     

Fuzzy optimization of storage space allocation in a container terminal

A fuzzy optimization model of storage space allocation is proposed, and a rolling-planning method is derived. The model takes the uncertainty of departure time of import containers and arrival time of export containers into account. For each planning horizon, the problem is decomposed into two levels: the first level minimizes the unbalanced workloads among blocks using hybrid intelligence algorithm; based on block workloads allocated in the above level, the second level minimizes the number of blocks to which the same group of import containers are split. Numerical results show that the model reduces workload imbalance, and speeds up the vessel loading and discharging process.     

Initial conditions of impact dynamics

The effects of the initial conditions of impact dynamics equations are investigated numerically and experimentally. The inadequacies of previous studies on initial conditions are pointed out. Then a coefficient of velocity jump at the moment of impact is introduced, and the experiments for the mental rods are implemented to validate the appending constraints modeling methods for impact process. The comparisons between the experimental and simulated results at different coefficients are used to study the effects of the velocity jump conditions to the numerical simulation. The results indicate that the physical velocity response of bodies during impact is smooth; the different values of velocity jump only have small effects on numerical oscillation of velocity response, and they have no effects on the time history of impact force.     

Dynamic investigation on composite flexible multi-body system considering thermal effect

The dynamic performance of composite flexible multi-body system under the simultaneous action of thermal fields and driving constraint is analyzed. Based on strain-displacement relation of the Mindlin plate theory which includes transverse shear deformation, and considering thermal effect, variation equations of laminated plate are derived by the principle of virtual work. The finite element method is used for discretization. According to kinematics constraint relation, dynamic equations for spatial slider-crank system are established. Simulation results show that spatial deformation (torsion deformation) appears in the multi-layered composite slider-crank mechanism which is simulated with planar motions. Furthermore, the influence of coupling between thermal expansion and flexible deformations of non-symmetrical composite plates on the large overall motion under the uniform temperature field is investigated. Finally, significant change in constraint force due to the spatial deformation is shown.     

Numerical implementation of meshless method for electromagnetic field governing equations

For electromagnetic governing equations formulated by magnetic vector potential and electric scalar potential, its detailed numerical implementation is achieved by using meshless method and Galerkin approach. And essential boundary and interface condition of electromagnetic field are imposed by means of Lagrange multiplier method. Furthermore, the influences of interpolation point number at essential boundary and interface on computational results are also discussed. Examples are given to validate the effects of meshless method and Lagrange multiplier approach for electromagnetic field.     

Numerical analysis and experimental study of the effect of workpiece thickness on flow field in laser cutting

Based on Navier-Stokes equation and renormalization group (RNG) onflow model, the 3D symmetrical impinging jet model of laser cutting is established by adopting a taper nozzle and a convergence nozzle. Numerical simulation of gas flow in laser cutting is used to investigate the effect of workpiece thickness on flow field of assist gas in cutting slot. The isolines of static pressure as well as the distributions of static pressure and velocity are analyzed in details with different workpiece thickness, and the trend of dynamics characteristics of gas jet is shown in the study. For taper nozzles and convergence nozzles, the dynamic structure of assist gas being close to the lower surface of workpiece is exacerbated while the cutting quality and cutting efficiency become worse with the increasing of workpiece thickness. The parallel degree between assist gas and the axis of convergence nozzle is better than that of taper nozzle after the gas goes out of the nozzles. Two typical subsonic nozzles are designed for the cutting experiment at the end of the paper.     

Novel mesh technique and its application in the wind field simulation for flexible spatial structure

In this paper, novel mesh techniques are proposed for wind field simulation of flexible spatial structure. For mesh generation, an interpolation strategy is presented to obtain a mesh system with variable density. Two spatial structure examples are used to examine the efficiency and applicability of this technique. Then based on the structured mesh system generated by the technique, the mesh nodal coordinates are updated to adapt the moving boundary conditions by means of the mapping interpolation functions and some examples are given to verify the effectiveness. Furthermore, the constrained counterforce distribution technique and projection interpolation strategy are developed to implement the data exchange on the interaction surface of wind and structure. Finally, the computational accuracy is numerically validated.