An evaluation of vehicle deceleration profiles

Vehicles stopping at signalized intersections were examined for the purpose of evaluating the validity of the common assumption of constant and uniform deceleration rates. The data set consisted of the first vehicles to stop upon the onset of the yellow signal interval with measurements of the initial approach speed, deceleration time, and deceleration distance. The deceleration rate may be computed using only two of the three measured values; thus the rate for each vehicle can be determined by three different equations. With nonuniform deceleration profiles, the equations will produce different values; and the degree of nonuniformity can be determined by comparing the differences in the computed deceleration rates. The analysis of the field observations indicated that 69 percent of the vehicles demonstrated deceleration profiles associated with nonuniform deceleration rates. Furthermore, the deceleration profile and the degree of nonuniformity were found to be a function of the initial approach speed.     

Initial results from long-term measurements of atmospheric humidity and related parameters in the marine boundary layer at two locations in the Gulf of Mexico

Measurements of boundary layer moisture have been acquired from Rotronic MP-100 sensors deployed on two NDBC buoys in the northern Gulf of Mexico from June through November 1993. For one sensor, which was retrieved approximately 8 months after deployment, the post- and precalibrations agreed closely and fell well within WMO specifications for accuracy. The second sensor operated continuously from June 1993 to February 1997 (3.5 years). Buoy observations of relative humidity and supporting data were used to calculate specific humidity and the surface fluxes of latent and sensible heat. Specific humidities from the buoys were compared with observations of moisture obtained from nearby ship reports, and the correlations were generally high (0.7–0.9). Surface gravity wave spectra were also acquired. The time series of specific humidity and the other buoy parameters revealed three primary scales of variability, small (h), synoptic (days), and seasonal (months). The synoptic variability was clearly dominant and occurred primarily during September, October, and November. Most of the synoptic variability was due to frontal systems that dropped down into the Gulf of Mexico from the continental US followed by air masses which were cold and dry. Cross-correlation analyses of the buoy data indicated that: (1) the moisture field was highly coherent over distances of 800 km or more in the northern Gulf of Mexico; and (2) both specific humidity and air temperature served as tracers of the motion associated with propagating atmospheric disturbances. These correlation analyses also revealed that the prevailing weather systems generally entered the buoy domain from the South prior to September, but primarily from the North thereafter. Spectra of the various buoy parameters indicated strong diurnal and semidiurnal variability for barometric pressure and sea surface temperature (SST) and lesser variability for air temperature, wind speed and significant wave height. The surface fluxes of latent and sensible heat were dominated by the synoptic events which took place from September through November with the transfer of latent heat being primarily from the ocean to the atmosphere. Finally, an analysis of the surface wave observations from each buoy, which included calculations of wave age and estimates of surface roughness, indicate that major heat and moisture flux events coincide with periods of active wave growth, although the data were insufficient to identify any causal relationships.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Comparison of HC species from diesel combustion modes and characterization of a heat-up doc formulation

This study summarizes engine speed and load effects on HC species emissions from premixed charge compression ignition (PCI) and conventional diesel combustion, and it evaluates diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) formulations on a gas flow reactor for the purpose of diesel particulate filter regeneration or lean NO_x trap desulfation. HC emissions are sampled simultaneously by a Tedlar bag for light HC species and by a Tenax TA™ adsorption trap for semi-volatile HC species, and they are analyzed by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. The bulk temperature and residence time during combustion are key parameters that are important for understanding the effects of speed and load on engine-out HC emissions. The degree of post-flame oxidation is higher in PCI than in conventional combustion, and it is increased for PCI with a higher speed and load, as indicated by a lower fuel alkanes/THC ratio, a higher alkenes/fuel alkanes ratio, and a higher methane/THC ratio. Ethene and n-undecane are two representative HC species, and they are used as a surrogate mixture in the gas flow reactor to simulate PCI and conventional combustion with in-cylinder post fuel injection. Among the three DOC formulations tested, the catalyst with constituent precious metals of platinum and palladium (PtPd) showed the best light-off performance, followed by PtPd with an addition of cerium dioxide (PtPd+CeO₂), and platinum (Pt), regardless of exhaust compositions. Conventional combustion exhaust composition shows a lower light-off temperature than that of PCI, regardless of catalyst formulation.     

Optimized design for a MacPherson strut suspension with side load springs

Undesired lateral force inevitably exists in a MacPherson suspension system, which is liable to damper rod’s side wear and promotes the damper’s inner friction decreasing the ride performance from the suspension system. Substituting a new side load spring with curved centerline for the conventional coil spring has been proven able to solve these problems and Multi-body Dynamics combining with Finite Elements Analysis may be an efficient method in optimizing its design. Therefore, taking a passenger car as example, a detailed multi-body dynamics model for the suspension system is built to simulate forces exerted on the damper and the minimization of its lateral component is selected as the design target for the spring. When the structure optimization of the side load spring is performed using FEA software ANSYS, its vertical and lateral elastic characteristics, supported by test data, are analyzed. After importing FEA results back to the suspension system, the dynamics simulation can be performed to validate the optimization result.     

Adaptive neuron control using an integrated error approach with application to active suspensions

This paper proposes a new neuron control strategy for an active vehicle suspension system, with the emphasis on the study of multivariable and uncertain suspension characteristics. The novelty of this strategy is in the use of integrated error, which consists of multiple output errors in the regulated plant. By combining the integrated error approach with the traditional neuron control (TNC), integrated error neuron control (IENC) is presented. It provides a direct control to the multiple outputs of the control plant simultaneously. Taking a quarter-car model as an example, the proposed control strategy is applied and comparative simulations are carried out with various vehicle parameters and road input conditions. Simulation results prove the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed IENC method. In addition, the newly proposed neuron scheme provides a simple yet efficient new possibility for the control of a class of uncertain multivariable systems similar to an active vehicle suspension.     

Immigration, residential location, car ownership, and commuting behavior: a multivariate latent class analysis from California

Using latent class cluster analysis, this paper investigates the spatial, social, demographic, and economic determinants of immigrants’ joint distribution among travel time, mode choice, and departure time for work using the 2000 Census long form data. Through a latent tree structure analysis, age, residential location, immigration stage, gender, personal income, and race are found to be the primary determinants in the workplace commute decision-making process. By defining several relatively homogeneous population segments, the likelihood of falling into each segment is found to differ across age groups and geography, with different indicators affecting each group differentially. This analysis complements past studies that used regression models to investigate socio-demographic indicators and their impact on travel behavior in two distinct ways: (a) analysis is done by considering travel time, mode choice, and departure time for work simultaneously, and (b) heterogeneity in behavior is accounted for using methods that identify different groups of behavior and then their determinants. Conclusively the method here is richer than many other methods used to study the ethnically diverse population of California and shows the addition of geographic location and latent segment identification to greatly improve our understanding of specific behaviors. It also provides evidence that immigrants are as diverse as the non-immigrant population and transportation policies need to be defined accordingly.