Non-linear dynamic simulation of gear response under the idling condition

A dynamic lumped-parameter gear model incorporating the effects of a time-varying and asymmetric mesh stiffness and a backlash nonlinearity is formulated to analyze the spur gear rattle response under the idling condition. The proposed theory assumes a rectangular time-varying mesh stiffness function. The phase shift between the mesh stiffness for forward and backward contacts is examined. Numerical studies are employed to examine the effects of engine torque fluctuations and tooth surface friction on the gear rattle response and the corresponding tooth impact behavior. Comparisons between the results from the time-invariant mesh stiffness model and the proposed time-varying mesh stiffness model reveal differences in the gear responses, especially when the mean rotational speed of the fluctuating gear pair is non-zero. The analysis reveals significant effects on the high frequency response components. However, the idling gear dynamics are relatively insensitive to tooth surface friction.     

Hybrid vehicle power management modeling and refinement

The power management strategy in many hybrid vehicles is based on expert rules and thresholds. These rule-based strategies can result in good efficiency in term of fuel economy and emissions if their thresholds and rules are accurate. However, due to the complexity and the non-linearity of the hybrid powertrain, determining accurate thresholds and rules is neither explicit nor straightforward, and experts in most cases fail to define these thresholds and rules with enough accuracy. Based on this fact, the objective of this paper is to propose a method to improve this rule-based strategy by refining its thresholds and rules. To achieve this, we used an optimization method (dynamic programming) to calculate the optimal power management, determine the optimal control signals, and extract efficient thresholds and rules that can be used in real time. Finally, simulation results for the three strategies (optimal, simple and refined strategy) are shown and discussed.     

SCR control strategy based on ANNs and Fuzzy PID in a heavy-duty diesel engine

The paper presents an innovative method combining artificial neural networks (ANNs) with Fuzzy PID to demonstrate the advantages of this control approach for meeting both NOx emission requirements and NH3 slip targets. An ANN model was utilized to simulate the formation of NOx emissions under various engine operating conditions. Next, an effective closed-loop control strategy with a type of feedback known as fuzzy PID is adopted for on-line, real-time control of 32.5% aqueous urea dosing in the exhaust stream. The new strategy explores the benefits by simulation and testing in the environments of Matlab/Simulink and ESC/ETC, respectively. The notable achievement of considerable NOx reduction and an acceptably small NH3 slip is obtained based on this new, feasible and effective strategy.     

Entre marche et métro, les mouvements intra-urbains des touristes sous le prisme de l’? adhérence ? à Paris et en ?le-de-France

The urban movement of tourists remains largely unknown, but the mobility of tourists contributes to the metropolitan process. Around the notion of ??adherence??, this article demonstrates how, in the Paris metropole, tourists rely mainly on walking and the use of the tube to travel within the city. The structurally different characteristics of walking and the use of the tube represent a theoretical opposition between the two types of movements that are differently ??adherent?? to the city. However, these mobilities complement each other. Indeed, the partial disconnection of the tube is addressed by the direct connection and proximity to the city allowed by the pedestrian means.     

Simulations of roughness growth on rails - results from a 2D non-Hertzian, non-steady contact model

A new model for simulating rail roughness growth on tangent track is presented in this paper. The model consists of three relatively independent components: (1) a time-domain vehicle/track interaction model; (2) a 2D non-Hertzian and non-steady wheel/rail contact model; and (3) a wear model. Wheel/rail contact forces for a given initial roughness obtained from the vehicle/track interaction model are used by the contact model to calculate the contact patch size, normal pressure and tangential stresses with material removal assumed to be linearly proportional to the friction work in the contact patch. The roughness profile is updated and fed back into vehicle/track interaction model. The 2D contact model is initially compared with a 3D model for various wavelength of initial sinusoidal roughness. Long term roughness growth is then simulated with the 2D contact model. Simulation shows that all initial sinusoidal roughness of wavelengths between 20-100 mm are levelled out. The wavelength-fixing mechanism, that has previously been used to explain the cause of corrugation, is not found in the present investigations.     

Efficiency of routing and scheduling system for small and medium size enterprises utilizing vehicle location data

The routing and scheduling for trucks and vans in an urban road network depends critically on the state of the road network. Trucks and vans impose significant costs on other road users and the environment, so improved routing and scheduling benefits more than just the logistics industry. However, small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in the logistics business cannot justify investment in planning systems. In this paper, an autonomous routing and scheduling system which is available to SMEs is proposed and the efficiency of the system is investigated. The proposed system accumulates vehicle location data in a central server and uses it to generate traffic information. Test simulations using a grid network demonstrate the effects of utilizing and sharing vehicle location data on delivery efficiency. The simulation results show that the improvement of delivery efficiency is mainly due to the reduction of penalty cost for early and late arrival at the customer location. It is also shown that the system leads to the buffer effect from variations in traffic conditions on delivery cost and this effect is enhanced by taking travel time uncertainty into consideration. It is further shown that the presence of measurement periods with insufficient data results in unreliable routing and scheduling. For a reliable system, data collection over a wider area is required rather than dense data in a subset of links.     

Agricultural vehicles and sustainable safe road traffic: solving conflicts on arterial highways

Addressing the issues of traffic safety in rural areas presents a constant challenge. The mix of light and heavy vehicles and the considerable differences in speed among these traffic participants result in high risks and delays for the faster vehicles. Agricultural vehicles (AVs) in particular have such an impact on traffic, especially when using arterial highways. This paper reviews the problems of safety and delays that AVs cause on arterial highways, and the appropriate mitigation. The concept of 'sustainable safety' in The Netherlands focuses on these problems, because of the proposed construction of parallel roads alongside all arterial highways. However, Dutch accident statistics cannot justify the high costs for the construction of parallel roads alongside 7000 km of arterial highways. Delays experienced by fast traffic are another reason for separating AVs from other road users with parallel roads. Alternative measures alongside the arterial highway, such as passing bays, restricting AVs to travelling at off-peak only and improving the conspicuity of the AVs, may be more cost-effective ways of reducing delays and/or improving traffic safety on arterial highways. Another solution may be to eliminate the need for AVs to use the arterial highway by altering their routes. For this purpose, land reallocation projects (as practised in Holland) can provide a useful tool.     

Designing a route planner to facilitate and promote cycling in Metro Vancouver,Canada

With increasing fuel costs, greater awareness of greenhouse gas emissions and increasing obesity levels, cycling is promoted as a health promoting and sustainable transport mode. We developed a cycling route planner (http://cyclevancouver.ubc.ca) for Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to facilitate cycling amongst the general public and to facilitate new route location by transportation planners. The geographical information system-based planner incorporates variables that influence choices to travel by bicycle (e.g., distance, elevation gain, safety, route features, air pollution and links to transit) in selecting the preferred routing. Using a familiar and user-friendly Google Maps interface, the planner allows individuals to seek optimized cycling routes throughout the region based on their own preferences. In addition to the incorporation of multiple user preferences in route selection, the planner is unique amongst cycling route planners in its use of topology to minimize data storage redundancy, its reliance on node/vertex index tables to increase efficiency of the route selection process, and the use of web services and asynchronous technologies for quick data delivery. Use of this tool can help promote bicycle travel as a form of active transportation and help lower greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂) and air pollutant emissions by reducing car trips.     

Statistical characterization of surfaces of corroded steel plates

The statistical characteristics of corroded steel plate surfaces exposed to marine environments are of interest for assessing longer term structural safety and integrity using probabilistic methods. This requires information about the variability of corrosion loss and pitting over surfaces. The present paper reports on the observed statistical character of the surfaces of 10 large (1.2 m × 0.8 m × 3 mm thick) steel plates exposed in temperate climate marine immersion, tidal and splash zones for 2.5 years. For the analysis the plates were cut into smaller segments that were mechanically scanned to obtain digitised surface topographies. These were then analysed to estimate the correlation structure and the standard deviation of the surface topography. Considerable differences were found for these and for the mean corrosion loss between different exposure zones. For any one segment the surface topography was found to be highly statistically dependent, implying that smaller coupon sizes can provide adequate estimates of corrosion loss. From this it may be inferred that the deepest pits are not statistically independent as commonly assumed in extreme value statistical representations.     

National policy towards cars: Greece

Passenger car ownership and use in Greece has been a matter of serious consideration at government level, only in the last decade with the increasing traffic congestion in the big cities. However, government policy towards private car ownership has always been influenced by two main factors.

First, that virtually all vehicles have to be imported, a fact which has a serious balance of payments implication for a small country like Greece.

Second, the traditional heavy taxation of motor vehicles and fuel, brings high revenues for the national budget. Recently a third consideration has been added, that of energy consumption and of the environmental effects of car use.

From the point of view of car owners, ownership was originally seen as a means of social recognition and establishment, but for the last decade it has been considered mainly as an everyday necessity more or less imposed on one, by a number of other well accepted facts of everyday social and professional life.

Influenced by the two main factors above; private car ownership and use in Greece has developed for the last two decades at a pace similar to but not the same as in other Western Countries. In this paper the existing situation and prospects will be examined and comments made on the peculiarities characterizing the Greek scene.