Vibration Control of a Passenger Vehicle Utilizing a Semi-Active ER Engine Mount

This paper presents vibration control of a passenger vehicle using an electronically controllable electro-rheological (ER) engine mount. A mixed-mode ER engine mount operating under the flow and shear modes is devised and manufactured. After establishing the dynamic model of the proposed ER engine mount, both field-dependent displacement transmissibility and dynamic stiffness of the ER engine mount are empirically evaluated. The ER engine mount is then incorporated with a full-vehicle model in order to investigate vibration control performance at the driver's seat position. The governing equation of motion of the full-vehicle model is formulated by considering engine excitation force, followed by designing a skyhook controller to attenuate unwanted vibration. The controller is implemented through a hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HILS), and control responses such as acceleration level at idle speed are evaluated in the frequency and time domains.     

Efficient pricing of ships in the dry bulk sector of the shipping industry

The aim of this paper was to investigate the validity of the Efficient Market Hypothesis in conjunction with Rational Expectations in the formation of dry bulk ship prices over the period January 1976-December 1997. Tests for market efficiency include those of orthogonality and unpredictability of excess returns on investments and tests based on the Vector Autoregressive models proposed by Campbell and Shiller. The latter methodology is extended further to a 3-variable Vector Autoregressive model, which is applicable to real assets with limited economic life. Results indicate that prices for newbuilding and second-hand vessels are not determined efficiently in the sense of Fama. Failure of the Efficient Market Hypothesis in the formation of ship prices is explained by the existence of timevarying risk premia, which relate excess returns to investors' perceptions of risk. These are modelled through the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity in mean (GARCH-M) models. The results have important implications for shipping investment strategies, both in the newbuilding and second-hand markets.     

Assimilation of buoy and satellite data in wave forecasts with integral control variables

The quality of numerical wave forecasts can be improved significantly by assimilating wave observations prior to the forecast. In the present study a technique for such assimilation is developed that exploits (a) the efficiency of a limited number of integral control variables, and (b) the effectiveness of variational (model-consistent) assimilation. The formal procedure is independent of the type of control variables and of the wave model (moreover, no adjoint wave model is required). In the present study, integral control variables are chosen to represent large-scale errors in the driving wind fields and uncertainties in the wave model. The assimilation technique is validated with observations of the ERS-1 satellite altimeter and two waverider buoys in two consecutive storms in the Norwegian Sea. The assimilation of the observations reduced the errors in the forecasted significant wave height at the buoy locations typically from 25% to 12%. For low-frequency waves the effect of the assimilation is similarly significant at one buoy location but marginal at the other buoy location.     

On the background level of Tc, Sr and Cs in the North Atlantic

Mean concentrations of the anthropogenic radioactive oceanographic tracers ⁹⁹Tc, ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs have been measured as 0.005, 1.6 and 2.5 Bq m⁻³ in oceanic Northeast Atlantic surface water, east and northeast of the Azores, in 1992. This is, apparently, the first published value for fallout “background” ⁹⁹Tc in oceanic Atlantic water.Comparison with older data indicates an observed half life for ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs in the northeast Atlantic surface water of 20 yr corresponding to a mean residence time of 80–100 yr for the stable elements.The observed ⁹⁹Tc/⁹⁰Sr ratio (3 × 10⁻³) in the Azores samples is 10 times higher than the theoretical fission yield decay corrected to 1992. This is in agreement with published data on rain water samples and may be characteristic for 1960's global fallout. Furthermore, the measured ¹³⁷Cs/⁹⁰Sr ratio is not significantly different from that observed for global fallout. There do not appear to be any additional significant sources of artificial radionuclides in this region.     

Modeling the bilateral micro‐searching behavior for urban taxi services using the absorbing markov chain approach

This paper develops a mathematical model that is based on the absorbing Markov chain approach to describe taxi movements, taking into account the stochastic searching processes of taxis in a network. The local searching behavior of taxis is specified by a logit form, and the O‐D demand of passengers is estimated as a logit model with a choice of taxi meeting point. The relationship between customer and taxi waiting times is modeled by a double‐ended queuing system. The problem is solved with a set of non‐linear equations, and some interesting results are presented. The research provides a novel and potentially useful formulation for describing the urban taxi services in a network.     

Benthic habitat quality assessment of an oxygen stressed fjord by surface and sediment profile images

In May and October 1994 the benthic habitats in Havstensfjord (26 km²), a seasonally oxygen stressed stratified fjord, were classified by taking sediment surface and sediment profile images (SPI) at 90 stations, randomized into nine strata. Qualitative grab samples for faunal inspection were taken at about of the stations in both May and October to help to identify objects in the images. The images give information on sediment characteristics (texture, oxic/anoxic conditions, lamination) which often can be related to functional properties of the macrofauna (burrows, tubes, feeding voids, reworked sediment) or to observations on benthic epifauna. In combination, such variables mirror the quality of the benthic habitat. Analysis of sediment profile images was done with multivariate methods [Benthic Habitat Quality (BHQ) index] and univariate statistical methods to describe differences between areas and depths. Variance analysis of BHQ indices indicated a significant interaction between area and depth. In both the northeast and northwest strata the oxygen stress had induced a habitat degradation at depths deeper than 25 m compared to shallower northwest and northeast strata and all south depth strata. No significant difference in mean BHQ index was found between May and October. We discuss the potential application of the SPI technique for efficient monitoring oxygen stressed marine coastal areas.     

What makes a car-sharer?

Information from various sources, but most specifically from the YORKSHARE car-sharing schemes, is brought together in an analysis of public reaction to, and participation in, a car-sharing scheme with centralised matching of applicants. The importance of various attributes of the sites, of the individuals and of the scheme organisation are assessed and conclusions are drawn.The motivation of individual participants is analysed and is seen to vary from one person to another depending to some extent on their circumstances, but the universal importance of some features, notably cost savings, is revealed.     

An Investigation into Stick-Slip Vibrations on Vehicle/Track Systems

A model for the numerical simulation of vehicle/track interaction and stick-slip vibration is presented. A finite element model is developed to calculate vertical contact forces. These forces are then coupled through the contact patch into a non-linear time-domain model by which the stick-slip vibration behaviour of a wheel-rail system is analysed. The investigation suggests that stick-slip vibration may occur if a vehicle which has a maligned or an initial 'wind-up' wheeiset meets a vertical irregularity or contaminants on the track.     

与磁悬浮车辆现有超导磁体合为一体的线性发电机

为使用超导磁体(SCM)的磁悬浮运输系统开发不需接触地面的车上电源,对减少环境污染(噪声和废气的排放)是非常重要的.文章提出了将线性发电机(LG)并入现有SCM以提高输出功率、改善功率因数和测量系统的可行性,并在山梨磁悬浮试验线进行了试验.装在转向架左侧的线性发电机,在400km/h和500km/h的速度范围内,能为磁悬浮车辆提供25kW的电力.分析和运行试验测量的结果有良好的相关性.因此可望将线性发电机投入实际应用.