Stabilization Control for Rider-Motorcycle Model in Hamiltonian Form

This study deals with dynamics and control of a rider-motorcycle system model in Hamiltonian form. The model is established to account for not only the motorcycle dynamics but also changes in rider's postures. Tyre forces are treated as external forces and rider's control actions contain three actuation torques. The Hamiltonian system is subject to dissipation effects due to tyre forces and rider's control torques. In addition to the total Hamiltonian, a generalized free energy is employed in formulation. Lyapunov's second method provides sufficient conditions for stability. Variable structure system (VSS) control is used to account for stabilization control exerted by the rider. Simulation results validate the proposed method.     

On the dense water spreading off the Ross Sea shelf (Southern Ocean)

In this study, current meter and hydrological data obtained during the X Italian Expedition in the Ross Sea (CLIMA Project) are analyzed. Our data show a nice agreement with previous data referring to the water masses present in this area and their dynamics. Here, they are used to further analyze the mixing and deepening processes of Deep Ice Shelf Water (DISW) over the northern shelf break of the Ross Sea. In more detail, our work is focused on the elementary mechanisms that are the most efficient in removing dense water from the shelf: either classical mixing effects or density currents that interact with some topographic irregularity in order to drop to deeper levels, or also the variability of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) which, in its meandering, can push the dense water off the shelf, thus interrupting its geostrophic flow. We also discuss in detail the (partial) evidence of dramatic interactions of the dense water with bottom particulate, of geological or biological origin, thus generating impulsive or quasi-steady density-turbidity currents. This complex interaction allows one to consider bottom particular and dense water as a unique self-interacting system. In synthesis, this is a first tentative analysis of the effect of bottom particulate on the dense water dynamics in the Ross Sea.     

Train-Track Interaction and Mechanisms of Irregular Wear on Wheel and Rail Surfaces

Summary High-frequency train-track interaction and mechanisms of wheel/rail wear that is non-uniform in magnitude around/along the running surface are surveyed. Causes, consequences and suggested remedies to relieve the problems are discussed for three types of irregular wheel/rail wear: (1) short-pitch rail corrugation on tangent tracks and large radius curves, (2) wheel corrugation as caused by tread braking, and (3) wheel polygonalisation. The state-of-the-art in modelling of dynamic train-track interaction in conjunction with prediction of irregular wear is reviewed.     

Using a random displacement model to simulate turbulent particle motion in a baroclinic frontal zone: A new implementation scheme and model performance tests

Numerical artifacts can limit accurate simulation of turbulent particle motion when Lagrangian particle-tracking models are implemented in hydrodynamic models with stratified conditions like fronts. Yet, modeling of individual particle motion in frontal regions is critical for understanding sediment dynamics as well as the transport and retention of planktonic organisms. The objective of this research was to develop a numerical technique to accurately simulate turbulent particle motions in a particle-tracking model embedded within a hydrodynamic model of a frontal zone. A new interpolation scheme, the ‘water column profile’ scheme, was developed and used to implement a random displacement model for turbulent particle motions. A new interpolation scheme was necessary because linear interpolation schemes caused artificial aggregation of particles where abrupt changes in vertical diffusivity occurred. The new ‘water column profile’ scheme was used to fit a continuous function (a tension spline) to a smoothed profile of vertical diffusivities at the x–y particle location. The new implementation scheme was checked for artifacts and compared with a standard random walk model using (1) Well Mixed Condition tests, and (2) dye-release experiments. The Well Mixed Condition tests confirmed that the use of the ‘water column profile’ interpolation scheme for implementing the random displacement model significantly reduced numerical artifacts. In dye-release experiments, high concentrations of Eulerian tracer and Lagrangian particles were released at the same location up-estuary of the salt front and tracked for 4 days. After small differences in initial dispersal rates, tracer and particle distributions remained highly correlated (r = 0.84 to 0.99) when a random displacement model was implemented in the particle-tracking model. In contrast, correlation coefficients were substantially lower (r = 0.07 to 0.58) when a random walk model was implemented. In general, model performance tests indicated that the ‘water column interpolation’ scheme was an effective technique for implementing a random displacement model within a hydrodynamic model, and both could be used to accurately simulate diffusion in a highly baroclinic frontal region. The new implementation scheme has the potential to be a useful tool for investigating the influence of hydrodynamic variability on the transport of sediment particles and planktonic organisms in frontal zones.     

Use of an activity-based diary to collect household travel data

The paper describes the results of a pilot survey that used a one-day activity diary to collect origin-destination data, as opposed to a travel-based diary. The design of the diary is discussed, together with a comparison to a more conventional travel diary. The paper examines the extent to which the activity diary appears to have been capable of collecting good travel data that is at least comparable to travel diary efforts. In addition, a substantial portion of the paper is concerned with a comparison of the retrieval methods for the diaries. Two alternative methods were pilot-tested, one being the use of telephone retrieval and the other being mailback retrieval. Although the pilot test used small samples, the evidence appears to be strong that mailback is preferable to telephone retrieval, while telephone retrieval did not seem capable of providing some of the benefits often ascribed to it.     

Waterway traffic analysis of the Chicago River and lock

The vessel-carrying capacity of the Chicago River, Illinois, is restricted by a lock. separating the river from Lake Michigan. Currently, vessels passing through the lock experience long delays during summer months. An investigation and analysis of this system determined that although the system is now generally operating below capacity, the peak periods during summer weekends do approach capacity, and the situation is likely to deteriorate in the future. In addition, the river and lock have safety and traffic conflict problems that need attention. Recommendations to mitigate these problems are described.     

Performance Potential and Power Consumption of Slow-Active Suspension Systems with Preview

Two possible layouts of a slow-active suspension model are analysed. Optimal control laws for different actuator bandwidths and various amounts of road preview are generated, and estimates of power consumption are made. Higher bandwidth systems (10Hz) require less preview to obtain a given level of performance than those with a lower bandwidth (3Hz) but use more energy in doing so. Similar performance is available from the two systems considered, although the second uses considerably less energy to obtain that performance.     

加铺沥青面层在路面改造中的应用研究

本文以316国道孝感南大互通至毛庙段路面改善工程第二合同段的路面改造为工程实例,从旧路的路况调查、病害处理、沥青面层的设计、施工工艺的控制等方面,介绍了如何减少和防止沥青路面出现反射裂缝、车辙、水损害等早期病害。     

Suboptimal Control Design of Active and Passive Suspensions Based on a Full Car Model

An optimal control design method is introduced and then applied to the optimum design of active and passive suspension systems. A basic three-dimensional 7-DOF car riding model subjected to four correlated random road inputs is considered. The design method is basically developed to allow arbitrary choice of sensors for various car state variables to be used for feedback control of each suspension unit. Previous studies show that full-state control laws and even some limited-state control laws often include feedback gains which are almost zero. Some other gains, although not zero, don't play an important role in improving the system performance measures. With the method proposed in this work, every suspension unit can have its own feedback measurements and the criterion function can be related to all state and control variables. Thus a large number of active and semi-active suspension systems with full- or limited-state control laws based on different measurement combination can be suggested, studied, and compared with each other. Instead of comparing these optimized active and semi-active suspension systems with a basic, passive suspension, the passive system itself is optimized with the same criterion. Simulations in the time domain and frequency analyses are performed, and comparisons are made among the systems in terms of r.m.s. car response measures and ISO riding comfort criterion.     

Biochemical composition of marine sediment from the eastern Weddell Sea (Antarctica): High nutritive value in a high benthic-biomass environment

Within the SCAR's international EASIZ programme, as part of the benthic–pelagic coupling experiment, grain size and organic matter contents in marine surface sediment were measured. Samples were taken during the austral autumn of 2000 from 3 regions in the eastern Weddell Sea: Kapp Norvegia, Four Seasons Bank, and Austasen.In general, sediments were fine sand with a grain size fraction < 200 μm representing more than 40% of the total weight. The sediments from Four Seasons Bank (64 to 107 m depth) were coarser than those from Austasen and Kapp Norvegia (209 to 480 m depth), presumably due to winnowing of fine sediment at shallow depths. Organic carbon (OC) content ranged from 0.25% to 1.2% and constituted 10% to 97% of the total carbon. The samples from Kapp Norvegia presented the highest OC values. Overall, protein (PRT), lipid (LPD), and carbohydrate (CHO) contents were similar to those in sediment from cold regions (e.g., the North Atlantic and the Ross Sea) but higher than those in sediment from other Antarctic and more septentrional regions (e.g., the Ross Sea and the Mediterranean). The difference within the Antarctic is explained through the local conditions in Terra Nova Bay and Kapp Norvegia. In the Antarctic, PRT and LPD carbon were the main contributors to the biopolymeric carbon (BPC). In the eastern Weddell Sea shelf, the BPC accounted for more than 90% of the OC in most of the samples. More than 82% of the total PRT, LPD, and CHO were present in the fraction < 200 μm. This work remarks the existence of sediments with a high nutritional value persistent several weeks after the spring–summer pulse of fresh organic matter. It is also highlighted the high potential availability of these sediments (due to its grain size) for the benthic communities inhabiting this high-latitude continental shelf.