Development of a new traction control system for vehicles with automatic transmissions

A traction control system (TCS) is used to improve the acceleration performance on slippery roads by preventing excessive wheel slip. In this paper, a new traction control system using the integrated control of gear shifting and throttle actuation is developed for vehicles with automatic transmissions. In the design of the slip controller, by means of a differential manifold transformation, a slip control system with nonlinearities and uncertainties is transformed into a linear system, and a sliding mode controller is applied for the purpose of increasing the robustness of the system. Next, to achieve the required driving torque, the optimal throttle and gear position, maps are constructed based on dynamic programming. The simulation results indicate that the present traction control system can improve the acceleration performance of an automatic transmission vehicle for various types of road conditions.     

Heat exchanger/catalytic system for reducing the exhaust emissions from diesel engines

A system has been researched over the past 3 years for reducing the exhaust pollutants from diesel engines for light commercial vehicles. The system researched achieves Euro 6 standards for reduction of polluting gases (CO, HC, PM, NO). It consists of 4 main sections: 1. A heater and heat exchanger (HE); 2. A CO/HC oxidising catalyst (D°C); 3. Pt catalyst on a diesel particulate filter (DPF); 4. A NO reducing reaction (SCR) within the DPF. The system operates as follows. The exhaust gas contains oxidising gases, namely both O₂ and NO₂. The levels of CO and HC are oxidised by O₂ to CO₂ for temperatures above 200°C. Carbon (PM) is oxidised to CO₂ by NO₂ but requires a temperature above 250°C. The operating exhaust temperature of 300°C is ideal for the removal of NO by using the Pt catalyst and the CO generated within the DPF. The heater is required to be able to raise the exhaust temperature at any time to 300°C in order to optimise the performance of the system, since diesel engine exhaust temperatures vary between 160°C (slow speeds) to 350°C (high speeds). Considerable heat is required (??3 kW) to maintain the exhaust gas for a 2l engine at 300°C for engine idle conditions. Therefore a heat exchanger is required to re-circulate the input heat and thereby reduce the maximum power consumption to a maximum of 500W over the engine full operating test cycle. This energy is supplied by the engine battery and alternator. Experimental results have been obtained for the exhaust from a Kubota diesel engine and the reductions in exhaust emissions of 83% (CO/ HC), 58% (NOx) and 99% (PM) were obtained. The PM was continuously cleaned so that there was no build up of back pressure.     

Road identification in monocular color images using random forest and color correlogram

This paper presents a system to identify road and non-road regions from monocular color images of paved and unpaved roads. Despite being a single object, the road in these images is subject to large changes in appearance due to environmental effects and track materials. This condition has challenged the practical application of road identification. The proposed system combines random forest with color correlogram to overcome such conditions and offers a classifier for road and non-road regions in traffic images. As a color feature, the color correlogram depicts the spatial correlation of color changes in an image. Using random forest, road identification is formulated as a learning paradigm. The combined effects of color correlograms and random forest create a robust system capable of identifying roads even in variable situations in real time. This combination is more effective than other combinations, such as a color histogram plus random forest, a color correlogram plus neural network, or a color histogram plus neural network.     

Development of a new analytical model for a railway vehicle equipped with independently rotating wheels

The urban tram introduced recently has a low-floor structure for the convenience of passengers getting on and off. To adjust the low-floor level and improve performance on curves, most low-floor trams have IRWs (independently rotating wheels) with no central axle between the two wheels. Eliminating the central axle, however, creates several inherent problems, such as insufficient guiding force and excessive wear. To analyze these problems, a new analytical model is described in this paper to describe the dynamic characteristics of IRWs more precisely. This analytical model is developed to consider the effects of longitudinal creep in particular, which have been ignored in conventional analytical models of IRWs. In addition, a running stability analysis based on the newly developed analytical model is conducted to compare the critical speeds of IRW-axle vehicles and rigid-axle vehicles. The dynamic characteristics of an initial disturbance are compared to verify that the analytical model is effective in expressing the dynamic characteristics of IRWs.     

Design and development of automotive blind spot detection radar system based on ROI pre-processing scheme

In the conventional 2D-FFT based target detection method, all range-Doppler cells are computed by FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) and scanned by CA-CFAR (Cell-Averaging Constant False Alarm Rate) detection. This results in high computational complexity and long processing time. In this paper, we developed an automotive 24 GHz BSD (Blind Spot Detection) FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) radar with a low complexity target detection architecture based on a ROI (Region Of Interest) pre-processing scheme. In the real BSD zone, because the number of cars to be detected is limited, the designed method only extracts their velocities corresponding to the range ROIs in which real targets exist. Moreover, the presence probability of vehicles with the same range-bin but different velocities is very low. Thus, in the designed method, some Doppler ROIs cells with a high magnitude are only applied for CA-CFAR detection. This architecture can dramatically reduce the amount of data to be processed compared to that of the conventional 2D FFT based method, resulting in enhanced processing time. We developed a 24 GHz FMCW radar system composed a transceiver, antennas, and signal processing module. The designed algorithm was implemented in a tiny micro-processor of the signal processing module. By implementing our proposed algorithm in the developed 24 GHz FMCW radar system in an anechoic chamber and a real road, we verified that the range and velocity of a car occupying the BSD zone were detected. Compared to that of the conventional method, the reduction ratio of the total processing time was measured to be 52.4 %.     

Réflexions sur le transfert méthodologique de l’analyse qualitative d’accidents de la circulation routière issue de l’étude détaillée des accidents (EDA) fran?aise aux procédures d’accidents colombiennes

Nearly 90% of the traffic accidents that occur worldwide happen in developing countries. Yet road safety remains a little-studied subject in these countries, and notably accidentology studies, which provide a wealth of information. One of the major problems in studying road accidents in developing countries lies in the lack of reliable accident data. Indeed, while the comprehensive accident analysis methodologies used in developed countries provide an understanding of the origin of accidents and accident processes, as well as making it possible to define suitable, effective actions, they require reliable and relatively detailed accident data. These methodologies are notably based on detailed accident studies (DASs) and their adaptation to the analysis of accident reports. Colombia has an infrastructure for gathering and storing traffic accident data that can be used to perform comprehensive accident analyses. This article defines the feasibility of a technology transfer (clinical accident analysis) to the Colombian equivalent of accident reports. These observations are part of a doctoral thesis prepared jointly by the IFSTTAR Accident Mechanisms Research Unit and the University of the Andes in Bogotá.     

现代化机车车辆是竞争的因素

在运输系统相互间的竞争和铁路内部竞争中,现代化的机车车辆是起决定性作用的因素.从用户的角度讨论了现代化机车车辆的功能特征,并深入研究了相互间的竞争以及铁路内部竞争和制造厂之间的竞争对机车车辆现代化的作用以及对今后的影响.     

A New Technique of High-performance and Fast Tensioning Prestressed Anchorage CableEI北大核心

Research purposes: The large-span transition section tunnel of the Badaling Great Wall station on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway with the maximum excavation width of 32.7 m, and the largest excavation area of 494.4 m 2 , is the world's biggest traffic tunnel in the world with the largest excavation width and excavation area, which has difficult construction and high security risks. The initial support system of tunnel is mainly realized by prestressed bolt, prestressed cable and shotcrete. After test, anchor cable tension using the traditional anchor cable construction technology can't meet the design requirements, at the same time, it takes about 30 days to achieve prestressed tensioning. Therefore, we need to study the high-performance fast tensioning prestressed anchor cable technology, to effectively control surrounding rock deformation, to ensure the safety of construction, improve construction efficiency. Research conclusions:(1) The traditional anchor cable construction technology is adopted. The anchor cable tension value is mainly controlled by the grip force between the anchor rope and grouting body and the cohesive force between grouting body and surrounding rock. (2) The grip force between the anchor rope and the grouting body can be increased by about 2 times by increasing the "barb"; The cohesive force between the grouting body and the surrounding rock can be increased by 1.5 times by 6 ~ 7 MPa high-pressure grouting process. (3) The modified sulphoaluminate cement slurry can reach more than 30 MPa within 1 day of the slurry strength, so as to realize fast anchor cable tension within 1 day after grouting completion. (4)The research results can be used for reference in similar prestressed anchorage cable construction projects. © 2018, Editorial Department of Journal of Railway Engineering Society. All right reserved.     

Analysis of Passive Limited Supporting Force of Curved Shield Tunnel Excavation FaceEI北大核心

Research purposes: In the construction process of curved shield tunnels, the force of excavation face is extremely complex and the stability is difficult to control, so it is very likely that the thrust of the jack will cause uplift of the soil in front because of passive failure. Taking the sand strata as an example, this paper established a combination model of "inverted ladder-wedge prism" to reveal that the soil in front of the excavation face of curved shield tunnels uplifts up because of passive failure based on the silo theory and limit equilibrium method, and deduced the calculation method of passive limited supporting force for curved tunnels. Then, we confirmed the accuracy and reliability of this model and calculation method through programing and simulating. Research conclusions:(1) The passive limited supporting force increases with the increase of buried depth and internal friction angle, and the growth rate gradually increases. (2) When the radius of the line is less than 200 m and the internal friction angle is more than 25 degrees, the passive limited supporting force is very sensitive to the curvature radius, and when the radius is more than 800 m, the passive limited supporting force is almost no difference with straight tunnels. (3) The numerical results indicate that the numerical solution is consistent with the theoretical solution and the difference is quite small. (4) The research results can provide theoretical basis for determining the passive limited supporting force in the constructions of similar curved shield tunnels especially small turn radius shield tunnels. © 2018, Editorial Department of Journal of Railway Engineering Society. All right reserved.     

Research on the Cause and Influential Factors of Tunnel Lining Cracking of Side Wall in Seasonally-frozen RegionsEI北大核心

Research purposes: In recent years, tunnel diseases like lining cracking and water leaking during spring thawing period, caused by frost heaving of surrounding rock, have occasionally occurred in high-latitude seasonally-frozen regions of northwest China and northeast China, which has seriously affected the tunnel structure and operation safety. Taking several railway tunnels in northwest China as an example, this paper investigates the cause and main influencing factors of longitudinal cracking of side wall in winter in seasonal frozen soil area by means of field test, laboratory experiment and numerical simulation. Research conclusions:(1) When the water content of surrounding rock of tunnel built in strongly-weathered sandstone is 12.3% and the frozen depth of surrounding rock is up to 60 cm, the maximum tensile stress of side walls is 2.28 MPa, which is larger than the ultimate tensile strength of C30 concrete, then the horizontal lining cracking will appear on side walls under the effect of continuous negative temperature in winter. If the lining bears part of the surrounding rock load, the longitudinal cracking degree of the side wall will increase. (2) Under the effect of frost heaving loads, the cracking of tunnel lining has its own characteristics of symmetry, seasonality and accumulation, etc. The cracks appear in winter and distribute in the middle of side walls. As the temperature is rising, the crack begins to shrink. (3) The frozen circle thickness and water content of surrounding rock should be used as main indicators during the process of calculation of frost heaving loads of surrounding rock in seasonally-frozen regions. (4) The research results can be used for reference in tunnel design, operation and maintenance in seasonal frozen soil area. © 2018, Editorial Department of Journal of Railway Engineering Society. All right reserved.