Estimation of the effects of aircraft noise on residential satisfaction

This study assesses the effects of aircraft noise on residential satisfaction, an important indicator of subjective well-being. A structural equation model is specified that estimates the relationships between objective variables, noise annoyance variables and residential satisfaction. Secondary data-analysis is used to estimate the model. The survey was conducted in 1996/1997 among the population living within a 25-km radius of Amsterdam Schiphol, the largest airport in the Netherlands. The effect of aircraft noise annoyance is found to be relatively small. In addition, the objective level of aircraft noise exposure is found to be a better predictor of residential satisfaction than its subjective counterpart. The most important determinants of residential satisfaction are found to be road traffic noise annoyance, age and neighbor noise annoyance.     

Scantling multi-objective optimisation of a LNG carrier

Numerous real-world problems related to ship design can be solved by various alternatives. However, the scantling design has conflicting objectives such as minimum production cost, minimum weight and maximum moment of inertia (stiffness). Therefore a multi-purpose solution had to be settled in order to meet all these requirements at once. Ship design is a complex endeavour requiring successful coordination of many different disciplines, both technical and non-technical. Basic design is the least defined stage of the ship design process and seeks to define the optimal amidships section structure. For that purpose, recent improvements have been made to a numerical tool in order to optimise the scantling of ship sections by considering production cost, weight and moment of inertia in the optimisation objective function. A multi-criteria optimisation of a LNG carrier is conducted in this paper to illustrate the analysis process. Pareto frontiers are obtained and results have been validated by the Bureau Veritas rules. The methodology presented in this paper has demonstrated its effectiveness in optimising scantling of ships at a very early design stage thanks to a management of critical problems usually studied at a later stage of the design.     

Efficiency and ecological characteristics of a VCR diesel engine

Compression ratio (CR) is a design parameter with highest influence on efficiency, emission and engine characteristics. In conventional internal combustion (IC) engines, the compression ratio is fixed and their performance is, therefore, a compromise between conflicting requirements. One fundamental problem is that drive units in the vehicles must successfully operate at variable speed and loads and in different ambient conditions. If a diesel engine has a fixed CR, a minimal value must be chosen that can achieve a reliable self-ignition when starting the engine in cold start conditions. In diesel engines, variable compression ratio (VCR) provides control of peak cylinder pressure, improves cold start ability and low load operation, enabling the multi-fuel capability, increase of fuel economy and reduction of emissions. By application of VCR and other mechanisms, the optimal regime fields are extended to the prime requirements: consumption, power, emission, noise, etc., and/or the possibility of the engine to operate with different fuels is extended. An experimental Diesel engine has been developed at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac. The changes of CR are realized by changing the piston chamber diameter. Detailed engine tests were performed at the Laboratory for IC engines. Special attention has been given to decrease of fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. An optimal field of CR variation has been determined depending on the given objectives: minimal fuel consumption, minimal nitric oxides, and particulate matter emissions, etc.     

A regional railroad network optimization model for coal transportation

A regional railroad network is presented to evaluate the system's response to increased coal traffic. An optimal, multimodal, coal-shipping pattern is developed for the study region to minimize total costs and to efficiently use the existing network. A two-stage, general model allocates resources among demands and then assigns flows to the network according to efficiency criteria. The model is sufficiently general to permit modification for specific needs, assumptions and data. Government agencies and industries can apply the model in resource allocation decisions and transportation policy analysis.     

Methodology for the accuracy improvement of FEM beam type T-junctions of buses and coaches structures

The analysis of structures with finite elements methods (FEM) represents a widely spread technique. For large tubular structures similar to the buses and coaches upper structures, beam type elements are utilized due to the fact that these elements provide satisfactory results at relatively reduced computational performances. However the beam type elements have a main disadvantage determined by the fact that the modeled joints have an infinite rigid behavior. This shortcoming determines a stiffer behavior of the modeled structures which translates into an error source for the structural simulations (up to 45%). To overcome this problem, a simple methodology was conceived and an alternative optimized equivalent beam model obtained. The methodology studies the behavioral characteristics of beam modeled T-junctions determining their limitations and comparing them to equivalent T-junctions modeled with shell and volume elements. This way an improved Tjunction has been obtained, in which the behavioral error was reduced to less than 5%. Furthermore the FEM obtained results were validated with real T-junctions.     

安康市汉江景观桥设计方案研究

安康依汉江而建，桥位处周边建筑具有重要的历史文化意义，且桥位两边连接安康重要的街道和火车站。汉江景观桥在桥位走向、桥型选择与周边历史文化的契合度、景观桥与汉江两边道路的衔接等方面是重点研究的课题，从设计思路、功能定位、桥位比较、桥型方案、造价等对安康市汉江景观桥设计方案进行了研究。     

抗拔桩和压顶梁对明挖地铁车站内力影响分析

在高地下水位地区修建地铁车站,往往存在抗浮问题。抗浮问题处理得当与否直接关系着地铁车站正常使用期间的可靠度。而采用不同抗浮措施会对结构内力产生不同的影响,为研究这种影响并希望从结构受力角度对车站抗浮提出一定的建议,结合一个明挖地铁车站实例,针对目前最常见的2种抗浮措施——压顶梁和抗拔桩进行数值计算,发现抗拔桩具有改善结构受力的作用,在结构跨度较大时应采用抗拔桩或者抗拔桩与压顶梁联合抗浮的措施,在结构跨度较小时,可优先考虑压顶梁抗浮。     

Review of flywheel based internal combustion engine hybrid vehicles

Hybrid vehicles of different configurations and utilizing different energy storage systems have existed in development for many decades and more recently in limited production. They can be grouped as parallel, series or complex hybrids. Another classification is micro, mild and full hybrids which makes the distinction on the basis of functionality. The common energy storage systems in hybrid vehicles are batteries, supercapacitors and high speed flywheels. This paper aims to review a specific type of hybrid vehicle which involves the internal combustion engine (ICE) as the prime mover and the high speed flywheel as an energy storage device. Such hybrids are now attracting considerable interest given their potential for low cost. It is hence timely to produce a review of research and development in this subject. The flywheel is coupled to the drive line with a continuous variable transmission (CVT). The CVT can be of various types such as electrical, hydraulic or mechanical but usually in this case it is a non-electrical one. Different configurations are possible and the paper provides a timeline of the development of such powertrains with various examples. These types of hybrid vehicles have existed as prototypes for many decades and the authors believe that their development has reached levels where they can be considered serious contenders for production vehicles.