Scheduling of Intelligent and Autonomous Vehicles under pairing/unpairing collaboration strategy in container terminals

A new class of Intelligent and Autonomous Vehicles (IAVs) has been designed in the framework of Intelligent Transportation for Dynamic Environment (InTraDE) project funded by European Union. This type of vehicles is technologically superior to the existing Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), in many respects. They offer more flexibility and intelligence in maneuvering within confined spaces where the logistic operations take place. This includes the ability of pairing/unpairing enabling a pair of 1-TEU (20-foot Equivalent Unit) IAVs dynamically to join, transport containers of any size between 1-TEU and 1-FFE (40-foot Equivalent) and disjoin again. Deploying IAVs helps port operators to remain efficient in coping with the ever increasing volume of container traffic at ports and eliminate the need for deploying more 40-ft transporters in the very confined area of ports. In order to accommodate this new feature of IAVs, we review and extend one of the existing mixed integer programming models of AGV scheduling in order to minimize the makespan of operations for transporting a set of containers of different sizes between quay cranes and yard cranes. In particular, we study the case of Dublin Ferryport Terminal. In order to deal with the complexity of the scheduling model, we develop a Lagrangian relaxation-based decomposition approach equipped with a variable fixing procedure and a primal heuristics to obtain high-quality solution of instances of the problem.     

混合下单模式下在线餐饮订单配送优化模型

针对在线餐饮订单量激增及订单到达非均匀分布导致的调度不合理与资源浪费等问题，提出顾客提前下单与动态实时下单相结合的下单模式，研究此模式下订单配送优化. 考虑在线餐饮订单配送优化具有的动态VRP和多回程VRP属性，以最小化配送成本为目标，建立带有软时间窗的整数规划模型. 设计基于插入算法和2-opt 邻域搜索的混合启发式算法求解模型. 通过算例，分析提前下单顾客比例、提前下单时长等因素的影响. 结果表明，单个因素的增加会降低配送成本，当两者同时增加，因系统达到饱和使配送成本不升反降，因此要调整措施使顾客下单情况与系统配送能力相适应.     

Influence of uneven rail irregularities on the dynamic response of the railway track using a three-dimensional model of the vehicle–track system

A mathematical model of the vehicle–track interaction is developed to investigate the coupled behaviour of vehicle–track system, in the presence of uneven irregularities at left/right rails. The railway vehicle is simplified as a 3D multi-rigid-body model, and the track is treated as the two parallel beams on a layered discrete support system. Besides the car-body, the bogies and the wheel sets, the sleepers are assumed to have roll degree of freedom, in order to simulate the in-plane rotation of the components. The wheel–rail interface is treated using a nonlinear Hertzian contact model, coupling the mathematical equations of the vehicle–track systems. The dynamic interaction of the entire system is numerically studied in time domain, employing Newmark's integration method. The track irregularity spectra of both the left/right rails are taken into account, as the inputs of dynamic excitations. The dynamic responses of the track system induced by such irregularities are obtained, particularly in terms of the vertical (bounce) and roll displacements. The numerical model of the present research is validated using several benchmark models reported in the literature, for both the smooth and unsmooth track conditions. Four sample profiles of the measured rail irregularities are considered as the case studies of excitation sources, examining their influences on the dynamic behaviour of the coupled system. The results of numerical simulations demonstrate that the motion of track system is significantly influenced by the presence of uneven irregularities in left/right rails. Dynamic response of the sleepers in the roll direction becomes more sensitive to the rail irregularities, as the unevenness severity of the parallel profiles (quantitative difference between left and right rail spectra) is increased. The severe geometric deformation of the track in the bounce–pitch–roll directions is mainly related to such profile unevenness (cross-level) in left/right rails.     

Virtual durability test rigs for automotive engineering

In recent years so-called ‘virtual test rigs’ have become more and more important in the development process of cars and trucks. Originally, the idea was to substitute expensive durability tests with computer simulation. Meanwhile, the focus has changed towards a more cooperative usage of numerical and laboratory rig simulation. For many safety critical issues laboratory tests remain indispensable. In early development stages, when no physical prototypes are available yet, numerical simulation is used to analyse and optimise the design. In this paper, we show how to build numerical simulation models of complex servo-hydraulic test systems and their test specimen using multi-body simulation for the mechanics in combination with simulation models for the hydraulics and controls. We illustrate this at two industrial application examples: a spindle-coupled passenger car suspension rig and a tyre-coupled full vehicle rig. We show how the simulation models are used to design and optimise better test rigs and to support the test rig operation by preparing the physical tests with new specimen, i.e. by performing numerical simulations including numerical drive file iteration before the physical tests start.     

Influence of some vehicle and track parameters on the environmental vibrations induced by railway traffic

A study is performed on the influence of some typical railway vehicle and track parameters on the level of ground vibrations induced in the neighbourhood. The results are obtained from a previously validated simulation framework considering in a first step the vehicle/track subsystem and, in a second step, the response of the soil to the forces resulting from the first analysis. The vehicle is reduced to a simple vertical 3-dof model, corresponding to the superposition of the wheelset, the bogie and the car body. The rail is modelled as a succession of beam elements elastically supported by the sleepers, lying themselves on a flexible foundation representing the ballast and the subgrade. The connection between the wheels and the rails is realised through a non-linear Hertzian contact. The soil motion is obtained from a finite/infinite element model. The investigated vehicle parameters are its type (urban, high speed, freight, etc.) and its speed. For the track, the rail flexural stiffness, the railpad stiffness, the spacing between sleepers and the rail and sleeper masses are considered. In all cases, the parameter value range is defined from a bibliographic browsing. At the end, the paper proposes a table summarising the influence of each studied parameter on three indicators: the vehicle acceleration, the rail velocity and the soil velocity. It namely turns out that the vehicle has a serious influence on the vibration level and should be considered in prediction models.     

The performance of route modification and demand stabilization strategies in stochastic vehicle routing

A key concern in managing vehicle routing operations under stochastic demands is whether, on the basis of travel distance, route modification yields materially greater logistical efficiency than fixed routes. This research uses statistical calibration as the primary technique to develop a robust and tractable model for estimating this difference in logistical efficiency. Based on features such as the models predictive accuracy and generalizability, it constitutes a substantive improvement over existing models. The present study also expands the range of predictive models relevant to vehicle routing under stochastic demands with models to estimate the transportation and inventory effects of persuading customers to stabilize their ordering patterns.     

高黎贡山隧道1号竖井设计及分析

为了满足高黎贡山隧道竖井施工任务要求，综合隧道所处环境及竖井能力需求，按照竖井井口、井筒、井下3方面统筹考虑的总体设计思路，提出高黎贡山隧道1号竖井设计关键问题的解决方案： 1）根据井口地形、地貌条件及提升设备、井口车场布置要求，合理布置井口场坪； 2）根据竖井功能定位，竖井宜采用主副井模式； 3）根据井下施工的出渣量、材料数量、人员进出量等综合考虑竖井断面尺寸； 4）当地质条件、水文地质条件允许时，竖井宜采用短段掘砌混合作业法施工，设置模筑混凝土井壁； 5）竖井提升设备宜按井下施工期间的要求考虑，建井期间各设备之间能力应匹配； 6）竖井施工能力应满足井下施工期间出渣、进料要求，并留有富余； 7）井底车场应结合运输方式及进料、出渣等功能要求确定； 8）竖井安全保障应首要解决地下水问题。目前高黎贡山隧道1号竖井主井已完成建井，结果表明铁路隧道竖井按照以上设计方法及思路是可行的。     

轮胎式集装箱门式起重机起升动载系数的研究

对弹性支承的轮胎式集装箱门式起重机的起升动载系数的力学模型、求解方法和计算公式等进行了理论研究和测试验证。理论计算和实际测试结果的比对表明,动态力学模型与实际情况较接近,计算公式和计算方法正确,测试结果可信。     

地铁车辆辅助逆变电源分析研究

分析直接逆变方式、斩波降压逆变方式、两重斩波降压逆变方式地铁车辆辅助逆变电源的电路结构方案。结合北京"复八线"地铁车辆进口辅助逆变电源的技术条件,介绍DC750V国产化地铁车辆辅助逆变电源的研制方案和主要技术特点。给出方案的试验波形。