New methodology for fast prediction of wheel wear evolution

In railway applications wear prediction in the wheel–rail interface is a fundamental matter in order to study problems such as wheel lifespan and the evolution of vehicle dynamic characteristic with time. However, one of the principal drawbacks of the existing methodologies for calculating the wear evolution is the computational cost. This paper proposes a new wear prediction methodology with a reduced computational cost. This methodology is based on two main steps: the first one is the substitution of the calculations over the whole network by the calculation of the contact conditions in certain characteristic point from whose result the wheel wear evolution can be inferred. The second one is the substitution of the dynamic calculation (time integration calculations) by the quasi-static calculation (the solution of the quasi-static situation of a vehicle at a certain point which is the same that neglecting the acceleration terms in the dynamic equations). These simplifications allow a significant reduction of computational cost to be obtained while maintaining an acceptable level of accuracy (error order of 5–10%). Several case studies are analysed along the paper with the objective of assessing the proposed methodology. The results obtained in the case studies allow concluding that the proposed methodology is valid for an arbitrary vehicle running through an arbitrary track layout.     

Ability of a “minimum” microbial food web model to reproduce response patterns observed in mesocosms manipulated with N and P, glucose, and Si

We compared an idealised mathematical model of the lower part of the pelagic food web to experimental data from a mesocosm experiment in which the supplies of mineral nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous), bioavailable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC, as glucose), and silicate were manipulated. The central hypothesis of the experiment was that bacterial consumption of BDOC depends on whether the growth rate of heterotrophic bacteria is limited by organic-C or by mineral nutrients. In previous work, this hypothesis was examined qualitatively using a conceptual food web model. Here we explore the extent to which a “simplest possible” mathematical version of this conceptual model can reproduce the observed dynamics. The model combines algal–bacterial competition for mineral nutrients (phosphorous) and accounts for alternative limitation of bacterial and diatom growth rates by organic carbon and by silicate, respectively. Due to a slower succession in the diatom–copepod, compared to the flagellate–ciliate link, silicate availability increases the magnitude and extends the duration of phytoplankton blooms induced by mineral nutrient addition. As a result, Si interferes negatively with bacterial consumption of BDOC consumption by increasing and prolonging algal–bacterial competition for mineral nutrients. In order to reproduce the difference in primary production between Si and non-Si amended treatments, we had to assume a carbon overflow mechanism in diatom C-fixation. This model satisfactorily reproduced central features observed in the mesocosm experiment, including the dynamics of glucose consumption, algal, bacterial, and mesozooplankton biomass. While the parameter set chosen allows the model to reproduce the pattern seen in bacterial production, we were not able to find a single set of parameters that simultaneously reproduces both the level and the pattern observed for bacterial production. Profound changes in bacterial morphology and stoichiometry were reported in glucose-amended mesocosms. Our “simplest possible” model with one bacterial population with fixed stoichiometry cannot reproduce this, and we suggest that a more elaborate representation of the bacterial community is required for more accurate reproduction of bacterial production.     

海洋中晕船问题的案例研究(英文)

Motion sickness is one of the main reasons why travelling by sea becomes a bad memory for a number of people, mainly due to a nauseating symptom. The aim of this paper is to characterize a condition called seasickness that has affected many people from a mathematical and psychological point of view. Based on the mathematical characterization, an existing model will be reviewed and described. In the psychological aspects, a statistical study of two hundred and thirteen people was performed in order to provide a comprehensive view of the different psychological factors affecting the passengers. Motion sickness also impacts onboard safety, as it reduces the effectiveness and the operating capability of the crew when responding to hazardous situations.     

浊流沉积的CFD模型(英文)

Simulation of the flow and deposition from a laboratory turbidity current, in which dense mixtures of sediment move down a narrow, sloping channel and flow into a large tank. SSIIM CFD software is used to model 3-D flow and deposition. SSIIM predicts the height of the accumulated mound to within 25% of experimental values, and the volume of the mound to 20%～50%, depending on the concentration of sediment and slope of the channel. The SSIIM predictions were consistently lower than experimental values. In simulations with initial sediment volumetric concentrations greater than 14%, SSIIM dumped some of the sediment load at the entry gate into the channel, which was not the case with the experimental runs. This is likely due to the fact that the fall velocity of sediment particles in SSIIM does not vary with sediment concentration. Further simulations of deposition from turbidity currents should be attempted when more complete experimental results are available, but it appears for now that SSIIM can be used to give approximate estimates of turbidity current deposition.