Trajectory planning for multi-robot coordinated towing system based on stability

Given the unconstrained characteristics of the multi-robot coordinated towing system,the rope can only provide a unidirectional constraint force to the suspended object,which leads to the weak ability of the system to resist external disturbances and makes it difficult to control the trajectory of the suspended object.Based on the kinematics and statics of the multi-robot coordinated towing system with fixed base,the dynamic model of the system is established by using the Newton-Euler equations and the Udwadia-Kalaba equations.To plan the trajectories with high stability and strong control,trajectory planning is performed by combining the dynamics and stability of the towing system.Based on the dynamic stability of the motion trajectory of the suspended object,the stability of the suspended object is effectively improved through online real-time planning and offline manual adjustment.The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by comparing the motion stability of the suspended object before and after planning.The results provide a foundation for the motion planning and coordinated control of the towing system.

Dynamic Stability Analysis of Linear Time-varying Systems via an Extended Modal Identification Approach

The problem of linear time-varying（LTV） system modal analysis is considered based on time-dependent state space representations, as classical modal analysis of linear time-invariant systems and current LTV system modal analysis under the ＂frozen-time＂ assumption are not able to determine the dynamic stability of LTV systems. Time-dependent state space representations of LTV systems are first introduced, and the corresponding modal analysis theories are subsequently presented via a stabilitypreserving state transformation. The time-varying modes of LTV systems are extended in terms of uniqueness, and are further interpreted to determine the system＇s stability. An extended modal identification is proposed to estimate the time-varying modes, consisting of the estimation of the state transition matrix via a subspace-based method and the extraction of the time-varying modes by the QR decomposition. The proposed approach is numerically validated by three numerical cases, and is experimentally validated by a coupled moving-mass simply supported beam exper- imental case. The proposed approach is capable of accurately estimating the time-varying modes, and provides anew way to determine the dynamic stability of LTV systems by using the estimated time-varying modes.

Improving Dynamic Stability of Yunnan Provincial and South China Power System by PSS

For solving the dynamic instability problem of Yunnan Provincial Power System (YNPS) and the South China Interconnected Power System (SCIPS), Lubuge Hydropower Station was chosen to install Power System Stabilizer (PSS). This paper introduces the principles and methods of parameter selection for PSS, in addition to field test. The test results show that the PSS installed can significantly improve the system damping.

Most Suitable Power System Stabilizer Selection for the Improvement of Dynamic Stability

A method of enhancing power system stability for a single machine to infinite bus power system is presented. The technique used compromises the effectiveness of Proportional-Integral-Derivative controller （PID）. In order to satisfy the damping characteristics for the proposed power system over a wide range of operating interval, rotational speed, torque angle and terminal voltage signals of the synchronous machine are utilized as control signals of the system. It is well known that these variables have significant effects on damping the generators shaft mechanical oscillations, it＇ll be so easy to validate the most suitable controller as seen from the simulation results.

Dynamic flight stability of hovering insects

The equations of motion of an insect with flapping wings are derived and then simplified to that of a flying body using the ＂rigid body＂ assumption. On the basis of the simplified equations of motion, the longitudinal dynamic flight stability of four insects （hoverfly, cranefly, dronefly and hawkmoth） in hovering flight is studied （the mass of the insects ranging from 11 to 1,648 mg and wingbeat frequency from 26 to 157Hz）. The method of computational fluid dynamics is used to compute the aerodynamic derivatives and the techniques of eigenvalue and eigenvector analysis are used to solve the equations of motion. The validity of the ＂rigid body＂ assumption is tested and how differences in size and wing kinematics influence the applicability of the ＂rigid body＂ assumption is investigated. The primary findings are： （1） For insects considered in the present study and those with relatively high wingbeat frequency （hoverfly, drone fly and bumblebee）, the ＂rigid body＂ assumption is reasonable, and for those with relatively low wingbeat frequency （cranefly and howkmoth）, the applicability of the ＂rigid body＂ assumption is questionable. （2） The same three natural modes of motion as those reported recently for a bumblebee are identified, i.e., one unstable oscillatory mode, one stable fast subsidence mode and one stable slow subsidence mode. （3） Approximate analytical expressions of the eigenvalues, which give physical insight into the genesis of the natural modes of motion, are derived. The expressions identify the speed derivative Mu （pitching moment produced by unit horizontal speed） as the primary source of the unstable oscillatory mode and the stable fast subsidence mode and Zw （vertical force produced by unit vertical speed） as the primary source of the stable slow subsidence mode.

Real-time Tire Parameters Observer for Vehicle Dynamics Stability Control

The performance of the vehicle dynamics stability control system（DSC） is dominated by the accurate estimation of tire forces in real-time.The characteristics of tire forces are determined by tire dynamic states and parameters,which vary in an obviously large scope along with different working conditions.Currently,there have been many methods based on the nonlinear observer to estimate the tire force and dynamic parameters,but they were only used in off-line analysis because of the computation complexity and the dynamics differences of four tires in the steering maneuver conditions were not considered properly.This paper develops a novel algorithm to observe tire parameters in real-time controller for DSC.The algorithm is based on the sensor-fusion technology with the signals of DSC sensors,and the tire parameters are estimated during a set of maneuver courses.The calibrated tire parameters in the control cycle are treated as the elementary states for vehicle dynamics observation,in which the errors between the calculated and the measured vehicle dynamics are used as the correcting factors for the tire parameter observing process.The test process with a given acceleration following a straight line is used to validate the estimation method of the longitudinal stiffness;while the test process with a given steering angle is used to validate the estimated value of the cornering stiffness.The ground test result shows that the proposed algorithm can estimate the tire stiffness accurately with an acceptable computation cost for real-time controller only using DSC sensor signal.The proposed algorithm can be an efficient algorithm for estimating the tire dynamic parameters in vehicle dynamics stability control system,and can be used to improve the robustness of the DSC controller.

Dynamic flight stability of a hovering model insect:lateral motion

The lateral dynamic flight stability of a hovering model insect （dronefly） was studied using the method of computational fluid dynamics to compute the stability derivatives and the techniques of eigenvalue and eigenvector analysis for solving the equations of motion. The main results are as following. （i） Three natural modes of motion were identified： one unstable slow divergence mode （mode 1）, one stable slow oscillatory mode （mode 2）, and one stable fast subsidence mode （mode 3）. Modes 1 and 2 mainly consist of a rotation about the horizontal longitudinal axis （x-axis） and a side translation; mode 3 mainly consists of a rotation about the x-axis and a rotation about the vertical axis. （ii） Approximate analytical expressions of the eigenvalues are derived, which give physical insight into the genesis of the natural modes of motion. （iii） For the unstable divergence mode, td, the time for initial disturbances to double, is about 9 times the wingbeat period （the longitudinal motion of the model insect was shown to be also unstable and td of the longitudinal unstable mode is about 14 times the wingbeat period）. Thus, although the flight is not dynamically stable, the instability does not grow very fast and the insect has enough time to control its wing motion to suppress the disturbances.

Model test and numerical simulation on the dynamic stability of the bedding rock slope under frequent microseisms

Shake table testing was performed to investigate the dynamic stability of a mid-dip bedding rock slope under frequent earthquakes. Then, numerical modelling was established to further study the slope dynamic stability under purely microseisms and the influence of five factors, including seismic amplitude, slope height, slope angle, strata inclination and strata thickness, were considered. The experimental results show that the natural frequency of the slope decreases and damping ratio increases as the earthquake loading times increase. The dynamic strength reduction method is adopted for the stability evaluation of the bedding rock slope in numerical simulation, and the slope stability decreases with the increase of seismic amplitude, increase of slope height, reduction of strata thickness and increase of slope angle. The failure mode of a mid-dip bedding rock slope in the shaking table test is integral slipping along the bedding surface with dipping tensile cracks at the slope rear edge going through the bedding surfaces. In the numerical simulation, the long-term stability of a mid-dip bedding slope is worst under frequent microseisms and the slope is at risk of integral sliding instability, whereas the slope rock mass is more broken than shown in the shaking table test. The research results are of practical significance to better understand the formation mechanism of reservoir landslides and prevent future landslide disasters.

Is Dynesys dynamic stabilization system superior to posterior lumbar fusion in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases?

Dynesys,a pedicle-based dynamic stabilization system,was introduced to overcome some undesirable complications of fusion procedures.Nevertheless,the theoretical advantages of Dynesys over fusion have not been clearly confirmed.The purpose of this editorial was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of patients who underwent Dynesys system with those who underwent posterior lumbar fusion according to the existing literature and to see if the application of the Dynesys system is superior to the traditional lumbar fusion surgery.According to published clinical reports,the short-term effects of the Dynesys dynamic stabilization system are similar to that of traditional lumbar fusion surgery.Three comparative studies of Dynesys dynamic stabilization and fusion surgery with medium-term follow-up are encouraging.However,the results from four single-treatment-arm and small-sample studies of case series with long-term follow-up were not encouraging.In the present circumstances,it is not possible to conclude that the Dynesys dynamic stabilization system is superior to fusion surgery for lumbar degenerative diseases.

Finite element analysis of dynamic stability of skeletal structures under periodic loading

This paper addresses the dynamic stability problem of columns and frames subjected to axially applied periodic loads. Such a structure can become unstable under certain combinations of amplitudes and frequencies of the imposed load acting on its columns/beams. These are usually shown in the form of plots which describe regions of instability. The finite element method (FEM) is used in this work to analyse dynamic stability problems of columns. Two-noded beam elements are used for this purpose. The periodic loading is decomposed into various harmonics using Fourier series expansion. Computer codes in C++ using object oriented concepts are developed to determine the stability regions of columns subjected to periodic loading. A number of nu-merical examples are presented to illustrate the working of the program. The direct integration of the equations of motions of the discretised system is carried out using Newmark’s method to verify the results.

Mathematical modeling for dynamic stability of sandwich beam with variable mechanical properties of core

The paper is devoted to mathematical modelling of static and dynamic stability of a simply supported three-layered beam with a metal foam core. Mechanical properties of the core vary along the vertical direction. The field of displacements is for- mulated using the classical broken line hypothesis and the proposed nonlinear hypothesis that generalizes the classical one. Using both hypotheses, the strains are determined as well as the stresses of each layer. The kinetic energy, the elastic strain energy, and the work of load are also determined. The system of equations of motion is derived using Hamilton＇s principle. Finally, the system of three equations is reduced to one equation of motion, in particular, the Mathieu equation. The Bubnov-Galerkin method is used to solve the system of equations of motion, and the Runge-Kutta method is used to solve the second-order differential equation. Numerical calculations are done for the chosen family of beams. The critical loads, unstable regions, angular frequencies of the beam, and the static and dynamic equilibrium paths are calculated analytically and verified numerically. The results of this study are presented in the forms of figures and tables.

Light-Induced Dynamic Stability of Oxygen Vacancies in BiSbO_(4) for Efficient Photocatalytic Formaldehyde Degradation

Defect engineering has been regarded as a versatile strategy to maneuver the photocatalytic activity.However,there are a few studies concerning how to maintain the stability of defects,which is important to ensure sustainable photocatalytic performance.Here,a novel strategy to modulate the structural properties of BiSbO_(4)using light-induced dynamic oxygen vacancies is reported by us for efficient and stable photocatalytic oxidation of formaldehyde.Interestingly,the continuous consumption and replenishment of vacancies(namely dynamic vacancies)ensure the dynamic stability of oxygen vacancies,thus guaranteeing the excellent photocatalytic stability.The oxygen vacancies could also accelerate the electron migration,inhibit the photogenerated electron/hole recombination,widen the light absorption spectra,and thus improve the photocatalytic formaldehyde removal performance.Combined with the results of in situ DRIFTS,the reaction mechanism for each step of formaldehyde oxidation is revealed.As supported by DFT calculation of Gibbs free energy,the introduction of oxygen vacancies into BiSbO_(4)can promote spontaneous process of formaldehyde oxidation.Our work highlights a promising approach for stabilizing the defects and proposes the photocatalytic reaction mechanism in combination with the thermodynamic functions.

CFD Based Determination of Dynamic Stability Derivatives in Yaw for a Bird

Dynamic yaw stability derivatives of a gull bird are determined using Computational Fluid Dynamics（CFD） method. Two kinds of motions are applied for calculating the dynamic yaw stability derivatives CNr and CNβ. The first one relates to a lateral translation and, separately, to a yaw rotation. The second one consists of a combined translational and rotational motion. To determine dynamic yaw stability derivatives, the simulation of an unsteady flow with a bird model showing a harmonic motion is performed. The flow solution for each time step is obtained by solving unsteady Euler equations based on a finite volume approach for a small reduced frequency. Then, an evaluation of unsteady forces and moments for one cycle is conducted using harmonic Fourier analysis. The results of the dynamic yaw stability derivatives for both simulations of the model show a good agreement.

Application of strength reduction method to dynamic anti-sliding stability analysis of high gravity dam with complex dam foundation

Considering that there are some limitations in analyzing the anti-sliding seismic stability of dam-foundation systems with the traditional pseudo-static method and response spectrum method, the dynamic strength reduction method was used to study the deep anti-sliding stability of a high gravity dam with a complex dam foundation in response to strong earthquake-induced ground action. Based on static anti-sliding stability analysis of the dam foundation undertaken by decreasing the shear strength parameters of the rock mass in equal proportion, the seismic time history analysis was carried out. The proposed instability criterion for the dynamic strength reduction method was that the peak values of dynamic displacements and plastic strain energy change suddenly with the increase of the strength reduction factor. The elasto-plastic behavior of the dam foundation was idealized using the Drucker-Prager yield criterion based on the associated flow rule assumption. The result of elasto-plastic time history analysis of an overflow dam monolith based on the dynamic strength reduction method was compared with that of the dynamic linear elastic analysis, and the reliability of elasto-plastic time history analysis was confirmed. The results also show that the safety factors of the dam-foundation system in the static and dynamic cases are 3.25 and 3.0, respectively, and that the F2 fault has a significant influence on the anti-sliding stability of the high gravity dam. It is also concluded that the proposed instability criterion for the dynamic strength reduction method is feasible.

Nonlinear dynamics of flexible tethered satellite system subject to space environment

The paper studies the nonlinear dynamics of a flexible tethered satellite system subject to space environments, such as the J2 perturbation, the air drag force, the solar pressure, the heating effect, and the orbital eccentricity. The flexible tether is modeled as a series of lumped masses and viscoelastic dampers so that a finite multi- degree-of-freedom nonlinear system is obtained. The stability of equilibrium positions of the nonlinear system is then analyzed via a simplified two-degree-freedom model in an orbital reference frame. In-plane motions of the tethered satellite system are studied numerically, taking the space environments into account. A large number of numerical simulations show that the flexible tethered satellite system displays nonlinear dynamic characteristics, such as bifurcations, quasi-periodic oscillations, and chaotic motions.

Dynamic stability of parametrically-excited linear resonant beams under periodic axial force

The parametric dynamic stability of resonant beams with various parameters under periodic axial force is studied. It is assumed that the theoretical formulations are based on Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The governing equations of motion are derived by using the Rayleigh-Ritz method and transformed into Mathieu equations, which are formed to determine the stability criterion and stability regions for parametricallyexcited linear resonant beams. An improved stability criterion is obtained using periodic Lyapunov functions. The boundary points on the stable regions are determined by using a small parameter perturbation method. Numerical results and discussion are presented to highlight the effects of beam length, axial force and damped coefficient on the stability criterion and stability regions. While some stability rules are easy to anticipate, we draw some conclusions： with the increase of damped coefficient, stable regions arise; with the decrease of beam length, the conditions of the damped coefficient arise instead. These conclusions can provide a reference for the robust design of parametricallyexcited linear resonant sensors.

Dynamic stability analysis of porous functionally graded beams under hygro-thermal loading using nonlocal strain gradient integral model

We present a study on the dynamic stability of porous functionally graded(PFG)beams under hygro-thermal loading.The variations of the properties of the beams across the beam thicknesses are described by the power-law model.Unlike most studies on this topic,we consider both the bending deformation of the beams and the hygro-thermal load as size-dependent,simultaneously,by adopting the equivalent differential forms of the well-posed nonlocal strain gradient integral theory(NSGIT)which are strictly equipped with a set of constitutive boundary conditions(CBCs),and through which both the stiffness-hardening and stiffness-softening effects of the structures can be observed with the length-scale parameters changed.All the variables presented in the differential problem formulation are discretized.The numerical solution of the dynamic instability region(DIR)of various bounded beams is then developed via the generalized differential quadrature method(GDQM).After verifying the present formulation and results,we examine the effects of different parameters such as the nonlocal/gradient length-scale parameters,the static force factor,the functionally graded(FG)parameter,and the porosity parameter on the DIR.Furthermore,the influence of considering the size-dependent hygro-thermal load is also presented.

Dynamic flight stability of a bumblebee in forward flight

The longitudinal dynamic flight stability of a bumblebee in forward flight is studied. The method of computational fluid dynamics is used to compute the aerodynamic derivatives and the techniques of eigenvalue and eigenvector analysis are employed for solving the equations of motion. The primary findings are as the following. The forward flight of the bumblebee is not dynamically stable due to the existence of one （or two） unstable or approximately neutrally stable natural modes of motion. At hovering to medium flight speed [flight speed Ue = （0-3.5）m s^-1; advance ratio J = 0-0.44], the flight is weakly unstable or approximately neutrally stable; at high speed （Ue = 4.5 m s^-1; J = 0.57）, the flight becomes strongly unstable （initial disturbance double its value in only 3.5 wingbeats）.

THEORY OF NONLINEAR DYNAMIC STABILITY FOR COMPOSITE LAMINATED PLATES

In this paper, the general equations of dynamic stability for composite laminated plates are derived hyHamilton principle. These general equations can he used to consider those different factors that affect the dynamic stability of laminated plates. The factors are transverse shear deformation, initial imperfections, longitudinal and rotational inertia, and ply-angle of the fiber, etc. The solutions of the fundamental equations show that some important characteristics of the dynamic instability can only be got by the consideration and analysis of those factors

Dynamic flight stability of hovering model insects:theory versus simulation using equations of motion coupled with Navier-Stokes equations

In the present paper, the longitudinal dynamic flight stability properties of two model insects are predicted by an approximate theory and computed by numerical sim- ulation. The theory is based on the averaged model （which assumes that the frequency of wingbeat is sufficiently higher than that of the body motion, so that the flapping wings＇ degrees of freedom relative to the body can be dropped and the wings can be replaced by wingbeat-cycle-average forces and moments）; the simulation solves the complete equations of motion coupled with the Navier-Stokes equations. Comparison between the theory and the simulation provides a test to the validity of the assumptions in the theory. One of the insects is a model dronefly which has relatively high wingbeat frequency （164 Hz） and the other is a model hawkmoth which has relatively low wingbeat frequency （26 Hz）. The results show that the averaged model is valid for the hawkmoth as well as for the dronefly. Since the wingbeat frequency of the hawkmoth is relatively low （the characteristic times of the natural modes of motion of the body divided by wingbeat period are relatively large） compared with many other insects, that the theory based on the averaged model is valid for the hawkmoth means that it could be valid for many insects.