Drivability of Large Diameter Steel Cylinders During Hammer-Group Vibratory Installation for the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge

The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge(HZMB)involved the installation of 120 mega-cylinders with a diameter of 22 m,weights up to 513 t,and penetration depths up to 33 m using an eight-vibratory hammer group.Due to the lack of engineering experience on the drivability of large-diameter cylinders under multiple vibratory hammers,predicting the penetration rate and time of steel cylinders is an open challenge that has a considerable impact on the construction control of the HZMB.In this study,the vibratory penetration of large-diameter steel cylinders in the HZMB is investigated based on geological surveys,field monitoring,and drivability analysis.The vibratory penetration rate,installation accuracy,and dynamic responses of the steel cylinders at both the eastern and western artificial islands are analyzed.The dynamic soil resistance has a great influence on the cylinder drivability.However,the current design methods for estimating the vibratory driving soil resistance are proven inaccurate without considering the scale effects.Therefore,a modified method with a normalized effective area ratio A_(r,eff)is proposed in this study to calculate the vibratory soil resistance for open-ended thin-wall cylinders under unplugged conditions.Considering the scale effects on the vibratory driving soil resistance,the proposed method leads to closer results to the measured data,providing a reference for future engineering practice.

ENGINEERING CHARACTERISTICS AND ITS MECHANISM EXPLANATION OF VIBRATORY SYNCHRONIZATION TRANSMISSION

Vibratory synchronization transmission (VST) is a kind of special physicalphenomenon in inertia vibration mechanical systems. For an inertia vibration mechanical systemdriven by one pair of motors runs in step, even the power supply of one motor is cut off, the motorcan continue to keep rotating state under the vibration exciting of the machine body driven by onlyone other motor. And its rotating frequency will be the same as that of the other one. The transientprocess of this wonderful physical phenomenon has not been described quantitatively according tocurrent-existing mechanical models. On the basis of investigation of the engineering characteristicsof VST, a mechanical and electrical coupling mathematical model of a two-shaft inertia vibrationmachine is established. With this model, the transient process of VST is recurred quantitatively andsuccessfully, and a reasonable explanation is given.

Modeling and Analysis of Mechanical Quality Factor of the Resonator for Cylinder Vibratory Gyroscope

Mechanical Quality factor（Q factor） of the resonator is an important parameter for the cylinder vibratory gyroscope（CVG）. Traditional analytical methods mainly focus on a partial energy loss during the vibration process of the CVG resonator, thus are not accurate for the mechanical Q factor prediction. Therefore an integrated model including air damping loss, surface defect loss, support loss, thermoelastic damping loss and internal friction loss is proposed to obtain the mechanical Q factor of the CVG resonator. Based on structural dynamics and energy dissipation analysis, the contribution of each energy loss to the total mechanical Q factor is quantificationally analyzed. For the resonator with radius ranging from 10 mm to 20 mm, its mechanical Q factor is mainly related to the support loss, thermoelastic damping loss and internal friction loss, which are fundamentally determined by the geometric sizes and material properties of the resonator. In addition, resonators made of alloy 3J53 （Ni42CrTiA1）, with different sizes, were experimentally fabricated to test the mechanical Q factor. The theoretical model is well verified by the experimental data, thus provides an effective theoretical method to design and predict the mechanical Q factor of the CVG resonator.

TECHNOLOGY OF QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS ON VIBRATORY STRESS RELIEF BASED ON ULTRASONIC TIME-OF-ARRIVAL METHOD

The effect of vibratory stress relief （VSR） is usually evaluated with the indirect method of observing the change of amplitude frequency response characteristics of structures. A new kind of evaluating method of VSR based on the ultrasonic time-of-arrival method （UTM）, which can obtain the residual stress directly through measuring the propagation time of ultrasonic wave in the material, is presented. At first, the principle of the measuring method of residual stress based on UTM is analyzed. Then the measuring system of the method is described, which is in virtue of ultrasonic flaw detector and high-sampling-rate digital oscillograph. And a set of calibration system that contains a piece of standard specimen is also introduced. Experimental results prove the relation between the residual stress and the propagation time of ultrasonic in workpieces. Finally, the measuring and calibration systems are applied in evaluating the effect of VSR. The final test results show that the method is effective.

Performance analysis of semi-active cab’s hydraulic system of the vibratory roller using optimal fuzzy-PID control

In order to evaluate the performance of semi-active cab’s hydraulic mounts(SHM)of the off-road vibratory roller with the optimal fuzzy-PID(proportional integral derivative)control,a nonlinear dynamic model of the vehicle interacting with off-road terrains is established based on Matlab/Simulink software.The weighted root-mean-square(RMS)acceleration responses of the driver’s seat heave and the cab’s pitch angle are chosen as objective functions.The SHM is then optimized and analyzed via the optimal fuzzy-PID control under different operation conditions.The simulations results show that the driver’s ride comfort and the cab shaking are greatly affected by the off-road terrains under various operating conditions of the vehicle,especially at the speed from 8 to 12 km/h on a very poor terrain surface of Grenville soil ground under the vehicle travelling.With SHM using the optimal fuzzy-PID control,the driver’s ride comfort and the cab shaking are clearly improved under various operation conditions of the vehicle,particularly at the speed from 6 to 7 km/h of the vehicle traveling.

Design and Implementation of PLC-Based Autonomous Construction System of Unmanned Vibratory Roller

The vibratory roller is a piece of vital construction machinery in the field of road construction.The unmanned vibratory roller efficiently utilizes the automated driving technology in the vehicle engineering field,which is innovative for the unmanned road construction.This paper develops and implements the autonomous construction system for the unmanned vibratory roller.Not only does the roller have the function of remote-controlled driving,but it also has the capability of autonomous road construction.The overall system design uses the Programmable Logic Controller(PLC)as the kernel controller.It establishes the communication network through multiple Input/Output(I/O)modules,Recommended Standard 232(RS232)serial port,Controller Area Network(CAN)bus,and wireless networks to control the roller vehicle completely.The locating information is obtained through the Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)satellite navigation equipment group to support the process of autonomous construction.According to the experimental results,the autonomous construction system can finally enable the roller to perform driving operations and construction independently,which was a significant step forward in engineering application.

Linear,nonlinear dynamics,and sensitivity analysis of a vibratory ring gyroscope

The linear and nonlinear dynamic responses of a vibratory ring gyroscope are investigated in this study focusing on the response mechanism of such a vibratory gyroscope. It is found that the nonlinear equations governing the drive and sense directions are coupled through both inertial linear and geometric nonlinear terms. Nonlinear responses are studied based on the full coupled nonlinear dynamic equations. The varying amplitude on the sense direction is analyzed for different input angular rates. The effect of nonlinearity on the ring gyroscope system is performed by comparing the results of nonlinear responses to those of linear responses. The contributions of some parameters to the amplitude responses and gyroscope sensitivity are analyzed, the conclusions of which provide guidelines to improve the sensitivity of the vibratory ring gyroscopes.

Reducing-resistance mechanism of vibratory excavation of hydraulic excavator

Based on the working principle of vibratory excavation of hydraulic excavator,the expression of digging resistance changed with time under sine wave inspiritment was deduced;a comparison analysis was given after calculating the forces status of rock and soil under static load and vibratory load respectively by using MATLAB;and then RFPA-2D(rock failure process analysis code)was used to make comparison of simulation experiment on rock and soil failure process under static load and vibratory load.The results demonstrate that,compared with the normal excavation under the same situation,the digging resistance and the energy consumption can be reduced by respectively 30%and 60%at maximum,and that the working efficiency can be increased by 45%at maximum owing to vibratory excavation.

Low-frequency ride comfort of vibratory rollers equipped with cab hydro-pneumatic mounts

Based on the advantages of hydraulic and pneumatic mounts,a new hydro-pneumatic mount(HPM)is proposed to improve the low-frequency ride comfort of vibration rollers.Through the experiment of the vibratory roller,a nonlinear vehicle dynamic model working on off-road soil grounds is then established to assess the HPM's ride comfort in the low-frequency region.Two indices,the power spectral density(PSD)acceleration and root mean square(RMS)acceleration of the operator vibration and cab shaking,are chosen as objective functions in both the frequency and time regions.The research results show that when the cab isolations are equipped with the HPM,the RMS values of the operator's seat,cab's pitch and roll angles are reduced by 35%,42%and 53%;and the maximum PSD of the operator's seat,cab's pitch and roll angles are decreased by 39%,59%and 65%,respectively.Consequently,the characteristics of the nonlinear damper and high-static stiffness of HPM can greatly reduce the operator vibration and cab shaking in the low-frequency region when compared to the vibratory roller's cab using the rubber mounts.

Combining Motor Imagery and Action Observation with Vibratory Stimulation Increases Corticomotor Excitability in Healthy Young Adults

Vibratory stimulation but also motor imagery and action observation can induce corticomotor modulation, as a bottom-up stimulus and top-down stimuli, respectively. However, it remains unknown whether the combination of motor imagery, action observation, and vibratory stimulation can effectively increase corticomotor excitability. This study aimed to investigate the effect of motor imagery and/or action observation, in the presence or absence of vibratory stimulation, on the corticomotor excitability of healthy young adults. Vibratory stimulation was provided to the palm of the right hand. Action observation consisted in viewing a movie of someone else’s finger flexion and extension movements. The imagery condition required the participants to imagine they were moving their fingers while viewing the movie and attempting to move their fingers in accordance with the movie. Eleven right-handed healthy young adults were asked to perform six conditions randomly: 1) vibratory stimulation, imagery, and action observation, 2) vibratory stimulation and action observation, 3) vibratory stimulation and viewing of a blank screen, 4) imagery and action observation, 5) action observation, and 6) viewing of a blank screen. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation was conducted to assess corticomotor excitability and the peak-to-peak amplitude of the motor evoked potentials. The results showed that vibratory stimulation increases corticospinal excitability. The findings further revealed that performing motor imagery while viewing finger movement is more effective at inducing an augmentation of corticomotor excitability compared to action observation alone. Thus, the combination of motor imagery, action observation, and vibratory stimulation can effectively augment corticomotor excitability.

Closed loop control design for the sense mode of micromachined vibratory gyroscopes

This paper presents a novel design method of force rebalance control for the sense mode of micromachined vibratory gyroscopes.Specific theoretical deductions are performed to identify a precise linear model of the open loop system of the sense mode,which is crucial for the PI controller design.The frequency responses obtained by experimental tests agree well with those calculated with the theoretical model,indicating the accuracy of the theoretical analyses.Experimental results demonstrate that the bandwidth of the closed loop is extended to 94.8 Hz from 2.3 Hz in the open loop and the quadrature signal is suppressed by about 64 dBV in the closed loop system.The overshoot and stable time in the step response of the closed loop system are measured to be about 15% and 35 ms,respectively.The mode-splitting gyroscope with the closed loop controlled sense mode achieves a scale factor of 41.0 mV/deg/s with nonlinearity of 0.09% and asymmetry of 1%,and a bias instability of 4.0 °/h with angle random walk of 0.171 deg/h1/2.

Design and experiment of a bionic vibratory subsoiler for banana fields in southern China

Subsoiling is essential in the tillage of banana planting,as banana plants have a fairly sturdy pseudostem and wide row spacing while soil tends to be compacted.In this study,a bionic vibrating subsoiler for banana fields was developed,verified,and evaluated.The vibrator was designed based on crank-rocker mechanism while the bionics design was used for subsoiler development.The forces on the susboiler were analyzed to verify the strength of the subsoiler tine.To test the performance of the subsoiler,field tests were conducted to measure the draft force and fuel consumption.There was approximately 14%reduction in the draft force and 22%increase in the fuel consumption in vibrating mode compared with that in non-vibrating mode.In conclusion,the study results could be applied in China’s tropical agricultural regions.

Nonlinear Performance of MEMS Vibratory Ring Gyroscope

Micro-electro-mechanical system(MEMS)gyroscopes are an important sort of inertial sensor for identifying parameters of spinning structures,such as the spinning speed and angular deviation,based on the Coriolis effect.In this paper,the nonlinear mechanism of MEMS vibratory ring gyroscopes is analyzed by applying a fully coupled nonlinear model,in which the gyroscopic coupling and geometrically and structurally nonlinear couplings are all taken into account.The coupled differential equations governing the drive and sense motions are established via the Lagrangian equations.Numerical simulation is conducted,and the key nonlinear components and energy transfer behaviors between the drive and sense modes are elucidated.It is revealed that the cubic rigidity nonlinearity is another significant factor leading to the coupling between the drive and sense modes other than the gyroscopic coupling.Perturbation analysis is also carried out by using the method of multiple scales.The nonlinear frequency-amplitude responses of the drive and sense vibrations are obtained,and comprehensive parametric studies are performed.The significant effects of system damping,excitation amplitude,drive amplitude and spinning speed on the responses are discussed,which will facilitate to improve the nonlinear performance and sensitivity of the gyroscope.

Field Tests for Investigating the Extraction Rate of Piles Using a Vibratory Technique

Factors directly affecting the extraction rate of the piles pulled out by a vibratory pulling system are summarized and classified into five categories(excitation force,resistance,vibration amplitude,pile plumbness keeping,and slowing down at the later stage) from the mechanics and engineering practice.Field tests on steel sheet piles extracted by vibratory technique in different soil conditions are conducted to ascertain how these factors affect the extraction rate of a pile with regard to three major actors of vibratory pile pulling:the pile to be extracted,the selected pulling system,and the imposed soil conditions.The extraction rates of three different sheet pile types(having up to four different lengths) pulled out by two different vibratory pulling systems are documented.The piles with different lengths and types,pulled out with or without a clutch,have different extraction rates.The working parameters governing the vibratory hammer,such as excitation force and vibration amplitude,exert significant influences on the rate of pile extraction,especially in the early stages of up-lift process.The extraction rate of the piles driven in different soil conditions is uniform because different extraction resistances mainly refer to shaft friction.The properties of the pile-soil interface influence the extraction rate of the piles,and the extraction rate decreases with the time for which the piles have been buried in the earth.

Characterization of a novel fluidic friction-reduction tool used in extended-reach well considering periodic particle-laden jet

Fluidic oscillators(FOs)can be used as an efficient fluidic vibration tool to solve high friction problems in extended-reach wells.However,the complex mechanism of FOs makes the design challenging,and the dynamic erosion behavior inside FOs is still unclear.In this paper,new FOs are proposed and the working characteristics under the influence of periodic particle-laden jets are investigated.Firstly,the results reveal the working mechanism of new FOs,showing that the generation of pressure pulses is closely connected with periodic jet switching and the development of vortices.Secondly,the important performance parameters,i.e.,pressure pulse and oscillation frequency,are extensively studied through numerical simulation and experimental verification.It is found that the performance can be optimized by adjusting the tool structure according to different engineering requirements.Finally,the oscillating solid-liquid two-phase flow inside FO is studied.It is demonstrated that the accumulation of particles leads to a significant reduction in performance.The results also reveal five locations that are susceptible to erosion and the erosion behavior of these locations are studied.It has been shown that the periodic jet causes fluctuations in the amount of erosion at the outlet and splitter.This research can provide valuable references for the design and optimization of vibration friction-reduction tools.

Vlale sexual dysfunction and infertility associated with neurological disorders

Normal sexual and reproductive functions depend largely on neurological mechanisms. Neurological defects in men can cause infertility through erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction and semen abnormalities. Among the major conditions contributing to these symptoms are pelvic and retroperitoneal surgery, diabetes, congenital spinal abnormalities, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury, Erectile dysfunction can be managed by an increasingly invasive range of treatments including medications, injection therapy and the surgical insertion of a penile implant. Retrograde ejaculation is managed by medications to reverse the condition in mild cases and in bladder harvest of semen after ejaculation in more severe cases. Anejaculation might also be managed by medication in mild cases while assisted ejaculatory techniques including penile vibratory stimulation and eiectroejaculation are used in more severe cases. If these measures fail, surgical sperm retrieval can be attempted. Ejaculation with penile vibratory stimulation can be done by some spinal cord injured men and their partners at home, followed by in-home insemination if circumstances and sperm quality are adequate. The other options always require assisted reproductive techniques including intrauterine insemination or in vitrofertilization with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The method of choice depends largely on the number of motile sperm in the ejaculate.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ELECTROMECHANICAL COUPLING SELF-SYNCHRONIZATION OF A MULTI-MOTOR VIBRATION TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

Multi-motor vibratory transmission systems have been wide used in large vibratory machines, and four-motor linear vibratory machine is one typical equipment of them. Under non-forcible synchronization condition zero-phase synchronization of the machine is non-stationary and it-phase synchronization is stable. Under half-forcible synchronization condition in which only one motor is controlled being synchronous to another, only lag synchronization near zero-phase synchronization can be realized. Both of the characteristics have never been revealed with classical theory quantitatively. The problem is solved by means of establishing an electromechanical coupling mathematical model of the system and numerical analysis of the starting processes.

Synchronization of three homodromy coupled exciters in a non-resonant vibrating system of plane motion

In this paper, the synchronization problem of three homodromy coupled exciters in a non-resonant vibrating system of plane motion is studied. By introducing the average method of modified small parameters, we deduced dimensionless coupling equation of three exciters, which converted the problem of synchronization into that of the existence and stability of zero solutions for the average differential equations of the small parameters. Based on the dimensionless coupling torques and characteristics of the cor- responding limited functions, the synchronization criterion for three exciters was derived as the absolute value of dimensionless residual torque difference between arbitrary two motors being less than the maximum of their dimensionless coupling torques. The stability criterion of its synchronous state lies in the double-condition that the inertia coupling matrix is positive definite and all its elements are positive as well. The synchronization determinants are the coefficients of synchronization ability, also called as the general dynamical symmetry coefficients. The double-equilibrium state of the vibrating system is manifested by numeric method, and the numeric and simulation results derived thereof indicate the indispensable and crucial role the structural parameters of the vibrating system play in the stability criterion of synchronous operation. Besides, by adjusting its structural parameters, the elliptical motion of the vibrating system successfully met the requirements in engineering applications.

Management of ejaculatory disorders in infertile men

Ejaculatory dysfunction is a highly prevalent clinical condition that may be classified along a continuum that ranges from premature ejaculation （PE）, through retarded or delayed ejaculation （DE）, to complete anejaculation （AE）. Retrograde ejaculation （RE） represents a distinct entity in which ejaculate is expelled either partially or completely into the bladder. While DE and PE are significant sources of sexual dissatisfaction among men and their partners, patients with these disorders retain normal fertility in most cases. Conversely, men with AE and RE are unable to deliver sperm into the female genital tract and are therefore rendered subfertile. Therefore, in reviewing ejaculatory disorders as they relate to fertility, this paper will primarily focus on the diagnosis and management of AE and RE. Physiology, diagnostic strategies, pharmacological treatments, and procedural interventions relevant to AE and RE are discussed.

Semen parameters in men with spinal cord injury： changes and aetiology

Aim： To assess the changes in semen parameters in men with spinal cord injury （SCI） and the possible causes of these changes. Methods： The study included 45 subjects with SCI. Semen retrieval was done by masturbation （2）, vigorous prostatic massage （n = 13）, penile vibratory stimulation （n = 13） or electroejaculation （n = 17）. Results： The semen of men with SCI showed normal volume （2.3 ± 1.9 mL） and sperm count （85.0 × 10^6 ± 83.8 × 10^6/mE） with decreased motility （11.6% ± 10.1%）, vitality （18.5 % ± 15.2%） and normal forms （17.5 ± 13.4%）, and pus cells has been increased （6.0 × 10^6 ± 8.2 × 10^6/mL）. Total （13.4 ± 9.9 vs. 7.1 ± 6.8） and progressive （4.4 ± 3.9 vs. 2.2 ± 2.1） motility were significantly higher in subjects with lower scrotal temperatures. There was no statistical significant difference between electroejaculation and penile vibratory stimulation groups as regards any of the semen parameters. Subjects＇ age, infrequent ejaculation, injury duration and hormonal profile showed no significant effect on semen parameters. Conclusion： The defining characteristics of the seminogram in men with SCI are normal volume and count with decreased sperm motility, vitality and normal forms, and the increased number of pus cells. The most acceptable cause of the deterioration of semen is elevated scrotal temperature.