Safety evaluation of a vehicle–bridge interaction system using the pseudo-excitation method

A method for analysing the vehicle-bridge interaction system with enhanced objectivity is proposed in the paper, which considers the time-variant and random characteristics and allows finding the power spectral densities(PSDs) of the system responses directly from the PSD of track irregularity. The pseudo-excitation method is adopted in the proposed framework, where the vehicle is modelled as a rigid body and the bridge is modelled using the finite element method. The vertical and lateral wheel-rail pseudo-excitations are established assuming the wheel and rail have the same displacement and using the simplified Kalker creep theory, respectively. The power spectrum function of vehicle and bridge responses is calculated by history integral. Based on the dynamic responses from the deterministic and random analyses of the interaction system, and the probability density functions for three safety factors(derailment coefficient, wheel unloading rate, and lateral wheel axle force) are obtained, and the probabilities of the safety factors exceeding the given limits are calculated. The proposed method is validated by Monte Carlo simulations using a case study of a high-speed train running over a bridge with five simply supported spans and four piers.

An electrochemical method for evaluating the resistance to cathodic disbondment of anti-corrosion coatings on buried pipelines

Methods for evaluating the resistance to cathodic disbondment （RCD） of anti-corrosion coatings on buried pipelines were reviewed. It is obvious that these traditional cathodic disbondment tests （CDT） have some disadvantages and the evaluated results are only simple figures and always rely on the subjective experience of the operator. A new electrochemical method for evaluating the RCD of coatings, that is, the potentiostatic evaluation method （PEM）, was developed and studied. During potentiostatic anodic polarization testing, the changes of stable polarization current of specimens before and after cathodic disbonding （CD） were measured, and the degree of cathodic disbondment of the coating was quantitatively evaluated, among which the equivalent cathodic disbonded distance AD was suggested as a parameter for evaluating the RCD. A series of testing parameters of the PEM were determined in these experiments.

An improved probabilistic load flow in distribution networks based on clustering and Point estimate methods

Clustering approaches are one of the probabilistic load flow(PLF)methods in distribution networks that can be used to obtain output random variables,with much less computation burden and time than the Monte Carlo simulation(MCS)method.However,a challenge of the clustering methods is that the statistical characteristics of the output random variables are obtained with low accuracy.This paper presents a hybrid approach based on clustering and Point estimate methods.In the proposed approach,first,the sample points are clustered based on the𝑙-means method and the optimal agent of each cluster is determined.Then,for each member of the population of agents,the deterministic load flow calculations are performed,and the output variables are calculated.Afterward,a Point estimate-based PLF is performed and the mean and the standard deviation of the output variables are obtained.Finally,the statistical data of each output random variable are modified using the Point estimate method.The use of the proposed method makes it possible to obtain the statistical properties of output random variables such as mean,standard deviation and probabilistic functions,with high accuracy and without significantly increasing the burden of calculations.In order to confirm the consistency and efficiency of the proposed method,the 10-,33-,69-,85-,and 118-bus standard distribution networks have been simulated using coding in Python®programming language.In simulation studies,the results of the proposed method have been compared with the results obtained from the clustering method as well as the MCS method,as a criterion.

Design, Control and Analysis of Low Cost Archetype Dual Rotor Helicopter for Educational Institution

This paper presents the design and development of low cost archetype dual rotor helicopter (LCADRH) for academic research in an educational institution. The LCADRH is installed with optical pitch encoder and yaw encoder which measure elevation and side to side motion of helicopter. The objective of the project is to design and integrate the helicopter with data acquisition board and sensors to provide hardware features, software support capability for its rapid real time measurement and control. The low cost designed LCADRH facilitates the academic research for students in the institution and is able to provide hands on training to understand the concept of nonlinearity, system modelled and unmodelled dynamics and uncertainty, modelling, simulation and control by doing practical experiments. The mathematical model of the LCADRH is derived using grey box modelling method. The control of LCADRH is challenging due to its nonlinearity and effect of strong coupling between aerodynamic forces and torques generated by the both pitch and yaw actuators. In closed loop position control of LCADRH, pitch and yaw axis motion is regulated using linear quadratic controller (LQR). Encouraging results are obtained both in simulation and hardware.

A Simplified Calculation Method for Non-stationary Random Seismic Response of Jacket Platform

Jacket platform was simulated by non-uniform cantilever beam subjected to axial loading. Based on the Hamilton theory, the equation of bending motion was developed and solved by the classical Ritz method combined with the pseudo-excitation method (PEM) for non-stationary random response with non-classical damping. Usually, random response of this continuous structure is obtained by orthogonality of modes and some normal modes of the structure are needed, causing inconvenience in the analysis of the non-uniform beam whose normal modes are not easy to be obtained. However, if the PEM is extended to calculate random re- sponse by combining it with the classical Ritz method, the responses of non-uniform beam, such as auto-power spectral density (PSD) function, cross-PSD and higher spectral moments can be solved directly avoiding the calculation of normal modes. The numerical results show that the present method is effective and useful in aseismic design of platforms.