Multi-Objective Optimization of Aluminum Alloy Electric Bus Frame Connectors for Enhanced Durability

The widespread adoption of aluminumalloy electric buses,known for their energy efficiency and eco-friendliness,faces a challenge due to the aluminum frame’s susceptibility to deformation compared to steel.This issue is further exacerbated by the stringent requirements imposed by the flammability and explosiveness of batteries,necessitating robust frame protection.Our study aims to optimize the connectors of aluminum alloy bus frames,emphasizing durability,energy efficiency,and safety.This research delves into Multi-Objective Coordinated Optimization(MCO)techniques for lightweight design in aluminum alloy bus body connectors.Our goal is to enhance lightweighting,reinforce energy absorption,and improve deformation resistance in connector components.Three typical aluminum alloy connectors were selected and a design optimization platform was built for their MCO using a variety of software and methods.Firstly,through three-point bending experiments and finite element analysis on three types of connector components,we identified optimized design parameters based on deformation patterns.Then,employing Optimal Latin hypercube design(OLHD),parametric modeling,and neural network approximation,we developed high-precision approximate models for the design parameters of each connector component,targeting energy absorption,mass,and logarithmic strain.Lastly,utilizing the Archive-based Micro Genetic Algorithm(AMGA),Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization(MOPSO),and Non-dominated SortingGenetic Algorithm(NSGA2),we explored optimized design solutions for these joint components.Subsequently,we simulated joint assembly buckling during bus rollover crash scenarios to verify and analyze the optimized solutions in three-point bending simulations.Each joint component showcased a remarkable 30%–40%mass reduction while boosting energy absorption.Our design optimization method exhibits high efficiency and costeffectiveness.Leveraging contemporary automation technology,the design optimization platform developed in this study is poised to facilitate intelligent optimization of lightweight metal components in future applications.

A systematic review of rigid-flexible composite pavement

Rigid-flexible composite pavement has gained significant popularity in recent decades.This paper provides a comprehensive review of the research progress concerning rigid-flexible composite pavement,aiming to promote its application and address key issues while identifying future directions.The design theory and methodology of rigid-flexible composite pavement are discussed,followed by a description of its structural and mechanical behavior characteristics.The load stress,temperature stress,and their interactive effects between the asphalt layer and the rigid base were analyzed.It is clarified that the asphalt layer serves a dual role as both a“functional layer”and a“structural layer”.Typical distresses of rigid-flexible composite pavement,which primarily occur in the asphalt layer,were discussed.These distresses include reflective cracking,top-down cracking,rutting,and compressive-shear failure.Generally,the integrity of the rigid base and the interlaminar bonding conditions significantly impact the performance and distress of the asphalt layer.The technology for enhancing the performance of rigid-flexible composite pavement is summarized in three aspects:asphalt layer properties,rigid base integrity,and interlaminar bonding condition.The study concludes that developing high-performance pavement materials based on their structural behaviors is an effective approach to improve the performance and durability of rigid-flexible composite pavement.The integrated design of structure and materials represents the future direction of road design.

A homogeneous and mechanically stable artificial diffusion layer using rigid-flexible hybrid polymer for high-performance lithium metal batteries

Artificial solid electrolyte interphase(SEI) is promising to inhibit uncontrollable lithium dendrites and enable long cycling stability for lithium metal batteries. However, the essential mechanical stability is limited since organic layers generally have low modulus whereas intrinsic brittleness for inorganic ones remains a great concern. Polymer-based SEIs with rigid and flexible chains in adequate mechanical properties are supposed to address this issue. Herein, a homogeneous and mechanically stable diffusion layer is achieved by blending rigid chains of polyphenylene sulfone(PPSU) with flexible chains of poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF) in a hybrid membrane, enabling uniform diffusion and stabilizing the lithium metal anode. The Li||Cu cell with the protected electrode exhibits a long lifetime more than 450 cycles(0.5 m A cm^(-2), 1.0 m A h cm^(-2))(fourfold longer than the control group) with higher average Coulombic efficiency of 98.7%. Enhanced performances are also observed at Li||Li and full cell configurations. The improved performances are attributed to the controlled morphology and stable interphase, according to scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and electrochemical impedance. This research advances the idea of uniform lithium plating and provides a new insight on how to create a homogeneous and mechanically stable diffusion layer using rigid-flexible polymers.

Experimental investigation and analytically modeling of hysteretic behavior of rigid bus-flexible connectors of 220 kV electrical substations

This paper describes the quasi-static testing and analytical modelling of the hysteretic behavior of aluminum alloy rigid bus-flexible connectors of 220 kV electrical substations.The main objective of the study is to experimentally investigate the hysteretic behavior of six different types of rigid bus-flexible connectors 220 kV electrical substations when subjected to cyclic loading.Another objective is to theoretically study the flexibility and effectiveness of a previously proposed analytical model in fitting the experimental hysteresis loops of the tested rigid bus-flexible connectors.The experimental investigation indicates that the tested rigid bus-flexible connectors exhibit highly asymmetric hysteresis behavior along with tension stiffening effect.The theoretical study demonstrates that the generalized Bouc-Wen model has high flexibility and is effective in fitting the experimental hysteresis resisting force-displacement curves of the six tested rigid bus-flexible connectors.

A rigid-flexible coupling finite element model of coupler for analyzing train instability behavior during collision

Rail vehicles generate huge longitudinal impact loads in collisions.If unreasonable matching exists between the compressive strength of the intermediate coupler and the structural strength of the car body,the risk of car body structure damage and train derailment will increase.Herein,a four-stage rigid-flexible coupling finite element model of the coupler is established considering the coupler buckling load.The influence of the coupler buckling load on the train longitudinal-vertical-hori-zontal buckling behavior was studied,and the mechanism of the train horizontal buckling instability in train collisions was revealed.Analysis results show that an intermediate coupler should be designed to ensure that the actual buckling load is less than the compressive load when the car body structure begins to deform plastically.The actual buckling load of the coupler and the asymmetry of the structural strength of the car body in the lateral direction are two important influencing factors for the lateral buckling of a train collision.If the strength of the two sides of the car body structure in the lateral direction is asymmetrical,the deformation on the weaker side will be larger,and the end of the car body will begin to deflect under the action of the coupler force,which in turn causes the train to undergo sawtooth buckling.

Dynamic Responses of Mobile Offshore Base Connectors

A Mobile Offshore Base (MOB) is a multi-purpose logistics base, which can be stationed in coastal or international waters. In the conceptual design of the MOB, attention should he paid to the dynamic responses of the inter-module connectors because tremendous loads occur in the connectors. In this paper, a study on dynamic responses of the MOB connectors is carried out by use of the Rigid Module Flexible Connector (RMFC) model which assumes that the module stiffness is significantly larger than that of the connector. In the analysis, the connector is modeled as a linear spring, which restricts relative translations but allows for relative rotations of modules. The 3-D source distribution method is adopted to determine the hydrodynamic forces of the modules, and the hydrodynamic interaction between modules is taken into account. The module motions and connector loads for 12 connector stiffness cases in regular and irregular waves are calculated with the multi-rigid-body motion equations. And the calculated results are compared with those from relative references. It is shown that the results obtained by different methods are in good agreement.

Ride comfort evaluation for road vehicle based on rigid-flexible coupling multibody dynamics

In the present research two different whole vehicle multibody models are established respectively, including rigid and rigid-flexible coupling multibody vehicle models. The former is all composed by rigid bodies while in the later model, the flexible rear suspension is built based on the finite element method （FEM） and mode superposition method, in which the deformations of the components are considered. The ride simulations with different speeds are carried out on a 3D digitalized road, and the weighted root mean square （RMS） of accelerations on the seat surface,backrest and at the feet are calculated. The comparison between the responses of the rigid and rigid-flexible coupling multibody models shows that the flexibility of the vehicle parts significantly affects the accelerations at each position, and it is necessary to take the flexibility effects into account for the assessment of ride comfort. C 2013 The Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. [doi： 10.1063/2.1301304]

Seismic behavior of large-scale FRP–recycled aggregate concrete–steel columns with shear connectors

The application of fi ber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for the development of high-performance composite structural systems has received signifi cant recent research attention. A composite of FRP–recycled aggregate concrete (RAC)–steel column (FRSC), consisting of an outer FRP tube, an inner steel tube and annular RAC fi lled between two tubes, is proposed herein to facilitate green disposal of demolished concrete and to improve the ductility of concrete columns for earthquake resistance. To better understand the seismic behavior of FRSCs, quasi-static tests of large-scale basalt FRSCs with shear connectors were conducted. The infl uence of the recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) replacement percentage, shear connectors and axial loading method on the lateral load and deformation capacity, energy dissipation and cumulative damage were analyzed to evaluate the seismic behavior of FRSCs. The test results show that FRSCs have good seismic behavior, which was evidenced by high lateral loads, excellent ductility and energy dissipation capacity, indicating RAC is applicable in FRSCs. Shear connectors can signifi cantly postpone the steel buckling and increase the lateral loads of FRSCs, but weaken the deformation capacity and energy dissipation performance.

Rigid-Flexible Coupling Dynamic Analysis of Sub-Launched Vehicle During the Vertical Tube-Exit Stage

During the launching stage,hydrodynamic pressure and adapters' reaction loads can influence the vehicle's rigid motion as well as cause its structural vibration,which is a typical rigid-flexible coupling dynamic problem. This paper presents a 2-D rigid-flexible coupling model to calculate the vehicle's dynamic responses in that period.The vehicle was equivalent to a flexure beam with axial deformation. Hybrid coordinate and modal superposition methods were used to describe its large rigid displacement and small deformation. By the second Lagrange equation,the vehicle centroid's displacements,rotational angle and modal coordinates were chosen as generalized coordinates and then the vehicle 's rigid-flexible coupling dynamic equations were obtained. By numerical simulation,the results of vehicle's motion parameters and transverse internal loads were acquired.The calculation results showed that differences of the vehicle's motion parameters between the rigid-flexible coupling model and the rigid body assumption are noticeable and the peak magnitude of the vehicle's transverse internal loads in the rigid-flexible coupling model is higher remarkably than that in the rigid body assumption.

Evaluation of the Shear Strength of Perfobond Rib Connectors in Ultra High Performance Concrete

Since the previous strength prediction models for the perfobond rib connector were proposed based upon the results of push-out tests conducted on concretes with compressive strength below 50 MPa, push-out test is performed on perfobond shear connectors applying ultra high performance concretes with compressive strength higher than 80 MPa to evaluate their shear resistance. The test variables are chosen to be the diameter and number of dowel holes and, the change in the shear strength of the perfobond rib connector is examined with respect to the strength of two types of UHPC: steel fiber-reinforced concrete with compressive strength of 180 MPa and concrete without steel fiber with compressive strength of 80 MPa. The test results reveal that higher concrete strength and larger number of holes increased the shear strength, and that higher increase rate in the shear strength was achieved by the dowel action. The comparison with the predictions obtained by the previous models shows that the experimental results are close to the values given by the model proposed by Oguejiofor and Hosain [1].

Optimal Stiffness for Flexible Connectors on A Mobile Offshore Base at Rough Sea States

This paper investigates a simplified method to determine the optimal stiffness of flexible connectors on a mobile offshore base(MOB) during the preliminary design stage. A three-module numerical model of an MOB was used as a case study. Numerous constraint forces and relative displacements for the connectors at rough sea states with different wave angles were utilized to determine the optimized stiffness of the flexible connectors. The range of optimal stiffnesses for the connectors was obtained based on the combination and intersection of the optimized stiffness results, and the implementation steps were elaborated in detail. The percentage reductions of the optimized and optimal stiffness of the flexible connector were determined to quantitatively evaluate the decreases of the constraint force and relative displacement of the connectors compared with those calculated by using the original range of the connector stiffnesses. The results indicate the accuracy and feasibility of this method for determining the optimal stiffness of the flexible connectors and demonstrate the rationality and practicability of the optimal stiffness results. The research ideas, calculation process, and solutions for the optimal stiffness of the flexible connectors of an MOB in this paper can provide valuable technical support for the design of the connectors in similar semisubmersible floating structures.

Dynamic Simulation for Rigid-Flexible Coupling Model of Gear Transmission System Based on ADAMS

The influence of the flexible body for the motion of gear transmission system is analyzed and the foundation for a more accurate assessment of gear transmission system is established when it has battle damage faults. By using Pro / E software,the virtual prototype model of gear transmission system in the speed reducer is established,and the rigid model and rigid-flexible coupling model are simulated respectively in ADAMS to obtain the data of gear meshing force. It can be concluded that rigid-flexible coupling model can reflect the real motion better than rigid model by comparing the simulation data of two models.

Academic health sciences libraries as connectors to knowledge beyond literature

Libraries at large academic medical centers in the United States are undergoing a transformation from their traditional role as knowledge repositories to a new role as connectors to knowledge. This transformation is fueled by the move away from library-held print resources as the primary source of information used by researchers,clinicians and students. Knowledge resources critical to the missions of academic medical centers now include online books and journals,very large data sets,software tools,and expertise far beyond the walls of the library. This article illustrates how Bernard Becker Medical Library at Washington University in St. Louis has seized the opportunity to recast itself as a connector to knowledge beyond literature and strengthen its vital role within the university as a catalyst for learning and discovery.

A Study of Dynamic Analysis Method for the Rigid-Flexible Coupled Bar Linkage System

In order to present a dynamic analysis method for the rigid-flexible coupled bar linkage system(RFCBLS),the flexible element motion equation was gotten by Lagrange Equation and the rigid element motion equation was gotten based on rigid constraint conditions.The multi-body system(MBS) is a complex mechanism and its components have quite different rigidities.If it is considered as a rigid MBS(RMBS) to do its dynamic analysis,elastic deformation's ignorance will lead to inaccurate analysis.If it is considered as a flexible MBS(FMBS) to establish,analyze,and solve the model,quite large system equations make it difficult to solve.The better method is as follows:the complex mechanism system is regarded as a rigid-flexible coupled system(RFCS) to make dynamic characteristic of rigid components be equivalent,system equation is established by FMBS' way,and system equation dimensions are reduced by transition matrices' introduction.A dynamic analysis method for rigid element and flexible element coupling was presented based on the FMBS.The analyzed crank slide-block mechanism results show that the dynamic analysis method for RFCBLS is quick and convenient.

Nonlinear dynamic analysis on rigid-flexible coupling system of an elastic beam

Previous work examined the effect of the attached stiffness matrix terms on stability of an elastic beam undergoing prescribed large overall motion. The aim of the present work is to extend the nonlinear formulations to an elastic beam with free large overall motion. Based on initial stress method, the nonlinear coupling equations of elastic beams are obtained with free large overall motion and the attached stiffness matrix is derived by solving sub-static formulation. The angular velocity and the tip deformation of the elastic pendulum are calculated. The analytical results show that the simulation results of the present model are tabled and coincide with the one-order approximate model. It is shown that the simulation results accord with energy conservation principle.

Nonsmooth dynamic analysis of rigid-flexible interaction collision

This paper aims to explore the deformation of the collided bodies in multibody systems and to effectively simulate the motion path of colliding bodies.First,we describe the geometrically nonlinear problems of materials by the total Lagrangian formulation.Second,a first-order integration scheme is used to solve the dynamics equations.An algorithm combining the bi-potential method with the node-to-point contact identification is proposed to solve the interface problems of rigid-flexible interaction collision.To observe the collision process more intuitively,the internal software FER/VIEW is introduced to visualize the results.The accuracy is proved by comparing the proposed method with the analytical solution or another numerical solution.Moreover,the proposed method has more numerical robustness,such as occupying less computer storage,saving the computational cost,and broadening the application range of the bi-potential method.

Influences of polishing on return loss of optical fiber connectors

With Al2O3 and SiO2 as polishing medium, under different polishing conditions, e.g. with different polishing pressure, polishing time and polishing fluid, the influences of polishing treatment on the return loss of optical fiber connectors were investigated. The return loss of optical fiber connectors is 32CD*238dB before polishing. The results show that dry polishing（i.e. no polishing fluid） with Al2O3 has less influence on return loss of optical fiber connectors, while dry polishing with SiO2 reduces return loss to about 20dB because of the end-face of optical fiber contaminated. The wet polishing（i.e. using distilled water as polishing fluid） with Al2O3 or SiO2 can increase return loss to 45CD*250dB, but wet polishing with Al2O3 may produce optical fiber undercut depth of 80CD*2140nm. Wet polishing with SiO2 should be preferentially selected for optical fiber connectors and polishing time should be controlled within 20CD*230s.

MODEL OF CENTRIFUGAL EFFECT AND ATTITUDEMANEUVER STABILITY OF A COUPLEDRIGID-FLEXIBLE SYSTEM

The influences of nonlinear centrifugal force to large overall attitude motion of coupled rigid-flexible system was investigated. First the nonlinear model of the coupled rigid-flexible system was deduced from the idea of “centrifugal potential field', and then the dynamic effects of the nonlinear centrifugal force to system attitude motion were analyzed by approximate calculation; At last, the Lyapunov function based on energy norm was selected, in the condition that only the measured values of attitude and attitude speed are available, and it is proved that the PD feedback control law can ensure the attitude stability during large angle maneuver.

An analysis on a rigid-flexible coupling system of an oscillating massand a rotating disk

A mass-rod-disk system consisting of an oscillating mass attached to a rigid rotating disk by an elastic rod is designed to study rigid-flexible coupling mechanism.Suppose the rod is lightweight and has enough stiffness,the theorems of linear momentum and angular momentum are applied to the mass-rod-disk system based on the kinematic description of the system.With respect to two deflections of the mass and one angular velocity of the system,a group of nonlinear differential equations are established where the tangential inertial force,centrifugal force,Coriolis force as well as the moments of additional inertial forces take important effects on the dynamic response.For the sake of description,these three types of inertial forces mentioned before are referred to as additional inertial forces in this paper.The horizontal deflections of the mass and the angular velocity of the disk rotating about a fixed-axis are numerically solved for the prescribed external torque.The oscillating trajectory of the mass is deeply influenced by the additional inertial forces,meanwhile the dynamic fluctuations of the angular velocity and rotary inertia of the system are strongly affected by the mass oscillation.

Shear Behavior of Open Steel Tube Connectors in Steel⁃UHPC Composite Decks

Steel and ultra⁃high performance concrete(UHPC)composite decks are effective at reducing fatigue cracking and asphalt pavement damage.The shear behavior of innovative open steel tube(OST)connectors in steel⁃UHPC composite decks was investigated by conducting push⁃out tests.The test parameter is the presence of reinforcement in the deck.The load⁃slip curves and shear behavior of the push⁃out specimens were obtained and discussed.The test results indicate that as compared with plain concrete specimens,the limit slip of reinforced specimens decreased by 32%and the shear stiffness increased by 10%,but the ultimate shear capacity was almost the same.The use of UHPC influenced the failure process as it was observed that the OST connector was sheared off at its lower semi⁃tube,followed by the pull⁃out failure of the upper semi⁃tube.A finite element model was verified by tests and was then used to analyze the deformation and failure behaviors of the composite deck with open tubes.The model demonstrates that there is a stress concentration zone at the connector root,and the lower semi⁃tube is the main component that is subject to loads.