Coefficient of Engine Flexibility as a Basis for the Assessment of Vehicle Tractive Performance

The paper attempts to analyze full load characteristics of over 500 combustion engines. Using statistical tools, the author determined the value of the coefficient of flexibility. Engine flexibility is the capability of the engine to adapt to varying loads. Importantly, in the investigations, the author took into account the parameters calculated in the course of the investigations on a chassis dynamometer, i.e., actual, not taken from technical specifications of brand new vehicles. Different stages of operating wear allow a better characterization of the population. Subsequent utilization of the results in tractive calculations is more reliable. The engines were divided into in six groups, depending on the type of fuel system: fuel injected gasoline and turbocharged gasoline, spark ignition LPG, naturally aspirated diesel and turbocharged diesel. However, engines running on alternative fuels are characterized with a greater flexibility than the fuel injected base engines. Conformity of flexibility of fuel injected and LPG IV generation engines have been observed, which confirms the appropriateness of engine adaptation to alternative fueling. Gasoline engine supercharging allowed a reduction of the maximum engine speed of the maximum torque, which extends the range of analyzable speeds for flexibility and consequently, the flexibility as such.

Damage due to rolling in total knee replacement-The influence of tractive force

The femoral condyles of a knee prosthesis articulate with a combination of rolling and sliding on the tibial polyethylene plateau.Little is known about potential polyethylene damage due to rolling motion.Since rolling does not exclude the presence of tangential surface loads,this study sought to investigate the influence of tractive rolling on the wear of polyethylene.A“wheel-on-flat”apparatus,consisting of a metal wheel and a polyethylene flat,mimicked contact conditions present in total knee replacement.An increasingly tractive force under conditions of pure rolling was applied.It was found that under rolling kinematics a tangential surface load of up to 17%of the normal load could be transferred through the contact.Surface damage was dependent on the amount of tractive force and appeared more severe with higher forces.In the region of highest tractive force,wear features were identified that resembled perpendicular ridges on surfaces of retrieved tibial polyethylene devices.This suggests that tractive rolling may be a relevant wear mode in total knee replacement.

Comparing tractive performance of steel and rubber single grouser shoe under different soil moisture contents

Steel and rubber are two kinds of materials which are often used for the tracks of off-road vehicles.The objective of this study was to compare tractive performances of steel and rubber grouser shoes under different soil moisture contents.In this study,the tractive performance of single grouser shoe was predicted by soil parameters and three-dimensional shearing model.The soil used in this study was clay soil,and ten different soil moisture contents ranged from 8.58%to 54.36%were applied for investigation of soil parameters.For each soil moisture content,the penetration test,direct shearing test,density and soil moisture content measurement have been performed to obtain the required soil parameters.The experimental results showed that thrust and running resistance of steel single grouser shoe had similar trends to those of rubber single grouser shoe.The thrust of rubber single grouser shoe was always greater than that of steel single grouser shoe with the increase of soil moisture content,and as well as the running resistance.However,the traction of rubber single grouser shoe had a different trend to that of steel single grouser shoe.The traction of steel single grouser shoe was always greater than that of rubber single grouser shoe at any given moisture content except at the stage of less than 15%moisture content.From the experimental results,it can be concluded that the steel single grouser shoe performed better than rubber single grouser shoe in traction for the soil used in this study.

Traction Potential Analysis of Self-Propelled Seafloor Trencher Based on Mechanical Measurements in Bentonite Soil

Shear stress-displacement relationship model of soil is very important to predict the tractive performance of tracked vehicle. Most shear stress-displacement models were proposed for terrestrial field.However,they are not suit for soft seafloor with flow surface and high water content. Based on comprehensive analysis of seafloor soil shear deformation and track segment shear tests,a new empirical model of shear stressdisplacement relationship for saturated soft-plastic soil(SSP model) was proposed. To validate the SSP model and evaluate potential tractive force of self-propelled seafloor trencher,a test platform,where track segment shear test and drawbar pull test can be performed in seafloor soil substitute(bentonite water mixture),was built. Series of shear tests were carried out. Test results show that the SSP model can describe the mechanical behavior of track segment in seafloor soil substitute with good approximation. Through analyzing the main external forces,including environmental loads from seafloor soil and sea current applied to seafloor tracked trencher during the trenching process in a straight line,drawbar pull analysis model was deduced with the SSP model. A scale test model of seafloor tracked trencher was built,and the verification tests for drawbar pull analysis model were designed and carried out. Results of verification tests indicate that the drawbar pull analysis model was feasible and effective. The drawbar pull tests also indicated that the SSP model is valid from another side.

Feasibility of implementation of intelligent simulation configurations based on data mining methodologies for prediction of tractor wheel slip

This paper deals with implementation of intelligent simulation configurations for prediction of tractor wheel slip in tillage operations.The effects of numeral variables of forward speed(2,4,and 6 km/h)and plowing depth(10,20,and 30 cm),and nominal variable of tractor driving mode(two-wheel drive(2WD)and four-wheel drive(4WD))on tractor rear wheel slip were intelligently simulated utilizing data mining methodologies of artificial neural network(ANN)and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system(ANFIS).Neuro-fuzzy potential of the ANFIS simulation framework against neural ability of the ANN simulation framework was apprised.Results confirmed higher efficiency of the best configuration of the ANFIS simulation framework with satisfactory statistical performance criteria of coefficient of determination(0.981),root mean square error(1.124%),mean absolute percentage error(1.515%),and mean of absolute values of prediction residual errors(1.135%)than that of the ANN simulation framework.Physical perception obtained from the ANFIS simulation results demonstrated that the wheel slip increased nonlinearly with increment of forward speed and plowing depth,while it decreased as tractor driving mode changed from the 2WD to 4WD.Therefore,the best configuration of the ANFIS based intelligent simulation framework implemented in this study can be used for further relevant studies of tractor rear wheel slip as a reference.

PPG Ranked 28th among 100 Recognized Enterprises for Contribution to China's 30 Years of Reform and Opening-up

In the recently announced "Honor and Re-sponsibility-q 2008 Multinational Corporation’s Contribution to China",PPG Industries(NYSE:PPG)ranked 28th of 100 enterprises winning an