Experiment/simulation correlation-based methodology for metallic ballistic protection solutions

A methodology is developed based on the coupling of a finite element code with an optimisation module for the design of land vehicle armouring composed of lightweight aluminium alloy and high strength steel plate.Following an experiment/simulation correlation,a numerical model has been built and calibrated considering monolithic plates and then verified considering a bi-metal protection against tungsten carbide projectile mimicking the core of a 7.62×51 AP8 ammunition.In addition,a method is proposed to obtain the v_(res)-v_(i) curve for the full 7.62×51 AP8 bullet from the v_(res)-v_(i) curve obtained from the core only.

Efficient and Innovative Techniques for Collective Acquisition of Weak GNSS Signals

Navigation and positioning in harsh environments is still a great challenge for many applications. Collective Detection (CD) is a powerful approach for acquiring highly attenuated satellite signals in challenging environments, because of its capacity to process all visible satellites collectively taking advantage of the spatial correlation between GNSS signals as a vector acquisition scheme. CD combines the correlator outputs of satellite channels and projects them onto the position/clock bias domain in order to enhance the overall GNSS signal detection probability. In CD, the code phase search for all satellites in view is mapped into a receiver position/clock bias grid and the satellite signals are not acquired individually but collectively. In this concept, a priori knowledge of satellite ephemeris and reference location are provided to the user. Furthermore, CD addresses some of the inherent drawbacks of the conventional acquisition at the expenses of an increased computational cost. CD techniques are computationally intensive because of the significant number of candidate points in the position-time domain. The aim of this paper is to describe the operation of the CD approach incorporating new methods and architectures to address both the complexity and sensitivity problems. The first method consists of hybridizing the collective detection approach with some correlation techniques and coupling it with a better technique for Doppler frequency estimate. For that, a new scheme with less calculation load is proposed in order to accelerate the detection and location process. Then, high sensitivity acquisition techniques using long coherent integration and non-coherent integration are used in order to improve the performance of the CD algorithm.

Numerical Approximation of Port-Hamiltonian Systems for Hyperbolic or Parabolic PDEs with Boundary Control

We consider the design of structure-preserving discretization methods for the solution of systems of boundary controlled Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) thanks to the port-Hamiltonian formalism. We first provide a novel general structure of infinite-dimensional port-Hamiltonian systems (pHs) for which the Partitioned Finite Element Method (PFEM) straightforwardly applies. The proposed strategy is applied to abstract multidimensional linear hyperbolic and parabolic systems of PDEs. Then we show that instructional model problems based on the wave equation, Mindlin equation and heat equation fit within this unified framework. Secondly, we introduce the ongoing project SCRIMP (Simulation and Control of Interactions in Multi-Physics) developed for the numerical simulation of infinite-dimensional pHs. SCRIMP notably relies on the FEniCS open-source computing platform for the finite element spatial discretization. Finally, we illustrate how to solve the considered model problems within this framework by carefully explaining the methodology. As additional support, companion interactive Jupyter notebooks are available.

New Strategy of Collaborative Acquisition for Connected GNSS Receivers in Deep Urban Environments

Collaborative Positioning (CP) is a better localization technique used to locate a user in challenged environments, which is driven by the increasing presence of cellular phones and mobile devices in urban areas. The basic idea is that the mobile devices can cooperate with each other to improve their ability to determine their position. In this concept, a network of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receivers can collectively receive available satellite signals, and each receiver can receive signal measurements from other receivers via a communication link. This work shows how to use the Collective Detection (CD) approach to deal with the concept of collaborative or cooperative positioning. Specifically, this paper develops a new strategy allowing a receiver in deep urban environment to locate using the CD approach, while overcoming the implementation complexity problem. The idea consists in applying the CD approach in the case of multiple GNSS receivers to assist a receiver in a difficult situation. A typical case of two connected receivers assisting a receiver in difficulty in a deep urban area shows the effectiveness of this strategy. This strategy is tested with real GNSS signals to analyze its feasibility. The overall gain in complexity can reach up to 46% of what has been achieved in previous works.

Structural Dynamics in Biology: A Bridge Given by Implicit Vibratory Crossed Models

This article proposes a synthesis and contribution at three levels: generation of dynamic equations of shell structures interacting with fluids, reduction of implicit resolution, and cross-applications to aerospace tanks and living systems. The synthesis of the equations is proposed around the four principles of thermodynamics at the level of discrete, structural and digitized systems. The implicit approach envisages an innovative analysis in terms of condensation and digitization, with in particular a perspective towards singular and integral methods. Some illustrations are proposed, in the field of performed research models and also in the fields of educational applications in biodynamics. The proposed bridge links, on one hand, the analytical Lagrange-Feynman’s approach, and on the other hand experimental results obtained in laboratory and numerical experiments obtained with multiphysics software. Finally, the realized models concern conservative and dissipative models for the active and passive control of complex systems, in a unified approach.

Piezoelectric resonant ice protection systems–Part1/2:Prediction of power requirement for de-icing a NACA 0024 leading edge

This paper proposes a numerical method to analyze the ice protection capability and predict the power requirements of a piezoelectric resonant de-icing system.The method is based on a coupled electro-mechanical finite element analysis which enables the fast computation of the modes of resonance of interest to de-ice curved surfaces and the estimation of the input voltage and current required for a given configuration(defined by its mode,actuator location,ice deposit,etc.).Eventually,the electric power to be supplied can be also assessed.The method is applied to a NACA 0024 leading edge equipped with piezoelectric actuators.First,two extension modes are analyzed and compared with respect to their efficiency and power requirements.Then,tests are carried out in an icing tunnel to verify the effectiveness of the piezoelectric ice protection system and the predictions of the maximal required power.The system allows de-icing the leading edge in less than 2 s for a glaze ice deposit.

Optimization of a hydrogen-based hybrid propulsion system under aircraft performance constraints

This paper addresses the topic of the conceptual design of a regional aircraft with hybrid electric propulsion based on hydrogen fuel cells.It aims at providing an optimization-based method to design a hybrid propulsive system comprising two power sources(jet fuel and hydrogen)for the generation of the required propulsive power and at studying the impact of fuel cell technologies on the aircraft performances.Indeed,by performing optimizations for two hybrid propulsive systems using either low temperature or high temperature proton-exchange membrane fuel cells,this study provides a preliminary assessment of the impact of the fuel cell operating temperature on the system design and the overall aircraft performance.First,this paper gives a description of the baseline turboprop regional aircraft with a focus on its high speed and low speed flight performances which will serve as requirements for the design of the hybrid aircraft.Then,the hybrid electric architecture and the sizing models of the propulsion system are presented.Finally,optimizations are performed to design two parallel hybrid propulsive systems based on different fuel cells technologies and aimed at minimizing the block fuel per passenger over a mission of 200 n mile.Results show how the proposed methodology and models lead to design two propulsive systems capable of reducing the fuel consumption per passenger by more than 30%compared to the baseline aircraft.The study also shows that the choice of fuel cell operating temperature has a first-order impact on the total mass.

A type of collective detection scheme with improved pigeon-inspired optimization

Purpose-With increasing demand of localization service in challenging environments where Global Navigation Satellite Systems(GNSS)signalsare considerably weak,a powerful approach,the collective detection(CD),has been developed.However,traditional CD techniques are computationally intense due to the large clock bias search space.Therefore,the purpose of this paper is to develop a new scheme of CD with less computational burden,in order to accelerate the detection and location process.Design/methodology/approach-This paper proposes a new scheme of CD.It reformulates the problem ofGNSS signal detection as an optimization problem,and solves it with the aid of an improved Pigeon-Inspired Optimization(PIO).With the improved PIO algorithm adopted,the positioning algorithm arrives to evaluate only a part of the points in the search space,avoiding the problems of grid-search method which is universally adopted.Findings-Faced with the complex optimization problem,the improved PIO algorithm proves to have good performance.In the acquisition of simulated and real signals,the proposed scheme of CD with the improved PIO algorithm also have better efficiency,precision and stability than traditional CD algorithm.Besides,the improved PIO algorithm also proves to be a better candidate to be integrated into the proposed scheme than particle swarm optimization,differential evolution and PIO.Originality/value-The novelty associated with this paper is the proposition of the new scheme of CD and the improvement of PIO algorithm.Thus,this paper introduces another possibility to ameliorate the traditional CD.

Piezoelectric resonant ice protection systems-Part 2/2:Evaluation of benefits at aircraft level

Piezoelectric resonant de-icing systems are attracting great interest.This paper aims to assess the implementation of these systems at the aircraft level.The article begins with the model to compute the power requirement of a piezoelectric resonant de-icing system sized from the prototype detailed in Part 1/2 of this article.Then the mass,drag,and fuel consumption of this system and the subcomponents needed for its implementation are assessed.The features of a piezoelectric resonant de-icing system are finally computed for aircraft similar to Airbus A320 aircraft and aircraft of different categories(Boeing 787,ATR 72 and TBM 900)and compared with the existing thermal and mechanical ice protection systems.A sensitivity analysis of the main key sizing parameters of the piezoelectric de-icing system is also performed to identify the main axes of improvement for this technology.The study shows the potential of such ice protection systems.In particular,for the realistic input parameters chosen in this work,the electro-mechanical solution can provide a 54% reduction in terms of mass and a 92% reduction in terms of power consumption for an A320 aircraft architecture,leading to a 74% decrease in the associated fuel consumption compared to the actual air bleed system.