Dielectric elastomers (DEs) respond to applied electric voltage with a surprisingly large deformation, showing a promising capability to generate actuation in mimicking natural muscles. A theoretical foundation of the mechanics of DEs is of crucial importance in designing DE-based structures and devices. In this review, we survey some recent theoretical and numerical efforts in exploring several aspects of electroactive materials, with emphases on the governing equations of electromechanical coupling, constitutive laws, viscoelastic behaviors, electromechanical instability as well as actuation applications. An overview of analytical models is provided based on the representative approach of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, with computational analyses being required in more generalized situations such as irregular shape, complex configuration, and time-dependent deformation. Theoretical efforts have been devoted to enhancing the working limits of DE actuators by avoiding electromechanical instability as well as electric breakdown, and pre-strains are shown to effectively avoid the two failure modes. These studies lay a solid foundation to facilitate the use of DE materials, structures, and devices in a wide range of applications such as biomedical devices, adaptive systems, robotics, energy harvesting, etc.

An efficient mixing process is very important for the engineering implementation of an airbreathing propulsion system. The air and injectant should be mixed sufficiently before entering the combustor. Two new wall-mounted cavity configurations were proposed to enhance the mixing process in a conventional transverse injection flow field. Their flow field properties were compared with those of a system with only transverse injection ports. Grid independency analysis was used to choose a suitable grid scale, and the mixing efficiencies at four cross-sectional planes (namely x=20, 40, 60, and 80 mm, which are just downstream of the jet orifice) were compared for the configurations considered in this study. The results showed that hydrogen penetrated deeper when a cavity was mounted upstream of the transverse injection ports. This is beneficial to the mixing process in supersonic flows. The mixing efficiency of the configuration with the wall-mounted cavity was better than that of the conventional physical model, and the mixing efficiency of the proposed novel physical model I (98.71% at x=20 mm) was the highest of all. In the case with only transverse injection ports, the vortex was broken up by the strong interaction between the shear layer over the cavity and the jet.

Tolerance analysis consists of analyzing the impact of variations on the mechanism behavior due to the manufacturing process. The goal is to predict its quality level at the design stage. The technique involves computing probabilities of failure of the mechanism in a mass production process. The various analysis methods have to consider the component’s variations as random variables and the worst configuration of gaps for over-constrained systems. This consideration varies in function by the type of mechanism behavior and is realized by an optimization scheme combined with a Monte Carlo simulation. To simplify the optimization step, it is necessary to linearize the mechanism behavior into several parts. This study aims at analyzing the impact of the linearization strategy on the probability of failure estimation; a highly over-constrained mechanism with two pins and five cotters is used as an illustration for this study. The purpose is to strike a balance among model error caused by the linearization, computing time, and result accuracy. In addition, an iterative procedure is proposed for the assembly requirement to provide accurate results without using the entire Monte Carlo simulation.

One of the main problems in controlling the shape of active structures (AS) is to determine the actuations that drive the structure from the current state to the target state. Model-based methods such as stochastic search require a known type of load and relatively long computational time, which limits the practical use of AS in civil engineering. Moreover, additive errors may be produced because of the discrepancy between analytic models and real structures. To overcome these limitations, this paper presents a compound system called WAS, which combines AS with a wireless sensor and actuator network (WSAN). A bio-inspired control framework imitating the activity of the nervous systems of animals is proposed for WAS. A typical example is tested for verification. In the example, a triangular tensegrity prism that aims to maintain its original height is integrated with a WSAN that consists of a central controller, three actuators, and three sensors. The result demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed concept and control framework in cases of unknown loads that include different types, distributions, magnitudes, and directions. The proposed control framework can also act as a supplementary means to improve the efficiency and accuracy of control frameworks based on a common stochastic search.

It is crucial to conduct a study of vehicle ride comfort using a suitable physical model, and a precise and effective problem-solving method is necessary to describe possible engineering problems to obtain the best analysis of vehicle vibration based on the numerical model. This study establishes different types of vehicle models with different degrees of freedom (DOFs) that use different types of numerical methods. It is shown that results calculated using the Hamming and Runge-Kutta methods are nearly the same when the system has a small number of DOFs. However, when the number is larger, the Hamming method is more stable than other methods. The Hamming method is multi-step, with four orders of precision. The research results show that this method can solve the vehicle vibration problem. Orthogonal experiments and multi-objective optimization are introduced to analyze and optimize the vibration of the vehicle, and the effects of the parameters on the dynamic characteristics are investigated. The solution F₁ (vertical acceleration root mean square of the vehicle) reduces by 0.0352 m/s², which is an improvement of 7.22%, and the solution F₂ (dynamic load coefficient of the tire) reduces by 0.0225, which is an improvement of 6.82% after optimization. The study provides guidance for the analysis of vehicle ride comfort.

In this paper, we present a method for the global optimization of the tooth contact pattern and transmission error of spiral bevel and hypoid gears, which includes three optimization objectives, three control parameters, and a complex-constrain genetic algorithm solving method. A new set of fundamental equations for pitch cone parameters of hypoid gear drives are established, as well as the relationships between pitch cone and curvature parameters. Based on this theory, three control parameters are selected to determine the pinion tooth surface. A hypoid gear drive is chosen for case studies. The results verify that the optimization methodology can achieve the expected optimization objectives and has good convergence. Correlations between optimization objectives and control parameters are discussed. Furthermore, a finite element model of a simplified hypoid gear drive system is established and its quasi-static meshing characteristics analyzed. The results again confirm the correctness of the optimization method. The effects of torque load on the contact pattern and transmission error are discussed. The results provide a theoretical reference for geometric calculations, quasi-static analysis, and optimal design of spiral bevel and hypoid gears.

Investigation on the mechanical properties of cement-based materials at micron and sub-micron scales is important for understanding its overall performance. Recent progress in experimental nanomechanics opens new access to nano-engineering of cement-based composites. In this study, nanoindentation and viscoelastic modulus mapping were employed to study the interfacial properties. The interface width measured by modulus mapping was around 250 nm as compared to a rough estimation of less than 5 μm by nanoindentation, due to the fact that 2 orders of magnitude increase in spatial resolution could be achieved by modulus mapping. Both the nanoindetation and modulus mapping results indicated that the modulus of the interface falls between 60–70 GPa. The packing density in the interface was non-uniform as two peaks of value were observed for the storage modulus distribution. This interface could be regarded as a dense hydration coating around cement grains, which was less permeable and hindered the further hydration of cement.

With the rapid development of bridge engineering in China, multi-span cable-stayed bridges have become one of the main structures of modern highways and railways for crossing rivers or straits. In this study, a 1:100 scale model of a three-tower cable-stayed bridge was tested using a shaking table array system. The mechanism associated with the seismic response of the scale model under uniform and non-uniform excitations was clarified. The results from the tests indicated that: (1) the strong vibration responses of the main girder and towers under four different horizontal earthquake wave excitations were identified, and the seismic responses of the scale model were most evident under uniform Jiangxin (JX) wave excitation; (2) the seismic performances of the main girder and towers of the scale model were adversely affected by traveling wave effects, especially when the wave velocity exceeded 616 m/s, which suggests that traveling wave effects should be considered in the seismic design of multi-tower cable-stayed bridges; (3) when the peak acceleration value of the El Centro (EC) wave reached 4.0 m/s², shear failure of the bearing of the middle tower first appeared. This kind of shaking table tests will help to improve our understanding of dynamic performance, and will be especially useful in the design process and numerical simulation of multi-span cable-stayed bridges with large span subjected to spatially varying earthquake ground motions.

Short-term load forecasting (STLF) plays a very important role in improving the economy and security of electricity system operations. In this paper, a hybrid STLF method is proposed based on the improved ensemble empirical mode decomposition (IEEMD) and back propagation neural network (BPNN). To alleviate the mode mixing and end-effect problems in traditional empirical mode decomposition (EMD), an IEEMD is presented based on the degree of wave similarity. By applying the IEEMD method, the nonlinear and nonstationary original load series is decomposed into a finite number of stationary intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and a residual. Among these components, the high frequency (namely IMF₁) is always so small that it has little contribution to model fitting, while it sometimes has a great disturbance for the STLF. Therefore, the IMF₁ is removed in the proposed hybrid method for denoising. The remaining IMFs and residual are forecast by BPNN, and then the forecasting results of each component are combined with BPNN to obtain the final predicted load series. Three groups of studies were done to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid method. The results show that the proposed hybrid method outperforms other methods both mentioned in this paper and previous studies in terms of all the three standard statistical indicators considered in this study.

The construction of a building may change the microclimate in the vicinity, and planning indicators in a master plan may directly affect the outdoor physical environmental quality in residential areas. An inappropriate plan for a site may accelerate wind and intensify vortexes over places on the pedestrian levels, which leads to an adverse outdoor environment. Therefore, the design of a cluster of buildings should not focus only on the buildings but also provide a good outdoor environment around the buildings. To tackle the problem of inadequate wind environment, the relationship between the building’s floor area ratio and height was identified in this study as the main planning indicator to be examined on its effects on the outdoor wind environment. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was hence developed to simulate the wind conditions generated by some typical site layouts with different values for planning indicators under relevant weather conditions, which were typical of those in Hangzhou, China. The simulated wind conditions are assessed using the wind speed ratio over the whole area of the building cluster at the pedestrian level. The effects on the local wind condition due to the varying of the planning indicators are discussed whilst considering the potential construction costs. The indicators resulting in better external conditions are highlighted in the conclusion as the recommendation which could be used as a rule of thumb by architects and planners at the master planning stage. The study disproves the common belief in the practice that a lower floor area ratio means fewer buildings and therefore greater external comfort. In fact, the higher the building, the greater the outdoor comfort wind zone for pedestrians. However, the increment in comfort area is limited to buildings extending from 25 to 30 levels.

The singularities and oscillatory performance of translating-pulsating source Green’s function in Bessho form were analyzed. Relative numerical integration methods such as Gaussian quadrature rule, variable substitution method (VSM), and steepest descent integration method (SDIM) were used to evaluate this type of Green’s function. For SDIM, the complex domain was restricted only on the θ-plane. Meanwhile, the integral along the real axis was computed by use of the VSM to avoid the complication of a numerical search of the steepest descent line. Furthermore, the steepest descent line was represented by the B-spline function. Based on this representation, a new self-compatible integration method corresponding to parametric t was established. The numerical method was validated through comparison with other existing results, and was shown to be efficient and reliable in the calculation of the velocity potentials for the 3D seakeeping and hydrodynamic performance of floating structures moving in waves.

This paper presents a node shift method to find the optimal distribution of nodes in single-layer reticulated shells. The optimization process searches for the minimum strain energy configuration and this leads to reduced sensitivity in initial imperfections. Strain energy sensitivity numbers are derived for free shift and restricted shift where nodes can move freely in the 3D space or have to move within a predefined surface respectively. Numerical examples demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach. It was found that optimized structures achieve higher ultimate load and are less sensitive to imperfections than the initial structure. The configuration of the final structure is closely related to factors like the initial structural configuration, spatial conditions, etc. Based on different initial conditions, architects can be provided with diverse reasonable structures. Furthermore, by amending the defined shapes and nodal distributions, it is possible to improve the mechanical behavior of the structures.

Reduction of roll and pitch motions is critical in improving the safety and operability of a ship. In this paper, a predictive controller for a ship equipped with two pairs of active fins is proposed for joint pitch-roll stabilization. The proposed controller is developed on the basis of ship motion and hydrodynamic force prediction (SMHFP). The SMHFP controller consists of a short-term predictor, a force estimator, and a fin angle allocator. The short-term predictor adopts an autoregressive (AR) approach and serves to forecast ship motions. Then, predicted ship motions are used in an external hydrodynamic force estimator to evaluate the expected stabilizing forces. Finally, the optimal attack angles for active fins are allocated based on external hydrodynamic forces forecasts. The control system of the stabilizing fins and SMHFP controller is integrated into the sea-keeping program. The program was developed based on a weakly nonlinear 2.5D method, which shows better efficiency and accuracy compared with conventional 2D and 3D methods. To evaluate the performance of the proposed controller, numerical simulations of the joint pitch-roll stabilization under various sea states were investigated on a ship model. The results suggest that the SMHFP controller shows satisfactory performance in reducing pitch and roll motions simultaneously.

Adding thin compartmental plates near the internal walls of enclosures has been numerically modeled using the lattice Boltzmann method. This practice was found to be an effective way to further suppress the disadvantageous effects of heat leak, along with the application of insulation materials on the external surfaces. A modified extrapolation scheme for handling the thermal boundary of the thin plate was proposed and verified by comparison with the conventional coupled boundary scheme. The simulation of the natural convection during the cooling down processes and at steady states in the enclosure indicates that the existence of the plates leads to a higher cooling rate and a more favorable temperature uniformity. For a typical case, the one with plates takes 6% less time to reach the halfway point of the steady state and has 26% less temperature variance. Effects by the plates’ positions and sizes were parametrically investigated, in order to find an optimal geometrical configuration. In addition, the fluid’s intrinsic characteristics and the relative heat leak by using the Rayleigh number and Nusselt number, respectively, have been discussed in detail through hydrodynamic and convective heat transfer analyses.

We describe an investigation of the dynamic behavior of a hydraulically driven crane with a freely suspended payload during luffing and slewing motions. To simplify the task, the two movements are considered separately. Taking into account only one motion at a time, the crane is regarded as a three-link kinematic chain with revolute joints. The forward dynamics problem is solved for a crane with three rotational degrees of freedom, two of which describe the load swinging. In both the cases studied, the links are driven by a torque applied via a hydraulic drive, i.e., a linear actuator for the luffing case and a rack and pinion mechanism for the slewing motion. To compose the set of differential equations for the forward dynamics problem, a method based on a general Newton-Euler algorithm is used. From these simulations the time histories of various parameters, namely the swinging angles, hydraulic pressures, and joint forces, are determined. The results obtained via simulations are confirmed experimentally and a good agreement between the two outputs is observed. The results also show that a hydraulic drive system using fast opening flow direction control valves increases the load swing and imposes extensive inertial forces and problems of fatigue and reliability.

Initial fabric anisotropy can greatly affect the shear behavior of particulate materials during shear. The bedding plane effect induced by particle orientation is one of the main fabric anisotropic factors that may affect other factors. It is hard to experimentally examine the effect of bedding direction of particles on the shear behavior of particulate materials, such as sand. A 2D discrete element method (DEM) is employed in this paper to study the influence of different orientations of oval particles on the behavior of dense assemblies under simple shear. As well as the macroscopic shear behavior, the evolution of particle orientation, contact normal, and inter-particle contact forces within the samples with different initial bedding angles during shear have been extensively examined. It was found that the initial bedding direction of the particles has great influence on the non-coaxiality between the directions of principal stress and principal strain increment. The bedding direction also affects the strength and dilatancy responses of DEM samples subjected to simple shear, and the samples with larger bedding angles exhibit higher shear strength and larger volume dilation. A modified stress-force-fabric relationship is proposed to describe the effect of particle bedding direction on the shear strength of samples, and the new equation can better describe the stress-force-fabric relationship of assemblies with initial anisotropic fabrics compared with the existing model.

Alloying is an effective way to manipulate the composition and physico-chemical properties of functional materials. We demonstrated the syntheses of alloyed Co_xNi_1−xO nanocrystals using a nonaqueous approach, with x continuously tuned from 0 to 1 by varying the molar ratios of the cobalt precursor in the reagents. The morphological, structural, and compositional properties of the alloyed Co_xNi_1−xO nanocrystals were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed that the cobalt and nickel atoms were homogeneously distributed in the alloyed nanocrystals. The as-prepared Co_xNi_1−xO nanocrystals can be applied as the hole-transporting layers in polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs). Our study provides a good example for the syntheses of alloyed oxide nanocrystals with continuously tunable composition.

A riverbed topographic survey is one of the most important tasks for river model experiments. To improve measurement efficiency and solve the riverbed interference problem in traditional methods, this study discussed two measurement methods that use digital image-processing technology to obtain topographic information. A new and improved approach for calibrating camera radial distortion, which comes from originally distorted images captured by our camera, was proposed to enhance the accuracy of image measurement. Based on perspective projection transformation, we described a 3D reconstruction method based upon multiple images, which is characterized by using an approximated maximum likelihood estimation method (AMLE) considering the first-order error propagation of the residual error to compute transformation parameters. Moreover, a theoretical derivation of 3D topography according to grey information from a single image was carried out. With the diffuse illumination model, assuming that the ideal grey value and topographic elevation value are positively correlated, we derived a novel closed formula to explain the relationship of 3D topographic elevation, grey value, grey gradient, and the solar direction vector. Experimental results showed that our two methods both have some positive advantages even if they are not perfect.

The aim of this study is to characterize the interfacial fracture toughness of a micro-lattice core based sandwich structure from quasi-static to dynamic rates of loading. The modified three-point bend (MTPB) sandwich beam was used to characterize the interfacial properties of these sandwich structures. Dynamic tests were undertaken of up to 3 m/s using a purpose-built instrumented drop-weight impact tower. Data reduction was accomplished through the use of a compliance calibration procedure similar to that used for characterizing the delamination resistance of composites. The flexural properties of sandwich beams were investigated through three-point bend tests at a cross-head displacement rate of up to 3 m/s. A detailed examination of the impact region highlighted the failure processes in these systems and this was related to the data from the quasi-static flexural tests. The globalized deformation and energy absorption during progressive were also discussed.

The increasing release of silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) into the environment highlights the importance of exploring the interactions between Ag NPs and plants, which are the basis of most ecosystems. In this study, two plant species, Cucumis sativus L. (cucumber) and Triticum aestivum L. (wheat) were exposed to Ag NPs and Ag⁺ (added as AgNO₃) at the germination and vegetative growth stages. Above certain concentrations, Ag NPs and Ag⁺ were toxic to the two plants. However, stimulatory effects were observed on root elongation for the cucumbers that were exposed to Ag NPs at concentrations below 200 mg/L, and Ag⁺ at concentrations below 5 mg/L. The two plants were more susceptible to the toxicity of Ag NPs at the vegetative growth stage than the germination stage. Ag was accumulated in the roots and was subsequently translocated to the shoots after the exposure to Ag NPs. To assess the role of released Ag⁺, we measured the dissolution of Ag NPs in exposure solutions. About 0.03% and 0.01% of Ag NPs were dissolved into a hydroponic solution at the germination stage for cucumber and wheat, respectively; while 0.17% and 0.06% at the vegetative period for cucumber and wheat, respectively. Cysteine, a strong chelating ligand of Ag⁺, could completely eliminate the effects of Ag NPs on cucumber and wheat, suggesting that the phytotoxicity of Ag NPs was possibly caused by the release of Ag⁺.

Uncertainty exists widely in hydrological analysis, and this makes the process of uncertainty assessment very important for making robust decisions. In this study, uncertainty sources in regional rainfall frequency analysis are identified for the first time. The numeral unite spread assessment pedigree (NUSAP) method is introduced and is first employed to quantify qualitative uncertainty in regional rainfall frequency analysis. A pedigree matrix is particularly designed for regional rainfall frequency analysis, by which the qualitative uncertainty can be quantified. Finally, the qualitative and quantitative uncertainties are combined in an uncertainty diagnostic diagram, which makes the uncertainty evaluation results more intuitive. From the integrated diagnostic diagram, it can be determined that the uncertainty caused by the precipitation data is the smallest, and the uncertainty from different grouping methods is the largest. For the downstream sub-region, a generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution is better than a generalized logistic (GLO) distribution; for the south sub-region, a Pearson type III (PE3) distribution is the better choice; and for the north sub-region, GEV is more appropriate.

Geotechnical centrifuge modelling is an advanced physical modelling technique for simulating and studying geotechnical problems. It provides physical data for investigating mechanisms of deformation and failure and for validating analytical and numerical methods. Due to its reliability, time and cost effectiveness, centrifuge modelling has often been the preferred experimental method for addressing complex geotechnical problems. In this ZENG Guo-xi Lecture, the kinematics, fundamental principles and principal applications of geotechnical centrifuge modelling are introduced. The use of the state-of-the-art geotechnical centrifuge at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), China to investigate four types of complex geotechnical problems is reported. The four geotechnical problems include correction of building tilt, effect of tunnel collapse on an existing tunnel, excavation effect on pile capacity and liquefied flow and non-liquefied slide of loose fill slopes. By reporting major findings and new insights from these four types of centrifuge tests, it is hoped to illustrate the role of state-of-the-art geotechnical centrifuge modelling in advancing the scientific knowledge of geotechnical problems.

This paper presents a study of flow characteristics in high-lift siphon drains. A laboratory test was conducted to investigate the effects of hose diameter and flow velocity on siphon drainage. Three types of water flow were observed and analyzed. The experimental results show that the flow characteristics of siphon drainage are significantly influenced by the hose diameter. Water flows in the form of a wall pressing flow in a large diameter siphon hose (e.g., larger than 5.0 mm) under low flow velocity, which leads to discontinuous siphon drainage. However, water flows in the form of an integral slug flow in a small diameter siphon hose (e.g., smaller than 4.0 mm) under low flow velocity, which leads to continuous siphon drainage. Based on experimental observations, a thermodynamic derivation of the threshold of siphon hose diameter for continuous siphon drainage was analytically conducted. In slope engineering, a 3.6 mm polyurethane (PU) hose is recommended for siphon drainage.

This paper presents a detailed discussion of the experimental analysis of the external noise produced by a Chinese high-speed train traveling at different speeds. Based on the delay and sum beam-forming method, a microphone array with 78 microphones was used to measure the external noise produced by the train moving at speeds of up to 390 km/h. The experiment and its analysis showed that the main noise produced by the train originates in three areas: the wheel/rail system (or bogies), the pantograph, and the inter-coach gaps of the train. The frequency characteristics and sound exposure level (SEL) of these main sources were analyzed for different speeds. In the range of 5000 Hz, the SELs of the three main noise sources are clearly identified. Along the vertical height of the train, as seen from the rail head, the maximum noise levels always occur in the wheel/rail area. At different measurement field points, the predominant noise components of the total noise have different frequencies that vary with the train speed. Furthermore, at the measurement points, the rolling noise has a greater contribution to the total noise than the aerodynamic noise. The experimental results and their corresponding analysis are very useful for the control and reduction of the external noise produced by high-speed trains.

Oscillating water column (OWC) devices for wave power extraction are appealing, but are still in need of research. In this study, a series of wave-flume experiments was conducted to examine the hydrodynamic performance of a rectangular OWC device fixed in regular waves. Two types of orifices, slot orifices and circular orifices, were used to simulate the nonlinear power take-off (PTO) mechanism, and the effects of orifice geometry were examined. A two-point measurement method was proposed to reconstruct the instantaneous spatial profile of the water surface inside the OWC chamber for reducing bias in the measured wave power extraction efficiency. The flow characteristics of PTO were described by a quadratic loss coefficient, and our experimental results showed that the quadratic loss coefficient of the slot orifices varied with wave period and slot geometry. Empirical formulas were proposed for the quadratic loss coefficients of the two types of orifices. The ability to determine the quadratic loss coefficient of an orifice will allow us to design orifices for small-scale tests and calculate the power extraction using only pressure measurement. Our results also suggested that the pressure coefficient should be more reliable than the amplification coefficient as an indicator of the power extraction performance of an OWC device.

The CIRP (International Academy for Production Engineering) Conference on Computer Aided Tolerancing (CAT) is initiated and supported scientifically every two years by two CIRP Scientific Technical Committees (STCs): Design (STC Dn) and Precision Metrology (STC P) to address the emerging problems of CAT, which has a prominent role at the interface between product design and manufacturing. The 13th CIRP CAT Conference held at Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China during May 11–14, 2014 was the successor to the twelve earlier conferences. We are pleased to publish in this special part issue a selection of six papers that were presented at the conference in Hangzhou. These papers cover a wide spectrum of current international research in CAT.

Nowadays, brake disc manufacturers are seeking new finishing techniques to offer economical solutions to their customers and so become more competitive. The elimination of the surface spiral pattern after turning operation is a challenge to avoid braking problems at the early life of the component. This paper presents a practical low-cost solution to finishing this kind of component. Concretely, a detailed study of the brushing process as an alternative solution to the conventional grinding process is performed. The limited literature regarding this topic implies the necessity of a full study of the process prior to any industrial application. The influence of process variables on the final surface was analyzed in this work. In addition, the tool wear and tool life behavior, the influence of the abrasive type used and the originating forces during the process were taking into account. Once the process was established, various prototypes were finished in order to check the feasibility of the process and to pass the required quality control. Results show that brushing is a feasible and economical alternative for brake disc finishing. The surface quality obtained was shown to be equal or better than grinding, with reduced costs and manufacturing time.

The mechanical performance of textile reinforced concrete (TRC) thin-plate under high temperature conditions was investigated using three-point bending tests. The influence of polypropylene (PP) fiber addition on the out-of-plane load capacity of TRC thin-plate after high temperature treatment was also studied. The results showed that the thermostability of TRC thin-plate with textile impregnated with epoxy resin was not good, but that the out-of-plane load capacity of TRC thin-plate after high temperature treatment could be improved by increasing the plate thickness or the textile distribution rate. Under normal temperature and a high temperature of 120 °C, the out-of-plane load capacity of specimens could be increased and cracks better distributed by mixing the TRC with PP fiber. However, the out-of-plane load capacity of TRC thin-plate under a continuous high temperature of 200 °C was not much affected by the addition of PP fiber. The result of a microcosmic scanning electron microscope (SEM) test showed that the main reason for the interfacial adhesive failure between the textile and the original concrete substrate was the degradation of the epoxy resin under high temperature.

A quasi 1D model of two-phase flow for a urea-selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system is developed which can calculate not only the generation of reducing agent but also the formation of deposits in the exhaust pipe. The gas phase flow is solved through Euler method, variables are stored on staggered grids, and the semi-implicit method for pressure-linked equation (SIMPLE) algorithm is applied to decouple the pressure and velocity. The liquid phase is treated in a Lagrangian way, which solves the equations of droplet motion, evaporation, thermolysis, and spray wall interaction. A combination of a direct decomposition model and a kinetic model is implemented to describe the different decomposition behaviors of urea in the droplet phase and wall film, respectively. A new 1D wall film model is proposed, and the equations of wall film motion, evaporation, thermolysis, and species transport are solved. The position, weight, and components of deposits can be simulated following implementation of the semi-detailed kinetic model. The simulation results show that a decrease in the exhaust temperature will increase the wall film region and the weight of deposits. Deposit components are highly dependent on temperature. The urea-water-solution (UWS) injection rate can affect the total mass of wall film and expand the film region, but it has little influence on deposit components. An increase in exhaust mass flow can decrease the total weight of deposits on the pipe wall because of the promotion of the mass and heat transfer process both in the droplets and wall film.

To fully take advantage of external charging conditions and reduce fuel consumption for extended-range electric vehicles, a charging management-based intelligent control strategy is proposed. The intelligent control strategy is applied to different driving patterns based on the various characteristics of urban roads. When the vehicle is driving on arterial roads, a constant power control strategy is applied. When the driver decides to go to a charging station, the extender-off time can be determined based on the current state of the vehicle and the distance to the charging station. When the vehicle is driving on an expressway, a power follower control strategy is applied. The range-extender engine is controlled to work over a wide variety of regions to obtain optimum fuel economy. The simulation results indicate that as the vehicle arrives at the charging station, the proposed charging management-based intelligent control strategy has made the state of charge reach the lowest permissible level after the driver made the decision to charge at the charging station. Therefore, the driver can charge the vehicle with as much clean electric energy as possible from the charging station.