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Credibility of simulation data has always been fundamental in aerodynamic vehicle development, as a significant amount of early design phase work is conducted virtually before a physical test property is made. As the automotive industry pivots toward artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to assist in aerodynamic development, training these models with simulation data requires a comprehensive understanding of the accuracy and validity of the underlying simulation. It is critical these systems are trained from reliable data with a full understanding of both the limitations and predictive performance of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) process and the wind tunnel facility it is benchmarked against. Validation and verification studies have been a long-established set of guidelines to determine if the simulation model appropriately reflects reality (validation) or if it has been set with robust numerical schemes, mesh settings, or boundary conditions (verification). The work presented here shows a comprehensive validation study with more than 400 test configurations and 18 vehicle properties. It evaluates Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and detached eddy simulation (DES) approaches using moving reference frame (MRF) and rigid body motion (RBM) to account for wheel rotation and comparing STAR-CCM+ CFD process and the FKFS Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel (AAWT). The results demonstrate that DES—particularly when wheel rotation is modeled using RBM—provides the highest overall predictive performance, with a drag accuracy from −2% to +4% for 80% of cases with corrections applied, which gets to ±2% for over 95% cases with an additional calibration step. A metric-based assessment criterion that combines key performance metrics into a single detection event (DE) score derived from failure mode effects analysis (FMEA) principles is proposed with an example shown for the 2021 Range Rover Velar. The benefit being that it removes a more judgement-based, qualitative approach, aiding toolset selection and methods development gaps.
Beves, ChristopherSimmonds, NicholasDalmau Graells, Eric
G-3, Aerospace Couplings, Fittings, Hose, Tubing Assemblies
G-3, Aerospace Couplings, Fittings, Hose, Tubing Assemblies
G-3, Aerospace Couplings, Fittings, Hose, Tubing Assemblies
Research on automatic emergency braking (AEB) control algorithms for heavy vehicles is relatively limited. Compared with passenger cars, heavy vehicle AEB algorithms must accommodate both unloaded and fully loaded conditions, with the latter posing higher demands. This study compares two distinct AEB control strategies: the time-to-collision (TTC) algorithm and the professional driver fitted (PDF) algorithm. Using simulation analyses under three regulatory-recommended scenarios—stationary lead vehicle, slow-moving lead vehicle, and decelerating lead vehicle—the results indicate that the PDF-based control system better adapts to both unloaded and fully loaded conditions. It demonstrates significant improvements in braking performance and robustness compared to the TTC-based system. For an unloaded vehicle equipped with the PDF–AEB control system (5500 kg), the final gap to the lead vehicle is the longest (11.5 m) under the scenario of a stationary lead vehicle with an initial ego vehicle speed of 80 km/h and the shortest (3.1 m) under the scenario of a lead vehicle with an initial speed of 50 km/h braking at 0.4 g. For a fully loaded vehicle (12,500 kg), the corresponding final gaps to the lead vehicle are 11.2 m and 2.5 m, respectively.
Lai, FeiHuang, Chaoqun
Proposed Tier 5 off-highway emission regulations for the 19–56 kW engine class pose significant technical and economic challenges. Unlike larger platforms, where selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is the standard nitrogen oxide (NOX) control strategy, engines in this class face cost and packaging constraints that limit complex aftertreatment adoption. This article investigates whether a production Tier 4 diesel engine and its existing aftertreatment can meet proposed Tier 5 limits through calibration and minor hardware changes alone, without major redesign or SCR. The approach combined a cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) strategy with start of injection (SOI) timing optimization to manage the NOX–particulate matter (PM) trade-off, using the stock diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and diesel particulate filter (DPF) system for particulate control. An EGR/SOI design-of-experiments (DOE) sweep identified an optimal calibration, validated over both the ramped modal cycle (RMC) and non-road transient cycle (NRTC) per Title 13 California Code of Regulations (CCR) Section 2423 for certification of variable-speed engines in this power category. Results indicate that the system can be a viable pathway of meeting upcoming Tier 5 final emission standards.
Patil, Shubham VishwanathMichlberger, AlexanderBachu, Pruthvi R.Amaral Garcia, HerbertSmith, Edward M.
AE-8C2 Terminating Devices and Tooling Committee
Main landing gear shimmy is jointly affected by tire forces, structural elasticity, damping, and geometric coupling. To investigate the influence of side stay angular coupling on shimmy stability, this article establishes a shimmy dynamic model of a dual-wheel main landing gear considering side stay angular coupling. Numerical continuation bifurcation analysis, Hopf bifurcation frequency mapping, and local sensitivity analysis are then employed to study its influence mechanism on stability boundaries, dominant modes, and multistable behavior. The results show that the horizontal inclination angle of the side stay introduces additional structural coupling between strut torsion and longitudinal bending, causing the longitudinal motion to evolve from a passive response into an important mode participating in shimmy instability. A small horizontal inclination angle can induce the coexistence of multiple stable periodic responses, whereas a larger inclination angle changes the connectivity of Hopf bifurcation curves and forms a new instability branch involving longitudinal motion. Further analysis indicates that adjusting the orientation angle to make the local horizontal inclination angle approach zero can weaken the direct structural coupling between torsion and longitudinal motion and reduce the sensitivity of the longitudinal response to variations in the horizontal inclination angle. These results indicate that the angular design of the side stay should comprehensively consider the coupling effect between the horizontal inclination angle and the orientation angle, so as to avoid multistability and mode transition induced by the side stay angular arrangement.
Wei, JianHe, JipengZhang, JiahaoZhu, ShixingLi, ShuangbaoZhu, Hengjia
There are three main methods for preparing chlorinated polyethylene: the solution method, suspension method, and solid-phase method. This article studies the process of preparing chlorinated polyethylene by the aqueous suspension method, introduces the production process of chlorinated polyethylene, first understands the reaction mechanism of the chlorination reaction, then explores the production process of chlorinated polyethylene by the suspension method, and finds the optimal process conditions through experiments. The results showed that the optimal reaction temperature for the chlorination reaction of chlorinated polyethylene was 135°C, the optimal amount of initiator was 3%, and the optimal amount of chlorine gas added was 1.5%/min. This article explores the influencing factors of the optimal reaction conditions, laying a theoretical foundation for industrial production after the suspension method.
Hu, ShiguoZhao, RuchenYu, BinJiao, MingquanBai, Zhirui
Steady advancement is observed in global research on eco-friendly and sustainable transportation. Rapid technological evolution of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) is documented. Lower overall noise output and more compact structures are achieved in HEV engines relative to conventional internal combustion engines. The perceptibility of harmonic impulsive sounds is significantly enhanced by these design characteristics. A close correlation is observed between these acoustic phenomena and negative human auditory perceptions. These events are treated as a core focus for HEV noise, vibration, and harshness optimization. Accurate quantification of harmonic impulsive sounds is not achieved by conventional objective indicators. A favorable balance between reliability and accuracy is not established by existing subjective prediction models. Practical engineering applications of these methods are severely restricted. A novel objective quantification method for harmonic impulsive sounds is proposed in this study. The method is established based on time–frequency masking theory and tonal strength. Bench tests in a semi-anechoic chamber and subjective evaluation experiments with standardized rating scales are performed for data collection. Collected sound signals are decomposed through an integrated approach of wavelet transform and variational mode decomposition. Targeted feature extraction is completed for harmonic impulsive sounds. A quantitative index incorporating human auditory temporal and frequency masking effects is developed. The proposed index exhibits a significantly stronger correlation with subjective evaluation results than traditional objective metrics, confirming its superior ability to reflect actual perceived sound quality. An interval prediction model for sound quality evaluation is established based on support vector machines and kernel density estimation. Traditional objective metrics and the proposed index are introduced as key input parameters. Effective and reliable prediction of HEV engine noise subjective satisfaction is achieved by the model.
Lin, XuLiang, XingyuShi, Zhiyuan
The transition toward low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, driven by increasingly stringent environmental regulations and carbon reduction targets, has imposed new requirements on thermal management systems (TMSs) for electric vehicles (EVs). These systems must ensure efficient operation across a wide range of ambient conditions while maintaining high energy efficiency and environmental compatibility. Among potential alternatives, R290 (propane) has emerged as a promising natural refrigerant due to its favorable thermophysical properties and low environmental impact. In this study, an R290-based dual secondary loop TMS is proposed and evaluated for wide-temperature-range EV applications. A one-dimensional system model was developed using Dymola and validated through experimental testing on a dedicated performance test bench. TMS performance was investigated under multiple steady-state operating conditions, including high-load cooling, battery fast charging, and low-temperature heating, and benchmarked against a conventional R1234yf-based direct TMS. The results demonstrate that the R290-based dual secondary loop system achieves improved performance compared to a conventional R1234yf direct system, with a coefficient of performance (COP) increase of 4.29% under high-load cooling conditions at 43°C and up to 27.27% under high-load heating conditions at −10°C. Furthermore, under extreme low-temperature conditions (−18°C), the system delivers a heating capacity of 7 kW with a COP of 1.8, demonstrating strong low-temperature adaptability without the need for auxiliary heating. The results confirm that the proposed R290-based dual secondary loop system provides significant advantages in energy efficiency and wide-temperature adaptability, offering a promising solution for next-generation EVTMSs.
Zhang, YunpengMohammed, Mustafa MudassirGu, YiliangZhou, Guoliang
The core challenge of in-service welding repair of oil and gas pipelines is the risk control of burn-through. Current research primarily focuses on macroscopic phenomena, lacking a systematic multi-scale analysis of burn-through mechanisms and their dynamic evolution. Existing criteria are primarily based on qualitative experience, and widely accepted quantitative safety assessment standards have yet to be established. Furthermore, insufficient understanding of multi-scale damage failure mechanisms and weak theoretical foundations have become bottlenecks in this field. This study targets X65 pipeline steel and combines in-service welding experiments with in-situ scanning electron microscope tensile tests to elucidate the formation mechanism of burn-through from a multi- scale perspective. The results show that during in-service welding, the remaining wall thickness of the pipeline continuously decreases with the welding process, ultimately resulting in burn-through holes. On one hand, the welding arc drives the expansion of the hole; on the other hand, the internal pressure of the medium further enlarges the hole, leading to the expulsion of water and rapid pressure loss in the pipeline. Notably, the fusion zone behind the maximum melt depth is subject to high temperatures, which reduces strength and degrades plasticity, exhibiting significant plastic strain, making it a high-risk area for burn-through instability. Before instability occurs, this region shows evident grain coalescence, with plastic deformation primarily occurring through dislocation slip; when the difficulty of activating slip systems increases, twinning deformation may be induced, and large twin grains rarely develop cracks. Strain concentration and crack initiation are more likely to occur between grains with significant orientation differences.
Wang, BangyuQiao, YingJieLi, DongXu, ShiHang
The grouted composite pavement combines the advantages of flexibility and rigidity through the composite structure of organic-inorganic materials, but the optimisation of its performance is affected by the complexity of the matrix asphalt mixture void ratio and grouting material type. This study has revealed the influence of matrix asphalt mixture porosity and grouting material type on the grouting effect and road performance of grouted composite asphalt pavement. The results showed that the increase of matrix porosity could significantly improve the grouting rate and resistance to high-temperature rutting of the mortar, but the high porosity led to a decrease of low temperature cracking resistance of the materials. CA mortar enhanced the flexible deformation capacity by optimising the interfacial bond, and its low-temperature cracking resistance was better than that of ordinary cement mortar, but the grouting efficiency and high-temperature performance were slightly lower. In addition, ordinary cement mortar demonstrated better performance regarding high-temperature stability and resistance to water damage.
He, MuWang, YanYe, MingYu, ChaoYe, Xiao
The scheme of photocatalysis of water, a way of hydrogen generation as a clean, high-efficiency fuel source for aircraft and long-range transport systems has received considerable interest. The development of the covalent organic framework (COF) - derived materials for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has since become a research highlight. Compared to traditional methods, photocatalytic hydrogen evolution systems based on COFs can provide ways of generating hydrogen gas without depending upon noble metal catalysts, thereby enhancing the sustainability and prospects of this technology for future aerospace energy applications.In this work, two covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with distinct linkages—a vinylene-linked COF A (via Knoevenagel condensation) and an imine-linked COF B (via Schiff-base reaction)—were designed and synthesized to compare their performance in the photocatalystic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Structural and electrochemical characterizations confirmed that, despite lower crystallinity and specific surface area due to pore blockage, COF A exhibited a suitable band structure for photocatalysis and achieved an HER rate of 56 μmol h^–1 g^–1 under simulated sunlight. In contrast, COF B was ineffective. This study experimentally validates the superior photocatalytic potential of vinylene-linked COFs over imine-linked counterparts for HER, highlighting their potential as non-noble-metal catalysts for aerospace and transport-oriented fuel generation.
Cao, YijieLuo, Xin
Copper red glazes have received considerable attention due to their perfect decorative effects and vivid coloration. This paper selected four different formula copper red glazes with different colors of bright red, violet blue, dark red, and gray blue as the samples. Based on the analysis of the colorimeter, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM), a possible coloration mechanism was proposed to explain the variation of glaze colors. The results indicated that the glaze layers were mainly composed of amorphous phases with few quartz diffraction peaks and mainly presented a granulous structure and phase separation. Increasing the content of CaO could cause color changes of the glaze due to the high ionic potential of calcium ions, which could form a unique feature in the glaze melt. In addition, a small amount of calcium phosphate could greatly change the color of the glaze. The phase separation structure of the blue samples was more obvious than that of the red samples, with a phase separation size of less than 100 nm. The formation of droplet phase separation structure in the glaze could lead to Rayleigh scattering and Mie scattering, which made the color of copper red glazes blue and opacified. Increasing the content of Cu0 and decreasing Cu+ could weaken the structural color, which contributes to a* value of the glaze changing from 26.93 to 22.93. At the same content of Cu0, the higher the ratio of Cu+ /Cu2+ is, the less a* value of the glaze is. Finally, the existence of CuSiO3 in the glaze could also make the blue color.
Ding, ErbaoYang, MengliLiu, NannanLi, YaboZheng, RuimiaoXu, Yan
Based on the engineering context of a shield tunnel section with ultra-shallow overburden along the coastal express line in a certain region, this study addresses the technical challenge of surface heave deformation during the construction of long-distance, large-section shield tunnels in shallow burial conditions. A numerical model for shield tunneling in complex underground environments with ultra-shallow overburden and large cross-sections was established using the software FLAC3D. Based on three different ground reinforcement conditions (no reinforcement, full-area reinforcement, and grid-type reinforcement), the control effect of grid-type ground reinforcement on surface deformation and heave during the shield tunneling process was systematically analyzed. The results show that: (1) The Z-direction displacement trends of the surface under the three conditions are consistent, with heave concentrated above the tunnel crown. Without cement-soil reinforcement, the surface heave increases significantly, with the maximum heave being approximately 52% higher than that of reinforced conditions, indicating that ground reinforcement measures are highly effective in controlling surface heave deformation; (2) Compared to full-area reinforcement, grid-type reinforcement reduces the reinforcement range by 22%, with only a 2% decrease in displacement. When the spacing between the cement-soil reinforcement layer and the tunnel bottom is 1 m, the heave increases by 6.5% compared to a spacing of 3 m, demonstrating that a larger spacing significantly enhances the reinforcement effect, and depth adjustment has a noticeable impact; (3) The scheme with a grid spacing of 4.65 m and a cement-soil layer bottom 2 m away from the tunnel bottom effectively controls surface heave, reduces cement usage, lowers construction costs and duration, and ensures tunnel safety and stability, providing a valuable reference for shield tunneling in shallow overburden sections. The research results can provide valuable references for controlling surface deformation during shield tunneling through ultra-shallow overburden sections.
Shi, CehuiZhang, Yang
The design of integrated station-bridge structures is challenged by the coexistence of building codes based on Limit State Design (LSD) and railway codes using Allowable Stress Design (ASD). This study employs finite element analysis to compare the performance of Steel Reinforced Concrete (SRC) columns designed under these two philosophies. The results demonstrate the significant conservatism of the ASD method: When achieving the same safety margin, the ASD-designed column required 2.36 times the cross-sectional area, yielding an 89% higher axial capacity but a disproportionately small increase in shear strength, indicating material inefficiency. A subsequent parametric analysis identified steel strength as key to axial capacity and concrete strength as critical for shear capacity, with shear performance reaching its maximum at an axial compression ratio of 0.6. These findings quantify these behavioral differences, offering a basis for refining design methods and codes harmonization for such structural members.
Tang, JiaDuan, LinliChen, NanHuang, YunfeiGuo, WeiJiang, LizhongYu, YujieXu, Yongjia
This study produced autogenous gas tungsten arc welds in 6 mm thick Inconel 690 plates using Ar-He shielding gas. The influence of helium content on arc characteristics, molten-pool geometry, microstructure, and mechanical properties was investigated systematically. With increasing helium fraction, the arc adopts a flattened, fan-shaped profile, leading to significantly greater penetration and bead width, accompanied by higher arc voltage and heat input. The weld-metal grain size is refined by up to 13.25%, while the solidification grain-boundary morphology shifts from cellular to a mixed equiaxed/cellular structure, and the fraction of high-angle grain boundaries increases. These microstructural changes reduce the ultimate tensile strength by a maximum of 12.21% and the elongation by 3.23%. Balancing weld quality and mechanical performance, gas mixtures of 60% Ar-40% He or 40% Ar-60% He are recommended as optimal shielding compositions for GTAW of Inconel 690.
Wang, ZhanfangLi, ZhenlongLei, JiaxuanChi, HouchaoNiu, BenJiang, GuoyanZhang, XuanbinHe, Bing
Materials, such as vehicle lightweighting, intelligent materials, and aviation damping material, are frequently subjected to prolonged loading conditions. During the service life of materials, micro-damage will inevitably occur. The ultrasonic wave-mixing method is an emerging technique in detecting subtle damage in materials. Investigating the interaction between two waves in nonlinear materials guides the non-destructive detection of defects. In the ultrasonic wave-mixing technique, the resonance condition is commonly employed for the selection of the two primary wave frequencies. However, resonance conditions are often not strictly satisfied in practical applications. The mixing wave still contains important information that requires attention in detection. The theoretical solution of the mixing wave interacted by two-way collinear waves with arbitrary frequencies is derived. The results advance us to understand the intrinsic properties of wave interaction.
Wang, LiLiu, XiqiangHe, ManliZhou, Huaren
Ultrasonic TOFD detection is one of the most important non-destructive testing techniques for welds. However, the complex beam deflection, scattering, and attenuation of ultrasonic waves in the heterogeneous weld structure lead to the weak signal of the defect diffraction wave received by the probe and the low signal-to-noise ratio, which has a negative impact on the engineering application of ultrasonic TOFD detection technology in austenitic stainless steel welds. In this study, a numerical model of the ultrasonic TOFD detection process for austenitic stainless steel welds was established based on the finite element method. Combined with the test method, the interaction mechanism between the ultrasonic wave and weld structure is analyzed, and the probe arrangement method to reduce the interference of weld scattering noise is proposed. The results show that the finite element model can simulate the anisotropic characteristics of ultrasonic waves in austenitic stainless steel welds, including sound field distortion, sound energy scattering, and attenuation. Combined with the detection test, it has been proven that the adverse effect of the weld structure on the TOFD detection signal can be reduced by changing the probe detection surface.
Hu, LichenHuang, HuiQian, ShengjieHu, WeiweiChen, Zhenhua
This study used hexacarbon polyether (EPEG), acrylic acid (AA), polyethylene glycol maleate (MAPG), and vinyl acetate (VA) as the main raw materials to synthesize a highly workable polycarboxylate superplasticizer (CE-02) under the action of an initiator. The structure of the target product was characterized by FTIR and GPC. Tests showed that under conditions of low water dosage (150 kg), low cementitious material content (220 kg of cement), and poor aggregate gradation, the concrete mixed with CE-02 exhibited an initial slump flow increase of 25 mm, a bleeding rate of 0.6%, no stone exposure, and excellent workability.
Chen, WenhongDeng, LeiJiang, YuZhang, Bo