Automotive Engineering Commons^™

Autonomous Roadside Mower Testing And Evaluation In Digital Twin Environments, Michael Mardikes, Ethan Brown, Timothy Wiegman, Nathan Sprague, Shreyas Supe, J. T. Evans

Graduate Industrial Research Symposium

Modern day roadside mowing operations in Indiana are performed by contractors operating tractors that pull flex-wing mowers. These mowing operations span over 11,000 miles of road across the state and create serious risk for human operators. Autonomous mowers can provide a safer alternative, but a replacement system must demonstrate an acceptable level of trust before large-scale deployment. A high-fidelity digital-twin environment can facilitate the capability to rapidly test and evaluate platforms in their desired application, while enabling zero real-world risk, a wide range of test variables, and repeatability of a test setup. The simulation environment must be at a level …

Electric Vehicles Contribute To China's Energy Security And Carbon Peaking And Carbon Neutrality, Jianfeng Guo, Xuemei Zhang, Qi Cao, Fu Gu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The current international situation is complicated and unstable, and China is in the midst of an important economic transition as it deals with the twin concerns of energy security and carbon peaking and carbon neutrality (referred to as dual carbon goals). Although the dual carbon goals aim a strong emphasis on energy security, certain emission reduction strategies will place restrictions on energy security that is directly connected, such as energy supply and grid load, making it challenging to simultaneously fulfill the optimization goal. China now has the task of figuring out how to rationalize and optimize the coordinated promotion of …

Investigating The Effects Of Alcohol Consumption On Manual And Automated Driving: A Systematic Review, Miaomiao Dong, Yuni Lee, Jackie Cha, Gaojian Huang

Mineta Transportation Institute Publications

There are direct correlations between drunk driving and car-related injuries, disabilities, and death. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) may provide useful driver support systems to prevent or reduce road accidents. However, AVs are not yet fully automated and require human drivers to take over the vehicle at times. Therefore, understanding how alcohol affects driving performance in both manual and automated driving is important because manual drives may offer insights into the takeover process in AVs. A systematic review of 53 articles from eight databases was conducted. Findings were categorized based on the human information processing model, which can be extended to the …

Enhancing Bridge Resilience And Overheight Vehicle Mitigation Through Innovative Sacrificial Cushion Systems, Aly Mousaad Aly, Marc Hoffmann

Faculty Publications

Transportation departments have made significant strides in addressing the challenges posed by the increasing weights of trucks on bridges. While there is a growing awareness of overheight vehicle collisions with bridges, implementing effective countermeasures remains limited. The susceptibility of bridges to damage from such collisions is on the rise, further exacerbated by unpredictable lateral impact forces. This study employs nonlinear impact analysis to assess the response of an unprotected vehicle-girder model, yielding realistic deformation outcomes comparable to observed impacts on the US-61 bridge. Predictions for a truck traveling at 112.65 km/h indicate deformations of 0.229 m, 0.161 m, and 0.271 …

Traffic Light Detection And V2i Communications Of An Autonomous Vehicle With The Traffic Light For An Effective Intersection Navigation Using Mavs Simulation, Mahfuzur Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

Intersection Navigation plays a significant role in autonomous vehicle operation. This paper focuses on enhancing autonomous vehicle intersection navigation through advanced computer vision and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication systems. The research unfolds in two phases. In the first phase, an approach utilizing YOLOv8s is proposed for precise traffic light detection and recognition, trained on the Small-Scale Traffic Light Dataset (S2TLD). The second phase establishes seamless connectivity between autonomous vehicles and traffic lights in a simulated Mississippi State University Autonomous Vehicle Simulation (MAVS) environment resembling a small city with multiple intersections. This V2I system enables the transmission of Signal Phase and Timing …

Comparison Of Methods For Estimating Instantaneous Turn Radius Of Ackermann Steering Vehicles, Kenneth Gennaro Stutts

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The instantaneous turn radius of an Ackermann steering vehicle is the distance to a point in space about which the vehicle will travel in an arc during a turn. There are at least six ways to estimate instantaneous turn radius and each method uses different inputs and has distinct advantages and disadvantages. In this thesis, six different methods will be used to estimate the instantaneous turn radius of a vehicle traveling on a closed circuit. This testing will clarify similarities and differences between the methods. This thesis clarifies which method will be the most appropriate for a given set of …

Building An Application Model For Efficient Ride Booking In Ride-Hailing Industry, Nikunjkumar Butani

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to develop an efficient ride booking application in the ride-hailing sector. The objective of the research is to provide users with an easy way to book rides at reasonable prices and convenient times. This project helps to promote the ride-hailing industry by providing guidance for the creation of real-time applications. This project answered three questions. 1. What are the technology and infrastructure requirements for developing a consolidated online application for centralized ride sharing? 2. What are other examples of application aggregators in other industries than transportation and how do they work? 3. What are …

Additive Manufacturing Of Magnetic Materials For Electric Motor And Generator Applications, Haobo Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

This work details the research into the 3D Printing, also known as Additive Manufacturing (AM), of both impermanent and permanent magnets. This work also details the research in enabling such AM magnets in electrical machine applications, primarily motors and generators. The AM processes of many types of magnets are described in detail. The material properties of such AM magnets are also described. The two main types of AM magnets that are discussed in detail are AM NdFeB, and AM Silicon Steel. The implementation of AM NdFeB as rotor magnets, and the implementation of AM Silicon Steel as rotor and stator …

Experimental Study On The Impact Of Low Thermal Inertia Thermal Barrier Coatings On Ppci-Diffusion Gci Combustion, Kunal Vedpathak

All Theses

The application of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) has been studied in homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI), conventional diesel combustion (CDC), and spark ignition (SI). Gasoline compression ignition (GCI) combines the low soot and NOx emissions of HCCI with combustion controllability through fuel stratification. GCI has become an interesting prospect due to the reduction in gasoline consumption due to the electrification and hybridization of the light-duty sector. It can be used as a preferred combustion mode in heavy-duty engines to reduce emissions with minimal modifications. GCI exhibits better combustion efficiency than HCCI. Advances in material technology have combined low thermal conductivity …

Safe Navigation Of Quadruped Robots Using Density Functions, Andrew Zheng

All Theses

Safe navigation of mission-critical systems is of utmost importance in many modern autonomous applications. Over the past decades, the approach to the problem has consisted of using probabilistic methods, such as sample-based planners, to generate feasible, safe solutions to the navigation problem. However, these methods use iterative safety checks to guarantee the safety of the system, which can become quite complex. The navigation problem can also be solved in feedback form using potential field methods. Navigation function, a class of potential field methods, is an analytical control design to give almost everywhere convergence properties, but under certain topological constraints and …

Experimental Investigation Of Low Thermal Inertia Thermal Barrier Coatings For Spark Ignition Engines, John Gandolfo

All Theses

The application of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) in spark ignition (SI) engines has historically been avoided due to the knock penalty associated with higher surface temperatures induced by the ceramic layer. However, advances in low thermal inertia coatings (i.e., temperature swing coatings) that combine low thermal conductivity with low volumetric heat capacity can prevent excessively high surface temperatures during the intake stroke and reduce or avoid knock while improving performance and efficiency. This thesis experimentally evaluates the effectiveness of these low thermal inertia coatings in a single-cylinder research engine representative of modern SI engines.

First, four pistons coated with a …

Creation And Validation Of A Novel Bayesian Calibration Method With Griddy Gibbs Sampling, Hannah Stewart

All Theses

Computer models of physical systems are widely used in lieu of, or in tandem with, experimental testing. It is critical to verify the accuracy of computer models through the process of calibration. Typical calibration methods are often computationally expensive and therefore cannot be performed in real time. This thesis presents a novel Bayesian calibration method using a Griddy Gibbs sampling algorithm to improve calibration speeds. This method was verified in two applications: a location-dependent dataset in the heat transfer analysis of an engine piston, and time-dependent tire forces in a drum test. The proposed method was directly compared to a …

Cfrp Delamination Density Propagation Analysis By Magnetostriction Theory, Brandon Eugene Williams

All Dissertations

While Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRPs) have exceptional mechanical properties concerning their overall weight, their failure profile in demanding high-stress environments raises reliability concerns in structural applications. Two crucial limiting factors in CFRP reliability are low-strain material degradation and low fracture toughness. Due to CFRP’s low strain degradation characteristics, a wide variety of interlaminar damage can be sustained without any appreciable change to the physical structure itself. This damage suffered by the energy transfer from high- stress levels appears in the form of microporosity, crazes, microcracks, and delamination in the matrix material before any severe laminate damage is observed. This …

Controlled Manipulation And Transport By Microswimmers In Stokes Flows, Jake Buzhardt

All Dissertations

Remotely actuated microscale swimming robots have the potential to revolutionize many aspects of biomedicine. However, for the longterm goals of this field of research to be achievable, it is necessary to develop modelling, simulation, and control strategies which effectively and efficiently account for not only the motion of individual swimmers, but also the complex interactions of such swimmers with their environment including other nearby swimmers, boundaries, other cargo and passive particles, and the fluid medium itself. The aim of this thesis is to study these problems in simulation from the perspective of controls and dynamical systems, with a particular focus …

Husker Motorsports Active Drag Reduction System, Creighton Hughes, Evan Killian, Micah Busboom, Aj Johnson, Jude Steffen

Honors Theses

Formula SAE is a multifaceted competition that involves student teams designing and competing with an open-wheel style race car. There are 5 different dynamic events included in the competition. Each event requires a unique aerodynamic setup to have the best performance possible. This design project focuses on a drag reduction system (DRS) that will improve aerodynamic performance, resulting in faster lap times and increased competitiveness. Key features include a direct electronic actuation mechanism that will allow the rear wing to be adjusted during a race. The benefits of the DRS system, include increased speed, improved handling, and greater fuel efficiency …

Av Operation And Energy Efficiency Improved Through The Evaluation And Demonstration Of Av Sensor Technology, Nicholas Brown

Dissertations

The majority of states have passed legislation or have signed an executive order enacting safe testing, development, and deployment of level 4 and level 5 autonomous vehicles (AVs) in accordance with SAE standard J3016, which has led to an increase in the frequency of AV testing. The major driving force behind the push for AVs on public roads appears to be the increases the number of AVs on the road to decrease the chances of fatalities from distracted drivers. There are reports of disengagement from companies, which are required to report them to operate within California. The continuance of disengagements …

Numerical Study Of Flow Characteristics Around A 30° Yawed Circular Cylinder At R E = 10 4, Ran Wang, Shaohong Cheng, David S.K. Ting

Mechanical, Automotive & Materials Engineering Publications

Unstable motions of bridge stay cables have been observed on site and in wind tunnel tests when a cable is yawed at certain orientations to wind. To uncover the underlying mechanisms, flow around a circular cylinder at a yaw angle of 30° has been numerically analyzed in the current study using delayed detached eddy simulation (DDES) at R e = 10 4 . A comparison with the reference normal flow case indicates the presence of a more coherent span-wise flow structure when the cylinder is yawed at 30°. The application of proper orthogonal decomposition further reveals that at this orientation, …

Framing Automation Trust: How Initial Information About Automated Driving Systems Influences Swift Trust In Automation And Trust Repair For Human Automation Collaboration, Scott Anthony Mishler

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The study examines how trust in automation is influenced by initial framing of information before interaction and how later active calibration methods can further influence trust repair or dampening after an automation error in a three-experiment study. As more human drivers begin to use automated driving systems (ADSs) for the first time, their initial understanding of the system can influence their trust leading to a miscalibration of trust. Prior studies have investigated how trust develops through interactions with an automated system, but few have looked at integrating swift trust and framing to calibrate trust before interaction and investigate further active …

Thermal Modelling Of A Passive Style Net-Zero Greenhouse In Alberta: The Effect Of Ground Parameters And The Solar To Air Fraction, Oselen J. Imafidon, David S.K. Ting, Rupp Carriveau

Mechanical, Automotive & Materials Engineering Publications

Agricultural greenhouses can provide a suitable microclimate for crops to thrive under extreme weather conditions. The operations of these greenhouses are expensive due to the energy requirement of the active thermal conditioning systems required to maintain the growing environment for crop production. Engineering of these greenhouses to utilize clean renewable energy sources is critical and necessary to mitigate their carbon footprint, paving the way to a more sustainable agricultural industry. This paper presents numerical modelling of a net-zero passive solar greenhouse in Alberta, Canada with winter temperatures below freezing. The indoor microclimate of the greenhouse is modelled using the detailed …

Mathematical Model Of An Industrial Robot Built On The Basis Of Linear Motion Mechatron Modules, Matyokubov Nurbek Rustamovich, Rakhimov Temurbek Omonboyevich

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

The use of Industry 4.0 technologies in modern production serves to increase production efficiency. Robots and robotic complexes with innovative intelligent control are widely used in industrial production. However, studying their mechanical part, linear motion mechatronic modules and control system is a complex object. The variety and complexity of control methods and operating modes negatively affects the operator's working time and production productivity. In such cases, it is necessary to improve control methods and develop technologies used in industry, including robots and robotic manipulators, which allow to perform short movements with high accuracy and speed. In the article, the mathematical …