Analysis of the Optimum Configuration of Roadside Units and Onboard Units in Dedicated Short-Range Communication Systems

With the aid of a simple relation, which is analogous to the radar equation, the uplink signal strength received by the receiving module of a roadside unit (RSU) and emitted from the radiation module of an onboard unit (OBU) can be described. Setting the scale of this relation arbitrarily and determining the signal strength threshold from experimental measurements, and combined with the simulation of the radiation and the receiving pattern by cosineⁿ function, the relative signal strength emitted from the OBU and received by the RSU can be calculated successfully. From this computed relative signal strength and the threshold, the influence of the RSU and OBU mounting parameters, such as the mounting angles and mounting height, on the available communication region is analyzed. The effect of windshield fading is also considered. With the help of the analysis results, an optimum RSU and OBU mounting configuration can be easily obtained. This method can be used conveniently and successfully for very short wavelengths. This includes visible light, infrared, and even submillimeter-wave ranges. For millimeter-wave and microwave systems, this method can, in some cases, also provide a rudimentary estimation     

A branch and bound algorithm for scheduling problem of a robot‐centered manufacturing cell

Abstract

An alternative formulation of the scheduling problem in a robot‐centered manufacturing cell has been described here, which was originally formulated by Lin et al. [7] as a mixed integer programming problem. An efficient procedure based on the branch and bound technique has been proposed. In order to reduce the complexity of the branching procedure, several sequencing rules [4] have been imbedded into the proposed procedure and an integrated algorithm has then been presented. The computational results have indicated the proposed algorithm to be efficient. Finally, conclusions and some suggestions are given.     

Detection for high resolution radars

Abstract

In this paper we discuss detection problems for a high resolution radar. Fluctuation in the target radar cross section usually decreases the probability of detection. However, through integration of cells within range profiles of a high resolution radar, variation of the integrated magnitude with respect to the change of carrier frequency and target aspect becomes much smaller, and this is helpful for improving the probability of detection. Two detection algorithms, the cell integration method and the correlation method, for a high resolution radar are proposed, and their detection performances are compared with that obtained by a conventional low resolution radar. Some theoretical formulations are developed. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.     

Numerical and experimental studies on aluminum sandwich plates of variable thickness

Abstract

The elastic flexural behavior of static deformation and free vibration of sandwich plates of variable thickness is investigated numerically and experimentally. In the analysis, the face plates are treated as Marguerre shells, and the core is assumed to be an antiplane core and to provide resistance to transverse shear and normal stresses only. Displacement continuity conditions are used at the interfaces between face plates and the core to derive the displacement field. Energy formulations are obtained and solved by the isoparametric finite element method. The numerical results are obtained to compare with the results in the existing literature and to show the effects of taper constant and face plate thickness on deflections and natural frequencies. Finally, experimental works based on the method of holographic interferometry are conducted to confirm the theoretical findings. Experimental and numerical data agree quite well in this work.     

Stability and robustness of time‐delay systems

Abstract

Using some properties of matrix measures and matrix's spectral radius, a new stability criterion for a linear time‐delay system is derived. This result is also extended to interval time‐delay systems.     

Comparisons of α-amylase inhibitors from seeds of common bean mutants extracted through three phase partitioning

This study compared the inhibitory activity of α-amylase inhibitor (αAI) extracted from common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) variety Hwachia, its nine mutants and two introduced varieties by using three-phase partitioning (TPP). A commercially prepared Phase 2 was also used to serve as a comparative reference. The optimal purification parameters for TPP were 30% saturation ammonium sulphate and pH 5.25. Considerable variations were detected in αAI content, total inhibitory activity and specific inhibitory activity of αAI purified from different common beans. Mutant SA-05 had the αAI inhibitory activity of 6267 units g⁻¹ dry seed weight, which was higher than Hwachia (5062 units g⁻¹ dry seed weight) and Phase 2 (3200 units g⁻¹ dry weight). Moreover, it had an extremely lower IC₅₀ (0.40 μg) than Phase 2 (10.22 μg). Thus, the mutant SA-05 may be used as raw material in commercial preparation of αAI extracts for controlling appetite and energy intake.     

Effects of Simulated Microstructure on the Creep Rupture of the Modified 9Cr-1Mo Steel

Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance - Microstructures of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of a Gr. 91 steel weld were simulated to evaluate their effects on the creep life of the weld at...     

Effect of dispersion method and process variables on the properties of supercritical CO2 foamed polystyrene/graphite nanocomposite foam

In this study, polystyrene/nanographite nanocomposite foams were made by different compounding methods, such as direct compounding, pulverized sonication compounding, and in situ polymerization, to understand the effect of the process variables on the morphology of the nanocomposites and their foam. The foam was made by batch foaming using CO₂ as the blowing agent. Various foaming pressures and temperatures were studied. The results indicated that the cell size decreased and the cell morphology was improved with the advanced dispersion of the nanoparticles. Among the three methods, the in situ polymerization method provided the best dispersion and the resulting nanocomposite foam had the finest cell size and the highest cell density. In addition, adding nanoparticles as a nucleating agent can make foams of similar cell size and cell density at a much lower foaming pressure. This result can be explained by the classical nucleation theory. This discovery could open up a newroute to produce microcellular foams at a low foaming pressure. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 53:2061–2072, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Particle Penetration through Inclined and L-Shaped Cracks

This paper presents a particle penetration model predicting particle penetration coefficient (Pp) through a narrow crack of arbitrary incline angles (θ). The objective was to simulate Pp for outdoor-to-indoor particle penetration for residential infiltration conditions. This model assumes laminar infiltration flow and considers particle deposition from both gravitational sedimentation and Brownian diffusion. For micron-sized particles, modeling results indicate that gravitational sedimentation is the major deposition mechanism. Pp increases monotonically with ∣θ∣ because effective particle sedimentation velocity (vs?cos?θ) decreases monotonically with ∣θ∣. For submicron-sized particles (0.1?μm), Brownian diffusion is the major particle deposition mechanism. Because Brownian diffusion is a nondirectional deposition mechanism, crack inclination did not affect Pp. This study applied this model to estimate Pp for L-shaped cracks, and validated modeling results with experiments. Experimental results indicated that inertial impaction and crack entrance cutoff effects were not significant particle deposition mechanisms for the test micron-sized particles. Gravitational sedimentation was the major deposition mechanism. An L-shaped crack can be simulated as the combination of horizontal and vertical sections. This model agreed reasonably with experimental results.     

Role of hepatic resection in surgery for bilateral intrahepatic stones

The effect of phenylephrine-induced reflex parasympathetic stimulation on QT interval and its dispersion was studied in 16 healthy subjects with a history of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, both during sinus rhythm and during atrial pacing. Results demonstrate that rapid reflex parasympathetic stimulation does not influence QT interval duration or QT dispersion, and also emphasize the inappropriateness of Bazett's formula, the need for comparison of QT intervals during identical heart rates, and the importance of analyzing all 12 leads of a standard electrocardiogram when assessing the effects of various interventions on the QT interval.