Search results
1 – 10 of 185Various parameter values are provided in the form of data tables, where data keys are ordered and unevenly spaced in general, for real‐time simulation of dynamic systems. However…
Abstract
Various parameter values are provided in the form of data tables, where data keys are ordered and unevenly spaced in general, for real‐time simulation of dynamic systems. However, most parameter values required for simulation do not explicitly exist in data tables. Thus, unit intervals, including parameter values, are searched rather than the data keys. Since real‐time constraint enforces use of a fixed step size in integration of system differential equations because of the inherent nature of input from and output to real hardware, the worst case of iterated probes in searching algorithms is the core measure for comparison. The worst case is expressed as Big O. In this study, conventional bisection, interpolation, and fast searches are analyzed and compared in Big O as well as the newly developed searching algorithms: modified fast search and modified regular falsi search. If the criterion is actual execution time required for searching, most numerical tests in this paper show that bisection search is superior to the others. Interpolation search and its variations show better performance in the case of linear or near linear data distribution than bisection search. The numerical tests show that modified regular falsi search is faster than the other interpolation searches in either expected time or worst cases. Given parameter tables should be carefully examined for their data distribution in order to determine the most appropriate searching algorithm for the application.
Details
Keywords
J.K. Wilson and B.H.V. Topping
A new h‐refinement adaptive tetrahedral mesh generation algorithm is presented. Three‐dimensional domains, to be analysed by the finite element method, are initially modelled by a…
Abstract
A new h‐refinement adaptive tetrahedral mesh generation algorithm is presented. Three‐dimensional domains, to be analysed by the finite element method, are initially modelled by a coarse background mesh of tetrahedral elements. This mesh forms the input for finite element analysis and error estimation by the Zienkiewicz‐Zhu simple error estimator. Adaptive mesh refinement proceeds by selecting an element for remeshing whose longest edge is shared by elements that also require refinement. This group of elements is refined by inserting a new node at the mid‐point of the shared edge thereby bisecting all elements within the group. Adaptive parameters are calculated for the new node and elements. Refinement then proceeds until no further group of elements can be found for refinement or no elements within the current mesh require further refinement. The shape quality of the current mesh is then enhanced by the iterative application of nodal relaxation plus three topological transformations. The entire refinement process is repeated iteratively until the required degree of mesh refinement is reached. Ten‐noded linear strain tetrahedral finite element meshes have been used for the finite element and error estimation analyses. Four examples of adaptive tetrahedral mesh generation for linear elastic stress/displacement analysis are presented which show that this algorithm is robust and efficient in terms of reduction of the domain error with a minimum number of degrees of freedom being generated, number of iterations, and therefore finite element analyses, required and computational time for refinement when compared to the advancing front method and Delaunay triangulation.
Details
Keywords
Hemisphericity in behaviour studies is the role and dominance of right bran/left brain in the human brain, each side of which has varying roles and characteristics, thereby…
Abstract
Hemisphericity in behaviour studies is the role and dominance of right bran/left brain in the human brain, each side of which has varying roles and characteristics, thereby leading to different thinking orientations in the human. A study was conducted to measure the hemisphericity orientation of construction and design engineers in a large public construction organization. We know from literature that people of different hemisphericity orientations have unlike personalities and dissimilar perspectives of specific situations. The essential characteristics of hemisphericity as established in literature are presented and used in analysing the organization. From this study of engineers, it was seen that construction engineers in the organization, State Department of Engineering Construction (SDEC), are predominantly left‐brained while design engineers are predominantly right‐brained. This difference in orientation partially explains why the design and construction engineers at SDEC are unable to see eye‐to‐eye in issues concerning implementation of drawings. Left hemisphere dominant engineers are also seen to desire more organizational changes than their right hemisphere dominant counterparts. Ideally, researchers believe that a 50–50 distribution of hemisphericities in large organizations is desirable. Details, analysis, and recommendations are presented in the paper.
Details
Keywords
Hayri Yigit Akargun and Cuneyt Sert
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate successful use of least-squares finite element method (LSFEM) with h-type mesh refinement and coarsening for the solution of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate successful use of least-squares finite element method (LSFEM) with h-type mesh refinement and coarsening for the solution of two-dimensional, inviscid, compressible flows.
Design/methodology/approach
Unsteady Euler equations are discretized on meshes of linear and quadratic triangular and quadrilateral elements using LSFEM. Backward Euler scheme is used for time discretization. For the refinement of linear triangular elements, a modified version of the simple bisection algorithm is used. Mesh coarsening is performed with the edge collapsing technique. Pressure gradient-based error estimation is used for refinement and coarsening decision. The developed solver is tested with flow over a circular bump, flow over a ramp and flow through a scramjet inlet problems.
Findings
Pressure difference based error estimator, modified simple bisection method for mesh refinement and edge collapsing method for mesh coarsening are shown to work properly with the LSFEM formulation. With the proper use of mesh adaptation, time and effort necessary to prepare a good initial mesh reduces and mesh independency control of the final solution is automatically taken care of.
Originality/value
LSFEM is used for the first time for the solution of inviscid compressible flows with h-type mesh refinement and coarsening on triangular elements. It is shown that, when coupled with mesh adaptation, inherent viscous dissipation of LSFEM technique is no longer an issue for accurate shock capturing without unphysical oscillations.
Details
Keywords
Hong Xiao, Yuan Li, Jian-Feng Yu and Hui Cheng
Virtual assembly process plays an important role in assembly design of complex product and is typically time- and resource-intensive. This paper aims to investigate a dynamic…
Abstract
Purpose
Virtual assembly process plays an important role in assembly design of complex product and is typically time- and resource-intensive. This paper aims to investigate a dynamic assembly simplification approach in order to demonstrate and interact with virtual assembly process of complex product in real time.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed approach regards the virtual assembly process of complex product as an incremental growth process of dynamic assembly. During the growth process, the current-assembled-state assembly model is simplified with appearance preserved by detecting and removing its invisible features, and the to-be-assembled components are simplified with assembly features preserved using conjugated subgraphs matching method based on an improved subgraph isomorphism algorithm.
Findings
The dynamic assembly simplification approach is applied successfully to reduce the complexity of computer aided design models during the virtual assembly process and it is proved by several cases.
Originality/value
A new assembly features definition is proposed based on the notion of “conjugation” to assist the assembly features recognition, which is a main step of the dynamic assembly simplification and has been translated into conjugated subgraphs matching problem. And an improved subgraph isomorphism algorithm is presented to address this problem.
Details
Keywords
Yves Konkel, Ortwin Farle, Andreas Köhler, Alwin Schultschik and Romanus Dyczij‐Edlinger
The purpose of this paper is to compare competing adaptive strategies for fast frequency sweeps for driven and waveguide‐mode problems and give recommendations for practical…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare competing adaptive strategies for fast frequency sweeps for driven and waveguide‐mode problems and give recommendations for practical implementations.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper first summarizes the theory of adaptive strategies for multi‐point (MP) sweeps and then evaluates the efficiency of such methods by means of numerical examples.
Findings
The authors' numerical tests give clear evidence for exponential convergence. In the driven case, highly resonant structures lead to pronounced pre‐asymptotic regions, followed by almost immediate convergence. Bisection and greedy point‐placement methods behave similarly. Incremental indicators are trivial to implement and perform similarly well as residual‐based methods.
Research limitations/implications
While the underlying reduction methods can be extended to any kind of affine parameter‐dependence, the numerical tests of this paper are for polynomial parameter‐dependence only.
Practical implications
The present paper describes self‐adaptive point‐placement methods and termination criteria to make MP frequency sweeps more efficient and fully automatic.
Originality/value
The paper provides a self‐adaptive strategy that is efficient and easy to implement. Moreover, it demonstrates that exponential convergence rates can be reached in practice.
Details
Keywords
Zhao-Qin Wang, Yu Shi and Xiao-Rong Wang
The bisection inverse search bow height control interpolation (BIS-BHCI) method for nonuniform rational B-splines (NURBS) curve is proposed to accomplish the serial robotic plasma…
Abstract
Purpose
The bisection inverse search bow height control interpolation (BIS-BHCI) method for nonuniform rational B-splines (NURBS) curve is proposed to accomplish the serial robotic plasma cladding of planar complex curve coating with high precision.
Design/methodology/approach
A plasma–computer integrated cladding system is constructed based on a Motoman-UP6 serial robot and a plasma power. Based on the BIS-BHCI method, combining the serial robotic kinematics with the NURBS curve model, an offline plasma cladding software is developed for Motoman-UP6. Before plasma cladding, a planar NURBS curve coating is designed and defined and its BIS-BHCI is carried out with proper parameters. Then, the cladding programs are generated using the BIS-BHCI results and the robotic kinematics and inputted into the serial robotic controller. After that, the plasma cladding of the planar NURBS curve coating is implemented based on the Motoman-UP6 serial robot.
Findings
The simulation and plasma cladding for the NURBS curve coating shows that the BIS-BHCI method is feasible and effective. Plasma cladding of complex NURBS curve coating based on serial robot is feasible and effective.
Originality/value
The complex NURBS curve coating is prepared based on a serial robot platform for the first time. It provides a theoretical and technical basis for plasma cladding to produce surface coatings of industrial complex parts. With the increasing application of complex parts, the plasma cladding process of complex NURBS curve coatings has a broad application prospect.
Details
Keywords
Juha-Matti Lehtonen and Kai Virtanen
The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach based on an additive value function (AVF) to select the most economically…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach based on an additive value function (AVF) to select the most economically advantageous tender under European Union public procurement regulations.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study in which the AVF tender evaluation model is constructed by the procurement personnel and the results of the original, real-life public procurement evaluation model are compared to those discovered by the MCDA approach.
Findings
The AVF model captures the preferences of the procurement authority in a more reliable and transparent manner than commonly used evaluation models based on scoring formulas.
Practical implications
While commonly used in public procurement, relative scoring formulas can neither present the preferences of a procurement unit accurately nor do they enable bidders to draft bids according to these preferences. The proposed MCDA approach can achieve both.
Originality/value
The contribution of this paper is threefold. First, the successful construction of the AVF model with procurement personnel is introduced. Second, the model is used in an actual, real-life case. Third, a thoughtful comparison of features, structures and results of the AVF model and the evaluation model using scoring formulas is presented.
Details
Keywords
Yumo Wang, Zhifeng Liu, Ligang Cai and Qiang Cheng
This paper aims to study the nonlinear supporting performance of hydrostatic ram under the impact of cutting force and search for an optimal solution to improve its stiffness.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the nonlinear supporting performance of hydrostatic ram under the impact of cutting force and search for an optimal solution to improve its stiffness.
Design/methodology/approach
The Reynolds equation was applied to resolve the carrying capability of a single oil pad numerically, and an iteration method was used to analyze the nonlinear supporting force and stiffness of a pair of oil pads placed face-to-face. The total offset of ram could be obtained after the displacement of aspectant oil pads was solved by the bisection method. From the comparison of the offset values of ram evaluated under different support conditions, the optimal solution was determined.
Findings
In this study, an optimized oil supply allocation, concluded as 1.16:0.84, is proposed to improve the performance of hydrostatic ram supporting structure.
Originality/value
The supporting performance of hydrostatic ram could be improved by appropriate allocation of oil supply without extra energy consumption.
Details
Keywords
S.A.M. Ghannadpour and H.R. Ovesy
The purpose of this paper is to develop and apply an exact finite strip (F‐a FSM) for the buckling and initial post‐buckling analyses of box section struts.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop and apply an exact finite strip (F‐a FSM) for the buckling and initial post‐buckling analyses of box section struts.
Design/methodology/approach
The Von‐Karman's equilibrium equation is solved exactly to obtain the buckling loads and deflection modes for the struts. The investigation is then extended to an initial post‐buckling study with the assumption that the deflected form immediately after the buckling is the same as that obtained for the buckling. Through the solution of the Von‐Karman's compatibility equation, the in‐plane displacement functions are developed in terms of the unknown coefficient. These in‐plane and out‐of‐plane deflected functions are then substituted in the total strain energy expressions and the theorem of minimum total potential energy is applied to solve for the unknown coefficient.
Findings
The F‐a FSM is applied to analyze the buckling and initial post‐buckling behavior of some representative box sections for which the results were also obtained through the application of a semi‐energy finite strip method (S‐e FSM). For a given degree of accuracy in the results, however, the F‐a FSM analysis requires less computational effort.
Research limitations/implications
In the present F‐a FSM, only one of the calculated deflection modes is used for the initial post‐buckling study.
Practical implications
A very useful and computationally economical methodology is developed for the initial design of struts which encounter post‐buckling.
Originality/value
The originality of the paper is the fact that by incorporating a rigorous buckling solution into the Von‐Karman's compatibility equation, and solving it, a fairly efficient method for post‐buckling stiffness calculation is achieved.
Details