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Article
Publication date: 13 November 2023

Zhe Liu, Weibo Liu and Bin Zhao

This study aimed to explore the spatial accessibility dynamics of urban parks and their driving forces from 1901 to 2010 in terms of the dynamic relationships between spatial…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the spatial accessibility dynamics of urban parks and their driving forces from 1901 to 2010 in terms of the dynamic relationships between spatial morphology and road networks, taking Nanjing City as an example.

Design/methodology/approach

This study mapped and examined the spatiotemporal distribution of urban parks and road networks in four time points at Nanjing: the 1910s, 1930s, 1960s and 2010s, using the analysis methodology of spatial design network analysis, kernel density estimation and buffer analysis. Two approaches of spatial overlaying and data analysis were adopted to investigate the accessibility dynamics. The spatial overlaying compared the parks' layout and the road networks' core, subcore and noncore accessible areas; the data analysis clarified the average data on the city-wide and local scales of the road networks within the park buffer zone.

Findings

The analysis of the changing relationships between urban parks and the spatial morphology of road networks showed that the accessibility of urban parks has generally improved. This was influenced by six main factors: planning implementation, political policies, natural resources, historical heritage and cultural and economic levels.

Social implications

The results provide a reference for achieving spatial equity, improving urban park accessibility and supporting sustainable urban park planning.

Originality/value

An increasing number of studies have explored the spatial accessibility of urban parks through the relationships between their spatial distribution and road networks. However, few studies have investigated the dynamic changes in accessibility over time. Discussing parks' accessibility over relatively long-time scales has practical, innovative and theoretical values; because it can reveal correlational laws and internal influences not apparent in short term and provide reference and implications for parks' spatial equity.

Details

Open House International, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0168-2601

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 October 2021

Zhe Liu, Zhijian Qiao, Chuanzhe Suo, Yingtian Liu and Kefan Jin

This paper aims to study the localization problem for autonomous industrial vehicles in the complex industrial environments. Aiming for practical applications, the pursuit is to…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the localization problem for autonomous industrial vehicles in the complex industrial environments. Aiming for practical applications, the pursuit is to build a map-less localization system which can be used in the presence of dynamic obstacles, short-term and long-term environment changes.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed system contains four main modules, including long-term place graph updating, global localization and re-localization, location tracking and pose registration. The first two modules fully exploit the deep-learning based three-dimensional point cloud learning techniques to achieve the map-less global localization task in large-scale environment. The location tracking module implements the particle filter framework with a newly designed perception model to track the vehicle location during movements. Finally, the pose registration module uses visual information to exclude the influence of dynamic obstacles and short-term changes and further introduces point cloud registration network to estimate the accurate vehicle pose.

Findings

Comprehensive experiments in real industrial environments demonstrate the effectiveness, robustness and practical applicability of the map-less localization approach.

Practical implications

This paper provides comprehensive experiments in real industrial environments.

Originality/value

The system can be used in the practical automated industrial vehicles for long-term localization tasks. The dynamic objects, short-/long-term environment changes and hardware limitations of industrial vehicles are all considered in the system design. Thus, this work moves a big step toward achieving real implementations of the autonomous localization in practical industrial scenarios.

Article
Publication date: 8 September 2022

Yinghan Wang, Diansheng Chen and Zhe Liu

Multi-sensor fusion in robotic dexterous hands is a hot research field. However, there is little research on multi-sensor fusion rules. This study aims to introduce a multi-sensor…

Abstract

Purpose

Multi-sensor fusion in robotic dexterous hands is a hot research field. However, there is little research on multi-sensor fusion rules. This study aims to introduce a multi-sensor fusion algorithm using a motor force sensor, film pressure sensor, temperature sensor and angle sensor, which can form a consistent interpretation of grasp stability by sensor fusion without multi-dimensional force/torque sensors.

Design/methodology/approach

This algorithm is based on the three-finger force balance theorem, which provides a judgment method for the unknown force direction. Moreover, the Monte Carlo method calculates the grasping ability and judges the grasping stability under a certain confidence interval using probability and statistics. Based on three fingers, the situation of four- and five-fingered dexterous hand has been expanded. Moreover, an experimental platform was built using dexterous hands, and a grasping experiment was conducted to confirm the proposed algorithm. The grasping experiment uses three fingers and five fingers to grasp different objects, use the introduced method to judge the grasping stability and calculate the accuracy of the judgment according to the actual grasping situation.

Findings

The multi-sensor fusion algorithms are universal and can perform multi-sensor fusion for multi-finger rigid, flexible and rigid-soft coupled dexterous hands. The three-finger balance theorem and Monte Carlo method can better replace the discrimination method using multi-dimensional force/torque sensors.

Originality/value

A new multi-sensor fusion algorithm is proposed and verified. According to the experiments, the accuracy of grasping judgment is more than 85%, which proves that the method is feasible.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 50 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 November 2017

Zhe Liu, Wei Chen, Desheng Li and Wenjing Zhang

In high-speed processing, the influence on the machining accuracy of a machine tool is greatly caused by the thermal deformation of the motorized spindle; a further study on the…

Abstract

Purpose

In high-speed processing, the influence on the machining accuracy of a machine tool is greatly caused by the thermal deformation of the motorized spindle; a further study on the thermal characteristics of the spindle is given in this paper. This study aims to reduce the thermal error and improve the performance of the machine tool by discussing the relationships between the temperature distributions and rotating accuracy caused by the thermal deformations of the spindle.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper opted for a method combining the theoretical analysis and the experimental study to study the thermal stability of the high-speed motorized spindle. First of all, a finite element model of the spindle was built with ANSYS, whereby temperature distributions and the thermal deformations were successively obtained at different speeds. And then, both the temperature field and the rotating accuracy of the motorized spindle were measured simultaneously by the thermal stability experiment. Finally, the experimental and theoretical results were compared and validated.

Findings

The thermal stability of the motorized spindle was studied in this paper, and some findings from the study were as follows: the spindle’s rotating accuracy maintained good in X direction but bad in Y and Z directions in terms of the deformations; the higher front-end temperature of the spindle which can significantly affect the rotating accuracy is needed to be controlled mainly; the recovery speed of the spindle deformation lagged behind the temperature’s fallback speed; the vibration graph about radial rotating sensitivity synthesized by X1 and X2 presented a trifoliate shape.

Originality/value

Based on a built test-bed which can synchronously measure the motorized spindle’s temperature distribution and rotating accuracy with five-point method, the coupling effects of the thermal deformation and temperature are embodied, and not only the vibration graph but also the thermal tilt angles can be gained. Therefore, considering the influence of the thermal deformation on the heat generated by the bearings, the paper fulfilled a study by which it was obtained that the front-end temperature of the spindle, which was higher and could significantly affect the rotating accuracy, needed to be controlled mainly.

Details

Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, vol. 69 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0036-8792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 March 2017

Wenjing Zhang, Wei Chen and Zhe Liu

The aim of this study is to understand thermal effects and surface topography of roller bearings with misaligned load under combination of multifactors by an experimental method.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to understand thermal effects and surface topography of roller bearings with misaligned load under combination of multifactors by an experimental method.

Design/methodology/approach

A series of orthogonal experiments would need to be planned and performed. A ranking of impact degree of factors on edge effect and eccentric load effect can be learned with multivariate analysis of variance by Statistical Product and Service Solutions software. Influence rules of each individual factor can also be obtained through more experiments. A roller surface phase diagram both before and after test can be observed with metallographic microscope. An axial profile data of roller can be measured by PGI 3D Profiler, then a roller generatrix contour can be achieved through filtering measured signal with empirical mode decomposition method.

Findings

Slip fraction has most impact on edge effect, whereas tilting angle plays a key role in eccentric load effect. For the case of low temperature, skidding damage does not occur. Inversely, because of the high pressure in partial elastohydrodynamic lubrication caused by roller tilt, running-in occurs and micro asperity flattening is observed on a rough surface. And, the larger the tilting angle, the more obvious the micro-flattening and the greater the reduction of roller surface roughness after the test.

Originality/value

A lot of theoretical studies on thermal effect of roller bearings surface morphology have been published. However, there are little on relevant experimental study, especially on thermal effect with an integration of sliding, tilting and unbalance loading.

Details

Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, vol. 69 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0036-8792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 March 2017

Xiuchen Wang, Yaping Li, Ying Su, Zhen Pan and Zhe Liu

The three-dimensional arrangement structure of the conductive fiber is an important factor of the shielding effectiveness of the electromagnetic shielding fabric (EMSF). However…

Abstract

Purpose

The three-dimensional arrangement structure of the conductive fiber is an important factor of the shielding effectiveness of the electromagnetic shielding fabric (EMSF). However, until now, the three-dimensional arrangement structure has not been described because of the complex structure, which leads to many difficulties for the subsequent analysis of the electromagnetic characteristics. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose a feature extraction method to describe the arrangement structure of the conductive fiber based on the three-dimensional calibration and image processing technology, providing a new idea for the above problem.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the three-dimensional positions of the conductive fibers in the EMSF are calibrated using the VHX-600 3D digital microscope and the MATLAB7.5 software. The arrangement characteristics of the conductive fibers are analyzed, and equivalent twist, cross-sectional content, and average angle of a single fiber are proposed to describe the arrangement characteristic of the conductive fiber. Then, a digital description model of the conductive fiber is constructed according to the feature parameters and its three-dimensional structures are reproduced using CATIA. Finally, the reliability of the model is verified by an FDTD example, and the significance and application of the model are given.

Findings

The proposed method can provide the feature extraction and description for the complex spatial three-dimensional arrangement structure of conductive fibers. The feature parameters can reflect different micro arrangement features of the conductive fiber. The proposed idea and method can provide a solid foundation for subsequent studies of the electromagnetic properties of the EMSF.

Originality/value

The study in this paper is of great significance and academic value. This paper provides a new three-dimensional calibration method and constructs multiple feature parameters to describe the complex three-dimensional arrangement structure, providing a new effective method to overcome the problem of the conductive fiber description. The proposed method provides an important basis for the shielding mechanism, transmission characteristics, electromagnetic calculation and product design, and woven technology of the EMSF.

Details

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, vol. 29 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-6222

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 April 2024

Zhe Liu, Yichen Yang and Xiuchen Wang

Stainless-steel electromagnetic shielding (EMS) fabrics are widely applied as protective materials against electromagnetic interference (EMI). However, these fabrics primarily…

Abstract

Purpose

Stainless-steel electromagnetic shielding (EMS) fabrics are widely applied as protective materials against electromagnetic interference (EMI). However, these fabrics primarily shield electromagnetic waves through reflection, which can lead to the formation of resonance effects that severely compromise their protective capabilities and potentially cause secondary electromagnetic pollution in the external environment.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, carbon nanotube fibers are added via spacing method to replace some stainless-steel fibers to impart absorbing properties to stainless-steel EMS fabric. The shielding effectiveness (SE) of the EMS fabrics across various polarization directions is analyzed. Additionally, a spacing arrangement for the carbon nanotube fibers is designed. The EMS fabric with carbon nanotube fibers is manufactured using a semi-automatic sample loom, and its SE is tested using a small window method test box in both vertical and horizontal polarization directions.

Findings

According to the experimental data and electromagnetic theory analysis, it is determined that when the spacing between the carbon nanotube fibers is less than a specific distance, the SE of the stainless-steel EMS fabric significantly improves. The fabric exhibits stable absorbing properties within the tested frequency range, effectively addressing the issue of secondary damage that arises from relying solely on reflective shielding. Conversely, as the spacing between the carbon nanotube fibers exceeds this distance, the SE diminishes. Notably, the SE in the vertical polarization direction is substantially higher than that in the horizontal polarization direction at the same frequency.

Originality/value

This study provides a new path for the development of high-performance EMS fabrics with good wave-absorption characteristics and SE.

Details

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-6222

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 October 2020

Xiuchen Wang, Zhe Liu, Long Wu, Yue Wang and Ying Su

The change rules of the shielding effectiveness (SE) of the sleeve has not been clarified, which leads to the lack of the basis for the design, manufacture and evaluation of the…

Abstract

Purpose

The change rules of the shielding effectiveness (SE) of the sleeve has not been clarified, which leads to the lack of the basis for the design, manufacture and evaluation of the electromagnetic shielding (EMS) clothing.

Design/methodology/approach

According to a simplified analysis model, a series of sleeve samples with different fabrics and styles are designed and manufactured. The SE of the sleeve is tested with the proposed special test method in a semi-anechoic chamber to analyze the influence of different factors on the SE of the sleeve.

Findings

The SE is greatly reduced about 60–90% after the fabric is manufactured into the sleeve. The larger the sleeve length is, the higher the peak value of the SE is. When the sleeve length is low, the SE value is easy to appear negative. As the cuff circumference increases, the SE of the sleeve will change with the frequency band. The influence of the cuff style on the SE of the sleeve mainly depends on the cuff width and style. The larger the cuff width is, the lower the overall SE of the sleeve is. The more wrinkles there are at the cuff, the better the SE of the sleeve is.

Originality/value

Our results provide a reference for the design, production and evaluation of the sleeve and the whole EMS clothing.

Details

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-6222

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 January 2020

Lei Wang, Yang Cai, Wei-Wei Wang, Run-Zhe Liu, Di Liu, Fu-Yun Zhao and Hanqing Wang

This paper aims to numerically investigate the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) convection heat transfer of nanofluid inside a differentially heated enclosure with various fin…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to numerically investigate the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) convection heat transfer of nanofluid inside a differentially heated enclosure with various fin morphologies.

Design/methodology/approach

The fluid flow within the cavity was governed by N-S equations while it within porous medium was solved by the non-Darcy model, called the Darcy–Forchheimer model based on representative element-averaging method. Empirical correlations from experimental data are used to evaluate the effective thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity. Relevant governing parameters, including thermal Rayleigh number (105-107), Hartmann number (0-50), Darcy number (10−6-10−1), thermal conductivity ratio of porous matrix (1-103), nanoparticles volume fraction (0-0.04) and topology designs of porous fins, are sensitively varied to identify their effects and roles on the fluid flow and heat transfer. Particularly, heatlines are used to investigate the mechanism of heat transport.

Findings

Numerical results demonstrate that the predictions of average Nusselt number are augmented by using more porous fins with high permeability, and this effect becomes opposite in tiny Darcy numbers. Particularly, for high Darcy and Rayleigh numbers, the shortest fins could achieve the best performance of heat transfer. In addition, the prediction of average Nusselt number reduces with an increase in Hartmann numbers. An optimal nanoparticles concentration also exists to maximize heat transfer enhancement. Finally, numerical correlations for the average Nusselt number were proposed as functions of these governing parameters.

Practical implications

Present work could benefit the thermal design of electronic cooling and thermal carriers in nanofluid engineering.

Social implications

Present work could benefit the thermal design of electronic cooling and thermal carriers in nanofluid engineering. In addition, optimum thermal removals could enhance the lifetime of electronics, therefore reducing the cost of energy and materials.

Originality/value

To the best knowledge of authors, there are not any studies considering the synergetic effects of porous fins on MHD convection of nanofluids. Present work could benefit the thermal design of electronic cooling and thermal carriers in nanofluid engineering.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 30 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 September 2022

Zhe Liu, Zexiong Yu, Leilei Wang, Li Chen, Haihang Cui and Bohua Sun

The purpose of this study is to use a weak light source with spatial distribution to realize light-driven fluid by adding high-absorbing nanoparticles to the droplets, thereby…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to use a weak light source with spatial distribution to realize light-driven fluid by adding high-absorbing nanoparticles to the droplets, thereby replacing a highly focused strong linear light source acting on pure droplets.

Design/methodology/approach

First, Fe3O4 nanoparticles with high light response characteristics were added to the droplets to prepare nanofluid droplets, and through the Gaussian light-driven flow experiment, the Marangoni effect inside a nanofluid droplet was studied, which can produce the surface tension gradient on the air/liquid interface and induce the vortex motion inside a droplet. Then, the numerical simulation method of multiphysics field coupling was used to study the effects of droplet height and Gaussian light distribution on the flow characteristics inside a droplet.

Findings

Nanoparticles can significantly enhance the light absorption, so that the Gaussian light is enough to drive the flow, and the formation of vortex can be regulated by light distribution. The multiphysics field coupling model can accurately describe this problem.

Originality/value

This study is helpful to understand the flow behavior and heat transfer phenomenon in optical microfluidic systems, and provides a feasible way to construct the rapid flow inside a tiny droplet by light.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

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