Experimental Study of a Command Governor Adaptive Depth Controller for an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle

Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) are increasingly being used in advanced applications that require them to operate in tandem with human divers and around underwater infrastructure and other vehicles. These applications require precise control of the UUVs which is challenging due to the non-linear and time varying nature of the hydrodynamic forces, presence of external disturbances, uncertainties and unexpected changes that can occur within the UUV’s operating environment. Adaptive control has been identified as a promising solution to achieve desired control within such dynamic environments. Nevertheless, adaptive control in its basic form, such as Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) has a trade-off between the adaptation rate and transient performance. Even though, higher adaptation rates produce better performance they can lead to instabilities and actuator fatigue due to high frequency oscillations in the control signal. Command Governor Adaptive Control (CGAC) is a possible solution to achieve better transient performance at low adaptation rates. In this study CGAC has been experimentally validated for depth control of a UUV, which is a unique challenge due to the unavailability of full state measurement and a greater thrust requirement. These in turn leads to additional noise from state estimation, time-delays from input noise filters, higher energy expenditure and susceptibility to saturation. Experimental results show that CGAC is more robust against noise and time-delays and has lower energy expenditure and thruster saturation. In addition, CGAC offers better tracking, disturbance rejection and tolerance to partial thruster failure compared to the MRAC.     

Dynamic modelling of retrogressive landslides with emphasis on the role of clay sensitivity

This paper presents a detailed numerical study of the retrogressive failure of landslides in sensitive clays. The dynamic modelling of the landslides is carried out using a novel continuum approach, the particle finite element method, complemented with an elastoviscoplastic constitutive model. The multiwedge failure mode in the collapse is captured successfully, and the multiple retrogressive failures that have been widely observed in landslides in sensitive clays are reproduced with the failure mechanism, the kinematics, and the deposition being discussed in detail. Special attention has been paid to the role of the clay sensitivity on each retrogressive failure as well as on the final retrogression distance and the final run‐out distance via parametric studies. Moreover, the effects of the viscosity of sensitive clays on the failure are also investigated for different clay sensitivities.     

A multiscale work-analysis approach for geotechnical structures

This paper presents a second-order work analysis in application to geotechnical problems by using a novel effective multiscale approach. To abandon complicated equations involved in conventional phenomenological models, this multiscale approach employs a micromechanically-based formulation, in which only four parameters are involved. The multiscale approach makes it possible a coupling of the finite element method (FEM) and the micromechanically-based model. The FEM is used to solve the boundary value problem (BVP) while the micromechanically-based model is utilized at the Gauss point of the FEM. Then, the multiscale approach is used to simulate a three-dimensional triaxial test and a plain-strain footing. On the basis of the simulations, material instabilities are analyzed at both mesoscale and global scale. The second-order work criterion is then used to analyze the numerical results. It opens a road to interpret and understand the micromechanisms hiding behind the occurrence of failure in geotechnical issues.     

Application of micropolar plasticity to post failure analysis in geomechanics

A micropolar elastoplastic model for soils is formulated and a series of finite element analyses are employed to demonstrate the use of a micropolar continuum in overcoming the numerical difficulties encountered in application of finite element method in standard Cauchy–Boltzmann continuum. Three examples of failure analysis involving a deep excavation, shallow foundation, and a retaining wall are presented. In all these cases, it is observed that the length scale introduced in the polar continuum regularizes the incremental boundary value problem and allows the numerical simulation to be continued until a clear collapse mechanism is achieved. The issue of grain size effect is also discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

浅谈项目投资失败的原因及对策

地勘单位在向企业化经营转变的过程中 ,投资兴办了许多企业 ,但不少项目以失败告终。文章分析探讨了失败的原因 ,并提出相应的对策     

The second order characteristic condition for plastic flow

In this paper the second order characteristic (discontinuous bifurcation) condition is derived for the granular flow (fully plastic) equations. This second order bifurcation equation is shown to be formally identical to the first order localization requirement during steady elastoplastic deformation provided the elastic compliance tensor is substituted for the product of the plastic multiplier with the flow Hessian. For isotropic yield and flow functions the invariant form of the characteristic condition is given in detail, as well as an alternative expression in adapted co‐ordinates. The characteristic condition can be regarded as defining a hardening function which is maximized to identify the critical angles. When the method is applied to 3D Coulomb flow, Mohr's 3D fracture plane conditions are obtained uniquely. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

不整合运移通道类型及输导油气特征

在对不整合空间结构特征研究的基础上,提出了油气沿不整合运移的通道类型:宏观上,存在由不整合面之上底砾岩和不整合面之下半风化岩石两种高效运载层组合成的双运移通道型和单运移通道型两种通道类型;微观上,底砾岩连通孔隙、半风化岩石构造卸荷风化裂缝系统及溶蚀孔洞系统可作为油气运移的主要通道。通过对不整合面上、下岩石物性分析,认为半风化岩石“孔洞缝”系统较底砾岩连通孔隙有更高的输导油气的能力。研究结果表明,不同的运移通道类型具有不同的输导油气特征。在地史时期,构造裂缝系统和溶蚀孔洞系统一直是不整合输导油气的主要通道;对于软地层构成的不整合来说,开始应是卸荷、风化裂缝系统和底砾岩连通孔隙共同构成不整合输导油气的主要通道,当上覆沉积载荷达到一定程度后,主要是底砾岩连通孔隙起输导油气通道作用;对于脆硬地层构成的不整合来说,卸荷、风化裂缝系统和底砾岩连通孔隙一直是不整合输导油气的主要通道。     

Weibull statistical analysis of granite bending strength

Summary  This paper describes and discusses the adequacy of Weibull statistical analysis to analyse the bending strength of granite. The experimental results show that strength variability is related with a specific origin of failure. This conclusion is based on analysing the influence of the surface condition (extrinsic defects) on the bending strength results treated by the Weibull statistics. The conclusions drawn from this study have been validated by analysing the results of the critical flaw dimension estimated by applying the linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) formulae. Results obtained from fractographic examination also have been used to describe the location of the origin of the fracture and understand the distribution of defects; i.e., there is a unimodal distribution of defects (intrinsic defects), despite the fact that some outlier values are normally observed in the fractured surfaces. Correspndence: P. M. Amaral, Department of Materials Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal     

引水工程秦巴段隧洞地应力模拟及工程地质问题

利用Ansys有限元软件对三峡引水工程秦巴段线路不同深度、不同截面形态隧洞围岩的应力重分布情况进行模拟计算,得到圆形隧洞、城门形隧洞和马蹄形隧洞围岩的应力数值和等值线图.利用库仑一纳维尔强度准则,对花岗岩区及灰岩区隧洞围岩的剪切破坏进行分析;利用三种岩爆应力判别指标,对岩爆进行初步预测;进而对不同深度、不同截面形态的隧洞围岩的稳定性进行分析;最后对引水工程隧洞设计中截面形态的选择给出了初步建议.