Advanced Design Methodologies Research Articles

Parametric study for shear failure of bearing pads due to hurricane-induced wave loadings

The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and rising sea levels due to climate change, presents significant challenges to coastal infrastructure. With 42% of bridges in the United States exceeding 50 years of age, which surpasses their intended service life, there is a pressing need to assess their structural integrity, especially in coastal regions. This study focuses on evaluating the structural performance of bearing pads in coastal bridges under hurricane-induced wave loadings. Utilizing a combination of physics-based models (PBM), nonlinear modal time history analysis, and numerical validation, the research examines the hysteresis response of eight distinct bearing pad configurations. The findings indicate that reinforced circular bearing pads exhibit significantly greater shear displacements compared to plain elastomeric pads, underscoring the critical influence of shape factors on shear response. Fragility functions developed in the study illustrate the probability of shear failure, with reinforced circular pads showing a 28% higher likelihood of exceedance compared to rectangular plain pads. These results highlight the necessity for advanced design methodologies specifically for bearing pads to enhance the resilience of coastal infrastructure against severe hydrodynamic forces induced by hurricanes.

Rural Landscape Design Strategies in Wenzhou City

In the continuous evolution of contemporary society, with the emergence of the rural revitalization strategy, the field of rural landscape design and village planning in China has ushered in diversified practical paths and in-depth theoretical exploration. Wenzhou City, located in the coastal area, showcases unique diversity in its rural landscape. From the urban villages embedded in the city to the winding villages in the mountains, and then to the fishing villages living by the sea, every place is a treasure intertwined with nature and culture. This study aims to collect and analyze unique rural landscape cases in Wenzhou City through detailed field research. On this basis, we will integrate advanced design concepts and methodologies under the current rural revitalization strategy, tailor a set of rural landscape planning schemes that are suitable for the local characteristics of Wenzhou City. The aim is not only to enhance the aesthetic value of rural areas, but also to promote the harmonious coexistence of ecological balance, cultural inheritance, and economic development, painting a vibrant blueprint for the sustainable development of rural areas in Wenzhou City.

Strength-to-Weight Optimization of Driver Shafts: A Comparative Analysis of Material Selection, Manufacturing Methods, Generative Design, and Topology Optimization using Fusion 360

This study presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of strategies for optimizing the strength-to-weight ratio of driver shafts in automobile applications. The research focuses on four key areas: material selection, manufacturing methods, generative design, and topology optimization. Firstly, a range of materials commonly used in driver shaft manufacturing is evaluated, considering factors such as strength, weight, durability.. Various manufacturing methods, including traditional techniques and advanced processes like additive manufacturing, are assessed for their impact on shaft performance. The study also delves into the application of generative design and topology optimization techniques. Generative design algorithms are employed to explore innovative shaft geometries that enhance structural integrity while minimizing weight. Topology optimization algorithms are utilized to optimize material distribution within the shaft, further improving strength-to-weight characteristics. The findings highlight the potential benefits of integrating advanced design methodologies with appropriate material selection and manufacturing processes. This research contributes valuable insights for optimizing driver shafts, enhancing automobile performance, and achieving efficient utilization of materials in automotive engineering. Key Words: Driver Shaft design, Strength and weight optimization, Generative Design, Topology Optimization, Material and manufacturing Consideration.

Moiré Pattern Controlled Phonon Polarizer Based on Twisted Graphene.

Twisted van der Waals materials featuring Moiré patterns present new design possibilities and demonstrate unconventional behaviors in electrical, optical, spintronic, and superconducting properties. However, experimental exploration of thermal transport across Moiré patterns has not been as extensive, despite its critical role in nanoelectronics, thermal management, and energy technologies. Here, thefirst experimental study is conducted on thermal transport across twisted graphene, demonstrating a phonon polarizer concept from the rotational misalignment between stacked layers. The direct thermal and acoustic measurements,structural characterizations, and atomistic modeling, reveal a modulation up to 631% in thermal conductance with various Moiré angles, while maintaining a high acoustic transmission. By comparing experiments with density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations, mode-dependent phonon transmissions are quantified based on the angle alignment of graphene band structures and attributed to the coupling among flexural phonon modes. The agreement confirms the dominant tuning mechanisms in adjusting phonon transmission from high-frequency thermal modes while having negligible effects on low-frequency acoustic modes near Brillouin zone center. This study offers crucial insights into the fundamental thermal transport in Moiré structures, opening avenues for the invention of quantum thermal devices and new design methodologies based on manipulations of vibrational band structures and phonon spectra.

Design, Development and Characterization of Indigenously Developed High Temperature Black Body Source for Calibration of ECE Diagnostics

The design, development, and characterization of a Silicon Carbide (SiC) based hightemperature black body source at 600 ºC for Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) measurements has been done. The design has been optimized for higher emissivity performance in 65-140 GHz frequency range using CST Microwave Studio. The innovative design features a pyramid-based structure, incorporating a heater and emitter surface, integrated with an electrical control system. The improvement in emissivity with variation in pyramid slant angle was analysed. The design was refined to ensure surface temperature consistency within a range of ± 15 ºC and rapid heating, taking less than 60 minutes to reach 600 ºC from room temperature. The developed black body calibration source was thermally characterized using IR camera for different set of temperatures and mean temperature distribution was determined. The microwave characterization of the calibration source has been performed in 65–220 GHz frequency range using Vector Network Analyser (VNA) and reflectivity of more than 20 dB has been obtained. The results highlight the synergy between advanced design methodologies, and precise engineering, leading to the development of an efficient SiC-based black body source. This research work not only contributes significantly to the field of engineering but also paves the way for enhanced accuracy and reliability in ECE measurements.

Yolk-Shell MnSe/ZnSe Heterostructures with Selenium Vacancies Encapsulated in Carbontubes for High-Efficiency Sodium/Potassium Storage.

The pursuit of high-performance batteries has propelled the investigation into advanced materials and design methodologies. Herein, the yolk-shell MnSe/ZnSe heterojunction encapsulated in hollow carbontubes (MnSe/ZnSe@HCTs) is prepared as a prospective electrode material for sodium/potassium batteries. The band structure in the heterojunction is methodically adjusted and regulated by intentionally utilizing Mn with unpaired electrons in the 3d orbital. The ZnSe shell confer effectively mitigates volumetric expansion challenges inherent in ions insertion/extraction processes and 1D carbontubular conductive substrate avert the aggregation of MnSe/ZnSe nanoparticles. Concurrently, the heterojunctions implantation induces sublattice distortion and charge redistribution, enriching active sites and regulating band structure. The selenium vacancies within these heterojunctions contribute to the provision of abundant active sites, thereby promoting efficient ions insertion/extraction. In sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), MnSe/ZnSe@HCTs present a superior capacity of 475mAhg-1 at 0.1Ag-1 and sustains a capacity of 408.5mAhg-1 even after 1000 cycles. In potassium-ion batteries (KIBs), MnSe/ZnSe@HCTs deliver a higher specific capacity of 422mAhg-1 at a current density of 0.1Ag-1 and maintain a high coulombic efficiency of 99% after 1000 cycles. The yolk-shell structured MnSe/ZnSe heterojunction demonstrates excellent electrode properties for high-performance sodium/potassium batteries, holding significant promise for future energy storage applications.

Evaluation of the influence of mean stress on the fatigue behavior of notched and smooth medium carbon steel components through an energetic local approach

AbstractIn the present paper, the influence of the mean stress on the fatigue behavior of smooth and notched medium carbon steel components (C45 grade) is investigated through conventional and more advanced design methodologies. Original experimental data are provided for two notched specimen geometries and three different high load ratios (R = {0.7, 0.8, 0.9}). To assess the effect of the mean stress in a larger range, the bulk of fatigue data has been widened through more than 150 tests on C45 steel drawn from literature. The considered experimental data ranged between a load ratio of −2 and 0.9. The mean stress effect has been assessed in a first attempt through well‐established literature models resulting in a data correlation characterized by a large scatter. Finally, an attempt to uniquely consider both geometrical and load ratio effects has been performed through a numerical application of the strain energy density (SED) method. Elevated load ratios (R ≥ 0.7) prove to be highly detrimental for C45 steel with a fatigue life reduction of up to 3 orders of magnitude; however, this effect can be considered with a sufficient degree of accuracy through the SED method.

A model-based design of an onboard stereo vision system: obstacle motion estimation for cooperative automated vehicles

Cooperative automated vehicle software needs to use advanced software engineering design methodologies to manage the complexity of distributed software. This article presents a design model of a stereo vision system for cooperative automated vehicles based on object-oriented analysis and design methodologies and unified modeling language concepts. We use a rational unified process and the 4+1 architectural view model to design the stereo vision system. The designed model is a part of the perception system of the ego vehicle. The stereo vision system continuously perceives the traffic environment using an on-board front-facing stereo camera and sends information to the vehicle control system. The stereo vision system is developed on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS platform with the Nvidia DriveWorks framework using the C++ programming language, and it is deployed on Nvidia Drive PX2 automotive-grade embedded hardware platform. The designed and developed system is evaluated on the Carla simulation environment and the Renault Twizy cooperative automated vehicle research platform. The experimental results show that the approach is applicable, and the system is capable of running in real-time.

Investigative Environments Theoretical Frames, Shared Concepts and Research by Design

This article demonstrates initial outcomes of a recent investigation on a series of theoretical concepts originating from variable sources and trying to formulate a relevant, contemporary discussion on architecture. At the same time, it is attempting to connect to respective academic versions of informing this discussion, by designing experimental structures, spaces and environments, through the use of advanced design tools and methodologies. It tries to draw lines and connections between an ongoing theoretical research and a parallel design research through a highlighted academic course, taking place at the School of Architecture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Design of stabilized polynomial-based ensemble fuzzy neural networks based on heterogeneous neurons and synergy of multiple techniques

In this study, a novel category of polynomial-based ensemble fuzzy neural networks (PEFNNs) are proposed. The study is focused on the development of advanced design methodologies to improve the performance (prediction accuracy) of the model when dealing with nonlinear regression problems. In contrast to the conventional fuzzy polynomial-based models, we adopt a hybrid network structure composed of heterogeneous neurons. The first layer of PEFNNs consists of fuzzy regular polynomial neurons optimized by clustering method. In the consecutive layers, we engage two types of polynomial neurons, which are selected and optimized by evolutionary algorithms. Moreover, an enhanced topology based on fuzzy module and enhanced interconnection (FM&EI) is designed to strengthen the characteristics of fuzzy feature information as well as increase the number and diversity of neurons. Multiple techniques are used synergistically to reinforce the performance of PEFNNs. First, a coefficient-based performance compromise algorithm (CPC) is designed to select neurons by considering the performance and complexity of the neuron. Second, L2-norm regularization is considered to improve the performance of the model. Third, evolutionary algorithm is employed to adjust the structural parameters of PEFNNs. Furthermore, FM&EI and hybrid network structure which consist of heterogeneous neurons are considered as one of the multiple approaches to construct the ensemble model. The performance and stability of PEFNNs are evaluated with a diversity of datasets. A thorough comparative analysis also is covered.

Advanced design methodologies for steel fibre reinforced concrete and new methodology of real time quality control

Steel fibre reinforced concrete has developed over years for the use in structural applications. The material itself has undergone development into higher performing steel fibre types and thus into higher performing steel fibre concretes. Whilst in regards to standards the development went from recommendations into building codes the way of designing – linear elastic design methods or yield line theory – and the way of quality control seemed to remain unchanged from the past. This paper shall emphasize the recent development in a design tool that enables a non-linear design methodology and a new advanced way of real time quality control.

Design of double fuzzy clustering-driven context neural networks

In this study, we introduce a novel category of double fuzzy clustering-driven context neural networks (DFCCNNs). The study is focused on the development of advanced design methodologies for redesigning the structure of conventional fuzzy clustering-based neural networks. The conventional fuzzy clustering-based neural networks typically focus on dividing the input space into several local spaces (implied by clusters). In contrast, the proposed DFCCNNs take into account two distinct local spaces called context and cluster spaces, respectively. Cluster space refers to the local space positioned in the input space whereas context space concerns a local space formed in the output space. Through partitioning the output space into several local spaces, each context space is used as the desired (target) local output to construct local models. To complete this, the proposed network includes a new context layer for reasoning about context space in the output space. In this sense, Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) clustering is useful to form local spaces in both input and output spaces. The first one is used in order to form clusters and train weights positioned between the input and hidden layer, whereas the other one is applied to the output space to form context spaces. The key features of the proposed DFCCNNs can be enumerated as follows: (i) the parameters between the input layer and hidden layer are built through FCM clustering. The connections (weights) are specified as constant terms being in fact the centers of the clusters. The membership functions (represented through the partition matrix) produced by the FCM are used as activation functions located at the hidden layer of the “conventional” neural networks. (ii) Following the hidden layer, a context layer is formed to approximate the context space of the output variable and each node in context layer means individual local model. The outputs of the context layer are specified as a combination of both weights formed as linear function and the outputs of the hidden layer. The weights are updated using the least square estimation (LSE)-based method. (iii) At the output layer, the outputs of context layer are decoded to produce the corresponding numeric output. At this time, the weighted average is used and the weights are also adjusted with the use of the LSE scheme. From the viewpoint of performance improvement, the proposed design methodologies are discussed and experimented with the aid of benchmark machine learning datasets. Through the experiments, it is shown that the generalization abilities of the proposed DFCCNNs are better than those of the conventional FCNNs reported in the literature.

The integration of traditional and advanced design in the formation of sustainable New Rural Housing solutions.

Socio-economic growth in Vietnam greatly depends on the new rural development process in this country; the work is considered a strategic position in national development. Thus, the study of the principles of the architectural design of new rural housing solutions in accordance with the New Rural Environment as required by the Vietnam Ministry of Construction has become urgent. Climate change has become a global concern, so the creation of significant impacts by architectural designs to respond to climate change and make the living environment of rural people better is a major demand. Experience has shown that the dogmatic application of current urban-type housing does not reach the requirements of New Rural Housing. This research intends to show that the solutions of the traditional Vietnamese rural house, which retains the advantages of traditional architecture with excellent characteristics that have been challenged over thousands of years, when combined with advanced design methodologies and technologies, will be the appropriate solution for ‘New Rural Housing’.

Experimental/numerical investigation of mechanical behaviour of internally pressurized cylindrical shells with external longitudinal and circumferential semi-elliptical defects

This paper presents an experimental-numerical investigation on the mechanical behaviour of pressurized cylindrical shells with external longitudinal and circumferential cracks of semi-elliptical shape. The research is motivated by the need to develop advanced design methodologies for shell structures. For that purpose, strain gauges are utilized to monitor strain concentrations near the cracks, and finite element simulations are carried out to predict the corresponding stress intensity factor distributions. A good agreement between numerical simulations and experimental data is found. This confirms that virtual simulations/calculations provide a reliable approach to evaluating mechanical behaviour of pressurized cylindrical shells with crack defects.

General Structure and Coding of a Product Group Database

Today’s product designer is being asked to develop high quality at an ever increasing pace. To meet this need, an intensive search is underway for advanced design methodologies that facilitate the acquisition of design knowledge and creative ideas for later reuse. Additionally, designers are embracing a wide range of macros applications to increase their productivity. This paper proposes a solution for creating a group product database, this being under development, starting from the specifications product in an excel file, in the end obtaining the entities block for the products with parameters and actions according to their characteristics. The code it’s implemented for an abrasive tool by linking product definition parameters to CAD’s functions.

A Systematic Design Methodology for Low-Power NoCs

Network-on-chip (NoC) communication architectures are emerging as the most scalable and efficient solution to handle on-chip communication challenges in the multicore era. In NoCs, power estimations in the early stages of the design help the designers to optimize the design for energy consumption and efficiently map applications to achieve low-power solutions. However, in 90-nm designs or below, the impact of parasitics not only influence timing closure, but also leads to variability in power and area budgets among different NoC architectures. There is a growing need for advanced design methodologies to overcome these issues in NoC designs. This paper presents a system-level design methodology based on layout and power models to achieve low-power and high-performance NoC designs. The impact of global interconnects with and without repeater insertion on the bandwidth and power is considered. Width and spacing of global interconnects and its effect on performance and power dissipation are analyzed. For architectural-level power analysis, different router designs for Chip-Level Integration of Communicating Heterogeneous Elements (CLICHE), Butterfly Fat Tree (BFT), Scalable, Programmable, Integrated Network (SPIN), and Octagon NoC architectures are implemented using ARMs 65-nm standard cell library in 65-nm Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC) process. The router designs are synthesized in RVT process using a ${V}_{\rm dd}$ of 1.0 V and a temperature of 25$^{\circ}{\rm C}$ . Synopsys Prime Time-PX design tool is used for calculating average power dissipation of the router designs.

Delamination Under Fatigue Loads in Composite Laminates: A Review on the Observed Phenomenology and Computational Methods

Advanced design methodologies enable lighter and more reliable composite structures or components. However, efforts to include fatigue delamination in the simulation of composites have not yet been consolidated. Besides that, there is a lack of a proper categorization of the published methods in terms of their predictive capabilities and the principles they are based on. This paper reviews the available experimental observations, the phenomenological models, and the computational simulation methods for the three phases of delamination (initiation, onset, and propagation). It compiles a synthesis of the current state-of-the-art while identifying the unsolved problems and the areas where research is missing. It is concluded that there is a lack of knowledge, or there are unsolved problems, in all categories in the field, but particularly in the category of computational methods, which in turn prevents its inclusion in the structural design process. Suggested areas where short-term and midterm research should be focused to overcome the current situation are identified.

Design Space Exploration for a Custom VLIW Architecture

The increasing complexity of algorithms and embedded systems constraints has lead to advanced design methodologies. Hardware/Software co-design methodology has made it possible to find an optimal architecture for a given application by exploring the design space before building a real hardware prototype. The Design Space Exploration is basically exploring the various processor architectures in order to search for a processor architecture that satisfies different conflicting criteria such as chip area, speed, power consumption or on-chip memory requirements. The output is a set of different architectures representing the different tradeoffs. Retargetable compiler is an important tool in design space exploration (DSE). Retargetable compiler is capable of generating code for different target processors, by reusing most of the code. The objective of this research is to develop a retargetable compiler that can generate efficient code in terms of code size, cycle count and retargetability efforts for a VLIW processor.

Modern Enhancements in Teaching Design Theories to Mechanical Engineering Students

This paper describes the application of computer aided design (CAD) in teaching advanced design methodologies to fourth-year undergraduate students majoring in mechanical engineering. This involves modern enhancements in teaching strategies for subjects such as design-for-X (DFx) and failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) concepts, which are traditionally categorised as advanced design methodologies. The main subsets of DFx including design-for-assembly (DFA), design-for-disassembly (DFD), design-for-manufacturing (DFM), design-for-environment (DFE) and design-for-recyclability (DFR) were covered by studying various engineering and consumer products. The unit was designed as a combination of practical hands-on workshop-based classes along with a software-based evaluation of different products. In addition to CAD, finite element modelling techniques were utilised to enhance the students’ understanding of design faults and failures. The inquiry into teaching practice and design of this fourth-year unit was carried out during past two years and it revealed some interesting outcomes from our teaching practice in terms of students’ learning experiences. Finally, the paper discusses some critical factors in the context of teaching advanced design methodologies to the undergraduates in mechanical engineering and even manufacturing engineering.

Modern enhancements in teaching design theories to mechanical engineering students

This paper describes the application of computer aided design (CAD) in teaching advanced design methodologies to fourth-year undergraduate students majoring in mechanical engineering. This involves modern enhancements in teaching strategies for subjects such as designfor- X (DFx) and failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) concepts, which are traditionally categorised as advanced design methodologies. The main subsets of DFx including design-for-assembly (DFA), design-for-disassembly (DFD), design-for-manufacturing (DFM), design-for-environment (DFE) and design-for-recyclability (DFR) were covered by studying various engineering and consumer products. The unit was designed as a combination of practical hands-on workshop-based classes along with a software-based evaluation of different products. In addition to CAD, finite element modelling techniques were utilised to enhance the students' understanding of design faults and failures. The inquiry into teaching practice and design of this fourth-year unit was carried out during past two years and it revealed some interesting outcomes from our teaching practice in terms of students' learning experiences. Finally, the paper discusses some critical factors in the context of teaching advanced design methodologies to the undergraduates in mechanical engineering and even manufacturing engineering.