Center Of Gravity Height Research Articles

Effects of Different Irrigation and Drainage Modes on Lodging Resistance of Super Rice Japonica 9108

In order to determine the optimal irrigation and drainage mode for the anti-lodging cultivation of Super Rice Japonica 9108, barrel loading tests of different irrigation and drainage modes were carried out in the Water-Saving Park of Hohai University in Nanjing from June to October in 2019 and 2020. Three treatments were set up: Frequent and Shallow Irrigation (FSI), Rain-catching and Controlled Irrigation (RC-CI) and Drought Planting with Straw mulching (DPS). In each mode, the growth index, stem morphology index, material production index and stem mechanical index of rice at yellow maturity period were measured, and their relationship with the lodging index was analyzed. The results showed that compared with FSI, the lodging index of RC-CI was reduced by an average of 24.0%. RC-CI can promote the lateral development of the base internodes, increase the accumulation of stem sheath dry matter and the internode fullness and enhance mechanical strength and anti-lodging ability of the stem. Meanwhile, RC-CI can appropriately reduce the plant height, so as to reduce the bending moment of the base internodes. As a consequence, the lodging risk was effectively reduced. The lodging index of DPS was reduced by an average of 16.0% compared with FSI. Because DPS was subject to severe water deficit, its internodes thickness and stem wall thickness were inferior to that of FSI, leading to the weakening of the mechanical strength of stem, and the morphological characteristics and mechanical characteristics of the stem were not improved. Despite this, DPS still had a strong resistance to lodging. The output rate and conversion rate of the stem sheath were reduced, and while the plant height and center of gravity height were significantly reduced, the bending moment remained low. Thus, DPS can still reduce the lodging risk of rice. Compared with FSI, the average yield of RC-CI increased by 5.8% in two years, and the average yield of DPS was reduced by 4.4% in two years. DPS under severe water deficit reduced the accumulation of dry matter in the panicle and the yield index of rice, which was not conducive to a high yield. Considering the yield and lodging resistance of the super rice “Japonica 9108”, RC-CI is the best irrigation and drainage mode, followed by DPS. This study can provide data support and theoretical support for regulating the lodging resistance of super rice through irrigation measures.

ROLLOVER PREVENTION BY MAXIMUM LATERAL FORCE BASED ON THE DETECTION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL CENTER OF GRAVITY

The center of gravity (COG) height is an important factor affecting rollover. Earlier studies by the authors assessed the theory of Detection of Three-Dimensional Center of Gravity (D3DCG), which provides an innovative and accurate method for COG height detection. This report describes development of D3DCG, which can be used to prevent rollover accidents by calculating the maximum height of COG and the maximum lateral force that can exist without causing rollover.
 For a fixed total weight of a vehicle, the COG height has an upper limit. Based on the law of energy conservation, if the COG height is lower than that upper limit, then the vehicle has potential energy against rollover. When the vehicle is running, road disturbances make its body shake. Some potential energy transfers to the spring energy to provide a restorative force and to make the COG return to its original position. Therefore, when the COG height reaches its maximum value, the potential energy disappears, causing rollover. The highest COG can be expressed according to the principle of the balance of rotational torque. To verify this theory, a COG adjustable experiment is designed with a table-top D3DCG device and a tower object. The total object weight does not change, but its COG height increases until the object cannot maintain stability on the device anymore. Comparison of the real COG and the highest COG confirmed that only when the COG is lower than the highest COG, the object will not roll over.
 If a lateral force is acting on a moving object such as a vehicle, then the object will tilt. At the same time, the restoring moment will resist the rolling moment. According to the theory of D3DCG, the lateral force has relation with the rolling angle. When the vehicle starts to roll over, based on the physical structure of moving vehicle, the critical lateral force can be represented by the rolling angle. Therefore, by eliminating the rolling angle as an unknown variable, the maximum lateral force can be expressed by two known variables: the actual COG height and the maximum height of COG. To verify this theory, a remotely controlled truck is made to rotate in a random rotation radius. Then its speed increases gradually until it rolls over. The real-time lateral force is recorded and compared with the calculated maximum lateral force. Results indicate that rollover occurs when the real-time lateral force reaches the maximum lateral force.
 This study examines a novel method of rollover prevention without knowing either the total weight, the vehicle speed or turning radius. The accuracy of this theory was well confirmed by comparing the real-time lateral force and the calculated maximum lateral force based on D3DCG.

A New Synchronous Handling Technology of Double Stack Container Trains in Sea-Rail Intermodal Terminals

With the advantages of large volume, low unit transportation costs, as well as sustainable and stable transport capacity, China in recent years has actively promoted the innovative pilot of double-stack container sea-rail intermodal transport in the Ningbo-Zhoushan port. In this study, a new synchronous handling technology is proposed to improve the handling efficiency of double-stack container trains at sea-rail intermodal terminals. This research primarily focuses on the design of an LDAGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle with Loading and Discharging Function) and a new special articulated flat car for double-stack container trains, while also optimizing the overall layout of the container terminal yard. It then evaluates nine double-stack container stacking forms based on the requirements of transport gauge and center of gravity height. Finally, using data from the Ningbo Beilun No. 3 container terminal, a cost-benefit analysis is performed to compare the traditional handling scheme for common double-stack container trains and the new synchronous handling scheme for double-stack container trains with new special articulated flat car. The results show that the application of new synchronous handling technology has obvious advantages in terms of reducing the handling time and operation cost of double-stack container trains in sea-rail intermodal container terminals, as well as enriching the stacking forms of double-tier containers on the new special articulated flat car, thus reducing the difficulty of collecting cargoes and the organization of container source.

Spraying Ethephon Effectively Increased Canopy Light Transmittance of Densely Planted Summer Maize, Thus Achieving Synergistic Improvement in Stalk Lodging Resistance and Grain Yield.

Increasing planting density is an effective way to improve maize yield, but high plant populations often cause a lodging problem. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of increasing planting density on stalk lodging resistance and grain yield, and to explore the effects on stalk and yield properties of spraying ethephon in densely planted summer maize. The summer maize hybrid, Xundan20 (XD20), was used as experimental material. It was grown by spraying water (CK) or ethephon (E) at BBCH (BASF, Bayer, Ciba-Geigy and Hoechst) 17 under three different planting densities of 60,000 plants ha−1 (L), 75,000 plants ha−1 (M) and 90,000 plants ha−1 (H) in order to explore the possibility of synergistic improvement in stalk lodging resistance and grain yield. The results from this experiment suggested that the gravity center height of densely planted summer maize was significantly increased, the stem diameter, area and number of vascular bundles were significantly decreased and the dry weight per unit internode was significantly decreased, thereby weakening the stalk rind penetration strength and bending performance, resulting in a significant increase in lodging percentage. The ear height was significantly decreased and the SPAD (soil and plant analysis development) and canopy light transmittance were increased after spraying ethephon; then, the internode dry weight per unit length was increased and the stalk rind penetration strength and bending performance were enhanced so as to significantly reduce the lodging percentage and increase the grain yield. The correlation analysis further showed that lodging percentage was significantly negatively correlated with stem diameter, area and number of vascular bundles and stalk bending performance, but there were no strong relationships with grain yield. This suggested that the synergistic improvement in stalk lodging resistance and grain yield was not contradictory. Under the experiment conditions, the effect of spraying ethephon was most significant when the planting density was 90,000 plants ha−1. At the time, the lodging percentage and grain yield were 12.2% and 11,137.5 kg ha−1, which were decreased by 44.6% and increased by 8.0% compared with the control treatment. Scientific chemical regulation could significantly improve the stalk lodging resistance and grain yield of densely planted summer maize.

Nitrogen management improves lodging resistance and production in maize (Zea mays L.) at a high plant density

Lodging in maize leads to yield losses worldwide. In this study, we determined the effects of traditional and optimized nitrogen management strategies on culm morphological characteristics, culm mechanical strength, lignin content, root growth, lodging percentage and production in maize at a high plant density. We compared a traditional nitrogen (N) application rate of 300 kg ha−1 (R) and an optimized N application rate of 225 kg ha−1 (O) under four N application modes: 50% of N applied at sowing and 50% at the 10th-leaf stage (N1); 100% of N applied at sowing (N2); 40% of N applied at sowing, 40% at the 10th-leaf stage and 20% at tasseling stage (N3); and 30% of N applied at sowing, 30% at the 10th-leaf stage, 20% at the tasseling stage, and 20% at the silking stage (N4). The optimized N rate (225 kg ha−1) significantly reduced internode lengths, plant height, ear height, center of gravity height and lodging percentage. The optimized N rate significantly increased internode diameters, filling degrees, culm mechanical strength, root growth and lignin content. The application of N in four split doses (N4) significantly improved culm morphological characteristics, culm mechanical strength, lignin content, and root growth, while it reduced internode lengths, plant height, ear height, center of gravity height and lodging percentage. Internode diameters, filling degrees, culm mechanical strength, lignin content, number and diameter of brace roots, root volume, root dry weight, bleeding safe and grain yield were significantly negatively correlated with plant height, ear height, center of gravity height, internode lengths and lodging percentage. In conclusion, treatment ON4 significantly reduced the lodging percentage by improving the culm morphological characteristics, culm mechanical strength, lignin content, and root growth, so it improved the production of the maize crop at a high plant density.

Research on the Ultimate Velocity and the Ultimate Height of Gravity Center of Vehicles Going through Roadway Curve to Avert Rollover

The results of a study on the ultimate velocity and the ultimate height of gravity center of vehicle to avert rollover while the vehicle going through roadway curve are reported in this paper. An improved mathematical model is developed. The relationship between the ultimate velocity to avert rollover and the relative parameters, and the variations of the ultimate height of gravity center of the vehicle to avert rollover with the relative parameters while the vehicle going through roadway curve are obtained. The results show that in order to avert rollover, the ultimate velocity for the bus involved in Karuizawa Bus Accident should be limited to 77.2 km/h while going through Karuizawa roadway curve. However, the bus velocity recorded was 96 km/h, which exceeded the ultimate velocity and can be considered as one of the important causes that lead to the bus rollover accident. The ultimate vehicle velocity decreases with wind speed increasing for the studied four types of vehicles. The larger the lateral projection area of vehicle, the smaller the ultimate vehicle velocity to avert rollover. The ratio of H/W (the ratio of the ultimate height of gravity center to distance between the right and left wheels) of vehicle will influence the ultimate vehicle velocity and the ultimate height of gravity center to avert rollover markedly. The longitudinal gradients ? of roadway surface plays a role in increasing the risk of vehicle rollover.

Influence of Mechanical Transplanting Methods and Planting Geometry on Grain Yield and Lodging Resistance of Indica Rice Taoyouxiangzhan under Rice–Crayfish Rotation System

Rice–crayfish rotation expanded rapidly in China, as it provides considerable profit and reduces pesticide application. This study investigated the impact of different mechanical transplanting methods and planting geometry on the yield and lodging resistance of an indica rice variety under a rice–crayfish rotation system in 2018 and 2019 in Hongze Lake district, using an excellent-quality variety Taoyouxiangzhan. Seedlings were mechanically transplanted using two mechanically transplanted carpet seedling (MTCS) with equal spacing (30 cm) at five spacings and mechanically transplanted pot seedling (MTPS) with wide and narrow rows (23 cm + 33 cm) at five spacings. The yield of MTPS was 8.3% higher across 2 years under the most optimum density than MTCS using the same density, mainly due to a significantly increased number of spikelets per panicle. Accompanied by the decrease in planting density, rice yield first increased and then decreased under each mechanically transplanting method, and reached the maximum in the A4 and B4 treatments (63.9 × 104 seedlings ha−1), respectively. Compared with MTCS, MTPS significantly increased the fresh weight of single stem, plant height, gravity center height, ear weight, length and area of the upper three leaves, so as to increase the bending moment at basal internodes by whole plant (WP), while it also increased the stem diameter, wall thickness and stem and leaf sheath dry weight per unit length of the second internode at the base, resulting in a significant increase in the force applied to break the base segment (F) and the bending moment of whole plant (M). The higher increase percentage in M than WP led to a decreased lodging index. The lodging index of both mechanically transplanting methods reduced with declined planting density in virtue of the improved breaking load of the basal internode, and it was primarily a result of increased stem diameter, wall thickness and plumpness of basal internode. The balance between the high yield and lodging resistance of Taoyouxiangzhan under a rice–crayfish rotation system can be realized at 63.9 × 104 seedlings ha−1, with MTCS at 15.7 cm plant spacing and MTPS at 16.8 cm. Generally, MTPS showed obvious advantages in yield and lodging resistance than MTCS.

Characteristics of lodging resistance of high-yield winter wheat as affected by nitrogen rate and irrigation managements

High yields of wheat are mainly obtained through a high level of nitrogen and irrigation supplementation. However, excessive nitrogen and irrigation supplication increase the risk of lodging. The main objectives of this work were to clarify the capacity of lodging resistance of wheat in response to nitrogen and irrigation, as well as to explore the effective ways of improving lodging resistance in a high-yield wheat cultivar. In this study, field experiments were conducted in the 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 growing seasons. A wheat cultivar Jimai 22 (JM22), which is widely planted in the northern of Huang-Huai winter wheat region, was grown at Tai'an, Shandong Province, under three nitrogen rates and four irrigation treatments. The lodging risk was increased with increased nitrogen rate, as indicated by increasing lodging index (LI) and lodging rate across both growing seasons. With nitrogen increasing, the plant height, the basal internode length and the center of gravity height, which were positively correlated with LI, increased significantly. While the density of the basal 2nd internode (for culm and leaf sheath) and cell wall component contents, which were negatively correlated with LI, decreased conspicuous along with nitrogen increased. Increasing irrigation supplementation increased the 2nd internode culm wall thickness, breaking strength and leaf sheath density within limits which increased stem strength. Among the treatments, nitrogen application at a rate of 240 kg ha–1 and irrigation application at 600 m3 ha–1 at both the jointing and anthesis stages resulted in the highest yield and strongest stem. A suitable plant height ensures sufficient biomass for high yield, and higher stem stiffness, which was primarily attributed to thicker culm wall, greater density of the culm and leaf sheaths and higher cell wall component contents are the characteristics that should be taken into account to improving wheat lodging resistance.

Foliar application uniconazole enhanced lodging resistance of high-quality indica rice (Oryza sativa L. ) by altering anatomical traits, cell structure and endogenous hormones

Lodging is an important limiting factor for increasing yield and quality in high-quality indica rice production. The objectives of this study were to explore the mechanism of lodging resistance in high-quality indica rice as affected by anatomical and cellular structure, especially its related endogenous hormone changes in culm tissue and response to foliar application uniconazole. Field experiments were conducted in Shanggao County, Jiangxi Province, China, by using two indica rice varieties Meixiangzhan2 (MXZ2) and Taiyou871 (TY871) with two foliar application uniconazole rates (0 mg L −1 , U 0 ; 80 mg L −1 , U 1 ) in 2019 and 2020. The results showed that the foliar application uniconazole affected the grain yield quite low, but decreased lodging index (LI) value with significant difference in both two varieties and years. Compared with U 0 treatments, U 1 treatments rapidly shortened length of basal internodes, especially for IN 4 , but affected length of upper internodes slightly, which resulted in reduction of length from breaking basal internode to top (SL) and bending moment by the whole plant (WP) value. The shorter cell length and denser cell arrangement under U 1 treatments, which were induced by lower endogenous indole acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellin A 3 (GA 3 ) content in culm tissue, declined the length of IN 4 internodes, plant height and center of gravity height. The higher breaking strength (M) was resulted from larger section- modulus (SM) of TY871 and higher bending stress (BS) of MXZ2, respectively. The elevated endogenous 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) and zeatin (Z) content increased cell division in culm tissue and thus, raised the culm wall thickness, culm and leaf sheath cross sectional area and SM in basal internodes. Compared with U 0 treatments, U 1 treatments increased cell wall components including cellulose and lignin, starch, as well as higher BS in both TY871 and MXZ2. These results suggested that reduction of plant height and center gravity height were induced by shorter cell length and denser cell arrangement, which resulted from lower endogenous IAA and GA 3 in culm tissue. The foliar application uniconazole could enlarged culm wall thickness and SM by elevate endogenous ACC and Z content, and increase stem strength by higher carbohydrates including cellulose, lignin and starch and thereby, enhanced lodging resistance of high-quality indica rice. • Lodging resistance of high-quality indica rice was enhanced by shorter basal internodes with optimization cell structure. • Uniconazole shortened plant height and cell lengths due to decrease of endogenous GA 3 and IAA contents. • Uniconazole increased culm wall thickness and section-modulus owing to elevated endogenous ACC and Z content. • The uniconazole increased carbohydrates, e.g. cellulose, lignin and starch, and induced stronger stem strength.

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizer Management on Stalk Lodging Resistance Traits in Summer Maize

Stalk lodging in Huang-Huai-Hai summer maize is a serious problem that reduces maize yields and precludes the use of mechanical grain harvesting equipment. In order to determine the effect of nitrogen management on the lodging resistance of maize stalk, three nitrogen application rates of 150, 250, and 350 kg ha−1 (denoted as N150, N250, and N350), and different nitrogen application periods (sowing, 6-leaf, 12-leaf, silking) were set. Plant morphology, stalk mechanical strength, total carbohydrate, nitrogen content, and yield were measured in the different treatments. The results showed that as the nitrogen application rate increased and nitrogen application was postponed, the stalk breaking force, plant height, ear height, center of gravity height, stalk basal internode diameter, rind penetration strength, content of carbohydrate, and total N of maize stalk also increased. The stalk lodging resistance was improved by the increased nitrogen application rate and postponed nitrogen application by increasing the stalk material accumulation and mechanical strength. The nitrogen application rates had no significant effect on grain yield. Under N250 and N350, the treatments with no base fertilizer significantly decreased the kernel number per ear, reflected in some in grain yield. In summary, under the conditions of integrated water and fertilizer drip irrigation and fractional nitrogen fertilizer applications, increased nitrogen fertilizer input can stimulate the growth of high-quality maize populations, significantly improve stalk lodging resistance in the early growth stage, delay stalk senescence, improve stalk strength and influence stalk composition in later growth stages. Based on the summer maize grain yield and stalk lodging resistance, under N250 treatment, a base fertilizer combined with topdressing at the 12-leaf and silking stages was beneficial to the growth of summer maize.

Lodging Rice Resistant : Identification on MorphoPhysiological Paddy Stems Falling Factor in Different Planting Methods

Due to the extreme weather that hit throughout the year resulted in the threat of rice plants falling down. It was known that the fall of rice plants was a limiting factor for obtaining high yields and quality of grain. Therefore, it was considered important to evaluate the resistance to fall in the general methods of planting rice in the area. Those were transplanting planting (TP) and direct seed planting (TBL). Based on this objective, we identified the morphophysiology of rice stems in the laying factor of 2 planting methods commonly used by farming communities, namely transplanting planting and direct seed planting. Identification was carried out by observing the morphology and physiology of the rice stalks, the laying index and the level of fall of rice plants in each planting method (TP and TBL). The result of the research was that the direct seed planting method (TBL) tends to show morphophysiological identification results that were not resistant to falling compared to the transplanting method (TP). The laying rate shown by TBL was accounting for 75.5% while transplanting (TP) was only 5.7% of the experimental unit area. Significant differences were observed in plant height, stem length, center of gravity height, laying index, laying level, stem internode length, stem internode width, bending moment and bending stress of the stem. In the experiment, it was also found that the grain was damaged due to the fall of the rice plant when the rice fields were flooded. Therefore, it is important to carry out agronomic management as part of sustainable mitigation of the risk of falling rice plants to support national food security

Analysis of combining ability for stem-related traits and its correlations with lodging resistance heterosis in hybrid wheat

With the application of hybrid wheat, lodging is becoming one of the major factors limiting high yield in its production. However, few studies have focused on combining ability and heterosis analysis of stem-related traits. In this study, 24 crosses were made according to NCII genetic design, using the three (photo-sensitive male sterile lines)×eight (restorer lines) incomplete diallel crosses. The length of basal second internode (LBSI) and breaking strength of basal second internode (BSBSI) as well as other stem-related traits were used to perform the principal component analysis (PCA), combining ability and heterosis analysis. The PCA results showed that the variables could be classified into two main factors, which were named as the positive factor (factor 1) and the negative factor (factor 2), and accounted for 52.3 and 33.2%, respectively, of the total variance in different variables, combined with the analysis for index weight indicated that the factor 1-related traits play positive roles in lodging resistance formation of hybrids. Combining ability variance analysis indicated that its genetic performance was mainly dominated by additive gene effects, and the hybrid combinations with higher lodging resistance can be selected by using of 14GF6085 (R1), 14GF6343-2 (R4), 14GF6937 (R6), 14GF7433-1 (R7), and BS1086 (M3), which are with the features with lower general combining ability (GCA) effects of factor 2-related traits whereas higher GCA effects of factor 1-related traits. The heterosis analysis showed that the wide range of heterosis varied with the traits and combinations, and GCA or specific combining ability (SCA) effects of factor 1-related traits except wall thickness of basal second internode (WTBSI) were positively and closely related to the heterosis of lodging resistance. Generally, the correlation coefficients of heterosis to GCA effects of sterile lines (GCAm) of factor 1-related traits are significantly higher than that to GCA of restorer lines (GCAr) and SCA, combined with the higher GCAm variance values of factor 1-related traits compared to GCAr, the GCAm of factor 1-related traits should be particularly considered when breeding hybrid combinations. The heritability analysis showed that the narrow-sense heritability of the diameter of basal second internode (DBSI) and the center of gravity height (TCGH) were obviously lower (<60%) than other traits, suggesting that these two traits were suitable for selection in higher generation for parental breeding. These could provide a theoretical basis for parental breeding and heterosis utilization of lodging resistance.

Roadside Estimation of a Vehicle’s Center of Gravity Height Based on an Improved Single-Stage Detection Algorithm and Regression Prediction Technology

In this paper, a vehicle center of gravity (CG) height estimation method based on improved You Only Look Once algorithm and AdaBoost regression is proposed by relying on roadside sensors. The CG height of a vehicle plays an important role in the performance evaluation indexes of vehicle handling, ride comfort, and safety. Therefore, the accurate measurement of the CG height is helpful for improving vehicle control and ensuring driving safety. Different from traditional vehicle modeling, in this study, a data-driven roadside estimation method based on machine vision is utilized for the estimation of the vehicle CG height, thereby providing an economic and convenient concept. In terms of vehicle type identification, the improved YOLO algorithm is characterized by flexibility and speed while ensuring high accuracy. This ensures that it can be quickly deployed on roadside equipment and meet real-time requirements. Moreover, through the correlation analysis, parameters including the vehicle’s front track width, rear track width, roof height, and weight, which can be collected by roadside sensors, are selected as input parameters for the regression. An ensemble learning model based on AdaBoost regression realizes the final estimation of the CG height. The test results obtained on the NHTSA experimental data show that the average accuracy of vehicle type identification reaches 97.59% and the regression estimation accuracy of the vehicle CG height reaches 94.64%.

Road angle estimation for a vehicle-trailer with machine learning and system model-based approaches

This paper proposes two different approaches for estimating grade and bank angles for arbitrary vehicle-trailer configurations independent from road friction conditions: model-based and Machine Learning (ML) approaches. The model-based method employs unknown input observers on a vehicle-trailer roll/pitch dynamic model with fault thresholds. In the proposed ML approach, a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) with long-short term memory gates is designed to estimate the road angles. The inputs of the RNN have been selected based on the vehicle-trailer roll and pitch dynamic models, and are normalised by the vehicle wheel-base, mass, and centre of gravity height so that the network is modularly applicable to different trailer types. The simulation and experimental test results justify the performance of the proposed road-bank and grade-angle estimation scheme in various cases and demonstrate that both bank and grade angles can be estimated with high accuracy.

Effects of Sowing Mode on Lodging Resistance and Grain Yield in Winter Wheat

For improving lodging resistance and increasing grain yield in wheat in the Yellow-Huai River Basin in China, different sowing modes have been investigated. Conventionally, the small-flat-plot sowing mode has been adopted in wheat cultivation. However, this sowing mode leads to heavy lodging and low land use efficiency. In this study, a new sowing mode, high-low-plot sowing mode with two more rows sowed on the high plot, was investigated. Two cultivars, Hengguan 35 and Jimai 44 were used for two seasonal field experiments from 2018 to 2020. The results showed that grain yield improved with the high-low sowing mode by as much as 25% since more spikes per unit area were observed concomitant with reduced stem lodging. The grain yield increase was mainly due to the enhanced spike number per m2, while the lodging resistance was improved through the lowered plant height and the center of gravity height. This research proves that the high-low-plot sowing mode is an improved sowing mode for producing greater grain yield with better lodging resistance in the wheat production area in northern China.

Rollover Risk Probability Analysis for SUVs and MPVs in the ASEAN Market

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The number of single vehicle and rollover accidents in Indonesia has reached approximately 10,000 (7%) per year. Such an accident is typically followed by a large number of fatality, especially in the case for SUVs and MPVs. In the US, motor vehicle rollovers involving passenger cars, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles result in around 10,000 deaths and 27,000 serious injuries each year. Although single vehicle and rollover accident in Indonesia accounts for less than 10% tow- away crashes involving light vehicles, it has recorded almost one-third of light-vehicle occupant fatalities. The aim of this research is to develop a method to predict rollover probability. One of the key geometrical parameters to describe the rollover risk of vehicles is Static Stability Factor (SSF) which can be correlated with rollover probability using NHTSA statistical data. SSF is defined as the vehicle half-track width divided by its center of gravity height. Since information pertaining to the location of centre of gravity is not publicly available, a method was developed to predict it by using published technical data which were validated using NHTSA database. It was then used to predict rollover probability data for MPVs and SUVs in Indonesia. The method can be a tool for manufacturers, consumers, and regulators to reduce the number of rollover accidents which in turn may reduce occupant fatalities. The result can also be a means to assess the trend of rollover accident risk in the ASEAN region and will be beneficial for ASEAN NCAP in determining SUVs and MPVs safety rating.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Effect of mass distribution on curving performance for a loaded wagon

The location of wagon gravity center for a loaded wagon is underestimated in a vehicle–track coupled system. The asymmetric wheel load distribution due to loading offset significantly affects the wheel-rail contact state and seriously deteriorates the curving performance in conjunction with the height of gravity center and cant deficiency. Optimizing the location of gravity center and cruising velocity, therefore, is of interest to prevent the derailment and promote the transport capacity of railway wagons. This study aims to reveal the three-dimensional influencing mechanism of mass distribution on vehicle curving performance under different velocities. The wheel unloading ratio is regarded as the evaluation index. A simplified quasi-static model is established considering essential assumptions to highlight the influence of lateral and vertical offset on curving performance. For a more accurate description, the MBS models with various locations of wagon gravity center are built and then negotiate curves in different simulation cases. The simulation results reveal that the distribution of wheel unloading ratio determined by loading offset is like contour lines of ‘basin’. Based on the conclusions of quasi-static analysis and dynamics simulations, the regression equation is proposed and the fitting parameters are calculated for each simulation case. This paper demonstrates the necessity of optimizing the location of wagon gravity center according to the running condition and offers a novel strategy to load and transport the cargo by railway wagons.

Effect of uniconazole and nitrogen level on lodging resistance and yield potential of maize under medium and high plant density.

Lodging in maize results in grain yield reduction. This experiment investigated the effects of different application rates of the growth retardant, uniconazole (UCZ), and nitrogen (N) on medium and high maize population densities on lodging resistance and yield. UCZ was applied to maize seeds at concentrations of 0 (U0 ) and 25 (U25 ) mg kg-1 , and three different N application rates, 0 (N0 ), 150 (N150 ) and 225 (N225 ) kg ha-1 , at plant densities of 75,000 (D1 ) and 105,000 plants ha-1 (D2 ). UCZ application, different N rates and plant population density affected the lodging resistance and yield attributes of maize. The diameter, plumpness, cortex penetration and bending strengths of the internodes were enhanced with UCZ and N application at medium and high plant density, where maximum values were obtained with U25 N150 D1 . Internode length increased in the high-density population and higher N rate, whereas UCZ reduced internode length, where maximum internode length was obtained with U0 N225 D2 . Plant height, centre of gravity height, ear and height above ear-bearing node were higher with the high N rate, while UCZ reduced it significantly. UCZ, N rate and plant density enhanced lignin accumulation in the third internode and ear-bearing internode, where maximum values were obtained with U25 N150 D1 . Yield and yield attributes were also improved by UCZ, N rate and population density. Treatment with U25 N150 D2 significantly improved grain yield of maize compared with the other treatments.

A detailed study on design, fabrication, analysis, and testing of the anti-roll bar system for formula student cars

This study explains a coherent flow for designing, manufacturing, analyzing, and testing a tunable anti-roll bar system for a formula student racecar. The design process starts with the analytical calculation for roll stiffness using constraining parameters such as CG (Center of Gravity) height, total mass, and weight distribution in conjunction with suspension geometry. Then, the material selection for the design i.e. Aluminum 7075 T6 is made based on parameters such as density and modulus of rigidity. A MATLAB program is used to iterate deflection vs load for different stiffness and shaft diameter values. This is then checked with kinematic deflection values in Solidworks geometry. To validate with the material deflection, finite element analysis is performed on ANSYS workbench. Manufacturing accuracy for the job is checked using both static analysis in lab settings and using sensors on vehicles during on-track testing. The error percentage is found to be 4% between the target stiffness and the one obtained from static testing. Parameters such as moment arm length, shaft diameter and length, and deflection were determined and validated. This paper shows the importance of an anti-roll bar device to tune the roll stiffness of the car without interfering with the ride stiffness.

Adaptive online estimation of centre of gravity height for commercial vehicles

A novel parameter error driven robust estimation method is proposed for online estimation of centre of gravity (CG) height of a tour bus vehicle. Unlike the commonly used recursive least squares (RLS) method, a parameter error driven updating law is synthesised to ensure improved performance in terms of steady-state error and robust convergence. The stability of the proposed estimation method is illustrated using the Lyapunov approach. The proposed CG estimation method is based on directly measurable lateral acceleration and relative roll angle of the sprung mass, while the high order signals are eliminated using the filtering approach. The validity of the proposed estimation method is illustrated through implementations in TruckSim platform. Simulation results show that the proposed estimation method can yield accurate online estimation of the CG height, together with effective suspension roll stiffness and damping properties.