Vehicular Motion Research Articles

Aging persons' estimates of vehicular motion.

Aging persons' estimates of vehicular motion.

Aerodynamic Characteristics of Road Vehicles and Its Comouter Simulations

Aerodynamics plays an important role inimproving automobile fuel econonw and vehicular motion, and wind tunnel tests are performedwith high frequency to quantitatively evaluate the aerodynamic characteristics of automobiles.This review describes the trendof the aerodynamic dragreduction with tiThe correlation testsof the full-scale wind ttmnelsand the coast-dorm testsinwindyme.environments are discussed in order to predict correctly the aerodynamic drag coefficients. The recent research work on cross-vdnd hazards to automobiles, especially cross-wind characteristics and dynamic behavior of automobiles, are also reviewed.With the rent increaseincomputer speed and capacity, computational fluid dynamics, developed mainlyecin thefieldsofaeronautical and aerospace engineerings, is gradually finding applications inaerodynamics. Several examples of computer simulations by the panel method and the k-e.automotiveturbulence model are shown for the complex flow around a vehicle.

A Modular Dynamic Simulation Approach to the Reconstruction of Automobile Accidents

Dynamic computer simulation of automobile accidents can play a significant role in reconstructing vehicular motion. A modular approach, where individual computer modules are used interactively by an investigator to reconstruct the physical events of an accident in separate phases is proposed. This approach presents an opportunity for widespread application and therefore influence on automobile safety due to its simplicity, costs, accuracy, and ability to meet size limitations on small computers. Modular algorithms to analyze trajectory and impact phases of accidents and a series of nondimensional graphs applicable to the impact phase are developed and applied to two different accidents. The example reconstructions and comparisons with results from trying to reconstruct the accidents using a large “general purpose” program indicate the utility, viability, and promise of a modular algorithm reconstruction approach.

Occupational whole‐body vibration, where do we go from here

NIOSH estimates that some 6.8 million workers are exposed to whole‐body vibration in the workplace in the U.S. The majority of these workers are involved in transportation and vehicular motion (i.e., truck and bus drivers, heavy equipment and farm vehicle operation). NIOSH has conducted four epidemiology studies of bus, truck, heavy equipment workers; a series of human and animal laboratory studies; and a series of vibration field measurement studies. The results, difficulties and merits of these and other related studies will be reviewed and their interrelationships will be discussed. Suggestions for future work directions in occupational whole‐body vibration will also be presented.

Roll Modulated Lifting Entry Optimization

Equations of lifting entry are considered for fixed-angle-of-attack vehicular motion with path control for roll modulation of lift. Attention is directed to relocation and its consequences for the fixed-angle-of-attack atmospheric entry problem. Two reduced-order methods for working with the resulting system of equations are briefly examined. The methods are deemed to warrant further study.