Position Fuzzy Control for a Two-Axis Shaking Table based on Slider-Crank Mechanism

Diferentes mecanismos se han diseñado para generar movimientos vibratorios que ayuden a la evaluación de sistemas de control antisísmicos, para ser usados en edificaciones civiles. Estos sistemas denominados “mesas vibradoras” se diseñan generalmente con actuadores lineales los cuales facilitan la implementación de sistemas de control clásicos para su correcto funcionamiento. Este trabajo presenta un sistema de control fuzzy, orientado a controlar el comportamiento de desplazamiento de movimientos telúricos sobre una mesa vibratoria basada en un mecanismo biela-manivela; los resultados presentan una repetitividad superior al 97%, adecuada para la validación de controladores antisísmicos en modelos a pequeña escala.Different mechanisms have been designed to generate vibratory motion to test the evaluation of seismic control systems to be used in structural buildings. These systems are called "shaking-tables" and they are usually designed with linear actuators which facilitate the implementation of classical control systems for its proper operation. This paper presents a position fuzzy control system designed to control the displacement behavior of earthquakes on the shaking-table based on a slider-crank mechanism. The results show repeatability greater than 97%, adequate to the validation of anti-seismic controllers on small-scale models

A Statistical Approach for the Maximization of the Financial Benefits Yielded by a Large Set of MMFs and AEs

This article introduces a statistical approach for the maximization of the financial benefits yielded by software projects that have been broken down into a considerable number of minimum marketable features modules (MMFs) and architectural elements (AEs). As the statistical approach requires a polynomial computational effort to run and provides approximation solutions with an arbitrarily chosen degree of confidence, it allows managers and developers to be more confident about the rightness of the decisions they make with little additional computational effort

Inverse Optimal Control with Speed Gradient for a Power Electric System Using a Neural Reduced Model

This paper presented an inverse optimal neural controller with speed gradient (SG) for discrete-time unknown nonlinear systems in the presence of external disturbances and parameter uncertainties, for a power electric system with different types of faults in the transmission lines including load variations. It is based on a discrete-time recurrent high order neural network (RHONN) trained with an extended Kalman filter (EKF) based algorithm. It is well known that electric power grids are considered as complex systems due to their interconections and number of state variables; then, in this paper, a reduced neural model for synchronous machine is proposed for the stabilization of nine bus system in the presence of a fault in three different cases in the lines of transmission

A Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) Evaluation of Brazilian Sugarcane Expansion on Soil Quality

The Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) was developed to evaluate impacts of land use and management practices on soil quality (SQ), but its suitability for Brazilian tropical soils was unknown. We hypothesized that SMAF would be sensitive enough to detect SQ changes associated with sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) expansion for ethanol production. Field studies were performed at three sites across the south-central region of Brazil, aiming to quantify the impacts of a land use change sequence (i.e., native vegetation–pasture–sugarcane) on SQ. Eight soil indicators were individually scored using SMAF curves developed primarily for North American soils and integrated into an overall Soil Quality Index (SQI) and its chemical, physical, and biological sectors. The SMAF scores were correlated with two other approaches used to assess SQ changes, soil organic C (SOC) stocks and Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) scores. Our findings showed that the SMAF was an efficient tool for assessing land use change effects on the SQ of Brazilian tropical soils. The SMAF scoring curves developed using robust algorithms allowed proper assignment of scores for the soil chemical, physical, and biological indicators assessed. The SQI scores were significantly correlated with SOC stocks and VESS scores. Long-term transition from native vegetation to extensive pasture promoted significant decreases in soil chemical, physical, and biological indicators. Overall SQI suggested that soils under native vegetation were functioning at 87% of their potential capacity, while pasture soils were functioning at 70%. Conversions of pasture to sugarcane induced slight improvements in SQ, primarily because of improved soil fertility. Sugarcane soils are functioning at 74% of their potential capacity. Based on this study, management strategies were developed to improve SQ and the sustainability of sugarcane production in Brazil

A Multiple System of Radio Sources at the Core of the L723 Multipolar Outflow

We present high angular resolution Very Large Array multi-epoch continuum observations at 3.6 cm and 7 mm towards the core of the L723 multipolar outflow revealing a multiple system of four radio sources suspected to be YSOs in a region of only ~4 arcsecs (1200 AU) in extent. The 3.6 cm observations show that the previously detected source VLA 2 contains a close (separation ~0.29 arcsecs or ~90 AU) radio binary, with components (A and B) along a position angle of ~150 degrees. The northern component (VLA 2A) of this binary system is also detected in the 7 mm observations, with a positive spectral index between 3.6 cm and 7 mm. In addition, the source VLA 2A is associated with extended emission along a position angle of ~115 degrees, that we interpret as outflowing shock-ionized gas that is exciting a system of HH objects with the same position angle. A third, weak 3.6 cm source, VLA 2C, that is detected also at 7 mm, is located ~0.7 arcsecs northeast of VLA 2A, and is possibly associated with the water maser emission in the region. The 7 mm observations reveal the presence of an additional source, VLA 2D, located ~3.5 arcsecs southeast of VLA 2A, and with a 1.35 mm counterpart. All these radio continuum sources have a positive spectral index, compatible with them being YSOs. We also propose that the high velocity CO emission observed in the region could be the superposition of multiple outflows (at least three independent bipolar outflows) excited by the YSOs located at the core, instead of the previous interpretations in terms of only one or two outflows.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal (2007 December 6