Energy efficient engine: Preliminary design and integration studies

A mixed exhaust, direct drive fan turbofan configuration was selected from four candidates. This choice was based on its ability to exceed study goals of 12% lower thrust specific fuel consumption and 5% lower direct operating cost by the 1990's with commercially acceptable technical risk and relative mechanical simplicity. The evaluation leading to configuration selection is discussed. Necessary technology advancements are identified and related to the goals

Topological finiteness properties of monoids. Part 1: Foundations

We initiate the study of higher dimensional topological finiteness properties of monoids. This is done by developing the theory of monoids acting on CW complexes. For this we establish the foundations of $M$-equivariant homotopy theory where $M$ is a discrete monoid. For projective $M$-CW complexes we prove several fundamental results such as the homotopy extension and lifting property, which we use to prove the $M$-equivariant Whitehead theorems. We define a left equivariant classifying space as a contractible projective $M$-CW complex. We prove that such a space is unique up to $M$-homotopy equivalence and give a canonical model for such a space via the nerve of the right Cayley graph category of the monoid. The topological finiteness conditions left-$\mathrm{F}_n$ and left geometric dimension are then defined for monoids in terms of existence of a left equivariant classifying space satisfying appropriate finiteness properties. We also introduce the bilateral notion of $M$-equivariant classifying space, proving uniqueness and giving a canonical model via the nerve of the two-sided Cayley graph category, and we define the associated finiteness properties bi-$\mathrm{F}_n$ and geometric dimension. We explore the connections between all of the these topological finiteness properties and several well-studied homological finiteness properties of monoids which are important in the theory of string rewriting systems, including $\mathrm{FP}_n$, cohomological dimension, and Hochschild cohomological dimension. We also develop the corresponding theory of $M$-equivariant collapsing schemes (that is, $M$-equivariant discrete Morse theory), and among other things apply it to give topological proofs of results of Anick, Squier and Kobayashi that monoids which admit presentations by complete rewriting systems are left-, right- and bi-$\mathrm{FP}_\infty$.Comment: 59 pages, 1 figur

Structural Antennas for 3cm Radar Onboard Multi-Rotor UAV

A series of 3cm amateur band radar antennas suitable for installation on a cinematic grade multi-rotor UAV were considered. A wideband open waveguide mouth antenna was developed that can be made from the existing arms of a multi-rotor UAV without any increase in weight for side-looking wall detection ranging radar. For downward looking radio altimeter, cutting slots in the arms to form slotted waveguide antennas was shown in simulation to be possible both in terms of covering the entire 3cm band from 10 to 10.5GHz and without overly weakening the arms as structural members

Outsourcing the Human Resource Function: Environmental and Organizational Characteristics that Affect HR Performance

A theoretical model is presented that identifies environmental and organizational characteristics that affect human resource (HR) performance in an organization. Specifically, we address the issue of when and under what circumstances does HR outsourcing contribute value to the firm by attempting to identify environmental and organizational characteristics that affect HR department performance and how HR outsourcing mediates that relationship. We propose that supplier competition in the HR provider market has a direct effect on the amount of HR outsourcing which in turn has a direct effect on HR performance. Environmental uncertainty (primary, competitive, and supplier) is proposed to moderate the relationship between amount of HR outsourcing and HR performance while asset specificity is proposed to moderate the relationship between supplier competition and amount of HR outsourcing. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Southwest Academy of Management meeting in Houston, Texas, March, 2003, and received the 2003 Irwin/McGraw-Hill Distinguished Paper Awar

Mitigation of welding distortion and residual stresses via cryogenic CO2 cooling - a numerical investigation

Fusion welding remains the most common and convenient fabrication method for large, thinplate welded structures. However, the resulting tendency to out-of-plane distortion exacts severe design and fabrication penalties in terms of poorer buckling performance, lack of fairness in external appearance, poor fit-up and frequent requirements for expensive rework. There are several ways to mitigate welding distortion and this study concentrates on the use of cryogenic CO2 cooling to reduce distortion. A feasible combination of welding process and cooling parameters, was investigated computationally and the resulting effects on final deformation were predicted. Three different computational strategies were developed and applied to butt-welding and fillet-welding processes, with and without the inclusion of cryogenic cooling. In the first method, a fully transient, uncoupled thermo-elastoplastic model was investigated. This method is comprehensive but not readily applicable to predict welding distortions in complex, industrial-scale, welded structures, due to the large computational requirement. More computationally efficient models are needed therefore and two further models of this type are suggested in this study. The results show good agreement between the different models, despite substantial differences in computational budget. In butt-welded plates, a significant decrease in out-of-plane distortion is obtained when cryogenic cooling is applied. In fillet-welded plates, cooling had much less effect on welding distortion. This was largely due to the size and configuration of the test case assemblies and the fact that the attached stiffener greatly increased the overall stiffness and resistance to contraction forces