Overhead Guide Sign Visibility Factors, Volume I: Final Report

DTFH61-83-C-00151The project discussed in this report concerned the night use of overhead guide signs, including button and reflectorized copy and all practical combinations of reflectorized and opaque backgrounds. This project was a follow-up effort to the literature review by Gordon. Gordon's review found areas requiring further investigation, including the comparison of nonilluminated-nonretroreflectorized signs with both illuminated-nonretroreflectorized and retroreflectorized signs. The current project included the investigation of current signing practices throughout the country, development of a set of in-use luminance values for current overhead guide sign materials, development of life cycle costs for current signing materials and practices, and determination of driver response characteristics for these overhead guide sign systems. These goals were met through review of the literature, field testing, and static and dynamic laboratory testing. While the results of the tests are presented, no attempt has been made to draw conclusions from these data

Developing Means of Compliance for eVTOL Vehicles: Phase II Final Report

692M15-18-C-00010Development of new air vehicles types (e.g., personal air vehicles, urban taxis, etc.) have led to a proliferation of Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) vehicle concepts including electric vehicles, many of which are well funded and are in various stages of prototype development and testing. These vehicles almost exclusively feature fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control systems with advanced flight control system response-types. The processes and requirements needed to certify these disparate vehicles for operation within the National Airspace System are still emerging. To aid in the requirements and certification process, a mission-oriented approach is being applied to define Mission Task Elements (MTEs), often referred to as Flight Test Maneuvers (FTMs), that will serve as a means of compliance with Part 21.17(b) of certification regulations. This report summarizes the Phase II effort of this program wherein an industry representative lift plus cruise electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) configuration was used to develop and exercise via analysis and fixed-base simulation candidate Handling Qualities Task Elements (HQTEs), a subset of MTEs/FTMs, that address control law transitions, envelope protections, and automation. MTEs/FTMs are repeatable tests based on the vehicle Concept of Operations (CONOPS) and tailored to evaluate aircraft characteristics that assure safe operations within the flight envelope and the ability to perform the intended mission(s) with acceptable pilot workload/compensation

Deep Learning Models and Tools for Disaster Evacuation and Routing

MoDOT project # TR202202Engineering managers and transportations planners need robust tools to communicate evacuation routing plans following disruptions from earthquake events. The project will use the New Madrid Seismic Zone in South-East Missouri as a testbed for modeling the response to an earthquake and aftershocks at Magnitude 8+. This area was chosen as it allows solutions to specific regions with inadequate road networks, limited communications protocols, and high likelihood of structural damage for the proposed scenario. Research tasks include identifying road structure damage based on the Mercalli Intensity Scale, running traffic simulations for post-earthquake evacuation to determine the desired routes out of the area. This research will then be able to display the warning of the earthquake event along with the desired route for the end user. Effectively providing the safest navigation routes are a vital part of these planning efforts

Formic acid synthesis using CO₂ as raw material: Techno-economic and environmental evaluation and market potential

The future of carbon dioxide utilisation (CDU) processes, depend on (i) the future demand of synthesised products with CO₂, (ii) the availability of captured and anthropogenic CO₂, (iii) the overall CO₂ not emitted because of the use of the CDU process, and (iv) the economics of the plant. The current work analyses the mentioned statements through different technological, economic and environmental key performance indicators to produce formic acid from CO₂, along with their potential use and penetration in the European context. Formic acid is a well-known chemical that has potential as hydrogen carrier and as fuel for fuel cells. This work utilises process flow modelling, with simulations developed in CHEMCAD, to obtain the energy and mass balances, and the purchase equipment cost of the formic acid plant. Through a financial analysis, with the net present value as selected metric, the price of the tonne of formic acid and of CO₂ are varied to make the CDU project financially feasible. According to our research, the process saves CO₂ emissions when compared to its corresponding conventional process, under specific conditions. The success or effectiveness of the CDU process will also depend on other technologies and/or developments, like the availability of renewable electricity and steam

Alternative Transportation Energy

Transportation energy issues are moving to the forefront of the public consciousness in the U.S. and particularly California, and gaining increasing attention from legislators and regulators. The three principal concerns motivating interest in transportation energy are urban air quality, oil dependence, and the threat of global warming. Transportation fuels are a principal contributor to each of these. The transportation sector, mostly motor vehicles, contributes roughly half the urban air pollutants, almost one-third of the carbon dioxide, and consumes over 60% of all petroleum

Roadway Powered Electric Vehicle Project Track Construction And Testing Program Phase 3D

This report covers the construction and testing of a Roadway Powered Electric Vehicle (RPEV) proof-of-concept system. The test facility was built at the University of California Richmond Field Station. The facility has a 700-foot test track and an operational 35-passenger RPEV. The report contains an introduction to the concept of RPEV and discusses the following aspects of the project: systems engineering and design, vehicle, facilities, testing, related RPEV research, and control circuits

Roadway Powered Electric Vehicle Project Track Construction And Testing Program Phase 3D

This report covers the construction and testing of a Roadway Powered Electric Vehicle (RPEV) proof-of-concept system. The test facility was built at the University of California Richmond Field Station. The facility has a 700-foot test track and an operational 35-passenger RPEV. The report contains an introduction to the concept of RPEV and discusses the following aspects of the project: systems engineering and design, vehicle, facilities, testing, related RPEV research, and control circuits.Electric vehicles--Automatic control, Electric vehicles--Testing, Induction coils--Testing, Electromagnetic induction