Response analysis of an automobile shipping container

The design and development of automobile shipping containers to reduce enroute damage are discussed. Vibration tests were conducted to determine the system structural integrity. A dynamic analysis was made using NASTRAN and the results of the test and the analysis are compared

Laboratory Testing of Railroad Flatcars for Use as Highway Bridges on Low-Volume Roads to Determine Ultimate Strength and Redundancy

Railroad flatcars (RRFCs) are a convenient option to replace existing deteriorating bridge structures on low-volume roads. They are typically used as the bridge superstructure by placing two or more flatcars side-by-side to achieve the desired bridge width. Utilizing RRFCs as a bridge allows for rapid construction and greater cost savings compared to traditional practices. These benefits make them an attractive solution for rural communities in Indiana, as well as other states. Uncertainty remains about the response under higher loads than could be easily achieved in the field and the level of redundancy of railroad flatcar bridges. Using RRFCs as bridges becomes less economical for counties if they do not display adequate load-path redundancy and are labeled “fracture critical.” If labeled as such, life-cycle costs would rise due to the requirement of an arms-length inspection for each 24 month inspection period. Laboratory testing of a RRFC bridge with two flatcars placed side-by-side allowed for experimental testing under higher loads, as well as increased amounts of instrumentation to better understand the behavior of the RRFCs. As a result of the experimental data, load rating guidelines were developed for RRFC bridges constructed with a fully composite concrete deck. The research also focused on the level of system redundancy in a RRFC bridge after failure of one of the two main box girders. Procedures were developed to estimate whether the remaining longitudinal members provide sufficient available capacity to carry traffic loads

THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL IMPORTANCE OF WHOLESALE PRODUCE MARKETS

The results of a three-year study to establish baseline estimates of the importance of wholesale produce markets (WPM) are reported. It is estimated that a third of all produce marketed in the United States and Canada goes through WPM. These facilities tend to be most important in larger urban areas. Gate and unloading fees commonly charged at WPM may place them at a competitive disadvantage relative to off-market sites.Agribusiness,

Investing in Mobility: Freight Transport in the Hudson Region

Proposes a framework for assessing alternative investments in freight rail, highway, and transit capacity that would increase the ability to improve mobility and air quality in the New York metropolitan area

CHANGES IN TRANSPORTATION COSTS AND INTERREGIONAL COMPETITION IN THE U.S. APPLE INDUSTRY

An interregional competition model of the U.S. apple industry is constructed. This model includes the consumer products of fresh apples, applesauce and apple juice. The validation of the model showed that it did a good job of estimating consumer's quantity demanded and prices and a reasonable job of estimating utilization. This model was used to study the effects of transportation cost changes on the industry in the short- and intermediate run. The total production and consumption levels changed by moderate amounts with changing transport costs while the utilization of a region's crop was quite sensitive to such changes.Crop Production/Industries,

Sulfur-house operation /

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Mathematical modeling of the dynamics of a shovel with flexible coupling

To study the possible ergonomic and energetic advantages on the use of a shovel with a flexible coupling, a dynamic analysis of the motion of the blade together with the lifted raw material was conducted. By this dynamic analysis, ordinary differential equations were set up. Therefore the closed-form solutions were found to obtain useful equations for simulation. The application of mathematical modeling both to the blade with elastic coupling and to the traditional one, allowed to quantify the zeroing of the operator effort in the second half of the blade lifting. However, in the first part of the lifting an effort increase occurs, but in this first phase the operator can take advantage from the support on the thigh, thus lightening the load on the spine