Presented master’s thesis describes the design and the implementation of an experimental device used for the study of tribological aspects of wheel-rail contact. In this work, the reader will first learn the fundamentals such as adhesion, slip, traction curve, etc. Subsequently, the work is describing devices that are used for the study of wheel-rail contact around the world. This section is followed by the author proposed solution. The result is a twin disc device in the scale of 1:3. The device allows determining traction characteristics for different environmental conditions (presence of water, sand and oil in contact for different temperatures) and various operating parameters (contact pressure and speed). A part of this work are also the validation experiments and complete design documentation.

Investigation of material behaviour in a squeeze flow geometry provides an impor- tant technique in rheology and it is relevant also from the technological point of view (some types of dampers, compression moulding). To our best knowledge, the sque- eze flow has not been solved for fluids-like materials with pressure-dependent material moduli. In the main scope of the present thesis, an incompressible fluid whose visco- sity strongly depends on the pressure is studied in both the perfect-slip and the no-slip squeeze flow. It is shown that such a material model can provide interesting departures compared to the classical model for viscous (Navier-Stokes) fluid even on the level of analytical solutions, which are obtained using some physically relevant simplificati- ons. Numerical simulation of a free boundary problem for the no-slip squeeze flow is then developed in the thesis using body-fitted curvilinear coordinates and spectral collocation method. An interesting behaviour is expected especially in the corners of the computational domain where the stress singularities are normally located. Unfor- tunately, numerical results reveal some fundamental drawbacks related to the physical model and its possible improvement is discussed at the end of the thesis.

Traction efficiency of tractors barely reaches 50 % in field operations. On the other hand, modern trends in agriculture show growth of the global tractor markets and at the same time increased demands for greenhouse gas emission reduction as well as energy efficiency due to increasing fuel costs. Engine power of farm tractors is growing at 1.8 kW per year reaching today about 500 kW for the highest traction class machines. The problem of effective use of energy has become crucial. Existing slip control approaches for tractors do not fulfil this requirement due to fixed reference set-point. The present work suggests an optimal control scheme based on set-point optimization and on assessment of soil conditions, namely, wheel-ground parameter identification using fuzzy-logic-assisted adaptive unscented Kalman filter.:List of figures VIII List of tables IX Keywords XI List of abbreviations XII List of mathematical symbols XIII Indices XV 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Problem description and challenges 1 1.1.1 Development of agricultural industry 1 1.1.2 Power flows and energy efficiency of a farm tractor 2 1.2 Motivation 9 1.3 Purpose and approach 12 1.3.1 Purpose and goals 12 1.3.2 Brief description of methodology 14 1.3.2.1 Drive torque feedback 14 1.3.2.2 Measurement signals 15 1.3.2.3 Identification of traction parameters 15 1.3.2.4 Definition of optimal slip 15 1.4 Outline 16 2 State of the art in traction management and parameter estimation 17 2.1 Slip control for farm tractors 17 2.2 Acquisition of drive torque feedback 23 2.3 Tire-ground parameter estimation 25 2.3.1 Kalman filter 25 2.3.2 Extended Kalman filter 27 2.3.3 Unscented Kalman filter 27 2.3.4 Adaptation algorithms for Kalman filter 29 3 Modelling vehicle dynamics for traction control 31 3.1 Tire-soil interaction 31 3.1.1 Forces in wheel-ground contact 32 3.1.1.1 Vertical force 32 3.1.1.2 Tire-ground surface geometry 34 3.1.2 Longitudinal force 36 3.1.3 Zero-slip condition 37 3.1.3.1 Soil shear stress 38 3.1.3.2 Rolling resistance 39 3.2 Vehicle body and wheels 40 3.2.1 Short description of Multi-Body-Simulation 40 3.2.2 Vehicle body and wheel models 42 3.2.3 Wheel structure 43 3.3 Stochastic input signals 45 3.3.1 Influence of trend and low-frequency components 47 3.3.2 Modelling stochastic signals 49 3.4 Further components and general view of tractor model 53 3.4.1 Generator, intermediate circuit, electrical motors and braking resistor 53 3.4.2 Diesel engine 55 4 Identification of traction parameters 56 4.1 Description of identification approaches 56 4.2 Vehicle model 58 4.2.1 Vehicle longitudinal dynamics 58 4.2.2 Wheel rotational dynamics 59 4.2.3 Tire dynamic rolling radius and inner rolling resistance coefficient 60 4.2.4 Whole model 61 4.3 Static methods of parameter identification 63 4.4 Adaptation mechanism of the unscented Kalman filter 63 4.5 Fuzzy supervisor for the adaptive unscented Kalman filter 66 4.5.1 Structure of the fuzzy supervisor 67 4.5.2 Stability analysis of the adaptive unscented Kalman filter with the fuzzy supervisor 69 5 Optimal slip control 73 5.1 Approaches for slip control by means of traction control system 73 5.1.1 Feedback compensation law 73 5.1.2 Sliding mode control 74 5.1.3 Funnel control 77 5.1.4 Lyapunov-Candidate-Function-based control, other approaches and choice of algorithm 78 5.2 General description of optimal slip control algorithm 79 5.3 Estimation of traction force characteristic curves 82 5.4 Optimal slip set-point computation 85 6 Verification of identification and optimal slip control systems 91 6.1 Simulation results 91 6.1.1 Identification of traction parameters 91 6.1.1.1 Comparison of extended Kalman filter and unscented Kalman filter 92 6.1.1.2 Comparison of ordinary and adaptive unscented Kalman filters 96 6.1.1.3 Comparison of the adaptive unscented Kalman filter with the fuzzy supervisor and static methods 99 6.1.1.4 Description of soil conditions 100 6.1.1.5 Identification of traction parameters under changing soil conditions 101 6.1.2 Approximation of characteristic curves 102 6.1.3 Slip control with reference of 10% 103 6.1.4 Comparison of operating with fixed and optimal slip reference 104 6.2 Experimental verification 108 6.2.1 Setup and description of the experiments 108 6.2.2 Virtual slip control without load machine 109 6.2.3 Virtual slip control with load machine 113 7 Summary, conclusions and future challenges 122 7.1 Summary of results and discussion 122 7.2 Contributions of the dissertation 123 7.3 Future challenges 123 Bibliography 125 A Measurement systems 137 A.1 Measurement of vehicle velocity 137 A.2 Measurement of wheel speed 138 A.3 Measurement or estimation of wheel vertical load 139 A.4 Measurement of draft force 140 A.5 Further possible measurement systems 141 B Basic probability theoretical notions 142 B.1 Brief description of the theory of stochastic processes 142 B.2 Properties of stochastic signals 144 B.3 Bayesian filtering 145 C Modelling stochastic draft force and field microprofile 147 D Approximation of kappa-curves 152 E Simulation parameters 156

This thesis highlights generic aspects of contact angle hysteresis and stick-slip motion,encountered in most practical wetting situations.First, we study the scaling relation between the heterogeneity strength and the amplitudeof the contact angle hysteresis it induces in the model configuration of a chemicallyheterogeneous microchannel. A key parameter which determines the qualitativefeatures is the heterogeneity wavelength. In particular, we identify a near-thresholdbehavior where the quadratic scaling between the heterogeneity amplitude and the resultinghysteresis, already known for a dilute system of wetting defects, is explainedby the closeness to the threshold, and a macroscopic limit without observable stick-slipwhere this scaling is linear.In the second part, we adapt the description to the configuration of a meniscusaround a wavy fibre. This adaptation brings the generic results of the first part in thereach of experiments. A comparison with experiments is achieved at the level of theindividual topography-induced jumps.In the third part, we expand the formulation to treat the quasi-steady interface shapecontact line dynamics and study how the the presence of stick-slip motion at the observableor unobservable scale modifies the scaling relation between the contact linevelocity and contact angle. We recover the known result that the scaling exponent dependson the nature of the externally controlled parameter, identify the causes of thisdependency in the corresponding static limits, and predict the disappearance of this dependencyabove a critical velocity which decreases with the heterogeneity wavelength.Finally, we show trough examples how the modelling framework which permitscapturing contact angle hysteresis and stick-slip motion in a minimalistic way can beadopted to treat configurations with a finite amount of contact points, or the 3D problemof a drop with a deformed contact line. We discuss the arising configuration-specificeffects, also in configurations of biomimetic interest. / Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur et technologie / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

BCC metals are commonly used throughout the world and understanding their deformation behavior, especially at the sub-grain level, is essential for their continued use in technological advancements. Correctly and confidently characterizing the active slip systems in BCC materials has been a difficult task throughout past research. The research described in this thesis utilizes high resolution digital image correlation (HRDIC) and relative displacement ratio (RDR) analysis to accurately characterize active slip systems in large grained BCC tantalum and provides new insights into dislocation nucleation sites, relative CRSS values for {110} and {112} slip systems, the correlation between GB transmission factors and strain gradients, the relative length of NBGZs, and slip transmission. A 99.99% pure tantalum oligo sample was sputtered with gold and remodeled to provide high resolution data points to be used in HRDIC. The high resolution of the gold remodeled samples combined with a RDR analysis made it possible to confidently identify active slip systems during tensile deformation at room temperature. One of the observations from this analysis was the discrepancy between the observed active slip systems and those predicted from a simple single-CRSS Schmid's Law. By considering the active systems observed in grains with a range of orientation, it was concluded that the {112} slip systems have a higher CRSS than the {110} by 6.7%. Independent CPFE simulations and experiments on single crystal samples of the same material, agreed with our findings establishing a range of increased CRSS for {112} of 3.9%-7.1%. These conclusions are compared with the small number of available estimates of the CRSS ratio, and lie in between the value of equal CRSS used by most modelers, and experimental estimates of 15-25% higher for {112}. The identified active slip systems were also used in the Luster and Morris equation to calculate each GBs transmissivity factor - an estimate of strain incompatibility between neighboring grains. Results indicate that there is an inverse correlation between GB transmissivity and strain gradient slope, as well as a positive correlation between GB transmissivity and slip trace reorientation for some GBs. Only one instance of slip transmission was observed from the 24 GBs analyzed, suggesting it is an uncommon occurrence in BCC tantalum. An analysis of the length of the NBGZ in relation to slip and strain gradients was compared to previous studies and suggests the relative and absolute length of the NBGZ changes with grain size, at least for large length scales. Strain gradients for each side of the GB were measured and results indicated steep negative strain gradient slopes that suggest dislocation nucleation in the GBs and propagation towards the interior of the grain. When compared against the transmissivity factor, an inverse relationship was found to exist between strain gradients and high transmissivity factors.

Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) has recently become a popular construction material for building timber structures. One advantage of CLT is, that it can be used as floor, beam and wall element. As the arrangements of layers in CLT is in perpendicular direction to each other, it exhibits remarkable strength properties in both in-plane directions. However, the low stiffness and strength properties in compression perpendicular to the grain hinder application of CLT in high rising building, since forces are usually transferred from the wall elements through floor elements perpendicular to the grain. Thus, the aim of this thesis is to get a thorough understanding of the mechanical properties of such connections for different setups, including wood-wood connections, connections with acoustic layers and connections with screws. In addition, the wall was place at different positions on the CLT-floor element. Mechanical tests and numerical simulations, by means of finite element modelling (FEM) were carried out. CLT floor elements, consisting of 5-layers, were loaded by 3-layered CLT wall elements. Displacement and deformation were continuously measured by Potentiometers/LVDTs and an optical measurement system, respectively. Based on the experimental results compressive strength, slip curve and stiffness of the CLT connections were evaluated. Subsequently, results from FE-modelling were compared with experimental findings, which show a good agreement in elastic stiffness. Experimental results exhibited a pronounced influence of the wall position and connection setup on strength and stiffness. Central position of the wall showed higher mechanical properties than edge position. Highest strength and stiffness were found for screwed connections, where the wood-wood connections showed similar results. Connections with acoustic layers exhibited the lowest mechanical properties.

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Aufgrund ökonomischer Forderung und dem Trend zum Leichtbau werden Lagergehäusen und Anschlusskonstruktionen zunehmend dünnwandiger gestaltet. Die damit einhergehenden Verformungen begünstigen die Relativbewegungen zwischen Gehäuse/Welle. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht mittels FE-Simulation die Schlupfzustände in der Fuge die aus den Verformungen des dünnwandigen Gehäuses und Anschlusskonstruktionen resultieren. / Due to economic demands and the trend towards lightweight construction, bearing housings are becoming increasingly thin-walled. As a result, the bearing housing become more compliant. The associated deformations favour the relative movements between housing/shaft. The present work investigates the slip conditions in the joint resulting from the deformations of the thin-walled housing by means of FE simulation.