abstract: This work considers the design of separating input signals in order to discriminate among a finite number of uncertain nonlinear models. Each nonlinear model corresponds to a system operating mode, unobserved intents of other drivers or robots, or to fault types or attack strategies, etc., and the separating inputs are designed such that the output trajectories of all the nonlinear models are guaranteed to be distinguishable from each other under any realization of uncertainties in the initial condition, model discrepancies or noise. I propose a two-step approach. First, using an optimization-based approach, we over-approximate nonlinear dynamics by uncertain affine models, as abstractions that preserve all its system behaviors such that any discrimination guarantees for the affine abstraction also hold for the original nonlinear system. Then, I propose a novel solution in the form of a mixed-integer linear program (MILP) to the active model discrimination problem for uncertain affine models, which includes the affine abstraction and thus, the nonlinear models. Finally, I demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach for identifying the intention of other vehicles in a highway lane changing scenario. For the abstraction, I explore two approaches. In the first approach, I construct the bounding planes using a Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Problem (MINLP) formulation of the given system with appropriately designed constraints. For the second approach, I solve a linear programming (LP) problem that over-approximates the nonlinear function at only the grid points of a mesh with a given resolution and then accounting for the entire domain via an appropriate correction term. To achieve a desired approximation accuracy, we also iteratively subdivide the domain into subregions. This method applies to nonlinear functions with different degrees of smoothness, including Lipschitz continuous functions, and improves on existing approaches by enabling the use of tighter bounds. Finally, we compare the effectiveness of this approach with the existing optimization-based methods in simulation and illustrate its applicability for estimator design. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Mechanical Engineering 2018

O CAN possui diversas características intrínsecas que o fazem mais apropriado para aplicações automotivas. Neste trabalho serão destacadas algumas dessas características aplicadas a sistemas que exigem um nível muito alto de confiabilidade, através de dois estudos de casos, um para analisar as características gerais do funcionamento da rede CAN, numa arquitetura eletrônica distribuída de um veículo em diversas configurações, cuja taxa de ocupação do barramento é alterado através da modificação do tempo de transmissão de algumas mensagens, e outro estudo para verificar o comportamento de um sistema de controle em malha fechada sobre a rede, focando no impacto do atraso temporal da rede. / The CAN has several inherent characteristics that are more appropriate for automotive applications. In this work will be highlighted some of those characteristics applied to systems that require a very high level of reliability. It is presented two case studies, one to analyze the general characteristics of operation of the CAN network in a electronic distributed architecture of a vehicle for various configurations, whose busload is amended by modifying the time of transmission of some messages, and another study to verify the behavior of a control system in closed loop on the network, focusing on the impact of the delay time in the network.

O indicador de desempenho de um veículo de competição é o tempo gasto para completar uma volta em um circuito. Para minimizar esse tempo o engenheiro de pista pode modificar diversos parâmetros do veículo. A identificação de qual parâmetro será modificado é feita através da percepção do piloto (análise qualitativa) e pela interpretação dos dados colhidos pelos sensores instalados no veículo (análise quantitativa) durante testes. O presente trabalho apresenta algoritmos para análise de desempenho de veículos de competição do tipo Formula em diferentes manobras (aceleração em linha reta, frenagem e curva) e para simulação de uma volta completa em um circuito fechado. Cada algoritmo possui indicadores diretos e indiretos de desempenho, auxiliando na avaliação do comportamento do veículo. A simulação em circuito fechado é dividida em três partes: (1) obtenção da geometria do circuito de forma indireta, (2) levantamento do envelope de limite de desempenho do veículo e (3) simulação de uma volta no circuito. No cálculo é utilizado um modelo matemático não-linear de veículo com seis graus de liberdade, mais quatro graus de liberdade de rotação para os conjuntos roda/pneu. Para a validação do método, o modelo matemático foi concebido com as propriedades de um veículo de Formula 3 (incluindo dados de ensaio em túnel de vento e de bancada de testes de pneus). Os resultados da simulação foram comparados com informações experimentais medidas no veículo completo, trafegando em pista, validando o modelo. Com esse modelo, os algoritmos de desempenho e indicadores apresentados são utilizados para análise de sensibilidade de um parâmetro da configuração do veículo. / The final race car performance goal is the time spent to complete a full lap in a circuit. In order to minimize this lap time engineers can modify several vehicle parameters (setup change). The choice of which parameter will be modified is done analyzing drivers opinion (qualitative analysis) and vehicle sensors data storaged during track testing (quantitative analysis). This work presents a simulation algorithm for Formula type vehicle performance evaluation for different single maneuvers (straight line acceleration, braking and cornering) and lap time simulation. Each algorithm presents its own direct and indirect performance indexes, supporting vehicle behavior evaluation. The lap time simulation algorithm is divided in three parts: (1) indirect race track geometry recreation, (2) vehicle performance envelope and (3) lap time simulation. For this calculation it is used a six degree of freedom non-linear mathematical model for vehicle sprung mass and four rational degree of freedom for the rim/tires set. For algorithm and model validation a Formula 3 vehicle mathematical model was build (including wing tunnel and tire testing data). The simulation results were compared against experimental data from a full lap in a circuit, resulting in a validated mathematical model. With this model, the single maneuver performance algorithm and their indexes were executed for a single vehicle parameter sensibility analysis.

Atualmente as pessoas passam grande parte do tempo dentro de veículos automotivos seja por razões profissionais ou lazer. Este fato tem contribuído para aumentar o interesse das montadoras de veículos na avaliação de condições de conforto de passageiros em veículos automotivos. Os critérios do consumidor, na escolha e compra de um automóvel, têm mudado e agora não envolvem somente aspectos relacionados ao custo e desempenho do veículo, mas também a aspectos de segurança e conforto. O ambiente térmico no interior de um automóvel é bastante complexo e não homogêneo. A forma mais adequada para se avaliar simultaneamente os efeitos da temperatura do ar local, trocas de calor por radiação do corpo, velocidades do ar e a radiação solar em um veículo é por meio do uso de manequins. No presente trabalho foi realizado estudo da utilização de manequins na avaliação de condições de conforto térmico em veículos automotivos e a realização de ensaios em automóveis de passeio. Os ensaios foram realizados em três automóveis (veículo A, veículo B e veículo C), modelos standard, com sistema de climatização para avaliação de condições de conforto térmico para condições de verão (resfriamento) e de inverno (aquecimento). Na avaliação das condições de conforto térmico foram utilizadas temperaturas equivalentes, cujo procedimento de determinação utilizando manequins foi baseado na norma ISO 14505-2. Nos ensaios realizados para as condições de verão (resfriamento), pode-se verificar que em nenhum veículo foram observadas condições de conforto térmico para os vários segmentos do manequim quando os veículos estavam ao sol. Já quando o veículo estava sob a sombra, todos os veículos atingiram facilmente uma condição de conforto (com uma leve sensação de frio em alguns segmentos do manequim). Nos ensaios para condições de inverno (aquecimento) verificou-se que, na ausência da radiação solar e com temperaturas externas mais baixas, os sistemas de climatização conseguiram proporcionar melhores condições térmicas no interior dos veículos, apresentando condições de conforto térmico em quase todas as situações. O automóvel B foi o que apresentou as melhores condições de conforto térmico tanto nos ensaios para condições de verão (resfriamento) quanto de inverno (aquecimento); o que é um bom indicativo de um melhor controle e distribuição de ar naquele veículo. / Nowadays people pass great part of the time inside automotive vehicles due to professional reasons or leisure. This fact has been contributing to increase the OEMs interest in the evaluation of comfort conditions of passengers in automotive vehicles. The consumers criteria, in the choice and acquisition of an automobile, have been changing and now it does not only involve aspects related to the cost and performance of the vehicle, but also involves aspects of safety and comfort. The thermal environment inside an automobile is very complex and no homogeneous. The most appropriate form to evaluate simultaneously the effects of the local air temperature, radiation heat changes of the body, air velocities and the solar radiation in a vehicle are by means of the use of mannequins. In the present work a study of the use of mannequins in the evaluation of thermal comfort conditions in automotive vehicles was done and tests in automobiles were accomplished. The tests were accomplished in three automobiles (vehicle A, vehicle B and vehicle C), standard models, with climatization system for the evaluation of thermal comfort conditions for summer conditions (cooling) and for winter conditions (heating). In the evaluation of thermal comfort conditions equivalent temperatures were used, whose determination procedure using mannequins was based on the norm ISO 14505-2. In the tests accomplished for summer conditions (cooling), it could be verified that in any vehicle conditions of thermal comfort were observed for the segments of the mannequin when the vehicles were in the sun. Already when the vehicle was under the shadow, all the vehicles reached a comfort condition easily (with a light sensation of cold in some segments of the mannequin). In the tests for winter conditions (heating) it was verified that, in the absence of the solar radiation and with lower external temperatures, the climatization systems got to provide better thermal conditions inside the vehicles, presenting conditions of thermal comfort in almost all the situations. The automobile B was what presented the best conditions of thermal comfort so much in the tests for summer conditions (cooling) as for winter conditions (heating); what is a good indicative of a better climatization control and air distribution in that vehicle.

Esse estudo procura integrar as áreas de termodinâmica, transferência de calor e aerodinâmica no desenvolvimento de veículos de alto desempenho. É proposta uma ferramenta computacional que auxilie a análise de alternativas de trocadores de calor compactos, parte integrante do sistema de arrefecimento veicular. O aplicativo desenvolvido, denominado TROCALC, tem dois modos de uso: para colaborar no projeto de um trocador de calor ou para avaliar o desempenho de um trocador existente. Estruturado por um conjunto de equações e parâmetros com base na metodologia de Kays e London (1984), no primeiro modo esse aplicativo fornece alternativas de trocadores a partir dos dados de rejeição de calor por parte do motor e dos valores de vazão e temperatura dos fluidos envolvidos. Para o modo de avaliação de desempenho, além dos dados de entrada já mencionados, é necessário o detalhamento da geometria de superfície do trocador para calcular a quantidade de calor que o radiador é capaz de remover do sistema e comparar com o valor de fluxo de calor rejeitado pelo motor. É adotado um estudo de caso que considerou um veículo de competição da Fórmula SAE para investigar a eficácia do aplicativo TROCALC na análise de desempenho e na definição de novas alternativas para o trocador de calor dedicado àquele automóvel. Foram realizados ensaios em laboratório com a medição de valores para a rejeição de calor, vazão em massa de ar e perda de pressão no trocador existente. Os resultados validaram a ferramenta computacional e oferecem uma redução de 37% nas dimensões do trocador. Por fim é feita uma análise aerodinâmica para o conjunto duto-trocador de calor, que é uma solução típica utilizada em veículos de competição, integrando este conjunto à geometria da carenagem do veículo. Quatro alternativas, incluindo nova geometria para a carenagem do duto-trocador são investigadas do ponto de vista aerodinâmico com o auxílio de programa de dinâmica dos fluidos computacional (CFD). Nesta investigação, o objetivo é melhorar o comportamento de parâmetros relacionados ao escoamento de ar junto do sistema duto-trocador de calor, mantendo um bom comportamento para o arrasto total do veículo. / This study looks for the integration of thermodynamics, heat transfer and aerodynamics in the high-performance vehicles development. A computational tool that facilitates the compact heat exchanges analysis, part of the vehicle cooling system, is proposed. The application denominated TROCALC has two different modes of use: one for compact heat exchanger design and another one to evaluate existent heat exchangers performance. This program, which is structured by a set of equations and parameters based on the Kays and London (1984) methodology, provides heat exchangers alternatives through the input of the engine heat rejection, fluids temperature and mass flow (air and coolant). The tool is also capable of providing a performance analysis of an existent compact heat exchanger. In this case, besides of the inputs already mentioned, it is necessary to inform the surface geometry data of the actual heat exchanger to calculate the heat rejection capacity and compare to the established value of the engine. The case study of the Formula SAE is proposed in order to investigate the efficiency of TROCALC in performance analysis and definition of new alternatives for the Formula SAEs dedicated heat exchanger. Laboratory tests were performed in order to achieve experimentally the heat rejection, mass flow (air side) and pressure drop values in the current heat exchanger. The results validated the computational tool and offered a reduction of 37% in the heat exchangers dimensions. At last, aerodynamic analyses are performed for the duct-compact heat exchanger system, a typical solution adopted in race cars that is the integration of this set to the vehicles bodywork. Four alternatives are researched from the aerodynamic perspective with the computational fluid dynamics program support (CFD), including a new geometry for the duct. In this research, the aim is the improvement of parameters behavior related to the air flow around the duct-compact heat exchanger system, keeping a good behavior to the total drag of the vehicle.

The objective of this research was to explore the possibility of developing novel Magnesium-Tin alloys with improved mechanical properties by micro-alloying. Magnesium is the lightest of all structural metals. It can be machined faster and with almost half the power required for aluminum. There is a limitless supply of magnesium in sea water and it can also be recycled at 5% of initial energy requirements. These properties make magnesium an ideal green alternative to replace metals and polymers in automotive, aerospace, biomedical and defense sectors. The potential weight reduction in the US automotive market alone, leads to 100 billion gallons of gas saved and 6.5 billion gallons of CO2 emissions reduced per year. In defense and aerospace markets, China is the leading foreign supplier of rare earth metals necessary for fabrication of current high-performance Mg alloys, making core defense technologies vulnerable to the interruption of Chinese imports. In the past, China has used its control over mining, application and import of rare earth metals as a strategic leverage. These new Magnesium-Tin ternary alloys offer an alternative that can be made from domestic resources improving national security and minimizing foreign dependence on rare earth metals import. Our results establish that microalloying can tackle issues arising from sluggish precipitate formation kinetics and precipitate size distribution in binary Magnesium-Tin alloys. These new alloys also offer an order of magnitude reduction in heat treatment time (from approximately 1000 hours to less than 100 hours), which makes the benefits of their application two-fold by decreasing manufacturing energy costs and production time. This can also open the route for development of new age-hardenable wrought Magnesium alloys.

Neste trabalho, pretendeu-se obter as características da movimentação do ar no início do tempo de admissão em um motor diesel, partindo de sua entrada no cabeçote, passando pelos pórticos de admissão e válvulas, até a câmara de combustão, utilizando dados reais da geometria e do processo de sobrealimentação de um motor diesel. Para tanto, utilizou-se da abordagem clássica da dinâmica dos fluidos para o desenvolvimento de um modelo matemático constituído por equacionamentos que representassem o consumo de ar, a rotacionalidade do movimento do ar nos pórticos e a movimentação de ar no cilindro, descrita por linhas de corrente obtidas a partir da aplicação da teoria de escoamento potencial plano. Os cálculos foram efetuados usando planilhas eletrônicas geradas em aplicativo Excel e, tanto a avaliação dos efeitos da geometria dos condutos quanto a determinação das linhas de corrente, foram realizadas usando o aplicativo gráfico Rhinoceros. Neste trabalho foram estudadas seis condições associadas a seis ângulos de virabrequim do início do tempo de admissão e que geraram seis conjuntos de linhas de corrente. Os resultados foram comparados com ensaios de PIV - particle image velocimetry e apresentaram semelhanças relevantes nos formatos e nos sentidos das linhas de corrente. Concluiu-se que o procedimento utilizado, por sua simplicidade de implementação, não é prático quando há a necessidade de alteração de uma das variáveis envolvidas. Porém, ao desenvolver o equacionamento para os casos apresentados, foi possível estudar o fenômeno em profundidade satisfatória, mesmo com as hipóteses simplificadoras utilizadas. / In this work, the aim was to obtain the air flow characteristics in the beginning of the intake stroke in a diesel engine, considering the inlet in head, its passiage by intake runners and valves, up to the combustion chamber, using values obtained from geometry and supercharging process observed in a specific diesel engine. It was used a classical fluid dynamics approach to develop a mathematical model which represent the air consumption, the rotation of the air at intake runners and the air flow within the cylinder, described by streamlines obtained by the use of potential flow theory. The calculation used Excel electronic spreadsheets and both the effects from geometry of intake runners evaluation and the streamlines generation were conducted in drawing software Rhinoceros. In this work six different conditions, associated at six crankshaft angles in the beginning of the intake stroke were studied, resulting in six streamlines set. The results were compared to a PIV test - particle image velocimetry - and relevant similarities was observed both in shapes and rotation sense of streamlines. The conclusion was that the methodology, considering its simplicity in implementation, it is not the most practical method when a modification in variables involved is necessary. However, this methodology was enough to study the phenomenon in satisfactory depth, even using the simplifying assumptions.

<div>The development work of a race car revolves around numerous goals such as drag reduction,</div><div>maximizing downforce and side force, and maintaining balance. Commonly, these goals</div><div>are to be met at the same time thus increasing the level of difficulty to achieve them. The</div><div>methods for data acquisitions available to a race team during the season is mostly limited to</div><div>wind tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics, both of which are being heavily regulated</div><div>by sanctioning bodies. While these methods enable data collection on a regular basis</div><div>with repeat-ability they are still only a simulation, and as such they come with some margin</div><div>of error due to a number of factors. A significant factor for correlation error is the effect of</div><div>tires on the flow field around the vehicle. This error is a product of a number of deficiencies</div><div>in the simulations such as inability to capture loaded radius, contact patch deformation in</div><div>Y direction, sidewall deformation and overall shifts in tire dimensions. These deficiencies</div><div>are evident in most WT testing yet can be captured in CFD. It is unknown just how much</div><div>they do affect the aerodynamics performance of the car. That aside, it is very difficult to</div><div>correlate those findings as most correlation work is done at WT which has been said to be</div><div>insufficient with regards to tire effect modeling. Some work had been published on the effect</div><div>of tire deformation on race car aerodynamics, showing a large contribution to performance</div><div>as the wake from the front tires moves downstream to interact with body components. Yet</div><div>the work done so far focuses mostly on open wheel race cars where the tire and wheel assembly</div><div>is completely exposed in all directions, suggesting a large effect on aerodynamics.</div><div>This study bridges the gap between understanding the effects of tire deformation on race car</div><div>aerodynamics on open wheel race cars and closed wheel race cars. The vehicle in question</div><div>is a hybrid of the two, exhibiting flow features that are common to closed wheel race cars</div><div>due to each tire being fully enclosed from front and top. At the same time the vehicle is</div><div>presenting the downstream wake effect similar to the one in open wheel race cars as the</div><div>rear of the wheelhouse is open. This is done by introducing a deformable tire model using</div><div>FEA commercial code. A methodology for quick and accurate model generation is presented</div><div>to properly represent true tire dimensions, contact patch size and shape, and deformed dimension,</div><div>all while maintaining design flexibility as the model allows for different inflation</div><div>pressures to be simulated. A file system is offered to produce CFD watertight STL files that</div><div>can easily be imported to a CFD analysis, while the analysis itself presents the forces and</div><div>flow structures effected by incorporating tire deformation to the model. An inflation pressure</div><div>sweep is added to the study in order to evaluate the influence of tire stiffness on deformation</div><div>and how this results in aerodynamic gain or loss. A comparison between wind tunnel</div><div>correlation domain to a curved domain is done to describe the sensitivity each domain has</div><div>with regards to tire deformation, as each of them provides a different approach to simulating</div><div>a cornering condition. The Study suggests introducing tire deformation has a substantial</div><div>effect on the flow field increasing both drag and downforce.In addition, flow patterns are</div><div>revealed that can be capitalized by designing for specific cornering condition tire geometry.</div><div>A deformed tire model offers more stable results under curved and yawed flow. Moreover,</div><div>the curved domain presents a completely different side force value for both deformed and</div><div>rigid tires with some downforce distribution sensitivity due to inflation pressure.</div>

The Hashin failure criteria and damage evolution model for laminated fiber reinforced polymers are explored. A series of tensile coupon finite element analyses are run to characterize the variables in the physical model as well as modeling techniques for using an explicit dynamic solver for a quasi-static problem. An attempt to validate the model on an axial tube crush is presented. It was found that fiber buckling was not occurring at the impactor-tube interface. Results and speculation as to why the failure initiation is incorrect are discussed. Lessons learned from the tube crush are applied successfully to the quasi-static Formula SAE nosecone crush test. The model is validated by experimental data and the impact metrics between the test and model are within 5%. Future work and possible optimization techniques are discussed.

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