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The issue of anti-Semitism in John Adams’s 1991 opera, The Death of Klinghoffer, has been widely discussed by scholars such as Richard Taruskin, Robert Fink, and others. For instance, Taruskin asserts that Adams favors the Palestinians through musical grandiosity and by describing them as “men of ideals.” However, this fails to consider the possibility that Adams intended to portray an evenhanded view of diverse religious groups. Through close readings of the libretto and select numbers from Klinghoffer, such as the “Chorus of Exiled Palestinians,” the “Chorus of Exiled Jews,” and the “Aria of the Falling Body,” my thesis maintains that Adams treats both sides equally. Although he depicts each group differently through a contrasting approach to text, orchestration, and texture, he nevertheless does not favor one group over the other. Additionally, a close reading of the “Aria of the Falling Body” provides Adams’s possible solution to this conflict – reconciliation between religious communities. Adams does so through portraying Leon Klinghoffer as a scapegoat. This aria is sung by Leon Klinghoffer’s body after he is sacrificed by the Palestinian hijackers – his sacrifice ensured the safety of the remaining passengers on board. Adams thus presents Klinghoffer as religious commentary – not only by vividly depicting the warring religious communities – but also by offering a solution to a centuries-old conflict.

This article presents a simulation study into effects of compliant (flexible) components (such as the engine subframe and the lower control arm) and their deflections on the characteristics of a vehicle experiencing steering drift during straight-line braking. The vehicle front and rear suspension are modelled using multi-body dynamic analysis software. The front suspension model represents theMacPherson strut design of the vehicle and includes a rack and pinion steering system, brake system, engine subframe, and a powertrain unit. The model has been analysed under two steering control methods: fixed and free control. Suspension characteristics and the effect of deflections arising from the subframe and the lower control arm on these suspension characteristics have been analysed. The simulations confirmed that variation of component stiffness and interactions within components give rise to side-to-side deflections that could affect lateral drift during braking. It is concluded that side-to-side variation of suspension characteristics can have a detrimental effect on lateral drift during braking and that compliant components whose stiffness varies from side to side can cause different side-to-side deflections that can induce and influence variation in suspension characteristics such as toe steer angle that can lead the vehicle during braking.

In order to remain competitive in the marketplace, all motor vehicle manufacturers face difficult decisions with regard to balancing cost vs. feature. That is to say that the manufacturer must balance the cost of the product to the customer to remain competitive whilst offering appropriate technology and standard features required by that customer. All motor manufacturers are therefore under pressure to keep costs of nonfeature items to a minimum. One of the cost reductions items prevalent on most vehicles is the deletion of the structural member that attaches the rear bumper, known as the bumper beam (RBB), which is researched in this Thesis. This generates average vehicle savings of $20 and, as this is invisible to the customer, should enable the manufacturers to realise a significant saving or allow this revenue to be spent on additional feature without loss of vehicle function. However, in nearly all cases, deletion of the rear bumper beam has the effect of degrading the steering responses of the vehicle by 1 to 1½ rating points (out of 10), which is contrary to the premise of cost reductions; which is to ensure that vehicle function is unaffected. Initial analysis of vehicles with deleted rear bumper beams cannot show an objective measurable difference in any vehicle behaviours with or without the beam fitted, and hence CAE studies using ADAMS models cannot verify the effects of the bumper beam. It was necessary to employ unconventional modelling and testing methods such as rigid body, flexible body model techniques as well as experimental studies included driving robots and expert driver appraisals. The research demonstrated that vehicle modelling methods currently used, cannot establish or predict the complete vehicle ride and handling status. A total vehicle model approach should be used without separating the body CAE model and vehicle dynamics ADAMS model into separate entities. Furthermore, it was concluded that the determination to the effects of body hysteresis rather than pure stiffness is of crucial importance and that the steering attribute could be maintained with the deletion of the RBB analytically.

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No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.