In this dissertation, a group of vehicle dynamics simulation tools is developed with two primary goals: to accurately represent vehicle behavior and to provide insight that improves the understanding of vehicle performance. Three tools are developed that focus on tire modeling, vehicle modeling and lap time simulation. Tire modeling is based on Nondimensional Tire Theory, which is extended to provide a flexible model structure that allows arbitrary inputs to be included. For example, rim width is incorporated as a continuous variable in addition to vertical load, inclination angle and inflation pressure. Model order is determined statistically and only significant effects are included. The fitting process is shown to provide satisfactory fits while fit parameters clearly demonstrate characteristic behavior of the tire. To represent the behavior of a complete vehicle, a Nondimensional Tire Model is used, along with a three degree of freedom vehicle model, to create Milliken Moment Diagrams (MMD) at different speeds, longitudinal accelerations, and under various yaw rate conditions. In addition to the normal utility of MMDs for understanding vehicle performance, they are used to develop Limit Acceleration Surfaces that represent the longitudinal, lateral and yaw acceleration limits of the vehicle. Quasi-transient lap time simulation is developed that simulates the performance of a vehicle on a predetermined path based on the Limit Acceleration Surfaces described above. The method improves on the quasi-static simulation method by representing yaw dynamics and indicating the vehicle's stability and controllability over the lap. These improvements are accomplished while maintaining the simplicity and computational efficiency of the two degree of freedom method. / Graduation date: 2013

Oil well blow outs are investigated to determine methods to quickly and accurately respond to an emergency situation. Flow rate is needed to guide containment and dispersal operations. The Stratified Integral Multiphase Plume, SIMP, model was used to investigate the range of initial conditions available to integral modeling. Sensitivity to initial conditions is modest, but without experimental data at the appropriate scale the most accurate condition is unable to be determined. Flow rates are difficult to directly measure in blow out situations, so another method must be determined; therefore, sensitivity of several parameters to flow rate was also evaluated. Methane concentration in the first intrusion can be used in conjunction with velocity and trap height measurements to determine flow rate using an integral model. Plume width and temperature were determined to have little sensitivity. Separately, a containment dome was tested in the laboratory to determine if a full scale dome can be used to contain an oil leak in the field. The dome was found to have satisfactory entrapment in the designed position.

The main goal of this study is to define the technique to be used to assess the aggradation (by bed load) and degradation (of sediments) of the recessed as well as non-recessed stilling basins of rectangular cross section; when the hydraulic jump occurs in the stilling basin where the submergence coefficient equals 1,05. It consists of two parts, theoretical and experimental. The theoretical part summarizes the related theory on a hydraulic jump, design of a stilling basin, an incipient motion of sediment, an assessment of silting and scouring of the stilling basin. The second part, the actual experiment, led to the determination of the critical values essential for the assessment. For the evaluation, the nondimensional shear stress and the densimetric Froude number were used.

Cable-actuated manipulators (or 'cable robots') constitute a relatively new classification of robots which use motors, located at fixed remote locations, to manipulate an end-effector by extending or retracting cables. These manipulators possess a number of unique properties which make them proficient with tasks involving high payloads, large workspaces, and dangerous or contaminated environments. However, a number of challenges exist which have limited the mainstream emergence of cable robots. This thesis addresses two of the most important of these issues-- workspace analysis and disturbance compensation. Workspace issues are particularly important, as many large-scale applications require the end-effector to operate in regions of a particular shape, and to exert certain minimum forces throughout those regions. The 'Force-Feasible Workspace' represents the set of end-effector positions, for a given robot design, for which the robot can exert a set of required forces on its environment. This can be considered as the robot's 'usable' workspace, and an analysis of this workspace shape for point-mass cable robots is therefore presented to facilitate optimal cable robot design. Numerical simulation results are also presented to validate the analytical results, and to aid visualization of certain complex workspace shapes. Some cable robot applications may require mounting motors to moving bases (i.e. mobile robots) or other surfaces which are subject to disturbances (i.e. helicopters or crane arms). Such disturbances can propagate to the end-effector and cause undesired motion, so the rejection of motor mount disturbances is also of interest. This thesis presents a strategy for measuring these disturbances and compensating for them. General approaches and implementation issues are explored qualitatively with a simple one-degree-of-freedom prototype (including a strategy for mitigating accelerometer drift), and quantitative simulation results are presented as a proof of concept.