The legislative management of Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) on beaches has evolved over a period of time in response to a range of influences and changing circumstances within the various social, institutional, economic and biophysical systems. The impact of ORVs on beaches in South Africa is multifaceted and when viewed holistically incorporates the interaction between the biophysical, social, economic and institutional environments. This Study focuses only on the legislative and biophysical environments associated with the impact of ORVs on beaches. Sustainable coastal development draws attention to the "process" character of sustainable development that needs to be worked towards over time in an iterative manner. It highlights the need to take into account the current reality of prevailing circumstances, the uncertainty of the future, limited understanding of coastal ecosystems and communities, and the complex interactions between and within the human and non human components of the environment. An understanding of the ecological integrity and effective governance dimensions (being the focus of Study), although only two of the five dimensions of sustainable coastal development, contributes towards an understanding of the sustainability of the impact of ORVs on beaches within the South African context. The legislative environment is investigated from the management perspective of the national Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. This Study determines whether effective governance is being achieved through the ongoing management of the impact of ORVs on South African beaches. The institutional management at a national level has resulted in the conditional banning of ORVs from beaches, which has resulted in promoting the ecological integrity of beaches, therefore contributing towards sustainable coastal development. The physical system is investigated where appropriate in terms of the biophysical parameters within which ORVs are managed on beaches within the inter-tidal zone as per the ORV General Policy (1994). In order to understand the biophysical system within which ORVs are managed, the existing literature and research concerning the impact of ORVs on beaches is reviewed, including existing literature on beach geomorphology and beach biota. A Case Study Area was selected for an experimental investigation to determine the biophysical impact of ORVs on sandy beaches. The experiment was conducted at Leven Point, north of Cape Vidal situated on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast within the St Lucia Marine Reserve. The ORV General Policy (1994) has been superseded by the ORV Regulations (2001), which do not however, specify the biophysical delineation of the management of ORVs on beaches. This Study has included recommendations applicable to the management of ORVs on beaches in South Africa in terms of the ORV Regulations (2001). These recommendations advocate the conservation of the dynamic biophysical environment of the inter-tidal zone on beaches, and the need to take a sustainable coastal development approach to applications for Recreational Use Areas (RUAs) in terms of the ORV Regulations (dated 21 December 2001). / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Univ., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

<div>Efficient engine operation is a fundamental control problem in automotive applications. Robust control algorithms are necessary to achieve satisfactory, safe engine performance</div><div>at all operating conditions while reducing emissions. This thesis develops a framework for control architecture design to enable robust air handling system management.</div><div><br></div><div>The first work in the thesis derives a simple physics-based, control-oriented model for turbocharged lean burn engines which is able to capture the critical engine dynamics that are</div><div>needed to design the controller. The control-oriented model is amenable for control algorithm development and includes the impacts of modulation to any combination of four actuators: throttle valve, bypass valve, fuel rate, and wastegate valve. The controlled outputs: engine speed, differential pressure across throttle and air-to-fuel ratio are modeled as functions of selected states and inputs. Two validation strategies, open-loop and closed-loop are used to validate the accuracy of both nonlinear and linear versions of the control-oriented model. The relative gain array is applied to the linearized engine model to understand the degree of interactions between plant inputs and outputs as well as the best input-output pairing as a function of frequency. With strong evidence of high degree of coupling between inputs and outputs, a coordinated multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) controller is hypothesized to perform better than a single-input single-output (SISO) controller. A framework to design robust model-based H1 MIMO controllers for any given linear plant, while considering state and output multiplicative uncertainties as well as actuator bandwidths is developed. The framework also computes the singular structure value, μ for the uncertain closed-loop system to quantify robustness, both in terms of stability and performance. The multi-tracking control problem targets engine speed, differential pressure across throttle as well as air-to-fuel ratio to achieve satisfactory engine performance while also preventing compressor surge and reducing engine emissions. A controller switching methodology using slow-fast controller decomposition and hysteresis at switching points is proposed to smoothly switch control authority between several MIMO controllers. The control design approach is applied to a truth-reference GT-Power engine model to evaluate the closed-loop controller performance. The engine response obtained using the robust MIMO controller is compared with that obtained using a state-of-the-art benchmark controller to evaluate the additional benefits of the MIMO controller.</div><div><br></div><div><div>In the second study, a robust 2-degree of freedom controller that commands eBooster speed to control air-to-fuel ratio, and a robust MIMO coordinated controller to control gas</div><div>exchange process in a diesel engine with electrified air handling architecture are developed. The MIMO controller simultaneously controls engine speed, mass fraction of the recirculated exhaust gas as well as air-to-fuel ratio. The actuators available for control in the engine include the exhaust gas recirculation valve, exhaust throttle valve, fuel injection rate, eBooster speed, eBooster bypass valve. To design the robust eBooster controller, the input-output relationship between eBooster speed and air-to-fuel ratio is estimated using system identification techniques. The robust MIMO controller is synthesized using a physics-based mean value control-oriented engine model that accurately represents the high-fidelity GT-Power model. In the first control strategy, the robust eBooster controller is added to an already existing stock engine control unit while in the second control strategy, the stock engine control unit is replaced with the multiple-input multiple-output controller. The two control architectures are tested under different operating conditions to evaluate the controller performance. Simulation results with the control architectures developed in the thesis are compared to a baseline engine configuration, where the engine operates without eBooster. Although it is observed that both these control algorithms significantly improve engine performance as compared to the baseline configuration, MIMO controller provides the best engine performance overall.</div></div>

Mine haul road maintenance is traditionally done at scheduled intervals or after regular inspection. Both these methods can lead to unwarranted expenditure, either through over-maintaining the road, or failure to recognise significant deterioration, resulting in an increase in vehicle operating costs. Predictive maintenance management models for unpaved roads have been developed in recent years. These methods work well in a trivial environment where variables such as traffic volume can be predicted. However, many mining systems are too complex for such models to be effective. This work investigates the possibility of using haul truck response to aid haul road maintenance management. The approach adopted for the study was twofold: Firstly, can truck response data be used to recognise specific road defects, in terms of location, type and size? This is important since different defect types require different road maintenance strategies. Secondly, can road roughness be measured on a qualitative basis? With the emphasis on road defect reconstruction, a mathematical modelling approach was adopted. The truck was characterised in terms of its suspension and tyre properties. Dynamic truck response data was acquired during field measurements in which the vehicle was driven over defects of known dimensions. With these data sets available, mathematical modelling and simulation was possible. Quarter vehicle and seven degree of freedom vehicle models played a vital role in this work by laying a foundation in the use of haul truck response for the purpose of road defect reconstruction. A modelling methodology that is based on dynamic equilibrium of an independent front unsprung mass of the truck is proposed in which the vertical dynamic tyre force and eventually the road geometry is calculated. It is shown that defects can be reconstructed from measured truck response data with an accuracy sufficient to fulfil the requirements of defect recognition for road maintenance management purposes. Secondly, a preliminary investigation into the qualitative assessment of road condition via truck response measurements was conducted. The inherent response properties of the truck pertaining to road roughness measurement were studied and some correlation between measured suspension motion and road roughness measured with a high speed profilometer was found. / Dissertation (MEng (Mechanical))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / MEng / Unrestricted

With the increasingly prevalent use of robots, this paper presents the design and evaluation of a multifunctional Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) with an adjustable suspension system, overmolding omni-wheels, and a unique tool head pick-up mechanism. The UGV addresses current adaptability, performance, and versatility limitations across various industries, including agriculture, construction, and surveillance. The adjustable suspension system enhances the UGV's stability and adaptability on diverse terrains, and the overmolding omni-wheels improve maneuverability and durability in off-road conditions. The tool head pick-up mechanism allows for the seamless integration of various tools, enabling the UGV to perform multiple tasks without manual intervention. A comprehensive performance evaluation assessed the UGVs' versatility, load capacity, passability, and adaptability. The results indicate that the proposed UGV design successfully addresses current limitations and has the potential to revolutionize various applications in different industries. Further research and development are necessary to optimize the UGV's performance, safety, and cost-effectiveness. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

This report presents the conceptual development of an off-road cargo trailer designed for usage in conjunction with bicycles when camping. The objective of the study is to address the limitations of existing cargo trailers and thereafter create a trailer that efficiently can navigate off-road terrains while carrying various types of cargo. The research includes collecting data regarding user behaviours and desired functions an optimal trailer should obtain and was translated into user requirements. The result demonstrates the successful development of an off-road cargo trailer on a conceptual level that offers innovative solutions and improved load-carrying capacity in comparison to the available market, while considering factors such as weight, manoeuvrability, and ease of use. This research contributes to the field by presenting data, which can be used in development and a comprehensive solution that expands the possibilities for bicycle-based cargo transportation in off-road environments. Future work can include further refinements to optimise the trailer’s performance and address additional user requirements based on the data presented.

Title: An influence of barefoot walking on postural stabilization Objectives of the thesis: The subject of my diploma thesis is to assess an immediate effect of outside walking on a postural stabilization in two groups throught an experiment. First group of tested subjects (probands) walked barefoot and the other group walked in the conventional shoes. An ambulation took place in outside conditions. The objective of this work is to judge if barefoot walking can have a positive influence on stabilization capabilities of individuals. Farther objective is to judge, if there is a correlation between motor reactions on the tactile stimulation of the soles of the feet and and two walking's manners (shod/unshod). Methods: In this thesis were used a method of anlalysis and a method of comparison in this thesis. The experiment was made in form of pretest (3 measurements) and posttest (3 measurements) on 30 probands. Required data for analysis were obtained by measurements of postural somatooscilography (pSOG). There was evaluated the postural provocation test on the platform of Posturomed. During test was measured a stopping and persistance of one leg stand for the period of 8 seconds. Oscillation curves of platform recorded by an accelerometer and programme Microswing 5.0 were evaluated in programme...

La problématique étudiée dans cette thèse concerne le maintien de l’intégrité de robots mobiles en milieux naturels. L’objectif est de fournir des lois de commande permettant de garantir l’intégrité d’un véhicule lors de déplacements autonomes en milieux naturels à vitesse élevée (5 à 7 m.s -1 ) et plus particulièrement dans le cadre de l’agriculture de précision. L’intégrité s’entend ici au sens large. En effet, l’asservissement des déplacements d’un robot mobile peut générer des consignes nuisant à son intégrité physique, ou à la réalisation de sa tâche (renversement, tête-à-queue, stabilité des commandes, maintien de la précision, etc.). De plus, le déplacement en milieux naturels amène des problématiques liées notamment à des conditions d’adhérence variables et relativement faibles (d’autant plus que la vitesse du véhicule est élevée), ce qui se traduit par de forts glissements des roues sur le sol, ou encore à des géométries de terrains non traversables par le robot. Aussi, cette thèse vise à déterminer en temps réel l’espace de stabilité en terme de commandes admissibles permettant de modérer les actions du robot. Après une présentation des modélisations existantes, et des observateurs permettant l’exploitation de ces modélisations pour la mise en place de loi de commande prédictive en braquage pour le suivi de trajectoire, une nouvelle méthode d’estimation des glissements basé sur une observation cinématique est proposée. Celle-ci permet de répondre aux problématiques de vitesse variable (et notamment du passage de la vitesse par des valeurs nulles) du véhicule et d’observation lors d’un déplacement sans trajectoire de référence. Ce nouvel observateur est primordial pour la suite des développements de cette thèse, puisque la suite des travaux s’intéresse à la modulation de la vitesse du véhicule. Ainsi, dans la suite des travaux, deux lois de commande prédictives agissant sur la vitesse du véhicule ont été mises en place. La première apporte une solution à la problématique de la saturation des actionneurs en braquage, lorsque la vitesse ou les glissements rendent la trajectoire à suivre inadmissible vis-à-vis des capacités physiques du véhicule. La deuxième répond à la problématique de la garantie de la précision du suivi de trajectoire (maintien du véhicule dans un couloir de déplacement). Dans les deux cas la stratégie de commande est similaire : on prédit l’état futur du véhicule en fonction de ses conditions d’évolution actuelle et de conditions d’évolutions futures simulées (obtenues grâce à la simulation de l’évolution d’un modèle dynamique du véhicule) afin de déterminer la valeur de la vitesse optimale pour que les variables cibles (dans un cas la valeur du braquage et dans l’autre l’écart à la trajectoire) respectent les conditions imposées (non-dépassement d’une valeur cible). Les résultats présentés dans ce mémoire ont été réalisés soit en simulations, soit en conditions réelles sur des plateformes robotiques. Il en découle que les algorithmes proposés permettent dans un cas de réduire la vitesse du véhicule pour éviter la saturation du braquage et donc les phénomènes de sur et sous virage qui en découlerait et donc permet de conserver la commandabilité du véhicule. Et dans l’autre cas de garantir que l’écart à la trajectoire reste sous une valeur cible. / This thesis focused on the issue of the preseving of the integrity of mobile robots in off-road conditions. The objective is to provide control laws to guarantee the integrity of a vehicle during autonomous displacements in natural environments at high speed (5 to 7 m.s -1 ) and more particularly in The framework of precision farming. Integrity is here understood in the broad sense. Indeed, control of the movements of a mobile robot can generate orders that affect its physical integrity, or restrains the achievement of its task (rollover, spin, control stability, maintaining accuracy , etc.). Moreover, displacement in natural environments leads to problems linked in particular to relatively variable and relatively low adhesion conditions (especially since the speed of the vehicle is high), which results in strong sliding of wheels on the ground, or to ground geometries that can not be crossed by the robot. This thesis aims to determine in real time the stability space in terms of permissible controls allowing to moderate the actions of the robot. After a presentation of the existing modelings and observers that allow the use of these modelizations for the implementation of predictive control law for trajectory tracking, a new method of estimation of side-slip angles based on a kinematic observation is proposed. It permit to address the problem of variable speed of the vehicle (and in particular the case of zero values) and also to allow the observation during a displacement without reference trajectory. This new observer is essential for the further development of this thesis, since the rest of the work is concerned with the modulation of the speed of the vehicle. So, in the further work, two predictive control laws acting on the speed of the vehicle have been set up. The first one provides a solution to the problem of the saturation of steering actuators, when the speed or side-slip angles make the trajectory inadmissible to follow with respect to the physical capacities of the vehicle. The second one adress the problem of guaranteeing the accuracy of trajectory tracking (keeping the vehicle in a corridor of displacement). In both cases, the control strategy is similar: the future state of the vehicle is predicted according to the current conditions of evolution and the simulated one for the future evolution (obtained by simulating the evolution of dynamics models of the vehicle) in order to determine the value of the optimum speed so that the target variables (in one case the value of the steering and in the other the lateral deviation from the trajectory) comply with the imposed conditions (not exceeding a target value). The results presented in this thesis were realized either in simulations or in real conditions on robotic platforms. It follows that the proposed algorithms make it possible : in one case to reduce the speed of the vehicle in order to avoid the saturation of the steering actuator and therefore the resulting over and under steering phenomena and thus make it possible to preserve the vehicle’s controllability. And in the other case, to ensure that the lateral deviation from the trajectory remains below a target value.

Le développement récent des Loisirs Motorisés Hors Route (LMHR) suscite une controverse et de vives réactions dans les milieux du sport et de la protection de l'environnement. Le phénomène est encore peu étudié, à la fois du fait qu'il est récent, que l'argumentation relève de plusieurs disciplines et que les loisirs motorisés, s'ils font partie sans problème de l'outdoor recreation nord-américaine, sont rejetés en France par les autres sportifs et ne sont pas reconnus de façon évidente comme relevant du domaine d'une discipline particulière.<p>Afin de combler un manque dans la littérature scientifique française, cette thèse vise à apporter une connaissance fine de la dynamique de la controverse – en tant qu'échange d'arguments génériques – et des conflits dont les LMHR font l'objet. Elle présente deux originalités majeures : sa thématique et son approche combinant les théories de l'acteur-réseau avec les outils de visualisation et d'analyse de réseau basés sur la théorie des graphes. Cette construction théorique et méthodologique visait à interroger les interrelations entre la controverse portée par des collectifs présents sur la scène nationale et les conflits et interactions sur le terrain. Pour cela, nous avons mené des enquêtes sur quatre scènes : la scène nationale (composée de collectifs pro et anti-motorisé, de Fédérations, de constructeurs, de gestionnaires et décideurs et d'élus) ; deux scènes locales conflictuelles où des démarches de gestion sont en cours (le PNR du Pilat et les Chambarans) ; une scène locale où aucun conflit n'est visible sur la scène publique (le canton de La Grave – Villar d'Arène).<p>Nos résultats montrent, que bien que la controverse trouve ses racines dans des conflits sur le terrain, il n'existerait pas de coprésence entre acteurs qui s'opposent. D'abord, en l'absence de conflit, la scène de La Grave apparaît déconnectée du reste du réseau. Ensuite, les détracteurs des LMHR se mobilisent dans la controverse mais ne cherchent pas directement à agir sur le terrain. Par contre, les défenseurs de la pratique s'impliquent, eux, aux deux niveaux. Enfin, les gestionnaires et agents de la police de l'environnement confrontés à la gestion des activités, nouent des liens sur le terrain et au niveau national, à la fois avec les défenseurs et les détracteurs des LMHR ; devenant parfois des acteurs-passerelles.<p>D'un point de vue théorique et méthodologique, les outils de visualisation et d'analyse de réseau ont montré leur intérêt dans le cadre d'une approche par l'acteur-réseau ; les perspectives apparaissent riches. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

La problématique étudiée dans cette thèse concerne le guidage en formation d’une flotte de robots mobiles en environnement naturel. L’objectif poursuivi par les robots est de suivre une trajectoire connue (totalement ou partiellement) en se coordonnant avec les autres robots pour maintenir une formation décrite comme un ensemble de distances désirées entre les véhicules. Le contexte d’évolution en environnement naturel doit être pris en compte par les effets qu’il induit sur le déplacement des robots. En effet, les conditions d’adhérence sont variables et créent des glissements significatifs des roues sur le sol. Ces glissements n’étant pas directement mesurables, un observateur est mis en place, permettant d’obtenir une estimation de leur valeur. Les glissements sont alors intégrés au modèle d’évolution, décrivant ainsi un modèle cinématique étendu. En s’appuyant sur ce modèle, des lois de commande adaptatives sur l’angle de braquage et la vitesse d’avance d’un robot sont alors conçues indépendamment, asservissant respectivement son écart latéral à la trajectoire et l’interdistance curviligne de ce robot à une cible. Dans un second temps, ces lois de commande sont enrichies par un algorithme prédictif, permettant de prendre en compte le comportement de réponse des actionneurs et ainsi d’éviter les erreurs conséquentes aux retards de la réponse du système aux commandes. À partir de la loi de commande élémentaire en vitesse permettant d’assurer un asservissement précis d’un robot par rapport à une cible, une stratégie de commande globale au niveau de la flotte est établie. Celle-ci décline l’objectif de maintien de la formation en consigne d’asservissement désiré pour chaque robot. La stratégie de commande bidirectionnelle conçue stipule que chaque robot définit deux cibles que sont le robot immédiatement précédent et le robot immédiatement suivant dans la formation. La commande de vitesse de chaque robot de la formation est obtenue par une combinaison linéaire des vitesses calculées par la commande élémentaire par rapport à chacune des cibles. L’utilisation de coefficients de combinaison constants au sein de la flotte permet de prouver la stabilité de la commande en formation, puis la définition de coefficients variables est envisagée pour adapter en temps réel le comportement de la flotte. La formation peut en effet être amenée à évoluer, notamment en fonction des impératifs de sécurisation des véhicules. Pour répondre à ce besoin, chaque robot estime en temps réel une distance d’arrêt minimale en cas d’urgence et des trajectoires d’urgence pour l’évitement du robot précédent. D’après la configuration de la formation et les comportements d’urgence calculés, les distances désirées au sein de la flotte peuvent alors être modifiées en ligne afin de décrire une configuration sûre de la formation. / This thesis focuses on the issue of the control of a formation of wheeled mobile robots travelling in off-road conditions. The goal of the application is to follow a reference trajectory (entirely or partially) known beforehand. Each robot of the fleet has to track this trajectory while coordinating its motion with the other robots in order to maintain a formation described as a set of desired distances between vehicles. The off-road context has to be considered thoroughly as it creates perturbations in the motion of the robots. The contact of the tire on an irregular and slippery ground induces significant slipping and skidding. These phenomena are hardly measurable with direct sensors, therefore an observer is set up in order to get an estimation of their value. The skidding effect is included in the evolution of each robot as a side-slip angle, thus creating an extended kinematic model of evolution. From this model, adaptive control laws on steering angle and velocity for each robot are designed independently. These permit to control respectively the lateral distance to the trajectory and the curvilinear interdistance of the robot to a target. Predictive control techniques lead then to extend these control laws in order to account for the actuators behavior so that positioning errors due to the delay of the robot response to the commands are cancelled. The elementary control law on the velocity control ensures an accurate longitudinal positioning of a robot with respect to a target. It serves as a base for a global fleet control strategy which declines the overall formation maintaining goal in local positioning objective for each robot. A bidirectionnal control strategy is designed, in which each robot defines 2 targets, the immediate preceding and following robot in the fleet. The velocity control of a robot is finally defined as a linear combination of the two velocity commands obtained by the elementary control law for each target. The linear combination parameters are investigated, first defining constant parameters for which the stability of the formation is proved through Lyapunov techniques, then considering the effect of variable coefficients in order to adapt in real time the overall behavior of the formation. The formation configuration can indeed be prone to evolve, for application purposes and to guarantee the security of the robots. To fulfill this latter requirement, each robot of the fleet estimates in real time a minimal stopping distance in case of emergency and two avoidance trajectories to get around the preceding vehicle if this one suddenly stops. Given the initial configuration of the formation and the emergency behaviors calculated, the desired distances between the robots can be adapted so that the new configuration thus described ensures the security of each and every robot of the formation against potential collisions.