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This study is to explore the application of electrorheology (ER) to the real-time control of damping forces that are transmitted through the nose landing gear for an F-106B aircraft. The main part of the landing gear is a strut that consists of a pneumatic spring and an ER controlled damper that is situated on the strut centerline and applies a force directly opposing the vertical displacement of the nose wheel. The damping element rotates in response to strut displacement, employing a co-axial arrangement of stator and rotor plates connected to the opposing electrodes in the control circuit. The vertical displacement is converted into rotation of the damper through a screw-nut mechanism. The ER fluid between the electrodes is thus engaged in shear along circumferential lines of action. This design results in a fast time response and a high ratio of strut forces achieved under ER- vs. zero-field control. Compact size and simplicity in fabrication are also attained.

This paper provides a method whereby vehicle stopping performance can be specified, measured, and compared independently of the test surface. The method provides for an independent measure of the prevailing friction potential of the test surface which is used to normalize the measured stopping performance of the test vehicle. The concept presented is tailored toward a safety argument and toward rulemaking as a potential adaptation to braking effectiveness requirements which currently exist. A new mobile tire dynamometer, developed for this program, is discussed, as are the results of a demonstration test program.

Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems (IVHS) improve the operation of cars and trucks on public roads by combining information technology with road transportation technologies. The basic ideas about IVHS are by no means new but a number of converging forces have encouraged significant IVHS development in North America recently. Based on the results of a Delphi survey to project realistic future scenarios, both applied and fundamental research agenda are being formulated in a Michigan-based IVHS program to push the IVHS technologies for advanced motorist information systems and for backup vehicle controls under emergency conditions. The scope of the research agenda includes social/human elements as well as hardware and software technological systems. The Michigan research program is expected to contribute to the development of IVHS in North America, both technically and institutionally.