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A full-system, end-to-end blast modeling and simulation of vehicle underbody buried blast events typically includes detailed modeling of soil, high explosive (HE) charge and air. The complex computations involved in these simulations take days to just capture the initial 50-millisecond blast-off phase, and in some cases, even weeks. The single most intricate step in the buried blast event simulation is in the modeling of the explosive loading on the underbody structure from the blast products; it is also one of the most computationally expensive steps of the simulation. Therefore, there is significant interest in the modeling and simulation community to develop various methodologies for fast running tools to run full simulation events in quicker turnarounds of time.

This paper outlines the process by which a current production commercial diesel engine was modified for high performance military use. Salient among the needs for military use are a compact package and high power output. The compact engine package was addressed by the selection of a base engine of relatively small displacement and slim inline configuration. The air system, fuel pump, and other ancillary components were re-packaged close to the engine. A high engine power output was achieved by turbocharging at the pressure ratios achievable by current production turbochargers, increased engine speed, and upgrades in the design of engine components. Close attention was paid to thermal and mechanical loading of all components of the engine. Most components in the engine were changed to accommodate these loadings and packaging needs.

We propose a new metamodeling method to characterize the output (response) random process of a dynamic system with random parameters, excited by input random processes. The metamodel can be then used to efficiently estimate the time-dependent reliability of a dynamic system using analytical or simulation-based methods. The metamodel is constructed by decomposing the input random processes using principal components or wavelets and then using a few simulations to estimate the distributions of the decomposition coefficients. A similar decomposition is also performed on the output random process. A kriging model is then established between the input and output decomposition coefficients and subsequently used to quantify the output random process corresponding to a realization of the input random parameters and random processes. What distinguishes our approach from others in metamodeling is that the system input is not deterministic but random.

Design optimization often relies on computational models, which are subjected to a validation process to ensure their accuracy. Because validation of computer models in the entire design space can be costly, a recent approach was proposed where design optimization and model validation were concurrently performed using a sequential approach with both fixed and variable-size local domains. The variable-size approach used parametric distributions such as Gaussian to quantify the variability in test data and model predictions, and a maximum likelihood estimation to calibrate the prediction model. Also, a parametric bootstrap method was used to size each local domain. In this article, we generalize the variable-size approach, by not assuming any distribution such as Gaussian. A nonparametric bootstrap methodology is instead used to size the local domains. We expect its generality to be useful in applications where distributional assumptions are difficult to verify, or not met at all.

Assessing the dynamic performance of multilayer plates subjected to impulsive loading is of interest for identifying configurations that either absorb energy or transmit the energy in the transverse directions, thereby mitigating the through-thickness energy propagation. A reduced-order modeling approach is presented in this paper for rapidly evaluating the structural dynamic performance of various multilayer plate designs. The new approach is based on the reverberation matrix method (RMM) with the theory of generalized rays for fast analysis of the structural dynamic characteristics of multilayer plates. In the RMM model, the waves radiated from the dynamic load are reflected and refracted at each interface between layers, and the waves within each layer are transmitted with a phase lag. These two phenomena are represented by the global scattering matrix and the global phase matrix, respectively.

The current reliability growth planning model used by the US Army, the Planning Model for Projection Methodology (PM2), is insufficient for the needs of the Army. This paper will detail the limitations of PM2 that cause Army programs to develop reliability growth plans that incorporate unrealistic assumptions and often demand that infeasible levels of reliability be achieved. In addition to this, another reliability growth planning model being developed to address some of these limitations, the Bayesian Continuous Planning Model (BCPM), will be discussed along with its own limitations. This paper will also cover a third reliability growth planning model that is being developed which incorporates the advantageous features of PM2 and BCPM but replaces the unrealistic assumptions with more realistic and customizable ones.

Using the total probability theorem, we propose a method to calculate the failure rate of a linear vibratory system with random parameters excited by stationary Gaussian processes. The response of such a system is non-stationary because of the randomness of the input parameters. A space-filling design, such as optimal symmetric Latin hypercube sampling or maximin, is first used to sample the input parameter space. For each design point, the output process is stationary and Gaussian. We present two approaches to calculate the corresponding conditional probability of failure. A Kriging metamodel is then created between the input parameters and the output conditional probabilities allowing us to estimate the conditional probabilities for any set of input parameters. The total probability theorem is finally applied to calculate the time-dependent probability of failure and the failure rate of the dynamic system. The proposed method is demonstrated using a vibratory system.

Imposing tensile stress on an edge of a sheet metal blank is a common condition in many sheet metal forming operations, making edge formability a very important factor to consider. Because edge formability varies greatly among different materials, cutting methods (and their control parameters), it is very important to have access to an experimental technique that would allow for quick and reliable evaluation of edge formability for a given case. In this paper, two existing techniques are compared: the hole expansion test and the tensile test. It is shown that the hole expansion test might not be adequate for many cases, and is prone to overestimating the limiting strain, because the burr on the sheared edge is typically smaller than what is observed in production. The tensile test represents an effective alternative to the hole expansion test. Advantages and disadvantages of each case are discussed.

In this paper, experimental study and FEA simulation are performed to investigate the effect of three different methods for joining dissimilar metal coupons in terms of their strength and load transferring capacity. The joining techniques considered include adhesive bonding, bolting and hybrid bolting-and-bonding. Elastic-plastic material model with damage consideration is used for each of the joint components. Traction-separation rule and failure criterion is defined for adhesive. Load transfer capacity and the failure mode are assessed for each type of joining. Joint strength is examined in terms of the effects of adhesive property, bolt preload level, and friction coefficient. Results show that load transferred and failure mechanism vary significantly between samples with different joint methods; preload evolution in bolt changes with friction coefficient; hybrid joint generally has advantage over the other two methods, namely, bolting-only and bonding-only.

Automotive systems engineering addresses the system throughout its life cycle, including requirement, specification, design, implementation, verification and validation of systems, modeling, simulation, testing, manufacturing, operation and maintenance. This four-volume set features 49 papers, originally published from 1999 through 2010, that cover the latest research and developments on various aspects of automotive systems engineering. The four-volume set consists of these individual volumes: Automotive Systems Engineering - Overview Automotive Systems Engineering - Requirements and Testing Automotive Systems Engineering - Modeling Automotive Systems Engineering - Approach and Verification

Automotive systems engineering addresses the system throughout its life cycle, including requirement, specification, design, implementation, verification and validation of systems, modeling, simulation, testing, manufacturing, operation and maintenance. This book is the fourth in a series of four volumes on this subject and features 12 papers, published between 2002-2009, that address the challenges and importance of systems approach in system verification and validation, stressing the use of advanced tools and approaches. Topics covered include: Systems integration and verification Software engineering in future automotive systems development Configuration management of the model-based design process Buy the Set and Save!

Automotive systems engineering addresses the system throughout its life cycle, including requirement, specification, design, implementation, verification and validation of systems, modeling, simulation, testing, manufacturing, operation and maintenance. This book - the third in a series of four volumes on this subject - features 11 papers, published between 1999-2010, that address the challenges and importance of systems modeling, stressing the use of advanced tools and approaches. Topics covered include: Automotive systems modeling Model-based design culture Applications Buy the Set and Save! Automotive Systems Engineering The four-volume set consists of these individual volumes: Automotive Systems Engineering - Overview Automotive Systems Engineering - Requirements and Testing Automotive Systems Engineering - Modeling Automotive Systems Engineering - Approach and Verification

Automotive systems engineering addresses the system throughout its life cycle, including requirement, specification, design, implementation, verification and validation of systems, modeling, simulation, testing, manufacturing, operation and maintenance. This book is the first in a series of four volumes on this subject and features 15 papers, published between 2004-2010, that emphasize the importance of systems concepts in the automotive area, and stress the use of advanced tools and approaches. Topics covered include: Technology transfer Six Sigma deployment Systems engineering capability in automotive systems In addition to 11 SAE technical papers, this volume also includes two invited papers: "Systems Engineering Definitions" by editor Subramaniam Ganesan and "Systems Engineering for Military Ground Vehicles" by M. Mazzara and R. Iyer. Buy the Set and Save!

Automotive systems engineering addresses the system throughout its life cycle, including requirement, specification, design, implementation, verification and validation of systems, modeling, simulation, testing, manufacturing, operation and maintenance. This book - the second in a series of four volumes on this subject - features 11 papers, published between 2000-2010, that address the challenges and importance of requirements and testing in systems engineering, stressing the use of advanced tools and approaches. Topics covered include: Creating correct requirements Requirement analysis Document management Development Management Architecture for military vehicles Buy the Set and Save! Automotive Systems Engineering The four-volume set consists of these individual volumes: Automotive Systems Engineering - Overview Automotive Systems Engineering - Requirements and Testing Automotive Systems Engineering - Modeling Automotive Systems Engineering - Approach and Verification

The NATO Reference Mobility Model (NRMM)[1] is the primary mobility software used by the US Department of Defense, its contractors and NATO countries to evaluate various metrics of proposed vehicle systems for acquisition. The NRMM is a vehicle mobility performance model developed in the 1970's[2] that combines mobility related technologies into one comprehensive software package designed to predict the physically constrained vehicle and terrain interaction while operating in both on and off road environments. The empirically based relationships within NRMM are measurements taken from actual vehicles run over a variety of terrains and are geared towards vehicles weighing more than 1500 pounds. As the Army focuses on a lighter, faster and more mobile fighting force, standard military vehicles are decreasing in size with many newultra lightweight autonomous systems being designed.

This paper develops a design paradigm for universal products. Universal design is term used for designing products and systems that are equally accessible to and usable by people with and without disabilities. Two common challenges for research in this area are that (1) There is a continuum of disabilities making it hard to optimize product features, and (2) There is no effective benchmark for evaluating such products. To exacerbate these issues, data regarding customer disabilities and their preferences is hard to come by. We propose a copula-based approach for modeling market coverage of a portfolio of universal products. The multiattribute preference of customers to purchase a product is modeled as Frank's Archimedean Copula. The inputs from various disparate sources can be collected and incorporated into a decision system.

This paper discusses a new Department of Defense (DoD) initiative focused on the development of new generation of MBS computer software that have capabilities and features that are not provided by existing MBS software technology. This three-decade old technology fails to meet new challenges of developing more detailed models in which the effects of significant changes in geometry and large deformations cannot be ignored. New applications require accurate continuum mechanics based vehicle/soil interaction models, belt and chain drive models, efficient and accurate continuum based tire models, cable models used in rescue missions, models that accurately capture large deformations due to thermal and excessive loads, more accurate bio-mechanics models for ligaments, muscles, and soft tissues (LMST), etc.

For existing fleets such as the U.S. military ground vehicle fleet, there are few ways to reduce vehicle fuel consumption that don’t involve expensive retrofitting. Replacing standard lubricants with those that can achieve higher vehicle efficiencies is one practical and inexpensive way to improve fleet fuel efficiency. In an effort to identify axle gear lubricants that can reduce the fuel consumption of its fleet, the U.S. Army is developing a stationary axle efficiency test stand and procedure. In order to develop this capability, on-track vehicle fuel consumption testing was completed using light, medium, and heavy tactical wheeled vehicles following a modified SAE J1321 type test procedure. Tested lubricants included a baseline SAE 80W-90, a fuel efficient SAE 75W-90, and a fuel efficient SAE 75W-140. Vehicle testing resulted in reductions in fuel consumption of up to 2%.

In this study, we extend and improve on the methods introduced by Brudnak et al. [1] by adding a second objective to the reduction of test time. This second objective under consideration is to diminish or reduce the number of cuts or deletions to the time histories during an editing process. As discussed in [1], segment-based methods consider each segment for retention or deletion based on its own localized severity, not considering the segments around it. As a result, retained segments can be widely scattered in the time domain depending on signal characteristics and therefore a large number of cuts can be induced unintentionally. Regardless of the joining method, such cuts and joins require artificial signal processing and should therefore be minimized. In this paper we present techniques to minimize these cuts while at the same time maintaining our original goals of time reduction and severity retention.

Experimental results on influence of trimming conditions on the shape of the sheared surface are combined with the results of stretching sheared samples after trimming. The objective of the research described in this paper is to study the mechanism of fracture initiation and cracks propagation during half-a-dog bone tensile test representing sheared edge stretching condition. One side of the sample had sheared surface obtained by the trimming process while the other side of the sample had a smooth surface. Significant attention was paid to understanding of fracture sources. An interrupted tensile test approach was employed to track fracture initiation and propagation during stretching of sheared surface. The results of the experimental study indicated that multiple sources of fracture were observed in the burr area for trimming with clearances exceeding 10% of the material thickness.