Singularity-free augmented Lagrangian algorithms for constrained multibody dynamics

After a general review of the methods currently available for the dynamics of constrained multibody systems in the context of numerical efficiency and ability to solve the differential equations of motion in singular positions, we examine the acceleration based augmented Lagrangian formulations, and propose a new one for holonomic and non-holonomic systems that is based on the canonical equations of Hamilton. This new one proves to be more stable and accurate that the acceleration based counterpart under repetitive singular positions. The proposed algorithms are numerically efficient, can use standard conditionally stable numerical integrators and do not fail in singular positions, as the classical formulations do. The reason for the numerical efficiency and better behavior under singularities relies on the fact that the leading matrix of the resultant system of ODEs is sparse, symmetric, positive definite, and its rank is independent of that of the Jacobian of the constraint equations. The latter fact makes the proposed method particularly suitable for singular configurations.     

变分原理分析开裂简支箱梁剪力滞效应

变分原理通常应用于箱形截面梁剪力滞效应弹性分析,本文基于换算截面法,运用变分原理推导了预应力混凝土简支箱梁均布荷载作用、钢筋混凝土简支箱梁集中荷载作用的剪力滞系数计算公式,考虑了混凝土开裂对箱梁剪力滞效应的影响,并与试验结果和规范方法进行了对比分析。变分原理分析开裂混凝土箱梁剪力滞效应方法力学概念明确,是其弹性分析适用范围的拓展,亦可推广应用到混凝土连续箱梁开裂后的剪力滞效应分析,具有广阔的应用前景。     

Motion Planning for a Wheeled Robot (Kinematic Approximation)

The motion-planning problem for a wheeled robot is solved in kinematic approximation. The solution is given for robots with one and two steering wheels. The results of solving the problem for a specific system are compared with the results obtained by other authors__________Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 91–102, February 2005.     

A method for calculating rheological and morphological properties of constant-volume polymer blend models in inhomogeneous shear fields

We show how to formulate two-point boundary-value problems in order to compute fully-developed laminar channel and tube flow profiles for viscoelastic fluid models. The formulation is applied to Couette and pressure-driven flows separately, or a combination of both. The application of this methodology is illustrated analytically for the Upper-Convected Maxwell Model, and it is applied computationally for the Phan-Thien/Tanner and Giesekus Models. Numerical solutions exist for the last two models [J.Y. Yoo, H.C. Choi, On the steady simple shear flows of the one-mode Giesekus fluid, Rheol. Acta 28 (1989) 13–24; P.J. Oliveira, F.T. Pinho, Analytical solution for fully developed channel and pipe flow of Phan-Thien–Tanner fluids, J. Fluid Mech. 387 (1999) 271–280; M.A. Alves, F.T. Pinho, P.J. Oliveira, Study of steady pipe and channel flows of a single-mode Phan-Thien–Tanner fluid, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 101 (2001) 55–76], allowing verification of the computational technique. Subsequently, the computational algorithm is applied to the constant-volume polymer blend models of Maffettone and Minale [P.L. Maffettone, M. Minale, Equation of change for ellipsoidal drops in viscous flow, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 84 (1999) 105–106 (Erratum), J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 78 (1998) 227–241] and Dressler and Edwards [M. Dressler, B.J. Edwards, The influence of matrix viscoelasticity on the rheology of polymer blends, Rheol. Acta 43 (2004) 257–282; M. Dressler, B.J. Edwards, Rheology of polymer blends with matrix-phase viscoelasticity and a narrow droplet size distribution, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech. 120 (2004) 189–205]. Rheological and morphological properties of the model blends are thus obtained as functions of the spatial position within the channel, applied pressure drop, and shear rate at the wall.     

多工况多约束下离散变量桁架结构的拓扑优化设计

提出了一个多工况下受应力、位移约束的离散变量桁架结构的拓扑优化方法，给出了结构拓扑形式变更时的约束处理方法及杆件删除策略，使基结构设计空间的维数不断降低，达到最优拓扑，避免了奇异解的出现，在算例中指出了截面离散集和位移约束对最优拓扑的影响；算例给出了满意的拓扑优化解。     

Breaking parameter degeneracy in interacting dark energy models from observations

We study the interacting dark energy model with time varying dark energy equation of state. We examine the stability in the perturbation formalism and the degeneracy among the coupling between dark sectors, the time-dependent dark energy equation of state and dark matter abundance in the cosmic microwave background radiation. Further we discuss the possible ways to break such degeneracy by doing global fitting using the latest observational data and we get a tight constraint on the interaction between dark sectors.     

The stochastic bid generation problem in combinatorial transportation auctions

In this paper, we deal with the generation of bundles of loads to be submitted by carriers participating in combinatorial auctions in the context of long-haul full truckload transportation services. We develop a probabilistic optimization model that integrates the bid generation and pricing problems together with the routing of the carrier’s fleet. We propose two heuristic procedures that enable us to solve models with up to 400 auctioned loads.     

Requiem for the Miller–Tucker–Zemlin subtour elimination constraints?

The Miller–Tucker–Zemlin (MTZ) Subtour Elimination Constraints (SECs) and the improved version by Desrochers and Laporte (DL) have been and are still in regular use to model a variety of routing problems. This paper presents a systematic way of deriving inequalities that are more complicated than the MTZ and DL inequalities and that, in a certain way, “generalize” the underlying idea of the original inequalities. We present a polyhedral approach that studies and analyses the convex hull of feasible sets for small dimensions. This approach allows us to generate generalizations of the MTZ and DL inequalities, which are “good” in the sense that they define facets of these small polyhedra. It is well known that DL inequalities imply a subset of Dantzig–Fulkerson–Johnson (DFJ) SECs for two-node subsets. Through the approach presented, we describe a generalization of these inequalities which imply DFJ SECs for three-node subsets and show that generalizations for larger subsets are unlikely to exist. Our study presents a similar analysis with generalizations of MTZ inequalities and their relation with the lifted circuit inequalities for three node subsets.     

A computational analysis of multidimensional piecewise-linear models with applications to oil production optimization

Production optimization of gas-lifted oil wells under facility, routing and pressure constraints is a challenging problem, which has attracted the interest of operations engineers aiming to drive economic gains and scientists for its inherent complexity. The hardness of this problem rests on the non-linear characteristics of the multidimensional well-production and pressure-drop functions, as well as the discrete routing decisions. To this end, this work develops several formulations in Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) using multidimensional piecewise-linear models to approximate the non-linear functions with domains spliced in hypercubes and simplexes. Computational and simulation analyses were performed considering a synthetic but realistic oil field modeled with a multiphase-flow simulator. The purpose of the analyses was to assess the relative performance of the MILP formulations and their impact on the simulated oil production.