Prévision de la répartition de la pression sous des véhicules à chenilles Ilème partie - effects des paramètres de conception du système de suspension des chenilles sur la répartition de la pression sur le sol

The effects of vehicle design parameters on ground pressure distribution and track tension are evaluated quantitatively using the analytical method described in Part I of this paper. The ground pressure distribution of a vehicle is closely related to vehicle sinkage and external motion resistance, while the track tension affects the internal resistance of the track-suspension system. It is found that the number of road wheels on the track has a significant effect on both ground pressure distribution and track tension. On the other hand, the diameter of the road wheels has only a moderate influence on track tension and a rather insignificant effect on ground pressure distribution. The stiffnesses of the suspension and the track tensioning springs have varying degrees of influence on ground pressure distribution and track tension dependent upon terrain stiffness. It is also found that the initial track tension has a significant effect on the actual track tension over a wide range of terrain and a slight to moderate influence on ground pressure distribution, dependent upon terrain stiffness.It should be noted that although individually some of the design parameters have only a slight or moderate effect on ground pressure distribution and track tension, their combined effects may be significant. Therefore, in the selection of design parameters of the track-suspension system, their combined influence must be carefully examined.     

Composites graphite/sel pour le stockage d'énergie à haute température : étude des effets du graphite et de la microstructure des composites sur les propriétés de changement de phase des sels

Thermal energy storage at high temperature is an efficient way for energy saving in the industrial sector, as well as a key component for power generation based on renewable energy resources. Thermal energy storage technology based on phase change materials (mainly salts) has been identified to meet the requirements of investment costs and compactness. However, the low thermal conductivity of salts (1 W/m/K) could be a limiting factor concerning power. To overcome such a drawback, new materials combining salts with graphite have been developed. Nevertheless, it is important to verify that no degradation of the salts storage properties is induced by their thermal conductivity enhancement. In this Note, the effects of the graphite and the composites graphite/salt microstructure on the phase change properties of salts are analysed. To cite this article: J. Lopez et al., C. R. Mecanique 336 (2008).     

Etude de practicabilité d''un système de câbles d''attache autonomes pour de l''équipement fonctionnant sur des pentes d''une inclinaison de 20 à 75 pour cent

The Forest Service investigated the concept of providing support to equipment working on steep slopes through use of a self-contained tether cable system. A vehicle's downhill component of weight is reduced to near zero by the cable's tension. The vehicle can then operate on steep slopes causing only slightly more damage to terrain than when working on flat areas. Mathematical equations for the ideal tension of the cable and for both the resulting side forces and equivalent slope when operating off the fall line were developed.The methods of sensing slope, vehicle design, the winch drive system, and the controls necessary to perform with a self-contained tether cable system are all presented. Also discussed are the acceptable tolerance of the cable tension and the effect of cable tension tolerance on equivalent slope.     

Vérification expérimentale de la relation de réciprocité d'Onsager pour l'électro-osmose et l'électro-filtration dans une argile naturelleExperimental verification of the Onsager's reciprocal relations for electro-osmosis and electro-filtration phenomena on a saturated clay

This Note is devoted to the experimental verification of the Onsager's reciprocal relations in the particular case of electro-osmosis and electro-filtration. A special set up has been designed to carry out the measurements of both the electro-osmotic permeability and the streaming potential. This has been performed by using a natural material i.e., saturated kaolinite. To cite this article: K. Beddiar et al., C. R. Mecanique 330 (2002) 893–898.     

Étude de l?adhérence des joncs et des plats composite avec le béton par flexion (beam test)

The Near Surface Mounted (NSM) technique has been used in recent years for the strengthening of reinforced concrete beams. It involves the insertion of strips or rods of polymers reinforced with carbon fiber (CFRP) in the groove made previously in the concrete cover of corresponding surfaces, filled with epoxy adhesive for fixation. In order to characterize the bond behavior of the laminate and rods to concrete, an experimental work of pullout-bending tests was carried out. The pullout force at the laminate and the slip at the free and loaded end were measured. The influences of the concrete strength, the strength of the bond, and bond length on the bonding behavior between the three materials concrete, epoxy adhesive and CFRP were analyzed.     

Développement d''un modèle en vue de la prédiction du rallumage d''un foyer de turboréacteur à haute altitudeDevelopment of a model to predict the ignition performance of a turbojet engine at high altitude

Within the context of turbojet engine re-ignition after in-flight extinction, a thermo-diffusive model has been developed to describe the electrical ignition, at low pressure and low temperature, of a cluster of fuel droplets. The model involves the resolution of the conservation equations of mass, species and energy. It also takes into account the various physical and chemical phenomena occurring during the ignition process. This Note presents the ignition model and preliminary results of this model applied to an experimental configuration. To cite this article: V. Quintilla et al., C. R. Mecanique 330 (2002) 811–818.     

On a closure of mass conservation equation and stability analysis in the mathematical theory of vehicular traffic flowSur une fermeture des équations de conservation de la masse et l'analyse de la stabilité dans la théorie mathématique de la circulation véhiculaire

This Note deals with the development of mathematical methods for the closure of the mass conservation equation for macroscopic hydrodynamical models of traffic flow on roads. The closure is obtained by a phenomenological model, relating the local mean velocity to local density earlier in time. An evolution equation is obtained for the flux and a stability analysis is performed; this qualitatively describes some features of congested flow. To cite this article: V. Coscia, C. R. Mecanique 332 (2004).     

L'identification des propriétés mécaniques de matériaux avec la méthode des champs virtuels,une alternative au recalage par éléments finisIdentification of the mechanical properties of materials with the virtual fields method,an alternative to finite element model updating

A method allowing the identification of parameters that govern constitutive equations of materials is proposed in this Note. These parameters are identified from heterogeneous strain fields. The method is direct so that iterative calculations based on finite element model updating are avoided. To cite this article: M. Grédiac et al., C. R. Mecanique 330 (2002) 107–112.