bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ACOUSTIC SIGNATURES
Authors: Pietila Glenn , Cerrato Gabriella , Smith Robert E.
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Awareness of the surroundings is strongly influenced by acoustic cues. This is of
relevance for the implementation of safety strategies on board of electric and
hybrid vehicles and for the development of acoustic camouflage of military
vehicles. These two areas of research have clearly opposite goals, in that
developers of electric vehicles aim at adding the minimum amount of exterior
noise that will make the EV acoustically noticeable by a blind or distracted
pedestrian, while the developers of military vehicles desire to implement
hardware configurations with minimum likelihood of acoustic detectability. The
common theme is the understanding of what makes a vehicle noticeable based the
noise it generates and the environment in which it is immersed. Traditional
approaches based on differences of overall level and/or one-third octave based
spectra are too simplistic to represent complex scenarios such as urban scenes
with multiple sources in the soundscape and significant amount of reverberation
and diffraction effects. This paper will show that the signal processing
techniques required to map acoustic perception need to provide more resolution
than overall level or one-third octave band based spectra and that the temporal
pattern of a sound should be considered.
TARDEC’S VICTORY SYSTEMS INTEGRATION LABORATORY (SIL) IS A
KEY TOOL FOR ADVANCING STANDARDIZED GROUND VEHICLE ELECTRONIC
ARCHITECTURE
Authors: Williams Nikia , Siddapureddy Venu , Elliott Leonard , Ellis Nathan , Griffin Patrick , Reddmann Steve , Berry Heather , Russell Mark
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

The Vehicular Integration for C4ISR/EW Interoperability (VICTORY) Systems
Integration Lab (SIL) is established and developed at the U.S. Army
Tank-Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Command (TARDEC). The
VICTORY SIL will be utilized for the development and integration of the
extensive set of C4ISR/EW technologies that are to be systematically down
selected to provide the comprehensive VICTORY services & infrastructure
required in the development of mission capabilities of the Army’s
tactical and combat vehicles. A fully functioning VICTORY SIL will be utilized
for validation and independent verification of the Army’s and the vendor
provided C4ISR/EW sub-systems. The lab will emphasize the importance of testing
the data, power & physical interface strategy of the sub-systems in a
low-cost laboratory environment before integration onto a vehicle. This paper
describes how the VICTORY SIL will advance the RDECOM’s vision for a
standardized electronic architecture for ground vehicles as well as the strategy
and process for the design, development and testing of the infrastructure and
the VICTORY core services.
OPEN STANDARD APPROACH FOR REAL TIME CONTROL OVER
ETHERNET
Authors: Jedynak David
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Curtiss-Wright has developed an open-standard approach for real time control over
Ethernet, incorporating VICTORY .specifications. The paper presents definitions
for Real Time, traditional perceptions of Ethernet for real-time usage,
solutions for real time, a comparison to MIL-STD-1553, and suggestions for
additional specifications to include in VICTORY.
CHALLENGES WITH SPECIFICATION DEVELOPMENT OF LEAD ACID REPLACEMENT
BATTERIES
Authors: Marcel Mike , Helm Jeff , Knakal Tony
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

The systems engineering process is clearly defined for not only the department of
defense, but for other government entities. Following this process is critical
to the overall success of the program and DoD’s success to get a best
value solution that is applicable to various platforms across multiple services.
Ensuring that the requirements phase of the systems engineering process receives
its due diligence will provide the design phase the critical details necessary
to build a sub-system solution that will be easily integrated, across various
platforms This paper will look at this process and show the importance of this
process using a case study of the Military 6T start battery. In order to qualify
a 6T Lithium Nanophosphate battery as a drop-in-replacement to 6T lead-acid
batteries a requirement set and appropriate testing must be conducted. When it
comes to battery chemistries Li-Ion chemistry is night and day compared to
lead-acid chemistries. When developing a requirement specification for 6T Li-Ion
battery it is important to consider omission of certain requirements from
lead-acid specs and the addition of certain requirements relating to the
specific chemistry and packaging requirements of Li-Ion batteries.
MIMIC’D ABILITIES – TOOLS, TOOL CHANGING, AND ROBOTIC
CONTROL
Authors: Peters Douglas , Gunnett Keith , Gray Jeremy
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Research is currently underway to improve controllability of high
degree-of-freedom manipulators under a Phase II SBIR contract sponsored by the
U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center
(TARDEC). As part of this program, the authors have created new control methods
as well as adapting tool changing technology onto a dexterous arm to look at
controllability of various manipulator functions. In this paper, the authors
describe the work completed under this program and describe the findings of this
work in terms of how these technologies can be used to extend the capabilities
of existing and newly developed robotic manipulators.
CAM-7/LTO LITHIUM-ION CELLS FOR BATTERIES WITH HIGH CHARGE/DISCHARGE
PERFORMANCE AT EXTREME LOW TEMPERATURE
Authors: Ofer David , Dalton-Castor Sharon , Nation Leah , Pullen Adrian , Rempel Jane , Barnett Brian , Sriramulu Suresh
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

TIAX is developing laminated prismatic lithium-ion (Li-ion) cell technology
capable of rapid charging at low temperature (to -50 °C) to replace
current lead-acid vehicle batteries. The novel cells are based on TIAX’s
high energy, high power CAM-7 cathode material, high rate capability lithium
titanate (LTO) anode material, and novel electrolyte formulation, and target
cell-level energy content greater than 90 Wh/kg and 250 Wh/l. CAM-7 cathode
material promises significant boost in power and run time of Li-Ion batteries
for a wide range of DoD applications, and is now being commercialized by a
separate company, CAMX Power, which is scaling up production in a 50 metric ton
per year plant installed in Massachusetts.
A HIGH POWER SOLID STATE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR MILITARY HYBRID ELECTRIC
VEHICLE APPLICATIONS
Authors: Pilvelait Bruce , Gold Calman , Marcel Mike
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Military vehicle electrical power systems require quickly responding fault
protection to prevent mission failure, vehicle damage, or personnel injury. The
electromechanical contactors commonly used for HEV protection have slow response
and limited cycle life, factors which could result in fuse activation and
disabling of the vehicle, presenting a dangerous situation for the soldier. A
protection technology not often considered is Solid State Circuit Breakers
(SSCB), which have fast response and good reliability. Challenges of extremely
high currents and voltages, high temperatures, and harsh conditions have
prevented SSCBs from being effective in high power military vehicle electrical
systems. Development of an SSCB for military vehicle power systems would
increase electrical power system capacity and expand mission capability. The
development of a 1.2 kV/200A Silicon-Carbide MOSFET based SSCB for combat HEVs
is presented. The key innovation is packaging that minimizes losses, allows high
temperature operation, and simplifies cooling requirements. We present results
that show response times of less than 5 µs, operational ambient
temperatures higher than 125°C, and a current density of 0.4
A/cm3. Our next-generation design will achieve a much greater
current density of 12 A/cm3 by accommodating up to 2,000 A in a 10
in3 package. We present a compelling case that SSCBs overcome
electromechanical contactor limitations while providing additional capacity and
mission capability.
MITIGATION OF OCCUPANT ACCELERATION IN A MINE-RESISTANT
AMBUSH-PROTECTED VEHICLE BLAST EVENT USING AN OPTIMIZED DUAL-HULL
APPROACH
Authors: Schaffner Grant , Miller Adam
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

With US military casualties mounting due to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)
and other roadside bombs, improving the protective capabilities of armored
vehicles for service personnel is of paramount importance. Accurate numerical
simulations of the blast event provide a means to quickly and economically
evaluate the blast-protection performance of armored vehicles, and to develop
improved blast countermeasures. This effort developed computational simulations
of a system intended to mitigate blast accelerations to a level where the
acceleration is no longer a lethal threat to the occupants of an armored
vehicle. The hypothesis is that through the manipulation of the mass ratio,
stiffness and damping properties of a dual-hull system, the capability of
current Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles can be greatly improved.
The results show that, in comparison to the standard single-hull vehicle, the
dual-hull vehicle reduces head injury criteria by 95.7%, neck compression by
78.3%, chest acceleration by 97.5% and leg forces by an average of 97%. Further
work should focus on developing a realistic structural interface between the
hulls and evaluating it using simulation, followed by fabrication and testing of
limited test articles and full-vehicle systems.
SIMPLIFIED MIDDLEWARE TO INCREASE GROUND TACTICAL VEHICLE SYSTEM
AVAILABILITY
Authors: Nguyen Tri
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Northrop Grumman has developed Tactical Ground Vehicle High-Availability (HA)
middleware conforming to open standards specified by the Service Availability
Forum (SAF), a consortium of industry-leading communications and computing
companies. The software hot-spare and standby capabilities realized by this
technology operate across tightly and loosely coupled farms of processors,
ensuring critical processes remain operational with zero or minimal
interruption, as chosen by system architects.

High availability software delivers key benefits to the warfighter. Systems
experience less downtime, helping to maintain continuity of tactical operations.
Both hardware and software failures are managed, reducing the impact on system
aborts and essential function failures and therefore reducing the number of
computing elements required to meet system level availability SWAP-CC (Size,
Weight, Power, and Cost, Cooling). The wrappers Northrop Grumman has created for
open source and commercial implementations of the SAF middleware are
specifically designed for use in tactical ground vehicles, both minimizing the
impact on software development and also creating the possibility of integrating
COTS software without modification of the COTS distribution. We shield
application developers from most HA domain specific details such as startup,
shutdown, failover and recovery policies, and so minimize HA training and impact
to cost and schedule. Benchmark tests also show that the addition of HA services
does not significantly increase system resources overhead even when the system
is stressed in high message traffic scenarios.
HIGH PERFORMANCE CONTROLLERS BASED ON REAL PARAMETERS TO ACCOUNT FOR
PARAMETER VARIATIONS DUE TO IRON SATURATION
Authors: Cintron-Rivera Jorge G. , Foster Shanelle N. , Zanardelli Wesley G. , Strangas Elias G.
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

With the increase in electric power on military ground vehicle platforms,
electrically driven accessories are replacing existing hydraulic, belt, and
gear-driven loads. Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (PMSM) are often
selected to drive these accessories, and are under consideration for the main
engine generator, due to their torque density and efficiency being among the
highest available. To maximize the efficiency of a PMSM, accurate knowledge of
its parameters is required across the entire operating range. Efficient control
of the onboard electric drives will help reduce fuel consumption in the ground
vehicle fleet. This paper presents the effects of iron saturation on the
performance of a PMSM drive. Iron saturation depends on the amount of current
injected into the motor and it restricts the amount of flux linkage that can be
generated. PMSMs are controlled using a two axis space vector representation.
Ideally, the control is decoupled, such that the flux linkage production in one
axis is not affected by the current in the other axis. However, iron saturation
alters this behavior and the flux linkages become dependent on both axis
currents. This paper demonstrates this phenomenon by parametric experimental
characterization of two permanent magnet synchronous motors. A simple but
dependable method to approximate and include all the saturation effects, based
on real parameters, is proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed method is
validated through a simulation using the experimentally extracted
parameters.
DFR - Moving from 4 Traditional to 33 Innovative Ways to Improve Reliability
Authors: Cooper Howard C
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Problem: The traditional four (4) methods for improving reliability;
1) High design safety margin, 2) Reduction in component count or system
architectural complexity, 3) Redundancy, and 4) Back-up capability, are often
ignored or perceived as being excessively costly in weight, space claim as well
as money.

Solution 1: Discussed here are the practical and very cost effective
methods for achieving improved reliability by Functional Interface Stress
Hardening (FISHtm or FISHingtm). The Author has been able to apply FISH to
eliminate 70-92% of unscheduled equipment downtime, within 30-60 days, for more
than 30 of the Fortune 500 and many other large companies which utilize
automation controls, computers, power electronics and hydraulic control
systems.

Solution 2: From Structured Innovation the 33 DFR Methods &
R-TRIZ Tool can be used to grow or improve reliability, via rapid innovation.
The R-TRIZ tool) is provided so that users can instantly select the best 2, 3 or
4 of these 33 Principles for eliminating the PoF, thus solving any given
reliability constraint or problem.

Reliability is the key driver of minimal warranty support costs. Reliability is a
key driver trustworthy design, product reputation and expanding market share.
Reliability is key to bottom line profitability. DFR is likewise essential to
supporting missions of the US Army.
ACHIEVING BALANCED SYSTEMS THROUGH STRUCTURED
DECISIONS
Authors: Gerlach James , Hartman Gregory , Williams Darrell , Parent Jeffery
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

To support customers during product development, General Dynamics Land Systems
(GDLS) utilizes a set of Operations Research/Decision Support processes and
tools to facilitate all levels of decision-making aimed at achieving a balanced
system design. GDLS employs a rigorous Structured Decision (SD) process that
allows for large, highly complex or strategic decisions to be made at the
system-of-systems, system, and/or subsystem level. Powerful, robust tools -the
Advanced Collaborative System Optimization Modeler (ACSOM) and Logical Decisions
for Windows (LDW) - are used to make relatively quick assessments and provide
recommendations. The latest ACSOM algorithms have increased the response time
for trade study analysis by over 2,000 times and future versions will
incorporate logistics analysis helping to reduce vehicle Life Cycle Cost.
AVL AUXILIARY POWER UNIT – JP-8 COMBUSTION
PERFORMANCE
Authors: Stein Joshua , Troia Joseph , Truemner Russell , Hunter Gary
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses the design and performance results of a modular designed
spark ignited rotary engine Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) fueled by JP-8. This APU
is intended for use onboard tactical and combat vehicles applications where
packaging space and weight are at a premium. The platform is flexible and
scalable to allow for application to the full portfolio of tactical and combat
systems. Such an APU would enable the Army to realize significant cost savings
in terms of fuel and fuel support, as well as enable enhanced operation modes of
existing vehicles by enabling Silent Watch capability.
A FUEL FLEXIBLE REFORMING SYSTEM FOR PORTABLE SCALE
SOFC
Authors: Chen Chien-Hua , Pearlman Howard , Sur Shakya , Thayer Jordan , Trivedi Shrey , Ronney Paul , Valsamakis Ioannis , Flytzani-Stephanopoulos Maria
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

An innovative, non-catalytic, thermal partial oxidation (TPOX) based
fuel-flexible reformer for use with solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) has been
developed and demonstrated by Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT).
Experimental results show that reforming efficiency comparable to that
associated with catalytic based reformers can be achieved via effective heat
recirculation. Moreover, challenges associated with the use of catalysts for
reforming (including poisoning and degradation caused by impurities in military
logistic fuels) can be avoided. The non-catalytic reformer is also
self-sustained (does not require external energy sources) nor does it involve
complicated subsystems. Fuel flexibility has been demonstrated by reforming rich
propane, n-heptane, and JP-8-air premixtures. Sulfur compounds (H2S,
COS, etc.) are removed downstream by a high temperature H2S sorbent
that shows very high sulfur removal efficiency at temperatures similar to SOFC
working temperatures. This eliminates the need for heat exchangers and therefore
further reduces the system size and increases the overall system efficiency. The
compactness and simplicity of the non-catalytic reformer and high temperature
sorbent reforming system is well-suited for portable fuel cell applications.
TRACKED VEHICLE – SOFT SOIL INTERACTIONS AND DESIGN
SENSITIVITIES FOR PATH CLEARING SYSTEMS UTILIZING MULTI-BODY DYNAMICS SIMULATION
METHODS
Authors: Raymond Joseph B , Jayakumar Paramsothy
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Two notional path-clearing tracked-vehicle models are part of this exploration in
assessing the capabilities and limitations of the state-of-the-art in tracked
vehicle dynamics modeling and simulation over soft-soil terrain. Each vehicle
utilized different path-clearing methods that presented challenges in modeling
their interactions with the soil: one vehicle used a roller and rake
combination. The roller pressured the soft soil while the rake sheared it. The
other vehicle used a quickly rotating flail system that cleared a definitive
path by impacting and flinging the soil away. One vehicle had a band track and
the other had a segmented track introducing additional modeling challenges. Each
of these design choices was independently varied and analyzed. Path clearing
performances and design sensitivities to track properties were studied in
addition to the effect of contact forces between track, road wheels, idler, and
sprocket. Vehicle performance on differing soil types is also compared by means
of load and acceleration time histories derived from complex multi-body dynamics
simulations. Unique modeling methods to stretch the capability of the current
state-of-the-art were paramount in enabling this study, and are discussed in
detail.
REAL-TIME AND HIGH-FIDELITY SIMULATION ENVIRONMENT FOR AUTONOMOUS GROUND VEHICLE DYNAMICS
Authors: Cameron Jonathan , Myint Steven , Kuo Calvin , Jain Abhi , Grip Håvard , Jayakumar Paramsothy , Overholt Jim
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Integrated simulation capabilities that are high-fidelity, fast, and have
scalable architecture are essential to support autonomous vehicle design and
performance assessment for the U.S. Army's growing use of unmanned ground
vehicles (UGV). The HMMWV simulation described in this paper embodies key
features of the real vehicle, including a complex suspension and steering
dynamics, wheel-soil models, navigation, and control. This research uses
advanced multibody techniques such as minimal coordinate representations with
constraint embedding to model complex unmanned ground vehicles for fast
mechanical simulations with high fidelity. In this work, we demonstrate
high-fidelity dynamics models for autonomous UGV simulations in near real time
that can be useful to the U.S. Army for future autonomous ground vehicle
dynamics modeling and analysis research.
SOFTWARE SAFETY AND SECURITY BEST PRACTICES: A CASE STUDY FROM
AEROSPACE
Authors: Skentzos Paul
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Software safety and security flaws are costly. Defects found in software systems
after they are deployed have always been costly to fix. However, the importance
placed on software developed today as a key technology for functionality and
control of hardware results in even higher costs when defects and errors cause
loss of materiel, and in some cases, personnel. Serious safety and security
flaws have ramifications that often go beyond tangible dollar amounts or data
mishap issues, such as trustworthiness. Safety has always been a major focus for
the aviation community, where engineers follow strict practices that adhere to
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines. Security is a more recent
concern. We have found that processes used for safety can often be applied to
security.

In this paper we describe the aviation community’s DO-178 processes for
safety and how they might be tailored to the land vehicle community. We will use
the development of our hypervisor as a case study of how we built a system using
best practices for both safety and security processes.
LEAD-FREE ELECTRONICS: RELIABILITY AND RISK MITIGATIONS
Authors: Straznicky Ivan
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

The use of lead-free components in electronic modules destined for defense
applications requires a deep understanding of the reliability risks involved. In
particular, pad cratering, tin whiskers, shock and vibration, thermal cycling
and combined environments are among the top risks. Testing and failure analysis
of representative assemblies across a number of scenarios, including with and
without risk mitigations, were performed to understand reliability of lead-free
assembly approaches, in comparison with leaded and mixed solder approaches. The
results lead to an understanding of lead-free reliability and how to improve it,
when required. This outcome is resulting in user acceptance of lead-free
electronics, which is timely given the increasing scope of lead-free
legislation.
THE RDECOM INTEGRATED SYSTEMS ENGINEERING FRAMEWORK
(ISEF)
Authors: Umpfenbach Edward , Mendonza Pradeep , Graf Lisa
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

The Integrated Systems Engineering Framework (ISEF) is an Army Research,
Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) solution to address stovepiped
systems engineering(SE) information and processes, disparate tools united by
custom, one-off integrations, and a lack of accepted, common standards that
exists in today’s Department of Defense (DoD) operating environment.
Ever increasing technical complexity of fielded solutions combined with
budgetary constraints push DoD engineers to “do more with less,”
requiring a technical management solution that allows them collaborate virtually
yet effectively with distributed engineers and other stakeholders. Easy access
to systems engineering tools and information through a single
“cloud” based application allows connections between federated
databases, and facilitates knowledge preservation over time to avoid
“reinventing the wheel” when new programs replace retired ones.
ISEF is an ever-expanding collection of systems engineering tools united around
a common information architecture to address these issues in today’s
Army and other DoD agencies, with a vision of continuous improvement to
consistently expand and adapt the framework’s capability to enable
efficient problem solving for systems engineers in the DoD today and beyond.

This paper will provide insight into the current development status, near term
planned development activities, and long term vision for ISEF, while identifying
real-world programmatic successes enabled by the framework.
Pattern Based Systems Engineering – Leveraging Model Based
Systems Engineering for Cyber-Physical Systems
Authors: Schindel Bill , Peterson Troy
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

As a network of interacting elements, cyber-physical systems (CPS) provide
tremendous opportunities to advance system adaptability, flexibility and
autonomy. However, they also present extremely complex and unique safety,
security and reliability risks. The Department of Defense is seeking methods to
deliver and support trusted systems and manage risks associated with
mission-critical functionality. Technical thought leaders have discussed the
need to address 10:1 more complex systems with 10:1 reduction in effort, using
people from a 10:1 larger community than the “systems expert”
group. This paper briefly summarizes the approach of Pattern-Based Systems
Engineering (PBSE), which leverages the power of Model-Based Systems Engineering
(MBSE) to rapidly deliver these benefits to the larger systems community. This
order-of-magnitude improvement is especially necessary to address the rapidly
increasing complexity of today’s and future cyber-physical systems.
While applying PBSE expresses many patterns, this paper introduces the Embedded
Intelligence (EI) Pattern, particularly relevant to cyber-physical systems such
as autonomous ground vehicles.
Creating Innovation within a Structured Systems Engineering Framework
Authors: Dutcher Kevin J.
Published: November 2024

Abstract

A necessary, but not sufficient, condition for innovation is that it be
different. Given this, a technique is proposed to develop innovative solutions
at each step of a systems engineering based product development effort. This
technique, while not guaranteeing results, allows ventures into innovation which
can be planned, scheduled, and measured.
Consistent Performance With Fuel Found in Theater: Real-Time Fuel
Adaptation With Cylinder Pressure Based Combustion Control
Authors: Johnson Gustav
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Cylinder Pressure Monitoring (AVL CYPRESS™) is a technology
which provides closed-loop feedback to enable real-time control of combustion in
a compression ignition engine. This makes it possible to adapt to the fuel
ignition quality and energy density by adjusting the main injection quantity and
the placement of the injection events. The engine control system can thus detect
fuel quality and adapt the combustion phasing quickly and robustly – and
without any prior knowledge of fuel properties. By using a cylinder pressure
sensor(s), the engine controller will be able to map the development of the
apparent rate of heat release (ARHR) and the mass fuel burn curve - which
provides good thermal efficiency correlation. The cylinder pressure map detects
the combustion event and the feedback controller adjusts the start of injection
to maintain the combustion event at the desired crank position. The cylinder
pressure sensor allows for accurate measurement of the power produced. By
varying the volume of fuel in each injection shot the controller actively
manages the engine power and noise signature with different fuels (e.g. DF-2,
JP-8, JP-5, etc.). The initial concept for this approach was derived from
AVL’s suite of hardware and software tools developed for base engine
combustion research and development. This technology is now licensed to major
OEMs and is in production vehicles in Europe. Results of AVL CYPRESS performance
on military grade fuels is presented which demonstrate consistent torque
performance within 1% regardless of varying fuel properties.
SEMI-ACTIVE SUSPENSION CONTROL USING MODERN METHODOLOGY : A
COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISON STUDY
Authors: Ghasemalizadeh Omid , Taheri Saied , Singh Amandeep , Goryca Jill
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Semi-active suspensions have drawn particular attention due to their superior
performance over the other types of suspensions. One of their advantages is that
their damping coefficient can be controlled without the need for any external
source of power. In this study, three control approaches are implemented on a
quarter-car model using MATLAB/Simulink. The investigated control methodologies
are Acceleration Driven Damper, Power Driven Damper, and H∞
Robust Control. The three controllers are known as comfort-oriented approaches.
H∞ Robust Control is an advanced method that guarantees
transient performance and rejects external disturbances. It is shown that
H∞ with the proposed modification, has the best
performance although its relatively high cost of computation could be
potentially considered as a drawback.
IOWA DEVELOPED RELIABILITY-BASED DESIGN OPTIMIZATION (I-RBDO) -
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
Authors: Choi K.K. , Gaul Nicholas J. , Song Hyeongjin , Cho Hyunkyoo , Lamb David , Gorsich David
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

The recent U.S. Army TARDEC’s 30-Year Strategy calls for enhancing their
skill set in the “ilities,” especially reliability, since this
factor directly impacts more than 58% of life cycle costs, according to a DoD
study. To support this initiative, this paper presents technology transfer of
Iowa developed Reliability-Based Design Optimization (I-RBDO) software by
integrating theories and numerical methods that have been developed over a
number of years in collaboration with the Automotive Research Center (ARC),
which is funded by the U.S. Army TARDEC. Both the sensitivity-based and
sampling-based methods for reliability analysis and design optimization methods
are integrated in I-RBDO for broader multidisciplinary applications. I-RBDO has
very comprehensive capabilities that include modeling of input distributions for
both independent and correlated variables; a variable screening method for high
dimensional RBDO problems; statistical analysis; reliability analysis; RBDO; and
confidence-based RBDO. The research software I-RBDO has been provided to
selected academia, industry, TARDEC HPC and Army Research Lab (ARL) Dedicated
Support Partition (DSP) for testing its effectiveness by applying to various
test problems. The Iowa team will continue working with TARDEC and ARL using
I-RBDO on HPC and DSP, respectively, for Army applications of I-RBDO. With
successful applications of I-RBDO, the Iowa team established a small start-up
company to develop a commercial Reliability Analysis & Multidisciplinary
Design Optimization (RAMDO) software. The company was awarded an Army SBIR
funding contract in May 2014. This commercialization of the ARC funded I-RBDO
software represents a major technology transfer for the benefit of the Army. The
success of TARDEC led research and development is highlighted by taking a
significant multi-year project like this and demonstrating a full transition of
the technology to the commercial marketplace.
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY OPTIMIZATION FRAMEWORK FOR OCCUPANT CENTRIC
GROUND VEHICLE SYSTEM DESIGN - Part I: Vehicle Design Parameter Screening
Study
Authors: Sheng Jianping , Mechergui Dave , Vunnam Madan , Arepally Sudhakar , Bednarz Dave , Hsieh Ching
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a vehicle design parameter screening, the first portion of
our MDO efforts on occupant-centric vehicle design. The study uses a full
simplified vehicle by considering occupant centric survivability performance
under underbody mine blast loading. The top 10 design variables have been
identified by TARDEC SMEs and analyzed systematically. 32 finite element models
were built to represent fractional factorial combinations of these design
parameters and used to determine the main contributors to vehicle structure
response and occupant injury potentials. Four preferred design parameter
selections have been found in this effort to achieve improved occupant
survivability performance and structural response under underbody blast
loadings. They are: optimized seat energy absorption system, higher standoff
distance and vehicle mass, double-V underbody shape without structural
reinforcement, and smaller vehicle width. The study found and confirmed that an
optimized seat energy absorption system can lower occupant injury indices
significantly. The efforts presented in this paper pave a road to a full system
multidisciplinary design optimization.
Integrating P-Diagrams into Specifications
Authors: Dutcher Kevin J.
Published: November 2024

Many of the “ilities” (Reliability, Maintainability, etc) are
afterthoughts in the creation of a specification, and are often relegated to a
set of templated boilerplate requirements, that are largely ignored. The
Reliability / Robust Design professionals often use a P-Diagram (Parameter
Diagram) as a key part of understanding the system under design. A way of
integrating the Reliability effort more into the mainstream of the design
activity, and give them a stronger voice, is to put their P-Diagram right into
the specification, before it gets released to industry. This paper describes the
rationale and the manner in which to do this.
AN INTEGRATIVE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING MODEL FOR PRODUCT DESIGN AND
DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Badiru Adedeji B. , Maloney Anna E.
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Systems integration is crucial in highly technical products, not only for the
current operational need, but also for future operations in a dynamic
environment. A good case example is the various product development endeavors to
support military operations. In a 2012 revelation by the U.S. Government
Accountability Office (GAO), it was reported that the U.S. Air Force would spend
$9.7 billion over 20 years to upgrade the capabilities of its F-22A Raptor as a
result of the service’s failure to anticipate the plane’s
long-term need for technology modernization. This is a product integration
debacle. Applying a systems engineering technique could improve the systems
efficiency and process effectiveness for new product development. This paper
presents the DEJI (Design, Evaluate, Justify, and
Integrate) model as an enhancement technique that can facilitate the integration
needs on the future continuum of new technological developments.
A PASSIVE SOLUTION FOR TRANSIENT HEAT LOAD ISSUES USING PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
Authors: Putrus Johnathon P. , Jones Stanley T. , Jawad Badih A. , Schihl Peter
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Thermal management systems (TMS) of armored ground vehicle designs are often
incapable of sustained heat rejection during high tractive effort conditions and
ambient conditions. The use of a latent heat energy storage system that utilizes
Phase Change Materials (PCMs) is an effective way of storing thermal energy and
offers key advantages such as high-energy storage density, high heat of fusion
values, and greater stability in temperature control. Military vehicles
frequently undergo high-transient thermal loads and often do not provide
adequate cooling for powertrain subsystems. This work outlines an approach to
temporarily store excess heat generated by the transmission during high tractive
effort situations through use of a passive PCM retrofit thereby extending the
operating time, reducing temperature transients, and limiting overheating. A
numerical heat transfer model has been developed based around a conceptual
vehicle transmission TMS. The model predicts the transmission fluid temperature
response with and without a PCM retrofit. The developed model captures the
physics of the phase change processes to predict the transient heat absorption
and rejection processes. The model will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of
proposed candidate implementations and provide input for TMS evaluations.
Parametric studies of the heat transfer model have been conducted to establish
desirable structural morphologies and PCM thermophysical properties. Key
parameters include surface structural characteristics, conduction enhancing
material, surface area, and PCM properties such as melt temperature, heat of
fusion, thermal conductivity, etc. To demonstrate proof-of-concept, a passive
PCM enclosure has been designed to be integrated between a transmission bell
housing and torque converter. This PCM-augmented module will temporarily
strategically absorb and release heat from the system at a controlled rate. This
allows surging fluid temperatures to be clamped below the maximum effective
fluid temperature rating thereby increasing component life, reliability, and
performance. This work outlines cooling system boundary conditions,
mobility/thermal loads, model details, enclosure design characteristics,
potential PCM candidates, design considerations, performance data, cooling
system impacts, conclusions, and potential future work.
SIMULATION-BASED PROTOTYPING OF STABILITY CONTROL CONCEPTS FOR
HIGH-SPEED TELEOPERATION OF HEAVY VEHICLES
Authors: Lo Jia-Hsuan , Eye Sean , Rohde Steve M. , Rohde Mitchell M.
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Teleoperated ground vehicles are an integral part of the U.S. Army and Marine
Corps long range vision and a key transition technology for fully autonomous
vehicles. However, the combination of marginally-stable vehicle dynamics and
limited perception are a key challenge facing teleoperation of such platforms at
higher speeds. New technologies for enhancing operator perception and
automatically detecting and mitigating rollover risk are needed to realize
sufficient safety and performance in these applications. This paper presents
three rollover mitigation concepts for high speed teleoperation of heavy
tactical vehicles, including model-predictive warning, negative obstacle
avoidance, and reactive brake controls. A modeling and simulation approach was
used to evaluate these concepts within the Autonomous Navigation Virtual
Environment Laboratory (ANVEL). Vehicle models for both the M1078 cargo truck
and RG-31 MRAP were used throughout concept evaluation over terrain ranging from
urban highway to off-road conditions with more complex topography.
AN IMPROVED WAVEGUIDE MODEL TO SUPPORT ANALYSIS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC
SHIELDING FOR LIQUID COOLED POWER ELECTRONICS
Authors: Faust Scott W.
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

This paper describes ongoing work to develop and validate an improved waveguide
model in order to support analysis of shielding effectiveness at frequencies
from 8 GHz to 25 GHz. Waveguides may be used in the coolant loop for
liquid-cooled, high-voltage power electronics to maintain the shielding
effectiveness of the enclosure surrounding the power electronics. Different
formulas for shielding effectiveness are reviewed and their applicability and
limitations examined. The improved model is then used to predict the shielding
effectiveness of an air-filled waveguide with a hexagonal or
“honeycomb” insert installed. The results obtained are then
compared with results obtained by modeling and simulation using FEKO.
Moving Technology Forward by Putting Robots to Work on Military
Installations: Autonomous Warrior Transport On-base (AWTO)
Authors: Mottern Edward , Putney Joseph , Straub Edward , Barghout Jeff
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

The Autonomous Warrior Transport On-base (AWTO) pilot project is an Applied
Robotics for Installations and Base Operations (ARIBO) project that addresses
the real-world needs of the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Bragg. Soldiers
in this battalion, some of whom have mobility difficulties, often require
transportation assistance from the barracks to the Womack Army Medical Center.
TARDEC and Robotic Research are utilizing robotic technology to provide an
unmanned transport system equipped with a reservation/reminder system for these
soldiers and caretakers. As a result, we are combining operational value and
experimentation, creating a practical-to-tactical strategy that leverages
existing autonomy R&D programs to build on increasingly complex operational
scenarios.
Modeling the Evolution of a System Over Time
Authors: Hause Matthew
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

Systems change over time. Sometimes this is planned as in the normal maintenance,
planned upgrades, refits and modifications to keep a system fit for purpose and
ready to deploy. There may also be multiple allowable configurations of a system
providing flexibility to meet different operational needs. Sometimes the changes
are not planned. This can be due to complete system failure, component failure,
accidental or deliberate damage, as well as unforeseen operational needs.
Whatever the reason for the change, the “To-Be” configuration of
the system needs to be captured, analyzed and evaluated to ensure it will meet
the projected operational need. Systems engineering and trade-off analysis also
need to be performed to ensure that the best configuration of the system has
been specified regarding time, cost, system effectiveness, as well as a host of
other criteria. Additionally, it is not sufficient to simply model the system
configurations. It is necessary to show how a configuration will evolve over
time, how the variations will differ, common components, additional and emergent
behavior, how a systems behavior and capabilities change over time, etc. For
military vehicles, there is the additional dimension of the configuration of a
manufactured set of vehicles. They are traditionally manufactured in this way in
order to take advantage of economies of scale, as well as other factors. Over
the typical course of a system lifecycle, they are regularly serviced and
reconfigured to address operational needs as well as take advantage of
technological developments. Mission and usage parameters continually evolve and
the vehicle must adapt to suit. These need to be planned in advance, and the
multiple configurations of each vehicle or set of vehicles need to be tracked
and managed. No two vehicles are the same and arguably no two systems of systems
are the same. This paper will show how these configurations can be modeled,
managed and analyzed in an effective way.
BOXARR: THE DIGITAL THREAD OF INTER-DEPENDENCY MANAGEMENT FOR HIGHLY
COMPLEX SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
Authors: Smith Robert E. , Hamilton Fraser
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

This paper will discuss the systematic operations of utilizing the BOXARR
platform as the ‘Digital Thread’ to overcome the inherent and
hidden complexities in massive-scale interdependent systems; with particular
emphasis on future applications in Military Ground Vehicles (MGVs). It will
discuss how BOXARR can enable significantly improved capabilities in
requirements-capture, optimized risk management, enhanced collaborative
relationships between engineering and project/program management teams,
operational analysis, trade studies, capability analysis, adaptability,
resilience, and overall architecture design; all within a unified framework of
BOXARR’s customizable modeling, visualization and analysis
applications.
ENABLING ELECTRIFIED DIESEL ENGINE-POWERED AND VEHICLE-SUPPORTED
MICROGRIDS
Authors: Salehi Rasoul , Martz Jason , Stefanopoulou Anna , Rizzo Denise , McGrew Dean , Hansen Taylor
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

A sudden increase in microgrid electrical power consumption requires the fast
supply of energy from different generating sources to guarantee microgrid
voltage stability. This paper presents the results of simulations investigating
the integration of an electric supercharger into a Heavy Duty Diesel (HDD)
genset connected to a microgrid for reducing engine speed droop in response to
an abrupt power demand requested from the grid. First, a mean value model for
the 13 L HDD engine is used to study the response of the baseline turbocharged
engine during a fast load increase at low engine speed. The limited air mass in
the cylinder during the transient results in engine lugging and ultimately
engine stall. Then, an electrical supercharger is integrated before the
turbocharger compressor to increase the engine air charge. During steady state
operation, the simulation results indicate that the supercharger is able to
increase the air-charge by approximately 50% over the lower half of the engine
map, which is the key area of interest for load acceptance as it restricts the
HDD response during fast power requests. Then, the supercharged engine is tested
with abrupt power disturbances applied at engine idle. The results show the
ability of the supercharger to mitigate engine speed droop, reducing it from 180
RPM to less than 30 RPM. Strategies are also shown where the supercharger can
increase the engine’s load acceptance ability without increasing fuel
consumption compared to strategies such as increased engine idle speed.
Developing a brake based stability control system to satisfy military
and federal safety requirements for wheeled, light tactical
vehicles.
Authors: Tackett Wendell , Clark Mark
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

This paper provides detail of the system architecture and systems engineering
process utilized by AM General to develop a new stability control system that
satisfies all military and federal safety requirements for wheeled, light
tactical vehicles.
PREDICTION OF VEHICLE MOBILITY ON LARGE-SCALE SOFT-SOIL TERRAIN MAPS
USING PHYSICS-BASED SIMULATION
Authors: Wasfy Tamer M. , Jayakumar Paramsothy , Mechergui Dave , Sanikommu Srinivas
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

A high-fidelity physics-based approach for predicting vehicle mobility over large
terrain maps is presented. The novelties of this paper are: (i) modeling
approach based on seamless integration of multibody dynamics and the discrete
element method (DEM) into one solver, and (ii) an HPC-based
design-of-Experiments (DOE) approach to predict the off-road soft soil mobility
of ground vehicles on large-scale terrain maps. A high-fidelity multibody
dynamics model of a typical 4x4 military vehicle is used which includes models
of the various vehicle systems such as chassis, wheels/tires, suspension,
steering, and power train. A penalty technique is used to impose joint and
contact constraints. A general cohesive soil material DEM model is used which
includes the effects of soil cohesion, elasticity, plasticity/compressibility,
damping, friction, and viscosity. To manage problem size, a novel moving soil
patch technique is used in which DEM particles which are far behind the vehicle
are continuously eliminated and then reemitted in front of the vehicle as new
particles and then leveled and compacted. The governing equations of motion of
both the vehicle and the soil particles are solved along with joint and contact
constraints using an explicit time-integration procedure. The DEM inter-particle
cohesion and friction forces are calibrated to the cone index using a simulation
of a cone penetrometer experiment. The DOE approach is demonstrated by
predicting the speed-made-good distribution for a typical military vehicle on 22
km × 22 km terrain map. Two terrain parameters are considered in the
DOE, namely, terrain positive slope and soil strength. This is the first
time such mobility map is generated using high-fidelity physics-based
simulations.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF VIRTUAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PROVING GROUND FOR
MEDIUM-DUTY TACTICAL TRUCK USING VARIETY OF SUSPENSIONS
Authors: Liao Y. Gene , Card Brandon , Wasylyk John
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the comparative analysis of virtual and experimental proving
ground for the performance capabilities of front suspensions in the Family of
Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) cargo truck. The front suspension of the current
baseline FMTV is a solid axle with leaf springs and shock absorbers. Two other
types of suspensions including passive and semi-active suspensions are evaluated
in solid and fully independent axle configurations. Virtual proving ground for
on- and off-road tests are simulated in the Trucksim environment to include
constant radius circular steer, double lane change, sinusoidal steer, washboard
road surfaces, and half-round curb strike. Physical proving ground tests are
conducted to provide some experimental correlation and validation of the
baseline vehicle simulation results. The comprehensive experiments also evaluate
the capabilities of various suspensions which have been considered in future
FMTV design for mobility performance improvement.