This book discusses the problems of delivering goods from East and South-East Asia to Europe, presenting the regional transport problems experienced in Italy, Slovakia, Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Poland. The book is divided into two parts. The first part is devoted to the analysis of various issues in global logistics and regional transport, which operate in transport corridors. The second part of the book focuses on solutions to some of the technical and informatics problems related to the organization of transportation along the East-West routes. Intended primarily for professionals involved in various aspects of cargo delivery along the East-West routes, the book is also useful for manufacturers, technical staff at logistics companies, managers, students of transport-related subjects, as well as for a wide range of readers interested in the current state of transport in different countries.

The book describes an approach to the multi-agent systems (MAS) design for applications of robotic soccer in the MiroSot category. The described MAS is designed for dynamic, quickly changing environments, in which not only the actions of our MAS are observed, but also those of the opposing MAS. It actively tries to affect the environment to score goals faster than the opposing MAS. Multi-agent systems (MAS) are mostly applied in the environments in which they exist and act without an opposing system. The book also describes strategies based on a supervisor that makes decisions depending on behavior prediction of the opposing MAS and the ball movement in the working place. A sophisticated distribution of tasks was designed for each agent to cooperate in order score goals as fast as possible. Simultaneously, these agents try, by permitted means, to prevent the enemy agents from scoring goals. The approach described is an excellent guide to the constantly evolving abilities of mobile robotics, both for real-world applications, such as cooperation of multiple robots in life-saving activities, and for the steadily developing applications of mobile robots in various robotic competitions (e.g. Robocup, etc.). The book provides readers with high-level knowledge on how to design strategies and how to implement such systems, and the ideas presented enable them to further refine the approach utilizing the latest hardware and use it in new systems implementations of sophisticated intelligent engineering.

Haynes Manuals explain best: step-by-step procedures linked to hundreds of easy-to-follow photos; written from 'hands-on' experience...using common tools; quick and easy troubleshooting sections; detailed wiring diagrams; and color spark plug diagnosis.

This book highlights practical solutions for flight safety improvement techniques, which are currently the focus of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It has become clear that, in order to rapidly and significantly improve flight safety, the integrated use of new aeronautical technologies is called for. Considering the size of the aviation fleet, its constant growth and the long service lives of aircraft, new technologies should be adapted both to cutting-edge air navigation systems and to those that have been used for over a decade. Concretely, the book discusses methodological approaches to the construction of ground and on-board avionics that make it possible to achieve improved flight safety using innovative new methods. The proposed approaches are illustrated with real-world examples of e.g. satellite-based navigation systems and enhanced ground proximity warning systems. The book is written for professionals involved in the development of avionics systems, as well as students, researchers and experts in the field of radiolocation, radio navigation and air traffic control, the book will support the development and modeling of radio technical complexes, as well as the analysis of complex radio technical systems.

This book focuses on the damage, fracture and fatigue of ceramic-matrix composites. It investigates tensile damage and fracture, fatigue hysteresis, and the properties of interfaces subjected to cyclic fatigue loading. Further, it predicts fatigue life at room and elevated temperatures using newly developed damage models and methods, and it analyzes and compares damage, fracture and fatigue behavior of different fiber performs: unidirectional, cross-ply, 2D and 2.5D woven. The developed models and methods can be used to predict the damage and lifetime of ceramic-matrix composites during applications on hot section components.Ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs) are high-temperature structural materials with the significant advantages of high specific strength, high specific modulus, high temperature resistance and good thermal stability, which play a crucial role in the development of high thrust weight ratio aero engines. The critical nature of the application of these advanced materials makes comprehensive characterization a necessity, and as such this book provides designers with essential information pertaining not only to the strength of the materials, but also to their fatigue and damage characteristics.

The book deals with the fundamentals, theoretical bases, and design methodologies of conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). The design methodology is described in mathematical terms, step-by-step, and the topics are approached from the overall drive train system, not just individual components. Furthermore, in explaining the design methodology of each drive train, design examples are presented with simulation results.

Flexible Multibody Dynamics comprehensively describes the numerical modelling of flexible multibody dynamics systems in space and aircraft structures, vehicles, and mechanical systems. A rigorous approach is followed to handle finite rotations in 3D, with a thorough discussion of the different alternatives for parametrization. Modelling of flexible bodies is treated following the Finite Element technique, a novel aspect in multibody systems simulation.

Moreover, this book provides extensive coverage of the formulation of a general purpose software for flexible multibody dynamics analysis, based on an exhaustive treatment of large rotations and finite element modelling, and incorporating useful reference material.

Features include different solution techniques such as:

• time integration of differential-algebraic equations

• non-linear substructuring

• continuation methods

• nonlinear bifurcation analysis.

Air Traffic Management: Economics Regulation and Governance provides the latest insights on approaches and issues surrounding the economic regulation and governance of air traffic management (ATM). The book begins by explaining what ATM is, showing its importance within the aviation industry. It then outlines the unique institutional characteristics that govern ATM, also discussing its implications for economic regulation and investment. Technological developments and the issues and approaches to safety regulation are also covered, as are the implications ATM has on airports. The book concludes with an exploration of future directions, including the entry of drones into airspace and the introduction of competition in ATM services Air traffic management plays a critical role in air transport, impacting both air safety and the efficiency of air services. Yet air navigation services are shifting from government provision to private industry, creating the need for more critical analysis of governance and economic regulation within the ATM industry.

This book highlights papers presented at the Second International Conference on Smart Vehicular Technology, Transportation, Communication and Applications (VTCA 2018), which was held at Mount Emei, Sichuan Province, China from 25 to 28 October 2018. The conference was co-sponsored by Springer, Southwest Jiaotong University, Fujian University of Technology, Chang'an University, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Fujian Provincial Key Lab of Big Data Mining and Applications, and the National Demonstration Center for Experimental Electronic Information and Electrical Technology Education (Fujian University of Technology). The conference was intended as an international forum for researchers and professionals engaged in all areas of smart vehicular technology, vehicular transportation, vehicular communication, and applications.

Handbook of Thermoset-Based Biocomposites is a three-volume set that provides a comprehensive review on the recent developments, characterization, and applications of natural fiber-reinforced biocomposites. An in-depth look at hybrid composites, nanofillers, and natural fiber reinforcement is divided into three books on polyester, vinyl ester, and epoxy composites. The volumes explore the widespread applications of natural fiber-reinforced polyester, vinyl ester, and epoxy composites ranging from the aerospace sector, automotive parts, construction and building materials, sports equipment, and household appliances. Investigating the physio-chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of these composites, the volumes also consider the influence of hybridization, fibre architecture, and fibre-ply orientation. This three-volume set serves as a useful reference for researchers, graduate students, and engineers in the field of composites.

NASA-SP-2009-4802. NASA History Series. Edited by Steven J. Dick and Mark L. Lupisella. Authors with diverse backgrounds in science, history, anthropology, and more, consider culture in the context of the cosmos. How does our knowledge of cosmic evolution affect terrestrial culture? Conversely, how does our knowledge of cultural evolution affect our thinking about possible cultures in the cosmos? Are life, mind, and culture of fundamental significance to the grand story of the cosmos that has generated its own self-understanding through science, rational reasoning, and mathematics? Book includes bibliographical references and an index.

This handbook is an important and valuable source for engineers and researchers in the area of internal combustion engines pollution control. It provides an excellent updated review of available knowledge in this field and furnishes essential and useful information on air pollution constituents, mechanisms of formation, control technologies, effects of engine design, effects of operation conditions, and effects of fuel formulation and additives. The text is rich in explanatory diagrams, figures and tables, and includes a considerable number of references.
Key Features
* An important resource for engineers and researchers in the area of internal combustion engines and pollution control
* Presents and excellent updated review of the available knowledge in this area
* Written by 23 experts
* Provides over 700 references and more than 500 explanatory diagrams, figures and tables

Transport Nodal System provides a comprehensive introduction to the development of transport nodes and nodal systems, focusing on economic, operational, management, planning, policy, regulation and sustainability perspectives. Through a deep analysis on different types of transport nodes from diverse perspectives, this book shows the major issues and challenges that transport node planners, managers, and policymakers face, and how to address them. The book provides a clear framework for identifying the common attributes across all nodes that contribute to the efficient operations, planning, and management of transport facilities. Transport nodes such as seaports, inland terminals, airports, highways, and railroads are hubs in a multimodal transportation network that facilitate the smooth operation of passengers and freight. The book uniquely uses the transport node itself rather than a specific type of structure for a specific type of transport mode as the primary focus of analysis. While stressing the importance of transport nodes in developing efficient logistics and supply chains, the book also demonstrates that transport nodes are geographically embedded within a particular location, and that operations are inevitably affected by local factors, such as culture, the economy, the political and regulatory environment and other institutions.

On July 4, 1991, the Arleigh Burke class of destroyers, the most powerful surface combatants in naval history, was commissioned. It was the culmination of a century-and-a-half evolution of the destroyer—an evolution captured in this vivid and timely history of the world's most popular warship. Destroyers: An Illustrated History of Their Impact tells the story of one of the most-recent, most-rapidly evolving additions to the world's navies. Coverage ranges from the 1882 launch of the first destroyer, through the nonstop technical and strategic innovations of the world war eras, to the current high watermarks of destroyer design such as the Arleigh Burke class (named for the navy's most-famous destroyer squadron combat commander). With its ship-by-ship analysis, this masterful volume shows how destroyers have continually met the challenge of protecting naval and land operations from ever more dangerous attacks. The book also captures the flavor of shipboard life for officers and crew and looks at the crucial role of the destroyer as a standard-bearing status symbol of naval might and political intention.

Railroads altered the landscape of the United States. Within a few decades of the invention of the locomotive, railways stretched from coast to coast, enabling people and goods to travel far greater distances than ever before, completely altering our concept of time and space. And while railroads may seem like an "old" technology, they continue to be an essential means of transporting both goods and people, and new technologies are making the railroads an increasingly relevant resource for the 21st century. This volume in the Greenwood Technographies series provides an accessible overview of the nearly 200 years of the growth and development of this historically significant--and popular --technology. The Railroad: The Life Story of a Technology gives students and railroad enthusiasts plenty of information on the development of this popular technology: * Chronicles the early years of the railroad, from early wooden tramways in Massachusetts, to the famous "Tom Thumb" * Discusses the important technological "failures," such as the narrow-gauge craze of the late nineteenth century with track widths as small as two feet. * Covers all aspects of railroad technology -- everything from the structure of the track to communications to what powers the locomotive. * Links the technology to broader social developments, such as the decline of the railroad in the mid-20th century to outmoded governmental and labor restrictions, and the current rise of railroad technology as a result of new managerial techniques. The volume includes a timeline of important dates in railroad history, a glossary of important terms, and a selected bibliography of works appropriate for further research.

This book highlights papers presented at the Second International Conference on Smart Vehicular Technology, Transportation, Communication and Applications (VTCA 2018), which was held at Mount Emei, Sichuan Province, China from 25 to 28 October 2018. The conference was co-sponsored by Springer, Southwest Jiaotong University, Fujian University of Technology, Chang'an University, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Fujian Provincial Key Lab of Big Data Mining and Applications, and the National Demonstration Center for Experimental Electronic Information and Electrical Technology Education (Fujian University of Technology). The conference was intended as an international forum for researchers and professionals engaged in all areas of smart vehicular technology, vehicular transportation, vehicular communication, and applications.

Although the problem of stability and bifurcation is well understood in Mechanics, very few treatises have been devoted to stability and bifurcation analysis in dissipative media, in particular with regard to present and fundamental problems in Solid Mechanics such as plasticity, fracture and contact mechanics. Stability and Nonlinear Solid Mechanics addresses this lack of material, and proposes to the reader not only a unified presentation of nonlinear problems in Solid Mechanics, but also a complete and unitary analysis on stability and bifurcation problems arising within this framework. Main themes include:
* elasticity and plasticity problems in small and finite deformation
* general concepts of stability and bifurcation and basic results
* elastic buckling
* plastic buckling of structures
* standard dissipative systems obeying maximum dissipation.
These themes are developed in 20 chapters and illustrated by various analytical and numerical results. The coverage given here extends beyond the limited boundaries of previous works, resulting in a text of lasting interest and value to postgraduate students, researchers and practitioners working in mechanical, civil and aerospace engineering, as well as materials science.