by cidaut | Jul 13, 2015 | Sin categoría
Funded with €5.8m by the EC’s Horizon 2020 Programme, and leaded by Loughborough University, SafetyCube will develop an evidence-based road safety decision support system (DSS) to enable policy-makers and stakeholders to identify the most cost-effective measures to address the most pressing road safety problems.
The project brings together 18 partners from 15 European countries and spans all elements of road safety from infrastructures and speed limits, to vehicles, road users, and driver behaviour. The team of transdisciplinary experts will bring in-depth road traffic accident data resources together with detailed injury databases, trauma registers, insurance data and information on road user behaviour.
SafetyCube is the first systematic pan-European in-depth study of accident causation. As well as providing data on existing technologies, it will also enable predictive estimates to be made of the effectiveness of new technologies which may only be on the road in small numbers or not yet in use.
The project work plan is based around the core areas relating to the three components of the transportation system, i.e. road user behaviour, infrastructure design and operation, and vehicle safety, to facilitate the application of the results.
Participating organisations:
Loughborough University (UK), CIDAUT (Spain), SAFER Vehicle and Traffic Safety Centre (CHALMERS) (Sweden), Laboratory of Accidentology, Biomechanics and Human Behaviour (LAB) (France), Centre Européen d’Etudes de Sécurité et d’Analyse des Risques (CEESAR) (France), National Technical University of Athens (Greece), Belgian Road Safety Institute, SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research (Netherlands), Austrian Road Safety Board, French Institute of Science and Technology for Transport, Development and Networks, Institute of Transport Economics (TØI) (Norway), European Road Federation (Belgium), Centre for Transport and Logistics at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” (Italy), Agency for Public Health, Barcelona (ASPB) (Spain), Medical University of Hannover (Germany), Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency (AVP), DEKRA Automobil GmbH (Germany).
by cidaut | May 19, 2015 | Sin categoría
The INROADS FP7 project led by TRL with seven European partners has developed intelligent road studs (also known as cats eyes) containing LED lighting, sensors and communication technologies, which will enable enhanced traffic management and road user information, representing a major advance over the existing retroreflective studs. During the development of the studs, several designs and technologies were considered for vehicle detection, with low power consumption and wireless communication as essential requirements to meet.
For the final validation tests, some INROADS studs were installed in a closed test track at CIDAUT facilities. The aim of these tests was to validate their global operation and achieve some preliminary results and guidelines in relation to the installation of the studs and their effect and benefits on night driving. Thus, a thorough photometric study was carried, analyzing visibility and glare of the LED studs in use. Besides, drivers’ feelings and behavior have been evaluated by CIDAUT human factors team. An instrumented vehicle has also been used to record drivers’ speed and trajectory in order to compare the data with and without the studs.
The result: a sensor network consisting of embedded LED studs able to detect passing vehicles and communicate with each other and with a central control in order to light your way as you drive along, highlighting the lane delineation and enhancing visibility without glare. So far, tests have demonstrated a very positive effect on night driving, increasing comfort, perceived safety and easiness of driving. Also, it has been proved that they cause no glare at all, while they have a greater conspicuity and visibility compared to standard retroreflective studs. This implies a significant safety benefit, particularly on unlit roads. In such situations, they offer an extremely attractive and cost effective solution to traditional street lighting, in that they offer many of the safety benefits, but with a much lower capital and operational cost.
And in case you are worrying about energy and power consumption, there is no need to: they are also able to harvest renewable energy from their environment thanks to some integrated solar photovoltaic panels. Thus, not only are these studs intelligent, but also energetically self-sufficient.
So after three years of hard work of all seven partners involved, we are proud to present the first intelligent self-powered LED studs. Now we can say that we have enlightened a little the way to intelligent roads. Future is drawing nearer.
by cidaut | May 19, 2015 | Sin categoría
One of the aims of Clean Sky is to develop new technologies for green manufacturing through Integrated Technology Demonstrators (ITDs) within the frame of both Green Regional Aircraft (GRA) and Eco-Design (ED) platforms, with the objective to realize low weight/eco-friendly aircraft components featuring competitive manufacturing costs. To achieve this purpose ALENIA AERMACCHI, (Leader of the GRA ITD and Member of the ED ITD) has conducted several studies and launched initiatives aiming to develop, optimize and industrialize Liquid Resin Infusion (LRI) processes. Executed out of autoclave (without pressure), the required solution shall reduce weight, related environmental impact and reduce life cycle costs, for the one shot manufacturing of wing box stiffened panels in composite material.
Under these initiatives, CIDAUT has led the research project named “Panel Liquid Infusion Technology” (PLIT), (Topic Manager SICAMB), which was launched within the GRA “Low Weight Configuration” domain, and was set up to provide a scientific approach to the physics of the LRI process by the development of a “process simulation numerical model”, to study resin flow during the impregnation stage.
The PLIT project consortium was led by CIDAUT Foundation, in charge of development and validation of simulation models and the test bench. ITRB was involved in the tools detailed design and PBLH International Consulting was in charge of dissemination activities.
The LRI simulation model set up by CIDAUT allows identifying potential causes for non uniform distributions of resin flow that may cause injection process faults like dry spots, poor saturation of the pre-form, partially filled composite parts and other defects. An outcome of the model is shown in figure 1. Filling time was used to correlate experimental and simulation results.
Figure 1 Correlation between simulation and laboratory tests to determine permeabilities
Two main technical objectives were addressed by CIDAUT in the PLIT project:
- Development of an optimized LRI process simulation methodology especially suited for analyzing large parts and stiffened wing skin panels.
- Research to gain in-depth understanding of the flow phenomena based on experimental data and try-out.
The simulation model development required full understanding of the most significant phenomena in flow processing and development of dedicated methodologies in laboratory to characterize key material parameters of carbon reinforcements, epoxy resins and distribution media affecting resin flow in LRI processes (an example is shown in figure 2).
Figure 2 Correlation between simulation and laboratory tests to determine permeabilities
Compared to a full 3D resin flow computation, commonly used in infusion processes analysis, the optimized numerical model developed by CIDAUT leads to significant reduction in computation time, while accurately predicting resin flow from the distribution media through the laminate thickness. The model is parametric and user friendly. Case studies can be parametrically defined depending on the resin viscosity parameters, carbon fiber permeabilities, infusion process parameters (resin pot and oven temperatures) and impregnation strategy (i.e. number, location, diameter and length of the inlet and outlet pipes, location of distribution media, sequential fillings, etc).
The simulation model was numerically verified and experimentally validated against experimental LRI tests, carried out in large stiffened wing panel demonstrators manufacturing. For that purpose, a complete test bench was manufactured and delivered to the topic manager premises in Italy, where infusion tests were conducted and filling times were accurately measured at critical locations along panels. Experimental characterization of permeability and viscosity parameters were key factors for achieving a good correlation between experimental and simulation filling times.
Figure 3 Stiffened wing panel made by LRI (Courtesy of ALENIA AERMACCHIand SICAMB)
by cidaut | May 19, 2015 | Sin categoría
It was organized by the Association for Organizational Learning SoL Spain (www.solspain.org). SoL Spain, is a community that share an interest in developing skills necessary for organizational learning to achieve fundamental changes in people and their organizations.
Persei Consulting, TECNALIA and CIDAUT share their business experiences in Lean Projects Management. Persei Consulting described their experience applying Scrum and agile methods in the management of software development projects, Tecnalia went into detail explaining the adaptation of these methodologies in their projects and pilot areas, and CIDAUT shared our experience deploying the Lean Project Management methodology.
Lean Project Management (LPM) is the application of Lean principles in the context of project management. LPM has many ideas in common with other lean concepts. The fundamental principle is based on creating more value with less “waste” using Lean tools such as standardization, visual control, daily Kaizen, etc.
The debate generated interesting conclusions for the companies got involved in a cultural change through the lean thinking and agile methods.
Start by enthusiasts
When an organization is facing a change, there are always three kinds of people: “Enthusiasts” (10%) who take easily the proposed changes, the “Silent majority” (80%) formed by neutral people who will adapt progressively to changes as they become consolidated and are extended, and finally “Reluctant to change” (10%) who tend to reject any proposal.
We agree that the best option is to start applying these methods in a pilot project with a good group of enthusiastic people involved. The following challenge is how to extend it to more people, more projects, and more departments. It is necessary to keep encouraging them and trust that enthusiasts will extend it to the rest.
Managers involvement, is it important?
Managers involvement is necessary to succeed in changing the management process?
We agree there are different degrees of involvement. The “laissez faire” management style to lead change as one priority. No one doubts that the rate of progress is higher when the Management is really involved.
But we agree that the degree of involvement or not is never an excuse for not promoting change initiatives from other non-hierarchical leadership when it takes sense to work according to this philosophy of work and applying agile methods.
Lean Tools
An advantage of the tools used in the application of agile methods is its simplicity.
Everybody learn how to use Lean tools without any problem. This can lead to the mistake of thinking that learning to use the tools, the change will occur by itself. This is not true but tools provide a way to initiate the change.
When we use the tools we need to adapt them to our type of work, to our reality, change tools conveniently and the real change occurs providing benefits when we change, when change the way we feel, the way we think and how we interact with our peers and customers.
Cultural change as main conclusion
As main conclusion we can say that the application of these methodologies is not an aim in itself, the ultimate goal is a change in the culture of our organization. Create a culture of collaboration and involvement of persons.
The change in the conditions a person does his job leads to a change of attitude in people. When people are involved they appreciate learning and action.
We agree that when an organisation improve working methods and workflow view, people change their attitude and that’s when the culture changes.
For more information about the content of this event visit the blog www.innpulsos.com
by cidaut | Mar 13, 2015 | Sin categoría
Maybe some of you have already seen it on the media, but for those still unaware… Valladolid has launched the world’s first smart pedestrian crossing!!!
Within the framework of the VRUITS European Project (Improving the safety and mobility of vulnerable road users through ITS applications), and thanks to the close collaboration with the Valladolid City Council, CIDAUT has installed an intelligent system that solves the problem of people detection and counting in all kind of environments using a brand new technology. This idea of measuring and monitoring people flow was found very appealing in order to improve urban mobility and the system quickly found its way on the crossing between the streets Claudio Moyano and Santiago, one of the most crowded spots in Valladolid city centre.
The aim of the installation was on one the hand detect and count pedestrians on Calle Santiago, to measure people flow and see how it varies depending on the time of day and from one day to another. The system is also able to distinguish different directions, allowing making statistics of people following one sense or another separately. On the other hand, Calle Santiago is the main pedestrian street in the city centre, being Claudio Moyano the only road crossing it. This means this particular crossing supports daily a huge amount of people. Taking pedestrian flow into account to adapt traffic lights in real time is crucial to improve pedestrian’s mobility and safety in the crossing.
This new smart system counts all passersby, determining how many people are waiting to cross, and it sends all the information to the traffic lights control to adapt the green phase accordingly if there are too many pedestrians on the waiting areas.
And what is the difference with the traditional push-buttons? Well, this system provides two main advantages over the old-fashioned buttons. Firstly, it does not depend on users to be activated. Sometimes people are oblivious to the need of pushing the button in order to activate the pedestrian green phase on some crossings, while others are impaired and unable to push it, leaving the most vulnerable road users aside. Secondly, this system allows resuming traffic flow if pedestrians are no longer waiting to cross. Haven’t you ever been retained needlessly in some traffic lights just because someone pushed the button and then left?
In addition and in order to increase pedestrian safety even more, a smart lighting module has been also implemented to illuminate pedestrians on the zebra crossing, providing an enhanced visibility so that drivers can perceive pedestrians better and react accordingly.
After all these months of hard work, here is the system installed:
Installed equipments
C/ Santiago, towards Plaza Mayor C/ Santiago, towards Plaza Zorrilla
So if you happen to be in Valladolid and walk around that area, remember… we are watching over you!
by cidaut | Mar 12, 2015 | Sin categoría
As one of the last activities carried out within the WASIS FP7 Project, Cidaut performed the vibro-acoustic characterisation of two components, firstly one test panel and secondly the largest fuselage section (1m diameter prototype). In both cases the study covered low and high frequency ranges. The aim of this activity was to validate FEM/BEM models for low frequency range and SEA models for high frequency.
The panel dimensions correspond to the real scale size of the aircraft fuselage. The idea was to learn about the panel behaviour before addressing the 1:2 scale aircraft fuselage. Two test methods were used to identify the behaviour at low frequencies: inertance tests and experimental modal analysis. For the high frequencies the Transmission Loss and Radiation Factor were obtained. Trough these parameters coupling loss factors associated with each phenomenon can be derived.
To characterize the barrel, two different tests have been designed aiming to reproduce the noise field and acoustic loads the fuselage section would be exposed to in real conditions. In these tests the transmitted energies between different parts of the specimen are measured. Besides, the Transmission Loss and radiation factor were obtained.
To complete this task, vibro-acoustic models of filament winding structures were developed. The results of these models have been correlated with the results of structure characterization. Once the validation of both models was finished, a new model of a full scale filament winding fuselage was carried out.
All these models have helped characterize the vibro acoustic performance of Wasis Composite Prototypes, enabling the project Consortium to assess not only the mechanical performance, but also other factors such as the transmission loss and radiation factor.
