Simultaneous measurements of the curves for wear versus distance, wear rate versus distance, and coefficient of friction versus distance were performed in situ to distinguish the transition from severe running-in wear to mild wear. The effects of the initial surface roughness on the severe running-in wear volume were investigated. Disk-on-plate friction and wear tests were carried out with SUS3...

the manning roughness coefficient is an important parameter in the design and evaluation of furrow irrigation. despite its importance, estimation of this parameter for surface irrigation is very difficult, particularly in furrow irrigation. in this study, an evalue model was used to estimate the manning roughness coefficient in furrow irrigation. the model was based on volume balance and develo...

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard Suomi National Polar Orbiting Partnership (SNPP) uses a solar diffuser (SD) as its radiometric calibrator for the reflective solar band calibration. The SD is made of SpectralonTM (one type of fluoropolymer) and was chosen because of its controlled reflectance in the Visible/Near-Infrared/Shortwave-Infrared region and its near-Lamber...

One of the surface energy balance components, the sensible heat flux, can easily be described for modelling and remote sensing purposes by means of the thermal roughness length (zot). This roughness length is usually expressed relative to the roughness length for wind speed (zou): kB−1 = ln(zou/zot). In the past, the kB−1 factor has been taken as a constant having a value of ca. 2 in the case o...

In-vehicle music retrieval systems are becoming more and more popular. Previous studies have shown that they pose a real hazard to drivers when the interface is a tactile one which requires multiple entries and a combination of manual control and visual feedback. Voice interfaces exist as an alternative. Such interfaces can require either multiple or single conversational turns. In this study, ...

Accurate prediction of traffic signal duration for roadway junction is a challenging problem due to the dynamic nature of traffic flows. Though supervised learning can be used, parameters may vary across roadway junctions. In this paper, we present a computer vision guided expert system that can learn the departure rate (μ) of a given traffic junction modeled using traditional queuing theory. F...

Monitoring of roof activity is a primary measure adopted in the prevention of roof collapse accidents and functions to optimize and support the design of roadways in underground coalmines. However, traditional monitoring measures, such as using mechanical extensometers or electronic gauges, either require arduous underground labor or cannot function properly in the harsh underground environment...

Roadway networks span large distances and can be difficult to monitor. Most efforts to collect roadway usage data either require a large fixed infrastructure or are labor intensive. Technological advances in electronics and communication have recently enabled an alternative, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). UAVs capable of carrying sensors and communications hardware to relay data to the ground...

This paper reports on the effect of random Gaussian roughness with rms roughness values of 5-20 microm on the terahertz reflection spectra of metallic aluminum surfaces using Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. By comparing experimental data with a theoretical model based on the Kirchhoff approximation, the rms roughness of a surface is accurately determined. The rms roughness determined by this...