Current Issue : October-December Volume : 2026 Issue Number : 4 Articles : 5 Articles
This study is part of a research program at the Military University of Technology aimed at creating a tool to support light aircraft design at the conceptual stage. The project seeks to develop a method for optimizing a conceptual model of a small manned or unmanned aircraft based on specific mission requirements and aerodynamics. Recognizing the need for a reliable CFD analysis tool in this process, the focus was placed on investigating popular tools utilizing panel methods....
Automobile spray painters in small informal workshops in developing countries face high occupational exposure to organic solvents. Although health effects are well known, the influence of workers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) on these effects is less well understood. This study examined spray painters’ KAP regarding organic solvents and health symptoms and assessed workplace safety compliance. A cross-sectional study in Region F, Johannesburg, collected data among 152 spray painters across 47 workshops using a questionnaire and checklist. KAP scores were analysed with multivariable logistic regression to identify associations with eye, skin, respiratory, and CNS symptoms, while controlling for confounders. Workplace controls were inadequate: 64% of workshops conducted spray painting outdoors, while only 17% had a functioning spray booth. Although knowledge scores were high (45.29/50 ± 6.025), practice scores remained low (9.01/20 ± 5.275). After adjustment, higher knowledge was significantly associated with reduced odds of eye (AOR = 0.846), skin (AOR = 0.915), and respiratory symptoms (AOR = 0.890). Better practice scores also correlated with fewer skin symptoms (AOR = 0.891). No KAP construct was linked to CNS symptoms. In the absence of engineering controls, workers’ knowledge is strongly linked to lower reporting of solvent-related symptoms affecting the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. However, knowledge does not appear to influence CNS symptoms, which are probably driven by ambient solvent concentrations that individual behavioural measures cannot effectively manage. Therefore, knowledge acts as a supplementary, rather than a substitute, safeguard where engineering controls are lacking. Interventions should include education and enforceable regulations to empower workers and ensure the use of engineering controls, especially in spray booths....
With the rapid development of Formula Student competitions, higher demands are being placed on the vehicle performance of race cars. To further enhance vehicle performance, this study investigates the optimization of three key indicators: maximum speed, 0–100 km/h acceleration time, and energy consumption under the NEDC driving cycle. First, a vehicle physical model was established on the AVL CRUISE 2019 R2 platform based on the vehicle parameters, and corresponding simulation tasks were configured. Meanwhile, a numerical model was developed in MATLAB R2022a and validated by comparing the predicted maximum speed, acceleration time, and energy consumption with the CRUISE simulation results. On this basis, a genetic algorithm was employed to optimize the battery pack parallel number and the total reduction ratio so as to improve the vehicle performance. The optimized parameters were then re-imported into the CRUISE model for further simulation verification. The results indicate that, compared with the original configuration, the optimized scheme leads to a slight increase in acceleration time, while significantly improving the maximum speed and reducing the energy consumption under the NEDC cycle. Overall, the proposed optimization method effectively enhances the vehicle performance of the Formula Student electric race car....
This paper proposes an enhanced adaptive unscented Kalman filter (SH-AUKF) method based on the Sage–Husa algorithm to address the issue of insufficient estimation accuracy for state parameters and road adhesion coefficients in distributed drive mining dump trucks under complex mining conditions. By integrating a seven-degree-of-freedom vehicle dynamics model with the Dugoff tire model, a collaborative observer is constructed for estimating state parameters and the four-wheel road adhesion coefficient. Through joint simulation verification using Trucksim–Matlab 2025b, it was demonstrated that under sinusoidal steering, step steering, and varying road adhesion coefficients (0.3~0.7), the root mean square error (RMSE) of longitudinal vehicle speed, slip angle, and yaw rate estimation using SH-AUKF was significantly reduced compared to the traditional UKF. Additionally, the estimation error of the four-wheel road adhesion coefficient was decreased by 8~26%. This has significant application value for improving the automation level of mining transportation....
Video platforms have significantly broadened the marketing and advertising channels available to automobile manufacturers, leading to reduced transaction costs and increased profits for participants. Through building a dynamic automobile manufacturer competition model with bounded rationality, we have revealed the following conclusions: Adjustment speed, research and development (R&D) level, advertising level, and risk aversion all affect the automobile manufacturer competition system. Specifically, adjustment speed and R&D level increase system instability, while advertising level and risk aversion enhance system stability. Regarding their impacts on competition, a higher R&D level raises the prices and profits of automobile manufacturers, whereas advertising levels and risk aversion reduce them. The time-delayed feedback control (TDFC) mechanism contributes to the stability of the overall system....
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