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At least 343 records · Page 19

A comparison of the capabilities of three finite element programs

Three finite element programs are compared to assess their capabilities as an analysis tool in a structural design process. Because of the need for repetitive analyses as an integral part of a design loop, a candidate program must be capable of handling large problems, operate efficiently, and be readily adaptable for use in computer-aided design. The three programs considered in the study, ELAS,SNAP, and NASTRAN, range from a relatively small finite element program limited to static structural analysis (ELAS) to a large complex general analysis system (NASTRAN). Results are given for comparative speeds and computer resources required for each program in the analysis of sample fuselage problems representative of practical aircraft design.

Loendorf, D. D.↗

The integration of automated knowledge acquisition with computer-aided software engineering for space shuttle expert systems

A prediction was made that the terms expert systems and knowledge acquisition would begin to disappear over the next several years. This is not because they are falling into disuse; it is rather that practitioners are realizing that they are valuable adjuncts to software engineering, in terms of problem domains addressed, user acceptance, and in development methodologies. A specific problem was discussed, that of constructing an automated test analysis system for the Space Shuttle Main Engine. In this domain, knowledge acquisition was part of requirements systems analysis, and was performed with the aid of a powerful inductive ESBT in conjunction with a computer aided software engineering (CASE) tool. The original prediction is not a very risky one -- it has already been accomplished.

Modesitt, Kenneth L.↗

HIResist: a database of HIV-1 resistance to broadly neutralizing antibodies

Changing the course of the human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) pandemic is a high public health priority with approximately 39 million people currently living with HIV-1 (PLWH) and about 1.5 million new infections annually worldwide. Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) typically target highly conserved sites on the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins (Envs), which mediate viral entry, and block the infection of diverse HIV-1 strains. But different mechanisms of HIV-1 resistance to bnAbs prevent robust application of bnAbs for therapeutic and preventive interventions. Here we report the development of a new database that provides data and computational tools to aid the discovery of resistant features and may assist in analysis of HIV-1 resistance to bnAbs. Bioinformatic tools allow identification of specific patterns in Env sequences of resistant strains and development of strategies to elucidate the mechanisms of HIV-1 escape; comparison of resistant and sensitive HIV-1 strains for each bnAb; identification of resistance and sensitivity signatures associated with specific bnAbs or groups of bnAbs; and visualization of antibody pairs on cross-sensitivity plots. The database has been designed with a particular focus on user-friendly and interactive interface. Our database is a valuable resource for the scientific community and provides opportunities to investigate patterns of HIV-1 resistance and to develop new approaches aimed to overcome HIV-1 resistance to bnAbs.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Computer simulation of the Pioneer 10 microwave occultation experiment

As Pioneer 10 approaches the planet Jupiter, its trajectory will carry it behind the planet, as seen from the earth. The microwave telemetry signal from the spacecraft will then pass through the Jovian atmosphere on its way to the earth, and analysis of the effects of the atmosphere on the signal should yield information on the atmospheric structure. To help define the capabilities of this experiment and to aid the analysis of the real data, we have simulated the occultation experiment on a computer by using model Jovian atmospheres and a predicted trajectory. The results indicate that the useful depth of penetration of the microwave signal will be governed by ammonia absorption rather than superrefractivity. The experiment is apparently far more sensitive to variations in cloud-top temperature than to variations in the hydrogen-helium ratio. Characteristic 'flashes' in the attenuation record of the signal may yield information on the location of the top of the Jovian convective zone.

Ungar, S. G.↗

Shuttle user analysis (study 2.2): Volume 3. Business Risk And Value of Operations in space (BRAVO). Part 4: Computer programs and data look-up

Computer program listings as well as graphical and tabulated data needed by the analyst to perform a BRAVO analysis were examined. Graphical aid which can be used to determine the earth coverage of satellites in synchronous equatorial orbits was described. A listing for satellite synthesis computer program as well as a sample printout for the DSCS-11 satellite program and a listing of the symbols used in the program were included. The APL language listing for the payload program cost estimating computer program was given. This language is compatible with many of the time sharing remote terminals computers used in the United States. Data on the intelsat communications network was studied. Costs for telecommunications systems leasing, line of sight microwave relay communications systems, submarine telephone cables, and terrestrial power generation systems were also described.

Source record↗

Vehicle Sketch Pad: a Parametric Geometry Modeler for Conceptual Aircraft Design

The conceptual aircraft designer is faced with a dilemma, how to strike the best balance between productivity and fidelity? Historically, handbook methods have required only the coarsest of geometric parameterizations in order to perform analysis. Increasingly, there has been a drive to upgrade analysis methods, but these require considerably more precise and detailed geometry. Attempts have been made to use computer-aided design packages to fill this void, but their cost and steep learning curve have made them unwieldy at best. Vehicle Sketch Pad (VSP) has been developed over several years to better fill this void. While no substitute for the full feature set of computer-aided design packages, VSP allows even novices to quickly become proficient in defining three-dimensional, watertight aircraft geometries that are adequate for producing multi-disciplinary meta-models for higher order analysis methods, wind tunnel and display models, as well as a starting point for animation models. This paper will give an overview of the development and future course of VSP.

Hahn, Andrew S.↗

DHC-6 Twin Otter Tailplane Airfoil Section Testing in the Ohio State University 7x10 Wind Tunnel

Ice contaminated tailplane stall (ICTS) has been found to be responsible for 16 accidents with 139 fatalities over the last three decades, and is suspected to have played a role in other accidents and incidents. The need for fundamental research in this area has been recognized at three international conferences sponsored by the FAA since 1991. In order to conduct such research, a joint NASA/FAA Tailplane Icing Program was formed in 1994: the Ohio State University has played an important role in this effort. The program employs icing tunnel testing, dry wind tunnel testing, flight testing, and analysis using a six-degrees-of-freedom computer code tailored to this problem. A central goal is to quantify the effect of tailplane icing on aircraft stability and control to aid in the analysis of flight test procedures to identify aircraft susceptibility to ICTS. This report contains the results ot testing of a full scale 2D model of a tailplane section of NASA's Icing Research Aircraft, with and without ice shapes, in an Ohio State University 7 x 10 Low Speed wind tunnel in 1994. The results have been integrated into a comprehensive database of aerodynamic coefficients and stability and control derivatives that will permit detailed analysis of flight test results with the analytical computer program. The testing encompassed a full range of angles of attack and elevator deflections, as well as two velocities to evaluate Reynolds number effects. Lift, drag, pitching moment, and hinge moment coefficients were obtained. In addition. instrumentation for use during flight testing was verified to be effective, all components showing acceptable fidelity. Comparison of clean and iced airfoil results show the ice shapes causing a significant decrease in the magnitude of CLmax (from -1.3 to -0.64) and associated stall angle (from -18.6 deg to -8.2 deg). Furthermore, the ice shapes caused an increase in hinge moment coefficient of approximately 0.02, the change being markedly abrupt for one of the ice shapes. A noticeable effect of elevator deflection is that magnitude of the stall angle is decreased for negative (upward) elevator deflections. All these result are consistent with observed tailplane phenomena. and constitute an effective set of data for comprehensive analysis of ICTS

Hiltner, Dale↗

Mathematical synthesization of complex structures

A mathematical synthesization approach for rapidly modeling and analyzing complex structures comprised of hundreds or thousands of repeating individual structural members, interconnecting hardware, and other components was described. The techniques are applicable to any structure with repeating structural members. The capabilities are embodied within the Interactive Design and Evaluation of Advanced Spacecraft (IDEAS) computer-aided design system. IDEAS has a full range of integrated spacecraft modeling, design, analysis, performance, and cost estimating capabilities which include about 40 technical program and executive, data base, and file management systems. With IDEAS, a single user at an interactive terminal can create, design, analyze, and conduct parametric studies of Earth orbiting spacecraft in a timely, cost-efficient manner. The system is particularly useful in the conceptual design phases of advanced space missions when a multiplicity of concepts must be evaluated. The IDEAS interactive finite-element modeling capabilities are discussed. The mathematical synthesization programs were structured not only to provide a detailed finite-element model of the structure but also to automatically perform the many auxiliary computations needed to analyze the spacecraft in its orbital operational environment.

Garrett, L. B.↗

Some useful innovations with TRASYS and SINDA-85

Several innovative methods were used to allow more efficient and accurate thermal analysis using SINDA-85 and TRASYS, including model integration and reduction, planetary surface calculations, and model animation. Integration with other modeling and analysis codes allows an analyst to import a geometry from a solid modeling or computer-aided design (CAD) software package, rather than building the geometry 'by hand.' This is more efficient as well as potentially more accurate. However, the use of solid modeling software often generates large analytical models. The problem of reducing large models was elegantly solved using the response of the transient derivative to a forcing step function. The thermal analysis of a lunar rover implemented two unusual features of the TRASYS/SINDA system. A little-known TRASYS routine SURFP calculates the solar heating of a rover on the lunar surface for several different rover positions and orientations. This is used not only to determine the rover temperatures, but also to automatically determine the power generated by the solar arrays. The animation of transient thermal results is an effective tool, especially in a vivid case such as the 14-day progress of the sun over the lunar rover. An animated color map on the solid model displays the progression of temperatures.

Amundsen, Ruth M.↗

Self port scanning tool : providing a more secure computing Environment through the use of proactive port scanning

Secure computing is a necessity in the hostile environment that the internet has become. Protection from nefarious individuals and organizations requires a solution that is more a methodology than a one time fix. One aspect of this methodology is having the knowledge of which network ports a computer has open to the world, These network ports are essentially the doorways from the internet into the computer. An assessment method which uses the nmap software to scan ports has been developed to aid System Administrators (SAs) with analysis of open ports on their system(s). Additionally, baselines for several operating systems have been developed so that SAs can compare their open ports to a baseline for a given operating system. Further, the tool is deployed on a website where SAs and Users can request a port scan of their computer. The results are then emailed to the requestor. This tool aids Users, SAs, and security professionals by providing an overall picture of what services are running, what ports are open, potential trojan programs or backdoors, and what ports can be closed.

nMap↗

Some Useful Innovations with Trasys and Sinda-85

Several innovative methods have been used to allow more efficient and accurate thermal analysis using SINDA-85 and TRASYS, including model integration and reduction, planetary surface calculations, and model animation. Integration with other modeling and analysis codes allows an analyst to import a geometry from a solid modeling or computer-aided design (CAD) software package, rather than building the geometry "by hand." This is more efficient as well as potentially more accurate. However, the use of solid modeling software often generates large analytical models. The problem of reducing large models has been elegantly solved using the response of the transient derivative to a forcing step function. The thermal analysis of a lunar rover implemented two unusual features of the TRASYS/SINDA system. A little-known TRASYS routine SURFP calculates the solar heating of a rover on the lunar surface for several different rover positions and orientations. This is used not only to determine the rover temperatures, but also to automatically determine the power generated by the solar arrays. The animation of transient thermal results is an effective tool, especially in a vivid case such as the 14-day progress of the sun over the lunar rover. An animated color map on the solid model displays the progression of temperatures.

Amundsen, Ruth M.↗

U-splines: Splines over unstructured meshes

U-splines are a novel approach to the construction of a spline basis for representing smooth objects in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE). A spline is a piecewise-defined function that satisfies continuity constraints between adjacent cells in a mesh. U-splines differ from existing spline constructions, such as Non-Uniform Rational B-splines (NURBS), subdivision surfaces, T-splines, and hierarchical B-splines, in that they can accommodate local variation in cell size, polynomial degree, and smoothness simultaneously over more varied mesh configurations. Mixed cell types (e.g., triangle and quadrilateral cells in the same mesh) and T-junctions are also supported, although the continuity of interfaces with triangle and tetrahedral cells is limited in the present work. The U-spline algorithm introduces a new technique for using local null space solutions to construct basis functions for the global spline null space problem. The U-spline construction is presented for curves, surfaces, and volumes with higher dimensional generalizations possible. Lastly, a set of requirements are given to ensure that the U-spline basis is positive, forms a partition of unity, is complete, and is locally linearly independent.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Calculation of the flow field in supersonic inlets using a bicharacteristics method with shock wave fitting

The results of weakly viscous flow analysis are presented. The flow field, including molecular transport, is computed with the aid of a bicharacteristic method. The bow shock wave and the internal shock wave are computed with the aid of a three-dimensional shock wave fitting procedure. Characteristic equations are presented, and numerical integration procedure is discussed. Here, an inverse marching scheme is employed in which the solution is obtained on space-like planes of constant x and on space curves defined by the intersections of the internal shock wave with the solid boundaries. The distance between solution planes is arrived at by the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy stability criterion.

Vadyak, J.↗

Structures and Dynamics Division: Research and technology plans for FY 1983 and accomplishments for FY 1982

The objectives, expected results, approach, and milestones for research projects of the IPAD Project Office and the impact dynamics, structural mechanics, and structural dynamics branches of the Structures and Dynamics Division are presented. Research facilities are described. Topics covered include computer aided design; general aviation/transport crash dynamics; aircraft ground performance; composite structures; failure analysis, space vehicle dynamics; and large space structures.

Bales, K. S.↗

Research and technology, 1984 report

Research and technology projects in the following areas are described: cryogenic engineering, hypergolic engineering, hazardous warning instrumentation, structures and mechanics, sensors and controls, computer sciences, communications, material analysis, biomedicine, meteorology, engineering management, logistics, training and maintenance aids, and technology applications.

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Computer Aided Control System Design (CACSD)

The design of modern aerospace systems relies on the efficient utilization of computational resources and the availability of computational tools to provide accurate system modeling. This research focuses on the development of a computer aided control system design application which provides a full range of stability analysis and control design capabilities for aerospace vehicles.

Stoner, Frank T.↗

Weight Saving Technology

The airplane shown below is the Beech Super King Air, an executive transport built by Beech Aircraft corporation, Wichita, Kansas. Its development was aided by the NASA computer program known as NASTRAN(Registered TradeMark) (NASA Structural Analysis), which electronically analyzes a computerized design and predicts how it will react to many different conditions of stress and strain. In this instance the program was employed in analysis of the airplane's structure and engine mounts. NASTRAN was similarly used in development of other Beech planes, such as the T-34C military trainer and the new single-engine Skipper light-plane, which is making its debut this year. At its Boulder, Colorado facility, Beech has used NASTRAN in analysis of fuel tanks for space vehicles. The company reports it has achieved cost savings and improved its design/analysis capabilities through use of the NASA program. NASTRAN and other government-generated computer programs are made available to industry through NASA's Computer Software Management and Information Center (COSMIC)(Registered TradeMark) at the University of Georgia.

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