Eng

Smart suspensions have significantly improved passenger comfort and vehicle stability compared to their passive counterparts. This manuscript explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into hybrid suspension control systems to enhance vehicle stability and ride comfort under conditions where suspended mass changes. A one-quarter-vehicle model is employed to simulate and evaluate the performance of a hybrid control strategy, which combines skyhook and groundhook methods using a dynamic weighting factor ($\alpha$). This investigation considers an everyday situation where the sprung mass of a vehicle changes considerably when passengers enter or exit the automobile, impacting the suspension performance. Reinforcement learning techniques are utilized to optimize $\alpha$, achieving an acceptable balance between passenger comfort and vehicle stability. Simulation results show significant improvements in the dynamic response of the sprung mass compared to traditional passive systems, while keeping vehicle stability. Although improvements in road holding are incremental, simulation effort validates the AI-based hybrid system’s potential for refinement and practical application. Validation in MATLAB-Simulink demonstrates the system’s adaptability to varying road conditions and load distributions. The findings highlight the transformative role of AI in suspension control, paving the way for real-time implementation, advanced algorithms, and integration into full-vehicle models. This study contributes to the ongoing development of intelligent suspension systems toward vehicle performance advancement by improving passenger comfort and road holding.

In energy-harvesting storage systems, in order to guarantee the correct operation and integration of its parts into the system, different power converters must be used. Using several stages increases energy processing and therefore decreases the overall efficiency of the system. In this paper, an integrated multi-port converter with galvanic isolation is proposed. It allows the transfer of energy between the solar panel, the battery, and the user using the fewest possible stages, thus maximizing efficiency. Operating in three modes depending on the battery’s state of charge, solar radiation and load conditions, the converter can conduct electric power between its ports. The proposal was validated in a 1 kW prototype performing the different modes of operation. It should be noted that a PV emulator (ETS150X5.6C-PVF) was used in the experimental setup; by means of this device, conditions such as solar irradiance and temperature, which affect the energy generation of PV panels, were controlled. In addition, the transformer employed in the prototype implementation was handmade; therefore, its design could be improved to obtain better performance. The experimental results show efficiencies exceeding 94%, and an analysis of the distribution of losses in the circuit was carried out. Also, a comparison with previous proposals is presented, showing competitive features.

The construction industry is central to the socio-economic and infrastructural advancement of developing countries; however, it continues to face persistent performance challenges, most notably recurrent cost overruns. While systematic cost risk management is recognized as a critical approach to improving project outcomes, its adoption across the industry remains limited. This study seeks to identify and rank the critical obstacles that hinder contractors from integrating systematic cost risk management into building construction projects. A comprehensive methodology was employed, including an in-depth literature review and three rounds of Delphi. The Relative Importance Index (RII) was used to evaluate the severity of the identified barriers, and Holm-corrected Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was applied to examine the relationships among them. The findings reveal that the most influential barriers include the absence of structured risk management frameworks within organizations, insufficient top management support, the lack of collaborative risk management mechanisms among stakeholders, limited technical knowledge and skills in risk management, and inadequate client support. The strong positive correlations among these barriers highlight their interdependent nature and underscore the systemic challenges facing contractors. This study contributes to the broader field of civil and structural engineering by providing evidence-based insights that can support the development of targeted strategies to enhance cost risk management practices in developing-country construction environments.