Search Results (586)

The extended operation of high-speed railways has led to an increased incidence of tunnel lining defects, with falling debris posing a significant safety threat. Within tunnels, single-train passage and trains-crossing events constitute the most frequent operational scenarios, both generating extreme aerodynamic environments that alter debris trajectories from free fall. To systematically investigate the aerodynamic differences and underlying mechanisms governing falling debris behavior under these two distinct conditions, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model (debris–air–tunnel–train) was developed using an improved delayed detached eddy simulation (IDDES) turbulence model. Comparative analyses focused on the translational and rotational motions as well as the aerodynamic load coefficients of the debris in both single-train and trains-crossing scenarios. The mechanisms driving the changes in debris aerodynamic behavior are elucidated. Findings reveal that under single-train operation, falling debris travels a greater distance compared with trains-crossing conditions. Specifically, at train speeds ranging from 250–350 km/h, the average flight distances of falling debris in the X and Z directions under single-train conditions surpass those under trains crossing conditions by 10.3 and 5.5 times, respectively. At a train speed of 300 km/h, the impulse of C_Fx and C_Fz under single-train conditions is 8.6 and 4.5 times greater than under trains-crossing conditions, consequently leading to the observed reduction in flight distance. Under the conditions of trains crossing, the falling debris is situated between the two trains, and although the wind speed is low, the flow field exhibits instability. This is the primary factor contributing to the reduced flight distance of the falling debris. However, it also leads to more pronounced trajectory deviations and increased speed fluctuations under intersection conditions. The relative velocity (CRV) on the falling debris surface is diminished, resulting in smaller-scale vortex structures that are more numerous. Consequently, the aerodynamic load coefficient is reduced, while the fluctuation range experiences an increase. Full article

This paper presents a three-dimensional (3D) free surface model to predict incompressible flow around a spur dike in a meandering channel bend, which is highly 3D due to the presence of curvature effects. The model solves the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations using an explicit projection method. The 3D grid system is built from a two-dimensional grid by adding dozens of horizontal layers in the vertical direction. Numerical simulations consider four test cases with different spur dike locations in the same meandering channel bend with the same Froude numbers as 0.22. Four turbulence models, the standard k-ε model, the k-ω model, the RNG k-ε model and a nonlinear k-ε model, are implemented in our three-dimensional free surface model. The performance of these turbulence models within the RANS framework is assessed. Comparisons between the model results and experimental data show that the nonlinear k-ε model behaves better than the three other models in general. Based on the results obtained by the nonlinear k-ε model, the highly 3D flow field downstream of the spur dike was revealed by presenting velocity vectors at representative cross-sections and streamlines at the surface and bottom layers. Meanwhile, the 3D characteristics of the downstream separation zone were also investigated. In addition, to highlight the advantage of the nonlinear turbulence model, comparisons of velocity vectors at representative cross-sections between the results obtained by the linear and nonlinear $k$-$\epsilon$ models are also presented. Full article

In the present study, three-dimensional turbulent, subcritical open-channel flow (Fr = 0.19) through submerged rigid vegetation is numerically investigated using the ANSYS FLUENT solver (v. 22. 1). The Volume of Fluid (VOF) method is applied for free-surface tracking, while the standard k-ε turbulence model is employed for turbulence closure. Vegetation is modeled as vertical rigid cylinders fixed at the bottom of the channel. Regarding the arrangement of the stems, two cases are examined. In the first case, a linear arrangement of three equally spaced vegetative stems is located transversely at the center of the channel, while in the second case, a parallel arrangement of fifteen equidistant vegetative stems is located downstream of the channel center. In both cases, the vertical velocity profile within the submerged vegetation layer deviates significantly from that of the upper non-vegetated layer, which generally adheres to the logarithmic velocity distribution. In the second case, flow field repeatability is observed after the third stem series, particularly in terms of velocity profiles. Additionally, the structure of turbulence is noticeably affected in the vicinity of the stems, resulting in higher eddy viscosity values near each stem’s crest area. Furthermore, a localized drop in the free surface is recorded above the vegetated region, while a slight rise is observed upstream of each stem series, consistent with subcritical open-channel flow. Full article

Free space optical communication (FSOC) systems operating in the space–atmosphere channel are susceptible to severe turbulence-induced scintillation, particularly in up-link configurations where the adaptive optics (AO) pre-correction becomes ineffective due to anisoplanatic constraints. This study presents a novel scintillation suppression strategy utilizing self-focusing optical pin-like beams (OPBs) with tailored phase modulation, combining theoretical derivation and numerical simulation. It is found that increasing the shape factor γ and modulation depth C elevates the average received power and reduces the scintillation index at the focal point. Meanwhile, quantitative evaluation of the five OPB configurations shows that the parameter set γ = 1.4 and C = 7 × 10⁻⁵ gives a peak scintillation suppression efficiency. It shows that turbulence induced scintillation is suppressed by 44% with the turbulence intensity D/r₀ = 10, demonstrating exceptional effectiveness in up-link transmission. The findings demonstrate that OPB with optimized γ and C establish an approach for uplink FSOC, which is achieved through suppressed scintillation and stabilized power reception. Full article

Investigating the coupled hydrodynamic and thermal wakes induced by underwater vehicles is vital for non-acoustic detection and environmental monitoring. Here, the standard SUBOFF model is simulated under eight operating conditions—speeds of 10, 15, and 20 kn; depths of 10, 20, and 30 m; and both with and without thermal discharge—using Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (DDES) coupled with the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method. Results indicate that, under heat emission conditions, higher speeds accelerate wake temperature decay, making the thermal wake difficult to detect downstream; without heat emission, turbulent mixing dominates the temperature field, and speed effects are minor. With increased speed, wake vorticity at a fixed location grows by about 30%, free-surface wave height rises from 0.05 to 0.15 m, and wavelength remains around 1.8 m, all positively correlated with speed. Dive depth is negatively correlated with wave height, decreasing from 0.15 to 0.04 m as depth increases from 5 to 20 m, while wavelength remains largely unchanged. At a 10 m submergence depth, the thermal wake is clearly detectable on the surface but becomes hard to detect beyond 20 m, indicating a pronounced depth effect on its visibility. These results not only confirm the positive correlation between vessel speed and wake vorticity reported in earlier studies but also extend those findings by providing the first quantitative evaluation of how submergence depth critically limits thermal wake visibility beyond 20 m. This research provides quantitative evaluations of wake characteristics under varying speeds, depths, and heat emissions, offering valuable insights for stealth navigation and detection technologies. Full article

Sediment accumulation in irrigation channels poses a significant challenge to water resource management, impacting hydraulic efficiency and agricultural sustainability. This study introduces an innovative multidisciplinary framework that integrates advanced image analysis (FIJI/ImageJ 1.54p), statistical validation (RStudio), and vector field modeling with a novel Sinusoidal Morphodynamic Bedload Transport Equation (SMBTE) to predict sediment deposition patterns with high precision. Conducted along the Malacatos River in La Tebaida Linear Park, Loja, Ecuador, the research captured a natural sediment transport event under controlled flow conditions, transitioning from pressurized pipe flow to free-surface flow. Observed sediment deposition reduced the hydraulic cross-section by approximately 5 cm, notably altering flow dynamics and water distribution. The final SMBTE model (Model 8) demonstrated exceptional predictive accuracy, achieving RMSE: 0.0108, R²: 0.8689, NSE: 0.8689, MAE: 0.0093, and a correlation coefficient exceeding 0.93. Complementary analyses, including heatmaps, histograms, and vector fields, revealed spatial heterogeneity, local gradients, and oscillatory trends in sediment distribution. These tools identified high-concentration sediment zones and quantified variability, providing actionable insights for optimizing canal design, maintenance schedules, and sediment control strategies. By leveraging open-source software and real-world validation, this methodology offers a scalable, replicable framework applicable to diverse water conveyance systems. The study advances understanding of sediment dynamics under subcritical (Fr ≈ 0.07) and turbulent flow conditions (Re ≈ 41,000), contributing to improved irrigation efficiency, system resilience, and sustainable water management. This research establishes a robust foundation for future advancements in sediment transport modeling and hydrological engineering, addressing critical challenges in agricultural water systems. Full article

The intentional yaw offset of wind turbines has shown potential to redirect wakes, enhancing overall plant power production, but it may increase fatigue loading on turbine components. This study analyzed fatigue loads on the NREL 5 MW reference wind turbine under varying yaw offsets using blade element momentum theory, dynamic blade element momentum, and the converging Lagrange filaments vortex method, all implemented in OpenFAST. Simulations employed yaw angles from −40° to 40°, with turbulent inflow generated by TurbSim, an OpenFAST tool for realistic wind conditions. Fatigue loads were calculated according to IEC 61400-1 design load case 1.2 standards, using thirty simulations per yaw angle across five wind speed bins. Damage equivalent load was evaluated via rainflow counting, Miner’s rule, and Goodman correction. Results showed that the free vortex method, by modeling unsteady aerodynamic forces, yielded distinct differences in damage equivalent load compared to the blade element method in yawed conditions. The free vortex method predicted lower damage equivalent load for the low-speed shaft bending moment at negative yaw offsets, attributed to its improved handling of unsteady effects that reduce load variations. Conversely, for yaw offsets above 20°, the free vortex method indicated higher damage equivalent for low-speed shaft torque, reflecting its accurate capture of dynamic inflow and unsteady loading. These findings highlight the critical role of unsteady aerodynamics in fatigue load predictions and demonstrate the free vortex method’s value within OpenFAST for realistic damage equivalent load estimates in yawed turbines. The results emphasize the need to incorporate unsteady aerodynamic models like the free vortex method to accurately assess yaw offset impacts on wind turbine component fatigue. Full article

We develop a symmetry-based variational theory that shows the coarse-grained balance of work inflow to heat outflow in a driven, dissipative system relaxed to the golden ratio. Two order-2 Möbius transformations—a self-dual flip and a self-similar shift—generate a discrete non-abelian subgroup of $\mathrm{PGL}(2,\mathbb{Q}\left(\sqrt{5}\right))$. Requiring any smooth, strictly convex Lyapunov functional to be invariant under both maps enforces a single non-equilibrium fixed point: the golden mean. We confirm this result by (i) a gradient-flow partial-differential equation, (ii) a birth–death Markov chain whose continuum limit is Fokker–Planck, (iii) a Martin–Siggia–Rose field theory, and (iv) exact Ward identities that protect the fixed point against noise. Microscopic kinetics merely set the approach rate; three parameter-free invariants emerge: a $62\%:38\%$ split between entropy production and useful power, an RG-invariant diffusion coefficient linking relaxation time and correlation length ${\mathcal{D}}_{\alpha }={\xi }^z/\tau$, and a $\vartheta ={45}^{\circ }$ eigen-angle that maps to the golden logarithmic spiral. The same dual symmetry underlies scaling laws in rotating turbulence, plant phyllotaxis, cortical avalanches, quantum critical metals, and even de-Sitter cosmology, providing a falsifiable, unifying principle for pattern formation far from equilibrium. Full article

The mechanism for the upscale deposition of energy into the atmosphere from molecules and photons up to organized wind systems is examined. This analysis rests on the statistical multifractal analysis of airborne observations. The results show that the persistence of molecular velocity after collision in breaking the continuous translational symmetry of an equilibrated gas is causative. The symmetry breaking may be caused by excited photofragments with the associated persistence of molecular velocity after collision, interaction with condensed phase surfaces (solid or liquid), or, in a scaling environment, an adjacent scale having a different velocity and temperature. The relationship of these factors for the solution to the Navier–Stokes equation in an atmospheric context is considered. The scale invariant version of Gibbs free energy, carried by the most energetic molecules, enables the acceleration of organized flow (winds) from the smallest planetary scales by virtue of the nonlinearity of the mechanism, subject to dissipation by the more numerous average molecules maintaining an operational temperature via infrared radiation to the cold sink of space. The fastest moving molecules also affect the transfer of infrared radiation because their higher kinetic energy and the associated more-energetic collisions contribute more to the far wings of the spectral lines, where the collisional displacement from the central energy level gap is greatest and the lines are less self-absorbed. The relationship of events at these scales to macroscopic variables such as the thermal wind equation and its components will be considered in the Discussion section. An attempt is made to synthesize the mechanisms by which winds are generated and sustained, on all scales, by appealing to published works since 2003. This synthesis produces a view of the general circulation that includes thermodynamics and the defining role of turbulence in driving it. Full article

Free-space optical (FSO) communication is a promising high-capacity solution for future wireless networks, particularly for backhaul and fronthaul links in 5G and emerging 6G systems. However, it remains highly vulnerable to environmental impairment, especially in arid regions prone to dust storms. While prior studies have addressed atmospheric effects such as fog and turbulence, the specific impact of dust on signal performance remains insufficiently explored. This work presents a probabilistic modeling framework for evaluating the performance of an intensity modulation/direct detection (IM/DD) FSO system under dust storm conditions. Using a controlled laboratory environment, we conducted measurements of the optical signal under dust-induced channel conditions using real-world dust samples collected from an actual dust storm. We identified the Beta distribution as the most accurate model for the measured signal fluctuations. Closed-form expressions were derived for average bit error rate (BER), outage probability, and channel capacity. The close agreement between the analytical, approximate, and simulated results validates the proposed model as a reliable tool for evaluating FSO system performance. The results show that the forward error correction (FEC) BER threshold of ${10}^{-3}$ is achieved at approximately 10.5 dB, and the outage probability drops below ${10}^{-3}$ at 10 dB average SNR. Full article

A multiplexing method for orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams was proposed. The aperture size as a new information carrier was provided, and it could be modulated by the external variable aperture. The field of the beams propagating through turbulence was derived and discretized with Gauss–Legendre quadrature formulas. Based on this, the demultiplexing method was improved, and the beam OAM states, amplitude, Gaussian spot radius and aperture radius were decoded. Moreover, the influence of turbulence on the multiplexing parameters was also analyzed, and the decoding precision of the aperture radius was higher than that of other parameters. The aperture radius was recommended as an extra carrier for multiplexing communication. This study provides a simple method to modulate the information carried by OAM beams, and it has promising applications in large capacity laser communication. Full article

In remote sensing, object classification often suffers from severe degradation caused by atmospheric turbulence and low-signal conditions. Traditional image reconstruction approaches are computationally expensive and fragile under such conditions. In this work, we propose a novel image-free classification framework using single-pixel imaging (SPI), which directly classifies targets from 1D measurements without reconstructing the image. A learnable sampling matrix is introduced for structured light modulation, and a hybrid CNN-Transformer network (Hybrid-CTNet) is employed for robust feature extraction. To enhance resilience against turbulence and enable efficient deployment, we design a $(N+1)\times L$ hybrid strategy that integrates convolutional and Transformer blocks in every stage. Extensive simulations and optical experiments validate the effectiveness of our approach under various turbulence intensities and sampling rates as low as 1%. Compared with existing image-based and image-free methods, our model achieves superior performance in classification accuracy, computational efficiency, and robustness, which is important for potential low-resource real-time remote sensing applications. Full article

Fluid effects are important in films and advertisements, where their realism and aesthetic quality directly impact the visual experience. With the rapid advancement of digital technology and computer-aided design (CAD), modern visual effects are used to simulate various water-related phenomena, such as flowing water, ocean waves, and raindrops. However, creating these realistic effects is not solely dependent on advanced software and hardware; it also requires an understanding of the technical and artistic aspects of visual effects artists. In the creation process, the artist must possess a keen aesthetic sense and innovative thinking to craft stunning visual effects to overcome technological constraints. Whether depicting the grandeur of turbulent ocean scenes or the romance of gentle rain, the artist needs to transform fluid effects into expressive visual language to enhance emotional impact, aligning with the storyline and the director’s vision. The production process of fluid effects typically involves the following critical steps. First, the visual effects artist utilizes CAD-based tools, particle systems, or fluid simulation software to model the dynamic behavior of water. This process demands a solid foundation in physics and the ability to adjust parameters flexibly according to the specific needs of the scene, ensuring that the fluid motion appears natural and smooth. Next, in the rendering stage, the simulated fluid is transformed into realistic imagery, requiring significant computational power and precise handling of lighting effects. Finally, in the compositing stage, the fluid effects are seamlessly integrated with live-action footage, making the visual effects appear as though they are parts of the actual scene. In this study, the technical details of creating fluid effects using free software such as Blender were explored. How advanced CAD tools are utilized to achieve complex water effects was also elucidated. Additionally, case studies were conducted to illustrate the creative processes involved in visual effects production to understand how to seamlessly blend technology with artistry to create unforgettable visual spectacles. Full article

Free-space optical communication has emerged as a pivotal technology for space-to-ground downlinks; however, signal degradation caused by atmospheric turbulence continues to pose a significant challenge. In this study, a model for the polarization transmission characteristics of a Gaussian-Schell model (GSM) beam in downlink was established, and conditions sufficient for maintaining the polarization transmission characteristics were derived. The impact of the source spatial coherence on the performance of optical communication systems using circular polarization shift keying (CPolSK) modulation was investigated. Additionally, models for the probability density distribution and scintillation index of the optical intensity under atmospheric turbulence were developed along with a bit error rate model for the optical communication system. The effects of the laser spatial coherence on these models were also analyzed. The results indicate that the optimal performance in the turbulent downlink is achieved with fully coherent light, where the GSM-beam-based CPolSK-modulated system demonstrates a reduction of 1.51 dB in the required power compared to that of an on–off keying system. The implications of this study suggest that optimizing spatial coherence could significantly enhance the reliability of space-to-ground communication systems under atmospheric disturbances. Full article

Free space optics (FSO) aims to perform as one of the best optical wireless channels to design a reliable, flexible, and cost-effective communication system. In FSO systems, mode-division multiplexing (MDM) transmission is a proven technique to expand transmission capacity per communication link. Thus, a 16 × 10 Gbps MDM-FSO system using fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors for the coexistence of communication and sensing, exploiting FSO links to transmit distinct Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams at a 1000–1900 m range, is proposed. The results illustrate that the system can transmit higher-order LG beams with sensor temperatures of 20–120 °C over a 1500 m range under clear air, drizzle, and moderate haze weather. Also, an improved performance is achieved in gamma–gamma compared to the log-normal distribution model for 10⁻⁶–10^−2.5 index modulation under weak-to-strong turbulence. The proposed system is capable of offering a high optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) and gain of 113.39 and 15.43 dB, respectively, at an aggregate data rate of 160 Gbps under different atmospheric scenarios. Moreover, the proposed system achieves better system performance compared to existing works. Full article