The infinite-genus limit of the KdV–Whitham equations is derived. The limit involves special scaling for the associated spectral surface such that the integrated density of states remains finite as N →∞ (the thermodynamic type limit). The limiting integro-differential system describes slow evolution of the density of states and can be regarded as the kinetic equation for soliton gas.  2003 Els...

This work studied the grindability of the multidirectional carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites with the panel layup of [(0◦/90◦/45◦/−45◦)3]s. Focuses were on the chip formation, material removal mechanism, ground surface features and grinding force characteristics. The results were systematically compared with the unidirectional CFRP composites. It was found that the grinding forc...

This report outlines the development and testing of a prototype compact automated impact hammer designed to be surface mounted on a structure to provide an impulse-based structural excitation source for vibration testing. The automated device was designed to be integrated with a distributed fibre optic sensing system which measures the in-plane dynamic strain of the structure at a spatially den...

We discuss several new results concerning free boundary problems for free anisotropic surface energies. The boundary terms contain wetting and line tension. Introduction An anisotropic surface energy is one that depends on the direction of a surface at each point. They were introduced by Josiah Gibbs to model the equilibrium shape of a crystal [16]. Whereas the surface energy of a liquid drop i...

This paper discusses the use of fitness biasing to alter the control of a seven microprocessor robot as it shifts from one environment to another. The robot was initially using a gait evolved to work on a smooth surface (tile). When tested on a rough surface (carpet) the learned gait was found to be inappropriate because the legs were causing drag as they repositioned. An efficient move to repo...

The flat surface of a Cu plate was processed by incremental frictional sliding at liquid nitrogen temperature. The surface treatment results in a hardened gradient surface layer as thick as 1 mm in the Cu plate, which contains a nanostructured layer on the top with a boundary spacing of the order of 100 nm. The boundary spacing increases with increasing distance from the surface, and is accompa...

We present an algorithm that simultaneously calibrates a color camera, a depth camera, and the relative pose between them. The method is designed to have three key features that no other available algorithm currently has: accurate, practical, applicable to a wide range of sensors. The method requires only a planar surface to be imaged from various poses. The calibration does not use color or de...

Some modern walking robots are capable of walking over very rough terrain. However, these robots often require significantly more energy to do so than a human. Passive-dynamic walking robots are often quite energy-efficient, but are usually only able to walk over smooth surfaces. In this work, we examine the dynamics of a 2D rimless wheel, an often studied simple model for walking. This paper a...

Surface texture and its measurement are becoming the most critical factors and important functionality indicators in the performance of high precision and nanoscale devices and components. Surface metrology as a discipline is currently undergoing a huge paradigm shift: from profile to areal characterization, from stochastic to structured surfaces, and from simple geometries to complex free-form...

Only limited information is currently available on the evolution of waves generated by wind that varies in time, and in particular on the initial stages of wind–wave growth from rest under a suddenly applied wind forcing. The emerging wind–wave field varies in time as well as in space. Detailed knowledge of wave parameter distributions under those conditions contributes to a better understandin...