Giancarlo Genta – författare

The aim of the book is to give an up-to-date review of rotor dynamics, dealing with basic topics as well as a number of specialized topics usually available only in journal articles. Part I deals with the classical topics of rotor dynamics, the dynamic behavior of linear, steady state rotating machines; simple models as well systems with many degrees of freedom obtained from finite element models.  Part II, advanced rotor dynamics deals with some specialized topics on rotors, bearings, discs and blades.

The philosophical and religious implications of extraterrestrial intelligence are combined with an exploration of the scientific and technical implications. The book compares recent theories (e.g. 'rare earth') and takes a firm stance against pseudo-science.

Mechanical engineering,and engineering discipline born of the needs of the industrial revolution, is once again asked to do its substantial share in the call for industrial renewal. The general call is urgent as we face p- found issues of productivity and competitiveness that require engineering solutions, among others. The Mechanical Engineering Series is a series f- turing graduate texts and research monographs intended to address the need for information in contemporary areas of mechanical engineering. The series is conceived as a comprehensive one that covers a broad range of concentrations important to mechanical engineering graduate - ucation and research. We are fortunate to have a distinguished roster of series editors, each an expert in one of the areas of concentration. The names of the series editors are listed on page vi of this volume. The areas of concentration are applied mechanics, biomechanics, computational - chanics, dynamic systems and control, energetics, mechanics of materials, processing, thermal science, and tribology. Preface After15yearssincethepublicationofVibrationofStructuresandMachines and three subsequent editions a deep reorganization and updating of the material was felt necessary. This new book on the subject of Vibration dynamics and control is organized in a larger number of shorter chapters, hoping that this can be helpful to the reader. New materialhas been added and many points have been updated. A larger number of examples and of exercises have been included.

The aim of this book is to address important practical aspects of nonlinear vibration analysis. It presents cases rarely discussed in the existing literature on vibration that are problems of considerable interest for researchers and practical engineers, such as rotor dynamics and torsional vibration of engines. The book can be used not only as a reference, but also as a graduate-level text, as it develops the subject from its foundations and contains problems and solutions for each chapter. The book begins with a discussion of vibrations in linear systems with one degree of freedom, providing a mathematical and physical basis for the subsequent chapters. Linear systems with many degrees of freedom serve to introduce the modal analysis of vibrations as well as some useful computational procedures. The book then turns to continuous linear systems, discussing both analytical solutions that provide physical insights as well as discretization techniques that supply tools for actual computation. The discussion of nonlinear vibrations includes a treatment of chaotic vibrations and other new insights. The book concludes with detailed discussions of the dynamics of rotating and reciprocating machinery. In this new edition the notation has been modernized, the classical approach to vibration and the modern approach through dynamical systems theory have been integrated; the material on control and active systems has been completely rewritten and material relevant to mechatronics has been added.

What are our motivations for going into space? Where does our long-term space future lie? Why, and how, should we strive to reach, if not for the stars, at least for the Moon and Mars? This exciting book looks first at the progress that has already been made in our attempts to explore and expand beyond the Earth. Current and past space technologies and space stations are described, and the effects of the space environment on the human body are explained. A discussion of the merits of the robotic exploration of space is followed by a look at our exploration of the Moon and Mars. Final chapters touch on propulsion methods required for leaving our solar system, and ask which of the possibilities for future space travel is most likely to succeed. This thought provoking book will appeal to all those with an interest in the future of space exploration.

This work serves as a reference concerning the automotive chassis, i.e. The first volume deals with the design of automotive components and the second volume treats the various aspects of the design of a vehicle as a system.

The aim of the book is to be a reference book in automotive technology, as far as automotive chassis (i.e. The first volume deals with the design of automotive components and the second volume treats the various aspects of the design of a vehicle as a system.

XI ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xiii INTRODUCTION XV CHAPTER 1: THE HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES 1 The Magical Vision of the Nonhuman 1 Ancient Philosophy 2 Medieval Philosophy 6 The Renaissance 8 The Birth of Modern Science 10 First Attempts at Contact 16 Cosmism 17 From Enthusiasm to Disenchantment 18 CHAPTER 2: THE RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE 23 Is Extraterrestrial Life a Threat to Religion? 23 A Finite Universe and an Infinite God 25 Hinduism, Buddhism, and Other Oriental Religions 26 Judaism 27 Islam 28 Christianity 29 The Problem of Original Sin 30 The Problem of Redemption 34 Biocosmic Theology 36 Vll Contents CHAPTER 3: THE ASTROBIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE 41 A New Science: Astrobiology 41 Times of the Universe 43 The Anthropic Principle 47 Chemical Evolution 50 The Formation of the Solar System 51 The Formation of Extrasolar Planets 57 The Birth of Life on Earth 64 Panspermia 73 Evolution and Creationism 76 Toward a Great Complexity 81 Catastrophes and Mass Extinctions 86 Conditions Needed for the Development of Life 96 Life on Mars 107 Life in the Solar System 117 The Search for Life Outside the Solar System 123 CHAPTER 4: THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE 129 Intelligence and Consciousness 129 Consciousness 133 The Development of Intelligence on Earth 137 From Intelligence to Technology 147 Evolution Beyond Humans 154 The Expansion of Intelligent Life 156 The Search for Intelligent Signals 164 The Pdo Scale 176 The Problem of the Answer 177 The San Marino Scale 180 Which Message? 182 Extraterrestrials, How? 187

The aim of this book is to address important practical aspects of nonlinear vibration analysis. It presents cases rarely discussed in the existing literature on vibration that are problems of considerable interest for researchers and practical engineers, such as rotor dynamics and torsional vibration of engines. The book can be used not only as a reference, but also as a graduate-level text, as it develops the subject from its foundations and contains problems and solutions for each chapter. The book begins with a discussion of vibrations in linear systems with one degree of freedom, providing a mathematical and physical basis for the subsequent chapters. Linear systems with many degrees of freedom serve to introduce the modal analysis of vibrations as well as some useful computational procedures. The book then turns to continuous linear systems, discussing both analytical solutions that provide physical insights as well as discretization techniques that supply tools for actual computation. The discussion of nonlinear vibrations includes a treatment of chaotic vibrations and other new insights. The book concludes with detailed discussions of the dynamics of rotating and reciprocating machinery. In this new edition the notation has been modernized, the classical approach to vibration and the modern approach through dynamical systems theory have been integrated; the material on control and active systems has been completely rewritten and material relevant to mechatronics has been added.

The Mechanical Engineering Series is a series f- turing graduate texts and research monographs intended to address the need for information in contemporary areas of mechanical engineering.

At the same time, it analyzes competing trends and theories, the lack of scientific knowledge of large sections of the population, the dogmas of pseudoscience, and the growing suspicion of science and technology, which may inevitably lead to scientific stagnation.

This textbook draws on the authors’ experience gained by teaching courses for engineering students on e.g. vehicle mechanics, vehicle system design, and chassis design; and on their practical experience as engineering designers for vehicle and chassis components at a major automotive company.The book is primarily intended for students of automotive engineering, but also for all technicians and designers working in this field. Other enthusiastic engineers will also find it to be a useful technical guide.The present volume (The Automotive Chassis – Volume 1: Component Design) focuses on automotive chassis components, such as:• the structure, which is usually a ladder framework and supports all the remaining components of the vehicle;• the suspension for the mechanical linkage of the wheels;• the wheels and tires;• the steering system;• the brake system; and• the transmission system, used to apply engine torque to the driving wheels.This thoroughly revised and updated second edition presents recent developments, particularly in brake, steering, suspension and transmission subsystems. Special emphasis is given to modern control systems and control strategies.

This textbook draws on the authors’ experience gained by teaching courses for engineering students on e.g. vehicle mechanics, vehicle system design, and chassis design; and on their practical experience as engineering designers for vehicle and chassis components at a major automotive company.The book is primarily intended for students of automotive engineering, but also for all technicians and designers working in this field. Other enthusiastic engineers will also find it to be a useful technical guide.The present volume (The Automotive Chassis – Volume 1: Component Design) focuses on automotive chassis components, such as:• the structure, which is usually a ladder framework and supports all the remaining components of the vehicle;• the suspension for the mechanical linkage of the wheels;• the wheels and tires;• the steering system;• the brake system; and• the transmission system, used to apply engine torque to the driving wheels.This thoroughly revised and updated second edition presents recent developments, particularly in brake, steering, suspension and transmission subsystems. Special emphasis is given to modern control systems and control strategies.

This textbook draws on the authors’ experience gained by teaching courses for engineering students on e.g. vehicle mechanics, vehicle system design, and chassis design; and on their practical experience as engineering designers for vehicle and chassis components at a major automotive company. The book is primarily intended for students of automotive engineering, but also for all technicians and designers working in this field. Other enthusiastic engineers will also find it to be a useful technical guide.The present volume (The Automotive Chassis – Volume 2: System Design) focuses on the automotive chassis as a system, providing readers with the knowledge needed to integrate the individual components described in Volume 1 in a complex system that satisfies customers’ expectations. Special emphasis is given to factors influencing system performance, including:-  the influence of the powertrain on vehicle performance. Conventional, hybrid and electric powertrains are considered;-  factors influencing vehicles’ handling performance;-  factors influencing vehicles’ comfort performance; and-  factors influencing vehicles’ stability and strategies for accident avoidance (active safety).In addition, this second volume thoroughly covers topics that are usually neglected in other books about the automotive chassis, such as:- the basics of vehicle aerodynamics;- internal combustion engines, electric motors and batteries; and- mathematical modeling  tools.This thoroughly revised second edition has been updated to reflect the latest advances in electric and hybrid vehicles, electronic control systems and autonomous driving.

This textbook draws on the authors’ experience gained by teaching courses for engineering students on e.g. vehicle mechanics, vehicle system design, and chassis design; and on their practical experience as engineering designers for vehicle and chassis components at a major automotive company. The book is primarily intended for students of automotive engineering, but also for all technicians and designers working in this field. Other enthusiastic engineers will also find it to be a useful technical guide.The present volume (The Automotive Chassis – Volume 2: System Design) focuses on the automotive chassis as a system, providing readers with the knowledge needed to integrate the individual components described in Volume 1 in a complex system that satisfies customers’ expectations. Special emphasis is given to factors influencing system performance, including:-  the influence of the powertrain on vehicle performance. Conventional, hybrid and electric powertrains are considered;-  factors influencing vehicles’ handling performance;-  factors influencing vehicles’ comfort performance; and-  factors influencing vehicles’ stability and strategies for accident avoidance (active safety).In addition, this second volume thoroughly covers topics that are usually neglected in other books about the automotive chassis, such as:- the basics of vehicle aerodynamics;- internal combustion engines, electric motors and batteries; and- mathematical modeling  tools.This thoroughly revised second edition has been updated to reflect the latest advances in electric and hybrid vehicles, electronic control systems and autonomous driving.

This book gives an account, as little biased as possible, on human space missions beyond low Earth orbit in general, and specifically to the planets of the solar system. The importance of advanced propulsion is stressed and the mathematical methods needed to design missions based on them are described. The included computer code allows the user to assess the feasibility of the various missions using different propulsion systems and how advancements in propulsion can allow humankind to become a true spacefaring civilization.As opposite to the majority of books dealing with mission design, where the subject is usually dealt with in a highly mathematical way, here an attempt is made to avoid as much as possible the mathematical complexities and to focus on the practical aspects of the design. However, the equations needed to make numerical analysis and simulations of the missions are described and discussed.An original computer code is included in the book, and an appendix helps the reader to understand how to use it. The code is different from existing ones since its main aim is to be user friendly and to allow the user to make a preliminary design of interplanetary missions aimed to planets and their satellites, comets or asteroids.

This book gives an account, as little biased as possible, on human space missions beyond low Earth orbit in general, and specifically to the planets of the solar system. The importance of advanced propulsion is stressed and the mathematical methods needed to design missions based on them are described. The included computer code allows the user to assess the feasibility of the various missions using different propulsion systems and how advancements in propulsion can allow humankind to become a true spacefaring civilization.As opposite to the majority of books dealing with mission design, where the subject is usually dealt with in a highly mathematical way, here an attempt is made to avoid as much as possible the mathematical complexities and to focus on the practical aspects of the design. However, the equations needed to make numerical analysis and simulations of the missions are described and discussed.An original computer code is included in the book, and an appendix helps the reader to understand how to use it. The code is different from existing ones since its main aim is to be user friendly and to allow the user to make a preliminary design of interplanetary missions aimed to planets and their satellites, comets or asteroids.

The scientific and technical aspects underlying the plot - in particular space travel, robotics and self-replicating spacecraft - are introduced and discussed by the author in an extensive non-technical appendix.

Sometime in the not-too-distant future ... unbeknownst to Earth, the Galaxy is home to a number of spacefaring societies. This confederation enforces a strict protocol forbidding any contact with civilizations that have not yet achieved both a substantial spacefaring capability and sufficient maturity to control the technology explosion before triggering their own extinction.While this policy is intended to only bring in peaceful new members, matters change entirely when the confederation is threatened by some unknown entity - is the menace real or imagined? The confederation decides to break with the rules and sends a delegate to Earth to hire one of the supposedly belligerent Earthlings to investigate and to revive the confederation’s long-unused starfleet. The Earthman agrees, but demands a high price: should he succeed, the confederation will have to accept Earth as a new member. As the threat becomes ever more acute, the question soon becomes which mission will prove harder - saving the confederation or convincing it to accept the deal!The extensive appendix, written in non-technical language, reviews the scientific and technological topics underlying the plot - ranging from the Fermi paradox, space travel and artificial/collective intelligence to theories on possible universal convergences in technological and biological development.

This book covers the possible manned mission to Mars first discussed in the 1950s and still a topic of much debate, addressing historic and future plans to visit the Red Planet. The chapters explain the motivations behind the plan to go to Mars, as well as the physical factors that astronauts on manned missions will face on Mars and in transit.

Based on lecture notes on a space robotics course, this book offers a pedagogical introduction to the mechanics of space robots. After presenting an overview of the environments and conditions space robots have to work in, the author discusses a variety of manipulatory devices robots may use to perform their tasks. This is followed by a discussion of robot mobility in these environments and the various technical approaches. The last two chapters are dedicated to actuators, sensors and power systems used in space robots.This book fills a gap in the space technology literature and will be useful for students and for those who have an interest in the broad and highly interdisciplinary field of space robotics, and in particular in its mechanical aspects.

Based on lecture notes on a space robotics course, this book offers a pedagogical introduction to the mechanics of space robots. After presenting an overview of the environments and conditions space robots have to work in, the author discusses a variety of manipulatory devices robots may use to perform their tasks. This is followed by a discussion of robot mobility in these environments and the various technical approaches. The last two chapters are dedicated to actuators, sensors and power systems used in space robots.This book fills a gap in the space technology literature and will be useful for students and for those who have an interest in the broad and highly interdisciplinary field of space robotics, and in particular in its mechanical aspects.

The Motor Car

The aim of the book is to be a reference book in automotive technology, as far as automotive chassis (i.e. everything that is inside a vehicle except the engine and the body) is concerned. The book is a result of a decade of work heavily sponsored by the FIAT group (who supplied material, together with other automotive companies, and sponsored the work). The first volume deals with the design of automotive components and the second volume treats the various aspects of the design of a vehicle as a system.

This book is an introduction to automotive engineering, to give freshmen ideas about this technology. The text is subdivided in parts that cover all facets of the automobile, including legal and economic aspects related to industry and products, product configuration and fabrication processes, historic evolution and future developments.The first part describes how motor vehicles were invented and evolved into the present product in more than 100 years of development. The purpose is not only to supply an historical perspective, but also to introduce and discuss the many solutions that were applied (and could be applied again) to solve the same basic problems of vehicle engineering. This part also briefly describes the evolution of automotive technologies and market, including production and development processes.The second part deals with the description and function analysis of all car subsystems, such as:· vehicle body,· chassis, including wheels, suspensions, brakes and steering mechanisms,· diesel and gasoline engines,· electric motors, batteries, fuel cells, hybrid propulsion systems,· driveline, including manual and automatic gearboxes.This part addresses also many non-technical issues that influence vehicle design and production, such as social and economic impact of vehicles, market, regulations, particularly on pollution and safety.In spite of the difficulty in forecasting the paths that will be taken by automotive technology, the third part tries to open a window on the future. It is not meant to make predictions that are likely to be wrong, but to discuss the trends of automotive research and innovation and to see the possible paths that may be taken to solve the many problems that are at present open or we can expect for the future.The book is completed by two appendices about the contribution of computers in designing cars, particularly the car body and outliningfundamentals of vehicle mechanics, including aerodynamics, longitudinal (acceleration and braking) and transversal (path control) motion.

This work serves as a reference concerning the automotive chassis, i.e. The first volume deals with the design of automotive components and the second volume treats the various aspects of the design of a vehicle as a system.

The book starts with an historical overview of road vehicles. The first part deals with the forces exchanged between the vehicle and the road and the vehicle and the air with the aim of supplying the physical facts and the relevant mathematical models about the forces which dominate the dynamics of the vehicle.The second part deals with the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle in normal driving conditions with some extensions towards conditions encountered in high-speed racing driving.