Introduction To Transportation Technology of Today Mr. Plansinis

Introduction  Transportation is one of the basic technologies found in all developed societies.  We all use transportation  Directly  Driving your car to work  In-directly  Fresh foods  Mail  Products

Defining Transportation Technology  Transportation is a system of technology that uses technical means to meet human wants and needs by moving people and freight.  The main goal of transportation technology is to move someone ore something from one place to another safely and efficiently.

Passengers  When people are moved in a car, on a bus, or on a bicycle, you are a passenger of transportation.

Freight  Freight is a generic term used to mean any load or cargo of materials, goods or products that are moved.  Mail  Products  Etc…  Freight sub-assemblies  Conveyor belt  Water, oil and gas pipelines  Etc…

Technologies Are Interdependant  Each system of technology is dependant on other systems of technology.  Ex. Communication devices like maps, traffic lights, road signs, RADAR, and sonar are vital to the safe operation of transportation systems  How does transportation interdependent with the communications industry?  Manufacturing?  Construction?  Bio-related?  Energy and Power?

How important is Transportation?  Almost all products and services are transported at one time or another.  Could you raise all your own food?  Process the raw material to make all of your clothes?  If you didn’t have the knowledge to create advanced technologies you would not have them.

Transportation and Recreation.  As a society we find transportation so exciting that many of our favorite means of recreation are systems of transportation.  Bikes  Skateboads  Toy trucks  Model Trains  Etc…

Tradeoffs of Transportation.  A tradeoff is an exchange, or giving up, of one benefit in order to receive or gain another benefit.  The cost of transportation?  Buying a car.  How many deaths are caused by automobiles?

Environments of Transportation  Land  Stationary-  Vehicular-  Water  Inland  oceanic  Air  Lighter than air  Heavier than air  Space  Staffed  Un-staffed

Routes  Routes are pathways used in the different environments of transportation.  Fixed Routes- Are very restrictive and limit the travel of the vehicle  Random Routes- are much more flexible and allow for greater possibilities of movement of a vehicle.

Technical Subsystems of Transportation  Subsystems are parts of a larger system.  Just like the 6 areas of technology is a subsystem.  Transportation Subsystems  Structure  Propulsion  Suspension  Guidance  Control  Support

Subsystem - Structure  Structure deals with the design and materials used to form the body or framework of a vehicle or stationary system.

Subsystem - Propulsion  Propulsion provides the energy needed for movement.  Source – Fuel  Energy Conversion - changing the form of the fuel  Transmission – using the converted fuel to create movement.

Subsystem - Suspension  Suspension associates a vehicle or stationary system to its environment.  Mechanical – springs, shocks  Fluid – Wings, boat hull, inflatable tires  Magnetic – Maglev trains

Subsystem - Guidance   Guidance systems provide the operator, or an operating system with information.   Visual – traffic lights and maps   Mechanical – bumper sensors   Electronic – RADAR, Sonar, CB’s

Subsystem - Control   Control systems change the speed or direction of a vehicle or stationary system.   Ex.   Brakes   Accelerator   Steering wheel

Subsystem – Support   Support is a catch all system that deals with life support, legal support, operations support, maintenance support, and economic support.   Safety belts, traffic laws, bridges and highways, mechanics, money spent and made.

Systems model of Transportation   Inputs   Materials   Tools and Machines   People   Information   Energy   Money   Time

Systems model of Transportation   Process   The Processes of transportation that relate to the technical operations performed to make a transportation system operate.   Subsystems of Transportation

Systems model of Transportation   Outputs   Moved passengers and freight and the resulting impacts and tradeoffs.   Feedback   A means of monitoring and adjusting the operation of a transportation system.   If the outputs do not match the goal, adjustments are made to the other parts of the system.

Transportation Today   2.2 million miles of paved highway   1.7 million miles of unpaved roads   140 million automobiles   150 thousand miles of railroad track.   10 million bicycles   40 thousand commercial boats   16 million recreation boats