Showing posts with label cars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cars. Show all posts

Monday, March 28, 2011

The MegaBridges

 

Qingdao Haiwan Bridge Worlds Longest Bridge On Water Worlds Longest Sea Bridge in China : The Qingdao Haiwan Bridge ( Video )

World’s Longest Sea Bridge: The Qingdao Haiwan Bridge (China)

The world’s longest cross sea bridge has been revealed by China, proving once again how technology and economics are the strongest points of its economy. According to the Telegraph, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge measures 26.4 miles (42.6 km) and links Qingdao city in China’s eastern Shandong province with the Huangdao district. Having an amazing architectural importance, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge Топ мостов-рекордсменовhelps cut the distance between the two points by 30 km, a life saver in such a busy society like China’s, not to mention the touristic attraction. The 6 lane bridge is almost three miles longer than the previous record holder, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana. The major infrastructure project consisted of four years of labour and US$ 8.6 billion spent. The money went into 450,000 tons of steel, capable of withstanding a magnitude 8.0 earthquake. Built in the Jiaozhou river delta, the freshly finished remarkable structure is supposed to hold the record for only a few years, because the officials already announced they started working on another bridge, that links southern province of Guangdong with Hong Kong and Macau.

Akashi Kaikyo Suspension Bridge

Akashi Kaikyo BridgeAkashi Kaikyo Bridge, also called “Pearl Bridge”, is located in Japan and considered as Japan’s finest engineering feat. Akashi Kaiko Bridge is the world’s longest suspension bridge in the world with a length of 3911 meters (12,831 ft). The Akashi Kaiko Bridge acts as a link between the city of Kobe and Iwaya by crossing the Akashi strait. The construction was finished in a span of 12 years which actually begin in the year 1986 and completed in the year 1998. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge plays an important role in providing three routes across the Inland sea.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway - world's longest overwater highway bridge

Consisting of parallel, 24-mile-long spans, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the world's longest overwater highway bridge and one of the oldest prestressed concrete bridges built in the U.S. Engineers loaded the bridge pieces on barges and towed them to construction points on the lake. The twin bridges are supported by more than 9,500 hollow-cylinder pilings approximately 55 inches in diameter; the largest piles ever driven at the time of the first span's construction in 1955. Since the second span opened to the public in 1969, a drawbridge has been added, along with a tracking device to detect approaching barges during foggy conditions.

Rio–Antirrio bridge - World's longest multi-span cable-stayed bridge

Η ΓέφυραA new era in traffic and transport started throughout Western Greece, with the completion of the work of Rion- Antirrio Bridge.
The Bridge Charilaos Trikoupis (It was named so to commemorate the first Greek politician who envisioned the project), at last it is a reality ,which changed dramatically the the geopolitical and economical data of the whole region, annihilating distances and creating new substance .
In 2004 the ambitious vision that became reality.The Bridge of Rion-Antirrion is the landmark of Greece in the 21st century, and changed rapidly the daily routine of the residents.
The Rion-Antirion is the longest cable-stayed bridge multiple exposures worldwide, by 2252 main deck measures. The foundations are located in water depth that reaches up to 65 meters. Both this and the diameter of the foundations is 90 meters world record for a bridge. However, according to the manufacturers, the best record this impressive Bridge that was built "without any serious accident, without shedding a single drop of blood”.
Nevertheless, Bridge has so far awarded by the international scientific community with nine international awards.

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge -- the world's longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge

The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was constructed in 1929 as part of Route 66 and was financed by tolls.  In 1967, a new bridge carrying I-270 was constructed over the Mississippi and the old bridge was closed.  It sat, abandoned and decaying for 31 years.  During this time, the bridge was featured in the 1981 movie “Escape From New York” as the 69th Street Bridge.  The bridge also developed a bad reputation for crimes and violence including a rape and murder while it sat unused.  In 1999, the bridge was officially reopened for bicycle and pedestrian usage after renovations and security improvements.  Funding for the reopening of this bridge came from Trailnet (http://www.trailnet.org/trails.html#ocorb) and the Confluence Greenway Project (http://www.confluencegreenway.org/).  At one mile in length, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is the world’s longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge.  This bridge is located just north of St. Louis and is worth a look.

Millau Viaduct -- Tallest in the world

Aerial Photo of the Millau ViaductTallest in the world and taller than the Eiffel Tower, slung across the valley of the river Tarn, the Viaduct de Millau (Viaduc de Millau) is the chosen solution for taking the A75 motorway from Clermont-Ferraud south to Beziers. This is cheaper than the alternative of tunnelling through the hills flanking the river, and will shorten the journey by 100 km and by up to 4 hours in the holiday season, as well as removing much traffic pollution caused by continual traffic jams for local inhabitants in Millau. The Millau Viaduct is currently the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world. It has a steel deck, rather than the more usual concrete roadbed.
The bridge is now sometimes being used for extreme sports such as base jumping or rapelling.

Sydney Harbour Bridge -- the widest bridge in the world

Топ мостов-рекордсменовThe Sydney Harbour Bridge may not be the longest steel-arch Bridge in the world, but it is the largest and widest. At 48.8 metres (151.3 feet) wide, the Guinness Book of Records lists it as the widest long span Bridge in the world and until 1967, it was Sydney’s tallest structure.
The highest point of the arch is 134 metres (440 feet). The pylons are 89 metres (292 feet) high. The Bridge was the highest point in Sydney Australia until 1967.
The longest span of the Bridge is 503 metres (1650 feet). The total length is 1.15km (3770 feet).
It took over eight years to build the Bridge, between July 1923 and March 1932. Planning for the Bridge began as early as 1912.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the fourth longest single-span steel arch bridge in the world, behind Bayonne Bridge in New York, The New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia and the longest which is The Lupu Bridge in Shanghai. The Bridge is 49 metres (161 feet) wide, making it the widest single-span Bridge in the world. The weight of the steel arch is 39,000 tons.
The girders are made from steel (79% imported from England and 21% from Australian sources). The pylons are made of concrete faced in granite, which was quarried near Moruya, 300km from Sydney. Around 6 million rivets and 52,800 tonnes of steelwork and 17,000 cubic metres of granite have gone into the construction of the Bridge.
The approach spans were erected first, then work began on the main arch. Two half-arches were built out from each side of the Harbour. Steel members were transported on barges into the Harbour and hauled into position with creeper cranes mounted on the arches, which built the Bridge out before them as they inched forward.
The two halves of the arch were joined on 19 August 1930, bringing a well needed smile to the face of depression-era Sydney. The road deck was then hung from the arch from the centre outwards and was in place within nine months.

Zavikon Island -- shortest international bridge in the world

World's shortest island at Zavikon IslandsZavikon Island probably has the smallest international bridge in the world. It is only thirty-two feet long and connects a Canadian island and an American island. The boundary agreement in 1793 between the American and Canadian governments decided that no island would be split in two. Two-thirds of the islands are in Canadian territory, but the total area of the Canadian and American islands is roughly equal.
Theoretically the second island is in US, but both are considered to be part of canada. Local guides and tour operators definitely want this to be known as “shortest international bridge”

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

The 6 spectacular futuristic Cars

Milner AirCar

Just like the flying AMC Matador in the Man With the Golden Gun, in which the villainous Scaramanga escapes from Bond, the Milner AirCar has wings that fold out at the touch of a button - handy if you see a traffic jam building ahead or you're running late for work. In normal use, these wings tuck up beside the car to allow it to drive on public roads, while the interior has full instrumentation for air and road use. You can take along passengers, too, as the AirCar has four doors and five seats. Power comes from two propeller engines that produce up to 296bhp, while a conventional engine for road use produces 39bhp and gives it a ground speed of 85mph.

The AirCar is designed by Milner Motors, who reckon the prototype you see here could be ready in production form by 2010, at a cost of $450,000.

m1 m2 m3 m4 m5 m6

source

Rinspeed sQuba

This extraordinary Concept Car created by the famous Swiss Rinspeed Design Company could have come straight out of a James Bond film. Its ability not just to drive along the road – and that on autopilot at the press of a button – but also to continue along its route through water, diving to depths of ten meters, breaks the bounds of the imagination of many people when they think of a car. Its unique bodywork, designed to echo that of the Lotus Elise cult sports car, is being complemented by a whole new world of colorful experience.squba_a3_580 squba_a13_580

source

Aptera

The Aptera was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, and later as an extended range electric vehicle. After building the proof-of-concept Mk-0, we hired the automotive design firm, 'eleven', to help us further develop the concept vehicle. The 'eleven' team, led by Jason Hill and Nathan Armstrong, made great strides in the development of the Aptera's body styling, interior design, and structural engineering. Meanwhile, we refined the Aptera's shape to maximize efficiency using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), developed and built advanced suspension and drivetrain components, and integrated a strong yet lightweight composite shell. Our entire process has been developed in-house exclusively by Aptera for the Aptera Typ-1. Our structural elements have undergone countless revisions of FEA (Finite Element Analysis) to be lightweight, robust, and manufacturable.home1aptera2 aptera3 aptera4

source

Ford SYNus

The SYNUS is a concept car Ford Motor Company produced under the Ford brand and created by the Spanish designer Jose Parisb (exterior design) and Joe Baker (interior).

The SYNUS shares its powertrain design with the Ford Mondeo. The SYNUS' engine is a diesel powered, 16 valve, turbocharged, 2.0L DOHC 4-cylinder Duratorq TDCi Diesel engine that produces 134 horsepower (100 kW). The SYNUS has a five-speed manual transmission. Its wheels are 18 inches (457 mm) in diameter. It has an IEEE 802.11g compliant wireless LAN hub. The SYNUS débuted at the 2005 North American International Auto Show.

The SYNUS' unique features mimic the modern obsession with safety. The synus has a bullet resistant frame with bulletproof glass windows. Also, it has no rear window, but a large LCD monitor filling the back. Ford claims they built it inspired by bank vaults and that is reflected in its designed, the doors open with a vault-like wheel. Also, when in "lockdown mode" steel shutters close around the front windshield.ford_synus Ford-SYNus-rearford-synus_side-open Ford SYNus Concept

source

BMW M1 Hommage

It was thirty years ago that BMW first introduced the BMW M1 super car to the world. Now, to celebrate it’s thirty year anniversary, BMW thought it would be fun to tease us all with this updated “concept” version of the original Bavarian bombshell. Originally designed by Paul Bracq and later by famed Italian design house Giugiaro, this BMW M1 Hommage takes a clearly aggressive pose, with retro features mixing it up with very modern elements. From the louvered rear window, to the 80’s style badging on the rear and the conspicuous (for Germans) wheel design, the 80’s are definitely in at BMW’s studios and this latest version if the M1 just might raise enough eyebrows to go into production before the 80s are officially passe.bmw_m1homage_hi_05450 bmw_m1homage_450_03 bmw_m1homage_hi_07450 bmw_homage5

source

Toyota Hi-CT concept

The Hi-CT aims to offer a new "coolness" and new ways to have fun as a departure from conventional vehicles-an edgy, urban vehicle inspired by the thinking and lifestyles of youth.
* Offers a new kind of automotive "cool" and sense of enjoyment.
* Has a new look unconstrained by conventional vehicle size (length 3,330mm x width 1,695mm x height 1,780mm).
* Adopts plug-in hybrid technology, which allows it to charge from an external power source and gives it a greater driving range when running on its battery-powered motor; by placing the battery under the floor, achieves a highly efficient cabin with a higher driver position.
* Comes with an AC100V accessory socket that enables stored electricity-made possible by plug-in hybrid technology-to be used for a variety of applications.
* Features a removable rear trunk and a deck where surfboards, bicycles and other equipment can be loaded.hi_ct_005 hi_ct_009 hi_ct_007

source

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

PAL-V. Personal Air and Land Vehicle.


After many years of pioneering with well-known parties as the Dutch Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) to create a flying and driving vehicle John Bakker has formed a management team and is recruiting employees to start PAL-V Europe. A number of investors have been found to back the start-up and currently initiatives are taken towards more investors to speed up market launch.
The PAL-V ONE is a hybrid of a car a motorbike and a gyrocopter: a personal air and land vehicle. A solution to increasing congestion in our cities, highways and skyways. On the ground, the slim line, aerodynamic 3-wheel vehicle is as comfortable as a luxury car. But has the agility of a motorbike, thanks to its patented cutting-edge ‘tilting’ system. The single rotor and propeller are folded away until the PAL-V ONE is ready to fly. Airborne, the PAL-V ONE flies under the 4,000 feet (1,500 m) floor of commercial air space. The PAL-V ONE is highly fuel-efficient and powered by an environmentally certified car engine. It runs on petrol like a conventional car and can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h both on land and in the air. Its straightforward autogyro flying technology means that the PAL-V ONE is economically and technically feasible in comparison to other forms of air travel. Like a helicopter, it has a Very Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (VSTOVL) capability making it possible to land practically anywhere. It can be driven to the nearest airfield or helipad and, because it flies below 4,000 feet, can take off without filing a flight plan. The autogyro technology means that it can be steered and landed safely even if the engine fails as it descends vertically rather than nose-diving. Lift is generated by the forward speed produced by the foldable push propeller on the back. At less than 70 decibels it is much quieter than helicopters due to the slower rotation of the main rotor. a license to fly the PAL-V ONE is more accessible than one for a helicopter or plane because of the regulations controlling autogyro craft. In the United States and soon in Europe the infrastructure is in place for ‘digital freeways’ that provide easy and safe corridors using GPS technology to aid regulation and prevent collisions for low flying vehicles. What makes the PAL-V ONE attractive is the convenience of fully integrated door to door transportation. Providing smooth transition from road to air without having to change vehicle. The versatility to allow the driver to change their mind.



source pal-v.com

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Stopping the Enemy in Its Tracks: Remote Non-lethal Immobilization of Vehicles and Boats




A compact tunable high-power electromagnetic system (HPEMS) for remotely immobilizing vehicles at a range of up to 100 m is being developed by small technology firm. The system is capable of high-value asset perimeter protection from approaching hostile vehicles, bringing cars to halt on urban, suburban roads and multi-lane highways, perimeter protection for gas-oil (fueling) platform at sea and day/night, all weather clandestine operations. The system uses microwave energy to disable vehicle’s electronic module/microprocessor that controls engine’s vital functions. Unlike other systems, HPEMS does not use physical contact nor it requires installation of fixed barriers on vehicle’s path. Host platforms include ground vehicle, helicopter or UAV. HPEMS can be used for stopping vehicles on highways and perimeter protection of gas-oil fueling platform from approaching boats at sea.
source Eureka Aerospace

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Giant bike equipped with an engine from the Soviet tank "T55"





Bike weight five tons.
Length 5.5 m.
Engine 800 hp

Volkswagen "Slipstream" - new two-wheeled car concept





In the year 2057 population centers have become unimaginably dense and the roadways have reached the point of total saturation.Volkswagen's solution is an advanced autonomous vehicle that dynamically adapts to minimize its footprint in the city and its drag coefficient on the highways.When in the city, these two-wheeled, teardrop shaped pods travel in an upright orientation that occupies one fifth the size of a traditional vehicle. When on a special freeway lane called the "Slipstream," it tilts to a horizontal orientation optimizing its aerodynamic shape. Rear fins slide out to allow the rear of the vehicle to float like the tail section of an airplane to achieve speeds in excess of 250 mph.The skin of the vehicle is made of hyper-efficient solar panels that power the vehicle.

source

Monday, November 19, 2007

Porsche Tuning: Porsche restyled to old soviet car Volga.

It's not a Volga, not a replica. It's a all new exclusive car based on platform of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo SUV. Porsche designers created such a masterpiece. All parts, suspension, engine, gearbox etc - all come from Porsche Cayenne Bi Turbo, with a 370 hp engine. But the owner would like to change the engine to a 770 hp (!!!) one. This car has been assembled in Germany and the cost is around $1 000 000.

more >>

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Outline design of visionary solutions for freight transport on the roads in 2020.


SPIDERTAINER


1st Prize 2.000 Euro and an internship at
MAN Nutzfahrzeuge

Ying Tao, SCIONIC® I.D.E.A.L. - Industrial Design Education Linz

Flexibility is the main issue of the design, more ease in loading and unloading goods. The aim was to use the payload space as efficiently as possible so that the loading area can suit to different kind of goods by expanding or contracting the structure. The cargo truck is composed by a tug car module and a center load pick-, handling-, control- and place-structure. Four stronger legs which are connected with the front and the rear wheels, four smaller legs in the middle section that can hold actively the loading area. The tendons are connecting all limbs of the legs as well as securing the payload like a spider web. Materials used for this design should be an elastic fiber reinforced membrane, composites and high tensile fibres, prestressed by fluid power.


Road Train

2nd Prize 1.000 Euro and an internship at IVECO

Tibor Biró, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest

Economically the truck has a low rolling resistance and a good fuel economy. The power train uses a fuel cell. A non-stop rolling is possible due to three or more drivers. The system's loading capacity is variable from 50 to 300 cubic metres and the loading is done automatically in less then one minute. The RoadTrain has no physical coupling, as it is connected by electronic devices. The driver is supported by intelligent computer and radar systems. In terms of safety the truck has a good visibility, a low floor, it senses the traffic environment with the radar system and the lower side panels are made of soft materials.


LONG DISTANCE ANIMAL TRANSPORT

3rd Prize 500 Euro and an internship at DaimlerChrysler

Szász Zoltán, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest

This design addresses the delicate issue of animal transport by road. This goods vehicle offers variable load space which can be adapted to different animals and at the same time provides for efficient loading. The main concern is secure and adequate accommodation for the animals during the journey. Provision is made for separate sources of water and ventilation. The vehicle has a hybrid drive system with wheel-hub drive to reduce operating costs. The cab has been so designed that stress factors on such journeys have been minimised for the driver.


THE CHAMELEON
Special Mention awarded with an internship at F.X. Meiller

Hai Shan Deng, SCIONIC® I.D.E.A.L. - Industrial Design Education Linz

A bionics transportation concept is the basis of the design. The commercial vehicle is oriented at the best nature's design of animals' behaviour and structures to bring more benefit for future load transport. The vehicle is driven from a cabin over the loading area resulting in a fast and easy loading process. Safety for the goods and on the road is given by soft fabrics, the membrane together with carbon-fibre made semicircular hard shell side protection. The front part will create a safe vehicle body. The high-tech tarpaulin is serving as container curtain which makes the loading more flexible.


More
VDA Design Award: FUTURE ROAD TRANSPORT 2020