Search Results

In 1992, the California State Legislature passed Assembly Bill (AB) 3096, directing the State Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to conduct a study of a transportation research and development (R&D) center for the State. To do this study, Caltrans issued a contract to the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST). CCST in turn recruited a panel of transportation experts to conduct the study. This paper describes the results of the study that CCST did for Caltrans, and discusses some of the most important issues involved.

This lecture assesses the impact of anticipated new turbine materials and processes on the small gas turbine of the late 20th and early 21st century. Cold-end and hot-end materials are reviewed. The materials are evaluated in terms of improvement potential, likelihood of successful introduction, and barriers thereto.

The prospective world energy situation, especially as it applies to petroleum, reflects an uncertain, interruptible supply, a predictably rising demand, and significant potential for constructive action, both to develop new supply sources and to encourage conservation. This paper surveys the world energy situation, especially as it relates to transportation, and recommends R&D that should be undertaken to increase transportation energy supplies and promote conservation.

Standards do not just happen. They have to be planned, written, accepted, and (most important) used; in other words, they have to be sold. The selling process is more difficult for international standards than for standards intended only for domestic use. For the former, many more people have to agree to define the goals and procedures involved than for the latter. The people, companies, societies, associations, and governments involved cannot be coerced. Conflicting interests, technical, commercial, and national, somehow have to be reconciled. This paper discusses the need for international aerospace standards and some of the factors involved in gaining their acceptance. Contents of the paper are outlined in Figure 1.