The axially symmetric quasistatic problem on thermoelasticity for the functionally graded half-space, with elasticity modulus, Poisson ratio, heat conduction, and linear expansion coefficients varying continuously in the near-surface layer is considered. It is supposed that the area in the circle with the known radius is being heated by the heat source with time-constant temperature. Outside the circle, the surface is perfectly insulated. Analytic methods, particularly, Hankel integral transform, are used to solve the problem. At first, the solution is reduced to solving a two-point boundary problem for the ODEs system with varying coefficients of the sixth order. The modulating functions method is used to provide a stable numerical solution to the ordinary differential system. As a result, the solution to the mixed boundary problem is reduced to solving the dual integral equation. The kernel transform properties allow applying a well-established evolutionary bilateral asymptotical method. The heat flow approximation and the half-space surface displacement are determined through this method. The numerical results showing the curvature of the inhomogeneous half-space surface under the influence of the uniform temperature within the unit circle are given for various cases of the mechanical and temperature property changes in the near-surface layer. The following cases are considered: when the coating property value does not differ from the corresponding substrate property value, and when the coating value differs two times (to the higher or smaller side) on the surface, and linearly decreases (grows) in depth up to the property value in the substrate. It is shown that the ultimate effect on the maximum surface riser is caused by the oppositely directed changes in the thermal conductivity and linear expansion coefficients in the coating.

A complete set of material constants for porous piezoceramic materials with allowance on the inhomogeneous polarization in the pores vicinity is determined by the simulation techniques for the representative volumes, effective moduli, and finite elements. For the numerical determination of the effective moduli, sets of the piezoelectric static problems for representative volumes with boundary conditions providing constant values of the stress, strain, electric fields, and the electric displacement of a homogeneous body are solved in the ANSYS FE package. The calculations are performed using the specially developed computer programs in APDL ANSYS macro language. The effect of the cells number and various models of the representative volumes on the crucial values of the effective modules for a number of types of porous piezoelectric ceramics is investigated. The results correlation of the computational and full-scale experiments is discussed. It is shown that the dependence of the effective moduli on porosity weakly depends on the type of porous piezoelectric materials.

The aim of the research is the choice of the powder environment kind and dispersion used for carburizing metalware through the electric current transmission and microarc discharge forming. The laboratory unit made-up of two containers — an external one including the electroconductive environment, and an internal one where a sample with the carburized powder is placed — is used. The application of the graphite, charcoal, coal coke, and coal (anthracite) powders is investigated. It is found that the best powder environment is the coal powder which provides both speeded heating of the diffusant and a steelwork, and the carbon oxide generation which intensifies the carburizing process. The effect of the coal and coke particle size on the specific electric resistance of powder environment, and the cementation process results are studied. With the particle size reduction, the electrical resistance of coal and coke powders rises sharply that is explained by the transient resistance increase because of the growth of the interparticle contacts number. In addition, the specific electric resistance of coal is by two orders of magnitude more than that of coke, irrespective of the fraction size. For the microarc carburizing, the powder environment with the particle size within the range of 0.3–0.6 mm is preferable. The obtained results can be used for the intensification of the metalware carburizing.

The problem on the dynamic configuration of the diamond smoothing through the vibroacoustic emission signal control accompanying processing is considered. The dynamic equations based on the analysis which shows that the changes of the gradient mechanical-and-physical properties on the workpiece surface lead to the changes in the spectral composition of the vibroacoustic emission signal are proposed. On this basis, a method of the tuning processing system for the dynamic parameter is offered. It permits to select rational values of diamond tip clamping force to the workpiece. Theoretically, on the basis of the analysis of the smoothing dynamic process frequency characteristics, it is shown that on converging of the tool tip and the workpiece, the gradient of the process mechanical-and-physical properties changes. As a result of the variational equation analysis, changing in the oscillation spectrum is observed. Theoretical ideas are supported by the experimental studies of the process vibration characteristics.

The production method is worked out, and the technical solutions to the rotary internal soil mulching are proposed. On the basis of the long-term stationary studies, the synthesis problem on a new soil quality is solved. The goal of these investigations is the creation of the long-term optimal launch growing conditions. Technical parameters of the devices are described. The effect of their application on the soil and on the farming results is shown. The application prospects of the rotor subsurface tilling operations are indicated. It is noted that the considerable part of the drawbar and power balance of the rotary subsurface ploughs PMS-70, PMS-100, and others, is defined by the resistance to the tilling tool movement in the soil — to the bearing, ripper, gear plough tine.

Actually, the water movement in the ‘soil-plant-atmosphere’ system is quite well studied. The main part of the ascending water in the plant goes through the xylem vessels. Higher plant xylem is a complex structure. To represent it as a set of ordinary vertical tubes is incorrect. Judging by the distribution model of fluid in the symmetrical capillary systems, the presence of lateral branches in the system leads to the water heightening in the vertical capillary compared to a single capillary of the equal radius. The analysis of N-level symmetric capillary model has shown that water may not reach the lateral capillaries even of the second level under the appropriate geometry of the system. The addition of an asymmetric lateral capillary to this system leads to a substantial water redistribution. The significance of asymmetrical elements can be seen on the example of young plants of a Nordmann fir tree (Abies nordmanniana). On the vertical trunk between parallel branches of different levels there are short lateral shoots that receive no further development. It can be assumed that these are asymmetry elements providing the water rise to the branch capillaries of the upper levels. The mathematical model of the water distribution in the capillary systems with asymmetrical capillary branches is built for an arbitrary number of the lateral capillaries levels. It is shown that the expansion in the number of both capillary branches in the level and levels leads to the water movement increase in the capillaries of the lower levels and in the vertical capillary. The presence of asymmetric elements in the branching capillary systems does not change the water distribution patterns in the branching symmetrical capillary systems. The revealed regularities can be considered as universal for the plant life.

The problem of a well-known system control consisting of the inversed pendulum with the fixed suspension point is considered. At that, an electric motor with a flywheel is fastened on the pendulum. The motor spindle has a rigid coupling with the flywheel. Its rotation could clamp the pendulum in position. The rotative moment developed by the electric motor is applied both to its rotor (i.e. to flywheel) and to its stator (i.e. to pendulum). The pendulum should be moved to the top instable position, and stabilized in this position — to obtain autooscillations with the specified amplitude and frequency. A new control law for the inversed pendulum to provide stability in top position is synthesized. The control law is based on the energy invariants of the system.

The design methodology for the engineering systems of the surface plastic deformation (SPD) by the free-moving indenters is considered. It is based on the definition of the structural elements of the engineering system, the principles of its operation, and the linkage between individual elements, as well as on the estimation of the hardening component section and the development of the rational operation structure. The engineering system block scheme outlining is investigated in the form of an open-loop control system. It consists of the detecting elements included in it in the following order: primary (input) parameters — the SPD process — secondary (output) parameters. Physico-technological principles of a design as such are developed. It permits, firstly, to identify the functional relation between the elements, and secondly, to characterize them either quantitatively (describing through the equation connecting both the input and output parameters) or qualitatively. The justification of the component section and of the SPD hardening technique selection has permitted to formulate the design principles for the rational structure of the SPD operation (so that the post-treatment part could meet the specified design documentation requirements for quality and operational properties). The conditions for the building of a structure as such are shown. For this purpose, a minimum of necessary one or several SPD part processed component sections should be defined. Then, on the basis of the choice of methods, a structure to ensure the solution of the technological tasks with the best technical and economic parameters should be adopted.

Some issues on the risk management regarding the operation safety at the engineering enterprises are considered. The expert survey technique on the risk assessment for the mechanical engineering enterprises, and the training set are developed. The neuronet operation should be adjusted to satisfy the expert council qualification. Normally distributed differences in the individual assessments within the expert group with 3σ-interval up to 10÷12 points, or up to 100÷120 % are characteristic of the given council. The developed in the neurosimulators neuromodels for the risk analysis at the mechanical engineering enterprises have the associated with the council member’s absolute and relative error specifications. At that, the regression analysis of the training set yields essentially worse results as opposed to the neuromodel. For the construction of graphics, such software packages as STATISTICA Neural Networks and NeuroSolutions were used.

The theoretical studies on noise levels under hardening the surface layers of the helicopter spar pipes through the centrifugal processing are resulted. Spar is considered as a two-point article subjected to the periodic impulse force impact. The calculated relation is obtained for detecting the sound pressure levels at the natural frequencies. The reduced formulas include the geometric, mechanical characteristics, and the hardening processing methods which are set by the amplitude, duration, and impact momentum frequency. It allows determining the noise levels under the centrifugal processing including the design parameters of pieces and the processing conditions. On this basis, the noise level increase values as compared to the admissible limit values in the respective frequency ranges are calculated. This data is essential for the selection and acoustic design of the noise protection at the design stage of the centrifugal processing equipment.

The international scientific-research MAAT (Multibody Advanced Airship for Transport) project supported by the European Union on the Seventh framework program solves the global problem on the ecologically safe transportation. One of its sections has the aim to research the aerodynamics of the specialized high-altitude balloons — so-called shuttles. They are designed for supporting communications between the earth-based airports and the aerostats which are permanently cruising in the stratosphere — cruisers. One of the aerodynamic research tasks needed to develop an appropriate mathematical model is solved. The problem on the mathematical description of the buoyant force changes under the shuttle plunging in its both undisturbed and disturbed position is set and solved. For that, a simulation experiment based on the so-called “electronic airflow” through the computer modeling is conducted. The computing results of the buoying drag force under varying conditions are processes through the regression analysis techniques. The obtained expression permits to identify the mathematical model of the shuttle motion dynamics presented through Euler's equations. The results are illustrated by the table and graphical data.

A synchronous hydromechanical system of the mobile actuator is considered as an example of the brush drive system of the airport sweeper. It is proposed to equip the synchronous hydraulic machine drive with a throttle flow divider of not spool-type including a plunger actuator to ensure the proper operation of the hydraulic drive system in the wide-range ambient temperatures under the low response to the process fluid quality. The flow divider construction diagram is offered, its functional principle, basic design, and operational characteristics are considered. The mathematical model of the actuator drive system with the use of the functions of determining flow rates and the given rigidity of the hydromechanical elements developed on the basis of the elastic-dissipative state model to simplify considerably the description and study of the hydromechanical system is obtained. The use of the proposed mathematical model creates conditions for calculating the optimum parameters of the actuator drive system already at the design stage.

A mathematical model of the wheel — road surface interaction is presented. This model permits to carry out a qualitative investigation on the wheel swing specificity in a coupling case. The experimental investigation is implemented through the numerical modeling methods. In the obtained mathematical model, it is assumed that the inflexibility of the road is rather great, and its deformations can be neglected. The surface of the wheel is specified by a set of points. The research results have shown a lack of the trivial dependence between the angular frequency of the wheel and the linear speed of its centre. It was established that the linear speed of the wheel movement depends considerably on the value of the external loading. The work results are of interest in the mechanical engineering problems, in particular — in the construction of the exact positioning systems.

To improve the steam quality control and the process of its generation, to prevent the off-design behavior of the water thermal treatment plants of the TPP, CHPP, and NPP, the techniques and devices for their implementation are developed. They are designed for the operational conductometric quality control of the steam and foam level that is generated on the evaporant water surface at the critical values of its salinity. This permits to improve the accuracy of the measurement results and to use the research work for creating an improved system of the operational control over the steam generation and quality. The system ensures the reduction of the foamover, the improvement of the technical-and-economic indices of the evaporator units and power plants. Long-term testing of the system in an active evaporator will provide numerical results under different operating conditions and draw final conclusions.

The loose-abrasive part cutting role in the modern mechanical engineering is studied, and the manufacturing capability of the abrasive rumbling is presented. The problem of obtaining theoretical dependences describing the connection of rumbling productivity and quality with the process parameters and types of working environments is formulated. Single interaction of an abrasive particle with the working face under rumbling is considered. Dependences for determining maximum depth of the granule penetration and the metal removal at one impact of an abrasive granule are obtained. The theoretical and experimental study on the metal removal process is carried out. At that, the effect of the operation modes, properties of an abrasive particle and the processed material is considered. The experimentally tested dependence for determining metal removal under rumbling is obtained. It is concluded that the obtained theoretical dependences can be used under designing part cutting processes through abrasive rumbling.

The work purpose is the investigation of the clusterization tendencies in the modern world economy. The research subject is clusterization processes in their interrelation with globalization and regionalization. A monographic method is used as the methodological basis of the research. The essence of globalization and regionalization is briefly described, common features and contradictions of the given phenomena are shown. The branch and territorial specificity of the clusterization is analyzed. The reasons hampering the efficient cluster development in a number of countries of the world (in particular, in Russia and on the post-Soviet territory) are identified. Some examples of the transboundary cluster operation are considered. The conclusion on the interrelation of the globalization and regionalization processes, and cluster approach development is formulated. The research results can be used for the in-depth study of the clusterization process, the development of practical recommendations on the cluster policy implementation at the national and regional level.

Each society is faced with the decision of how to provide the well-being and high quality of life of its citizens best. Increasingly, cities, states, and nations are turning to tourism as an important element in their economic portfolio as they recognize the potentially significant economic rewards at stake. Much of tourism development entails community development. If handled appropriately, tourism can become an important engine for achieving broader social goals. Whereas societies may aspire to achieve these goals, communities are struggling to manage tourism development effectively. Modern innovative management trends in tourism cluster modernization and diversification processes of the business have been launched: tourism business has grown significantly, the new functional structure has changed, and national tourism services sector broadened and consolidation is the main priority. In this case, Russian MICE-tourism development has recently gained greater urgency. Congress bureau as one of the important element of business tourism and MICE industry development has become a strategic factor of territory brand creation, according to the regional economy diversifications.

Some classifications of retailing services are listed and evaluated. On this basis, an updated notion of the service structure is proposed. It includes four components: distributive services, commercial services, sales support, merchandising. At that, a special role of merchandising in the competitiveness support for the modern retail enterprise is marked. The updated structure of the retailing service permits to single out its competitiveness factors. Special attention is paid to the strategic management of the retail enterprise competitiveness within which strategic solutions on four structural components are developed. Conceptual approaches to the appropriate strategy development are presented. They are based on the building of the updated retail trade structure, as well as on the identification of the competitiveness factors of the services.

The problems on the formation of the expert community meeting the modern business needs, and on the business participation in the education system development are considered. A governance model for the education system aimed at training specialists to work in a particular area is proposed. For the purpose, it is necessary to combine the efforts of various departments and enterprises. The system provides the integration of education and business, namely: the collaboration in the personnel training. Principles of the interaction between educational institutions and enterprises are presented. Some opportunities of the business influence expansion in this sphere are considered. To develop a complex interaction between education and business in is necessary to upgrade the teachers’ qualification. Their occupational retraining with regard to the regional demands and modern educational technologies will contribute to this. Another important factor is an incentive system for a qualitative training of students. On the part of business, the support of specific students professionally oriented on the engineering occupation seems appropriate. It will ensure to build their individual educational path in the right direction — from schooling to production. The use of the private-public partnership mechanisms in this area will contribute to the constructive mutually beneficial cooperation. It is expected that the concerted actions of education and business will produce a synergistic effect.

The article presents some results of the theoretical analysis concerning the state of moral and spiritual development possessed by young people of our country. The obtained results of the investigation show the urgent necessity of radical changes in the sphere of young people breeding. The authors put forward the theoretically grounded outcome for changing the situation. The authors see success in the treated sphere in diverting educators attention to the achievements of the pedagogic logistics.

The article is intended to cover the new strategies to individual activity of students dealing with the self-management of study process organization providing quality higher education, strengthening mobility for better learning in the framework of competence/learning outcome-based, student-centered approaches to learning, teaching and assessment. It presents the main competences of individual activity throughout students’ careers, major tasks and trends of individual activity, essential criteria for individual work assessment and modern teaching technologies.

The problem on the corporate culture development needed to achieve the strategic and social goals in the higher educational institution is considered. The corporate culture development within the frame of the quality management system (QMS) building is one of the optimal solution approaches to the problem. The key element of the effective university operation is the capability to meet instantly the customer requirements. For that, it is necessary to develop Policy, Mission, and Goals in QMS, as well as principles, values, and traditions which are part and parcel of the corporate culture. Both internal and external strategic development plans, and the basic functions of the educational community corporate culture are analyzed. The value system and the construction principles of the corporate culture are considered.