Progress 03/01/19 to 02/28/22
Outputs
Target Audience:During the project period, we have engaged the following target audiences: 1. Livestock trailer manufacturers 2. Transportation engineering scientists and professionals 3. Pig producers 4. Animal scientists 5. Middle and high school aged children and teachers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The following training and prfessional development programs were conducted during the project. 1. Trailer vibration data collection and analysis of project associated with middle school students at Stephens County Georgia. Students visited UGA as part of the program. 2. Professional development training for Georgia high school agriculture teachers on the interaction between engineering and agriculture. 3. Training of undergraduate and graduate students participating in data collection and analyses. 4. Professional development training seminar given and recorded for a commercial producer's operation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated using the following methods: 1. Popular press interviews and articles. 2. Peer-reviewed publications 3. Conference oral presentations What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective #1: Vibration, temperature, and humidity data were collected during Winter and Summer months. The following results and conclusions were determined from data: Winter: Vibration profiles for the majority of compartments during most trips violated a threshold value used in human modeling that indicates human could possibly become injured if they experience vibrations above the set value. Vibration profiles for the majority of bottom compartments, especially the back aft, during most trips violated a threshold value used in human modeling that indicates human are likely become injured if they experience vibrations above the set value. Pot-belly trailers had greater vibration profiles than straight-deck trailers. The bottom aft compartment vibrated, on average 150% or more, in all directions. When loaded with pigs, all compartments experienced increases in temperature and humidity. The bottom and top fore compartments had the greatest temperature and humidity and changes in temperature and humidity from atmosphere. Summer Vibration profiles for the majority of compartments during the unload and loading portions of most trips violated a threshold value used in human modeling that indicates human could possibly become injured if they experience vibrations above the set value. Vibration profiles for the majority compartments during the transport portion of most trips violated a threshold value used in human modeling that indicates human are likely become injured if they experience vibrations above the set value. The bottom compartment vibrated in all directions more than the top deck. There were no differences in individual compartments as what was seen during the Winter trips. When loaded with pigs, compartments did not experienced increases in temperature and humidity. Throughout the entire day of transport, pigs experienced temperature-humidity indexes that were above "alert" values. Objective #2: A trailer vibration simulator was constructed to vibrate at 2.5, 9, 18, and 30 Hz in three different directions. Testing revealed the simulator was able to generate frequencies that were within 1 Hz of the desired frequency.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Ridder, E., D. Flippo, J. M. Gonzalez, and E. Brokesh. 2022. Development of a livestock transport vibration simulator to reduce transport losses. ASABE
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Alambarrio, D. A., B. K. Morris, R. B. Davis, K. K. Turner, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2022. Vibration and Temperature Profiles of Commercial Straight-Deck Trailers Transporting Market-Weight Pigs During Summer. Journal of Animal Science
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Alambarrio, D. A., B. K. Morris, R. B. Davis, K. K. Turner, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2022. Vibration Profiles of Commercial Straight-Deck Trailers Transporting Market-Weight Pigs During Summer. ASAS Annual Meeting and Trade Show.
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Progress 03/01/20 to 02/28/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The following audiences were reached and collaborated with during this years data collection phase of the project: 1. One independent livestock hauler. 2. One large commercial swine farm. 3. One large commercial pork abattoir. 4. Animal welfare/well-being scientists. 5. Animal/meat scientists and industry professonals. 6. Mexican meat processors. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 pandemichas delayedconstruction of the simulator and collection of the summer data. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The following students have participated in the project during the previous year: University of Georgia Master of Science: 1 Kansas State University Master of Science: 1 Undergraduate: 3 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been communicated to the following parties using the following methods: 1. Producers, transporters, and meat industrypersonnel, both national and international, by verbal interactions, conference presentations, a podcast interview, and a peer reviewed published paper. 2. Animal and meat scientists by verbal interactions, conference presentations, a podcast interview, and a peer reviewed published paper. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective #1:Pending the status of COVID-19, we hope to collect and analyze the summer transportation data in the coming year. Objective #2:Test the simulator and validate its ability to replicate the 6 target frequencies that we are interested in exploring.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective #1: Analysis of winter data was completed with the help of an engineering professor and his graduate student. One manuscript was submitted and accepted. A conference oral presentation was conducted summarizing the vibration data. Overall findings were the bottom aft and fore compartments of trailers vibrated at the greatest levels in the transport trailer. Most compartments of the trailer vibrated at levels that could injur the pigs. The bottom fore compartment had the greatest humidity and temperature increase during all phases of transport. Objective #2:We have identified 6 continuous frequencies, with corresponding amplitude/energy information, from the vibration data that we are building the simulator to replicate. The simulator is designed to replicate these frequencies and mimic similar vibration amplitudes. The simulator is designed to have the ability to achieve different frequencies around the six base frequencies and, with effort, selected larger or smaller amplitudes.?
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
1. Gonzalez, J. M., B. Davis, B. Morris, E. Brokesh, D. Flippo, T. Houser, F. Najar-Villarreal, K. Turner, and J. Williams. 2020. Examining x, y, and z vibration patterns of commercial pig transport trailers from the farm to the abattoir. J. Anim. Sci. 98(E-Suppl. 1): (Abstr.).
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Morris, B. K., R. B. Davis, E. Brokesh, D. K. Flippo, T. A. Houser, F. Najar-Villarreal, K. K. Turner, J. G. Williams, A. M. Stelzleni, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2021. Measurement of the three-axis vibration, temperature, and relative humidity profiles of commercial transport trailers for pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 99:1-14. doi:10.1093/jas/skab027
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Progress 03/01/19 to 02/29/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The following audiences were reached and collaborated with during this yearsdata collection phase of the project: One independent livestock hauler. One large commercial swine farm. One largecommercial pork abattoir. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 outbreak has halted all construction of the simulator and may delay the project being completed on time. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The following students have participated in the project during the previous year: University of Georgia Master of Science: 2 Kansas State University Master of Science: 2 Doctor of Philosopy: 1 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been verbally communicated with the North Carolina group and other scientists in the United States and Canada. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective #1: We plan on collecting data from the same producer during the summer, but this is dependent on the status of the COVID-19 outbreak. Data from the winter North Carolina trips will be analyzed. Datawill further be analyzed to describe the vibration profiles when trucks accelerate, decelerate, idle, and driving over train tracks and bridges. Finally, vibration data between the two trailer types will be compared. Objective #2: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, simulator construction has been halted. Once universities are reopened, the Kansas State University team will finish construction of the simulator.Once the simulator is completed, it will be initially tested (validated) using sand bag weight to simulate a load of animals being transported. National InstrumentsTM MiRioTM data collection devices will be fitted in the simulator to measure the resulting vibration. This collection units are the same type of unit that were used to collect the initial vibration data which was used during the data collection phase of the project in 2018 and early 2019. Adjustments to the vibration drive system will be made to tune the system to replicate the collected data.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective #1: Because the Gonzalez Laboratory moved to the University of Gerogia, a new producer to work with had to be found. After 6 months of searching, an industry partner helped Dr. Gonzalez establish a working relationship with a large producer in North Carolina. Once the relationship was established, data were collected during a week in December and a week in February. During the December collection session, a new sensor support system had to be designed because the producer utilized straight deck trailers instead of pot-belly trailers. Once the new support systemwasestablished, 14 total loads of pigs were utilized for data collection. In working with a vibration expert at the University of Georgia, data collected from the Kansas producer was converted into numerical data that can be statistically analyzed.Data were post-processed to calculate power spectral density (PSD) functions and corresponding root mean square (RMS) accelerations. The PSD indicatesthe vibrational frequency content of the trailers, while the RMS values quantifythe severity of the vibration over the duration of each trip. Data indicated with the exception of the lower aft portion of the trailer where levels are significantly higher, RMS values were consistent across trips and largely similar between sensor location and axis. Accelerations ranged between 0.06 and 0.18 g and varied in time. The PSD results reveal a largely broadband frequency response of the loaded trailers between 0 and 50Hz, especially for sensors on the lower deck. Preliminary analysis of the data indicates the severity of vibrations experienced by pigs during transport would be considered uncomfortable by humans. Objective #2: The livestock vibrations simulator is just completing the design phase and is starting to enter into the construction phase. A CAD model image of the simulator has been generated.The trailer/animal enclosure portion of the simulator is complete, the vibration inducing portion of the simulator is now beginning construction.The materials for the vibration simulator has been purchased and delivered.The main driving motors, bearings, springs, selected short shafts, and motor controllers necessary for the construction of the simulator have been purchased and delivered.A few items were ordered during the last week of February and are currently in transit. The vibration simulator is designed to induce repetitive constantly occurring vibrations in to the trailer in all three axis. The vibrations that can be simulated easily in the range of 0 to 30 Hz. Vibration just above this range may be possible with a few modifications to the system drivetrain. This range of vibrations was chosen based on data collected during 2018 and early 2019 during trips transporting hogs from grow facilities to processing plants. The collected data was plotted on spectrographs for analysis. While the spectrographs show vibrations present in all frequencies in the range from 0 to 50 Hz, several narrow bands of frequencies showed themselves to be most intense or associated with the most energy applied to animals riding in the trailers. The frequencies have been reduced to three representative frequencies that the simulator is being designed to test initially. These frequencies are: 2, 9, and 18. The simulator is designed to switch between these frequencies easily and provide testing of up to three different frequencies on three different axis's at a time. Other frequencies can be tested outside of these five frequencies, but will require the substitution of parts in order to achieve these other frequencies. Vibrations are induced into the simulator by three electric motors, one for each axis. The electric motors are attached to a speed reductions system that will reduce speeds to the desired frequencies. Individual frequencies are achieved through the specific reduction of drive system. Means are provided to shift between reductions to test the different test frequencies. The actual vibration amplitude (range of movement) is achieve by a cam type bushing mounted on the rotating shafts. These bushings are designed to induce a vibration of a similar magnitude as measured in the collected data. A vibration of maximum amplitude of 0.1 inches will be tested initially. Other vibration magnitudes are possible, but will require the substitution of different parts to be achieved. Means of to induce vibrations of this amplitude are possible in all three directions.
Publications
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