10. Measurements, tests, performance, health, failure, and safety
A number without quantity kind, unit, reference condition, coordinate frame, configuration and method is not reusable vehicle data. The substrate must preserve the source value and uncertainty, then record every conversion or derivation.
Concept & directionLNK
A number without quantity kind, unit, reference condition, coordinate frame, configuration and method is not reusable vehicle data. The substrate must preserve the source value and uncertainty, then record every conversion or derivation.
Measurement record
quantity_kind, original value/unit, normalized value/unit, scalar/vector/tensor/distribution form, tolerance/uncertainty, method, reference conditions, coordinate frame/datum, timebase, instrument/sensor, calibration, configuration, quality flags, evidence.| Quantity family | Examples |
|---|---|
| Geometry | length, width, height, wheelbase, track, gauge, draft, beam, span, area, volume, clearance, articulation and transformed envelope |
| Mass properties | mass, payload, axle/wheel loads, displacement, center of gravity/buoyancy, inertia, balance and ballast |
| Kinematics | position, attitude, velocity, acceleration, angular rate, jerk, slip, climb, sink, turn and trajectory error |
| Loads + structure | force, torque, pressure, strain, stress, fatigue cycles, vibration, shock, impact and deflection |
| Energy + resources | power, energy, fuel/oxidizer, state of charge/health, current, voltage, pressure, flow, consumption and recovery |
| Propulsion | shaft/wheel/hub/propeller/rotor/jet thrust or power, torque curve, efficiency, slip, wake and byproducts |
| Performance | speed, acceleration, braking, range, endurance, grade, drawbar pull, lift, payload, throughput, precision and duty cycle |
| Thermal | temperature, heat flow, cooling capacity, thermal margin, icing, cryogenic state and environmental exchange |
| Environmental | air/water density, pressure, wind, current, sea state, terrain, visibility, precipitation, radiation, dust and contamination |
| Acoustic + vibration | sound pressure/power, frequency spectrum, cabin exposure, structural vibration and signature |
| Control + communication | latency, jitter, bandwidth, packet loss, tracking error, stability margin, response time and intervention performance |
| Reliability + health | usage counters, wear, degradation, fault rate, probability, remaining life, availability, downtime and confidence |
| Impact | emissions, exhaust constituents, noise, wake, erosion, waste, energy source, recyclability and operational footprint |
#10.1 Universal test record
- test intent, procedure/revision, requirements and acceptance criteria
- test article, exact configuration, control regime, software/calibration, operator and facility
- environment, load, resource state, setup geometry, instruments, calibrations, channels and sampling/time synchronization
- raw dataset digests, transformations, corrections, formulas, uncertainty and excluded data
- results, pass/fail/indeterminate disposition, anomalies, reviewer, approvals, limitations and retest links
#10.2 Dyno and power tests are not car-only
| Test family | What must remain contextual |
|---|---|
| Engine / motor bench | converter shaft torque, speed, power, efficiency, temperatures, flow and emissions |
| Chassis / wheel dyno | wheel/roller power and torque with tire, gearing, losses, correction method and restraint setup |
| Hub dyno | output at hubs, bypassing tire/roller interface |
| Propeller / rotor stand | thrust, torque, RPM, electrical/fuel input, airflow, noise and efficiency |
| Marine bollard / tow-tank | static thrust, pull, speed-resistance, propulsor/hull interaction and water conditions |
| Jet / rocket static test | thrust-time, chamber/feed state, impulse, mixture, temperatures, vibration and safety disposition |
| Rail / drawbar | tractive effort, adhesion, power, braking and wheel-rail conditions |
| Hydraulic / tool bench | pressure-flow, force/speed, efficiency, leakage, temperature and duty cycle |
| Battery / fuel-cell cycle | capacity, energy, power, impedance, degradation, thermal behavior and safety limits |
#10.3 Failure, incident, and hazard model
| Layer | Required distinctions |
|---|---|
| Fault / defect | Observed nonconformity or abnormal state; source, detection, duration and confidence |
| Failure mode | How a function was lost, degraded, intermittent, unintended or unsafe |
| Mechanism / cause | Physical, software, environmental, human, organizational, maintenance or unknown causal factors |
| Effect / consequence | Local, system, mission, occupant, public, environmental and economic outcomes |
| Incident | Bounded occurrence with operation, configuration, actors, conditions, evidence and reporting status |
| Hazard | Potential harm, exposed targets, severity, likelihood, controls, residual risk and owner |
| Barrier / safeguard | Prevention, detection, containment, mitigation, recovery and independent safety path |
| Corrective action | Contain, repair, modify, inspect fleet, update procedure/software, monitor and verify effectiveness |
#Safety and recovery families
- safe stop, parking, hold, anchor, moor, loiter, hover, surface, land, return-to-base, controlled descent, abort, shutdown and isolate
- emergency stop, dead-man input, independent supervisor, actuator isolation, geofence, speed/force/energy limits and collision protection
- escape, evacuation, flotation, parachute, autorotation, fire suppression, rescue access, distress signaling and life support
- recovery vehicle, tow, salvage, retrieval, deorbit, passivation, disposal, quarantine and environmental remediation