The Role of Spatial Data Management Strategies in ICZM in Ireland

This article explores how a fresh approach to integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in Ireland might be forged through the identification of a number of key innovative cross-sectoral professional initiatives and interdisciplinary academic thinking in this sector. It includes three interlinked research themes that assess existing cross-sectoral data management issues (to include an assessment of readiness for the INSPIRE and compliance with the Re-use of Public Sector Information European Union Directives), the degree of cross-pollination between the various sectors involved in managing the Irish Coastal Zone (to identify the need (or otherwise) for capacity- building to encourage cross-fertilization of ideas, skills, and knowledge exchange), and cross-professional competencies (to assess the desire/need (if any) for those working in coastal zone management to add to their existing competencies through continuous professional development or lifelong learning opportunities). Indeed, the specific competencies for coastal practitioners are identified here and these further illustrate the need for professional recognition of the role, responsibilities, and therefore the requirement for an appropriately qualified “Coastal Manager” professional, one that is seen not merely as a nicety but rather a necessity—a core enabler in any future innovative and integrative management approach.     

Synchronized Production and Transportation Planning Using Subcontracted Vehicles in a Production-Distribution Network

Abstract

Effective management of interfaces between procurement, supply, production and distribution for higher efficiency in the supply chain is an important issue in global manufacturing, where the synchronization of production and transportation planning represents important savings in operational costs. This paper focuses on the synchronization of production planning and transportation planning in a production distribution network, where transportation is subcontracted to a professional transportation enterprise (PTE) for vehicle-hiring. Dynamic and flexible numbers of vehicles are used to cater for fast changing market demands. Thus, the number of vehicles to be hired is viewed from the planning point of view as an operational decision considered simultaneously with production and transportation planning. A mathematical model – SPTP/MTDS – for synchronized production and transportation planning under multiple times and direct shipping strategy (MTDS) is discussed, and a Lagrange relaxation decomposition-based two layer decision procedure (LRD-TLDP) is developed. By introducing artificial decision variables and Lagrange multipliers, SPTP/MTDS is decomposed into a production decision sub-problem (SPTP-PD), and a distribution decision sub-problem (SPTP-DD). A priority-based assignment heuristic and a partial chain-based genetic algorithm are developed to solve SPTP-PD and SPTP-DD, respectively. An illustration of the application of the model in an electronic appliance manufacturing enterprise in China is presented.     

Finite element analysis of overlay incorporating stress absorbing membrane interlayers against reflective cracking

A wheel tracking test was modelled to gain better understanding of the deflection and stress-strain distribution in an overlaid cracked pavements with and without membrane interlayer （SAMI）. For this purpose, commercial finite element software Abaqus 6.7-1 was used. Two different models were considered, one incorporating stress absorbing membrane interlayers （SAMIs） and the other without SAMI. In the study, full bond condition was assumed for the boundaries between the layers, and a linear elastic model was used for the analysis. The results show that introduction of SAMI caused greater deflection of the pavement. It is found that although with SAMIs, low stiffness is required, a very low stiffness may yield undesirable results. The results show that the introduction of SAMIs results in high strain concentration around the crack region, whilst the strain in the overlay is smaller than the values predicted in the models without SAMIs.     

Getting the best of both worlds: a framework for combining disaggregate travel survey data and aggregate mobile phone data for trip generation modelling

Transportation - Traditional approaches to travel behaviour modelling primarily rely on household travel survey data, which is expensive to collect, resulting in small sample sizes and infrequent...     

The opening of the Amsterdam Ring Road

This paper presents the results of a major before-and-after study carried out to establish the short term effects of the removal of a severe bottleneck in the road network around Amsterdam. An important focus in the study was on measuring changes in the timing of travel, as well as changes in route choice, mode choice, destination choice and frequency of travel. The results of the study indicated that, in the short run, there was little or no change in mode choice, nor was there significant emergence of new induced trips. On the other hand, large shifts in time of travel as well as route choice were reported, emphasising the importance of alterations to the timing and routes of existing trips when congestion is relieved, and the need to consider the benefits these bring in evaluating the impact of any road investment.     

创新之桥——计量学在科学与技术中的应用——2010年世界计量日致词

<正>作为计量研究人员的快乐之一就是:计量学让我们走在科学的最前沿。我们总是试图了解,为什么大自然要限制我们去执行某种测量的能力。这种限制究竟是不可逾越的自然法则抑或是借助更睿智的思想便能攀越的藩篱。显然,这种智力挑战就是开拓新领域的动力。     

National policy towards cars: Singapore

Singapore has experienced rapid growth in car ownership, and private transport accounts for just under half of motorized trips in Singapore. Yet only since 1970 have determined efforts been made to curtail this increase. Simultaneously with this growth, Singapore's land‐use planners had called for the diversion of population growth into outlying residential estates while maintaining the central area's importance as an employment centre. The resulting anticipated concentration of commuter movement suggested a need for controls to restrain car ownership, reduce central‐area congestion and divert road users on to public transport. The policies followed are described. Those against ownership have included heavy road taxes and registration fees, with a system of discounts on the latter to discourage new purchasers except when replacing scrapped cars. Policies against car use include fuel taxes and the Area Licensing Scheme in the city centre, while parking space is also closely regulated. The measures adopted imply a goal of efficiency in promoting Singapore's planning objectives rather than environmental, safety or equity considerations, although the first two of these have lately received much more attention than formerly. The policies’ effect has been a temporary reversal in the growth of car ownership, but this growth has since resumed and recent further fee increases suggest a panic reaction rather than a coordinated strategy. Such coordination appears at present to be hampered by the fragmented administration of matters relating to transport. Other measures relating to car ownership and use in Singapore are also described.     

Using ordered attitudinal indicators in a latent variable choice model: a study of the impact of security on rail travel behaviour

There is growing interest in the use of models that recognise the role of individuals’ attitudes and perceptions in choice behaviour. Rather than relying on simple linear approaches or a potentially bias-inducing deterministic approach based on incorporating stated attitudinal indicators directly in the choice model, researchers have recently recognised the latent nature of attitudes. The uptake of such latent attitude models in applied work has however been slow, while a number of overly simplistic assumptions are also commonly made. In this article, we present an application of jointly estimated attitudinal and choice models to a real-world transport study, looking at the role of latent attitudes in a rail travel context. Our results show the impact that concern with privacy, liberty and security, and distrust of business, technology and authority have on the desire for rail travel in the face of increased security measures, as well as for universal security checks. Alongside demonstrating the applicability of the model in applied work, we also address a number of theoretical issues. We first show the equivalence of two different normalisations discussed in the literature. Unlike many other latent attitude studies, we explicitly recognise the repeated choice nature of the data. Finally, the main methodological contribution comes in replacing the typically used continuous model for attitudinal response by an ordered logit structure which more correctly accounts for the ordinal nature of the indicators.     

The Potential of a Legislative Approach to Managing Beach Use: The Case of Beach Bylaws in the Republic of Ireland

This article examines the use of inland mined sand and offshore dredged sand for beach nourishment projects in North Carolina, focusing on the question of whether inland mined sand is economically preferential for hot‐spot erosion control. Excavation, processing, and transport costs are presented, and cost efficiencies of hypothetical beach nourishment projects are compared. Cost analyses indicate that inland mined sand is economical for small projects (10,000–50,000 cubic yards), given that a clean sand source can be located within 15 miles of the nourishment site. The two factors primarily influencing per cubic yard costs of inland sand are overland transportation expenses and processing costs. The use of dredged offshore sand is less expensive for large projects (> 100,000 cubic yards) due to the economies of scale affecting dredge mobilization. Large beach nourishment projects in North Carolina will most likely continue to utilize offshore dredged sand.