The potential for real-time passenger information as part of an integrated bus-control/information system

This paper is concerned with the effect of linking innovative bus-control systems with real-time passenger information, with the overall aim of improving conditions for bus operation and passengers in central urban corridors. The first section presents a concise review of bus passenger information systems (particularly their application at bus stops). Then the concept of real-time passenger information is explored. The case for and against real-time information is argued and two British case-studies follow. In the second section it is argued that the provision of real-time information, as part of an integrated bus-control/information system, offers new possibilities for meeting the identified needs of public transport users. Finally, in the third section, some comments are made on the evaluation of different combinations of bus-control and passenger information tested using a simulation method and a series of subjective response surveys. General relationships governing the degree of bus-control required and the extent of information needed are of special interest.     

Risk and return of U.S. water transportation stocks over time and over bull and bear market conditions

The aim of this paper is to investigate the behaviour of water transportation company stock returns in the U.S. stock exchanges from 1985 to 1994 in order to determine whether the systematic risk of this industry is different from that of the 'average' company in the market, whether it has changed over the ten year period, over bull and bear market conditions, and whether there is a firm 'size' effect in the industry. In the context of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (Capm), we find that the systematic risk of the shipping industry return is not different from that of the 'average' company. It is also found that the covariance of water transportation companies with respect to the overall stock market return did not change over the ten year period although it appears that it has changed over normal upward/downward market movements. There is also reasonable evidence that the intercept of the equation might have changed over normal upward/downward market movements. Finally, we document contradictory evidence regarding the size effect; during the period 1985-1989 we find small companies to have significantly higher returns and risk while during the period 1990-1994 medium size companies tend to have higher risk than small and large firms, which is not however compensated by higher returns.     

船舶舵减横摇H∞鲁棒控制系统

研究了船舶舵减横摇鲁棒控制系统设计问题。根据船舶运动和流体力学原理,指出了舵上产生的横摇力矩及船舶航向(艏摇)与横摇的分频特性,是舵-航向/横摇综合控制技术的基础。提出广义输出干扰的概念,将舵减横摇控制系统广义对象的奇异控制问题转化为非奇异标准控制问题,给出了艏摇/横摇耦合运动的线性分式变换模型和广义对象状态空间实现,设计了舵减横摇H∞鲁棒控制系统,并用结构奇异值理论对所设计的系统进行了鲁棒稳定性和鲁棒性能分析。通过数字仿真,证明所设计的控制系统具有良好的减摇控制效果和鲁棒性。     

基于偏差分析的交通事件自动检测算法

高速公路事件检测是交通管理与控制中十分重要的环节。将交通流动态预测与事件检测相结合,探讨了基于偏差分析的事件识别方法。该方法对3个主要的交通流参数,交通量、地点车速和时间占有率进行动态预测,对预测值与实际值的偏差进行统计分析,明确了事件检测的具体步骤和事件发生概率的计算模型。该方法不受检测路段具体位置和时间的限制,具有较高的检测率和较小的误报率,有助于管理人员制定决策。     

市政工程监理面临的问题与解决办法

通过对若干市政工程的监理,列举了市政工程监理面临的问题,提出了解决问题的办法.     

我国铁路货车紧凑型轴承的研究与发展

对铁路货车紧凑型轴承研发的背景、我国紧凑型轴承设计结构、国外先进的轴承技术等进行了分析和概述,并对通过货车轴承技术研究提出解决货车切轴问题的措施进行了分析。     

论海上危机决策

阐述了海上危机管理的发展趋势,针对海上危机决策的特殊性,分析了决策者的作用和能力,决策的模式、方法、艺术和决策最佳人选,以及防止危机产生的方法和措施。     

氘气制备技术研究

氘是氢的稳定同位素,室温下是一种无色、无味、无毒、无害的可燃性气体。氘气可用于核能、可控核聚变反应、激光器和灯源等。随着科学技术的发展,氘的应用将越来越广,氘的制备技术研究也会变得更加重要。本文综述了氘气的主要制备方法,如液氢精馏法、电解重水法、钯/合金薄膜或金属氢化物法、气相色谱法、激光分离法等;简介了对电解重水法制备高纯氘的现状。同时,也对氘气的研究及应用前景进行了展望。     

Biologically induced modification of seawater viscosity in the Eastern English Channel during a Phaeocystis globosa spring bloom

To identify the potential relationship between Pheaocystis globosa bloom conditions and seawater properties, a hydrobiological survey was performed in the inshore waters of the Eastern English Channel over the course of the phytoplankton spring bloom. Chlorophyll concentration, auto- and hetero/mixotrophic composition of protists and standing stock, and seawater viscosity were measured weekly from March to June 2004. The decline of the bloom is characterized by a massive foam formation in the turbulent surf zone. Before foam formation, seawater viscosity significantly increased, showing a significant positive correlation with chlorophyll concentration. In contrast, after foam formation this correlation was negative, seawater viscosity kept increasing despite a sharp decrease in chlorophyll concentrations. No significant correlation has been found between seawater viscosity and the composition of the phytoplankton assemblages observed during the survey. However, significant positive correlations have been found between seawater viscosity and both the size and the abundance of P. globosa colonies. From the correlation patterns observed between chlorophyll concentration and seawater viscosity, we suggest that the rheological properties of seawater are mainly driven by extracellular materials associated with colony formation and maintenance rather than by cell composition and standing stock.     

Driver steering and muscle activity during a lane-change manoeuvre

The article reports an experimental study of driver steering control behaviour in a lane-change manoeuvre. Eight test subjects were instrumented with electromyography to measure muscle activation and co-contraction. Each subject completed 30 lane-change manoeuvres with one vehicle on a fixed-base driving simulator. For each driver, the steering torque feedback characteristic was changed after every ten manoeuvres; the response of the vehicle to steering angle inputs was not changed. Drivers' control strategies were found to be robust to changes in steering torque feedback. Path-following errors, muscle activity and muscle co-contraction all reduce with the number of lane-changes performed by the driver, suggesting the existence of a learning process. Comparing the test subjects, there was some evidence that high levels of co-contraction were used to allow high-frequency steering inputs to be generated. The results contribute to the understanding of vehicle-driver (and more generally, human-machine) dynamic interaction.