A comparison of modelled and real-life driving profiles for the simulation of railway vehicle operation

A key factor in determining the performance of a railway system is the speed profile of the trains within the network. There can be significant variation in this speed profile for identical trains on identical routes, depending on how the train is driven. A better understanding and control of speed profiles can therefore offer significant potential for improvements in the performance of railway systems. This paper develops a model to allow the variability of real-life driving profiles of railway vehicles to be quantitatively described and predicted, in order to better account for the effects on the speed profile of the train and hence the performance of the railway network as a whole. The model is validated against data from the Tyne and Wear Metro, and replicates the measured data to a good degree of accuracy.     

Balancing energy consumption and risk of delay in high speed trains: A three-objective real-time eco-driving algorithm with fuzzy parameters

Eco-driving is an energy efficient traffic operation measure that may lead to important energy savings in high speed railway lines. When a delay arises in real time, it is necessary to recalculate an optimal driving that must be energy efficient and computationally efficient.In addition, it is important that the algorithm includes the existing uncertainty associated with the manual execution of the driving parameters and with the possible future traffic disturbances that could lead to new delays.This paper proposes a new algorithm to be executed in real time, which models the uncertainty in manual driving by means of fuzzy numbers. It is a multi-objective optimization algorithm that includes the classical objectives in literature, running time and energy consumption, and as well a newly defined objective, the risk of delay in arrival. The risk of delay in arrival measure is based on the evolution of the time margin of the train up to destination.The proposed approach is a dynamic algorithm designed to improve the computational time. The optimal Pareto front is continuously tracked during the train travel, and a new set of driving commands is selected and presented to the driver when a delay is detected.The algorithm evaluates the 3 objectives of each solution using a detailed simulator of high speed trains to ensure that solutions are realistic, accurate and applicable by the driver. The use of this algorithm provides energy savings and, in addition, it permits railway operators to balance energy consumption and risk of delays in arrival. This way, the energy performance of the system is improved without degrading the quality of the service.     

Validation of an extended discrete first-order model with variable speed limits

This paper validates the prediction model embedded in a model predictive controller (MPC) of variable speed limits (VSLs). The MPC controller was designed based on an extended discrete first-order model with a triangular fundamental diagram. In our previous work, the extended discrete first-order model was designed to reproduce the capacity drop and the propagation of jam waves, and it was validated with reasonable accuracy without the presence of VSLs. As VSLs influence traffic dynamics, the dynamics including VSLs needs to be validated, before it can be applied as a prediction model in MPC. For conceptual illustrations, we use two synthetic examples to show how the model reproduces the key mechanisms of VSLs that are applied by existing VSL control approaches. Furthermore, the model is calibrated by use of real traffic data from Dutch freeway A12, where the field test of a speed limit control algorithm (SPECIALIST) was conducted. In the calibration, the original model is extended by using a quadrangular fundamental diagram which keeps the linear feature of the model and represents traffic states at the under-critical branch more accurately. The resulting model is validated using various traffic data sets. The accuracy of the model is compared with a second-order traffic flow model. The performance of two models is comparable: both models reproduce accurate results matching with real data. Flow errors of the calibration and validation are around 10%. The extended discrete first-order model-based MPC controller has been demonstrated to resolve freeway jam waves efficiently by synthetic cases. It has a higher computation speed comparing to the second-order model-based MPC.     

基于传播模型的非机动车违规过街行为研究

为研究信号交叉口非机动车违规过街行为，选取西安市的7个信号交叉口，通过视频拍摄获取资料，应用复杂网络来分析非机动车网络的结构特征和演化规律.建立了交叉口非机动车网络，基于SI模型的基本思想，提出了非机动车违规过街行为的传播模型.并通过python程序进行模拟分析，在不同的网络结构和不同的传播率下，获取了非机动车违规过街的行为趋势.结果表明：随着等待时间的增加，一旦有骑行者闯红灯，更多的骑行者将加入到违规过街的行列；在内向度和外向度方面，电动自行车均高于普通自行车；非机动车违规行为随着传播率及非机动车流量的增加而增加.     

Expertise in decision-making for large infrastructure projects: from UK trunk roads to High Speed Rail 2

At the decision-making stage, a large-scale infrastructure project is essentially a broad concept, and this means the expert analyses will differ from each other and become contested over time, leading to the emergence of rival narratives. It is only where there is a limited range of expert analyses that the bases for decision-making will remain relatively clear-cut. Over time the contested nature of expertise can significantly inhibit the construction of effective narratives, either for or against the project, and also make decision-making more complex and problematic. Decision makers may also seek greater clarification through the construction of narratives that rise above these disputed areas of expertise, and the scientific evidence becomes less important. This paper examines the changing nature of contested expertise through a comparative analysis of political decision-making between UK trunk roads policy and the case of High Speed Rail 2, through the framework of epistemic communities.     

LED灯具在高速列车照明系统中的应用

随着我国高速铁路事业的发展,旅客对车内照明环境品质的要求越来越高,在我国高速列车照明设计中广泛采用LED灯具作为光源。通过对高速动车组车载灯具与25T型列车传统车载灯具的测试对比,总结出LED灯具在发光效率等方面相对于传统灯具的优势,为高速动车组室内照明设计提供依据。     

Integrated vehicle and powertrain optimization for passenger vehicles with vehicle-infrastructure communication

This research proposes an optimal controller to improve fuel efficiency for a vehicle equipped with automatic transmission traveling on rolling terrain without the presence of a close preceding vehicle. Vehicle acceleration and transmission gear position are optimized simultaneously to achieve a better fuel efficiency. This research leverages the emerging Connected Vehicle technology and utilizes present and future information—such as real-time dynamic speed limit, vehicle speed, location and road topography—as optimization input. The optimal control is obtained using the Relaxed Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle. The benefit of the proposed optimal controller is significant compared to the regular cruise control and other eco-drive systems. It varies with the hill length, grade, and the number of available gear positions. It ranges from an increased fuel saving of 18–28% for vehicles with four-speed transmission and 25–45% for vehicles with six-speed transmission. The computational time for the optimization is 1.0–2.1 s for the four-speed vehicle and 1.8–3.9 s for the six-speed vehicle, given a 50 s optimization time horizon and 0.1 s time step. The proposed controller can potentially be used in real-time.     

Point-to-point speed enforcement systems: Speed limits design criteria and analysis of drivers’ compliance

Point-to-point (P2P) speed enforcement is a relatively new approach to traffic law enforcement. Its technology allows vehicles whose average speed exceeds the speed limit over the controlled section to be fined. It therefore encourages compliance over distances longer than those where spot enforcement policies have been in place.In this paper, a procedure for consistently setting speed limits with such enforcement systems is proposed. Such a method has been applied to design the speed limits on two motorways in the district of Naples, Italy, where P2P enforcement systems became operational in 2009 and 2010. The speed limits, which were set using the Italian geometric design standard to assess vehicle stability and stopping sight distance, have been compared with those provided by using well-known international standards.The impact of the newly designed speed limits and of the P2P enforcement system on drivers’ speeding behaviour has been quantified for each highway section and vehicle type. In fact, accurate measurements of the average travel speeds of each vehicle crossing the enforced sections, before and after the activation of the system, were available. The migration from the old speed limits with spot speed enforcement to the new approach resulted in a notable increase in drivers’ compliance to the speed limits with a remarkable decrease in both the average of individual speeds and in their standard deviation.In addition, the analysis of 3 years of data shows that a gradual adaptation of drivers’ behaviour to the system took place. In particular, a decreasing compliance to the speed limits points to a non-optimal system management. Finally, the results of a revealed preference survey allowed us to make a behavioural interpretation regarding the significantly different impacts measured on the two motorways.     

对地铁信号系统列车运行速度制约因素的探讨

信号系统是保障地铁运行安全及提高运行效率的重要设备,列车超速防护功能是信号系统一个非常关键的功能。信号系统防护下的列车运行速度由车辆、线路、轨道、限界及信号系统等条件共同决定。由于相关专业对信号系统安全制动模型不了解,在实际工程中易造成"速度浪费"现象。从信号系统安全制动模型的原理出发,对车辆、线路、轨道、限界等专业对列车运行速度的制约因素进行分析,提出建议。     

立交隧道相互作用三维数值模拟与实测对比研究

以温福铁路琯头岭隧道下穿同三高速公路隧道为例,研究新建下穿隧道与既有隧道工程之间相互影响的问题。采用ANSYS有限元软件,模拟上覆公路隧道和下穿铁路隧道的位移和应力变化情况,并与现场监控量测结果对比,得到以下结果:下穿隧道拱顶沉降量较小,水平收敛值较大,下穿隧道立交段拱腰和边墙是需要重点支护的对象;上覆隧道在立交段下沉值变大,变化幅度为仰拱边墙拱腰拱顶,隧道中部和下部水平收敛值变化较大;受下穿隧道开挖影响,立交隧道上覆地层受力产生不均匀变化,造成扭矩存在,地面水平位移整体呈现"8"字形,立交隧道的建设对地层产生了较大的转动扰动。