A systematic analysis of multimodal transport systems with road space distribution and responsive bus service

A smart design of transport systems involves efficient use and allocation of the limited urban road capacity in the multimodal environment. This paper intends to understand the system-wide effect of dividing the road space to the private and public transport modes and how the public transport service provider responds to the space changes. To this end, the bimodal dynamic user equilibrium is formulated for separated road space. The Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram (MFD) model is employed to depict the dynamics of the automobile traffic for its state-dependent feature, its inclusion of hypercongestion, and its advantage of capturing network topology. The delay of a bus trip depends on the running speed which is in turn affected by bus lane capacity and ridership. Within the proposed bimodal framework, the steady-state equilibrium traffic characteristics and the optimal bus fare and service frequency are analytically derived. The counter-intuitive properties of traffic condition, modal split, and behavior of bus operator in the hypercongestion are identified. To understand the interaction between the transport authority (for system benefit maximization) and the bus operator (for its own benefit maximization), we examine how the bus operator responds to space changes and how the system benefit is influenced with the road space allocation. With responsive bus service, the condition, under which expanding bus lane capacity is beneficial to the system as a whole, has been analytically established. Then the model is applied to the dynamic framework where the space allocation changes with varying demand and demand-responsive bus service. We compare the optimal bus services under different economic objectives, evaluate the system performance of the bimodal network, and explore the dynamic space allocation strategy for the sake of social welfare maximization.     

Drivers of transit service loyalty considering heterogeneity between user segments

Users’ loyalty to public transit service is fundamental to promote its popularity in the transportation market. A four-step analytical framework is advanced to investigate the importance of service attributes that heterogeneous transit user segments place on their public transit service loyalty, measured in terms of overall satisfaction and re-use intention. Critical service attributes perceived by transit users that are relevant for loyalty enhancement are explicitly determined, which vary between user segments. It is suggested that the design of strategies aimed to promote the use of public transit by increasing user loyalty towards transit service be targeted at specific attributes that contribute most to loyalty and specific user segments whose original loyalty level is significantly different to others.     

基于改进云模型的地铁站行人拥挤辨识方法

为降低城市地铁站内行人拥挤识别时多指标和多等级带来的不确定性和模糊性,采用改进云模型构建行人拥挤状态辨识模型。基于AHP-熵权法标定指标权重和行人拥挤状态等级,以标定的指标权重和各指标等级阈值作为输入,计算云数字特征值,采用正向正态云发生器,建立模板云和待识别云模型,计算两者之间的隶属度,根据最大隶属度原则辨识车站内各服务设施的行人拥挤状态,最后输出各服务设施的拥挤等级辨识结果。以宁波市鼓楼站为实证对象,对辨识结果进行实证分析。结果表明:采用四级行人拥挤状态划分方法合理可行。     

Optimal bus fleet management strategy for emissions reduction

Transportation is a major cause for environmental degradation via exhaust emissions. For many transit-oriented metropolitan areas, bus trips often constitute a sizeable mode share. Managing the bus fleet, in particular updating buses to comply with the newer emissions standards, therefore, can have a substantial impact on transportation-induced air quality. This paper presents the approach of remaining life additional benefit–cost (RLABC) analysis for maximising the total net benefit by either early-retiring or retrofitting the current bus fleet within their lifespans. By referring to the net benefits for different bus types estimated by RLABC analysis, the most beneficial management scheme for the current bus fleet can be identified. Optimal bus fleet management (BFM) models based on the RLABC analysis for the operator and the government are developed. Then a government subsidy plan is produced to achieve win–win solutions, which will offer efficient and flexible management schemes. To illustrate the approach, the largest bus company in Hong Kong, which carries more than 23% of the total trips in Hong Kong, is taken as a case study example. Instead of adopting a fixed retirement plan, such as replacing buses at the age of 17 as is currently practised, the proposed method develops an optimal BFM scheme that progressively phases out buses or retrofits them. This study produces promising results to demonstrate the large benefit of this approach for optimal bus fleet management.     

基于KENTRACK的铁路沥青混凝土底砟层疲劳特性评价

重复动载疲劳损伤是沥青混凝土底砟层的破坏形式之一。本文建立了沥青混凝土底砟层的三维有限元分析模型,分析其在列车荷载作用下的受力变形特性。采用KENTRACK设计方法分析了沥青混凝土底砟层的疲劳寿命。结果表明:沥青混凝土底砟层等厚度替代基床表层的路基结构形式在列车荷载作用下基床表层的竖向动变形和振动加速度明显减小;沥青混凝土底砟层的层底拉应变在10×10^-6~90×10^-6,处于较低水平;沥青混凝土底砟层具有良好的疲劳耐久性,可用于工程实践。     

深海超高压环境模拟容器裂纹评定

深海超高压环境模拟容器用于模拟水下压力环境,其容器壁上承受反复载荷,容易产生疲劳裂纹.疲劳裂纹扩展是影响其断裂的主要因素.本文旨在分析半椭圆裂纹在老化的深海超高压环境模拟容器中的扩展行为,评估容器的安全性,因此对材料20MnMoNb钢的裂纹扩展特性进行了试验研究,首先考虑三角形和梯形加载情况,通过比较两组实验结果,考察了其材料对保载时间的敏感性.采用基于统一的裂纹扩展率模型的三维有限元方法进行了疲劳裂纹扩展计算,并通过CT试样的一组数值和实验结果进行了验证,最后建立了不同初始尺寸、展弦比和倾角的裂纹有限元模型,并根据裂纹在容器内壁的容许深度准则,计算了容器的剩余寿命.其分析结果可为深海超高压环境模拟容器可靠性评估提供参考.     

A new generalized travel cost based connectivity metric applied to Scandinavian airports

This article proposes a new, generalized travel cost based method to operationalize network accessibility provided by airports. The approach is novel as it integrates features of network topology with multiple quality aspects of scheduled air transport services into one metric. The method estimates generalized travel costs for the full set of feasible travel paths between an airport and all network destinations. Rooftop modeling accounts for schedule delay and isolates the most cost-efficient travel paths per O-D relation. Respecting the assumed arrival time preference of passengers and adjusting for destination importance, connectivity scores are derived. The method is then applied to explore changes in the global connectivity pattern of Scandinavian airports from 2004 to 2018. The results suggest distinct spatial differences throughout the network, but less pronounced in size than suggested by popularly applied connectivity measures. Findings also highlight the importance of the geographical location as a determinate of an airport’s connectivity.     

Traffic and emissions impact of congestion charging in the central Beijing urban area: A simulation analysis

Congestion charging is being considered as a potential measure to address the issue of substantially increased traffic congestion and vehicle emissions in Beijing. This study assessed the impact of congestion charging on traffic and emissions in Beijing using macroscopic traffic simulation and vehicle emissions calculation. Multiple testing scenarios were developed with assumptions in different charging zone sizes, public transit service levels and charging methods. Our analysis results showed that congestion charging in Beijing may increase public transit use by approximately 13%, potentially reduce CO and HC emissions by 60–70%, and reduce NOx emissions by 35–45% within the charging zone. However, congestion charging may also result in increased travel activities and emissions outside of the charging zone and a slight increase in emissions for the entire urban area. The size of charging zone, charging method, and charging rate are key factors that directly influence the impact of congestion charging; improved public transit service needs to be considered as a complementary approach with congestion charging. This study is used by Beijing Transportation Environment and Energy Center (BTEC) as reference to support the development of Beijing’s congestion charging policy and regulation.     

Walking accessibility and property prices

Walking is an imperative travel mode, especially for short trips. Walking accessibility, which is defined as the ease of reaching essential destinations in the walk-in catchment area, may affect property prices because residents are more likely to be willing to pay for this attribute. In addition, different categories of public services may have varied influencing directions and magnitude. These two hypotheses are tested in this study. Taking Xiamen, China as a case study, we estimate the cumulative opportunities of public services on foot and develop a set of hedonic pricing models (more specifically, two pre-specified ordinary least squares models, four Box-Cox transformed models, and two spatial econometric models) to estimate, whether and to what extent, walking accessibility contributes to price premiums (or discounts). Using a database of 22,586 second-hand residential properties in 358 multi- or high-storey residential complexes, we find that (1) walking accessibility to public services contributes to the variations in housing prices and plays a role in determining housing prices; (2) different categories of services have vastly divergent, even opposite, influencing impacts; and (3) walking accessibility to primary schools, commercial centers, and sports and cultural centers have positive effects on house prices whereas walking accessibility to comprehensive hospitals adversely affects housing prices. Methodologically, we confirm that spatial econometric methods improve estimation accuracy and have more explanatory power relative to the standard non-spatial models. Robustness check analysis further guarantees the plausibility of this study.     

基于结果导向的绿色公路评价指标体系研究

本文在梳理绿色公路建设历程的基础上,结合绿色公路提出的时代背景、发展要求及目前评价指标体系存在的问题,借鉴目标管理法(MBO)突出结果导向,面向全寿命周期的三个阶段,从"资源节约"、"生态环保"、"低碳减排"、"智慧高效"等方面构建了包括4个一级指标、25个二级指标的绿色公路评价指标体系。