A programmable calculation procedure for number of traffic conflict points at highway intersections

Traffic movement conflict points at intersections are the points at which traffic movements intersect (including crossing, merging, and diverging). Numbers and distribution of different types of conflict points are used to evaluate intersection access management designs and safety performance. Traditionally, the determination of the numbers of conflict points for different traffic movements is based on manual methods, which causes the difficulty for computerized procedures to evaluate safety performance of different access management designs. Sometimes, a programmable calculation procedure may provide more effective solutions as compared with manual methods. This paper presents a programmable calculation procedure for the determination of the numbers of conflict points, which could be used as a basis for a computerized procedure. Concepts of virtual movement lanes and intersection quadrants are introduced to specify types of intersections, traffic lane configurations, and traffic movement regulations. Calculation models, based on such concepts, for traffic movement conflict points at signalized and unsignalized intersections can be obtained. In support of the procedure, case studies are presented in the paper. The procedure presented in the paper can be programmed into a computer program for the purpose of a computerized evaluation of intersection safety and design performance of different access management or control approaches. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Safety modeling for two‐way left‐turn lanes and a procedure to identify two‐way left‐turn lane segments with safety concerns

In the past, two‐way left‐turn lane (TWLTL) median treatments have been frequently used in Florida to inexpensively improve traffic and safety performances. In order to identify factors that may have significant impacts on safety operations in TWLTL sections and to identify TWLTL locations that present existing and future safety concerns, a research project was carried out and results are summarized in the paper. In the research, a three‐year crash history database with crashes and section characteristics from a total of 1688 TWLTL sections all over Florida was developed and used. A negative binomial regression model was developed to determine the statistical relationship between the number of crashes per mile per year and several variables such as traffic volume, access density, posted speed, and number of lanes. In regard to the methodology, in order to identify locations with safety concerns, several steps are needed: development of real crash data distribution, determination of statistical distribution models that better represent the actual crash data, determination of percentile values for the average number of crashes, estimation of crash rates for sections with the same characteristics, estimation of critical values for the variables corresponding to the percentile values for average number of crashes, calculation of tables of critical average annual daily traffic values, and generation of a list of TWLTL locations with critical safety concerns. Results presented in the paper have been used in real applications. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Accelerated vehicle retirement program: Estimating the optimal incentive payment in Israel

The paper analyzes two main aspects of the accelerated vehicle retirement program in Israel: the optimal incentive payment of private cars, and the feasibility of expanding the program to include light commercial vehicles. The benefits are the reduction of pollutant emissions and safety benefits, which were compared to the costs of the incentive payment. A differential payment scheme for private vehicles according to the vehicle’s age, is shown to have a higher net benefit than a uniform payment scheme. It is also found that the optimal payment is higher than the existing incentive payment. Additionally, it is found economically feasible to include light commercial vehicles in the program.     

简析地铁安全门驱动控制器的控制构架

针对地铁安全门驱动控制器,提出了一种电机控制软件构架。该构架以嵌入式操作系统为基础调度各控制任务,将控制任务分为高优先级任务和低优先级任务。在该控制构架基础上,完成了地铁安全门驱动控制器的软件系统,并在样机上进行了应用测试。试验表明,该电机控制软件构架运行稳定,能有序地调度各控制任务,并具有良好的复用性和扩展性。以该构架为基础开发的驱动控制系统控制精度高,动态响应好,能够满足现场应用的需求。     

Did California’s hand-held cell phone ban reduce accidents?

On July 1st, 2008, California enacted a ban on hand-held cell phone use while driving. Using California Highway Patrol panel accident data for California freeways from January 1st, 2008 to December 31st, 2008, we examine whether this policy reduced the number of accidents on California highways. To control for unobserved time-varying effects that could be correlated with the ban, we use high-frequency data and a regression discontinuity design. We find no evidence that the ban on hand-held cell phone use led to a reduction in traffic accidents.     

A yaw-moment control method based on a vehicle's lateral jerk information

Previously, a new control concept called ‘G-vectoring control (GVC)’ to improve vehicle agility and stability was developed. GVC is an automatic longitudinal acceleration control method that responds to vehicle lateral jerk caused by the driver's steering manoeuvres. In this paper, a new yaw-moment control method, which generates a stabilising moment during the GVC command and has positive acceleration value and the driver's accelerator pedal input is zero, was proposed. A new hybrid control, which comprises GVC, electric stability control and this new control, was constructed, and it was installed in a test vehicle and tested on a snowy surface. The very high potential for improvement in both agility and stability was confirmed.     

转体连续梁上跨高速铁路施工安全防护综合技术优化应用

以武咸城际铁路连续梁转体上跨武广高铁施工安全防护为实例,阐述了施工方案优化在规避施工风险中的突出作用,分析了施工面临的主要风险因素和对策措施,介绍了各防护类型及其防护对象、现场操作要点,指出了各种防护类型的利弊,有效地解决了连续梁上跨高铁线路施工防护难题。     

高速铁路开行160km/h普速列车信号系统适应性研究与应用

针对目前160 km/h普速列车上线高速铁路运行的需求,进行技术方案可行性分析,从普速列车运行到动车组安全防护、过走防护进行研究。最后以兰新第二双线为例,提出适应实际工程的普速列车上线运行的技术方案。     

安全水平法在SOLAS 救生艇结构强度衡准制定中的应用

本文将安全水平法应用于SOLAS第III章救生艇结构强度衡准的制定。主要采用综合安全评估对救生艇结构强度相关的功能性要求进行衡准的初步制定,从而得出需要的安全水平。基于强度衡准理论分析、实艇试验和事故数据分析相结合的方式评估了现有救生艇结构强度的安全水平,对衡准的合理性提出修改的建议。研究结果为安全水平法在船舶技术标准制定和安全水平评估方面的应用提供了实际案例和使用建议。     

A measurement to driving situation awareness in signalized intersections

Drivers get involved easily in Left-Turn Across Path with Opposite Direction Traffic (LTAP-OD) conflicts at signalized intersection with unprotected left-turn phasing. This study classified the left-turn drivers’ performance into four types: (1) the correct acceptance of safe lags/gaps, (2) the correct rejection of dangerous lags/gaps, (3) the false rejection of safe lags/gaps and (4) the false acceptance of dangerous lags/gaps. Based on the high mounted video camera data, the logistic regression model was used to obtain the critical gaps for estimating whether the lags/gaps were safe or not. The results show that the cognition behavior of the left-turn drivers should be improved while the gap/lag is drawn near the critical gap. Furthermore, the conservative drivers are more likely to reject the larger lags/gaps and yield the right-of-way to the opposing vehicles. Simultaneously the poor response execution may cause drivers to have difficulties during the turning performance when the lags/gaps are large enough. These results could be used as the basis for a discussion of the right time to support the drivers.