Singapore motorisation restraint and its implications on travel behaviour and urban sustainability

The example of Singapore shows that rapid urban and economic growth does not have to bring traffic congestion and pollution. Singapore has chosen to restrain car traffic demand due to its limited land supply. Transport policy based on balanced development of road and transit infrastructure and restraint of traffic has been consistently implemented for the past 30 years. Combined with land use planning, it resulted in a modern transport system, which is free from major congestion and provides users with different travel alternatives. As the economic growth caused a substantial increase in demand for cars, several pricing policies were introduced with the aim of restraining car ownership and usage. Growth of the vehicle population is now controlled and potentially congested roads are subject to road pricing. These measures help to keep the roads free from major congestion, maintain car share of work trips below 25% and keep the transport energy usage low. Although Singapore conditions are in many aspects unique, its travel demand experience can provide useful lessons for other rapidly growing cities in Asia.

Do changes in neighborhood characteristics lead to changes in travel behavior? A structural equations modeling approach

Suburban sprawl has been widely criticized for its contribution to auto dependence. Numerous studies have found that residents in suburban neighborhoods drive more and walk less than their counterparts in traditional environments. However, most studies confirm only an association between the built environment and travel behavior, and have yet to establish the predominant underlying causal link: whether neighborhood design independently influences travel behavior or whether preferences for travel options affect residential choice. That is, residential self-selection may be at work. A few studies have recently addressed the influence of self-selection. However, our understanding of the causality issue is still immature. To address this issue, this study took into account individuals’ self-selection by employing a quasi-longitudinal design and by controlling for residential preferences and travel attitudes. In particular, using data collected from 547 movers currently living in four traditional neighborhoods and four suburban neighborhoods in Northern California, we developed a structural equations model to investigate the relationships among changes in the built environment, changes in auto ownership, and changes in travel behavior. The results provide some encouragement that land-use policies designed to put residents closer to destinations and provide them with alternative transportation options will actually lead to less driving and more walking.

Modeling residential sorting effects to understand the impact of the built environment on commute mode choice

This paper presents an examination of the significance of residential sorting or self selection effects in understanding the impacts of the built environment on travel choices. Land use and transportation system attributes are often treated as exogenous variables in models of travel behavior. Such models ignore the potential self selection processes that may be at play wherein households and individuals choose to locate in areas or built environments that are consistent with their lifestyle and transportation preferences, attitudes, and values. In this paper, a simultaneous model of residential location choice and commute mode choice that accounts for both observed and unobserved taste variations that may contribute to residential self selection is estimated on a survey sample extracted from the 2000 San Francisco Bay Area household travel survey. Model results show that both observed and unobserved residential self selection effects do exist; however, even after accounting for these effects, it is found that built environment attributes can indeed significantly impact commute mode choice behavior. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the model findings for policy planning.

重型柴油机燃用不同柴油替代燃料的性能研究

对乖型柴油机燃用纯柴油、体积混合比例为1:9的天然气合成油(GTL柴油)与柴油混合燃料(G10)、体积混合比例为1:9的生物柴油与柴油混合燃料(BD10)、纯GTL柴油(G100)及纯牛物柴油(BD100)5种燃料的动力性、经济性及燃烧特性进行了研究.结果表明,BD10、G10与纯柴油有相似的燃烧特性,额定转速F G100的缸内工作压力增大,BD100的缸内工作压力显著降低;G10油耗较之BD10降低2.43%,功率较之BD10平均高2.78%;与燃用纯柴油的油耗相比,G100平均降低2.62%,BD100平均高出13%;除NOx排放外,生物柴油在降低CO、HC、PM的排放上均有所改善.     

越野汽车试验场载荷信号的采集及预处理技术

以某型越野汽车为研究对象,在某试验场不同道路条件下进行了整车载荷信号采集,并介绍了信号采集方法.为提高数据采集的真实性和可靠性,对试验场载荷信号进行了信号时标的一致性处理、异常点判别与剔除、趋势项消除、数据检验、样本选择及傅里叶低通滤波等预处理,为下一步进行室内道路模拟试验载荷谱的强化处理奠定了基础.     

燃料特性对柴油机排放微粒粒度分布的影响

利用微粒粒径分析仪进行测试,以研究不同理化特性的燃料对直喷式柴油机微粒排放粒度分布的影响规律,分析了柴油机微粒排放粒度分布特征。结果表明,柴油机的微粒排放大部分在1μm以下,以粒径50nm为分界,基本可以分为核态和积聚态两种。测试中微粒粒数浓度随着稀释比的增加而加大,同时微粒分布趋向核态。与转速相比,负荷变化对微粒粒度分布的影响较大,随着负荷的增大,核态PM所占比例减小。与欧Ⅲ柴油相比,生物柴油燃料核态微粒较多,积聚态微粒较少。天然气合成柴油燃料的核态和积聚态微粒浓度均低于欧Ⅲ柴油燃料,但其积聚态微粒浓度高于生物柴油燃料。     

集散一级公路交通安全状况分析

在充分调查研究典型集散一级公路事故的基础上,总结其安全整治工作的经验教训,提出集散一级公路在设计建设之初应考虑采用的对策措施,可为集散一级公路的建设和交通安全整治提供参考。     

Preparing and studying of phase change energy storage materials

The thermal energy storage phase change material used for building has been prepared with a few of fatty acids based on the principle of binary low eutectic point. The thermal behaviors such as phase transition temperature and enthalpy of compound energy storage material are researched through differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that the thermal energy storage phase change composite material can be used in the wall panels well as its higher latent heat.     

Dynamic recrystallization behavior and microstructural evolution in SPHC steel

The dynamic recrystallization(DRX) behaviors in SPHC steel were investigated with hot compression tests at deformation temperatures of 950-1 150,strain rates of 0.1-15 s-1,and initial austenite grain sizes of 86-232 μm.The effects of deformation temperature,strain,strain rate and the initial austenite grain size on the microstructural evolution during DRX were studied in detail.The results show that DRX is observed under the condition of the Zener-Hollomon parameter being less than 1.07×10 13 s-1.The deformation activation energy for SPHC steel is calculated to be 299.4 kJ/mol by regression analysis.Austenite grain size of DRX is refined with decreasing temperature and increasing strain rate under steady state conditions,but it is not influenced by the initial grain size.The mathematical equation of DRX grain size of SPHC steel is obtained.     

Friction and cutting properties of hot-filament chemical vapor deposition micro- and fine-grained diamond coated silicon nitride inserts

The micro-crystalline diamond (MCD) and fine-grained diamond (FGD) films are deposited on commercial silicon nitride inserts by the hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method. The friction and cutting properties of as-deposited MCD and FGD films coated silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) inserts are comparatively investigated in this study. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy are adopted to study the characterization of the deposited diamond films. The friction tests are conducted on a ball-on-plate type reciprocating friction tester in ambient air using Co-cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co), Si₃N₄ and ball-bearing steel (BBS) balls as the mating materials of the diamond films. For sliding against WC-Co, Si₃N₄ and BBS, the FGD film presents lower friction coefficients than the MCD film. However, after sliding against Si₃N₄, the FGD film is subject to more severe wear than the MCD film. The cutting performance of as-deposited MCD and FGD coated Si₃N₄ inserts is examined in dry turning glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP) composite materials, comparing with the uncoated Si₃N₄ insert. The results indicate that the lifetime of Si₃N₄ inserts can be prolonged by depositing the MCD or FGD film on them and the FGD coated insert shows longer cutting lifetime than the MCD coated one.