Examining the effect of speed,roadside features,and roadway geometry on crash experience along a rural corridor

This paper presents a current investigation into crash experience along a 15.7-mile rural corridor in southwest Montana with the aim of better understanding crash causal factors along the corridor. The study utilized ten years of crash data, geometric data, and observed freeflow speed data along the corridor. A systematic approach was used where every tenth of a mile was described in term of the crash experience, speed, alignment, and roadside features. Using bivariate and multivariate statistical anal-yses, the study investigated the crash experience along the corridor as well as some of the underlying relationships which could explain some of the crash causal factors. Results show a strong association between crash rates and horizontal curvatures even for flat curves that can be negotiated at speeds above the posted speed limit, per the highway design equations. Higher crash rates were also found to be associated with the difference between the observed free-flow speeds and the speed dictated by the curve radius or sight distance as per the design equations. Further, results strongly support the safety benefits of guardrails as evidenced by the lower crash rates and severities. The presence of fixed objects and the steepness of side slopes were also found to have an effect on crash rates and severities.     

Leave the expressway or not？ Impact of dynamic information

This study investigates drivers＇ diversion decision behavior under expressway variable message signs that provide travel time of both an expressway route and a local street route. Both a conventional cross-sectional logit model and a mixed logit model are developed to model drivers＇ response to travel time information. It is based on the data collected from a stated preference survey in Shanghai, China. The mixed logit model captures the heterogeneity in the value of ＂travel time＂ and ＂number of traffic lights＂ and accounts for correlations among repeated choices of the same respondent. Results show that travel time saving and driving experience serve as positive factors, while the number of traffic lights on the arterial road, expressway use frequency, being a middle-aged driver, and being a driver of an employer-provided car serve as negative factors in diversion. The mixed logit model obviously outperforms the cross-sectional model in dealing with repeated choices and capturing heterogeneity regarding the goodness-of-fit criterion. The significance of standard deviations of random coefficients for travel time and number of traffic lights evidences the existence of hetero- geneity in the driver population. The findings of this study have implications for future efforts in driver behaviormodeling and advanced traveler information system assessment.     

A multi-scale point of view on the structure-property relationships of A15 superconductors

Nb3Sn and other A15 members have been widely applied in nuclear power, nuclear magnetic resonance, and high-energy particle accelerators for their high critical current density （Jc） and upper critical field （Bc2）. There have been comprehensive and intensive studies on the applications, the fundamental lattice dynamic and electronic properties, etc., of A15 superconductors. Various reviews on the preparations, structures, and properties have already been written in the last few years. Nevertheless, on account of the large amount of existing facts and views, a coherent view on the relations between the structures and properties has not appeared to unify the facts. This article sketches a multi-scale point of view on the relations between the multi- scale structures and the corresponding properties.     

Finite element analysis of overlay incorporating stress absorbing membrane interlayers against reflective cracking

A wheel tracking test was modelled to gain better understanding of the deflection and stress-strain distribution in an overlaid cracked pavements with and without membrane interlayer （SAMI）. For this purpose, commercial finite element software Abaqus 6.7-1 was used. Two different models were considered, one incorporating stress absorbing membrane interlayers （SAMIs） and the other without SAMI. In the study, full bond condition was assumed for the boundaries between the layers, and a linear elastic model was used for the analysis. The results show that introduction of SAMI caused greater deflection of the pavement. It is found that although with SAMIs, low stiffness is required, a very low stiffness may yield undesirable results. The results show that the introduction of SAMIs results in high strain concentration around the crack region, whilst the strain in the overlay is smaller than the values predicted in the models without SAMIs.     

The influence of Laval nozzle throat size on supersonic molecular beam injection

In this study, finite element analysis （FEA） has been used to investigate the effects of different Laval nozzle throat sizes on supersonic molecular beam. The simulations indicate the Mach numbers of the molecular stream peak at different positions along the center axis of the beam, which correspond to local minimums of the molecular densities. With the increase of the throat diameter, the first peak of the Mach number increases first and then decreases, while that of the molecular number density increases gradually. Moreover, both first peaks shift progressively away from the throat. At the last part, we discuss the possible applications of our FEA approach to solve some crucial problems met in modern transportations.     

DC and AC transport properties on La0.8Sr0.2MnO3

Magnetoresistive sensor can be widely used in modem transportation field, such as the vehicle positioning and navigation system, vehicle detection system, and intelligent transportation system. In order to improve the efficiency of magnetoresistive sensor, we synthesized Lao.sSro.2MnO3 polycrystalline bulks at different sintering temperatures and investigated their DC and AC transport properties in this work. As a result, all samples showed insulator-metal （I-M） phase transition, and the transition temperature （TI-M） shifted to higher temperature with the increase of sintering temperature. The TI-M measured at different AC frequencies was smaller than that measured at DC condition, which implied that the I-M phase transition was suppressed at AC frequencies. The resistivity mea- sured at high AC frequencies was larger than that measured at low AC frequencies, which could be attributed to the change of the magnetic penetration depth （6）. However, the room-temperature AC-magnetoresistance （MR） at low frequencies was much larger than that at high frequencies and room-temperature DC-MR. These findings demon- strate that reducing the AC frequency is an effective way for enhancing the room-temperature MR, which can be used to promote the efficiency of magnetoresistive sensor.     

Analysis of steering performance of differential coupling wheelset

In order to improve the curving performance of the conventional wheelset in sharp curves and resolve the steering ability problem of the independently rotating wheel in large radius curves and tangent lines, a differential cou- pling wheelset （DCW） was developed in this work. The DCW was composed of two independently rotating wheels （IRWs） coupled by a clutch-type limited slip differential. The differential contains a static pre-stress clutch, which could lock both sides of IRWs of the DCW to ensure a good steering performance in curves with large radius and tangent track. In contrast, the clutch could unlock the two IRWs of the DCW in a sharp curve to endue it with the characteristic of an IRW, so that the vehicles can go through the tight curve smoothly. To study the dynamic performance of the DCW, a multi-body dynamic model of single bogie with DCWs was established. The self-centering capability, hunting stability, and self-steering performance on a curved track were analyzed and then compared with those of the conventional wheelset and IRW. Finally, the effect of coupling parameters of the DCW on the dynamic performance was investigated.     

ABSTRACT

This paper deals with the re-orientation of general education at the universities and colleges in Greater China in the twenty-first century. It is argued that the major challenge lies in the transformation of knowledge into wisdom so that it will facilitate improving students＂ life. It stresses that the methods of the merging of general education and life education lies in the self-transformation of teachers and the change of pedagogical approaches. This paper concludes that teaching is not only a profession, but also a mission. The teacher must always embrace a sense of gratitude while engaging in teaching and research work. This is where the deepest importance of our education lies.     

阿尔斯通：积极应对中国轨道交通市场深刻变化——访阿尔斯通交通运输亚太区高级副总裁兼阿尔斯通中国区总裁Dominique POULIQUEN

当前,全球轨道交通市场正在发生深刻的变化,如何不断考虑和面对市场重心的转移,如何积极应对本土化,是任何一个跨国企业所面临的重大问题。全球交通运输巨头阿尔斯通,基于对全球乃至中国市场的深刻理解,正密切关注新生力量的变化并针对新的市场环境调整自己的发展战略。     

ABSTRACT

The initiatives of AHELO （Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes）, FQT （Fostering Quality Teaching in HEIs） and U-Multirank （Multidimensional Global University Ranking） promoted by OECD （Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development） and EU in recent years provide all-around assessment for the higher education quality at the levels of student, faculty and institution, which reflect the latest philosophy, criteria and methodology of the global higher educational reform and quality assurance. Appropriately participating in due course will facilitate the quality-improvement-oriented development of higher education in China. Based on the study of substantial content and latest development of AHELO, FQT and U-Multirank, this paper gives pros and cons of these initiatives, and offers proposals for participation.     

Tribological behavior of polytetrafluoroethylene coatings based on LY12 substrates in the space environment

The spacecraft space radiation environment was simulated by60 Co source. The polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) coatings were fabricated on LY12 substrates. And the effect of gamma(γ) irradiation on the tribological behavior of PTFE coatings under vacuum conditions was investigated. Results indicate that the radiation dose has insignificant effect on the friction coefficient of PTFE coatings, and the wear of PTFE coatings reduces with the increase of gamma dose. As the gamma dose was 100 kGy, the friction coefficient of the PTFE coatings first increased with the increase of sliding velocity and then decreased, and the wear of the PTFE coatings decreased with the increase of sliding speed. As the gamma dose was 100 kGy, the friction coefficient of the PTFE coatings first decreased with the increase of load and then increased, and the wear rate of PTFE coatings increased with the increase of load. Scanning electron microscope was utilized.     

Improvement of immunoassay detection sensitivity by using well-defined raspberry-like magnetic microbeads as carriers

Well-defined raspberry-like magnetic microbeads(RMMBs) as immunoassay solid carriers were prepared by chemical covalent binding between Fe3O4 magnetic microspheres and SiO2 nanoparticles. These RMMBs were not as agglomerative as nano-sized magnetie particles( 200 nm), which was an advangtage for high efficient magnetic separation. When compared to Fe3O4@SiO2core-shell magnetic microbeads(CMMBs) with smooth surface, RMMBs exhibited stronger capacity to bind biomolecules. Limit of blank(LoB) and limit of detection(LoD) of HBsAg detection using RMMBs as carriers via chemiluminiscence immunoassay(CLIA) were 0.472 and1.022 μg/L, respectively, showing a notable improvement compared with CMMBs whose LoB and LoD were 1.017 and 1.988 μg/L, respectively. All these indicated a great potential of RMMBs in immunoassay application.