Analysis of single pipeline pull-in procedure using small scale models

The structural elastic behaviour of steel pipelines during on-bottom pull-in procedure is investigated experimentally by using small scale models. Despite the lack of a sea-bed soil pipeline interaction effect in the model, it is possible to show that the unevenness of the sea-bed surface and the non-uniform distribution of friction forces can lead to large deflection bending stresses, higher than the numerical results yielded by standard software packages commonly used for design calculations. Due to foreseen difficulties in overcoming the drawbacks in practical and numerical procedures, the off-bottom pull-in operation arises as an attractive alternative even for shallow waters.     

Rapid first-stage tests of on-ship infection

Protection against on-ship infectious disease—whether due to mishap or to harmful purpose—faces special situational problems. Sometimes, when infection levels on board have reached threshold levels, emergency actions are required. Often, the most thorough strategies for responding to threat are not feasible. A rapid first-stage test (RFT) is a fast, minimally invasive procedure used to rule out from possible infection a large percentage of an infection-threatened group. Prevention and control of on-ship infection need to combine various interconnected tactics. When timely criterion tests are not possible, the medical team must adopt fast alternative measures. The methods used to summarize protection against on-ship infectious agents included a scientific literature review and a web search. The fields of the review were maritime, health, and technology sources. Special attention was paid to material dealing with risks and threats of on-ship penetration by infectious agents, on-ship infection prevalence thresholds, and rapid diagnostic screens. The Bayes rule and the law of large numbers were applied to the analysis, for large on-ship populations, of RFT indications of crossing of an infection prevalence threshold. The increasing risk of serious on-ship infection—either accidental or purposeful—calls for a multi-layered protection approach. RFTs are a key part of the outer layer of such a defense. Well-designed and well-administered RFTs provide several advantages for defense against on-ship infection: low-cost, non-invasive, fast, and focuses on a drastically smaller number of infection possibilities.     

Use of the analytic hierarchy process to evaluate transit fare system

The transportation fare system influences the mobility of a region and the life quality of its inhabitants. This study aims to evaluate a region's optimal fare system by using the analytic hierarchy process, based on a survey among transportation experts, divided into three categories: operators, professors/consultants and government officials. The results are presented divided by category and overall, and the performance of the most important relative criteria to establish a fare system is determined. The most important criterion according to all the selected experts was the fare price, with 21.5%. The fare system determined as the best was distance/zone (31.1%) and the worst was a flat fare system (7.2%). In addition, we show the influence of the fare price criterion in each fare system through sensitivity charts and highlight its importance for all three groups of experts to evaluate the fare system.     

多种交通方式下的城市空间分配

从集计角度分析了运行多种交通方式的城市交通系统。利用目前已受关注的宏观基本图（简称MFD）,描述城市交通的整体特性。以旧金山某区为例,使用现有数据,通过仿真论证如何应用MFD监管真实交通网络。然后讨论了同一路网中不同交通方式间如何相互作用,以及如何将这些作用纳入包含多种交通方式路网的MFD。研究得到的两个主要结论是：1）证实了已有研究猜想——对市区拥挤区域限行,可提高包括被限行者在肉的所有出行者的机动性;2）公交方式提供专用道路空间可提高所有交通方式的可达性。     

UNCTAD activities in the field of ports and their future

UNCTAD's work in the field of ports started, soon after its establishment in 1964, as a result of a 'Common measure of understanding on shipping questions'. It resulted in a three pronged effort in research, training and technical assistance, carried by the secretariat in close collaboration with the industry. Technical publications were published and are widely used by practitioners throughout the world. Port managers and government officials responsible for ports in developing countries were the beneficiaries of large-scale training programmes. Technical assistance to improve port services was conducted in several developing countries. During the 1990s, new mandates were agreed in the field of transport in which ports are not explicitly mentioned. This paper argues that the stakes in ports are so vital for trading countries, notably those seeking accelerated economic development, that a broad interpretation of the current mandate is needed.