Special issue on intelligent transportation systems,big data and intelligent technology

ABSTRACT

Based on the increasing demands of transportation development, the concept of an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) has received increasing attention in both academic and industry arenas. It integrates information, communications, computers and other technologies, and applies them in the field of transportation to build an integrated system of people, roads and vehicles by utilizing advanced data communication technologies. It can establish a large, fully functioning, real-time, accurate and efficient transportation management system. Intelligent transportation systems shift the focus from road managers to road users. In order to achieve this purpose, intelligent transportation systems use advanced technology to provide drivers with convenient information to help reduce traffic congestion and to increase available road capacity. This special issue is dedicated to exploring the most recent advances in intelligent transportation systems and big data based on intelligent technology.     

Sustainable procurement and environmental life-cycle costing in maritime transport

Transportation sector, including maritime transport, exerts significant environmental impact. Public procurement as a policy strategy instrument which applies to the purchase of transport means, construction of infrastructure and the provision logistic services in supplying the goods, services and executing of works must integrate environmental considerations in the contract award procedures. While conventional life-cycle costing (LCC) is based on four categories to be assessed e.g. investment, operation, maintenance and end-of-life disposal expenses, the environmental LCC method also takes into account the external environmental costs. The paper is focused on sustainable public procurement and environmental life-cycle costing aspects of EU 2014 Directive. Analysis is made of the real cost of procurement, the externalities and the impact of maritime transport sector on the environment. The purpose of this research is to propose the framework for assessment of integral impact on the environment which combines environmental LCC approach with TBL concept using non-monetary units for measuring externalities. The authors advocate clean and energy-efficient maritime transport ensuring effective implementation of environmental policy objectives and targets and emphasize the role of public authorities and entities in fostering the inclusion of environmental externalities in calculation of LCC.     

Control strategy research of a selective catalytic reduction system for heavy-duty application

An AdBlue dosing control strategy of the selective catalytic reduction(SCR) system is developed for a heavy-duty diesel(HDD) engine. The strategy includes a raw emission prediction model, an ammonia(NH_3)coverage prediction model, a transient heat hysteresis correction algorithm, an NH_3 leakage control model for transient operation conditions, and a feedback controller(FBC). FBC has been developed by using mathematical manipulation to change output signal of sensor based on cross-sensitivity of nitrogen oxide(NO_x) sensor to NH_3.The quantification of control parameters is based on experiments and Nyquist stability criterion. FBC is enabled in most test conditions to satisfy the stability requirements. NOxconversion(DeNO_x) efficiency of SCR system is 82.4% in European steady-state cycle(ESC) test and 80.3% in European transient cycle(ETC) test, while the leakage of NH_3 is under 10-5 volume fraction in average.     

Graph based signal-behavior-structure mapping for state maintenance of equipment

Equipment has dual nature: physical objects existing in nature, and artificial objects designed by human. The decision on the configuration and structural parameters of equipment is made by engineers based on technical-physical effects which control the behavioral parameters of the equipment. Sensors are mounted on the equipment to monitor the equipment state. Current methods for state monitoring and diagnosis mostly use mathematics and artificial intelligence technology to construct evaluation methods. This paper presents an integrated design and state maintenance method, in which graph and dual graph are used for recording design data and sensor arrangement and for mapping method from signals to substructures and connection pairs. An example of state maintenance of hydro power generating equipment is illustrated.     

Compressive sensing reconstruction based on weighted directional total variation

Directionality of image plays a very important role in human visual system and it is important prior information of image. In this paper we propose a weighted directional total variation model to reconstruct image from its finite number of noisy compressive samples. A novel self-adaption, texture preservation method is designed to select the weight. Inspired by majorization-minimization scheme, we develop an efficient algorithm to seek the optimal solution of the proposed model by minimizing a sequence of quadratic surrogate penalties. The numerical examples are performed to compare its performance with four state-of-the-art algorithms. Experimental results clearly show that our method has better reconstruction accuracy on texture images than the existing scheme.     

Novel Application of High Voltage Electrostatics Corona Ions Discharge Related to Treatment,Sanitization and Disinfection of Biological Matter Such HIV-AIDS Infected Blood

A novel high-voltage electrostatics corona ions pre-charger apparatus and methods were invented earlier by Hamade related to treat various types of receptors such as but not limited to electret polymer, air filters, particulates, catalytic converters, bioaerosols, fluids, pollutants, virus, and bacteria. It is shown in this article that his work led to the construction of various prototype chargers, customized differently for each type of a receptor. In particular his recent development of biological matter corona charger (BMCC) prototype related to expose, treat, sanitize, and disinfect bioaerosols, virus, bacteria, and contaminated fluids and blood such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) - acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is shown in this paper that each previous investigated research contemplated ionized corona charger attendant to a charging process and the corona, imparts and provides enough treatment charges to receptors including the aforementioned receptors. Researchers often relied on adopting prior corona charger methods that do not necessarily and effectively solve the problems associated with them or utilize them for optimum treatment effect. The inventor exhaustively studied the characteristics of corona discharge, and has found that the greatest difficulty in corona discharge has to do with the maintenance of the corona, particularly when the receptor is being charged. This is due to variations in either the dielectric value between the corona electrode and a grounded base or flaws in the design as the receptor passes there between suppressing or hindering corona and its effectiveness. What is needed in-the-art is an apparatus and method to achieve maximum possible charge on a receptor, a charge order of magnitude greater than that used by other investigators. This often requires customizing each apparatus and method and does not just merely use one type of a charger to satisfy all applications. To satisfy this need, we build a low cost prototype BMCC that generates self-sustaining charge corona, eliminates many previous design flaws such as spark over, and make it ready for testing remotely or with apparatus.     

PEM燃料电池组动态单电压的稳定性分析

在动态工况下,PEM燃料电池单电压的稳定性是燃料电池动力系统持续稳定运行的保障,而质子交换膜的水合状态、阴极和阳极的排水状态、氢氧燃料传质效应都会显著影响单电压的稳定性。本文基于PEM燃料电池组动态工况试验,引入相对平均电压、相对差异度等指标以分析各燃料电池组单电压的稳定性,探究燃料电池组各电堆单元单电压随工况的变化规律及影响因素,以评价燃料电池电堆性能,指导系统控制策略的制定。     

Application of a real-coded genetic algorithm for the fitting of a ship hull surface through a single non-uniform B-spline surface

In digital ship-design processes, surface modeling needs to be as accurate as possible for effectiveness in ship production as well as numerical analysis of the performance. Traditionally, the form of a ship hull is constructed from a set of cross-sectional data. This approach entails difficulties in the cross-sectional spacing and accuracy of the characteristic curves, such as the stern and bow profiles, deck side line, bottom tangential line, and unconnected curves. Genetic algorithms (GAs) have attracted increasing attention as a multimodal optimization solution for surface reconstruction that enable construction of a single non-uniform B-spline (NUB) surface at the initial stage of ship design with constraints such as knuckles, discontinuity conditions, and bulbous bows with high curvatures, . The first, simultaneous multi-fitting GA determines the boundary curves, such as the stem and stern profiles, and finds the common knot values for both curves. Similarly, the same GA technique is applied for other boundary curves at the bottom and the deck. The second GA is employed to fit the interior data points after the boundary curves are fitted. The encoded design variables for surface construction are the locations of the vertices and the knot values. Those variables are modified for improving the surface quality until a predefined degree of precision is attained. In four instances of application, the GA technique developed in this research has been shown to provide good, single, NUB surfaces with high efficiency. In the early design stage, a single NUB surface is more convenient for performance visualization and finite-element methods. It can be readily translated into many CAD/CAM packages, which facilitate the smooth transition of data across the different design stages.     

Some managerial and technical issues in transport sector development projects

In development projects there is only one problem, but it is huge: everything is connected to everything else. The authors separated from the whole the following important issues: (1) Project management and coordination: The Recipient Country’s Aid Coordination Unit (ACU) and Project Implementation Unit (PIU) staffed with competent local experts are necessary to hold the reform process memory. This issue is considered in the context of “Ownership” and “Government Leadership” as it is recognized in donor aid forums in the last decade. (2) Human resource development: Most technical assistance is oriented toward providing solutions, and the development of local capacities is ignored. The authors point out the importance of specially selected local experts—the “Technical Communication Officers”. (3) Institutional functioning: A ‘process consultation’ approach to institutional restructuring is promoted in which the Recipient has the key role. It is also recommended that the Recipient is the initiator of technical assistance in the projects. (4) Design standards are a recurrent and difficult problem. Recommendations are necessary how to transit to the new standards and how to mediate their approval process. (5) Procurement and management of consulting services: The authors argue that the recipient country qualified professionals have to be in the lead role. The vignettes in the paper are from the “real world” although they are modified slightly to protect privacy.