Microeconomic theory and generalised cost

In a number of articles in this journal the use of generalised cost in travel demand analysis and transport planning has been subject to debate. However, some of the fundamental problems raised in these articles are left unanswered — e.g., the precise relationship between conventional microeconomic consumer demand theory and generalised cost, an issue with which this article is concerned. It is shown here that necessary and sufficient conditions for expressing travel demand in terms of generalised cost are that this cost, when measured in monetary units, is linear, and that the time variable is weighted by a constant marginal value of time. It is also shown that these conditions imply strong assumptions about the consumer's behaviour — e.g., that the willingness to pay to save time whilst travelling is not a function of real income.     

A Theoretical Analysis of the Ride Vibration of Agricultural Tractor and Trailer Combinations

A six degree of freedom model of an agricultural tractor and trailer combination has been developed. Results from eigenvalue and frequency response calculations indicated that tractor operator vibration levels will be higher when operating with a trailer than for the tractor alone, due mainly to increased tractor pitch motion.

Although minor improvements could be made to present tractor and trailer combinations by moving the hitch forward of the tractor rear axle or providing some damping at a sprung hitch, the scope for a significant improvement in ride lies in changing the configuration. If higher speed specialised transport vehicles prove economical for agriculture, there are some advantages in ride vibration to be gained by changing the layout of the tractor and trailer combination to resemble an off-road version of a commercial articulated lorry.     

Ridership estimation for short-range transit planning

The objective of this research was to develop a simple transit ridership estimation model system for short-range planning. The main feature of the model system is that it exploits knowledge of transit link volumes which are obtained readily from on-off counts. Extensive use is made of default values for model parameters, taken directly from the transportation literature. The remaining parameters can be derived easily from generally available land-use and socioeconomic data. Expensive household surveys and time-consuming model calibrations are not required. A sequence of simple trip generation, trip distribution and modal split models generate trip-purpose specific transit trip tables, denoted as “trial” trip tables. These trip tables and observed transit link volumes are used in a linear programming model which serves as a correction mechanism. The gain in accuracy is achieved by using the ridership information contained in the transit link volumes. The corrected trip tables may be used in a pivot-point analysis to estimate changes in ridership and revenue. The results of a test application of the model system indicate that it can generate accurate ridership estimates when reliable transit link volumes are available from on-off counts, and when the trial transit trip tables as derived from the first three component models are reasonably accurate.     

An algorithm for solving asymmetric equilibrium problems with a continuous cost-flow function

The paper gives two user objective functions for the asymmetric assignment problem, and an algorithm of descent type. The algorithm produces a sequence of flows which converges to the set of equilibria if the cost-flow function is continuous.     

Optimal Linear Active Suspensions with Integral Constraint

This paper considers the application of linear optimal control to the design of an active automobile suspension system. By inclusion of an integral constraint in the performance index it is possible to achieve zero steady state axle to body response to both static body forces and ramp road inputs. Full state feedback is achieved by reconstructing the state variables from easily measured quantities.     

Evaluation of truck configurations based on structural performance of bridges

Contained herein are the results of research which quantifies the effects that various existing and projected truck configurations have as live loadings upon bridges which currently exist on the National Bridge Inventory (NBI). The truck configurations were determined from those actual or proposed vehicles which exhibit the highest GVW and which either are causing or are perceived to cause the highest levels of overstress on bridge superstructure elements. In order to simulate most accurately the actual field conditions, a criterion was defined which contained three major requirements: 1) The bridges utilized within the study shall be defined as being a statistically significant sample and be actual bridges taken from the NBI; 2) The analysis method shall be consistent with those actually used by engineers in designing and rating bridges, and; 3) The criteria utilized in evaluating the various bridge structures under the defined loadings shall be consistent with current practices. The results obtained indicates the acceptability of various truck configurations by GVW, size, and axle deployments, by system for the different criteria now in use.     

Phenetic relationships among some free-living siphonostomatoid copepods from southwest Ireland, and the description of Glannapontius maculatus gen. et sp. nov.

Glannapontius maculatus gen. et sp. nov. is described from southwest Ireland. It is a typical example of a free-living siphonostomatoid copepod, and exhibits some intermediate features between the Asterocheridae and Artotrogidae. It is here placed in the Artotrogidae, based on an assessment of 120 morphological dichotomous characters measured on 11 species, and grouped using Average Linkage Cluster Analysis.