How commuting affects subjective wellbeing

Transportation - Commuting between home and work is routinely performed by workers and any wellbeing impacts of commuting will consequently affect a large proportion of the population. This paper...     

Technical Note: Force Control in Electrohydraulic Active Suspensions Revisited

The inner loop control for the actuator force can be quite simply compensated by means of a correction term to the desired force signal at the input. The correction requires only a measurement of the actuator piston velocity and is employed to cancel the loop disturbance caused by the oil flow to the actuator. Although an additional time constant is introduced by the integration in the inner loop force control, the overall performance is nevertheless quite close to that of an ideal optimal system.     

Technical Note: RMS Values for Control Force, Suspension Stroke and Tyre Deflection in an Active Suspension

Expressions are derived for the numerical computation of rms values for control force, suspension stroke and dynamic tyre deflection in a quarter-car vehicle model on a random road of given roughness. A quadratic performance index is employed and the effects of the assumed weighting factors on the rms values and overall static stiffness determined.     

Influence of local and external processes on the annual nitrogen cycle and primary productivity on Georges Bank: A 3-D biological–physical modeling study

Georges Bank is one of the world's most highly productive marine areas, but the mechanisms of nutrient supply to support such high productivity remain poorly understood. Intrusions of nutrient-poor Labrador Slope Water (LSW) into the Gulf of Maine (NAO-dependent) potentially can reduce nutrient delivery to the bank, but this mechanism has not been quantitatively examined. In this paper, we present the first whole-year continuous model simulation results using a biological–physical model developed for the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank region. This high-resolution three-dimensional coupled model consists of the Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM) and a Nitrogen–Phytoplankton–Zooplankton–Detritus (NPZD) model, and was used to examine the influences of local and external processes on nitrogen and phytoplankton dynamics on Georges Bank. The model captured the general pattern of spatial-temporal distributions of nitrogen and phytoplankton and provided a diagnostic analysis of different processes that control nitrogen fluxes on Georges Bank. Specifically, numerical experiments were conducted to examine seasonal variation in nitrogen transport into the central bank (new nitrogen supply) versus nitrogen regenerated internally in this region. Compared with previous observation-based studies, the model provided a quantitative estimate of nitrogen flux by integrating the transport over a longer time period and a complete spatial domain. The results suggest that, during summer months, internal nitrogen regeneration is the major nitrogen source for primary production on the central bank, while nitrogen supply through physical transport (e.g. tidal pumping) contributes about 1/5 of the total nitrogen demand, with an estimated on-bank nitrogen transport at least 50% less than previous estimates. By comparing the model runs using different nitrogen concentrations in deep Slope Water, the potential influence of NAO-dependent intrusions of LSW was examined. The results suggest that the change of nitrogen concentration in the deep Slope Water may not have a significant impact on nitrogen and phytoplankton dynamics on the well-mixed central bank, largely due to limited nutrient exchange across the tidal mixing front and enhanced near-frontal nutrient uptake. However, relatively more significant impact was observed in the model simulations if both well-mixed and seasonally-stratified areas (inside 100 m isobath of the bank) were considered in flux calculations.     

Judicial Interpretations of Federal Consistency under the Coastal Zone Management Act

The federal consistency provision of the Coastal Zone Management Act (1972) created a new form of interaction between federal and state governments. The implementation of this provision has significant ramifications for coastal management and intergovernmental cooperation in the United States. Past studies have focused on the provision's implementation patterns among U.S. coastal states and federal-state disputes mediated by the Secretary of Commerce. This supplemental article examines judicial interpretations of the federal consistency provision over the past two decades in relation to major issues deliberated by Congress at the time of enactment. Recent changes in the provision, as well as those unresolved issues likely to resurface in future litigation, are also discussed. Seemingly, coastal land use authority and offshore energy exploration remain the most contentious issues surrounding the federal consistency provision.     

Interactions between driver information,route choice,and optimal signal timing on a simple network

The interaction between driver information, route choice, and optimal traffic signal settings was investigated using a simple two-route system with a single “T” intersection and a fixed O-D demand. The logit model and the method of successive averages (MSA) were used to calculate the route choice probabilities and the stochastic equilibrium assignment. Given an assignment, signal settings which minimized average intersection delay were calculated; flow reassignment and new optimal signal settings were then obtained and this iterative process continued until convergence. The calculations were performed either directly in a combined assignment/signal optimization model or in stages using the output flows of an assignment model as inputs to TRANSYT-7F and iterating between the two models. Results show that a unique joint signal timing/assignment equilibrium is reached in all cases provided that a certain precision in drivers' perceptions is not reached. If driver information increases to this precision (bifurcation point) and beyond, results show clearly that the unique joint signal timing/assignment equilibrium no longer exists. In fact, three joint equilibria points exist after the bifurcation point. Two of these points are stable and one is not. It was found that the system yields the lowest total intersection delay when the joint equilibrium is such that all traffic and hence the major part of green time is assigned to only one of the two routes. Although this may not be feasible to implement in practice, the results indicate clearly for this simple example that there is a trade-off between a system with minimum total delay but no unique joint signal-settings/assignment equilibrium (achieved when drivers have nearly perfect information about the system) and a system with a unique joint equilibrium but with higher total delay (achieved when drivers have reasonably good but somewhat limited information). In most cases the second system seems appropriate for a number of practical reasons.     

Understanding successful workplace travel initiatives in the UK

Across the world, there is increasing interest in managing car traffic. One approach developed for addressing the journey to work is known as ‘workplace travel planning’. This paper primarily reports on 20 case studies of UK employers undertaking travel planning, who had cut commuter driving by an average of 18%. It concludes that considerable behavioural change can be achieved in a variety of contexts – but employers usually need an overall strategy that addresses car parking, in addition to improving alternative travel modes. Moreover, a more comprehensive national strategy is needed, if travel planning is to achieve its potential.     

An Active Pantograph with Shaped Frequency Response Employing Linear Output Feedback Control

In pantographs used for current collection on high speed electric trains it is desirable to minimise the fluctuations in the contact force between the collector head and the catenary. A simple two-mass linear model is employed for the pantograph and the design of the proposed control system is based on the input admittance at low frequencies. Frequency shaping is incorporated in the performance index, and a simple dynamic controller is employed to achieve optimality in an equivalent transformed system, while minimising the number of feedback quantities to be measured. A significant reduction in the average contact force appears possible.     

A Radial-Spring Terrain-Enveloping Tire Model

A radial-spring tire model was developed to envelop irregular features of a rigid terrain and redefine the terrain as an “equivalent ground plane” reflecting both the elevation and slope characteristic of the original terrain contacting the tire. Three different methods were proposed for defining the maximum deflection of the tire, thereby locating the “equivalent ground plane” and defining the radial tire force. Errors in the maximum tire deflections resulting from approximations in the solution procedure could be maintained below 3 per cent of the actual tire deflections when the tire model was tested on a rigid planar surface.     

The evolution of Canadian liner shipping policy

This paper traces the evolution of Canadian liner shipping policy from its beginnings, at the time of the initial formation of shipping conferences, in the late nineteenth century, to its current form, as provided by the 1987 Shipping Conference Exemption Act. It is shown that evolution has been associated with a shift in policy orientation from an initial British-based position to a contemporary form that is distincly American in nature. The reasons for this shift are analysed and the similarities and differences between curent Canadian and U.S.A. legislation are identified. The paper shows that the adoption by Canada of an American-style policy became inevitable once the container revolution had physically integrated the transport systems of both nations.