Reliable route guidance: A case study from Chicago

Reliable route guidance can be obtained by solving the reliable a priori shortest path problem, which finds paths that maximize the probability of arriving on time. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the benefits and applicability of such route guidance using a case study. An adaptive discretization scheme is first proposed to improve the efficiency in computing convolution, a time-consuming step used in the reliable routing algorithm to obtain path travel time distributions. Methods to construct link travel time distributions from real data in the case study are then discussed. Particularly, the travel time distributions on arterial streets are estimated from linear regression models calibrated from expressway data. Numerical experiments demonstrate that optimal paths are substantially affected by the reliability requirement in rush hours, and that reliable route guidance could generate up to 5-15% of travel time savings. The study also verifies that existing algorithms can solve large-scale problems within a reasonable amount of time.     

铁路私有化席卷非洲大陆

非洲铁路实施特许权转让已经有10多年的历史。加拿大CPCS Transcom公司曾帮助非洲9个国家铁实施了路私有化改造。今天的经验来自历史的教训。     

电子地图零距离升级服务

经过2006年以来市场导入和培育，“导航”已经成为有车人士不再陌生的字眼，导航产品也拥有了数百万的用户群。随着用户逐步熟悉这个产品，“导航电子地图升级”成为越来越多用户关注的服务项目。     

A new roadway lighting measurement system

Past studies have shown that the level of roadway lighting is an important factor for nighttime roadway safety. To evaluate roadway lighting systems and maintain their functionality, it is essential to perform field lighting measurements. Currently, field measurements of roadway lighting systems are often conducted by handheld light meters using a short sample section. The evaluation of an entire corridor or a longer section is difficult when using the traditional manual measurement methods. This paper addresses this difficulty by developing a new lighting measurement system that can be used to collect massive amounts of lighting level data in an efficient, safe, and effective manner. The system consists of a light meter, a distance measurement instrument (DMI), a computer, software, and an electronic converter circuit to connect the computer and other hardware. Software was developed for the communication link between the computer and the light meter, and to record both the distance and illuminance data. The system was calibrated and validated with the field data. The new system will not only reduce future data collection costs, but also improve safety for field data collection personnel. The system has been approved for use to collect illuminance data on Florida state roads greater than or equal to 250-miles in length.     

心花怒放——Toyota Auris

全新丰田Auris已经正式发布,这款车是基于Corolla Sedan.设计灵感来源于Yaris,Auris是一款5门的Hatahback车型，有着与Yaris非常相近的血缘，特别是车头大灯，进气格栅和椭圆的乘员舱。     

Internet-based Teleoperation Platform For Mobile Robot

An Internet-based teleoperation platform for Mobile Robot is introduced in this paper. The hardware of the system mainly consists of a mobile robot. Its software employs client-server architecture for robot control and feedback information display . Different communication protocols are adopted according to the characteristics of message exchanged between the robot server and the client. The user interface is designed for the purpose of interaction. The great benefit of this client-server architecture is that the client software is insulated from the lowest level details of the mobile robot. Thus, it is very easy to implement and test new advanced teleoperation control algorithms, interface designs and applications on this platform without large programming work.     

The local development effects of major new roads

This paper is based on research undertaken for CPRE (Council for the Protection of Rural England) arising from concern at the inadequacy of current road planning procedures to address the issue of local development effects. The paper puts forward a number of arguments of principle in support of this proposition before recounting the planning and development experience of sites in the vicinity of the original (London-Oxford) section of M40 motorway built 20–30 years ago. This experience points to quite different outcomes in areas of open countryside as distinct from the periphery of the major intermediate town (High Wycombe), paricularly enclaves of enclosed land near to motorway junctions. With the latter the experience points to the failure of the planning system to anticipate and cope satisfactorily with development pressures. Since the provisions of development plans are used as the basis for assessing the impact of new road proposals this situation is not merely inefficient but conflicts with the basic purpose of the public planning system to give full consideration to the likely effects of proposals before they are committed.     

Suspended sediment and erosion dynamics in Kugmallit Bay and Beaufort Sea during ice-free conditions

The Mackenzie River is the largest river on the North American side of the Arctic and its huge freshwater and sediment load impacts the Canadian Beaufort Shelf. Huge quantities of sediment and associated organic carbon are transported in the Mackenzie plume into the interior of the Arctic Ocean mainly during the freshet (May to September). Changing climate scenarios portend increased coastal erosion and resuspension that lead to altered river-shelf-slope particle budgets. We measured sedimentation rates, suspended particulate matter (SPM), particle size and settling rates during ice-free conditions in Kugmallit Bay (3–5 m depth). Additionally, measurements of erosion rate, critical shear stress, particle size distribution and resuspension threshold of bottom sediments were examined at four regionally contrasting sites (33–523 m depth) on the Canadian Beaufort Shelf using a new method for assessing sediment erosion. Wind induced resuspension was evidenced by a strong relationship between SPM and wind speed in Kugmallit Bay. Deployment of sediment traps showed decreasing sedimentation rates at sites along an inshore–offshore transect ranging from 5400 to 3700 g m^− 2 day^− 1. Particle settling rates and size distributions measured using a Perspex settling chamber showed strong relationships between equivalent spherical diameter (ESD) and particle settling rates (r² = 0.91). Mean settling rates were 0.72 cm s^− 1 with corresponding ESD values of 0.9 mm. Undisturbed sediment cores were exposed to shear stress in an attempt to compare differences in sediment stability across the shelf during September to October 2003. Shear was generated by vertically oscillating a perforated disc at controlled frequencies corresponding to calibrated shear velocity using a piston grid erosion device. Critical (Type I) erosion thresholds (u) varied between 1.1 and 1.3 cm s^− 1 with no obvious differences in location. Sediments at the deepest site Amundsen Gulf displayed the highest erosion rates (22–54 g m^− 2 min^− 1) with resuspended particle sizes ranging from 100 to 930 µm for all sites. There was no indication of biotic influence on sediment stability, although our cores did not display a fluff layer of unconsolidated sediment. Concurrent studies in the delta and shelf region suggest the importance of a nepheloid layer which transports suspended particles to the slope. Continuous cycles of resuspension, deposition, and horizontal advection may intensify with reduction of sea ice in this region. Our measurements coupled with studies of circulation and cross-shelf exchange allow parameterization and modeling of particle dynamics and carbon fluxes under various climate change scenarios.     

Choice valuation of traffic restrictions: Noise, pollution, and congestion preferences. A note

This Note looks at the choice valuation restrictions on traffic entering the city of Lisbon, based on individual preferences in relation to noise, pollution and congestion. The analysis employs a questionnaire distributed in 2007 to ascertain the significant characteristics of traveling to Lisbon, with the aim of curbing the number of cars that are associated with the probability of individuals supporting a charge on motor vehicles entering the city. The model also takes into account the uncontrolled heterogeneity of the data.