A simulation model of reliable schedule design for a fixed transit route

This paper describes a simulation model of schedule design for a fixed transit route adopting the holding control strategy. The model is capable of determining the locations of time points and the amount of slack time allocated to each time point by minimizing the total cost associated with the schedule. The optimization is carried out through a process, which combines a heuristic search, enumeration, and population ranking and selection techniques. Examples showing applications and potential savings of the proposed model are given. It is shown that the model can serve as a practical tool for designing reliable, economical as well as operational transit schedules.     

Rates and mechanisms of climate change: Implications for ports and harbours

The paper explores some of the key ocean-atmosphere processes relevant to the themes of ‘global warming“ and ‘sea level rise“ addressing some of issues that form the basis of the science. It is shown that both processes as well as the data used to characterise such processes demonstrate that a) there is no such thing as a single global sea level and b) changes in extreme storminess are not uniform worldwide. Instead, trends in storminess (including Asian typoon and Atlantic hurricane activity) exhibit marked regional variability with strong regional signature linked to episodes of major El Niño and La Niña activity. Similarly, satellite data demonstrates that whereas some ocean areas have recently experienced sea level rise caused principally by thermal expansion effects, other ocean areas have been subject to cooling and sea level lowering. This account provides an introductory account that discusses the rationale for understanding the regional variability in the nature of coastal flood risk to the world’s ports and harbours.     

Hydrology, sediment yield, erosion and sedimentation rates in the estuarine environment of the Ria de Vigo, Galicia, Spain

The aim of this study is to provide a budget study with calculated erosion rates. Three methods have been used to calculate sediment yield and denudation rates in the Ria de Vigo: (1) measurements of sediment loads, (2) measurements of sediment accumulation rates at the coast, (3) theoretical calculations of potential denudation. Sediment loads and water discharge were measured over a period of 14 months from May 1997 to July 1998. Two of the tributaries entering the Ria de Vigo were monitored for 12 more months, from May 2000 to May 2001, to observe changes in discharge and sediment loads. This period corresponded with atypical precipitation, with peak monthly values (600 mm) three times higher than those on record.Water rating curves are typically exponential. Suspended and dissolved loads vary for different rivers, showing values of 1.5 to 130 mg/l during 1997/1998. For 2000/2001, these values are twice as high. Suspended load versus discharge relationships for 1997/1998 were logarithmic, but data from 2000/2001 does not fit the same equation. Dissolved loads are several times higher than suspended loads in almost all cases. Dissolved load concentrations vary more widely with discharge than suspended loads. This is probably due to local pollution and contamination from marine spray in areas closer to the sea.Second, erosion rates and bed load sediment yields were calculated from accumulation rates at the Ramallosa Complex. Well-preserved estuarine and tidal sediments, associated with the Minor River, have accumulated in this area during the Holocene. ¹⁴C ages allow calculation of sedimentation rates (SR) for two intervals. The lower interval extends from 2001 to 484 years BP and yields an SR of 1.12 mm/a. The upper interval extends from 484 years BP to the present and has an SR of 3.3–4.4 mm/a. These differences may be explained by basin dynamics as the beach progressively encloses the area and also by human interference. From sedimentary facies analysis it is concluded that 90% to 95% of the accumulated deposits were transferred to the basin as bed load. Muddy deposits (mostly marshes) are better developed at the upper part of the sediment pile, and inner areas, indicating a progressive shallowing and filling up of the basin. Most of suspended load is exported to the ria, whereas the Ramallosa Complex acts as a sediment sink for bed load derived material.Calculated potential erosion rates using Ahnert's [Am. J. Sci. 268 (1970) 243] equation show lower values than those estimated from river load concentrations. Potential erosion rates for the Minor River are higher than for the Lagares River which contrast with mechanical denudation rate values from river loads during 1997/1998 which are higher for the Lagares River. During 2000/2001 MDR values were higher than those of the potential erosion rates for both rivers, in line with the extremely high precipitation. Higher values in the Lagares could be in part due to human interference.     

Sea ice and the onshore–offshore gradient in pre-winter zooplankton assemblages in southeastern Beaufort Sea

Zooplankton communities were studied in southeastern Beaufort Sea (Arctic Ocean) in September–October 2002. Cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed three distinct mesozooplankton assemblages. A neritic assemblage occurred on the Mackenzie Shelf and in Franklin Bay, while distinct off-shelf assemblages prevailed in the Cape Bathurst Polynya and on the Beaufort Slope respectively. Over 95% of the mesozooplankton was comprised of eight copepod taxa. Pseudocalanus spp. contributed predominantly to the discrimination of the three assemblages and was the only significant indicator of the Shelf assemblage. Oithona similis, Oncaea borealis, Metridia longa and Calanus hyperboreus were indicators of the Polynya assemblage. Cyclopina sp. and Microcalanus pygmaeus were indicative of the overall off-shelf community (Polynya and Slope assemblages). The importance of omnivores and carnivores increased from the shelf to the polynya and the slope. Station depth and duration of reduced ice conditions during summer (< 50% ice concentration) underpinned the distribution of the assemblages (r² = 0.71 and 0.45 respectively). The abundance of Pseudocalanus spp. was independent of depth and increased with the duration of reduced ice conditions (r_s = 0.438). The abundance of Cyclopina sp., M. pygmaeus and other indicators of the offshore assemblages followed the opposite trend (r_s = − 0.467 and − 0.5 respectively). Under continued climate warming, a reduction of the ice cover will affect the biogeography of mesozooplankton on and around the Mackenzie Shelf, to the potential advantage of Pseudocalanus spp. and other calanoid herbivores.     

机电一体化走行装置的发展水平和可靠性分析

铁道机车车辆的安全性是允许其运行的基本前提.在这方面,对用无源部件(被动部件)的传统走行装置有一系列规程、规范和标准.与之相反,对用有源系统(主动系统)的走行装置,例如对庞巴迪公司运输部的"机电一体化走行装置",就需要按欧洲推荐标准EN50126.50128和50129规定用新方法来分析和鉴定其重要安全范围,例如走行稳定性.除了系统的分析外,还提到了部件试验、滚动台试验和走行试验的结果.在概述"机电一体化走行装置"发展水平后,叙述了走行动力学计算和试验结果,以及在开发过程中的可靠性分析和对必要的冗余设计的展望.在开发"机电一体化走行装置"时独立的可靠性鉴定者(ISA)在两个阶段中采用了CENELEC(欧洲电工标准化委员会)规定的所谓"伴随方法".介绍了伴随独立可靠性鉴定的过程,以及考虑到可靠性所选用的"机电一体化走行装置"的设计.     

Lateral Vehicle Behaviour: Comparison of Subjective/Objective Assessment Using the Choquet Integral

This paper presents an original method for the aggregation of transverse behaviour indicators obtained first from a subjective assessment then from an objective one of different vehicles tested under normal working conditions. The Choquet integral is used with respect to fuzzy measures. The main advantage of this method is to take account of the existing interactions between the indicators: redundancy, complementarity, inde-pendence. When this tool is used for subjective and objective evaluations, the computation methods of the objective indicators can be validated. Moreover, the influence of the human factor in the judgment of vehicle behaviour is easier to understand.     

Postembryonic stages of Nucellicola holmanae Lamb et al., 1996 (copepoda, poecilostomatoida), an endoparasite of the dog whelk Nucella lapillus (gastropoda)

The external morphology of the first three larval stages of Nucellicola holmanae is described. These stages were cultured from eggs found with the adults in the viscera of dog whelks collected from Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire. The nauplius develops within the whelk. It moults to a metanauplius which is released as a free-swimming stage. The metanauplius moults to a free copepodid stage which exhibits a combination of characters typical of the first, second and third copepodid stages of other poecilostomatoid copepods. The infective copepodid stage which locates and penetrates the host is visible through the integument of this free-swimming copepodid.     

The future for in‐vehicle information systems: The technology and its impacts

In‐vehicle information has an important social role to play in improving the efficiency and safety of travel by all modes. In this review, three generations of system are identified. The first generation consists of simple in‐vehicle units relying heavily on external data. The second generation has more sophisticated in‐vehicle units with colour TFT screens and DVD players for maps and entertainment. The third generation again makes use of external data, using the mobile phone network to download map sections and other data as and when required, thereby obviating the need for beacons and map CDs. For locationing, GPS (and/or Galileo, the European version of GPS) remains the favoured technology. Portable devices offering multi‐modal information could improve inter‐modal transport efficiency.     

Derivation of plastic framing requirements for polar ships

A new International Association of Classification Societies standard for polar ship design, in the form of a unified requirement is being developed by an international committee with representatives from many classification societies and with the active participation of many polar nations. The framing structural requirements have been developed by a combination of analysis of existing rules and ships, finite element (FE) analysis and analytical solutions of plastic collapse mechanisms. This paper describes the derivation of the 3-hinge and asymmetrical shear plastic collapse mechanisms using work–energy principles. Energy methods are robust and well suited for developing design standards. The results are shown to compare well with non-linear FE analyses of frame strength.     

Base Dynamic Parameter Estimation of a MacPherson Suspension Mechanism

Summary A MacPherson suspension mechanism is modeled as a two degrees of freedom spatial mechanism. Its dynamic response under two excitement forces is simulated with the motion equations in Euler Parameters with the off-the-center-of-mass body-fixed coordinates derived in this paper. Simulation results are sampled and input into a numerical estimation routine based on singular value decomposition (SVD). Accurate numerical estimation results are achieved. A set of base dynamic parameters in symbolic expressions is also derived from the numerical results utilizing the concepts of mass transfer and moments of inertia transfer. This makes it possible to apply the estimation results to any MacPherson suspension mechanism with the same joint configuration. The potential applications of the symbolic base dynamic parameters in suspension design are also considered.