Study of RCM-based maintenance planning for complex structures using soft computing technique

To guarantee the efficiency of maintenance strategies for a complex structure, safety and cost limitations must be considered. This research introduces RCM-based (Reliability Centered Maintenance) life cycle optimization for reasonable maintenance. The design variable is the reliability of each part, which consists of a complex structure, while the objective is to minimize the total cost function in order to maintain the system within the desired system reliability. This research constructs the cost function that can reflect the current operating condition and maintenance characteristics of individual parts by generating essential cost factors. To identify the optimal reliability of each component in a system, this paper uses a Neuro-Evolutionary technique. Additionally, this research analyzes the reliability growth of a system by using the AMSAA (Army Material Systems Analysis Activity) model to estimate the failure rate of each part. The MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) and the failure rate of the whole system, which is responding to the individual parts, are estimated based on the history data by using neural networks. Finally, this paper presents the optimal life cycle of a complex structure by applying the optimal reliability and the estimated MTBF to the RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety) algorithm.     

Effect of fuel injection strategies on the combustion process in a PFI boosted SI engine

A low-cost solution based on fuel injection strategies was investigated to optimize the combustion process in a boosted port fuel injection spark ignition (PFI SI) engine. The goal was to reduce the fuel consumption and pollutant emissions while maintaining performance. The effect of fuel injection was analyzed for the closed and open valve conditions, and the multiple injection strategies (MIS) based on double and triple fuel injection in the open-valve condition. The tests were performed on an optical accessible single-cylinder PFI SI engine equipped with an external boost device. The engine was operated at full load and with a stoichiometric ratio equivalent to that of commercial gasolines. Optical techniques based on 2D-digital imaging were used to follow the flame propagation from the flame kernel to late combustion phase. In particular, the diffusion-controlled flames near the valves and cylinder walls, due to fuel deposition, were studied. In these conditions, the presence of soot was measured by two-color pyrometry, and correlated with engine parameters and exhaust emissions measured by conventional methods. The open valve fuel injection strategies demonstrated better combustion process efficiency than the closed ones. They provided very low soot levels in the combustion chamber and engine exhaust, and a reduction in specific fuel consumption. The multiple injection strategies proved to be the best solution in terms of performance, soot concentration, and fuel consumption.     

孟买新型市郊电动车组用现代化牵引设备

孟买市拥有印度最大的市郊铁路网,它包括275km铁路线路及90个站点.为提高孟买铁路系统的现代化程度,印度铁路决定引进采用最先进的三相交流传动设备的新型电动车组.近年来,他们已经两次订购双电压制电动车组的全套电气设备.     

Multi‐criteria analysis for evaluating the impacts of intelligent speed adaptation

Road safety is a policy priority due to the high casualties and costs associated with road accidents. Since speed is a major cause of road accidents, in‐vehicle speed limiters or Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA), seems a promising solution. ISA implementation, however, is hindered by large uncertainties, for example about the impacts of ISA, the way users might respond to ISA, and the relationship between speed and accidents. Traditional Multi‐Criteria Analysis (MCA) has limitations in handling these uncertainties. We present an MCA approach based on exploratory modeling, which uses computational experiments to explore the multiple outcomes of ISA policies (safety, emissions, throughput, and cost) across a range of future demand scenarios, functional relationships for performance criteria, and user responses to ISA. As an illustration, by testing the impacts of different ISA penetration levels on two driver groups, we show that when compliance with ISA is expected to be low, a policy aimed only at novice drivers outperforms other ISA policies on safety improvement.     

On the capacity of isolated, curbside bus stops

The maximal rates that buses can discharge from bus stops are examined. Models were developed to estimate these capacities for curbside stops that are isolated from the effects of traffic signals. The models account for key features of the stops, including their target service levels assigned to them by a transit agency. Among other things, the models predict that adding bus berths to a stop can sometimes return disproportionally high gains in capacity. This and other of our findings are at odds with information furnished in professional handbooks.     

Static Load Test of Low Vibration Track under Heavy Haul TrainEI北大核心

Research purposes: Low vibration track is a suitable track structure in the heavy haul railway long tunnel. Taking the low vibration track in the middle-south channel tunnel as the research object, through the full-scale model static load test, this paper studies the mechanical properties of a single bearing block under the vertical load at the end of the track bed slab (working condition 1), the horizontal and vertical load at the end of the track bed slab (working condition 2), the vertical load at the middle of the track bed slab (working condition 3) and track's crack development trend. Research conclusions:(1) Taking the static load of 30 t axle load train as a reference, the track slab and bearing block concrete of working condition 1 reach the axial tensile strength at 3.3 and 3.1 times static wheel load, the track slab and bearing block concrete of working condition 2 reach the axial tensile strength at 3.0 and 3.1 times static wheel load, the track slab and bearing block concrete of working condition 3 reach the axial tensile strength at 4.9 and 2.9 times static wheel load. (2) Track slab's crack of working condition 1 appears at the corner of the bearing block and the midline of the long side of the bearing block and extends to the short side of the track slab. The crack extension at the corner point is in the shape of "eight". There is no obvious crack of working condition 3 in the track slab. (3) The horizontal load of the train leads to the increase of the force of the concrete in the corner of the bearing block. (4)The research results have guiding significance for the design, construction and maintenance of low vibration track. © 2018, Editorial Department of Journal of Railway Engineering Society. All right reserved.     

Assessing the employment agglomeration and social accessibility impacts of high speed rail in Eastern Australia

There is growing interest in establishing additional evidence, under the umbrella of the wider economy impacts of transport infrastructure projects, to support transport projects in general and public transport projects in particular that struggle to obtain benefit–cost ratios sufficient to gain the support of financial agencies. This paper focuses on one element of wider economy impacts, often referred to as effective economic (employment) density or employment agglomeration impacts, and another, less usually identified, social accessibility impact (SAI) which we refer to as effective social density, which in broad terms provide, correspondingly, evidence of the potential gains in work-related output (often referred to as productivity gains) and potential gains in non-work-related outputs. Both are associated with gains in individual and household benefit attributable to improved accessibility to services linked with populations and particular locations. The SAIs may capture some of the induced benefits in those jurisdictions where these are included routinely in benefit–cost analysis, and the methodology here is most appropriate to those settings where an existing calibrated demand curve may not be available. Using the proposed high speed rail (HSR) project between Sydney and Melbourne as the empirical setting, we identify economic agglomeration and social accessibility benefits for work and non-work related activity respectively. We find the former to be relatively small compared to the significant gains associated with non-work related travel activity, suggesting the greatest benefits associated with HSR, especially for those residents outside of the major metropolitan areas, will be non-work related travel activity.     

High-Speed Rail Operations on an Existing Network: An Assessment Model for China

High-speed rail operations have the potential to reduce the long-term decline in rail passenger travel demand for the medium to long distance inter-urban markets. Such decline has been evident through most of the industrialized countries where air and road transport tend to be the dominant modes. In China, the operations of long distance high-speed rail on fully dedicated track is not very easy to implement, due to the high proportion of passengers who travel between high-speed and conventional railways. An alternative approach would be to allow for mixed operations with trains of various speeds on the same track. This article puts forward a simulation model designed to allow an evaluation of the most efficient distance for high-speed rail operations under mixed train speed scenarios. The model takes into account the main operating parameters such as passenger volumes, train speeds, capital and maintenance costs, train operating costs and energy consumption. The distance of high-speed train running on conventional rail that will yield the most economic benefit can be estimated using the model. The article includes the results of using the model for a specific example. It is concluded that large-scale high-speed trains have the potential to be successfully operated on conventional rail networks.     

Social and political implications of new transport technologies

The mechanism of change in society is discussed in terms of power and interest groups, and some of the past changes in transport technology are examined in terms of the degree of threat posed to the established order and the interest groups benefiting from change. On the basis of such a power/benefit model, three of the new transport technologies which have been proposed — “guideway”, “dial‐a‐bus” and “network cab”, are discussed as to their likely social and political acceptability.     

Aesthetic markets and a new automated people mover

Research literature suggests that aesthetic response toward a transportation system may be colored by non-aesthetic values. Photographic depictions of downtown street scenes with and without automated people mover guideways were shown to various community groups. Measures of external utilities—stakes in the local community and in public transportation—bore no relationship to aesthetic assessments of either guideway scenes or street scenes without a guideway. In contrast, aesthetic background and interests depressed evaluations of both guideway and non-guideway scenes. Aesthetic background evidently influences aesthetic assessments of elevated guideways in urban streets far more than do non-aesthetic utilities. This suggests that planners of new transportation systems need to address aesthetic impacts apart from other impacts and that aesthetic criteria will be applied more stringently by some community groups than by others.