All minutes are not equal: travel time and the effects of congestion on commute satisfaction in Canadian cities

Despite decades of research, it is unclear under which circumstances travel is most onerous. While studies have found that some individuals derive positive utility from aspects of commuting, others have shown that traffic congestion can entail important time, monetary, and mental stress costs. Moreover, responses to traffic congestion-related stressors differs by individual characteristics. In response, this research captures how exposure to traffic congestion events, the duration of this exposure, and individual trait susceptibility to congestion affect the utility of commuting. Working through the lens of individual satisfaction with the duration of their commute, we show that not every minute of travel is valued the same by car commuters in Canadian cities. Results suggest a complex relationship between travel time, congestion, and individual predisposition to congestion-related stress. While improvements in travel time matter for increasing commute satisfaction, it is reductions in travel in congested conditions that matter most, particularly among those susceptible to congestion-related stressors.     

Enhancing the Efficiencies of Organic Photovoltaic and Organic Light-Emitting Diode Devices by Regular Nano-Wrinkle Patterns

Organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are energy harvesting and generation devices that have attracted great attention these years because of their low costs, thin film structures, flexibility and environment-friendly manufacturing processes. For such thin film devices, photon management methods that increase the light absorption of OPV cells and the light extraction from OLEDs are highly desirable. Here, we report the experimental efforts to fabricate geometrically tunable and spontaneously formed nano-wrinkle structures with large areas, and the theoretical results on photon management with the nano-wrinkles.     

Real-time Monitoring of Subsea Gas Pipelines,Offshore Platforms,and Ship Inspection Scores Using an Automatic Identification System

The aim of this research is to develop an algorithm and application that can perform real-time monitoring of the safety operation of offshore platforms and subsea gas pipelines as well as determine the need for ship inspection using data obtained from automatic identification system (AIS). The research also focuses on the integration of shipping database, AIS data, and others to develop a prototype for designing a real-time monitoring system of offshore platforms and pipelines. A simple concept is used in the development of this prototype, which is achieved by using an overlaying map that outlines the coordinates of the offshore platform and subsea gas pipeline with the ship’s coordinates (longitude/latitude) as detected by AIS. Using such information, we can then build an early warning system (EWS) relayed through short message service (SMS), email, or other means when the ship enters the restricted and exclusion zone of platforms and pipelines. The ship inspection system is developed by combining several attributes. Then, decision analysis software is employed to prioritize the vessel’s four attributes, including ship age, ship type, classification, and flag state. Results show that the EWS can increase the safety level of offshore platforms and pipelines, as well as the efficient use of patrol boats in monitoring the safety of the facilities. Meanwhile, ship inspection enables the port to prioritize the ship to be inspected in accordance with the priority ranking inspection score.     

Thermal exchanges at air-water interfacies and reproduction of temperature vertical profiles in water columns

For a 3-D eutrophication-diffusion macromodel of the central part of the Venice Lagoon, air-water heat fluxes are computed interpolating, through Fourier series expansion, meteoclimatic variables averaged over a thirty years survey. Also reproduced with the same interpolation methods, is the daily fluctuation of incident light as well as the annual variation of the photoperiod.With an interative procedure temperature values, to be assigned at each grid's point and corresponding to each hour of a reference year, are computed also accounting for the thermal inertia of water columns of varying depths. By statistical examination of temperature vertical profiles, depth varying diffusivities are also estimated, which enables, without assumption of an instantaneous mixing, the reproduction of heat diffusion from the surface to the bottom water cells.Procedures, preliminary refined and verified for a one-dimensional vertical system input, are next implemented on a three-dimensional submodel of reduced size provided of “open boundaries”: this last submodel, under a continuous input of energy and of matter is seen to attain a steady states as well as to be capable of simulating regime conditions. A further validation is performed, on a submodel of 43 × 47 × 20 cells, encompassing a limited portion of the macromodel and presenting the actual lagoon bathymetry.Macromodel's seasonalisation so achieved, enables for a more correct simulation of the periodical behaviour of light and of temperature, forcing functions governing the eutrophication phenomena.     

A 3D, finite element model for baroclinic circulation on the Vancouver Island continental shelf

This paper describes the development and application of a 3-dimensional model of the barotropic and baroclinic circulation on the continental shelf west of Vancouver Island, Canada. A previous study with a 2D barotropic model and field data revealed that several tidal constituents have a significant baroclinic component (the K1 in particular). Thus we embarked on another study with a 3D model to study the baroclinic effects on the residual and several selected tidal constituents.The 3D model uses a harmonic expansion in time and a finite element discretization in space. All nonlinear terms are retained, including quadratic bottom stress, advection and wave transport (continuity nonlinearity). The equations are solved as a global and a local problem, where the global problem is the solution of the wave equation formulation of the shallow water equations, and the local problem is the solution of the momentum equation for the vertical velocity profile. These equations are coupled to the advection-diffusion equation for density so that density gradient forcing is included in the momentum equations. However, the study presented here describes diagnostic calculations for the baroclinic residual circulation only.The model is sufficiently efficient that it encourages sensitivity testing with a large number of model runs. In this sense, the model is akin to an extension of analytical solutions to the domain of irregular geometry and bottom topography where this parameter space can be explored in some detail.In particular, the consequences of the sigma coordinate system used by the model are explored. Test cases using an idealized representation of the continental shelf, shelf break and shelf slope, lead to an estimation of the velocity errors caused by interpolation errors inherent in the sigma coordinate system. On the basis of these estimates, the computational grid used in the 2D model is found to have inadequate resolution. Thus a new grid is generated with increased accuracy in the region of the shelf break. However, even with increased resolution, spurious baroclinic circulation seaward of the shelf break and in the vicinity of Juan de Fuca canyon remained a significant problem when the pressure gradient terms were evaluated using the σ coordinate system and using a realistic density profile.With the new grid, diagnostic calculations of the barotropic and baroclinic residual circulation are performed using forcing from the observed σ_t (density) field and from the gradient of this field.     

Ocean energy—an update

The oceans of the world, which comprise 71% of the earth's surface, provide a vast resource of renewable energy which has only been used in limited quantities. The feasibility of the extraction of energy from the ocean has been discussed and deemed possible, but with very few successful applications. However, as the world energy and economic situation changes, many countries are initiating R&D programmes to use the ocean waves, tides, currents, and temperature differentials to produce electricity. The transmission and utilization of this oceanderived electricity requires the integration of an ocean facility into an existing land-based electric power transmission grid. Extensive use of this energy source is still years in the future; however, prototype systems have been and are being developed so that this limitless supply can be successfully tapped.     

Labour/management relations in North American ports

Labour/management practices in North American ports are undergoing fundamental changes in their shift from confrontation to Cooperation. Cooperation is increasing to counter competitive threats from other ports arising from intermodalism and transportation deregulation. Technological advances in port operations are reducing the number of longshore forces required and changing the skills required of those which remain. A recent survey of North American container terminals provided a 'snapshot' of current approaches of improving labour/management relations. Focusing on growth and development needs of individual port workers enhances morale and motivation resulting in environment. Many ports are introducing new management techniques including improved communications and training to enhance the motivation and productivity of their longshore forces.     

铌磷半钢在中磷铸铁闸瓦中应用的研究

本文通过对用铌磷半钢配制的中磷闸瓦的金相组织、力学性能、物理性能和摩擦-磨损特性的研究及其实际运行,证明:其质量指标和使用性能完全满足 TB1159-76标准,并超过普通中磷闸瓦的技术水平;可使中磷铸铁闸瓦的原材料成本降低10%左右.