Experiments and thermal-electrical analysis of buss bar and relay assemblies in junction blocks

A junction block (or electrical distribution box) is electrical equipment that has been densely assembled from components such as buss bars, relays, and fuses to control the electric current flow in vehicles. Joule heat is generated in these parts as a result of electrical bulk resistance and electrical contact resistance. The generation of heat increases due to the complex behavior of modern vehicle electronic systems. Overheated parts can be damaged during operation due to thermal energy. The thermal assessment of a junction block is an important issue in automobile development. We suggest a methodology to simulate the transient temperature distribution of buss bars and electrical relays in a junction block. A finite element formulation of a coupled electro-thermal problem, which includes the effect of Joule heating, is introduced to the simulation. Finite element analysis (FEA) and experiments at the component level of buss bars and relays are conducted to investigate the thermal performance of a junction block. To verify the accuracy of the FEA procedure, the temperature history obtained by FEA is compared with the results obtained from experiments. The thermal-electric analysis of a typical junction block assembly is also discussed.     

Development of interregional cooperation in the field of urban and suburban transport under the auspices of the UN

The article considers specific features, the importance and the problems of urban and suburban transport with reference to international economic, scientific and technological cooperation. It also describes methods and means for utilizing the opportunities for cooperation within the framework of the UN Regional Economic Commissions with a more active involvement of CODATU and UNCHS (Habitat) and the Habitat Executive Bureau in Moscow. The article identifies and classifies the main tasks of the development of urban public transport in cities with varying degree of motorization as well as identifies the priorities of international cooperation within the UN.     

Small area estimates of daily person-miles of travel: 2001 National Household Transportation Survey

The National Household Transportation Survey (NHTS) was designed at the national level, and for most states it does not have a large enough sample to produce reliable estimates, especially for subdomains (e.g., age groups) within a state. Using the 2001 NHTS, we produced small area estimates (SAEs) of the percentage of persons among four age groups (17 or younger, 18–39, 40–54, and 55 or older) having high daily person-miles of travel (more than 87.5 miles a day, which is the 90th percentile for daily person-miles traveled) and associated prediction intervals for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The survey weighted hierarchical Bayes (Folsom et al., Proc of the Sect on Surv Res Methods of the Am Stat Assoc 371–375, 1999) small area estimation (SAE) methodology was used to produce state-level SAEs. This paper describes the methodology and shows that SAE can be an effective technique for producing reliable state-level estimates from large, national surveys like the NHTS. In particular, the prediction interval relative widths for SAEs were, on average, 31–48% narrower than the corresponding design-based confidence interval widths, whereas for small states the reduction was around 47–63%.     

Nonlinear pricing of taxi services

This paper examines the effects of nonlinear fare structures in taxi markets using an extended taxi model with an explicit consideration of perceived profitability. The expected profit, defined as the profit per unit time (inclusive of both occupied and vacant taxi times), that a taxi driver expects to receive from picking up a customer in a particular zone or location, has great impact on the taxi driver’s choice of location in the search for customers. The fare structure directly governs the profitability of taxi rides of different distances originating from different locations. With these explicit considerations, the extended model is intended to look into the market effects of adopting a nonlinear fare structure with declining incremental charges. The proposed nonlinear fare structure could help restore a level-playing field for taxi operators whose businesses have been affected by some taxi drivers who resort to practices such as offering fare discounts or accepting requests for discounted fares from passengers for long-haul trips. Analysis of sensitivity of social welfare and profit gain as well as taxi/customer wait/search times is conducted with respect to the parameters in the nonlinear fare structure for the Hong Kong taxi market, and Pareto-improving nonlinear fare amendments are identified that neither disadvantage any customer nor reduce the taxi operators’ profits.     

Estimating spatial interdependence in automobile type choice with survey data

In this article, we show that vehicle type ownership is spatially dependent at both the regional and household-level even after controlling for income and population density. We discuss reasons for the existence of spatial effects in vehicle ownership, and note potential implications for policymakers. Our results point to the importance of spatial relationships in transportation research and highlight the hazards of ignoring their role in affecting transportation outcomes. For example, if vehicle type choice is affected by neighborhood spillovers, agencies that regulate traffic flow and road safety could tailor their choice projections and policy tools to account for such interdependence.     

Characteristics of household activity and travel patterns in the Mumbai metropolitan region

Activity-based modelling approaches require a typical survey instrument which can collect the finer details of activities of each individual over both time and space. This paper focuses on the design of a new survey instrument called an activity-travel diary; examines its method of administration; and analyses activity-travel behaviour in the context of developing countries. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region in India is selected as the study area. With the aim of understanding the activities of each individual over a period of time, a pilot survey was conducted in a continuous time frame for a period of 15 days, followed by a main survey. The analysis of data collected by the instrument reveals some interesting facts regarding the relationships between socioeconomic attributes, activities and trip making behaviour. Identification of interactions among households and other members were also facilitated by the newly designed diary, which is not a well-versed topic for research in the context of a developing economy like Mumbai's.     

串列双圆柱尾迹流的数值分析

为避免流体流动引起共振,采用有限体积法,对串列双圆柱尾迹流进行了数值分析,探讨了斯特劳哈尔数(Strouhal数)随圆柱间距比和雷诺数变化的规律.研究表明:在不同流场形态下,斯特劳哈尔数随圆柱间距比的变化规律不同;斯特劳哈尔数随雷诺数的增大而增大,但增大幅度与流场形态有关.     

����ɳ�����չ��ͨ�����ͽ�ͨ����

近年来，一些大城市通过修建大量的道路来缓解交通拥堵的压力，但这种做法却导致更多的车辆使用道路，从而加剧了交通拥堵，造成空气质量下降，资源浪费严重。为解决这些问题，一些城市已经开始或者计划构建以轨道交通主体，轻轨交通或者其他交通方式为补充的交通体系，以增强路网的流动性和可达性。本文从城市流动性和可持续发展的角度，对已有的和新型的轻型交通系统做综述。旨在为交通规划人员进行可持续发展交通运输系统的规划等工作提供参考。     

高速公路单点入口匝道RLRM控制方法

为缓解交通堵塞, 基于人工智能的强化学习理论, 提出了不完全信息下的强化学习单点入口匝道控制方法(RLRM)。基于6个仿真实例, 分别计算了平均速度、平均密度、流出交通量与旅行时间, 比较了无控制、定时控制与RLRM控制的控制效果。仿真结果表明: 在交通量较小的实例1中, 以旅行时间为评价指标, 定时控制与RLRM控制的交通阻塞缓解率分别为-6.25%、-9.38%, 几乎没有控制效果; 在交通量变大的实例3中, 以旅行时间为评价指标, 定时控制与RLRM控制的交通阻塞缓解率分别为-8.19%、3.51%, 匝道控制有一定效果, RLRM控制略优于定时控制; 在交通量最大的实例6中, 以平均速度、平均密度、流出交通量与旅行时间为评价指标, 定时控制的交通阻塞缓解率分别为8.20%、0.39%、18.97%与23.99%, RLRM控制的交通阻塞缓解率分别为18.18%、3.42%、30.65%与44.41%, RLRM控制明显优于定时控制。可见, 交通量越大, RLRM控制效果越明显。