Aggregation effects on the network design problem

This article examines the effects of various network extraction schemes on the network design problem. Given an original network, many criteria can be used to identify subnetworks on which the network design problem is solved. For the purposes of this article, these subnetworks are obtained using an extraction algorithm which preserves the magnitude of the user equilibrium flows on the links of these subnetworks. The results of the implementation of the network design problem on the original and the extracted subnetworks are presented and compared. We conclude that very good solutions to the network design problem can be obtained from the use of highly aggregate networks.     

Parametric study on the effects of pile inclination angle on the response of batter piles in offshore jacket platforms

Offshore jacket-type platforms are attached to the seabed by long batter piles. In this paper, results from a finite element analysis, verified against experimental data, are used to study the effect of the pile’s inclination angle, and its interaction with the geometrical properties of the pile and the geotechnical characteristics of the surrounding soil on the behavior of the inclined piles supporting the jacket platforms. Results show that the inclination angle is one of the main parameters affecting the behavior of an offshore pile. We investigated the effect of the inclination angle on the maximum von Mises stress, maximum von Mises elastic strain, maximum displacement vector sum, maximum displacement in the horizontal direction, and maximum displacement in the vertical direction. The pile seems to have an operationally optimal degree of inclination of approximately 5°. By exceeding this value, the instability in the surrounding soil under applied loads grows extensively in all the geotechnical properties considered. Cohesive soils tend to display poorer results compared to grained soils.     

Developing an activity-based trip generation model for small/medium size planning agencies

The primary shortcoming of traditional four-step models is that they cannot capture derived travel demand behaviors. However, travel demand modeling (TDM) is an essential input for urban transportation planning. TDM needs to be highly precise and accurate by integrating the accurate base year estimation along with suitable alternatives. Currently, activity-based models (ABMs) have been developed mostly for large metropolitan planning organizations (MPO), whereas smaller/medium-sized MPOs typically lack these models. The main reason for this disparity in ABM development is the complexity of the models and the cost and data requirements needed. We posit however that smaller MPOs could develop ABMs from traditional travel surveys. Therefore, the specific aim of this paper is to develop a probabilistic home-based destination activity trip generation model considering travel time behavior. Results show that the developed model can significantly capture the actual number of trip generations.     

Sensitivity analysis and optimisation of suspension bushing using Taguchi method and grey relational analysis

In this paper, a novel method is presented for investigating suspension bushing based on mechanical properties of the bushing, their effective directions, spring stiffness and damping coefficient of bushing. The vehicle vibration model and suspension geometry parameters are used to optimise the vehicle suspension based on multi-body dynamics simulation (ADAMS/CAR) initially. Several experiment tests based on ISO 4128 and ISO 7401 have been performed in one of main Iranian automaker (SAIPA) in order to verify the ADAMS/CAR model. The grey relational analysis based on using Taguchi L27 orthogonal array is used to obtain the optimum suspension. Then the bushing characteristics are optimised considering the indicated method. This method considers a combination of ride comfort and handling qualities of vehicle as objective functions simultaneously. The results of optimum suspension are compared with typical Renault Logan which declares the accuracy and efficiency of this method in optimising suspension bushing.     

Nature of influence of out‐of‐vehicle time‐related attributes on transit attractiveness: a random parameters logit model analysis

This paper describes the nature of the impacts of walking distances and waiting time on transit use. The relative trade‐offs of walking and transfer components with other transit service attributes are also discussed. A total of 449 completed stated‐preference interviews were collected; with six observations from each respondent, the total number of observations was 2694. This data set was used to estimate the coefficients in different utility functions using a random parameters logit model. The results demonstrated that walking distances to and from transit stops have important and significant nonlinear negative influences on the attractiveness of transit. Transfer waiting time was also shown to have a significant nonlinear negative impact on transit attractiveness. The random parameters logit model had a better model fit than the standard logit model. Some of the findings obtained here are novel, while others are consistent with previous works. These findings have implications for both theory and practice. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical Modeling of an Advanced Semi-SWATH Hull in Calm Water and Regular Head Wave

A small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) has excellent seakeeping performance and low wave-making resistance, and it has been applied to small working craft, p...     

Transport carriers’ cooperation on the last-mile delivery in urban areas

Transportation - A sharing logistics platform for less-than-truckloads could increase efficiency in city pickup and last-mile deliveries under time window constraints by pairing (matching) truck...     

What drives the gap? Applying the Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition method to examine generational differences in transportation-related attitudes

Transportation - Considerable recent work suggests that Millennials’ behaviors may be converging with those of Generation X as they enter later life stages, but few have investigated whether...     

Dynamic Analysis of High-Speed Boat Motion Simulator by a Novel 3-DoF Parallel Mechanism with Prismatic Actuators Based on Seakeeping Trial

In this study, we focused on a novel parallel mechanism for utilizing the motion simulator of a high-speed boat (HSB). First, we expressed the real behavior of the HSB based on a seakeeping trial. For this purpose, we recorded the motion parameters of the HSB by gyroscope and accelerometer sensors, while using a special data acquisition technique. Additionally, a Chebychev high-pass filter was applied as a noise filter to the accelerometer sensor. Then, a novel 3 degrees of freedom (DoF) parallel mechanism (1T2R) with prismatic actuators is proposed and analyses were performed on its inverse kinematics, velocity, and acceleration. Finally, the inverse dynamic analysis is presented by the principle of virtual work, and the validation of the analytical equations was compared by the ADAMS simulation software package. Additionally, according to the recorded experimental data of the HSB, the feasibility of the proposed novel parallel mechanism motion simulator of the HSB, as well as the necessity of using of the washout filters, was explored.     

Accounting for systematic heterogeneity across car commuters in response to multiple TDM policies: case study of Tehran

Modeling commuters’ choice behavior in response to transportation demand management (TDM) helps in predicting the consequences of TDM policies. Although research looking at choice behavior has evolved to investigate preference heterogeneity in response to factors influencing mode choice, as far as we know, no study has considered taste variation across commuters in response to multiple TDM policies. This paper investigates the presence of systematic preference heterogeneity across commuters, in response to the TDM policies that can be explained by their socio-economic or commuting-related characteristics. Analysis is based on results of a stated preference survey developed using a Design of Experiments approach. Five policies were assessed in order to study the impact they had on how commuters chose their mode of transportation. These include increasing parking cost, increasing fuel cost, implementing cordon pricing, reducing transit time and improving access to transit facilities. For the sake of assessing both systematic and random preference heterogeneity across car commuters, a form of the Mixed Multinomial Logit (MMNL) model that identifies sources of heterogeneity and consequently makes the choice models less restrictive in considering both systematic and random preference variation across individuals was developed. The sample includes 366 individuals who regularly commute to their workplace in the city center of Tehran, Iran. The likelihood function value of this model shows a significant improvement compared to the base MNL model, using the same variables. The MMNL model shows that taste variation across the studied commuters results in differences in influences estimated for three policies: increasing parking cost, reducing transit time and improving access to transit. The analysis examines several distributions for random parameters to test the impacts of restricting distributions to allow for only normality. The results confirm the potential to improve model fit with alternative distributions.