Optimization of Fare Structure and Service Frequency for Maximum Profitability of Transit Systems

Abstract

Providing efficient public transportation has been recognized as a potential way of alleviating congestion, improving mobility, mitigating air pollution, and reducing energy consumption. Many people use public transportation systems for their daily commute, while others use different transportation modes (e.g. cars, taxis, carpools, etc.). Inexpensive fares with good transit service encourages ridership, and the resulting revenue may be used to provide better service. Optimization of transit service frequency and its associated fare structure is desirable in order to increase revenue at reasonable transit operating expenditure. The objective of the study reported here is to maximize profit subject to service capacity constraint, while elastic demand is considered. The solution methodology is developed and applied to solve the profit maximization problem in a case study based on Newark, NJ, USA. Numerical results, including optimal solutions and sensitivity analyses, are presented. It is found that an optimal temporal headway and differential fare structure that maximizes total profit for the studied subway system can be efficiently solved.     

Urea-SCR system optimization with various combinations of mixer types and decomposition pipe lengths

The demand for NO_x after-treatment system has increased dramatically due to the stricter NO_x emission regulations for diesel vehicles. The urea-SCR system is one of the NO_x after-treatment methods found to be quite effective to meet the regulation requirement enforced by various authorities including the Euro-6. In order to develop an effective urea-SCR system, it is critical to establish an even distribution of reductant over the catalyst surface since this favorable distribution can increase reduction reaction and in turn, improve NO_x conversion efficiencies. In the current study, a number of design variations of the urea-SCR system which included two mixer types and three decomposition pipe lengths, were evaluated systematically using CFD analysis and experimental measurements. The purpose of the CFD analysis was to estimate the distribution of reductant within the urea-SCR system with a specific configuration and the purpose of the engine emission test was to measure the amount of NO_x reduction, respectively. The results from the systematic analysis revealed the relation between the reductant distribution over the SCR and the performance of the NO_x reduction.     

Simulation of flow in diesel particulate filter system using metal fiber filter media

Metal fiber is introduced as a new filter media in wall-flow Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) system. This technology has high temperature durability which is required for filter regeneration, and can maintain the mechanical strength even in the extreme exhaust-related vibrations of vehicles. However, the regeneration near the wall (outer layer) is more difficult because of the heat loss and reduced gas flow near the wall. In this study, a flow is simulated to determine the flow control method for the more uniform flow in all filter layer. By using Star CCM+ commercial software, we obtain local velocity, streamline, and pressure distributions in the filter, which are typically difficult to obtain from measurements. The major control factors are the filter porosity, size and location of the distribution plate, and the number of blades of the swirler. By placing the distribution plate in front of the filter, the flow velocity near the wall was increased. The optimum location and size of the flat plate were chosen. By attaching the blade on the plate the flow velocity near the wall was increased more. Therefore, the regeneration efficiency is increased by using the swirler-type metal fiber DPF system.     

Construction Risk Management for Deep Excavation Adjacent to In operation Bored Tunnels

营运中的盾构隧道在邻近施工时周围地盘的应力可能因扰动而重新分布,使得盾构隧道暴露在因变形或位移衍生的结构损坏或营运中断等高风险下。为降低相关风险发生的可能性或后果的严重性,高雄计划将高雄车站段地下化工程捷运-R11永久站施工纳入风险管理,通过风险辨识、分析、评估以及以监测、巡检及沟通为基础的风险追踪查核等手段执行风险管理。依本计划执行成果,位于基地两侧营运中的盾构隧道在永久站主体工程开挖施工期间,各项风险均受到妥善的追踪、管控及处置。     

TBM掘进数据标准化预处理方法研究北大核心CSCD

TBM信息化采集了海量数据,对TBM数据的标准化预处理是进行诸多研究的前提。基于此,提出了一种TBM掘进数据标准化处理方法,依托TBM现场施工掘进大数据,以破岩特征为依据选取基本掘进参数(刀盘转速、推进速度、刀盘推力及刀盘扭矩)分析掘进过程TBM数据特点,提出循环掘进过程空推段、上升段、稳定段及下降段起点的判别方法,对稳定段起点提出了标准差法判别方法、均值判别方法、直方图判别方法,满足实时和非实时的数据划分需求。最后对两个TBM工程的数据进行标准化预处理,实现施工大数据的标准化。结果表明,提出的标准化预处理方法可实现循环掘进过程数据的有效划分。研究成果可推广应用于众多TBM工程的数据标准化处理,有效实现机器学习数据库的建立。     

平陆运河与沙坪河交汇河段通航水流条件试验研究*

平陆运河沿线支流众多且支干落差大,支流突发洪水对运河通航水流条件影响较大。选取入汇角度大、支干汇流比大、河底落差大的沙坪河入汇河段为研究对象,采用1  50正态河工模型试验,对沙坪河入汇河段通航水流条件进行系统试验研究。模型试验结果表明,受支流突发较大洪水和支干河底落差较大影响,运河航道内横向流速大且流态紊乱,加之支流口上游铁路桥限制,消能措施布置长度有限,不能达到较好的消能效果。分析认为主要问题在于支流洪水汇入运河后运河横向流速较大,因此治理方案主要解决“调顺水流+消能”的问题。在交汇处布置导流堤、透空消能墩、底部斜向透空式隔流堤,在支流内采取消力池、消力槛等消能措施并进行系列方案对比试验,发现优化方案Ⅲ的通航水流满足通航要求且不会对支流内铁路桥造成影响。     

Reliability-based sensitivity analysis of vehicle components with non-normal distribution parameters

Techniques from the perturbation method, fourth moment method, reliability-based design theory, and sensitivity analysis approach are employed to present a practical and efficient method for testing the reliability sensitivity of vehicle components with non-normal distribution parameters. With the condition that the first four moments of original random variables are known, the reliability sensitivity theory and cases are researched using the presented numerical method. The variation regularities of reliability sensitivity are obtained and the effects of design parameters on reliability of the vehicle components are studied. The sophisticated formulation provided in this paper is easily amenable to computational procedures. The respective program can be used to obtain the reliability sensitivity of vehicle components with non-normal distribution parameters accurately and quickly. The results obtained are perfect and the solutions compared very well with those from Monte Carlo simulation. The method presents a theoretic basis for the reliability design of the vehicle components.     

Grain refinement in bearing steels using a double-quenching heat-treatment process

A double-quenching (D/Q) process is proposed for heat-treating high carbon-chromium bearing steels to improve the fatigue properties through refinement of the microstructure. The new heat treatment method has two steps: The first step is a nitrocarburizing process that results in high surface hardness and lowers the transformation temperature. The second step is the same as in the conventional quenching process but can be conducted at a considerably lower temperature than in conventional quenching. The microstructure in the material that is caused by the D/Q heat treatment is much finer than in the conventional Q/T (quenching and tempering) process. In order to quantify the performance of the proposed heat-treatment process, various mechanical property tests are carried out. The rolling contact fatigue life of double-quenched bearing steels was eight times higher than in bearing steels that were treated by conventional Q/T.