Do changes in neighborhood characteristics lead to changes in travel behavior? A structural equations modeling approach

Suburban sprawl has been widely criticized for its contribution to auto dependence. Numerous studies have found that residents in suburban neighborhoods drive more and walk less than their counterparts in traditional environments. However, most studies confirm only an association between the built environment and travel behavior, and have yet to establish the predominant underlying causal link: whether neighborhood design independently influences travel behavior or whether preferences for travel options affect residential choice. That is, residential self-selection may be at work. A few studies have recently addressed the influence of self-selection. However, our understanding of the causality issue is still immature. To address this issue, this study took into account individuals’ self-selection by employing a quasi-longitudinal design and by controlling for residential preferences and travel attitudes. In particular, using data collected from 547 movers currently living in four traditional neighborhoods and four suburban neighborhoods in Northern California, we developed a structural equations model to investigate the relationships among changes in the built environment, changes in auto ownership, and changes in travel behavior. The results provide some encouragement that land-use policies designed to put residents closer to destinations and provide them with alternative transportation options will actually lead to less driving and more walking.

Singapore motorisation restraint and its implications on travel behaviour and urban sustainability

The example of Singapore shows that rapid urban and economic growth does not have to bring traffic congestion and pollution. Singapore has chosen to restrain car traffic demand due to its limited land supply. Transport policy based on balanced development of road and transit infrastructure and restraint of traffic has been consistently implemented for the past 30 years. Combined with land use planning, it resulted in a modern transport system, which is free from major congestion and provides users with different travel alternatives. As the economic growth caused a substantial increase in demand for cars, several pricing policies were introduced with the aim of restraining car ownership and usage. Growth of the vehicle population is now controlled and potentially congested roads are subject to road pricing. These measures help to keep the roads free from major congestion, maintain car share of work trips below 25% and keep the transport energy usage low. Although Singapore conditions are in many aspects unique, its travel demand experience can provide useful lessons for other rapidly growing cities in Asia.

典型路面激励下的工程专用自卸车车架动态响应研究

采用固有模态分析与具有自适应特征的经验模态分解EMD算法相结合的方法,对采集到的车架关键点振动信号进行重构。应用信号处理方法从重构后的信号中有效提取车架的动态特征,分析结果表明,该自卸车车架在工地路面激励下易产生低频共振,严重影响整车性能和使用寿命,需要对车架结构进行进一步优化。     

分离式桥梁中分带柔性防坠网应用研究

我国高速公路在建设时, 通常会采用左右幅分离的方式, 且一般左右幅分离的桥梁中都会留有间隙, 而大部分驾驶员完全不了解这里有间隙, 因此在跨越时失足掉落的事故时有发生, 针对这类事故在桥梁中央分隔带间隙处加装防坠网是有效防止此类事件发生的最有效手段之一。 文章通过对桥梁中间加装柔性防坠网的应用研究, 给设计人员及高速公路营运管理人员在使用防坠网的过程中提供一定的理论依据, 为提高高速公路的整体安全水平提供借鉴。     

摩托车车架强度试验方法探讨

<正>摩托车车架是摩托车的基础构件,其性能直接关系到摩托车整车的安全性、操纵性和舒适性,车架强度直接关系到整车的安全性。摩托车在行驶过程中车架受力相当复杂,典型的摩托车整车和车架受力示意如图1所示。     

基于CFD的液压阻尼器低速特性仿真分析

以液压阻尼器结构特点为基础,采用预留液体间隙层方法模拟阻尼器的内部泄漏,建立了具有较高精度的阻尼器流体网格模型,应用计算流体动力学(CFD)数值方法对其进行了仿真分析,获得了阻尼器低速特性以及内流场规律.测试结果验证了CFD仿真分析的准确性.     

计及车身附件气动干涉影响的汽车流场数值仿真研究

以降低汽车气动阻力、获得最优气动造型为目的,应用计算流体动力学方法对某轿车内外流场进行了数值仿真,分析并总结了车身附件气动干涉和发动机舱内空气流动对整车气动性能的影响.计算结果表明:车身附件对整车气动特性有较大影响.其中,底部结构和轮胎的影响较大;余者(后视镜、雨刮器和门把手)的影响很小.考虑了车身附件的影响后,气动阻力约增加23%;加上发动机舱内空气流动的影响,整车气动阻力共增大约35%.分析还表明,车轮的转动有利于改善车底气流与尾流的相互作用,使气动阻力稍有降低.     

Hydraulic retarders for heavy vehicles: Analysis of fluid mechanics and computational fluid dynamics on braking torque and temperature rise

Hydraulic retarders are auxiliary braking devices that reduce the velocity of a vehicle, particularly when a vehicle is driven downhill. Such velocity reduction could reduce the potential risk caused by brake failure caused by the service brake working for a long time and the temperature of the brake shoe becomes extremely high. This paper introduces the construction of the hydraulic retarder and proposes two mathematical models for the hydraulic retarder. The first mathematical model is deduced by using fluid mechanics, which is used to analyze the mechanism of how braking torque is produced and the key factors that can influence the value of the braking torque. The second mathematical model is deduced by using thermodynamics, which is used to quantify the heat produced by the hydraulic retarder. This research emphasizes that the flow rate and the average velocity of the working fluid in the working chamber mainly determine the braking torque of the hydraulic retarder. The flow rate into and out of the working chamber determines the temperature rise of the working fluid. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are conducted with the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulent models. Experiments are carried out to justify the two mathematical models and the CFD simulations. The results show that the mathematical models are capable of describing the force analysis and energy conversion of the hydraulic retarder and SST is more accurate for CFD simulation and the error is within 6 %.     

Gain-scheduled EGR control algorithm for light-duty diesel engines with static-gain parameter modeling

This paper presents a model-based gain scheduling algorithm of a PI-based EGR controller for light-duty diesel engines. In order to capture nonlinear characteristic of the EGR system, we have proposed a new scheduling variable to illustrate the static-gain of the plant model as a linear function. The proposed scheduling variable is composed of the air-tofuel ratio of the exhaust gas and the pressure ratio between the exhaust and intake manifolds. Using the scheduling variable, a static-gain model achieved 0.94 of the R-squared value with 810 of steady-state measurements which include key engine operating conditions. Based on the model of the static-gain parameter, the gains of the PI controller are decided by Skogestad internal model control (SIMC) tuning rule in real-time. Through various scenarios of engine experiments, the proposed gain scheduling algorithm represented that the PI gains were successfully adapted according to the changes of the engine operating conditions.     

Novel electronic braking system design for EVS based on constrained nonlinear hierarchical control

Both environment protection and energy saving have attracted more and more attention in the electric vehicles (EVs) field. In fact, regarding control performance, electric motor has more advantages over conventional internal combustion engine. To decouple the interaction force between vehicle and various coordinating and integrating active control subsystems and estimate the real-time friction force for Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS), this paper’s primary intention is uniform distribution of longitudinal tire-road friction force and control strategy for a Novel Anti-lock Braking System (Nov- ABS) which is designed to estimate and track not only any tire-road friction force, but the maximum tire-road friction force, based on the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS). The longitudinal tire-road friction force is computed through real-time measurement of breaking force and angular acceleration of wheels. The Magic Formula Tire Model can be expressed by the reference model. The evolution of the tire-road friction is described by the constrained active-set SQP algorithm with regard to wheel slip, and as a result, it is feasible to identify the key parameters of the Magic Formula Tire Model. Accordingly, Inverse Quadratic Interpolation method is a proper way to estimate the desired wheel slip in regards to the reference of tireroad friction force from the top layer. Then, this paper adapts the Nonlinear Sliding Mode Control method to construct proposed Nov-ABS. According to the simulation results, the objective control strategy turns out to be feasible and satisfactory.