Gantry crane operations to transfer containers between trains: A simulation study of a Spanish terminal

Freight transfer operations are critical in combined transport networks. In this paper a simulation model and modelling approach to the transfer of cargo between trains at rail terminals is presented. The model is used to study the Port-Bou terminal, the main intermodal terminal at the Spanish-French frontier. Four different gantry crane operation modes to interchange containers between trains are evaluated. These operation rules are tested in several scenarios to examine the critical factors of the system and the best operation rule for each situation. Latest generation software is used to develop the model that incorporates modular programming and enhanced graphic systems for output representation. It allows a dynamic display of the simulated system and, likewise, the possibility of developing modules that can be reused in other studies. The research shows how simulation can be a useful planning tool in the rail transportation context.     

CO2 air–sea disequilibrium and preformed alkalinity in the Pacific and Indian oceans calculated from subsurface layer data

This work estimates new regionalized empirical parameterizations for preformed alkalinity (A_T^o) and the CO₂ air–sea disequilibrium (?C_dis). Both are key terms for the computation of anthropogenic CO₂ in the back-calculation methods. Data from the subsurface layer (75–180 m depth range) covering an area from North to South and from 19°E to 67.5°W (Pacific and Indian oceans) were taken from GLODAP (The Global Ocean Data Analysis Project) database. The subsurface layer is proved as a reliable reference for representing the main characteristics of the different water masses of the oceans. Besides, handing data from the two ocean basins altogether makes the new parameterizations of A_T^o and ?C_dis to be more globally consistent. Nevertheless, each ocean basin, at least in some regions, has different oceanographic characteristics based on its proper dynamical processes and water masses formation. In order to maintain each ocean basin ‘identity’ the whole domain was divided in six different regions (two of them sharing waters from Pacific and Indian oceans) and parameterizations in each region for both terms were obtained. Previously, data were transformed into a grid of 4°lat. × 5°lon. and the results obtained from the parameterizations were visualized and compare with pCO₂ climatologies. From the comparisons with previous ?C_dis estimations good results are obtained showing the reliability and robustness of the new regionalized empiric parameterizations.     

Vehicle response-based track geometry assessment using multi-body simulation

The assessment of the geometry of railway tracks is an indispensable requirement for safe rail traffic. Defects which represent a risk for the safety of the train have to be identified and the necessary measures taken. According to current standards, amplitude thresholds are applied to the track geometry parameters measured by recording cars. This geometry-based assessment has proved its value but suffers from the low correlation between the geometry parameters and the vehicle reactions. Experience shows that some defects leading to critical vehicle reactions are underestimated by this approach. The use of vehicle responses in the track geometry assessment process allows identifying critical defects and improving the maintenance operations. This work presents a vehicle response-based assessment method using multi-body simulation. The choice of the relevant operation conditions and the estimation of the simulation uncertainty are outlined. The defects are identified from exceedances of track geometry and vehicle response parameters. They are then classified using clustering methods and the correlation with vehicle response is analysed. The use of vehicle responses allows the detection of critical defects which are not identified from geometry parameters.     

Distributed support modelling for vertical track dynamic analysis

The finite length nature of rail-pad supports is characterised by a Timoshenko beam element formulation over an elastic foundation, giving rise to the distributed support element. The new element is integrated into a vertical track model, which is solved in frequency and time domain. The developed formulation is obtained by solving the governing equations of a Timoshenko beam for this particular case. The interaction between sleeper and rail via the elastic connection is considered in an analytical, compact and efficient way. The modelling technique results in realistic amplitudes of the ‘pinned–pinned’ vibration mode and, additionally, it leads to a smooth evolution of the contact force temporal response and to reduced amplitudes of the rail vertical oscillation, as compared to the results from concentrated support models. Simulations are performed for both parametric and sinusoidal roughness excitation. The model of support proposed here is compared with a previous finite length model developed by other authors, coming to the conclusion that the proposed model gives accurate results at a reduced computational cost.     

运用模糊综合评判法评价铁路工程承包风险

研究目的铁路施工企业工程承包中潜藏着众多不确定风险,这些风险涉及面广、影响因素多、损失危害程度高,在投标时采用有效的方法对工程承包风险进行准确分析,可以提高投标决策效率,进而提高工程效益。研究方法在充分研究铁路工程承包风险因素的基础上,介绍了层次分析法和模糊综合评价法用于铁路工程承包风险分析评价的步骤方法,为铁路工程承包风险分析和评价提供了定性与定量相结合的综合评价方法。研究结果通过中铁十六局投标兰武二线乌鞘岭隧道实例演示了操作过程,证明了该方法的科学性和可行性。研究结论在铁路工程承包中,风险是客观存在的,且具有较大的不确定性和模糊性。用模糊数学工具将许多观念性的难以精确度量的风险因素量化,既克服了传统优化法仅限于解决定量问题的缺点,又弥补了采用经验估计的方法较难解决复杂问题,且容易产生偏差又不易得出确切结果的不足,大大提高了决策效率和准确性。因此将模糊综合评判法应用到铁路工程承包风险评价是科学合理的。该方法在实际应用中所面临的主要困难是对专家意见的采集和处理。     

The influence of variable message signs on en-route diversion between a toll highway and a free competing alternative

Transportation - In the field of road transport, Advanced Traveller Information Systems represent a relevant tool to manage road traffic, improve drivers’ utility and make a more efficient...     

The sharing economy and the job market: the case of ride-hailing drivers in Chile

Transportation - Ride-hailing (ridesourcing) companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Didi Chuxing have been a disruptive force in the urban mobility landscape around the world during the past decade. In...     

Drivers’ adoption of electronic payment in the Spanish toll road network

Transportation - Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) systems are based on tags, on-board units associated to personal bank accounts, used for paying tolls electronically. Despite the benefits...     

Commodity flow estimation for a metropolitan scale freight modeling system: supplier selection considering distribution channel using an error component logit mixture model

Freight forecasting models have been significantly improved in recent years, especially in the field of goods vehicle behavior modeling. On the other hand, the improvements to commodity flow modeling, which provide inputs for goods vehicle simulations, were limited. Contributing to this component in urban freight modeling systems, we propose an error component logit mixture model for matching a receiver to a supplier that considers two-layers in supplier selection: distribution channels and specific suppliers. The distribution channel is an important element in freight modeling, as the type of distribution channel is relevant to various aspects of shipments and vehicle trips. The model is estimated using the data from the Tokyo Metropolitan Freight Survey. We demonstrate how typical establishment survey data (i.e. establishment and outbound shipment records) can be used to develop the model. The model captures the correlation structure of potential suppliers defined by business function and provides insights on the differences in the supplier choice by distribution channel. The reproducibility tests confirm the validity of the proposed approach, which is currently integrated into a metropolitan-scale agent-based freight modeling system, for practical use.

     

抑郁症患者血清甲状腺激素水平变异分析

目的　了解血清甲状腺激素水平与抑郁症的关系。方法　对 6 4例门诊及住院抑郁症患者中双相抑郁障碍 34例、单相抑郁障碍 30例治疗前后血清三碘甲状腺原氨酸 (T3 )、甲状腺素 (T4)和促甲状腺激素 (TSH)进行检测 ,同时以30名健康志愿者作为对照组。治疗前后应用汉密尔顿抑郁量表 (HAMD)和Montgomery Asbery抑郁量表 (MADRS) ,评定抑郁症状的严重程度。结果　患者组治疗前后T3 [(1.98± 0 .5 2 )nmol·L-1,(1.90± 0 .5 8)nmol·L-1]均明显高于对照组 [(1.5 8± 0 .2 7)nmol·L-1],单相抑郁障碍患者治疗后T4[(93.4 1± 2 9.4 1)nmol·L-1]低于治疗前 [(10 4± 2 0 .2 4 )nmol·L-1],并恢复到正常范围 ,HAMD和MADRS评分也随之明显下降。结论　提示抑郁症患者甲状腺激素水平改变与症状的消失有关 ,甲状腺激素异常是继发于情绪障碍 ,双相抑郁障碍与单相抑郁障碍在病因学方面可能不同。