Assessing the influence of indicators’ complexity on hybrid discrete choice model estimates

Transportation - Hybrid discrete choice (HDC) modeling requires indicators to allow for the identification of latent variables. An indicator usually expresses the level of agreement of a respondent...     

The demand for public transport. part II. supply and demand factors of public transport

Abstract

This two‐part article, concerned with the way public transport ridership is affected by the various relevant factors, is based on the Executive Summary of The Demand for Public Transport (Webster and Bly 1980), the report of the TRRL‐sponsored International Collaborative Study on Factors Affecting Public Transport Patronage. Part I of the article, which was concerned with the social and economic conditions in which public transport operates, showed the importance of the background factors such as income, car ownership and land use on public transport usage: it also indicated how the longer‐term impacts of the more direct demand factors (fares, service levels) often show themselves in changes in car ownership levels, activity patterns (i.e. where people live, work, shop, socialize, etc) and land‐use development.

Part II reviews the current state of knowledge on the effects of changes in fare levels and quality of service and of the introduction of various traffic and transport measures (traffic restraint, bus priority, etc): it outlines current methodology on costing public transport services and draws the supply and demand sides together in a consideration of particular strategies which are at the disposal of the operator, the planner and the policy maker.     

Financial appraisals of a microcomputer‐based referencing system for a local bus travel telephone enquiry service

Abstract

Solution of current and future transportation problems requires a more consistent and complete realization of the principles of socioeconomic motivation in research and practical work. With this aim it is suggested that a transport‐communication model (TCM) of society should be constructed as a projection of all the social processes into the space of artificial flows of matter, energy and information. A simplified example of a transport‐communication systems model in terms of mathematical systems theory is reviewed, demonstrating the constructs of such an approach, and a critical analysis is made of scientific paradigms, used in the transportation theory. The author suggests an iterative procedure for the formation of a hierarchic theory of transportation systems based on simulation concepts and experiments, and formulates a hypothesis of its feasibility in the construction of present‐day transportation theory as a realistic basis for solving transportation problems.     

钢-混凝土组合连续弯箱梁抗火性能与设计方法

为研究提高钢-混凝土组合连续弯箱梁抗火性能的策略,选取某三跨钢-混凝土组合连续弯箱梁为研究对象,利用通用有限元软件ANSYS建立了其在火灾下的三维非线性两阶段分析模型;基于已有热-结构耦合分析方法,模型考虑了钢箱梁内空腔辐射传热过程和其上翼缘与混凝土板的接触边界条件;将模型得到的预测结果与试验数据进行了比较,验证了模型的可靠性;采用建立的模型在不同纵向受火位置、火灾强度和荷载水平作用下对钢-混凝土组合连续弯箱梁跨中挠度进行了参数敏感性分析,研究了其极限承载能力和刚度衰变规律;以火灾下跨中挠度为评估指标,提出了针对钢-混凝土组合连续弯箱梁的抗火设计方法。研究结果表明：在对称火和结构荷载作用下,钢-混凝土组合连续弯箱梁外边缘挠度大于内边缘挠度,且荷载越大,火灾越严重,这一效应越显著;在油罐车等过火面积较大的火灾作用下,刚度较极限承载能力衰退更快,与常温下的钢-混凝土组合连续弯箱梁极限承载能力和刚度相比,边跨受火16 min时极限承载能力和刚度分别降低至29%和14%,中跨受火28 min时极限承载能力和刚度分别降低至31%和22%;在钢-混凝土组合连续弯箱梁抗火设计中,应首先提高外侧钢箱梁在火灾下的刚度,增多和加宽外侧钢箱梁底板纵向加劲肋可使边跨受火20 min后内外侧钢箱梁跨中挠度差分别减小23%和30%,中跨受火32 min后内外侧钢箱梁跨中挠度差分别减小22%和27%。     

Learning-based traffic signal control algorithms with neighborhood information sharing: An application for sustainable mobility

This research applies R-Markov Average Reward Technique based reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm, namely RMART, for vehicular signal control problem leveraging information sharing among signal controllers in connected vehicle environment. We implemented the algorithm in a network of 18 signalized intersections and compare the performance of RMART with fixed, adaptive, and variants of the RL schemes. Results show significant improvement in system performance for RMART algorithm with information sharing over both traditional fixed signal timing plans and real time adaptive control schemes. The comparison with reinforcement learning algorithms including Q learning and SARSA indicate that RMART performs better at higher congestion levels. Further, a multi-reward structure is proposed that dynamically adjusts the reward function with varying congestion states at the intersection. Finally, the results from test networks show significant reduction in emissions (CO, CO₂, NO_x, VOC, PM₁₀) when RL algorithms are implemented compared to fixed signal timings and adaptive schemes.     

Dynasim 3: A Computer Program for Simulation Of Vehicle Riding Motions

The purpose of this paper is to present analytical techniques for evaluating the dynamic riding behaviour of a vehicle. These techniques have been applied to a fairly sophisticated model of a bus, where a three-dimensional structure, elastic frame and non-linear shock-absorbers have been considered.

A computer simulation program (DYNASIM 3) has been set up, which is actually used at FIAT corporation for evaluating vehicle riding qualities and improving the design process.     

Stabilization of High-Speed Railway Vehicles

The problems of critical speeds of railway vehicles with dry friction units determination are discussed. A new approach is used which extends the field of application of dynamic response linear analysis methods to vital nonlinear multibody systems. The special features concerning the influence of dry friction forces in the body supports on the trucks and parameters of horizontal constraints of wheelsets and truck frames on critical speed are indicated. It is shown that a significant rising of railway vehicle critical speeds can be reached by changing the structure of constraints between the body and the trucks.     

Self-Excited Vibrations of Railway Vehicle with Dry Friction Units

Some results obtained during developing a new approach to analysis of conditions of self-excitation of lateral vibrations of railway vehicles as systems of variable structure are given in this article. Structure variability is conditioned by the state of constraints with dry friction. An idea of the replacement of a nonlinear multibody system by a number of subsystems, which are linearized in a certain way, is worked out. The efficiency of the method suggested for the determination of the characteristics of self-excited vibrations of active multibody systems with dry friction is illustrated by way of an example of the investigation of the dynamic behaviour of a freight car.     

Evaluation of natural and tracer fluorescent emission methods for droplet size measurements in a diesel spray

Spray sizing that records fluorescent emission and scattered light has been widely applied to spray diagnostics over the last two decades. Different experimental strategies have been developed, but comparing the different solutions offered has remained of interest to experimentalists. In this work, a comparison of two fluorescence strategies for measuring droplet size in the liquid phase of a last-generation DI diesel spray is conducted. The natural fluorescent emission of a commercial diesel fuel and the fluorescence emitted by a tracer (Rhodamine B) are compared using theoretical and experimental approaches. The LIF/Mie ratio commonly called Planar Droplet Sizing (PDS) technique is applied in two different ways to elucidate the possible advantages of using a fluorescent dopant. The sprays were injected under non-evaporative conditions into a constant pressure vessel that simulates densities present at the moment of injection in currently used passenger car diesel engines. Characterization of the signal properties was performed by measuring the absorption coefficient, fluorescence emission spectrum, quantum yield and lifetime of both configurations. The scattered light and fluorescence intensities were calculated to verify the dependencies of the droplet surface and volume. When applying the two techniques to quantify droplet size in dense diesel sprays, the results show that signal weakness and lack of control over the properties of natural fluorescence produce distortion in the shape of the spray and cause measurements to be unreliable.