Bonnet weight reduction and VRU protection: Design proposals implementing non-conventional materials

The use of non-conventional and innovative materials is increasingly important in automotive design. They allow reductions in the weights of structures with consequent reductions in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, they ensure excellent safety levels. Once excellent results in terms of active and passive safety have been obtained, the attention of car manufacturers, and of the public opinion, is focused on the safety of vulnerable road users (VRU), pedestrians and cyclists. Some examples concerning the redesign of a bonnet with the double targets of weight reduction and pedestrian safety are illustrated. Hybrid metal/plastic and more conventional metal sheet solutions are compared. The static performance (stiffness and denting resistance), as well as the impact against a pedestrian head, are evaluated by means of FEM models along with actual regulations.     

高海拔隧道施工劳动强度与供氧浓度关系研究北大核心CSCD

为研究高海拔隧道施工人员供氧浓度问题,文章通过骑行试验得到了不同人员在海拔高度为590~4000 m,氧气浓度为20.9%~29%,骑行功率为0、50 W、75 W、100 W工况下的生理指标,得到测试对象的劳动强度指数,分析研究得到以下结论:(1)在同一海拔高度、相同劳动强度工况下,提升环境氧气浓度,可以显著降低人员劳动强度指数;(2)劳动强度指数的减少与氧气浓度的增加并不是线性关系,当环境氧气浓度超过25%时,劳动强度指数的降低程度有限;(3)拟合得到了劳动负荷为100 W且氧气浓度为20.9%~25%时施工人员的劳动强度指数与海拔高度及供氧浓度的关系式。     

高烈度地震区隧道洞口段纤维混凝土衬砌抗震效果分析北大核心CSCD

为提高隧道洞口段衬砌结构的震时安全性,以某公路隧道洞口段为研究背景,利用有限元分析软件ABAQUS,对使用钢纤维混凝土(SFRC)、钢-玄武岩混杂纤维混凝土(SBHFRC)与素混凝土作为二次衬砌结构材料时的抗震效果进行对比分析。结果表明:在同体积纤维掺量的条件下,与素混凝土二次衬砌相比,SFRC二次衬砌的最大、最小主应力峰值分别增加34.27%、23.56%,剪应力峰值增加23.54%,SBHFRC二次衬砌的最大、最小主应力峰值分别增加3.90%、3.37%,剪应力峰值增加3.32%;SFRC、SBHFRC二次衬砌结构的等效位移分别减少了8.08%、2.36%;SFRC、SBHFRC二次衬砌结构监测面各监测点平均安全系数分别提高了38.73%、50.04%。     

富水区隧道环向盲管间距优化分析北大核心CSCD

富水区隧道涌水遵循“以堵为主、防排结合”的处置原则,其中排水体系构建的合理性是隧道安全施工与良好运营的关键因素。首先分析隧道排水体系,揭示其工作原理,然后利用FLAC 3D有限差分软件,对鸿图特长隧道富水断层区设置的不同环向盲管间距进行三维流固耦合模拟,通过分析渗水压力、锚杆受力及涌水量,揭示塑性区体积及分布区域特征。研究结果表明:沿隧道轴向,支护结构孔隙水压力大致呈周期性分布,其周期近似等于环向盲管纵向间距;加密环向盲管,在降低支护结构受力并减小塑性区体积的同时,会增加隧道排水量;随环向盲管间距的增大,注浆加固圈塑性区首先出现在围岩好的区域,断层区出现塑性区最晚;断层区锚杆加固效果较差,可通过减小钢拱架环向间距以提高结构刚度,使注浆加固圈沿轴向受力更合理。综合考虑各种因素,建议在建工程断层区环向盲管间距设置为3 m,断层附近区间距为4 m。     

Estimating traffic volumes on intercity road locations using roadway attributes,socioeconomic features and other work-related activity characteristics

Traffic volume data are key inputs to many applications in highway design and planning. But these data are collected in only a limited number of road locations due to the cost involved. This paper presents an approach for estimating daily and hourly traffic volumes on intercity road locations combining clustering and regression modelling techniques. With the aim of applying the procedure to any road location, it proposes the use of roadway attributes and socioeconomic characteristics of nearby cities as explanatory variables, together with a set of previously discovered patterns with the hourly traffic percent distribution. Test results show that the proposed approach significantly produces accurate estimates of daily volumes for most locations. The accuracy at hourly level is a bit more reduced but, for periods when traffic is significant, more than half of the estimates are within 20% of absolute percentage error. Moreover, the main peak period is approximately identified for most cases. These findings together with its great applicability make this approach attractive for planners when no traffic data are available and an estimate is helpful.     

Transport in developing and emerging nations

One perspective on the allocation of transport investments by public authorities is offered by the so‐called ‘pork barrel’ model, whereby politicians and political parties allocate public investment spatially in such a way as to gain electoral support from localities so benefited. The paper introduces this model and discusses its attractions and problems in the case of the transport sector. A review of the modest number of published examples of this approach is offered before a detailed case study considers the case of railway investment in Nelson, New Zealand.     

Short‐term traffic forecasting: Overview of objectives and methods

In the last two decades, the growing need for short‐term prediction of traffic parameters embedded in a real‐time intelligent transportation systems environment has led to the development of a vast number of forecasting algorithms. Despite this, there is still not a clear view about the various requirements involved in modelling. This field of research was examined by disaggregating the process of developing short‐term traffic forecasting algorithms into three essential clusters: the determination of the scope, the conceptual process of specifying the output and the process of modelling, which includes several decisions concerning the selection of the proper methodological approach, the type of input and output data used, and the quality of the data. A critical discussion clarifies several interactions between the above and results in a logical flow that can be used as a framework for developing short‐term traffic forecasting models.     

Practical safety considerations for short headway automated transit systems

Continued interest in Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) systems as one solution to urban traffic congestion emphasizes the need for careful consideration of the safety of short headway automated transit systems. Current approaches to the determination of safe headways are reviewed. The reduction in headway which could be achieved by improved braking and signaling hardware is outlined. Improved design of emergency brakes is the most important single factor in the reduction of safe headways.

Very short headway systems are reviewed from a safety standpoint. Such systems might be safely operated if operation at intermediate headways (separations on the order of the stopping distance) can be avoided.