Deriving macroscopic fundamental diagrams from probe data: Issues and proposed solutions

Well-defined relationships between flow and density averaged spatially across urban traffic networks, more commonly known as Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams (MFDs), have been recently verified to exist in reality. Researchers have proposed using MFDs to monitor the status of urban traffic networks and to inform the design of network-wide traffic control strategies. However, it is also well known that empirical MFDs are not easy to estimate in practice due to difficulties in obtaining the requisite data needed to construct them. Recent works have devised ways to estimate a network’s MFD using limited trajectory data that can be obtained from GPS-equipped mobile probe vehicles. These methods assume that the market penetration level of mobile probe vehicles is uniform across the entire set of OD pairs in the network; however, in reality the probe vehicle market penetration rate varies regionally within a network. When this variation is combined with the imbalance of probe trip lengths and travel times, the compound effects will further complicate the estimation of the MFD.To overcome this deficit, we propose a method to estimate a network’s MFD using mobile probe data when the market penetration rates are not necessarily the same across an entire network. This method relies on the determination of appropriate average probe penetration rates, which are weighted harmonic means using individual probe vehicle travel times and distances as the weights. The accuracy of this method is tested using synthetic data generated in the INTEGRATION micro-simulation environment by comparing the estimated MFDs to the ground truth MFD obtained using a 100% market penetration of probe vehicles. The results show that the weighted harmonic mean probe penetration rates outperform simple (arithmetic) average probe penetration rates, as expected. This especially holds true as the imbalance of demand and penetration level increases. Furthermore, as the probe penetration rates are generally not known, an algorithm to estimate the probe penetration rates of regional OD pairs is proposed. This algorithm links count data from sporadic fixed detectors in the network to information from probe vehicles that pass the detectors. The simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm is very effective. Since the data needed to apply this algorithm are readily available and easy to collect, the proposed algorithm is practically feasible and offers a better approach for the estimation of the MFD using mobile probe data, which are becoming increasingly available in urban environments.     

大跨桥梁油罐车燃烧火灾模型计算方法研究

桥梁上油罐车燃烧可分为油罐车火灾和燃油泄漏油池火灾2种,为了建立2种定量分析的火灾模型,基于火灾学原理,采用理论分析与FDS数值模拟相结合的方法,提出了考虑危化品种类、桥面风、油罐车尺寸等因素的油罐车火灾最大热释放速率定量计算方法;建立了燃烧油池最大直径、扩散时间以及直径扩大速度的求解方程,提出了可表征不同泄漏孔径下油池扩散、燃烧动态过程的数学模型,并通过前人的试验结果对模型的正确性进行了验证。通过对依托工程的分析,结果表明:油罐车火灾时,最大热释放速率与桥面风速正相关,但增长幅度逐渐减小,风速从4.96 m·s^-1增至10.84 m·s^-1时,最大热释放速率的变化范围为62.89~113.54 MW,随风速增加至10.84 m·s^-1,燃烧时间逐渐变短,缩短至原来的57%,火焰高度逐渐降低,趋近于9.5 m(含油罐车高度);火焰核心区域随风速增大而增大,且向下风向倾斜。泄漏油池燃烧时,泄漏孔径的变化对热释放速率和油池扩散时间影响较小;泄漏速率比接近于泄漏孔半径的平方比,油池最大直径比、扩大速度比与泄漏孔半径比相当,燃烧时间随泄漏孔半径的增大而减小,减小速度变缓;随着燃烧油池直径增大,火焰高度增加,火焰核心区域增大;当扩散至最大直径时,其火焰的水平影响区域比油罐车燃烧更广,但燃烧时间更短。     

盾构渣土资源化处理工艺及成套系统装备研究

为解决当前盾构渣土资源化装备庞大、操作复杂、对不同类型渣土及狭小场地适应性差等问题，以深圳地铁14号线六约北站盾构隧道工程为背景，研究盾构渣土资源化处理工艺以及智能化、集成化、模块化的振动筛分、絮凝、压滤、管路和中央集中控制平台等成套系统装备，并在六约北站盾构渣土资源化处理工程中得到了成功应用。结果表明： 六约北站采用新装备和新工艺后，设备占地面积仅470 m2，最大处理能力达到1 400 m3/d，仅需4人即可维持整个装备系统的有效运行；设备系统对不同地层渣土的〖JP2〗适应性大幅提高，筛孔淤堵得到解决；所生产的粗骨料、细骨料含泥量和含水率大幅降低。由此可见，盾构渣土资源化处理系统的智能化、集成化、模块化提升是装备升级的发展方向，最终形成智能化、集装箱化成套装备，从而满足不同场地及周边环境的运行需求。     

超载运输对公路桥梁结构性能的影响

针对当前热点问题——超载对桥梁承载力的影响进行研究分析,结合前人的研究成果,对超载桥梁承载力和桥梁结构疲劳损害的影响作了概述,同时对钢筋混凝土桥梁超载问题提出了一些具有研究前景的课题。     

山区高填方涵洞设计探讨

详细叙述了山区高填方涵洞的布置、型式选择和地基处理方法,给出了垂直土压力的实用计算公式,并结合工作经验,从设计角度出发提出了一些技术性建议。     

基于占道施工的交通影响分析阈值确定方法研究

针对日益严重的占道施工问题,从建立占道施工交通影响分析阈值的思路出发,确定阈值的指标形式及其计算方法,并在充分考虑各施工路段的交通状况差异性的基础上,给出各施工路段阈值的计算方法及其判定流程,最后进行案例分析。研究成果对于占道施工交通影响分析阈值的建立有指导意义。     

Age related annual crash incidence rate ratios in professional drivers of heavy goods vehicles

ObjectivesEvidence concerning crash risk for older heavy vehicle drivers is sparse, making it difficult to assess if it is prudent to encourage older drivers to remain in the workforce in a climate of labour shortages. The objective of this study was to estimate annual crash rate ratios of older male heavy vehicle drivers relative to their middle aged peers.MethodsData utilized in this study includes all crashes meeting inclusion criteria involving heavy goods vehicles, categorised as rigid trucks and articulated trucks; this data was recorded by the New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority. The exposure to the risk of a crash was represented by distance travelled for each vehicle type and year, by age of driver, as estimated by the Australian Survey of Motor Vehicle Use. Negative binomial regression modelling was applied to estimate annual crash incidence rate ratios for male drivers in various age groups.ResultsA total of 26,146 crashes occurred in New South Wales during 1999–2006, involving a total of 54,191 vehicles; removing observations that did not meet the inclusion criteria, 19,736 observations remained representing 12,501 crashes. For rigid trucks, the incidence rate ratio for drivers aged 65+ years, compared to 45–54 year olds, was 0.74 (95% CI 0.51, 0.98). For articulated trucks, the annual crash incidence rate ratio for drivers aged 65+ years compared to 45–54 year olds was 1.4 (95% CI 0.96, 1.9), and that for drivers aged 55–64 years compared to 45–54 year olds was 1.1 (95% CI 0.83, 1.3).ConclusionsOlder male professional drivers of heavy goods vehicles have lower risk of crashes in rigid vehicles, possibly due to accrued driving experience and self-selection of healthy individuals remaining in the workforce. Thus, encouraging these drivers to remain in the workforce is appropriate in the climate of labour shortages, as this study provides evidence that to do so would not endanger road safety.     

路段环境交通容量优化模型与算法研究

在分析路段环境交通容量主要影响因素的基础上,探讨了路段的污染控制约束条件,以及通行能力约束条件,建立了通行能力和污染控制约束的环境交通容量优化模型,构建了基于增广拉格朗日松弛和辅助问题原则法的模型求解算法.实例结果表明,构建的算法能够快速有效地求解这类环境交通容量优化模型.     

Effect of road width and traffic volume on vehicular interactions in heterogeneous traffic

Highway traffic flow phenomena involve several complex and stochastic variables with high interdependencies. The variations in roadway, traffic and environmental factors influence the traffic flow quality significantly. Capacity analysis of road sections under different traffic and geometric conditions need to quantify the vehicles of widely varying characteristics to a common and universally acceptable unit. Passenger car unit (PCU) is the universally adopted unit of traffic volume, keeping the passenger car as the ‘standard vehicle’ with reference to its static and dynamic characteristics; other vehicles are expressed to its equivalent number in terms of PCUs. The studies carried out in this aspect represent the dynamic nature of impedance caused by a vehicle while moving through a traffic stream. The PCU values recommended by the Highway Capacity Manual are widely applied in many countries; however, their applicability is highly under debate because of the variations in prevailing local traffic conditions. There are several factors that influence the PCU values such as traffic, roadway, vehicle, environmental and control conditions, etc. Apart from vehicular characteristics, the other two major factors that influence the PCU of vehicles are the following: (i) road width and (ii) traffic volume. In this study, estimation of PCU values for the different types of vehicles of a highly heterogeneous traffic on 7.5‐ and 11.0‐m‐wide roads, using micro‐simulation technique, has been dealt with. It has been found that the PCU value of a vehicle type varies significantly with variation in road width and traffic volume. The results of the study indicate that the PCU values are significantly influenced by the said two factors. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.