Hitting the sweet spot: Variability in commute lengths and vehicle emissions across a diverse state

In this paper we consider travel across Virginia and identify sustainability “sweet spots” where commute lengths and vehicle emissions per mile combine to maximize green travel in terms of total CO₂ emissions associated with commuting. The analysis is conducted across local voter precincts (N = 2373 in the state) because they are a useful proxy for neighborhoods and well-sized for implementing policy designed to encourage sustainable travel behavior. Virginia is especially appropriate for an examination of variability in sustainable travel behavior and technologies because the state’s transportation, demographic, and political patterns are particularly diverse and have been changing rapidly. We identify four Virginia precinct-based sustainability clusters: Sweet Spots, Emerging Sweet Spots, Neutral and Non-sustaining. A model of demographic differences among the clusters shows that sustainability outcomes, understood in terms of both local commute behavior and vehicle emissions, are significantly associated with the diverse demography and politics of the state. We also look at changes in transportation sustainability and socio-demographic trends within the clusters over the past half-decade, showing that differences in sustainability and demographic metrics are actually accelerating within the state over time. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of the differences among the clusters for developing and implementing effective transportation sustainability policies across the state.     

Formal scientific research of traffic collision data utilizing GIS

This paper explores the tenuous link between speeding behavior and accident causation, one that has not been well established in the international literature to date. Taking advantage of established engineering conventions and formulae, we were able to set up an a priori hypothesis suitable for testing. Utilizing this formal scientific method (which GIS researchers have been criticised for not using) we establish a statistical link for this relationship. Our methodology can be used to support all police intervention strategies, including the controversial photo radar systems. The results from our research have been entered into a GIS in order to create a map for spatial display. This map illustrates the relative probability or risk of collision occurrence resulting from speeding at all intersections and interchanges within the scope of the study. It is suggested that this methodology could easily be maintained with periodic updates of data, thus creating a dynamic model from which to monitor traffic safety within the city. Furthermore, this model can be utilized to study specific strategies, allowing for the scrutiny of before, during and after effects. The study area is the entire city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and includes all traffic collisions occurring during the year of 1994.     

Do cooperative systems make drivers’ car-following behavior safer?

The main goal of in-vehicle technologies and co-operative services is to reduce congestion and increase traffic safety. This is achieved by alerting drivers on risky traffic conditions ahead of them and by exchanging traffic and safety related information for the particular road segment with nearby vehicles. Road capacity, level of service, safety, and air pollution are impacted to a large extent by car-following behavior of drivers. Car-following behavior is an essential component of micro-simulation models. This paper investigates the impact of an infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) co-operative system on drivers’ car-following behavior. Test drivers in this experiment drove an instrumented vehicle with and without the system. Collected trajectory data of the subject vehicle and the vehicle in front, as well as socio-demographic characteristics of the test drivers were used to estimate car-following models capturing their driving behavior with and without the I2V system. The results show that the co-operative system harmonized the behavior of drivers and reduced the range of acceleration and deceleration differences among them. The observed impact of the system was largest on the older group of drivers.     

水中悬浮隧道交通荷载模拟方法研究

为研究水中悬浮隧道交通荷载的合理模拟方法以及交通荷载对隧道结构的影响,借鉴铁路、公路交通荷载的模拟方法,综合考虑车辆轮载、路面不平度、行车速度以及外部激励荷载等影响因素的共同作用,提出水中悬浮隧道交通荷载的模拟表达式。通过数值模拟计算,分析悬浮隧道交通荷载的变化特征,并研究不同交通荷载模拟方法对悬浮隧道结构振动位移响应的影响。结果表明:文章提出的交通荷载模拟方法计算结果符合移动振动荷载的波动性和周期性特征。在对结构振动位移响应影响方面,固定均布荷载相当于静载,移动集中荷载和移动振动荷载时的位移变化幅值相对固定均布荷载时的大且影响相似,但移动振动荷载时的振幅稍大,体现了交通荷载中动荷载部分对结构振动位移响应的影响,更适合用来模拟悬浮隧道中的交通荷载。     

5-羟色胺转运体基因多态性和抑郁症的发病、性别、严重程度及自杀行为的相关性

目的探讨中国汉族人群5-羟色胺转运体启动区(5-HTTLPR)基因多态性和抑郁症的发病、性别、严重程度及自杀是否相关。方法应用聚合酶链式反应(PCR)扩增技术测定150例抑郁症患者和150例正常对照者的5-HT-TLPR基因型和等位基因,分别验证各种基因型与中、重度抑郁症发病、性别及自杀行为的相关性。结果病例组SS、LS基因型及S等位基因频率均高于对照组(26.0% vs.20.0%;52.7% vs.46.0%;52.3% vs.43.0%;P均<0.05);两组性别分层比较,女性S等位基因频率高于对照组(55.3% vs.43.6%,P<0.05);病例组严重程度分层比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);病例组有无自杀行为分层比较,有自杀行为患者SS基因型频率(37.3% vs.20.2%)及S等位基因频率(61.8% vs.47.5%)均高于无自杀行为患者(P<0.05);抑郁自杀组性别分层比较未显示显著性差异(P>0.05);抑郁自杀组病情程度分层比较,重度抑郁自杀者SS基因型频率(42.5% vs.18.2%)及S等位基因频率(68.7% vs.36.4%)均高于中度抑郁自杀者(P<0.05)。结论在中国汉族人群中,5-HTTLPR多态性和抑郁症相关。S等位基因可能是抑郁症的易感基因,特别是女性,SS型可能是抑郁症易感基因型;S等位基因可能是抑郁症患者自杀的危险基因,SS基因型人群可能是抑郁症患者自杀的危险人群,特别是携带S等位基因的重度抑郁症患者更易自杀。     

Singular perturbation composite control of a free-floating flexible dual-arm space robot

The Free-floating Flexible Dual-arm Space Robot is a highly nonlinear and coupled dynamics system. In this paper, the dynamic model is derived of a Free-floating Flexible Dual-arm Space Robot holding a rigid payload. Furthermore, according to the singular perturbation method, the system is separated into a slow subsystem representing rigid body motion of the robot and a fast subsystem representing the flexible link dynamics. For the slow subsystem, based on the second method of Lyapunov, using simple quantitative bounds on the model uncertainties, a robust tracking controller design is used during the trajectory tracking phase. The optimal control method is designed in the fast subsystem to guarantee the exponential stability. With the combination of the two above, the system can track the expected trajectory accurately, even though with uncertainty in model parameters, and its flexible vibration gets suppressed, too. Finally, some simulation tests have been conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods.     

油底壳有限元模态分析及实验验证

以EQ491型发动机油底壳为研究对象,通过有限元法得到了油底壳模型的固有频率和振型,运用模态实验技术,验证了有限元模型的合理性。在原始有限元模型的基础上,对油底壳模型进行约束模态分析,验证了油底壳结构的合理性,即油底壳固有频率远大于发动机机体激振频率。     

公路隧道下穿饮用水水池的爆破控制

本项目是新建隧道下穿原有饮用水水池,因直线距离较小、且水池安全要求较高,无法使用传统爆破开挖,为保证水池正常使用,施工时严格控制同一段雷管起爆装药量,使爆破振动速度降低到安全范围内,并对爆破震动速度进行监测,确保在水池附近的振动处于可控。     

高速公路直线路段突起路标间隔设置方法

基于驾驶人的视觉惰性、视觉警示频率和感觉特性,分析了突起路标的视觉警示作用,确定了突起路标的闪现频率,计算与修正了突起路标的初始间隔。应用ADAMS/Car仿真软件模块,建立了道路、车辆和突起路标模型,将车型设置为大型车和小型车,大型车的车速设置为60、80、100km·h-1,小型车的车速设置为80、100、120km·h-1,大型车和小型车的方向盘转角均设置为1°、3°、5°。分别对提出的12m间隔与现行规范推荐的15m间隔各进行243次仿真,分析振动警示效果。仿真结果表明:在12m间隔下,平均碾压率为93.1%,小型车和大型车对应的平均警示率分别为41.7%和5.6%;在15m间隔下,平均碾压率为93.7%,小型车和大型车对应的平均警示率分别为33.3%和28.9%;12、15m间隔对小型车都具有较好的振动警示效果,15m间隔对大型车的振动警示效果更好。当高速公路夜间交通流较大或需要加大交通设施的夜间安全效果时,可选12m间隔提供良好的视觉连续性和视觉警示效果;考虑施工维护的方便性和经济性或者大型车比例较大时,可选择15m间隔。     

冰区航行船舶电力推进轴系机电耦合的扭振分析

通过螺旋桨桨叶与冰块的相互作用过程,建立单冰块对螺旋桨扭转振动的激励函数;同时建立机电耦合振动数学模型,推导得到机电耦联动力学方程,研究电机电磁激励力对扭转振动的影响。以3500吨科考船电力推进轴系为研究对象,基于冰载荷激励力和电磁激励力对轴系扭转振动进行分析,为复杂的船舶电力推进轴系在冰区航行时的振动研究奠定了基础。