拉格朗日松弛启发式算法求解时空网络下的弧路径问题

为减少车辆调度成本,优化车辆运输路径,在时空网络中研究路段作业车辆的弧路径问题;考虑道路出行的时变性,利用车辆运行的时间、空间特征,构建时间-空间网络,建立弧路径问题的时空网络流模型;设计了拉格朗日松弛启发式算法,引入拉格朗日乘子松弛耦合约束,构建拉格朗日松弛问题;进一步通过拉格朗日分解,把松弛问题分解为单车最短路问题;用次梯度算法更新乘子,求解拉格朗日对偶问题,并更新原问题最优解的下界;使用启发式算法获得可行解,并更新原问题最优解的上界;用六结点运输网络和Sioux-Falls网络下的算例对算法进行实证分析。计算结果表明：六结点运输网络中6个算例的上下界间隙值等于0或接近0,Sioux-Falls网络中算例2的间隙值为0.02%,其余5个算例的间隙值等于0,均可以得到质量较高的近似最优解;在最复杂的算例(15辆车,70个任务)中,算法在可接受的时间内也得到了间隙值为0的解,找出了最优的车辆路径;随着迭代次数的增加,拉格朗日乘子会逐步收敛到固定值;当车辆容量从50增加到100时,最优解从52下降到42,说明在任务数和车辆数一定时,适当增加车容量可以降低运营成本。可见,与商业求解器相比,拉格朗日松弛启发式算法的间隙值更小,求解质量更高,可以更有效地求解弧路径问题。     

中国公路货运枢纽规模分布的分形特征

为了定量描述中国公路货运枢纽体系结构现状, 将公路货运量作为货运枢纽的规模参数, 推导了分维数的计算公式, 选取1997~2007年的货运量统计数据, 计算了200个公路货运枢纽规模分布的分维数。数据拟合发现: 1997~1999年公路货运枢纽的规模分布具有双分形特征, 2000~2007年的规模分布呈单分形结构, 且分维数介于1.464 6~1.570 1间, 公路货运枢纽体系的规模分布与城镇体系基本一致。分析结果表明: 中国公路货运枢纽体系规模分布从双分形到单分形的演化显示其发育较好, 需加强大型公路货运枢纽建设, 以进一步优化公路货运枢纽体系结构。     

A hybrid optimization-simulation approach for robust weekly aircraft routing and retiming

We address the robust weekly aircraft routing and retiming problem, which requires determining weekly schedules for a heterogeneous fleet that maximizes the aircraft on-time performance, minimizes the total delay, and minimizes the number of delayed passengers. The fleet is required to serve a set of flights having known departure time windows while satisfying maintenance constraints. All flights are subject to random delays that may propagate through the network. We propose to solve this problem using a hybrid optimization-simulation approach based on a novel mixed-integer nonlinear programming model for the robust weekly aircraft maintenance routing problem. For this model, we provide an equivalent mixed-integer linear programming formulation that can be solved using a commercial solver. Furthermore, we describe a Monte-Carlo-based procedure for sequentially adjusting the flight departure times. We perform an extensive computational study using instances obtained from a major international airline, having up to 3387 flights and 164 aircraft, which demonstrates the efficacy of the proposed approach. Using the simulation software SimAir to assess the robustness of the solutions produced by our approach in comparison with that for the original solutions implemented by the airline, we found that on-time performance was improved by 9.8–16.0%, cumulative delay was reduced by 25.4–33.1%, and the number of delayed passengers was reduced by 8.2–51.6%.     

A planning tool for evaluating vehicles miles travelled and traffic safety forecasts of growth management scenarios: A case study of Baton Rouge and New Orleans

This study describes an adaptable planning tool that examines potential change in vehicle miles travelled (VMT) growth and corresponding traffic safety outcomes in two urbanized areas, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, based on built environment, economic and demographic variables. This model is employed to demonstrate one aspect of the potential benefits of growth management policy implementation aimed at curbing VMT growth, and to establish targets with which to measure the effectiveness of those policies through a forecasting approach. The primary objective of this research is to demonstrate the need to break with current trends in order to achieve future goals, and to identify specific policy targets for fuel prices, population density, and transit service within the two study regions. Models indicate based on medium growth scenarios, Baton Rouge will experience a 9 percent increase in VMTs and New Orleans will experience 10 percent growth. This translates to corresponding increases in crashes, injuries and fatalities. The paper provides forecasts for planners and engineers to consider an alternative future, based on desired goals to reduce VMTs and therefore improve safety outcomes. A constrained-forecast model shows a cap on VMTs and crash rates is achievable through policy that increases fuel prices, population density and annual transit passenger miles per capita at reasonable levels through a growth management approach.     

Analysis of telecommuting behavior and impacts on travel demand and the environment

The discussion of whether, and to what extent, telecommuting can curb congestion in urban areas has spanned more than three decades. This study develops an integrated framework to provide the empirical evidence of the potential impacts of home-based telecommuting on travel behavior, network congestion, and air quality. In the first step, we estimate a telecommuting adoption model using a zero-inflated hierarchical ordered probit model to determine the factors associated with workers’ propensity to adopt telecommuting. Second, we implement the estimated model in the POLARIS activity-based framework to simulate the potential changes in workers’ activity-travel patterns and network congestion. Third, the MOVES mobile source emission simulator and Autonomie vehicle energy simulator are used to estimate the potential changes in vehicular emissions and fuel use in the network as a result of this policy. Different policy adoption scenarios are then tested in the proposed integrated platform. We found that compared to the current baseline situation where almost 12% of workers in Chicago region have flexible working time schedule, in the case when 50% of workers have flexible working time, telecommuting can reduce total daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and vehicle hours traveled (VHT) up to 0.69% and 2.09%, respectively. Considering the same comparison settings, this policy has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas and particulate matter emissions by up to 0.71% and 1.14%, respectively. In summary, our results endorse the fact that telecommuting policy has the potential to reduce network congestion and vehicular emissions specifically during rush hours.     

A combined assessment of air and noise pollution on the High Line,New York City

The High Line is an elevated public park in New York City, transformed from an unused freight rail line. Pedestrians walking through Manhattan’s West Side can walk either on the High Line or on a footpath below. Using Manhattan as a laboratory, this paper offers a combined assessment of noise and particulate matter pollution for its pedestrians. Noise and PM_2.5 levels were recorded simultaneously for two cases (i) pedestrians walking on a footpath alongside road traffic and (ii) pedestrians walking on the elevated High Line. Testing took places over three days in autumn 2014. Results were analysed to investigate if pedestrians using the High Line would have a lower pollution exposure to those using the footpath below. Results showed statistically significant differences between the upper and lower levels in exposure to both pollution types. In order to quantify the overall impact, results are expressed through a combined air–noise pollution index. This index indicates that the average reduction in PM_2.5 and noise pollution along the High Line compared to the footpath below is approximately 37%.     

Prioritizing new bicycle facilities to improve low-stress network connectivity

This paper introduces a new method to prioritize bicycle improvement projects based on accessibility to important destinations, such as grocery stores, banks, and restaurants. Central to the method is a new way to classify “bicycling stress” using marginal rates of substitution which are commonly developed through empirical behavioral research on bicyclist route choice. MRS values are input parameters representing bicycling stress associated with the number of lanes and speed limit of a street. The method was programmed as a geographic information system tool and requires commonly available data. The tool is demonstrated on three improvement scenarios that were recently proposed for Seattle, Washington. The full build-out scenario consists of 771 projects that include various new bike lanes, protected bike lanes, and multi-use trails. The tool produces priority rankings based on a project’s ability to improve low-stress connectivity between homes and important destinations. The analysis identifies specific areas and neighborhoods that can be expected to exhibit better bikeability. Transportation planners can use the tool to help communicate anticipated project impacts to decision-makers and the public.     

Managing corporate social responsibility strategies of airports: The case of Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport Corporation

Airports need to manage corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies for sustainable development. This paper develops a new structured approach for airports to evaluate, prioritize and categorize CSR strategies, using Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport Corporation (TIAC) as an example. Based on TIAC’s CSR-related activities, 18 CSR strategies grouped into 5 CSR goals (corporate governance and finance, green airport and environmental management, service quality and social relationship, employee and work environment management, and safety and security) are identified using the CSR value chain and diamond framework. The pairwise comparison method used in analytic hierarchy process and the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method are used respectively to evaluate the relative importance, feasibility and achievability of these 18 strategies and to analyze their causal relationships via expert questionnaire surveys. A new method is developed to plan and manage the implementation of CSR strategies by incorporating the viewpoints of both internal and external stakeholders, thus reflecting the practical effects and strategic implications of the CSR implementation. The result suggests that TIAC’s CSR strategies in relation to airport safety and security, service quality and corporate governance are most significant and have a high implementation priority. This paper contributes to the airport industry and CSR research by proposing a proactive mechanism for quantitatively evaluating, prioritizing and categorizing CSR strategies.     

LNG燃料的船对船(STS)加注技术研究

  目的  液化天然气（LNG）作为船舶燃料已成为一种趋势,在此背景下,LNG加注船也逐渐发展起来,其可以弥补港口LNG加注能效的不足。LNG加注船液舱设计的成败直接影响船舶性能、经济性及安全性。  方法  对C型舱进行参数化建模,并以双体舱为例,结合LNG加注船的特点和功能,建立一套由4个指标组成的C型舱评价体系。以此为基础,采用层次分析法和模糊理论,获得指标的权重,构建以C型舱尺寸形状为优化目标的函数,计算得到C型舱的优化解。以一艘LNG加注船为优化算例,将优化尺寸与实船C型舱尺寸对比。  结果  结果显示,优化程度为正值,约0.53%,即优化尺寸的综合评价更佳。  结论  实例证明了将评价体系引入优化设计的方法可行,此方法可在方案设计阶段快速准确得到C型舱尺寸和形状,节省设计成本,提高设计效率。     

应急设施鲁棒优化选址模型及算法

为解决不确定情况下应急设施选址问题, 采用鲁棒优化方法处理应急节点权重的区间估计, 基于最优的设施选址到各个应急节点的赋权距离之和最小, 建立有限期要求的不确定性应急设施选址模型, 并给出了模型的求解算法, 比较分析了鲁棒解与确定情况下的最优解。分析结果表明: 当情况发生变化后, 在确定情况下得到的最优解将发生较大的偏差, 而在所有可能发生的情况下, 鲁棒解与最优解目标函数值的最大偏差最小, 因此, 不确定性应急设施选址模型的解可以有效规避风险。