Consumers’ willingness to pay for alternative fuel vehicles: A comparative discrete choice analysis between the US and Japan

This paper conducts a comparative discrete choice analysis to estimate consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) on the basis of the same stated preference survey carried out in the US and Japan in 2012. We also carry out a comparative analysis across four US states. We find that on average US consumers are more sensitive to fuel cost reductions and alternative fuel station availability than are Japanese consumers. With regard to the comparative analysis across the four US states, consumers’ WTP for a fuel cost reduction in California is considerably greater than in the other three states. We use the estimates obtained in the discrete choice analysis to examine the EV/PHEV market shares under several scenarios. In a base case scenario with relatively realistic attribute levels, conventional gasoline vehicles still dominate both in the US and Japan. However, in an innovation scenario with a significant purchase price reduction, we observe a high penetration of alternative fuel vehicles both in the US and Japan. We illustrate the potential use of a discrete choice analysis for forward-looking policy analysis, with the future opportunity to compare its predictions against actual revealed choices. In this case, increased purchase price subsidies are likely to have a significant impact on the market shares of alternative fuel vehicles.     

Island Villagers’ Willingness to Work or Pay for Sustainability of a Marine Fishery Reserve: Case of San Miguel Island,Philippines

Establishment of marine reserves or marine protected areas (MPAs) has emerged as a major coastal resource management tool in the Philippines. A major sustainability constraint is the enforcement of MPA and fisheries regulations. We contribute to the literature of using stated preference methods to investigate the local residents’ willingness to work (WTW) and willingness to pay (WTP) for the continued existence of the San Miguel Island (SMI) fishery reserve in Bicol Region, Philippines. We surveyed 435 respondents in three villages. The lower-bound mean WTW is 3.5 days/mo for residents in the “owner” village and 1.9 days/mo for residents in adjacent villages. Using a fraction of mean daily income to impute the monetary equivalent of WTW, the result is more than 3 times higher than the Php16 to 25/mo (US$0.34 to 0.75/mo) estimated mean WTP. We hypothesize that labor market in this rural village is incomplete so residents have stronger preference for money than for time. However, further investigation on the opportunity cost of time and understanding the labor market is warranted when using WTW in a valuation framework. Some policy implications are: (1) considering use of voluntary labor as management option for MPAs and (2) establishing “own village” MPAs may increase residents’ conservation value.     

邻近营业线隧道小净距控制爆破施工技术

重庆枢纽北左、北右联络线隧道与既有蔡东联络线双碑隧道水平最小净距只有7 m,设计采用控制爆破施工,要求既有隧道爆破振速不大于5 cm/s,施工难度极大。为减少施工对既有隧道的影响,通过试爆获得振动衰减规律,验证开挖方式的可行性,利用试爆结果,完善了最终的爆破方案,并在正式施工中得到了成功应用,保证了重庆枢纽联络线隧道开挖工程的安全高效完成。     

我国公路隧道科学养护管理的思考

论述我国公路隧道建设的规模、技术难度、设计理念及养护管理发展现状,指出我国公路隧道建设技术和理论水平发展迅速,已逐渐步入“绿色建设期”,但距离科学养护管理仍然差距较大,存在“建管养”分离、检测养护难度大、基础数据混乱、评定系统不完善和维修加固体系不完善等挑战。针对以上挑战,从3个方面进行了探讨： 1) 引入全寿命周期建设理念,论述了全寿命周期成本、养护便利化和标准化施工等理念对于隧道“建管养”的重要意义; 2) 建立隧道建养信息化系统,通过大数据平台及BIM信息技术,为隧道建立信息档案; 3) 完善养护技术体系,对现有隧道检测、维修加固技术手段进行梳理,总结一套隧道检查、管养技术体系。以期为公路隧道科学养护管理的发展提供新的思路和建议。     

MMAS in Belize

This article is part of a special issue that provides insight into global conservation science by analyzing a 5-year, $12.5 million global marine conservation science and policy program. In this article, we summarize the development of the program in Belize, which concentrated its effort in the southern portion of the country. The marine managed areas that developed in Belize took a variety of different forms, and involved a number of different government and private sector agencies and organizations.     

MMAS in Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape

This article is part of a special issue that provides insight into global conservation science by analyzing a 5-year, $12.5 million global marine conservation science and policy program. In this article, we summarize the development of the program in Coiba Island in the Gulf of Chiriquí Panama, and the Galapagos islands of Ecuador, both part of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape. In Panama, the history of Coiba island as a federal penal colony shaped the process and outcome of the program. In the Galapagos, the unique science history of the islands and subsequent international recognition influenced the outcomes of regional marine managed areas.     

库卡机器人回原点故障排除

随着科学技术发展和我国企业经济实力壮大,国内许多企业因产品质量和成本控制需要,机器人在工业生产中应用越来越多,机器人操作、维修技术知识学习交流日益显得重要,现以工作中几个故障问题排除方法和思路与同行探讨交流,共同提高此类设备使用维修技术。     

北京地铁14号线高家园站-望京站区间单洞双线盾构临近穿越群桩的响应与防护

为减小盾构隧道施工对邻近群桩基础的影响,对10 m内径盾构穿越的机场快轨群桩响应进行数值模拟,分析盾构法隧道施工引起的群桩变形及内力变化情况。结果表明,开挖后桩身发生弯曲变形,桩身内力发生明显变化,前桩具有隔断作用,隧道施工对群桩中后桩的影响较小。群桩邻近盾构时采用复合锚杆桩作为隔断桩,复合锚杆桩加固桩侧土体的同时,可采用多排组合形成较大隔离刚度,套管施工可有效控制施工期间的环境影响。     

郑州市下穿中州大道超大断面矩形隧道顶管姿态控制技术

郑州市下穿中州大道矩形顶管隧道工程具有断面超大、覆土浅、4条隧道平行布置、净间距小等特点。为有效控制顶管掘进姿态,全方位介绍了顶管姿态控制、纠偏措施,并对铰接纠偏、双螺旋机出土、六刀盘操控、注浆纠偏、小间距推进控制等关键控制技术进行了详细阐述。实践表明,超大断面矩形顶管在浅覆土、小间距、多次扰动的情况下,采取铰接纠偏、双螺旋机出土、六刀盘操控、注浆纠偏等技术可有效控制顶管姿态。     

公路软土地基加筋法研究

为处理淤泥质土、淤泥路基,介绍了加筋法加固软土路基的加固原理、方法、加筋法施工技术和质量控制。加筋法处理软土路基可以提高路基的承载力并解决路基的沉降和稳定问题,使道路在使用期间不致产生不利的沉降和沉降差。