The price of uncertainty in pavement infrastructure management planning: An integer programming approach

Currently there is a true dichotomy in the pavement maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) literature. On the one hand, there are integer programming-based models that assume that parameters are deterministically known. On the other extreme, there are stochastic models, with the most popular class being based on the theory of Markov decision processes that are able to account for various sources of uncertainties observed in the real-world. In this paper, we present an integer programming-based alternative to account for these uncertainties. A critical feature of the proposed models is that they provide – a priori – probabilistic guarantees that the prescribed M&R decisions would result in pavement condition scores that are above their critical service levels, using minimal assumptions regarding the sources of uncertainty. By construction of the models, we can easily determine the additional budget requirements when additional sources of uncertainty are considered, starting from a fully deterministic model. We have coined this additional budget requirement the price of uncertainty to distinguish from previous related work where additional budget requirements were studied due to parameter uncertainties in stochastic models. A numerical case study presents valuable insights into the price of uncertainty and shows that it can be large.     

Storage space allocation in container terminals

Container terminals are essential intermodal interfaces in the global transportation network. Efficient container handling at terminals is important in reducing transportation costs and keeping shipping schedules. In this paper, we study the storage space allocation problem in the storage yards of terminals. This problem is related to all the resources in terminal operations, including quay cranes, yard cranes, storage space, and internal trucks. We solve the problem using a rolling-horizon approach. For each planning horizon, the problem is decomposed into two levels and each level is formulated as a mathematical programming model. At the first level, the total number of containers to be placed in each storage block in each time period of the planning horizon is set to balance two types of workloads among blocks. The second level determines the number of containers associated with each vessel that constitutes the total number of containers in each block in each period, in order to minimize the total distance to transport the containers between their storage blocks and the vessel berthing locations. Numerical runs show that with short computation time the method significantly reduces the workload imbalance in the yard, avoiding possible bottlenecks in terminal operations.     

Scheduling of Intelligent and Autonomous Vehicles under pairing/unpairing collaboration strategy in container terminals

A new class of Intelligent and Autonomous Vehicles (IAVs) has been designed in the framework of Intelligent Transportation for Dynamic Environment (InTraDE) project funded by European Union. This type of vehicles is technologically superior to the existing Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), in many respects. They offer more flexibility and intelligence in maneuvering within confined spaces where the logistic operations take place. This includes the ability of pairing/unpairing enabling a pair of 1-TEU (20-foot Equivalent Unit) IAVs dynamically to join, transport containers of any size between 1-TEU and 1-FFE (40-foot Equivalent) and disjoin again. Deploying IAVs helps port operators to remain efficient in coping with the ever increasing volume of container traffic at ports and eliminate the need for deploying more 40-ft transporters in the very confined area of ports. In order to accommodate this new feature of IAVs, we review and extend one of the existing mixed integer programming models of AGV scheduling in order to minimize the makespan of operations for transporting a set of containers of different sizes between quay cranes and yard cranes. In particular, we study the case of Dublin Ferryport Terminal. In order to deal with the complexity of the scheduling model, we develop a Lagrangian relaxation-based decomposition approach equipped with a variable fixing procedure and a primal heuristics to obtain high-quality solution of instances of the problem.     

Energy savings in transport

A decade of increasing Federal attention to urban transportation needs has culminated in the 1970 Urban Mass Transportation Assistance Act. This Act is intended to provide 10 thousand million dollars over the next 12 years in Federal assistance money to urban public transportation systems. This paper examines the needs of selected U.S. cities as a basis for (1) understanding the vast, various and complex transportation needs of urban areas throughout the country, and (2) assessing the sufficiency of these funds. The sample cities have been placed into three broad categories based on the state of development of their transportation systems. In Category I cities, the essential need is to ensure the survival of bus systems for the use of non‐drivers, or to provide some other viable alternative to the automobile; in Category II cities, the primary needs are to relieve auto congestion and to improve public transportation components, while in Category III cities, the primary need is massive investment to improve and to extend public transportation facilities. It is concluded that the presently intended Federal funding level for transportation will not meet the financial requirements of the Category III cities.     

National road mortality reduction targets under European Union road safety policy: 2011–2020

The European Union (EU) has proposed renewing the target for halving the number of road fatalities in the period 2011–2020. In this paper, a nonlinear distribution method for dynamic fatality reduction targets is applied for the purpose of finding individual national mortality reduction targets for each of the 27 member countries in the EU. Weighting is undertaken for four scenarios based on the following indicators: road mortality rates, fatality rates, fatality risks, and fatality density. Results are presented for four proposals to reduce the number of fatalities in each Member State, based on the original situation of the indicators considered in the study. The results seek to provide policy-makers with a broader vision with regard to the achievement of the goals of EU road safety policy.     

Women’s mode and trip structure choices in daily activity-travel: a developing country perspective

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we analyze the travel patterns of Iranian women, where typical patriarchal views and specific social and cultural norms may differ from the patterns of those in western societies. In addition to inherent psycho-physical gender differences, women in Iran can face special constraints forcing them not to be involved in all activity-travel patterns that people in developed countries usually undertake. We pay special attention to the role of marital and employment status on women’s activity-travel patterns. To this end, we develop a joint mode and daily activity pattern (DAP) discrete choice model, which is a two-level mixed nested Logit. The upper nest of the proposed model embodies women’s DAP choices, and the lower nest belongs to the mode choices. In this paper, we try to show how different factors in a patriarchal Muslim society like Iran affect or restrict women’s type and structure of activity-travel patterns.     

混输原油管道优化运行技术研究

针对长吉输油管线采用混合输送方式输送俄罗斯原油和大庆原油及该管线的工程实际,以总运行费用最小为原则,以各站进站温度和开泵方案为决策变量,建立了该管线优化运行的数学模型,采用穷举法穷举出各种可能的开泵方案作为外层嵌套,将进站温度的优化作为内层嵌套求解该模型。通过某天实际运行方案和优化运行方案对比可以看出,优化运行方案总费用降低7%。     

基于非线性扰动观测的商用车ESC自适应滑模控制研究

针对商用车ESC控制中,实际车辆存在各种扰动,难以建立精确的车辆模型,传统滑模控制存在较大抖振等问题,本文中提出基于非线性扰动观测(NDOB)的自适应滑模控制(ADSMC)算法。首先,利用非线性扰动观测器对车辆建模的扰动项进行估计;然后,采用径向基神经网络对滑模控制器的关键参数进行自适应调节,以简化参数调节过程、减小滑模抖振、提高控制精度;最后,在TruckSim中建立车辆模型,在MATLAB中建立控制策略模型,在电控气压硬件在环试验台上,对控制算法进行试验验证。试验结果表明,NDOB-ADSMC算法的ESC控制效果良好,能够满足车辆ESC控制需求。     

浅谈SMW工法在顶管工程中的应用

本文结合上海浦东油管路及凌桥地区排水干管工程中的顶管工程实际 ,介绍了SMW工法在顶管工程中的应用。采用了SMW工法作顶管工作井与常规钢筋混凝土沉井比较 ,工期可以缩短 1/3左右。由于插入的型钢可回收 ,相对于钢筋混凝土沉井其造价较低     

新形势下大城市自行车规划方法探讨——以马鞍山市为例

在探究现状自行车交通问题的本质和分析自行车发展环境的基础之上,归纳总结了自行车交通系统规划的框架体系;提出了自行车路网规划中的分块化和分类化规划的思路;探讨了交通系统规划中的路网指标和自行车道路的主要技术指标;并以马鞍山市为例进行了应用研究。