Recursive estimation of average vehicle time headway using single inductive loop detector data

Vehicle time headway is an important traffic parameter. It affects roadway safety, capacity, and level of service. Single inductive loop detectors are widely deployed in road networks, supplying a wealth of information on the current status of traffic flow. In this paper, we perform Bayesian analysis to online estimate average vehicle time headway using the data collected from a single inductive loop detector. We consider three different scenarios, i.e. light, congested, and disturbed traffic conditions, and have developed a set of unified recursive estimation equations that can be applied to all three scenarios. The computational overhead of updating the estimate is kept to a minimum. The developed recursive method provides an efficient way for the online monitoring of roadway safety and level of service. The method is illustrated using a simulation study and real traffic data.     

A stochastic model of traffic flow: Theoretical foundations

In a variety of applications of traffic flow, including traffic simulation, real-time estimation and prediction, one requires a probabilistic model of traffic flow. The usual approach to constructing such models involves the addition of random noise terms to deterministic equations, which could lead to negative traffic densities and mean dynamics that are inconsistent with the original deterministic dynamics. This paper offers a new stochastic model of traffic flow that addresses these issues. The source of randomness in the proposed model is the uncertainty inherent in driver gap choice, which is represented by random state dependent vehicle time headways. A wide range of time headway distributions is allowed. From the random time headways, counting processes are defined, which represent cumulative flows across cell boundaries in a discrete space and continuous time conservation framework. We show that our construction implicitly ensures non-negativity of traffic densities and that the fluid limit of the stochastic model is consistent with cell transmission model (CTM) based deterministic dynamics.     

原油管线在线等质量取样系统设计及实现

为了有效解决原油长输管线反复出现的原油途耗异常问题,通过对原油油种、工艺条件和原油输送方式等的分析,设计了等质量流量比例采样系统,由该系统实现原油管线在线自动取样.系统投用后,实现了实时对量,及时发现损耗异常情况,有效控制了原油途耗不稳定的问题.采用等质量流量比例采样模式,较好地解决了多油种、边收边付、多种输送方式以及流量范围宽等不利因素影响计量的问题,具有较好的参考和推广价值.     

超声波流量计在输油管道泄漏监测系统中的应用

为提高负压波法管道泄漏监测系统的报警可靠性,有必要将超声波流量信息引入管道泄漏监测系统。为保证管道泄漏监测系统中超声波流量计的应用效果,分析了超声波流量计的测量原理和测量精度影响因素,总结了输油管道超声波流量计在选型设计、现场安装及运行维护等方面的应用经验。开展了基于超声波流量计的管道泄漏监测技术的现场应用测试和结果分析,测试结果表明超声波流量计对提升管道泄漏监测系统报警可靠性具有显著作用。     

Planning and Evaluation of Passenger Ferry Service in Hong Kong

A predominant observation in Hong Kong is the continuous loss in ferry patronage. There are two main reasons for this: poor level-of-service and better competitors. New roads, bridges, and tunnels are serving the buses, and to some extent the railways; whereas the investment in ferry terminals is relatively at a lower level. On the one hand, there is no need to promote the ferries in a free market environment; but on the other hand, the ferries have the best safety record, can only relieve some traffic congestion and need water access that is one of the characteristics of Hong Kong. The goal of this paper is to design a planning approach combined with an evaluation procedure on how to make the best use of the existing water and pier resources in Hong Kong through the provision of commercially viable ferry services. The approach used covers the impact of future developments planning up to 2006 comprising all public transport modes in Hong Kong (heavy rail, metro, bus, and ferry). The planning tool is based on a newly developed multi-objective evaluation method in order to assess the ferry routes with scientific, practical, and simplified analyses for future use. This assessment is applied to the existing ferry routes and candidate routes and can also be carried out on an individual route basis or on a given set of routes. The objective functions set forth analytically in the evaluation method take into account the interests of the three participants: the passengers, the operators and the government. The proposed ferry network design formulation and the suggested new ferry routes will have a positive impact on changing the ferry system’s image in Hong Kong.     

基于壅塞理论的CNG加气管流量计算分析

为了计算CNG加气系统的高压胶管的流量,以气体动力学为基础,建立等截面一维定常绝热摩擦流动的数学模型.利用VC+ +语言编制界面计算程序对模型进行编程求解,对壅塞状态和非壅塞状态下流量以及出口压力进行计算和拟合.当天然气汽车储瓶内的压力小于临界压力时,加气流量最大,且与胶管两端的压差无关,并计算出最大流量与胶管管长的关...     

高压燃气管道储气能力分析

高压燃气管道储气能力与两端压力和管长有着密切的联系.为了得到高压管道的储气量与压力和管长的关系,利用稳态仿真模型,采用四阶龙格-库塔法对模型进行求解,对求出的沿线压力进行线性拟合,得到沿线压力变化公式.结合储气定义推导出储气量与管长的关系式,并得到实例验证.从关系式来看,当管长等于最优管长时储气量最大.     

基于SPSS主成分分析法在公路客运量预测中的应用

分析选取影响公路客运量的主要因素,基于SPSS统计软件对各因素进行主成分分析,将众多相关因素简化为少数不相关因素,消除由于变量过多导致的多重共线性影响,构建了河南省公路客运量预测模型。实例证明,该模型具有较高的精度,能够满足河南省公路客运量预测的需要。     

Real-time freeway traffic state estimation based on extended Kalman filter: Adaptive capabilities and real data testing

This paper reports on real data testing of a real-time freeway traffic state estimator, with a particular focus on its adaptive capabilities. The pursued general approach to the real-time adaptive estimation of complete traffic state in freeway stretches or networks is based on stochastic macroscopic traffic flow modeling and extended Kalman filtering. One major innovative feature of the traffic state estimator is the online joint estimation of important model parameters (free speed, critical density, and capacity) and traffic flow variables (flows, mean speeds, and densities), which leads to three significant advantages of the estimator: (1) avoidance of prior model calibration; (2) automatic adaptation to changing external conditions (e.g. weather and lighting conditions, traffic composition, control measures); (3) enabling of incident alarms. These three advantages are demonstrated via suitable real data testing. The achieved testing results are satisfactory and promising for subsequent applications.     

Introduction: Habitual travel choice

In this introduction to the special issue on habitual travel choice, we provide a brief account of the role of habit in travel behaviour, discuss more generally what habitual choice is, and briefly review the issues addressed in the solicited papers. These issues include how habitual travel behaviour should be measured, how to model the learning process that makes travel choice habitual, and how to break and replace car-use habits.