Optimal bus fleet management strategy for emissions reduction

Transportation is a major cause for environmental degradation via exhaust emissions. For many transit-oriented metropolitan areas, bus trips often constitute a sizeable mode share. Managing the bus fleet, in particular updating buses to comply with the newer emissions standards, therefore, can have a substantial impact on transportation-induced air quality. This paper presents the approach of remaining life additional benefit–cost (RLABC) analysis for maximising the total net benefit by either early-retiring or retrofitting the current bus fleet within their lifespans. By referring to the net benefits for different bus types estimated by RLABC analysis, the most beneficial management scheme for the current bus fleet can be identified. Optimal bus fleet management (BFM) models based on the RLABC analysis for the operator and the government are developed. Then a government subsidy plan is produced to achieve win–win solutions, which will offer efficient and flexible management schemes. To illustrate the approach, the largest bus company in Hong Kong, which carries more than 23% of the total trips in Hong Kong, is taken as a case study example. Instead of adopting a fixed retirement plan, such as replacing buses at the age of 17 as is currently practised, the proposed method develops an optimal BFM scheme that progressively phases out buses or retrofits them. This study produces promising results to demonstrate the large benefit of this approach for optimal bus fleet management.     

基于KENTRACK的铁路沥青混凝土底砟层疲劳特性评价

重复动载疲劳损伤是沥青混凝土底砟层的破坏形式之一。本文建立了沥青混凝土底砟层的三维有限元分析模型,分析其在列车荷载作用下的受力变形特性。采用KENTRACK设计方法分析了沥青混凝土底砟层的疲劳寿命。结果表明:沥青混凝土底砟层等厚度替代基床表层的路基结构形式在列车荷载作用下基床表层的竖向动变形和振动加速度明显减小;沥青混凝土底砟层的层底拉应变在10×10^-6~90×10^-6,处于较低水平;沥青混凝土底砟层具有良好的疲劳耐久性,可用于工程实践。     

深海超高压环境模拟容器裂纹评定

深海超高压环境模拟容器用于模拟水下压力环境,其容器壁上承受反复载荷,容易产生疲劳裂纹.疲劳裂纹扩展是影响其断裂的主要因素.本文旨在分析半椭圆裂纹在老化的深海超高压环境模拟容器中的扩展行为,评估容器的安全性,因此对材料20MnMoNb钢的裂纹扩展特性进行了试验研究,首先考虑三角形和梯形加载情况,通过比较两组实验结果,考察了其材料对保载时间的敏感性.采用基于统一的裂纹扩展率模型的三维有限元方法进行了疲劳裂纹扩展计算,并通过CT试样的一组数值和实验结果进行了验证,最后建立了不同初始尺寸、展弦比和倾角的裂纹有限元模型,并根据裂纹在容器内壁的容许深度准则,计算了容器的剩余寿命.其分析结果可为深海超高压环境模拟容器可靠性评估提供参考.     

Traffic and emissions impact of congestion charging in the central Beijing urban area: A simulation analysis

Congestion charging is being considered as a potential measure to address the issue of substantially increased traffic congestion and vehicle emissions in Beijing. This study assessed the impact of congestion charging on traffic and emissions in Beijing using macroscopic traffic simulation and vehicle emissions calculation. Multiple testing scenarios were developed with assumptions in different charging zone sizes, public transit service levels and charging methods. Our analysis results showed that congestion charging in Beijing may increase public transit use by approximately 13%, potentially reduce CO and HC emissions by 60–70%, and reduce NOx emissions by 35–45% within the charging zone. However, congestion charging may also result in increased travel activities and emissions outside of the charging zone and a slight increase in emissions for the entire urban area. The size of charging zone, charging method, and charging rate are key factors that directly influence the impact of congestion charging; improved public transit service needs to be considered as a complementary approach with congestion charging. This study is used by Beijing Transportation Environment and Energy Center (BTEC) as reference to support the development of Beijing’s congestion charging policy and regulation.     

Walking accessibility and property prices

Walking is an imperative travel mode, especially for short trips. Walking accessibility, which is defined as the ease of reaching essential destinations in the walk-in catchment area, may affect property prices because residents are more likely to be willing to pay for this attribute. In addition, different categories of public services may have varied influencing directions and magnitude. These two hypotheses are tested in this study. Taking Xiamen, China as a case study, we estimate the cumulative opportunities of public services on foot and develop a set of hedonic pricing models (more specifically, two pre-specified ordinary least squares models, four Box-Cox transformed models, and two spatial econometric models) to estimate, whether and to what extent, walking accessibility contributes to price premiums (or discounts). Using a database of 22,586 second-hand residential properties in 358 multi- or high-storey residential complexes, we find that (1) walking accessibility to public services contributes to the variations in housing prices and plays a role in determining housing prices; (2) different categories of services have vastly divergent, even opposite, influencing impacts; and (3) walking accessibility to primary schools, commercial centers, and sports and cultural centers have positive effects on house prices whereas walking accessibility to comprehensive hospitals adversely affects housing prices. Methodologically, we confirm that spatial econometric methods improve estimation accuracy and have more explanatory power relative to the standard non-spatial models. Robustness check analysis further guarantees the plausibility of this study.     

面向智能车辆的现役道路设施行驶适应性研究综述

为了总结面向智能车辆的现役道路设施行驶适应性，即现役道路基础设施承载智能车辆行驶的适宜程度，阐述自主智能驾驶定义与驾驶自动化等级分类，在此基础上剖析不同等级间的人机功能差异，并分别从感知层、感知-决策层、决策-控制层探讨与道路设计要素相关联的人机功能差异，通过归纳总结智能车辆与道路几何要素、路面性能及其他道路要素(如道路标线)的相互作用机制研究，从道路工程角度及其他道路要素方面回顾该领域的研究现状，指出存在的问题和未来发展方向。研究结果表明：相比传统车辆，配置高等级自动驾驶系统的智能车辆对现役道路设施行驶适应性最高，主动安全系统次之，而驾驶辅助及有条件自动驾驶系统适应性不足。而目前研究主要问题包括：难以归纳、标定不同驾驶自动化等级间的人机功能差异及其对于道路设计参数的需求设计值；测试道路场景条件过于理想，考虑的驾驶自动化等级单一，试验规模和样本有限；道路几何、路面性能以及道路标志、标线等道路要素与智能车辆间的相互作用机制研究不足，缺乏与不同道路场景相匹配的智能车辆驾驶特征数据的获取手段。因此建议：重视并推动与道路设计要素相关联的关键人机功能差异指标信息共享；联合高保真且可交互的道路场景、高精度感知传感器物理模型、车辆动力学模型及微观交通流模型，利用测试场景自动化生成、极限工况场景搜寻与泛化等技术开展智能驾驶虚拟测试，突破现有研究的深度和广度；探索反映不同等级智能车辆的道路行驶适应性特征指标与评价标准，精准、有效地评估预测复杂道路场景及不利道路条件下的行驶适应性。     

基于群决策层次理论的预防性养护方案决策

基于高速公路预防性养护决策方案选择的特性,使用群决策理论的层次分析法,通过对决策组成员意见的集合,得到了各成员动态权重,减少主观误差,提高决策方案结果的客观可靠性。通过案例,将措施费用、行车特征、技术因素、施工因素等作为目标层,对4种备选方案进行分析,得出最佳措施。案例结果证明群决策方法的有效性与可靠性,为选择合理的养护措施提供参考。     

基于价值工程的全生命周期趸船材质方案比选研究

将趸船整个生命周期过程中的技术先进性、经济合理性和环境协调性有机地融合为一体,基于价值工程理论提出趸船材质方法比选。实例表明在千岛湖这样的大吨位船舶碰撞概率很小的水域,采用混凝土趸船明显优于钢质趸船。     

Predicting market potential and environmental benefits of deploying electric taxis in Nanjing,China

This paper investigates the market potential and environmental benefits of replacing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the taxi fleet in Nanjing, China. Vehicle trajectory data collected by onboard global positioning system (GPS) units are used to study the travel patterns of taxis. The impacts of charger power, charging infrastructure coverage, and taxi apps on the feasibility of electric taxis are quantified, considering taxi drivers’ recharging behavior and operating activities. It is found that (1) depending on the charger power and coverage, 19% (with AC Level 2 chargers and 20% charger network coverage) to 56% (with DC chargers and 100% charger network coverage) of the ICE vehicles can be replaced by electric taxis without driving pattern changes; (2) by using taxi apps to find nearby passengers and charging stations, drivers could utilize the empty cruising time to charge the battery, which may increase the acceptance of BEVs by up to 82.6% compared to the scenario without taxi apps; and (3) tailpipe emissions in urban areas could be significantly reduced with taxi electrification: a mixed taxi fleet with 46% compressed-natural-gas-powered (CNG) and 54% electricity-powered vehicles can reduce the tailpipe emissions by 48% in comparison with the fleet of 100% CNG taxis.     

道路混凝土分层结构评价方法与指标研究(英文)

结合机理探寻、试验分析和对大量实体工程检测数据的提炼集成,系统研究了道路混凝土外分层与内分层结构,建立起混凝土分层结构模型及评价方法。建议采用密度变异性和吸水率变异性指标评价道路混凝土外分层和内分层结构,为工艺控制道路混凝土内、外分层奠定了基础。