Model based urban traffic control,part II: Coordinated model predictive controllers

The present paper describes how to use coordination between neighbouring intersections in order to improve the performance of urban traffic controllers. Both the local MPC (LMPC) introduced in the companion paper (Hao et al., 2018) and the coordinated MPC (CMPC) introduced in this paper use the urban cell transmission model (UCTM) (Hao et al., 2018) in order to predict the average delay of vehicles in the upstream links of each intersection, for different scenarios of switching times of the traffic lights at that intersection. The feedback controller selects the next switching times of the traffic light corresponding to the shortest predicted average delay. While the local MPC (Hao et al., 2018) only uses local measurements of traffic in the links connected to the intersection in comparing the performance of different scenarios, the CMPC approach improves the accuracy of the performance predictions by allowing a control agent to exchange information about planned switching times with control agents at all neighbouring intersections. Compared to local MPC the offline information on average flow rates from neighbouring intersections is replaced in coordinated MPC by additional online information on when the neighbouring intersections plan to send vehicles to the intersection under control. To achieve good coordination planned switching times should not change too often, hence a cost for changing planned schedules from one decision time to the next decision time is added to the cost function. In order to improve the stability properties of CMPC a prediction of the sum of squared queue sizes is used whenever some downstream queues of an intersection become too long. Only scenarios that decrease this sum of squares of local queues are considered for possible implementation. This stabilization criterion is shown experimentally to further improve the performance of our controller. In particular it leads to a significant reduction of the queues that build up at the edges of the traffic region under control. We compare via simulation the average delay of vehicles travelling on a simple 4 by 4 Manhattan grid, for traffic lights with pre-timed control, traffic lights using the local MPC controller (Hao et al., 2018), and coordinated MPC (with and without the stabilizing condition). These simulations show that the proposed CMPC achieves a significant reduction in delay for different traffic conditions in comparison to these other strategies.     

Adoption of alternative fuel vehicles: Influence from neighbors,family and coworkers

During the last years, many governments have set targets for increasing the share of biofuels in the transportation sector. Understanding consumer behavior is essential in designing policies that efficiently increase the uptake of cleaner technologies. In this paper we analyze adopters and non-adopters of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). We use diffusion of innovation theory and the established notion that the social system and interpersonal influence play important roles in adoption. Based on a nationwide database of car owners we analyze interpersonal influence on adoption from three social domains: neighbors, family and coworkers. The results point primarily at a neighbor effect in that AFV adoption is more likely if neighbors also have adopted. The results also point at significant effects of interpersonal influence from coworkers and family members but these effects weaken or disappear when income, education level, marriage, age, gender and green party votes are controlled for. The results extend the diffusion of innovation and AFV literature with empirical support for interpersonal influence based on objective data where response bias is not a factor. Implications for further research, environmental and transport policy, and practitioners are discussed.     

超高层混凝土结构竖向变形分析与补偿研究

马来西亚四季酒店项目为342.5 m超高层混凝土结构,结构形式为框架-核心筒;依据施工现场合理的施工顺序及进度计划安排、不同施工阶段的高强混凝土特性的试验数据等,建立ETABS数值模型,分析出结构竣工和30年补偿周期时不同竖向构件的总竖向变形量以及相互之间的竖向变形差;施工过程中对已施部位监控点采取全程有效监测的方式来矫正分析数据,并采用"平层效应"和"层差补偿"的过程管控方式来弥补竖向构件的竖向变形量;最终通过分析比较结构竣工时现场监测点的实测数据与模型分析数据,验证了数据分析及竖向变形过程控制措施的合理性,取得了良好的效果。     

Analysis of cross effect on inherent deformation during the line heating process – Part 1 – Single crossed heating lines

This paper describes the effect of previous heating on inherent deformation by a subsequent heating line, more specifically, the case of two heating lines intersecting (crossing) each other. The paper has been divided into two parts. In the first part, the case of single crossed heating lines is studied in detail. The second part of the paper, discusses the case of more than one crossed heating lines. The novelty of the work lies in revealing the cross effect and how, factors such as, for example, the heating condition and the plate geometry, influence the resulting inherent deformation of crossed heating. In addition, relationships to easily get these influences are provided. The results are suitable for a wide range of heating conditions and plate thickness.     

Achieving transport modal split targets at intermodal freight hubs using a model predictive approach

The increase of international freight commerce is creating pressure on the existing transport network. Cooperation between the different transport parties (e.g., terminal managers, forwarders and transport providers) is required to increase the network throughput using the same infrastructure. The intermodal hubs are locations where cargo is stored and can switch transport modality while approaching the final destination. Decisions regarding cargo assignment are based on cargo properties. Cargo properties can be fixed (e.g., destination, volume, weight) or time varying (remaining time until due time or goods expiration date). The intermodal hub manager, with access to certain cargo information, can promote cooperation with and among different transport providers that pick up and deliver cargo at the hub. In this paper, cargo evolution at intermodal hubs is modeled based on a mass balance, taking into account hub cargo inflows and outflows, plus an update of the remaining time until cargo due time. Using this model, written in a state-space representation, we propose a model predictive approach to address the Modal Split Aware – Cargo Assignment Problem (MSA–CAP). The MSA–CAP concerns the cargo assignment to the available transport capacity such that the final destination can be reached on time while taking into consideration the transport modality used. The model predictive approach can anticipate cargo peaks at the hub and assigns cargo in advance, following a push of cargo towards the final destination approach. Through the addition of a modal split constraint it is possible to guide the daily cargo assignment to achieve a transport modal split target over a defined period of time. Numerical experiments illustrate the validity of these statements.     

Career development for women in maritime industry: organisation and socialisation perspectives

For centuries, the maritime industry has been a recognised place in society dominated solely by men, and even though there were women involved, they were mostly on the periphery. This research aims to fill the gap of women’s career development in this field, by investigating the relationships among the degree of organisational socialisation, women’s workplace culture, and the career development of women in the maritime workplace. The analyses are conducted with the structural equation model with 202 valid questionnaires. The results indicated that women’s workplace culture has a significantly negative relationship with the degree of organisational socialisation, and then in turn, it has a significantly positive relationship with women’s career development in the maritime industry. Finally, the results also indicate that the mediating effect of organisational socialisation existed between women’s workplace culture and women’s career development. According to the empirical analysis, this study makes conclusions as well as suggestions for the maritime enterprises as the reference for human resource management.     

基于前轮转角约束自适应模型预测控制的路径跟踪研究

针对在车辆行驶中较小的前轮转角无法充分利用路面附着能力,较大的前轮转角使得车辆的行驶稳定性差的问题,文章提出了一种前轮转角约束自适应模型预测方法。首先建立车辆的动力学模型,然后通过计算得到轮胎纵向力,最终得到车辆的前轮转角。将车辆的状态量与前轮转角自适应约束条件输入给模型预测控制器,输出车辆的前轮转角,实现对参考路径的跟踪。在Carsim和MATLAB平台上联合仿真,仿真结果表明前轮转角约束自适应模型预测控制的车辆相比固定转角约束的车辆具有较好的跟踪能力和稳定性。     

A receding horizon sliding control approach for electric powertrains with backlash and flexible half-shafts

Active control of electric powertrains is challenging, due to the fact that backlash and structural flexibility in transmission components can cause severe performance degradation or even instability of the control system. Furthermore, high impact forces in transmissions reduce driving comfort and possibly lead to damage of the mechanical elements in contact. In this paper, a nonlinear electric powertrain is modelled as a piecewise affine (PWA) system. The novel receding horizon sliding control (RHSC) idea is extended to constrained PWA systems and utilised to systematically address the active control problem for electric powertrains. Simulations are conducted in Matlab/Simulink in conjunction with the high fidelity Carsim software. RHSC shows superior jerk suppression and target wheel speed tracking performance as well as reduced computational cost over classical model predictive control (MPC). This indicates the newly proposed RHSC is an effective method to address the active control problem for electric powertrains.     

掺混甲烷对乙烯层流预混火焰炭烟形貌的影响

针对掺混甲烷的乙烯层流火焰中的炭烟颗粒从形貌角度进行了研究,构建了具有相同当量比(2.07)、火焰温度、气体流速的层流预混乙烯火焰和掺混甲烷的乙烯火焰,并各自选取了3个高度进行热泳探针取样,采用TEM和AFM方法对各个工况的炭烟颗粒粒径分布、平均粒径、平均体积当量球径进行了对比。发现少量的甲烷掺混会令乙烯火焰中炭烟颗粒的尺寸变大,而当甲烷掺混量变多时该现象消失。而通过对颗粒的圆度、球度和分形维数计算和分析,发现即使是很小的颗粒也具有相似的不规则形状,这一现象广泛存在于各种火焰和各种大小的颗粒中,不受掺混比的影响,并且越大的颗粒结构越松散。     

���˹���������������ɢ��������ʵ֤����

国家体育场作为北京奥运会的主会场成功地承担了开闭幕式和田径赛事任务。本文研究了其停车场车辆的交通疏散问题,制定了疏散方案。首先,分析了国家体育场停车场和泊位布局及车辆疏散的具体条件。其次,通过给定环境的场景和参数设定,对具体的奥运场馆停车场车辆的疏散方案进行了仿真和评价。最后,利用奥运会开幕式的车辆疏散实测数据进行了对比分析,在仿真中要员和贵宾车辆的总疏散时间为26min,而奥运会开幕式车辆疏散实测结果表明,全部要员、贵宾疏散完毕,共用时27min,从而验证了车辆疏散方案的准确性和实用性。