Estimating traffic volumes for signalized intersections using connected vehicle data

Recently connected vehicle (CV) technology has received significant attention thanks to active pilot deployments supported by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT). At signalized intersections, CVs may serve as mobile sensors, providing opportunities of reducing dependencies on conventional vehicle detectors for signal operation. However, most of the existing studies mainly focus on scenarios that penetration rates of CVs reach certain level, e.g., 25%, which may not be feasible in the near future. How to utilize data from a small number of CVs to improve traffic signal operation remains an open question. In this work, we develop an approach to estimate traffic volume, a key input to many signal optimization algorithms, using GPS trajectory data from CV or navigation devices under low market penetration rates. To estimate traffic volumes, we model vehicle arrivals at signalized intersections as a time-dependent Poisson process, which can account for signal coordination. The estimation problem is formulated as a maximum likelihood problem given multiple observed trajectories from CVs approaching to the intersection. An expectation maximization (EM) procedure is derived to solve the estimation problem. Two case studies were conducted to validate our estimation algorithm. One uses the CV data from the Safety Pilot Model Deployment (SPMD) project, in which around 2800 CVs were deployed in the City of Ann Arbor, MI. The other uses vehicle trajectory data from users of a commercial navigation service in China. Mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of the estimation is found to be 9–12%, based on benchmark data manually collected and data from loop detectors. Considering the existing scale of CV deployments, the proposed approach could be of significant help to traffic management agencies for evaluating and operating traffic signals, paving the way of using CVs for detector-free signal operation in the future.     

Field tests of a dynamic green driving strategy based on inter-vehicle communication

This paper presents the design and results for field tests regarding the environmental benefits in stop-and-go traffic of an algorithmic green driving strategy based on inter-vehicle communication (IVC), which was proposed in Yang and Jin (2014). The green driving strategy dynamically calculates advisory speed limits for vehicles equipped with IVC devices so as to smooth their speed profiles and reduce their emissions and fuel consumption. For the field tests, we develop a smartphone-based IVC system, in which vehicles’ speeds and locations are collected by GPS and accelerometer sensors embedded in smartphones, and communications among vehicles are enabled by specially designed smartphone applications, a central server, and 4G cellular networks. Six field tests are carried out on an uninterrupted ring road under slow or fast stop-and-go traffic conditions. We compare the performances of three alternatives: no green driving, heuristic green driving, and the IVC-based algorithmic green driving. Results show that heuristic green driving has better smoothing and environmental effects than no green driving, but the IVC-based algorithmic green driving outperforms both. In the future, we are interested in field tests under more realistic traffic conditions.     

Evaluating determinants of attractiveness and their cause-effect relationships for container ports in Taiwan: users’ perspectives

The attractiveness of ports is usually a pre-requisite and necessary condition for ports to achieve competitiveness, as well as the springboard to explore the competitive advantages of ports. To determine whether a port is competitive, it is necessary to explore whether it boasts certain factors that make the port attractive to users. The main purpose of this article is to apply the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) technique to evaluate key determinants of attractiveness and their cause/effect relationships for container ports in Taiwan. The empirical results showed that: (1) Top six determinates of attractiveness for container ports are ‘ample cargo sources,’ ‘favorable port charges,’ ‘dense ship network and routes,’ ‘low transshipment costs,’ ‘efficient wharf operations,’ and ‘adequate wharfs and back-line land,’ respectively. (2) Among the above six determinants of attractiveness, ‘ample cargo sources’ is the cause determinant. Three determinants of port attractiveness, ‘favorable port charges,’ ‘dense ship network and routes,’ ‘low transshipment costs,’ which are the effect determinants. They are affected by the determinants of attractiveness of ‘ample cargo sources’. In addition, this study discusses the above findings and expects to provide the study results to Taiwan’s port authorities for reference.     

无人船在港口水域海事监管中的应用探讨

近年来,随着与船舶自主航行相关的信息技术、人工智能技术水平的提高,无人船舶行业取得了长足的发展,其在海上安保、环境监测等领域应用也越来越成熟。为推动无人船在海事管理方面的应用研究,破解港口水域海事监管手段不足的瓶颈问题,文中在分析港口水域海事监管特点和无人船系统建设条件的基础上,定量研究了无人船在港口水域海事监管应用面临的性能指标确定、船型平台选择、载荷设备搭配、运行管理体系建设等方面的具体问题,提出了一种港口水域海事监管无人船系统的应用解决方案。     

青岛地铁线网无线统一调度系统互联互通实施方案

简要阐述青岛地铁线网无线统一调度系统互联互通实施方案的系统架构、核心设备功能、纵向统一调度方案、横向集群业务互联互通方案以及相应的业务流程等。该方案实现了青岛地铁不同品牌TETRA系统的线网纵向统一调度和线网横向集群业务的互联互通功能,解决了青岛地铁线路多品牌系统跨线运营的问题。     

港口现有模拟化视频监控系统的数字化改造

为了提高对港口设备的监控水平，秦皇岛港口对SOLAS模拟监控系统实施了数字化改造。介绍监控技术的发展现状、设备背景和改造思路，以及改造所需的设备和改造方法。采用模拟与数字化相混合的数字监控系统，高效、安全，满足了生产需求。     

A proposed vision and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication-based vehicle positioning approach

It is essential to obtain accurate location of vehicles for new applications of Intelligent Transportation Systems. To remedy the defects of present Global Positioning System and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V-I) positioning technology, a new positioning approach based on vision and V-I communication is proposed. This approach aims at lane-level positioning with lower cost than conventional ones. In this approach, the position of the vehicle is represented by its lateral position (the lane number) and longitudinal position (the distance from entrance of the road) in a course coordinate system along the road; the specific lane the vehicle is occupying (the lane number) can be judged using the information of lane lines detected by vision systems; then the distance to the vehicle is obtained by a Road Side Unit (RSU) during the V-I communication; and the longitudinal position is calculated. The error of the approach on typical operating conditions is analyzed, indicating that the new approach can achieve the accuracy of less than 0.31 m for straight road and 0.58 m for typical arc road with ultra-wideband communication and ranging technologies and rational arrangement of RSUs. The feasibility of this approach is presented.     

隧道工程建设地质预报及信息化技术的主要进展及发展方向

复杂的不良地质条件是制约隧道安全高效建设的主要因素,要实现隧道工程的安全高效建设,首先要提高地质预测预报技术水平及其信息化程度。1)介绍我国复杂不良地质隧道超前预报的方法进展及其应用,包括突水突泥灾害源超前探测方法与设备、断层破碎带超前预报、城市地铁溶洞和孤石等探测的进展及应用等;2)介绍我国隧道岩爆监测预警方法及其应用,预报清楚之后就要加强安全风险过程监控;3)介绍基于BIM技术的建筑物(隧道工程)安全风险监控最新进展,包括安全风险实时感知系统和实时预警系统;4)指出隧道工程建设信息化技术的发展方向,包括开展基于大数据技术的TBM/盾构施工的分析与控制研究以及数字隧道向智慧隧道(建设和运营维护)的发展。     

SMCP在海上VHF通信教学实践中的应用

有效的语言通信对船舶的安全航行和营运至关重要。根据IMO事故报告分析,通信不利是导致事故发生的重要因素之一。而缺乏使用SMCP的意识是通信不利的主要原因。文章主要介绍SMCP的结构和通信特征以及如何将SMCP应用到VHF通信的教学实践中去。     

六五式铁路军用桥墩模拟拼装系统研制与开发

为了满足六五式铁路军用桥墩拼装演练的要求,介绍了“六五式铁路军用桥墩模拟拼装系统”的研制与开发工作。该系统不仅可以解决实际拼装作业的标准化和规范化问题,探索出安全、经济、高效、规范的拼装技术作业程序;而且可以降低拼装演练的费用,提高拼装作业人员的拼装技术水平,减小拼装时间,提高拼装效率。对培训专业保障队伍和保障战时铁路运输的畅通,具有一定的作用。