The speed control effect of highway tunnel sidewall markings based on color and temporal frequency

The low‐luminance monotonous environment in the middle section of highway tunnels offers few reference points and is prone to cause severe visual illusion. Thus, drivers tend to underestimate their driving speed, which can induce speeding behaviors that result in rear‐end collisions. Therefore, discovering low‐cost methods of traffic engineering that reduce this visual illusion and ensure a steady driving speed is an important challenge for current highway tunnel operations. This study analyzes the effects of sidewall markings in typical highway tunnels, specifically observing how their colors and temporal frequencies affect the driver's speed perception in a low‐luminance condition. A three‐dimensional model of the middle section of highway tunnels was built in a driving simulator. Psychophysical tests of speed perception were carried out by the method of limits. The precision of the simulation model was then checked by comparing the results to field test data. The simulation tests studied the stimulus of subjectively equal speed and reaction time in relation to sidewall markings in different colors (red–white combined, yellow–white combined, and blue–white combined). Furthermore, based on the optimal color, the effects of sidewall marking with different temporal frequencies (0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 32 Hz) on the speed perception of drivers were also analyzed. The test results reveal that the color and temporal frequency of sidewall marking have a significant impact on the driver's stimulus of subjectively equal speed and reaction time. The subjects have the highest speed overestimation and an easy speed judgment with the red–white combined sidewall marking. Within the temporal frequency range of 4.45–7.01 Hz, the subjects have a certain degree of speed overestimation (less than 20%), and the speed perception is sensitive to the temporal frequency changes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

清管器在输油管道中的运动规律研究

在分析清管物理模型的基础上,建立了清管器前段塞流动的特征参数计算模型、动态数学模型以及相应的数值计算方法,并进行了数值模拟。利用数学模拟方法可以计算清管过程中管线的压力分布,利用压力分布可以跟踪清管球在管线内的运行,这为混输管路的运行管理提供了理论依据。     

Modeling delay at signalized intersections with channelized right‐turn lanes considering the impact of blockage

This paper presents a probabilistic delay model for signalized intersections with right‐turn channelization lanes considering the possibility of blockage. Right‐turn channelization is used to improve the capacity and to reduce delay at busy intersections with a lot of right‐turns. However, under heavy traffic conditions the through vehicles will likely block the channelization entrance that accrues delay to right‐turn vehicles. If the right‐turn channelization gets blocked frequently, its advantage in reducing the intersection delay is neglected and as a result the channelization lane becomes inefficient and redundant. The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) neglects the blockage effect, which may be a reason for low efficiency during peak hours. More importantly, using HCM or other standard traffic control methods without considering the blockage effects would lead to underestimation of the delay. To overcome this issue, the authors proposed delay models by taking into account both deterministic and random aspects of vehicles arrival patterns at signalized intersections. The proposed delay model was validated through VISSIM, a microscopic simulation model. The results showed that the proposed model is very precise and accurately estimates the delay. In addition, it was found that the length of short‐lane section and proportion of right‐turn and through traffic significantly influence the approach delay. For operational purposes, the authors provided a step‐by‐step delay calculation process and presented approach delay estimates for different sets of traffic volumes, signal settings, and short‐lane section lengths. The delay estimates would be useful in evaluating adequacy of the current lengths, identifying the options of extending the short‐lane section length, or changing signal timing to reduce the likelihood of blockage. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

管道疲劳寿命的可靠性分析

针对管道的疲劳失效分析,以概率论为基础,结合确定性的疲劳断裂力学估算方法,推导了管道的疲劳裂纹扩展寿命的计算公式.考虑到主要评定参数:初始裂纹尺寸、工况载荷、断裂韧性、机械强度、系数等的不确定性和随机性,应用蒙特卡罗模拟法对这些具有某种特定分布的随机变量进行了随机抽样计算.并利用数值积分法编制了计算机程序,求出在一定可靠度和置信度下的疲劳寿命,并与理论计算方法求得的疲劳寿命进行了比较.还比较了不同初始裂纹尺寸和断裂韧性对疲劳寿命的影响,并给出了算例.分析结果表明:蒙特卡罗模拟法真实地反映评定参数客观存在的不确定性,克服了确定性评定方法的缺点,具有良好的工程指导意义.     

隧道开挖中的应力旋转和裂隙塑性变形问题研究

通过对隧道开挖过程进行三维数值模拟,分析了隧道开挖过程中主应力方向的旋转变化,研究了主应力旋转与隧道裂隙塑性变形的关系,验证了"考虑应力主轴旋转的广义塑性原理"的正确性,并将数值模拟结果和相关试验成果进行了对比,得出了一致性的结论。研究结果表明,应力旋转基本在隧道开挖前后10 m左右的距离内完成,隧道开挖过程中的应力旋转可以引起裂隙塑性变形的突变,且对竖向和斜向裂隙的影响较大;可以根据应力旋转的变化规律合理地选择支护时机,依据应力旋转对裂隙的影响对隧道的重点部位进行超前加固。     

再生混凝土路面双层滑模摊铺施工模拟试验研究

对复合式再生混凝土路面结构进行了摊铺施工模拟试验,并对再生路面的弯拉强度、劈裂强度等使用性能指标进行了正交试验测试分析。总结对比试验数据、统计分析,验证了双层滑模摊铺机理从保证路面强度方面是完全可行的。     

Collision course? The North Airfield Safety Study at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

The LAX North Airfield Safety Study was undertaken by an Academic Panel consisting of the present authors, and was based in large part on a simulation that was conducted at FutureFlight Central at NASA Ames Research Center. The primary aim of the study was “to estimate as specifically as possible the level of future safety associated with several geometrical configurations of the LAX North Airfield.” This paper describes the study, and how it combined information from human-in-the-loop simulations at NASA with historical data from LAX and other US airports about runway incursions and collisions. The analysis indicated that, even under its existing physical layout, LAX North would experience very low risk of runway collisions at traffic levels projected for 2020. That risk could be reduced by about half if the North Airfield runways were reconfigured, and some reconfigurations would also add appreciably to the operational efficiency of the airport. But because the “baseline” level of risk is so low, the Study concluded that “it would be difficult to construct a compelling case on safety grounds alone for reconfiguring the North Airfield.”     

Design and evaluation of a grade-separated intersection: a case study of the proposed Belgrade ‘Hipodrom’

This paper presents the evaluation results of three traffic solutions for the complex grade-separated intersection located in the old part of Belgrade at the junction with the new bridge over the Sava River. The corridor to which the intersection belongs together with the new river bridge are parts of a great urban artery called the Inner Half Semi-Ring Road (IHSRR). The traffic solutions that are evaluated are defined in the preliminary design phase, based on two opposed concepts: a complete grade separation of all intersection legs (the CPV alternative – ‘grade-separated’) and a grade separation designed to minimise construction costs (DMC 1 and 2 alternatives – ‘minimise cost’). The evaluation procedure is conducted in three steps: first, the score based on expert assessment of the functionality of the design solutions is determined; second, the alternatives are ranked according to the value of a set of state indicators obtained by micro-simulation using PTV–VISSIM 4.10; and third, the final score is obtained by multi-criteria evaluation using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method. The results of the first evaluation step show a small advantage for DMC 2, a sub-alternative of the DMC 1 alternative. The results of the micro-simulation give advantage to the DMC 1 alternative. The multi-criteria evaluation provides a better ‘goodness factor’ for the CPV alternative against the DMC 1 alternative. At the same time, the least construction cost favours alternative DMC 1.     

Direct formulation and algorithms for the probit-based stochastic user equilibrium traffic assignment problem

This paper proposes simple and direct formulation and algorithms for the probit-based stochastic user equilibrium traffic assignment problem. It is only necessary to account for random variables independent of link flows by performing a simple transformation of the perceived link travel time with a normal distribution. At every iteration of a Monte-Carlo simulation procedure, the values of the random variables are sampled based on their probability distributions, and then a regular deterministic user equilibrium assignment is carried out to produce link flows. The link flows produced at each iteration of the Monte-Carlo simulation are averaged to yield the final flow pattern. Two test networks demonstrate that the proposed algorithms and the traditional algorithm (the Method of Successive Averages) produce similar results and that the proposed algorithms can be extended to the computation of the case in which the random error term depends on measured travel time.     

选择性输出双离合自动变速器换挡仿真

为提高我国车企的竞争优势,文章介绍一种具有自主发明专利技术的双离合自动变速器(DCT)的结构及工作原理。并利用Matlab/Simulink仿真软件,建立了整车系统动力学模型,包括发动机、双离合自动变速器、车体及其他负载。在此基础上进行DCT的换挡过程仿真分析,研究其控制策略。仿真实验结果验证了所建立数学模型的合理性和可行性,提高了DCT动力系统设计的效率。仿真结果表明该方法正确可行。