Measuring the sustainability of marine fuels: A fuzzy group multi-criteria decision making approach

The use of alternative energy sources instead of HFO has been recognized as a promising way for reducing emissions from shipping and promoting the development of green shipping. However, it is usually difficult for the decision-making to select the best choice among multiple alternative marine fuels. In order to address this, a complete criteria system for sustainability assessment of alternative marine fuels was firstly established, and a fuzzy group multi-criteria decision making method has been developed to rank the alternative marine fuels by combining fuzzy logarithmic least squares and fuzzy TOPSIS (Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution). Fuzzy logarithmic least squares method has been employed to determine the weights of the criteria for sustainability assessment, and fuzzy TOPSIS was employed to determine the sustainability order of the alternatives. An illustrative case with three alternative marine fuels including methanol, LNG and hydrogen has been studied by the proposed method, and hydrogen has been recognized as the most sustainable scenario, follows by LNG, and methanol in the descending order. The results show that the proposed method is feasible for prioritizing the alternative marine fuels; it also has the ability to help the decision-makers to select the most sustainable option among multiple marine fuels.     

Crying wolf: Repeat responses to hurricane evacuation orders

This article examines the evacuation behavior of residents in two South Carolina communities, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach, during the 1996 hurricane season. Two hurricanes that approached South Carolina but hit in North Carolina allowed us to study the impact of repeated “false alarms”; (evacuations ordered based on expectations of a hurricane landfall that proved to be wrong). Differences in evacuation behavior, specific information and concerns prompting evacuation, and the reliability of information sources between hurricane events are examined to determine the impact of false alarms on the credibility of warning systems. Data were derived from a face‐to‐face survey of residents 2 weeks after Hurricane Fran in September 1996. We found that the role of official advisories was more limited than reported in previous research as people sought information on more diverse sets of concerns in their decision making. Reliance on the media and the Weather Channel, in particular, for storm characteristics and advisories was an important factor in evacuation decision making during both hurricane events. The perceived lack of reliability of gubernatorial warnings coupled with dependence on the media suggests that residents find other sources of information more personally relevant. Thus, while residents do not find that officials are “crying wolf,”; they are searching elsewhere for information to assess their own risk—what does it mean to me if there is a wolf? This increased attention toward individual differences in perceived threat may become more pronounced in future evacuations from hurricanes.     

A threshold model of social contagion process for evacuation decision making

Individual evacuation decisions are often characterized by the influence of one’s social network. In this paper a threshold model of social contagion, originally proposed in the network science literature, is presented to characterize this social influence in the evacuation decision making process. Initiated by a single agent, the condition of a cascade when a portion of the population decides to evacuate has been derived from the model. Simulation models are also developed to investigate the effects of community mixing patterns and the initial seed on cascade propagation and the effect of previous time-steps considered by the agents and the strength of ties on average cascade size. Insights related to social influence include the significant role of mixing patterns among communities in the network and the role of the initial seed on cascade propagation. Specifically, faster propagation of warning is observed in community networks with greater inter-community connections.     

城市轨道施工组织设计及概算编制研究

研究目的:城市快速轨道交通是一种快速、安全、能耗低、污染少的绿色交通方式,现在被越来越多的大、中城市青睐.随着轻轨交通建设的快速发展,有必要对施工组织设计和概算编制方法进行分析研究,为以后城市快速轨道交通的设计工作打基础.本文以天津至滨海新区轻轨设计为例,对城市轨道交通与国家铁路施工组织设计及概算编制方法进行分析研究,为相关工作提供参考.研究结论:无论国家铁路还是城市轨道交通项目,施工组织设计必须要因地制宜、结合工程实际及项目特点进行施工组织设计;城市轨道交通概算编制,要结合当地定额规定、地方政策法规、部委行业标准及项目情况进行综合运用,不断完善城市轨道交通设计概算编制方法.     

Decision support for simulating the car park activity in an urban area

Complexity of car park activity is reproduced from a concurrent execution of behaviour of various drivers. This paper presents a step in the development of a multimodal traffic simulator based on multi‐agent paradigm and designed as a decision aid tool as well as a video game. The user‐player has the opportunity to test different scenarios. We propose an approach for designing the decision‐making rules and the learning mechanism for a car driver agent. For that, a panel of methods such as stated preference modelling, Design Of Experiments and data fusion is used. Initial behavioural models, based on similar preferences, are developed for specified categories. Each agent will adapt its behaviour after executing its learning process. Our approach can be used in order to optimize needs of road network users and those of people in charge of traffic regulation. A demonstrator has been developed to test parking policies in an urban area as well as changes of car park characteristics.     

Coping with uncertainty: an expedition into the field of new transport technology

Many decisions taken by mankind are rational only to a limited extent. This holds for individual travel behaviour, but also for long-range strategic decisions on transport systems or transport technology. In any decision problem, coping with uncertainty is the most critical element. The introduction of new transport technology is surrounded by uncertainty. For example, there is uncertainty about the pace and extent of adoption of new technology and there is uncertainty about the impact of new technology in terms of increased sustainability or increased efficiency. This article maps uncertainty surrounding new transport technology and identifies ways in which to deal with uncertainty in policy making. The findings will be illustrated with electric vehicles, particularly with two specific strategies to deal with uncertainty: interactive technology watching and experimentation in a market niche. The paper concludes with a discussion of success factors that influence the outcomes of such strategies.     

基于模糊层次分析法的多人物流供货商选择模型

基于模糊集合理论提出了一个解决供货商选择问题的多人模糊层次分析法模型.首先运用模糊Delphi法和特征向量法形成上层准则的权重集合;然后结合以模糊语言变量表示的备选方案偏好等级的满意度和下层指标的模糊权重,通过分层结合,得到供货商的综合模糊评分;最后采用Fortemps和Roubens的面积补偿方法对各个方案的三角模糊数进行排序,从而得到供货商方案综合选择的优先顺序,为实际决策提供依据.实例说明了供货商多人模糊综合评价的具体过程及合理性和有效性.     

物流园区建设序列的多阶段多指标决策模型

针对物流园区建设序列问题的多阶段多指标决策和投资优化实质,本文以熵权和理想解法为基础,结合Delphi 法和0-1型整数规划,提出了一个物流园区建设序列的多阶段多指标决策模型,比较好地解决了物流园区建设序列决策中多阶段多指标评价问题和投资优化问题。     

公路养护成本预测和养护方案决策方法的研究

考虑多种不确定因素对公路养护成本实际值的影响,针对公路养护成本预测与养护方案决策在成本与风险两个方面的实际要求,运用决策原理和数理统计的方法,对公路养护成本预测与养护方案决策的方法问题进行了研究。     

广东省交通集团应用《HCS基建项目管理平台》情况研讨

为加强交通集团及其属下六大业主公司对项目的“三大控制”,及时掌握项目管理进度情况 ,广东省交通集团委托作者单位研发并应用了“HCS基建项目管理平台”。该平台在广东省内的在建高速公路项目中全面应用 ,在工程“三大控制”(造价、进度、质量 )上取得了显著的社会效益和经济效益 ,本文介绍了平台的功能及其应用情况。