A bi-objective bi-level signal control policy for transport of hazardous materials in urban road networks

A bi-objective bi-level signal control optimization for hazardous material (hazmat) transport is considered to assess trade-offs between travel cost and environment impacts such as public risk exposure. A least maxi-sum risk model with explicit signal delay is presented to determine generalized travel cost for hazmat carriers. Since the bi-level signal control problem is generally a non-convex program, a bundle method using generalized gradients is proposed. A bounding strategy is developed to stabilize solutions of the bi-level program and reduce relative gaps between iterations. Numerical comparisons are made with other risk-averse models. The results indicate that the proposed bi-objective bi-level model becomes even amiable to signal control policy makers since provides flexible solutions whilst is acceptable to carriers since takes account of travel delay at signal-controlled junctions. Moreover, the trade-offs between public risk and generalized travel costs are empirically investigated among different risk models with a variety of weights. As a result, the proposed model consistently exhibits highly considerable advantage on mitigation of public risk whilst incurred less cost loss as compared to other alternatives.     

A ‘sustainability window’ of urban form

With global environmental change and the rise of global megacities, environmental and social externalities of urban systems, and especially of urban form, become increasingly prevalent. The question of optimal urban form has been debated and investigated by different disciplines in numerous contexts, including those of transport costs, land consumption and congestion. Here we elucidate theoretically how urban form and the urban transport system systematically modifies sustainability concerns, such as greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution and congestion. We illustrate our analytical considerations with empirical analysis. Denser urban form would almost unambiguously mitigate climate change, but it would also lead to undesired effects, such as a higher proportion of urban dwellers affected by air pollution. Our study presents a ‘sustainability window’ by highlighting trade-offs between these sustainability concerns as a function of urban form. Only a combination of transportation policies, infrastructure investments and progressive public finance enables the development of cities that perform well in several sustainability dimensions. We estimate that a residential population density between 50 and 150 persons/ha and a modal share of environmental modes above at least 50% corresponds to the sustainability window of urban form. The parameters of the sustainability window of urban form is subject to policy changes and technological progress.     

Impact of public transport and non-motorized transport infrastructure on travel mode shares,energy, emissions and safety: Case of Indian cities

Current modal share in Indian cities is in favor of non-motorized transport (NMT) and public transport (PT), however historical trends shows decline in its use. Existing NMT and PT infrastructure in Indian cities is of poor quality resulting in increasing risk from road traffic crashes to these users. It is therefore likely that the current NMT and PT users will shift to personal motorized vehicles (PMV) as and when they can afford it. Share of NMT and PT users can be retained and possibly increased if safe and convenient facilities for them are created. This shall also have impact on reducing environment impacts of transport system.We have studied travel behavior of three medium size cities – Udaipur, Rajkot and Vishakhapatnam. Later the impact of improving built environment and infrastructure on travel mode shares, fuel consumption, emission levels and traffic safety in Rajkot and Vishakhapatnam are analyzed. For the purpose three scenarios are developed – improving only NMT infrastructure, improving only bus infrastructure and improving both NMT and bus infrastructure.The study shows the strong role of NMT infrastructure in both cities despite geographical dissimilarities. The scenario analysis shows maximum reduction in CO₂ emissions is achieved when both PT and NMT infrastructure are improved. Improvement in safety indicator is highest in this scenario. Improving only PT infrastructure may have marginal effect on overall reduction of CO₂ emissions and adverse effects on traffic safety. NMT infrastructure is crucial for maintaining the travel mode shares in favor of PT and NMT in future.     

Estimation of nitrogen oxides emissions from petrol and diesel passenger cars by means of on-board monitoring: Effect of vehicle speed,vehicle technology,engine type on emission rates

NO_X emission rates of 13 petrol and 3 diesel passenger cars as a function of average speed from 10 to 120 km/h, emission class (pre-Euro 1 – Euro 5), engine type were investigated by on-board monitoring on roads and highways of St. Petersburg using a portative Testo XXL 300 gas analyzer. The highest level of NO_X emission 0.5–2.5 g/km was inherent to old pre-Euro 1 petrol cars without a catalytic converter. NO_X emissions rates of Euro 1 and Euro 2 petrol cars changed within 0.15–0.9 g/km, Euro 3 – 0.015–0.27 g/km, Euro 4 – 0.013–0.1 g/km, Euro 5 – 0.002–0.043 g/km. Euro 3 – Euro 4 petrol cars generally satisfied corresponding NO_X Emission Standards (ES), except cold-start period, Euro 5 petrol cars did not exceed ES. Warmed, stabilized engines of Euro 3 – Euro 5 petrol cars showed 5–10 times lower NO_X emission rates than corresponding ES in the range of speed from 20 to 90 km/h. NO_X emission rates of diesel Euro 3 and Euro 4 cars varied from 0.45 to 1.1 g/km and from 0.31 to 1.1 g/km, respectively. Two examined diesel Euro 3 and one Euro 4 passenger vehicles did not satisfy NO_X ES at real use. Euro 3 diesel cars showed 28.9 times higher NO_X emissions than Euro 3 petrol cars and Euro 4 diesel car demonstrated 17.6 times higher NO_X emissions than Euro 4 petrol cars at warmed and stabilized engine at a cruise speed ranging from 30 to 60 km/h.     

Structure and dynamics of non-suburban passenger travel demand in Indian railways

In this paper we derive long run structural relationships for all the three classes, viz. upper, second and ordinary second class, of non-suburban long distance passenger transport demand for Indian railways using annual time series data for 1970–1995. We employ some of the recent developments in multivariate dynamic econometric time series modeling including estimation of long-run structural cointegrating relationships, short-run dynamics and measurement of the effects of shocks and their persistence on evolution of the dynamic passenger transport demand system. The models are estimated using a cointegrating vector autoregressive (VAR) modeling framework, which allows for endogeneity of regressors. The demand systems are found to be stable for all the classes in the long run and they converge to equilibrium in a period of around 2–4 years after a typical system-wide shock. Any disequilibrium in the short-run is corrected in the long-run with adjustments in passenger transport demand and the price variable, i.e. real rate charged per passenger kilometer. Results show that travel demand in all classes would rise with income, although the rise is less than proportionate in the case of ordinary class. High price elasticity in long-run and short-run impulse responses indicate that passenger fare hike could lead to substantial decline in travel demand leading to decline in revenue earnings of the railways. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

干散货航运企业是“去库存”或“去产能”

证实了干散货运输是国际贸易的派生需求,并根据派生需求理论,建立了干散货市场与国际贸易过原点的回归模型.通过引用联合国统计数据,利用社会科学统计软件包(SPSS软件),计算获得国际贸易与干散货船舶运输需求的相关性系数.并根据该相关系数计算知,2012-2014年间,干散货市场的供给与需求之间存在较大缺口,即干散货市场的船舶供给过剩达到14％左右.到2014年之前,干散货市场很难消化已有的存量船舶.因而对于干散货市场的航运企业在未来几年的策略是“去产能”.     

勘察设计企业内河水运市场建设机遇分析

以往我国水运建设的重点领域为沿海地区,对内河水运建设的关注度不足。为助力水运工程勘察设计企业更好地认清并把握内河水运市场建设机遇,对内河水运方面的数据和规划资料进行梳理和分析,论述内河水运发展现状及趋势,厘清我国内河水运建设的重点领域,认为内河码头及相关水利设施的建设是当前乃至未来一段时期内我国水运建设领域的重点任务,内河专业化码头工程、内河物流节点项目、航道及水利工程、跨境国际水域工程等值得重点关注。     

农村客运网络化建设工作浅析

结合本地区实际情况，从地区基本情况、农村客运网络经营模式、拟实施的方法步骤、政策措施等方面，就怎样建设农村客运网络化问题进行了探讨。     

广州市农村客运线网架构研究

在对农村客运发展环境、发展趋势及特征等方面问题进行分析的基础上,提出基于农村客流需求特征的三级农村客运网络架构,并制定不同层次线网的功能定位与规划标准,在此基础上,进一步对广州市农村客运线网进行了调整规划,取得了良好的效果。     

基于AHP——可拓物元的大城市公交系统综合评价

针对大城市公共交通系统综合评价问题,从公交系统的基础设施、运营服务、综合效益水平三方面选取指标建立综合评价体系,利用可拓学中的物元理论,结合层次分析法进行研究。在对武汉市公共交通系统现状数据调查的基础上,计算指标的关联度,给出定量的数值来表示评定结果,将公交系统的多层次评价转化为单级评价,评价值能够简明准确地反映出武汉市公交发展现状,探寻发展症结、发展瓶颈,总结存在问题。