Explaining obesity with urban form: a cautionary tale

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in studies exploring associations between the built environment and obesity. Many studies have found that built environment characteristics, such as high-density land developments, mixed-land uses, and connected street networks, are associated with lower rates of obesity. However, depending on the research field and the researcher, how one specifies the experimental model and how sociodemographic characteristics of the population are defined and included in the model has led to different policy conclusions and implications. This is not a surprising observation; however, it is one that does seem to have been lost in current discussions. This article highlights several data-processing, model-specification, and model-estimation factors that should be comprehensively considered in studies of the built environment and obesity. Empirical results based on data from Atlanta, GA, USA, illustrate that the association between the built environment and obesity is sensitive to how age, income, and educational attainment are included in the model. Also, a detailed examination of land-use-mix measures shows that it is difficult to create this measure and that results are sensitive to the treatment of missing values. Models that distinguish between overweight and obese individuals are shown to provide richer insights into the associations among obesity, built environment, and sociodemographic characteristics for the Atlanta area. The article concludes by offering modeling recommendations for future studies.

Estimation of the shore excursion expenditure function during cruise tourism in Korea

Recently, the number of foreign tourists to Korea via cruise ships has increased dramatically. We attempted to estimate the shore excursion expenditure function during cruise tourism in Korea. To this end, we collected data from a survey of foreign tourists who visited Korea via cruise ships and conducted the ordered probit model with sample selection to correct for the sample selection bias. Statistical tests indicate that the sample selection model provides unbiased estimates of the ordered probit model. The estimation results reveal that the coefficients of the experience of visiting Korea, job status, annual income, and nationality have statistically significant relationships with shopping expenditure. Further, it is likely that Chinese and Japanese passengers spend more money on shopping than passengers from other countries. This study is expected to provide the Korean government and port authorities with useful information for targeting passengers with high shore excursion expenditure. From a management perspective, the results of this analysis will enable cruise operators to design shore excursion programs that meet travelers’ needs.     

隧道洞口浅埋偏压段施工技术

针对隧道洞口浅埋偏压段的施工,从理论及施工过程中所采取的措施出发,对可能发生的状况提出具体的处理方法。实践证明,所采取的措施及处理方法保证了隧道洞口的施工安全及施工进度。     

载货汽车制动跑偏原因

汽车制动系统的稳定性直接影响整车安全,而制动跑偏又是多年的老问题。文章从设计和生产加工的角度分析了引起制动跑偏的原因,并介绍了一种制动力调节机构（可调式弹簧制动气室）的工作原理,表明制动系统零部件加工及制造误差引起的积累误差是造成制动跑偏的主要原因,而这个积累误差是不可控的,也是无法消除的。指出要解决这个问题必须尽可能提高各零部件加工质量,减小积累误差;同时在制动系统中增加制动力调节机构,通过制动力的调节来弥补积累误差。     

郝家里浅埋偏压隧道进洞施工方法探讨

结合郝家里隧道浅埋偏压进洞施工经验,总结了特殊地形条件下浅埋偏压隧道进洞施工方法,采用洞顶地表注浆加固及沟壁围岩导管注浆加固、局部施作反压墙、减小进洞施工断面、优化爆破设计的综合方案,施工效果良好,可给予类似工程一定借鉴。     

云台山公路隧道浅埋偏压段施工技术

针对云台山隧道洞口段浅埋偏压破碎围岩的实际情况,为提高围岩强度,保证其稳定性,改善隧道成拱的作用,提出了采用偏压挡土墙、地表小导管预注浆等技术处理措施。综合分析表明:注浆处理后,围岩完整程度和强度明显提高,采用偏压挡土墙后,保证了洞顶覆盖体稳定性,洞内围岩变形量较小,初期支护及二衬整体受力特征得到了很大改善,小导管预注浆等处理措施效果显著。     

Repeated anticipatory network traffic control using iterative optimization accounting for model bias correction

Anticipatory signal control in traffic networks adapts the signal timings with the aim of controlling the resulting (equilibrium) flows and route choice patterns in the network. This study investigates a method to support control decisions for successful applications in real traffic systems that operate repeatedly, for instance from day to day, month to month, etc. The route choice response to signal control is usually predicted through models; however this leads to suboptimality because of unavoidable prediction errors between model and reality. This paper proposes an iterative optimizing control method to drive the traffic network towards the real optimal performance by observing modeling errors and correcting for them. Theoretical analysis of this Iterative Optimizing Control with Model Bias Correction (IOCMBC) on matching properties between the modeled optimal solution and the real optimum is presented, and the advantages over conventional iterative schemes are demonstrated. A local convergence analysis is also elaborated to investigate conditions required for a convergent scheme. The main innovation is the calculation of the sensitivity (Jacobian) information of the real route choice behavior with respect to signal control variables. To avoid performing additional perturbations, we introduce a measurement-based implementation method for estimating the operational Jacobian that is associated with the reality. Numerical tests confirm the effectiveness of the proposed IOCMBC method in tackling modeling errors, as well as the influence of the optimization step size on the reality-tracking convergence.     

合福铁路浅埋偏压隧道溜坍分析及整治方案研究

以合福铁路客运专线浅埋偏压隧道为例,对其溜坍事故原因进行分析,研究提出施工整治方案并对实施效果进行评价.首先,通过现场调研与有限元模拟对事故原因进行分析,结果显示,该隧道施工过程受力复杂,软弱围岩自稳性差,洞口临时支护不足及施工期发生强降雨是本次事故的主要原因.然后,结合工程实际和有限元模拟结果提出了加强支护、减少开挖步长等具体整治措施.后续施工中隧道围岩变形收敛较快,洞口稳定得到有效控制,开挖进展顺利,表明该整治方案合理可行.研究思路和方法可为同类工程施工和事故处理提供参考.     

顺层偏压地层隧道施工力学行为分析

堡镇隧道为顺层偏压地层，加之节理切割，左侧边墙、拱脚存在不稳定结构体。采用FLAC^3D岩土工程分析软件对该隧道施工力学行为进行分析，取得大量有价值的数据和信息，对指导该隧道的设计和施工具有重要作用。     

c-SPSA: Cluster-wise simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation algorithm and its application to dynamic origin–destination matrix estimation

The simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) algorithm has been used in the literature for the solution of the dynamic origin–destination (OD) estimation problem. Its main advantage is that it allows quite general formulations of the problem that can include a wide range of sensor measurements. While SPSA is relatively simple to implement, its performance depends on a set of parameters that need to be properly determined. As a result, especially in cases where the gradient of the objective function changes quickly, SPSA may not be as stable and even diverge. A modification of the SPSA algorithm, referred to as c-SPSA, is proposed which applies the simultaneous perturbation approximation of the gradient within a small number of carefully constructed “homogeneous” clusters one at a time, as opposed to all elements at once. The paper establishes the theoretical properties of the new algorithm with an upper bound for the bias of the gradient estimate and shows that it is lower than the corresponding SPSA bias. It also proposes a systematic approach, based on the k-means algorithm, to identify appropriate clusters. The performance of c-SPSA, with alternative implementation strategies, is evaluated in the context of estimating OD flows in an actual urban network. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed c-SPSA algorithm in finding better OD estimates and achieve faster convergence and more robust performance compared to SPSA with fewer overall number of function evaluations.