Gaseous emissions from compressed natural gas buses in urban road and highway tests in China

The natural gas vehicle market is rapidly developing throughout the world, and the majority of such vehicles operate on compressed natural gas(CNG). However, most studies on the emission characteristics of CNG vehicles rely on laboratory chassis dynamometer measurements, which do not accurately represent actual road driving conditions. To further investigate the emission characteristics of CNG vehicles, two CNG city buses and two CNG coaches were tested on public urban roads and highway sections. Our results show that when speeds of 0–10 km/hr were increased to 10–20 km/hr, the CO_2, CO, nitrogen oxide(NO_x), and total hydrocarbon(THC) emission factors decreased by(71.6 ± 4.3)%,(65.6 ± 9.5)%,(64.9 ± 9.2)% and(67.8 ± 0.3)%, respectively. In this study, The Beijing city buses with stricter emission standards(Euro Ⅳ) did not have lower emission factors than the Chongqing coaches with Euro Ⅱ emission standards. Both the higher emission factors at 0–10 km/hr speeds and the higher percentage of driving in the low-speed regime during the entire road cycle may have contributed to the higher CO_2 and CO emission factors of these city buses. Additionally, compared with the emission factors produced in the urban road tests, the CO emission factors of the CNG buses in highway tests decreased the most(by 83.2%), followed by the THC emission factors, which decreased by 67.1%.     

公路隧道空气净化的实验研究

随着交通事业的发展,公路隧道,特别是长大隧道,在整个线路中所占的比重越来越大。由于隧道是个相对闭塞的空间,污染空气不易扩散,致使隧道空气中污染物质的浓度不断增加。目前,国内外普遍采用通风换气法来稀释、控制隧道空气中污染物的浓度,使其达到环保要求。对长大隧道,有时不得不增大隧道断面或设置通风竖井,以满足通风要求。这必然导致增大初期投资和运行费用。因此,国际上正在探索新的技术途径来治理公路长隧道空气污染问题。笔者用脉冲电晕放电技术对公路隧道中的污染空气进行了净化实验研究。实验取得满意效果,除尘效率达９０％ 以上,ＣＯ氧化脱除率可达７０％ 。该技术为解决公路长隧道污染空气的就地净化问题提供了一条新的途径。     

Highway-rail grade crossings accident prediction using Zero Inflated Negative Binomial and Empirical Bayes method

Introduction: Recently the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released a new model for accident prediction at railroad grade crossings using a Zero Inflated Negative Binomial (ZINB) model with Empirical Bayes (EB) adjustments for accident history (2). This new model is adopted from the work that was conducted by the authors (3–6). The unique feature of the new FRA model is that it has a single equation for all three warning devices (crossbuck, flashing light, and gates) and uses the same variables regardless of the warning devices at the crossing. Since the New FRA model incorporates the warning device category as one of the variables in its model equation, the predicted accident frequency is higher when a crossing has crossbucks than flashing lights, and higher when it has flashing lights than gates. While this model is significantly better than the old USDOT model (7), its shortcoming is that the single equation does not accurately represent the field condition. Method: This paper presents the ZINEBS model (Zero Inflated Negative binomial with Empirical Bayes adjustment System). The ZINEBS model gives three different equations depending on the type of warning device used at the crossings (gates, flashing lights, and crossbucks). The three equations use variables, some of which are common across all warning devices, while other variables are specific to a warning device. The predicted values for the ZINEBS model show a closer agreement with the field data than the new FRA model. This observation was true for all three warning device types analyzed. Practical Applications: Based on the results of this study, the ZINEBS compliments the new FRA model and should be used when the single equation is not adequately representing the role of traffic control device types and relevant variables associated with that device type.     

改进群组AHP-FCE法对路域的生态环境影响评价研究--以河南省栾川至卢氏高速公路为例

为了全面准确的评价公路建设对生态环境的影响程度,基于高速公路建设特点,从社会环境、生态环境、声环境、地表水环境、隧道对地下水环境影响及环境空气六方面构建评价指标体系,结合改进的群组AHP法,构建了改进的群组AHP-FCE相结合的评价模型,对河南省栾川至卢氏高速公路进行生态影响评价。结果表明,指标权重的比例分配更为合理客观,凸显了社会环境因素在评价中的作用,改进模型的评价结果更符合生态环境实际情况相符,表明该方法应用于生态环境评价方面具有较好的适用性和推广价值。     

Rail height effects on safety performance of Midwest Guardrail System

Objective: Guardrail heights play a crucial role in the way that errant vehicles interact with roadside barriers. Low rail heights increase the propensity of vehicle rollover and override, whereas excessively tall rails promote underride. Further, rail mounting heights and post embedment depths may be altered by variations in roadside terrain. An increased guardrail height may be desirable to accommodate construction tolerances, soil erosion, frost heave, and future roadway overlays. This study aimed to investigate and identify a maximum safe installation height for the Midwest Guardrail System that would be robust and remain crashworthy before and after pavement overlays.

Methods: A research investigation was performed to evaluate the safety performance of increased mounting heights for the standard 787-mm (31-in.)-tall Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) through crash testing and computer simulation. Two full-scale crash tests with small passenger cars were performed on the MGS with top-rail mounting heights of 864 and 914 mm (34 and 36 in.). Test results were then used to calibrate computer simulation models.

Results: In the first test, a small car impacted the MGS with 864-mm (34-in.) rail height at 102 km/h (63.6 mph) and 25.0° and was successfully redirected. In the second test, another small car impacted the MGS with a 914-mm (36-in.) rail height at 103 km/h (64.1 mph) and 25.6° and was successful. Both system heights satisfied the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) Test Level 3 (TL-3) evaluation criteria. Test results were then used to calibrate computer simulation models. A mounting height of 36 in. was determined to be the maximum guardrail height that would safely contain and redirect small car vehicles. Simulations confirmed that taller guardrail heights (i.e., 37 in.) would likely result in small car underride. In addition, simulation results indicated that passenger vehicle models were successfully contained by the 34- and 36-in.-tall MGS installed on approach slopes as steep as 6:1.

Conclusions: A mounting height of 914 mm (36 in.) was determined to be the maximum guardrail height that would safely contain and redirect 1100C vehicles and not allow underride or excessive vehicle snag on support posts. Recommendations were also provided regarding the safety performance of the MGS with increased height.     

隧道内不同行驶工况下CO浓度分布及预测模式研究

本文通过现场实测,获取了在不同行驶工况下深圳市横龙山隧道内CO浓度分布情况.结果表明,在堵车、缓行及正常行驶3种情况下,隧道入口、隧道中及隧道出口的CO浓度均逐渐升高,堵车时隧道内CO浓度最高,正常行驶时的浓度最低.采用环保部机动车排污监控中心关于在用车综合排放因子的研究成果中第3阶段汽车尾气排放标准计算隧道内CO浓度,结果与实测数据相符,CO在纵向全射流通风隧道内扩散规律符合一维纵向空气质量扩散方程.     

Trends of hazardous material accidents (HMAs) during highway transportation from 2013 to 2018 in China

Statistical analysis of hazardous material accidents (HMAs) in China from 20013 to 2018 related to characteristics and consequences is discussed in this study, revealing different time volatility, spatial distribution and accident consequence features. Yearly, monthly, weekly and hourly levels of HMAs are analysed, and the corresponding factors are discussed. The trends of HMAs are affected by different factors, such as efforts toward safety-specific rectification by the government, holidays, five-day workweek systems and daily traffic peaks. The spatial distribution trends indicate that highway transportation of hazardous materials is mostly short-distance transport. The accidents that occurred on normal road sections account for 82.76% of the total HMAs during transportation. Leaking accidents caused by HMAs account for 79.35% of the total accidents. Countermeasures focusing on improving highway transportation safety for hazardous materials are recommended.     

The safety effect of open-median management on one-side widened freeways: A driving simulation evaluation

Introduction: Highway expansions and upgrades are often required to increase road network capacity. The widening of one side of a highway, referred to as ‘one-side widening,’ is sometimes implemented in these highway expansion projects. During one-side widening, to save costs, openings can be configured on existing medians (as opposed to removing the existing medians altogether). The median openings allow vehicles in the outer lanes to enter the inner lanes, but they also raise safety concerns and may require alternate open-median management strategies for traffic authorities. There is little existing research that has evaluated the safety effect of these open-median management strategies. Method: To bridge this gap, this study proposes a procedure that evaluates the safety of open-median management strategies for one-side widened highways. The proposed procedure was implemented through driving simulation experiments on a section of Binlai Freeway in Shandong, China. First, the minimum location requirements for median openings were determined by calculating the short length of the weaving segment. Then, simulation tests were carried out to observe driving performance and workload measures. Results: The results indicate that the procedure successfully evaluates the safety effect of open-median management strategies for one-side widened freeways. It was also found that driving performance and workload are sensitive to the opening length and traffic flow. Conclusions: Therefore, median opening placement should be carefully selected in consideration of not only driving performance and workload but also traffic volume predictions. Practical Applications: The findings in this study can guide open-median management strategies for traffic safety one-side widened highways.     

常用几种公路交通噪声预测模式准确性分析

本文根据成温邛高速公路和成绵高速公路的交通量、车型及车速等监测数据,应用美国联邦公路管理局（FH-WA）噪声预测模式、JTGB03-2006推荐噪声预测模式和HJ2.4-2009推荐噪声预测模式,分别对两条高速公路进行噪声预测,将噪声预测值与实测值进行对比,分析在相同车流量、车型及车速等条件下各预测模式预测值与实测值的差值大小,并分析其原因,得出在高速公路交通噪声预测的准确性上HJ2.4-2009预测模式优于FHWA预测模式和JT-GB03-2006预测模式。     

高速公路建设对生态环境的影响及防护措施

分析研究高速公路建设对周围生态环境的影响,提出各种相应的保护措施,以达到生态保护目的。