Bayesian approach to estimating margin of safety for total maximum daily load development

A Bayesian-updating approach is presented to the estimation of total uncertainty-based Margin of Safety (MOS) for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) calculations. Probability distributions are presented to construct the likelihood function, the prior probability distribution, and the posterior (total uncertainty) probability distribution. The Bayesian-updating approach is demonstrated through a case study for the Lower Amite River, Louisiana. The posterior probability distribution-based on the Bayesian approach updates the standard deviation of summer dissolved oxygen in the Amite River from 1.88 mg/L to 2.10 mg/L when the total uncertainty is considered. Results from the Bayesian-updating approach are compared with two conventional methods. The dissolved oxygen reserve based on a conventional margin of safety of 20% is estimated to be 45,682.26 kg/Day. The second conventional method, where we consider the standard deviation of 1.88 mg/L, produces a dissolved oxygen reserve of 40,516.09 kg/Day. The Bayesian approach yields the dissolved oxygen reserve of 38,614.43 kg/Day with the first level (μ-σ) of MOS, producing a deficit of 5606.65 kg/Day in dissolved oxygen. The dissolved oxygen reserve deficit increases to 23,895.13 kg/Day when the second level (μ-2σ) of MOS is used, which escalated to 42,383.52 kg/Day when the highest level (μ-3σ) of MOS is used. While the total uncertainty-based Bayesian approach is demonstrated for a TMDL development on the Amite River, the overall approach could be applied in any river system with similar available data.     

基于PSR与贝叶斯网络的非常规突发事件情景分析

基于情景分析在非常规突发事件应急决策中的重要性,为了提高情景分析的有效性、全面性,在非常规突发事件"情景"界定和演变规律分析的基础上,基于PSR模型构建非常规突发事件的"压力-状态-响应"网络表达方式;利用贝叶斯网络理论,构建非常规突发事件的情景演变分析模型;以简化后的大连输油管道爆炸事件为例,示范基于PSR模型与贝叶斯网络的非常规突发事件情景分析方法的具体流程,并对推理结果进行分析。分析结果与现实情况基本一致,证明方法的可行性和有效性。实际应用中可针对具体的事件进行"多响应"、"多路径"的推理分析,以全面、系统地分析事件情景的演变情况。     

基于贝叶斯网络的尾流事故机理分析

针对事故树分析法的局限性,在尾流事故树的基础上,建立贝叶斯网络(BN)。运用推理运算对BN进行定量分析,得出:空中交通密度太大、空中交通管制(ATC)间隔判断错误和短期冲突告警(STCA)被忽略是事故的关键致因。将针对致因提出的改进措施引入到BN中,评价相关措施的有效性。应用BN进行尾流事故的机理分析,能够以比逻辑门更好的形式表达变量间的不确定性关系,从而更加方便地找到导致事故发生的关键因素。     

Value of information analysis for adequate monitoring of carbon dioxide storage in geological reservoirs under uncertainty

As monitoring is essential for the proper management of geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the ability to value information from monitoring is indispensable to adequately design a monitoring program. It is necessary to judge whether the expected improvement in management is worth the cost of monitoring. The value of information (VOI) is closely related to the possible increase in expected utility gained by gathering the information, the concept of which can be applied to such judgement. Although VOI analysis has been extensively studied in the context of decision analysis, its application to the management of carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) operations is rare. This paper introduces and discusses the methodology of VOI analyses in the context of monitoring CO₂ storage. A motivating problem with discrete probabilities is used to illustrate the concept of VOI. It is demonstrated that information is not always of value; for information to be worthwhile, monitoring under uncertainty must satisfy certain conditions. This concept is then extended to continuous probability distributions. The effects of prior uncertainty and information reliability on the VOI are examined. It is shown that an excessive improvement in information accuracy yields little value and that the optimal level of reliability can be inferred. VOI analyses provide quantitative insights into the value of information-gathering activities and therefore can be an objective means to adequately design and impartially justify a monitoring program.     

Skew and attribute non-attendance within the Bayesian mixed logit model

We investigate non-attendance to choice set attributes and the accommodation of preference heterogeneity within the mixed logit model. We propose a generalisation of the mixed logit enabling the degree of skew of marginal utility distributions to be estimated. The implementation is Bayesian with the marginal likelihood used as an arbiter of model performance. We find strong evidence of skew in the distributions of marginal utilities for most attributes. Models incorporating skew are preferred in all cases. The irrelevance of an attribute to significant numbers of respondents is a possible cause of such skew. We test alternative empirical accommodations of self-reported attribute non-attendance (ANA) and continue to find strong evidence of skew in the distributions of marginal utilities even having accounted for ANA. We find that, contrary to some recent findings, respondents who report having ignored an attribute typically do indeed have a zero marginal utility for that attribute.     

Bayesian calibration of the nitrous oxide emission module of an agro-ecosystem model

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is the main biogenic greenhouse gas contributing to the global warming potential (GWP) of agro-ecosystems. Evaluating the impact of agriculture on climate therefore requires a capacity to predict N₂O emissions in relation to environmental conditions and crop management. Biophysical models simulating the dynamics of carbon and nitrogen in agro-ecosystems have a unique potential to explore these relationships, but are fraught with high uncertainties in their parameters due to their variations over time and space. Here, we used a Bayesian approach to calibrate the parameters of the N₂O submodel of the agro-ecosystem model CERES-EGC. The submodel simulates N₂O emissions from the nitrification and denitrification processes, which are modelled as the product of a potential rate with three dimensionless factors related to soil water content, nitrogen content and temperature. These equations involve a total set of 15 parameters, four of which are site-specific and should be measured on site, while the other 11 are considered global, i.e. invariant over time and space. We first gathered prior information on the model parameters based on the literature review, and assigned them uniform probability distributions. A Bayesian method based on the Metropolis–Hastings algorithm was subsequently developed to update the parameter distributions against a database of seven different field-sites in France. Three parallel Markov chains were run to ensure a convergence of the algorithm. This site-specific calibration significantly reduced the spread in parameter distribution, and the uncertainty in the N₂O simulations. The model’s root mean square error (RMSE) was also abated by 73% across the field sites compared to the prior parameterization. The Bayesian calibration was subsequently applied simultaneously to all data sets, to obtain better global estimates for the parameters initially deemed universal. This made it possible to reduce the RMSE by 33% on average, compared to the uncalibrated model. These global parameter values may be used to obtain more realistic estimates of N₂O emissions from arable soils at regional or continental scales.     

贝叶斯规整化BPNN定量流域非点源污染负荷研究

将贝叶斯规整化BP神经网络(BRBPNN)应用于渭河流域非点源污染、社会和经济之间相互作用的研究。采用相关系数法确定输入变量为"降雨"、"种植地"、"草地"、"人口密度"和"羊密度",输出变量为总氮负荷。结果表明用BRBPNN定量非点源污染负荷是可行的,综合选择最优网络模型结构为BRBPNN(3c-7-1),其训练集和预测集相关系数分别为1.0000和0.9780,对应的均方误差分别为88.32和3.21×102。采用权值理论分析各输入因子对网络的贡献,依次为"降雨">"羊密度">"种植地"。该研究可为流域非点源污染的治理提供依据。     

Investigating the impacts of crash prediction models on quantifying safety effectiveness of Adaptive Signal Control Systems

Introduction: Adaptive Signal Control System (ASCS) can improve both operational and safety benefits at signalized corridors. Methods: This paper develops a series of models accounting for model forms and possible predictors and implements these models in Empirical Bayes (EB) and Fully Bayesian (FB) frameworks for ASCS safety evaluation studies. Different models are validated in terms of the ability to reduce the potential bias and variance of prediction and improve the safety effectiveness estimation accuracy using real-world crash data from non-ASCS sites. This paper then develops the safety effectiveness of ASCS at six different corridors with a total of 65 signalized intersections with the same type of ASCS, in South Carolina. Results: Validation results show that the FB model that accounts for traffic volume, roadway geometric features, year factor, and spatial effects shows the best performance among all models. The study findings reveal that ASCS reduces crash frequencies in the total crash, fatal and injury crash, and angle crash for most of the intersections. The safety effectiveness of ASCS varies with different intersection features (i.e., AADT at major streets, number of legs at an intersection, the number of through lanes on major streets, the number of access points on minor streets, and the speed limit at major streets). Conclusions: ASCS is associated with crash reductions, and its safety effects vary with different intersection features. Practical Applications: The findings of this research encourage more ASCS deployments and provide insights into selecting ASCS deployment sites for reducing crashes considering the variation of the safety effectiveness of ASCS.     

基于APRIORI-TAN的交通事故伤害分析与预测*

为探究道路交通事故因素和事故伤害的相关性,以2 467起涉及人员伤亡的交通事故为数据集,运用Apriori算法分别挖掘事故伤害关联规则,并结合社会网络分析的可视化和核心-边缘分析构建受伤事故和死亡事故的关联规则网络。结果表明:事故伤害程度与事故时间、道路条件和交通环境等因素关系紧密,尤其死亡事故与碰撞固定物、人行横道事故、高速公路、高速道路、非市区、酒驾和超速存在高相关性。基于树型贝叶斯网络（TAN）构建事故伤害程度的预测模型,预测结果准确率可达87.56%。