The need to improve information on road user type in National Vital Statistics System mortality data

Objectives: Both the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) can be used to examine motor vehicle crash (MVC) deaths. These 2 data systems operate independently, using different methods to collect and code information about the type of vehicle (e.g., car, truck, bus) and road user (e.g., occupant, motorcyclist, pedestrian) involved in an MVC. A substantial proportion of MVC deaths in NVSS are coded as “unspecified” road user, which reduces the utility of the NVSS data for describing burden and identifying prevention measures. This study aimed to describe characteristics of unspecified road user deaths in NVSS to further our understanding of how these groups may be similar to occupant road user deaths.

Methods: Using data from 1999 to 2015, we compared NVSS and FARS MVC death counts by road user type, overall and by age group, gender, and year. In addition, we examined factors associated with the categorization of an MVC death as unspecified road user such as state of residence of decedent, type of medical death investigation system, and place of death.

Results: The number of MVC occupant deaths in NVSS was smaller than that in FARS in each year and the number of unspecified road user deaths in NVSS was greater than that in FARS. The sum of the number of occupant and unspecified road user deaths in NVSS, however, was approximately equal to the number of FARS occupant deaths. Age group and gender distributions were roughly equivalent for NVSS and FARS occupants and NVSS unspecified road users. Within NVSS, the number of MVC deaths listed as unspecified road user varied across states and over time. Other categories of road users (motorcyclists, pedal cyclists, and pedestrians) were consistent when comparing NVSS and FARS.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the unspecified road user MVC deaths in NVSS look similar to those of MVC occupants according to selected characteristics. Additional study is needed to identify documentation and reporting challenges in individual states and over time and to identify opportunities for improvement in the coding of road user type in NVSS.     

Performance-based earthquake evaluation of a full-scale petrochemical piping system

Assessment of seismic vulnerability of industrial petrochemical and oil & gas piping systems can be performed, beyond analytical tools, through experimental testing as well. Along this line, this paper describes an experimental test campaign carried out on a full-scale piping system in order to assess its seismic behaviour. In particular, a typical industrial piping system, containing several critical components, such as elbows, a bolted flange joint and a Tee joint, was tested under different levels of realistic earthquake loading. They corresponded to serviceability and ultimate limit states for support structures as suggested by modern performance-based earthquake engineering standards. The so called hybrid simulation techniques namely, pseudo-dynamic and real time testing with dynamic substructuring, were adopted to perform seismic tests. Experimental results displayed a favourable performance of the piping system and its components; they remained below their yielding, allowable stress and allowable strain limits without any leakage even at the Near Collapse Limit State condition for the support structure. Moreover, the favourable comparison between experimental and numerical results, proved the validity of the proposed hybrid techniques alternative to shaking table tests.     

Analysis of bicycle crashes in Sweden involving injuries with high risk of health loss

Objective: The objectives of the present article were to (a) describe the main characteristics of bicycle crashes with regard to the road environment, crash opponent, cyclist, and crash dynamics; (b) compare individuals who describe their health after the crash as declined with those who describe their health as not affected; and (c) compare the number of injured cyclists who describe their health as declined after the crash with the predicted number of permanent medical impairments within the same population.

Methods: A sample of individuals with specific injury diagnoses was drawn from the Swedish Traffic Accident Data Acquisition (STRADA) database (n?=?2,678). A survey form was used to collect additional information about the crash and the health-related outcomes. The predicted number of impaired individuals was calculated by accumulating the risk for all individuals to sustain at least a 1% permanent medical impairment, based on the injured body region and injury severity.

Results: Nine hundred forty-seven individuals (36%) responded, of whom 44% reported declined health after the crash. The majority (68%) were injured in single bicycle crashes, 17% in collisions with motor vehicles, and 11% in collisions with another cyclist or pedestrian. Most single bicycle crashes related to loss of control (46%), mainly due to skidding on winter surface conditions (14%), followed by loss of control during braking (6%). There was no significant difference in crash distribution comparing all crashes with crashes among people with declined health. The predicted number of impaired individuals (n?=?427) corresponded well with the number of individuals self-reporting declined health (n?=?421).

Conclusions: The types of crashes leading to health loss do not substantially differ from those that do not result in health loss. Two thirds of injuries leading to health loss occur in single bicycle crashes. In addition to separating cyclists from motorized traffic, other preventive strategies are needed.     

松散煤体渗流传热试验装置研制

为研究松散煤体低温氧化及通风供氧下的渗流传热规律,研发了渗流传热试验装置。试验装置由气体加湿系统、气体加热系统、煤样反应系统、数据采集系统和安全保护系统组成;本装置可实现自动加湿、控温、自动采集数据及处理数据。为解决装置使用和运行中的安全问题,设计了断电保护、有害气体检测等措施,保障试验装置的安全、可靠。     

Long-term engineering properties of recycled plastic lumber used in pier construction

Plastic lumber manufactured using post consumer waste plastic has been proposed as an acceptable material for use in the construction of docks, piers and bulkheads and is touted to outlast conventional wood products due to its strength, durability and resistance to rot. This study examines the long-term engineering properties of plastic lumber manufactured using post consumer waste plastic (TRIMAX, Ronkonkoma, NY). Plastic lumber profiles were used in the decking of a pier built in West Meadow Creek, Old Field, NY during December 1995. Samples of plastic lumber were removed from the deck of the pier periodically over a two-year period and returned to the laboratory for testing. Results of engineering tests showed the in-plane compression modulus (260±30 MPa), dimensional stability and the Shore D surface hardness (60±2) of plastic lumber removed from the pier remained similar to or greater than their pre-placement values. In contrast, significant changes in the modulus of elasticity of plastic lumber were measured with prolonged weathering. The modulus of elasticity of plastic lumber initially decreased from 1370 Pa to 750 Pa following 12 months weathering, a decrease equal to 45% of its pre-placement value and then increased during the second year to close to its initial value. The high variability in the modulus of elasticity should restrict the use of plastic lumber profiles to non-load bearing structural applications.     

测土配方施肥对油菜生产的影响——基于1 722份田间试验材料的经济学分析

论文基于1 722份田间试验数据,将氮、磷、钾肥的投入量和油菜的产出量分别折算为相应的具体投入值和产出值,首先,运用超越对数生产函数模型计算出各种化肥要素的边际产出,研究发现氮、磷、钾肥的投入对油菜产出值的作用大小存在一定差异,对油菜产出值的影响大小关系为氮肥>磷肥>钾肥,其中氮肥的产出弹性值为0.288 3,磷肥的产出弹性值为0.180 3,钾肥的产出弹性值为0.087 7。其次,继续探究氮、磷、钾肥在油菜生产中的相互关系,结果显示,氮肥替代弹性系数为-0.058 8,磷肥为0.120 9,钾肥为0.281 0。最后,测算出使油菜产出值最大的氮肥最佳投入值为951.20 元/hm²,最佳磷肥投入值为3 766.08 元/hm²,最佳钾肥投入值为621.32 元/hm²。     

立井揭煤前测定煤层瓦斯压力的方法与实践

为了解决复杂环境下立井揭煤前煤层瓦斯压力的可靠测定,基于揭煤井筒瓦斯地质特征、煤岩体物理力学性质,应用COMSOL软件模拟揭煤工作面在接近目标煤层时,井筒周围煤岩的地应力分布特征,直观展现了目标煤层中的应力分布结果。模拟结果表明,立井工作面距煤层的垂直距离为7 m时,煤层中会形成一个近似于环形的卸压圈,卸压半径为16 m,因此煤层瓦斯压力测试孔的终孔位置应布置在井筒中心线16 m以外的原始地应力区,以保证测压点瓦斯压力不受揭煤井筒卸压区的影响,令测压结果准确可靠,从而更好地预测煤与瓦斯突出区域的危险性。同时,结合立井揭煤工作面的水文地质特征和井筒严重淋水情况,自主研发并应用了瓦斯测压孔"两堵一注"封孔材料及特定的封孔工艺,进一步保障了封孔质量和瓦斯压力测试结果的可靠性。最后,依据测压结束时测压管内的实际水压情况,对测压结果进行修正,并依据实测瓦斯含量,采用间接法对所测得的瓦斯压力进行验证,实测值在反算得到的瓦斯压力值域内,表明此方法有效可行。     

Transport company safety climate—The impact on truck driver behavior and crash involvement

Objective: The present study investigated the relationships between safety climate and driving behavior and crash involvement.

Methods: A total of 339 company-employed truck drivers completed a questionnaire that measured their perceptions of safety climate, crash record, speed choice, and aberrant driving behaviors (errors, lapses, and violations).

Results: Although there was no direct relationship between the drivers' perceptions of safety climate and crash involvement, safety climate was a significant predictor of engagement in risky driving behaviors, which were in turn predictive of crash involvement.

Conclusions: This research shows that safety climate may offer an important starting point for interventions aimed at reducing risky driving behavior and thus fewer vehicle collisions.     

Powered two-wheeler riders' risk of crashes associated with filtering on urban roads

Objective: The objective of this study is to estimate the crash risk per kilometer traveled by powered two-wheeler (PTW) riders filtering through traffic on urban roads.

Methods: Using the traffic injury crashes recorded by the police over a period of 3 years on 14 sections of urban roads in the city of Marseille, France, and a campaign of observations of PTWs, the crash risk per kilometer traveled by PTWs filtering was estimated and compared to the risk of PTWs that did not filter.

Results: The results show that the risk of PTW riders being involved in injury crashes while filtering is significantly higher than the risk for riders who do not filter. For the 14 sections studied, it is 3.94 times greater (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.63, 5.89). This excess risk occurred for all PTW categories. Furthermore, no space appears to be safer than the others for filtering. Riders filtering forward along the axis of the carriageway, along bus lanes, or between traffic lanes (lane-splitting) all have a crash risk greater than the risk of those who do not filter.

Conclusions: All measures limiting the practice of filtering by PTWs on urban roads would probably contribute to improving the safety of their users.