Urban land use,mobility and theory of science: exploring the potential for critical realism in empirical research

Academic discussion where the adequacy of positions within theory of science is illustrated by means of examples from empirical research studies seems to be an area of neglect. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to such a debate, using examples from investigations into the relationship between urban structure and travel behaviour. The main research question of these investigations was whether, and to what extent, urban structural conditions are influencing residents' transportation activity. In other words, is there a causal relationship between urban structure and travel behaviour? Furthermore, we asked whether results from studies of the relationship between land use and transport can provide a basis for predictions about the likely consequences of alternative land-use strategies. The methodology and empirical findings of the studies are discussed in the light of the theory of science position labelled ‘critical realism’, in an attempt to relate theory of science to empirical research, but also in order to contribute to the discussion of the usefulness of this specific approach. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

火电厂电除尘器电控系统的节能改造

电除尘器是火力发电厂的高能耗设备,从细节入手,挖掘电除尘器节能潜力,利用原有设备进行改造,采用简易脉冲供电方式和临界反电晕供电方式可以提高电除尘器电能的利用率,大幅度地降低电除尘器的能耗,实现节能。通过对电除尘器电控系统改造实例的前后电场参数进行比较,说明这种改造方法是可行的,实现了经济、节能与环保三者的兼顾与统一。     

2008年低温雨雪冰冻对武汉城市公共交通的影响评估

为了对2008年低温雨雪期间气象条件对城市交通运输的影响给出定量评估,运用天气分析及统计学方法,分析了低温雨雪冰冻期间武汉市主要气候特征,利用2008年初持续低温雨雪期间武汉城市公共交通线路（包括公交车、轮渡、汽渡）逐日停运数据,定义了持续低温雨雪冰冻过程城市公共交通影响度,通过统计分析,找到了关键气象因子、关键期和低温临界指标,建立了气象评估模型。结果表明：在持续低温雨雪冰冻过程中,初发时期是公共交通影响的关键时期之一,影响度与积雪深度关系最密切,在公交车、轮渡、汽渡3种交通工具中,公交车影响度与气象要素的相关最密切,对武汉城市公交车造成明显影响的临界气温是17℃。该结论在实际的气象灾害评估业务工作中进行了运用,效果良好     

Inequalities in exposure and awareness of flood risk in England and Wales

This paper explores the environmental inequalities of living in the floodplains of England and Wales and the differences in flood awareness of those 'at risk'. An area comparison is made between an etic, objective flood risk exposure, and an emic, subjective perception of that risk by social class. In all areas except the Midlands, the working classes were more likely to reside in the floodplains; the greatest exposure inequality is seen in the North East and Anglian regions. Flood awareness in the Anglian regions was much lower than average, but there were no significant class differences. In the Thames region, despite equal flood risk exposure between classes, the most deprived displayed the least awareness of flood risk. In the North East, inequalities in the distribution of flood risk exposure accompanied inequalities in perception, resulting in the least aware and most deprived experiencing the greatest flood risk.     

大空间单跨门式刚架结构抗火性能影响因素的客观权重研究

火灾时的大空间单跨门式刚架结构抗火性能,受钢构件温升和结构整体抗火临界温度的影响.本文通过对无保护大空间建筑钢构件温升数据的统计分析,获得包含火源功率、建筑体积、钢构件截面形状系数的钢构件温升拟合公式;结合单跨门式刚架结构整体抗火临界温度数据的统计分析,获得包含荷载比、柱高和系数K的结构整体抗火临界温度拟合公式;通过分...     

约束高强度Q460钢柱抗火性能分析

为了研究高强度约束钢柱在火灾下的反应,根据高强度结构钢Q460在高温下的力学性能参数,建立了约束高强度钢柱受火分析模型,得到了高强度约束钢柱在火灾下的轴向位移、跨中挠度、最大应力以及临界温度。采用有限元分析对理论结果进行了验证,两者吻合很好。利用验证过的该文计算方法计算了2种荷栽比、长细比和约束刚度比条件下的高强钢柱的抗火性能;采用CECS200:2006的力学性能参数计算了约束普通钢柱的抗火性能。通过对高强钢和普通钢的抗火性能分析发现,轴向约束明显降低钢柱的临界温度,长细比、荷载比越大,临界温度越低;高强钢的抗火性能要优于普通钢。     

CLIMATE FACTOR FOR SMALL-BASIN FLOOD FREQUENCY1

ABSTRACT: A climate factor, C_T, (T = 2–, 25-, and 100-year recurrence intervals) that delineates regional trends in small-basin flood frequency was derived using data from 71 long-term rainfall record sites. Values of C_T at these sites were developed by a regression analysis that related rainfall-runoff model estimates of T-year floods to a sample set of 50 model calibrations. C_T was regionalized via kriging to develop maps depicting its geographic variation for a large part of the United States east of the 105th meridian. Kriged estimates of C_T and basin-runoff characteristics were used to compute regionalized T-year floods for 200 small drainage basins. Observed T-year flood estimates also were developed for these sites. Regionalized floods are shown to account for a large percentage of the variability in observed flood estimates with coefficients of determination ranging from 0.89 for 2-year floods to 0.82 for 100-year floods. The relative importance of the factors comprising regionalized flood estimates is evaluated in terms of scale (size of drainage area), basin-runoff characteristics (rainfall. runoff model parameters), and climate (C_T).     

INSTANTANEOUS PEAK FLOW ESTIMATION PROCEDURES FOR NEWFOUNDLAND STREAMS1

ABSTRACT: A procedure of estimating instantaneous flood flows for various return periods on the Island of Newfoundland is presented. The procedure is based on annual maximum instantaneous flows rather than annual maximum daily-mean flows, as the latter requires the conversion of estimated daily-mean flows into instantaneous flows. Regression equations were developed for each of three homogeneous regions for the desired return periods. The flood flow estimation capability of the presented procedure is demonstrated to be better than any other currently available procedure on the Island.     

A NEW LOOK AT FLOOD RISK DETERMINATION1

ABSTRACT: The probability distributions of annual peak flows used in flood risk analysis quantify the risk that a design flood will be exceeded. But the parameters of these distributions are themselves to a degree uncertain and this uncertainty increases the risk that the flood protection provided will in fact prove to be inadequate. The increase in flood risk due to parameter uncertainty is small when a fairly long record of data is available and the annual flood peaks are serially independent, which is the standard assumption in flood frequency analysis. But standard tests for serial independence are insensitive to the type of grouping of high and low values in a time series, which is measured by the Hurst coefficient. This grouping increases the parameter uncertainty considerably. A study of 49 annual peak flow series for Canadian rivers shows that many have a high Hurst coefficient. The corresponding increase in flood risk due to parameter uncertainty is shown to be substantial even for rivers with a long record, and therefore should not be neglected. The paper presents a method of rationally combining parameter uncertainty due to serial correlation, and the stochastic variability of peak flows in a single risk assessment. In addition, a relatively simple time series model that is capable of reproducing the observed serial correlation of flood peaks is presented.     

REGIONAL FLOOD EQUATIONS FOR THE PROVINCES OF ONTARIO AND QUEBEC1

ABSTRACT: When nonparametric frequency analysis was performed on 183 stations from Ontario and Quebec, unimodal and multimodal maximum annual flood density functions were discovered. In order to determine generating mechanisms, a monthly partitioning of the annual maximum floods was undertaken. The timing of the floods revealed that the unimodal distributions reflected a single flood generating mechanism while the multi-modal densities reflected two or more mechanisms. Based on the division of the flood series by mechanisms, nine homogeneous regions were delineated. L-moment distributional homogeneity tests along with smaller standard errors for the regional equations supported the delineation.