深圳城区噪声污染分析

通过对近年深圳市区域环境噪声及道路交通噪声的监测数据分析,发现深圳市交通声源是长期影响城市区域环境噪声的主要因素,其根源在于城市机动车辆增加迅速,路网过密,而配套设施跟不上,造成对城区域环境噪声污染相对集中,城区声环境日趋恶化。      

道路交通噪声变化的马尔柯夫过程定量预测

介绍了马尔柯夫过程的理论及方法,并将其预测模型和稳定状态方程应用于道路交通噪声变化的定量预测上,其预测结果与研究市区道路交通噪声变化的实际情况相一致,表明用马尔柯夫过程定量预测道路交通噪声变化是可行的。      

Bioaccessibility of metals in soils and dusts contaminated by marine antifouling paint particles

Fragments of antifouling paint and environmental geosolids have been sampled from the island of Malta and analysed for total and bioaccessible metals. Total concentrations of Ba, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sn and Zn were two to three orders of magnitude higher in spent antifouling composites relative to respective values in background soils and road dusts. Paint fragments were visible in geosolids taken from the immediate vicinity of boat maintenance facilities and mass balance calculations, based on Ba as a paint tracer, suggested that the most contaminated soils, road dusts and boatyard dusts contained about 1%, 7% and 9%, respectively, of antifouling particles. Human bioaccessibilities of metals were evaluated in selected samples using a physiologically based extraction technique. Accessibilities of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in the most contaminated solids were sufficient to be cause for concern for individuals working in the boat repair industry and to the wider, local community.     

Traffic mortality and the role of minor roads

Roads have large impacts on wildlife, as they form one of the principal causes of mortality, and disturbance and fragmentation of habitat. These impacts are mainly studied and mitigated on major roads. It is, however, a widespread misconception that most animals are killed on major roads. In this paper, we argue that minor roads have a larger impact on wildlife with respect to habitat destruction, noise load and traffic mortality. We use data on traffic related deaths in badgers (Meles meles) in The Netherlands to illustrate that traffic mortality is higher on minor roads. We ask for a more extensive investigation of the environmental impacts of minor roads. Moreover, we argue that the success of mitigation on roads drastically increases when both major and minor roads are integrated in the planning of traffic flows. Therefore, we propose a strategy based on the concept of a "traffic-calmed area". Traffic-calmed areas create opportunities for wildlife by decreasing limitations for animal movement. We ask for further studies to estimate what size traffic-calmed areas should be to maintain minimum viable animal populations.     

An empirical study of estimating vehicle emissions under cordon and distance based road user charging in Leeds, UK

This paper presents the impact of road user charging (RUC) on vehicle emissions through application of traffic assignment and pollutant emission models. It presents results of an analysis of five RUC schemes on vehicle emissions in Leeds, UK for 2005. The schemes were: a ￡3 inner ring road cordoncharge; a double cordon with a ￡2 inner ring road and a ￡1 outer ring road charge; and distance charges of 2, 10 and 20 p/km levied for travel within the outer cordon. Schemes were compared to a no charge option and results presented here. Emissions are significantly reduced within the inner cordon, whilst beyond the cordon, localised increases and decreases occur. The double cordon exhibits a similar but less marked pattern. Distance charging reduces city-wide emissions by 10% under a 2 p/km charge, 42–49% under a 10 p/km charge and 52–59% under a 20 p/km charge. The higher distance charges reduce emissions within the charge zone, and are also associated with elevated emissions outside the zone, but to a lesser extent than that observed for cordon charging.     

The roles of garment design and scene complexity in the daytime conspicuity of high-visibility safety apparel

INTRODUCTION: This study examines the effects of high-visibility garment design on daytime pedestrian conspicuity in work zones. Factors assessed were garment color, amount of background material, pedestrian arm motion, scene complexity, and driver age. METHOD: The study was conducted in naturalistic conditions on public roads in real traffic. Drivers drove two passes on a 31-km route and indicated when they detected pedestrians outfitted in the fluorescent garments. The locations of the vehicle and the pedestrian were recorded. RESULTS: Detection distances between fluorescent yellow-green and fluorescent red-orange garments were not significantly different, nor were there any significant two-way interactions involving garment color. Pedestrians were detected at longer distances in lower complexity scenes. Arm motion significantly increased detection distances for pedestrians wearing a Class 2 vest, but had little added benefit on detection distances for pedestrians wearing a Class 2 jacket. DISCUSSION: Daytime detection distances for pedestrians wearing Class 2 or Class 3 garments are longest when the complexity of the surround is low. The more background information a driver has to search through, the longer it is likely to take the driver to locate a pedestrian--even when wearing a high-visibility garment. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: These findings will provide information to safety garment manufacturers about characteristics of high-visibility safety garments which make them effective for daytime use.     

Freight transport and non-driving work duties as predictors of falling asleep at the wheel in urban areas of Crete

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the impact of subjective reports of drowsy driving and non-driving duties on the falling asleep responses and road crash involvement of professional drivers in Crete. An attempt was also made to elucidate other driving parameters, such as freight transportation, which could be potential predictors of risky driving, after controlling for lifestyle patterns. METHOD: A sample of 317 professional drivers was studied through personal interviews. The interview questionnaire included items about sleep and fatigue as contributing factors to falling asleep probability and crash risk. In addition, the drivers reported the type of freight they carried in their last trip, as well as practices such as smoking and alcohol consumption. RESULTS: The first logistic regression analysis showed that the most significant predictors of falling asleep at the wheel were transportation of fruits/vegetables and livestock, non-driving hours of work, insufficient hours of sleep, and smoking. The second logistic regression analysis revealed all the previous items as powerful factors of crash probability, including the transportation of express freight and freezer. IMPACT: The findings of the current study are discussed as they pertain to directions for future studies and for the development of fatigue countermeasures.     

Genotoxicity of substances extracted from construction materials

Construction waste such as road pavement and concrete is estimated to constitute about 50% of the total industrial waste in Japan, and the recycling of such material has recently become a prominent topic among construction engineers. It has also been suggested that various types of industrial waste be utilized as components of construction materials. This paper investigates the environmental safety of certain materials in terms of the elutions and genotoxicities of these substances. The substances extracted from some materials, such as emulsifier, ash, and sediment, were found to have genotoxic characteristics. The dose-related responses of the various materials and their genotoxic strengths are shown. Received: June 16, 1998 / Accepted: September 7, 1999     

Wider roads, more cars

The transport policy currently followed in many European cities seems to be a combination of investments in public transport in order to increase, or at least maintain, its market share, and road building in order to keep up with expected traffic growth. Apparently, there is a prevalent belief among policy makers that increased road capacity in urban areas does not in itself cause any growth in car traffic worth mentioning. Such a belief neglects the simple economic theory of supply and demand, as well as more specific theories about the dynamics of traffic under congested conditions. An empirical study of commuting patterns in two transport corridors in Oslo, Norway, shows that a considerable proportion of commuters are sensitive to changes in the speed of the respective modes of transportation. The mode chosen depends to a large extent on the ratio of door-to-door travel times by car and transit. Freer flowing traffic in the road network will induce a higher proportion of commuters to travel by car. Conversely, faster public transport will reduce the proportion of car commuters, but the effects of such improvements will be offset if road capacity is simultaneously increased. In addition to the relative speeds of car and transit, the parking conditions at the workplace are of great importance to the choice of transport mode.     

“一带一路”沿线国家粮食消费时空格局

“一带一路”沿线国家是世界重要粮食生产—消费区,开展该区域粮食安全研究具有重要意义。聚焦粮食消费,剖析沿线国家1995—2017年粮食消费时空格局特征,揭示影响因素。结果表明：（1）1995—2017年,粮食消费数量逐渐增长,总量占世界比例介于55%~59%,人均消费量增至367 kg,为世界水平的95%。（2）1995—2017年,其他用粮和工业用粮高速增长,饲料和口粮快速增长,损耗和种子用粮缓慢增长,形成“口粮为主、饲料为辅”的消费结构,处于粮食消费初级阶段。（3）消费总量空间差异大而人均消费差异小,中东欧国家消费水平高,人口大国、岛屿小国、粮食生产条件欠佳国家消费水平较低。（4）各类用途粮食人均消费量空间差异不大,饲料总量空间差异最大且逐渐增大,近半数国家仍以口粮为主,约25%的国家完成了向相对均衡型转变的消费结构升级。（5）人口数量和消费水平累积贡献率约为43%和57%,中亚、东南亚、南亚多数国家受消费、人口共同影响,西亚及中东国家多受人口影响,中东欧内部差异大。口粮、饲料累积贡献量占比约为46%和34%,南亚、东南亚国家多受口粮影响,中蒙俄、中亚国家多受饲料影响,中东欧和中南半岛国家多为综合贡献型。