Measuring speed consistency for freeway diverge areas using factor analysis

Although either absolute speed or speed difference can be considered as a measure for speed consistency, few researches consider both in practice. The factor analysis method was introduced to extract an optimal number of factors from numerous original measures. The freeway diverging zone was divided into four elements, namely the upstream, the diverge area, the downstream and the exit ramp. Operating speeds together with individual vehicle speeds were collected at each element with radar guns. Following the factor analysis procedure, two factors, which explain 96.722% of the variance in the original data, were retained from the initial seven speed measures. According to the loadings after Varimax rotation, the two factors are clearly classified into two categories. The first category is named "speed scale" reflecting the absolute speed, and the other one is named "speed dispersion" interpreting speed discreteness. Then, the weighted score of speed consistency for each diverge area is given in terms of linear combination of the two retained factors. To facilitate the level classification of speed consistency, the weighted scores are normalized in the range of (0, 1.0). The criterion for speed consistency classification is given as 0≤F N <0.30, good consistency; 0.30≤F N <0.60, fair consistency; 0.60≤ F N ≤1.00, poor consistency. The validation by comparing with previously developed measures shows that the proposed measure is acceptable in evaluating speed consistency.

Stability analysis of slope in strain-softening soils using local arc-length solution scheme

Soils with strain-softening behavior — manifesting as a reduction of strength with increasing plastic strain — are commonly found in the natural environment. For slopes in these soils,a progressive failure mechanism can occur due to a reduction of strength with increasing strain. Finite element method based numerical approaches have been widely performed for simulating such failure mechanism,owning to their ability for tracing the formation and development of the localized shear strain. However,the reliability of the currently used approaches are often affected by poor convergence or significant mesh-dependency,and their applicability is limited by the use of complicated soil models. This paper aims to overcome these limitations by developing a finite element approach using a local arc-length controlled iterative algorithm as the solution strategy. In the proposed finite element approach,the soils are simulated with an elastoplastic constitutive model in conjunction with the Mohr-Coulomb yield function. The strain-softening behavior is represented by a piece-wise linearrelationship between the Mohr-Coulomb strength parameters and the deviatoric plastic strain. To assess the reliability of the proposed finite element approach,comparisons of the numerical solutions obtained by different finite element methods and meshes with various qualities are presented. Moreover,a landslide triggered by excavation in a real expressway construction project is analyzed by the presented finite element approach to demonstrate its applicability for practical engineering problems.

Preliminary study on road-region ecosystem stability evaluation

A scientific and rational evaluation on road-region ecosystem stability is the premise to properly deal with the relationship between highway constructing and ecological environment protecting to a sustainable development. Based on the connotative meaning and the procedure of evaluation on road-region ecosystem stability, this paper studied the principles and the method on determining the evaluation index system on road-region ecosystem stability. It put forward an index system for assessing road-region ecosystem stability as a reference. On the basis of detailed analyze of the multidimensional space of road-region ecosystem, a new multi-objective comprehensive evaluation method for road-region ecosystem stability is presented and a calculation tormula for multi-objective comprehensive level of road-region ecosystem stability. This method was used to evaluate road-region ecosystem stability of Lin-Chang highway. This method possessed definite theoretical value and reliability in practice.

Evaluation of Rock Fall Hazards Using Lidar Technology

Lidar （light detection and ranging） is a relatively new technology that is being used in many aspects of geology and engineering, including researching the potential for rock falls on highway rock cuts. At Missouri University of Science and Technology, we are developing methods for measuring joint orientations remotely and quantifying the raveling process. Measuring joint orientations remotely along highways is safer, more accurate and can result in larger and more accurate data sets, including measurements from otherwise inaccessible areas. Measuring the nature of rock raveling will provide the data needed to begin the process of modeling the rock raveling process. In both cases, terrestrial lidar scanning is used to generate large point clouds of coordinate triplets representing the surface of the rock cut. Automated algorithms have been developed to organize the lidar data, register successive images without survey control, and removal of vegetation and non-rock artifacts. In the first case, we look for planar elements, identify the plane and calculate the orientations. In the second case, we take a series of scans over time and use sophisticated change detection algorithms to calculate the numbers and volumes of rock that has fallen off the rock face.

从市区到市郊:二战后联邦政府主导下的美国郊区化运动

二战后,为解决严重的住房短缺问题,美国联邦政府一方面继续鼓励发展郊区住宅,如为退伍军人制定优惠贷款政策、修建州际高速公路,另一方面发起了城市更新运动,试图通过拆除城市中心衰败社区来改善居住环境,为城市中心的发展注入新的活力。然而,这些政策在推动郊区化的同时,也加剧了城市中心的衰落。这些政策的实施,既塑造了战后美国城市面貌,也对诸如城市暴乱、社会分化等问题负有责任。

Design of an Enhanced Sensitivity FBG Strain Sensor and Application in Highway Bridge Engineering

The theoretical design method of enhanced sensitivity fiber grating （FBG） strain sensors was given, and moreover high qualified strain sensors were developed and fabricated, whose sensing properties were good for practical applications. The strain sensor with cylindrical shell encapsulation contained three tubular structures, due to the uneven surface structure, in the area of the strain concentration, improving the sensitivity. It could achieve the embedment strain measurement and surface measurement and had the advantages of the easy installation. The good agreement was obtained between the measurements and theoretical simulation results. After each calibration test, twenty-four FBG strain sensors and six FBG temperature compensation sensors have been installed on the undersurface of the box girder of Diaoshuiyan bridge in Yongtaiwen highway. Finally, we built up a long-term structure health system for the highway bridge.

Virtual speed sensors based algorithm for expressway traffic state estimation

The accurate estimation of expressway traffic state can provide decision-making for both travelers and traffic managers. The speed is one of the most representative parameter of the traffic state. So the expressway speed spatial distribution can be taken as the expressway traffic state equivalent. In this paper, an algorithm based on virtual speed sensors (VSS) is presented to estimate the expressway traffic state (the speed spatial distribution). To gain the spatial distribution of expressway traffic state, virtual speed sensors are defined between adjacent traffic flow sensors. Then, the speed data extracted from traffic flow sensors in time series are mapped to space series to design virtual speed sensors. Then the speed of virtual speed sensors can be calculated with the weight matrix which is related with the speed of virtual speed sensors and the speed data extracted from traffic flow sensors and the speed data extracted from traffic flow sensors in time series. Finally, the expressway traffic state (the speed spatial distribution) can be gained. The acquisition of average travel speed of the expressway is taken for application of this traffic state estimation algorithm. One typical expressway in Beijing is adopted for the experiment analysis. The results prove that this traffic state estimation approach based on VSS is feasible and can achieve a high accuracy.