Articles tagged with Transportation Engineering
A simulator is built to test eight widely used matching functions under various market scenarios, with the best-fit models summarized. The study aims to address the applicability and performance of these functions in different ride-sourcing markets.
The University of the Basque Country is taking steps to cut its environmental and social footprint by analyzing its impact through life-cycle assessment and modeling. By identifying areas for improvement, such as reducing transportation emissions and extending computer lifespan, the university aims to reduce its impact by up to 30%.
A new study from the University of Utah examines the impacts of decentralizing homeless service locations in Salt Lake County, Utah. The research found that people using the relocated resource centers tended to travel less, with visits to community services declining by as much as 40%.
Researchers from Tokyo University of Science analyzed usage patterns of bicycles in four major US cities to improve bicycle sharing system efficiency. They found temporal patterns and similarities between weekdays and weekends, contradicting previous studies.
The new NCHRP Guide updates pedestrian analysis methodologies to support safe and sustainable communities. The research team developed new products published in 2022, free to download from the National Academies Press.
Communications in Transportation Research enforces Data and Code Disclosure and Sharing Policy to ensure replicability and research resource sharing. Authors must provide necessary materials for reproducing published works, contributing to the community's rigor and transparency.
MIT engineers mapped airplane contrails over the US in 2020 and found a 20% drop in coverage compared to prepandemic years. The team's computer-vision technique can help predict where contrails form, allowing airlines to reroute planes and reduce aviation's climate impact.
Researchers analyzed user survey data and on-the-ground observations to understand e-scooter use and safety. The study found that older riders were less likely to experience crashes, while helmet use was lower in observed data compared to surveyed users.
Researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology analyzed 18 Tokyo Metropolitan Area railway lines to understand the impact of in-vehicle congestion on efficiency. They found that incorporating congestion rates into efficiency analysis can help develop better public transit strategies, leading to higher service levels and sustainability.
A study by Texas A&M researchers found that navigation systems frequently guide drivers to take paths with a greater risk of crashes, despite reducing travel time. The study analyzed road and traffic characteristics in five metropolitan areas and proposed a new system architecture for finding the safest route using navigation systems.
This article reviews bi-level optimization models applied to ship air emission management, highlighting the challenges of implementing regulations and policies. The study finds that the maritime industry's reaction to policies can have negative effects on emission reduction.
Researchers from UOC-led OptimalSharing@SmartCities project will analyze inhabitants' mobility patterns and demands to design more efficient shared transport practices. The project aims to develop agile optimization algorithms capable of processing large volumes of data in real-time for dynamic system coordination.
A new online tool tracks e-bike purchase incentive programs in the US and Canada, providing a point of reference for future policy development. The tracker reveals that most programs set incentive levels fairly arbitrarily, with little thought given to their potential impact on specific groups or income brackets.
Researchers have developed a high-resolution radar sensor that can reliably distinguish between cars and pedestrians, providing counts, speed, and direction of each moving target. The sensor outperforms cameras in low-visibility conditions and beats conventional radar by providing a richer picture.
A study by Penn State University and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that electric vehicle sounds can improve pedestrian safety, but with some cases of false negatives at close ranges. Adding sound to electric vehicles increases detection distances beyond minimum safe detection ranges.
A new fluid has been created that can be molded and patterned using light, with potential applications in adaptive optics, mass transport, and microfluidics manufacturing. The fluid's surface tension is dependent on temperature, making it susceptible to laser manipulation.
Researchers identified 33 studies that integrated smart device technology, including Bluetooth low-energy beacons and LIDAR scanning. However, limited information was found on participant's visual acuities or etiologies, limiting the usability of the findings for this heterogeneous population.
Developed a highly efficient boiling immersion cooler using lotus metals, increasing critical heat flux from 200 W/cm² to 530 W/cm² or more. The technology is expected to solve the heat concentration problem of in-vehicle power semiconductors and be applied to CPUs for workstations and large-scale servers.
Researchers from Tokyo University of Science developed a computationally quick approach to predict molten droplet solidification on a solid surface. The model simulates the solidification process by considering the droplet behavior and heat transfer between the hotter droplet and cooler surface, replicating experiments with high accuracy.
Engineering researchers at Ohio State University developed a method to use Starlink satellite signals to accurately locate positions on Earth, similar to GPS. The accuracy of this technique is comparable to or even surpasses that of GPS, with the potential to be used as an alternative navigation system.
Researchers have discovered a new material that can produce beautiful optical phenomena, including concentric rainbows. The technology has potential applications in aiding autonomous vehicles in recognizing traffic signs, particularly in real-world conditions.
Scientists from KIT have investigated the behavior of iridium oxide catalysts under dynamic conditions using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The study reveals highly unexpected structural modifications connected to a stabilization of the catalyst at high voltages, contributing to more efficient and sustainable green hydrogen production.
A North Carolina State University panel of experts assesses AV deployment risks and benefits, predicting substantial benefits if well-regulated. The study's findings suggest regulations could limit urban use of AVs and commercial fleet ownership, reducing risk and increasing benefits.
Researchers at Portland State University developed data-driven speed management strategies to improve safety and efficiency in multimodal transportation. They found that disabling speed feedback signs on conventional roadways resulted in reduced driver speeds and a lower likelihood of severe crashes.
The Research Roadmap addresses important active transportation needs, focusing on speed management strategies, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, and addressing racial and economic disparities. Funded by NCHRP, the project provides guidance for future research directions.
Shiloh Deitz's dissertation project focuses on filling the data gap for accessible pedestrian routing and tools, particularly for persons with limited mobility. The research evaluates AI methods and critical geoAI to improve data quality and enhance independent travel options.
Scientists have discovered that current methods for calculating stress received by underground pipelines during an earthquake are inaccurate, leading to a significant risk assessment. The new theory of seismic wave propagation addresses this issue, highlighting the need for modernization and replacement of existing pipelines.
A research team led by George Mason University's Jiayang Sun is examining the impact of patient transfers between hospitals on health outcomes. The study aims to inform training and education programs for future scientists, with funding from the National Institutes of Health.
Researchers discovered that hollow multishelled structures can realize sequential drug release through unique temporal-spatial order property. This property enables burst, sustained, and stimulus-responsive release stages, providing a long sterility period in bacteria-rich environments.
Researchers developed new engineering models that consider different sand grain shapes, leading to more accurate assessments of sand movement and impacts on coastal areas vulnerable to sea-level rise. The models, published in Scientific Reports, correct overestimation of transport rates by 35 percent for carbonate sands.
Researchers create microfluidic lab-on-a-chip that uses sound waves to manipulate and transport droplets, overcoming surface absorption issue. The device enables on-site diagnostics or laboratory research with minimal energy and complex setup.
A topological pump has been developed to transport mechanical energy even through defective wave-guides and disorder. This innovation could lead to more robust devices that continue to operate despite damage.
Researchers found hydrogen accumulates at microstructures in steels, weakening them and leading to catastrophic failures. The discovery of niobium carbide clusters that trap hydrogen offers a solution to design embrittlement-resistant steel.
Dr. Martinus van Genuchten has made significant contributions to soil physics and vadose zone hydrology, including developing theoretical equations that are now universally used worldwide. His leadership has also supported the careers of countless graduate students and junior scientists.
Engineered viruses were used by MIT researchers to achieve a significant efficiency boost in a light-harvesting system, utilizing quantum effects to enhance exciton transport. The team successfully more than doubled the speed of excitons, increasing the distance they traveled before dissipating.
Researchers at MIT and Université Pierre et Marie Curie provide the first detailed model for the 3-D shape of a strand of curly hair, with applications in computer animation and engineering. The model characterizes all degrees of curliness and describes how properties change along the arc length.
Engineers have created a biological nanopore that acts as a selective door for DNA molecules to enter cells, potentially revolutionizing gene therapy and targeted drug delivery. The nanopore can be controlled to allow specific genetic information in specific cells, opening new possibilities for precision medicine.
Researchers at Columbia University developed a technique to isolate a single water molecule inside a buckyball, enabling controlled transport of a nonpolar molecule through an external electric field. This method holds promise for effective ways to control drug delivery and assemble C60-based functional structures.
Research at Arizona State University has found that children with autism have higher levels of several toxic metals in their blood and urine compared to typical children. The study's findings suggest a strong association between toxic metal levels and variations in autism severity.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have provided the first experimental determination of the pathways by which electrical charge is transported in organic thin films. By chemically modifying these films, they show improved conductance and pave the way for future organic electronic devices with better performance.
Researchers found that antiepileptic drugs reduce seizures but worsen sleep and communication issues, while non-antiepileptic drugs improve symptoms without reducing seizure frequency. Non-traditional diets like ketogenic and gluten-free diets showed promise in lessening seizure severity.
Researchers have developed a holographic system that can transmit near-real-time 3D images using a novel photorefractive polymer. The system can refresh images every two seconds, making it faster than previous versions by over 100 times.
UC engineering researchers have created a paradigm shift in microfluidics by developing a lab-on-a-chip with programmable microfluidic systems. This innovation enables the reconfiguration of microchannel structure as needed for performing various biomedical assays, such as DNA analysis and immunoassays.
Researchers created microchannels mimicking natural vasculatures using fractal patterns. The findings detail the construction of elaborate networks capable of supporting fluid transport, addressing a critical need in tissue engineering.
Mary F. Wheeler, a UT Austin professor, is being recognized for her seminal research in numerical methods for partial differential equations and her leadership in the field of scientific computation. Her work has included developing state-of-the-art algorithms to model societal importance issues in energy and the environment.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new technology that can generate accurate maps of underground oil reservoirs, guiding engineers to extract more oil. The technique uses JPEG compression to create realistic maps from limited measurements, improving predictions of oil production and potentially increasing efficiency.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have discovered the physical mechanism behind rapid water transport in carbon nanotubes. By orienting water molecules, the researchers found that a coupling between rotational and translational motions occurs, resulting in a helical motion through the nanotube.
A team of researchers from the University of Illinois has developed an ultrafast thermal measurement technique capable of exploring heat transport in extended molecules. The study found that heating a molecule can cause its atoms to shake and twist, and that heat moves ballistically through the molecule at a constant velocity.
Researchers have developed a new method called the Walker Diffusion Method (WDM) that accurately models fluid transport in porous materials. This approach uses simple probabilistic rules to calculate the movement of 'random walkers' through the material, revealing the overall physical structure and flow paths.