Main Traffic Routes Research Articles

Analysis of Charging Infrastructure for Private, Battery Electric Passenger Cars: Optimizing Spatial Distribution Using a Genetic Algorithm

To enable the deployment of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as passenger cars in the private transport sector, suitable charging infrastructure is crucial. In this paper, a methodology for the efficient spatial distribution of charging infrastructure is evaluated by investigating a scenario with a 100% market penetration of BEVs of (around 1.3 million vehicles) in Berlin, Germany. The goal of the evaluated methodology is the development of various charging infrastructure scenarios—including public and private charging—which are suitable to cover the entire charging demand. Therefore, these scenarios are investigated in detail with a focus on the number of public charging points, their spatial distributions, the available charging power, and the necessary capital costs. For the creation of these charging infrastructure scenarios, a placement model is developed. As input, it uses the data of a multi-agent transport simulation (MATSim) scenario of the metropolitan area of Berlin to evaluate and optimize different distributions of charging infrastructure. The model uses a genetic algorithm and the principle of multi-objective optimization. The capital costs of the charging points and the mean detour car drivers must undertake are used as the optimization criteria. Using these criteria, we expect to generate cost-efficient infrastructure solutions that provide high usability at the same time. The main advantage of the method selected is that multiple optimal solutions with different characteristics can be found, and suitable solutions can be selected by subsequently using other criteria. Besides the generated charging scenarios for Berlin, the main goal of this paper is to provide a valid methodology, which is able to use the output data of an agent-based, microscopic transport simulation of an arbitrary city or area (or even real driving data) and calculate different suitable charging infrastructure scenarios regarding the different optimization criteria. This paper shows a possible application of this method and provides suggestions to improve the significance of the results in future works. The optimized charging infrastructure solutions for the Berlin scenario show capital costs of between EUR 624 and 2950 million. Users must cover an additional mean detour of 254 m to 590 m per charging process to reach an available charging point. According to the results, a suitable ratio between the charging points and vehicles is between 11:1 and 5:1. A share of fast charging infrastructure (>50 kW) of less than ten percent seems to be sufficient if it is situated at the main traffic routes and highly frequented places.

The Adaptive Reuse of Old Shop Houses at Jalan Mendaling, Kajang – An Overview

Building conservation is generally an effort to preserve and maintain a cultural and natural heritage to prolong its entire life so it can be enjoyed to our new generations. One of the popular conservation approaches used around the world is adaptive reuse. As part of the agendas in Sustainable Development Goal 2030 by the United Nation Development Program, the adaptive reuse approach can save resources by using new building materials and land use planning in construction and development. The rows of heritage buildings such as the old shophouses can be found easily in old town centres and some of these stocks are under threat of destruction due to negligence. The purpose of this study is to identify the building conservation approach carried out on the old shophouses in Jalan Mendaling, Bandar Kajang and to identify their retained original function. A survey was done to the identified location which was firstly initiated with a preliminary study of the related theory. Content analysis was also performed to obtain adaptive reuse strategies that suit the building typology. A total of 36 old shophouse buildings located on the road have been identified for their building design, type of business, functional change and facade renovation. The results of the analysis found that 78% or most of the subjects still retain their original function as business premises although most of them have changed the original business form and underwent a transformation of architecture from their original design. The original function can be seen on the ground level but on the upper floor has undergone a change of use. It was also found that the old shophouses that were left empty mostly needed a suitable business strategy as the location of the building in Jalan Mendaling is on the main traffic route of the Kajang City.

The Changes of Farmland by Using Spatial Cluster on the Case of BeiNan Township in Taiwan

The main objectives of this study are, (1) to investigate the influences of farmland policies on land use patterns and, (2) to examine the changes and statuses of land transactions and farmhouse construction projects and determine the influence of changes in the restrictions of farmland use and farmhouse construction on the trends of farmland transactions and transfers and the locations of farmhouse constructions projects, thereby validating the development trends of farmland and farmhouses. Aspatial analysis was performed to examine the spatial clustering conditions and locations of farmland transactions and farmhouses in Taitung County. Regional analysis was performed by examining local indicators of spatial association (LISA). A year-over-year analysis was performed on the scope and degree of farmhouse clustering within the target area to determine farmland use patterns, distribution statuses, and the impact of annual location change on rural development in the target area. An analysis of the historical land transaction and building change data revealed that "laws and regulations" were the main factors influencing farmland transaction. The density of farmland transactions increased closer to main traffic routes. The findings of this study highlighted rural change and validated urban sprawl.

A multi-scale assessment of ecosystem health based on the Pressure-State-Response framework: a case in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River Urban Agglomerations, China.

Anthropogenic activities have reshaped the structure and function of ecosystems in global urban agglomerations. Evaluating the spatiotemporal features of ecosystem health for sustainable and high-quality development and the strategic deployment of ecological civilisation in urban agglomerations is essential. However, existing research lacks a multi-scale assessment of ecosystem health in urban agglomerations, limiting governments in formulating effective ecosystem management policies. To bridge this gap, a multi-scale assessment of ecosystem health at the county and township levels in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River Urban Agglomerations (MRYRUA) in China was conducted using the 'Pressure-State-Response' framework. The results showed that most units (> 70%) were at a moderately healthy level, while only a small proportion (< 10%) was at a healthy level from 2000 to 2015 at both scales. The ecosystem health level in the surrounding and central mountainous areas was significantly higher than that in the plain areas. Our results demonstrated that the overall ecosystem health index in the MRYRUA continued to decrease during the study period at both scales. The ecosystem health in the key cities, the surrounding units of the key cities, and the units along the main traffic routes were low. This study provides an overview of ecosystem health and a scientific basis for landscape planning and ecosystem restoration in the MRYRUA.

长江中游城市群生态系统健康时空演变特征分析

城市群地区生态系统健康状况关乎城市群的可持续发展，科学测度城市群地区生态系统健康水平对城市群地区生态系统健康宏观调控政策制定具有重要的实践意义，然而当前生态系统健康评价仍存在不足之处。生态系统服务是反映生态系统健康状况的重要组成部分，如何把生态系统服务纳入生态系统健康评估框架中，成为了当前研究讨论的热点话题。拟把基于InVEST模型评估的生态系统服务纳入生态系统健康评估框架中，构建了基于"生态系统活力-生态系统组织力-生态系统弹性-生态系统服务"的评估框架，结合多源数据对1995-2015年长江中游城市群生态系统健康水平时空特征进行测度。结果显示：（1）研究期间长江中游城市群地区生态系统健康状况总体有所恶化，恶化区域主要分布在城市群的核心地区；（2）研究期间长江中游城市群地区生态系统健康存在显著的空间依赖性，生态系统健康高值区主要分布在周边山区以及中部的罗霄山脉，生态系统健康低值区主要分布在平原地区、大城市周边地区以及主要的交通线路沿线地区。本研究结果可以为其他地区生态系统健康评估以及长江中游城市群地区生态系统健康保护政策制定提供科学借鉴。;Rapid urbanization in urban agglomerations has resulted in serious degradation of ecosystem functions and deterioration of ecosystem health, which hinders the current process of new-type urbanization and ecological civilization construction in China. Healthy ecosystem in urban agglomerations is closely related to the sustainability of urban agglomerations. The scientific assessment of the ecosystem health status has important practical significance for the formulation of macro-control policies for ecosystem health in the urban agglomerations, but the current studies about the ecosystem health evaluation in urban agglomerations were still insufficient. An increasing number of studies have been carried out on the theories, concepts, spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics, and influencing factors of ecosystem health, but few studies have included the results of ecosystem services assessment based on InVEST model into the theoretical framework of ecosystem health assessment. Ecosystem services assessment is an important part to reflect the health status of the ecosystem. Ecosystem services assessment based on InVEST model can well reflect the structure, function, and ecological process of ecosystem services, and realize the spatial and dynamic quantitative assessment of ecosystem services. How to integrate ecosystem services into the framework of ecosystem health assessment has become a hot topic of the current studies. Based on the ecosystem services evaluated by InVEST model, this study constructed the ecosystem health assessment framework system of Vigor-Organization-Resilience-Ecosystem Services, and evaluated the ecosystem health level in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River Urban Agglomerations (MRYRUA) with multi-source data. The results showed that:(1) the ecosystem health index in Jianghan Plain, Dongting Lake Plain, Wuhan, Changsha, Nanchang, and other surrounding counties was mostly below 0.35, while the ecosystem health index of the surrounding mountainous counties was more than 0.65. In addition, the ecosystem health index of units along major traffic routes was lower than that of other regions. The overall ecosystem health status in the MRYRUA deteriorated during the study period, mainly in the core areas of these urban agglomerations. (2) The ecosystem health in the MRYRUA showed significantly spatial dependence during the study period, the high-valued areas of ecosystem health were mainly distributed in the surrounding mountainous areas and the central Luoxiao Mountains, while the low-valued areas of ecosystem health were mainly distributed in the plain areas, the surrounding areas of key cities, and the areas along the main traffic routes. The results of the study can provide scientific support for ecosystem health assessment in other regions and ecosystem health protection policy-making in the MRYRUA.

Field measurement of thermal environment and air pollution level inside an urban road tunnel during the evening rush hour

Some urban road tunnels serve as the main traffic access routes for residents in the surrounding large communities. The traffic congestion is a common phenomenon during rush hours inside this kind of tunnel. In order to learn about the environmental parameters inside tunnel during the evening rush hour, a comprehensive measurement in a typical commuting tunnel is conducted. The thermal environment parameters and air pollutant distribution along the tunnel are measured simultaneously. The results show that the traffic volume, vehicle speed and air velocity inside tunnel take on the obvious temporal and spatial discrepancy. There are the average 4.58°C air temperature rise and 96μg/m3 PM2.5 concentration rise from the tunnel entrance to the tunnel exit. The PM2.5 concentration at the tunnel exit is about 2.67 times of the 24-hour average limit of Chinese standard. The rise gradients of the air temperature and PM 2.5 concentration during the evening rush hour is given out.

Høj Stene – en monumental skibssætning ved Gudenåen

Høj Stene – en monumental skibssætning ved Gudenåen

Water Benefit-Based Ecological Index for Urban Ecological Environment Quality Assessments

Urbanization and climate change cause the urban ecological environment to become increasingly dependent on water. However, open water areas and green spaces in cities are constantly decreasing, making water resources increasingly scarce. There is an urgent need for a method that aligns with the current urban status and can quickly assess the urban ecological–environmental quality (UEEQ). Traditional UEEQ methods have abandoned the water factor, neglecting the influence of water on the ecological environment. In modern cities, water, which guarantees the operation and maintenance of the urban ecological environment, must be considered in the UEEQ system. Therefore, we propose a water benefit-based ecological index (WBEI). In the formulation of the WBEI, we integrate a water ecofactor, the thermal environment, and the land cover type to represent the surface ecological environment. We first construct a surface potential water abundance index (SPWI) to describe the spatial distribution of water. The combination of the SPWI and the normalized difference latent heat index allows the WBEI to better evaluate the UEEQ around water areas. Then, we choose the land-surface temperature to represent the thermal environment. To represent the land cover type, the ratio vegetation index and the normalized difference soil index are adopted in the WBEI. Finally, we use an entropy-based fusion method to fuse these indicators and obtain the WBEI values. The performance of the WBEI is tested using eight datasets with a variety of environmental characteristics. The results show that 75% of the WBEI results are consistent with the EI values. The correlation coefficient between the WBEI and EI is 0.8883, which is significantly better than those of the other methods. The research shows that the UEEQ of the Qingdao West-Coast Economic New Zone is declining continuously at a rate of 3.7% per year. From 2013 to 2017, the percentage of areas with good environments decreased by 21.46%, and the percentage of areas with poor environments increased by 12.76%. The UEEQ inside the city deteriorated radially outward along the main traffic route, the UEEQ in the suburbs did not change significantly, and the UEEQ in the water areas deteriorated significantly. These relevant research results can provide quantitative information for the green sustainable development of cities.

Геоинформационный анализ рельефа при рекреационно-эстетических исследованиях ландшафтов горных территорий

In this study, we base upon the fact that the relief is the framework of landscape and the basis of scenic composition. The morphometric characteristics of the relief are analyzed as complex indicators of the aesthetic assessment of the territory. These are the position of the observation platform in the relief, the prevailing steepness, the exposure, the shape of the slope in the plan and ruggedness of the relief. The algorithm for calculating indicators in the QGIS software package using the GRASS GIS and SAGA GIS modules is presented. The artifacts of the initial values of the SRTM height matrix are eliminated to improve the accuracy of the calculation. An important evaluation criterion at arranging tourist and recreational activities is the proximity to the main traffic routes. In accordance with the human body loads advised and indicators of hiking comfort, buffer zones around highways and railways are created. Basing upon the obtained data of the surface slope and distance from traffic routes, a map of the integral proximity of observation platforms is created. The implementation of the GIS analysis procedures is carried out on the basis of the landscape-and-typological map contours. The study was conducted for the Central Ecological Zone of the Baikal Natural Territory within the administrative and territorial boundaries of the Irkutsk Region 1

Urbanismo neoliberal y fragmentación urbana: el caso de Zaragoza (España) en los primeros quince años del siglo XXI

The growth of urban space of Zaragoza during the first fifteen years of the 21st century is characterized by its socio-spatial fragmentation at several scales, a significant feature of the neoliberal urbanism. The growth model of the city is composed of large monofunctional urban fragments attached to the existing urban space by the main traffic routes. These ways and other physical or perceived obstacles interrupt the continuity with the consolidated urban space, especially for the movement of people. Nevertheless, this pattern allows the connection of the new spaces with the local urban environment but, at the same time, promotes the social segregation and fosters a polycentric functional model based on travel by private car.

Urbanismo neoliberal y fragmentación urbana: el caso de Zaragoza (España) en los primeros quince años del siglo xxi

The growth of urban space of Zaragoza during the first fifteen years of the 21st century is characterized by its socio-spatial fragmentation at several scales, a significant feature of the neoliberal urbanism. The growth model of the city is composed of large monofunctional urban fragments attached to the existing urban space by the main traffic routes. These ways and other physical or perceived obstacles interrupt the continuity with the consolidated urban space, especially for the movement of people. Nevertheless, this pattern allows the connection of the new spaces with the local urban environment but, at the same time, promotes the social segregation and fosters a polycentric functional model based on travel by private car.

Variability of zinc, copper and lead contents in sludge of the municipal stormwater treatment plant

Several years of observations enabled us to assess the extent and variability of heavy metal contamination (Zn, Cu and Pb) of the sludge of the municipal stormwater treatment plant (the town of Puławy, Poland). In terms of size (high capacity) and innovation, it is the only facility of this kind in the country. It collects rainwater run-offs from two catchments (separate inlets) with a total area of about 500 ha. The concentration of the analysed metals is characterised by a large spatial and temporal diversity. The reason for this may be differences in the manner and intensity of use of drained surfaces and different hydraulic conditions (of sedimentation) prevailing in the particular treatment devices. The highest pollution was found in sediments in the grit chamber and in the part of the settler from the side of the interceptor supplying sewage, i.e. from the main traffic route of the town (heavy traffic and developed technical infrastructure). The best-quality sludge was retained in the pond for treated wastewater. In the pool of analysed components, the largest share is Zn, which amounts to about 85%. The content of heavy metals limits the possibility of the natural use of sludge from the municipal stormwater treatment plant. In chemical terms, they should be seen as a potentially dangerous waste and undergo remediation.

Impact of traffic routes on the content of trace elements in soils in Warsaw agglomeration

Abstract This article presents the results of a study on the content of selected trace metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd) in soils near the main traffic routes of the Warsaw agglomeration. The aim of the study was to determine the extent of soil contamination with trace metals at different distances from the road (by the side the road and 50 meters away from the road). In the soil 50 m away from the road in Łomianki ‘low contamination’ was found for zinc and ‘elevated content’ for copper according to the IUNG guidelines, but the amounts of the trace elements were not found to exceed the permissible levels as specified in the Regulation of the Minister for the Environment of 1 September 2016.

Comparison of two 3D rockfall codes on behalf of a case study in the Bavarian Alps

AbstractRockfall events along main traffic routes in alpine regions emphasize the necessity of enhancing hazard assessment, especially in terms of rockfalls. In the field of regional rockfall modelling it becomes more and more important to work with 3D rockfall codes to account for morphological structures. Due to the general scale of regional rockfall modelling it is in most cases not possible to collect quantitative field data. Thus the input parameters are determined according to disposition models like in the Bavarian hazard map. The current paper deals with a detailed rockfall study which was accomplished during rockslope scaling works in the Bavarian Alps. The rock slope consisting of the Hauptdolomite‐Formation extends along the federal road B 305 north of the village of Schneitzlreuth in Bavaria. Due to attending rockslope scaling works in cooperation with the State Agency for Construction in Traunstein, a quantification of block dimensions according to real rockfall field tests was possible. After having determined the three main block axes for over 300 rocks, rockfall modelling were accomplished applying the 3D rockfall codes Rockyfor3D and Ramms::Rockfall. One part of the parameter studies covers the main proportion of the detected block sizes using Rockyfor3D. The second part of the study presents a comparison of the Rockyfor3D and Ramms::Rockfall outcomes, taking the same block class for both codes into account. This paper demonstrates the limits and possibilities of using different 3D rockfall codes taking detailed field data into account.

Environment and Pollution Management of Pollution Volatile Organic Compounds in Cluj-Napoca

Abstract Pollution negative influences the environmental, human health, buildings and increase the production of waste. We are currently witnessing pollution and degradation in some cases irreversible, of the environment. Environmental issues are extremely complex and cover all sectors. Worldwide, industrial pollution strategies necessary to reduce emissions to the atmosphere hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other polluants in urban areas. The highest concentrations of volatile organic compounds of more than 80 mg/m3 occur in densely populated areas. The latest data reported in the residential area of Cluj-Napoca values did not exceed 20 m /m3. However peaks reported VOC concentrations, depending on the season, exceeding the upper limit that according to Law. 104/2011 is 75 μ/m3. It was identified due to increase annual mean concentration of VOCs as, in particular, road traffic exceeding sanitary standards on the main traffic routes within the city. In this paper the results obtained after carrying out an analysis of the average VOC concentration recorded in the city Cluj-Napoca as a result of car traffic. They were pursued average concentrations of VOCs resulting from the combustion of liquid fuels, petrol and diesel type. Analyzing the results obtained are proposed solutions for reducing VOC emissions. The rule under which these solutions have been proposed to reduce the concentration of VOCs took into account the possibility implementation and maintenance costs thereof.

Pheromone based alternative route planning

In this work, we propose an improved alternative route calculation based on alternative figures, which is suitable for practical environments. The improvement is based on the fact that the main traffic route is the road network skeleton in a city. Our approach using nodes may generate a higher possibility of overlapping. We employ a bidirectional Dijkstra algorithm to search the route. To measure the quality of an Alternative Figures (AG), three quotas are proposed. The experiment results indicate that the improved algorithm proposed in this paper is more effective than others.

Studies and assessment of transport noise in Poznan

In many cities in Poland, because of the lack of ring roads, the main traffic routes of state roads go through the cities affecting local and regional traffic. This causes high traffic and also many undesired effects for inhabitants such us environmental pollution with fumes, vibrations of buildings, high level of noise and increase of accidents. This article presents results of measurements of volume of traffic and noise level in selected traffic routes in Poznan. For the research the sections of roads and crossings that belong to state roads and important urban roads of Poznan were selected. The research was conducted according to recommendations included in the regulation of the Minister of the Environment of 16 June 2011 on requirements for conducting measurements of the levels of substances or energy in the environment by administrators of road, railway, tram line, airport or sea port. In most of the streets of Poznan, where measurements were made, registered equivalent sound levels exceed permissible levels defined in the regulation of the Ministry of the Environment about permissible noise levels in the environment. Equivalent sound levels registered at defined measurement points show values in scope between 53 and 78 dB.

The Impact of Product Failure on Innovation Diffusion: The Example of the Cargo Bike as Alternative Vehicle for Urban Transport

The Impact of Product Failure on Innovation Diffusion: The Example of the Cargo Bike as Alternative Vehicle for Urban Transport

Spatial distribution of vehicle emission inventories in the Federal District, Brazil

Air pollution poses an important public health risk, especially in large urban areas. Information about the spatial distribution of air pollutants can be used as a tool for developing public policies to reduce source emissions. Air pollution monitoring networks provide information about pollutant concentrations; however, they are not available in every urban area. Among the 5570 cities in Brazil, for example, only 1.7% of them have air pollution monitoring networks. In this study we assess vehicle emissions for main traffic routes of the Federal District (state of Brazil) and characterize their spatial patterns. Toward this end, we used a bottom-up method to predict emissions and to characterize their spatial patterns using Global Moran's (Spatial autocorrelation analysis) and Getis-Ord General G (High/Low cluster analysis). Our findings suggested that light duty vehicles are primarily responsible for the vehicular emissions of CO (68.9%), CH4 (93.6%), and CO2 (57.9%), whereas heavy duty vehicles are primarily responsible for the vehicular emissions of NMHC (92.9%), NOx (90.7%), and PM (97.4%). Furthermore, CO2 is the pollutant with the highest emissions, over 30 million tons/year. In the spatial autocorrelation analysis was identified cluster (p < 0.01) for all types of vehicles and for all pollutants. However, we identified high cluster only for the light vehicles.

Influences of traffic on Pb, Cu and Zn concentrations in roadside soils of an urban park in Dublin, Ireland

Soils in the vicinity of roads are recipients of contaminants from traffic emissions. In order to obtain a better understanding of the impacts of traffic on soils, a total of 225 surface soil samples were collected from an urban park (Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland) in a grid system. Metal (Pb, Cu and Zn) concentrations were determined using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer. Strong spatial variations for the concentrations of Pb, Cu and Zn were observed. The spatial distribution maps created using geographical information system techniques revealed elevated metal concentrations close to the main traffic route in the park. The relationships between the accumulation of Pb, Cu and Zn in the roadside soils and the distance from the road were well fitted with an exponential model. Elevated metal concentrations from traffic pollution extended to a distance of approximately 40 m from the roadside. The results of this study provide useful information for the management of urban parks particularly in relation to policies aimed at reducing the impact of traffic related pollution on soils.