Capacity, Capacity Drop, and Relation of Capacity to the Path Width in Bicycle Traffic

2019 ◽  
Vol 2673 (5) ◽  
pp. 693-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria J. Wierbos ◽  
Victor L. Knoop ◽  
Flurin S. Hänseler ◽  
Serge P. Hoogendoorn
Keyword(s):  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Qualitative Explanation ◽  
Infrastructure Design ◽  
Flow Experiment ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Bicycle Infrastructure ◽  
Scientific Substantiation ◽  
Capacity Drop ◽  
Cumulative Curves

Bicycle usage is encouraged in many cities because of its health and environmental benefits. As a result, bicycle traffic increases which leads to questions on the requirements of bicycle infrastructure. Design guidelines are available but the scientific substantiation is limited. This research contributes to understanding bicycle traffic flow by studying the aggregated movements of cyclists before and after the onset of congestion within the setting of a controlled bottleneck flow experiment. The paper quantitatively describes the relation between capacity and path width, provides a qualitative explanation of this relation by analyzing the cyclist configuration for different path widths, and studies the existence of a capacity drop in bicycle flow. Using slanted cumulative curves and regression analysis, the capacity of a bicycle path is found to increase linearly with increasing path width. A steady drop in flow rate is observed after the onset of congestion, indicating that the capacity drop phenomenon is observed in bicycle traffic. The results presented in this paper can help city planners to create bicycle infrastructure that can handle high cyclist demand.

scholarly journals Evaluating the environmental impact of payments for ecosystem services in Coatepec (Mexico) using remote sensing and on-site interviews

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 426-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
JASON SCULLION ◽  
CRAIG W. THOMAS ◽  
KRISTINA A. VOGT ◽  
OCTAVIO PÉREZ-MAQUEO ◽  
MILES G. LOGSDON
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Payments For Ecosystem Services ◽  
Programme Implementation ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Monitoring And Enforcement ◽  
Landsat Satellite

SUMMARYOver the last decade, hundreds of payments for ecosystem services (PES) programmes have been initiated around the world, but evidence of their environmental benefits remains limited. In this study, two PES programmes operating in the municipality of Coatepec (Mexico) were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in protecting the region's endangered upland forests. Landsat satellite data were analysed to assess changes in forest cover before and after programme implementation using a difference-in-differences estimator. Additionally, surveys and interviews were conducted with local residents and a subset of PES programme participants to evaluate the programmes’ social and environmental impacts, particularly the effect of the programmes on landowner behaviour. The remote-sensing data show that deforestation was substantially lower on properties receiving PES payments compared to properties not enrolled in the programmes, but the programmes did not prevent the net loss of forests within Coatepec. Moreover, the on-site interviews suggest that the payments may have had little impact on deforestation rates, and that other factors contributed to the conservation of forests in PES properties. These findings suggest that risk-targeted payments, robust monitoring and enforcement programmes, and additional conservation initiatives should be included in all PES schemes to ensure environmental effectiveness.

Green infrastructure optimization to achieve pre-development conditions of a semiarid urban catchment

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 1157-1171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hessam E. Tavakol-Davani ◽  
Hassan Tavakol-Davani ◽  
Steven J. Burian ◽  
Brian J. McPherson ◽  
Michael E. Barber
Keyword(s):  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Stormwater Runoff ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Design Approach ◽  
Urban Catchment ◽  
Runoff Reduction ◽  
Infrastructure Design

The introduced hydrologically comprehensive green infrastructure design approach exceeds conventional stormwater runoff reduction goals in terms of common environmental benefits.

Research on the Effects of Roughness on the Tactile Properties of Rice Straw Particleboard Surface

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 795-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xian-Qing Xiong ◽  
Ying-Ying Yuan ◽  
Yi-Ting Niu ◽  
Liang-Ting Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Rice Straw ◽  
Interior Design ◽  
Roughness Parameter ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Parameter Values

To explore the effects of roughness on the tactile properties of rice straw particleboard (RSP), the surface roughness and psychological tactile and visual experiments were conducted for RSP substrates with 0.76 g/cm3 and 0.55 g/cm3 densities after sanding with sandpaper (mesh 180#, 360#, and 600#). The effects of different sandpaper types, sanding time, and density of RSP on the surface roughness were analyzed. The experimental results are as follows. The sanding treatment had significant influence on the surface roughness characterization parameters Ra and Rpv of the RSP specimens. Surface roughness differences between the 180# and 360# mesh-prepared samples were obvious. The tactile and visual psychological values of the 360# and 600# mesh-sanded specimens were higher, and the psychological quantities of untreated and 180# mesh-sanded specimens were lower. After comparing the samples with sanding treatment of sandpaper 0∼180#, the change in surface roughness of RSP with a density of 0.76 g/cm3 was smaller than that of the specimen with a density of 0.55 g/cm3. The psychological quantity difference of RSP specimens with a density of 0.55 g/cm3 was evident. When the sanding time was 1 min., the values of the roughness characterization parameters Ra and Rpv increased slightly. After 3 min. sanding, the Ra and Rpv values stabilized. When the sanding time was 5 min, the roughness was essentially unchanged. With the change in sanding time, the measured values of the tactile psychological quantity varied greatly and the measured values of the visual psychology were very close. For the RSP substrates with higher density, the surface roughness was less after sanding with a smoother surface and better tactile properties. There were significant differences between the surface roughness of the RSPs before and after sanding. After manual sanding over the same time span, the surface roughness evaluation parameter values decreased with an increase of mesh size of the sandpaper, and the tactile properties were improved. The longer the sanding time, the smaller the difference in the surface roughness parameter values, and the smaller the difference between the tactile psychological quantity and the visual psychological quantity. To expand the research scope of RSP products, this study investigates not only the physical and chemical properties but also the subjective feelings when using the RSP products. This will provide analytical methods and design guidelines for the consideration of environmental factors in furniture and interior design.

Analyse of the Evolution of the Hygrothermal Properties of the Hemp-Based Mortar within the Framework of the Total Weathering Protocol

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmytro Kosiachevskyi ◽  
Kamilia Abahri ◽  
Anne Daubresse ◽  
Evelyne Prat ◽  
Mohend Chaouche
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Accelerated Aging ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Microstructural Characteristics ◽  
Building Insulation ◽  
Buffer Value ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Moisture Buffer Value

The use of bio-based composites for building insulation is interesting from the point of view of hygrothermal performances, economic and environmental benefits. Among different organic fibers for these materials, hemp is interesting because of its huge availability in France. Nevertheless, the broad application of the hemp-based insulation mortars is hampered due to the lack of a database on their durability. This paper consists of a better understanding of the evolution of the hemp-based composite and its hygrothermal properties. The main objectives are, first, to study the evolution of the hemp insulation mortar microstructure and properties under the accelerated aging cycles, and second, to characterize and analyze the interconnection between observed changes. Experimentally, the protocol of accelerated aging inspired by standardized one was proposed, the microstructural characteristics and the hygrothermal properties, as the total porosity, the thermal conductivity, and the moisture buffer value (MBV) before and after the aging cycles was identified. The MBV characterization was performed for both hemp mortar and hemp shives. The obtained results reveal the increase of the hemp mortar porosity and the decrease of the hemp mortar's thermal conductivity. Furthermore, the MBV value of hemp mortar changes slightly, unlike that of the bulk hemp, which is explained by the mineral matrix's influence. These results consist of data for a better forecast on the degradation of the hemp mortar.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Interference of Bicycle Traffic on Vehicle Operation on Urban Streets with Bike Lanes

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziyuan Pu ◽  
Zhibin Li ◽  
Yong Wang ◽  
Mao Ye ◽  
Wei (David) Fan
Keyword(s):  
Generalized Linear Model ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Urban Streets ◽  
Vehicle Operation ◽  
Infrastructure Design ◽  
The World ◽  
Flow Information ◽  
Vehicle Delay ◽  
Street Segments ◽  
Cumulative Curves

Many urban streets are designed with on-street bike lanes to provide right-of-way for bicycle traffic. However, when bicycle flow is large, extensive passing maneuvers could occupy vehicle lanes and thus cause interferences to vehicle traffic. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate how bicycle traffic affects vehicle operation on urban streets with bike lanes. Data were collected on six street segments in Nanjing, China. The cumulative curves were constructed to extract traffic flow information including individual bicycle and vehicle speeds and aggregated traffic parameters such as flow and density. The results showed that as bicycle density on bike lanes continuously increases faster bicycles may run into vehicle lanes causing considerable reductions in vehicle speeds. A generalized linear model was estimated to predict the vehicle delay. Results showed that vehicle delay increases as bicycle flow and vehicle flow increase. Number of vehicle lanes and width of bike lane also have significant impact on vehicle delay. Findings of the study are helpful to regions around the world in bike infrastructure design in order to improve operations of both bicycles and vehicles.

scholarly journals Study on Compatibility of Polymer Hydrodynamic Size and Pore Throat Size for Honggang Reservoir

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan-Dan Yin ◽  
Yi-Qiang Li ◽  
Bingchun Chen ◽  
Hui Zhang ◽  
Bin Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polymer Solution ◽  
Injection Pressure ◽  
Scattering Method ◽  
Hydrodynamic Size ◽  
Pore Throat ◽  
Throat Radius ◽  
Molecular Weights ◽  
Dynamic Light Scattering Method ◽  
Flow Experiment ◽  
Before And After

Long core flow experiment was conducted to study problems like excessive injection pressure and effective lag of oil wells during the polymer flooding in Honggang reservoir in Jilin oilfield. According to the changes in viscosity and hydrodynamic dimensions before and after polymer solution was injected into porous media, the compatibility of polymer hydrodynamic dimension and the pore throat size was studied in this experiment. On the basis of the median of radiusRof pore throats in rocks with different permeability, dynamic light scattering method (DLS) was adopted to measure the hydrodynamic size Rh of polymer solution with different molecular weights. The results state that three kinds of 1500 mg/L concentration polymer solution with 2000 × 104, 1500 × 104, and 1000 × 104molecular weight matched well with the pore throat in rocks with permeability of 300 mD, 180 mD, and 75 mD in sequence. In this case, the ratios of core pore throat radius median to the size of polymer molecular clewR/Rhare 6.16, 5.74, and 6.04. For Honggang oil reservoir in Jilin, when that ratio ranges from 5.5 to 6.0, the compatibility of polymer and the pore structure will be relatively better.

Environmental Benefits of Elementary School’s Renovation

2014 ◽  
Vol 1041 ◽  
pp. 217-221
Author(s):  
Karel Struhala ◽  
Petr Jelínek ◽  
Zuzana Stránská ◽  
Jiří Sedlák
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Cumulative Energy ◽  
Cumulative Energy Demand ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Design Office ◽  
Before And After

This paper shows partial results of IEA ECBCS Annex 56 which deals with energy-, economically-and environmentally-efficient renovations of buildings. It describes one of the assessed case studies - renovation of elementary school Kamínky 5 in Brno-Nový Lískovec, Czech Republic into low-energy standard. The school was built in 1959 and renovated in 2009 and 2010. The renovation significantly reduced energy consumption of the school. The energy consumption (heat, electricity) as well as environmental performance (represented by CO2 emissions, non-renewable and cumulative energy demand) of the school, both before and after the renovation, is described in detail in the paper. Data about the energy consumption are based on audits and financial reports that has been provided by the Borough Office Brno – Nový Lískovec. Data for the environmental assessment are taken from renovation‘s designs (provided by design office Menhir project s. r. o.) and in-situ inspection.

scholarly journals Just a little bit more legumes! Results of an online survey in Europe

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Stéphan Marette ◽  
Jutta Roosen
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Purchase Intent ◽  
Intention To Purchase ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Nutritional Benefits ◽  
Informational Message ◽  
The Impact

A web survey was conducted in France, Germany, Poland, and the UK to examine how providing information about the benefits of legumes could influence purchase intent. In each country, 600 participants were recruited in September 2020. First, participants answered a series of questions about their dietary habits. Second, they were asked about their intention to purchase lentils, before and after they read an informational message about the nutritional or environmental benefits of lentils. The results show that receiving this information significantly affected purchase intent, even if the impact was relatively small. Indeed, after this revelation of information, about 10% of participants expressed a change of mind regarding their purchase intent. This effect was dependent on product type (i.e. dried lentils vs lentil pasta) and information type (i.e. nutritional vs environmental benefits). Across countries and products, information about the food’s environmental benefits had often a greater impact on purchase intent than did information about the food’s nutritional benefits. After reading the informational messages, 25-42% of all the participants said they planned to eat more legumes in the future. As consumers choices are weak drivers for developing legumes cultivation, other instruments focusing on farmers incentives such as subsidies could be selected.

scholarly journals Does Indoor Daylight Level Affect Hospital Costs and Length of Stay of Patients? A Retrospective Cohort Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiawei Li ◽  
Jianyao Lou ◽  
Aiguang Shi ◽  
Ning Wang ◽  
Lin Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Length Of Stay ◽  
General Surgery ◽  
Hospital Costs ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Total Hospital ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
Large Patient ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract BackgroundIndoor daylight levels can directly affect people’s physical and psychological state. However, the effect of indoor daylight levels on patient’s clinical recovery process remains controversial. To evaluate the effect of indoor daylight levels on hospital costs and average length of stay (LOS) of a large patient population in general surgery wards.MethodsData were collected retrospectively and analysed of patients in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine between January 2015 and August 2020. We measured light levels in the patient rooms of general surgery and assessed their association with patients’ total hospital costs and LOS.ResultsA total of 2,998 patients were included in this study with 1,478 each assigned to two light level groups after matching. Overall comparison of hospital total costs and LOS among patients according to light levels did not show a significant difference. Subgroup analysis showed when exposed to higher intensity of indoor daylight, illiterate patients had lower total hospital costs and shorter LOS as compared to those exposed to lower intensity.ConclusionsIndoor daylight levels were not associated with the hospital costs and LOS of patients in the wards of general surgery, except for those who were illiterate. It might be essential to design guidelines for medical staff and healthcare facilities to enhance indoor environmental benefits of daylight for some specific population.

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