Vehicular Channel Characterization in Urban Environment at 30 GHz considering Overtaking and Traffic Flow

To realize reliable and stable millimeter-wave (mmWave) vehicular wireless communication, the research of vehicular channel characteristics in the dense urban environment is becoming increasingly important. A comprehensive research on the channel characteristics for 30 GHz vehicular communication in the Beijing Central Business District (CBD) scenario is conducted in this paper. The self-developed high-performance ray-tracing (RT) simulator is employed to support intensive simulations. Based on simulation results, the effects of multiantenna and beam switching on the key channel parameters are analyzed, as well as the impact of different traffic flows. The results can provide theoretical and data support for the evaluation of vehicular channel characteristics and will help for the design of the vehicular communication system enabling future intelligent transportation.

Light pollution and sports lighting in dense urban areas: Early results in a case study of a stadium

The use of municipal football fields by a large number of citizens and amateur athletes on a daily basis during evenings is a popular activity. Usually, the aiming of the pitch lighting, without taking into account the dense urban environment in the surroundings, causes light pollution. Obtrusive lighting in most cases is the rule and not the exception. This situation could be justified in football fields of the professional football leagues so as to address the needs of television broadcasts of the matches for two days per month per field. However, in amateur activities due to the lack of rules and the initial incorrect lighting design, the problem of light pollution is deteriorated. The scope of this research is to identify the main issue and the repercussions of obtrusive lighting in the urban fabric, propose a quick method to quantify light pollution in sport fields using IDA-Criteria for Community-Friendly Outdoor Sports Lighting guidelines and to further set some parameters for a method using more calculating surfaces.

Is the hospital-park future of the sustainable hospital architecture?

The article deals with important issues of the ecological approach to the health care facilities design within the general world's attention to the problem of sustainable development of the urban environment. Taking as the example the innovative foreign experience of implemented projects of medical institutions, as well as design, competitive and conceptual proposals revealed the latest idea of coexistence and harmonization of natural and man-made worlds within the medical environment that meets the challenges and needs of the XXI century. It is the concept of the hospital-park, that synthetically combines the architectural environment, natural environment, as well as man-made oasis and creates the basis for emergent results both in the medical field and in the need for a neat attitude to our planet. The article reveals the possibilities of designing a hospital-park of different stories and in different initial conditions: in a dense urban environment with a minimum size of the construction site, in suburban and peripheral areas of the city.

Exploring the Association of the Built Environment, Accessibility and Commuting Frequency with the Travel Times of High-Speed Rail Commuters: Evidence from China

This paper explores door-to-door commuting pa erns and the way commuting time is associated with three factors: the built environment, transport mode (from residence and workplace to HSR stations), and commute frequency. Econometric and statistical analyses are employed to examine evidence from China that draws on a survey targeting Suzhou-based HSR commuters who travel to work in Shanghai. The findings present three major points. First, a dense urban environment around residence and workplace is associated with reduced commuting time to high-density healthcare facilities (Suzhou and Shanghai) and financial institutions (Shanghai only). However, the density of public transport facilities near both residence and workplace has no association with commuting time. Second, taking the metro to and from HSR stations shows signi ficant association with increased commuting time for the first and last miles, while walking from HSR stations to the workplace shows signi ficant reduction of commuting time. Third, daily commuting is associated with reduced commuting time in the first mile, while weekly commuting is reversely related to longer commuting time in the last mile, which is coupled with a shorter commuting time for the first mile than the last mile. These findings lead us to conclude that reducing the total commuting time for a door-to-door journey is a key factor in associated commuting pa erns, commuting frequency, and travel mode choice. This re flects the choices commuters make in relation to where they live rather than where they work, which off ers fewer options. A longer last mile relates to a weekly commuting pa ern rather than a daily commuting. The current public metro systems in both home and work cities appear to be lengthy and inefficient. Transitoriented and integrated development is required to provide more efficient experiences for commuters.

Performance Assessment on Porous Paving Made with Fly Ash as Landscape Architecture Element in Bandung Urban Area

This paper discusses the performance of locally made porous paving that has been applied in West Bandung, Indonesia, for almost one year. The porous paving uses fly ash and bottom ash produced by a local coal mining industry to minimize the use of cement and to reuse the industry’s waste. The porous properties of the paving corresponds substantially to the context of the high yearly rainfall in the tropical region up to 442 mm3 and to the high terrain of Lembang in 1080 meters above sea level which is best to immediately recharge ground water. In this paper, the paving’s performance is assessed for its role as a landscape architecture element by applying Vitruvius’ design theories of beauty: firmitas (by the ability to maintain shape or strength), utilitas (by its ability to infiltrate water) and venustas (by its physical appearance or signs of deterioration). The results show that the porous fly-ash paving demonstrate environmentally landscape architectural element. It will significantly contribute to the degrading quality of spatially dense urban environment of Bandung