Estimating the latent demand for rail transit : a case study in Perth, Western Australia

This paper presents a study on estimating the latent demand for rail transit in Australian context. Based on travel mode-choice modelling, a two-stage analysis approach is proposed, namely market population identification and mode share estimation. A case study is conducted on Midland-Fremantle rail transit corridor in Perth, Western Australia. The required data mainly include journey-to-work trip data from Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2006 and work-purpose mode-choice model in Perth Strategic Transport Evaluation Model. The market profile is analysed, such as catchment areas, market population, mode shares, mode specific trip distributions and average trip distances. A numerical simulation is performed to test the sensitivity of the transit ridership to the change of fuel price. A corridor-level transit demand function of fuel price is thus obtained and its characteristics of elasticity are discussed. This study explores a viable approach to developing a decision-support tool for the assessment of short-term impacts of policy and operational adjustments on corridor-level demand for rail transit.

Measuring driver responses at railway level crossings

Railway level crossings are amongst the most complex of road safety control systems, due to the conflicts between road vehicles and rail infrastructure, trains and train operations. Driver behaviour at railway crossings is the major collision factor. The main objective of the present paper was to evaluate the existing conventional warning devices in relation to driver behaviour. The common conventional warning devices in Australia are a stop sign (passive), flashing lights and a half boom-barrier with flashing lights (active). The data were collected using two approaches, namely: field video recordings at selected sites and a driving simulator in a laboratory. This paper describes and compares the driver response results from both the field survey and the driving simulator. The conclusion drawn is that different types of warning systems resulted in varying driver responses at crossings. The results showed that on average driver responses to passive crossings were poor when compared to active ones. The field results were consistent with the simulator results for the existing conventional warning devices and hence they may be used to calibrate the simulator for further evaluation of alternative warning systems.

Traction power system simulation in electrified railways

Electricity has been the major source of power in most railway systems. Reliable, efficient and safe power distribution to the trains is vitally important to the overall quality of railway service. Like any large-scale engineering system, design, operation and planning of traction power systems rely heavily on computer simulation. This paper reviews the major features on modelling and the general practices for traction power system simulation; and introduces the development of the latest simulation approach with discussions on simulation results and practical applications. Remarks will also be given on the future challenges on traction power system simulation.

Process mining manifesto

Process mining techniques are able to extract knowledge from event logs commonly available in today’s information systems. These techniques provide new means to discover, monitor, and improve processes in a variety of application domains. There are two main drivers for the growing interest in process mining. On the one hand, more and more events are being recorded, thus, providing detailed information about the history of processes. On the other hand, there is a need to improve and support business processes in competitive and rapidly changing environments. This manifesto is created by the IEEE Task Force on Process Mining and aims to promote the topic of process mining. Moreover, by defining a set of guiding principles and listing important challenges, this manifesto hopes to serve as a guide for software developers, scientists, consultants, business managers, and end-users. The goal is to increase the maturity of process mining as a new tool to improve the (re)design, control, and support of operational business processes.

Problematising the processes of participation in networks : working through the rhetoric

Participation in networks, both as a concept and process, is widely supported in environmental education as a democratic and equitable pathway to individual and social change for sustainability. However, the processes of participation in networks are rarely problematized. Rather, it is assumed that we inherently know how to participate in networks. This assumption means that participation is seldom questioned. Underlying support for participation in networks is a belief that it allows individuals to connect in new and meaningful ways, that individuals can engage in making decisions and in bringing about change in arenas that affect them, and that they will be engaging in new, non-hierarchical and equitable relationships. In this paper we problematize participation in networks. As an example we use research into a decentralized network – described as such in its own literature - the Queensland Environmentally Sustainable Schools Initiative Alliance in Australia – to argue that while network participants were engaged and committed to participation in this network, 'old' forms of top-down engagement and relationships needed to be unlearnt. This paper thus proposes that for participation in decentralized networks to be meaningful, new learning about how to participate needs to occur.

Integrating driving and traffic simulators to study railway level crossing safety interventions : a methodology

Safety at Railway Level Crossings (RLXs) is an important issue within the Australian transport system. Crashes at RLXs involving road vehicles in Australia are estimated to cost $10 million each year. Such crashes are mainly due to human factors; unintentional errors contribute to 46% of all fatal collisions and are far more common than deliberate violations. This suggests that innovative intervention targeting drivers are particularly promising to improve RLX safety. In recent years there has been a rapid development of a variety of affordable technologies which can be used to increase driver’s risk awareness around crossings. To date, no research has evaluated the potential effects of such technologies at RLXs in terms of safety, traffic and acceptance of the technology. Integrating driving and traffic simulations is a safe and affordable approach for evaluating these effects. This methodology will be implemented in a driving simulator, where we recreated realistic driving scenario with typical road environments and realistic traffic. This paper presents a methodology for evaluating comprehensively potential benefits and negative effects of such interventions: this methodology evaluates driver awareness at RLXs , driver distraction and workload when using the technology . Subjective assessment on perceived usefulness and ease of use of the technology is obtained from standard questionnaires. Driving simulation will provide a model of driving behaviour at RLXs which will be used to estimate the effects of such new technology on a road network featuring RLX for different market penetrations using a traffic simulation. This methodology can assist in evaluating future safety interventions at RLXs.

Assessing efficiency of a transit oriented development (TOD) by comparative analysis

Transit oriented developments (TODs) are master planned communities constructed to reduce the dependence on the private car and promote the modes of transport such as public transport, walking and cycling, which are presumed by many transport professionals to be more sustainable. This paper tests this assumption that TOD is a more sustainable form of development than traditional development, with respect to travel demand, by conducting travel surveys for a case study TOD and comparing the travel characteristics of TOD residents with the travel characteristics of residents of Brisbane, Australia who live in non TOD suburbs. The results of a household comparison showed that the Kelvin Grove Urban Village (KGUV) households had slightly smaller household size, lower vehicle and bicycle ownership compared to Brisbane Statistical Division (BSD), Brisbane’s inner north and inner south suburbs. The comparison of average trip characteristics showed that on an average KGUV residents undertook fewer trips on the given travel day (2.6 trips/person) compared to BSD (3.1 trips/person), Brisbane Inner North Suburbs (BINS) (3.6 trips/person) and Brisbane Inner South Suburbs (BISS) (3.5 trips/person) residents. The mode share comparison indicated that KGUV residents used more public transport and made more walk-only trips in comparison to BSD, BINS and BISS residents. Overall, 72.4 percent of KGUV residents used a sustainable mode of transport for their travel on a typical weekday. On the other hand, only 17.4 percent, 22.2 percent and 24.4 percent residents of BSD, BINS and BISS used sustainable modes of transport for this travel. The results of trip length comparison showed that overall KGUV residents have smaller average trip lengths as compared to its counterparts. KGUV & BINS residents used car for travelling farther and used public transport for accessing destinations located closer to their homes. On the contrary, BSD and BISS residents exhibited an opposite trend. These results support the transportation claims of many transport professionals that TODs are more transport efficient and therefore more sustainable in this respect.

Assessing efficiency of a transit oriented development by comparative analysis

TOD: - A fully planned, mixed use development equipped with good quality transit service and infrastructure for walking and cycling Hypothesis: -TOD will help to reduce urban transport congestion Method: -Comparison of a TOD with non TOD urban environments -Residents’ trip characteristics

Hazard based models for freeway traffic incident duration

Assessing and prioritising cost-effective strategies to mitigate the impacts of traffic incidents and accidents on non-recurrent congestion on major roads represents a significant challenge for road network managers. This research examines the influence of numerous factors associated with incidents of various types on their duration. It presents a comprehensive traffic incident data mining and analysis by developing an incident duration model based on twelve months of incident data obtained from the Australian freeway network. Parametric accelerated failure time (AFT) survival models of incident duration were developed, including log-logistic, lognormal, and Weibul-considering both fixed and random parameters, as well as a Weibull model with gamma heterogeneity. The Weibull AFT models with random parameters were appropriate for modelling incident duration arising from crashes and hazards. A Weibull model with gamma heterogeneity was most suitable for modelling incident duration of stationary vehicles. Significant variables affecting incident duration include characteristics of the incidents (severity, type, towing requirements, etc.), and location, time of day, and traffic characteristics of the incident. Moreover, the findings reveal no significant effects of infrastructure and weather on incident duration. A significant and unique contribution of this paper is that the durations of each type of incident are uniquely different and respond to different factors. The results of this study are useful for traffic incident management agencies to implement strategies to reduce incident duration, leading to reduced congestion, secondary incidents, and the associated human and economic losses.

Vibrational spectroscopic characterization of the phosphate mineral series eosphorite–childrenite–(Mn,Fe)Al(PO4)(OH)2·(H2O)

The phosphate mineral series eosphorite–childrenite–(Mn,Fe)Al(PO4)(OH)2·(H2O) has been studied using a combination of electron probe analysis and vibrational spectroscopy. Eosphorite is the manganese rich mineral with lower iron content in comparison with the childrenite which has higher iron and lower manganese content. The determined formulae of the two studied minerals are: (Mn0.72,Fe0.13,Ca0.01)(Al)1.04(PO4, OHPO3)1.07(OH1.89,F0.02)·0.94(H2O) for SAA-090 and (Fe0.49,Mn0.35,Mg0.06,Ca0.04)(Al)1.03(PO4, OHPO3)1.05(OH)1.90·0.95(H2O) for SAA-072. Raman spectroscopy enabled the observation of bands at 970 cm−1 and 1011 cm−1 assigned to monohydrogen phosphate, phosphate and dihydrogen phosphate units. Differences are observed in the area of the peaks between the two eosphorite minerals. Raman bands at 562 cm−1, 595 cm−1, and 608 cm−1 are assigned to the �4 bending modes of the PO4, HPO4 and H2PO4 units; Raman bands at 405 cm−1, 427 cm−1 and 466 cm−1 are attributed to the �2 modes of these units. Raman bands of the hydroxyl and water stretching modes are observed. Vibrational spectroscopy enabled details of the molecular structure of the eosphorite mineral series to be determined.

Supporting collaboration in large-scale multi-user workspaces

CubIT is a multi-user, large-scale presentation and collaboration framework installed at the Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Cube facility, an interactive facility made up 48 multi-touch screens and very large projected display screens. The CubIT system allows users to upload, interact with and share their own content on the Cube’s display surfaces. This paper outlines the collaborative features of CubIT which are implemented via three user interfaces, a large-screen multi-touch interface, a mobile phone and tablet application and a web-based content management system. Each of these applications plays a different role and supports different interaction mechanisms supporting a wide range of collaborative features including multi-user shared workspaces, drag and drop upload and sharing between users, session management and dynamic state control between different parts of the system.

Investigation of a neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene (NOS1) polymorphism in a multiple sclerosis population

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease characterized by demyelination associated with infiltrating white blood cells in the central nervous system (CNS). Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) are a family of enzymes that control the production of nitric oxide. It is possible that neuronal NOS could be involved in MS pathophysiology and hence the nNOS gene is a potential candidate for involvement in disease susceptibility. The aim of this study was to determine whether allelic variation at the nNOS gene locus is associated with MS in an Australian cohort. DNA samples obtained from a Caucasian Australian population affected with MS and an unaffected control population, matched for gender, age and ethnicity, were genotyped for a microsatellite polymorphism in the promoter region of the nNOS gene. Allele frequencies were compared using chi-squared based statistical analyses with significance tested by Monte Carlo simulation. Allelic analysis of MS cases and controls produced a chi-squared value of 5.63 with simulated P = 0.96 (OR(max) = 1.41, 95% CI: 0.926-2.15). Similarly, a Mann-Whitney U analysis gave a non-significant P-value of 0.377 for allele distribution. No differences in allele frequencies were observed for gender or clinical course subtype (P > 0.05). Statistical analysis indicated that there is no association of this nNOS variant and MS and hence the gene does not appear to play a genetically significant role in disease susceptibility.

Identification and simultaneous analysis of harmane, harmol, isovitexin and vitexin in Passiflora incarnata extracts with a novel HLPC method

A high performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous analysis of two flavonoids (iso-vitexin and vitexin), and three indole alkaloids (harmane, harmine, and harmol) was developed. This method was then utilised to quantitate levels of these five constituents in methanolic extracts of Australian Passiflora incarnata. HPLC analysis was performed using a Waters™ Novapak C18 (150 × 4 mm, 4 μm) column, with a gradient solvent system of methanol-water-acetic acid. Detection was achieved by PDA UV (254 nm) and fluorescence (excitation 254 nm, emission 414 nm), utilising the external standard method to obtain quantification.

Evaluating ITS interventions at railway level crossings using a driving simulator

This paper assesses Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to identify safety systems that are most likely to reduce driver errors at railway crossings. ITS technologies have been integrated in order to develop improved evaluation tools to reduce crashes at railway crossings. Although emerging technologies, knowledge, innovative interventions have been introduced to change driver behaviour, there is a lack of research on the impact of integrating ITS technologies and transportation simulation on drivers. The outcomes of ITS technologies for complementing traditional signage were compared with those of current safety systems (passive and active) at railway crossings. Three ITS technologies are compared with current treatments, in terms of compliance rate and vehicle speed profiles. It is found that ITS technologies improve compliance rate by 17~30% and also encourage drivers to slow down earlier compared to current passive and active crossings when there is a train approaching the railway crossings.

A state-wide systems approach to embedding the learning and teaching of sustainability in teacher education

Education systems have a key role to play in preparing future citizens to engage in sustainable living practices and help create a more sustainable world. Many schools throughout Australia have begun to develop whole-school approaches to sustainability education that are supported by national and state policies and curriculum frameworks. Preservice teacher education, however, lags behind in building the capacity of new teachers to initiate and implement such approaches (ARIES, 2010). This proposed project seeks to develop a state-wide systems approach to embedding Education for Sustainability (EfS) in teacher education that is aligned with the Australian National Curriculum and the aspirations for EfS in the Melbourne Declaration and other national documents. Representatives from all teacher education institutions and other agents of change in the Queensland education system will be engaged in a multilevel systems approach, involving collaboration at the state, institutional and course levels, to develop curriculum practices that reflect a shared vision of EfS.