Online korean skincare decision support system

Despite the explosive growth of electronic commerce and the rapidly increasing number of consumers who use interactive media for pre-purchase information search and online shopping, very little is known about how consumers make purchase decisions in such settings. One desirable form of interactivity from a consumer perspective is the implementation of sophisticated tools to assist shoppers in their purchase decisions by customizing the electronic shopping environment to their individual preferences

Sampietrini stone pavements: Distress analysis using pavement condition index method

In several Italian cities, it is possible to find historical pavements such as the Sampietrini pavements, which are mainly located in the center of the city of Rome. The Sampietrini pavement is a particular road surface paved in natural stone with irregular sharp elements that are assembled by hand with the evident not plan effect. Because of their peculiarities, they are not suitable for streets where high speed is allowed. In many cases, high vibration and noise levels due to road traffic traveling on Sampietrini pavements are caused by inadequate maintenance, which is also affected by the absence of specific evaluation criteria regarding surface conditions and performances of Sampietrini pavements. It is not possible, in fact, to adopt common approaches developed to be used for flexible and rigid pavements, because they present completely different features and distresses. In this paper, to overpass this problem, a new evaluation criterion based on Pavement Condition Index (PCI) method established for block pavements is proposed. Furthermore, to fully characterize this kind of pavements, other analyses, i.e., International Roughness Index (IRI) and comfort level evaluation based on ISO 2631 standard, were also carried out. The results showed a good correlation between PCI and IRI approaches (R 2 = 0.82), also highlighting that new or reconstructed Sampietrini pavements present not negligible roughness level. This aspect was also confirmed estimating the comfort level perceived by users traveling at several speeds (≤50 km/h). Finally, speed related threshold values to be adopted for PCI and IRI methods are proposed. The proposed method can be implemented by pavement managers in a PMS ad hoc for stone block paving and thus, it can be integrated with other equivalents methods of visual inspection based on PCI

"Global Warming and Transport Policies"

The Japanese government has advocated a wide range of policy measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, e.g. improvements of gas mileage, development of alternative fuel vehicles, shifts to walking, bicycles and public transportation for passenger transportation and to trains and ships for cargos, greening of highways. The details of these policies and their effectiveness are not clear, however. Furthermore, virtually no analysis has been provided on the costs and benefits of these policy measures. Unfortunately, the Japanese government has been slow to develop the data infrastructure needed for such an evaluation. This article reviews the studies conducted in the U.S. and Europe, and examines what sort of research is necessary in Japan.

Green Up Pavement Rehabilitation Design Tool

While designers produce pavement rehabilitation recommendations every day, for projects of all sizes, most designers have little information on the environmental impact of their recommendations. This research developed a new decision tool, called the “Green Up Pavement Rehabilitation Design Tool,” to allow the comparison of different rehabilitation solutions in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and to encourage sustainable practices such as materials recycling and the use of permeable, cool, and quiet pavement surfaces. The project aligns with the major goal of California Senate Bill 1, which is “to address deferred maintenance on the state highway system and the local street and road system,” by providing a rehabilitation strategy selection tool as well as an educational tool to promote sustainable pavement practices. The Green Up graphic and the overall methodology were finalized in consultation with representatives of the portland cement concrete and asphalt industries in California. For designers interested in learning more, the tool includes fact sheets about sustainable pavement rehabilitation strategies and links to additional online resources

A Framework for Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Road Salt Used in Winter Maintenance Operations

It is important to assess from a holistic perspective the sustainability of road salt widely used in winter road maintenance (WRM) operations. The importance becomes increasingly apparent in light of competing priorities faced by roadway agencies, the need for collaborative decision-making, and growing concerns over the risks that road salt poses for motor vehicles, transportation infrastructure, and the natural environment. This project introduces the concept of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA), which combines Life Cycle Costing, Environmental Life Cycle Assessment, and Social Life Cycle Assessment. The combination captures the features of three pillars in sustainability: economic development, environmental preservation, and social progress. With this framework, it is possible to enable more informed and balanced decisions by considering the entire life cycle of road salt and accounting for the indirect impacts of applying road salt for snow and ice control. This project proposes a LCSA framework of road salt, which examines the three branches of LCSA, their relationships in the integrated framework, and the complexities and caveats in the LCSA. While this framework is a first step in the right direction, we envision that it will be improved and enriched by continued research and may serve as a template for the LCSA of other WRM products, technologies, and practices

Taxation of Road Goods Vehicles – An Economic Assessment

This paper reviews the current position, recent research and potential future areas of research relating to road track costs, with particular reference to Heavy Goods Vehicles. It opens with a theoretical discussion, which concludes that the appropriate basis for changing is long run marginal social cost, but casts some doubt on whether the existing cost allocation procedure achieves this. The main reason for this is the likelihood that the marginal capital cost per unit of traffic of coping with an increase in traffic volumes greatly exceeds the average capital cost per unit of traffic at the present time. The DTp method of allocating track costs is then outlined, and the sensitivity of the results to variations in a number of the key assumptions is tested. The results show that the DTp method may only be allocating HGVfs as little as half of their costs. Hence instead of covering their allocated costs by some 30% to allow for environmental effects, as the DTp. claim, it may be that these lorries are only meeting 65% of their allocated cost. The sensitivity tests that yield the above results reflect the following concerns: (1) FUEL CONSUMPTION DTp measures lorry mileage and deduces fuel used and hence fuel tax paid. However, their fuel consumption figures look implausibly high. We have used FTA figures instead. (2) TRAFFIC FLOW DTp currently allocate many costs to vehicle kilometres (e.g. drainage, winter maintenance, traffic signs etc.), but accepts that the demand for a new road arises in proportion to PCUs (passenger car units), i.e. giving more weight to lorries. Our view is that once a road is opened any general costs involved in its continued use should also be allocated by PCUs. (3) LORRY WEIGHTS DTp use lorry weights as reported on a self completion questionnaire, which naturally omit any overloading. We have used observed values from a large study in Cheshire. (4) CAPITAL EXPENDITURE DTp charge only what is currently being spent. Following cutbacks in all government expenditure, this amount is now some 50% lower than in the early 1970s. Since capital expenditure was roughly 60% of total road expenditure, this implies that cost allocations have fallen by 30% on this account. Our view is that even this understates the true long run marginal cost of road traffic. Although the precise figures are subject to much doubt, in every case there seems good reason to suppose that the proposition is broadly correct. Taken cumulatively, they would be sufficient to convert the existing overpayment by HGVs (which presumably is intended to reflect unquantified environmental costs) into a substantial underpayment. If the increase in road haulage taxation which these figures would imply is politically unacceptable, then there is a good case for corresponding action to relieve the rail and water modes of part of their infrastructure costs

Measurement methods and analysis tools for rail irregularities. A case study for urban tram track

Rail irregularities, in particular for urban railway infrastructures, are one of the main causes for the generation of noise and vibrations. In addition, repetitive loading may also lead to decay of the structural elements of the rolling stock. This further causes an increase in maintenance costs and reduction of service life. Monitoring these defects on a periodic basis enables the network rail managers to apply proactive measures to limit further damage. This paper discusses the measurement methods for rail corrugation with particular regard to the analysis tools for evaluating the thresholds of acceptability in relation to the tramway Italian transport system. Furthermore, a method of analysis has been proposed: an application of the methodology used for treating road profiles has been also utilized for the data processing of rail profilometric data

Chicago Recovery Partnership Evaluation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

From 2009-2011, the City of Chicago and Cook County received a total of $2.35 billion in funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act [ARRA]. The stimulus money was allocated to seven areas: education, basic needs, transportation and infrastructure, housing and energy, public safety, broadband and workforce development. The Chicago Recovery Partnership Evaluation of ARRA analyzes the impact of the stimulus spending using a costbenefit analysis framework. This report evaluated$1.09 billion of total spending in Chicago and Cook County, resulting in net benefits ranging from -$173.9 to$2,740.2 million. The wide range in net benefits is attributed largely to education, which received over half of ARRA funding