Optimizing Performance of at-grade Intersection with Bus Rapid Transit Corridor and Heterogeneous Traffic

ABSTRACTBus Rapid Transit (BRT) has emerged as a preferred mode of public transport in various countries all over the world for its cost effectiveness in construction as well as in operation and maintenance. The rapid transit feature of BRT is seen as a solution to many traffic problems in these countries. However, in developing countries like India, the right -of-way for most of the roads is restricted and traffic is heterogeneous in nature. Provision of BRT in existing right -of-way reduces the capacity available for other motorized traffic. As the buses travel with a certain frequency on dedicated bus- ways, the dedicated corridor remains unused for most of the period when other traffic on motorized vehicle (MV) lanes suffers from congestion. The problem gets severe at intersections. However, if buses are operated in mixed traffic it is no more rapid transit. Hence, a solution is required to address this problem and optimize the performance of traffic as a whole. This paper presents the effect if dedicated bus-ways end at a reasonable distance before the stop line at a busy signalized at-grade intersection, and bus lanes (beyond that) are made available to all the motorized vehicular traffic (heterogeneous traffic) at intersection. The performance evaluation is done in terms of average queue length, maximum queue length, average delay time per vehicle, vehicle throughput, average speed in network and emission of Carbon monoxide CO, mono-nitrogen oxides NOx and Volatile organic compounds (VOC). It is observed that availability of bus lanes to other motorized traffic for a reasonable distance before intersection considerably reduces the average queue length, maximum queue length, average delay time per vehicle and emission per vehicle, while there is an increase in vehicle throughput and average speed of all the vehicles in the network. Thus it results in reduction of congestion and performance enhancement of at-grade intersections and network. Results of investigation are relevant in international context. VISSIM, a microscopic simulation tool, is used to model the heterogeneous traffic and public transit lines under constraints of roadway geometry, vehicle characteristics, driving behaviour and traffic controls. The effect is investigated with different random seeds to obtain reasonable results for analysis

Remunerativeness led acreage response of arecanut in Karnataka state

The decision of farmers regarding allocation of farm resources, in general, and land resource which have supply inelasticity is crucial. This decision of farmers in case of commercial plantation crops will be highly influenced by the policies and programmes formulated by the government. The formulated developmental programmes mainly aim at increasing the overall production of the economy and its success depends on the reactions of farmers to such programmes. The increased production can be achieved either through extensive or intensive cultivation or the mix of two. In this context it becomes imperative to have a better insight about the farmers’ response to various price and non-price factors. To understand the behavioural mechanism of arecanut growers in major areca growing districts of Karnataka, Nerlovian lagged adjustment model was employed. The result revealed that it is the expected price (remunerativeness) which has resulted in extensive cultivation in most of the areca growing belts. The result was contrasting in case of Dakshina Kannada where the response of farmers to expected price was negative, which might be due to the fact that growers in this region have shifted to alternative crop i.e., rubber, which is equally remunerative due to wide prevalence of yellow leaf disease. The other likely reason would be the limitation of area for further expansion, since area expansion has met its saturation in the locality. To prove the remunerativeness of arecanut enterprise, representative district Shimoga was chosen. The economics of arecanut cultivation revealed that it is remunerative compared to other major crops of the study area

Standardisation of soil volume wetting for drip irrigation in mango (Mangifera indica L.,)

Field experiments were conducted in mango for four years during 2017-2020 at ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research to standardise optimum soil volume wetting for drip irrigation. Wetting soil volume upto 70% recorded higher mean fruit yield of 34.8 kg/plant (9.68 t/ha)and with further increase in the level of soil volume wetting irrigation (upto 80%), there was a decline in the mango yield (7.40 t/ha). Similarly, significantly increased response was observed in fruit weight upto 70% soil volume irrigation (226 g) although there were no significant differences in the TSS of the fruit. Significantly higher water use efficiency was observed for 30% soil volume wetting irrigation (274.1 kg/m3) and further no significant differences were observed in water use efficiency between 50% and 70% soil volume wetting irrigations indicating that in areas of water scarcity, it is enough to scheduling the irrigation only upto 50% soil volume wetting in mango for economising the water (232.1 kg/m3)

Analysis of the probability of rainfall in the Fingeshwar Tehsil of the Gariyaband District for crop planning

Rainfall probability analysis improves predictions of the minimum assured rainfall to aid crop planning. An attempt has been made to look into the patterns of rainfall distribution, including weekly, seasonal, and annual rainfall, using data collected from the Fingeshwar tehsil of the Gariyaband district, Chhattisgarh, over a ten-year period (2011-2020). Using the Weibull plotting position function, expected weekly, monthly, seasonal, and yearly rainfall values were calculated for various probability levels. Based on a 10-year yearly average, the data revealed that 1074.4 mm of rain were actually seen, following an average of 52.2 rainy days. A rainfall amount with a 75% probability level predicts 862.9 mm annually. The largest amount of weekly rainfall, 49 mm, was predicted to fall in the 35th week, followed by 32.1 mm in the 25th standard week and the least amount, 0.0 mm, in the 20-22nd, 29, 37, 40-42nd SMW. This prediction was made at a 75% chance level, same like the one before. According to a study of monthly rainfall at 70, 75, and 80% probability levels, the three crucial wet months are July, August, and September, with probabilities of getting a monthly rainfall between 0 and 50 mm. At a 70% probability level, the seasonal rainfall report projects 833 mm for the Kharif season. Thus, it can conclude that the kharif season's activities could start between the 22nd and the 23rd standard week and farmers can properly produce paddy crops in highland areas followed by any rabi crop in rabi season

Zinc and Iron Nutrition to Increase the Productivity of Pearl Millet-Mustard Cropping System in Salt Affected Soils

The abiotic stresses, such as soil salinity and sodicity are largely responsible for the low productivity of crops mainly due to low availability of micro-nutrients especially as zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe). Therefore, judicious management of plant nutrients in these soils is as important as their reclamation. A field experiment was conducted for 4 consecutive years, consisting of 12 treatments laid out in randomized block design to evaluate the effect of rate and methods of zinc and iron as single or combined soil as well as foliar application in pearl millet-mustard cropping system grown on salt affected soils. Soil application of Zn and Fe were applied at the time of sowing with FYM or without FYM (addition of FYM done only in pearl millet) and foliar application of respective nutrients were also applied at 30 and 45 days after sowing of crops. The results of experiment showed that, application of FYM 10 t ha-1 along with 5 kg Zn+10 kg Fe significantly (p=0.05) improved the yield parameters of pearl millet and mustard followed by 5 kg ha-1 Zn and 10 kg ha-1 Fe as soil application. The results also indicated that combined soil application of 5 kg Zn+10 kg Fe +10 t FYM increased the pearl millet grain yield (36.6 q ha-1) and mustard seed yield (22.7 q ha-1) by 57.1% and 42.8% higher over control, however, yield improvement was 35.6 and 20.7 % due to application of 5 kg Zn+10 kg Fe without FYM, respectively, in pearl millet and mustard over control. Ferrous-iron content in both crops proved to be a better index of Fe nutrition status compared to total plant Fe and DTPA- extractable soil Fe under salt affected soils. Salt affected soils are having vast potential to produce a significant amount of food grain by applying optimum dose of Zn, Fe and FYM in pearl millet and mustard. Combined foliar application of Zn and Fe also increased the yields of pearl millet and mustard grown in saline soils. Ferrous iron (Fe2+) is better indicator for iron nutrition in crops

Novel Synthesis and High Pressure Behavior of Na0.3CoO2 x 1.3 H2O and Related Phases

We have prepared powder samples of NaxCoO2 x yH2O using a new synthesis route. Superconductivity was observed in Na0.3CoO2 x 1.3H2O between 4 and 5K as indicated by the magnetic susceptibility. The bulk compressibilities of Na0.3CoO2 x 1.3H2O, Na0.3CoO2 x 0.6H2O and Na0.3CoO2 were determined using a diamond anvil cell and synchrotron powder diffraction. Chemical changes occurring under pressure when using different pressure transmitting media are discussed and further transport measurements are advocated.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, PRrapid submitte

Variance based weighting of multisensory head rotation signals for verticality perception

We tested the hypothesis that the brain uses a variance-based weighting of multisensory cues to estimate head rotation to perceive which way is up. The hypothesis predicts that the known bias in perceived vertical, which occurs when the visual environment is rotated in a vertical-plane, will be reduced by the addition of visual noise. Ten healthy participants sat head-fixed in front of a vertical screen presenting an annulus filled with coloured dots, which could rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise at six angular velocities (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 16°/s) and with six levels of noise (0, 25, 50, 60, 75, 80%). Participants were required to keep a central bar vertical by rotating a hand-held dial. Continuous adjustments of the bar were required to counteract low-amplitude low-frequency noise that was added to the bar's angular position. During visual rotation, the bias in verticality perception increased over time to reach an asymptotic value. Increases in visual rotation velocity significantly increased this bias, while the addition of visual noise significantly reduced it, but did not affect perception of visual rotation velocity. The biasing phenomena were reproduced by a model that uses a multisensory variance-weighted estimate of head rotation velocity combined with a gravito-inertial acceleration signal (GIA) from the vestibular otoliths. The time-dependent asymptotic behaviour depends on internal feedback loops that act to pull the brain's estimate of gravity direction towards the GIA signal. The model's prediction of our experimental data furthers our understanding of the neural processes underlying human verticality perception

A Real Space Description of Magnetic Field Induced Melting in the Charge Ordered Manganites: I. The Clean Limit

We study the melting of charge order in the half doped manganites using a model that incorporates double exchange, antiferromagnetic superexchange, and Jahn-Teller coupling between electrons and phonons. We primarily use a real space Monte Carlo technique to study the phase diagram in terms of applied field $(h)$ and temperature $(T)$, exploring the melting of charge order with increasing $h$ and its recovery on decreasing $h$. We observe hysteresis in this response, and discover that the `field melted' high conductance state can be spatially inhomogeneous even without extrinsic disorder. The hysteretic response plays out in the background of field driven equilibrium phase separation. Our results, exploring $h$, $T$, and the electronic parameter space, are backed up by analysis of simpler limiting cases and a Landau framework for the field response. This paper focuses on our results in the `clean' systems, a companion paper studies the effect of cation disorder on the melting phenomena.Comment: 16 pages, pdflatex, 11 png fig

Search for anomalous top-gluon couplings at LHC revisited

Through top-quark pair productions at LHC, we study possible effects of nonstandard top-gluon couplings yielded by SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1) invariant dimension-6 effective operators. We calculate the total cross section and also some distributions for p p -> t tbar X as functions of two anomalous-coupling parameters, i.e., the chromoelectric and chromomagnetic moments of the top, which are constrained by the total cross section sigma(p pbar -> t tbar X) measured at Tevatron. We find that LHC might give us some chances to observe sizable effects induced by those new couplings.Comment: One comment and related two refs. added. Final version (to appear in Eur.Phys.J. C