Abstract

The integration of land use planning with other spatially significant policy sectors has been a longstanding aspiration and subject of debate in the planning profession and academia. The strategic planning of the 1960s and 1970s, for example, frequently aimed to promote a more ‘spatialised’ management of public policies and programmes. More recently, in the 1990s and 2000s the notion of ‘spatial planning’, popularised by international debates and new forms of governance and public management, has similarly placed an emphasis on the coherent management and coordination of policies and activities with a spatial impact. Achieving greater coordination between land use and transport policy has been a recurring theme in discussions on the integration of land use planning and other sectors. Informed by the context outlined above, this paper considers integration between land use and transport policies, plans, programmes and projects from both a conceptual and empirical perspective. It postulates the existence of a continuum model of integration between policy sectors ranging from ‘light’ to ‘deep’ integration and identifies barriers to and enablers of the achievement of effective integration. These elements are then used to frame and interpret evidence on the integration of land use and transport policies in Merseyside (UK) between 1965 and 2008. The findings indicate that effective integration is more likely to happen at the centre of a continuum between light and deep integration, with the implication being that deeper integration between policy sectors does not necessarily result in more effective integration overall.

Abstract

There is an increasing concern about the growth of car dependence and its associated negative impacts on cities, including economic and environmental factors, urban form and lifestyle. City authorities worldwide now pay increasing attention to sustainable transport systems by enhancing or introducing public transit services. An example is Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia, which has witnessed a significant growth in car ownership and population. Current efforts to reduce high dependence on private cars in Riyadh involve the development of a new public transport system. Against this background, this paper considers the wider impacts of the new public transport system in Riyadh City on urban form, economics, environment, social norms and culture. The analysis is based on in-depth interviews conducted with transport experts and officials of relevant authorities in Riyadh City. The study results highlight that the city’s urban form would have the highest impact on the uptake of public transport. Moreover, stakeholders assumed that the provision of public transport services in Riyadh would improve mobility, decrease travel time, and create more employment opportunities, positively affecting Riyadh City’s economy and the environment. Interviewees concluded that these potential interventions would affect social norms and culture positively in the long term. Document type: Article

Abstract

Planning for future energy-efficient and energy-producing buildings requires specific knowledge during the design process. Many design decisions taken by urban planners –form, density, roof type and orientation – have a significant effect on the conditions of such buildings, although urban planners might not always be aware of the effect of their design. This study examines the effects of important design decisions on the solar energy potential of net zero energy solar buildings. Typical Swedish building blocks with varying form, density, roof type and orientation were used to simulate the annual solar irradiation and energy production, and to calculate the load match for heating and electricity under Swedish conditions. Results of this study show that the urban density is the most influential parameter on the solar potential of building blocks. Furthermore, flat roofs often returned the highest load match value, while the effect of orientation on the solar potential turned out not to be that straightforward. With the results of this study, urban planners can make better informed decisions, while it also provides a ground for the net zero energy solar buildings discussion by exposing the boundaries of such buildings in the urban environment.

Abstract

Current mobility patterns mean that many trips cross one or several municipal borders. This emphasises the need to integrate land-use and transport planning at regional functional scales. However, the Swedish planning system is characterised by a ‘municipal planning monopoly’, where local governments control the formal planning instruments. The lack of formal means for regional-level planning has sparked initiatives that can be characterised as soft spaces in planning. The paper analyses how soft space planning as spatial strategy making at regional level is influencing local-level planning. The analysis covers 10 municipalities in the Swedish Region of Skåne. The results illustrate that the dialogue-based process has established a broad consensus on the need to consider the regional scale in municipal planning. However, the results also show that the impact on planning is limited since the consensus-based process resulted in strategic objectives with limited influence on prevailing planning practices. Findings also illustrate that key concepts for operationalising the strategies – including densification and public transport accessibility – were defined and used differently in different municipalities. Consequently, a more stringent use, and stricter definitions, of core concepts could be a way to strengthen the capacity of soft space regional planning.

Abstract

In the context of land use planning, Maryland has attracted significant attention at the national scale for innovative planning efforts. In 1997, Maryland passed a package of legislation collectively referred to as ‘smart growth’. Distinct from earlier regulatory state level attempts to alter development patterns in states like Oregon and Florida, this approach relied on incentives to influence development patterns. This innovative ‘inside/outside’ approach to managing growth relies on targeting state funding to encourage growth and investment in existing urbanized areas and areas planned for development (Priority Funding Areas [PFAs]) while discouraging growth and encouraging the preservation of rural areas (Rural Legacy Areas). Transportation funding for new projects or increased capacity must be directed into PFAs, constituting 85% of total funding on average from 1999 to 2008. Though the statute restricts the expenditure of state funds for transportation outside areas targeted for development, the statutes offer little explicit guidance regarding integrating transportation and land use policies. This article proposes that Smart Growth efforts could be even stronger if land-use policies were integrated more closely with transportation policies. The Maryland Statewide Transportation Model is applied to test the impact of various Smart Growth policies and transportation policies. The paper concludes that Smart Growth could have a bigger impact if transportation policies played a larger role. Document type: Article

Abstract

Increasingly significant freight transport had led to larger and more complex transport chains. More specifically, intermodal transport has arisen as a desirable alternative to long-haul road transport, as it creates opportunities for cost reduction and to decrease both polluting emissions and road congestion. Hence, achieving good levels of service in intermodal dedicated structures is of paramount importance for the success of this transport option. The global objective of this research is to determine the capacity of the Freight Village of Turin. This is motivated by future changes in traffic demand, related with the neighboring Port of Savona-Vado. The role of freight villages and other logistics centers is becoming progressively more substantial with saturating sea ports focusing on handling operations. Existing literature shows success in intermodal transport highly depends on terminal performance. To fulfil the already mentioned objective, a simulation model was developed, based on discrete-event methodology, which simulates rail and handling operation inside the freight village. The model is then used to test several scenarios with the purpose of investigating variation in operation techniques and resources and the respective impact it has on comprehensive capacity. Confronting the tested scenarios allowed to comprehend the inefficiencies of both rail and handling processes, hence concluding that locomotive operation presents the most limiting factor. Furthermore, by combining different operation conditions and resources, it was possible to conclude how these affect final capacity and overall performance. Document type: Article

Abstract

Weight reduction has always been a challenge for the automotive industry, mainly to reduce consumption but also improve handling. In electric vehicle design, the battery packs, their shape and positioning are critical aspects that determine the overall weight, weight distribution and, as a consequence, the efficiency, dynamics and stability of the vehicle. This presented a new challenge, to manage this necessary and inflexible weight and volume, developing the vehicle chassis around it and in the best possible way, without compromising the overall efficiency and behaviour. In this work, a methodology for nested topology optimization has been developed which combines structural topology optimization and battery pack shaping and positioning. The new methodology is implemented, without limiting its applicability, into the framework of the commercial software Hyperstudy by Altair. Document type: Article

Abstract

The pipes with diameter of 150mm, also called DN150, are often connected by grooved fit joints and employed as the stem pipelines, which are used to transport water vertically to different building stories and distribute it horizontally to different rooms. A large deformability is often required for the grooved fit joints to accommodate the deformation concentrated between adjacent stories during an earthquake. To this end, the grooved fit joint is often improved with a wider groove to achieve such a large deformability. However, its seismic performance has not been thoroughly studied yet. This study conducted quasi-static tests on twelve DN150 grooved fit joints, including four elbow joints and eight DN150-DN80 Tee joints. The mechanical behavior, rotational capacity and failure mode were examined and discussed. The test results indicate that the fracture of the grooved fitting and the pull-out of pipes from the grooved fitting are the major damage patterns at deformations larger than 0.1rad. At small deformations less than 0.06 rad, although slight abrasion and wear were observed on the contact surface between the galvanized steel pipe and the grooved fitting, they would not result in significant leakage. Three damage states are defined accordingly and the fragility models are developed for different grooved fit joints based on test results. Finally, seismic fragility analysis of DN150 stem pipeline system in a 10-story building was conducted. It is demonstrated that the improved joints survive under the maximum credible earthquake and the leakage is highly unlikely to occur. Document type: Article