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Volpe Center Highlights - April 2000SafetyDirector's Notes |
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Safety |
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Human and Natural Environment |
New Research Areas Identified in Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety (FRA) On March 3, 2000, Mr. Robert Ricci, Director of the Volpe Center's Office of Safety and Security, presented data in support of the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) initiative in Research and Development (R&D) investment analysis. The presentation was made to the Transportation Research Board's Committee that is involved in the review of FRA's allocation of R&D funding. The data included a fault-tree analysis of highway-rail grade crossing collisions from 1991 to 1997. This analysis was performed by the Volpe Center to support the identification of potential new grade crossing research topics in the areas of human factors, technology, data collection techniques, and federal resource allocation for highway-rail grade crossing improvements. Research topics are ranked based on their likelihood of success and impact on safety or regulatory actions. The information obtained from the analysis will be used in the FRA's fiscal year 2002 budget submission to the U.S. Congress. Volpe staff who performed the fault-tree analysis included: Ms. Anya A. Carroll and Mr. Ashish Aggarwal of the Accident Prevention Division, and Dr. Jordan Multer of the Operations Performance and Safety Analysis Division. Mr. Jeffrey Gordon of the Structures and Dynamics Division directed the analysis. Commuter Rail Systems Receive Support on Safety Issues (FRA)
At the request of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Ms. Stephanie Markos and Mr. James Lamond of the High Speed Ground Transportation Division are providing technical assistance to commuter rail operations. As part of a review of the Long Island Railroad's (LIRR) fire safety requirements for new car procurement, Ms. Markos attended a meeting at FRA's headquarters on February 18, 2000, in Washington, D.C. The meeting discussion focused on the fire safety analysis approach being used by Bombardier, the manufacturer of the LIRR's railcars. Representatives of the LIRR, the FRA, and Bombardier also attended. On March 8, 2000, Ms. Markos and Mr. Lamond participated in a field test of the newly activated Train-Approach Monitoring System (TAMS) at the Hyde Park commuter rail station near Boston, Massachusetts. Representatives of the FRA Region I, Amtrak, and the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) were in attendance. TAMS is a visual and audio warning system that alerts people on the platform when a train is approaching. The field test began as an electric high-speed Amtrak Acela Regional Service train en route from New York City to Boston approached the station at 110 mph. The system, which was activated 5,700 feet away from the station, worked as designed with audio and visual warnings of "Please Stand Back" repeated three times. Volpe staff and other participants at the testing made suggestions on how to improve the TAMS' Hyde Park operating system and station safety. Recommendations included increasing the number of audio warnings until the train enters the station. They also recommended widening the safety line at the edge of the platform so that people waiting for local service trains are standing far enough back. FRA Delegation Visits Germany to Discuss Maglev Technology (FRA) From March 15 to 17, 2000, Mr. Robert Dorer, Chief of the High Speed Ground Transportation Division, Mr. Ronald Mauri, Chief of the Center for Transportation Information, and Dr. Paul Valihura of the Environmental Engineering Division visited the Magnetic levitation (Maglev) test facility in the Emsland region of northwest Germany as part of a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) delegation. The German Maglev technology is being developed by Transrapid International (TRI). The purpose of the trip was to gain a better understanding of how this technology has evolved over the last seven years relative to operational and safety issues, and what the prospects are for its potential commercial deployment in the United States. In 1993, the Volpe Center assisted the FRA in a safety review of Transrapid's application potential for the state of Florida.
Maglev is an advanced technology in which magnetic forces lift, propel, and guide a vehicle over a guideway. Using electric power and control systems, this system eliminates contact between vehicle and guideway and is envisioned for applications with cruising speeds from 240 to 300 mph. These speeds are considerably faster than French and Japanese passenger trains that currently achieve 186 mph in commercial service. Because of its higher speed, Maglev can offer competitive trip times compared to the automotive and aviation modes in the 100- to 600-mile travel markets. While in Germany, the Volpe staff also participated in discussions in Berlin on the status of Transrapid applications in Germany with German Railways (Deutsche Bahn AG or DB), the German Federal Railway Administration (Eisenbahn-Bundesamt or EBA), TRI, and ThyssenKrupp, one of TRI's technology partners. Participants discussed how Germany is determining where to use the technology and how they have and will continue to ensure the safety of the technology. In addition to ThyssenKrupp, TRI's partners also include Siemens and ADtranz (a division of Daimler-Benz). These companies contribute different elements of the technology and are sharing in the cost of development. The German government also has contributed funding for this effort. TRI recently deployed a new three-section train at the test facility (the TR-08). This train is essentially the same vehicle that would be used in any commercial applications in Germany or the United States. The TR-08 technology is being proposed for six of the seven projects that currently are under consideration as part of the FRA's Maglev Deployment Program in the United States. The seven projects are located in California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. Aviation Industry Feedback Received on Electronic Flight Bags Document (FAA)
On March 20, 2000, Dr. Divya Chandra of the Operator Performance and Safety Analysis Division attended a meeting of the Air Transport Association Digital Data Working Group in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Chandra is working with Battelle contractor staff to support the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Office of the Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor for Human Factors. In Denver, Dr. Chandra and Ms. Sue Mangold, a Battelle contractor from Columbus, Ohio, received comments on the structure, scope, and content of the first draft of their document, "Human Factors Design Considerations for Electronic Flight Bags," from representatives of the airlines, the FAA, and companies that currently manufacture or plan to manufacture Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs). EFBs are portable electronic devices that can be customized to support flight deck tasks such as completing aircraft checklists, calculating flight performance variables, or checking information from references such as the Pilots Operating Handbook or the Flight Operations Manual. EFBs might eventually support other functions such as electronic messaging and receiving live weather reports. Dr. Chandra's and Ms. Mangold's document, which addresses human factors issues related to the use of EFBs for electronic documents, electronic checklists, and performance calculations, will be used by the FAA to create a policy for the approval of EFBs. It also will be used by designers of EFBs and by users. The comments that were received will be incorporated into a revised document to be presented at the working group's next meeting in June 2000. New Brain Model Developed for Analyzing Crash Test Results (NHTSA)
The Volpe Center has created a finite element model of the human brain for use in crash simulations to estimate the effects of angular kinematics on soft tissue injuries to the brain. The model, developed by Mr. Frank DiMasi of the Vehicle Crashworthiness Division, is intended to be coupled with LS-Dyna3d finite element software. The software will run on a desktop computer and will simulate crash tests using actual crash data processed and downloaded from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's (NHTSA) database via the Internet. The objective of this field operational model is to aid in the development of a new Brain Injury Criteria by providing a package that contains the basic anatomic model and computational methodology required for evaluating soft tissue or closed head injuries. The new criteria would supplement the current Head Injury Criteria, which do not consider angular kinematics and are a better predictor of skull fracture and contusion. Distribution of the model and methodology is seen as a way to involve the automotive safety research community in the development and finalization of new soft tissue injury criteria. The new model is currently under evaluation by the Volpe Center and NHTSA, and progress was last reviewed at a March meeting with Dr. Faris Bandak, manager of the head modeling and simulation work at NHTSA's National Transportation Biomechanics Research Center. The Volpe Center also is developing similar models and methods for evaluating chest and leg injuries. Volpe staff members who attended this meeting and were involved in these activities include: Mr. DiMasi, Mr. Joseph Canha, Dr. David Jeong, and Mr. Peter Kwok all of the Vehicle Crashworthiness Division; and Dr. Calvin Zhou of EG&G Technical Services, Inc. (a Volpe Center contractor). Papers Presented At SAE 2000 World Congress (NHTSA/FHWA) The Volpe Center is providing research support to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). As part of this work, Volpe staff presented several papers at the March 9th Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 2000 World Congress in Detroit, Michigan. Mr. John Hitz, Chief of the Accident Prevention Division, presented a paper on the results of a Volpe Center study. This paper was entitled "Safety Evaluation of an Intelligent Cruise Control System" and was co-authored by Dr. Wassim Najm and Mr. Andy Lam both of the Division, Mr. Joseph Koziol formerly of the Division and now of the Technology Applications and Deployment Division, and Ms. Suzanne Chen of the Operations Assessment Division. In addition to controlling a vehicle's speed, the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) system maintains a minimum headway with a preceding vehicle. The Volpe Center study concluded that the ICC system would result in net safety benefits if widely deployed. This ICC work is sponsored by NHTSA. Mr. Marco daSilva also of the Accident Prevention Division presented "Estimation of Crash Injury Severity Reduction for Intelligent Vehicle Safety Systems," which was co-authored by Dr. Wassim Najm also of the Division and Mr. Christopher Wiacek, formerly of the Division. This paper introduced a methodology for estimating the safety benefits of intelligent vehicle safety systems in terms of reductions in the number of collisions and in the number and severity of crash-related injuries. Mathematical models and statistics also were presented to support the estimation of the crash injury factors in rear-end, lane-change, and single vehicle roadway departure collisions. Dr. Tom Trella of the Vehicle Crashworthiness Division, whose work supports NHTSA's Crashworthiness Research Division, presented "A Moving Deformable Barrier with Dynamic Force and Deflection Spatial Measurement Capabilities for Full Scale Tests," which was co-authored by Ms. Randa Radwan Samaha of NHTSA. This paper describes the design and development of an advanced instrumentation Moving Deformable Barrier with dynamic force and deflection measurement capabilities. It was designed for use in full-scale dynamic tests for research crash testing of passenger cars, light trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans. It also was designed, in particular, for studies of aggressiveness and compatibility. These studies investigate the factors that influence occupant injury potential in vehicle-to-vehicle side and front impacts. Mr. Joseph Canha also of the Vehicle Crashworthiness Division, whose work supports the NHTSA National Transportation Biomechanics Research Center, presented "Development of a Finite Element Model of the THOR Crash Test Dummy." This paper was co-authored by Mr. Frank DiMasi and Ms. Yim Tang also of the Division, Mr. Mark Haffner of NHTSA, and Mr. Tariq Shams from Gesac, Inc. The paper describes the development of a finite element model of a new advanced crash test dummy, named Thor, that NHTSA has designed. The paper presents the modeling methodology and validation scheme with details on the testing, simulation, and validation processes. Volpe Staff Member Supports Alcohol Countermeasures (NHTSA)
The Volpe Center continues to provide support to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Office of Traffic Injury Control Programs by studying techniques for measuring alcohol on the breath and in the blood of suspected drunk drivers. On March 15, 2000, Dr. Arthur Flores of the Safety and Environmental Technology Division visited Phoenix, Arizona, to give expert testimony in support of the testing procedures for breath alcohol that are used by Phoenix's Office of the Prosecutor. The testimony was provided by Dr. Flores at a pre-trial hearing at the Phoenix Municipal Court and is similar to testimony previously given at Mojave County District Court in Kingman, Arizona. Dr. Flores' testimony defended the record keeping practices and testing program of the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Phoenix Crime Laboratory, which have been challenged by the Arizona defense law community. FAA and Airlines Implement Collaborative Initiatives to Tackle Delays (FAA) In a widely publicized press conference on March 10, 2000, President Bill Clinton told the nation that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the airlines were implementing new collaborative initiatives to tackle the problem of airport ground delays during the upcoming spring and summer severe weather season. DOT Secretary Rodney E. Slater and FAA Administrator Jane Garvey also participated in the press conference.
The FAA has taken a number of steps to improve system performance to deal with the numerous aviation delays and disruptions that occurred during the summer of 1999. Several of these steps are based on automation aids provided by the Volpe Center. Ground stops are one of the tools that the FAA uses to deal with congestion at an airport. On April 3, 2000, the Volpe Center started providing new data to the FAA that allows ground stops to be used in a more precise and controlled way so that excess delays can be avoided. Also on April 3, the Volpe Center started providing air carriers with detailed predictions on departures at an airport for fifteen hours into the future. These predictions allow a carrier to see how its flights fit into the larger picture at an airport , and to plan accordingly. In May 2000, the Volpe Center will be deploying a new centralized reroute database to promote a common situational awareness between the FAA's Air Traffic Command Center in Herndon, Virginia, the air traffic control field facilities throughout the country, and the air carriers. This database will allow all those involved to know exactly what reroutes are in effect and how long they will remain in place. These enhancements are provided by the Volpe Center's Automation Applications Division as part of the Enhanced Traffic Management System, the primary computer system that the FAA uses for dealing with congestion problems. This system was developed by the Volpe Center to provide the FAA with a real-time operational computer system for predicting, detecting, and handling airspace congestion problems. Volpe Staff Member Participates in the IEEE Position Location and Navigation Symposium 2000 The Volpe Center participated in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Position Location and Navigation Symposium 2000 that was held from March 14 to 16, 2000, in San Diego, California. Ms. Karen Van Dyke of the Center for Navigation chaired a session at the symposium: "The World after Global Positioning System Selective Availability (SA): Implications for Safety, Accuracy, Integrity, Utility, Galileo, and the Wide Area Augmentation System." The White House policy statement on the Global Positioning System (GPS), which was presented in a Presidential Decision Directive, and released on March 29, 1996, stated that it is the intention of the Department of Defense to turn off SA within a decade. The President of the United States will make an annual determination beginning this year on the continued implementation of SA. Ms. Van Dyke presented a paper in this session entitled "The World After SA: Benefits to GPS Integrity." This paper describes the increase in the availability of GPS for aviation applications if SA is turned off. Ms. Van Dyke also chaired a session on "Differential Global Positioning System Augmentations: European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, Local Area Augmentation System, Multifunction Satellite Augmentation System, and Wide Area Augmentation System." These systems are designed to improve the accuracy and availability of GPS for aviation applications. The symposium covered a wide variety of GPS applications and focused on the integration of navigation information for air, land, marine, and space systems. The meeting also covered issues pertaining to GPS integrity, Differential GPS, navigation, interference issues, and electronic charting. Papers that were presented at this meeting directly impact work that the Volpe Center is performing for the Federal Aviation Administration, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, the Department of Defense, Airservices Australia, the German Aviation Authority (DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung), the Chilean Aviation Authority (Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. |
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