Association of Carbon Emissions and Circular Curve in Northwestern China

Abstract

Carbon emissions, produced by automobile fuel consumption, are termed as the key reason leading to global warming. The highway circular curve constitutes a major factor impacting vehicle carbon emissions. It is deemed quite essential to investigate the association existing between circular curve and carbon emissions. On the basis of the IPCC carbon emission conversion methodology, the current research work put forward a carbon emission conversion methodology suitable for China’s diesel status. There are 99 groups’ test data of diesel trucks during the trip, which were attained on 23 circular curves in northwestern China. The test road type was key arterial roads having a design speed greater than or equal to 60 km/h, besides having no roundabouts and crossings. Carbon emission data were generated with the use of carbon emission conversion methodologies and fuel consumption data from field tests. As the results suggested, carbon emissions decline with the increase in the radius of circular curve. A carbon emission quantitative model was established with the radius and length of circular curve, coupled with the initial velocity as the key impacting factors. In comparison with carbon emissions under circular curve section and flat section scenarios, the minimum curve radius impacting carbon emissions is 500 m. This research work provided herein a tool for the quantification of carbon emissions and a reference for a low-carbon highway design.

A Model for Estimating Passenger-Car Carbon Emissions that Accounts for Uphill, Downhill and Flat Roads

“…This prevented measurement error otherwise caused by various factors when directly detecting gas from the exhaust pipe of the test vehicle. The conclusions of this study are comparable with extant results from similar work in other countries; the universal applicability of the research results presented here is guaranteed [15,16]. Data relevant to the extant vehicle fuel characteristics in China can be found in the "National Communication on Climate Change of China" [32,33].…”

“…The vehicle's energy conversion formulations on downhill road sections in Case I, Case II, Case III are reflected in Equations (13) and 14, Equation 15, Equations (16) and 17, respectively.…”

“…Existing micro carbon emission models, such as CEME and MOVES, were established on large quantities of measured or simulated data [11][12][13][14]; arguably, the theoretical basis of these models is insufficient. The default parameters in these micro models are also inconsistent with China's specific conditions [15,16] and cannot be directly applied to the estimation of vehicle fuel consumption or carbon emissions in China.…”

Private vehicle-based crowdshipping for intercity express transportation: Feasibility assessment

“…Previous studies have shown that factors such as fuel, traffic conditions, road gradients, and engine performance have an impact on vehicle fuel consumption and emissions. [22][23][24][25][26] Zhang et al 27 established a multiple regression model that calculated CO 2 emissions considering initial vehicle speed, circular curve length, and roadway segment radius, and they used the field experiment to verify that the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) model is valid. In addition to the MOVES model, various models have been currently used to estimate vehicle emission factors such as Comprehensive Modal Emissions Model (CMEM), Mobile Source Emission Factor Model (MOBILE), Emission Factor (EMFAC), International Vehicle Emission Model (IVE), and Computer Programme to Calculate Emissions from Road Transport (COPERT) models.…”

Modelling carbon emissions of diesel trucks on longitudinal slope sections in China

“…The carbon emission data measured by the laboratory dynamometer are unable to reflect on the vehicle's operation on actual roads. Moreover, the default parameters in the models, for instance, vehicle type, fuel characteristics, and weather condition, are not in line with the current status in China, and cannot be directly put to use to predict the carbon emissions of the vehicle on the longitudinal slope sections in China [7,16]. Relevant research on vehicle fuel consumption under certain driving force or vehicle power loads based on vehicle dynamics theory [4,10,11] provides a theoretical basis for establishing a mathematical model of truck's carbon emission on longitudinal slopes in China.…”