TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

China Planned to Launch Straddle Bus Enables Cars Passed Beneath It   

Transit Explore Bus has been working to launch Straddle Bus in two traffic lanes wide on July 2016. China Metropolitan Bus or straddling bus could carry 1,400 passengers, traveling at 60 km/hour and help to lower air pollution. Engineer Song Youzhou said that straddling bus, with the same function as subway, it costs only 16 % percent than a subway cost. Straddling bus has some advantages as time of manufacturing and construction could be done shorter than for subway, he added. The project gets sceptical response but Linda Poon, Citylab writer expected straddling bus project would change local people opinion on car ownership if it has good impact on air quality. (TI01/HU/24/May/16)

     

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

Man-Made Mountain Will Be Built In UAE

The study of man-made mountain was proposed by the University of Corporation for Atmospheric Research and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), US with initial funding US$400,000 last year. Scientist from NCAR, Roelof Bruintjes said that the project is undergoing to work out modelling study including the height and the slope of the mountain and the effect on the weather. The mountain, according to Bruintjes could make air rise and creating clouds that can be injected with silver iodide droplets. Water coalesces around the droplets could cause precipitation. UAE, as reported by the NCM website is the first country in the Arabian Gulf to boost rainfall with weather modification by using cloud seeding. The project is now stepping forward to look at various location in the UAE that the most potential position based on height and widths for mountain. (BC01/FO/05/May/16)