Some Issues in the Statistical Analysis of Vehicle Emissions

Date Published
09/2000
Publication Type
Journal Article
Authors
LBL Report Number
LBNL-46115
Abstract

This paper presents some of the issues that complicate the statistical analysis of real-world vehicle emissions and the effectiveness of emissions control programs. The following issues are discussed: 1) inter- and intra-vehicle emissions variability, 2) skewness of the distribution of emissions from in-use vehicles, 3) the difficulty of obtaining statistically representative vehicle samples, 4) the influence of repeat testing on only a subset of the vehicle fleet, and 5) differences among common test methods and pollutant measurement devices. The relevance of these issues is discussed in light of three regulatory purposes: testing the compliance of in-use vehicles with certification standards, evaluating the effectiveness of vehicle inspection and maintenance programs, and estimating emissions inventories for air quality modeling and compliance planning. A brief history and description of common vehicle emissions tests is also provided.

Journal
Journal of Transportation and Statistics
Volume
3
Year of Publication
2000
Issue
2
Pagination
1-14
ISSN Number
1094-8848
URL
Refereed Designation
Refereed
Organizations
Research Areas
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