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Toward Sustainability: Reliable Transportation Network Design and Analysis

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2019) | Viewed by 26466

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Hyun Kim

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Guest Editor

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Interests: transportation network design; location modeling; Geographic Information Systems

Prof. Dr. Tony H. Grubesic

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
Interests: transportation; location modeling; vulnerability; spatial analytics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Transportation networks consist of a wide variety of critical infrastructure elements that help provide interconnectivity for complex social, economic and political systems. From air transport hubs, to key rail corridors and interstate highways, maintaining operational continuity and ensuring system resilience and sustainability is essential for the day-to-day functioning of society. However, the increased frequency and severity of disruptions, whether from natural disasters or targeted attacks, highlight the need for developing innovative strategies to minimize vulnerability, enhance resilience, hasten restoration and recovery, and to promote sustainability. The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a collection of original research papers that consider these challenges. Of particular interest are contributions that detail innovative assessment and analysis methods (e.g., spatial analytics, location modeling, spatial optimization, game theory, data envelopment analysis, machine learning, artificial intelligence, geocomputation, simulation etc.) for developing reliable network designs, evaluating network survivability and vulnerability, and improving resilience, robustness, continuity, recovery, and restoration.

Prof. Dr. Hyun Kim
Prof. Dr. Tony H. Grubesic
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

Network accessibility, vulnerability, and resilience
Assessment and analysis of transport network reliability and vulnerability
Design of robust transportation networks
Transport network design for emergency management
Recovery strategies for transport networks impacted by natural disasters
Protection of transport systems to disruptions
Location modeling for reliable transport networks
Spatial analytics, location modeling, spatial optimization, geocomputation
game theory, data envelopment analysis, simulation
machine learning, artificial intelligence

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 1053 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Protection Strategies for Urban Rail Transit Systems: A Case-Study on the Central London Underground

by Annunziata Esposito Amideo, Stefano Starita and Maria Paola Scaparra

Sustainability 2019, 11(22), 6322; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226322 - 11 Nov 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3615

Abstract

Urban rail transit systems are highly prone to disruptions of various nature (e.g., accidental, environmental, man-made). Railway networks are deemed as critical infrastructures given that a service interruption can prompt adverse consequences on entire communities and lead to potential far-reaching effects. Hence, the identification of optimal strategies to mitigate the negative impact of disruptive events is paramount to increase railway systems’ resilience. In this paper, we investigate several protection strategies deriving from the application of either single asset vulnerability metrics or systemic optimization models. The contribution of this paper is threefold. Firstly, a single asset metric combining connectivity, path length and flow is defined, namely the Weighted Node Importance Evaluation Index (WI). Secondly, a novel bi-level multi-criteria optimisation model, called the Railway Fortification Problem (RFP), is introduced. RFP identifies protection strategies based on stations connectivity, path length, or travel demand, considered as either individual or combined objectives. Finally, two different protection strategy approaches are applied to a Central London Underground case study: a sequential approach based on single-asset metrics and an integrated approach based on RFP. Results indicate that the integrated approach outperforms the sequential approach and identifies more robust protection plans with respect to different vulnerability criteria. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Sustainability: Reliable Transportation Network Design and Analysis)

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21 pages, 3119 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Partial Node Failure in Shortest Path Network Problems

by Qian Ye and Hyun Kim

Sustainability 2019, 11(22), 6275; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226275 - 8 Nov 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2342

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of partial node failure from the perspective of shortest path network problems. We propose a network model that we call shortest path network problems for partial node failure, designed to examine the influence of partial node failures in a flow-based network using a set of indicators. The concept of partial node failure was applied to a special type of hub station, a mandatory transfer in subway or railway systems where multiple lines are arranged for the transfer of passengers. Numerical experiments were carried out on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority network (WMATA). The results or analysis detail how changes in flow distribution in the network were measured when a station partially failed, as well as ways of identifying heavily impacted stations with respect to different indicators. Various partial node failure scenarios were simulated for origin–destination (OD) flows by days, providing comprehensive information with which to evaluate plans for partial node failures, such as those related to scheduling maintenance, along with insights with which to make contingent plans for potential closure of stations. A major finding emphasizes that the rankings of station criticality are highly sensitive to the different OD flows by days when partial node failures are assumed in network modeling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Sustainability: Reliable Transportation Network Design and Analysis)

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26 pages, 2651 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Performance of Transporting Soybeans from Mato Grosso for Export: A Case Study of the Tapajós-Teles Pires Waterway

by Breno Tostes de Gomes Garcia, Diana Mery Messias Lopes, Ilton Curty Leal Junior, José Carlos Cesar Amorim, Marcelino Aurélio Vieira da Silva and Vanessa de Almeida Guimarães

Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 6124; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216124 - 3 Nov 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3333

Abstract

The inefficiency of Brazil’s logistics system to handle the outflow of farm products impairs the sector’s performance. From the economic perspective, the high freight rates put the country’s agricultural sector at a competitive disadvantage in the global market. Besides this, the reliance on [...] Read more.

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emissions) and social nature (large occurrence of accidents). As an alternative to this dependence, Brazil has an extensive network of actually and potentially navigable rivers that could serve as a key element to improve the performance of the agricultural sector. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyze the possible influence of the Tapajós-Teles Pires Waterway on the sustainable performance of 19 Brazilian soybean export routes, using data envelopment analysis (DEA). Of these, only three would use the Tapajós-Teles Pires Waterway, which is not yet in operation. The origins of the routes are four soybean-producing centers located in Mato Grosso, the Brazilian state that produces the most soybeans, destined for 12 seaports. The inputs considered are Accident Cost and CO2 Emissions, while the output is Cargo Carried per US$. For this, we use the DEA-VRS (Variable Return Scale) input-oriented model. The results obtained from the DEA model revealed satisfactory performance of the routes using the Tapajós-Teles Pires Waterway from three of the four production centers. In Campo Novo do Parecis, some 16% (471 km) of the route is composed of highways and the rest of the waterway (84%, 1576 km). In Sorriso, only 3% (85 km) of the route consists of highways, while waterway transport is responsible for 97% (2388 km), and in Querência, 24.55% of the route to the Port of Barcarena consists of highways. The use of these routes and the combination of the two transport modes presented the best efficiency indexes, making development of the waterway a key element to improve the outflow of soybeans for export. The results of this study may help Brazilian authorities to define public policies and apply resources to improve the deficiencies of the transportation system, which can lead to a better balance of the Brazilian transportation matrix. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Sustainability: Reliable Transportation Network Design and Analysis)

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12 pages, 1522 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design of An Integration Model for Air Cargo Transportation Network Design and Flight Route Selection

by Carman K.M. Lee, Shuzhu Zhang and Kam K.H. Ng

Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5197; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195197 - 23 Sep 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3642

Abstract

Air cargo transportation is an essential component in the freight transportation market, primarily due to the transportation requirements of time-sensitive products. Air cargo transportation plays an increasingly important role alongside economic development. Cargo flight network design and fleet routing selection significantly affect the performance of the air cargo transportation. In this research, we propose an integrated model simultaneously considering cargo flight network design and the fleet routing selection for the air cargo transportation. Two transportation modes, the direct transportation mode in point-to-point networks and the transshipment mode in hub-and-spoke networks, are compared. In order to solve the proposed optimization problem, a swarm-intelligence-based algorithm is adapted. Numerical experiments were conducted to examine and validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed model and algorithm. The computational results suggest that the proper settings of hub and transshipment route selection in an air cargo transportation network can significantly reduce the transportation cost, which can provide practical managerial insights for the air cargo transportation industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Sustainability: Reliable Transportation Network Design and Analysis)

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23 pages, 7550 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bottlenecks, Shockwave, and Off-Ramp Blockage on Freeways

by Jingqiu Guo, Xinyao Chen, Yuqi Pang, Yibing Wang and Pengjun Zheng

Sustainability 2019, 11(18), 4991; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11184991 - 12 Sep 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2498

Abstract

Freeway congestion may spill back for several kilometers, blocking a number of on/off-ramps upstream. As a consequence, flows at the off-ramps may be substantially reduced, and vehicles bound for the off-ramps are trapped in the mainstream congestion, causing intensified spillback of congestion that blocks even more off-ramps further upstream. Such off-ramp blockage is readily understood and its impact is empirically recognized, but there is a lack of analysis to provide more insights. In this paper, some flow conditions for the activation of bottlenecks and congestion propagation are first established, and the mechanism of the off-ramp blockage is theoretically explored. Macroscopic and microscopic simulations are conducted to demonstrate the analytical results, and some general relations between the total demand, total inflow, total off-ramp outflow, and the number of vehicles within a freeway system are examined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Sustainability: Reliable Transportation Network Design and Analysis)

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27 pages, 5788 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Charging Network Planning for Electric Bus Cities: A Case Study of Shenzhen, China

by Yuping Lin, Kai Zhang, Zuo-Jun Max Shen and Lixin Miao

Sustainability 2019, 11(17), 4713; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11174713 - 29 Aug 2019

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 8175

Abstract

In 2017, Shenzhen replaced all its buses with battery e-buses (electric buses) and has become the first all-e-bus city in the world. Systematic planning of the supporting charging infrastructure for the electrified bus transportation system is required. Considering the number of city e-buses and the land scarcity, large-scale bus charging stations were preferred and adopted by the city. Compared with other EVs (electric vehicles), e-buses have operational tasks and different charging behavior. Since large-scale electricity-consuming stations will result in an intense burden on the power grid, it is necessary to consider both the transportation network and the power grid when planning the charging infrastructure. A cost-minimization model to jointly determine the deployment of bus charging stations and a grid connection scheme was put forward, which is essentially a three-fold assignment model. The problem was formulated as a mixed-integer second-order cone programming model, and a “No R” algorithm was proposed to improve the computational speed further. Computational studies, including a case study of Shenzhen, were implemented and the impacts of EV technology advancements on the cost and the infrastructure layout were also investigated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Sustainability: Reliable Transportation Network Design and Analysis)

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13 pages, 375 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Vulnerability of Time-Sensitive Transportation Networks: A Hub Center Interdiction Problem

by Ting L. Lei

Sustainability 2019, 11(17), 4614; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11174614 - 25 Aug 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2417

Abstract

Time-sensitive transportation systems have received increasing research attention recently. Examples of time-sensitive networks include those of perishable goods, high-value commodity, and express delivery. Much research has been devoted to optimally locating key facilities such as transportation hubs to minimize transit time. However, there is a lack of research attention to the reliability and vulnerability of time-sensitive transportation networks. Such issues cannot be ignored as facilities can be lost due to reasons such as extreme weather, equipment malfunction, and even intentional attacks. This paper proposes a hub interdiction center (HIC) model for evaluating the vulnerability of time-sensitive hub-and-spoke networks under disruptions. The model identifies the set of hub facilities whose loss will lead to the greatest increase in the worst-case transit time. From a planning perspective, such hubs are critical facilities that should be protected or enhanced by preventive measures. An efficient integer linear programming (ILP) formulation of the new model is developed. Computational experiments on a widely used US air passenger dataset show that losing a small number of hub facilities can double the maximum transit time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toward Sustainability: Reliable Transportation Network Design and Analysis)

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