Sustainability

2024

Jump to: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019

16 pages, 2294 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting Station-Level Peak Hour Ridership of Metro Considering the Peak Deviation Coefficient

by Ying Zhao, Jie Wei, Haijun Li and Yan Huang

Sustainability 2024, 16(3), 1225; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031225 - 1 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1385

Abstract

Subway station-level peak hour ridership (SPR) is a crucial input parameter for multiple applications, including the planning, design, construction, and operation of stations. However, traditional SPR estimation techniques may produce biased results. A unified peak hour factor (PHF) extracted from the line level [...] Read more.

Subway station-level peak hour ridership (SPR) is a crucial input parameter for multiple applications, including the planning, design, construction, and operation of stations. However, traditional SPR estimation techniques may produce biased results. A unified peak hour factor (PHF) extracted from the line level is generally set for all attributed stations, which ignores the possible peak deviation that arises between the station and line and the wide variation of PHFs in practice. This study presents a comprehensive and refined estimation framework for SPR that accommodates the peak deviation context by introducing the peak deviation coefficient (PDC). Moreover, the estimation of the PDC and PHF variability is improved by constructing spatial regression based relationship models. The empirical results show that the proposed approach exhibits wider applicability and a higher prediction precision across all types of peak periods considered as compared to conventional methods (i.e., MAPE decreases of 0.115–0.351). The findings demonstrate the importance of the consideration of the peak deviation scenario and the spatial dependency in SPR estimation to achieve better decision making. Moreover, the underlying influencing mechanism of the PHF and PDC at distinct peak periods is further revealed using the spatial model. This provides critical theoretical references and policy implications to prudently deploy land-use resources to balance the travel demand between peak and off-peak periods and thus enhance the line operation efficiency. Full article

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2022

Jump to: 2024, 2021, 2020, 2019

18 pages, 1793 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Multi-Dimensional Cost-Effectiveness Analysis for Prioritizing Railway Station Investments: A General Framework with an Application to the Italian Case Study

by Pierluigi Coppola, Diego Deponte, Alessandro Vacca, Federico Messa and Fulvio Silvestri

Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 4906; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14094906 - 19 Apr 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3261

Abstract

In recent years, several authors have highlighted the merits of the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA), e.g., compared to Cost-Benefits Analysis (CBA), particularly for small projects appraisal (e.g., revamping or extraordinary maintenance interventions) and when the impacts of the project are difficult to value or [...] Read more.

In recent years, several authors have highlighted the merits of the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA), e.g., compared to Cost-Benefits Analysis (CBA), particularly for small projects appraisal (e.g., revamping or extraordinary maintenance interventions) and when the impacts of the project are difficult to value or quantify in monetary terms. CEA is a quite consolidated technique, typically applied in practice when one specific impact prevails over the others. This research extends the concept of CEA to a multi-dimensional decision-making context, outlining a methodological framework that includes several criteria to assess the impacts of railway station revamping in urban contexts. The proposed method has already been applied for the project appraisals of five railway stations in Italy; this paper presents the application to a case study representing the typical configuration of a medium-sized Italian railway station. Results have shown that the proposed approach is a valid tool for both designers and infrastructure managers for prioritizing railway station investments in the presence of multiple strategic objectives that also conflict with each other. A multi-dimensional CEA can provide, in a communicative, lean, and effective way, the information on investment costs and the impacts that different policies, layouts, and technological solutions would have, creating the basis for a more transparent debate on resource allocation priorities. Finally, results have shown that the CEA is not only a method for project assessment, but also a tool for improving and directing the design towards the identification of interventions that allow the achievement of the key objectives set ex ante. Full article

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2021

Jump to: 2024, 2022, 2020, 2019

18 pages, 621 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Organizational Safety Climate Factor Model in the Urban Rail Transport Industry through CFA Analysis

by Norfadillah Derahim, Kadir Arifin, Wan Mohammad Zaidi Wan Isa, Muhammad Khairil, Mahfudz Mahfudz, Muhammad Basir Ciyo, Muhammad Nur Ali, Ilyas Lampe and Muhammad Ahsan Samad

Sustainability 2021, 13(5), 2939; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052939 - 8 Mar 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3428

Abstract

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) issues in the urban rail transport industry need to be given full attention due to the factors of the instability of declining occupational accident rate, increasing number of passengers each year, and the pressure of technological development; in [...] Read more.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) issues in the urban rail transport industry need to be given full attention due to the factors of the instability of declining occupational accident rate, increasing number of passengers each year, and the pressure of technological development; in addition, the day-to-day operations also involve the public and various interested communities. Organization is one of the factors that influence worker safety and health status. This study aimed to propose a factor model of the organizational safety climate towards a better safety and health status for Malaysian urban rail industry. This quantitative study used a questionnaire randomly distributed to Malaysian rail system workers. A total of 441 workers in the operation and maintenance division were involved in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using IBM SEM-AMOS was conducted to determine the reliability and validity of the observed variables and the latent variables. This study proved that all four dimensions identified as safety communication, safety training, safety support system, and safety value represents the organizational safety climate. Following the analysis, an organizational safety climate model is successfully developed. This factor model aims to be used in the context of rail management studies to measure the safety climate of their organization, thereby improving the safety level of the workers within the organization. Full article

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22 pages, 6151 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Efficient Hybrid Approach for Scheduling the Train Timetable for the Longer Distance High-Speed Railway

by Zeyu Wang, Leishan Zhou, Bin Guo, Xing Chen and Hanxiao Zhou

Sustainability 2021, 13(5), 2538; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052538 - 26 Feb 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3814

Abstract

Compared with other modes of transportation, a high-speed railway has energy saving advantages; it is environmentally friendly, safe, and convenient for large capacity transportation between cities. With the expansion of the high-speed railway network, the operation of high-speed railways needs to be improved [...] Read more.

Compared with other modes of transportation, a high-speed railway has energy saving advantages; it is environmentally friendly, safe, and convenient for large capacity transportation between cities. With the expansion of the high-speed railway network, the operation of high-speed railways needs to be improved urgently. In this paper, a hybrid approach for quickly solving the timetable of high-speed railways, inspired by the periodic model and the aperiodic model, is proposed. A space–time decomposition method is proposed to convert the complex passenger travel demands into service plans and decompose the original problem into several sub-problems, to reduce the solving complexity. An integer programming model is proposed for the sub-problems, and then solved in parallel with CPLEX. After that, a local search algorithm is designed to combine the timetables of different periods, considering the safety operation constraints. The hybrid approach is tested on a real-world case study, based on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway (HSR), and the results show that the train timetable calculated by the approach is superior to the real-world timetable in many indexes. The hybrid approach combines the advantages of the periodic model and the aperiodic model; it can deal with the travel demands of passengers well and the solving speed is fast. It provides the possibility for flexible adjustment of a timetable and timely response to the change of passenger travel demands, to avoid the waste of transportation resources and achieve sustainable development. Full article

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21 pages, 859 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability in Railway Investments, a Study of Early-Phase Analyses and Perceptions

by Andreas Økland, Nils O. E. Olsson and Marte Venstad

Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 790; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020790 - 15 Jan 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3775

Abstract

This article presents a study of sustainability in railway investment projects. The purpose of the study was to analyse how sustainability is interpreted and evaluated in the early phases of major public investment projects. These phases are characterized by potentially very influential decisions [...] Read more.

This article presents a study of sustainability in railway investment projects. The purpose of the study was to analyse how sustainability is interpreted and evaluated in the early phases of major public investment projects. These phases are characterized by potentially very influential decisions being made prior to when precise, detailed knowledge is available. The research uses a mix of qualitative and quantitative information sources and three datasets; 12 interviews, document analyses for 10 railway projects, and a case study. The qualitative data are from semi-structured interviews, while the quantitative data are based on structured document review of planning documents from ten Norwegian railway projects. In addition, a detailed case study of a major rail infrastructure project has been performed. The findings show that several aspects of sustainability are evaluated in the early phase of investment projects, but there are no explicit requirements to do an overall analysis of sustainability. Environmental aspects of sustainability are predominant in the respondents’ interpretation of the concept. Still, the structure and requirements of the early phases in the national project model ensures that the economic dimension of sustainability has the most influence in decisions regarding which project concepts that receive financing for further development. Full article

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2020

Jump to: 2024, 2022, 2021, 2019

21 pages, 1465 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Maintenance Decision-Making of an Urban Rail Transit System in a Regionalized Network-Wide Perspective

by Baofeng Sun, Jiaojiao Liu, Junyi Hao, Xiuxiu Shen, Xinhua Mao and Xianmin Song

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9734; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229734 - 22 Nov 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2871

Abstract

The networked operation of Urban Rail Transit (URT) brings the new challenge of network-wide maintenance. This research focuses on the URT Network-Wide Maintenance Decision-Making Problem (URT-NMDP), including regionalized maintenance network design and maintenance resource allocation. In this work, we proposed a bi-objective integer [...] Read more.

The networked operation of Urban Rail Transit (URT) brings the new challenge of network-wide maintenance. This research focuses on the URT Network-Wide Maintenance Decision-Making Problem (URT-NMDP), including regionalized maintenance network design and maintenance resource allocation. In this work, we proposed a bi-objective integer programming model that integrates the characteristics of set coverage and P-median models, resulting in the regionalized maintenance network design model. Some critical factors are considered in the model, such as the importance of node, the maximum failure response time, and maintenance guarantee rules. We designed a NSGA-II based algorithm to solve the model. Moreover, due to the uncertainty of failures in the URT network, we developed the method of allocating maintenance resources based on Monte Carlo simulation to strengthen the reliability of the regionalized maintenance network. With the model and algorithm presented in this work, we obtained Pareto optimal solutions of URT-NMDP, i.e., URT network-wide maintenance planning schemes, which include the number and location of maintenance points, the allocation of demand points, and the amount of maintenance units. Finally, a real-world case is studied to evaluate the operating performance of these schemes for verifying the method in our paper. The results of the case study demonstrate that the reasonable and tested-in-practice maximum failure response time is the precondition for the efficient URT maintenance network. The maintenance scheme considered the weighted importance of node shows the optimal performance, with the shortest overall maintenance path and the minimum average failure response time and investment cost on maintenance resources. Full article

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28 pages, 11390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Optimal Metro Design for Transit Networks in Existing Square Cities Based on Non-Demand Criterion

by Mahmoud Owais, Abdou S. Ahmed, Ghada S. Moussa and Ahmed A. Khalil

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9566; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229566 - 17 Nov 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4309

Abstract

The overall purpose of this study is to enhance existing transit systems by planning a new underground metro network. The design of a new metro network in the existing cities is a complex problem. Therefore, in this research, the study idea arises from [...] Read more.

The overall purpose of this study is to enhance existing transit systems by planning a new underground metro network. The design of a new metro network in the existing cities is a complex problem. Therefore, in this research, the study idea arises from the prerequisites to get out of conventional metro network design to develop a future scheme for forecasting an optimal metro network for these existing cities. Two models are proposed to design metro transit networks based on an optimal cost–benefit ratio. Model 1 presents a grid metro network, and Model 2 presents the ring-radial metro network. The proposed methodology introduces a non-demand criterion for transit system design. The new network design aims to increase the overall transit system connectivity by minimizing passenger transfers through the transit network between origin and destination. An existing square city is presented as a case study for both models. It includes twenty-five traffic analysis zones, and thirty-six new metro stations are selected at the existing street intersection. TransCAD software is used as a base for stations and the metro network lines to coordinate all these data. A passenger transfer counting algorithm is then proposed to determine the number of needed transfers between stations from each origin to each destination. Thus, a passenger Origin/Destination transfer matrix is created via the NetBeans program to help in determining the number of transfers required to complete the trips on both proposed networks. Results show that Model 2 achieves the maximum cost–benefit ratio (CBR) of the transit network that increases 41% more than CBR of Model 1. Therefore, it is found that the ring radial network is a more optimal network to existing square cities than the grid network according to overall network connectivity. Full article

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21 pages, 1107 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design a Semantic Scale for Passenger Perceived Quality Surveys of Urban Rail Transit: Within Attribute’s Service Condition and Rider’s Experience

by Weiya Chen, Zixuan Kang, Xiaoping Fang and Jiajia Li

Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8626; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208626 - 18 Oct 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3172

Abstract

A better understanding of passenger perceived quality helps urban rail transit managers adopt better strategies to improve the service quality of urban rail transit, which is beneficial to the sustainable development of an urban rail transit system itself and cities. This paper designs [...] Read more.

A better understanding of passenger perceived quality helps urban rail transit managers adopt better strategies to improve the service quality of urban rail transit, which is beneficial to the sustainable development of an urban rail transit system itself and cities. This paper designs a semantic scale to survey passenger perceived quality of urban rail transit. The methodology is selecting specific features of an attribute and then describing the features to present the attribute’s service condition and the rider’s experience. The scale’s options can reduce cognitive steps and hesitation for riders to answer the survey questionnaire. Furthermore, it enables urban rail transit managers to understand passenger perceived quality more visually. After verifying the reliability and validity of the semantic scale, an empirical study was conducted to compare the evaluation results of the proposed semantic scale, Likert, and numeric scales. Compared to the Likert and numeric scales, the evaluation result of the semantic scale is fairer for attributes with homogeneous service conditions over operation periods from the transit agency perspective. Meanwhile, it is more homogeneous for attributes with homogeneous service conditions and is more heterogeneous for attributes with heterogeneous service conditions. Full article

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21 pages, 1236 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adaptation of the Management Model of Internationalization Processes in the Development of Railway Transport Activities

by Aldona Jarašūnienė, Gintaras Sinkevičius, Kristina Čižiūnienė and Audrius Čereška

Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 6248; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12156248 - 3 Aug 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2982

Abstract

The paper analyzes the importance of the system of management of internationalization processes in developing railway transport. The article also highlights the synergistic effect of a multilevel management model in internationalization processes. The main purpose of the paper was to establish a new [...] Read more.

The paper analyzes the importance of the system of management of internationalization processes in developing railway transport. The article also highlights the synergistic effect of a multilevel management model in internationalization processes. The main purpose of the paper was to establish a new model of management of internationalization processes in the frame of railway transport development, presenting a related management model. The article analyzes possibilities of integration of the national railway transport sector into global railway networks and provides a model for the management of internationalization processes in developing railway transport. The developed model was approved in an expert survey conducted in application of a questionnaire method. The goal of the expert evaluation was to ascertain the suitability of the theoretical management model of internationalization processes. Expert evaluation consisting of a questionnaire, the evaluation of concordance of expert opinions, and the results obtained were used in the analysis. The research led to the development of a new railway transport model using the “alliance + cluster” system, which is based on the management of internationalization processes. Many theoretical sources on internationalization processes were analyzed with the aim to adapt main advantages of the internationalization theory in the field of development of railway transport and its prospects for further research. Full article

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14 pages, 4146 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vulnerability Assessments of Urban Rail Transit Networks Based on Redundant Recovery

by Jianhua Zhang, Ziqi Wang, Shuliang Wang, Shengyang Luan and Wenchao Shao

Sustainability 2020, 12(14), 5756; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145756 - 17 Jul 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2641

Abstract

Urban rail transit has received much attention in the last two decades, and a significant number of cities have established urban rail transit networks (URTNs). Although URTNs have brought enormous convenience to the daily life of citizens, system failures still frequently occur, therefore [...] Read more.

Urban rail transit has received much attention in the last two decades, and a significant number of cities have established urban rail transit networks (URTNs). Although URTNs have brought enormous convenience to the daily life of citizens, system failures still frequently occur, therefore the vulnerability of URTNs must be a concern. In this paper, we propose a novel measurement called the node strength parameter to assess the importance of nodes and present a redundant recovery scheme to imitate the system recovery of URTNs subjected to failures. Employing three malicious attacks and taking the Nanjing subway network as the case study, we investigated the network vulnerability under scenarios of different simulated attacks. The results illustrate that passenger in-flow shows the negligible impact on the vulnerability of the node, while out-flow plays a considerable role in the largest strength node-based attack. Further, we find that vulnerability will decrease as passenger out-flow increases, and the vulnerability characteristics are the same with the increase in the construction cost of URTNs. Considering different attack scenarios, the results indicate that the highest betweenness node-based attack will cause the most damage to the system, and increasing the construction cost can improve the robustness of URTNs. Full article

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20 pages, 6422 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Ambient Illumination, Color Combination, Sign Height, and Observation Angle on the Legibility of Wayfinding Signs in Metro Stations

by Yuqi Shi, Yi Zhang, Tao Wang, Chaoyang Li and Shengqiang Yuan

Sustainability 2020, 12(10), 4133; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104133 - 18 May 2020

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 6355

Abstract

Well-designed wayfinding signs play an important role in improving the service level of metro stations, ensuring the safety of passengers in evacuation, and promoting the sustainable development of public transport. This study explored the effects of ambient illumination, color combination, sign height, and [...] Read more.

Well-designed wayfinding signs play an important role in improving the service level of metro stations, ensuring the safety of passengers in evacuation, and promoting the sustainable development of public transport. This study explored the effects of ambient illumination, color combination, sign height, and observation angle on wayfinding signs’ legibility in metro stations. In the experiment, simulated metro-wayfinding signs were made to test legibility. As designed, the legibility was measured based on the following independent variables: two levels of ambient illumination (70 lux and 273 lux), two target/background color combinations (achromatic-white target on black background, chromatic-yellow target on black background), two sign heights (1.5 m and 2 m), and three observation angles (0°, 45°, 70°). The results showed that brighter ambient illumination provided passengers with higher legibility. Achromatic color combination was more legible than chromatic color combination, but not significantly. Different types of signs, set at different height, did not directly affect legibility. Observation angle had significant effects on legibility. Visibility catchment area of wayfinding signs was like an ellipse, with its short axis nearly equal to the legibility distance of the sign at 0 degrees. The findings will facilitate the layout and setting location of wayfinding signs in metro stations and improve the level of wayfinding service. Full article

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18 pages, 1496 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Relationships between the Topological Characteristics of Subway Networks and Service Disruption Impact

by Zhiru Wang, Wubin Ma and Albert Chan

Sustainability 2020, 12(10), 3960; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12103960 - 12 May 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2881

Abstract

Although numerous studies have considered the topological characteristics and the impact of disruptions in subway systems, their results have not been verified by empirical data. To address this limitation, we used a data set containing 392 detailed records of disruptions to subway services [...] Read more.

Although numerous studies have considered the topological characteristics and the impact of disruptions in subway systems, their results have not been verified by empirical data. To address this limitation, we used a data set containing 392 detailed records of disruptions to subway services in Beijing from 2011 to 2017. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient analysis results indicate that the delay duration exhibits no significant relationship with the topological characteristics, whereas the reverse is true for the relationship between the number of affected trains and the topological characteristics. The results also demonstrate that subway network expansion will not result in a paradox between convenience and vulnerability from an actual data perspective. Moreover, contrary to previous research results, no significant relationship was found to exist between service interruption impact and the transit and key bridge stations. However, a high degree of clustering, characterized by redundant tracks between neighbours, tends to provide protection against service disruption for stations. In terms of the spatial variation, the influence of the disruption is greater when the station is further from the centre of the line. These results can support sustainable design in subway network planning. Full article

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18 pages, 2056 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transit-Based Evacuation for Urban Rail Transit Line Emergency

by Bowen Hou, Yang Cao, Dongye Lv and Shuzhi Zhao

Sustainability 2020, 12(9), 3919; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093919 - 11 May 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4174

Abstract

Urban rail systems are the backbone of urban transit networks and are characterized by large passenger volumes, high speeds, punctuality, and low environmental impacts. However, unforeseen events such as rail transit line emergencies can lead to unexpected costs and delays. As a means [...] Read more.

Urban rail systems are the backbone of urban transit networks and are characterized by large passenger volumes, high speeds, punctuality, and low environmental impacts. However, unforeseen events such as rail transit line emergencies can lead to unexpected costs and delays. As a means of disruption management, we divide the decision support system for urban rail transit line emergency situations into two stages—transit-based evacuation and bus bridging management. This paper focuses on the transit-based evacuation under emergency scenarios on a single rail line. The model determines the vehicles and routes within traditional transit systems required to evacuate stranded passengers within a given time window. In addition, the proposed method ensures the reliability of traditional transit systems by considering the operating fleet and reserve fleet in the traditional transit systems. Therefore, the proposed optimization model is established with the objective of maximizing the total number of stranded passengers transferred within the given time window and headway constraint. Herein, we present the optimization model and solution method, and the proposed method is validated. The effectiveness of the proposed control method is evaluated in the Changchun urban transit network. By analyzing stranded passengers at stations under different numbers of vehicles and time periods, the results show that the proposed model can significantly provide routing arrangements to maximize the number of passengers evacuated from stations. The results are useful in the development of emergency evacuation plans to prevent secondary accidents and evacuate stranded passengers during a rail transit line emergency. Full article

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13 pages, 3735 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Method to Estimate URT Passenger Spatial-Temporal Trajectory with Smart Card Data and Train Schedules

by Taoyuan Yang, Peng Zhao and Xiangming Yao

Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2574; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12062574 - 24 Mar 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3604

Abstract

Precise estimation of passenger spatial-temporal trajectory is the basis for urban rail transit (URT) passenger flow assignment and ticket fare clearing. Inspired by the correlation between passenger tap-in/out time and train schedules, we present a method to estimate URT passenger spatial-temporal trajectory. First, [...] Read more.

Precise estimation of passenger spatial-temporal trajectory is the basis for urban rail transit (URT) passenger flow assignment and ticket fare clearing. Inspired by the correlation between passenger tap-in/out time and train schedules, we present a method to estimate URT passenger spatial-temporal trajectory. First, we classify passengers into four types according to the number of their routes and transfers. Subsequently, based on the characteristic that passengers tap-out in batches at each station, the K-means algorithm is used to assign passengers to trains. Then, we acquire passenger access, egress, and transfer time distribution, which are used to give a probability estimation of passenger trajectories. Finally, in a multi-route case of the Beijing Subway, this method presents an estimation result with 91.2% of the passengers choosing the same route in two consecutive days, and the difference of route choice ratio in these two days is 3.8%. Our method has high accuracy and provides a new method for passenger microcosmic behavior research. Full article

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22 pages, 9271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determination of the Peak Hour Ridership of Metro Stations in Xi’an, China Using Geographically-Weighted Regression

by Lijie Yu, Yarong Cong and Kuanmin Chen

Sustainability 2020, 12(6), 2255; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12062255 - 13 Mar 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4519

Abstract

The ridership of a metro station during a city’s peak hour is not always the same as that during the station’s own peak hour. To investigate this inconsistency, this study introduces the peak deviation coefficient to describe this phenomenon. Data from 88 metro [...] Read more.

The ridership of a metro station during a city’s peak hour is not always the same as that during the station’s own peak hour. To investigate this inconsistency, this study introduces the peak deviation coefficient to describe this phenomenon. Data from 88 metro stations in Xi’an, China, are used to analyze the peak deviation coefficient based on the geographically weighted regression model. The results demonstrate that when the land around a metro station is mainly land for work, primary and middle schools, and residences, its station’s peak hour is consistent with the city’s peak hour. Additionally, the station’s peak hour is more likely to deviate from the city’s peak hour for suburban stations. There are two ridership options when designing stations, namely the extra peak hour ridership during a city’s peak hour and that during a station’s peak hour, and the larger of the two is used to design metro stations. The mixed land use ratio must be considered in urban land use planning, because although non-commuting land can mitigate the traffic pressure of a city’s peak hour, it may cause the deviation of the station’s peak hours from that of the city. Full article

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11 pages, 1474 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fire Evacuation in Metro Stations: Modeling Research on the Effects of Two Key Parameters

by Chen Wang and Yanchao Song

Sustainability 2020, 12(2), 684; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020684 - 17 Jan 2020

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4262

Abstract

Metro lines have undergone a rapid development in China and a large number of metro stations have also been built. The passenger traffic volume has reached or exceeded the designed transport capacity in some big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. The safety [...] Read more.

Metro lines have undergone a rapid development in China and a large number of metro stations have also been built. The passenger traffic volume has reached or exceeded the designed transport capacity in some big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. The safety evacuation problem within metro stations under emergency has become a worldwide concern. In this study, BuildingEXODUS was employed as the simulation platform and a metro station in Shanghai was selected for model development. Based on field survey data, the evacuation process in different fire cases was simulated, so as to evaluate the effects of two parameters (i.e., escalators and automatic ticket checkers) on evacuation performance. The research found that the use of two stopped escalators (normal metro stations have two) as fixed evacuation passages is effective and essential for safety evacuation. However, it surprisingly decreases the evacuation efficiency if using only one stopped escalator as the fixed evacuating passage. The evacuation efficiency can be improved by opening the automatic ticket checkers compared with maintaining normal status. Removing the automatic ticket checkers does not pose any difference in improving evacuation efficiency. Full article

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2019

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22 pages, 3697 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Incorporating Smart Card Data in Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Metro Travel Distances

by Enhui Chen, Zhirui Ye and Hui Bi

Sustainability 2019, 11(24), 7069; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11247069 - 10 Dec 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3771

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to explore spatio-temporal effects of the built environment on station-based travel distances through large-scale data processing. Previous studies mainly used global models in the causal analysis, but spatial and temporal autocorrelation and heterogeneity issues among research [...] Read more.

The primary objective of this study is to explore spatio-temporal effects of the built environment on station-based travel distances through large-scale data processing. Previous studies mainly used global models in the causal analysis, but spatial and temporal autocorrelation and heterogeneity issues among research zones have not been sufficiently addressed. A framework integrating geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) and the Shannon entropy index (SEI) was thus proposed to investigate the spatio-temporal relationship between travel behaviors and built environment. An empirical study was conducted in Nanjing, China, by incorporating smart card data with metro route data and built environment data. Comparative results show GTWR had a better performance of goodness-of-fit and achieved more accurate predictions, compared to traditional ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and geographically weighted regression (GWR). The spatio-temporal relationship between travel distances and built environment was further analyzed by visualizing the average variation of local coefficients distributions. Effects of built environment variables on metro travel distances were heterogeneous over space and time. Non-commuting activity and exurban area generally had more influences on the heterogeneity of travel distances. The proposed framework can address the issue of spatio-temporal autocorrelation and enhance our understanding of impacts of built environment on travel behaviors, which provides useful guidance for transit agencies and planning departments to implement targeted investment policies and enhance public transit services. Full article

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19 pages, 15532 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Vibration Mitigation Characteristics of the Ballasted Ladder Track with Elastic Elements

by Xiangyu Qu, Meng Ma, Minghang Li, Yanmei Cao and Weining Liu

Sustainability 2019, 11(23), 6780; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236780 - 29 Nov 2019

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4711

Abstract

Despite the fact railways are seen as an environmentally friendly and sustainable form of transport, however, the train-induced vibration has been seen as a negative environmental consequence. The ballasted ladder track is one type of ballasted track with longitudinal sleepers. The elastic elements [...] Read more.

Despite the fact railways are seen as an environmentally friendly and sustainable form of transport, however, the train-induced vibration has been seen as a negative environmental consequence. The ballasted ladder track is one type of ballasted track with longitudinal sleepers. The elastic elements can not only protect the track structure but also control the vibration. To investigate the vibration mitigation effects of ballasted ladder track with elastic elements, a finite element - infinite element (FE-IFE) model was built considering the elastic elements of under-sleeper pads (USPs) and under-ballast mats (UBMs). This model was validated by a laboratory test. Then, the moving train load was obtained based on the multi-body dynamics (MBD)-finite elements method (FEM) analysis. The vibration mitigation effects of the ballasted ladder track with different types of elastic elements were calculated compared with the ballasted tracks without elastic elements. The results indicate that: (1) the ballasted ladder track has the advantage of vibration reduction at low frequencies, with a maximum vibration attenuation of 25.2 dB and an averaged vibration attenuation of 19.0 dB between 5 and 20 Hz through the ballast. (2) The ballasted ladder track with USPs or UBMs can provide better vibration attenuation between 30 and 100 Hz, but it induces a vibration amplification between 5 and 30 Hz. (3) The ballasted ladder track with elastic elements in different cases can provide different vibration mitigation effects. The ballasted ladder track with both USPs and UBMs can provide the best mitigation effect with an average vibration mitigation of approximately 15 dB and a maximum vibration mitigation of 30 dB between 30 and 100 Hz. Full article

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21 pages, 3198 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Passenger Flow Pushing Assignment Method for an Urban Rail Network Based on Hierarchical Path and Line Decomposition

by Lianbo Deng, Junhao Zeng and Hongda Mei

Sustainability 2019, 11(22), 6441; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226441 - 15 Nov 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2911

Abstract

For urban rail transit, an environmentally-friendly transportation mode, reasonable passenger flow assignment is the basis of train planning and passenger control, which is conducive to the sustainability of finance, operation and production. With the continuous expansion of the scale of urban rail networks, [...] Read more.

For urban rail transit, an environmentally-friendly transportation mode, reasonable passenger flow assignment is the basis of train planning and passenger control, which is conducive to the sustainability of finance, operation and production. With the continuous expansion of the scale of urban rail networks, passenger travel path decision-making tends to be complex, which puts forward higher requirements of networked transportation organization. Based on undirected graphs and the idea of the recursive divide-and-conquer algorithm, this paper proposes a hierarchical effective path search method made up of a three-layer path generation strategy, which consists of deep search line paths, key station paths composed of origin–destination (O-D) nodes and transfer stations, and the station sequence path between the key stations. It can effectively simplify the path search and eliminate obvious unreasonable paths. Comparing the existing research results based on the classical polynomial Logit model, a practical Improved C-Logit multi-path passenger flow assignment model is proposed to calculate the selection ratio of each path in the set of effective paths. Combining the hierarchical path search strategy, the O-D pairs of passenger flow are divided into local-line and cross-line situations. The time-varying cross-line passenger flow is decomposed into a series of passenger sections along the key station paths. A passenger flow pushing assignment algorithm based on line decomposition is designed, which satisfies the dynamic, time-varying and continuous characteristics. The validation of Guangzhou Metro’s actual line network and time-varying O-D passenger demand in 2019 shows that the spatio-temporal distribution results of the passenger pushing assignment have a high degree of coincidence with the actual statistical data. Full article

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14 pages, 4067 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Post-Construction Alignment Revision in Direct-Fixation Railroad Tracks

by Eungcheol Kim, Myungseob (Edward) Kim, Gabrielle Delos and Tyler Clark

Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 6166; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216166 - 5 Nov 2019

Viewed by 6849

Abstract

In railroad construction—in particular, direct-fixation tracks—a longitudinal concrete block known as a “plinth” is used to elevate the profiles of the railroad track from the aerial guideway (e.g., bridge deck). A post-construction alignment revision is often required if the plinth elevation surpasses its [...] Read more.

In railroad construction—in particular, direct-fixation tracks—a longitudinal concrete block known as a “plinth” is used to elevate the profiles of the railroad track from the aerial guideway (e.g., bridge deck). A post-construction alignment revision is often required if the plinth elevation surpasses its maximum tolerance after the concrete pour. In such cases, the plinth surface needs to be grinded to meet the design elevation, or a shim should be inserted underneath the rail pad to raise the profile elevation. Considering both sides of the rail plinths, vertical design factors, and performance specifications, re-optimization of the vertical profile is of great interest, but the process poses challenges and represents a practical research problem. An optimization model aimed at minimizing the cost of post-construction alignment repairs is proposed and a real-case numerical example is analyzed to check the effectiveness of the model. Full article

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23 pages, 11548 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design of Urban Rail Transit Network Constrained by Urban Road Network, Trips and Land-Use Characteristics

by Shushan Chai, Qinghuai Liang and Simin Zhong

Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 6128; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216128 - 3 Nov 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3696

Abstract

In the process of urban rail transit network design, the urban road network, urban trips and land use are the key factors to be considered. At present, the subjective and qualitative methods are usually used in most practices. In this paper, a quantitative [...] Read more.

In the process of urban rail transit network design, the urban road network, urban trips and land use are the key factors to be considered. At present, the subjective and qualitative methods are usually used in most practices. In this paper, a quantitative model is developed to ensure the matching between the factors and the urban rail transit network. In the model, a basic network, which is used to define the roads that candidate lines will pass through, is firstly constructed based on the locations of large traffic volume and main passenger flow corridors. Two matching indexes are proposed: one indicates the matching degree between the network and the trip demand, which is calculated by the deviation value between two gravity centers of the stations’ importance distribution in network and the traffic zones’ trip intensity; the other one describes the matching degree between the network and the land use, which is calculated by the deviation value between the fractal dimensions of stations’ importance distribution and the traffic zones’ land-use intensity. The model takes the maximum traffic turnover per unit length of network and the minimum average volume of transfer passengers between lines as objectives. To solve the NP-hard problem in which the variables increase exponentially with the increase of network size, a neighborhood search algorithm is developed based on simulated annealing method. A real case study is carried out to show that the model and algorithm are effective. Full article

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14 pages, 2950 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Role of Guiding Signs Setting in Metro Stations with Incorporation of Microscopic Behavior of Pedestrians

by Bin Lei, Jinliang Xu, Menghui Li, Haoru Li, Jin Li, Zhen Cao, Yarui Hao and Yuan Zhang

Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 6109; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216109 - 2 Nov 2019

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4228

Abstract

In the metro operation environment, guiding signs provide direction and route conversion instructions to pedestrians. In metro stations with massive passenger flow, the rationality of sign setting would exert distinct effects on the efficiency of passenger flow. Currently, most studies on guiding signs [...] Read more.

In the metro operation environment, guiding signs provide direction and route conversion instructions to pedestrians. In metro stations with massive passenger flow, the rationality of sign setting would exert distinct effects on the efficiency of passenger flow. Currently, most studies on guiding signs focus on architecture, aesthetics and simulation. However, perspectives from humanization of pedestrian guidance signs such as pedestrian behavior needs and pedestrian cognition were seldom proposed. In this paper, the microscopic behavior characteristics data of pedestrians at different positions in typical metro stations were collected through pedestrian tracking experiments. After analyzing the characteristics of pedestrians’ microscopic behavior in metro stations, otherness of walking speed was found out among pedestrians in different types of passageways. The walking speed of pedestrians in closed-type passageways is higher than other types. Moreover, pedestrian speed at the stairs adjacent to the platform is higher than that at the stairs not adjacent to the platform. With the increase of crowd density, the change of walking speed of pedestrians can be represented by a unimodal curve. Finally, the key points of optimal setting of guiding signs in different regions and different periods were obtained according to the result analysis of the experiment. The research results of this paper can provide theoretical support and technical guidance for the optimal establishment of pedestrian guiding signs in metro stations with massive passenger flow. Full article

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21 pages, 3963 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Transport Scheme of High Value-Added Shipments in Regions without Express Train Services

by Boliang Lin, Xingkui Li, Zexi Zhang and Yinan Zhao

Sustainability 2019, 11(21), 6108; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216108 - 2 Nov 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2821

Abstract

In railway transportation, high value-added shipments in regions with large traffic volumes are generally delivered by express train services, since these freights need to be delivered in a short time. However, there are also high value-added shipments in areas where express train services [...] Read more.

In railway transportation, high value-added shipments in regions with large traffic volumes are generally delivered by express train services, since these freights need to be delivered in a short time. However, there are also high value-added shipments in areas where express train services are not available. If these freights are delivered by the traditional approaches (i.e., the freight cars are delivered to the adjacent classification yard by local trains, combined with other freight cars to form a train, and finally sent to the destination according to the transportation plan) with multiple reclassifications (a reclassification is when wagons are separated from their original train and then join another train in a classification yard), it will lead to delivery delays and economic losses to shippers and contribute to severe carbon emissions. In this context, this paper proposes an innovative method to deliver high value-added shipments in regions without express train services, which is called the method of reserving axle loads. The differences in assembling and transfer costs achieved by the method of reserving axle loads and traditional method are analyzed, especially the car-hours saved for the accumulation process of freight cars in a classification yard. Then, a corresponding mathematical model is established, which involves four scenarios: reserving axle loads for departing; reserving axle loads for arriving; reserving axle loads for both departing and arriving; and not reserving axle loads. Finally, the practicability and feasibility of the model was verified by two numerical experiments. Full article

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19 pages, 4473 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Prediction Accuracy under the Selection of Optimum Time Granularity in Different Metro Stations

by Peikun Li, Chaoqun Ma, Jing Ning, Yun Wang and Caihua Zhu

Sustainability 2019, 11(19), 5281; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195281 - 25 Sep 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3088

Abstract

The improvement of accuracy of short-term passenger flow prediction plays a key role in the efficient and sustainable development of metro operation. The primary objective of this study is to explore the factors that influence prediction accuracy from time granularity and station class. [...] Read more.

The improvement of accuracy of short-term passenger flow prediction plays a key role in the efficient and sustainable development of metro operation. The primary objective of this study is to explore the factors that influence prediction accuracy from time granularity and station class. An important aim of the study was also in presenting the proposition of change in a forecasting method. Passenger flow data from 87 Metro stations in Xi’an was collected and analyzed. A framework of short-term passenger flow based on the Empirical Mode Decomposition-Support Vector Regression (EMD-SVR) was proposed to predict passenger flow for different types of stations. Also, the relationship between the generation of passenger flow prediction error and passenger flow data was investigated. First, the metro network was classified into four categories by using eight clustering factors based on the characteristics of inbound passenger flow. Second, Pearson correlation coefficient was utilized to explore the time interval and time granularity for short-term passenger flow prediction. Third, the EMD-SVR was used to predict the passenger flow in the optimal time interval for each station. Results showed that the proposed approach has a significant improvement compared to the traditional passenger flow forecast approach. Lookback Volatility (LVB) was applied to reflect the fluctuation difference of passenger flow data, and the linear fitting of prediction error was conducted. The goodness-of-fit (R²) was found to be 0.768, indicating a good fitting of the data. Furthermore, it revealed that there are obvious differences in the prediction error of the four kinds of stations. Full article

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34 pages, 6014 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Demand-Oriented Train Timetabling Integrated with Passenger Train-Booking Decisions

by Wenliang Zhou, Wenzhuang Fan, Xiaorong You and Lianbo Deng

Sustainability 2019, 11(18), 4932; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11184932 - 9 Sep 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3977

Abstract

In recent years, with the global energy shortage and severe environmental deterioration, railway transport has begun to attract great interest as a green transportation mode. One of the vital means to realize social sustainable development is to improve railway transportation systems, in which [...] Read more.

In recent years, with the global energy shortage and severe environmental deterioration, railway transport has begun to attract great interest as a green transportation mode. One of the vital means to realize social sustainable development is to improve railway transportation systems, in which providing a demand-oriented train timetable with a higher service level is the most viable method. A demand-oriented train timetable problem generally deals with passengers’ train-choice decisions according to the queue principle, but it is not adapted to rail systems, such as China’s, where passengers usually book tickets a few days in advance by telephone or online instead of going to stations. This paper is devoted to modeling and solving the demand-oriented train timetabling problem integrated with passengers’ train-booking decisions. Firstly, a bi-level programming model is formulated for their integrated optimization on a rail network. Its upper-level model is to optimize train arrival and departure times at each visited station with the aim of reducing passengers’ total travel cost, while its lower-level model aims to determine passengers’ train-booking behavior using the user equilibrium theory. Then, a priority-based heuristic algorithm is designed to solve this model. It has two main steps at each iteration: one is to determine the number of passengers booking each train with a given train timetable, and the other is to improve the current train timetable based on the valuable information of passenger train-booking decisions. The performance, convergence, and practicability of the proposed method were analyzed based on the Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan intercity rail in China. Experimental results show the proposed method can effectively reduce the travel cost for passengers, creating a greater passenger demand for railway travel, which is beneficial to the sustainable development of railway systems and even society. Full article

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26 pages, 6682 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Rail Timetable Optimization to Improve Operational Efficiency with Flexible Routing Plans: A Nonlinear Integer Programming Model

by Qiuchi Xue, Xin Yang, Jianjun Wu, Huijun Sun, Haodong Yin and Yunchao Qu

Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3701; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133701 - 5 Jul 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4187

Abstract

At present, most urban rail transit systems adopt an operation mode with a single long routing. The departure frequency is determined by the maximum section passenger flow. However, when the passenger flow varies greatly within different sections, this mode will lead to a [...] Read more.

At present, most urban rail transit systems adopt an operation mode with a single long routing. The departure frequency is determined by the maximum section passenger flow. However, when the passenger flow varies greatly within different sections, this mode will lead to a low load factor in some sections, resulting in a waste of capacity. In view of this situation, this paper develops a nonlinear integer programming model to determine an optimal timetable with a balanced scheduling mode, where the wasted capacity at a constant departure frequency can be reduced with a slight increase in passenger waiting time. Then, we simplify the original model into a single-objective integer optimization model through normalization. A genetic algorithm is designed to find the optimal solution. Finally, a numerical example is presented based on real-world passenger and operation data from Beijing Metro Line 4. The results show that the double-routing optimization model can reduce wasted capacity by 9.5%, with a 4.5% increase in passenger waiting time, which illustrates the effectiveness of this optimization model. Full article

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20 pages, 2075 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Addressing the Importance of Service Attributes in Railways

by Roberto Sañudo, Eneko Echaniz, Borja Alonso and Rubén Cordera

Sustainability 2019, 11(12), 3411; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123411 - 21 Jun 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3565

Abstract

This research presents a combined qualitative and quantitative method focused on determining the level of importance that users place on different attributes of a railway service. The identification of these preferences will allow the establishment of policies that could increase the quality and [...] Read more.

This research presents a combined qualitative and quantitative method focused on determining the level of importance that users place on different attributes of a railway service. The identification of these preferences will allow the establishment of policies that could increase the quality and demand of this mode. The qualitative analysis is based on a participation process through focus groups and in-depth interviews. From these sources, a diagnosis of the system and the main attributes that may influence the demand have been obtained. The quantitative part of the methodology is grounded on the realization of a stated preference survey using Best–Worst case 1 scaling. This method has made it possible to determine that the attributes related to the fare system, travel time, and intermodality are the most important to increase the quality of rail transport. Instead, the least important attributes were those related to very specific additional services. At the same time, it has been observed that the importance varies depending on the frequency of railway use. Thus, less frequent and nonusers considered the connections with other transport modes and user information more important. Therefore, improving intermodality could be a cost-effective way to attract new users. Full article

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16 pages, 3151 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Service-Oriented Load Balancing Approach to Alleviating Peak-Hour Congestion in a Metro Network Based on Multi-Path Accessibility

by Zhiyuan Huang, Ruihua Xu, Wei (David) Fan, Feng Zhou and Wei Liu

Sustainability 2019, 11(5), 1293; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051293 - 1 Mar 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3229

Abstract

To further improve the service quality and reduce safety risks in current congested metro systems during peak hours, this paper presents a load balancing (LB) approach so that available capacity can be utilized more effectively in order to alleviate peak hour congestion. A [...] Read more.

To further improve the service quality and reduce safety risks in current congested metro systems during peak hours, this paper presents a load balancing (LB) approach so that available capacity can be utilized more effectively in order to alleviate peak hour congestion. A set of under-utilized yet effective alternative routes were searched using a deletion algorithm (DA) in order to share the passenger loads on overcrowded metro line segments. An optimization model was constructed based on an improved route generalized time utility function considering the penalties of both in-vehicle congestion and transfers. A detailed load balancing solution was generated based on the proposed algorithm. A real-world example of three overloaded metro line segments in the Shanghai metro network were selected and used to verify the feasibility and validity of the developed load balancing method. The results show that the load balancing method can effectively reduce the overcrowding situation to a great extent. Finally, two prospective inducing schemes are discussed to help implement the load balancing solution in the actual metro system in an efficient and effective manner. Full article

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