Causation of Metro Operation Accidents in China: Calculation of Network Node Importance Based on DEMATEL and ISM

Xin Wan,Fujian Zhong,Ruyu Li,Wenjing Cui,Yantong Zhang,Minye Wang,Jingfeng Yuan,Ziyao Huang,Cheng Tu,Mengliu Hu,Rubing Wang,Siew Ann Cheong

doi:10.1155/2021/2397203

Abstract

Continuous metro-operation accidents lead to serious economic loss and a negative social impact. The accident causation analysis is of great significance for accident prevention and metro operation safety promotion. Network node importance (NNI) evaluation has been widely used as a tool for ranking the nodes in complex networks; however, traditional indicators such as degree centrality (DC) are insufficient for examining accident networks. This study proposed an improved method by integrating decision making trail and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and interpretive structural modeling (ISM) into traditional NNI evaluation, where the key nodes are determined by both the nature of the accident network topology and the contribution of the nodes to accident development. Drawing on this method, 32 accident causal factors were identified and prioritized on the ground of 248 accident cases. It was found that 14 important factors related to staff (e.g., “driver noncompliance”), environment (e.g., “extrinsic nature disturbance”), passenger (e.g., “passenger sudden illness”), and machine (e.g., “track failures”) should be given priority in safety management due to their significant tendency of causing metro accidents. Theoretical and managerial implications were discussed to provide useful insights into the understanding of the causation of metro accidents and form a basis for metro managers to develop targeted safety countermeasures related to metro operation. The proposed hybrid method is proven effective in investigating accident networks involving sequential and casual relationships and revealing factors with high possibility to increase accidents.

Highlights

Urbanization and industrialization lead to the influx of people into cities resulting in severe traffic congestion and disorder
This study aims to examine how diverse factors interacted to cause metrooperation accidents and prioritize these factors to target the key points for safety management of the metro operation
Combining decision making trail and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) with interpretive structural modeling (ISM), this study proposed an improved method to better assess the node importance of accident networks by allowing for the inclusion of how a factor contributes to the development of the accident. e improved method, as a result, provides a suitable tool for analyzing the networks involving cause and effect relations

Summary

Introduction

Urbanization and industrialization lead to the influx of people into cities resulting in severe traffic congestion and disorder. Urban metros provide an efficient and green solution for coping with the increasing traffic pressure. Along with the great development of rail transit industry, the managers of cities and metro operation companies are under pressure of keeping safe and reliable operation of urban metros. Preventing any kind of malfunctions and accidents in metro has become one of the most important agenda for increasing social stability and safety [2], especially in those cities with huge rail transit ridership. Considering the safety of rail transit, much attention has been paid to exploring the solution of underground construction safety and accident prevention, while there is dearth of research focusing on the accident and safety issue of the metro at the operation stage. This study aims to examine how diverse factors interacted to cause metrooperation accidents and prioritize these factors to target the key points for safety management of the metro operation

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion