Transportation and Loss Queues G(E)

Abstract

The fundamentals of modeling transportation and material handling systems with finite queues and queueing networks are described in this chapter. This is a critical linking chapter in the book because how to capture congestion in traffic flow processes is central to the topological network design of queueing, blocking, transportation, and loss networks. Starting with a background literature review of transportation and material handling systems and then building upon the basic principles of capturing the throughput volume, speeds, density, and congestion in transportation systems, we develop appropriate queueing models to capture these fundamental traffic flow processes. We focus on the state-dependent M∕G∕c∕c queues and queueing network models as they incorporate the micro and macro aspects of traffic flow simultaneously. Figure 4.1 illustrates a high-rise building with the stairwells which are essential for the pedestrians flowing through the facility. We can generalize these to generalized Erlang and Engset models which provides a computational advantage for us in dealing with large instances of queueing and blocking networks. Open image in new window Fig. 4.1 Transport problems