Sustainable Transport Network Research Articles

A review of road infrastructure development and contemporary degradation on K’gari-Fraser Island

ABSTRACT Unpaved roads are often of poor quality in parks globally, particularly where funding and resources are limited. We review the history of road infrastructure development and provide contemporary evidence of road degradation on World Heritage listed K’gari-Fraser Island to demonstrate a need for a more sustainable transport system. Historical industry from mining and timber exploitation has established but also deeply impacted many sections of the island’s roads. Contemporary observations reveal high volumes of vehicular traffic contributing to erosion and deep-cuttings on many sections of this international tourist destination that attracts approximately 450,000 visitors per annum. Current observations of road degradation show that a more sustainable transport system should be implemented to mitigate further erosion from vehicular and weather impacts. The article provides justification for the need for sustainable transport solutions and strategies based on a history of inland sand road degradation and erosion leading to environmental impacts on K’gari-Fraser Island. Photographic evidence of varying degrees of degradation and erosion currently occurring and from past industry on K’gari’s roads is provided in this article to strengthen the argument for a more sustainable transport network.

Economic and environmental assessment of biomass supply chain for design of transportation modes: strategic and tactical decisions point of view

Decision-makers face several challenges on transportation network as the main component of logistics management in the biomass supply chain (BSC). Transportation of biomass focuses on how and when to get raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods from their respective origins to their destinations. Each supplier can implement strategic and tactical decisions to reduce costs and improve local and export customer service levels in a responsive, economic, and sustainable transportation network. In the process of quantifying economic and environmental sustainability, it is necessary to take into account the greenhouse gas emissions and cost resulting from the transportation of the biomass. This study focuses on the techno-economic and environmental assessment of BSC by considering three transportation modes that include truck, train, and barge. For this purpose, a simulation model is developed using AnyLogic software and tested on a case study in Malaysia. Results show that each type of transportation plays a vital role in designing a BSC transportation network to decrease the cost and GHG emissions. The results of this work would help the biomass industry stockholders and suppliers to define long, and short-term horizons to achieve a timely, cost-effective, and sustainable BSC transportation network.

Measuring and Predicting Erosion on Sandy Roads to Inform Strategies for Sustainable Transport Network Management: A Case Study of the Great Sandy National Park, Australia

Different surveying methods were used to assess and illustrate road profile changes and sediment displacement over a six-month period at four sites on a sand road at Cooloola, Queensland, Australia. Total monthly traffic and total monthly rainfall (two-way ANOVA without replication, p < 0.05) had an effect on the mean centre dumpy level depths and sediment displacement at one site (correlation 0.81 for total monthly traffic/mean centre dumpy level depths), but not at the other three sites. Traditional road-surface field measurements showed large changes in volume and weight of sediment movement and Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) modelling predicted an annual sediment yield (i.e., sand displacement from road) of 115.37 kg with a total sediment loss of 7,551.36 kg for each 120 m by 6 m site over the next 80 years. The methodology used can be applied to other national parks and protected areas and for the effective and sustainable management of sand road networks.

A multi-objective robust possibilistic programming approach to sustainable public transportation network design

As a critical component of sustainable development, a transportation system should be designed such that it has a positive impact on the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of the served region. In response, this study introduces the concept of passenger dissatisfaction with additional walking and waiting as an indicator of social sustainability and uses the concept while optimizing the transit network for economic, environmental, and social perfectives. Due to a lack of knowledge about the actual value of different passenger dissatisfaction levels and uncertainty in demand, a multi-objective robust possibilistic programming approach (RPP⁎) is proposed and solved by using an interactive fuzzy programming approach. Different from other robust possibilistic approaches, RPP⁎ optimizes not only the mean of the objective function and chance constraint violations but also the risk value inherited by uncertain parameters through considering the absolute deviation of the objective function. Both the advantage of RPP⁎ versus the deterministic model and its superiority against several robust possibilistic approaches are demonstrated in the numerical studies. Furthermore, the outcomes of the numerical study demonstrate that the transportation network should be designed in a decentralized way as the risk coefficients, i.e., risk-taking attitude, increase.

IoT cloud platform for information processing in smart city

AbstractThe construction of a sustainable transport network for people or goods will gain and harm mobility depending on their nature and implementation, using new technology and business models. The regular mobile handoff and replacement of connections allow the efficient mobility management of asynchronous wireless transfer mode (ATM) networks. Hence, the design of the broad spectrum usability network architecture for public ATM systems has been given considerable attention in the literature. Since it has been done on the critical subject of estimating user mobility and the prediction, which aims to improve communication efficiency and the bandwidth efficiency of the underlying system architecture, this article addresses the problem by developing the impact of hierarchical framework of service on transportation and traffic pattern (HFSTTP). The growth in mobile Internet and the use of mobile devices over the last decade allowed for omnipresent information on traffic. With the growing use of unique mobile apps, the number of routing users has evolved to be sufficiently large to interrupt the traffic flow pattern. Modern carriage systems and urban logistics improve the efficiency of the transport of goods and slow down the use of road infrastructure. Numerical examples of vehicle traffic include proof of ties between the network traffic and the routing decision‐making layer. The partnership between a cooperative control layer and a lower control layer to optimize freight transport is a second example. The congestion price in all over the world shows how to incorporate the social plan layer in future mobility services.

Multi‐output modal identification of landmark suspension bridges with distributed smartphone data: Golden Gate Bridge

Bridge infrastructure assets possess ultimate value for safe, resilient, and sustainable transportation networks. Monitoring of bridge structural characteristics is an essential process to minimize damage-associated risk but requires expensive sensor instrumentation, manpower, and expert intervention. Besides, certain bridges' vitality exceeds practical needs due to their landmark identity with symbolic value. In this study, an economical and consumer-grade-distributed sensor array is utilized to determine dynamic characteristics of the Golden Gate Bridge, the most prominent landmark suspension bridge in the United States. The bridge is instrumented with multiple smartphones throughout the main and the side spans to collect vibration data without obstructing pedestrian or vehicle traffic. The accelerometer data collected under clock distribution are processed to retrieve modal frequencies and mode shapes of the bridge. Asynchronous and sampling-deficient sensing approaches are adopted to extract the bridge modal characteristics despite the low vibration frequency and amplitude of the long-span suspension bridge combined with limited sensing and acquisition quality of the smartphones. The findings show significant correlation with high-fidelity reference instrumentations and present the largest-scale civil infrastructure monitoring example utilizing smartphone technology.

A GIS-based approach to evaluating environmental influences on active and public transport accessibility of university students

Many young adults are susceptible to obesity issues and the increased health risks associated with a lack of physical activity. Those who are prone to gaining weight include university students. An active transport system (walking and cycling), in combination with well-funded public transport, are essential components of a sustainable urban transport network, offering many benefits to the health of the individual, as well as the environment, economy, and society as a whole. The spatial association between active mobility (i.e. the physical activity of a human being for locomotion) of young adults and the environment, however, is poorly understood. This study presents a GIS-based model to determine association of various environmental (natural and built environment) factors with locational accessibility of active and public transport trips taken by university students. A GIS-based ensemble of Frequency Ratio (FR) and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model was established. We analysed the characteristics of locations accessed by university students in relation to eight environmental factors including slope, elevation, land use, population density, travel time, building density, intersection density, and public transport service area. The model was applied to the Grenoble metropolitan region of France, an area well-known for policies which promote active transport. The results indicated that intersection density and land use are strongly associated with active and public transport accessibility, with weights of 0.17 and 0.16, respectively. The presence of infrastructure to support active travel, and regulation to limit vehicular speed, also improved accessibility. Approximately 50% of the area of the Grenoble metropolitan region was defined as accessible and suitable (‘moderate’ to ‘very high’ degree) for active mobility. The results of this study could allow city planners to monitor the existing status of active and public transport facilities, and identify areas that require additional work to improve accessibility.

Pareto-Optimal Sustainable Transportation Network Design under Spatial Queuing

This paper presents a multi-objective network design problem with environmental considerations for urban networks with queues. A spatial queuing link model is introduced to take account of the spatial effect of queuing. With this more realistic link performance function capturing spatial queuing, the network equilibrium flow patterns can be more accurately identified. Furthermore, to better estimate vehicle emissions, this paper proposes a refined emission estimation model, which distinguishes between travel speeds in free-running state and queue-forming state over a link. A multi-objective bi-level programming is then developed, in which the upper-level problem optimizes the investment decisions, whereas the lower-level problem characterizes the user equilibrium with spatial queuing delays. The metaheuristic of non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) is adopted to solve the multi-objective network design problem. Numerical tests on the Sioux Falls network and the Barcelona network confirm the effectiveness of our proposed model and algorithm in identifying queuing equilibrium flows and Pareto optimal solutions. The refined models and valuable information about trade-offs among objectives are particularly helpful for environmentally sustainable transport network planning.

Analysis of the port sustainability parameters through Bayesian networks

Abstract European Commission principles included in its European 2020 Strategy (COM:2010) are essential to establish intelligent, sustainable and inclusive transport networks that enhance the social development and territorial cohesion of the Union. Considering the four dimensions of sustainability, port integration into a single system is achieved, allowing their interaction in the changing physical, social and environmental environment in which we live. In this context, ports are called upon to contribute to a more sustainable mobility of goods. The number of variables to be considered in order to carry out the decision making and to make the management of the ports sustainable is very large. However, the strong methodological limitation existing has not allowed the application of this concept, still being a critical aspect. The Bayesian networks are one of the possible methodologies to apply. These networks, allow to obtain the relations between variables graphically in order to determine a posteriori values that quantify their sustainability. Bayesian networks allow the relationships between the variables of port planning and operation related to sustainability to be obtained. These relationships, and especially their relationship through influence diagrams that categorize these relationships by color and flange width, allow them to be used in the decision making of port planners and managers. Adoption of a strategy is not complete without definition of indicators that allow us to assess its level of implementation and its results. Applying these diagrams to the case of Spanish Port System, this article shows the need to incorporate sustainable elements within the tools of the Port Authorities. It is concluded that the most important sustainability category is the institutional category. Behind them are the economic and social categories at the same level, with the environmental category being the last. Considering the influence diagrams, the positive influences obtained show that if the generation of port infrastructure increases, the markets served and the role of the port sector as a revitalizer of port activity increases.

Carbon offsets for freight transport decarbonization

A freight carbon offset presents an opportunity for transport operators and their customers to invest carbon offset capital within the freight transport sector itself, accelerating the transition to a more sustainable global transport network.

The Evolution and Growth Patterns of the Road Network in a Medium-Sized Developing City: A Historical Investigation of Changchun, China, from 1912 to 2017

Understanding the evolution and growth patterns of urban road networks helps to design an efficient and sustainable transport network. The paper proposed a general study framework and analytical workflow based on network theory that could be applied to almost any city to analyze the temporal evolution of road networks. The main tasks follow three steps: vector road network drawing, topology graph generation, and measure classification. Considering data availability and the limitations of existing studies, we took Changchun, China, a middle-sized developing city that is seldom reported in existing studies, as the study area. The research results of Changchun (1912–2017) show the road networks sprawled and densified over time, and the evolution patterns depend on the historical periods and urban planning modes. The evolution of network scales exhibits significant correlation; the population in the city is well correlated with the total road length and car ownership. Each network index also presents specific rules. All road networks are small-world networks, and the arterial roads have been consistent over time; however, the core area changes within the adjacent range but is generally far from the old city. More importantly, we found the correlation between structure and function of the urban road networks in terms of the temporal evolution. However, the temporal evolution pattern shows the correlation varies over time or planning modes, which had not been reported

Planning an Intermodal Terminal for the Sustainable Transport Networks

Growing competition in the global market imposes the need for adequate planning of transportation processes and development of intermodal transport networks, whereby intermodal terminals play a key role. This paper proposes a methodology for prioritization of the intermodal terminal’s development features, as the procedure in its planning process, leading to the design of the intermodal terminal in accordance with the needs of various stakeholders and the principles of the sustainable development. As the stakeholders often have conflicting interests and objectives, it is necessary to consider a broad set of requirements and developmental features that enable the fulfillment of the defined requirements. In order to solve the problem this paper proposes a new hybrid multi-criteria decision-making model that combines Delphi, Analytical Network Process (ANP) and Quality Function Deployment (QFD) methods in the fuzzy environment. The applicability of the proposed model is demonstrated by solving an example of planning an intermodal terminal in Belgrade.

Determining the relative importance of sustainability evaluation criteria of urban transportation network

A truly sustainable urban transportation network (SUTN) needs to be sustainable in all aspects including economic, social and environmental dimensions. Identifying the evaluation criteria for sustainability of urban transportation network (UTN) and evaluating importance of these criteria, are completely critical. While most researches have only focused on economic aspect of transportation systems (TSs), in this paper, by considering economic, social and environmental dimensions, the evaluation criteria for evaluating the sustainability of UTN have been identified. Then a framework based on Best Worst Method, has been proposed to evaluate and prioritize sustainability dimensions and evaluation criteria. To show the usefulness of the proposed model, it is applied to a real-world case study of transportation in Isfahan, one of the largest cities in Iran. The results from this study are used for evaluating and selecting real transportation projects. We have also shown how the proposed framework helps managers and experts for analyzing sustainability of existing UTN, identifying potential strategies, evaluating and selecting new policies or constructing projects to achieve sustainability goals.

Design and Freight Corridor-Fleet Size Choice in Collaborative Intermodal Transportation Network Considering Economies of Scale

Decentralized freight decision has been proved to be one of the inhibitors to achieve a sustainable transport network. One important method also a key challenge is to determine how to coordinate and consolidate the transportation flow to get the best logistics performance. This study presents an intermodal transportation network considering freight consolidation through freight forwarders’ cooperation. We formulate the problem as a minimum intermodal transport cost model, which is a nonlinear, nonconvex and discontinuous function that involves volume economies of scale, distance economies of scale and vehicle size economies of scale. A hybrid genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm in combination with a batch strategy are used to solve the problem. Five different transport demand scenarios are tested on a real case on “China Railway Express” (Crexpress). The choices of reasonably corridor and fleet size combination are provided.

Surrogate-based optimization for multi-objective toll design problems

Abstract The toll design problem (TDP) provides a quantitative approach to the design of road pricing schemes. Its practical use, however, can be computationally challenging if the formulated TDP requires time-consuming computer models to evaluate candidate designs, especially if such designs must account for multiple objectives. For TDPs to be of practical relevance to the real-world planning of sustainable transportation networks, efficient TDP solution heuristics must be developed. To this end, two surrogate-based solution heuristics for multi-objective TDPs are proposed in this paper. Surrogate-based optimization uses simple approximations to computationally expensive models in order to accelerate the discovery of good solutions. The general search strategy of the proposed heuristics is as follows. In each iteration of the heuristics, a pool of candidate pricing schemes with unique sets of tolling locations and associated tolling levels is generated. From this pool of designs, the heuristics use the surrogate models to screen for solutions that are expected to be nondominated and that meet a specified selection criterion. Then, these promising designs are evaluated by the computationally expensive models, and the outputs obtained from these evaluations are used to update the surrogate models. Both heuristics repeat this general process until a maximum number of iterations are completed, at which point the best TDP solutions are returned. In addition to the solution heuristics, this paper presents a transportation network paradox that highlights how transportation network interventions intended to reduce traffic emissions could have unintended effects on a population’s exposure to pollutants. The paradox also is used to illustrate the practical complexity of accounting for environmental inequality objectives, as well as the relevance of multi-objective analysis approaches to transportation planning. Formulations of multi-objective TDPs that consider both travel and pollutant exposure-related objectives are also presented, including the objectives of reducing human intake of vehicle-generated air pollutants and of minimizing environmental inequality. The Sioux Falls and Chicago Sketch networks were used in tests that examined the relative performance of the heuristics, as well as the characteristics of pricing configurations obtained under different budget constraints. Among other results, the tests show that a pricing configuration could decrease total pollutant intake and environmental inequality, while at the same time producing an increase in pollutant concentrations in a significant number of pollutant receptor points.

Prioritizing failures by using hybrid multi criteria decision making methodology with a real case application

Development of a sustainable public transportation network is one of the most important factors for establishing a sustainable city. Failure analysis for public transport systems is not an issue to be adequately addressed. However, this issue has great importance in terms of maintenance planning and reliability. So, this paper aims for prioritizing failures for corrective actions in Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) by using a hybrid Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methodology. In this paper, a prioritization analysis is carried out by using a hybrid mechanism consists of stochastic, fuzzy approaches and Delphi Method for failure with uncertainties. The proposed hybrid MCDM methodology has been applied for the BRT system in Istanbul, Turkey. Both fuzzy and stochastic approaches have been applied to deal with all the uncertainty in the process. To model uncertainties discussed in fuzzy logic more precisely, type-2 fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method has been used to determine the weights of the criteria for failures. After the criteria’s weights are clarified, a stochastic TOPSIS method is adopted for obtaining the ranking of the failures in the better model of the probabilistic uncertainty. At all these stages, Delphi method also has been applied to obtain experts’ evaluations. These evaluations are used as input for the proposed MCDM methodology. Finally, identification and ranking the importance of the failures for BRT system have been clarified. So that it is aimed to support decision makers in taking the maintenance decisions of the vehicles by using the proposed approach.

Do metro interruptions increase the demand for public rental bicycles? Evidence from Paris

Urban policy makers are increasingly interested in cycling as part of a sustainable and reliable transport network. One of the ways through which cities promote cycling is by providing a public bicycle system (PBS) with electronic docking stations. This paper studies demand for public rental bicycles following local and temporary metro interruptions in Paris. I construct a unique data set by linking metro interruptions announced in Twitter communication by the Parisian metro operator to usage data on the Vélib’ PBS. I find that, as a direct consequence of a metro interruption, the consumption of bicycles within 100 m of metro stations increases by 0.72 bicycles per hour per docking station on average, and with 1.54 bicycles per hour per docking station during the first 20 min; an increase of approximately 11% and 22% respectively. Due to their effects on demand, metro interruptions increase the probability of empty stocks at docking stations with 15%. The findings highlight that cycling is a local net substitute for metro service, and that public rental bicycles can alleviate time losses stemming from interruptions in public transport.

Container Transport Network for Sustainable Development in South Korea

The ever-increasing tendency toward economic globalization highlights the importance of sustainable container transport networks to a country’s international trade, especially for an economy that is highly dependent on exports. This paper aims to develop a transport network connectivity index (TNCI) to measure the container transport connectivity from a multi-modal perspective. The proposed index is based on both graph theory and economics, considering transport infrastructure and capacity, cargo flow, and capacity utilization. Using the case of South Korea as an example, we apply the TNCI to assess the connectivity of the Busan, Gwangyang, and Incheon ports, representing approximately 96% of the container throughput in South Korea. The calculated TNCI not only provides insight into the assessment of sustainable port competitiveness, it also helps policymakers identify bottlenecks in multi-modal transport networks. To eliminate these bottlenecks, this paper offers some appropriate measures and specific strategies for port development, which in turn improves the connectivity of container transport networks for sustainable development.

Collaboration and transportation resource sharing in multiple centers vehicle routing optimization with delivery and pickup

The adoption of collaboration strategies among logistics facilities and the formation of one or multiple coalitions constitute a sustainable approach to vehicle routing network optimization. This paper introduces a collaborative multiple centers vehicle routing problem with simultaneous delivery and pickup (CMCVRPSDP) to minimize operating cost and the total number of vehicles in the network. Distribution and pickup centers are allowed to share vehicles and customers in order to increase the entire network's efficiency and maximize profit. To provide the coalition coordinators with good routing solutions, we propose a hybrid heuristic algorithm which properly combines k-means and Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II). Based on clustering solutions, the proposed Hybrid NSGA-II (HNSGA-II) first generates a real coded population to bind our mathematical model constraints and to obtain a large number of feasible solutions which converge to optimality. Chromosomes are divided for genetic operations with partial mapped crossover and swap mutation algorithms, before their recombination to ensure the quality of our results. Comparisons with the traditional NSGA-II and the Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) algorithm indicate better performances of HNSGA-II in terms of objective function values. We also apply Cost Gap Allocation method (CGA) and the strictly monotonic path selection principle to examine profit allocation schemes. Numerical analyses on part of Chongqing city's logistics network show the superiority of HNSGA-II over MOPSO and NSGA-II on the practical case study, as well that of CGA over the Minimum Costs-Remaining Savings (MCRS), Shapley and Game Quadratic Programming (GQP) methods. In addition, the proposed profit allocation approach has supported the establishment of a grand coalition instead of two sub-coalitions. CMCVRPSDP optimization reduces long-haul transportation, improves the vehicle loading rate and facilitates sustainable development. Through the rational allocation of profits, the proposed solution methodology assures the stability and fairness among coalition members. The implementation is also important to design sustainable urban transportation networks.

Joint consideration of energy expenditure, air quality, and safety by cyclists

Public health benefits are an important motivator and justification for urban cycling promotion. The health impacts of cycling are typically evaluated using three main effect pathways: physical activity (exercise), air pollution exposure, and safety (crashes). Effects of safety on cycling behaviour have been investigated, but little is known about how energy expenditure and air quality concerns influence cycling decisions. Understanding cyclist perceptions and preferences is important for planning and designing sustainable and healthy transportation networks. As such, research providing insights into the heterogeneity of these concerns is needed to inform models of behavioural change with evolving vehicles, technology, and infrastructure. The objective of this paper is to investigate the joint consideration of energy expenditure, air quality, and safety concerns by cyclists, and their relationships with cycling frequency. A structural equation model is developed based on data from a survey of 625 intercepted real-world cyclists. Air quality and energy expenditure were considered in routing decisions by 51% and 73% of the cyclists, respectively. Model results show that traffic safety and air pollution risks are perceived differently by cyclists, which has implications for modeling urban cycling behaviour in the context of evolving motor vehicle fleets. Safety concerns were associated with less frequent cycling, but not air quality concerns. Consideration of energy expenditure varies significantly among individuals and trip types, which will emerge with different preferences related to hills, stops, speeds, and electric-assistance. Energy and air quality concerns were significantly associated, suggesting health-conscious cyclists who tended to be older, have higher educational attainment, be more physically active, and cycle more recreationally. Utilitarian and recreational cycling trips had different relationships with health-related considerations and with weekly physical activity.