Transport network criticality metrics: a comparative analysis and a guideline for selection

ABSTRACT

Transport network criticality analysis aims at ranking transport infrastructure elements based on their contribution to the performance of the overall infrastructure network. Despite the wide variety of transport network criticality metrics, little guidance is available on selecting metrics that are fit for the specific purpose of a study. To address this gap, this study reviews, evaluates and compares seventeen criticality metrics. First, we conceptually evaluate these metrics in terms of the functionality of the transport system that the metrics try to represent (either maintaining connectivity, reducing travel cost, or improving accessibility), the underlying ethical principles (either utilitarianism or egalitarianism), and the spatial aggregation considered by the metrics (either network-wide or localised). Next, we empirically compare the metrics by calculating them for eight transport networks. We define the empirical similarity between two metrics as the degree to which they yield similar rankings of infrastructure elements. Pairs of metrics that have high empirical similarity highlight the same set of transport infrastructure elements as critical. We find that empirical similarity is partly dependent on the network’s topology. We also observe that metrics that are conceptually similar do not necessarily have high empirical similarity. Based on the insights from the conceptual and empirical comparison, we propose a five-step guideline for transport authorities and analysts to identify the set of criticality metrics to use which best aligns with the nature of their policy questions.     

FXD3-J型动力集中动车组动力车网络控制系统

文章详细介绍了FXD3-J型动力集中动车组动力车网络控制系统的结构与组成,对网络设备、系统控制功能、显示界面、冗余特性等进行了阐述。运用考核试验表明,该网络控制系统性能稳定、可靠。     

基于全以太网的列车网络控制系统在美国地铁列车上的应用

从列车网络控制系统的拓扑结构、通信协议架构、冗余措施及功能描述等几个方面对基于全以太网的列车网络控制系统在美国地铁列车上的应用进行了详细分析与试验验证。在装车调试之前进行系统集成测试可尽早地发现列车网络控制系统或子系统在硬件和软件方面存在的各种问题,大大节省装车调试所需要的人力和时间。     

A new logit‐artificial neural network ensemble for mode choice modeling: a case study for border transport

Logit model is one of the statistical techniques commonly used for mode choice modeling, while artificial neural network (ANN) is a very popular type of artificial intelligence technique used for mode choice modeling. Ensemble learning has evolved to be very effective approach to enhance the performance for many applications through integration of different models. In spite of this advantage, the use of ANN‐based ensembles in mode choice modeling is under explored. The focus of this study is to investigate the use of aforementioned techniques for different number of transportation modes and predictor variables. This study proposes a logit‐ANN ensemble for mode choice modeling and investigates its efficiency in different situations. Travel between Khobar‐Dammam metropolitan area of Saudi Arabia and Kingdom of Bahrain is selected for mode choice modeling. The travel on this route can be performed mainly by air travel or private vehicle through King Fahd causeway. The results show that the proposed ensemble gives consistently better accuracies than single models for multinomial choice problems irrespective of number of input variables. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

欧盟铁路机车车辆准入制度研究

机车车辆准入是铁路产品质量管控的关键环节,能够从源头拒绝不合格产品进入铁路市场,从而提高铁路运营效率、保障运营安全。欧盟经过多年发展,形成了世界上应用范围最广的铁路机车车辆准入制度。对欧盟铁路机车车辆准入制度进行系统分析,研究其在准入资质要求、法律法规及标准体系、认证机构、准入流程等方面的做法,并结合一些案例分析其准入效果,为我国铁路机车车辆准入制度的制定提供借鉴和启示。     

A modified reinforcement learning algorithm for solving coordinated signalized networks

This study proposes Reinforcement Learning (RL) based algorithm for finding optimum signal timings in Coordinated Signalized Networks (CSN) for fixed set of link flows. For this purpose, MOdified REinforcement Learning algorithm with TRANSYT-7F (MORELTRANS) model is proposed by way of combining RL algorithm and TRANSYT-7F. The modified RL differs from other RL algorithms since it takes advantage of the best solution obtained from the previous learning episode by generating a sub-environment at each learning episode as the same size of original environment. On the other hand, TRANSYT-7F traffic model is used in order to determine network performance index, namely disutility index. Numerical application is conducted on medium sized coordinated signalized road network. Results indicated that the MORELTRANS produced slightly better results than the GA in signal timing optimization in terms of objective function value while it outperformed than the HC. In order to show the capability of the proposed model for heavy demand condition, two cases in which link flows are increased by 20% and 50% with respect to the base case are considered. It is found that the MORELTRANS is able to reach good solutions for signal timing optimization even if demand became increased.     

Prioritizing road extension projects with interdependent benefits under time constraint

Since transportation projects are costly and resources are limited, prioritizing or sequencing the projects is imperative. This study was inspired by a client who asked: “I have tens of approved road extension projects, but my financial resources are limited. I cannot construct all the projects simultaneously, so can you help me prioritize my projects?” To address this question, the benefits and costs of all the possible scenarios must be known. However, the impacts (or benefit) of road extension projects are highly interdependent, and in sizable cases cannot be specified thoroughly. We demonstrate that the problem is analogous to the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). Dynamic change in travel demand during construction is another aspect of the complexity of the problem. The literature is yet to provide efficient methods for large cases. To this end, we developed a heuristic methodology in which the variation of travel demand during the construction period is considered. We introduce a geometrical objective function for which a solution-finding policy based on “gradient maximization” is developed. To address the projects’ interdependency, a special neural network (NN) model was devised. We developed a search engine hybridized of Ant Colony and Genetic Algorithm to seek a solution to the TSP-like problem on the NN based on gradient maximization. The algorithm was calibrated and applied to real data from the city of Winnipeg, Canada, as well as two cases based on Sioux-Falls. The results were reliable and identification of the optimum solution was achievable within acceptable computational time.     

Cellpath: Fusion of cellular and traffic sensor data for route flow estimation via convex optimization

A new convex optimization framework is developed for the route flow estimation problem from the fusion of vehicle count and cellular network data. The issue of highly underdetermined link flow based methods in transportation networks is investigated, then solved using the proposed concept of cellpaths for cellular network data. With this data-driven approach, our proposed approach is versatile: it is compatible with other data sources, and it is model agnostic and thus compatible with user equilibrium, system-optimum, Stackelberg concepts, and other models. Using a dimensionality reduction scheme, we design a projected gradient algorithm suitable for the proposed route flow estimation problem. The algorithm solves a block isotonic regression problem in the projection step in linear time. The accuracy, computational efficiency, and versatility of the proposed approach are validated on the I-210 corridor near Los Angeles, where we achieve 90% route flow accuracy with 1033 traffic sensors and 1000 cellular towers covering a large network of highways and arterials with more than 20,000 links. In contrast to long-term land use planning applications, we demonstrate the first system to our knowledge that can produce route-level flow estimates suitable for short time horizon prediction and control applications in traffic management. Our system is open source and available for validation and extension.     

基于网络交通分配方法族谱的交通分配 一体化技术与工程应用

为满足交通规划、建设与管理等应用场景对交通分配多样化的需求，结合目前交通分配方 法族谱中的众多模型与方法，本文构建能够满足族谱中所有交通分配特征的一体化交通分配技 术框架，提出交通网络交通分配一体化技术体系，并将该体系嵌入交通分析平台软件“交运之星- TranStar”中。该技术体系包括：“模型关键参数”“交通阻抗函数”“交通网络交通分配基础模型与 快速算法”3部分模块组合的分析模型一体化；面向步行、自行车、机动车及公共交通等多模式交 通网络的分析对象一体化；针对城市土地开发，交通网络建设，交通管理控制，公共交通系统，以 及交通政策制定等应用场景一体化。选取南京市道路网络和公交网络进行实证分析。结果表 明，本文提出的交通分配一体化技术具有处理超万节点多模式交通网络的能力，对各类交通模 式、典型业务场景的分析结果可为城市交通系统规划、建设与管理提供决策支持。     

基于自注意力机制与图自编码器的路网交通流数据修复模型

针对城市交通流数据修复问题，提出一种基于图卷积网络和多头自注意力机制的自注意 力图自编码器模型。该模型包括基于拓扑图结构和图信号捕获交通流时空关联性的 STGCN (Spatial-temporal Graph Convolutional Networks)网络。在该网络中使用 LSTM(Long Short-Term Memory)网络学习数据中时序规律，通过注意力网络计算道路自注意力及一阶临近道路注意力系 数，用图卷积网络对图信号重组，达到对缺失数据的精确修复。同时，采用多头自注意力网络计 算数据的注意力权值并对数据重组，捕获交通流数据中的二阶及高阶临近道路空间关联性，提取 已知数据与缺失数据的时间关系，以残差链的形式加入到模型中，作为对STGCN功能的补充。 基于真实数据的实验表明，在多种缺失模式和缺失率下，该模型能够学习路网拓扑关系，捕获数 据中的时间规律性和时空关联性，有效地修复缺失数据。