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.     

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.     

Analyzing passenger train arrival delays with support vector regression

We propose machine learning models that capture the relation between passenger train arrival delays and various characteristics of a railway system. Such models can be used at the tactical level to evaluate effects of various changes in a railway system on train delays. We present the first application of support vector regression in the analysis of train delays and compare its performance with the artificial neural networks which have been commonly used for such problems. Statistical comparison of the two models indicates that the support vector regression outperforms the artificial neural networks. Data for this analysis are collected from Serbian Railways and include expert opinions about the influence of infrastructure along different routes on train arrival delays.     

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.     

Analysis of air traffic control operational impact on aircraft vertical profiles supported by machine learning

The Air Traffic Management system is under a paradigm shift led by NextGen and SESAR. The new trajectory-based Concept of Operations is supported by performance-based trajectory predictors as major enablers. Currently, the performance of ground-based trajectory predictors is affected by diverse factors such as weather, lack of integration of operational information or aircraft performance uncertainty.Trajectory predictors could be enhanced by learning from historical data. Nowadays, data from the Air Traffic Management system may be exploited to understand to what extent Air Traffic Control actions impact on the vertical profile of flight trajectories.This paper analyses the impact of diverse operational factors on the vertical profile of flight trajectories. Firstly, Multilevel Linear Models are adopted to conduct a prior identification of these factors. Then, the information is exploited by trajectory predictors, where two types are used: point-mass trajectory predictors enhanced by learning the thrust law depending on those factors; and trajectory predictors based on Artificial Neural Networks.Air Traffic Control vertical operational procedures do not constitute a main factor impacting on the vertical profile of flight trajectories, once the top of descent is established. Additionally, airspace flows and the flight level at the trajectory top of descent are relevant features to be considered when learning from historical data, enhancing the overall performance of the trajectory predictors for the descent phase.     

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。     

Optimal development of alternative fuel station networks considering node capacity restrictions

A potential solution to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector is the use of alternative fuel vehicles (AFV). As global GHG emission standards have been in place for passenger cars for several years, infrastructure modelling for new AFV is an established topic. However, as the regulatory focus shifts towards heavy-duty vehicles (HDV), the market diffusion of AFV-HDV will increase as will planning the relevant AFV infrastructure for HDV. Existing modelling approaches need to be adapted, because the energy demand per individual refill increases significantly for HDV and there are regulatory as well as technical limitations for alternative fuel station (AFS) capacities at the same time. While the current research takes capacity restrictions for single stations into account, capacity limits for locations (i.e. nodes) – the places where refuelling stations are built such as highway entries, exits or intersections – are not yet considered. We extend existing models in this respect and introduce an optimal development for AFS considering (station) location capacity restrictions. The proposed method is applied to a case study of a potential fuel cell heavy-duty vehicle AFS network. We find that the location capacity limit has a major impact on the number of stations required, station utilization and station portfolio variety.     

地铁网络服务韧性评估与最优恢复策略

针对已有基于拓扑效率的地铁网络韧性指标无法反映地铁运营实际的不足，构建考虑线 路流量影响的路网服务效率指标和基于服务效率的路网服务韧性指标，以及基于路网服务效率 的节点重要度指标；提出以路网服务韧性最大化为目标的优化模型，并基于遗传算法求解模型获 得最优恢复策略。算例结果表明：分别以服务效率和拓扑效率作为路网性能指标，获得的失效节 点恢复次序明显不同；蓄意攻击下，最优恢复策略获得的路网服务韧性分别比基于重要度的优先 恢复策略、基于节点度的优先恢复策略和随机恢复策略高16.76%、72.11%和86.21%。上述结果 表明，必须根据地铁运营实际合理选择路网性能指标和恢复策略，否则可能得到次优甚至明显偏 离实际的方案，无法实现预期目标。