Modeling the Car-Truck Interaction in a System-Optimal Dynamic Traffic Assignment Model

Several transportation problems, such as implementation of truck-only lanes, require understanding the interaction of heterogeneous dynamic traffic flows in order to provide accurate solutions. System-optimal dynamic traffic assignment can be modeled using a network loading procedure based on the cell transmission model, that is, the hydrodynamic wave model, and solved by linear programming. However, this framework cannot handle the asymmetric integration between the flow of trucks and cars. This article presents a novel formulation for network loading in system-optimal dynamic traffic assignment considering car–truck interactions. By using an embedded cell transmission model, this formulation incorporates a set of assumptions related to the kinematic characteristics of the flow of cars, trucks, and their interactions that can be solved using linear programming. We present numerical results supporting our modeling assumptions. Likewise, the observed emergent behavior captures the car–truck interactions accurately and indicates that minimum system-optimal travel time is obtained by encouraging cars to use highways with shorter distances.     

The multi-criteria road network design problem in an urban area

In this paper, urban network design is analysed through a heuristic multi-criteria technique based on genetic algorithms. Both network layout and link capacity (link layout and traffic lights) are optimised. Different optimisation criteria are included for users, non-users and public system managers. Demand is considered elastic with respect to mode choice; both morning and afternoon peak periods are taken into account. In addition, choice of parking location is simulated. The procedure is applied to a test and to a real transportation system.     

A frequency-based maritime container assignment model

This paper transfers the classic frequency-based transit assignment method of Spiess and Florian to containers demonstrating its promise as the basis for a global maritime container assignment model. In this model, containers are carried by shipping lines operating strings (or port rotations) with given service frequencies. An origin–destination matrix of full containers is assigned to these strings to minimize sailing time plus container dwell time at the origin port and any intermediate transhipment ports. This necessitated two significant model extensions. The first involves the repositioning of empty containers so that a net outflow of full containers from any port is balanced by a net inflow of empty containers, and vice versa. As with full containers, empty containers are repositioned to minimize the sum of sailing and dwell time, with a facility to discount the dwell time of empty containers in recognition of the absence of inventory. The second involves the inclusion of an upper limit to the maximum number of container moves per unit time at any port. The dual variable for this constraint provides a shadow price, or surcharge, for loading or unloading a container at a congested port. Insight into the interpretation of the dual variables is given by proposition and proof. Model behaviour is illustrated by a simple numerical example. The paper concludes by considering the next steps toward realising a container assignment model that can, amongst other things, support the assessment of supply chain vulnerability to maritime disruptions.     

Sensitivity analysis on stochastic equilibrium transportation networks using genetic algorithm

This study deals with the sensitivity analysis of an equilibrium transportation networks using genetic algorithm approach and uses the bi‐level iterative sensitivity algorithm. Therefore, integrated Genetic Algorithm‐TRANSYT and Path Flow Estimator (GATPFE) is developed for signalized road networks for various level of perceived travel time in order to test the sensitivity of perceived travel time error in an urban stochastic road networks. Level of information provided to drivers correspondingly affects the signal timing parameters and hence the Stochastic User Equilibrium (SUE) link flows. When the information on road system is increased, the road users try to avoid conflicting links. Therefore, the stochastic equilibrium assignment concept tends to be user equilibrium. The GATPFE is used to solve the bi‐level problem, where the Area Traffic Control (ATC) is the upper‐level and the SUE assignment is the lower‐level. The GATPFE is tested for six‐junction network taken from literature. The results show that the integrated GATPFE can be applied to carry out sensitivity analysis at the equilibrium network design problems for various level of information and it simultaneously optimize the signal timings (i.e. network common cycle time, signal stage and offsets between junctions).     

基于运量的国民经济效益网络计算法

通过对现行国民经济效益计算方法的研究,运用交通分配理论论证了现行计算方法中运量分析存在的问题。依据交通分配理论和消费者剩余理论,将交通建设项目吸引区内整个路网作为研究对象,建立了基于运量的国民经济效益网络计算法。实例计算表明该方法的有效性。     

我国船员外派市场状况分析

随着我国航运业的发展,海员供应中心向亚洲转移。但是,我国船员外派行业发展相对滞后,外派市场也比较狭隘。就业的多选择性和培养机制的不完善限制了船员队伍总体素质的提高,船员派出机构的粗放式管理导致船员权益保障缺失,特种船舶运输人才培养乏力,限制了船员国际竞争力。为促进我国船员外派市场发展,需要健全法律法规,加强船员的教育和培训,转变船员职业规划理念,同时外派船员工资必须尽快与国际接轨。     

A Variable Time-Discretization Strategies-Based,Time-Dependent Shortest Path Algorithm for Dynamic Traffic Assignment

Within the simulation-based dynamic traffic assignment (SBDTA) model, the time-dependent shortest path (TDSP) algorithm plays a crucial role in the path-set update procedure by solving for the current optimal auxiliary solution (shortest path). Common types of TDSP algorithms require temporal discretization of link/node time/cost data, and the discretization could affect the solution quality of TDSP and of the overall SBDTA as well. This article introduces two variable time-discretization strategies applicable to TDSP algorithms. The strategies are aimed at determining the optimal time discretization for time-dependent links/nodes travel time data. The first proposed strategy produces a specific discretization interval for each link. The second proposed strategy generates time-varying intervals for the same link over the analysis period. The proposed strategies are implemented in a link-based time-dependent A* algorithm in a SBDTA model DynusT and tested with two numerical experiments on two traffic networks. The results show that the proposed discretization methods achieve the research goal—to flexibly and scalably balance the memory usage and run time for SBDTA without degrading the convergence. This property is rather important when dealing with a large real-world network with a long analysis period.     

基于运量的国民经济效益网络计算法

通过对现行国民经济效益计算方法的研究．运用交通分配理论论证了现行计算方法中运量分析存在的问题。依据交通分配理论和消费者剩余理论，将交通建设项目吸引区内整个路网作为研究对象，建立了基于运量的国民经济效益网络计算法。实例计算表明该方法的有效性。     

An enhanced SPSA algorithm for the calibration of Dynamic Traffic Assignment models

Simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) is an efficient and well established optimization method that approximates gradients from successive objective function evaluations. It is especially attractive for high-dimensional problems and has been successfully applied to the calibration of Dynamic Traffic Assignment (DTA) models. This paper presents an enhanced SPSA algorithm, called Weighted SPSA (W-SPSA), which incorporates the information of spatial and temporal correlation in a traffic network to limit the impact of noise and improve convergence and robustness. W-SPSA appears to outperform the original SPSA algorithm by reducing the noise generated by uncorrelated measurements in the gradient approximation, especially for DTA models of sparsely correlated large-scale networks and a large number of time intervals. Comparisons between SPSA and W-SPSA have been performed through rigorous synthetic tests and the application of W-SPSA for the calibration of real world DTA networks is demonstrated with a case study of the entire expressway network in Singapore.     

Assigning fighter plane formations to enemy aircraft using fuzzy logic

Fighter aircraft protect specific facilities on alert in the air by patrolling expectation zones. These zones are located in the direction from which enemy aircraft attacks are expected; fighter formations are sent from them to intercept enemy aircraft. The problem considered in this paper is to determine the optimum assignment of fighter plane formations to enemy formations. The proposed solution is based on fuzzy logic and integer linear programming. A numerical example is given to illustrate the application possibilities of the proposed solution.