Analysis of transport systems

Recommended Prerequisites

Transportation Planning; Urban and regional Planning; Operations Research.

Teaching Methods

Theory classes with detailed explanation, using audio visual materials to explain the main concepts, principles and theory. Use of practical exercises that allow students to understand the subjects. 

Learning Outcomes

The course introduces quantitative methods for the analysis of transportation systems and illustrates them through specific applications: equal emphasis on the two. It highlights the importance of models which are quantitative abstractions of real world systems. Namely it explores the following differences: Deterministic vs. probabilistic; Static vs. dynamic and analytical vs. optimization vs. simulation. It encompasses both the level of individual components (e.g. road links) as well as of an entire network.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Capacity, delays and flow models – Space-time diagrams, flow-speed diagrams.
2. Optimization methodologies, Software and application examples – Linear programming problems, Integer programming, Networks.
3. Probabilistic methodology and examples of applications – Poisson Processes, Queuing models, Simulation.
4. Advanced Optimization Methodologies, Software and examples of Applications – Robust optimization and Dynamic Optimization.
5. Detailed Applications of Optimization to Transportation Modes – Network design, Location Problems, Routing Problems.
6. Control of Operations – Traffic Assignment, Demand Management, Examples of operations in transportation.

Assessment Methods

Continuous assessment
Other: 25.0%
Other: 25.0%
Exam: 50.0%

Bibliography

Banister D. (2002) Transport Planning. 2nd Edition. Taylor & Francis. New York, USA.

Ben-Akiva, Moshe and Lerman, Steven R (1985) “Discrete Choice Analysis: Theory and Applications to Travel Demand”, MIT Press.

Giuliano G. and Hanson S. (2004) The Geography of Urban Transportation. 3rd edition. The Guilford Press, New York.

Hensher, Rose and Greene (2005) “Applied Choice Analysis: A Primer” Cambridge.
Lieberman and Hillier. Introduction to Operations Research. 2005. Mcgraw-Hill.

Montgomery, D., Runger, G. (1994) Applied Statistics and Probability for engineers, Wiley. Part 7-9 Conficence interval on a Proportion

Ortúzar J. and Willumsen L. (2001) Modelling Transport. 3rd Edition. John Wiley and Sons. West Sussex, England.

Train K. (2002) Discrete Choice Methods with Simulation. Cambridge University Press. Free to be access through: http://elsa.berkeley.edu/books/choice2.html