MEASURING CAPACITY FLEXIBILITY OF A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Flexibility is an important and increasingly desirable characteristic of transport systems, particularly in light of changes in supply chains and traffic patterns, and the concern for the vulnerability of the system to both natural disasters and terrorist actions. This paper describes concepts and techniques to measure the flexibility of a transportation system to accommodate changing demands and traffic patterns. Two approaches are described. One is based on current methods for estimating system capacity, and the related concept of reserve capacity. This results in a conservative estimate of flexibility. The second approach permits variations in the traffic pattern, in order to more fully capture demand variations that can be accommodated. The described measures are implemented on a containerized freight rail network, as a means of testing their feasibility and potential value as descriptors of systems characteristics. These measures are shown to offer promise as a means to quantify flexibility. The research also demonstrates that providing path options significantly increases system capacity flexibility.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09658564
• Corporate Authors:

  Elsevier

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  Kidlington, Oxford  United Kingdom  OX5 1GB
• Authors:
  • Morlok, E K
  • Chang, D J
• Publication Date: 2004-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 405-420
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0965-8564
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09658564

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Container traffic; Freight transportation; Railroad transportation; Transportation planning; Travel demand; Travel patterns; Vehicle capacity
• Uncontrolled Terms: Capacity flexibility
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00976655
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jul 22 2004 12:00AM