OVERVIEW

Transport systems are the set of components and their interactions that determine the demand for mobility of people and goods between different points in the territory and the supply of transport services to satisfy it. 

In this framework, Transport Systems Planning (in short TSP) is the engineering discipline that provides the methodologies to model, analyze, and design transport systems with a holistic approach and by means of appropriate mathematical and modelling tools.

The problems faced by TSP range from the mathematical formalization and implementation of models for understanding users' mobility choices to the design of performing solutions.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course is to provide the tools and capabilities for analysing and designing transport systems across different geographic and temporal scales. Specifically, the first part of the course focuses on the analysis phase and provides the student with the skills to define models of transport infrastructures and services, articulate models of mobility demand, and state and solve assignment problems. The second part of the course focuses on the design phase and provides the student with the skills to collect and use field data for customizing, calibrating, and enhancing supply and demand models. Therefore, in the second part, the aim is to provide the students with the capability to state and solve transport systems design problems and define and compare different alternatives both in terms of performance and costs.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

After the course, the student shall know and shall be able to apply the basic techniques for representing and analyzing transport systems, as well as providing their functional design and the evalaution of the costs and benefits

PREREQUISITES

Basic calculus

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures consist of class activities, with theory and exercises.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course is divided into four main chapters:

1. Introduction to transportation systems and their relation with the surrounding environment
2. Transportation systems supply modelling:
   • link models, costs and congestion
   • network and services models, shortest path problem
3. Basics on probability theory
4. Transportation systems demand modelling:
   • Origin/Destination (O/D) structure and model-based calculation
   • Parametric (non-behavioural) models
   • Behavioral models: users’ characteristics, random utility, and random choice models for the destination, mode, and path dimensions
5. Transportation systems supply and demand interactions:
   • Wardrop's principles and equilibrium assignment
   • Model and algorithms for deterministic and stochastic assignment 
6. Data-based demand estimation
   • Demand direct estimation (survey) and reliability assessment
   • Identification demand model parameters and basic user's behaviour ecomoetric analysis
   • Origin/Destination (O/D) matrix update and calibration 
7. Functional transport systems design
8. Cost/Benefit analysis and design alternatives comparison

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Transport Systems Analysis (Basic reference): 

• E. Cascetta, 2009, Transportation Systems Analysis 2nd ed., Springer (English)
• E. Cascetta, 2002, Modelli per i Sistemi di Trasporto: Teoria ed Applicazioni, UTET, 2006 (Italian)

Insights:

• Probability  
  • S. M. Ross, Introduction to Probability and statistics for engineers and scientists, Elsevier, 2004 (English)
  • S. M. Ross, Probabilità e Statistica per Ingegneria e le Scienze, APOGEO, 2008 (Italian)
• Graph Theory and Optimization
  • F. S. Hillier, Introduction to Operation Research, McGraw-Hill Education, 2016 (English)
  • S. Martello, Ricerca Operativa, ESCULAPIO, 2015 (Italian)
• Manuals
  • Highway Capacity Manual, Transportation Research Board (TRB), 6th ed., 2016

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/en/corsi/10377/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written and oral exam

The first question is always a numerical exercise which must be sufficient to proceed with the theoretical questions.

During the course, some homework will be assigned. If all the homework will be completed and sufficient, the oral exam will consist only of questions on theory.

Students with learning disorders ("Disturbi Specifici di Apprendimento", DSA) will be allowed to use specific modalities and supports that will be determined on a case-by-case basis in agreement with the delegate of the Engineering courses in the Committee for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Within the examination, the student's knowledge of the course topics and his/her capability to discuss how to formalize and solve simple transport problems are assessed.