Science is made of facts just as a house is made of bricks, but a collection of facts is no more science than a pile of bricks is a house. Henri Poincaré Theaimofthedisciplinesofpraxisisnottheoreticalknowledge. . . . Itistochangetheforms ofaction. . . . Aristotle Transportation systems consist not only of the physical and organizational e- ments that interact with each other to produce transportation opportunities, but also of the demand that takes advantage of such opportunities to travel from one place to another. This travel demand, in turn, is the result of interactions among the v- ious economic and social activities located in a given area. Mathematical models of transportation systems represent, for a real or hypothetical transportation s- tem, the demand ?ows, the functioning of the physical and organizational elements, the interactions between them, and their effects on the external world. Mathematical models and the methods involved in their application to real, large-scale systems are thus fundamental tools for evaluating and/or designing actions affecting the ph- ical elements (e. g. , a new railway) and/or organizational components (e. g. , a new timetable) of transportation systems. This book discusses the mathematical models that are used to analyze transpor- tion systems, presenting them as the result of a limited number of general assu- tions (theory). It also deals with the methods needed to make these models ope- tional, and with their application to transportation system project design and eva- ation. This ?eld of knowledge is known as transportation systems engineering.
This book provides a comprehensive and systematic presentation of the mathematical models for the simulation of transportation systems and the methodologies for the analysis and design of these systems. Theoretical and operational aspects are presented in a rigorous and exhaustive framework, addressing a broad range of applications performed by researchers and practitioners. Topics are presented with an increasing level of detail and complexity.
In this 2nd edition the author extends and generalizes the contents of the previous edition entitled "Transportation Systems Engineering: Theory and Methods" published in 2001. In addition to entirely new material dealing with the recent developments in the field, the text has been revised to simplify the presentation. The Bibliography has also been expanded significantly. All the topics are presented with simple numerical examples as well as with references to real-life applications.
The material is structured so as to offer different levels of complexity and different reading paths based on the reader’s needs. It is suitable for graduate level courses on transportation analysis and planning. Prerequisites include a basic knowledge of calculus, optimization techniques, probability theory and statistics. Due to the breadth and depth of topics covered, the book will also serve as an excellent reference guide for researchers, teachers and practitioners.
