Applications of Genetic Algorithm and Its Variants in Rail Vehicle Systems: A Bibliometric Analysis and Comprehensive Review

Railway systems are time-varying and complex systems with nonlinear behaviors that require effective optimization techniques to achieve optimal performance. Evolutionary algorithms methods have emerged as a popular optimization technique in recent years due to their ability to handle complex, multi-objective issues of such systems. In this context, genetic algorithm (GA) as one of the powerful optimization techniques has been extensively used in the railway sector, and applied to various problems such as scheduling, routing, forecasting, design, maintenance, and allocation. This paper presents a review of the applications of GAs and their variants in the railway domain together with bibliometric analysis. The paper covers highly cited and recent studies that have employed GAs in the railway sector and discuss the challenges and opportunities of using GAs in railway optimization problems. Meanwhile, the most popular hybrid GAs as the combination of GA and other evolutionary algorithms methods such as particle swarm optimization (PSO), ant colony optimization (ACO), neural network (NN), fuzzy-logic control, etc with their dedicated application in the railway domain are discussed too. More than 250 publications are listed and classified to provide a comprehensive analysis and road map for experts and researchers in the field helping them to identify research gaps and opportunities

Data-driven approaches for modeling train control models: Comparison and case studies

In railway systems, the train dynamics are usually affected by the external environment (e.g., snow and wind) and wear-out of on-board equipment, leading to the performance degradation of automatic train control algorithms. In most existing studies, the train control models were derived from the mechanical analyzation of train motors and wheel-track frictions, which may require many times of field trials and high costs to validate the model parameters. To overcome this issue, we record the explicit train operation data in Beijing Metro within three years and develop three data-driven approaches, involving a linear regression-based model (LAM), a nonlinear regression-based model (NRM), and furthermore a deep neural network based (DNN) model, where the LAM and NRM can act as benchmarks for evaluating DNN. To improve the training efficiency of DNN model, we especially customize the input and output layers of DNN, batch normalization based layers and network parameter initialization techniques according to the unique characteristics of railway train models. From the model training and testing results with field data, we observe that DNN significantly enhances the predicting accuracy for the train control model by using our customized network structure compared with LAM and NRM models. These data-driven approaches are successfully applied to Beijing Metro for designing efficient train control algorithms

Recursive search-based identification algorithms for the exponential autoregressive time series model with coloured noise

This study focuses on the recursive parameter estimation problems for the non-linear exponential autoregressive model with moving average noise (the ExpARMA model for short). By means of the gradient search, an extended stochastic gradient (ESG) algorithm is derived. Considering the difficulty of determining the step-size in the ESG algorithm, a numerical approach is proposed to obtain the optimal step-size. In order to improve the parameter estimation accuracy, the authors employ the multi-innovation identification theory to develop a multi-innovation ESG (MI-ESG) algorithm for the ExpARMA model. Introducing a forgetting factor into the MI-ESG algorithm, the parameter estimation accuracy can be further improved. With an appropriate innovation length and forgetting factor, the variant of the MI-ESG algorithm is effective to identify all the unknown parameters of the ExpARMA model. A simulation example is provided to test the proposed algorithms

Advanced Sensors for Real-Time Monitoring Applications

It is impossible to imagine the modern world without sensors, or without real-time information about almost everything—from local temperature to material composition and health parameters. We sense, measure, and process data and act accordingly all the time. In fact, real-time monitoring and information is key to a successful business, an assistant in life-saving decisions that healthcare professionals make, and a tool in research that could revolutionize the future. To ensure that sensors address the rapidly developing needs of various areas of our lives and activities, scientists, researchers, manufacturers, and end-users have established an efficient dialogue so that the newest technological achievements in all aspects of real-time sensing can be implemented for the benefit of the wider community. This book documents some of the results of such a dialogue and reports on advances in sensors and sensor systems for existing and emerging real-time monitoring applications

Separable recursive gradient algorithm for dynamical systems based on the impulse response signals

The identification for process control systems is considered in this paper based on the impulse response signals from the discrete measurements. By taking advantage of impulse signals and through the model parameter decomposition, two dependent identification models are constructed and two identification sub-algorithms are presented based on the nonlinear gradient optimization. In terms of the associated items of the parameters to be estimated between two derived sub-algorithms, a separable recursive gradient parameter estimation method is proposed by designing an interactive and recursive estimation. The performance tests and the comparison experiments are carried out by the simulation examples

Hierarchical gradient- and least squares-based iterative algorithms for input nonlinear output-error systems using the key term separation

This paper considers the parameter identification problems of the input nonlinear output-error (IN-OE) systems, that is the Hammerstein output-error systems. In order to overcome the excessive calculation amount of the over-parameterization method of the IN-OE systems. Through applying the hierarchial identification principle and decomposing the IN-OE system into three subsystems with a smaller number of parameters, we present the key term separation auxiliary model hierarchical gradient-based iterative algorithm and the key term separation auxiliary model hierarchical least squares-based iterative algorithm, which are called the key term separation auxiliary model three-stage gradient-based iterative algorithm and the key term separation auxiliary model three-stage least squares-based iterative algorithm. The comparison of the calculation amount and the simulation analysis indicate that the proposed algorithms are effective. (c) 2021 The Franklin Institute. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Novel Approaches for Structural Health Monitoring

The thirty-plus years of progress in the field of structural health monitoring (SHM) have left a paramount impact on our everyday lives. Be it for the monitoring of fixed- and rotary-wing aircrafts, for the preservation of the cultural and architectural heritage, or for the predictive maintenance of long-span bridges or wind farms, SHM has shaped the framework of many engineering fields. Given the current state of quantitative and principled methodologies, it is nowadays possible to rapidly and consistently evaluate the structural safety of industrial machines, modern concrete buildings, historical masonry complexes, etc., to test their capability and to serve their intended purpose. However, old unsolved problematics as well as new challenges exist. Furthermore, unprecedented conditions, such as stricter safety requirements and ageing civil infrastructure, pose new challenges for confrontation. Therefore, this Special Issue gathers the main contributions of academics and practitioners in civil, aerospace, and mechanical engineering to provide a common ground for structural health monitoring in dealing with old and new aspects of this ever-growing research field

Intelligent Transportation Related Complex Systems and Sensors

Building around innovative services related to different modes of transport and traffic management, intelligent transport systems (ITS) are being widely adopted worldwide to improve the efficiency and safety of the transportation system. They enable users to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated, and smarter decisions on the use of transport networks. Current ITSs are complex systems, made up of several components/sub-systems characterized by time-dependent interactions among themselves. Some examples of these transportation-related complex systems include: road traffic sensors, autonomous/automated cars, smart cities, smart sensors, virtual sensors, traffic control systems, smart roads, logistics systems, smart mobility systems, and many others that are emerging from niche areas. The efficient operation of these complex systems requires: i) efficient solutions to the issues of sensors/actuators used to capture and control the physical parameters of these systems, as well as the quality of data collected from these systems; ii) tackling complexities using simulations and analytical modelling techniques; and iii) applying optimization techniques to improve the performance of these systems. It includes twenty-four papers, which cover scientific concepts, frameworks, architectures and various other ideas on analytics, trends and applications of transportation-related data