Topological structure vulnerability assessment of Shanghai Urban Metro Networks

ABSTRACT Topological structure vulnerability assessment approach for Urban Metro Networks (UMNS) was proposed in order to decrease the impact caused by incidents. Failure scale of stations and sections random failure and target attacks was evaluated. The results show that UMNS is more vulnerable to target attacks on stations than random failure on stations. But UMNS is less vulnerable to target attacks on sections than random failure on sections. Additionally, UMNS is more vulnerable to station failure than sections. It could be concluded as more resources should be put on big transfer stations in UMNS operation management to avoid large scale impacts. The proposed methodology is not intended to predict the occurrence of events but rather to be used a management tool. Results from the evaluation are valuable elements in planning UMNS. They can be used for network planning, further detailed hazard studies, deciding on the arrangement of emergency resources

Research on the Complexity Characteristics of Urban Metro Network Based on Complex Network Theory

It is to provide decision support for later planning of metro network. Firstly, the space-L method is used to model the metro network topology. Secondly, four different indicators are used to analyze the complexity of metro network. The results show that the degree of metro network nodes in Xuzhou is generally low, and the degree distribution and power distribution are quite different. The network has no scale network properties. In Xuzhou metro network, the path between random station pairs is long, and the degree of node aggregation is low. There is a positive correlation between degree and betweenness, which can make more accurate importance assessment of the site

Hazards threatening underground transport systems

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-03860-wMetro systems perform a significant function for millions of ridership worldwide as urban passengers rely on a secure, reliable, and accessible underground transportation way for their regular conveyance. However, hazards can restrict normal metro service and plans to develop or improve metro systems set aside some way to cope with these hazards. This paper presents a summary of the potential hazards to underground transportation systems worldwide, identifying a knowledge gap on the understanding of water-related impacts on metro networks. This is due to the frequency and scope of geotechnical and air quality hazards, which exceed in extreme magnitude the extreme precipitation events that can influence underground transportation systems. Thus, we emphasize the importance of studying the water-related hazards in metro systems to fill the gaps in this topic.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Sustainable Development of Urban Rail Transit Networks: A Vulnerability Perspective

Urban rail transit (URT) systems are critical to modern public transportation services. Unfortunately, disruptions in URT systems can lead to dysfunction and threaten sustainable development. This study analyses URT network sustainability from a vulnerability perspective. Two network attack scenarios, including random attacks and intentional attacks, are designed to assess different kinds of disruptions to URT networks. Under random attacks, nodes are randomly removed from the network. In contrast, under intentional attacks, key nodes are identified and removed based on topological metrics and passenger flow volume. Then, URT network vulnerability is evaluated by quantifying the changes in network efficiency and structural integrity under the network attacks from a spatio-temporal point of view. The real-world case of the Shanghai URT system from 1993 to 2020 is used to illustrate the vulnerability in the evolution of the URT system. The results indicate that the URT network is increasingly fault-tolerant and structurally robust over time. The URT network is more vulnerable to intentional attacks than to random failures. Additionally, there are significant spatial differences in the vulnerability of Shanghai URT network. Stations in the central activity zone (CAZ) are more fault-tolerant and robust than stations located outside of the CAZ. Furthermore, stations with large centrality and greater passenger flow volumes and lines with many key nodes and greater passenger flow volumes, are vulnerable to disruptions in the URT networks. This study provides a new index to comprehensively quantify node centrality; it also fills a research gap by analysing the vulnerability of URT networks based on both longitudinal and spatial patterns. Finally, this paper highlights significant practical implications for the sustainable development of URT networks, as well as the sustainable development of public transportation services

Assessing Survivability of the Beijing Subway System

The assessment of survivability is a common topic in critical network infrastructure research. In order to examine the critical components whose disruptions can cause huge system degradation, many measures have been approached to depict the characteristics of network systems. Serving more than ten million passengers a day, the Beijing subway system, which ranks third in the world for its length and annual ridership, raises survivability issues in the face of potential disruptions of network components along with its constantly increasing complexity. In this research, we provide an accessibility-based survivability measure with which to explore how potential outages of network components might affect the overall functionality of the Beijing subway system. System survivability is measured from two perspectives: [1] connectivity under various simulated failures of stations and [2] variations in passenger flows in response to a disruptive influence. Plausible scenarios are constructed using local demographic data and daily ridership reports from subway management companies. To assess the possible range of influences, we develop a weighted rank-based simulation algorithm to approximate the extreme combinatorial disruption instances. The range of the potential effect highlights the best and worst-case scenarios so as to identify the critical components and help to prepare corresponding contingency plans. This research will enable the more legitimate allocation of limited emergency response resources and highlight the way of improving the survivability of the system

Assessing Survivability of the Beijing Subway System

The Beijing subway system, the third largest in the world, serves more than ten million passengers a day. As Beijing is the capital city of China and thus a booming urban center, its subway system has experienced rapid evolution from a local single line system to a complicated network. Due to its constantly increasing complexity, the system is both a critical asset for a local transit artery and a bridge between intercity transportation modes, increasing the issue of network survivability in the face of potential outages of network components. In this study, we provide a connectivity-based survivability measure with which to explore how potential outages of network components might affect the overall functionality of the Beijing subway system. System survivability is measured from two perspectives: [1] topological connectivity under various simulated failures of transfer stations and [2] variations in passenger flow in response to disruptive factors. Plausible scenarios are constructed using local demographic data and daily shipment reports from subway management companies. To assess the possible range of influences, we develop a weighted rank-based simulation algorithm to approximate exact solutions to extreme combinatorial outage instances. The range of potential effects highlights the best and worst-case scenarios to identify critical components and help to prepare corresponding contingency plans. This research will enable planners in urban environments, where infrastructure functionality, particularly that of public transit systems, is critical for maintaining socioeconomic security in times of crisis