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A Simulation Method for Analyzing and Evaluating Rail System Performance Based on Speed Profile

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Abstract

This paper presents and discusses a simulation method for analyzing and evaluating system performance on a rail line from the perspective of speed profile. Dynamic analysis for train motions is introduced, and a discrete time-operation graph is proposed to represent the relation between speed profile and energy consumption. Based on them, an analytical model is formulated to provide a quick insight into the system performance. The discrete-time simulation (DTS) method is then implemented to study the system in detail. Compared to the existing simulations, two innovations are included in the DTS: (1) the analytical lookup tables that can simplify the dynamic computation and, (2) the speed profile adjustment process that forecasts and avoids future conflicts based on practical constraints. The numerical results show that the DTS speed profile has advantages over existing methods. Finally, the DTS method is used to analyze and evaluate the system performance of the current timetable on Beijing Yizhuang Metro Line. The results suggest that the current timetable is not robust enough, and thus possible improvements are discussed at both scheduling and operating stages. The proposed method is verified to be effective and reliable for practical uses.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. U1434209,71621001), National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFB1201105), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2016JBM072), and Research Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Railway Traffic Control and Safety, Beijing Jiaotong University (Grant No. RCS2016K001).

In addition, the authors thank the referees for their kind help in improving the quality of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Rail Traffic Control and Safety, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, 100044, China

    Hangfei Huang, Keping Li & Yanhui Wang

Authors
  1. Hangfei Huang
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  2. Keping Li
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  3. Yanhui Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keping Li.

Additional information

Hangfei Huang is a Ph.D. candidate at State Key Laboratory of Rail Traffic Control and Safety, Beijing Jiaotong University in China. He received his B.S. degree from Beijing Jiaotong University in 2013. His research interests include rail transit system analysis and optimization, transportation engineering, and operations research.

Keping Li received the Ph.D. degree in theoretical physics in 2002 from the Nankai University, Tianjin, China. He is a professor in Beijing Jiaotong University’s State Key Laboratory of Rail Traffic Control and Safety. His current research interests include nonlinear dynamics, traffic flow and modeling and simulation in transportation problem and rail traffic control systems. He has published more than 90 papers in national conferences and premier journals.

Yanhui Wang received his Ph.D. degree in 2003 from University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing, China. He is now an associate professor in the State Key Laboratory of Rail Traffic Control and Safety, Beijing Jiaotong University. His current research interests include transportation planning and management, traffic control and safety, and transportation engineering. He has published more than 40 papers and hosted more than 30 research projects.

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Huang, H., Li, K. & Wang, Y. A Simulation Method for Analyzing and Evaluating Rail System Performance Based on Speed Profile. J. Syst. Sci. Syst. Eng. 27, 810–834 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11518-017-5358-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11518-017-5358-0

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