EURO 2024 Copenhagen
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2513. Analyzing Timetable Fragility

Invited abstract in session WA-51: Timetabling 2, stream Public Transport Optimization.

Wednesday, 8:30-10:00
Room: M5 (building: 101)

Authors (first author is the speaker)

1. Marta Leonina Tessitore
Roma Tre University
2. Marcella Samà
Roma Tre University
3. Giorgio Sartor
Mathematics and Cybernetics, SINTEF Digital
4. Carlo Mannino
SINTEF
5. Dario Pacciarelli
Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Roma Tre University

Abstract

When looking at preventive approaches for disturbance management, the focus is on designing robust timetables that are able to absorb secondary delays. Following the recovery robustness approach, we use the concept of timetable fragility to analyze the resilience of a nominal timetable, i.e., its ability to recover from primary delays with optimal corrective actions. Given a timetable and suitable objective functions, the fragility defines a special class of scenarios associated with each pair train/section and use them to identify the pairs where a primary delay is more likely to generate large knock-on delays. In particular, the objective function should reflect real-time decision-making criteria adopted by dispatchers. Since no single, universally accepted measure exists, we explore some of the most common objective functions, e.g., the minimization of the max delay, or the minimization of the sum of consecutive train delays at the last station of their routes. Building on the concept of fragility maps, we propose additional analyses, including exploring the impact of precedence constraints in optimal dispatching and sensitivity analysis of the optimal solution. Considering real-life scenarios from a busy railway line in Norway, we discuss several potential uses of the fragility to improve decisions at different levels of the railway planning process, including dispatching, timetable design, and network design.

Keywords

Status: accepted

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