2013 Session: 345

• Facilitating Fuzzy Rule-Based Evidential Reasoning in the Navigational Risk Assessment of Inland Waterway Transportation System
  Abstract: A novel approach incorporating a fuzzy rule base technique and an Evidential Reasoning (ER) algorithm is developed to conduct the navigational risk assessment of an Inland Waterway Transportation System (IWTS). A hierarchical structure for modeling IWTS hazards (hazard identification model) is constructed using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The quantitative criteria are converted to qualitative ones by applying a fuzzy rule based quantitative data transformation technique, which enables the use of ER to synthesize the risk estimates from the bottom to the top along the hierarchy. Intelligent Decision System (IDS) software is used for facilitating risk synthesis and estimation. The proposed method is applied in a case study to compare the navigational safety levels of three different regions in Yangtze River.
  Authors: Zhang, Di; Yan, Xinping; Zhang, Jinfen; Yang, Zaili; Wang, Jin
  Authors: Zhang, Di; Yan, Xinping; Zhang, Jinfen; Yang, Zaili; Wang, Jin
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting
  Session: 345
  Paper Number: 13-3876
• AIS Data-based Vessel Speed, Course and Path Analysis in the Botlek Area in the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands
  Abstract: Due to the fast development of vessel traffic in ports and waterways nowadays, a lot of attention has been paid to maritime traffic safety and port capacity. Many simulation models have been used to predict traffic safety and port capacity in ports and waterways. However, maritime traffic models only consider few aspects, as the influences of human behavior and external factors have not been included regarding maritime traffic safety. To investigate the vessel behavior and external influencing factors, an analysis has been performed based on Automatic Identification System (AIS) data under various external conditions.The study area includes a junction and a slight bend with high maritime traffic density within the port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Vessels are classified in different categories based on their type and gross tonnage. Equidistant cross-sections approximately perpendicular to the navigation direction are used for investigation of vessel behavior, including speed, course and path for each vessel category. The influences of external factors (wind and visibility) on vessel behavior are identified by comparing with unhindered vessel behavior. In the analysis, specific thresholds are set to select external conditions and eliminate the influence of encounters. The analysis of unhindered vessel behavior for each vessel category provides insight into vessel behavior. The results revealed that the wind has influence on vessel path and the visibility affect the vessel speed and path. Analysis results can be used as input for the development of new maritime traffic model, as well as for its verification and validation.
  Authors: Shu, Yaqing; Daamen, Winnie; Ligteringen, Han; Hoogendoorn, Serge
  Authors: Shu, Yaqing; Daamen, Winnie; Ligteringen, Han; Hoogendoorn, Serge
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting
  Session: 345
  Paper Number: 13-3742
• Generation of Inland Waterway Trip Information Using Automatic Identification System (AIS) Data
  Abstract: This research paper documents the analysis of archived AIS data in the Paducah, KY region to produce reliable inland waterway vessel trip data. There are currently few options when seeking such trip data, owing to confidentiality concerns; this absence impacts the quality of risk calculations. The combination of geographic information systems (GIS), relational databases, custom programming and data visualization tools are applied to extract meaningful vessel traffic information and detect events occurring within ports and waterways. The geographic configuration of the Paducah port area added a degree of difficulty to the generation of trip data. However, this was overcome by categorizing all trips into general river movements and calculating the total number of towboat trips transiting the area in through river movements or engaged in fleeting, docking or lockage operations. The AIS data was discovered to be of high quality, and capable of supporting a number of analyses. These include waterway and port congestion, hotspot identification, accident reconstruction (and near-miss investigation), and the impact of extreme weather on areal port and waterway traffic.
  Authors: Dobbins, James P; Langsdon, Lindsey C
  Authors: Dobbins, James P; Langsdon, Lindsey C
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting
  Session: 345
  Paper Number: 13-4218
• Analytical Model to Estimate Lock Capacity of a Waterway Lock
  Abstract: With the rapidly increasing traffic demand, many of locks which had promoted to develop inland waterborne transport in past decades become the major bottlenecks in the waterway system. China has promoted those locks by adding the third (even fourth) chamber in parallel to existing ones, aiming to expand the lock capacity as well as to reduce the delay. For those locks¡¯ performance, although much attention has been paid to delays with simulation models, an analytical model is also necessary to estimate the lock capacity reasonably if there is no history data to work with a simulation approach. In this paper, an improved analytical model is developed for a waterway lock based on the relationship between the area and tonnage (RAT) of inland freight vessels and the percent of available chamber (PAC). According to the observed data on the Yangtze River and Grand Canal, China, the RAT of freight vessel was analyzed using linear regression and quadratic polynomial regression, and the PAC ranges from 0.5 to 0.7. The validation shows the analytical model is reasonable. The model can estimate the lock capacity continuously with the parameters instead of the lockage arranging discretely at different level of traffic. It is useful to analyze the effect of the vessels¡¯ large and uniform trend on the lock capacity efficiently and reasonably.
  Authors: Liao, Peng
  Authors: Liao, Peng
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting
  Session: 345
  Paper Number: 13-0840
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the General Public
  Abstract: This study used data from 2001-2009 to update the 2009 modal comparison study conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute, which used data from 2001-2005. The objective was to develop performance measures in terms of rates per ton-mile in order to facilitate multimodal comparisons between inland towing, rail, and truck in six topical areas: cargo capacity, traffic congestion, energy efficiency, air quality, safety, and infrastructure. This study considered a snapshot in time in order to focus on several vital issues. Every effort was made to use credible, publicly available, and independently verifiable data from federal, industry or academic sources. The scope of the study and several data limitations necessitated the use of assumptions based on sound engineering principles and the development of innovative methods in order to arrive at plausible results and fulfill the study’s unconventional objectives. The study concluded that waterborne transportation continues to compare favorably to the rail and highway modes in terms of the performance measures examined. Any waterborne freight diversion to either of the two modes would likely result in serious negative effects on their freight transportation operations and possible system breakdowns. Chain reaction effects would severely jeopardize the well-being of the general public and the national economy.
  Authors: Protopapas, Annie; Kruse, Carl James; Olson, Leslie
  Authors: Protopapas, Annie; Kruse, Carl James; Olson, Leslie
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Paper
  Subject: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting
  Session: 345
  Paper Number: 13-2200
  Practice-Ready: Yes
• Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the General Public
  Authors: Protopapas, Annie
  Authors: Protopapas, Annie
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting
  Session: 345
  Paper Number: 13-2200
• AIS Data-based Vessel Speed, Course and Path Analysis in the Botlek Area in the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands
  Authors: Shu, Yaqing
  Authors: Shu, Yaqing
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting
  Session: 345
  Paper Number: 13-3742
• Facilitating Fuzzy Rule-Based Evidential Reasoning in the Navigational Risk Assessment of Inland Waterway Transportation System
  Authors: Zhang, Di
  Authors: Zhang, Di
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting
  Session: 345
  Paper Number: 13-3876
• Generation of Inland Waterway Trip Information Using Automatic Identification System (AIS) Data
  Authors: Dobbins, James
  Keywords: Presentations
  Authors: Dobbins, James
  Year: 2013
  Document Type: Presentation; Poster
  Subject: Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation; Planning and Forecasting
  Session: 345
  Paper Number: 13-4218