Research Article

Simulation-based analysis of personal rapid transit systems: service and energy performance assessment of the Masdar City PRT case

  1. Katharina Mueller†,
  2. Sgouris P. Sgouridis‡,*

Article first published online: 14 JAN 2011

DOI: 10.1002/atr.158

Issue

Journal of Advanced Transportation

Journal of Advanced Transportation

Special Issue: Modeling and Optimization of Transportation Systems

Volume 45, Issue 4, pages 252–270, October 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Mueller, K. and Sgouridis, S. P. (2011), Simulation-based analysis of personal rapid transit systems: service and energy performance assessment of the Masdar City PRT case. J. Adv. Transp., 45: 252–270. doi: 10.1002/atr.158

Author Information

  1. Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. PO Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, UAE

  1. †

    Research Assistant.

  2. ‡

    Assistant Professor.

*Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. PO Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 26 OCT 2011
  2. Article first published online: 14 JAN 2011

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (6276K)

Keywords:

  • rapid transit;
  • intelligent transport systems;
  • transport and traffic systems analysis;
  • transport planning;
  • transportation networks

SUMMARY

Masdar City a zero-emission model city, is implementing a fully automated on-demand personal rapid transit (PRT) system for its intracity transportation needs. The car-sized electric vehicles will run on an underground road network transporting passengers and freight throughout the city. A discrete-event PRT simulation model (miPRT) is built to support the design and implementation of the first city application of this innovative system. Through simulation, we estimate the impact of different vehicle allocation algorithms, battery charging strategies and vehicle occupancy rates and anticipate the system's behavior under stress loads to rate its capacity limitations under travel demand surges due to special events as well as track close-down scenarios. The simulation model assists in improving fleet utilization, energy consumption, and overall system costs. Beyond the specifics of this implementation, this paper provides a tool for testing wider adoption of the PRT concept. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (6276K)