Research

26 pages, 2199 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Future Dynamics of Multi-Port Systems: The Case of Poland and the Rhine–Scheldt Delta Region

by Dariusz Bernacki and Christian Lis

Energies 2022, 15(18), 6614; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15186614 - 09 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1150

The objective of this paper is to investigate the future evolution of port systems considering the development of major and minor ports, inter-port competition, and feasible cargo shifts resulting from improved capacity or congestion faced by ports. The literature review on port system [...] Read more.

The objective of this paper is to investigate the future evolution of port systems considering the development of major and minor ports, inter-port competition, and feasible cargo shifts resulting from improved capacity or congestion faced by ports. The literature review on port system dynamics indicates that the relationships that emerge between major and minor ports located in the range stem from competition and cooperation. However, we argue that there are essential ports that play a predominant role in shaping these relationships, while inter-port relations in the system are based on competition. With the use of transshipment forecasts, existing and emerging interdependencies among major and minor ports in the system, and capacity development and/or changes in the level of capacity utilisation, the ex-ante dynamics of the port system are evaluated. The subject of research is two port systems, namely, the Polish port system and the Rhine–Scheldt Delta port system. We investigate the future dynamics in each port system and find that the evolution pattern has different features if the minor ports improve capacity or challenge the major ports by offering free capacity. This paper contributes to research on the evolution of multi-port formations and provides new insights to the peripheral port challenge phenomenon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Management of Sustainable Transport)

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16 pages, 686 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance Optimisation of Public Transport Networks Using AHP-Dependent Multi-Aspiration-Level Goal Programming

by Gang Lin, Honglei Xu, Shaoli Wang, Conghua Lin and Chenyu Huang

Energies 2022, 15(17), 6479; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15176479 - 05 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1193

Abstract

This study proposes an optimisation approach to improve multiple-criteria aspiration-level public transportation performance by combining public transport criteria matrix analytic hierarchy process (PTCM-AHP) models and multi-aspiration-level goal programming. The approach uses the PTCM-AHP to calculate the system weights. Based on the weight values, [...] Read more.

This study proposes an optimisation approach to improve multiple-criteria aspiration-level public transportation performance by combining public transport criteria matrix analytic hierarchy process (PTCM-AHP) models and multi-aspiration-level goal programming. The approach uses the PTCM-AHP to calculate the system weights. Based on the weight values, the approach combines the multi-aspiration goal-level selection process in three different ways. The proposed approach was used to optimise public transportation networks in Bayswater, Cockburn, and Stonnington, Australia, to demonstrate the public transportation network performance optimisation process. By controlling the criteria goal value interval, this new approach combines decision-making plans and strategies to optimise various scenarios. The optimisation outcomes can be applied to provide guidelines for improving the performance of public transportation networks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Management of Sustainable Transport)

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19 pages, 5409 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Full Implementation of Electric Mobility in a Countryside Region of Spain

by Andrés Montero Romero, Andrea Di Martino, Michela Longo, Linda Barelli and Dario Zaninelli

Energies 2022, 15(17), 6336; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15176336 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1203

Abstract

The ongoing spread of electric sustainable mobility is transforming the local ways of transport in metropolitan areas. This is meant to be extended outside of big cities in the near future thanks to new technological developments. Little towns should adapt to these changes, [...] Read more.

The ongoing spread of electric sustainable mobility is transforming the local ways of transport in metropolitan areas. This is meant to be extended outside of big cities in the near future thanks to new technological developments. Little towns should adapt to these changes, as they are located geographically far from the big cities and are generally characterized by low economic and demographic indicators. Hence, little towns must keep pace with these changes in mobility to avoid being isolated from the main cities in a country. People living in the countryside usually move toward big cities for various reasons, either related to work or living necessities. Therefore, it must be possible to conduct usual displacements through the use of electric vehicles (EVs), i.e., reaching the destinations and supplying the batteries through charging infrastructures. This paper studies the full implementation of electric mobility applied in the case of Cuenca, a city located in middle Spain. A brief geographical context is provided, together with the routes and destinations of interest considered. Then, different EVs are considered and an analytical vehicle model is provided. The model was exploited to simulate the electrical energy demand to reach the destinations chosen; the results allow comparing the performances offered by different types of EVs. This aspect is then considered as the basis to propose further upgrades in the charging infrastructures where needed, to comply with the widespread use of electric mobility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Management of Sustainable Transport)

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30 pages, 1939 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Criteria Analysis in the Decision-Making Approach for the Linear Ordering of Urban Transport Based on TOPSIS Technique

by Sławomira Hajduk

Energies 2022, 15(1), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15010274 - 31 Dec 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3009

Abstract

The effects of urban transport are highly concerning. The rapid urbanization and motorization in smart cities have a huge impact on sustainability. The goal of the paper is to analyse the smart cities selected, in terms of the urban transport. This paper presents [...] Read more.

The effects of urban transport are highly concerning. The rapid urbanization and motorization in smart cities have a huge impact on sustainability. The goal of the paper is to analyse the smart cities selected, in terms of the urban transport. This paper presents an overview of research works published between 1991 and 2020 concerning urban transport and MCDM (multi-criteria decision making). The author highlights the importance of decision-making criteria and their weight, as well as techniques. Seven criteria and forty-four objects were used as the input of the approach. The entropy weight method was used to compute the weight of each criterion. The TOPSIS (Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution) was applied to calculate the assessment and ranking of transport performance for each smart city. Portland was found to be the best location for transport enterprises and projects; Tbilisi was ranked last. The values of the relative closeness coefficient ranged from 0.03504 to 0.921402. Finally, some suggestions for future research are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Management of Sustainable Transport)

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13 pages, 3796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Transport for Disabled People on the Example of Wheelchair Propulsion with Cam-Thread Drive

by Jarosław Gabryelski, Przemysław Kurczewski, Maciej Sydor, Agnieszka Szperling, Dariusz Torzyński and Marek Zabłocki

Energies 2021, 14(23), 8137; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14238137 - 04 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2191

Abstract

The increasingly frequent use of electric drives is a new direction of development in personal transport. Sometimes these drives take over the work of human muscles, and sometimes they only support them. This is particularly evident in means of transport such as bicycles [...] Read more.

The increasingly frequent use of electric drives is a new direction of development in personal transport. Sometimes these drives take over the work of human muscles, and sometimes they only support them. This is particularly evident in means of transport such as bicycles and scooters, but also in transporting people with disabilities. This study questions whether this is the only right development direction, and explores the possibility of developing means of transport for the more effective use of human muscles by proposing new structural solutions. We identified that such an action favors the minimization of the environmental load generated by technical facilities and, at the same time, may be a response to social needs resulting from the principles of sustainable development. This paper presents the operation principle of the innovative Wheelchair Cam-thread Drive (WCD), followed by field tests, laboratory measurements and biomechanical analyses of the WCD, comparing it with a typical Wheelchair Push-rim Drive (WPD). We found that the WCD allows efficient driving on flat and level surfaces, but its propulsion method can adversely alter the location of the center of gravity on the human-wheelchair system. A brake is also required to control the driving speed. Ultimately, the WCD was found to put less strain on the human movement system, so it could be used for rehabilitation exercises. The WCD appears to be a promising design, deserving further research into the drive biomechanics and the optimization of the mechanism operation. Such an innovative manual drive presents an interesting alternative to electric drives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Management of Sustainable Transport)

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22 pages, 3334 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimisation of the Two-Tier Distribution System in Omni-Channel Environment

by Piotr Sawicki and Hanna Sawicka

Energies 2021, 14(22), 7700; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14227700 - 17 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1379

Abstract

This paper deals with the problem of the design and configuration of a distribution system that supports the delivery of goods to customers using various commercial channels. In this sense, a modelled distribution system, called an omni-channel distribution system, should ensure the delivery [...] Read more.

This paper deals with the problem of the design and configuration of a distribution system that supports the delivery of goods to customers using various commercial channels. In this sense, a modelled distribution system, called an omni-channel distribution system, should ensure the delivery of the same products in different ways while guaranteeing its highest efficiency. The authors propose a single-criterion mixed-integer programming model for the configuration of a complex distribution system of goods in an omni-channel environment. A minimized cost function, composed of key logistics elements including transport, warehouse location, and manipulation processes, is the objective function. The model was experimentally verified, and as a result, potential savings of around 5–8% of the omni-channel design distribution system costs versus the multi-channel distribution system costs were identified. In the paper, an extended sensitivity analysis is also performed to show how specific parameters of the model can change the final recommendation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Management of Sustainable Transport)

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23 pages, 1415 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Evaluation of Multi-Criteria Analysis Methods for Sustainable Transport

by Elzbieta Broniewicz and Karolina Ogrodnik

Energies 2021, 14(16), 5100; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14165100 - 19 Aug 2021

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 3441

Abstract

The article pertains to the utilization of the application potential of MCDM/MCDA (Multi-Criteria Decision Making/Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis) methods in decision-making problems in the field of transport in light of sustainable development. The article consists of a theoretical and an empirical part. As part [...] Read more.

The article pertains to the utilization of the application potential of MCDM/MCDA (Multi-Criteria Decision Making/Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis) methods in decision-making problems in the field of transport in light of sustainable development. The article consists of a theoretical and an empirical part. As part of the literature studies, a review was carried out on the latest applications of MCDM/MCDA methods for decision-making problems in the field of transport. In the empirical part, a multi-criteria analysis of the placement selection for a strip of expressway located in north-eastern Poland was carried out. For this purpose, a hybrid approach was used, consisting of three selected MCDM/MCDA methods: DEMATEL, REMBRANDT, and VIKOR. The ranking was compared with the results achieved in the EIA report of the investment and the results were obtained by using a different set of MCDM/MCDA methods that were proposed in the first part of the research, i.e., AHP, Fuzzy AHP, TOPSIS, and PROMETHEE. The performed multi-criteria analyses allowed for an eventual multi-dimensional evaluation of the most popular MCDM/MCDA methods currently applied in the field of transport. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Management of Sustainable Transport)

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21 pages, 1572 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Shaping the Safety Culture of High Reliability Organizations through Digital Transformation

by Marek Jabłoński and Adam Jabłoński

Energies 2021, 14(16), 4721; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14164721 - 04 Aug 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2635

Abstract

The aim of the article is to present key mechanisms for shaping the safety culture of high reliability organizations through digital transformation, which is now a key challenge for the entire global economy. It is particularly important in processes conducted by so-called high [...] Read more.

The aim of the article is to present key mechanisms for shaping the safety culture of high reliability organizations through digital transformation, which is now a key challenge for the entire global economy. It is particularly important in processes conducted by so-called high reliability organizations. From this cognitive perspective, it is important to define the place and role of digital transformation in shaping the safety culture of high reliability organizations. The comparison of the issues of the safety culture and digital transformation of high reliability organizations seems to be an important cognitive aspect resulting from technological progress in the area of the digital economy. The socio-technological system in which high reliability organizations exist is organized in such a way that all technical, operational and organizational aspects, including the participation of many entities involved in the operation of this complex system, are coherent. This coherence can be influenced by the digital transformation solutions that are implemented and used. The article used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and Vester methods, which were used for research by railway undertakings operating on the Polish railway market, to solve the scientific problem. A ranking of specific issues responsible for building safety culture and the identification of factors that are important for the effectiveness of the process of shaping the expected safety culture was created. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Management of Sustainable Transport)

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