A comparative reliability evaluation method for transportation network planning and design

Transportation network reliability has become significant issue concerns transportation network planning, design and operation. In transportation network planning and design, two or more alternative transportation networks often need to be compared from the perspective of reliability. The existing reliability indices either concern regular events or extreme events. In fact, regular events and extreme events should be considered in the reliability analysis of a transportation network. An assessment methodology called Transportation Network Comparative Reliability (TNCR) is presented to compare the reliability of alternative transportation networks concerning both regular events and extreme events. TNCR is determined by the degree of saturation under regular events and invulnerability of the network under extreme events. The influence of degree of saturation on TNCR is evaluated by the weighted average link (and node) saturation and the evaluating result is called as primary reliability. Then the primary reliability is amended based on the influence of network invulnerability using analytic hierarchy process so as to get the TNCR. Numerical results are also provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the assessment methodology.