Transportation Engineering

Introduction

CE 408 Transportation Introduction

1
Engineering
Learning Objectives
Scope and inter-relationship of
transportation engineering other fields of
study
The transportation system as a functional
system of the society
Modes of transportation
Institutional structure
Role of civil engineering in transportation

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What is Transportation Engineering?
 Transportation engineering is a branch of civil
engineering that is involved in the planning,
design, operation, and maintenance of safe
and efficient transportation systems. These
systems include roadways, railways,
waterways, and intermodal operations.

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1.1 Transportation Engineering: Scope
 Application of scientific principles
•Planning
•Design
•Operation
•Management
 Focus to “Transportation Systems”
 Multi-disciplinary
 Physics and mathematics background

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Learning Objectives
Scope and inter-relationship of
transportation engineering other fields of
study
The transportation system as a functional
system of the society
Modes of transportation
Institutional structure
Role of civil engineering in transportation

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1.2 The Transportation System
 Transportation as a functional system that
provides a service – the movement of
goods and people from place to place

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1.2.1 Scope and Functional Organization
 The transport functional system consists
of the following components
•Physical facilities
•Fleets
•Operating bases and facilities
•Organizations
•Facility-oriented organizations
•Operating-oriented organizations – carriers
•Operating strategies
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1.2.2 Objectives and Constraints
 Objectives/Motivations of transport
investment
•Military, Political
•Economic
•Provide “Time and Place Utility” – The value of
goods depends on where and when they are there

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1.2.2 Objectives and Constraints
Two conclusions about Transport and Economy
1. High economic activities require adequate
transport infrastructure
2. Value of transport depends on the value of
goods transported or activities performed by
passengers at destinations – “transport as a
secondary good/service”; “demand for transport
is derived demand”

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1.2.2 Objectives and Constraints
Transport constraints by public policy
 Environmental impact
• Evaluation of impact
• Specific rules what can or cannot be done

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Learning Objectives
Scope and inter-relationship of
transportation engineering other fields of
study
The transportation system as a functional
system of the society
Modes of transportation
Institutional structure
Role of civil engineering in transportation

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1.3 Modes of Transportation
 Modes = Kinds of transportation (not so
clear definition)
 Modes are distinguished by
•Physical characteristics – highway, rail, air, and
water transportation
•Organizational characteristics – mass transit
(highway+rail)
•Other schemes – urban/rural/intercity,
freight/passenger, etc.

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Table 1.1 Mode Classification Scheme
Freight Passenger
Urban Truck (highway) Private auto (highway)
Transit (highway/rail)
Intercity Truck (highway) Private auto (highway)
Rail Bus (highway)
Ocean shipping Rail
Inland water Air
Pipeline
Air
Special purpose Conveyor belt
Cable systems

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Descriptions of effectiveness of
transport modes
 Accessibility – cost of getting to and from the
mode
 Mobility – speed or travel time
• Line-haul speed/travel time
• Door-to-door speed/travel time
 Productivity – measure of the total amount of
transportation per unit of time
• Total amount of transportation – product of volume of
goods or passenger carried and distance
• Examples: ton-miles/year, passenger-km/day

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Descriptions of effectiveness of
transport modes
 Transportation costs
• Capital costs
•Right-of-way costs
•Construction costs
•Vehicle costs
• Operating costs – day-to-day expenditures
•Fuel/energy costs
•Labor costs
•Expendable parts (vehicles)
•Maintenance of facilities/ equipment

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Transport Markets
 Passenger
• Urban
• Intercity
•Short (<160 km)
•Medium (160-800 km)
•Long (>800 km)
 Freight
• Bulk freight (low value per unit weight or volume)
• General cargo (manufactured goods)

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Highways
 Dominant transport
mode in most countries
 High accessibility
 Low door-to-door travel
time
 Moderate line-haul
speeds
 Moderate capital cost  High environmental
 High operating cost impact (air pollution)

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Urban Transit
 Buses  Characteristics
 Street cars • Mostly serve passengers
 Light Rail Transit (LRT) • Urban Transit Markets
 Rail Rapid Transit
• Choice riders
• Captive riders
 Paratransit • Speed
• Jitneys (shared taxi) • Same as automobiles if road
• Dial-a-ride space is shared
• High if dedicated right-of-
way (LRT, rail) with stations
are far apart
• Accessibility– depends on
spacing of stations

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Urban Transit
 Characteristics
•Capacity: high
•Capital costs: high
•Operating costs: moderate; operating
cost/trip is normally higher than fare (need
subsidization)
•Environmental impact: Lower than auto

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Air Transport
 Air transport system
• Commercial airlines
• Airfreight carriers
• General aviation (private aircraft)
 Market: for long distance travel (inter-city,
international)
 Speed –high line-haul speed
 Accessibility –limited but not significant
 Capacity –moderate
 Productivity –high due to long distance and
high speed
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Air Transport
 Capital cost – high
 Operating cost –high
 But high productivity made moderate
cost/trip (fare)
 Environmental impact – noise impact

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Rail
 Intercity rail –Amtrak system in US
 Market – intercity passengers & freight
(mostly bulk cargo), with moderate trip
length
 Speed and Accessibility –moderate
•Long door-to-door travel time if mode
transfers are needed (loading/unloading)
•New system to save time: Unit trains, piggy
back (truck trailer on flat cars)

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Rail
 Capital cost –high
 Operating cost – operating cost/ton-mile
is low (fuel efficient) but normally high
other administrative costs
 Environmental impact –low

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Water
 Water transport systems
•Ocean and coastal
•Inland waterways
 Market: mainly for intercity and
international freight
 Speed and accessibility –low
 Capacity –very high

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Water
 Capital cost –high
 Operating cost – operating cost/ ton-
mile is very low
 Environmental impact –relatively low,
oil spills from tankers

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Pipelines
 Market – crude oil, petroleum products,
natural gas
 Speed –low
 Capacity –high
 Capital cost –pipeline, pumping stations
 Operating cost – very low (pumping costs)
 Environmental impact –low during operation
but care should be taken to construction
impact

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Learning Objectives
Scope and inter-relationship of
transportation engineering other fields of
study
The transportation system as a functional
system of the society
Modes of transportation
Institutional structure
Role of civil engineering in transportation

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Other modes: Large scale pneumatic
tube systems

Source: http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/fall94/p94au21.htm
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1.4 Institutional Structure
 Transportation should be the
responsibility of government body
 The government should be in charge of
formulating national policies and
research development for transportation
facilities and services
 Transport service and lines are
organized by governmental body
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1.4 Institutional Structure
 Transport administration is further
organized geographically into region
and district.
 The design, construction and
maintenance of transportation system is
organized by governmental body.

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1.4 Institutional Structure
 Local government at city level are
responsible of setting standards for
design street and roads, maintaining &
operating them
 Transport planning is responsibility of
an agency that exist at national level or
district level or municipality level.

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1.4 Institutional Structure
 Private organization involved in
transportation sector are the carriers
such as airlines, truck lines, bus
operators

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Source of funding
 User charges – fares, tolls
 General fund revenue – regular taxes
 Private investment
 Cross-subsidization –Ex. gasoline tax
revenue or tolls to subsidize public
transit

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1.5 Civil Engineering Involvement in
Transportation
 Physical civil engineering
 System engineering

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1-2 CE 408 Transportation Introduction 35

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1.6 Careers in Transportation
Engineering: What makes it attractive?
 Interact with public and other profession
 Contribute to the need of society
 Contribute to the protection and enhancement
of the environment
 Involve in the application of advanced
technology – Ex. Intelligent Transport System
(ITS)
 Work outdoors
 Own a business or work in management

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