PROJECT COMPLETE
Research Summary Series (research results in an easy to read format)
Project Report Now Available:Project Number: 02-02
P.I.
Name & Address:
Mashrur A Chowdhury
Civil
Engineering
University of Dayton
300 College Park
(517) 353-7297
Project
Objective:
This project intends to develop a decision making framework that can be
applied to analyze and evaluate transportation investment alternatives, allocate
resources optimally among competing systems/projects, generate a number of
investment alternatives based upon available resources, and develop an
interactive process that will provide a graphical demonstration to the decision
maker of the relative trade-offs between the most desirable investment options
based on the objectives selected for the project.
Project
Abstract:
The
decision making scenarios in transportation projects, construction or
operational, often involve more than one objective.
Some of these objectives are difficult to convert into monetary units.
Multiobjective analysis enables solutions or plans for a potential
project to be generated where a number of objectives, which are conflicting and
expressed in different measures of effectiveness, must be satisfied.
This
project will run through several steps in developing the final report containing
models to help “optimally” allocate available resources.
The research team will identify various decision scenarios that are often
encountered in transportation projects and develop a list of objectives for each
scenario. From this, multiobjective decision analysis models will be developed.
The research team will develop various methods to generate optimal alternatives
or allocate resources optimally between competing projects for each
multiobjective model developed. Finally, an interactive process will be
developed to help the decision maker evaluate alternatives identified.
Task
Descriptions:
Task
1: Identify Decision Scenarios – literature review and report review; meet
with representatives from each state in the region to identify scenarios
Task
2: Develop Multiobjective Decision Analysis Models – develop a list of
objectives for each decision scenario; identification of objective functions for
each scenario expressed in terms of the decision variables
Task
3: Develop Suitable Methodology to Develop Optimal Alternatives – methods
would generate the most desirable alternatives based on the objectives and
constraints set forth for each decision scenario
Task
4: Develop Interactive Processes to Help Decision Maker Evaluate Alternatives
– develop a graphical method that will guide decision-makers in comprehending
the trade-offs between the best possible options
Task 5: Solve Example Cases and Prepare Final Report – report will document findings of Tasks 1-4; an appendix that will contain examples of proposed methods for each scenario
Milestones,
Dates: Project
start date: 9/1/01, Final report
by 11/30/02
Year
1 Budget:
$143,284
Year
2 Budget:
$0
Total
Budget:
$143,284
Student
Involvement: 2
Graduate student assistants and student hourly support
Technology
Transfer
Activities:
Potential
Benefits
of
the Project:
The
proposed framework will give decision makers the tools they need to make best
use of resources in selecting and implementing transportation projects.
The ability to place investment decisions in this context is essential to
the thematic area of the Center.
TRB
Keywords:
Decision
Support, Intelligent Transportation Systems
Primary
Subject:
Multiobjective
Decision Support
Modal
Orientation: Highway,
Rail, Transit, Air