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Urban Transit Network Properties Evaluation and Optimization Based on Complex Network Theory

Author

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  • Guo-Ling Jia

    (School of Highway, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, China)

  • Rong-Guo Ma

    (School of Highway, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, China)

  • Zhi-Hua Hu

    (Logistics Research Center, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China)

Abstract

Urban public transportation contributes greatly to sustainable urban development. An urban public transportation network is a complex system. It is meaningful for theory and practice to analyze the topological structure of an urban public transportation network and explore the spatial structure of an urban transportation network so as to mitigate and prevent traffic congestion and achieve sustainability. By examining the Xi’an bus network, the degree distribution, average path length, aggregation coefficient, and betweenness centrality of the bus station network were computed using models in complex network theory. The results show that the node degrees of the Xi’an bus network are unevenly distributed and present a polarization diagram with long average path length and high aggregation. A model based on betweenness and its solution method was developed to improve the public transportation network’s sustainability and discuss the possibility of optimizing the sustainability by network analyzing methods.

Suggested Citation

  • Guo-Ling Jia & Rong-Guo Ma & Zhi-Hua Hu, 2019. "Urban Transit Network Properties Evaluation and Optimization Based on Complex Network Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:7:p:2007-:d:219961
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Janez Blaž & Klemen Zajc & Samo Zupan & Miha Ambrož, 2019. "Evaluation System for the Implementation of Public Passenger Transport as a Public Service Obligation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-17, June.
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    10. Linghao Ren & Xinyue Li & Renjie Song & Yuning Wang & Meiyun Gui & Bo Tang, 2025. "Multiphase Transport Network Optimization: Mathematical Framework Integrating Resilience Quantification and Dynamic Algorithm Coupling," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-37, June.
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