Open AccessHierarchical and coupling model of factors influencing vessel traffic flow
Author(s) -
Zhao Liu,
Jingxian Liu,
Huanhuan Li,
Zongzhi Li,
Tan Zhirong,
Ryan Wen Liu,
Yi Liu
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0175840
Subject(s) - hierarchy , traffic flow (computer networking) , coupling (piping) , flow (mathematics) , computer science , interdependence , nonlinear system , hierarchical database model , multilevel model , biological system , transport engineering , data mining , engineering , mechanics , physics , machine learning , mechanical engineering , computer security , quantum mechanics , biology , economics , law , market economy , political science
Understanding the characteristics of vessel traffic flow is crucial in maintaining navigation safety, efficiency, and overall waterway transportation management. Factors influencing vessel traffic flow possess diverse features such as hierarchy, uncertainty, nonlinearity, complexity, and interdependency. To reveal the impact mechanism of the factors influencing vessel traffic flow, a hierarchical model and a coupling model are proposed in this study based on the interpretative structural modeling method. The hierarchical model explains the hierarchies and relationships of the factors using a graph. The coupling model provides a quantitative method that explores interaction effects of factors using a coupling coefficient. The coupling coefficient is obtained by determining the quantitative indicators of the factors and their weights. Thereafter, the data obtained from Port of Tianjin is used to verify the proposed coupling model. The results show that the hierarchical model of the factors influencing vessel traffic flow can explain the level, structure, and interaction effect of the factors; the coupling model is efficient in analyzing factors influencing traffic volumes. The proposed method can be used for analyzing increases in vessel traffic flow in waterway transportation system.