Title
Structure and dynamics of urban freight truck movements: A complex network theory perspective
Author
Yang, Y. (TU Delft Transport and Planning; Beijing Jiaotong University)
Jia, Bin (Beijing Jiaotong University; Xi'an Technological University)
Yan, Xiao Yong (Beijing Jiaotong University)
Chen, Y. (Beijing Jiaotong University)
Tavasszy, Lorant (TU Delft Transport and Planning) 
de Bok, M.A. (TU Delft Transport and Planning)
Bai, Zhuotong (Tsinghua University)
Liu, Erjian (Beijing Jiaotong University)
Gao, Ziyou (Beijing Jiaotong University)
Date
2023
Abstract
Knowledge of the core structure and inherent dynamics of urban freight transport systems is important for the development of policies, aimed at improving the livability and sustainability of cities. The past decade has witnessed a great deal of efforts into analyzing the geographic structure of urban freight transport systems. However, in-depth studies on the system core structure and underlying dynamics are still absent. This study contributes to the field by analyzing large scale freight truck trip data from Chinese cities, using complex network analysis. We empirically reconstruct and characterize the urban freight truck mobility networks and reveal the underlying spatial interaction patterns. We develop a spatial network growth model which explains how hub-and-spoke core structure of urban freight transport systems are formed. The developed model captures the essential interaction dynamics of freight locations, and explains the effects of spatial distance, economic size and business pattern replication. Inspired by the model, we provide policy implications for land-use planning, transportation planning and sustainable urban development.
Subject
Complex networks
Freight truck flows
Interaction dynamics
Structure properties
Urban freight transport system
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:6ad4a21e-e7e1-468a-b123-2861319a1839
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trc.2023.104442
Embargo date
2024-06-02
ISSN
0968-090X
Source
Transportation Research. Part C: Emerging Technologies, 158
Bibliographical note
Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.
Part of collection
Institutional Repository
Document type
journal article
Rights
© 2023 Y. Yang, Bin Jia, Xiao Yong Yan, Y. Chen, Lorant Tavasszy, M.A. de Bok, Zhuotong Bai, Erjian Liu, Ziyou Gao