PhD Student

Adaptation of Disruption Programs to spatial and temporal context changes (working title)

Poster (in German only) (opens in new tab)

Disruptions in railway systems lead to deviations in the planned operations.  The implementation of measures are necessary to maintain the operational continuity of the railway network. In railway networks operating with high frequencies (e.g. commuter railway networks) dispatchers have to make a large number of decisions in limited time to address the disruption induced problems in the operations and passenger transport (e.g. implementing transport replacement strategies). In addition, they have to communicate these measures in the shortest possible time.

The creation of so-called disruption programs (DRP) supports dispatchers in the event of a disruption. These pre-conceived programs contain line-specific measures for a well defined scenario. The use of DRPs not only serves as an instrument so that operators are prepared for disruptions, but also enables users to develop individual strategies for coping disruptions, since passengers get used to the same responses to the defined scenarios.

Algorithms can support the adjustment of DRP to the actual infrastructural and operating situation to improve the preparedness for disruption. The algorithms are used after the disclosure of a disruption. The algorithms detect problems in the implementation of the planned DRPs and identify, evaluate and select the operational adjustments to be introduced to the line-specific measures. The adjustment of operational measures also requires to verify and, if necessary, modify the passenger transport related measures. Thus, adjusting the DRPs to the actual infrastructural situation in the event of a disruption ensures the deployment of a feasible DRP.