A Markov process model of sizing the capacity of reserved storage yard in intermodal container terminal

Issue title: Fuzzy logic systems for transportation engineering

Guest editors: Dalin Zhang, Sabah Mohammed and Alessandro Calvi

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Guo, Shujuan^a | Diao, Cuijie^a | Li, Gang^{a; b} | Wang, Xiaohan^a | Zang, Linlin^a | Jin, Zhihong^{a; c; *}

Affiliations: [a] College of Transportation Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China | [b] School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Dalian Jiaotong University, Dalian, China | [c] Logistics Research Institute, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Zhihong Jin, College of Transportation Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China. Tel.: +86 411 8472 4090. E-mail: jinzhihong@dlmu.edu.cn.

Abstract: The intermodal container terminal is an important node linking the routes of shipping and China Railway Express. This paper proposes a Markov process model to explore the optimal capacity of the reserved storage yard in the intermodal container terminal. The flow balance equations are formulated to calculate the steady-state probability. The total cost is taken as the performance measure. Numerical analysis manifests that the railway preference rate and the strategy with and without transfer obviously affect the optimum capacity of the reserved storage yard. Some useful insights for the management of the intermodal container terminal are discussed.

Keywords: Intermodal container terminal, Markov process, China Railway Express, Belt & Road Initiative

DOI: 10.3233/JIFS-219002

Journal: Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 5173-5180, 2021