TY - JOUR
T1 - Self-organization of surface transportation networks
AU - Levinson, David
AU - Yerra, Bhanu
PY - 2006/5
Y1 - 2006/5
N2 - This research investigates the self-organization of surface transportation networks. Using a travel demand model coupled with revenue, cost, and investment models, experiments are run under a variety of parameters on a grid network. It is found that roads, contiguous sections of multiple links operating with similar characteristics, and hierarchies of roads emerge under a broad range of assumptions from networks with neither defined roads nor clearly organized hierarchies. The factors that drive this are the (dis)economies of scale, the presence of boundaries, and any initial asymmetry in the network. This research thus finds that roads and hierarchies, which are often thought to be the product of conscious design, can also arise without such intention.
AB - This research investigates the self-organization of surface transportation networks. Using a travel demand model coupled with revenue, cost, and investment models, experiments are run under a variety of parameters on a grid network. It is found that roads, contiguous sections of multiple links operating with similar characteristics, and hierarchies of roads emerge under a broad range of assumptions from networks with neither defined roads nor clearly organized hierarchies. The factors that drive this are the (dis)economies of scale, the presence of boundaries, and any initial asymmetry in the network. This research thus finds that roads and hierarchies, which are often thought to be the product of conscious design, can also arise without such intention.
KW - Network evaluations
KW - Network growth
KW - Self-organization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33646728073&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33646728073&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1287/trsc.1050.0132
DO - 10.1287/trsc.1050.0132
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33646728073
SN - 0041-1655
VL - 40
SP - 179
EP - 188
JO - Transportation Science
JF - Transportation Science
IS - 2
ER -