The Asian Institute of Management (AIM) is proud to announce the release of another article by two of its distinguished faculty. Acd. Christopher P. Monterola, PhD, School Head of AIM’s Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (ASITE) and Professor Erika Fille T. Legara, PhD, Academic Program Director of Data Science for ASITE, have co-authored a comprehensive paper deriving a scoring system that presents viable solutions applicable to cities globally, ensuring the resilience of their subway systems and promoting urban sustainability and efficient transportation.
Co-authored with Hong En Tan, Jeremy Hong Wen Oon, Nasri bin Othman, and Muhamad Azfar Ramli, the paper draws an analogy between cities and living organisms, likening their transportation networks to vital circulatory systems crucial for their overall well-being and growth. More specifically, subway systems, often referred to as 'rapid transit systems (RTS),' function as the primary conduits of urban mobility. These systems efficiently move large volumes of people at high speeds, all while circumventing traffic congestion, resulting in reduced gridlock, improved air quality, and heightened travel efficiency for all urban inhabitants.
The seamless operation of these subway systems significantly enhances urban mobility, thereby making substantial contributions to economic prosperity. As cities continue to expand, the role of these subway networks becomes increasingly paramount.
In cases where issues or disruptions affect these subway systems, it becomes imperative for urban planners to evaluate their potential consequences. To address this challenge, the authors devised a resilience scoring system, comparable to a health assessment, which hinges on four critical factors. These factors encompass the quality of station infrastructure, train line capacity, and the extent to which passengers utilize the system.
The scoring methodology employed by the academicians underwent practical evaluation using the example of Singapore's subway system. This evaluation allowed them to assess how alterations, such as the addition of new train lines, could impact the overall system. Their research yielded insightful findings, such as the revelation that an excessive concentration of passengers in the outer segments of the subway system can undermine its overall robustness.
Quantifying The Resilience Of Rapid Transit Systems: A Composite Index Using A Demand-Weighted Complex Network Model is featured in PLOS ONE, a cooperative journal community dedicated to the advancement of scientific understanding, with the aim of benefiting society both now and in the future. It was founded with the purpose of accelerating scientific development and emphasizing its importance. PLOS ONE firmly upholds the belief that all robust scientific research should be published, made readily accessible, and provided freely to the public.
The article may be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267222