Disruption and recovery/ resilience, and safety issues in freight transportation

货运对现代社会的生命线至关重要，因为它将生产者与地理上分散的消费者联系起来。在北美，由陆运、海运和空运组成的广泛货运系统促进了这种联系。然而，对运输基础设施的投资没有跟上货运量的增长，这反过来又导致货运部门的运力达到或接近运力。与此同时，人为破坏或削弱交通系统的风险也在增加，比如与恐怖主义有关的事件或自然发生的天气事件。鉴于该部门本身的价值及其对整个经济的影响的重要性，应尽一切努力确保最大限度地利用有关资产，包括适当维护和保护有关基础设施免受故意和自然造成的破坏。因此，本研究计划的主题一将调查战略和战术问题，这些问题决定了交通系统在有意和随机中断的情况下的恢复能力，然后提出分析框架和缓解策略，以应对此类中断。主题二将侧重于危险材料（危险品）的铁路运输。拟议的项目是我在这一领域的持续参与的延伸，并努力开发新技术，通过调查当前的行业实践来降低危害风险：铁路车辆合并；火车化妆;还有，火车路线。***这个拟议的研究计划将在三个方面具有重要意义：首先，了解加拿大铁路-卡车多式联运（货运）运输网络中断的影响；第二，制定适当的预防和/或缓解战略，以应对随机和故意的破坏；第三，研究新技术以降低铁路危险品运输的风险。因此，这项研究计划将使我能够为我的长期目标作出贡献，即为减轻有害物质风险和安全运输铁路有害物质制定分析方法，从而进一步降低灾难性火车事故的可能性；并制定战略，以确保加拿大货运部门，特别是铁路-卡车多式联运部分的弹性运作。**

Freight transportation is crucial to the lifeline of modern society because it connects the producers to geographically dispersed consumers. In North America, this connection is facilitated by an extensive freight transportation system comprised of surface, marine and air transportation. However, investment in transportation infrastructure has not kept pace with the increased volume of goods, which in turn has resulted in at or near capacity operation for the freight transport sector. Simultaneously, risks from disruptions that are intentionally designed to damage or cripple the transportation system such as a terrorist related events or result from naturally occurring weather based events have increased. Given the significance of this sector both on its own merit and as a consequence of its impact on the overall economy, every effort should be made to ensure maximum utilization of related assets, including appropriate maintenance, and protection of related infrastructure from both intentional and nature-induced disruptions. Thus, Theme I of this research program will investigate the strategic and tactical issues that determine the resilience of a transportation system as a consequence of both intentional and random disruptions, and then propose analytical frameworks and mitigation strategies to cope with such disruptions. Theme II will focus on the railroad transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat). The proposed projects are extensions of my ongoing engagement in this domain, and endeavor to develop novel techniques to mitigate hazmat risk by investigating the current industry practice surrounding: railcar consolidation; train make-up; and, train routing. ***This proposed research program will be significant in three ways: first, understand the impact of disruption in the Canadian rail-truck intermodal (freight) transportation network; second, develop appropriate prevention and/or mitigation strategies to cope with both random and intentional disruptions; and third, investigate novel techniques to mitigate risk from rail hazmat shipments. Thus, this research program will enable me to contribute to my longer term objectives to develop analytical methodologies for the mitigation of hazmat risk and safe transportation of rail hazmat shipments such that the probability of catastrophic train accidents could be further reduced; and, to develop strategies to ensure resilient operation of the Canadian freight transportation sector in general, and rail-truck intermodal segment in particular. **