Assoc. Prof. Dr. Waressara Weerawat
Mahidol University, Thailand
Speech Title:
The Simulation
of APM
Operations: A
Case Study of
Suvarnabhumi
Airport
Abstract:
For the first
time in
Thailand, an
Automated People
Mover (APM) has
been implemented
at Suvarnabhumi
Airport. The APM
uses the guided
way concept
similar to metro
rail operations,
but with
driverless
trains on rubber
wheels. As the
APM becomes a
key transport
technology
especially for
large airports,
it is worth
investigating
the operations
to ensure
service
viability of
driverless APM
operations. This
research uses a
microscopic
simulation model
to evaluate the
feasibility of
APM operations
and timetables
in accordance
with capacity
requirements.
The APM headway
is often limited
by turn-back
operations using
a single track
at the
entry-exit of
the station. To
increase line
capacity,
headway should
be decreased or
train capacity
should be
increased and
the itinerary
needs to be
reevaluated. For
an airport APM,
the headway
should only be
decreased within
certain limits
to achieve the
benefits of
higher network
capacity without
compromising
passenger
travelling time.
Increasing train
capacity using
coupled trains
can accommodate
more passengers
on each trip,
but the number
of trains
available should
be considered.
The simulation
result reveals
the critical
factors that
contribute to
improve network
capacity and
offers guidance
for the complex
APM operations
in the future.
Biodata: Dr. Waressara Weerawat is an associate professor in the Industrial Engineering Department at Mahidol University in Thailand. She received her bachelor degree in Industrial Engineering from Mahidol University in Thailand in 1994, her master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1996 and PhD degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Minnesota in 2002. She is currently serving as director of the Logistics Innovation Center. She leads several industry, research and academic projects in areas of modeling and simulation of rail transit systems, rail operations and timetabling, rail freight and logistics improvement, the ASEAN rail link, and the livable city. At Mahidol University, she was a leader in the establishment of the Cluster of Rail and Logistics Engineering (CLARE) in 2017, the master’s program in railway transportation system, and recently the railway operations lab. She is the author and editor of several Thai rail transport books and case studies. She is co-developer of the BKK app for iOS and Android. This helps users of the Bangkok metro system navigate and plan journeys. She has worked on many railway research projects under the support of national and international funds.
Speakers in 2024 to be announced soon......