Model of Transport Safety Assessment in Multimodal Transportation Systems

Abstract

In this paper methods, criteria and models of safety assessment of multimodal transportation systems are investigated. Today, new types of transportation systems are formed – multimodal transportation systems, which may be defined as the result of the synthesis of several transport systems, where different modes of transport are effectively interact. The need for such systems was formed due to the peculiarities of each mode of transport, its technological and technical characteristics, which restrain the ability to compete and promote transport interaction. In this context, the problem of transport safety assess of multimodal freight transportations becomes highly important. An analysis of modern scientific researches on topic of transport safety is conducted. Unfortunately, the considered approaches to transport safety have a set of disadvantages if the complex systems are considered in form of, for example, combined, multimodal or intermodal transportations: the problem of local optimum; the problem of safety management in case of transport company is not the actual infrastructure owner; the problem of unifying estimates for several modes of transport, and so on. The system’s safety depends on its integrity and sustainable development, which is directly dependent on the objective conditions of its formation, development and operation. At the same time, the state of safety is directly dependent on subjective factors, the purpose of which is to ensure security, i.e., to preserve the integrity and maintain sustainable development and optimal functioning of the system. Thus, there is a conditional field of protection of transport system objects, which provides counteraction to a set of existing or perceived threats. In this context, modelling the transport safety assessment of multimodal freight is relevant and requires appropriate scientific developments. In the research, methods of mathematical modelling of transport systems were used in order to develop methodological approach that could be potentially used in improving the multimodal freight transportation safety. A methodical approach to safety assessment on the example of multimodal transportation, which takes into account the drawbacks of existing studies, is proposed. The practical application of developed model was demonstrated on the existing system of multimodal transportation. The developed safety assessment method may be potentially used both to assess the transportation route safety level and as key factor in optimal transportation route designing.