Freight and Logistics Transport Modelling and Planning : Mathematical Theories and Practical Applications for the Analysis and Forecasting of Freight Transport Systems

The movement of goods and services is vital for sustaining the economy and people's quality of life. The effective study, planning, analysis and design of freight and logistics is key to providing sustainable freight transport systems in both urban and rural areas within countries, as well as links across the world. To enable and encourage efficient planning and operations, a thorough understanding of how to quantify and predict the demand for freight and logistics services must be known. This book provides the theory of the principles of freight transport modelling for all modes of logistics, relating them to current state-of-the-art modelling techniques and data collection methods. As well as a theoretical base, a review of practical procedures for modelling freight and logistics is presented, highlighting different options available for specific levels of studies. The book describes the key factors influencing the demand for freight and how different logistics strategies can be applied together. Using a real-life example, this book demonstrates how models can be applied, the range of data and assumptions needed, typical model outputs gained and how results can be interpreted.