Evaluating the alignment of new metro line considering network vulnerability with passenger ridership

Network vulnerability of urban rail transit systems generally reflects the functionality loss caused by node or line operational disruptions, which may be taken into consideration during the planning stage. This study aimed to identify the optimal alignment corridor of a new metro line by considering network vulnerability. A quantitative approach was developed to assess the performance of an urban metro network under various disruption scenarios. In addition to vulnerability characteristics, the utility of new ridership and total construction costs were accounted. The metro network in Pudong District of Shanghai, China, has been adopted as the case study, and an optimal corridor was identified for the new line linking the center of the district to a planned major facility. The result obtained by the Tabu Search algorithm indicates that the proposed approach can be integrated into the planning of rail transit systems for improving the reliability and resilience of public transportation service.