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This article presents the results of a study on the feasibility of a Rigid Overhead Conductor-rail System (ROCS) for a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system using 750 V DC power based on a carrying capacity transport-supply voltage level relationship. In particular, peak load conditions often cause serious problems of voltage drops occurring along the contact line, affecting the reliability, flexibility, system safety, and efficiency performance of the MRT system. The potential at the pantograph of a train on the segment of power supply depends significantly on the structure of the traction power supply network, contact network type, and voltage level. Recently, there have been studies on the dynamics of ROCSs under the impact of train motion, thereby applying the design to several railway systems in the world in specific conditions such as tunnels, stations, or viaducts. To consolidate the advantages of this trend, this paper studies the operating voltage of an ROCS in a full-line MRT system with a voltage level of 750 V DC belonging to the third rail. Matlab R2017b/Railway Systems is a reliable software for simulating and analyzing the necessary data. The results exhibit the feasibility of the designed ROCS. The system has a passenger carrying capacity of up to 90,000 passengers per hour per direction (p/h/d) under both normal and fault conditions. In this case, this capacity is achieved with a single-end feed at a distance of 2 km from a Traction Power Station (TPS), with the minimum feeder voltage at the pantograph point being 532.7200 V. The lowest operational feeder voltage of the system is 523.6667 V, supplied from a double-end feed at a distance of up to 5 km from the TPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass rapid transit (MRT) systems are the backbone of transportation infrastructure in many cities. During emergencies, indoor subway stations become particularly susceptible to panic and overcrowding, making evacuation difficult. Therefore, simulating the evacuation and sheltering processes of a large number of individuals during emergencies is key in urban disaster response. In this study, a spatial evacuation risk model was used to enhance the safety of evacuation strategies in an MRT system. Data were collected on spatial architectural floor plans, and a database for communication and pedestrian flow was established. The behavioral patterns and distribution of individuals within stations and the characteristics of refuge spaces were also investigated. To simulate the processes of evacuation and sheltering, the Pathfinder evacuation simulation tool was used to construct a three-dimensional spatial model of a subway station. Specific scenarios were then constructed to simulate the procedures of evacuation and sheltering. Subsequently, the factors contributing to overcrowding-related hazards were analyzed to examine the spatial risks associated with crowd aggregation and evacuation and provide recommendations for improvement. Given its numerous advantages, this approach can serve as a valuable reference for conducting risk assessments in other large-scale crowd aggregation spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) projects in Bangkok through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme. It measures the relative importance and performance of 22 CSF indicators of PPP for Bangkok's MRT projects and assesses the gap between importance and performance to prioritize the areas for improvement. This study revealed that eight indicators showed lower performance compared to their importance. Based on the gap analysis, the improvement priorities were identified in the following order: sharing information, incorporating technical elements, clarifying the legal framework, stable committee composition, the various finance resources, improved utilization of the PPP act, a transparent procurement process, and tax incentives. The findings of this research offer strategic insights for enhancing guidelines and processes to address the specific challenges in the PPP project, thereby improving the framework and policies necessary for the successful completion of public transportation projects in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study has been conducted to measure the distribution of temperature, relative humidity and corrosivity due to uniform corrosion along the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) North East Line (NEL) tunnel in Singapore. The corrosion rates of carbon steel 1010 and zinc coupons at the buffer areas of ten stations and five cross passages along the NEL were monitored over a period of one year. The median temperatures were between 31 and 36°C while the median relative humidity varied between 43 and 53%. At all exposure sites, the values of relative humidity corresponding to the 75th percentile values were below 60%, with very few data points registering above 80%. The cross passages showed a lower degree of fluctuations in the temperature and relative humidity compared to the buffer areas. The corrosivity levels showed some differences between exposure sites, but their values were generally low and could be categorised as C1 according to the ISO 9223:2012 categorisation. A set of procedures for an accelerated laboratory test to approximate the corrosion in the tunnel was also studied. The test procedures involved the exposure to a salt fog containing 0.12% Na2SO4 + 0.05% NaCl, followed by a drying phase and subsequent exposure to a constant temperature of 40°C and a constant relative humidity of 60%. It was found that after exposure for 80 h, the accelerated tests were able to generate the degree of corrosion observed in the most severe conditions in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the effects of opening new segments of mass rapid transit (MRT) lines on housing prices near the MRT stations in Tucheng District and Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan. The effect of proximity to each MRT station is estimated separately with difference-in-differences regressions integrated with spatial econometrics with heteroscedasticity-robust standard errors. The opening of the new segment of the Blue Line, also known as Bannan Line of the Taipei Metro, does not significantly influence housing prices within 600-metre road network distance of the MRT stations, compared to prices outside the distance range. In contrast, and also unlike the findings of prior studies, although the segment and the stations are underground structures, the opening of the new segment of the Orange Line, also known as the Zhonghe-Xinlu Line of the Taipei Metro, significantly decreases housing prices within 600-metre road network distance of the MRT stations, compared to prices outside the distance range, perhaps because the opening of the stations is delayed about one and a half years to be used as a temporary storage area for MRT trains. The findings have implications for homebuyers, investors, mortgage lending institutions and tax assessment authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study has been conducted to measure uniform corrosion due to the tunnel environment in the mass rapid transit North East Line (NEL) in Singapore. The study was aimed at investigating the corrosivity of the atmospheric environment in the NEL to enhance understanding on the maintenance of metallic components in a tunnel. The corrosivity levels at the buffer areas of ten stations along the NEL were monitored over a period of two years. The measurements were based on physical metal coupons as well as real-time monitoring systems using electrical resistance sensors. The corrosivity levels measured at different exposure sites showed differences, but were generally low and could be generally categorised as G1 according to ISA standard 71.04:2013. The reason for the low corrosivity levels was likely to be due to the relatively mild temperature and low (<60%) average relative humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A shield tunnelling technique is usually selected using earth pressure balance or slurry methods for tunnel construction in urban areas with soft and saturated ground. Although shield tunnelling has many advantages, incorrect determination of face pressure could cause ground surface settlement or lifting during tunnel construction. Numerous approaches for determining face support pressure have been published internationally, but a suitability evaluation based on local ground conditions in Indonesia has not been conducted yet. The completion of Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta (MRTJ) tunnel construction project using the earth pressure balance method, along with its adequate data, has become a sample case of the effectiveness of each method to determine face support pressure. The study discussed in this paper aimed to determine the linear relationship between the calculated value and the actual measurement of face support pressure and to identify which method most closely represents the actual condition according to the MRTJ case study. An analytical approach using the limit equilibrium method and the numerical approach using Plaxis 3D were conducted, followed by statistical evaluation in the terms of coefficient of variation. The result shows that the limit equilibrium method is effective in predicting the mean value face support pressure and the upper and lower perimeters for tunnel construction, while the overall face support pressure result using the shell model of the finite element method are lower than the actual measured values. The result probably indicates the balance state condition at the tunnel face, and the additional 80 kPa after the second phase of excavation could indicate the need for greater pressure for tunnel boring machine movement.

This article examines the station names of 142 Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations across Singapore's five fully operational MRT lines using primary sources (digitised newspapers, maps, and press releases) and secondary sources (scholarly research on Singapore place names and information from government agencies). There are two research objectives: firstly, to determine the common naming strategies of Singapore's MRT station names, and secondly, to analyse features of Singapore's socio-political and linguistic identity by studying these names. Common naming patterns of Singapore's station names include associative names, where the station is named after nearby physical or man-made features; descriptive names, where the name describes a particular aspect of the area; and eponymous names, where the station is named after a famous person or entity. We argue that station names reflect the state's language and socio-political policies and shed deeper light on some of the complex and contradictory forces at play in the nation's linguistic and socio-political identity. Singapore's language shift towards English is evident as English is frequently used to name stations, particularly among newer MRT lines, where the public can suggest and vote on station names. At the same time, there are toponyms in local languages like Malay that serve as indexes of localness of the area around the station, showing the cultural dimension that station names have as metaphors for the area's history and heritage. Yet, Singapore's pragmatic socio-political identity ultimately means that the practical, referential function of names takes precedence over the cultural functions of naming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DKI Jakarta selain merupakan Ibukota Negara Indonesia juga menjadi pusat bisnis dan pemerintahan dengan jumlah penduduk mencapai 10.374.235 jiwa dan kepadatan penduduk mencapai 15.663 orang per . Dinamika kota-kota besar dengan karakter pertumbuhan penduduk dan kepadatan lalu lintas yang tinggi membuat kebutuhan terhadap pengembangan sistem transportasi terutama transportasi massal cepat (Mass Rapid Transportation-MRT) menjadi cukup besar. Selain itu, pengembangan sistem transportasi ini juga untuk mengimbangi pertumbuhan kendaraan pribadi yang terus mengalami peningkatan sedangkan sistem moda shares angkutan umum cenderung mengalami penurunan hingga 3% sejak tahun 2002. Saat ini, terdapat upaya pengembangan sistem angkutan umum massal berbasis jalan dan berbasis rel berdasarkan RTRW DKI Jakarta 2010-2030. Berkaitan dengan kondisi tersebut perlu adanya kajian terhadap penilaian pelayanan transportasi umum guna menarik masyarakat dalam menggunakannya agar permasalahan lalu lintas yang ada dapat terselesaikan. Tujuan penelitian ini antara lain adalah mengetahui karakteristik masyarakat yang memiliki preferensi dalam menggunakan moda MRT dan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi preferensi masyarakat dalam menggunakan moda MRT. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode analisis statistic deskriptif dan analisis faktor. Berdasarkan hasil analisa diketahui masyarakat yang memiliki preferensi untuk menggunakan moda MRT sebesar 98% dengan karakter sebagian besar berjenis kelamin Laki-laki, rentang usia 25-35 Tahun, jenis pekerjaan pegawai swasta, dan tingkat penghasilan ≥Rp.4.000.000. Tujuan perjalanan menuju perkantoran, dan memiliki keperluan perjalanan untuk bekerja. Selanjutnya dari analisis faktor dihasilkan 17 kelompok faktor yang mempengaruhi preferensi masyarakat dalam menggunakan moda MRT, dengan kelompok faktor nomor 1 yang memiliki tingkat variasi eigen value tertinggi.  Kata kunci: Preferensi, Analisis Faktor, Mass Rapid Transit

This study discusses the impact of the mass rapid transit (MRT) system’s construction and operation on neighborhood housing prices. Estimations were conducted by considering the spatial dependence of housing prices and using a difference-in-difference (DD) method that incorporated the spatial lag model and spatial error model. The empirical results indicated that the coefficient of the interaction variable of the MRT’s range of influence and commencement time of construction was -0.079, reaching the 10% significance level. Hence, when MRT construction began, housing prices in the experimental group decreased by 7.9% as compared to the control group. A possible reason for these findings is that the “dark age” of urban traffic, air pollution, and noise brought about by MRT construction negatively affected housing prices. With regard to MRT operations, the coefficient of the interaction variable of the MRT’s influence range and service commencement time did not reach the level of significance, indicating that housing prices within the MRT’s influence range were not significantly affected when the MRT’s service began. This might be due to the fact that the psychological expectations of the increase in housing prices had already been realized during the planning, announcement, and construction phases.

A shield tunnelling technique is usually selected using earth pressure balance or slurry methods for tunnel construction in urban areas with soft and saturated ground. Although shield tunnelling has many advantages, incorrect determination of face pressure could cause ground surface settlement or lifting during tunnel construction. Numerous approaches for determining face support pressure have been published internationally, but a suitability evaluation based on local ground conditions in Indonesia has not been conducted yet. The completion of Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta (MRTJ) tunnel construction project using the earth pressure balance method, along with its adequate data, has become a sample case of the effectiveness of each method to determine face support pressure. The study discussed in this paper aimed to determine the linear relationship between the calculated value and the actual measurement of face support pressure and to identify which method most closely represents the actual condition according to the MRTJ case study. An analytical approach using the limit equilibrium method and the numerical approach using Plaxis 3D were conducted, followed by statistical evaluation in the terms of coefficient of variation. The result shows that the limit equilibrium method is effective in predicting the mean value face support pressure and the upper and lower perimeters for tunnel construction, while the overall face support pressure result using the shell model of the finite element method are lower than the actual measured values. The result probably indicates the balance state condition at the tunnel face, and the additional 80 kPa after the second phase of excavation could indicate the need for greater pressure for tunnel boring machine movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational accident rates in the construction industry are the highest in Malaysia compared to other industrial sectors. The main factor in contributing to occupational accidents in the construction industry is organization factor apart from other factors. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyse and evaluate all aspects of the organization factor in contributing to occupational accidents in the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) rail construction industry. A survey questionnaire was distributed randomly at the MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) Line construction project around the Klang Valley. A total of 530 responses were received consist of 232 respondents representing the management/professional and 298 respondents representing the construction site workers group. The data was analysed by descriptive analysis (mean and standard deviation) and inferential analysis (Pearson correlation) to evaluate and describe the relationship of all aspects under organizational factor in contributing to occupational accidents. The finding showed that both respondent groups had a perception classified as "medium" with resources management, organizational safety culture, and occupational safety and health (OSH) management aspects were influences to occupational accidents in the MRT rail construction industry. Whereas majority of the respondents do not agree with OSH policy aspect in contributing to occupational accidents in the MRT rail construction industry. There were six relationships with "moderate" strength for all aspects studied and relationship between resources management to OSH management indicated the most significant relationship which recorded the highest coefficient correlation value r = 0.65. The results of this research should be focused by all MRT construction stakeholders in order to plan further improvement measures to prevent occupational accidents from occurring in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Regenerative braking energy recovery of a DC third rail system under various operating conditions is investigated. • The study outlines the development of a framework that models the power flow within an electric rail network using actual system information from a practical DC third rail system. Conducting simulations prior to real-world testing is essential for the planning and development of rail systems. However, accurately representing the train trajectory characteristics resulting from the railway power system and the dynamic load changes based on the train position can be challenging. The power exchange between trains and the fluctuating rail resistance between them add to the computational complexity. Given these challenges, the aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive model of DC third rail systems based on the operational requirements and parameters of the MRT Line 2 Malaysia. Moreover, the simulation method should be adaptable to investigate potential energy savings through regenerative braking systems, thereby maximizing the energy efficiency of electric railways. This study outlines the development of a framework that models the power flow within an electric rail network using a specific case study example. A simulation is presented with 15 trains operating on a double rail track to validate the model for multiple train operations. Notably, the simulation methodology developed in this research is unique compared to other approaches found in relevant literature. It integrates both the power system and train trajectory, incorporating actual system information from a practical DC third rail system to generate precise trajectory outcomes. The results show that implementing a regenerative braking energy recovery system in all traction power substations (TPSSs) has the potential to achieve significant electrical energy savings of up to 55.75% for the entire system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Whether mass rapid transit can lure motorcyclist is of great policy concern. • This is the first study on mass rapid transit effects on motorcycle travel. • Difference-in-differences was used to examine metro stations' treatment effects. • Both new and old stations reduced motorcycle mode choice probability versus the metro. • Both new and old stations reduced household motorcycle vehicle kilometers traveled. Motorcycles bring environmental harm. Many cities with high motorcycle ownership rates have been establishing or expanding mass transit. Whether these investments can lure existing motorcycle users is of policy concern. This research is the first to examine mass rapid transit effects on motorcycle travel, using datasets from the most recent 2000 and 2009 large-scale household travel surveys in Taipei, one of the world's earliest motorcycle-stressed cities to have adopted a metro system. The difference-in-differences method was employed to examine the treatment effects of metro stations on mode choice in trips and household motorcycle vehicle kilometers traveled within their proximity, controlling for built environment and socioeconomic predictors of motorcycle travel. Findings suggest that both newly introduced metro stations and older pre-existing ones were effective in reducing the motorcycle mode choice probability relative to that of the metro for trips originating nearby as well as household motorcycle vehicle kilometers traveled around them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]