Thesis supervisor: Bálint Csonka
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Transportation Technology and Economics Abbreviation of location of studies: KTKG
Description of the research topic:
Antecedents:
Soft mobility is a key element of sustainable mobility in cities. Despite the easy-access bike sharing services and many advantages that bike use has, such as flexibility, door-to-door mobility, and health benefits, the modal share of biking is still low in many European cities. It is mainly because transport planning lacks information on bike use behaviour, aspects affecting safety and user expectations. Similarly, the share of other soft mobility modes is rather low despite the short travel distances in urban areas. This indicates the lack of proper soft mobility infrastructure. Furthermore, the application of electric drivetrain helps to overcome greater elevation and distance and deliver heavier cargo. Thus, e-bikes have a greater area of use that may influence commuting and city logistics. Meanwhile, the need for e-bike charging stations arises and the related decision support methods are not available.
b) Aim of the research:
Analyse of aspects influencing bicycle use safety including infrastructure characteristics and environment. Based on the analysis, determine the requirements of safe cycling infrastructure in urban areas. Analyse of aspects influencing the temporal and spatial characteristics of bicycle use with a focus on bike sharing services and weather. Based on the analysis, develop a demand model and bike sharing service planning model to support the locating of new stations and reallocation of bicycles, and the planning of maintenance. Develop a method that supports the application of dynamic tariff system for bike sharing services. Develop a bike use quality assessment method for cities that helps to determine the attractiveness of soft mobility modes overall in the city and along specific routes and provides decision support for soft mobility infrastructure development. Analyse the charging demand characteristics of e-bikes and develop a demand model to determine the locations of e-bike charging stations considering commuters and city logistics.
c) Tasks to be performed, their main elements, time requirement:
Year 1 • Review the literature on bike use safety and infrastructure planning; evaluate best practices, compare infrastructure developments.
• Identify aspects influencing bike use safety and reveal the relationship among aspects and risk of accident.
Year 2 • Review the literature on bike sharing service use characteristics.
• Identify factors affecting the temporal and spatial use of bike sharing service and reveal the relationship among them.
• Develop a demand model to support infrastructure planning, reallocation of bikes and dynamic pricing.
Year 3 • Identify the factors affecting the quality of bike use.
• Elaborate a quality assessment method to determine the attractiveness of soft mobility modes in an area and along a specific route.
• Analyse the charging demand characteristics of e-bikes
Year 4 • Develop an e-bike charging station locating method in urban areas
• Synthetising results and continuous improvement/development of results.
• Preparation of dissertation.
d) Required equipment:
A computer laboratory and all software of Department are available for research purposes.
e) Expected scientific results:
Cycling infrastructure planning extended with safety aspects. Bike sharing demand and relocating model that supports operation and planning. Quality assessment method to determine the readiness of cities from the bike use point of view. E-bike charging station locating method in urban areas.
2 papers in journals with Impact Factor registered in Web of Science database.
2 conference papers published in international conference proceedings.
f) Literature:
Scientific papers in the following topics: factors affecting bicycle safety, bike sharing service demand characteristics, dynamic pricing, operational methods, passenger handling, service quality, qualitative and quantitative impacts.
Required language skills: English medium level language Recommended language skills (in Hungarian): French or German basic level Further requirements: knowledge of basic rules/methods regarding research and preparation of publications,
good knowledge (comprehensively and in details) in informatics and passenger transportation systems
Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2022-11-05
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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