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Virginia Tech

Transportation and economic development evaluation model

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The system dynamics methodology is used to develop a computer simulation model to determine whether to add lanes to a congested highway or build a new, more direct, facility. Fundamental to this evaluation is the incorporation of non-user measures of effectiveness to go with the traditional highway user measures of effectiveness, such as the Benefit-Cost Ratio. In the system dynamics methodology three alternative forms of the model of a system are used: verbal, visual, and mathematical. The verbal description is diagrammatic and shows cause-and-effect relationships between many variables in a simple, concise manner. The visual model or "causal diagram" is translated into a mathematical model and system equations. The model is comprised of four sectors: 1. population sector 2. economic sector 3. university sector 4. transportation sector The model applies to the area of Blacksburg, Christiansburg and Roanoke (city and county). with special treatment to Virginia Tech through the university model. The simulation results of the non-user benefits along with user benefits is used to evaluate the alternatives in the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Roanoke corridor.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Civil Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Civil Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1990

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Al-Dawood, Abdullah Saad
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Drew, Donald R.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Sherali, Hanif D.
  • Trani, Antoino A.
  • Walker, Richard D.
  • Weyers, Richard E.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-10142005-135748
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39905

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Al-Dawood, Abdullah Saad. Transportation and economic development evaluation model. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/39905