Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering

Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering

An Optimization Model for Hazardous Material Car Positioning in Rail Shunting Yards to Minimize Derailment Risk and Shunting Operations

Document Type : conference paper

Authors
Mehdi Fallahi
Morteza Bagheri
Mir Saman Pishvaee
School of Industrial Engineering at Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Rail transport of hazardous materials (Hazmat) carries significant risks, such as derailments leading to explosions, toxic spills, and environmental harm. This study presents an innovative integer programming model to optimize Hazmat car positioning in rail shunting yards. By incorporating position-specific derailment risks, operational constraints, and safety regulations, the model minimizes derailment hazards while enhancing efficiency. Utilizing the Max-Min Ant System algorithm, it reduces shunting operations by up to 14.1%, as validated through applying the proposed methodology on generated instances, all while ensuring safety compliance. This practical solution balances safety and operational performance, significantly improving the reliability of Hazmat rail transport. The approach paves the way for advancements in rail yard management and risk mitigation, offering a robust framework for safer and more efficient Hazmat handling.
Keywords
Car positioning
Shunting operations
Hazardous materials
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