A generalized life-cycle cost model for rail transit: making decisions between at-grade mode and underground mode. Issue 1 (2nd January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Xingju; Zhang, Zhanmin; Chen, Jinjie; Han, Zhe
• Is Part Of: International journal of rail transportation. Volume 4:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 37
• Page End: 54
• Publication Date: 2016-01-02
• Subjects: Rail transit -- generalized life-cycle cost -- costs and benefits of rail transit -- public-private partnerships (PPPs); Railroads -- Periodicals; Railroads; Periodicals; 385
• DOI: 10.1080/23248378.2015.1015221
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2324-8378

Abstract

Abstract: The life-cycle cost of a rail transit system is critical to decision makers when choosing the appropriate mode, e.g., at-grade versus underground, to build a rail transit system over the past decades in China. This is particularly true when private sectors are involved through alternative delivery methods such as public-private partnerships (PPPs). This article proposes a generalized life-cycle model that considers various attributes of rail transit systems common to big cities in China. Line 1 of Shijiazhuang rail transit was employed as a case study to validate the model, where the life-cycle costs of at-grade and underground mode were analysed using both traditional methods mode and the proposed methodology. The analysis results show that, in terms of the generalized life-cycle cost, the underground mode is preferred over the at-grade mode, which is consistent with the current practices of rail transit construction in China.