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Independent research · 2023

Urban rail network optimization.

A rail route has to do more than connect two places. I studied how geometry, engineering constraints and construction cost affect the routes we can build.

Hong Kong MTR route map, with colored lines and interchange stations.
Hong Kong’s rail network provides visual context; this is not an output of my optimization model or a current travel map. Map by Emphrase, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.

The problem

I modeled urban rail alignment with constraints on geometry, curvature, feasibility and construction cost. The goal was to find workable routes while accounting for those requirements together.

The approach

For simpler layouts, I used analytical derivations to study the optimization problem. For routes with several intersections, I combined the model with Particle Swarm Optimization to search for feasible designs.

Recognition

The work was recognized in the S.-T. Yau High School Science Award.

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