Spatial Modelling and Dynamics

Group summary: We advance the science of transport systems through rigorous modelling, simulation, and data-driven insight. As one of the core research groups at Leeds’ Institute for Transport Studies, our mission is to develop and validate mathematical and statistical methods and tools that help represent, analyse, and optimise complex transport networks and mobility systems.

Image

pic of microchips

Details

We sit at the intersection of transport engineering, data science, systems modelling, and policy. We apply this research across a range of diverse and disparate scales and contexts, using the best methodology for the task at hand. Our group attracts those who want to combine theory with direct impact in academia, public agencies, industry, and city governance.

Areas of Expertise

We hold expertise across a spectrum of modelling methods and applications, including:
•   Traffic flow theory & network performance: understanding how congestion emerges, propagates, and can be alleviated
•   Microsimulation, system dynamics & hybrid models: bridging fine-grained simulation tool like DRACULA with aggregate behaviour
•   Traffic assignment and route choice modelling: spanning industry standard software tool like SATURN to new and emerging methods
•   Strategic land-use / transport interaction models: capturing long-term co-evolution of infrastructure, development, and mobility
•   Emissions & air quality modelling: quantifying transport’s environmental footprint, alongside evaluation of connected, automated and low-emission mobility futures
•   Real-time modelling & control: incident detection, dynamic re-scheduling, predictive systems and digital twins
•   Data Science & Analysis: exploiting emerging methodologies to increase the impact of analysis on transport systems
•   Rail Planning, Operations and Optimisation: optimising the deployment of trains and their crews across a range of different objectives

These capabilities allow us to engage with questions like: How can road pricing or network design improve air quality? How will connected and autonomous vehicles integrate into existing systems? What are the trade-offs between mobility, emissions, equity, resilience, and energy use?

Our staff and PhD students

Please click here for more information about our staff and click here for PhD students.

Current Research Projects

For more information about our current and previous projects, please check our Research projects page

Research degrees

We have opportunities for prospective postgraduate researchers. Example projects and funding opportunities can be found in our PhD directory. Previous topics have included:

•   Node-place-network modelling on Transit-Oriented Development
•   Machine-learning and graph-embedding based methods for railway operations and management
•   Line plan and timetable planning and economic assessment of Indonesia semi high-speed rail network
•   Making visions of sustainable school travel in the Middle East and testing their feasibility
•   Future of electric vehicle technologies and integration of sustainable energy infrastructure
•   The challenges of creating an inclusive multimodal Mobility as a Service.

Contact us

Email: Prof David Watling or Dr Chris Ruston