System theory and transportation: Network analogs for transportation system analysis

Contributions by the engineering profession to transportation system analysis have primarily been from civil engineers. It would appear that the electrical-electronic branch of the profession should have much to offer, particularly in regard to the application of system theory, network analysis and automatic control techniques. Examples are given of analogs between electrical networks and transportation system models as an indication of how the skills of IEEE system-oriented people may be applied to transportation analysis tasks involving other branches of engineering and the quantitative social sciences. The current art of use by civil engineers of network models in transportation analysis is reviewed briefly. Certain deficiencies are noted which limit the usefulness and validity of these models.