Simulation Analysis of Isolated Lane Layout in Automated Container Terminal Yard

Abstract

Aiming at an automated container terminal whose blocks in yard are parallel to the quay shoreline, this paper designs an isolated lane layout of the yard, which physically separates the ARTs (Artificial Robot Intelligence of Transportation) from the external trucks while driving. ART travels counterclockwise along its driving lane, and the external truck drives clockwise along its driving lane, so that the two vehicles no longer share the same lane. Therefore, isolated lane layout can improve the efficiency of transportation. Finally, we build the simulation model of the isolated lane layout in automated container terminal yard through AnyLogic software. The performance of the isolated lane layout and the traditional automated container terminal layout which blocks are vertical to the quay shoreline is evaluated. Compared with the vertical layout, the simulation results show that under the isolated lane layout, the average waiting time of the ARTs and the external trucks could be reduced by 85% and 75%, the average queue length is reduced by 80% and 41%, and the operation efficiency of the yard is improved by 4%.