Integrating Underground Freight Transportation (UFT) Into

Existing Intermodal Systems

A 5th Mode of Freight Transportation System

Dr. Mohammad Najafi, P.E., F. ASCEDirector

Center for Underground Infrastructure Research & Education (CUIRE)

The University of Texas at ArlingtonA Presentation to the North Central Texas Council of

Government April 12, 2016

Presentation Outline• CUIRE• TxDOT Project• Current and Future Freight Transportation in

Texas• Current and Future Freight Transportation in

DFW Metroplex• Comparison of Different Solutions• Vision for Future

• Dr. Mohammad Najafi (PI)• Dr. Sia Ardekani (Co-PI)• Dr. Mohsen Shahandashti (Co-PI)

Students

Principal Investigators

Taha AshooriSaeed JanbazNiloofar RezaeiFatemeh RezaeifarMohammadreza Malek

Sirwan ShahooeiAmir TabeshRazieh TavakoliSeyed Ehsan ZahedzahedaniSeyed Sadegh Korky

RESEARCH CONSORTIUMHOW CAN A UNIVERSITY RESEARCH TEAM FIT IN?

Advanced Research Applied Research Applied EngineeringAdvanced Engineering

Center for Underground Infrastructure Research & Education (CUIRE)

Background and SignificanceDr. Najafi, I just saw in the MavWire where you have received a $1.2 million grant that will improve traffic safety. First I want to say congratulations on the award, and thank you for taking the time to research safer traffic patterns for our communities. Well done!!!

Jay Tillerson, Assistant Chief The University of Texas at Arlington Police Department 700 S. Davis Arl ington, TX 76013 (817) 272-3903 jti l lerson@uta.edu

Overall Project Objectives•Phase One:

–Exploring the use of Underground Freight Transportation (UFT) and integrating it into existing intermodal systems.

•Phase Two: –Design a small scale lab.

•Phase Three: –Implement a pilot project.

Project Approach

Task 6: Stakeholders Committee

Task 5: Financing Means

Task 4: Environmental Impact Analysis

Task 3: Cost Analysis

Task 2: Construction Methods

Task 1: Planning and Design

Project Schedule/DeliverablesPhase One

TasksFY 2015 FY 2016

Apr May June

July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May TM R1

PSR1

Planning and Design

33/31/16

2 Determine

Construction Methods

5/31/16

3Cost Analysis 5/31/16

4 Environmental

Impact Analysis

4 3/31/16

5Determine

Financing Means

2 12/31/1

56

Organize Stakeholder Committee

1 8/31/15

Project Meetings X X X

Freight Transportation Growth

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, 2015

Freight Transportation Growth

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, 2015

Freight Transportation Growth

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, 2015

53.726.6

134.5

31.5

020406080

100120140160180200

Truck Railroad

Volu

me

(Mill

ion

Tons

)

2003 2030

NAFTA Growth

Source: Texas NAFTA Study Update by TxDOT

• 251% Increase for Truck• 118% Increase for Railroad

Panama Canal Expansion

Source: Freight Movement in Texas by TxDOT

DFW Population Growth Rate

-

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

14,000,000

16,000,000

18,000,000

2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040

Popu

latio

n Dallas

Fort Worth

DFW Metroplex

Source: http://www.nctcog.org/trans/sustdev/landuse/funding/plan/sdcia/demotrends_dfw.pdf

2007 Dallas-Fort Worth Congestion

Source: Dallas-Fort Worth Region Freight Study by TxDOTV/C: No. of Vehicle to Capacity

2030 Dallas-Fort Worth Congestion

Source: Dallas-Fort Worth Region Freight Study by TxDOTV/C: No. of Vehicle to Capacity

High Congested Routes in DFW

Route From To Length (mile)

AADTT (2013)

AADTT (2033)

IH-20 US-377 US-175 52 15,769 22,114

IH-30 IH-35W IH-635 42 11,458 16,040

IH-35E IH-20 US-380 50 12,198 17,078

IH-35W IH-20 US-380 45 10,501 14,701

IH-635 SH-121 IH-20 38 17,655 24,716

US-75 IH-30 US-380 32 13,635 19,088AADTT: Average Annual Daily Truck Traffic

Source: Derived from Statewide Planning Maphttp://www.txdot.gov/apps/statewide_mapping/StatewidePlanningMap.html

Truck Traffic Growth in DFW Metroplex

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

IH-20 IH-30 IH-35E IH-35W IH-635 US-75

AADT

T

2013

2033

• 40% Growth in All Routes for Next 20 Years

Nine Commodity Types of Freight in DFW Metroplex

• Agriculture• Raw Materials• Food• Textiles• Wood• Chemicals/Petroleum• Building Materials• Machinery• Secondary

Freight Growth in DFW

-

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

1995 2005 2015 2025 2035

Volu

me

(Mill

ion

tons

)

Year

Building Material

Food

Wood

Secondary

Chemical/ Petroleum

Machinery

Raw Material

Textiles

Agriculture

Solutions

1. Upgrade Roadway Capacity by Adding Lane

2. Building New Roads

3. Using Underground Freight Transportation

System

What is UFT?• Automated Technology to Carry Individual

Freight Capsules Through Underground Pipelines With Minimum Impact on The Surface.

• Can be Built on Available Right-of-Way (ROW).

Tunneling Method

Tunneling Method

System Layout

Source: Dr. Henry Liu

UFT Sizes

Shipping Container SizeCrate Size

Pallet Size

Linear Induction Motors

Linear Induction Motors

UFT Terminal Design

Handler for Container Yard

Construction Considerations

• Tunneling and open-cut is possible based on space limitations

Source: Google Earth

Shaft location Considerations

Source: Google Earth

Right-of-Way Availability

Source: Google Earth

Construction Cost (Tunneling)

13 ft-diameter Tunnel for Pallet

Size UFT

17.4 ft-Diameter Tunnel for Crate

Size UFT

25 ft-diameter Tunnel for Container

Size UFT

$3,976/ft $5,685/ft $8,827/ft

$20,993,280/mile $30,016,800/mile $46,606,560/mile

Cost of Tunneling Construction for 50-mile Container Size UFT:

50 miles X $46,606,560 per mile =

$2,330,328,000

Cost for a 50-mile UFTItem Capital Cost Annual Operation CostTunnel Construction $2,330,328,000 N/A

Maintenance of Tunnel N/A 1% x $2,330,328,000= $23,303,280

Freight Cars $135,000,000 N/A

LIM $24,727,800 N/A

LIM Electricity Consumption N/A $22,434,360

Terminal Land $11,000,000 N/A

Terminal Slab $11,000,000 N/A

Terminal Office $140,000 N/A

Handlers $17,600,000 N/A

Track $100,000,000 N/A

Personnel and Operators N/A $9,600,000

Total $ 2,629,795,800 $55,337,640

Cost of Highway ConstructionHighway Project Length

(miles)Total

Cost ($) Cost/Mile

LBJ Express 16 $3.1B $194 M

North Tarrant Express 13 $2.5B $192 M

I-35W 8 $1.4B $175 M

DFW Connector 8 $1B $125 M

Chisholm Trail Parkway 28 $1.4B $50 M

Cost ComparisonAlternative Options Cost per mile Cost for 50 miles

Highway $147 M/mile $7.4 B/50 mile

UFT $54 M/mile $2.7 B/50 mile

• Cost of UFT Construction is approximately 3 times less than Cost of Highway Construction.

• Adding Lane and Building New Highway is not Feasible in Urban Areas!

Social & Environmental BenefitsSocial/Environmental Benefits UFT Building Highway

Air Pollution Reduction Yes NoNoise Pollution Reduction Yes NoWater Pollution Reduction Yes NoTraffic Congestion Reduction Yes Maybe

Accident Rate Reduction Yes Maybe

Infrastructure Maintenance Cost Reduction Yes NoImproved Performance Yes Maybe

Increased Safety and Security Yes NoLand Usage Reduction Yes NoPetroleum Consumption Reduction Yes NoIncreased Efficiency Yes Maybe

UFT BenefitsItem Benefits

($/ton-mile)Air Pollution Reduction $0.0177Noise Pollution Reduction $0.00028Water Pollution Reduction $0.000047Traffic Congestion Reduction $0.0022Infrastructure Damage Cost Reduction $0.000514Accident Cost Reduction $0.0029Electricity Tax Revenue $0.0005Total Value of Positive Impacts $0.024141

Annual Operational Social/Environmental Benefits

Net Impact = 0.024141 ($/ton-mile)Distance = 50 milesAnnual Workdays = 365 DaysDaily Number of Capsules = 5,000 Ea. (Both Directions)Weight of Each Capsules = 40 tons

Annual Benefit of UFT Would be:50 mile X 365 days X 5,000 Ea/dayX 40 ton X 0.024141($/ton-

mile) =

$88,114,650 per year

Cost Comparison of UFT and Truck Transportation

• Average Annual Operation and Maintenance Cost of UFT for 50 miles Route is approximately:

$55,500,000

• Average Operation and Maintenance Cost of UFT for 50 miles:

$30/Container

• Average Cost of Freight Transportation by Truck for 50-mile:

$100

Conclusions• UFT is:• Cost effective • Safe• Reliable• Secure• Social and Environmentally friendly• An intermodal solution for future freight transportation

needs!• Advancement in tunneling and LIM technologies make is

possible• Ready for Implementation!

Upcoming Freight ConferenceInternational Symposium on Underground

Freight Transportation

Monday and Tuesday, August 22-23, 2016The University of Texas at Arlington

www.uta.edu/ce/isuft

Thanks for the Opportunity!

Dr. Mohammad (Mo) Najafi, P.E., F. ASCEDirector

Center for Underground Infrastructure Research & Education (CUIRE),

The University of Texas at ArlingtonPhone: 817-272-0507 Email: najafi@uta.edu