Name: Computational efficiency in integrated urban models: A comparative analysis of loop-based and vectorized approaches
Start: 2025-05-26T17:05:00-0400
End: 2025-05-26T17:25:00-0400

Welcome to CTRF’s 60th Annual Conference! Enjoy Ottawa

Monday May 26, 2025 5:05pm - 5:25pm EDT

Desmarais 1140

Integrated Urban Models (IUMs) are advanced simulations that encompass long-term (e.g., demographic shifts and residential patterns), medium-term (e.g., vehicle ownership trends), and short-term (e.g., travel behavior) decision-making processes within a regional population. A key challenge in developing these models is achieving computational efficiency, particularly as large regional areas. Traditional simulation using nested for-loops often struggle with scalability, and while parallel computing offers relief, it requires substantial computational resources. This paper explores "vectorization' as an alternative to iterative operations, aiming to improve efficiency through "batch processing'. We applied vectorization to the demographic dynamics (DYx) module of "STELARS', an IUM under development at The University of British Columbia. The results indicate that the vectorized computations reduced processing times by from 3 to 1,000 times, where high gains are observed in in complex models like marriage and mortality simulations. For a study area of ~200,000 individuals in 85,000 households, the vectorized DYx module completed a 10-year simulation in 90 seconds on a standard workstation, compared to 50 minutes using for-loop operation, i.e., a 33-fold improvement. This study highlights the potential of vectorization to transform IUM computational performance, particularly for large-scale simulations.

Speakers

Mahmudur Fatmi

Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia - Okanagan

Dr. Mahmudur Fatmi is a transportation professor at UBCO. He has started as an assistant professor at UBCO since July 2018. Dr. Fatmi contributes by developing advanced econometric modelling methods and agent-based microsimulation modelling techniques to assist in making effective... Read More →

Mohamad Khalil

61. Khalil Mohamad IUM Computation Paper CTRF2025 pdf

Monday May 26, 2025 5:05pm - 5:25pm EDT
Desmarais 1140 55 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa ON K1N 6N5

Urban transport planning

CTRF 2025

Mahmudur Fatmi

Mohamad Khalil

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