The Overhead Catenary Line System (OCLS) is crucial for continuous electrical supply to trains in electrified railway networks. This article outlines the research conducted on the exploration of the sustainable design space of the Overhead Contact Line support structure on the main Dutch rail network. The research began with a comprehensive review of the literature on OCLS support structures, covering publications from 2013 to 2022. A multi-objective optimisation model is developed to explore sustainable design possibilities. Further result analyses elucidate the defining parameters and variables of the support structure design. The findings presented in this
research serve as a basis for more in-depth research on the discussion surrounding existing regulations and specifications and sustainability within the rail branch.

The introduction of electric buses (EBs) is required in order to achieve global greenhouse emission goals. However, operating an electric bus fleet (EBF) requires careful consideration of both the mobility and energy systems in charging strategies. In literature and in real life many cases show careful consideration of only one of the systems and an oversimplification of the other, resulting in failed implementations. This paper focuses on the need for additional charging of EBs during the day using on-route opportunity charging during the on- and offboarding of passengers in residential neighbourhoods. This research aims to provide an integrated approach to bus service design, including both the mobility and energy systems. Additionally, this paper presents insights into the effect of traffic management on the feasibility of on-route opportunity charging. Two simulation tools are used for the integrated decision-making approach: SUMO and Gaia. The Simulation of Urban MObility (SUMO) software provides results regarding the energy consumption behaviour and charging needs of the EBs. Gaia provides results regarding the transformer load rate in the residential distribution grid. This paper proposes five strategies with a varying configuration of charging capacities, charging times and the introduction of traffic management via traffic priority. The five strategies are tested against three requirements: two from the mobility system and one from the energy system. The research presented uses a case study of bus line 36 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The results of this research show that residential neighbourhoods are often unable to handle chargers with the maximum capacity of the buses in the case study of 450 kW. A mid-range charger of 200 kW is possible in most cases. With a 200 kW charger, the on- and offboarding time of passengers is insufficient to complete daily operations. Therefore, additional charging time is necessary. Without the introduction of traffic priority, the timetable cannot be completed. With the introduction of traffic priority, travel time and energy consumption are reduced by 9.8% and 4.5%, respectively, and daily operations can be completed while satisfying the requirements of the mobility and energy systems. The results presented in this thesis suggest that an EB route design with opportunity charging is impossible without considering both mobility and energy systems simultaneously. From the mobility perspective, opportunity charging is feasible only if the charging infrastructure can meet the buses' energy needs without disrupting the schedule. From the energy perspective, it is essential that opportunity charging is implemented where and when sufficient charging capacity is available. The introduction of traffic priority allows for the satisfaction of all requirements and displays an example of the connection between mobility and energy systems.

Urban Speed Limit Reduction (USLR) policies, aimed at enhancing road safety and reducing emissions, pose substantial implications for public transport (PT) operations. This study evaluates the impact of implementing a USLR policy in The Hague, Netherlands, reducing speed limits from 50 km/h to 30 km/h on select streets. A multimodal simulation model was employed to quantify changes in PT travel times, operational costs, and modal share. Results indicate a modest average increase of 1.2% in PT travel times, with corresponding timetable hours (TTH) rising by 0.9% and no increase in PT modal share. This would lead to elevated operational costs without increased ridership or revenue. On a city level, the modal share of bikes increases with 0,2% while the modal share of cars decreases with 0,2%. Locally, the results show changing trip destination choice, mode choice, and route choice to circumvent the USLR policy. The findings underscore the need for targeted mitigation measures, such as traffic flow optimizations and speed segregation, to offset increased costs and maintain PT efficiency. This research highlights the nuanced trade-offs of USLR policies, providing actionable insights for urban policymakers and transport operators.

Capacity and performance (evaluated through delay propagation) analysis methods have mostly focused on railway line track sections, but less attention has been given to nodes. Still, a few analytical methods for the capacity and performance assessment of the switch areas between station platform tracks and line tracks can be classified upon their reliance on a timetable (“timetable-based” methods) or not (“timetable-free” methods). The relation between capacity utilisation and performance has rarely been tested for railway nodes, and critical capacity utilisation thresholds remain to be investigated. The comparison of timetable-based and timetable-free methods also needs to be conducted. Filling these knowledge gaps will help the French infrastructure manager SNCF Réseau improve its analyses of nodes capacity utilisation and performance in the long-term planning stages. This paper investigates a small set of timetable-based and timetable-free methods either taken and adapted from the literature, such as the Potthoff and UIC 406 methods, or developed for the need of this research, such as adaptations of the UIC method and a method developed from SNCF Réseau’s previous works. The methods are applied on a case study on the French network, first evaluating their indicators’ magnitude and trends with artificial traffic data, and then comparing their outputs to real data. It is found that the Potthoff method and a timetable-free UIC-adapted method for capacity utilisation evaluation and an SNCF-adapted method for delay propagation provided results that are relevant in terms of magnitude and trends for long-term assessment. The timetable-based UIC 406 method for node capacity utilisation assessment can be used to study specific timetables. No satisfactory timetable-based delay propagation method was found in this paper. The timetable-free methods are further used to study the capacity utilisation – delay propagation relationship, which takes the form of an exponential function. Attempts to determine capacity utilisation thresholds are also conducted. It is recommended to perform further research with extended traffic data on different node layouts to consolidate these preliminary findings before applying them in real studies.

The transportation system in Israel is facing a crisis due to its heavy reliance on private vehicles. To shift towards sustainable mobility, improving public transport quality in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area is crucial. This research investigates the preferences of Tel Aviv citizens regarding transport projects aimed at enhancing public transport and encouraging alternative mobility methods. The study utilizes the Participatory Value Evaluation (PVE) method, where citizens curate their preferred project portfolio within a limited budget, assuming decision-making authority. The research also explores the face validity of PVE in Israel, considering the distinct governance perception in the country. This research provides valuable insights into Tel Aviv citizens' preferences for transport projects that enhance public transport quality and promote sustainable mobility. Through the application of PVE, the study reveals project preferences, face validity perceptions, and potential avenues for future research, contributing to the advancement of sustainable transport policies and decision-making processes in Israel.

The establishment of a well-developed charging infrastructure is imperative for the broader adoption of Electric Vehicle (EV) and necessitates the formulation of an effective charging infrastructure policy. To navigate the intricacies involved in the policymaking process, the incorporation of EV charging models can be advantageous. Existing research indicates that models have a significant impact on facilitating policymaking in the broader energy sector. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether computer-based models exert a similar influence on the EV charging policies. Previous studies lack comprehensive insights into the practical application of models in EV charging policy processes and the resultant policy modifications due to the unique attributes of both EV charging models and policies. Furthermore, there exists a lack of systematic understanding regarding the utilization of charging infrastructure models. Given these gaps in knowledge, this research aims to investigate the following question: How does modeling evidence influence EV charging infrastructure policymaking in the UK and the Netherlands?
This study finds that EV charging models have exerted substantial influence across various stages of local policy cycles, significantly shaping decision-making processes. Such impact has pre- dominantly concentrated on the practical and operational aspects of the models, primarily concerning the optimal number and spatial distribution of charging points. However, there remains a noticeable lack of attention to strategic considerations pertaining to broader energy transition and green transport initiatives. This oversight is particularly evident in the insufficient exploration of how EV charging in- frastructure can be effectively integrated into a more extensive and long-term blueprint. This research highlights the need for a strategic-level approach to comprehend the interplay between EV charging networks and the larger energy transition agenda, encompassing themes such as renewable energy integration, smart grid compatibility and urban planning synergies. Consequently, policymakers and modelers should expand their planning of charging infrastructure to encompass the broader landscape and envision how EV charging models can harmonize with sustainable urban development, ensuring a cohesive and effective implementation within the overarching framework of environmental conservation and sustainable mobility.

Urbanization, a desire for a reduction of CO2 and a need for a more efficient use of space are likely to greatly increase demand for rail travel in the coming decades. To improve railway capacity, extra infrastructure can be built, or existing track can be optimized. A silo analogy provides an interesting idea for an integral approach to network development that combines the demand of heavy-rail and bus, tram, and metro: either obtain more demand for the heavy-rail system and thus validate expensive infrastructural investments or reduce demand. Both options require a broadening of the analysis so that it includes bus, tram, and metro networks. To explore the practical implications of this analogy, the research question is set up as follows:
“Does integrated public transport network development in the form of a simultaneous consideration for infrastructural investment in both heavy-rail and hierarchically lower public transport modes offer a better solution for fulfilling transportation needs, compared to a segregated approach?”
To answer the research question, literature review has been used to gain insights in public transport integration from a technical and a governance perspective. Literature has also been used to form integration strategies that could be applied in network development. The formed strategies consist of using network hierarchy as a guideline for either applying bus, tram, and metro to take over lower hierarchy services from the heavy-rail and vice versa. A case study on the corridor Amsterdam – Lelystad in The Netherlands was used to apply the integration strategies on and to analyze the effects of the development following the different strategies in a real-life situation.
The results show that the variant following the strategy of assigning lower hierarchy services to heavy-rail appears best in terms of generalized travel time, synthetic demand, and investment costs. It scores well on fairness of the offer, but lowest on ambition fulfillment and operational costs. It turned out that each variant needed investment in more heavy-rail infrastructure to allow for completing of the heavy-rail ambitions. The variant with more tasks assigned to bus, tram, and metro scored the worst, except for ambition fulfillment. Furthermore, the multicriteria analysis, although useful for providing insights in the qualities of the different variants, does not give a definitive answer on what the best variant would be. Using external input to assign weights to the multicriteria analyses would have been a good improvement in getting to that answer. Instead, a stakeholder reflection is done to give insight in possible stances regarding the criteria from the stakeholder’s perspective.
The research suggests that it is worth considering ambitions and problems outside of just the bus, tram, and metro or just the heavy-rail system. The process of brainstorming based on expertise, using qualitative multicriteria analyses for making decisions with supporting arguments in the design phase, planning a plausible timetable and analyzing and comparing several variants forms a good skeleton for investigating the possibilities of public transport network development in places where heavy-rail capacity becomes problematic.

Effective data sharing plays a pivotal role in optimizing supply chain management and driving the operational excellence of businesses. However, certain barriers and challenges exist among the supply chain partners in communication and data exchange. This thesis investigates these barriers and proposes potential solutions, referred to as instruments, for data sharing in supply chains. The objective is to develop and validate a framework that addresses feasible barriers in high-tech supply chain organizations. Single case study interviews in a high-tech supply chain firm assess the framework's applicability, followed by a validation phase to test its generalizability. Infrastructural instruments include ICT, Blockchain, AI, ML, data standardization, and data security measures. Institutional instruments encompass cultural factors, trust-building techniques, contractual agreements, education and training programs, leadership practices, and ethical data sharing. The research contribution extends to a strategic deployment plan for these instruments, offering valuable insights to supply chain professionals. Additionally, the research emphasizes the significance of viewing risk as a comprehensive concept in relation to trust, technology, privacy, and governance-related barriers.

New Product Development (NPD) of applications incorporating breakthrough technologies can be beneficial for companies, but can also come with serious drawbacks. Therefore, the NPD process must be approached with great care. Rather than adopting the chaotic trajectory of the NPD process, where applications are introduced, withdrawn, and reintroduced naturally over time, business prosperity could be enhanced if companies can up-front formulate a set of possible future applications for a breakthrough technology. The most promising alternative can hereafter be chosen to be further developed in the NPD process, possibly reducing the chance of having to switch to the development of other applications (and thus circumventing the Collingridge dilemma). In this thesis, I start with defining the terms (breakthrough) technology and application. Then, I suggest a ten-step framework that is suited for formulating applications for a breakthrough technology, based on the comparison and symbiosis of five existent frameworks that are helpful in reaching the aforementioned goal. Factors that are of importance in that process are also investigated. None were discovered in scientific literature, but some suggestions are made based on the current work. The framework is applicable to breakthrough technologies of which it is non-obvious, and even unsure, what the technology can do, how it can be implemented into applications, and whom it might serve. Next to this, the breakthrough technology must still be in the innovation phase. The process itself must make use of qualitative and quantitative approaches in a balanced way, must continuously involve known sets of experts, must look into the future, and must formulate concrete applications for the emerging technology. The framework is then partially applied to the breakthrough technology of quantum dots (QDs). The technology profile and the application profile were gathered, first, based on scientific records. Then, the most frequently used keywords and the most increasingly used keywords were retrieved for both profiles. The most frequently used keywords showed that carbon dots are the most dominant area of research that is being conducted on QDs and that optics and imaging are the two major fields where QDs are being incorporated. The most increasingly used keywords confirmed the observation that QDs are in the adaptation phase, where QDs are still surrounded by substantial uncertainty. Finally, with the aid of text mining software of VantagePoint and programming software of R, two dendrograms were formed. The remaining steps of the framework were not carried out in the current thesis project. It was concluded that the ten-step framework is most likely better suited for breakthrough technologies that are more in their infancy than QDs (so, breakthrough technologies still in the innovation phase). The framework should, next to this notion of novelty, be applicable to any breakthrough technology, regardless of the field that the breakthrough technology is situated in. As long as it is non-obvious, and even unsure, what the breakthrough technology can do, how it can be incorporated into applications, and whom it might be useful for.

Road networks play a crucial role in economic and sustainable growth, but they face challenges such as traffic loads, drainage, and secondary road works. Climate change poses risks, such as structural damage and vulnerability to extreme weather. The Dutch government has emphasized the importance of climate adaptation in road maintenance policies, but asset managers face difficulties in transitioning to climate-adaptive practices due to aging infrastructure, increasing traffic, and limited resources. Effective asset management is essential for optimizing asset utilization, enhancing quality, minimizing costs, adapting to climate change, and increasing asset lifespan. The study aimed to examine the decision-making process of asset managers in road maintenance and their efforts to enhance climate adaptability, focusing on stakeholders involved in decision-making and criteria influencing their decisions. Challenges include budget constraints, limited knowledge of climate adaptation within organizations, data availability for informed decision-making, and the influence of internal policies on driving climate adaptation efforts within road maintenance authorities.

With the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015, 195 countries pledged to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases, as well as to adapt to impacts of climate change. ProRail has set an objective to have emission-free construction sites by 2030, which resulted in the ambition of contractors make a transition to electric construction equipment. In order to make this happen, charging plazas have to be realized to charge the batteries of construction equipment.
However, the increase of renewable energy sources and the rise of electrification cannot always be processed properly by the electricity grid. This is referred to as grid congestion. Options that can relieve the electricity grid and provide construction projects with their electricity demand on time are called alternative energy solutions. These solutions are a rising concept with many promissory benefits. Examples are battery storage, wind energy and solar energy.

In this research project, the impact of alternative energy solutions on charging plazas for construction equipment is investigated. It is determined whether alternative energy solutions are able to fulfill in charging demand of different charging plaza scenarios.

Public-private partnerships (PPP) that focus on innovation are excellent methods to improve the innovative capabilities of both partners, however, within the complex dynamics of this cooperation, literature and management would benefit from an analysis of barriers, success factors, and strategies employed within the PPP. This research can be used as a springboard for further research by analyzing a novel research setting: Defense Ministries and Defense Industries. This novelty was compounded by taking a qualitative, explorative approach. A focus on experimental development was taken to limit the large amount of innovative activity present in the sector. Focus was kept on the effects on individual projects, as opposed to innovation systems or networks. This leads to the following research question:

What are the barriers and success factors in public-private partnerships that focus on experimental development, and how do the participants cope with the barriers, and utilize the success factors?

From the literature a theoretical framework was set up based on four categories of factors influencing the innovation process. The categories are organizational, contextual, interaction-specific, and innovation-characteristic. Literature suggested that interaction-specific barriers were the main source of barriers. The main strategies in literature revolve around interaction-specific solutions to these interaction-specific barriers. A contextual model was set up.

Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Dutch Defense industry provided a novel research setting with hard-to-define innovation goals. Individuals from both sides of the PPP with practical experience in PPPs that focus on experimental development were interviewed. Within the Dutch MoD these were innovation coordinators within sub-organizations and within the Defense Industry these were leaders of small to medium-sized companies. The data was gathered through 13 interviews, of which 11 were used as sources of data. The data was first deductively coded through the four categories and then inductively coded based using the terminology of the interviewees.

This coding strategy led to three organizational factors: ‘process rules’, ‘culture, vision & implementation’ and ‘scale-up’, five contextual factors: ‘procurement: general’ ‘procurement: prior knowledge’, ‘procurement: perception’, ‘privacy’ and ‘technology-related’, one innovation-characteristic factor: ‘uncertainty’ and three interaction-specific factors: ‘contact with end-user’, ‘shared understanding’ and ‘expectation management’. The factors were described as ‘barrier’, ‘success factor’, ‘strategy’, and ‘not a barrier’. Organizational and contextual factors were the main factors influencing the success of the innovation process. ‘Process rules’ was named the most influencing factor for the innovation process. ‘Procurement law’ was the most prominent contextual factor. Innovation-characteristic factors were often considered to not be relevant to the cooperative innovation process. Lastly, the interaction-specific factors were occasionally cited as a barrier and often named as a success factor, specifically ‘contact with end-user’. Interaction was key to most strategies employed to overcome barriers.

In conclusion, this study has provided a unique insight into a collaborative phenomenon in a scarcely researched setting. The findings can be used in comparison with other research on PPPs with innovative goals, especially those that have taken place in the Netherlands. Compared to literature, the appearance of interaction-specific strategies is not unique, but in their broad application to overcome a plethora of barriers is. Further research focusing on communication dynamics within PPPs is recommended to enhance collaborative efforts and drive impactful innovations in the Defense sector. In a practical sense, reviewing process and contextual rules and reviewing the accessibility of the PPP to newcomers in the sector would enhance innovation programs, fostering effective collaboration between public and private entities.

Following the European Green Deal, transport- related emissions must be reduced by 90% in 2050. While aviation contributes to a significant share of these emissions, the substitution of flights for rail travel is often considered to achieve a reduction in emissions of greenhouse gasses. Mostly, travelers consider this option when the full trip can be substituted directly. However, possibilities also lie in intermodal travel, where specific journey parts are substituted. To promote this way of travel, the two modes should have a strong level of service, and there should be a significant level of integration between the two modes.
In this thesis, a method is presented to assess the position of airports’ in a European intermodal network. This tool helps identify airports with the potential to facilitate intermodal travel in Europe. The service levels in both the air and the rail network, the physical integration between the modes, and the geographical location of airports are considered in different variables to assess the network. A Principle Component Analysis identifies the shared information between the different variables. The Principle Components are then clustered using an Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering. With this clustering, airports are grouped based on their characteristics of intermodal factors, and different roles in an intermodal network can be identified. Comparing the descriptive statistics of each cluster helps assign qualitative labels to the cluster to classify the airports’ roles. After creating the benchmark with data from the current network situation, scenarios are constructed to assess the effects of implementing different policies regarding intermodality. Extending rail services and/or reducing short-haul flights are policies formed into scenarios in which the underlying data is modified. The change of clustering and classifications caused by the data modification helps identify potentially interesting airports in the network.
The results show that 20 to 30 of the 113 considered airports show a substantial role in intermodality. Also, the findings identify airports that change their position due to the scenario implementations and offer the potential for a significant role in an intermodal network. Finally, comparing the classifications in the different scenarios shows that the constructed scenarios can enable up to 14.3% extra passengers to travel intermodal.

In order to understand the impact of new infrastructure projects, appraisal tools are used to estimate the impact it will have on society. Infrastructure is a key part of society, enabling and disabling society to work and live, playing a vital part in everyone’s lives. Former studies by Annema, Frenken, et al. (2017), Niek Mouter (2017b) and Eliasson and Lundberg (2012) have researched how appraisal tools and especially CBA are used by decision-makers to get to a decision. Other research by Van Wee (2012) has shown the ethical problems which arise when using CBA as an appraisal tool. However, there has not been any research on the impact appraisal tools have on the process and outcome of infrastructure projects. This thesis will provide insights in the impact of appraisal tools on social and process equitability. By using a framework by D. Levinson (2002), case studies, interviews and policy documents, the incorporation of social and process equity factors can be depicted per country. Results show that the Dutch appraisal tools do not incorporate a wide array of dimensions and stratifications, which are depicted in literature. This lack of information results in social inequitable decision-making as well as inequitable outcomes due to negligence of not incorporating more dimensions. Two reasons can be found for this Dutch approach, namely the funding reason which results in solution-oriented design, and the general Dutch mindset of seeing and treating everyone as equal, resulting in inequitable outcomes due to not taking differences into account. The Dutch process equity is boosted by its near-perfect transparency in terms of accessibility of documents, but hurt by the lack of participation and the lack of impact when participation is present. The United Kingdom on the other hand has an elaborate appraisal process which analyses a much wider variety of dimensions and stratifications. However, due to a solution-oriented process design, the alternatives for a project have already been shot down when the social impact information is available to a decision-maker. Another reason which hurts the social equitability in the United Kingdom is the fact that it is necessary to have a high value-for-money project to receive funding, resulting in ignoring of social impact analyses due to this economic focus. In terms of process equity, the United Kingdom has a solid consultation process which is used consistently. However, a lack of transparency in the process with regard to decisions made and the availability of (policy) documents results in poor process equity overall. This thesis shows that social and process equity cannot be improved by simply adding tools which gather social impact information to the appraisal process. Political play, the drift for efficiency and cultural differences per country makes it difficult to create a single strategy to improve equity in appraisal processes. However, by improving transparency, focusing on getting a problem-oriented design and using a third party as a validation for the incorporation of equity factors, it is possible to improve the inclusion of equity factors in appraisal processes. This thesis can be used as a basis for analysing and understanding appraisal processes in other countries.

Covid-19 has disrupted social norms and economic stability across the world. As the virus disseminated across nations, researchers rushed to delineate the causes and the consequences of the spread of the virus. Early findings highlighted a concerning disproportionate impact of Covid-19 among ethnic minorities, which have been disproportionally victimized by the novel respiratory virus, with studies reporting up to 3.6 times the likelihood of infection for ethnic minorities compared to their white counterpart (APM Research Lab, 2021; USA Facts, 2020; Gross et al., 2020). Early studies indicated healthcare and socio-economic inequities as fosters of the pandemic and its discriminatory behavior. However, weeks into the pandemic, researchers also identified transportation as another significant contributor to outbreaks and as a contributor to the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 among ethnic minorities (McLaren, 2020). Although much research has been conducted in assessing the effect of Covid-19 and imposed social distancing on people’s travel behavior and vice versa (with contrasting findings), considerably less attempted to discover the role that different travel behavior - with a special focus on public transport - played in the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 among ethnic minorities (McLaren, 2020). The absence of studies, even more Netherlands-based that investigate the role of disparity in travel behavior in the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 suffered by ethnic minorities, and the moral obligation at contributing to the scientific community at unveiling the fundamental sources of ethnic disparity to attempt to outline a remedy to it, have encouraged the development of this study. In order to fill the research gap, this study seeks to provide an answer to the following main research question: "To what extend disparity in travel behavior is influencing the disproportionate incidence of Covid-19 infections and deaths among ethnic minorities? And how can policy-makers and public transport providers best adapt public transport to future discriminatory health crises?".
The answer to the main research questions and the related sub-questions (Chapter 1.5), will be formulated through the combination of a comprehensive literature review, a statistical analysis through the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique, and with the execution of a policy analysis study. Firstly, the literature review will be used to develop an in-depth understanding of the Covid-19 implications on the multidimensional ethnic disparity experienced by minorities in the Netherlands and on the actual nature of this disparity in the Netherlands. Results from the literature review will be used as inputs for the conceptual model that will later function as the theoretical guideline for the rest of the study. The conceptual model will represent the theory and the logic backbone of the SEM analysis. Structural Equation Modeling is a statistical tool used in a wide range of fields, with a concentrated number of applications in the travel behavior field. It allows to analyze a researcher’s theoretical model and capture the causal influences of the indicated exogenous variables on the endogenous ones and the casual influences among exogenous variables (Golob, 2011). Results from both models confirmed the notion that, in the Netherlands, ethnic minorities are more likely to suffer from Covid-19 infections and related hospital admissions but are not more at risk of death compared to their Dutch counterparts. At the same time, unlike the initial hypothesis, both models showed that public transport does not represent a key driver behind the development of Covid-19 infections, death, and hospital admissions; instead, other socio-economic variables and, most notably, spatial variables could be considered significant drivers of the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, both models diminished the intermediating role of public transport in the relationship between ethnic background and Covid-19 records by demonstrating that the registered positive relationship between ethnic minority groups and Covid-19 variables can be sourced to their direct relationships and thus to something that might not have been included in the study. Therefore, travel behavior and the other intermediating variables such as socio-economic variables do not appear to contribute to the disproportionate number of Covid-19 implications among ethnic minorities. What the second model offers that the first does not is a deeper insight into how Covid-19 disproportionally impacts ethnic minorities. This model demonstrates that the registered disparity in healthcare outcomes varies between ethnic minority groups, showing the presence of disparity even within the ethnic minority segment of the population.

The focus of this thesis is to introduce the application of blockchain to address the challenges associated with Port terminal operations. The research aims to investigate the interactions between different processes such as communication, planning, and transportation and associated challenges at a small-to-medium size logistics hub. Combi terminal Twente (CTT), situated at XL Business Park (Port of Twente) is considered as an ideal representative of such a small- to-medium size logistics hub, to carry out this research. To understand the intensity of changes that could be bought into the system when a disruptive technology like blockchain is implemented, different levels of digitalization is studied. The study also emphasizes identifying enabling technologies that can enhance the functions of blockchain applications and implementing automation. Furthermore, the study compares the current business process with an improved blockchain-based process by employing BPMN. The contribution made in the study can possibly help the researchers and the developers to introduce Proof of concepts and different business models. During the course of analysis, six main areas were identified where blockchain technology can be employed; secured communication to secure release reference number, container sorting, planning routes and congestion, trade documentation, certification & maintenance of the assets, and fleet management. the research contribution is as following; First, from a practical point of view, analysis facilitated the recognition of bottlenecks in the current inter-organizational processes, where the unloading process is studied and depicted in the report. Second, the proposed categorization of blockchain solutions may help understand the different uses of blockchain in Port terminal operations. Third, from a Business Process Management point of view, the improved business process extends the knowledge in BPMN, and the domain of blockchain-based information systems and the findings are validated through interviewing experts. The alternative solutions were considered to critically evaluate the technologies success rate. Also, the significance of the applications on the KPI's specific to terminal operations is investigated. Finally, based on the findings and the interview, a roadmap for future implementation is determined to develop proof-of-concept leveraging opportunities offered by blockchain in the future.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AAS) is the third largest airport in Europe in terms of passenger volumes and has been growing rapidly over the past years. This growth is expected to continue in the future (KiM, 2018). Due to the rapid growth in travel demand, AAS reached the maximum allowed number of flight movements of 500.000 per year in 2018 (Schiphol Group, 2018a). According to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) carried out by Schiphol Group (2018), growth to 540.000 flight movements per year in the period of 2020-2023 is possible without violating current restrictions on noise nuisance and emissions. This number of 540.000 flight movements per year also represents the maximum number of flights that can be safely handled at AAS without further expansion and will soon be reached as well1 (Schiphol Group, 2018a). In the case of WLO scenario high, more than a quarter of the passenger demand in 2050 cannot be handled at AAS without violating set restrictions (CPB & PBL, 2015). AAS wants to maintain its leading position in the European transport market and wants to deal with the growing passenger demand, while staying within the set restrictions in terms of the number of flight movements per year. In order to deal with the expected increase in travel demand for long-distance travel in the future, AAS is considering alternative ways of transport and aspires to become the multimodal hub of Europe. To realize this, the focus of AAS is on short-haul flight substitution within Europe by HSR or by innovative modes. The hyperloop, initially introduced by Elon Musk (2013), is one of the innovative modes being considered by AAS and the Dutch Government (Ministery of Infrastructure and Water Management, 2020). Hyperloop consists of pods travelling through a tube, propelled by magnetic levitation, while maintaining a partial vacuum in this tube (Musk, 2013). The literature on hyperloop has focused on the different technical aspects and the technical feasibility of hyperloop (Gkoumas & Christou, 2020a, 2020b), others highlight the energy consumption, and some criticize hyperloop for not being feasible, but nobody has examined to what extent HPT can function as substitute for short-haul flights and which role HPT could play in the future of multi-modal transport. The aim of this study is to design the future transport system of hyperloop passenger transport (HPT) in the transport market with air passenger transport (APT), highspeed rail (HSR) and HPT for longdistance travel within Europe and to assess whether or not the passenger demand in WLO scenario high can be met, including the share of passengers that cannot be dealt with by means of APT alone. The methodology this thesis has used is discrete choice modelling (DCM). Trade-offs and mode choice of passengers when choosing between APT, HSR and HPT are analysed in order to assess the impact of different system designs of HPT on the potential of HSR and HPT in the substitution of short-haul flights at AAS. A stated preference (SP) experiment has been carried out in order to collect choice data. The focus of this study is solely on substitution of flights at AAS with both origin and destination in Europe, i.e. OD-substitution, and examines destinations that are located approximately 500 km from AAS. Substitution of transfer passengers, both within Europe and for intercontinental destinations, is disregarded in this study. The second research objective this study seeks to address is a methodological research objective. The aim is to examine the impact of using images in the presentation of unfamiliar alternatives in the introduction of the SP experiment on preferences, attitude and drop-out of respondents. Based on these two research objectives, the following research questions have been defined 1. How could different design scenarios for hyperloop passenger transport influence traveller’s mode choice between, and the transport demand for, air passenger transport, highspeed rail, and hyperloop passenger transport for the future long-distance transport market within Europe at AAS? 2. What is the impact of the way in which HPT is introduced in the stated preference experiment on preferences, attitude and drop-out of respondents?

The increased complexity and changes in collaboration between involved actors in the realization of large infrastructure projects (LIP’s) cause major challenges. One of these challenges entails meeting stakeholders’ requirements through verification and validation (V&V) during the design phase. Coordinating the design with the stakeholders can easily lead to delays or bad relationships. The V&V process originates from systems engineering (SE) and it seems that an attempt is being made to reduce the complexity by performing the V&V process in a systematic way. However, various researchers indicate that there is a need for interaction and it is doubted if this need for interaction is taken into account in this SE approach. The V&V process half-heartedly relates to stakeholder management (SM) while they seem to be a good fit. It is expected that a successful performance of SM can fill this need for interaction in the complex environment of LIP’s. Therefore, this research sought an answer to the question: How can stakeholder management help to improve the verification and validation of the stakeholders’ requirements during the design phase of large infrastructure projects in the Netherlands? Through a literature study into SM, an evaluation tool is formulated consisting of four core values. These values are: setting goals together, assessing stakeholders, involving stakeholders in the decision-making, and continuously interacting with stakeholders. A case-study approach is used to allow a deeper understanding of the application of SM in relation to the V&V process during the design phase in practice. Through semi-structured interviews, based on the evaluation tool, the perspectives of contractors, clients, and stakeholders on SM in relation to the V&V process were investigated. Conclusively, the findings from the three cases were compared based on different themes to gain an understanding of the role SM plays in relation to the V&V process. Setting goals together, appears to be truly important in relation to the V&V process. Respondents believe that by setting goals together, parties involved become more aware of the underlying interests and concerns behind the requirements of the project and thus get a better picture of the purpose of the requirements. Consequently, it brings parties closer together from the start. Furthermore, continuously interacting with stakeholders during the process in an open way is important as this creates support among stakeholders. Through this, the contractor must discuss the progress of the design by reflecting on the overall picture and not only on the problems that arise. The stakeholders, but the client as well, find it very meaningful to be thoroughly informed about the reasoning behind the design choices of the contractor. This applies to involving stakeholders in the decision-making as well. The current way in which the stakeholders and the client actually participate in making decisions seems sufficient on condition that stakeholders and client are sufficiently informed about the motives of the contractor. In the context of the studied cases, assessing stakeholders does not appear to be important in the V&V process of the design phase. This research has not identified a clear correlation between the performance of the V&V process and a contractor or a client who is carrying out the SM related to the V&V process, the degree of collaboration seems much more important. Both the contractor and the client have substantial resources that are required to coordinate the design with the stakeholders and they have a common interest in monitoring the contract. Therefore, it is the interest of both of them to enter into good collaboration in managing the stakeholders in relation to the V&V process. The ambiguity of the V&V process is recognized in practice as well, where the contractor and client struggle to find a more SE-driven approach or a more SM-driven approach. The context in which the process takes place determines which approach is more effective. There are several directions for further research. First of all, this research uses an evaluation tool based on research into SM focusing on LIP’s in general. Therefore, this research can be seen as an exploratory study into SM specifically aimed at the V&V process. It is recommended to conduct follow-up research into further testing and specifying the evaluation tool. Furthermore, this research shows that there is a tension in the V&V process regarding monitoring the contract. Further research into contract management in relation to the V&V process is recommended as well. Based on the evaluation tool, this research has made recommendations for determining an SM strategy in relation to the V&V process. Since every V&V process takes place in a different context, no unambiguous advice can be given. However, this research has shown that setting goals together and continuously interacting with stakeholders are both very important for the performance of the V&V process, regardless of the conditions of the process.