APPLICATION OF MATHEMATICAL MODELS IN RAILWAY WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Abstract

The development of railway transport has contributed to an increase in the volume and dispersion of travel, which has also led to certain negative consequences, with the generation of significant amounts of waste becoming an increasingly important issue. However, the utility value of waste can be significantly enhanced through a well-organized system of collection, sorting, storage, and recycling, with waste playing an increasingly important role in the raw materials market used for energy recovery. The specific objective of this research is to improve the theoretical–methodological and professional foundations for optimizing the waste management system and to develop a mathematical model based on the principles of integer linear programming, aimed at optimizing the transport process and reducing negative environmental impacts. The model will be validated under real conditions on a selected section of the railway network (case study: the railway network in Vojvodina). The scientific contribution of the research is reflected in the advancement of methodologies for data systematization and the development of an applicable mathematical model for process optimization, through a detailed analysis of the causes of their occurrence, their intensity, and consequences.