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Analysing network motifs in a complex network of freight movements

Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2016.

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Other Authors: Joubert, Johan W.
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Joubert, Johan W.
author_browse Joubert, Johan W.
author_facet Joubert, Johan W.
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2016 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2016.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:36:21.406Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
publishDateSort 2016
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/51895 Analysing network motifs in a complex network of freight movements Joubert, Johan W. Meintjes, Sumarie Complex networks UCTD Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2016. Motifs are over-represented subgraphs in a complex network, and represent the building blocks of the network. There is a lack of studies that apply complex network theory in a supply chain context. In this dissertation 3-node motifs were identified and analysed in a complex network representing direct freight trips between firms in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan, South Africa. The G-Tries and ISMAGS algorithms were tested on small complex networks, and were compared according to quantitative and qualitative properties. It was found that ISMAGS is the most suitable for this dissertation. Freight activities were identified from raw GPS traces of freight vehicles, and the activities were clustered into firms using a density-based clustering algorithm. Multi-objective optimisation indicated that the clustering parameter configuration γ = (20, 20) can be used to increase the visual accuracy of the firms, while maximising the completeness of the complex network. The freight complex network was built by identifying direct trips between firms. Using ISMAGS, it was found that three firms with two (X0X) or three (XXX) reciprocal freight trips between them are statistically overrepresented in the network. A brewery, shopping centres, distribution centres, and truck stops frequently appeared in the motifs. Motifs that contain the brewery and one of the truck stops were identified as the most central motifs based on the number of direct freight trips that occur in the motifs. Some freight trips in XXX motifs occur frequently over long distances, increasing total transport costs of the firms. Supply chain improvements can be applied to these identified firms. It was also found that there is a relationship between ranking firms according to the number of motifs they appear in and their degree centrality scores. This relationship can be studied more rigorously in future work. Another avenue for future research is to study the supply chain structures of firms in motifs, as well as the commodity flows between firms in motifs. Industrial and Systems Engineering Unrestricted 2016-03-16T10:11:35Z 2016-03-16T10:11:35Z 2016-04-07 2016 Dissertation Meintjes, S 2016, Analysing network motifs in a complex network of freight movements, MEng dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/51895> A2016 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/51895 en © 2016 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Complex networks
UCTD
Analysing network motifs in a complex network of freight movements
title Analysing network motifs in a complex network of freight movements
title_full Analysing network motifs in a complex network of freight movements
title_fullStr Analysing network motifs in a complex network of freight movements
title_full_unstemmed Analysing network motifs in a complex network of freight movements
title_short Analysing network motifs in a complex network of freight movements
title_sort analysing network motifs in a complex network of freight movements
topic Complex networks
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/51895