<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//NLM//DTD JATS (Z39.96) Journal Publishing DTD v1.4 20241031//EN"
        "https://jats.nlm.nih.gov/publishing/1.4/JATS-journalpublishing1-4.dtd">
<article  article-type="research-article"        dtd-version="1.4">
            <front>

                <journal-meta>
                                                                <journal-id>ijerad</journal-id>
            <journal-title-group>
                                                                                    <journal-title>International Journal of Engineering Research and Development</journal-title>
            </journal-title-group>
                            <issn pub-type="ppub">1308-5506</issn>
                                        <issn pub-type="epub">1308-5514</issn>
                                                                                            <publisher>
                    <publisher-name>Kirikkale University</publisher-name>
                </publisher>
                    </journal-meta>
                <article-meta>
                                        <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.29137/ijerad.1825761</article-id>
                                                                <article-categories>
                                            <subj-group  xml:lang="en">
                                                            <subject>Civil Engineering (Other)</subject>
                                                    </subj-group>
                                            <subj-group  xml:lang="tr">
                                                            <subject>İnşaat Mühendisliği (Diğer)</subject>
                                                    </subj-group>
                                    </article-categories>
                                                                                                                                                        <title-group>
                                                                                                                        <article-title>Assessment of Rail System Lines for Timetable Optimization with Neutrosophic AHP and TODIM Integration</article-title>
                                                                                                    </title-group>
            
                                                    <contrib-group content-type="authors">
                                                                        <contrib contrib-type="author">
                                                                    <contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">
                                        https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3824-1048</contrib-id>
                                                                <name>
                                    <surname>Yüksel</surname>
                                    <given-names>Taha</given-names>
                                </name>
                                                                    <aff>İSTANBUL TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ, İNŞAAT FAKÜLTESİ, İNŞAAT MÜHENDİSLİĞİ BÖLÜMÜ, ULAŞTIRMA ANABİLİM DALI</aff>
                                                            </contrib>
                                                                                </contrib-group>
                        
                                        <pub-date pub-type="pub" iso-8601-date="20260328">
                    <day>03</day>
                    <month>28</month>
                    <year>2026</year>
                </pub-date>
                                        <volume>18</volume>
                                        <issue>2</issue>
                                        <fpage>12</fpage>
                                        <lpage>23</lpage>
                        
                        <history>
                                    <date date-type="received" iso-8601-date="20251118">
                        <day>11</day>
                        <month>18</month>
                        <year>2025</year>
                    </date>
                                                    <date date-type="accepted" iso-8601-date="20260218">
                        <day>02</day>
                        <month>18</month>
                        <year>2026</year>
                    </date>
                            </history>
                                        <permissions>
                    <copyright-statement>Copyright © 2009, International Journal of Engineering Research and Development</copyright-statement>
                    <copyright-year>2009</copyright-year>
                    <copyright-holder>International Journal of Engineering Research and Development</copyright-holder>
                </permissions>
            
                                                                                                <abstract><p>Urban rail systems are vital components of public transportation in large cities, where passengers often rely on transfers between lines. However, fully synchronizing timetables across all transfer stations is challenging due to the complexity of these networks. This study aims to develop a framework for timetable synchronization by prioritizing urban rail lines based on their relative importance, rather than just transfer passenger volumes. A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making approach is proposed, combining the Interval-Valued Neutrosophic Analytic Hierarchy Process with the TODIM method. This approach incorporates expert judgments, considers uncertainty, and reflects behavioral decision patterns like risk perception and reference dependence. The model is applied to selected lines in Istanbul&#039;s urban rail system, using criteria such as passenger density, transfer connectivity, travel time, and service frequency. Results show that the M2 (Yenikapı–Hacıosman) line is the most critical for synchronization, followed by the M4 line, based on operational and structural factors. The proposed framework offers a more adaptable and informed strategy for optimizing train schedules, aiming to reduce waiting times at key transfer stations and enhance passenger satisfaction. Due to its simplicity, this framework is suitable for urban transport networks and can adapt to future transport demand changes.</p></abstract>
                                                            
            
                                                            <kwd-group>
                                                    <kwd>Multi-criteria decision making</kwd>
                                                    <kwd>  Neutrosophic AHP</kwd>
                                                    <kwd>  Timetable synchronization</kwd>
                                                    <kwd>  TODIM method</kwd>
                                                    <kwd>  Urban rail system</kwd>
                                                    <kwd>  Integration</kwd>
                                            </kwd-group>
                            
                                                                                                                        </article-meta>
    </front>
    <back>
                            <ref-list>
                                    <ref id="ref1">
                        <label>1</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Abdolmaleki, M., Masoud, N., Yin, Y. (2019). Transit timetable synchronization for transfer time minimization. Transportation Research Part B, 143-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trb.2019.12.002</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref2">
                        <label>2</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Belton, V., Stewart, T. (2002). Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/978-1-4615-1495-4</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref3">
                        <label>3</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Bhattacharyya, S., Roy, B. K., Majumdar, P. (2018). On Distances and Similarity Measures between Two Interval Neutrosophic Sets. Journal of New Theory, 20, 27-47. https://doi.org/10.3233/IFS-120724</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref4">
                        <label>4</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Bolturk, E., Kahraman, C. (2018). A novel interval-valued neutrosophic AHP with cosine similarity measure. Soft Computing, 22, 4941-4958. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00500-018-3140-y</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref5">
                        <label>5</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Ceballos, B., Lamata, M. T., Pelta, D. A. (2016). A Comparative Analysis of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods. Progress in Artificial Intelligence, 5, 315-322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13748-016-0093-1</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref6">
                        <label>6</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Chang, S-C., Chung, Y-C. (2005). From timetabling to train regulation a new train operation model. Information and Software Technology, 575-585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2004.10.008</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref7">
                        <label>7</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Chen, S., Leng, Y., Mao, B., Liu, S. (2014). Integrated weight-based multi-criteria evaluation on transfer in large transport terminals: A case study of the Beijing South Railway Station. Transportation Research Part A, 66, 13-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2014.04.015</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref8">
                        <label>8</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Gerçek, H., Karpak, B., Kılınçaslan, T. (2004). A multiple criteria approach for the evaluation of the rail transit networks in Istanbul. Transportation, 31, 203-228. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:PORT.0000016572.41816.d2</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref9">
                        <label>9</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Gomes, L F., Lima, M M. (1991). Basics and application to multicriteria ranking of projects with environmental impacts. Foundations of Computing and Decision Sciences, 16, 113-127</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref10">
                        <label>10</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Gomes, L F., Lima, M M. (1992). From modeling individual preferences to multicriteria ranking of discrete alternatives: A look at prospect theory and the additive difference model. Foundations of Computing and Decision Sciences, 17, 171-184</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref11">
                        <label>11</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Gomes, L F., Rangel, L A. (2009). An Application of the TODIM Method to the Multicriteria Rental Evaluation of Residential Properties, European Journal of Operational Research, 193, 204-211, https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.ejor.2007.10.046</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref12">
                        <label>12</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Guo, X., Sun, H., Wu, J., Jin, J, Zhou., J., Gao, Z. (2016). Multiperiod-based timetable optimization for metro transit networks. Transportation Research Part B, 46-67, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trb.2016.11.005</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref13">
                        <label>13</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Kahraman, C., Cebeci, U., Ulukan, Z. (2003). Multi-criteria Supplier Selection Using Fuzzy AHP, Logistics Information Management, 16, 382-294. https://doi.org/10.1108/09576050310503367</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref14">
                        <label>14</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Khamseh, A A., Mahmoodi, M. (2014). A New Fuzzy TOPSIS-TODIM Hybrid Method for Green Supplier Selection Using Fuzzy Time Function. Advances in Fuzzy Systems, 3, 1-10. doi.org/10.1155/2014/841405</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref15">
                        <label>15</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Lourenzutti, R., Krohling, R A. (2013). A study of TODIM in a intuitionistic fuzzy and random environment, Expert Systems with Applications, 40, 6459-6468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2013.05.070</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref16">
                        <label>16</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Milosavljević, M., Bursać, M., Tričkovića, G. (2018). Selection of the Railroad Container Terminal in Serbia based on Multi Criteria Decision Making Methods, Decision Making: Applicatons in Management and Engineering, 1, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.31181/dmame1802001m</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref17">
                        <label>17</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Mohajeri, N., Amin, G. R. (2010). Railway station site selection using analytical hierarchy process and data envelopment analysis, Computers &amp; Industrial Engineering, 59,107-114. doi.org/ 10.1016/j.cie.2010.03.006</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref18">
                        <label>18</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Nachtigallt, K., Voget, S. (1996). A Genetic Algorithm Approach to Periodic Railway Synchronization. Computers Ops. Res., 23, 453-463. https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-0548(95)00032-1</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref19">
                        <label>19</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Niu, H., Zhou, X.  (2013). Optimizing urban rail timetable under time-dependent demand and oversaturated conditions, Transportation Research Part C, 36, 213-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trc.2013.08.016</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref20">
                        <label>20</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Saaty, T L. (1990). How to make a decision: The analytic hierarchy process. European Journal of Operational Research, 48, 9-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-2217(90)90057-I</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref21">
                        <label>21</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Shang, P., Li, R., Yang, L. (2016). Optimization of Urban Single-Line Metro Timetable for Total Passenger Travel Time under Dynamic Passenger Demand, Procedia Engineering,137,151-160, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.01.245</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref22">
                        <label>22</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Sharma, H K., Roy, J., Kar, S., Prentkovskis, O. (2018). Multi Criteria Evaluation Framework for Prioritizing Indian Railway Stations Using Modified Rough AHP-MABAC Method, Transport and Telecommunication, 19, 113-127. https://doi.org/10.2478/ttj-2018-0010</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref23">
                        <label>23</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Shi, J.., Yang, L, Yang, J., Gao, Z. (2018). Service-Oriented Train Timetabling with Collaborative Passenger Flow Control on an Oversaturated Metro Line: An Integer Linear Optimization Approach, Transportation Research Part B, 110, 26-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trb.2018.02.003</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref24">
                        <label>24</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Smarandache, F. (1998). A Unifying Field in Logics: Neutrosophic Logic. Neutrosophy, Neutrosophic Set, Neutrosophic Probability, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.49174</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref25">
                        <label>25</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Smarandache, F. (2000). Neutrosophic Probability, Set, And Logic. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.57726</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref26">
                        <label>26</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Smarandache, F. (2005). Neutrosophic Set – A Generalization of the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Set, International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, 24, 287-297</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref27">
                        <label>27</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Tian, X., Niu, H. (2018). A bi-objective model with sequential search algorithm for optimizing network-wide train timetables, Computers &amp; Industrial Engineering, 127, 1259-1272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2018.03.012</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref28">
                        <label>28</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Wong, R C., Yuen T W., Fung K W., Leung, J M. (2008). Timetable Synchronization for Mass Transit Railway, Transportation Science, 42, 57-69, https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.1070.0200</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref29">
                        <label>29</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Xu, D., Hong, Y., Xiang, K. (2019). A Method of Determining Multi-Attribute Weights Based on Single-Valued Neutrosophic Numbers and Its Application in TODIM, Symmetry, 11, 1-12, doi.org/ 10.3390/sym11040506</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref30">
                        <label>30</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Yin, J., Tang, T.., Yang, L, Gao, Z., Ran, B. (2016). Energy-Efficient Metro Train Rescheduling with Uncertain Time-Variant Passenger Demands: An Approximate Dynamic Programming Approach. Transportation Research Part B, 91, 178-210, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trb.2016.05.009</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref31">
                        <label>31</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Zadeh, L A. (1965). Fuzzy Sets. Information and Control, 8, 338-353, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0019-9958(65)90241-X</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref32">
                        <label>32</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Zhang, H-Y., Wang, J. Chen, X-H. (2014). Interval Neutrosophic Sets and Their Application in Multicriteria Decision Making Problems. The Scientific World Journal, https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/645953</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                                    <ref id="ref33">
                        <label>33</label>
                        <mixed-citation publication-type="journal">Zhang, X., Fan, Z.-P. (2011). A Method for Linguistic Multiple Attribute Decision Making Based on TODIM. 2011 International Conference on Management and Service Science, https://doi.org/10.1109/ICMSS.2011.5999375</mixed-citation>
                    </ref>
                            </ref-list>
                    </back>
    </article>
