| Summary: | Operational activity-based models have been developed, and are being used, in North America and some mainland European cities, for policy analysis; in the UK the practical application of activity-based modelling is much more limited, despite the fact that available sources of travel and activity data enable such models to be developed. An extensive review of the literature reveals that most operational models do not fully embody the principles of an activity-based approach. In particular, (i) the models mainly concentrate on out-of-home activities, (ii) there is no explicit trade-off between taking part in an activity in home or out of home, (iii) they assume that only one activity takes place at each non-home location, and (iv) the basic unit of analysis in these models is the trip tour or the activity pattern. This research proposes an approach for the analysis and modelling of activities which addresses these shortcomings, using individual daily activities as the basic unit and starting point. The approach recognises that activity participation is influenced by physiological constraints, as well as socio-economic characteristics. Also, it considers time availability and overall time budget as further constraining factors. Inter-personal linkages and the tradeoff between in-home and out-of-home activity time allocation are also incorporated in the proposed activity based modelling framework. The model has two major sequential components: (1) an activity generation and household allocation model system, developed in depth, followed by (2) an outline activity/travel scheduling model system. The proposed modelling framework incorporates the possibility of engaging in multiple activities per non-home stop, and allows for trade-offs between in-home and out-of-home discretionary activity participation. The framework also allows for the joint engagement of household members in out-of-home activities. The predictive capability of the activity generation-allocation model system and some applications of the model in transport planning and policy are demonstrated.
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