Modelling automated material handling in intermodal terminals

A model of an intermodal terminal in which freight only arrives and departs stored in containers is presented. The container terminal is thought of as divided into areas, each one associated with a kind of container handling operation. The complexity of the system to represent is further increased by the fact that the material transportation system inside the terminal is (at least) partially automated. For such a transportation system, made up of different kinds of (unmanned) vehicles, a Petri net model is proposed, with the objective of regulating its faulty behaviours. An example relevant to a case study is reported to show a practical application of the proposed model.