Dissolving Urban Friction: A µ-Scale Network Architecture for Zero-Fatality, Ubiquitous-Access Mobility

Dissolving Urban Friction: A µ-Scale Network Architecture for Zero-Fatality, Ubiquitous-Access Mobility | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Dissolving Urban Friction: A µ-Scale Network Architecture for Zero-Fatality, Ubiquitous-Access Mobility Javad Hamidi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8244298/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The fundamental constraints of modern urban transport—systemic friction, massive infrastructure land occupation, and high traffic fatality rates—persist despite the transition to electric vehicles. We introduce the Integrated Tubular Mobility System (ITMS) , a novel transit architecture that operates via an elevated, closed, pneumatic-scale network (width ≈ 1 m) using small, fully automated vehicles. The system's design is validated through Spatial Efficiency Quantification (SEQ) and Network Friction Modeling (NFM) . The SEQ analysis demonstrates a 72\% reduction in structural mass per kilometer compared to conventional elevated Monorail systems, providing a significant solution for mitigating infrastructure embodied carbon [ 3 , 5 ]. Crucially, the NFM simulation established a zero rate of pedestrian-vehicle conflict , confirming the physical elimination of road fatalities [ 1 ]. Furthermore, the system’s ability to provide direct dwelling access resulted in a 95% reduction in average passenger access distance , fundamentally dissolving the "last-mile" friction [ 2 ]. By combining hyper-efficiency with ubiquitous, friction-free access, the ITMS offers a quantitative, high-density framework for sustainable and human-centered urban restructuring. Physical sciences/Engineering Physical sciences/Mathematics and computing Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8244298","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":556257570,"identity":"b366189c-effd-4289-847f-a1bd0a2608f0","order_by":0,"name":"Javad 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Mobility","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8244298/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8244298/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe fundamental constraints of modern urban transport\u0026mdash;systemic friction, massive infrastructure land occupation, and high traffic fatality rates\u0026mdash;persist despite the transition to electric vehicles. We introduce the \u003cb\u003eIntegrated Tubular Mobility System (ITMS)\u003c/b\u003e, a novel transit architecture that operates via an elevated, closed, pneumatic-scale network (width\u0026thinsp;\u0026asymp;\u0026thinsp;1 m) using small, fully automated vehicles. The system's design is validated through \u003cb\u003eSpatial Efficiency Quantification (SEQ)\u003c/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eNetwork Friction Modeling (NFM)\u003c/b\u003e. The SEQ analysis demonstrates a \u003cb\u003e72\\% reduction in structural mass\u003c/b\u003e per kilometer compared to conventional elevated Monorail systems, providing a significant solution for mitigating infrastructure embodied carbon [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. Crucially, the NFM simulation established a \u003cb\u003ezero rate of pedestrian-vehicle conflict\u003c/b\u003e, confirming the physical elimination of road fatalities [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. Furthermore, the system\u0026rsquo;s ability to provide direct dwelling access resulted in a \u003cb\u003e95% reduction in average passenger access distance\u003c/b\u003e, fundamentally dissolving the \"last-mile\" friction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. By combining hyper-efficiency with ubiquitous, friction-free access, the ITMS offers a quantitative, high-density framework for sustainable and human-centered urban restructuring.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Dissolving Urban Friction: A µ-Scale Network Architecture for Zero-Fatality, Ubiquitous-Access Mobility","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-12-09 12:24:46","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8244298/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"12db36a7-c296-4781-9090-9597a893dc67","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 9th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":59207528,"name":"Physical sciences/Engineering"},{"id":59207529,"name":"Physical sciences/Mathematics and computing"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-18T06:11:32+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-12-09 12:24:46","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8244298","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8244298","identity":"rs-8244298","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}