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Traffic Stream Models

Traffic stream models describe the relationships between fundamental traffic characteristics like speed, flow, and density for uncongested traffic conditions. Various models have been developed to represent these relationships, including single and multi-regime macroscopic models as well as microscopic car-following models. Accurately modeling traffic flow is important for predicting performance and developing traffic control strategies.

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99 views50 pages

Traffic Stream Models

Traffic stream models describe the relationships between fundamental traffic characteristics like speed, flow, and density for uncongested traffic conditions. Various models have been developed to represent these relationships, including single and multi-regime macroscopic models as well as microscopic car-following models. Accurately modeling traffic flow is important for predicting performance and developing traffic control strategies.

Uploaded by

Pakeeza Sharafat
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Traffic Stream Models

• Traffic stream models provide the


fundamental relationships of macroscopic
traffic stream characteristics for
uninterrupted flow situations.
• Traffic flow models describe the
relationship among traffic variables such
as speed, flow, and density (or
occupancy).
• Why we need traffic models?
With the knowledge of some traffic
characteristics, such as volume, we can use the
models to predict traffic flow performance, such
as speed, density, capacity, etc.
Traffic Flow Models
Macroscopic model (Stream models)
• Flow-speed-density relationship
• Single Regime
• Multi-Regime

Microscopic Model
• Car-following
• Lane-changing/gap acceptance

Mesoscopic
Stream Model Types
• Speed-Density
– Most fundamental
– Driver adjust speed according to density
• Flow-Density
– Very useful for traffic control
– Unifies various theoretical ideas
• Flow-Speed
– Very useful for operational analysis
– HCM curve is of this type

“Concentration” is used for density in older literature


Stream Flow Fundamentals
• Basic flow variables:
– Flow (q). Maximum flow is defined as capacity
– Speed (u).
• Free-flow speed (uf)is defined as the speed which
corresponds to flows approaching zero,
• Optimum speed (uo) is defined as the speed which
corresponds to maximum flows (capacity).
– Density (k).
• Jam density(Kj) is defined as the density that
corresponds to flow and speed approaching zero
• Optimum density (Ko) is defined as the density that
corresponds to maximum flows (capacity).
How were the models
developed?
• Theoretical derivation
• Fitting the data
Greenshields’ Model

• Linear relationship bet. u and k


• Boundary conditions:
u
Flow is zero at zero density
Flow is zero at max. density (kj) uf
Free-flow speed (uf) at zero density
Flow-density curves are convex

uf
u  uf  k
kj kj k
Greenshields’ Model
vu u
vuff uf
um um

qmax
kj k q
u f
u  u f  k
k j

q q  ku  k (u 
u f
k)
f
k
qmax
j

dq k j
 0 km 
dk 2
uj
um 
2
km kj k qmax 
u f k j

4
Greensberg’s Model

u
u  c  ln( k j / k )
c  uo

Uo: speed at max. flow

• Problem: infinite FFS kj k


• Useful for high density, not for low density
Underwood’s Model
• Based on data on Merritt Parkway in
Connecticut
• Corrected the problem of infinite ffs in
Greensberg’s model
 k / ko
u  u f e
• ko is optimum density, which is hard to
observe
• Problem: speed never goes to zero (at jam
density)
• Useful for low density, not for high density
Northwestern Model
• Developed at Northwestern University
• Based on observations that speed-density
curves appear to be s-shaped

1/ 2( k / ko ) 2
u  u f e
• ko is optimum density, which is hard to
observe
• Similar to Underwood’s in ffs and jam density
speed
• Single regime models
A-D superimposed on
freeway data
• Source: May 1990
Pipes-Munjal Models
k n
u  u f (1  )
kj
• n is a real number
greater than 0
• n=1reduces to
Greenshields’
Drew’s Models
du ( n 1) / 2
 ck
dk
du 2 n dk
• From a general equation of c k 0
dt dx
• n is a real number
• n=-1  Greenberg’s
• n=1  Greenshields’
Drew’s Models
Drew’s Generalized formulation
Car-Following Models

• Speed-Density models can be derived


from the car-following models
• Different l, m parameter values lead to
different models, some of which are
popular ones that have been discussed.
Car Following Theory and Macro
Models on m and l Matrix
Car-Following Models
Non-Integer Exponents of m and l
Non-Integer Exponents of m and l
Need for Multi-Regime Models
• Some single regime models only useful
for certain density range
– Greenberg’s: high density
– Underwood’s: low density
• Field data show different relationship in
different density ranges
Field Observations
2 regimes
Payne’s observation also
indicated the limitation of
single regime models
Eddie’s Model
• Composite two regime model
• Low density regime:
Underwood’s
• High density regime:
Greenberg’s
Underwood’s Two-Regime Model
• Modified high density regime
• Modification relatively arbitrary
Dick’s Two-Regime Model
• Assuming a fixed upper limit for speed
• Combined with Greenshields’ model
Two Regime Car-Following Models
Multiregime Models
• Multi-regime models
A-D superimposed on
freeway data
• Source: May 1990
More Speed-Flow Field
Observations

4-lane
Flow-Density Models
• Zero density => Zero flow => Curve
must pass origin
• Possible to have high density with zero
flow
• There must be one or more points of
maximum flow
• q-k curve not necessarily continuous
Parabolic q-k Model
q  ku  ku f (1  k / k j )  u f k  u f k / k j
2

• From Greenshields’
• km=kj/2, and um=uf/2
q
qmax

km kj k
Logarithmic q-k Model
q  ku  kum ln(k / k j )
• From Greensberg's
• km=kj/e
Discontinuous q-k Model
• Eddie pointed out traffic behavior to be
different at high density and at low density
• Two speed-density models lead to two flow-
density curves
q-k Models for Different Flows
• Example: Flow at Bottleneck, flow in different lanes
q-k Model Applications
• Bottleneck Analysis/Shockwave
• Freeway control (based on occupancy
instead of density)
Flow-Speed Models
Flow-Speed Models
Flow-Speed Models

HCM 2000 Freeway Basic Segment


Travel Time Models
• Haase’s Model
Haase’s Travel Time Model
Other Travel Time Models
• Planning models
– BPR Function

To,Tmin: FF travel time


Other Travel Time Models
3 D Models
3 D Models

Letter standing for different speeds


3 D Models

One of the conclusions drawn by Gilchrist and Hall was that "conventional
theory is insufficient to explain the data", and that the data were more
nearly consistent with an alternative model based on catastrophe theory
Recommended References
• Adolf D. May, Traffic Flow Fundamentals, Prentice-
Hall, Inc, 1990.
• Donald R. Drew, Traffic Flow Theory and Control,
McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1968.
• TRB Special Report 165, Traffic Flow Theory, A
Monography, Transportation Research Board, 1975.
• Highway Capacity Manual, Transportation Research
Board, 2000.
• Revised Monograph on Traffic Flow. Henry Lieu, editor.
http://www.tfhrc.gov/its/tft/tft.htm

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