A network traffic flow model for motorway and urban highways

Yang, Chao; Remenyte-Prescott, Rasa; Andrews, John

Abstract

The research reported in this paper develops a network level traffic flow model (NTFM) which is applicable for both motorway and urban roads. It forecasts the traffic flow rates, queue propagation at the junctions and travel delays through the network. NTFM uses sub-models associated with all road and junction types which comprise the highway. The flow at any one part of the network is obviously very dependent upon the flows at all other parts of the network. To predict the two-way traffic flow in NTFM, an iterative simulation method is executed to generate the evolution of dependent traffic flows and queues. To demonstrate the capability of the model it is applied to a small case study network and a local Loughborough-Nottingham highway network. The results indicate that NTFM is capable of identifying the relationship between traffic flows and capturing traffic phenomena such as queue dynamics. By introducing a reduced flow rate on links of the network then the effects of strategies employed to carry out roadworks can be mimicked.

Citation

Yang, C., Remenyte-Prescott, R., & Andrews, J. (2014). A network traffic flow model for motorway and urban highways. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 65(8), https://doi.org/10.1057/jors.2013.86

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Jul 24, 2013
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jul 31, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 31, 2014
• Journal: Journal of the Operational Research Society
• Print ISSN: 0160-5682
• Electronic ISSN: 1476-9360
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 65
• Issue: 8
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/jors.2013.86
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/731525
• Publisher URL: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jors/journal/v65/n8/full/jors201386a.html
• Additional Information: This is a pre-print of an article published in Journal of the Operational Research Society. The definitive publisher-authenticated version: C. Yang, R. Remenyte-Prescott & J. Andrews, A network traffic flow model for motorway and urban highways, Journal of the Operational Research Society, 65(8), (2014), 1278-1291, doi: 10.1057/jors.2013.86, is available online at: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jors/journal/v65/n8/full/jors201386a.html
• Contract Date: Jul 31, 2014