Mathematical Theories Of Traffic Flow

Mathematical Theories of Traffic Flow

Creating Traffic Models is a challenging task because some of their interactions and system components are difficult to adequately express in a mathematical form. Traffic Flow Theory: Characteristics, Experimental Methods, and Numerical Techniques provide traffic engineers with the necessary methods and techniques for mathematically representing traffic flow. The book begins with a rigorous but easy to understand exposition of traffic flow characteristics including Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and traffic sensing technologies. Includes worked out examples and cases to illustrate concepts, models, and theories Provides modeling and analytical procedures for supporting different aspects of traffic analyses for supporting different flow models Carefully explains the dynamics of traffic flow over time and space

The core of ths book presents a theory developed by the author to combine the recent insight into empirical data with mathematical models in freeway traffic research based on dynamical non-linear processes.

The understanding of empirical traf?c congestion occurring on unsignalized mul- lane highways and freeways is a key for effective traf?c management, control, or- nization, and other applications of transportation engineering. However, the traf?c ?ow theories and models that dominate up to now in transportation research journals and teaching programs of most universities cannot explain either traf?c breakdown or most features of the resulting congested patterns. These theories are also the - sis of most dynamic traf?c assignment models and freeway traf?c control methods, which therefore are not consistent with features of real traf?c. For this reason, the author introduced an alternative traf?c ?ow theory called three-phase traf?c theory, which can predict and explain the empirical spatiot- poral features of traf?c breakdown and the resulting traf?c congestion. A previous book “The Physics of Traf?c” (Springer, Berlin, 2004) presented a discussion of the empirical spatiotemporal features of congested traf?c patterns and of three-phase traf?c theory as well as their engineering applications. Rather than a comprehensive analysis of empirical and theoretical results in the ?eld, the present book includes no more empirical and theoretical results than are necessary for the understanding of vehicular traf?c on unsignalized multi-lane roads. The main objectives of the book are to present an “elementary” traf?c ?ow theory and control methods as well as to show links between three-phase traf?c t- ory and earlier traf?c ?ow theories. The need for such a book follows from many commentsofcolleaguesmadeafterpublicationofthebook“ThePhysicsofTraf?c”.

Topics include a critical classification of models for highway traffic, new technological applications, friction and arching phenomena in pedestrian traffic, scale free networks and internet traffic, instabilities."--Jacket.

This book develops a methodology for designing feedback control laws for dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) exploiting the introduction of new sensing and information-dissemination technologies to facilitate the introduction of real-time traffic management in intelligent transportation systems. Three methods of modeling the traffic system are discussed: partial differential equations representing a distributed-parameter setting; continuous-time ordinary differential equations (ODEs) representing a continuous-time lumped-parameter setting; and discreet-time ODEs representing a discrete-time lumped-parameter setting. Feedback control formulations for reaching road-user-equilibrium are presented for each setting and advantages and disadvantage of using each are addressed. The closed-loop methods described are proposed expressly to avoid the counter-productive shifting of bottlenecks from one route to another because of driver over-reaction to routing information. The second edition of Feedback Control Theory for Dynamic Traffic Assignment has been thoroughly updated with completely new chapters: a review of the DTA problem and emphasizing real-time-feedback-based problems; an up-to-date presentation of pertinent traffic-flow theory; and a treatment of the mathematical solution to the traffic dynamics. Techinques accounting for the importance of entropy are further new inclusions at various points in the text. Researchers working in traffic control will find the theoretical material presented a sound basis for further research; the continual reference to applications will help professionals working in highway administration and engineering with the increasingly important task of maintaining and smoothing traffic flow; the extensive use of end-of-chapter exercises will help the graduate student and those new to the field to extend their knowledge.

Introduction to Network Traffic Flow Theory: Principles, Concepts, Models, and Methods provides a comprehensive introduction to modern theories for modeling, mathematical analysis and traffic simulations in road networks. The book breaks ground, addressing traffic flow theory in a network setting and providing researchers and transportation professionals with a better understanding of how network traffic flows behave, how congestion builds and dissipates, and how to develop strategies to alleviate network traffic congestion. The book also shows how network traffic flow theory is key to understanding traffic estimation, control, management and planning. Users wills find this to be a great resource on both theory and applications across a wide swath of subjects, including road networks and reduced traffic congestion. Covers the most theoretically and practically relevant network traffic flow theories Provides a systematic introduction to traditional and recently developed models, including cell transmission, link transmission, link queue, point queue, macroscopic and microscopic models, junction models and network stationary states Applies modern network traffic flow theory to real-world applications in modeling, analysis, estimation, control, management and planning