Recent developments in traffic flow modelling using macroscopic fundamental diagram

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an overview of the recent developments in traffic flow modelling and analysis using macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD) as well as their applications. In recent literature, various aggregated traffic models have been proposed and studied to analyze traffic flow while enhancing network efficiency. Many of these studies have focused on models based on MFD that describes the relationship between aggregated flow and aggregated density of transport networks. The analysis of MFD has been carried out based on experimental data collected from sensors and GPS, as well as simulation models. Several factors are found to influence the existence and shape of MFD, including traffic demand, network and signal settings, and route choices. As MFD can well express the traffic dynamics of large urban transport networks, it has been extensively applied to traffic studies, including the development of network-wide control strategies, network partitioning, performance evaluation, and road pricing. This work also presents future extensions and research directions for MFD-based traffic modelling and applications.

KEYWORDS:

• Traffic flow
• macroscopic fundamental diagram
• modelling
• application

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank ACEMS (Australia Centre of Excellence of Mathematics & Statistical Frontiers) for the support to initiate this study. This study is also supported by the Distinguished Young Scholar Project (No. 71922007) and General Project (No. 71771050) of the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Conflicting turning traffic has conflicts with the opposing through traffic at intersections. Depending on the driving rules, it is either left or right-turning traffic. It is referred as turning traffic in this article.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to thank ACEMS (Australia Centre of Excellence of Mathematics & Statistical Frontiers) for the support to initiate this study. This study is also supported by the Distinguished Young Scholar Project (No. 71922007) and General Project (No. 71771050) of the National Natural Science Foundation of China.