Multi-class AR model: comparison with microsimulation model for traffic flow variables at network level of interest and the two-dimensional formulation

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses on the choice of a recently proposed multi-class, speed-area occupancy based, one-dimensional continuum model towards the measurement of network level traffic flow variables, namely, travel time and outflow. The parameters of the model are calibrated for a hypothetical mid-block with four vehicle classes, using the micro simulation data from VISSIM software. Analysis result indicates that the model produces travel time and outflow result closer to that by the VISSIM micro simulation. To explore this macroscopic model towards accurate modelling of lacking lane disciplined traffic, i.e. the traffic with frequent lateral movements, a two-dimensional formulation of the model is proposed. It is shown that the new formulation retains the properties of its original version as well as the desirable properties of any traffic flow model.

KEYWORDS:

• Multi-class
• AR model
• area occupancy
• Latin hypercube sampling
• VISSIM
• travel time
• outflow

Acknowledgments

The author thanks Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) for enabling this research work as part of the IITM-Purdue research exchange programme. All findings and opinions in the paper are by the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any funding agency.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

R. Mohan

R. Mohan is a Consultant Scientist at the Center for infrastructure, Sustainable Transportation, and Urban Planning (CiSTUP), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India. Prior to joining CiSTUP, she worked as a Guest Faculty at IIT Palakkad, Kerala, India. She obtained her Ph D from Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India.