Modeling of lateral gap maintaining behavior of vehicles in heterogeneous traffic stream

Abstract

Vehicular movement in heterogeneous traffic stream with no-lane-disciplined is not only influenced by the characteristics of the leading vehicle but also by the presence of the adjacent vehicles. In such scenario, lateral gap maintaining behavior plays a significant role in the vehicular movement. Field data analyses show that there is a wide variation in the total lateral gaps, even for a particular combination of passing/overtaking vehicle and both the adjacent vehicles. Speed and type of the passing/overtaking vehicle and the speed and type of both the adjacent vehicles were found to be having a significant influence on the total lateral gaps. The variability in the critical total lateral gaps has been explained using the variables such as the speed and type of the subject vehicle, as well as the adjacent vehicles. Developed models were found to be statistically significant in replicating the field observed total lateral gaps corresponding to various types of vehicles. The impact of different lateral gap models has been studied using a CA-based simulation model and found that the gap maintaining behavior significantly influences the flows close to capacity.

Keywords:

• Lateral gap
• heterogeneous traffic
• no-lane-discipline
• logistic regression
• microscopic model

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support given by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, for carrying out the work presented in this paper.