Calibration of Micro-simulation Models for ITS Applications

When traffic microsimulation models are used to evaluate various traffic alternatives, especially intelligent transportation system (ITS) applications, emphasis is often put on algorithmic procedures to successfully fit simulation outputs with the field performance measures. Most of such procedures lack an expertise-based approach to assess which simulation parameters, and to what extent, should be modified to get a trustworthy simulation model. This study suggests a slightly different approach where iterative adjustment of simulation parameters is combined with manual calibration based on modeller’s expertise. The process introduces frequent reasonability checks to ensure that modelled traffic conditions do not contradict logical and reasonable traffic operations. Once the modelled results become generally acceptable an iterative procedure (e.g. Genetic Algorithm) can be applied to fine-tune simulation parameters, especially those related to driver behaviour. Results of the case study presented in the paper showed that microsimualtion models can be adjusted to verifiably resemble field conditions.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from Intelligent Transportation Society of America.
• Corporate Authors:

  ITS America

  1100 17th Street, NW, 12th Floor
  Washington, DC  United States  20036
• Authors:
  • Stevanovic, Aleksandar
  • Gundogan, Fatih
• Conference:
  • 19th ITS World Congress
  • Location: Vienna , Austria
  • Date: 2012-10-22 to 2012-10-26
• Publication Date: 2012

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: CD-ROM; Figures; Maps; References;
• Pagination: 12p
• Monograph Title: 19th ITS World Congress, Vienna, Austria, 22 to 26 October 2012

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calibration; Genetic algorithms; Highway operations; Intelligent transportation systems; Microsimulation; Traffic simulation; Travel behavior
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01501858
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 23 2013 7:52AM