Effective Coupling of Signal Timing Estimation Model and Dynamic Traffic Assignment in Feedback Loops: System Design and Case Study

This paper presents an integrated framework for effective coupling of a signal timing estimation model and Dynamic Traffic Assignment (DTA) in feedback loops. There are many challenges in effectively integrating signal timing tools with DTA software systems, such as data availability, exchange format, and system coupling. In this research, a tight coupling between a DTA model with various queue-based simulation models, and a Quick Estimation Method (QEM) Excel-based signal control tool is achieved and tested. The presented framework design offers an automated solution for providing realistic signal timing parameters and intersection movement capacity allocation, especially for future year scenarios. The framework was used to design an open-source data-hub for multi-resolution modeling in Analysis, Modeling and Simulation (AMS) applications, in which a typical regional planning model can be quickly converted to microscopic traffic simulation and signal optimization models. The coupling design and feedback loops are first demonstrated on a simple network, and the authors examine the theoretically important questions on the number of iterations required for reaching stable solutions in feedback loops. As shown in this experiment, the current coupled application becomes stable after about 30 iterations, when the capacity and signal timing parameters can quickly converge, while DTA’s route switching model predominately determines and typically requires more iterations to reach a stable condition. A real-world work zone case study illustrates how this application can successfully be used to assess impacts of road construction or traffic incident events that disrupt normal traffic operations and cause route switching on multiple analysis levels.

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADB50 Transportation Planning Applications.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Zlatkovic, Milan
  • Zhou, Xuesong
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC
  • Date: 2014-1-12 to 2014-1-16
• Date: 2014

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 20p
• Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Dynamic traffic assignment; Estimating; Feedback control; Highway operations; Signalization; System design; Work zones
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01520063
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 14-4957
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 26 2014 10:13AM