REQUIEM FOR SECOND-ORDER FLUID APPROXIMATIONS OF TRAFFIC FLOW

This article describes the logical flaws in the arguments that have been advanced to derive higher order continuum models, and shows that the proposed high order modifications lead to a fundamentally flawed model structure. The modifications can actually make things worse. As an illustration of this, it is shown that any continuum model of traffic flow that smooths out all discontinuities in density will predict negative flows and negative speeds (i.e., "wrong way travel") under certain conditions. Such unreasonable predictions are made by all existing models formulated as a quasilinear system of partial differential equations in speed, density, and (sometimes) other variables but not by the LWR model. The article discusses the available empirical evidence and ends with a (hopefully positive) commentary on what can be accomplished with first-order models.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01912615
• Corporate Authors:

  Elsevier

  The Boulevard, Langford Lane
  Kidlington, Oxford  United Kingdom  OX5 1GB
• Authors:
  • Daganzo, C F
• Publication Date: 1995-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 277-286
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Part B: Methodological
  • Volume: 29
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0191-2615
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01912615

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Approximation (Mathematics); Differential equations; Traffic flow; Traffic models; Wrong way driving
• Uncontrolled Terms: Discontinuities
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I71: Traffic Theory;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00711479
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 25 1995 12:00AM