SIMULATION OF TRAFFIC FLOW

SIMULATION OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC ON HIGH-SPEED COMPUTERS IS A TECHNIQUE WHICH ENABLES THE STUDY OF A COMPLEX TRAFFIC SYSTEM IN THE LABORATORY RATHER THAN IN THE FIELD. THE USE OF COMPUTERS IS DESCRIBED USING ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL SIMULATION. IN ANALOGUE SIMULATION, THE MATHEMATICAL MODELS USED MUST BE THOSE WHICH INVOLVE DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS OR WHICH CAN BE MADE TO LOOK AS THOUGH THEY INVOLVED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS. WITH DIGITAL SIMULATION, HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE TO USE MODELS DESCRIBED IN WORDS RATHER THAN MATHEMATICAL TERMS. TECHNIQUES OF MODEL FORMULATION AND BLOCK DIAGRAMS ARE DESCRIBED WHICH ARE USED IN THE SIMULATION OF ANY SYSTEM. MATHEMATICAL TECHNIQUES USED ARE DISCUSSED. PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTIONS OF TRAFFIC INPUT CHARACTERISTICS, MONTE CARLO METHODS, AND POISSON DISTRIBUTION. EXAMPLES PRESENTED ARE OF: INTERSECTION, FREEWAY TRAFFIC FLOW AND TRAFFIC STUDIES. PUBLISHED SIMULATION WORK ON STUDIES OF TRAFFIC FLOW WERE MADE ON THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FACILITIES: SIGNALIZED STREETS, FREEWAYS, AND TUNNELS.

• Record URL:
  https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr79/79-005.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • pp 98-118, 18 FIG, 2 TAB, 34 REF. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Research Board

  2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC    20418
• Authors:
  • Gerlough, D L
• Publication Date: 1964

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 98-118
• Monograph Title: AN INTRODUCTION TO TRAFFIC FLOW THEORY
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 79
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analog computers; Digital computers; Freeways; Mathematical models; Monte Carlo method; Poisson ratio; Probability theory; Traffic flow; Traffic simulation; Traffic surveys
• Uncontrolled Terms: Traffic studies
• Old TRIS Terms: Analog systems; Digital systems; Poissons ratio
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00227257
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Aug 17 1970 12:00AM