A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THREE URBAN NETWORK MODELS: SATURN, TRANSYT/8 AND NETSIM

The experience of using three urban network models for predicting the performance of signal co-ordination in an arterial road is reported. The three models, or packages, selected are SATURN, TRANSYT/8 and NETSIM. They respresent different levels of modelling details. Saturn has traffic assignment capability but this aspect is not investigated in this paper. The three models were tested using a real- world network in Parramatta, New South Wales. The task of preparing three sets of consistent input data was found to be non-trivial. Several problems were encountered and could be attributed to incompatible structures in these models. For example, the simulation module of SATURN does not directly accept link traffic flows as input data. Saturn was found to underestimate total delay by 29 per cent and fuel consumption by seven per cent when compared with transyt/8. There was, however, no difference between the two models in the prediction of the number of stops. NETSIM was found to have a bias in the lane distribution of traffic flows. This problem frequently created spill-back and the model was difficult to use in near-saturated conditions. TRANSYT/8 was found to be the simplest of the three models in preparing the input data and the most consistent in performance prediction. (Author/TRRL)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the 9th Australian Transport Research Forum, Adelaide, May 15-16, 1984.
• Corporate Authors:

  South Australia Department of Transport, Australia

  Victoria Square
  Adelaide, South Australia,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Luk, JYK
  • Stewart, R W
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 51-66
• Serial:
  • Publication of: South Australia Department of Transport
  • Publisher: South Australia Department of Transport, Australia

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Area traffic signal control; Arterial highways; Conferences; Data files; Forecasting; Fuel consumption; Information processing; Mathematical models; Networks; Roads; Streets; Traffic delays; Traffic flow; Traffic signal control systems; Urban areas; Urban highways
• Uncontrolled Terms: Input; Input data; Road networks
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ITRD Terms: 669: Area traffic control; 8006: Australia; 8525: Conference; 9010: Delay; 132: Forecast; 232: Fuel consumption; 8634: Input data; 597: Linked signals; 2748: Main road; 6473: Mathematical model; 671: Traffic flow; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I71: Traffic Theory; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391069
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 29 1985 12:00AM