Three-lane changing behaviour simulation using a modified optimal velocity model

In real urban traffic, roadways are usually multilane and are divided into fast, medium and slow lanes according to different velocity restrictions. Microscopic modelling of single lane has been studied widely using discrete cellular automata and continuous optimal velocity models. In this paper, we extend the continuous single-lane models (OV model and FVD model) to simulate the lane-changing behaviour on an urban roadway that consists of three lanes. Considering headway difference, velocity difference, safety distance, and the probability of lane-changing intention, a comprehensive lane-changing rule set is constructed. We analyse the fundamental diagram and reveal the “faster-is-slower” effect in urban traffic induced by lane-changing behaviour. We also investigate the effect of lane-changing behaviour on the distribution of vehicles, velocity, flow and headway. Asymmetrical phenomenon with symmetrical rules on urban roadway and density inversion on the slow lane were also found. The simulation results indicate that lane-changing behaviour is not advisable on crowded urban roadway. It is hoped that information from this study may be useful for traffic control and individual moving strategy on urban roadway.     

A Two-Lane Cellular Automata Model with Influence of Next-Nearest Neighbor Vehicle

In this paper, we propose a new two-lane cellular automata model in which the influence of the next-nearest neighbor vehicle is considered. The attributes of the traffic system composed of fast-lane and slow-lane are investigated by the new traffic model. The simulation results show that the proposed two-lane traffic model can reproduce some traffic phenomena observed in real traffic, and that maximum flux and critical density are close to the field measurements.Moreover, the initial density distribution of the fast-lane and slow-lane has much influence on the traffic flow states.With the ratio between the densities of slow lane and fast lane increasing the lane changing frequency increases, but maximum flux decreases. Finally, the influence of the sensitivity coefficients is discussed.     

A new traffic model with the consideration of coupling effect with two lanes

This paper introduces a new two-lane high-order continuum model by embedding the two delay time scales continuum traffic model presented by Xue (2003 Phys. Rev. E 68 066123) into the multi-lane model proposed by Daganzo (1997 Transpn. Res. B 31 83) with the consideration of the coupling effect between the vehicles of two lanes in instantaneous traffic situation and lane-change effect. In the novel model, the coupling effect of two lanes and phenomena of lane change, which were not discussed in Daganzo's model and Xue's model, are taken into account. Numerical simulation shows that it is in accordance with real traffic flow. This obviously indicates that the new phenomenon and behaviour are analogous results as single lane presented by Xue, and the proposed model is more reasonable on two lanes. Furthermore, the generation rate between two lanes is also investigated. The results show that the formation and diffusion of traffic shock wave can be better simulated on two lanes.     

Continuum modeling for two-lane traffic flow with consideration of the traffic interruption probability

Considering the effects that the probability of traffic interruption and the friction between two lanes have on the car-following behaviour,this paper establishes a new two-lane microscopic car-following model.Based on this microscopic model,a new macroscopic model was deduced by the relevance relation of microscopic and macroscopic scale parameters for the two-lane traffic flow.Terms related to lane change are added into the continuity equations and velocity dynamic equations to investigate the lane change rate.Numerical results verify that the proposed model can be efficiently used to reflect the effect of the probability of traffic interruption on the shock,rarefaction wave and lane change behaviour on two-lane freeways.The model has also been applied in reproducing some complex traffic phenomena caused by traffic accident interruption.     

A viscous continuum traffic flow model with consideration of the coupling effect for two-lane freeways

In this paper, the viscous continuum traffic flow model for a single lane is extended to the traffic flow for two-lane freeways. The proposed model is a higher-order continuum model considering the coupling and lane changing effects of the vehicles on two adjacent lanes. It results from integrating the Taylor series expansion of the viscous continuum traffic flow model proposed by Ge (2006 Physica A 371 667) into the multi-lane model presented by Daganzo (1997 Transpn. Res. B 31 83). Our proposed model may be used to describe non-anisotropic behaviour because of lane changing in multi-lane traffic. A linear stability analysis is given and the neutral stability condition is obtained. Also, issues related to lane changing, shock waves and rarefaction waves, local clustering and phase transition are investigated through a simulation experiment. The simulation results show that the proposed model is capable of explaining some particular traffic phenomena commonly observable in real world traffic flow.     

Cellular automata model for traffic flow with safe driving conditions

In this paper, a recently introduced cellular automata （CA） model is used for a statistical analysis of the inner micro-scopic structure of synchronized traffic flow. The analysis focuses on the formation and dissolution of clusters or platoons of vehicles, as the mechanism that causes the presence of this synchronized traffic state with a high flow. This platoon formation is one of the most interesting phenomena observed in traffic flows and plays an important role both in manual and automated highway systems （AHS）. Simulation results, obtained from a single-lane system under periodic boundary conditions indicate that in the density region where the synchronized state is observed, most vehicles travel together in pla- toons with approximately the same speed and small spatial distances. The examination of velocity variations and individual vehicle gaps shows that the flow corresponding to the synchronized state is stable, safe and highly correlated. Moreover, results indicate that the observed platoon formation in real traffic is reproduced in simulations by the relation between vehicle headway and velocity that is embedded in the dynamics definition of the CA model.     

两车道交通流耦合格子模型与数值仿真

考虑两车道耦合效应的影响和换道效应,提出了改进的两车道交通流耦合格子模型.同时,改进了换道时的流量转移率,这样更符合实际交通情况.通过线性稳定性分析,得到了改进模型的稳定性条件.数值模拟结果也表明,模型通过考虑耦合作用信息,更好地再现了换道情况,同时也表明两车道间的耦合效应对两车道交通流存在不可忽视的影响.     

瓶颈处车辆横纵向行为建模与分析

车辆的横向偏移现象在现实的交通流中广泛存在, 交通瓶颈处的横向偏移现象往往更加显著. 车辆间横纵向的运动相互干扰, 使得瓶颈交通流组织十分混乱, 通行能力受到显著影响. 为了研究瓶颈处车辆横纵向行为规律及其对交通流的影响, 提出一个考虑横向偏移特征的车辆行为模型: 通过引入目标转向角概念,并结合经典优化速度模型, 给出了用于描述车辆的横纵向运动规律的运动方程, 同时通过分析车辆横向偏移特征, 制定了基于车辆行驶状态划分的目标转向角确定规则集. 数值模拟结果表明: 车辆的横向偏移会对交通流的运行产生影响, 在一定的横向偏移反应阈值下, 瓶颈处横向干扰于交通流的影响随着密度的增加而增加; 同时观察到了实际城市交通瓶颈的宏观及微观现象, 验证了模型的有效性. 关键词： 交通流 瓶颈 车辆行为 横向偏移特征     

Extended speed gradient model for traffic flow on two-lane freeways

In this paper, the speed gradient (SG) model is extended to describe the traffic flow on two-lane freeways. Terms related to lane change are added into the continuity equations and velocity dynamic equations. The empirically observed two-lane phenomena, such as lane usage inversion and lane change rate versus density, are reproduced by extended SG model. The local cluster effect is also investigated by numerical simulations.     

Self-organized phenomena of pedestrian counter flow in a channel under periodic boundary conditions

In this paper we investigate self-organized phenomena such as lane formation generated by pedestrian counter flow in a channel.The lattice gas model is extended to take the effect of walkers in the opposite direction into account simultaneously when they are in the view field of a walker,i.e.,walkers tend to follow the leaders in the same direction and avoid conflicts with those walking towards them.The improved model is then used to mimic pedestrian counter flow in a channel under periodic boundary conditions.Numerical simulations show that lane formation is well reproduced,and this process is rather rapid which coincides with real pedestrian traffic.The average velocity and critical density are found to increase to some degree with the consideration of view field.     

Effect of driver over-acceleration on traffic breakdown in three-phase cellular automaton traffic flow models

Based on simulations with cellular automaton (CA) traffic flow models, a generic physical feature of the three-phase models studied in the paper is disclosed. The generic feature is a discontinuous character of driver over-acceleration caused by a combination of two qualitatively different mechanisms of over-acceleration: (i) Over-acceleration through lane changing to a faster lane, (ii) over-acceleration occurring in car-following without lane changing. Based on this generic feature a new three-phase CA traffic flow model is developed. This CA model explains the set of the fundamental empirical features of traffic breakdown in real heterogeneous traffic flow consisting of passenger vehicles and trucks. The model simulates also quantitative traffic pattern characteristics as measured in real heterogeneous flow.     

A new lattice model of traffic flow with the anticipation effect of potential lane changing

A new lattice model of traffic flow is presented by taking into account the anticipation of potential lane changing on front site on single lane. The stability condition of the extended model is obtained by using the linear stability theory. The modified KdV equation near the critical point is constructed and solved through nonlinear analysis. And the phase space of traffic flow in the density-sensitivity space could be divided into three regions: stable, metastable and unstable ones, respectively. Numerical simulation also shows that the consideration of lane changing probability in lattice model can stabilize traffic flow, which implies that the new consideration has an important effect on traffic flow in lattice models.     

敏感换道对下匝道系统交通流的影响

在NaSh模型基础上,充分考虑驾驶员在匝口指示牌的诱导作用下驾驶方式的变化,定义了车辆在匝口上游的换道、直行驾驶规则,提出了敏感换道的元胞自动机下匝道交通流模型. 通过计算机数值模拟,结果表明：敏感换道过程能减少直行车道上的转出车辆比例,对非必要的换道行为有明显的抑制作用,且随敏感换道区长度增加,该作用越明显;匝口提示位置并非越长越好,系统转出车辆比例越小,系统所需的最佳敏感换道区长度越短. 工程设计中根据转出车辆比例选取一个适宜距离安放匝口指示牌,能有效增加系统流量和临界加入概率. 关键词： 交通流 元胞自动机 驾驶方式 计算机数值模拟     

基于改进格子气模型的对向行人流分层现象的随机性研究

在考虑行人视野范围的随机偏走格子气模型基础上, 引入行人对前方开阔区域的移动偏好特性, 提出改进的格子气模型, 对通道内对向行人流进行仿真研究. 模型再现了对向行人流在不同密度下出现的3种演化过程, 发现了行人密度与对向行人流分层现象的形成具有随机性, 以及统计了概率的变化趋势, 同时分析了分层现象形成概率与系统几何尺寸参数、移动强度参数、右行人流比例参数和视野范围参数等的关系. 分析结果表明, 改进的模型能够再现实际低密度下对向行人流不会出现分层现象的特性. 根据分层形成的概率, 可将对向行人流的密度分为5个区间, 不同区间的行人流演化过程各有差异. 模型和分析结果对理解对向行人流的动态演化过程, 提高通道内对向行人流的走行效率有一定帮助.     

A cellular automata model for highway traffic

We present results relative to a simple cellular automata model without periodic boundary conditions for an highway with on-ramps. Simulations performed with this model reproduce experimental phenomena observed in traffic such as free flow, synchronized flow, congested flow, lane inversion, forward and backward propagating waves. On-ramps play the important role of nucleation points for the dynamic features of traffic. Received 4 February 2000 and Received in final form 5 May 2000     

Cellular automaton model for traffic flow based on safe driving policies and human reactions

This paper proposes a new single-lane cellular automaton model for traffic flow. The model takes into account normal drivers’ spacing policies and transportation engineering practices to guarantee that microscopic vehicle behavior is more in line with vehicular movement in the real world. As a result, drivers’ reactions are based on a safety analysis that determines the most appropriate action for a vehicle to take. Hence, the model introduces a new set of simple rules to change the speed of vehicles that incorporates three important thresholds required by the follower vehicle to accelerate, slow down or maintain its speed. Thus, the space gap, relative speed and limited acceleration/deceleration capabilities are introduced into simulations. Simulation results obtained from a system with periodic conditions show that the model can smooth the speed drop when vehicles approach the upstream front of the traffic jam. Therefore, the model avoids unrealistic deceleration behavior found in most previous cellular automata models. Besides, the model is also capable of reproducing most empirical findings including the three states of traffic flow, the backward speed of the downstream front of the traffic jam, and different congested traffic patterns induced by a system with open boundary conditions with an on-ramp. Moreover, the new model preserves the computational simplicity of the cellular automata models.     

一种改进的一维元胞自动机交通流模型及减速概率的影响

在Nagel-Schrekenberg单车道元胞自动机交通流模型的基础上,考虑车辆之间的相对运动以及车辆减速概率对交通状态的影响,提出了一种改进的单车道元胞自动机交通流模型.并以该模型进行计算机模拟,结果表明,在车流状态的演化过程中,通过确定减速概率与车辆密度的指数v关系来控制车流量,不同的v值车流量不同,对车辆运动出现堵塞相的相变点有影响.当v约为0.75时,模拟结果与实测结果符合.随着车辆密度的增加,车辆的局域聚集程度加大,平均速度下降增大,将出现不稳定的车辆聚集的堵塞相.在车辆的运动过程中,车流的运 关键词： 交通流 元胞自动机 减速概率 堵塞相     

Analysis of the influence of occupation rate of public transit vehicles on mixing traffic flow in a two-lane system

Based on the existing classical cellular automaton model of traffic flow, a cellular automaton traffic model with different-maximum-speed vehicles mixed on a single lane is proposed, in which public transit and harbour-shaped bus stops are taken into consideration. Parameters such as length of cellular automaton, operation speed and random slow mechanism are re-demarcated. A harbour-shaped bus stop is set up and the vehicle changing lane regulation is changed. Through computer simulation, the influence of occupation rate of public transit vehicles on mixed traffic flow and traffic capacity is analysed. The results show that a public transport system can ease urban traffic congestion but creates new jams at the same time, and that the influence of occupation rate of public transit vehicles on traffic capacity is considerable. To develop urban traffic, attention should be paid to the occupation rate of public transit vehicles and traffic development in a haphazard way should be strictly avoided.     

Numerical study of urban traffic flow with dedicated bus lane and intermittent bus lane

Based on the cellular automaton traffic flow model and the concept of public transport priority, a two-lane traffic model with an intermittent bus lane is proposed and the properties of urban traffic flow are studied. The cases of traffic with a dedicated bus lane (DBL), an intermittent bus lane (IBL) and an ordinary two-lane traffic are simulated, and comparisons in the form of the fundamental diagrams and the velocity-density profiles are made between them. It is shown that the DBL has the advantage of freeing buses from traffic interference and also has the disadvantage of disrupting traffic, the IBL is more efficient in improving the bus flow than ordinary two-lane traffic and maintaining the car flow at a higher level at the same time than the DBL, while the ordinary two-lane traffic suppresses public transportation and is not advantageous in easing urban traffic congestion. Also it is indicated that the DBL is only appropriate for low traffic flow in a two-lane traffic system, and this limitation can be partly overcome by opening the bus lane to general traffic intermittently when the bus lane is not in use by buses.