Modelling dynamic network loading ontransportation networks through a continuous

The efforts spent by researchers in the last few years in traffic modelling have been focused on the modelization of dynamic behaviour of the several components making up a transportation system.In the field of traffic assignment, a large number of models and procedures have been proposed in order to perform Dynamic Network Loading (DNL), that is the reproduction of within-day variable link performances once a corresponding Origin/Destination (O/D) demand and users' choice model has been given. These models can be used both to evaluate traffic flows and, what is more relevant, to simulate the effects of regulation strategies on users' behaviour.

In this paper, after a brief review of the state of the art in this field, a continuous dynamic network loading model is proposed; it removes some of the drawbacks of other packet approach models proposed in literature and explicitly allows the en-route modification of the followed path. An algorithmic development of the model and a set of applications on text networks are also proposed.