Hybrid evolutionary algorithms in a SVR traffic flow forecasting model

Accurate urban traffic flow forecasting is critical to intelligent transportation system developments and implementations, thus, it has been one of the most important issues in the research on road traffic congestion. Due to complex nonlinear data pattern of the urban traffic flow, there are many kinds of traffic flow forecasting techniques in literature, thus, it is difficult to make a general conclusion which forecasting technique is superior to others. Recently, the support vector regression model (SVR) has been widely used to solve nonlinear regression and time series problems. This investigation presents a SVR traffic flow forecasting model which employs the hybrid genetic algorithm-simulated annealing algorithm (GA-SA) to determine its suitable parameter combination. Additionally, a numerical example of traffic flow data from northern Taiwan is used to elucidate the forecasting performance of the proposed SVRGA-SA model. The forecasting results indicate that the proposed model yields more accurate forecasting results than the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA), back-propagation neural network (BPNN), Holt-Winters (HW) and seasonal Holt-Winters (SHW) models. Therefore, the SVRGA-SA model is a promising alternative for forecasting traffic flow.     

A Performance evaluation of neural network models in traffic volume forecasting

Forecasting traffic volume is an important task in controlling urban highways, guiding drivers' routes, and providing real-time transportation information. Previous research on traffic volume forecasting has concentrated on a single forecasting model and has reported positive results, which has been frequently better than those of other models. In addition, many previous researchers have claimed that neural network models are better than linear statistical models in terms of prediction accuracy. However, the forecasting power of a single model is limited to the typical cases to which the model fits best. In other words, even though many research efforts have claimed the general superiority of a single model over others in predicting future events, we believe it depends on the data characteristics used, the composition of the training data, the model architecture, and the algorithm itself.In this paper, we have studied the relationship in forecasting traffic volume between data characteristics and the forecasting accuracy of different models, particularly neural network models. To compare and test the forecasting accuracy of the models, three different data sets of traffic volume were collected from interstate highways, intercity highways, and urban intersections. The data sets show very different characteristics in terms of volatility, period, and fluctuations as measured by the Hurst exponent, the correlation dimension. The data sets were tested using a back-propagation network model, a FIR model, and a time-delayed recurrent model.The test results show that the time-delayed recurrent model outperforms other models in forecasting very randomly moving data described by a low Hurst exponent. In contrast, the FIR model shows better forecasting accuracy than the time-delayed recurrent network for relatively regular periodic data described by a high Hurst exponent. The interpretation of these results shows that the feedback mechanism of the previous error, through the temporal learning technique in the time-delayed recurrent network, naturally absorbs the dynamic change of any underlying nonlinear movement. The FIR and back-propagation model, which have claimed a nonlinear learning mechanism, may not be very good in handling randomly fluctuating events.     

基于分解—集成的铁路货运需求预测研究

铁路货运量受到多种因素影响,准确的预测可以为铁路行业未来规划的编制提供重要的参考依据,也可以使铁路部门制定符合当前货运市场的运输政策。货运量数据具有非线性、不平稳的特点,利用传统的单一预测模型进行预测,很难描述整体特征,预测精度有待提高。本文基于分解—集成的原则,利用变分模态分解算法将货运量分解为高频和低频模态,针对各模态特点,分别建立预测模型,将得到的预测结果加总起来作为最终货运量的预测值。实证表明,分解—集成预测方法与传统的单一预测模型相比,提高了预测的准确率,可以很好地应用在铁路货运量需求预测的研究中。     

Forecasting Traffic on STOL<Superscript>*</Superscript>

A subsidiary of Air Canada will be operating an experimental STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) service between Montreal and Ottawa from downtown airports. A model was developed to forecast traffic and evaluate marketing strategies for the proposed service. Traditional forecasting methods relying on historical data are of little use as STOL will offer a level of service outside the range of existing experience. The model therefore uses attitudinal data on such things as comfort in conjunction with data on more concrete variables such as price. The data came from a market research survey.     

Short-term forecasting of traffic delays in highway construction zones using on-line approximators

Highway construction zones are often the cause of traffic delays. This is a natural consequence of the high congestion and nonuniform traffic flow conditions in construction zones. Most of the current algorithms for computing traffic delays are accurate for low density traffic conditions, and address the estimation of current travel time only. This paper presents a method for short-term forecasting of traffic delays in highway construction zones using data from presence detectors. The method is based on a modular approach wherein data from adjacent detectors is processed for estimating the travel time between the two detectors. The travel time estimates are then considered as time-series data, and the problem of short-term forecasting of traffic delay is formulated as a time-series evolution problem. A generic structure referred to as an on-line approximator is used for the prediction of travel time based on current and past travel time estimates. Simulation examples are used to illustrate the traffic delay forecasting algorithm.     

Info-gap forecasting and the advantage of sub-optimal models

We consider forecasting in systems whose underlying laws are uncertain, while contextual information suggests that future system properties will differ from the past. We consider linear discrete-time systems, and use a non-probabilistic info-gap model to represent uncertainty in the future transition matrix. The forecaster desires the average forecast of a specific state variable to be within a specified interval around the correct value. Traditionally, forecasting uses a model with optimal fidelity to historical data. However, since structural changes are anticipated, this is a poor strategy. Our first theorem asserts the existence, and indicates the construction, of forecasting models with sub-optimal-fidelity to historical data which are more robust to model error than the historically optimal model. Our second theorem identifies conditions in which the probability of forecast success increases with increasing robustness to model error. The proposed methodology identifies reliable forecasting models for systems whose trajectories evolve with Knightian uncertainty for structural change over time. We consider various examples, including forecasting European Central Bank interest rates following 9/11.     

A Look at the Stationarity of 14 Quarterly U.S. Economic Time Series

Application of single series time series methods has become very popular, due, in particular, to the short term forecasting abilities of such models. This is particularly true of the Box-Jenkins linear models. In this paper, the relationship between the forecasting ability and the number of data points used in the estimation of Box-Jenkins models, for 14 economic time series, is considered, with the result that in a large number of cases, there is very little gain in analysing long historical records. In fact, it is possible that forecasting ability may be impaired if too many observations are considered.     

A mega-trend-diffusion grey forecasting model for short-term manufacturing demand

Accurate short-term demand forecasting is critical for developing effective production plans; however, a short forecasting period indicates that the product demands are unstable, rendering tracking of product development trends difficult. Determining the actual developing data patterns by using forecasting models generated using historical observations is difficult, and the forecasting performance of such models is unfavourable, whereas using the latest limited data for forecasting can improve management efficiency and maintain the competitive advantages of an enterprise. To solve forecasting problems related to a small data set, this study applied an adaptive grey model for forecasting short-term manufacturing demand. Experiments involving the monthly demand data for thin film transistor liquid crystal display panels and wafer-level chip-scale packaging process data showed that the proposed grey model produced favourable forecasting results, indicating its appropriateness as a short-term forecasting tool for small data sets.     

基于修正的时间序列模型对冲击负荷的预测

电力负荷预测的实质是对电力市场需求的预测,是利用以往的历史数据资料找出电力负荷的变化规律,进而预测负荷在未来时期的变化趋势.由于经济、气候以及工业生产等诸多因素的约束和限制,电力负荷预测精度很难提高.一个好的实用的电力负荷预测模型则要求既能充分利用负荷的历史数据,又能灵活方便地综合考虑其他多种相关因素的影响.提出了回归与自回归模型相结合的时间序列混合回归预测模型,它的待估参数由BP神经网络进行修正,经实例验证,预测效果良好.     

霍尔特-温特模型在货运量季节性预测中的应用

为了提高货运量季节性预测的精度,应用了一种线性季节预测模型,霍尔特-温特模型。通过傅立叶周期分析确定季节影响和周期长度,利用迭代法寻找模型最优参数。将预测结果与其他三个常用季节预测模型:分组回归模型、可变季节预测模型和季节周期回归模型进行比较,结果表明霍尔特-温特模型预测精度最高。     

上证指数的预测分析

本文根据上海股市2005年6月到2009年8月的上证指数数据,通过建立数学模型的方法,对上海股票市场的走势情况作出了综合评价,建立短期内预测股市发展趋势模型对上证指数进行预测,并通过历史实际数据对模型进行了验证。     

Forecasting urban traffic flow by SVR with continuous ACO

Accurate forecasting of inter-urban traffic flow has been one of the most important issues globally in the research on road traffic congestion. Because the information of inter-urban traffic presents a challenging situation, the traffic flow forecasting involves a rather complex nonlinear data pattern. In the recent years, the support vector regression model (SVR) has been widely used to solve nonlinear regression and time series problems. This investigation presents a short-term traffic forecasting model which combines the support vector regression model with continuous ant colony optimization algorithms (SVRCACO) to forecast inter-urban traffic flow. Additionally, a numerical example of traffic flow values from northern Taiwan is employed to elucidate the forecasting performance of the proposed SVRCACO model. The forecasting results indicate that the proposed model yields more accurate forecasting results than the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) time series model. Therefore, the SVRCACO model is a promising alternative for forecasting traffic flow.     

Forecasting time series with multiple seasonal patterns

A new approach is proposed for forecasting a time series with multiple seasonal patterns. A state space model is developed for the series using the innovations approach which enables us to develop explicit models for both additive and multiplicative seasonality. Parameter estimates may be obtained using methods from exponential smoothing. The proposed model is used to examine hourly and daily patterns in hourly data for both utility loads and traffic flows. Our formulation provides a model for several existing seasonal methods and also provides new options, which result in superior forecasting performance over a range of prediction horizons. In particular, seasonal components can be updated more frequently than once during a seasonal cycle. The approach is likely to be useful in a wide range of applications involving both high and low frequency data, and it handles missing values in a straightforward manner.     

基于系统冲击的灰色预测模型及其应用研究

针对系统受到系统外部冲击问题,结合泛函理论和灰色系统理论,建立了含有系统冲击泛函分析因子的灰色泛函预测模型。并运用贝叶斯网络推理技术,建立了系统冲击与系统控制的灰色贝叶斯网络推理预测模型。所建模型可以分析基于系统冲击演化的泛函分析因子的动态推演问题。依据泛函分析因子的变动,可以预测与修正系统发展趋势。案例分析了2013年房地产经济受到新政策的冲击问题。由于房地产经济受到新政策冲击,使经济发展态势发生转变。根据房地产经济的当前时段信息,利用灰色贝叶斯网络推理预测模型对历史趋势进行修正,预测结果与实际数值仅有3.81%的偏离,预测结果较其它现有模型的预测结果精确。灰色贝叶斯网络推理模型强调对近期数据的开发利用,适用于预测系统近期受到外部冲击的发展趋势问题。     

Integrating spectral clustering with wavelet based kernel partial least square regressions for financial modeling and forecasting

Traditional forecasting models are not very effective in most financial time series. To address the problem, this study proposes a novel system for financial modeling and forecasting. In the first stage, wavelet analysis transforms the input space of raw data to a time-scale feature space suitable for financial modeling and forecasting. A spectral clustering algorithm is then used to partition the feature space into several disjointed regions according to their time series dynamics. In the second stage, multiple kernel partial least square regressors ideally suited to each partitioned region are constructed for final forecasting. The proposed model outperforms neural networks, SVMs, and traditional GARCH models, significantly reducing root-mean-squared forecasting errors.     

组合预测模型在能源消费预测中的应用

能源的需求预测是一个复杂的非线形系统,其发展变化具有增长性和波动性,组合预测对于信息不完备的复杂经济系统具有一定的实用性.本文利用我国能源消费的历史数据,采用灰色预测的GM(1,1)模型、BP神经网络模型和三次指数平滑模型进行优化组合,建立了能源消费组合预测模型,实证分析结果表明预测值和实际结果有很好的一致性,可以作为能源消费预测的有效工具.     

基于模糊聚类分析的小波神经网络模型在径流预测中的应用

提出了一种在对预报因子集进行模糊聚类分析基础上构建径流预测模型的新方法:先通过模糊C-均值聚类将历史径流数据进行分类,然后利用小波神经网络分别建立预报因子集类别变量特征值与观测值之间的局部预测模型,并设计了特征值分类识别器,自动搜寻相适应的局部网络模型进行预测.通过西南某水库2011年日平均入库来流的计算实例对简单小波神经网络预测模型和所建的基于FCM与小波神经网络的预测模型进行了比较,结果较为满意.     

Scientific Models—Marketing

After briefly introducing the gravity and interactance models, the following article goes on to discuss the status of these models and asks: Are the hypotheses reasonable; are the models logically consistent; and do the models fit the facts? The first two sections are of a theoretical nature although a number of practical examples are given to illustrate certain of the points made. The third section consists of a series of case studies covering U.K. port traffic, intra-European air traffic, West German domestic air traffic, inter-urban traffic in Africa, and urban road traffic in Oxford. Graphs are plotted to show the relationship between the various traffic model parameters.The general conclusion from the analysis is that gravity and interactance models do not provide a valid means of producing traffic forecasts in a regional environment. The concluding section is devoted to discussing other methods of traffic forecasting and suggesting the most promising areas for future research.     

Point and interval forecasting for carbon price based on an improved analysis-forecast system

Effective analysis and forecasting of carbon prices, which is an essential endeavor for the carbon trading market, is still considered a difficult task because of the nonlinearity and nonstationarity inherent in carbon prices. Previous studies have failed at the analysis and interval prediction of carbon prices and are limited to point forecasts. Therefore, an improved carbon price analysis and forecasting system that consists of an analysis module and a forecasting module is established in this study; more importantly, the forecasting module includes point forecasting and interval forecasting as well. Aimed at investigating the characteristics of the carbon price series, a chaotic analysis based on the maximum Lyapunov exponent is performed, the determination of appropriate distribution functions based on our newly proposed hybrid optimization algorithm is conducted, and different distribution functions are effectively designed in the analysis module. Furthermore, in the point forecasting model, the phase space reconstruction technique is applied to reconstruct the sequences decomposed by variational mode decomposition due to the chaotic characteristics of the carbon price series, and the reconstructed sequences are considered as the optimal input–output variables of the forecasting model. Then, an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system model is trained by the newly proposed hybrid optimization algorithm, which is developed for the first time in the domain of carbon price point forecasting. Moreover, based on the results of point forecasting and the distribution function of the carbon price series determined by the analysis module, the interval forecasting results can be obtained and implemented to provide more reliable information for decision making. Empirical results based on the carbon price data of the European Union Emissions Trading System and Shenzhen of China demonstrate that the proposed system achieves better results than other benchmark models in point forecasting as well as interval forecasting.     

A novel procedure for multimodel development using the grey silhouette coefficient for small-data-set forecasting

Small-data-set forecasting problems are a critical issue in various fields, with the early stage of a manufacturing system being a good example. Manufacturers require sufficient knowledge to minimize overall production costs, but this is difficult to achieve due to limited number of samples available at such times. This research was thus conducted to develop a modelling procedure to assist managers or decision makers in acquiring stable prediction results from small data sets. The proposed method is a two-stage procedure. First, we assessed some single models to determine whether the tendency of a real sequence can be reflected using grey incidence analysis, and we then evaluated their forecasting stability based on the relative ratio of error range. Second, a grey silhouette coefficient was developed to create an applicable hybrid forecasting model for small samples. Two real cases were analysed to confirm the effectiveness and practical value of the proposed method. The empirical results showed that the multimodel procedure can minimize forecasting errors and improve forecasting results with limited data. Consequently, the proposed procedure is considered a feasible tool for small-data-set forecasting problems.