Multiclass first-order traffic model using stochastic fundamental diagrams

• Published in: Transportmetrica Vol. 7; no. 2; pp. 111 - 125
• Main Author: Ngoduy, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hong Kong Taylor & Francis Group 01-03-2011; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: stochastic multiclass model; Studies; Traffic flow; wide scattering
• ISSN: 1812-8602; 1944-0987
• DOI: 10.1080/18128600903251334

The first-order continuum traffic model has been extensively studied in the state-of-the-art of traffic flow theory due to its simplicity and capability to represent many real traffic problems, such as a shock-wave formation. Furthermore, recent extension of the first-order model to multiclass traffic dynamics has revealed some interesting non-linear traffic phenomena such as hysteresis and capacity drop. However, most of the existing first-order continuum models do not display the widely scattered flow-density relationship. We argue in this article that the widely scattered flow-density relationship might be caused by the random variations in driving behaviour. It is shown that both of the hysteresis transitions and the wide scattering can be reproduced by a multiclass first-order model with a stochastic setting in the model parameters. The simulation results support our findings and are in good agreement with the real data.