Comparison of Three Methods for Dynamic Network Loading

Abstract

Interest in temporal modeling of road traffic has increased over the past decade because of the need to model traffic dynamics for the purpose of evaluating a variety of intelligent transportation components, such as traffic control measures and route guidance. Several approaches are available, including macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic traffic models as well as analytical dynamic assignment models. Although microscopic models are the most detailed and realistic, they are difficult to calibrate and may not be the most practical tools for large-scale networks. Three methods for dynamic network loading that are considerably less detailed than microscopic modeling are investigated here. Each of the three methods is based on a different approach to modeling traf-fic dynamics: link-based travel time functions, the cell-transmission model, and a link-based model derived from a simplified car-following relationship. A small test network was devised, and the results from each model were compared with those obtained from a microsimulator (INTEGRATION). Interpretation of the discrepancies observed in the results gave an indication of the relative importance of the different components of the three traffic models.