Distributed Traffic Control Based on Road Network Partitioning Using Normalization Algorithm

Abstract

With continuous economic development, most urban road networks are facing unprecedented traffic congestion. Centralized traffic control is difficult to achieve, and distributed traffic control based on partitioning a road network into subnetworks is a promising way to alleviate traffic pressure on urban roads. In order to study the differences between different partitioning methods chosen for distributed traffic control, we used the normalization algorithm to partition a part of the road network in Changsha City, and we used the results of the Girvan–Newman algorithm and the manual empirical partitioning method as a control group. Meanwhile, an abstract road network was constructed using VISSIM simulation software based on realistic road network parameters. And then, the different partitioning results were applied to the simulated road network to analyze the control effect. The results of the simulation software show that different partitioning methods have different effects on traffic control at subnetwork boundaries and improve traffic pressure to different degrees. Partitioning the road network into four subnetworks provided the greatest degree of traffic improvement. Overall, the proposed distributed traffic control method effectively improved operational efficiency and alleviated the traffic pressure of the road network.