Application of network traffic flow model to road maintenance

Abstract

This paper shows how the evolution of two-way traffic flows on a local highway network can be predicted over time, based on a network level traffic flow model (NTFM) that is used to model both urban and motorway road networks. After a brief review of the main principles of NTFM and its associated sub-models, the paper describes how a maintenance worksite can be modelled using a roadwork node sub-model and a network solution routine in NTFM. In order to model the two-way traffic flow in the road network, an iterative simulation method is utilised to generate the evolution of dependent traffic flows and queues. NTFM has been applied to model the traffic characteristics and effects of maintenance activities on the local Loughborough-Nottingham highway network. It was demonstrated that the methodology is useful in selecting various worksite arrangements in order to reduce maintenance effects on road users.

Application of network-level traffic flow model to road maintenance in China

“…It is known that the cost of travel delay to road users usually exceeds the cost of maintenance (Ministry of Transport, China, 2019b). In order to alleviate travel delays occurred on the highway network, especially when maintenance activities are taking place, modelling tools, such as the networklevel traffic flow model (NTFM), can be utilised to achieve a better decision-making process for maintenance arrangements, taking into account both maintenance costs and travel delays (Yang, Remenyte-Prescott et al 2014, Yang, Remenyte-Prescott et al 2015. The NTFM can be used to model the traffic flow rates, travel speed, and queue dynamics in the highway network under various traffic conditions, making it a suitable platform for setting maintenance arrangements.…”

“…gap acceptance theory and queuing theory (Kremser 1962, Kremser 1964, Cowan 1975, Brilon, Koenig et al 1999, Troutbeck and Kako 1999, Troutbeck 2002, and some of these findings can be inefficient when modelling directional flow and identifying traffic behaviours at network level (Robinson, Tian et al 1999, Tian, Troutbeck et al 2000, Tracz and Gondek 2000, Ruskin and Wang 2002. In order to make more realistic traffic simulations, Yang et al (Yang, Remenyte-Prescott et al 2014, Yang, Remenyte-Prescott et al 2015 established NTFM to comprise most of the junction types, such as signalised junctions, priority junctions and motorway onramps and offramps, and to predict the traffic flow rates, queues, and travel delays at network level for both urban and motorway road networks.…”

“…The novelty of this paper is that the theory of vehicle flow fluctuation is utilised in the roadwork node model of the NTFM, previously developed by the authors (Yang, Remenyte-Prescott et al 2014, Yang, Remenyte-Prescott et al 2015, which is then applied to evaluate traffic conditions on the highway network under various roadwork zone arrangements. This approach gives an opportunity to model road network flows more realistically, and it can be further used to optimise road maintenance, for example, to find the best roadwork zone arrangements, considering the entering traffic flows, time saving coefficient and speed interference on the road section.…”

Editorial

“…Moving from project-level maintenance, the seventh paper (Yang et al, 2015) offers new insight into worksite arrangements to reduce the effects of maintenance activity on road users. The authors develop a predicted traffic flow and queuing model using a network-level traffic flow model, demonstrating its effectiveness by means of a case study.…”