Bus bunching simulation based on the lattice Boltzmann model of traffic flow

Abstract

Bus bunching is a typical phenomenon observed in daily public transit operations and that significantly reduces the reliability and attractiveness of transit service. Although various control strategies, such as vehicle holding, speed guidance, and signal priority, have been proposed to eliminate or alleviate bus bunching, the impact of road traffic flow on bus bunching has not been well studied. To bridge this gap, this work proposes a new mesoscopic simulation model by incorporating the lattice Boltzmann model to simulate bus bunching considering the impacts of road traffic flow. Simulation results show that by utilizing the new simulation model, different phase diagrams can be observed. Under different conditions of traffic flow-density evolution, i.e., no oscillation, single oscillation, global oscillation, and irregular oscillation, the resulting bus trajectories are significantly different. In addition, an investigation of a real-world bus line in Beijing with global positioning system (GPS)-based vehicle location data shows that some results of the model are qualitatively consistent with the actual characteristics of the bus route. It shows that the proposed new simulation model has great potential for enhancing our understanding of the impacts of road traffic flow on bus bunching.

Stair/escalator/elevator selection behavior of passengers in subway stations based on the fuzzy logic theory

“…Although this kind of model has the advantages of a small amount of calculation and fast operation speed, it often ignores the influence of individual behavior habits, individual interactions, and individual heterogeneity on the crowd movement rule in emergencies. Microscopic model [12][13][14][15][16][17] takes full account of the interaction and heterogeneity between individuals, and has attracted more and more attention from scholars over the world. The social force model [18][19][20][21] and the cellular automata model 14,15,22,23 are the commonly used microscopic models.…”

“…Lattice gas model is a special cellular automata model. 17 The rules of passenger movement in the cellular automata model [27][28][29] are relatively simple, and the model has the advantages of fast operation speed and strong real-time performance. Therefore, this study intends to use the cellular automata model 30,31 to describe the microscopic movement of passengers at the subway station.…”

Freeway work zone effects on vehicular fuel consumption explored by a four-lane model

“…The simulation results are not only a useful reference for establishing traffic control application standards to minimize underground traffic congestion but also provide useful insights for underground road design. To simulate bus bunching considering the impacts of road traffic flow, a new mesoscopic simulation by incorporating the lattice Boltzmann model was conducted by Wang et al, 14 the relevant results show different observable phase diagrams, suggesting that the simulation model has great potential for enhancing the understanding of the impacts of road traffic flow on bus bunching.…”