Differential Evolution Based Numerical Variable Speed Limit Control Method with a Non-Equilibrium Traffic Model

Irena Strnad () and Rok Marsetič
Additional contact information
Irena Strnad: Traffic Technical Institute, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Rok Marsetič: Traffic Technical Institute, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Mathematics, 2023, vol. 11, issue 2, 1-16

Abstract: This paper introduces a numerical variable speed limit (VSL) control method on a motorway, modeled by the system of partial differential equations (PDEs) of a non- equilibrium continuum traffic model. The method consists of a macroscopic simulation (i.e., numerical solution of the system of PDEs of the continuum model), introduction of the solution-based cost function and numerical optimization with a differential evolution algorithm (DE). Due to the numerical solution scheme, the method enables application of a wide range of continuum traffic models without prior discretization of PDEs. In this way, the method overcomes the limitations of the basic continuum models and represents a step towards more accurate traffic modelling in control strategies. In this paper, we determine optimal variable speed limits with the DE algorithm on a motorway section modeled by the modified switching curve model, which is a non-equilibrium continuum model consistent with the three-phase traffic flow theory. The effectiveness of the determined variable speed limits is validated using microsimulations of the test section, which show promising reductions of queue lengths and number of stops.

Keywords: differential evolution; optimal control; numerical method; continuum traffic flow model; variable speed limit (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/11/2/265/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/11/2/265/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jmathe:v:11:y:2023:i:2:p:265-:d:1024804

Access Statistics for this article

Mathematics is currently edited by Ms. Emma He

More articles in Mathematics from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().