Robust, Optimal, Predictive, and Integrated Road Traffic Control: Research proposal

The development of control strategies for traffic lights, ramp metering installations, and variable speed limits to improve the throughput of road traffic networks can contribute to a more efficient use of road networks. In this project, a hierarchical controller will be developed for the improvement of the throughput of a road traffic network....

Efficient Algorithms for Network-Wide Road Traffic Control

Controlling road traffic networks is a complex problem. One of the difficulties is the coordination of actuators, such as traffic lights, variables speed limits, ramp metering and route guidance, with the aim to improve the network performance over a near-future time horizon. This dissertation develops algorithms that specifically balance fast...

Distributed MPC for Large Freeway Networks Using Alternating Optimization

The Model Predictive Control (MPC) framework has shown great potential for the control of Variable Speed Limits (VSLs) and Ramp Metering (RM) installations. However, the implementation to large freeway networks remains challenging. One major reason is that, by considering the VSLs to be discrete decision variables, an extremely difficult Mixed...

Velocity Obstacle Based Conflict Avoidance in Urban Environment with Variable Speed Limit

Current investigations into urban aerial mobility, as well as the continuing growth of global air transportation, have renewed interest in conflict detection and resolution (CD&R) methods. The use of drones for applications such as package delivery, would result in traffic densities that are orders of magnitude higher than those currently...

Resolving freeway jam waves by discrete first-order model-based predictive control of variable speed limits

In this paper we develop a fast model predictive control (MPC) approach for variable speed limit coordination to resolve freeway jam waves. Existing MPC approaches that are based on the second-order traffic flow models suffer from high computation load due to the non-linear and non-convex optimization formulation. In recent years, simplified...

Connected variable speed limits control and car-following control with vehicle-infrastructure communication to resolve stop-and-go waves

The vision of intelligent vehicles traveling in road networks has prompted numerous concepts to control future traffic flow, one of which is the in-vehicle actuation of traffic control commands. The key of this concept is using intelligent vehicles as actuators for traffic control systems. Under this concept, we design and test a control...

Efficient freeway MPC by parameterization of ALINEA and a speed-limited area

Freeway congestion can reduce the freeway throughput due to the capacity drop or due to blocking caused by spillback to upstream ramps. Research has shown that congestion can be reduced by the application of ramp metering and variable speed limits. Model predictive control is a promising strategy for the optimization of the ramp metering...

A new reinforcement learning-based variable speed limit control approach to improve traffic efficiency against freeway jam waves

Conventional reinforcement learning (RL) models of variable speed limit (VSL) control systems (and traffic control systems in general) cannot be trained in real traffic process because new control actions are usually explored randomly, which may result in high costs (delays) due to exploration and learning. For this reason, existing RL-based...

A new macroscopic model for Variable Speed Limits

This paper proposes a new macroscopic model for Variable Speed Limits (VSLs), combining characteristics of previously proposed models, in order to have the capability of modeling different capacities, critical densities, and levels of compliance for links affected by speed limits. Moreover, the effects of VSLs on the fundamental diagram of...

Impacts of the Coordination of DTMs with Different Local Control Objectives Considering Their Spatial Layout

With the steadily increasing road traffic demand, congestion on freeways has become a major problem. With the development of communication technology and automated vehicles, there are more opportunities for DTMs to be studied extensively at the coordination level and cooperation level. In the existing literature, the coordination of RM (ramp...

Reduction of Capacity Drop at Sag and Tunnel Bottlenecks through Connected Vehicles

Traffic congestion is a challenge that frequently emerges due to changes in the roadways such as tunnels and sags, causing capacity reduction. The capacity drop phenomenon exacerbates traffic congestion, due to decreased queue discharge rates. Among the strategies employed for traffic management, Variable Speed Limit (VSL) control is a common...

Integrated Approach to Variable Speed Limits and Ramp Metering

Traffic congestion continues to remain a serious problem in most countries, with significant economic and environmental losses. ‘Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)’ that utilize advanced information and communication technology for managing road infrastructure, including vehicles and users, have shown great potential in dealing with this...

Driving behavior in mixed traffic in combination with variable speed limit

New applications of connectivity between vehicles and the infrastructure are developed. One of these applications is providing upstream information on variable speed limits to connected and automated vehicles. It is expected that the connectivity can contribute to safer roads due to better compliance to the posted speed limits. Those...

An Assessment Framework for the Speed Policy on Dutch Motorways

Today the Dutch cabinet provides in implementing a maximum speed limit of 130 km/h on Dutch motorways as much as possible. As a consequence, research is needed to the circumstances where and when higher speed limits (or maybe a dynamic speed limit) will be acceptable. In other words, what speed limit is the most optimal for a road section taking...

Optimising the throughput for an integrated urban-freeway network: Design of an MPC controller using variable speed limits and intersection control

In this MSc Thesis project, a Model Predictive Controller (MPC controller) using variable speed limits and intersection control was designed and subsequently evaluated. The design was based on combining existing control algorithms for urban and freeway networks, integrating them. While this MPC controller improved upon throughput more than MPC...

Freeway Traffic Control - An adaptive control approach towards easy-to-implement Variable Speed Limit algorithms

Nowadays, the high demand for road transportation often reaches a point where it exceeds the capacity of freeway traffic networks, resulting in congestion. Freeway traffic congestion is a major social problem, as it is the reason for increased time delays, higher accident risk and environmental pollution. There is, therefore, the need for a...