Exploration and Exploitation of Properties of Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams for Managing Traffic Congestion in Road Networks

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H04053
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Civil engineering project/Traffic engineering
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Akamatsu Takashi 東北大学, 情報科学研究科, 教授 (90262964)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 和田 健太郎 東京大学, 生産技術研究所, 助教 (20706957) ; 長江 剛志 東北大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (30379482) ; 井上 亮 東北大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (60401303)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 道路網 / 渋滞 / 交通流 / 交通量-密度関係 / MFD / 制御

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study explores the empirical properties of Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams(MFD) linking vehicle accumulation and traffic production in road networks, and then develops traffic control methods exploiting the properties of MFDs and a theory to explain them. More specifically, (1) by analyzing long term detectors data (traffic flow-speed data observed every 1-minute throughout one year) of Japanese major cities, we revealed the basic properties of MFDs, and characterized the conditions for emergence of a well-defined MFD;(2) we developed a theory (mathematical models) to explain the mechanisms for the empirically observed properties of MFDs and the relationships between congestion patterns and MFD features;(3)we developed traffic control methods (signal control and ramp metering strategies) to improve performance (throughput) of congested networks based on the theory developed in (2).

Free Research Field

土木計画学，交通工学，交通計画