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A generalised stability criterion for motorway traffic

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  • Holland, E. N.

Abstract

A common scenario on the motorway is that traffic that appears to be moving smoothly can suddenly spontaneously break down. This paper develops a new general criterion that determines whether these catastrophic events will occur. Primarily this is done in the context of the many car-following models described in the literature. The general criterion is shown to agree with the specific stability conditions of these models, including those in which drivers taken into account vehicles more than one ahead. As described in the literature, when the flow is stable, columns of vehicles are seen to smooth any perturbations to the flow. This enables the general criterion to be extended to include non-identical drivers. The stability criterion is also seen to agree with those established from continuum theory. Finally, the stability condition is considered with respect to data obtained from the M25 in the U.K.

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  • Holland, E. N., 1998. "A generalised stability criterion for motorway traffic," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 141-154, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transb:v:32:y:1998:i:2:p:141-154
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Banihan Gunay, 2007. "Detection Algorithms of Intentional Car Following on Smart Networks: A Primary Methodology," Transportation Planning and Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(6), pages 627-642, July.
    2. Kim, T. & Zhang, H.M., 2008. "A stochastic wave propagation model," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 42(7-8), pages 619-634, August.
    3. Gunay, Banihan, 2007. "Car following theory with lateral discomfort," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 41(7), pages 722-735, August.
    4. Treiber, Martin & Kesting, Arne & Helbing, Dirk, 2006. "Delays, inaccuracies and anticipation in microscopic traffic models," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 360(1), pages 71-88.
    5. Yanhong Wang & Rui Jiang & Yu (Marco) Nie & Ziyou Gao, 2021. "Impact of Information on Topology-Induced Traffic Oscillations," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 55(2), pages 475-490, March.
    6. Chang, Xin & Li, Haijian & Rong, Jian & Zhao, Xiaohua & Li, An’ran, 2020. "Analysis on traffic stability and capacity for mixed traffic flow with platoons of intelligent connected vehicles," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 557(C).
    7. Yi, Jingang & Lin, Hao & Alvarez, Luis & Horowitz, Roberto, 2003. "Stability of macroscopic traffic flow modeling through wavefront expansion," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 37(7), pages 661-679, August.
    8. Zhao, Tingting & Nie, Yu (Marco) & Zhang, Yi, 2014. "Extended spectral envelope method for detecting and analyzing traffic oscillations," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 1-16.

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