1. Robust Signal Control of Exit Lanes for Left-Turn Intersections With the Consideration of Traffic Fluctuation
- Author
-
Chen Kaijia, Xing Gao, Victor L. Knoop, and Jing Zhao
- Subjects
050210 logistics & transportation ,General Computer Science ,Computer science ,05 social sciences ,General Engineering ,robust optimization ,Saturation flow rate ,02 engineering and technology ,unconventional intersections ,signal control ,Traffic signal ,Design speed ,Robustness (computer science) ,Control theory ,0502 economics and business ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,020201 artificial intelligence & image processing ,General Materials Science ,lcsh:Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering ,Exit-lanes for left-turn intersection ,lcsh:TK1-9971 - Abstract
Traffic throughput at intersections can be improved by using exit lanes for left-turning (EFL), tidal flow lanes near an intersection, which has been recently introduced. This paper considers the operational robustness of the EFL intersection in relation to the control scheme applied to the traffic light setting. For safety and efficiency, it is important that the tidal lanes are emptied before traffic in the opposing direction uses these lanes. Hence, the signal control should not only be optimized for the mean value but be robust for all kinds of fluctuations. This paper formulates a traffic control scheme using robust optimization, i.e. an optimization scheme which explicitly accounts for extreme events. The fluctuation of traffic is considered from three aspects: the distribution of traffic demand, the distribution of base saturation flow rate, and the distribution of actual travel speed. Via a case study and extensive numerical analysis, we find that the established robust optimization method produces an efficient design of signal control and design speed at the EFL intersection under traffic demand and supply fluctuations. Though the optimization method is now applied to intersections with an EFL, it is considered useful for all intersections with high fluctuation of traffic demand and saturation flow rate.
- Published
- 2020