Traffic Flow Problems

Traffic Flow Problems
Nicodemus Banagaaya
Supervisor : Dr. J.H.M. ten Thije Boonkkamp
October 15, 2009
/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

Outline
Introduction
Mathematical model derivation
Godunov Scheme for the Greenberg Traffic model.
Numerical experiments
Higher Order Effects.
Shock structure
Conclusion

Outline
Introduction
Shock structure
Conclusion

Outline
Introduction
Shock structure
Conclusion

Outline
Introduction
Shock structure
Conclusion

Outline
Introduction
Shock structure
Conclusion

Outline
Introduction
Shock structure
Conclusion

Outline
Introduction
Shock structure
Conclusion

Outline
Introduction
Shock structure
Conclusion

Introduction
Definition
Traffic flow
Figure: copyright British library Board

Consider the traffic flow of the cars on a highway with only one
lane. Let,
ρ (x, t) be the density of the cars (in vehicles per kilometre),
x denote any point along the highway,
t denote the time.
v (x, t) denote the velocity of cars.
Q (x, t) = ρ (x, t) v (x, t) denote the number of cars pass
through x at time t.( flux of the vehicles given by vehicles
per unit time).
The number of cars which are the interval (x1 , x2 ) at time t is
Z x2
ρ (x, t) dx. (1)
x1
Assumption: ρ and Q are continuous functions.

lane. Let,
t denote the time.
per unit time).
Z x2
ρ (x, t) dx. (1)
x1

lane. Let,
t denote the time.
per unit time).
Z x2
ρ (x, t) dx. (1)
x1

lane. Let,
t denote the time.
per unit time).
Z x2
ρ (x, t) dx. (1)
x1

lane. Let,
t denote the time.
per unit time).
Z x2
ρ (x, t) dx. (1)
x1

lane. Let,
t denote the time.
per unit time).
Z x2
ρ (x, t) dx. (1)
x1

lane. Let,
t denote the time.
per unit time).
Z x2
ρ (x, t) dx. (1)
x1

Figure: Derivation of the conservative law,where a = Q(x1 , t)

,b = Q(x2 , t)

Z x2
d
ρ (x, t) dx = Q (x1 , t) − Q (x2 , t) .
dt x1
Then we have,
Z x2
∂ρ ∂
+ Q(x, t) dx = 0 (2)
x1 ∂t ∂x
∂ρ ∂
+ (ρv ) = 0. (3)
∂t ∂x

Z x2
d
ρ (x, t) dx = Q (x1 , t) − Q (x2 , t) .
dt x1
Then we have,
Z x2
∂ρ ∂
+ Q(x, t) dx = 0 (2)
x1 ∂t ∂x
∂ρ ∂
+ (ρv ) = 0. (3)
∂t ∂x

Since x1 , x2 ∈ R, t1 , t2 > 0 are arbitrary, we conclude that
∂ρ ∂
+ (ρv ) = 0, (4)
∂t ∂x
with Initial
ρ (x, 0) = ρ0 (x), ∀x ∈ R
Let flux Q = Q(ρ) , then Q(ρ) = ρV (ρ).
Thus equation ( 4) can be written as
∂ρ ∂ρ
+ c(ρ) = 0, where c(ρ) = Q 0 (ρ).
∂t ∂x

Figure: Flow density curve in the traffic flow
Traffic models
Lighthill-Whitham-Richards model

ρ
v (ρ) = vmax 1 − , 0 ≤ ρ ≤ ρmax . (5)
ρmax
Greenberg model
v(ρ) = a log ρmax
ρ , 0 < ρ ≤ ρmax .
where a is in kilometres per hour.

we are going to solve this model numerically using Godunov
scheme .

Godunov Scheme for the Greenberg model
Godunov Scheme for Nonlinear Conservation laws

consider the initial value problem
∂u ∂f (u)
+ = 0, x ∈ R, t > 0, (6a)
∂t ∂x
u (x, 0) = u0 (x), ∀x ∈ R. (6b)
Let us introduce a control volumes or cells Vj as follows:

h
Vj = xj− 1 , xj+ 1 , xj+ 1 = xj + xj+1 , j = 0, ±1, ±2, . . . ,
2 2 2
(7)

Associated with ujn is the function ū(x, t), defined as the

solution of the following initial value problem with piecewise
constant initial at t = t n :
∂ ū ∂f (ū)
+ = 0, x ∈ R, t > t n , (8a)
∂t ∂x
ū x, t n = ujn , x ∈ Vj (j = 0, ±1, ±2, . . . ). (8b)
To compute the numerical flux;


u n , if x < xj+ 1 ,
n j
ū(x, t ) = n ,
2
uj+1 if x > xj+ 1 .
2

The solution of this Riemann problem is a similarity of the form

x − xj+ 1
ū(x, t) = uR (η; ujn , uj+1
n
), η= 2
. (9)
t − tn
Since η = 0 for x = xj+ 1 , the computation of the numerical flux
2
we simply find
F (ujn , uj+1
n
) = f (uR (0; ujn , uj+1
n
)). (10)
Thus the Godunov scheme is given by
4t
ujn+1 = ujn − F (ujn , uj+1
n n
) − F (uj−1 , ujn ) , (11)
4x
with the numerical flux as defined in (10).

And the stability condition of the method is given by
4t
max |f 0 (ujn )| ≤ 1, (j = 0, ±1, ±2, . . . ).
4x
Implementation of the scheme to the Greenberg model
x ∗ t at ρ(x ∗ , t ∗ )
x∗ = ,t = = , q(x ∗ , t ∗ ) = , ρ > 0. (12)
L L/a L ρmax

Where L the characteristic distance along the highway. Thus q

satisfies the conservation law
∂q ∂f (q)
∗
+ =0 (13)
∂t ∂x ∗
with the flux function f (q) = −q log q, q > 0.
The corresponding Riemann problem has the following
piecewise constant initial condition
(
ql , if x < 0,
q(x, 0) =
qr , if x > 0.

The Riemann Problem has two kinds of solutions;
b(q) = f 0 (q) = − log q − 1,
Case 1: b(ql ) > b(qr ) =⇒ ql < qr .
(
ql if x/t < s,
q(x, t) =
qr if x/t > s.
f (ql )−f (qr )

where s = ql −qr .
Case 2: b(ql ) < b(qr ) =⇒ ql > qr .

ql
 if x/t < b(ql ),
x
q(x, t) = e−(1+ t ) ifb(ql ) < x/t < b(qr ),

qr if x/t > b(qr ).


In order to implement the Godunov scheme lets us consider the

Riemann problem given below
∂ q̄ ∂
+ (−q̄ log q̄) = 0, x ∈ R, t > t n , (14)
∂t ∂x

q n if x < xj+ 1 ,
j
q̄(x, t n ) = n
2
qj+1 if x > xj+ 1 .
2
For the similarity solution of this problem we also distinguish

two cases.

If qjn < qj+1

n ,
(
qjn if η < sjn ,
qR (η; qjn , qj+1
n
)= n
qj+1 if η > sjn .
qj+1 log qj+1 −qj log qj

where sjn = qj −qj+1 .
if qjn > qj+1
n ,
 n
qj
 if η < b(qjn ),
n n
qR (η; qj , qj+1 ) = η if b(qjn ) < η < b(qj+1
n ),

 n
qj+1 n ).
if η > b(qj+1

For the numerical flux

F (ujn , uj+1
n ) = −q (0; q n , q n ) log q (0; q n , q n );
R j j+1 R j j+1
If qjn < qj+1
n , then
(
−qjn log qjn if sjn > 0,
F (qjn , qj+1
n
) = n log q n
−qj+1 j+1 if sjn < 0.
If qjn > qj+1

n , then
if qjn < e−1 ,

 n n
−qj log qj

n
F (qjn , qj+1 ) = e−1 n
if qj+1 < e−1 < qjn ,

< e−1 .
 n n n
−qj+1 log qj+1 if qj+1

In this case the initial condition for q is given by
(
0.1 if x < 0.2,
q(x, 0) =
1 if x > 0.2.

In this case the initial condition for q is given by
(
0.5 if x < 0.8,
q(x, 0) =
0.1 if x > 0.8.

Higher Order Effects
q = q(ρx , ρ).
Assumptions:
q = Q(ρ) − νρx , v = V (ρ) − νρ ρx .
There are two additional effects one may wish to include the
theory: Diffusion of waves, and Response Time. To incorporate
these effects,
ρt + c(ρ)ρx = νρxx .

Dv 1 ν
= vt + vvx = − v − V (ρ) + ρx . (15)
Dt τ ρ
where τ - measure of the response time. The equation (15)

is to be solved together with the conservation equation.

If equation (15) and the conservation equation are linearized for

small perturbations about ρ = ρ0 , v = v0 = V (ρ0 ), by
substituting
ρ = ρ0 + r , v = v0 + w,
and retaining only the first powers of r and w, we have

0 ν
τ (wt + v0 wx ) = − w − V (ρ0 )r + rx ,
ρ0
rt + v0 rx + ρ0 wx = 0.

The kinematic wave speed is
c0 = ρ0 V 0 (ρ0 ) + V (ρ0 );
hence V 0 (ρ0 ) = −(v0 − c0 )/ρ0 . Introducing this expression and

then eliminating w, we have
2
∂2r

∂r ∂r ∂ ∂
+ c0 =ν 2 −τ + v0 r. (16)
∂t ∂x ∂x ∂t ∂x

The effect of the finite response time τ is more complicated but

can be approximated as follows.
∂ ∂
≈ −c0 . (17)
∂t ∂x
If this approximation is used in the right hand side of (16) , the
equation reduces to
∂r ∂r h i ∂2r
+ c0 = ν − (v0 − c0 )2 τ . (18)
∂t ∂x ∂x 2

Shock structure
We need a steady profile solution of (15) and the conservation
equation with
ρ = ρ(X ), v = v (X ), X = x − Ut,
where U is the constant translational velocity.

Then,
−Uρx + (v ρ)x = 0 (19)
and may be integrated to
ρ(U − v ) = A, where A is a constant. (20)

Shock structure
Equation (15) becomes
τ ρ(v − U)vx + νρx + ρv − Q(ρ) = 0. (21)
Since v = U − A/ρ,
A2

ν − 2 τ ρx = Q(ρ) − ρU + A. (22)
ρ
For τ 6= 0, the possibility that ν − A2 τ /ρ2 may vanish introduces

the new effects.
We are interested in the solution curves between ρ1 at X = +∞
and ρ2 at X = −∞. For traffic flow c 0 (ρ) = Q 00 (ρ) < 0, so
ρ2 < ρ1 and the right hand side of (22) is positive for
ρ2 < ρ < ρ1 .
Shock structure
If ν − A2 τ /ρ2 remains positive in this range, then ρx > 0 and we
have a smooth profile as in the figure below. In view of (20), the
condition for ν − A2 τ /ρ2 to remain positive may be written
p p
ν > (v − U)2 τ, that is v − ν/τ < U < v − ν/τ . (23)
Figure: Continuous wave structure

Conclusions
The traffic model is based on first order approximation, and

hence the original assumptions are not good
approximation.
Include higher order effects and shock structure in order to
have a better solutions.

Thank you

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Traffic Flow Problems

October 15, 2009

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

Figure: copyright British library Board

Assumption: ρ and Q are continuous functions.

Assumption: ρ and Q are continuous functions.

Assumption: ρ and Q are continuous functions.

Assumption: ρ and Q are continuous functions.

Assumption: ρ and Q are continuous functions.

Assumption: ρ and Q are continuous functions.

Assumption: ρ and Q are continuous functions.

Figure: Derivation of the conservative law,where a = Q(x1 , t)

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

Since x1 , x2 ∈ R, t1 , t2 > 0 are arbitrary, we conclude that

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

Figure: Flow density curve in the traffic flow

where a is in kilometres per hour.

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

Godunov Scheme for Nonlinear Conservation laws

Let us introduce a control volumes or cells Vj as follows:

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

Associated with ujn is the function ū(x, t), defined as the

To compute the numerical flux;

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

The solution of this Riemann problem is a similarity of the form

Thus the Godunov scheme is given by

with the numerical flux as defined in (10).

And the stability condition of the method is given by

Implementation of the scheme to the Greenberg model

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

Where L the characteristic distance along the highway. Thus q

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f (ql )−f (qr )

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In order to implement the Godunov scheme lets us consider the

For the similarity solution of this problem we also distinguish

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If qjn < qj+1

qj+1 log qj+1 −qj log qj

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For the numerical flux

If qjn > qj+1

if qjn < e−1 ,

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

/centre for analysis, scientific computing and applications

where τ - measure of the response time. The equation (15)

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If equation (15) and the conservation equation are linearized for

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The kinematic wave speed is

hence V 0 (ρ0 ) = −(v0 − c0 )/ρ0 . Introducing this expression and

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