Bush-based sensitivity analysis for approximating subnetwork diversion

Subnetwork analysis is often used in traffic assignment problems to reduce the size of the network being analyzed, with a corresponding decrease in computation time. This is particularly important in network design, second-best pricing, or other bilevel problems in which many equilibrium runs must be solved as a subproblem to a master optimization program. A fixed trip table based on an equilibrium path flow solution is often used, but this ignores important attraction and diversion effects as drivers (globally) change routes in response to (local) subnetwork changes. This paper presents an approach for replacing a regional network with a smaller one, containing all of the subnetwork, and zones. Artificial arcs are created to represent “all paths” between each origin and subnetwork boundary node, under the assumption that the set of equilibrium routes does not change. The primary contribution of the paper is a procedure for estimating a cost function on these artificial arcs, using derivatives of the equilibrium travel times between the end nodes to create a Taylor series. A bush-based representation allows rapid calculation of these derivatives. Two methods for calculating these derivatives are presented, one based on network transformations and resembling techniques used in the analysis of resistive circuits, and another based on iterated solution of a nested set of linear equations. These methods are applied to two networks, one small and artificial, and the other a regional network representing the Austin, Texas metropolitan area. These demonstrations show substantial improvement in accuracy as compared to using a fixed table, and demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach.     

Vulnerability analysis for large-scale and congested road networks with demand uncertainty

To assess the vulnerability of congested road networks, the commonly used full network scan approach is to evaluate all possible scenarios of link closure using a form of traffic assignment. This approach can be computationally burdensome and may not be viable for identifying the most critical links in large-scale networks. In this study, an “impact area” vulnerability analysis approach is proposed to evaluate the consequences of a link closure within its impact area instead of the whole network. The proposed approach can significantly reduce the search space for determining the most critical links in large-scale networks. In addition, a new vulnerability index is introduced to examine properly the consequences of a link closure. The effects of demand uncertainty and heterogeneous travellers’ risk-taking behaviour are explicitly considered. Numerical results for two different road networks show that in practice the proposed approach is more efficient than traditional full scan approach for identifying the same set of critical links. Numerical results also demonstrate that both stochastic demand and travellers’ risk-taking behaviour have significant impacts on network vulnerability analysis, especially under high network congestion and large demand variations. Ignoring their impacts can underestimate the consequences of link closures and misidentify the most critical links.     

Genetics of traffic assignment models for strategic transport planning

This paper presents a review and classification of traffic assignment models for strategic transport planning purposes by using concepts analogous to genetics in biology. Traffic assignment models share the same theoretical framework (DNA), but differ in capability (genes). We argue that all traffic assignment models can be described by three genes. The first gene determines the spatial capability (unrestricted, capacity restrained, capacity constrained, and capacity and storage constrained) described by four spatial assumptions (shape of the fundamental diagram, capacity constraints, storage constraints, and turn flow restrictions). The second gene determines the temporal capability (static, semi-dynamic, and dynamic) described by three temporal assumptions (wave speeds, vehicle propagation speeds, and residual traffic transfer). The third gene determines the behavioural capability (all-or-nothing, one shot, and equilibrium) described by two behavioural assumptions (decision-making and travel time consideration). This classification provides a deeper understanding of the often implicit assumptions made in traffic assignment models described in the literature. It further allows for comparing different models in terms of functionality, and paves the way for developing novel traffic assignment models.     

Direct formulation and algorithms for the probit-based stochastic user equilibrium traffic assignment problem

This paper proposes simple and direct formulation and algorithms for the probit-based stochastic user equilibrium traffic assignment problem. It is only necessary to account for random variables independent of link flows by performing a simple transformation of the perceived link travel time with a normal distribution. At every iteration of a Monte-Carlo simulation procedure, the values of the random variables are sampled based on their probability distributions, and then a regular deterministic user equilibrium assignment is carried out to produce link flows. The link flows produced at each iteration of the Monte-Carlo simulation are averaged to yield the final flow pattern. Two test networks demonstrate that the proposed algorithms and the traditional algorithm (the Method of Successive Averages) produce similar results and that the proposed algorithms can be extended to the computation of the case in which the random error term depends on measured travel time.     

随机交通分配中有效路径的确定方法

对用于随机交通分配的三种不同路径进行了比较和分析,研究了无环简单路径的寻求方法和无环简单路径集上的随机交通分配问题。重新定义了有效路径,提出通过利用求解确定性用户均衡分配问题的迭代过程来产生有效路径的启发式方法,算例表明该方法是有效性的.     

道路交通系统韧性及路段重要度评估

韧性可以全面描述扰动事件下系统吸收干扰并从干扰中恢复的能力. 针对已有韧性指标对系统性能评价不全面、未考虑交通流量影响等问题,从路段通行能力退化与恢复入手,以网络效率为系统性能指标,构建全面评价扰动事件影响期内系统性能的韧性指标. 分别基于乐观和悲观视角提出韧性增加值和韧性减少值路段重要度指标,提出识别路段重要度的启发式算法. 算例结果表明：本文提出的韧性指标可全面描述扰动事件下路网性能退化与恢复全过程的平均累积性能,更加符合韧性指标内涵;韧性增加值和韧性减少值指标均能有效识别路段重要度,大部分路段重要度随时间动态变化.     

弹性工作制和动态停车收费组合策略研究

提出弹性工作制与动态停车收费的组合管理策略,探究组合策略下,出行分布的变化机理及动态停车收费费率的制定,以达到缓解通勤拥堵的目的. 构建双层规划模型建立动态停车收费费率的制定与多用户出行选择的相互作用关系,基于灵敏度分析的下降算法求解. 仿真模拟出不同弹性工作制规模时,均衡状态下多用户出行分布模式和优化的动态收费费率. 结果表明,组合策略能促使弹性与非弹性员工错峰出行,有效分散交通流,与单一策略相比,缓解路网拥堵的效果更好.研究成果为交通管理优化策略的制定提供了新思路.     

交通分配的粒子群优化算法

为了方便合理地分配交通量,提出了交通量多路径分配的粒子群优化算法。算法的求解方法是在粒子群算法中构造了路径条数维的粒子空间,每维对应一条可行性路线,其值为对应路径所分配的交通量;对粒子进行归一化处理,使交通量守恒,并进行交通量的多路径分配;根据目标函数评价与筛选粒子,直到满足终止条件。实例计算结果表明:利用粒子群算法得到的目标函数值最小,各路段分配的交通量没有超容量现象,模型求解过程具有方向性,对交通分配的网络规模无限制,因此,粒子群优化算法可行、合理。     

航空公司机队集中调度的成本分析

机队集中调度能够提高机队调度的质量和效率,但目前缺乏评估机队调度质量的技术经济指标.本文提出飞机-航班节分配成本的概念作为其评估指标,分析该成本的三个组成:航班直接运行成本、航班溢出成本和罚成本,并根据航空运输协会工作组提出的成本理论得出航班直接运行成本,构造旅客溢出的概率模型,引入罚成本的相关系数.     

A new schedule-based transit assignment model with travel strategies and supply uncertainties

This paper proposes a new scheduled-based transit assignment model. Unlike other schedule-based models in the literature, we consider supply uncertainties and assume that users adopt strategies to travel from their origins to their destinations. We present an analytical formulation to ensure that on-board passengers continuing to the next stop have priority and waiting passengers are loaded on a first-come-first-serve basis. We propose an analytical model that captures the stochastic nature of the transit schedules and in-vehicle travel times due to road conditions, incidents, or adverse weather. We adopt a mean variance approach that can consider the covariance of travel time between links in a space–time graph but still lead to a robust transit network loading procedure when optimal strategies are adopted. The proposed model is formulated as a user equilibrium problem and solved by an MSA-type algorithm. Numerical results are reported to show the effects of supply uncertainties on the travel strategies and departure times of passengers.