Traffic flow prediction in urban area using inverse approach of chaos theory

Abstract

Traffic congestions problem could affect everyday life especially in urban area. In order to solve the issue, an excellent traffic flow prediction needs to be developed for a better traffic management. Hence, this study was conducted in order to predict traffic flow by using the data of total volume of vehicles per hour at two main roads located in urban areas namely Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by using application of chaos theory. Phase space reconstruction was used to determine the chaotic behaviour of the total volume of vehicles per hour data. The reconstruction of phase space involves a single variable of the total volume of vehicles per hour data to m-dimensional phase space. Meanwhile, the inverse approach as well as local linear approximation method was used to develop prediction model of the traffic flow time series data. This study found that (i) the time series data were chaotic behaviour based on the phase space plot and (ii) inverse approach can provide prediction on the traffic flow time series data besides give excellent prediction with the value of correlation coefficient more than 0.7500. Hence, inverse approach of chaos theory can develop to prediction model towards the traffic flow in urban area; thus may help the local authorities to provide good traffic management.