Fuzzy expert system for adaptive vessel traffic control on one-way section on navigable canal

Abstract

This paper analyses the management process of the vessel traffic control on one-way section on navigable canal with the adaptive time-sequential filter (traffic lights). One-way section on canal significantly decreases waterway capacity and requests special attention in control and regulation of the vessel traffic. The vessel traffic is a stochastic variable, and the vessel traffic control needs to be flexible and adaptive in order to achieve the required traffic flow with minimal delays. On the one-way section, two independent variable vessel flows from opposite directions are encountered, and fixed (predefined) signal plans lead to an increase in vessel delays. An appropriate solution is development of a Fuzzy Control System (FCS) for the vessel traffic control. A control algorithm is designed according to a set of linguistic rules that describes input parameters for the control strategy. The estimated and approximate input parameters are implemented in the algorithm as fuzzy sets. The final result of the developed algorithm is the traffic light scheme (duration of green light for certain direction). The presented control system can be used as an adaptive automatic control system for the vessel traffic control processes on navigable canals or on critical sections of other waterways.