Influence of working vehicles on traffic operation in regional road networks based on microscopic traffic simulation

Abstract

With the development of urban transportation, more and more working vehicles appear on the road network for maintenance, cleaning, dust suppression etc. However, working vehicle would produce the negative effects to the regional road network when providing a safety and comfortable environment to drivers. Therefore, this paper would conduct the research about the influence of working vehicle on region road network by using microscopic simulation. An influence analysis model based on microscopic simulation will be introduced which contains Paramics Modeler Module and Data Analysis Module. This study focus on the research that how the different working strategy of working vehicle (travel speed, travel lane and working start-time) give an effect on the whole delay of vehicles on the region road network and road safety under the given operation path through importing the control plug-ins of working strategy, which developed with the Application Program Interface (API) in Paramics. The research shows that the influence caused by working vehicle is related to the traffic volume on region road network during the working time. Moreover, the influence on the aspects of the whole delay and links’ safety is different when working vehicle implements the task with different working strategy. Higher speed on the first lane or lower speed on the second lane would produce a big influence on region road network, which is especially obvious in early peak or latter peak. The paper would illustrate the mechanism of the action between working strategy and the influence caused by the working vehicle. Besides, the result of this research will help to formulate a better working plan in reducing the negative effects of working vehicle on road network.