Verification process and its application to network traffic simulation models

Abstract

This paper summarizes a standardized verification process for network traffic simulation models. After the general introduction of philosophy of verification, we explain detailed processes of the verification and its application to several well-known simulation models. "Verification" here means several examination tests of simulation models using virtual data on a simple network so as to confirm their fundamental functions. In the course of model development, the developers have to examine whether the model performance is consistent with the specifications that they intend and also with the well-authorized traffic engineering theory. Because of several constraints in putting the model specifications into the computer programming such as discretizing of time and space and simplifying vehicle behaviors to some degree, the intended model specifications may not be fully achieved in a computer. Therefore, we strongly recommend the verification before applying the models to a real network.