The departure characteristics of traffic flow at the signalized intersection

Abstract

The motion characteristics of the leading vehicle and the following vehicles of the traffic flow at the typical urban intersections are qualitatively analyzed through the kinematical equation and the traffic wave theory. Then, the motion characteristic of the whole traffic flow during the dispersion process is also studied. Based on the spatiotemporal model of kinematics in the departure process and traffic wave model in the dispersion process proposed, the change of the leading vehicle of the departure process and the time of the following vehicles reaching to the stable speed as well as the relationship between the green time and the departure vehicle number at the intersection are acquired. Furthermore, according to the qualitative analysis and the quantitative calculation of the departure traffic flow at the signalized intersection, the dispersion characteristic of traffic flow at the signalized intersection was studied and analyzed, which provides reliable theoretical basis for traffic signal setting at the intersection. © 2013 Zhaowei Qu et al.