Bifurcation control and analysis of traffic flow model based on driver prediction effect

Area of Science:

• Traffic flow dynamics
• Control theory
• Nonlinear systems analysis

Background:

• Driver attributes significantly influence driving behavior and ideal speeds.
• Short-term car-following regularity is poor, posing challenges for prediction.
• Existing traffic flow models often neglect individual driver behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a nonuniform continuous traffic flow model that incorporates driver attributes and control theory.
• To analyze traffic system stability using bifurcation theory, focusing on stability mutations at bifurcation points.
• To design feedback controllers for managing bifurcation behavior and mitigating traffic congestion.

Main Methods:

• Wavelet analysis to assess car-following regularity.
• Development of a nonuniform continuous traffic flow model with driver-specific expected headway.
• Application of bifurcation theory, including linear and nonlinear analysis, to study stability.
• Introduction of random functions and design of linear/nonlinear random feedback controllers.
• Theoretical proof of Hopf bifurcation conditions and analysis of stability mutations.
• Experimental numerical simulations to verify theoretical results.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in ideal driving speeds based on driver attributes were identified.
• The proposed model successfully incorporates driver behavior and control theory for stability analysis.
• Hopf bifurcation conditions and types were theoretically established.
• Feedback controllers were shown to effectively delay or eliminate Hopf bifurcation and control limit cycle amplitudes.
• Numerical simulations validated the theoretical findings regarding congestion mitigation.

Conclusions:

• Driver attributes are crucial factors in traffic flow dynamics.
• The developed traffic flow model provides a robust framework for analyzing traffic stability.
• Feedback control strategies can effectively manage traffic system stability and alleviate congestion.
• Adjusting controller parameters offers a method to prevent or reduce traffic jams.