Traffic events oriented dynamic traffic assignment model for expressway network: a network flow approach

In this paper, we focus on the dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) problem on large-scale expressway networks especially under the condition of traffic events (such as severe weather, large traffic accidents etc.). We formulate the expressway network DTA problem as a nonconvex optimization problem. Considering the difficulty of solving the problem, we put forward an approximate solution algorithm based on the network flow theory with high computational efficiency and strong applicability. Specifically, a machine learning approach and a series of customization strategies of network flow model (including multi-origin and multi-destination split, flow discretization and parallel edges addition methods) are proposed to transform the DTA problem into a resoluble network flow problem. After that, in order to improve the operational efficiency of an expressway network after traffic events occurring, the proposed network flow based two-layer DTA model (NTDM) is separated into two parts-traffic flow limitation model based on maximum flow algorithm and traffic assignment model based on minimum cost flow algorithm. Experiments on real expressway network data in some provinces of China show that our method can make a significant 26.03% reduction in saturation rate in a particular scenario. In efficiency test, the NTDM is at least 600 times faster than the traditional analytic method in a network with thousands of nodes.