A Critical Analysis of Multi-Regime Fundamental Equations

Aims/ Objectives: Multi-regime fundamental models use two or more equations to describe the association among the main maroscopic traffic variables encountered in traffic analysis. The paper investigates specific properties of some multi-phase speed-density equations.

Methodology: It first compares the characteristics of each of these equations by solving the nonlinear continuity traffic equation.

Results: It was observed that predicting vehicular trajectories with these model equations could lead to misinformation. The kinematic wave and stable shockwave properties of these models were also ascertained.

Conclusion: Based on the results, it was concluded that it would be more cumbersome to explain nonlinear traffic characteristics when these two and three regime models are adopted.