Microscopic simulation analysis of mainstream traffic flow control with variable speed limitsMicroscopic simulation analysis of mainstream traffic flow control with variable speed limits Πλήρης Δημοσίευση σε Συνέδριο Conference Full Paper 2014-10-122013enMainstream Traffic Flow Control (MTFC) with Variable Speed Limits (VSL) is a freeway traffic control method which aims to maximize throughput by regulating the mainstream flow upstream from a bottleneck. Recent studies in a macroscopic simulator have shown optimal and feedback MTFC potential to improve traffic conditions. In this paper, local feedback MTFC is applied in microscopic simulation for an on-ramp merge bottleneck. Traffic behavior reveals important aspects that had not been previously captured in macroscopic simulation. Mainly, the more realistic VSL application at specific points instead of along an entire freeway section produces a slower traffic response to speed limit changes. In addition, the nonlinear speed limit-flow relation observed in the microscopic model is more pronounced than what was observed at the macroscopic level. After appropriate modifications in the control law significant improvements in traffic conditions were obtained.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013) / ERC Grant Agreement n. 321132, project TRAMAN21.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/998-100316th International IEEE Annual Conference on Intelligent Transportation SystemsProceedings of the 16th International IEEE Annual Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC 2013)Muller_et_al_16th_IEEE_ITSC_2013_manuscript.pdfChania [Greece]Library of TUC2014-10-12application/pdf373.2 kBfree Müller Eduardo R. Carlson Rodrigo Castelan Kraus Werner Jr. Papageorgiou Markos Παπαγεωργιου Μαρκος Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Traffic incident management traffic congestion management traffic incident management Variable speed limits