Modeling traffic flow interrupted by incidents

• Published in: European journal of operational research Vol. 195; no. 1; pp. 127 - 138
• Main Authors: Baykal-Gürsoy, M., Xiao, W., Ozbay, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 16.05.2009; Elsevier; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Series: European Journal of Operational Research
• Subjects: Applied probability; Applied probability Queueing Markov modulated; Applied sciences; Approximation; Computer simulation; Exact sciences and technology; Ground, air and sea transportation, marine construction; Markov modulated; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Queueing; Queuing theory; Queuing theory. Traffic theory; Road transportation and traffic; Studies; Traffic flow; Validity; Queueing; Applied probability; Markov modulated; Markov process; Travel time; Interruption; Probabilistic approach; Transit time; Rupture; Failures; Modeling; Steady state; Stationary condition; Exact solution; Computation time; Queueing system; Time average; Traffic management; Batch process; Batch production; Street; Queue
• ISSN: 0377-2217; 1872-6860
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2008.01.024

A steady-state M/M/ c queueing system under batch service interruptions is introduced to model the traffic flow on a roadway link subject to incidents. When a traffic incident happens, either all lanes or part of a lane is closed to the traffic. As such, we model these interruptions either as complete service disruptions where none of the servers work or partial failures where servers work at a reduced service rate. We analyze this system in steady-state and present a scheme to obtain the stationary number of vehicles on a link. For those links with large c values, the closed-form solution of M/M/∞ queues under batch service interruptions can be used as an approximation. We present simulation results that show the validity of the queueing models in the computation of average travel times.