Signal Setting Optimisation with Route Choice Behaviour and Acyclic Profiles of Vehicular Flows in Road Networks

Traffic signal setting is an important element in traffic control and in the management of urban road networks both in ordinary conditions (ex. recurrent traffic congestion) and/or in emergency conditions (ex. non-recurrent traffic congestion caused by unexpected events). The paper presents models and procedures for signal setting optimisation of signalised junctions in a congested road network. Two interacting procedures are developed to solve the system of models: • an optimisation procedure, based on a genetic algorithm, to obtain an optimal configuration of signal setting parameters and • a simulation procedure, incorporating a path choice model with explicit path enumeration and a flow propagation model, to capture effects of signal setting configuration on user path choice behaviour. The main research contributions of this work are related to: (i) the modelling of path choice behaviour in a dynamic context with vehicular flow propagation of on link and spill-back; (ii) the optimisation procedure of signal setting parameters. The system of models and procedures has been applied and validated on a real experimental test site, where the transport system is in dynamic conditions due to time-varying road network and travel demand