The use of simulation modelling in the design of a road transport incident detection algorithm

Automatic incident detection is becoming one of the core tools of urban traffic management, enabling rapid responses to developing congestion. Existing incident detection systems however can be hard to calibrate and require the system to be operational before the process can begin. This paper reports on the development of a new incident detection system ('RAID'), with the facility to use simulation modelling as an integral part of the calibration process. A commercial traffic simulation model was augmented with additional code developed to mimic the data and messages produced by a real urban traffic control system. These messages could then be fed directly into an offline version of the developed detection algorithms. This approach allows the network managers to both visualise the system in operation and assess the impact of changing rule settings or traffic detector placements without the need for any on-street infrastructure to be installed