On the use of traffic flows for improved transportation systems : Mathematical modeling and applications

This thesis concerns the mathematical modeling of transportation systems for improved decision support and analysis of transportation-related problems. The main purpose of this thesis is to develop and evaluate models and methods that exploit link flows. Link flows are straightforward to obtain by measurements or estimation methods and are commonly used to describe the traffic state. The models and methods used in this thesis apply mathematical optimization techniques, computer simulations, and probabilistic methods to gain insights into the transportation network under study and provide benefits for both traffic managers and road users. First, we present an optimization model for allocating charging stations in a transportation network to serve owners of electric vehicles. The model utilizes a probabilistic route selection process to detect locations through which vehicles may pass. It also considers the limited driving range of electric vehicles. The iterative solution procedure finds the minimal number of minimal charging stations and their locations, which provides a lower bound of charging stations to cover each of the considered routes. Second, we present a case study, in which we argue that stationary and mobile measurement devices possess complementary characteristics. In that study, we investigate how speed cameras and probe vehicles can be used in conjunction with each other for the collection of detailed traffic data. The results show that the share of successfully observed and identified vehicles can be significantly improved by using both stationary and mobile measurement devices. Third, we present a simulation model with the intent of finding the most probable underlying routes based on hourly link flows. The model utilizes Dijkstra's algorithm to find the shortest paths and uses a straightforward statistical test procedure to find the most significant routes in the network based on replicated movements of trucks. Finally, we investigate the possibility to study how the traffic flow in one location reflects the flows in the surrounding area. The statistical basis of the proposed model is built upon measured link flows to study the dispersion of aggregate traffic flows in nodes. By considering the alternative ways vehicles can travel between locations, the model is able to determine the expected link flow that originates from a node in a nearby region. The results of the thesis show that the link flows, which are basic descriptors of the road segments in a transportation network, can be used to study a broad range of problems in transportation