Decentralized store-and-forward based strategies for the signal control problem in large-scale congested urban road networks. (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pedroso, Leonardo; Batista, Pedro
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 132(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: Decentralized control -- Quadratic optimal control -- Traffic signal control -- Store-and-forward model -- Traffic congestion; Transportation -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; 388.011
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trc.2021.103412
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0968-090X

Abstract

Abstract: Signal control strategies for congested urban road networks designed in a centralized framework require many communication links, serious processing power, and infrastructure for the centralized coordination. As a result, strategies based on a centralized framework are not scalable. The use of decentralized signal control strategies for large-scale urban traffic networks is a solution to this problem, since it allows for the implementation of such strategies on networks whose centralized solution is not easily scalable. This paper addresses the problem of designing a decentralized traffic-responsive signal control solution, proposing two methods based on different formulations of the store-and-forward model: (i) the Decentralized Traffic-responsive Urban Control (DTUC) method; and (ii) the Decentralized Decoupled Traffic-responsive Urban Control (D2TUC). The decentralized configuration is such that each intersection is associated with one computational unit, with limited computational power and memory, which controls the traffic signals of the incoming links. Sufficient conditions for the controllability of the considered store-and-forward models are also presented. Both methods are validated resorting to numerical simulations of the urban traffic network of Chania, Greece, for two demand scenarios, and their performance is compared with the performance of the Traffic-responsive Urban Control (TUC) centralized strategy. One of the proposed decentralized methods, D2TUC, is shown to match the performance of TUC. Highlights: Design of decentralized signal control solutions based on the store-and-forward model. Sufficient controllability conditions for the store-and-forward model are presented. Two decentralized solutions are synthesized considering the network globally. Validation resorting to numerical simulations of the traffic network of Chania. One of the proposed decentralized solutions, D2TUC, matches the performance of TUC.