www.ptvamerica.com traffic signal control and simulation karen giese, vice president product...

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Traffic Signal Control and SimulationKaren Giese, Vice President Product Management, PTV AmericaAndrew Bratlien, Associate, PTV AmericaMiranda Wells, DKS Associates

Oregon Microsimulation RoundtableMarch 2012

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

Agenda

Introduction to VISSIM Simulation> What is VISSIM?> Why Simulation?

Simulation Signal Control> Range of Options> Standard Internal Control> Hardware-in-the-Loop> Software-in-the-Loop> External Custom Programs

Software-in-the-Loop Applications> What is it?> Why use it?> What is available?

Software-in-the-Loop Examples> McCain BiTrans> Econolite ASC/3> D4

Discussion and Demonstrations2

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation 3

PTV Vision

VISUM> Strategic Planning Platform

TRAFFIX> Intersection Capacity Analysis

VISSIM> Microscopic Traffic & Transit Simulator

PTV Vision is a fully integrated suite of transportation planning/travel demand modeling and traffic simulation for all modes of transportation.

PTV Vision incorporates macro, meso, and microscopic levels analyses dynamically over time.

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation4

What is VISSIM?

Microscopic transit/traffic simulation consisting of> Traffic flow model which moves and tracks each vehicle> Signal control model

User-friendly graphical interface (GUI)> Graphical network editor for data input of road network, transit lines, routes,

volumes, detectors, signals, etc.> Definition of user-specific vehicle types (passenger cars, HOV-cars, trucks,

buses, articulated buses, trams, LRT-vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians etc.)> Definition of user specific driving behavior to override default values

Decision support system> On-line visualization of traffic operation in 2D and 3D> Measures of effectiveness like delay, queue length, travel times, mean speed,

emissions etc

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation5

What is VISSIM?

Microscopic transit/traffic simulation consisting of> Traffic flow model which moves and tracks each vehicle> Signal control model

User-friendly graphical interface (GUI)> Graphical network editor for data input of road network, transit lines, routes,

volumes, detectors, signals, etc.> Definition of user-specific vehicle types (passenger cars, HOV-cars, trucks,

buses, articulated buses, trams, LRT-vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians etc.)> Definition of user specific driving behavior to override default values

Decision support system> On-line visualization of traffic operation in 2D and 3D> Measures of effectiveness like delay, queue length, travel times, mean speed,

emissions etc

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation6

Core Building Blocks of VISSIM

Four core building blocks in VISSIM

> Network representing the physical infrastructure for roadway and tracks

> Traffic representing the vehicular movements on the network

> Control representing how traffic behaves in case of conflicting movements

> Output generating results from simulation runs

CONTROL Unsignalize

d Signals

TRAFFIC Vehicles Behavior Routing

Network Geometry Transit

Output Animation MOE´s

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

Why Simulation?

Accurately Measure Impacts of Dynamic Conditions

> Transit Signal Priority

> Preemption

> Ramp Metering

> ITS – Variable Message Signs, Traveler Information

Measure Design Limitations

> Spillback Effects

> Inadequate Storage Lengths for Peak Period

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© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

Why Simulation?

Understand System Integration/Transitions

> Freeway ↔ Arterial

> Transit↔ Private Transport

Advanced Problems

> Curbside Modeling

> Dynamic Traffic Assignment

> Lane Management Strategy (Toll Pricing, HOV/HOT Lanes)

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© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

Simulation Signal Control

Provides traffic control for vehicles

Emulate or directly implement specific controller functionality

???

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© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

VISSIM Signal Control Options

Rules of the Road

Signal Controllers

Ring Barrier Controller (RBC)

VAP

Fixed Time Controller (VISSIG)

Hardware-in-the-Loop

Software-in-the-Loop

External Signal API

Rules of the Road

Special Applications

Transit Signal Priority

Railroad Preemption

Adaptive Signal Control

Rules of the Road

General Applications

Fixed Time Control

Actuated Control

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© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

VISSIM Standard Control: Ring-Barrier Controller (RBC)

Embedded RBC GUI facilitates entering of signal timing data

NTCIP 1202 Compliant

Extensive Functionality

> Multiple Rings & Barriers

> Free-running and 8 Timing Patterns

> Overlaps / Negative Overlaps

> Railroad Preemption> Transit Signal Priority> Advanced Timing and

Detection Parameters11

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

VISSIM Standard Control: Ring-Barrier Controller (RBC)

Transit Priority Settings

> Alternating Sequence

> Transit Phases> Vehicle Omits> Pedestrian Omits> Priority Modes

(Early / Extend)> Priority Min Green> Recovery Min

Green> Priority

Progression> Check-in / Check-

out12

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

VISSIM Standard Control: Ring-Barrier Controller (RBC)

Applications> Standard signal control operations> ???> When you can use it

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© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

Moving Beyond the Standard Control

Public agencies have preferred signal controller vendors with specific hardware / software solutions

Actual controller logic can model true signal controller behavior

> Required for controller-specific behavior> Capture true operations of advanced / special features

Options in VISSIM> VAP Custom Program> External Signal Control API> Hardware-in-the-Loop> Software-in-the-Loop

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© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

External Custom Programs

VAP> VISSIM Internal Programming Language> Write Custom Signal Control Logic> ???

External Signal Control API> Develop Custom Program> Compiled Program Ties to VISSIM Through API> ???

Application> Emulate functions not available in RBC> More closely represent specialized functions (e.g., transit signal

priority)> ???

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© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

Hardware-in-the-Loop

Controller Logic Directly Integrated into VISSIM

Connected through Controller Interface Device

No “Emulation”

Requires Hardware

INSERT PHOTO OF CONTROLLER / CID

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© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

Software-in-the-Loop (SIL)

What is SIL?> Replaces hardware-in-the-loop> Same logic as firmware > Virtual time clock and calendar> Timing parameter database exchange with

field controllers > Commercial signal control firmware interfaces

directly with VISSIM’s Signal Controller API

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© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

Software-in-the-Loop (SIL)

Why Use it?> Integrate Controller Logic Directly into VISSIM> Remove “Emulation” Errors / Bias

> Capture True Operations of Advanced / Special Features> Accurately Model Controller-Specific Logic

> Remove Hardware Requirement> Faster than Real Time> Synchronization

What’s Available?> BiTrans (McCain)> D4 Controller (Fourth Dimension)> ASC/3 (Econolite)> SCATS?

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© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation

Fourth Dimension D4 Controller

Key Features

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Econolite ASC/3 Controller

Key Features> 16 Phases/16 Overlaps> 16 Ped Phases/16 Ped Overlaps> 4 Rings> 64 Detectors> Phase Compatibility Matrix> Logic Processors – Emulate External Logic/PLC> Coordination/Preempt> NTCIP 1202 Compliance

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation21

ASC/3 SIL Controller – Database Editor

> icons™> .db is transferred

between VISSIM and ASC/3 controller (hardware) via NTCIP Database Manager

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation22

ASC/3 SIL Controller – Front Panel Display

> ASC/3 Menu Structure> Online Controller Status> Detector Status> Real-time Database Update

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation23

ASC/3 SIL Controller – Logic Processing

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation24

ASC/3 SIL Controller – I/O Mapping

© PTV America 2012 PTV America, Inc. – Traffic Signal Control and Simulation25

Questions and Discussion

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