A simulation optimization method for design and control of signalized intersections in urban areas

The signalized intersections play a significant role in road network management. Bad traffic light control system results in more waste time the drivers spend on waiting and other negative influences like gaseous pollutant emission, more fuel usage, further deteriorating the environment and lowering the overall living standard. However, traditional analytical techniques are difficult to be applied to traffic lights due to its randomness, complexity and nonlinearity. Thus, simulation could be instrumental in designing and controlling signalized intersections and analyzing various situations by evaluating postulated “what-if” scenarios. This paper first utilized the AHP (analytic hierarchy process) method to determine the weights of evaluation indicators of traffic lights, and then applied simulation modelling (Simphony) to optimize the signalized intersection for the objectives of efficient design and control. Then, some comparisons of different lane designs were made to give some suggestions to road construction. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the methodology.

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