Perturbation analysis and sample-path optimization: stochastic flow models of urban traffic networks case

Coordination of traffic streams in an urban network, controllable by switching traffic lights, requires a global macroscopic model of the evolution of the flows of vehicle. We propose the use fluid petri nets as modeling tools. For the design of on-line controllers for traffic lights we study the network-wide effects of different local perturbations of the traffic light switching times via fast simulation. The infinitesimal perturbation analysis can under certain conditions lead to optimal closed loop performance