Simulation for the Impacts of Speed Bumps on Traffic Flow Considering Driving Behaviors’ Diversity

Speed bumps are extensively used to regulate speed and improve traffic safety. Speed bumps can also affect traffic characteristics significantly. Aiming to explore the impact of speed bumps on traffic flow, the authors propose a simulating method with improved cellular automata model based on the NaSch model. The developed model incorporates the aspects of three diverse driving behaviors: (1) type of drivers (cautious or rash), (2) decelerating range, and (3) passing speed. Numerical results show that traffic flow state experience phase transitions from free flow to stable flow to traffic jams due to the installation of speed bumps. During the stable flow, a speed bump can cause small-scale traffic jams in the upstream. The influence of speed bumps enlarges significantly as cautious drivers increase and the passing speed declines, but the expansion of decelerating range has a less significant effect. The results hope to enlighten sensible applications of speed bumps.