Self-organized traffic flows: a sequential conflict resolution approach

Abstract

This thesis discusses the effect of sequential conflict resolution maneuvers of a continuous flow of agents through a finite control volume. Video analysis of real world traffic flows that exhibit self-organized capabilities is conducted to extract characteristics of those agents. A tool is created which stabilizes the input video and extracts motion from it using the background subtraction method. I discuss the tool in detail as I created it to be user friendly and easily modifiable for other uses. The aim of the video analysis I conduct is to determine characteristics of agents in self-organized traffic flow. Comparisons are made with agents under sequential conflict resolution schemes and those that exhibit these self-organized capabilities to determine if agents under sequential control can approach the behaviors of those in self-organized environment. Flow geometries are studied and generalized with the goal of determining stability characteristics of arbitrary flow geometries. Stability analysis includes analytical proof of bounds on the conflict resolution maneuvers.