Exploring CAV-Based Traffic Control for Improving Traffic Conditions in the Face of Bottlenecks

Suyash C. Vishnoi, Junyi Ji, MirSaleh Bahavarnia, Yuhang Zhang, Ahmad F. Taha, Christian G. Claudel, Daniel B. Work

Abstract: This work investigates traffic control via controlled connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) using novel controllers derived from the linear-quadratic regulator (LQR) theory. CAV-platoons are modeled as moving bottlenecks impacting the surrounding traffic with their speeds as control inputs. An iterative controller algorithm based on the LQR theory is proposed along with a variant that allows for penalizing abrupt changes in platoon speeds. The controllers use the Lighthill-Whitham-Richards (LWR) model implemented using an extended cell transmission model (CTM) which considers the capacity drop phenomenon for a realistic representation of traffic in congestion. The effectiveness of the proposed traffic control algorithms is tested using a traffic control example and compared with existing proportional-integral (PI)- and model predictive control (MPC)- based controllers from the literature. A case study using the TransModeler traffic microsimulation software is conducted to test the usability of the proposed controller in a realistic setting. It is observed that the proposed controller works well in both settings to mitigate the impact of the jam caused by a fixed bottleneck. The computation time required by the controller is also small making it suitable for real-time control.