Traffic flow models have been applied to the study of pollution and to traffic management. The numerical implementation of the related physical models is a wide subject of study with far reached applications.
Our study is done by means of a second order model for traffic flow with which we can derive the average speed and acceleration of vehicles along a street. The model will be further applied to study the production of pollution. The aim is to exploit the speed and the acceleration of vehicles to estimate the production of NO_x, in particular that of NO_2, which are responsible for the increase of the ozone.
Traffic flow models are nowadays used to help the traffic management. In particular, the aim is the construction of a new second order model for traffic flow with two populations (for examples cars and trucks). In particular we are interested in simulating the creeping phenomenon, that is a traffic condition in which one of the two populations is congested while the other one is able to move, even if it is influenced by the congestion of the first population. Such a model, can be used to simulate different scenarios, based on the real condition of traffic, and to make the best decision to intervene and solve any problem.
The main objective of the project is to build a model that can be used to make traffic forecasts, which would be a great innovation in this field of research. More precisely, the forecasts concern both pollution and traffic management. Indeed, one of the purposes of the project is the construction of a model that can be used to control the diffusion of pollutants in the air and decide the best strategies to reduce their levels. In particular, the study refers to NO_x, which are particularly interesting in this moment for the production of the ozone.
As regards the traffic management model, the innovation is given by the use of a second order model for two populations, which allows to better simulate the daily realities of highway traffic. With a well calibrated model it will be possible to concretely help traffic management.