Stochastic optimal-control approach to automatic incident-responsive coordinated ramp control

Abstract

This paper presents a stochastic optimal-control-based approach to real-time incident-responsive coordinated ramp control. The proposed coordinated ramp-control methodology includes two major functions, i.e., 1) identification of control-zone-based congestion patterns using the modified generalized-sequential-probability-ratio-testing technology and 2) group-based ramp control using stochastic optimal control coupled with extended Kalman filtering technologies. With the aid of the Paramics microscopic traffic simulator, numerical studies under various simulated incident-induced congestion conditions were conducted. Corresponding numerical results indicate the feasibility of the proposed ramp-control method in responding to diverse lane-blocking incident-induced traffic-congestion conditions.