AMOC: A Generic Tool for Integrated Control
of Motorway Traffic Networks

A. Kotsialos, M. Papageorgiou, and A. Messmer

DACCORD Workshop on Advanced Motorway Traffic Control, Lancaster University,
United Kingdom, December 11, 1998, pp. 34-45.

Abstract

The problem of designing integrated traffic control strategies for motorway networks with the use of ramp metering and route guidance control measures is considered. A generic problem formulation is presented in the format of a discrete­time optimal control problem whose nu­ merical solution is achieved by use of a feasible­direction method. A generic software tool is used for the determination of the optimal coordinated and integrated control strategies. The software tool is called AMOC (Advanced Motorway Optimal Control) and is based on the macroscopic modelling tool METANET developed in the past. As an illustrative example, a relatively simple motorway network is considered under different control scenarios. In each case the optimal control strategy is discussed along with its effect on the traffic flow process. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach as well as the genuinely intelligent behaviour of the designed control strategy.