Adaptive Control Software: Research that Is Essential, Indispensable, and Connected to Our Customers

Details

• Corporate Creators:
  Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Advanced traffic management systems
  • Adaptive control
  • Traffic signal control systems
  • Real time control
  • Computer algorithms
• Publication/ Report Number:
  HRTS-04-037
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration 
• Abstract:
  In 1992, researchers at FHWA?s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center began a 10-year research effort to develop Adaptive Control Software (ACS). The goal of this effort was to study and apply traffic control systems that operate in real time, adjusting signal timing to accommodate changing traffic patterns. Unlike their predecessors, these adaptive systems are not based on a fixed cycle length; they can adjust the split, offset, cycle lengths, and phase order of the control signal. ACS uses sensors to interpret characteristics of traffic approaching a traffic signal, and using mathematical and predictive algorithms, adapts the signal timings accordingly, optimizing their performance. Results from laboratory simulation testing demonstrated that, compared to optimized signal timing plans, the adaptive control algorithms can decrease travel time and improve traffic volume handling by approximately 3-7 percent. Although there are significant costs associated with deploying ACS, these systems are updated continually as they adapt to real time traffic conditions and require less maintenance than optimized signal timing plans.
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/41049/dot_41049_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 216.04 KB]
• Collection(s):
  Federal Highway Administration
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ca1159e38da3c1581754f566cb42b139ee85969ce0a8b4b111e0d43e8690c629084b7aade9164fe38f89c0e720d8cec8bcf528ddc9cf93c60b655cfc6386b4bf