Computational Methods for Calculating Multimodal Multiclass Traffic Network Equilibrium: Simulation Benchmark on a Large-Scale Test Case

Abstract

This study reviews existing computational methods to calculate simulation-based dynamic network equilibrium. We consider a trip-based multimodal approach for the dynamic network loading. Mode and path choices are carried out at the same level; therefore, travel times depend on the travel path and the mode attributes of travelers. This study develops a multiclass model with several parameters per class. Two different categories of algorithms (heuristic and metaheuristic) are considered in order to solve the discrete dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) problem. Finally, we analyze the equilibrium in a large-scale multimodal DTA test case (Lyon 6th + Villeurbanne) in order to investigate the performance of different optimization approaches to solve trip-based DTA. The results show that, in a multimodal and heterogeneous setting, the metaheuristic methods provide better solutions than the heuristic methods in terms of optimality and computation time. These improvements are even more significant than in a homogeneous setting.