Gap time and stochastic wave propagation

Abstract

Congested traffic shows very complicated stochastic features such as irregular transition of flow-density relations and the growth/decay of perturbations. In this paper, gap time is identified as a primary random variable in congested traffic and the wave speed is determined according to the relative difference between gap time and driver's reaction time. The growth or decay of perturbations are explained in accordance with the random transition of observation points in the fundamental diagram.