In this paper, an innovative real time coordinated ramp metering based on combined feedback linearization and model predictive control (FLMPC) is implemented and evaluated in a microscopic simulation. The controller employs METANET as a macroscopic traffic flow model to predict the future states of traffic flow. Then, a linear model predictive control (MPC) is designed based on the feedback linearized representation of the METANET model to provide coordinated ramp metering. With the Antwerp, Belgium, ring road as a case study, the controller is applied in a microscopic simulation. This paper presents how this connection was made and used to implement ramp metering in a microscopic simulation. In highway systems, the controllers may create sharp fluctuations in ramp metering signals. Therefore, this paper investigates an improved FLMPC approach to tackle this drawback and evaluates its effectiveness via the microsimulation of the Antwerp, Belgium, ring road. Analyzing the simulation results reveals that FLMPC can generate substantial reductions in congestion, with a small computational cost that enables real time implementation. In addition, the effectiveness of the controller in smoothing the control signals is demonstrated without increasing the delay experienced by drivers or causing excessively long computational time.
Chuka et al. (Thu,) studied this question.