Traffic patterns induced by the merging of two moving car platoons with different densities

摘要

In this paper, we investigate a common traffic phenomenon-the merging of a platoon of moving cars at one density into another platoon moving at a different density. A new macroscopic model, the 'speed gradient (SG) model,' is used in the simulations. It is shown that different traffic patterns appear according to different upstream and downstream densities. Generally, these patterns can be classified into stable traffic and unstable traffic. The transition from unstable pattern to stable pattern is discussed in detail. [References: 32]