transportdynamikk

Transportdynamikk is the study of the motion and interaction of travelers, vehicles and goods within transportation networks. It covers how demand, network structure, vehicle dynamics, and external conditions produce patterns such as congestion, flow, and reliability. The field sits at the intersection of civil engineering, operations research, urban planning and transportation economics.

Modeling approaches range from macroscopic, which describe traffic as a continuous flow using variables such as density and speed, to microscopic, which simulate individual vehicles and driver behavior. Examples include the Lighthill-Whitham-Richards model, the fundamental diagram, car-following models such as the Intelligent Driver Model, and cellular automata approaches.

Network performance analysis uses traffic assignment and network optimization, with concepts such as Wardrop equilibrium and the Braess paradox, to understand how travelers choose routes and how network design affects congestion.

Data and tools include sensors (loop detectors, cameras, GPS), origin-destination estimation, and simulation platforms such as SUMO, VISSIM, and AIMSUN.

Applications cover urban planning, traffic management and policy evaluation, design of infrastructure, and the development of autonomous and connected vehicles, with aims of increasing efficiency, safety and environmental sustainability.