A Moving Mesh Finite Volume Solver for Macroscopic Traffic Flow Models

Abstract

This report presents the research done as graduation project for Computational Science at the Department of Mathematics of Utrecht University. The research was conducted within the project "Modelling of traffic flow and driver behaviour in congestion for the analysis of Automated Driver Assistance Systems", which is part of a joint research program of the Netherlands TRAIL Research School and the Dutch Organization of Applied Science TNO. One of the main research interests in this project is to develop insight into the mechanisms of individual and collective driving behaviour in congested conditions. The research presented in this report consists of three parts. The report presents an introduction to traffic flow models, especially macroscopic formulations as nonlinear systems of Partial Differential Equations. A moving mesh finite volume solver for PDE systems of this kind is studied, implemented and investigated. For one specific model, traffic flow simulations are performed in various scenarios.