Flow profile comparison of a microscopic car-following model and a macroscopic platoon dispersion model for traffic simulation

A comparison of the underlying models of traffic flow in a US Federal Highway Administration microscopic traffic simulation program and macroscopic traffic signal optimization program was conducted. The original objective was the parameter calibration of a macroscopic platoon dispersion flow model of a simulated group of vehicles discharging from a traffic-signal-controlled intersection approach. The basis for the calibration was to be the observed platoon dispersion flow resulting from the microscopic simulation of individual vehicles departing from a similarly modeled traffic-signal-controlled intersection approach. In generating the data needed for such a calibration and subsequent comparison, a deficiency in the microscopic traffic simulation program was found that needs to be eliminated before such a calibration can be deemed beneficial