Micro-Driving Behavior Analysis of Drivers in Congested and Conflict Environments Using Graph Theory

Many traffic conflicts on the roads are caused by a small proportion of drivers. Currently, there are few studies exploring the time-varying patterns of driving behavior among these drivers. This paper proposes a generic time-series analytical framework and uses it to analyze the driving behavior pa...

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Main Authors: Rongjun Cheng, Xudong An, Weiqi Fan, Dan Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/6/491
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author Rongjun Cheng
Xudong An
Weiqi Fan
Dan Zhao
author_facet Rongjun Cheng
Xudong An
Weiqi Fan
Dan Zhao
author_sort Rongjun Cheng
collection DOAJ
description Many traffic conflicts on the roads are caused by a small proportion of drivers. Currently, there are few studies exploring the time-varying patterns of driving behavior among these drivers. This paper proposes a generic time-series analytical framework and uses it to analyze the driving behavior patterns of many high-risk drivers, which provides a theoretical and targeted basis for vehicle warning systems. Specifically, the natural trajectory time-series data in the rear-end conflict process from congested highway sections were first obtained. Secondly, K-medoid clustering was utilized to obtain the quantitative driving behavior sequence from the trajectory. Thirdly, the driving behavior sequence was transformed into a graph structure by the co-occurrence matrix. Graph theory and Markov theory were used to analyze the obtained graph to achieve the goal of analyzing the time-varying patterns of driving behavior. The analysis found that the driving behavior transition graph network of high-risk drivers on congested highway sections does not exhibit the small-world property and this suggests that during the conflict process, the driver is unable to quickly transition between states. Additionally, vehicles consistently evolve into a rear-end conflict state along a fixed driving behavior transition route, which indicates that the causes of conflicts in congested road sections are similar. Finally, the state change of the conflict process follows the Markov property, proving that the state during the conflict process can be predicted and controlled.
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spelling doaj-art-7d0f6207c03b4c9082be82c2bfe2fd6d2025-08-20T03:27:36ZengMDPI AGSystems2079-89542025-06-0113649110.3390/systems13060491Micro-Driving Behavior Analysis of Drivers in Congested and Conflict Environments Using Graph TheoryRongjun Cheng0Xudong An1Weiqi Fan2Dan Zhao3Faculty of Maritime and Transportation, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, ChinaFaculty of Maritime and Transportation, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, ChinaFaculty of Maritime and Transportation, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, ChinaFaculty of Maritime and Transportation, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, ChinaMany traffic conflicts on the roads are caused by a small proportion of drivers. Currently, there are few studies exploring the time-varying patterns of driving behavior among these drivers. This paper proposes a generic time-series analytical framework and uses it to analyze the driving behavior patterns of many high-risk drivers, which provides a theoretical and targeted basis for vehicle warning systems. Specifically, the natural trajectory time-series data in the rear-end conflict process from congested highway sections were first obtained. Secondly, K-medoid clustering was utilized to obtain the quantitative driving behavior sequence from the trajectory. Thirdly, the driving behavior sequence was transformed into a graph structure by the co-occurrence matrix. Graph theory and Markov theory were used to analyze the obtained graph to achieve the goal of analyzing the time-varying patterns of driving behavior. The analysis found that the driving behavior transition graph network of high-risk drivers on congested highway sections does not exhibit the small-world property and this suggests that during the conflict process, the driver is unable to quickly transition between states. Additionally, vehicles consistently evolve into a rear-end conflict state along a fixed driving behavior transition route, which indicates that the causes of conflicts in congested road sections are similar. Finally, the state change of the conflict process follows the Markov property, proving that the state during the conflict process can be predicted and controlled.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/6/491rear-end conflict analysisK-medoid clusteringMarkov chaincomplex network theory
spellingShingle Rongjun Cheng
Xudong An
Weiqi Fan
Dan Zhao
Micro-Driving Behavior Analysis of Drivers in Congested and Conflict Environments Using Graph Theory
Systems
rear-end conflict analysis
K-medoid clustering
Markov chain
complex network theory
title Micro-Driving Behavior Analysis of Drivers in Congested and Conflict Environments Using Graph Theory
title_full Micro-Driving Behavior Analysis of Drivers in Congested and Conflict Environments Using Graph Theory
title_fullStr Micro-Driving Behavior Analysis of Drivers in Congested and Conflict Environments Using Graph Theory
title_full_unstemmed Micro-Driving Behavior Analysis of Drivers in Congested and Conflict Environments Using Graph Theory
title_short Micro-Driving Behavior Analysis of Drivers in Congested and Conflict Environments Using Graph Theory
title_sort micro driving behavior analysis of drivers in congested and conflict environments using graph theory
topic rear-end conflict analysis
K-medoid clustering
Markov chain
complex network theory
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/6/491
work_keys_str_mv AT rongjuncheng microdrivingbehavioranalysisofdriversincongestedandconflictenvironmentsusinggraphtheory
AT xudongan microdrivingbehavioranalysisofdriversincongestedandconflictenvironmentsusinggraphtheory
AT weiqifan microdrivingbehavioranalysisofdriversincongestedandconflictenvironmentsusinggraphtheory
AT danzhao microdrivingbehavioranalysisofdriversincongestedandconflictenvironmentsusinggraphtheory