Optimization of Truck Platoon Size in Freeway Diverging Areas Based on Comprehensive Performance Evaluation
Truck platoons can enhance traffic throughput, achieve better fuel economy, and yield environmental benefits. However, in freeway diverging areas, excessively long truck platoons can cause a blocking effect on small vehicles exiting the freeway, thereby causing congestion and impacting the traffic f...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IEEE
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | IEEE Access |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10838520/ |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832592897744044032 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhifa Yang Zongyao Li Zhuo Yu Wencai Sun Jingjing Tian |
| author_facet | Zhifa Yang Zongyao Li Zhuo Yu Wencai Sun Jingjing Tian |
| author_sort | Zhifa Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Truck platoons can enhance traffic throughput, achieve better fuel economy, and yield environmental benefits. However, in freeway diverging areas, excessively long truck platoons can cause a blocking effect on small vehicles exiting the freeway, thereby causing congestion and impacting the traffic flow in the section. Therefore, to balance the benefits between truck platoons and small vehicles, a comprehensive evaluation model was established, considering traffic efficiency, safety, and fuel economy. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method was employed to determine the importance of each indicator, resulting in a composite score. Using the Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO) platform, this paper examines the effects of truck platoon size (ranging from 2 to 15 trucks) on traffic efficiency, safety, and fuel consumption under varying conditions. The analysis considers low, medium, and high small vehicle traffic volumes of 750, 1200, and 1650 pcu/h/lane, as well as off-ramp probabilities for small vehicles of 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. Simulation results indicate that traffic efficiency initially increases and then decreases as the truck platoon size increases. An increase in the number of truck platoon members leads to a decrease in section safety, particularly noticeable under medium and high flow conditions. In three flow scenarios, truck platoon size of more than 5 trucks can achieve higher fuel economy. Taking an off-ramp probability of 10% for small vehicles as an example, the optimal truck platoon size ranges from 3 to 8 vehicles under low flow conditions, 2 to 7 vehicles under medium flow conditions, and 2 to 6 vehicles under high flow conditions. Hence, traffic managers in freeway diverging areas can utilize the findings of this study to select suitable truck-platoon size, enabling them to implement preemptive adjustment strategies for achieving optimal comprehensive performance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ea6d73a0ed7d4a2cac2a4e6944da04f7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2169-3536 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IEEE |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IEEE Access |
| spelling | doaj-art-ea6d73a0ed7d4a2cac2a4e6944da04f72025-01-21T00:02:08ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-0113102991031010.1109/ACCESS.2025.352846010838520Optimization of Truck Platoon Size in Freeway Diverging Areas Based on Comprehensive Performance EvaluationZhifa Yang0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5597-7570Zongyao Li1https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7746-3614Zhuo Yu2https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4606-8427Wencai Sun3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2431-7777Jingjing Tian4Scientific Research Department, Guangzhou Maritime University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaTransportation College, Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaSchool of Arts and Sciences, Guangzhou Maritime University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaTransportation College, Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaState Administration for Market Regulation Defective Product Recall Technology Center, Beijing, ChinaTruck platoons can enhance traffic throughput, achieve better fuel economy, and yield environmental benefits. However, in freeway diverging areas, excessively long truck platoons can cause a blocking effect on small vehicles exiting the freeway, thereby causing congestion and impacting the traffic flow in the section. Therefore, to balance the benefits between truck platoons and small vehicles, a comprehensive evaluation model was established, considering traffic efficiency, safety, and fuel economy. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method was employed to determine the importance of each indicator, resulting in a composite score. Using the Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO) platform, this paper examines the effects of truck platoon size (ranging from 2 to 15 trucks) on traffic efficiency, safety, and fuel consumption under varying conditions. The analysis considers low, medium, and high small vehicle traffic volumes of 750, 1200, and 1650 pcu/h/lane, as well as off-ramp probabilities for small vehicles of 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. Simulation results indicate that traffic efficiency initially increases and then decreases as the truck platoon size increases. An increase in the number of truck platoon members leads to a decrease in section safety, particularly noticeable under medium and high flow conditions. In three flow scenarios, truck platoon size of more than 5 trucks can achieve higher fuel economy. Taking an off-ramp probability of 10% for small vehicles as an example, the optimal truck platoon size ranges from 3 to 8 vehicles under low flow conditions, 2 to 7 vehicles under medium flow conditions, and 2 to 6 vehicles under high flow conditions. Hence, traffic managers in freeway diverging areas can utilize the findings of this study to select suitable truck-platoon size, enabling them to implement preemptive adjustment strategies for achieving optimal comprehensive performance.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10838520/Transport managementtraffic engineeringtruck platoonsfreeway diverging areastraffic simulation |
| spellingShingle | Zhifa Yang Zongyao Li Zhuo Yu Wencai Sun Jingjing Tian Optimization of Truck Platoon Size in Freeway Diverging Areas Based on Comprehensive Performance Evaluation IEEE Access Transport management traffic engineering truck platoons freeway diverging areas traffic simulation |
| title | Optimization of Truck Platoon Size in Freeway Diverging Areas Based on Comprehensive Performance Evaluation |
| title_full | Optimization of Truck Platoon Size in Freeway Diverging Areas Based on Comprehensive Performance Evaluation |
| title_fullStr | Optimization of Truck Platoon Size in Freeway Diverging Areas Based on Comprehensive Performance Evaluation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimization of Truck Platoon Size in Freeway Diverging Areas Based on Comprehensive Performance Evaluation |
| title_short | Optimization of Truck Platoon Size in Freeway Diverging Areas Based on Comprehensive Performance Evaluation |
| title_sort | optimization of truck platoon size in freeway diverging areas based on comprehensive performance evaluation |
| topic | Transport management traffic engineering truck platoons freeway diverging areas traffic simulation |
| url | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10838520/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zhifayang optimizationoftruckplatoonsizeinfreewaydivergingareasbasedoncomprehensiveperformanceevaluation AT zongyaoli optimizationoftruckplatoonsizeinfreewaydivergingareasbasedoncomprehensiveperformanceevaluation AT zhuoyu optimizationoftruckplatoonsizeinfreewaydivergingareasbasedoncomprehensiveperformanceevaluation AT wencaisun optimizationoftruckplatoonsizeinfreewaydivergingareasbasedoncomprehensiveperformanceevaluation AT jingjingtian optimizationoftruckplatoonsizeinfreewaydivergingareasbasedoncomprehensiveperformanceevaluation |