Study of Microscopic Simulation and Influence of Lane Changing and Car-Following Behaviors on Traffic Flow

China' s road system is quite unique from most developed countries, with many more slow vehicles and more novice drivers. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of some traffic flow parameters on traffic flow capacity and safety. Aided by the psychoanalysis of driver behavior, a general microscopic traffic-flow simulation platform, including the car-following model, the lane-changing model, traffic environment, and the vehicle model, was established and realized in Matlab. Model parameters were configured and calibrated through field observation data. The result shows that the simulation platform is capable of performing simulations of different road situations with adequate precision for a qualitative and semi-quantitative evaluation of the traffic system. According to the experimental design, simulations of different driver and road configurations were conducted. The influences of the considered factors were discovered and the results could be used as suggestions for better traffic management.