Parameter Calibration of VISSIM Simulation Model Based on the Orthogonal Experiment

As a mature foreign micro-simulation tool, VISSIM software is used widely in China. However, the simulation parameters tend to be default or determined empirically when actually applied in studying traffic operations in China. Domestic parameter calibration of traffic simulation models is usually based on urban expressway characteristics which are in general quite different from surface street intersections. Therefore, calibration methods for intersections under the mixed traffic environment are rarely studied. In this paper, an orthogonal experiment is applied to the parameter calibration of VISSIM simulation model at an intersection. We propose the calibration process of calibration target determination, parameter selection, orthogonal design and range analysis to determine the parameters to be used, and a specific calibration method has been studied to verify its applicability, which can prove it is a good method to reduce the number of simulation experiment as well as to improve work efficiency.