Title: Air quality impact of intelligent transportation system actions used in a decision support system for adaptive traffic management

Authors: Stijn Vranckx; Wouter Lefebvre; Martine Van Poppel; Carolien Beckx; Jan Theunis; Margherita Mascia; Simon Hu; Robert Köbl; Martin Litzenberger

Addresses: VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium ' VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium ' VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium ' VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium ' VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium ' Imperial College, Exhibition Road, South Kensington Campus, SW7 2AZ, London, UK ' Imperial College, Exhibition Road, South Kensington Campus, SW7 2AZ, London, UK ' AIT (Austrian Institute of Technology GMBH) Donau-City-Strasse 1, 1220 Wien, Austria ' AIT (Austrian Institute of Technology GMBH) Donau-City-Strasse 1, 1220 Wien, Austria

Abstract: The presented traffic control system (CARBOTRAF) combines real-time monitoring of traffic and air pollution with simulation models for traffic, emission and local air quality predictions to deliver on-line recommendations for alternative adaptive traffic management. The aim of introducing a CARBOTRAF system is to reduce BC and CO₂ emissions and improve air quality by optimising the traffic flows. A chain of models combines microscopic traffic simulations, emission models and air quality simulations for a range of traffic demand levels and intelligent transport system (ITS) actions. These ITS scenarios simulate combinations of traffic signal optimisation plans and variable messaging systems. The real-time decision support system uses these simulations to select the best traffic management in terms of traffic and air quality. In this paper the modelled effects of ITS measures on air quality are analysed with a focus on BC for urban areas in two European cities, Graz and Glasgow.

Keywords: dispersion modelling; traffic emissions; urban air quality; decision support systems; DSS; emission reduction; black carbon; Glasgow; Graz; air pollution; intelligent transport systems; ITS; adaptive traffic management; traffic control; simulation; pollutant monitoring; traffic flow optimisation; modelling; traffic signals; variable messaging systems; vehicle emissions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2015.074496

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2015 Vol.57 No.3/4, pp.133 - 145

Received: 02 Dec 2014
Accepted: 23 Jun 2015
Published online: 02 Feb 2016 *

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