Study On The Cyclist's Behaviors At Non-signalized Intersections Under Mixed Traffic Flow Conditions

Traffic flow simulation technologies have been applied in every area of traffic engineering as a major traffic analysis tool. So far, driver's microscopic behavioral models has developed for a long time, yet studies on behaviors of different types vehicles (motorcars, bicycles and pedestrians) under mixed traffic flow condictions are still very few, especially on cyclists. In China urban mixed traffic flow intersections, there exist large sums of conflicts between motorcars, bicycles and pedestrians, especially at non-signalized intersections. The bicycles are very agile, finding their way and negotiating narrow space between stopped or congested automobiles in the middle of intersections. These phenomena bring many hazards to the cyclists' safety and decrease intersection capacity and level-of-service for automobile traffic. Studies on these problems are very important, yet very few.This thesis focused on the cyclist's crossing behaviors at non-signalized intersections, including the path-finding and interacting behaviors with all types of other road users (drivers, other cyclists and pedestrians) under mixed traffic flow conditions. From this study, we would have better understanding and estimate the cyclists' crossing and riding behaviors at non-signalized intersections under mixed traffic flow conditions, thus prove reliable model basis for microscopic mixed traffic flow simulation models, and the evaluations of mixed traffic flow facilities, such as intersections , squares etc.Main innovations of the thesis included:1. New analysis framework for traffic behaviorsProposing a two-level behavioral analysis framework for the cyclists by knowledge from other disciplines such as Behavior, Psychology, Economics, etc; building the first mixed traffic flow microscopic behavioral database for non-signalized intersections, which had been tested reliable.2. Proposing the Normative Cyclist Behavioral Theory & Model (the NCB model) The main features and advantages of the NCB model include: l)multi-level modelframework; 2)subjective utility maximization; 3) combined the cyclist's "activity" with his/her traffic behaviors, thus supporting the modeling of the "trip chain"; 4) supporting choice behaviors in continuous time and space and on fuzzy behaviors modeling; 5)supporting dynamic decision modeling.3. Modeling and validations on cyclist's crossing behaviors at non-signalized intersectionsBuilding the cyclist's crossing behavioral model at non-signalized intersections under mixed traffic flow conditions. Complete model calibration and validation by field data coleected in Beijing, and the results of model validation were promising.