CIVL 6260 - Transportation Network Analysis

This is a graduate level course on fundamentals of transportation network analysis, including graph representations of transportation networks, static traffic assignment and user equilibrium, stochastic user equilibrium and dynamic traffic assignment. Basic mathematical analysis tools such as linear and nonlinear programming, nonlinear complementarity problems, and variational inequalities, will be introduced. The objective of this course is to introduce students to transportation network analysis fundamentals so that they are equipped with basic skills to conduct advanced research in this area.

Representation of Transportation Networks

• Basic concepts and applications of Graph Theory
• Graph representation of transportation networks
• Shortest path problem and solution algorithm

Basic Mathematical Analysis Tools

• Review on linear and nonlinear programming
• Nonlinear complementarity problems
• Variational inequality
• Relationships between these models

Static Traffic Assignment and User Equilibrium

• Supply, demand, and behavior of transportation networks
• Basic traffic equilibrium and system optimal concepts and economic interpretations
• Mathematical formulations of traffic user equilibrium, properties, and solution techniques
• Relationship between traffic user equilibrium and system optimal
• Alternative formulations of and extensions to traffic user equilibrium

Stochastic User Equilibrium

• Basic concepts and assumptions
• Logit-based stochastic user equilibrium models
• Probit-based stochastic user equilibrium models

Dynamic Traffic Assignment and Dynamic User Equilibrium

• Introduction to dynamic traffic assignment
• Dynamic network constraints and path-based and link-based formulations
• Link-node based nonlinear complementarity formulations and solution techniques
• Continuous dynamic user equilibrium models based on differential variational inequalities

This course has been offered in Fall, 2017; Spring, 2019; Fall, 2024