Mixed traffic flow model considering illegal lane-changing behavior: Simulations in the framework of Kerner’s three-phase theory

This paper studies the mixed motorized vehicle (m-vehicle) and non-motorized vehicle (nm-vehicle) traffic flow in the m-vehicle lane. We study the formation mechanism of the nm-vehicle illegal lane-changing behavior (NILB) by considering the overtaking motivation and the traffic safety awareness. In the framework of Kerner’s three-phase theory, we propose a model for the mixed traffic flow by introducing a new set of rules. A series of simulations are carried out in order to reveal the formation, travel process and influence of the mixed traffic flow. The simulation results show that the proposed model can be used to study not only the travel characteristic of the mixed traffic flow, but also some complex traffic problems such as traffic breakdown, moving synchronized flow pattern (MSP) and moving jam. Moreover, the results illustrate that the proposed model reflects the phenomenon of the mixed flow and the influence of the MSP caused by the NILB, which is consistent with the actual traffic system, and thus this work is helpful for the management of the mixed traffic flow.