Traffic Fuel Consumption Evaluation of On-Ramp with Acceleration Lane Based on Cellular Automata

Based on Nagel–Schreckenberg (NaSch) traffic flow model, a novel fuel consumption model of on-ramp with acceleration lane under open boundary condition is proposed. Phase diagram is determined by analysis of average velocity, traffic flow and spatial-temporal patterns. The phase diagram is divided into free flow on the main upstream and the on-ramp; free flow on the main upstream and congested phase on the on-ramp; low-speed motion on the main upstream and free flow on the on-ramp; low-speed motion on the main upstream and congested phase on the on-ramp. The difference in the appearance of phase diagram is found to be related to the length of acceleration lane. The longer of acceleration lane, the more prone to low-speed motion on the main upstream. The numerical computations for fuel consumption in the injected probability of main road, the injected probability of on-ramp, and the length of acceleration lane are carried out. The injected probability of main road and on-ramp have a great impact on fuel consumption in free flow. The global congestion phase minimizes fuel consumption. The fuel consumption of low-speed motion exceeds that of free flow. Moreover, the results indicate that fuel consumption of main road increases potentially by curtailing the length of acceleration lane in low-speed motion of main road