Full 3D Electromagnetic Modeling of Inductive Loops

Inductive loop sensors are a highly regarded element of computerized automatic traffic control for their simplicity, robustness, and ease of installation. Traditionally they have been used to detect speed, acceleration and count vehicles. More recently inductive loops have been employed to recognize types of vehicles. In this work, inductive loops are simulated using a full-3D electromagnetic simulator and the results are compared with measured data. The change of the shape of the impulse generated by the inductive loop as a function of vehicle size, height, type, speed, and acceleration is analyzed.