Coalitional Model Predictive Control on Freeways Traffic Networks

This paper discusses the application of coalitional model predictive control (MPC) to freeways traffic networks, where the goal is reducing the time spent by the drivers through a dynamic setting of variable speed limits (VSL) and ramp metering. The prediction model METANET is used to represent the traffic flows evolution. The system behavior and objective function lead to a non-convex and non-linear optimization problem, which can only be solved in a centralized fashion for small networks. The underlying motivation of this paper is the continued advance of clustering methods in the control of large-scale and spatially distributed systems. The global freeway system is partitioned into a set of coupled sub-stretches, which in turn are assigned to the different agents involved in the control problem. These local controllers can dynamically assemble into coalitions to take coordinated measures. In this work, a top-down approach is considered: the bottom layer consists of the set of controllers that compute the VSL and ramp-metering across time; and the supervisory layer changes periodically the information exchange structure to promote coalitions of those controllers that bring greater performance to the global system. In this way, a balance is sought between optimality and efficiency. Finally, the coalitional approach is simulated on a stretch of traffic freeway where cooperation with adjacent sub-stretches is allowed.