Dynamic Partitioning Methods for Control Sub-area Based on Fuzzy Clustering Analysis

Area coordination control is an important measure to ease urban traffic. Sub-area partitioning is a basis of area coordination control and the partitioning accuracy affects the global control efficiency. Traditional sub-area partitioning is based on qualitative principles related to period, flow, distance, and so on, without establishing a system of sub-area partitioning indexes and without considering quantitative partitioning methods and so the sub-area partitioning is subjective and optional. In this paper, a system of sub-area partitioning indexes is established considering indexes such as distance, period, continuity of traffic flow and dispersion. The sub-area is divided by two stages: one is to preliminarily select intersection of sub-area excluding those of big period difference and long distance; the other is to describe intersections’ traffic state and physical relationship and to cluster intersections based on fuzzy clustering analysis. Compared to traditional partitioning method of sub-area, the method presented in the paper can bring less system delay that proves the method is effective.