NETWORK MODELLING SUPPORT ENVIRONMENT APPLIED TO ROAD TRAFFIC

This note presents the NMSE (Network Modelling Support Environment) modelling toolkit, developed to support the discrete event simulation of distributed system type applications. Its architecture can be adapted to user needs, and construct derivative modelling environments. NMSE can be used to model any system that can be viewed as being composed of objects, interacting over time and space, and has a very wide range of applications. It is primarily designed to help non-programming specialists to define and execute complex domain- specific scenarios. Its tools support the development of complex simulations of network-like applications, and include an object- oriented system whose design uses current artifical intelligence (AI) and human-computer interaction (HCI) concepts. It has UNIX and Apple Macintosh implementations. NMSE is considered suitable for modelling traffic flows, and specifies generic objects (e.g. road sections and intersections) in terms of attributes (e.g. maximum capacity, traffic profile and journey time) which can be expressed statistically. A user can use a graphics interface to build a traffic and road network model and experiment with it in a 'what if' way. For example, he can set up and evaluate alternative routes, or explore the detailed behaviour of vehicles moving through the network. For the covering abstract see IRRD 865940.