Video: How to use View Modes to calibrate vehicle behavior in Aimsun Next

Technical Note #39

September 2019

Script – Martin Hartmann
Production – Victoria Savchenko
Voice – Molly Malcolm

In this short video, we explain how to use View Modes in the capacity calibration process to model bottlenecks more realistically in Aimsun Next transport modelling software.

Summary: The video begins by demonstrating the use of View Modes to model bottlenecks, specifically in a highway scenario that involves a reduction from three lanes to two lanes. For better visualization, the Polyline and Text tools are used to sketch the distances upstream from the bottleneck, followed by labeling the upstream sections.

To identify major accelerations upstream from the bottleneck, accelerations greater or less than 1 m/s² are visualized. To further analyze longitudinal behavior, a new mode called CALIBRATION: Merging is created by right-clicking on View Modes. New View Styles such as Acceleration (Color) and Acceleration (Attribute) are added, and the most important parameters are placed in a Text box for a better overview.

The View Mode is then turned on to study driving behavior under various traffic flow regimes. The total number of lane changes upstream from the bottleneck is visualized by adding a section Dynamic Attribute ‘Total Number of Lane Changes’ represented by ‘Color’. A condition is added to limit the View Mode to the sections upstream of the bottleneck. The same technique is used to add ‘Color opacity’ and ‘Attribute’ View Styles to the View Mode.

To compare outputs, statistical intervals are switched between, and Real Data Sets are added. Finally, national guidelines are followed to validate the simulated bottleneck capacities.

More technical notes

Table View – review of all functionalities

Marga Delgado explains how the Table View in Aimsun Next is a powerful tool that can boost efficiency across all stages of a modelling project: when editing, when calibrating and when reviewing the final results.

Aimsun
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Cite Aimsun Next

Aimsun Next 24

Aimsun (2024). Aimsun Next 24 User’s Manual, Aimsun Next Version 24.0.0, Barcelona, Spain. Accessed on: April. 16, 2024. [Online].

Available: https://docs.aimsun.com/next/24.0.0/

Aimsun Next 24

@manual {AimsunManual,
title = {Aimsun Next 24 User’s Manual},
author = {Aimsun},
edition = {Aimsun Next 24.0.0},
address = {Barcelona, Spain},
year = {2024. [Online]},
month = {Accessed on: Month, Day, Year},
url = {https://docs.aimsun.com/next/24.0.0},
}​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Aimsun Next 24

TY – COMP
T1 – Aimsun Next 24 User’s Manual
A1 – Aimsun
ET – Aimsun Next Version 24.0.0
Y1 – 2024
Y2 – Accessed on: Month, Day, Year
CY – Barcelona, Spain
PB – Aimsun
UR – [In software]. Available:
https://docs.aimsun.com/next/24.0.0/