In the original macroscopic traffic flow model the traffic on a motorway is idealized to a homogeneous fluidum. In this model the vehicles and their drivers are represented by identical fluid particles in a tube.This dissertation takes into account the heterogeneous properties of traffic. To this end, the traffic flow is subdivided into homogeneous classes. Each class consists of vehicles and drivers that share the same characteristics. Modeling heterogeneous traffic, in this case, comprises the description of homogeneous classes and the interactions between the different classes. For each road section, a class is characterised by its maximum speed, its vehicle length and its capacity. The capacity pertaining to a class signifies the maximum traffic intensity that prevails when vehicles from that specific class have exclusive use of the road. The interactions between the different classes are based on the user-optimum: it is assumed that each driver maximises his own speed and that fast vehicles are unable to affect the speed of slow vehicles. Slower vehicles, in this view, behave like moving bottlenecks. The heterogeneous model presented in this dissertation comprises a mathematical formulation that can be solved analytically and graphically. In addition, a numerical scheme has been constructed. This enables a computer implementation of the model allowing for a rapid computation of approximating solutions. The developed model has been extended for use on complete transport networks. A case-study application of the model illustrates its practical usefulness. The dissertation concludes with a critical review of the assumptions and properties pertaining to the model, and a brief mention of possible model extensions. (Author/publisher)
Abstract