Abstract
THE PAPER EXAMINES THE OPERATING SPEED AND V/C RATIO RELATIONSHIP (FOR A GIVEN HIGHWAY CAPACITY) AS AN EXAMPLE OF A FOLD CATASTROPHE. THE BEHAVIORAL BASE OF THE RELATIONSHIP WAS ESTABLISHED AS AN OPTIMIZING MODEL. THE OBJECTIVE FUNCTION WAS DETERMINED AS THE OVERALL WELFARE LEVEL OF A DRIVER HAVING TWO COMPONENTS: A UTILITY INDEX AND A DISUTILITY ONE. THE CHOICE OF THE SPEED OF TRAVEL AT A GIVEN CONGESTION LEVEL WAS DETERMINED BY MAXIMIZING THE OVERALL WELFARE LEVEL OF THE DRIVER.