# Traffic model > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Traffic_model > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Traffic_model.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_model > Source revision: 1336524547 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) A '''traffic model''' is a [mathematical model](/source/mathematical_model) of real-world [traffic](/source/traffic), usually, but not restricted to, road traffic. Traffic modeling draws heavily on theoretical foundations like [network theory](/source/network_theory) and certain theories from physics like the [kinematic wave](/source/kinematic_wave) model. The interesting quantity being modeled and measured is the [traffic flow](/source/traffic_flow), i.e. the throughput of mobile units (e.g. [vehicle](/source/vehicle)s) per time and transportation medium capacity (e.g. road or lane width). Models can teach researchers and engineers how to ensure an optimal flow with a minimum number of [traffic jam](/source/traffic_jam)s. Traffic models often are the basis of a [traffic simulation](/source/traffic_simulation).{{cite journal|last1=Mahmud|first1=Khizir|last2=Town|first2=Graham E.|title=A review of computer tools for modeling electric vehicle energy requirements and their impact on power distribution networks|journal=Applied Energy|date=June 2016|volume=172|pages=337–359|doi=10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.03.100}} ==Types== ;[Microscopic traffic flow model](/source/Microscopic_traffic_flow_model): Traffic flow is assumed to depend on individual mobile units, i.e. cars, which are explicitly modeled ;[Mesoscopic traffic flow model](/source/Mesoscopic_traffic_flow_model): Includes some elements of individual vehicle interaction through simulation, but simplified compared to Microscopic models (microsim). Geographic coverage is usually in-between that of Macro and Micro ;[Macroscopic traffic flow model](/source/Macroscopic_traffic_flow_model): Only the [mass action](/source/mass_action_(sociology)) or the [statistical](/source/statistical) properties of a large number of units is analyzed ==Examples== * [Biham–Middleton–Levine traffic model](/source/Biham%E2%80%93Middleton%E2%80%93Levine_traffic_model) * [Traffic generation model](/source/Traffic_generation_model) * [History of network traffic models](/source/History_of_network_traffic_models) * [Traffic mix](/source/Traffic_mix) * [Intelligent driver model](/source/Intelligent_driver_model) * [Network traffic](/source/Network_traffic) * [Three-phase traffic theory](/source/Three-phase_traffic_theory) * [Two-fluid model](/source/Two-fluid_model) ==See also== *[Braess's paradox](/source/Braess's_paradox) *[Gridlock](/source/Gridlock) *[Mobility model](/source/Mobility_model) *[Network traffic](/source/Network_traffic) **[Network traffic simulation](/source/Network_traffic_simulation) *[Traffic bottleneck](/source/Traffic_bottleneck) *[Traffic flow](/source/Traffic_flow) *[Traffic wave](/source/Traffic_wave) *[Queueing theory](/source/Queueing_theory) **[Traffic equations](/source/Traffic_equations) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *http://math.mit.edu/projects/traffic/ *{{cite journal|publisher=INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS PUBLISHING |journal=Rep. Prog. Phys.|volume=65|issue=9|year=2002|pages=1331–1386|title=The physics of traffic jams|author=Takashi Nagatani|doi=10.1088/0034-4885/65/9/203|bibcode=2002RPPh...65.1331N|citeseerx=10.1.1.205.6595}} *{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2000/12/the-physics-of-gridlock/378457/|title=The Physics of Gridlock|website=[The Atlantic](/source/The_Atlantic)|date=December 2000}} Category:Traffic flow Category:Mathematical modeling --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Traffic model](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_model) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_model?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.