On "jamitons," self-sustained nonlinear traffic waves

TL;DR

This paper draws an analogy between phantom traffic jams and self-sustained transonic waves called jamitons, providing a new understanding of their structure, development, and implications for traffic management.

Contribution

It introduces a novel homology between traffic jams and detonations, offering a new theoretical framework and simulation insights for understanding and controlling traffic congestion.

Findings

Good agreement with highway measurements

Identifies conditions leading to dangerous vehicle concentrations

Provides guidance for traffic control and roadway design

Abstract

"Phantom jams," traffic blockages that arise without apparent cause, have long frustrated transportation scientists. Herein, we draw a novel homology between phantom jams and a related class of self-sustained transonic waves, namely detonations. Through this analogy, we describe the jam structure; favorable agreement with reported measurements from congested highways is observed. Complementary numerical simulations offer insights into the jams' development. Our results identify conditions likely to result in a dangerous concentration of vehicles and thereby lend guidance in traffic control and roadway design.