A Prototype Computer Program for Microscopic Simulation Model Calibration and Validation

Microscopic traffic simulation models have been widely accepted and applied in various transportation engineering and planning practices especially for the past decades. This is in part because they are cost effective, safe, and fast. To achieve high fidelity and credibility of a traffic simulation model, model calibration and validation is of utmost importance. A recent study developed a systematic procedure for microscopic simulation model calibration and validation. The procedure consists of feasibility testing of potential ranges of various parameters and optimization of parameter set using field measured data such as travel time or queue length. In addition, the procedure was rigorously tested with several case study networks including an isolated actuated signalized intersection, a corridor of signalized intersections, and a freeway segment and the results were very promising. However, most of practitioner traffic engineers felt that the procedure is too technical for them to use in practice. This paper presents development of a prototype computer program that can easily implement the procedure of microscopic simulation model calibration and validation for a microscopic simulation model network coded in both VISSIM and CORSIM. The program is written in a Visual Basic .NET program and bundled with a Microsoft Excel program for easy of use. The structure and general implementation guidelines of the program are explained in this paper.