Macroscopic modeling and simulation of hajj vehicular traffic during Ifadha

Abstract

The heavy vehicular movement from Arafat to Muzdalifa during Ifadha, probably, has no match elsewhere, The objective of this paper is to reproduce this situation in a computer-based simulation model in order to test various traffice system's design and management policies aimed at alleviating this problems. Microscopic simulation approach is utilized in this study. Where the existing (1415H) Arafat land -uses and roadway network, and the nine highways connecting it with muzdalifa were represented by utilizing the AIMSUN2 Microsimulation package. Enhancements to AIMSUN2 were introduced to satisfy the specific requirement of Ifadha. The model parameters were calibrated such that predicted and observed vehicle volumes on the highways linking arafat and Muzdalifa are approximately identical.The Calibrated microscopice model is the shuttle bus operational strategy experimented during the past two Hajj seasons.