Calibration of a microscopic simulation model for emission calculation

Emissions by road traffic can be reduced by optimising traffic control. The impact of this
optimisation on emission can be analysed ex ante by simulation. The simulation programs
used for this analysis should be valid with respect to the traffic characteristics that determine
the emissions. Thus calibration of the parameters is a prerequisite. In most cases, volumes,
travel times and queues are used to calibrate simulation models, rather than detailed
driving characteristics such as speed and acceleration patterns. However, these driving
behaviour parameters determine the vehicular emissions to a great extent.
A study was carried out in which the driving behaviour parameters in a microscopic simulation
model (VISSIM) were calibrated using real trajectories collected by image processing
at an intersection in Rotterdam. The sensitivity of the simulation results for driving
behaviour parameters was investigated. The most influential parameters were identified
and adjusted to ensure that the simulation results were consistent with the observed traffic
and could provide valid estimations of the total production of emissions.