Traffic Flow Theory

Traffic Flow Theory, 2nd Edition, is a comprehensive reference volume designed to establish a unified perspective on traffic stream behavior and network modeling. Written by Dr. Daiheng Ni, the text systematically connects transportation operations across macroscopic, microscopic, mesoscopic, and picoscopic analytical scales.

The initial sections examine physical traffic sensing technologies alongside simple and generalized flow definitions before advancing to macroscopic continuum representations. Detailed chapters address kinematic wave dynamics, shock waves, rarefaction waves, numerical solution techniques, higher-order systems, and the Lighthill–Whitham–Richards model. Coverage then transitions into microscopic formulations, evaluating classic car-following theories such as the Pipes, Forbes, General Motors, and Gipps models.

To connect multi-level modeling schemes, this second edition incorporates expanded field theory coverage designed to bridge conceptual gaps across theoretical frameworks. The reference offers targeted support for postgraduate students, academic researchers, and R&D engineering specialists in traffic engineering, highway engineering, and applied mathematics.