1.

225J
1.225J (ESD 225) Transportation Flow Systems

Lecture 4

Introduction to Network Models

and
Shortest Paths

Profs. Ismail Chabini and Amedeo Odoni

Lecture 4 Outline

‰ Conceptual Networks: Definitions

‰ Representation of an Urban Road Network (Supply)
‰ Shortest Paths (Reading: pp. 359-367, 6.2.3 and 6.2.4 of R6)
• Introduction
• Dijkstra’s algorithm: example
• Dijkstra’s algorithm: statement
• Observations
‰ Extensions to Classical Shortest Path Problems
‰ All-or-nothing traffic assignment
‰ Zoning and Analysis Periods (Demand)
‰ Motivation for more advanced traffic assignment models
‰ Summary

1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 2

1
 Conceptual Networks: Definitions
‰ A network is:
• a set of nodes N and a set of links A
• nodes are also called vertices or points
• links are also called arcs or edges
‰ Examples:
Net 1 Net 2
1 2
1 2
3
3 4
4 5

‰ Directed networks: all links are directed

‰ Path: a sequence of links from one node to another node
(i.e., (5,4)-(4,3)-(3,2))
‰ A network is connected if there is at least one path from one node to
another node (Net1 is connected whereas Net2 is not)
1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 3

Representation of an Urban Road Network

‰ Physical ‰ Conceptual
Intersections Nodes
Streets Links
Zones Centroids

‰ Simple node representation

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 Intersection Representations
‰ Simple node representation:
• no direction differenciation
• no conflicting movement

‰ Subnetwork representation:
• explicit direction representation
• conflicting turns in an intersection
are captured by internal links and
their impedances
‰ Conceptual representation is not unique and
depends on:
• type of analysis
• data availability to build, validate, and apply model
• accuracy vs. computation time trade-off
1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 5

Shortest Path Problems

‰ Basic problem: find a shortest path and the shortest distance between
two nodes
‰ Basic problem is called the one-to-one shortest path problem
‰ Types of shortest path problems:
• One-to-one
• One-to-all: find shortest paths from one node to all nodes
• All-to-one: find shortest paths from all nodes to one node
• Many-to-many: find shortest paths from many nodes to many
other nodes
• All-to-all: find shortest paths from all node pairs
‰ “Shortest” also denotes minimum general cost
‰ There are hundreds of shortest path algorithms, but they are similar
‰ Some algorithms work for non-negative costs only

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3
 Dijkstra’
Dijkstra’s Shortest Paths Algorithm: Example

7
Mixed network b f 6
3 5 5 5 h
2
1
a c e j
8 8
1
6
5 2 6
i
d g 4
4
7
Directed network b f 6
3 5 5 h
5 2
1
a c e j
8
8
1
6 6
5 2
i
d g 4
4

1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 7

First Shortest Path Algorithm (Dijkstra

(Dijkstra’’s Algorithm)

‰ Notation:
• s: source node
• d(j): length of shortest path from s to j discovered so far
• p(j): immediate predecessor to node j on shortest path from s to j
discovered so far
• k: last node selected by algorithm

‰ Step 1: Initialization
• d(s) = 0, p(s) = *
• d(j) = ∝, p(j) = -, for all other nodes j ≠ s
• k=s

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4
 Dijkstra’
Dijkstra’s Shortest Paths Algorithm: Example
7 (∝,-)
(3,a)+
1st iteration b f 6
(∝,-)
3 5 5 h
5 2
(∝,-)
(0,*)+ 1
a c e j (∝,-)
(8,-) 8
8
1
6 6
5 2
i
d g 4 (∝,-)
(5,-) 4 (∝,-)

7 (10,-)
2nd iteration (3,a)+ b f 6
(∝,-)
3 5 5 h
5 2
(∝,-)
(0,*)+ 1
a c e j (∝,-)
(8,-) 8
8
1
6 6
5 2
i
d g 4 (∝,-)
(5,a)+ 4 (∝,-)

1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 9

First Shortest Path Algorithm (Dijkstra

(Dijkstra’’s Algorithm)
‰ Step 2: Update labels of neighbors in open state
• For all (k, j), if j is open do:
If d(j) < d(k) + l(k, j) then
d(j) = d(k) + l(k, j)
p(j) = k
‰ Step 3
• Find a open state node i such that d(i) = min{d(j), j is an open node)}
‰ Step 4
• Find a closed state node j* such that d(i) = d(j*) + l(j*,i)
‰ Step 5
• Node i is closed. If no node in open state , STOP.
Otherwise k = i, return to Step 2

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5
 Shortest Paths Algorithm: Example
7 (10,-)
3rd iteration (3,a)+ b f 6
(∝,-)
3 5 5 h
5 2
(∝,-)
(0,*)+ 1
a c e j (∝,-)
(7,d)+ 8
8
1
6 6
5 2
i
d g 4 (∝,-)
(5,a)+ 4 (9,-)

7 (10,-)
4th iteration (3,a)+ b f 6
(∝,-)
3 5 5 h
5 2
(15,-)
(0,*)+ 1
a c e j (∝,-)
(7,d)+ 8
8
1
6 6
5 2
i
d g 4 (∝,-)
(5,a)+ 4 (9,d)+

1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 11

Shortest Paths Algorithm: Example

7 (10,b)+
5th iteration (3,a)+ b f 6
(∝,-)
3 5 5 h
5 2
(15,-)
(0,*)+ 1
a c e j (∝,-)
(7,d)+ 8
8
1
6 6
5 2
i
d g 4 (13,-)
(5,a)+ 4 (9,d)+

7 (10,b)+
6th iteration (3,a)+ b f 6
(16,-)
3 5 5 h
5 2
(15,-)
(0,*)+ 1
a c e j (∝,-)
(7,d)+ 8
8
1
6 6
5 2
i
d g 4 (13,g)+
(5,a)+ 4 (9,d)+

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 Shortest Paths Algorithm: Example
7 (10,b)+
7th iteration (3,a)+ b f 6
(16,-)
3 5 5 h
5 2
(14,i)+
(0,*)+ 1
a c e j (19,-)
(7,d)+ 8
8
1
6 6
5 2
i
d g 4 (13,g)+
(5,a)+ 4 (9,d)+

7 (10,b)+
8th iteration (3,a)+ b f 6
(15,e)+
3 5 5 h
5 2
(14,i)+
(0,*)+ 1
a c e j (∝,-)
(7,d)+ 8
8
1
6 6
5 2
i
d g 4 (13,g)+
(5,a)+ 4 (9,d)+

1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 13

Shortest Paths Algorithm: Example

7 (10,b)+
9th iteration (3,a)+ b f 6
(15,e)+
3 5 5 h
5 2
(14,i)+
(0,*)+ 1
a c e j (17,h)+
(7,d)+ 8
8
1
6 6
5 2
i
d g 4 (13,g)+
(5,a)+ 4 (9,d)+

7 (10,b)+
(3,a)+ b f
Shortest-path tree
(15,e)+
3 h
2
(14,i)+
(0,*)+ 1
a c e j (17,h)+
(7,d)+
1
5 2
i
d g 4 (13,g)+
(5,a)+ 4 (9,d)+
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 Observations about Dijkstra’
Dijkstra’s Algorithm

‰ Dijkstra’s algorithm is in general not valid if some l(i, j) < 0

‰ Shortest paths form a tree
‰ The algorithm can also solve the all-to-one problem
‰ If you solve for a one-to-many problem, stop the algorithm when all
destination nodes are closed
‰ Shortest path problem is an LP problem, but it is more efficient and
intuitive to look at it as a network problem as we did in class

1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 15

Extensions of Shortest Path Problem

‰ There is a huge number of potential extensions of the classical

shortest path problem
‰ Problems on dynamic networks (link lengths change over time)
‰ Problems on probabilistic networks (link lengths are random
variables assuming discrete values or a continuous range of values)
‰ Combinations thereof
‰ Solutions to these problems depend on the assumptions regarding the
state of knowledge and on the relative magnitude of the parameters
involved
‰ The meaning of “shortest path” is also an issue in some cases

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 A Traffic Assignment Problem

2
2

1
4 1

8 4
1 4 5

2
3 1 2 3 4 5
6
1 - 30 35 40 15
3 2 10 - 15 12 10
3 50 40 - 35 20
4 25 30 35 - 40
5 45 30 35 40 -
1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 17

“All-
All-or-
or-nothing”
nothing” Traffic Assignment
130

47
85
2
115
130
235
52 127
120 130
150
1 4 5

130 85
50 180
170
35

3 Does this make

120
145
sense?

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 Traffic Assignment Models
‰ Conceptual definition:

(input) Supply/Demand (input)

Supply Demand
Interaction
• Network representation of • Origin-destination flows
transportation network • Zoning
• Link performance functions output

Flows and Travel Times

‰ Principles of assignment to represent the interaction

• User Optimal (U.O.): O-D flows are assigned to paths with
minimum travel time
• System Optimal (S.O.): O-D flows are assigned such that total
travel time on the network is minimum
1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 19

Zoning
‰ Physical zones ‰ Zone-to-zone Flows
10 11 12
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 1 0 90 120 80
13 14 15 Zone 2 100 0 60 130
Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 3 120 180 0 50
16 17 18
Zone 4 40 70 150 0

‰ Centroid nodes and Connectors ‰ O/D Flows

10 11 12
1 2 3 4
1 2 1 0 90 120 80
13 14 15 2 100 0 60 130
3 4 3 120 180 0 50
16 17 18
4 40 70 150 0

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 Analysis Periods
flows

time of day
Morning-peak Midday period Evening-peak
period period

‰ Over an analysis period, flows are assumed constant in order for steady-
state analysis to apply
‰ The duration of a period is longer than a trip
‰ Typical analysis periods: morning-peak, midday, evening-peak
1.225, 11/07/02 Lecture 4, Page 21

Lecture 4 Summary

‰ Conceptual Networks: Definitions

‰ Representation of an Urban Road Network (Supply)
‰ Shortest Paths (Reading: pp. 359-367, 6.2.3 and 6.2.4 of R6)
• Introduction
• Dijkstra’s algorithm: example
• Dijkstra’s algorithm: statement
• Observations
‰ Extensions to Classical Shortest Path Problems
‰ All-or-nothing traffic assignment
‰ Zoning and Analysis Periods (Demand)
‰ Motivation for more advanced traffic assignment models

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