TRAPH research project: Traffic management and information system

The aim of TRAPH was to design and prototype the data management of ASFiNAG’s new traffic management and information system 2.0.

As a driver on Austria’s freeways and expressways, you know the situation: Why is the overhead indicator showing a speed limit of 60 km/h right now? In order to be able to answer such queries for a longer period of time in the past – for example in the case of inquiries from the executive – ASFiNAG is to be supported by a modern data management system for the efficient processing of such questions.

The switching of overhead indicators must be traceable. To this end, the correlations between the sensor data recorded along the route and the switching decisions of the overhead indicators are stored in a database. Examples of situations that can trigger switching are the detection of the end of a traffic jam or wet conditions on the road, which lead to a dynamic restriction of the permitted speed. Central questions are also which switching operations occur most frequently on certain sections of the highway or which situations and measures lead to certain displays. A further use case is the evaluation of the local distribution of switching operations.

Furthermore, understanding the relationships between the situations and measures is essential for the control and parameterization of the Traffic Management and Information System 2.0 (VMIS). Only by analysing this data can ASFiNAG know whether VMIS 2.0 is functioning correctly and how the automatic programs should be parameterized

DSC_2782.jpg; City highway, view of Wienerberg

Problem

The traceability of the circuits on the overhead displays on expressways and highways is only available for a short time.

Selected methodology

Due to the scalability and planned integration into the system defined by ASFiNAG, the open source graph database JanusGraph was chosen for the implementation.

Results

Based on the selected graph database technology and the technical requirements, a suitable data model is created. A prototypical installation and configuration of the graph database as well as the import and storage of the relevant VMIS2 data from various data sources enables the interrelationships of the data to be mapped and made available with high performance.

Conclusions

With the implementation of TRAPH, the defined scenarios can be displayed on the overhead indicators for traceability of the circuits.

Project partners

Due to its data engineering expertise and experience in the field of NoSQL databases, RISC Software GmbH was awarded the contract as part of the FFG tender for transport infrastructure research in 2019 and was commissioned with the selection and design of the database solution and the implementation of the data transfer.

Autobahnen- und Schnellstraßen-Finanzierungs-Aktiengesellschaft (ASFiNAG) is owned by the Austrian federal government and is entrusted with the financing, planning, construction and maintenance of federal highways as well as the collection of time-based and distance-based tolls.

This project was funded by the FFG (No. 879353).

Project partners

Project details

Project short title: TRAPH
Project long title: High Performance Traffic Management Information System
Funding call: Mobility of the future (FFG)
Project partners:
- Autobahnen- und Schnellstraßen-Finanzierungs-Aktiengesellschaft (ASFINAG)
Budget volume (total): EUR 168,000
of which funding (total): EUR 168,000
Term: 6 months (09/2020-02/2021)