Multifractal classification of road traffic flows

Multifractality, present in traffic flow, usually connected with irregular scaling behavior and self-similarity. A multifractal spectrum is used to classify traffic behavior measurements. The width spread and the maximum of spectrum, two measures characterizing the spectrum of observations, are proposed as the distinguishing features among the samples. Data, observed on Beijing Yuquanying highway over a period of about 40 months, from January 16, 2001 to June 17, 2004, were used in the study. Analysis based on descriptive statistics is provided to obtain the statistical description of the inherited multiftactality. The multifractal process was validated to be appropriate in the classification of the traffic flow. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.