Validation of an Activity-Based Traffic Demand Model for Flanders Implemented in the FEATHERS Simulation Platform

Abstract

In this chapter the different steps in the operationalization of an activity-based model for Flanders (Belgium) inside the ‘Forecasting Evolutionary Activity-Travel of Households and their Environmental RepercussionS’ (FEATHERS) framework are worked out. In order to run the activity-based model for the Flemish situation, several data layers inside the FEATHERS database system have to be prepared. To this end, activity-based schedule information, a synthetic population data set and environment information about the study area in terms of zoning system, land use and transportation system have to be processed. In a second part, the chapter discusses the validation of the modelling results. Based on the validation results, it is demonstrated that the presented activity-based model is able to realistically mimic the spatial and temporal dimension of transportation demand in Flanders, as well as the evolution of the state of the road network in both space and time.