Ellipse-Like Radiation Range Grading Method of Traffic Accident Influence on Mountain Highways

To improve the efficiency of accident treatment on mountain highways and reduce the degree of disruption from traffic accidents, the grading method of the ellipse-like radiation range of traffic accident impact is proposed. First, according to the propagation law of traffic accidents, the general function of mountain highways affected by traffic accidents was constructed based on the Gaussian plume model. Then, based on the gravity field theory, the influence of the accident source point on the accident road was analyzed in the aftermath of a supposed accident. Additionally, considering the cascading failure of the road network, the influence of the accident-intersecting roads was demarcated by the cascading failure load propagation function. Based on this analysis, the ellipse-like radiation range models of traffic accidents on the accident road and the intersecting roads were proposed, respectively. Next, the adjustment parameter was further introduced to incorporate the different levels of influence of traffic accidents on the surrounding road network into the model, and the grading impacts of the accident on the potentially utilized opposite lane were discussed. Finally, according to the queuing theory model, simulation design, and portability analysis, the accuracy of the ellipse-like radiation range grading model was verified. The research results show that, compared with queuing theory and simulation results, the error of the grading model of the ellipse-like radiation range affected by traffic accidents was within a reasonable range; that is, the model can reasonably quantify the difference of traffic accident propagation on the accident road and the intersecting roads. Moreover, the heterogeneity of traffic accident propagation was verified by taking the non-occupied opposite lanes as an example. The grading method of influence radiation range utilized for traffic accidents on mountain highways can quickly provide corresponding auxiliary decision support for accident rescue within varying influence ranges.