Mesoscopic models for traffic flows are usually difficult to be employed because of the appearance of integro-differential terms in the models. In this work, a lattice Boltzmann model for traffic flow is introduced on the basis of the existing kinetics models by using the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook-type approximation interaction term in the Boltzmann equation and discretizing it in time and phase space. The so-obtained model is simple while the relevant parameters are physically meaningful. Together with its discrete feature, the model can be easily used to investigate numerically the behavior of traffic flows. In consequence, the macroscopic dynamics of the model is derived using the Taylor and Chapman-Enskog expansions. For validating the model, numerical simulations are conducted under the periodic boundary conditions. It is found that the model could reasonably reproduce the fundamental diagram. Moreover, certain interesting physical phenomena can be captured by the model, such as the metastability and stop-and-go phenomena.

• Received 15 July 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.77.036108