Rigorous derivation of nonlinear scalar conservation laws from follow-the-leader type models via many particle limit

We prove that the unique entropy solution to a scalar nonlinear conservation law with strictly monotone velocity and nonnegative initial condition can be rigorously obtained as the large particle limit of a microscopic follow-the-leader type model, which is interpreted as the discrete Lagrangian approximation of the nonlinear scalar conservation law. More precisely, we prove that the empirical measure (respectively the discretised density) obtained from the follow-the-leader system converges in the 1-Wasserstein topology (respectively in $L^1_{loc}$) to the unique Kruzkov entropy solution of the conservation law. The initial data are taken in $L^1\cap L^\infty$, nonnegative, and with compact support, hence we are able to handle densities with vacuum. Our result holds for a reasonably general class of velocity maps (including all the relevant examples in the applications, e.g. in the Lighthill-Whitham-Richards model for traffic flow) with possible degenerate slope near the vacuum state. The proof of the result is based on discrete BV estimates and on a discrete version of the one-sided Oleinik-type condition. In particular, we prove that the regularizing effect $L^1\cap L^\infty \mapsto BV$ for nonlinear scalar conservation laws is intrinsic of the discrete model

Systems of conservation laws with discontinuous fluxes and applications to traffic

In this paper we study 2 × 2 systems of partial differential equations with discontinuous fluxes arising in vehicular traffic modeling. The main goal is to introduce an appropriate notion of solution. To this aim we consider physically reasonable microscopic follow-the-leader models. Macroscopic Riemann solvers are then obtained as many particle limits

Coupling conditions for isothermal gas flow and applications to valves

We consider an isothermal gas flowing through a straight pipe and study the effects of a two-way electronic valve on the flow. The valve is either open or closed according to the pressure gradient and is assumed to act without any time or reaction delay. We first give a notion of coupling solution for the corresponding Riemann problem; then, we highlight and investigate several important properties for the solver, such as coherence, consistence, continuity on initial data and invariant domains. In particular, the notion of coherence introduced here is new and related to commuting behaviors of valves. We provide explicit conditions on the initial data in order that each of these properties is satisfied. The modeling we propose can be easily extended to a very wide class of valves

Riemann problems with non--local point constraints and capacity drop

In the present note we discuss in details the Riemann problem for a one--dimensional hyperbolic conservation law subject to a point constraint. We investigate how the regularity of the constraint operator impacts the well--posedness of the problem, namely in the case, relevant for numerical applications, of a discretized exit capacity. We devote particular attention to the case in which the constraint is given by a non--local operator depending on the solution itself. We provide several explicit examples. We also give the detailed proof of some results announced in the paper [Andreainov, Donadello, Rosini, "Crowd dynamics and conservation laws with non--local point constraints and capacity drop", which is devoted to existence and stability for a more general class of Cauchy problems subject to Lipschitz continuous non--local point constraints.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1304.628

Lack of BV bounds for approximate solutions to a two-phase transition model arising from vehicular traffic

We consider wave-front tracking approximate solutions to a two-phase transition model for vehicular traffic. We construct an explicit example showing that the total variation in space of the solution blows up in finite time even for an initial datum with bounded total variation

Coherence of coupling Riemann solvers for gas flows through flux-maximizing valves

In this paper we propose a model, based on the strictly hyperbolic system of isothermal Euler equations , for the gas flow in a straight pipe with a valve. We are then faced with an initial value problem with coupling conditions at the valve position. The valves under consideration are requested to maximize the flux; moreover, the flow is imposed to occur within prescribed bounds of pressure and flow. The issue is the mathematical characterization of the coherence of the corresponding coupling Riemann solvers; this property is related to the phenomenon of chattering, the rapid switch on and off of the valve. Within this framework we describe three kinds of valves, which differ for their action; two of them lead to a coherent solver, the third one does not. Proofs involve geometric and analytic properties of the Lax curves

Stability and Total Variation Estimates on General Scalar Balance Laws

Consider the general scalar balance law \partial_t u + \Div f(t, x,u) = F(t,x,u) in several space dimensions. The aim of this note is to estimate the dependence of its solutions from the flow $f$ and from the source $F$. To this aim, a bound on the total variation in the space variables of the solution is obtained. This result is then applied to obtain well posedness and stability estimates for a balance law with a non local source

A macroscopic model for pedestrian flows in panic situations

International audienceIn this paper we present the macroscopic model for pedestrian flows proposed by Colombo and Rosini [10] and show its main properties. In particular, this model is able to properly describe the movements of crowds, even after panic has arisen. Furthermore, it is able to reproduce the so called Braess' paradox for pedestrians. From the mathematical point of view, it provides one of the few examples of non classical shocks motivated by real problems, for which a global existence result is available. Finally, its assumptions were experimentally confirmed by an empirical study of a crowd crush on the Jamarat Bridge in Mina, Saudi Arabia, near Mecca, see [17]