A Link-Based Alternative to Bell’s Logit Assignment Algorithm

Abstract

A Bell’s logit assignment method was recently proposed as an alternative to Dial’s algorithm. While retaining the absence of a need for path enumeration, Bell’s method dispenses with either a forward or a backward pass. It therefore does not require minimum node-to-node cast information beforehand. The aniy constraint on the set of feasibie paths imposed is that there are no loops and/or cycles. However, it is difficult to avoid loaps in real networks. In order to minimize the cycle problems, a link-based alternative to Bell’s logit assignment method is proposed with making use of the volume successive average algorithm. The absence of any efficiency constraint on the set offeasible paths makes the algorithm attractive for use in stochastic user equilibrium assignment. Extensions of the proposed method to limit the number and type of cycles permitted in the feasible path set are also discussed. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the applications of the proposed method and to compare the results wi...