Creation of an Air Traffic Simulation Using Agent Based Modelling
Sam Eberspacher
TJHSST Computer System Lab
2007-2008
May 23, 2008
Abstract
As the skies over the United States become in-
creasingly crowded, airports in the United States
are increasingly stressed to adapt to this increased
demand. The goal of this project is to visually
represent the strain on airports and passengers as a
variety of problems generate record delays. By using
agent based modelling, along with real air traffic
information, this simulation may accurately predict
the proliferation of delays through out airports in
the United States.
1 Introduction
The purpose of this project is to visually represent
the proliferation of a delay throughout a system of
airports. By using techiques such as agent based
modelling, the simulation will predict actual delays
with decent accuracy. Additionally by repeating the
simulation multiple times, the simulation generates
increasingly accurate results as the number of tri-
als approached infinity. While a simulation such as
this would take a human enormous amounts of time,
a computer may be able to run a simulation of 24
hours in a matter of minutes. Due to the scale of the
problem, efficiency will be key for the computer to
run the simulation in a timely matter.
2 Development
2.1 Agent Based Modelling
In order to simulate such a large system, this project
will use a technique known as agent based modelling.
The deveopment of a system using agent based mod-
elling is key for the success of the project. Each agent
must interact with other agents in the system in the
most realistic way possible in order to generate the
most accurate results. One benefit of the agent based
modelling is that parameters for interaction between
agents define the overall behaviour of the system.
This allows the programmer to work on much smaller
problems with the agent in order to alter the overall
system.
2.2 Embedded Statistical Analysis
Embedded statistical analysis is a done when real
time statistics are needed in a simulat