Zhu Studying Use Of Big Data In Verification Of Route Choice Models
Shanjiang Zhu, Associate Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received funding for the study: “Utilizing Big Data to Verify and Enhance Route Choice Models in Travel Demand Modeling.”
Connected vehicle data has attracted a lot of interest from transportation professionals, but researchers are still exploring the best way to use it. This research effort will determine the best way to use connected vehicle data to enhance accuracy of travel demand models. It will challenge the conventional assumption that everyone uses the shortest time path using real-world travel trajectory data and develop methods to improve the modeling practice based on this emerging data source. In the process, the research will address challenges related to data bias, data size, and the integration of theoretical assumptions with empirical knowledge.
Zhu received $70,000 from the Virginia Transportation Research Council for this project. Funding began in June 2025 and will end in late Dec. 2026.
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