Road network
MATSim provides functionality for constructing and configuring the road transport supply used to simulate private and freight mobility.
The route is direct: OpenStreetMap data are converted into a MATSim road network, which represents the infrastructure as nodes and links.
What the converted network holds
Each link carries the attributes the simulation needs:
| Attribute | Role in simulation |
|---|---|
| Link length | Distance, and therefore travel time at a given speed |
| Free-flow speed | Uncongested travel speed |
| Capacity | The flow at which congestion begins to bite |
| Number of lanes | Physical capacity and queueing behaviour |
| Permitted transport modes | Which agents may use the link |
MATSim provides OSM network-reading functionality to perform this conversion, so the network does not have to be assembled by hand.
One network, several vehicle types
Private vehicles and freight vans can use the same road network. What separates them is configuration rather than geometry: the permitted modes and relevant link attributes are set according to the modes represented in the simulation.
Why a shared network matters for the IMP
Because cars and delivery vans occupy the same links, they compete for the same capacity, and a disrupted link affects both at once.
This is what allows freight demand and passenger demand to interact rather than being assessed separately.
Inputs
Geospatial representation of the road network
| Source | OpenStreetMap data for the study area |
| Format | Typically .osm or .osm.pbf |
| Where to obtain | Regional OSM extracts can be obtained from Geofabrik |
Network configuration
Parameters defining the representation of road infrastructure:
- Link capacity
- Free-flow speed
- Number of lanes
- Permitted transport modes
Derived, then checked
These parameters can be derived from OSM attributes, but the handbook is explicit that they should subsequently be validated or adjusted for the study area.
OSM tagging is contributed rather than surveyed, so its completeness and accuracy vary by place. Speeds and lane counts in particular are often absent or generic, and a network taken straight from the extract without checking will inherit those gaps.
Vehicle characteristics
Definitions of the road vehicle types represented in the simulation.
Facilities
Georeferenced locations associated with activities, which can be represented as MATSim facilities. These give the activities in an agent's plan a physical place on the network to happen.
Outputs
Three files result:
| File | Contents |
|---|---|
network.xml | MATSim representation of the road network, containing nodes and links and their associated attributes |
vehicles.xml | Vehicle definitions representing the characteristics of the road vehicle types included in the simulation |
facilities.xml | Spatial representation of activity locations associated with the transport network |
These are described in more detail, alongside the public transport files, on the MATSim network page.
Reference documentation
Further information on network generation from OSM is provided in the MATSim User Guide, particularly Section 8.2.