LAUSR

Purpose The purpose of the study is to obtain an analytical approximate solution for jamming transition problem (JTP) using Adomian decomposition method (ADM). Design/methodology/approach In this study, the jamming transition is presented as a result of spontaneous deviations of headway and velocity that is caused by the acceleration/breaking rate to be higher than the critical value. Dissipative dynamics of traffic flow can be represented within the framework of the Lorenz scheme based on the car-following model in the one-lane highway. Through this paper, an analytical approximation for the solution is calculated via ADM that leads to a solution for headway deviation as a function of time. Findings A highly nonlinear differential equation having no exact solution due to JTP is considered and headway deviation is obtained implementing a number of different initial conditions. The results are discussed and compared with the available data in the literature and numerical solutions obtained from a built-in numerical function of the mathematical software used in the study. The advantage of using ADM for the problem is presented in the study and discussed on the basis of the results produced by the applied method. Originality/value This is the first study to apply ADM to JTP.