Refining synthetic population generation: development of a migration data model

Abstract

This study deals with the concept of synthetic data populations as input for traffic modeling purposes. The term 'synthetic' applies to a combination of data sets, often collected for other research purposes. Over the years, they have been growing in popularity in the field of transportation because they form an alternative to the extensive data collection process. A synthetic population for Belgium was developed containing socio-demographic variables of all inhabitants for the year 2001. These variables can be used to model transportation demand because socio-demographic characteristics influence travel behavior. There are 5 main components included in this model: birth and death processes, the forming of new couples, employment, drivers' license and income. From a demographic perspective, it's essential that migration is added to this equation. Three migration probabilities were calculated based on data of the Flemish Government: internal migration, immigration and emigration. A rand