The application of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) during transient engine operation is a challenging task since small fluctuations in EGR may cause larger than acceptable spikes in NOx/soot emissions or deterioration in the combustion efficiency. Moreover, the intake charge dilution at any EGR ratio is a function of engine load and intake pressure, and typically changes during transient events. Therefore, the management of EGR during transient engine operation or advanced combustion cycles (that are inherently less stable) requires a fundamental understanding of the transient EGR behaviour and its impact on the intake charge development. In this work, a zero-dimensional EGR model is described to estimate the transient (cycle-by-cycle) progression of EGR and the time (engine cycles) required for its stabilization. The model response is tuned to a multi-cylinder engine by using an overall engine system time-constant and shown to effectively track the transient EGR changes. The impact of EGR on the actual air fuel ratio of the cylinder charge is quantified by defining an in-cylinder excess-air ratio that accounts for the oxygen in the recycled exhaust gas. Furthermore, a twin lambda sensor (TLS) technique is implemented for tracking the intake dilution and in-cylinder excess-air ratio in real-time. The modelling and analysis results are validated against a wide range of engine operations, including transient and steady-state low temperature combustion tests. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.