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Transportation Engineering II 3

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12 views

Transportation Engineering II 3

Uploaded by

Dasaradha Rami Reddy Medam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CE 322: TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING II

Traffic flow models, capacity and LOS


analysis

Nipjyoti Bharadwaj
Assistant professor, Department of Civil Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati
Types of Traffic Flow
• Traffic flow can be divided into two primary types.

• The first type is called uninterrupted flow and is flow regulated by vehicle-vehicle
interactions and interactions between vehicles and the roadway. For example, vehicles
travelling on an Expressway are participating in uninterrupted flow.

• The second type of traffic flow is called interrupted flow. Interrupted flow is flow regulated
by an external means, such as a traffic signal. Under interrupted flow conditions, vehicle-
vehicle interactions and vehicle-roadway interactions play a secondary role in defining
the traffic flow.
Types of Traffic Flow
• Uninterrupted Facilities:
• Expressway
• Multi-lane Highways
• Two lane Highways

• Interrupted Facilities
• Signalized intersection
• Unsignalized intersection
• Bicycle path
• Pedestrian walkways
• Transits
The Uninterrupted Traffic Flow Model:
• This model can best be described by means of a typical curve of the form shown in Figure.

• Imagine several vehicles, driven by rational drivers along a section of freeway. As vehicles
speed and spacing increase, the speeds approach the free speed, and drivers adopt their
own speed when uninfluenced by other vehicles in the traffic stream (point C).
The Uninterrupted Traffic Flow Model:
• The situation at point A, which represents the maximum traffic density that occurs when traffic
has virtually come to a complete stop

• drivers are uninfluenced or less influenced by other vehicles in the traffic lane about point B

• Forced flow, each vehicle adopts minimum spacing and clearance distance.
Boundary Conditions
Macroscopic Flow Parameters
• Kj = Density at which speed -> 0. Here, spacing is minimum.

• Sf = Speed when k -> 0,

• Referred to as Free-flow or Free mean speed

• Effect of other vehicles not felt


Capacity
• Qmax = maximum flow possible on a given segment under ideal condition on
a given highway

• Kcr = Critical density


• Density when the flow is maximum

• Separates congested from uncongested flow

• Ucr = Critical speed


• Speed when the flow is maximum
Greenshields Model
• The general model connecting speed, flow, and density discussed so far is a linear
model proposed by Greenshields (1935).

• 1. Relationships of q-k-v were tested in terms of goodness of fit to


actual field data.
• 2. Relationships were supposed to satisfy certain boundary conditions:
• a. Flow is zero at zero density.
• b. Flow is zero at maximum density.
• c. Mean free speed occurs at zero density.
• d. Flow-density curves are convex (i.e., there is a point of maximum
flow).
Greenshields Model
Greenbergs Model
Greenberg (1959) developed a model taking speed, flow, and
density measurements in the Lincoln Tunnel resulting in a speed-
density model. He used a fluid-flow analogy concept, using the
following form:
v = C ln (kj/k)
where C is a constant

Greenberg model shows better goodness-of-fit as compared to the


Greenshield model, although it violates the boundary conditions in
that zero density can only be attained at an infinitely high speed.
Multi-lane roads
Multilane highways may exhibit some of the following characteristics:
• have posted speed limits of 40 - 55 mi/h(65- 90 km/h).
• They usually have a total of four or six lanes.
• They may be undivided or include medians.
• Multilane highways are located in suburban communities, leading into central
cities, or along high-volume rural corridors connecting two cities or two
activities that generate a number of daily trips.
Multi-lane roads
• Traffic signals at major crossing points are possible.
• Traffic volumes range from 15,000 to 40,000/day In some cases.
• Volumes as high as 100,000 v/day have been observed.
• There is partial control of access.
• They may include a two-way, left-turn median lane (TWLTL)
Level of service (LOS)
• Level of service (LOS) is a qualitative measure describing operational conditions
within a traffic stream and their perception by motorists and/or passengers.

• Factors such as speed and travel time, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions,
and comfort and convenience are generally included as conditions affecting LOS.

• Each facility can be evaluated on the basis of six levels of service, A through F-with
A representing the best operating conditions and LOS F the worst
Level of service (LOS)

LOS A
Level of service (LOS)

LOS B
Level of service (LOS)

LOS C
Level of service (LOS)

LOS D
Level of service (LOS)

LOS E
Level of service (LOS)
Measures of effectiveness (MOE).
• The parameters that are selected to define LOS for each facility type are called
measures of effectiveness (MOE).

• In turn, they represent those measures that best describe the quality of operation on
the facility.

• For example, density [passenger cars per mile per lane (pc/mi/ln)], speed (mean
passenger-car speed), and volume-to-capacity (v/c) ratio are the MOE for basic
freeway segments.

• On the other hand, percent time-spent-following and average travel speed are the
MOE considered for two-lane highways.
Measures of effectiveness (MOE).
Thank You

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