SVC323 Transportation

Engineering

Module 04.2
Traffic flow theory

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Definitions

• See MW Ch 5.1-5.3 for definitions of:

– Average flow
– Average density
– Space-mean and time-mean speed

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 Traffic analysis techniques

Example 1: Speed calculations

(1) Calculate the

0.5km time-mean speed
and space-mean
Dist
speed
0.25km (2) Show that
SMS=TMS if all
vehicles travel at
0 15 30 45 60 the same speed
Time (secs)

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Traffic analysis techniques

M&W Example 5.2 (metric)

Vehicle time headways and spacings were

measured at a point along a highway, from a
single lane, over the course of an hour. The
average values were calculated as 2.5 s/veh
for headway and 60 m/veh for spacing.
Calculate the average speed of the traffic.

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 Congestion

Non-Recurrent
(incidents & accidents)

Recurrent (same place, same

time every day)

• Should we do something about it?

• What can we do about it?
• How much would it help? Benefits to traffic flow, delay, safety
• WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PREDICT THE BEHAVIOUR OF
TRAFFIC  TRAFFIC FLOW MODELS 7

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 Example:
Using traffic flow theory to
predict the impact of a HOV
(high occupancy vehicle) lane

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Example:
Using traffic flow theory to
predict the impact of a HOV lane
HOV
• Add a lane:
SOV

Would there be
congestion?

HOV

• Convert a lane: What factors

would affect the
answer for a
particular road?

HOV

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 These fundamental
diagrams of traffic
flow are derived in
class

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Parabolic flow-
density model

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 Triangular flow-density model

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Traffic analysis techniques

Example 5.3 (metric)

A section of highway is known to have a free-

flow speed of 90 km/h and a capacity of 3300
veh/h. In a given hour, 2100 vehicles were
counted at a specified point along this
highway. If the linear speed-density
relationship applies, what would you estimate
the space-mean speed of these 2100
vehicles to be?
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Traffic analysis techniques

K&M Problem 5.7 (metric)

A section of highway has the following flow-
density relationship:

q = 80k – 0.4k2

What is the capacity of the highway section, the

speed at capacity, and the density when the
highway is flowing at one-quarter of its
SGM787
capacity? 15

Example:
Using traffic flow theory to
predict the impact of a HOV lane

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 Example:
Using traffic flow theory to
predict the impact of a HOV lane
• Given: • Asked:

q1 q1 q1 q2 q2 q3
k1 k1 k1 k2 k2 k3
HOV

q1= 2100 veh/h/lane (uncongested)

25% are HOV
• If all HOVs go into the HOV lane,
qmax=2300 q=73.6k-0.592k2 would there be congestion?
• Do HOVs receive a speed
benefit?
kj=125 k
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 Further examples from previous exam papers
Example 1: Speed calculations
(1) Calculate the time-mean
speed and space-mean
0.5km
speed
Dist (2) Show that SMS=TMS if
0.25km
all vehicles travel at the
same speed

0 15 30 45 60
Time (secs)

Example 2: Speed-density-flow calculations

The times when vehicles pass two points, A and B, are recorded as follows:

Vehicle a b c d e f g
Time at A 0 10.1 25.3 30.1 37.4 41.8 50.2
(secs)
Time at B 16.1 25.7 41.3 48.2 52.1 55.2 65.0
(secs)

1. If the distance between A and B is 150 meters, determine

the average flow, space-mean speed, and density of traffic.
2. If the jam density is 30 vehicles per kilometer, and a linear
relationship holds between density and speed, determine
the free-flow speed on this section.

Example 3: Speed-density-flow calculations

A traffic stream consists of two groups of vehicles, namely slow vehicles and fast vehicles.
All slow vehicles travel at a constant speed of 80 km/h, and all fast vehicles travel at a
constant speed of 120 km/h. An observer standing next to the road counts an equal
number of slow and fast vehicles passing him during a one-hour time period.

(a) Determine the time-mean speed of the entire traffic stream flowing past the
observer. Also determine the space-mean speed of the vehicles.
(b) On a photograph taken of this section of road, what proportion of vehicles would
be from the fast-moving group and what proportion from the slow-moving group?

SVC323-04-Traffic Analysis Techniques - Extra problems 2017.docx

 Example 4: Speed-density-flow calculations

The average speed and density are measured on a road section. During two different
time periods the following data were obtained:
Time period 6:00 to 6:15 7:00 to 7:15
Space mean speed (km/h) 90.0 zero
Vehicle density (veh/km) 5.3 100.0

(a) Assuming the speed-density relationship is linear, derive an equation for the
average speed as a function of density on this road section.
(b) Is the road section congested or not:
- During the first period (6:00 to 6:15)? Why do you say so?
- During the second period (7:00 to 7:15)? Why do you say so?
(c ) What is the average flow in each time period?
(d ) What is the estimated capacity of the road section?

SVC323-04-Traffic Analysis Techniques - Extra problems 2017.docx