CE431: Principles of

Transportation
Engineering

P R E PA R E D BY: E N G R . M A R V I N K E N T E . V I L L A M O R
Subject References:
Main:
❑ Ricardo G. Sigua, Fundamentals of Traffic Engineering, UP Press, 2008.

Supplements:
❑ Mannering Fred, Washburn Scott, Kilaresky Walter. 2004. Principles of Highway Engineering &
Traffic Analysis. Muze Inc. Fajardo, Max B., Project Construction Management, 5138 Trading,
2000.
❑ Garber, Nicholas; &Hoel, Lester. 2001. Highway and Traffic Engineering. Brookes/Cole
Publishing.
❑ Ortuzar, J. D. And Willumsen, L.G. 2011. Modelling Transport, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., West
Sussex, UK.
 Topic 3:
Traffic Flow Fnd. Part 1
3.0 Traffic Stream Parameters
❑ Uninterrupted flow – a traffic stream that operates
free from the influence of such traffic control devices as
signals and stop signs.

❑ Interrupted flow – a traffic stream that operates under

the influence of signals and stop signs.
3.0.1 Major Traffic Variables
Uninterrupted flow can be described using any of the
following traffic variables:
❑ Flow rate or Volume

❑ Speed

❑ Density or concentration
3.1.1 Traffic Flow
❑ Traffic Flow / Flow rate
– is defined as the number of vehicles passing a point
during a specified period of time. It is often referred to as
volume when measured over an hour.
 3.1.1 Traffic Flow - Formula

Where:
q = traffic flow in vehicles per unit time
n = number of vehicles passing some designated roadway
point during time t
t = duration of time interval.
Example #1:
3.1.2 Time Headway
❑ Time Headway
- The time between the passage of the front bumpers
of successive vehicles, at some designated highway point.
 3.1.2 Time Headway - Formula

Where:
t = duration of time interval
hi = time headway of the ith vehicle (the elapsed time
between the arrivals of vehicles i and i − 1)
n = number of measured vehicle time headways at some
designated roadway point.
Substituting EQ 3.2 into EQ 3.1
Substituting EQ 3.2 into EQ 3.1
Substituting EQ 3.2 into EQ 3.1

Where:

h = average time headway ( ∑ hi / n) in

unit time per vehicle
3.1.3 Average Traffic Speed
The average traffic speed is defined in two ways:
❑ Time – mean speed
❑ Space – mean speed
3.1.3 Average Traffic Speed
The average traffic speed is defined in two ways:
❑ Time – mean speed - The arithmetic mean of the vehicle
speeds observed at some designated point along the roadway.

❑ Space – mean speed

3.1.3 Average Traffic Speed
The average traffic speed is defined in two ways:
❑ Time – mean speed - The arithmetic mean of the vehicle
speeds observed at some designated point along the roadway.

❑ Space – mean speed - determined on the basis of the time

necessary for a vehicle to travel some known length of roadway.
- is more useful in the context of traffic
analysis.
 3.1.3 Average Traffic Speed –
Time – Mean Speed Formula

Where:
ut = time-mean speed in unit distance per unit time.
ui = spot speed (the speed of the vehicle at the designated
point on the highway, as might be obtained using a
radar gun) of the ith vehicle.
n = number of measured vehicle spot speeds.
Example #2:
The speeds of five vehicles were measured (with radar) at the
midpoint of a 0.5-mile section of roadway. The speeds for vehicles
1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were 44, 42, 51, 49, and 46 mi/h, respectively.
Assuming that all vehicles were traveling at a constant speed over
this roadway section, calculate the time-mean and space-mean
speeds.
Example #3A:
The speed of 25 cars was observed.
❑ 10 cars were noted to travel at 35 kph
❑ 8 cars at 40 kph
❑ 2 cars at 50 kph
❑ 5 cars at 45 kph.
Assuming that each car was traveling at a constant speed,
determine the time mean speed.
 3.1.3 Average Traffic Speed –
Space – Mean Speed Formula

Where:
us = space-mean speed in unit distance per unit time.
l = length of roadway used for travel time measurement of
vehicles.
t = average vehicle travel time.
 3.1.3 Average Traffic Speed –
Space – Mean Speed Formula

Where:
ti = time necessary for vehicle i to travel a roadway section of
length l,
n = number of measured vehicle travel times.
Substituting EQ 3.7 into EQ 3.6
Substituting EQ 3.7 into EQ 3.6
Substituting EQ 3.7 into EQ 3.6
Example #3B:
The speed of 25 cars was observed.
❑ 10 cars were noted to travel at 35 kph
❑ 8 cars at 40 kph
❑ 2 cars at 50 kph
❑ 5 cars at 45 kph.
Assuming that each car was traveling at a constant speed,
determine the space mean speed.
3.1.4 Traffic Density
❑ Traffic Density
- is defined as the number of vehicles in a given length
of road at an instant point in time.
 3.1.4 Traffic Density - Formula

Where:
k = traffic density in vehicles per unit distance
n = number of vehicles occupying some length of roadway
at some specified time
l = length of roadway.
 3.1.4 Traffic Density - Formula

Where:
si = spacing of the ith vehicle (the distance between vehicles
i and i − 1, measured from front bumper to front bumper)
n = number of measured vehicle spacings.
Substituting EQ 3.11 into EQ 3.10
Substituting EQ 3.11 into EQ 3.10
Substituting EQ 3.11 into EQ 3.10

Where:

s = average spacing ( ∑ si / n) in
unit time per vehicle
 3.1.1 Traffic Flow – Formula 2

Where:
q = traffic flow in vehicles per unit time (veh/h)
u = speed (space-mean speed), typically in units of mi/h
k = density, typically in units of veh/mi.
Example #4:
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 200 ft/veh for spacing. Calculate the average speed of the
traffic.
To Be Continued…