Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Shock Wave Analysis
 Slow moving traffic and queuing on a highway are usually
formed due to a sudden reduction of the capacity of the
highway (known as a bottleneck condition).
 The sudden reduction in capacity could be due to a;
 Crash

 Reduction in the number of lanes

 Restricted bridge sizes

 Work zones

 Signal turning red etc

 This creates a situation where the capacity on the highway

suddenly changes from a higher value to a lower one.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Shock Wave Analysis cont’d
 These flow-speed-density states change over space and
time.
 Whenever these changes of state occur, a boundary is
established that separates the time-space domain of one flow
state from another.
 This boundary is referred to as a shock wave.
 Shock wave may also be defined as a “boundary in the space-
time domain that demarcate a discontinuity in flow-density
conditions”.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Types of Shockwaves
 Several types of shock waves can be formed, depending on the
traffic conditions that lead to their formation.
 These include;
 Frontal stationary

 Forward forming

 Backward forming

 Backward recovery

 Rear stationary and

 Forward recovery shock waves.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Types of Shockwaves cont’d

 Figure: Types of shock waves Figure: Capacity v Demand

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Types of Shockwaves cont’d
 Frontal stationary shock waves
 Formed when the capacity suddenly reduces to zero at
an approach or set of lanes having the red indication at a
signalized intersection or
 When a highway is completely closed because of a serious
incident.
 For example, at a signalized intersection, the red signal
indicates that traffic on the approach or set of lanes cannot
move across the intersection, which implies that the
capacity is temporarily reduced to zero resulting in the
formation of a frontal stationary shock wave.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Types of Shockwaves cont’d
 Backward forming shock waves
 Formed when the capacity is reduced below the
demand flow rate resulting in the formation of a queue
upstream of the bottleneck.
 Demand is greater than Capacity
 The shock wave moves upstream with its location at any
time indicating the end of the queue at that time.
 This may occur at the approach of a signalized intersection
when the signal indication is red or at a location of a
highway where the number of lanes is reduced.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Types of Shockwaves cont’d
 Backward recovery shock waves
 Demand less than supply

 Formed when the demand flow rate becomes less than

the capacity of the bottleneck or the restriction causing
the capacity reduction at the bottleneck is removed.
 For example, when the signals at an approach or set of lanes
on a signalized intersection change from red to green, the
traffic flow restriction is removed, and traffic on that
approach or set of lanes is free to move across the
intersection, causing a backward recovery shock wave .
 The intersection of the backward forming shock wave and
the backward recovery shock wave indicates the end of the
queue.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Types of Shockwaves cont’d
 Forward forming
Moving bottleneck (slow vehicle moving in direction of the

flow given limited passing opportunities)
 Rear stationary and forward recovery shock waves
 Formed when demand flow rate upstream of a bottleneck is
first higher than the capacity of the bottleneck and then the
demand flow rate reduces to the capacity of the bottleneck.
 For example, consider a four-lane (one direction) highway
that leads to a two-lane tunnel in an urban area.
 During the off-peak period when the demand capacity is
less than the tunnel capacity, no shock wave is formed.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Types of Shockwaves cont’d
 Rear stationary and forward recovery shock waves cont’d
 However, when the demand capacity becomes higher than
the tunnel capacity during the peak hour, a backward
forming shock wave is formed. This shock wave continues
to move upstream of the bottleneck as long as the demand
flow is higher than the tunnel capacity.
 However. as the end of the peak period approaches, the
demand flow rate tends to decrease until it is the same as
the tunnel capacity.
 At this point, a rear stationary shock wave is formed until
the demand flow becomes less than the tunnel capacity
resulting in the formation of a forward recovery shock
wave.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Types of Shockwaves cont’d

 Figure: Types of shock waves

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Shockwaves - Space-Time diagrams
 Assuming that all vehicles are travelling with a constant speed,
the space-time diagram will be as indicated below.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Shockwaves - Space-Time diagrams cont’d:

 Figure: Shockwave at signalized intersection

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Shockwaves - Space-Time diagrams cont’d:
 Space-Time Slopes: represent speeds
 Traffic State: an area with steady-state vehicle speeds
(consistent space-time slopes)
 Shockwave speed (w): is the slope of the boundary
between two traffic states (see diagram below)

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Shockwaves - Space-Time diagrams cont’d:
 Where;
 State A: Free-Flow State

 State B: Vehicles Stopping State (red signal)

 State C: Vehicles flow at full section capacity

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Shock Wave Speed Equation

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Shock Wave Speed Equation cont’d

 Figure: Estimation Queue Characteristics - Signalized Intersection

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Shock Wave Speed Equation cont’d

 Figure: Estimation Queue Characteristics – Slow Moving Truck

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Daganzo’s fundamental diagram
 When developing new models for traffic operation one needs a
fundamental diagram that is simple but represents the
essential properties of the traffic flow correctly.
 The simple parabola model of Greenshields is an example
fulfilling these requirements.
 Daganzo (1997) introduced a truncated triangular fundamental
diagram.
 That means that the flow is constant and maximized for a
certain range of densities.
 The function Q(k) is represented by two straight lines (see
diagram next slide).
 Determination of the relations u(k) and u(q) can now be done
 This model has three parameters: u0, qc (or kc) and kj .

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Daganzo’s fundamental diagram cont’d

 Figure: Daganzo’s fundamental diagram

 The equation is as follows:

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Example 1:

 Suppose the Flow and Density at:

 A (1800 veh/hr, 50 veh/km) and

 B (1224 veh/hr, 170 veh/km),

 Find the speed of the shock wave and the length of the queue if this
incidence lasts for 15 minutes.
 wBA = (qB-qA)/(kB-kA) = Dq/Dk

 (1224-1800)/(170-50)

 -4.8km/hr

 Queue length = u*t = (-4.8km/hr)*(15/60) = 1.2 km upstream.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Example 2:
 A freeway has a flow-density relationship approximated by;
 q =73.33k for 0 ≤k ≤30 &
 q =2934- 24.45k for 30 ≤k ≤120
 Where k is in veh/ln/km.
 Flow on a particular day is approximately 1600 veh/ln/hr.
 At 2:00pm an incident occurs which reduces capacity to 1200
veh/ln//hr.
 The incident is cleared 30 minutes later and the flow returns
to normal capacity of 2200 veh/ln/hr.
 Assuming a smooth road with no ramps (link roads) upstream,
what are the speeds of the forming and clearing shockwaves of
the queue upstream of the incident?.
 When and where do they intersect?

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Example 2:
 Solution

 (Using Daganzo’s fundamental diagram)

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Example 2:
 Solution:
 Solve for k1 and k2
 q = 73.33k for 0 ≤k ≤30
 1600 = 73.33k1

 k1 =21.82

 q =2934- 24.45k for 30 ≤k ≤120

 1200 =2934-24.45k2

 k2 = 70.92

 Using any of the two eqns will yield k3 = 30 at capacity

(k = kc) since qc = 2200veh/ln/hr

 Solve for speed of forming wave

 Uforming = (q1-q2)/k1-k2)

 = (1600-1200)/(21.82-70.92)

 = - 8.147 km/hr

 Solve for speed of clearing wave

 Uclearing = (q2-q3)/(k2-k3)

 = (1200-2200)/(70.92-30)

 = - 24.44 km/hr

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Example 2:
 Solution cont’d:
 Space-time diagram

 Solve for intersection of waves by setting times of intersection equal

 x/(-8.147) = 0.5 + x/(-24.44) i.e., u = x/t

 -24.44x = 0.5(-8.147)(-24.44) + (-8.147)x

 -24.44x = 99.556 – 8.147x

 x = -6.11km

 Solve for the time of forming wave to cover distance

 t = -6.11/(-8.147) = 0.75hr (45 minutes)

 2:00pm + 45 minutes = 2:45pm

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Example 3:
 The volume of the section of a two lane road is 1500 veh/hr
in each direction and the density is 16 vehicles per km. A
large truck carrying logs of timber enters the traffic stream
and travels at a speed of 16 km/hr for a length of 4 km along
the road before turning off the road to a nearby sawmill.
Traffic flow in the opposite direction is high thereby
inhibiting overtaking of the truck. Vehicles follow the truck
to form a platoon with a density of 63 vehicles per km and a
flow of 1000 veh/hr.
 Determine how many vehicles will be in the platoon by the
time the truck leaves the traffic stream.

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Example 3
 Solution:
 u= (q2-q1)/(k2-k1) = (1000 – 1500)/(63 – 16) = -10.64km/hr

 Truck moving at a speed of 16km/hr and the speed of the platoon is

will be dependent on truck speed, i.e., 16km/hr with shockwave
moving backwards relative to the road at 10.64km/hr.
 Hence the rate of growth of platoon is

 = [ 16km/hr – (-10.64km/hr)]

 = 26.64km/hr

 Calculating time spent by truck on the road

 = [4km/(16km/hr)]

 = 0.25hr

 Length of the platoon by the time the truck leaves the road is

 = 0.25 x 26.64km/hr

 = 6.66km

 # vehicles in the platoon = 6.66km*63veh/km = 419.53

 = 420 vehicles (approx)

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Tutorial 1
 A freeway has a flow-density relationship approximated by;
 q =80k for 0 ≤k ≤30 &
 q =3200- 26.67k for 30 ≤k ≤120
 where k is in veh/km.

 Flow on a particular day is approximately 2000 veh/hr.

 At 9:00am an incident occurs which reduces capacity to 1500 veh/hr.
 The incident is cleared 50 minutes later and the flow returns to normal
capacity of 2400 veh/hr.
 Assuming a smooth road with no ramps (link roads) upstream, what are the
speeds of the forming and clearing shockwaves of the queue upstream of
the incident?.
 When and where do they intersect?

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 Introduction to Shock Wave Analysis
 Homework:
 Question 1
A traffic stream on the approach to a signal has an approach speed of 40

km/h and density of 45 veh/km and a jam density of 130 veh/km.
 Find a speed of the shock wave.

 Question 2
 On a two lane carriageway road works restrict the width of both traffic lanes
forming a bottleneck to traffic flow. The maximum flow per lane on the
unobstructed carriageway is 2500 vehicles per hour whilst on the section
under repair the maximum flow per lane is 2000 vehicles per hour.
 When stationary, vehicles are spaced at average distance headways of 8m. It
may be assumed that there is a linear relationship between speed and
density.
 When the traffic flow approaching the road works is 4500 veh/h, calculate

 (i) The speed of the traffic stream a considerable distance in advance of the
bottleneck
 (ii) The speed of the traffic stream immediately before the commencement
of the bottleneck
 (iii) The speed of the shockwave formed by the bottleneck.

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