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Traffic 4 TrafficFlowFundamentals
Traffic 4 TrafficFlowFundamentals
Fundamentals
CE331 Transportation Engineering
Objectives
2
Some Terms
Speed (u)
Rate of motion (mph)
Density (k)
Rate of traffic over distance (vpm)
Volume (V)
Amount of traffic (vph)
Flow (q)
Rate of traffic (vph); equivalent hourly
rate
Basic Relationships
q ku
1
q
h
1
k
s
5
Flow-Density Example
uf
Max density 0 speed
k
u u f 1
k
j
Speed
Density kj
7
Speed-Density Relationship
90
80
Ave rag e s pe e d (mph)
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
kcap kj Density
9
Flow-Density Relationship
3000
2500
Flow (pc phpl)
2000
1500
1000
500
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
qm
Slope of these
lines is the space
Flow (veh/hr)
B mean speed at
this density
0 km kj
0 KB
Concentration (veh/mi)
If the space mean speed is 45.6 mph, what is the flow rate?
q = kus = (10.6 veh/mile)(45.6 mph) = 481.5 veh/hr
Speed-Flow Relationship
k
u u f 1 and q ku
k
j
uf kj
q k ju u2
uf
Speed
“Optimal” speed
for flow
ucap
maximization
qcap= kcapucap
qcap Flow
13
Speed-Flow Relationship
90
80
Ave rage s pe e d (mph)
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
14 Flow (pcphpl)
Highway capacity manual
Uncongested Flow
Queue
Discharge
Speed
Capacity Drop
Congested Flow
Flow
Source: Maze, Schrock, and VanDerHorst, “Traffic Management
Strategies for Merge Areas in Rural Interstate Work Zones
Speed-Flow-Density Relationship
(Greenshield’s Linear Model)
uf
ucap
qcap
qcap
18 kcap kj
Special Case
Greenshield’s k
u u f 1
Model k
Linear j
(Only) When uf kj
ucap kcap
Greenshield’s 2 2
Model holds,
k ju f
qcap kcapucap
4
19
Greenshield Linear Model
uf
um
speed (mph)
0
0 km kj
Concentration (veh/mi)
Example 1
A highway section has an average spacing
of 25ft under jam conditions and a free-
flow speed of 55mph. Assuming that the
relationship between speed and density is
linear, determine the jam density, the
maximum flow, the density at maximum
flow, and the speed at maximum flow.
21
Example 2
Traffic observations along a freeway lane
showed the flow rate of 1200vph occurred
with an average speed of 50mph. The
same study also showed that the free-flow
speed is 60mph and the speed-density
relationship follows the Greenshield’s
model. What is the capacity of this lane?
22
Example 3
A section of highway is known to have a
free-flow speed of 55mph and a capacity
of 3300vph. In a given hour, 2100
vehicles were counted at a point along the
road. If Greenshield’s model applies, what
would be the space mean speed of these
2100 vehicles?
23
Queuing Theory
queue
Direction of Traffic
Direction of Traffic
B
2,000
A
1 2
Time, (hours)
Deterministic queuing
traffic signal case
Diagram for traffic signal
Example
( R t0 ) * R
Area under the curve delay
2
noting that ( R t0 ) * * t0 ...
R
* t0 * delay
2
λ µ
t0
R
Example
D
(t0 * R
total delay
2
= Average Delay
Intersection delay in both directions
Multiple directions
Minimizing delay
Steady State Queuing
Arrival Distribution
Described by a Poisson distribution
Service Method
Usually first come first serve
Service Distribution
Follows a negative exponential distribution
Number of channels
Assumption of steady state
Average arrival rate is less than average service
rate
The M/M/1 System
4-way
Stop
Arrivals are not random
2-way
Stop
Common one channel
equations
n
q q
P ( n) 1
Q Q
Example – suppose that cars take an average of 5 seconds
at a stop sign. If 9 cars per minute arrive at the sign what
is the probability of having 5 in the system what is the
probability of having five or fewer.
q 1
E ( w) E (v )
Q Q q Q q
9 1
E ( w) 0.25 E (v ) 0.33
1212 9 12 9
Common queuing equations
Probability of spending less than Probability of spending less than
time t in the system time t in the queue
q
q
1 qt q 1 qt
Q
Q P( w t ) 1 e
P (v t ) 1 e Q
9
9
1 9*0.75 9 1 9*0.75
12
P (v 0.75) 1 e 12
0.81 P ( w 0 .75) 1 e 0.86
12
Common queuing equations
N 1
q
P (n N )
Q
81
9
P (n 8) 0.075
12
Shock wave theory
qm
Slope of these
lines is the space
Flow (veh/hr)
B mean speed at
this density
0 km kj
0 KB
Concentration (veh/mi)
Back Ward Moving Shock
wave
Qc
Speed of the
Q1
Sp ee
Shock wave
d, S
Q1 Q2
S
Q3 Q2
Qb
K1 K 2
Flow Rate (q)
k1 Density (k) k2
Example
Suppose you have 2,000 vehicle per hour approaching a lane closure
at and average speed of 65 mph. The capacity of the lane closure is
1,400 vehicles per hour and at the maximum capacity move at 20
mph. Assuming the approaching vehicles are evenly distributed
between the two lanes. How fast is the shock wave traveling
backwards?
Qc
Q3 Q2
Qb
Flow Rate (q)
d, S
Sp e e
Q1
K1 Density (k) K2