Introduction to

Transportation Engineering
Instructor Dr. Norman Garrick

Hamed Ahangari
27th March 2014

1
Traffic Stream Analysis

2
 Key equations

Flow headway (h) - (s/veh)

Flow rate (q) - (veh/h)

T=3sec
T=0 sec
q=3600/(h) (1) h1-2=3sec

3
 Key equations
Density Spacing (s) -(ft/veh)

density-concentration(k)
S2-3 - S(veh/mi)
1-2

k=5280/(s) (2)

4
 Key equations

Speed U(TMS)= 1/n ∑ vi (3)

1
U(SMS)= 1 N
1
N

1 vi

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 Key equations
q=u.k (4)
flow=u(SMS) * density
q=ku
(veh/hr) = (veh/mi)  (mi/hr)

h=1/q
(sec/veh) = 1 / (veh/hr)  (3600)

s=1/k
(ft/veh) = 1 / (veh/mi)  (5280) 6
 Example 1
Data obtained from aerial photography showed six
vehicles on a 600 ft-long section of road. Traffic data
collected at the same time indicated an average time
headway of 4 sec.
Determine
(a) the density on the highway,
(b) the flow on the road,
(c) the space mean speed.

7
Solution
• Given:
• h=4 sec, l=600 ft, n=6

• Part (a):
– Density (k):
K= (n)/(l)= 6/600= 0.01 veh/ft
k=0.01*5280= 52.8 veh/mile
• Part (b):
– flow (q):
q= 1/h= ¼= 0.25 veh/sec
q = 0.25*3600= 900 veh/hour
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Solution
• Part (c):
– Space Mean Speed (U(sms)):
U(sms)= q/k
=900/52.8
U(sms)= 17 miles/hour

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 Traffic Flow Curves
Maximum Flow, Jam Concentration, Freeflow Speed
u u
uf

qmax
kj k q
q
qmax qmax - maximum flow

kj - jam concentration
k u = 0, k = kj

uf - free flow speed

k = 0, u = uf

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 Example 2
Assume that :
u=57.5*(1-0.008 k)
Find:
a) uf free flow speed
b) kj jam concentration
c) relationships q-u,
d) relationships q-k,
e) qmax capacity
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Solution
• Part a):free flow speed? uf
i) when k=0 uf
ii) u=57.5*(1-0.008 k) kj

i+ii) u=57.5*(1-0.008 k)= 57.5*(1-0.008*0)

uf =57.5 miles/hour

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Solution
• Part b): kj jam concentration? uf
i) when u=0 kj
ii) u=57.5*(1-0.008 k) kj

i+ii) 0=57.5*(1-0.008 k)----

0.008k=1
kj = 125 veh/miles

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Solution
• Part c): relationships q-u?
i) q=u.k
ii) u=57.5*(1-0.008 k)---u/57.5=1-0.008k
1-u/57.5=0.008K-----K=125-2.17u) (iii)

i+iii) q= u.k= u.(125-2.17u) q

q= 125u-2.17u^2 u

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Solution
• Part d): relationships q-k?
i) q=u.k u=q/k
ii) u=57.5*(1-0.008 k)

i+ii) q/k=57.5*(1-0.008k) q

q=57.5k -0.46k^2
k

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Solution
• Part e): qmax capacity ? q
qmax
dq
i) To find qmax , set  0:
dk
k
ii) q=57.5k -0.46k^2

d(q)/d(k)=0 57.5-0.92k=0
km=62.5
qmax =1796 veh/hour

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 Example 3
• The data shown below were obtained on a highway.
Use linear regression analysis to fit these data and
determine Speed (mi/h) Density (veh/mile)
14.2 85
24.1 70
– (a) the free speed, 30.3
36.8
55
47
– (b) the jam density, 40.1 41
50.6 20
– (c) the capacity, 55.0 15

– d) the speed at maximum flow.

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 Plot data
60

50
y = -0.57x + 62.92

40
Speed

30

20

10

0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Density

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Solution
• from plot: u = -0.57k + 62.92

• Part a) uf=62.92 miles/hour

• Part b) kj = 110.8 veh/mi

• Part c) qmax = 1736 veh/hr

• @ qmax, u = 31.5 mph and k = 55.2 veh/mi

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Shockwave Analysis

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 Example 4-
Length of Queue Due to a Speed Reduction

• The volume at a section of a two-lane highway is 1500

veh/h in each direction and the density is about 25
veh/mi.
• A large dump truck from an adjacent construction site
joins the traffic stream and travels at a speed of 10
mi/h for a length of 2.5 mi.
• Vehicles just behind the truck have to travel at the
speed of the truck which results in the formation of a
platoon having a density of 100 veh/mi and a flow of
1000 veh/h.
• Determine how many vehicles will be in the platoon by
the time the truck leaves the highway.
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Solution

Approach Conditions(Case1) Platoon Conditions (Case2)

q1=1500 veh/hr q2=1000 veh/hr

K1=25 veh/mi K2=100 veh/mi

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Solution
1000−1500
• 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝 1: 𝑢𝑤 = = -6.7 mile/hour
100−25

• Step 2: Growth rate of platoon:

𝑢𝑤𝑝 = 10+6.7=16.7 mile/hour

• Step 3: Time(truck)= distance/u= 2.5/10= 0.25 hour

• Step 4: Length of platoon= time*𝑢𝑤𝑝

= 0.25*16.7= 4.2 mile

• Step 5: Queue length= density*distance

=100*4.2= 420 vehicle
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Distance

Time

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 Example 5-
Length of Queue Due to Stop
• A vehicle stream is interrupted and stopped by policeman.
• The traffic volume for the vehicle stream before the
interruption is 1500 veh/hr and the density is 50 veh/mi.
• Assume that the jam density is 250 veh/mi. After four
minutes the policeman releases the traffic.
• The flow condition for the release is a traffic volume of
1800 veh/hr and a speed of 18mph.
 Determine :
• the length of the queue
• and the number of vehicles in the queue after five minutes.
• how long it will take for the queue to dissipate after the
policeman releases the traffic. 25
Solution
Approach conditions Platoon Conditions Release Conditions

Shockwave 1 Shockwave 2

State 1 State 2 State 3

q = 1500 veh/hr q = 0 veh/hr q = 1800 veh/hr
k = 50 veh/mi k = 250 veh/mi u = 18 mi/hr

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Solution
0−1500
• 𝑢𝑤12 = = -7.5 mi/hr
250−50

• Shockwave 1 is moving upstream at -7.5 mph

• Length of the queue after 4 minutes

Length = u*t = 7.5 mph * 4/60 hr = 0.5 mile

• Vehicles are in the queue after 4 minutes

# of vehicles = k * L = 250 *0.5 = 125 vehicles
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Solution
1800−0
𝑢𝑤23 = = -12 mi/hr
250−100

• Shockwave 2 is moving upstream at 12 mph

• usw1 = - 7.5 mph usw2 = - 12 mph

• The queue will dissipate at rate of 4.5 mph

Time to dissipate a 0.5 mile queue is L/speed
=0.5 mile / 4.5 mph = 0.012 hr = 6.6 minutes
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