Traffic Engineering, 4th Edition Roess, R.P., Prassas, E.S., and McShane, W.R. Solutions to Homework No.

1 Problem 21 A driver takes 3.5 s to react to a complex situation while traveling at a speed of 60mph. How far does the vehicle travel before the driver initiates a physical response to the situation. (i.e. putting his or her foot on the brake)? The driver continues to travel at 60 mi/h while taking his foot from the accelerator to the brake. Therefore, the vehicle will travel: dr = 1.47 St = 1.47 *60 *3.5 = 308.7ft. before the drivers foot hits the brake. Problem 22 A driver traveling at 65mph rounds a curve on a level grade to see a truck overturned across the highway at a distance of 350 ft. If the driver is able to decelerate at a rate of 10 ft/s 2, at what speed will the vehicle hit the truck? Plot the result for reaction times ranging from 0.50 to 5.00 s in increments of 0.5s. Comment on the results. When the driver first sees the overturned truck, he will continue to move at 65 mi/h during this reaction time. During this time, the vehicle will travel 1.47*65*t feet, or 95.5t ft. Thus, the distance available for braking is 350 95.5t feet. This is the distance that is available for deceleration before the vehicle hits the overturned truck. The formula for braking distance is: db = Si 2 Sf 2 30(F +/- 0 .01G)

In this case, the initial speed (Si) is 65 mi/h. The friction factor, F, is related to the deceleration rate, and is computed by dividing the deceleration rate by the deceleration rate due to gravity, or 10/32.2 = 0.31. The grade is level, i.e., G = 0. The braking distance is 350 95.5 t. Therefore: 350 95t = _65 2 Sf2 30(.31) This equation is solved for various values of t from 0.50 to 5.00 s. Note that at the point where the reaction distance becomes more than 350 ft, the final speed is a constant 65 mi/h, and the braking distance is essentially 0.

The vehicle hit the

is going to overturned

truck in any event. For reaction times over approximately 3.75 s, the vehicle will hit the truck at full speed, 65 mi/h. Problem 23 A car hits a tree at an estimated speed of 25 mph on a 3% upgrade. If skid marks of 120 ft. are observed on a dry pavement (f = 0.35) followed by 250 ft (F = 0.25) on a grassy stabilized shoulder, estimate the initial speed of the vehicle just before the pavement skid began. This problem involves only the braking distance, which is assumed to be the same as the length of the measured skid marks. The speed at the collision point is estimated to be 25 mi/h. Working backwards, we can estimate the speed at the beginning of the grass skid, and then the speed at the beginning of the pavement skid, as illustrated below:

Problem 24 Drivers must slow down from 60 mph to 40 mph to negotiate a severe curve on a rural highway. A warning sign for the curve is clearly visible for a distance of 120 ft. How far in advance of the curve must the sign be located to ensure that vehicles have sufficient distance to decelerate safely? Use the standard reaction time and deceleration rate recommended by AASHTO for basic braking maneuvers. The total stopping distance must be evaluated to answer this question. It is the sum of the reaction distance and the braking distance, such that: d = dr + db = 1.47 St + Si 2 Sf 2 30(F +/- 0 .01G)

In this case, the reaction time, t, is the AASHTO standard, or 2. 5 s. The friction factor, F, is based upon the standard AASHTO deceleration rate of 11.2 ft/s2 (F = 11.2/32.2 = 0.348) and the speed is given as 40 mi/h. Then: d = 1.47 * 60*2.5 + d = 220.5 + 60 40 2 30(.348)
2

3600 1600 10.44

d = 220.5 + 191.6 = 412 ft.

Since the sign can be seen clearly @120ft. Then the posting of the sign should be: 412 ft. 120 ft. = 292 ft.

Problem 25 How long should the yellow signal be for vehicles approaching a traffic signal on a 2% downgrade at a speed of 40 mph? Use the standard reaction time of 1 sec and the standard AASHTO declaration rate. The yellow signal must be long enough to allow a vehicle that cannot safely stop before crossing the intersection line to proceed to enter the intersection at their ambient approach speed (40 mi/h). Thus, the last vehicle that should be allowed to enter the intersection during the yellow should have been one safe stopping distance away when the yellow was initiated. The safe stopping distance for this case is: d = dr + db = 1.47 St + d = 1.47 *40*1.0 + Si 2 Sf 2 30(F +/- 0 .01G) 40
2

02 30(.348 - .01*2)

Remember this is a downgrade so the sign is negative d = 58.8 + 1600 = 58.8 + 162.6 = 221.4 ft.

30(.348 - .02) The length of the yellow signal is the time it takes an approaching vehicle to traverse 221.4 ft. at 40 mph or: D = 1.47 S *t = 3.77 sec solve for t: t=D = 221.4 1.47 * S = 1.47 * 40

Problem 26 What is the safe stopping distance for a section of rural freeway with a design speed of 80 mph on a 3% grade.

The safe stopping distance is: d = dr + db = 1.47 St + d = 1.47 *80*2.5 + d = 294 + 6400 Si 2 Sf 2 30(F +/- 0 .01G) 80
2

02 30(.348 - .01*3) = 964.9 ft.

= 294 + 670.8 30(.318)

Note that the standard AASHTO values for reaction time (2.5 s) and friction factor (0.348) are used.

Problem 27 What is the minimum radius of curvature may be designed for a safe operation of vehicles at 70 mph of the maximum rate of super elevation (e) is 6% and the maximum coefficient of side friction is (f) is 0.10? The minimum radius of curvature is found as: R= S2 15(0.01e + f) = 702 15( 0.01 * 6 + .10) = 2,041.7 ft.