Course Project: Effect of Speed

Bumps on Campus Roads

Submitted by Group 3
Gopakumar K
CE10B023
Hareesh Bahuleyan
CE10B024
Mohamed Ameen
CE10B037
Muhammed Yasir K CE10B040
Sarath M
CE10B055
Midhun Babu
CE10B092

ABSTRACT
Road bumps play a crucial role in enforcing speed limits, thereby preventing over-speeding
of vehicles. It significantly contributes to the overall road safety objective through the prevention of
accidents that lead to deaths of pedestrians and damage of vehicles. Despite the importance of road
bumps, very little research has been done to investigate into their design. While documentation exists
on quantitative descriptions of road bumps, they offer little guidance to decision making.
This work presents study of effect of speed bumps in IIT Madras. The results of our study
reveal significant role played by speed bumps in controlling speed violations. The study also
establishes the fact that speed reduction was dependent on the type of vehicle. We carried out
Hypothesis testing to determine the effect of road bumps on a vehicular system. This technique offers
a unique method of comparison of means.

Introduction
A speed bump is a rounded traffic calming device used to reduce vehicle speed and volume
on residential streets. Humps are placed across the road to slow traffic and are often installed in a
series of several humps in order to prevent cars from speeding before and after the hump. Common
speed hump shapes are parabolic, circular, and sinusoidal. Speed bumps can be made of recycled
plastic, metal, asphalt or rubber. Speed bumps of various sizes can be placed on a road, from using
two four foot or six foot devices on it with a space on either side for drainage, and not designed for
avoiding the bump on one side of the car. It may also be connected across the entire road surface.
The use of speed bumps is widespread around the world, and they are most commonly found
where vehicle speeds are statutorily mandated to be low, usually 40 km/h. Although speed bumps are
very effective in keeping vehicle speed down, their use is sometimes controversial as they can cause
noise and possibly vehicle damage if taken at too great a speed. Poorly designed speed bumps can
often result in the damage of vehicle suspension system and can cause discomfort to the passengers.
Visibility of the speed bumps also poses serious concern.

Objective
The speed limit to be followed on the campus roads of IIT Madras is 40 kmph. The objective
of this project is to study the effect of speed bumps in reducing the speed level in campus roads. A
suitable location had to be identified which is representative of the traffic conditions in the campus
during both peak and off peak hours. Extensive amount of speed data had to be collected in the chosen
location to minimize the error. Statistical analysis had to be carried out on the two sets of data
collected.

Choice of Location
A short stretch between Vanavani School and Main Gate was chosen and the speed-breaker
in this stretch marked in the picture was chosen for data collection.

This stretch was chosen because of the following reasons:

Maximum traffic is expected at this location as the stretch is used for commuting to
Vanavani and KV Schools and IIT campus by large number of people.
This is a straight stretch of road with minimum influence of ramps and curves.
This stretch covers all types of vehicles to be analyzed - Institute Bus, School Bus, Auto
Rickshaw, Cars, and two wheelers.
There are no bus stops nearby which may affect the speed of vehicles.
There is low pedestrian movement (including Students & Residents) and cycle traffic in
the stretch which means that there are more chances of over speeding.

Data Collection

Instrument used Laser Speed Gun

Peak and off peak

Morning 8.00 AM to 9.15 AM

Evening 3.45 PM to 5.45 PM

Morning measurements Incoming Lane

Evening measurements Out going Lane

Measurements were taken at the speed breaker location and at a location beyond its influence
(approx. - 100m).

Duration of each measurement was based on based on Flow 5 mins, 10 mins, 15 mins, 20
mins.

Speed data collected for overall 468 vehicles.

Collected Data
Evening Data: Before Speed breaker

Evening Data: At Speed breaker

Observation

Frequency Distribution Diagrams

Note: The error was calculated using the formula N=(z/ )2, where N= Number of samples, z =
standard normal variable (z=1.645, assuming 95% confidence interval), -standard deviation and
=error. As expected, when the number of data points increase, the error decreases.

Hypothesis Testing
Data collected before the speed breaker
Mean, 1= 33.9 kmph
Std deviation,

1=

7.58

Number of data, N1 = 228

Data collected at the speed breaker
Mean, 2= 25.1kmph
Std deviation,

2=

7.99

Number of data, N2 = 240

Therefore, Standard Error

-
1

=0.72

H0 = There is no reduction in speed, 1-2 = 0

H1 = There has been a reduction in the speed, 1>2
Difference between the means 1-2 has a normal distribution with 1-2=0 as mean and

-
1

2 = 0.72

Take confidence level of 95% or Z = 1.645

Hence critical region is given by,

-
1

x Zc = 0.72 x 1.645 = 1.2 kmph

Observed difference between the means = 33.9-25.1 = 8.8 kmph > 1.2kmph
Since it lies in the critical region reject null hypothesis.
Therefore, we conclude that there is a significant decrease in the spot speeds at the speed breaker.

It is clear from the above calculation that there is a significant reduction in speed, if the mean speed
after the bump is less than 32.7 kmph ( i.e, 33.9-1.2), which is true in this case.

Inferences

At the location before the influence of speed breaker, lots of speed limit violations are
observed.(Speed limit =40kmph)
More violations are observed in case of Cars and Bikes.
Very few violations are observed in the case of HMVs and no violation is observed for
Auto rickshaws.
Speed breakers contribute towards significant reduction in speed, on an average
Bike speeds reduced by 36.6%
Auto speeds reduced by 35.6%
Car speeds reduced by 43.2%
HMV Heavier vehicles tend to have higher reduction in speed.
Speed at speed breaker is found to be maximum at morning peak hours (8.50 AM 9.00 AM).
Effect of speed breaker is observed to be nearly the same in morning and evening.
Speed bumps have more effect on heavier vehicles.
Flow is observed to be higher during evening hours.
Total number of speed limit violations is less than 15% of the total number of vehicles
observed.
Very high violations (>50kmph at speed breaker) is observed in cars and bike in few
exceptional cases.
Modal split of the observed data

Bikes 60.0%
Cars 20.5%
Auto 14.0%
HMVs 5.5%

Shift of peak towards left after speed breaker is observed in all cases.

Average speed at a location beyond the influence of speed bumps is observed to be more
during off-peak hours (since drivers tend to move in a free flow state) and average speed at
speed bumps is observed to be more during peak hours (since drivers are not willing to slow
down, because they are in a hurry to reach their destnation).

Conclusion
Speed bumps are an effective tool in reducing travel speeds to be consistent with posted speed limits.
They are also very effective in reducing the speeds of the fastest drivers.

Role of team members

Hareesh
Ameen
Gopakumar
Midhun
Sarath
Yasir

: Data collection, Plotting Graphs in R, Class Presentation

: Data collection, Data analysis, Preparation of slides
: Data collection, Class Presentation, Preparation of slides
: Data collection, Class Presentation, Preparation of report
: Data collection, Compilation, Preparation of report
: Data collection, Compilation, Preparation of graphs