Experiment 3: Spot Speed Study

1.0 Introduction
Speed is a major transportation consideration since it relates to comfort, safety,
time, convenience and economics. Spot speed studies are used to determine the speed
distribution of a traffic stream at a particular area. The data obtained in spot speed
studies area is used for capacity analysis, safety measures, geometric design, speed
trends and assessment. Moreover, the speed observation helps to determine if the
roadway is in need of new law enforcement, reconstruction or realignment.
The spot speed data have a number of safety applications such as determining
the existing traffic operations and evaluation of traffic control devices, establishing
roadway design elements, and measuring effectiveness of traffic control devices.
Control devices are including signs and markings, speed enforcement programs, and
traffic operational changes. The data of speed studies has to be collected properly and
presented effectively as it is important for all road users.
Traffic counts during the peak period might show extremely high volumes and
are not commonly used in the analysis, thus, the traffic counts are usually conducted
on the other times. The spot speed data can be obtained using one of the methods,
which are stopwatch method, radar meter method, or pneumatic road tube method.
Among these methods, the stopwatch method is the cheapest method and least
accurate.

2.0 Objective
To study the vehicle speed going through road section with obstruction (hump) and
without obstruction by determination of the average 85th percentile speed of the
vehicles.
3.0 Methodology
3.1 Apparatus and Equipment:1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Stopwatch
Measuring tape
Spray
Observation Forms
Stationeries

3.2 Time and location

The experiment is carried out from 12.00pm to 1.00pm whereby it is not during the
peak hour to prevent misleading errors. The location of our survey is at the hump is
between the caf and block 9 of IUKL as shown in the figure below;

3.3 Procedures
Two road sections that are within the same lane are selected:

Without obstruction

With obstruction (hump)

Both observations of without obstruction and with obstruction are carried out on
the same time. Both sections are within the same road and are about 10m apart.
Without Obstruction
1. A 10m long section length is measured and marked on the road.
2. The time of the speed for the vehicle is recorded.
3. The type of vehicle, plate number, and time taken from starting point to the
ending point is recorded into the observation form.
4. Observations for one hour are recorded, and analysis is conducted.
With Obstruction
1. A 3m section before obstruction (hump) is measured and marked on the road.
2. The time of the speed for the vehicle is recorded.
3. The type of vehicle, plate number, and time taken from starting point to the
ending point is recorded into the observation form.
4. Observations for one hour are recorded, and analysis is carried out.

4.0 Findings and Analysis

4.1 Results and Calculations

WITH OBSTRUCTION
Time
:11:45am
Start time : 12:00pm
Date
: 18 / 07/ 16
End time : 1:00pm
Point
: Between the caf and Block 9 Weather : sunny
Distance : 3 m
No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Vehicle Plate No
WKY 3108
WWU 9811
WLH 8235
WGS 3329
WKX 4801
WLQ 408
WB 5328 U
WB 1944 P
ADB 1762
WMX 556
WSA 8240
NCH 1929
WGB 9268
BPC 9293
WWQ 1201
WEL 393
WLY 953
BGU 2621
WHR 8053
WLL 2776
WXB 9679
WTP 9751
WTM 4036
WEJ 4312
WGY 1313

Time(sec)
1.94
1.90
3.96
4.96
1.66
3.01
1.01
2.55
2.50
1.50
2.08
1.75
2.55
2.08
2.18
1.46
2.13
2.61
2.21
1.55
4.21
2.15
1.63
1.83
2.68
Average
85th percentile

WITHOUT OBSTRUCTION
Time
: 11:45am
Date
: 18/7/16
Point
: Between the caf and Block 9
Distance : 10 m

Vehicle Type
C
C
C
C
C
C
M
C
C
M
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
M
B
C
C
C
C

Start time : 12:00pm

End time : 1:00pm
Weather : sunny

Velocity(km/hr)
5.57
5.68
2.73
2.18
6.51
3.59
10.69
4.24
4.32
7.2
5.19
6.17
4.24
5.19
4.95
7.4
5.1
4.14
4.89
6.97
2.57
5.02
6.63
5.90
4.02
5.24
2.6

No
Vehicle Plate No.
1
WKY 3108
2
WWU 9811
3
WLH 8235
4
WGS 3329
5
WKX 4801
6
WLQ 408
7
WB 5328 U
8
WB 1944 P
9
ADB 1762
10
WMX 556
11
WSA 8240
12
NCH 1929
13
WGB 9268
14
BPC 9293
15
WWQ 1201
16
WEL 393
17
WLY 953
18
BGU 2621
19
WHR 8053
20
WLL 2776
21
WXB 9679
22
WTP 9751
23
WTM 4036
24
WEJ 4312
25
WGY 1313
Average
85th percentile
Remarks:

Time (sec)
3.45
1.55
2.84
5.11
1.75
4.43
1.05
2.01
2.31
2.25
1.98
1.33
2.30
2.03
1.52
1.53
2.01
1.67
1.89
2.21
2.56
2.66
1.53
1.25
1.89

Vehicle Type
C
C
C
C
C
C
M
C
C
M
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
M
B
C
C
C
C

Velocity(km/hr)
10.43
23.23
12.68
7.05
20.57
8.13
34.29
17.91
15.58
16
18.18
27.07
15.65
17.73
23.68
23.53
17.91
21.56
19.05
16.29
14.06
13.53
23.53
28.8
19.05
18.62
8.8

M Motorcycle
C Car
B Bus
Table for set of speed data 10m " WITHOUT OBSTRUCTION"

Speed
Class
"km/hr
"
7.008.9
9.0010.9
11.0012.9

Class
Frequ
ency

Percentage of observation
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260411909_
Impact_of_Urbanization_on_Local_Air_Quality_Differen
ces_in_Urban_and_Rural_Areas_of_Balikesir_Turkey
"%"

Cumul
ative
of the
observ
ation
"%"

12

16

13.0014.9
15.0016.9
17.0018.9
19.0020.9
21.0022.9
23.0024.9
25.0026.9
27.0028.9
29.0030.9
31.0032.9
33.0034.9

24

16

40

16

56

12

68

72

16

88

88

94

94

94

1
Total
= 25

100

100

Cumulative Distribution
120
100

88 88

85

80
Cumulative percentage (%)

68

100
94 94 94

72

56

60
40
40
24
20
0

12

16

10

12

14

16

Speed (km/hr)

Table for set of speed data 3m " WITH OBSTRUCTION"

Speed Class km/h

Class Frequency

Percentage of
observation
" %"

Cumulative of
the observation

2.00-3.9

16

16

4.00-5.9

14

56

72

6.00-7.9

24

96

8.00-9.9

96

10.00-11.9

100

TOTAL= 25

100

Chart Title
100

96

96

100

85
72

80
60
Cumulative percentage %

40
16

20
0

Speed (km/hr)

5.0 Discussion

Peoples driving tendencies might be affected a lot by different things such as the road
condition, the time of day and the weather. In order to get a very complete and
accurate set of data, the experiment is conducted in the sunny day.
Instead of taking the result along the roadside, the observer is suggested to
positioned higher place to take the reading which can get more accurate result.
Three member is need to take result which one of member take the car plate and
another two members taking the time record for road without obstruction and with
hump.

6.0 Conclusion
The speed limit on the road from the caf to block 9 is 8.8 km/h and at the
hump the speed limit is 2. km/hr. Based on the result, the average vehicles are in the
range of the speed limit. It shown that the speed hump is able to make driver slowing
their vehicles. Hence, it is road is consider as safe to drive which allow car to slow
down with no speeding. But for safety of road user, adding yellow stripes along the
road in about 10m 20m before the speed hump so that user can get notice more early
to slower down vehicles along the road.

7.0 Reference
1.

Nicholas J. Garber Lester A.Hoel "Traffic & Highway Engineering".Fifth

Edition, Stamford, Cengage Learning

2.

Engineering Statistics "chapter 2"