CIV3703 Transport Engineering

Module 4 – Traffic Analysis

Part 2
4.8 The Nature of Traffic Flow
Traffic flow a complex phenomena

Traffic flow concerned with the movement

of discrete units - random behaviour (each
human operator has some personal freedom
of choice and action)
Models of Traffic Flow
Macroscopic Approach
Considers flow in an aggregate sense.
Useful for steady-state phenomena of flow.
Uses similarities such as heat flow and fluid flow.
Microscopic Approach
Considers response of individual vehicles (disagg.).
Behaviour of driver-vehicle combination modelled.
Human Factors Approach
Investigates driver & vehicle location wrt system.
4.9 Parameters Describing Traffic Flow

Volume, q {veh per hr.}

Speed, v {km/h or kph; m/s}
Density, k {veh/km}
Headway – time gap {seconds}
Spacing – distance gap {metres}
Occupancy – proportion of traffic lane covered
with vehicles.
4.10 Speed – Volume Relationship of Traffic

Volume = density * speed

Q=k*v

Vehicles per hour = vehicles/km * km/hr

Only applies to uninterrupted flow.
Speed – volume based on maximum density

If density is constant, then speed is

proportional to volume.
There is a maximum density at which traffic
can operate – eg 100 veh/km
Speed –volume based on minimum headways

Drivers will not operate on headways less

than 1 to 3 secs.
Headway of 1.3 secs. corresponds to a
maximum volume of 2800 vehicles per hour.
Region of feasible operation

Region of non-feasible
Limiting
operation
Speed
constant

density

Limiting

maximum

volume

0 2800
Volume
Speed – volume based on maximum speed.

Mean speed of traffic stream unlikely to

exceed about 100 kph.

Limiting maximum speed

100

Region of feasible operation

Region of non-feasible

operation
Speed

Limiting
Limiting
maximum
constant
volume
density

0 2800
Volume
Speed – volume relationship

100

Region of feasible operation

Region of non-feasible

operation
Speed

0 2800
Volume
Greenshield's models (1934)

Speed

 
u  u f 1  k 
uf  kj 

kj Density

q  ku

 2 
q  uf k  k  kj  Jam density
 k j  uf  free flow speed
 Speed

Speed
Volume Density

dq 2k
 u f (1  )
Volume
dk kj

Optimum density to makes flow maximum = kj/2

Optimum speed at maximum flow = uf/2

Density
Speed-volume-density relationship - Austroads
Volume –Density relationship
Expressway

Shoulder lane Median lane

Source: Iwasaki, M Koshi, M & Okura, I (1985) Improvement of Congestion

Detection on Expressways, Transp. Eng., ASCE, 111(4), 327–338.
4.11 Types of Traffic Facilities
Uninterrupted Flow Facilities
Vehicles operate without interruption by external factors
Flow depends only on vehicle interaction
Examples: 2 lane rural roads; freeways
Interrupted Flow Facilities
Flow controlled by factors external to driver and
roadway, eg traffic signals
Vehicles tend to ‘bunch’ or ‘platoon’
4.12 Capacity
The maximum hourly rate
at which persons or vehicles can reasonably be
expected to pass a point
(or uniform section of a lane or roadway)
during a given time period
under the prevailing roadway, traffic and
control conditions.
Points to Note
Capacity usually expressed as persons per hour or vehicles
per hour
Time period used to determine capacity may be < 1 hour, eg
15 minutes
If capacity analysed for a section of roadway, then
conditions should be reasonably uniform for the section
Roadway conditions refer to the geometric characteristics of the
road (e.g., number of lanes, width of lanes)
Traffic conditions refer to the characteristics of the traffic stream
(e.g., vehicle types, lane distribution)
Control conditions refers to the types and specific design of the
control devices and traffic requations
4.13 Level of Service
Qualitative measure describing traffic
operational conditions and their perception
by drivers.

Six levels used: A (good) to F (poor)

Level of Service A
Free flow condition.
Drivers free to select
their desired speed.
Little effect of other
vehicles.
Comfort and convenience
high.
Level of Service B
Drivers still have reasonable freedom to
select their desired speed and to manoeuvre
within traffic stream.
Level of Service C
Flow still stable.

Most drivers restricted

to some extent in
freedom to select their
speed.

General level of comfort

and convenience
declining noticeably.
Level of Service D
Close to the limit of stable
flow.

All drivers severely

restricted in their freedom
to select speed and to
manoeuver.

General level of comfort

and convenience poor.
Level of Service E
Occurs when traffic
volumes close to, or at,
capacity.

Virtually no freedom for

drivers to select their
speed.

Flow is unstable.
Level of Service F
Forced flow.
Amount of approaching traffic is greater than that which
can pass.
Queuing and delays occur.
LOS Concept
4.14 Factors Affecting Capacity and Level of Service

Capacity analysis or LOS analysis

- select values for ideal conditions and then apply correction
factors.

Ideal conditions
- where further improvements will not change capacity or
LOS.
Ideal condition for Two-lane highway
traffic lanes are 3.6 m wide or greater
clear shoulder widths are 1.8 m or greater
overtaking permitted with absence of no-passing
zones where the sight distance along the road is
greater than 450 m
traffic consists of passenger cars only
a 50/50 directional split of traffic occurs
no restrictions occur due to traffic control or
turning vehicles
terrain is level
familiar drivers
Factors (continue …)
Roadway conditions
Terrain conditions
Traffic conditions
Driver population
Roadway Conditions

Type of road and its

adjacent development.
Traffic lane widths
Shoulder widths &/or
lateral clearances
Design speed
Horizontal and vertical
alignment
Terrain Conditions
Level terrain
Grades are short and < 2%

Rolling terrain
Grades are longer and may be > 2%

Mountainous terrain
Grades are longer still and may be >> 2%
Traffic Conditions

Passenger cars

Trucks

Buses
RY
SBU
KING
Driver population
Regular drives
Austroads - Analysis of Capacity & LOS

Uninterrupted single lane flow

Uninterrupted two-lane, two-way flow
Uninterrupted multi-lane roads
Freeways
Urban arterial roads with interrupted flow
Unsignalised intersections
Signalised intersections
End Module 4, Part B