PART 1: CONTINUUM APPROXIMATION (MODELLING) IN TRAFFIC ENGINEERING.

Introduction.
Generally, if one looks into traffic flow from a very long distance, the flow of fairly heavy traffic
appears like a stream of a fluid. The macroscopic theory of traffic can be developed with the help of
hydrodynamic theory of fluids by considering traffic as an effectively one-dimensional compressible
fluid. The behavior of individual vehicle is ignored and one is concerned only with the behaviour of
sizable aggregate of vehicles.

Model framework
Assumptions

The traffic flow is similar to the flow of fluids and thus traffic state is described based on speed, density
and flow. However the traffic flow can be modelled as a one directional compressible fluid. The two
important assumptions of this modelling approach are:

 The traffic flow is conserved i.e. other words vehicles are not created or destroyed. The
continuity or conservation equation can be applied.
 There is one to one relationship between speed and density as well as flow and density.

Advantages

a) Better than input output models because flow and density are set as a function of time and
distance.
b) Compressibility: ie., flow is assumed to be a function of density.
c) Solving the continuity equation (or flow conservation equation) and the state equation (speed-
density and flow-density) are basic traffic flow equations (q = k.v). By using the equation that
define q, k, and v at any location x and time t, we can evaluate the system using measures of
effectiveness such as delays, travel time etc.

Formulation

Assuming that the vehicles are flowing from left to right, the continuity equation can be written as

Equation 1

where x is the spatial coordinate in the direction of traffic flow,

t is the time,
k is the density,
q denotes the flow.
In this system the flow rate before and after will be same i.e
Equation 2
From this the shock wave velocity can be derived as
Equation 3
The flow rate q is determined primarily by the local density k, so that flow q can be treated as a
function of only density k. Therefore the number of unknown variables will be reduced to one. Thus
the balance equation takes the form:
Equation 4
Now there is only one independent variable in the balance equation, the vehicle density k. If initial and
boundary conditions are known, this can be solved. Considering kinematic waves moving at a velocity
Equation 5

This velocity vk is positive when the flow rate increases with density, and it is negative when the flow
rate decreases with density. In some cases, this function may shift from one regime to the other, and
then a shock is said to be formed. This shock wave propagate at the velocity

Equation 6

Where;
q(k2) and q(k1) are the flow rates corresponding to the upstream density k2 and downstream
density k1 of the shock wave.

Conclusion
The advantages of the continuous modelling is that it gives good insight into the understanding of the
behavior of traffic. It can also be applied to signal control among others. It also paves the way for the
development of higher order models. However, it also has some serious limitations. The first one is the
difficulty in getting solutions for realistic problems (initial boundary conditions). It may also cause
unrealistic abrupt changes in the system. Finally acceleration-deceleration characteristics are not
directly modelled in the system.

PART 2: CLASS A, B AND C ROADS IN KENYA.

Attached is a map showing the following examples of class A, B and C roads in Kenya.

CLASS A ROADS
SN Road Link
1 A1 Tanzania Border (Isebania) - Kisumu – Kitale – Sudan Border 886 KM
2 A2 Nairobi – Thika – Isiolo – Moyale 833 KM
 3 A14 Mombasa – Tanzania border (Lungalunga) 106 KM
4 A104 Uganda Border – Nakuru – Nairobi – Athi River – Tanzania Border(Namanga)
648 KM
5 A109 Athi River – Mombasa 473 KM
CLASS B ROADS
1 B4 Nakuru(A104) – Marigat- Loruk (A1) 227KM
2 B5 Nakuru (A104) – Nyahururu – Nyeri (A2) 183 KM
3 B6 Makutano (A2) – Embu – Meru (A2) 169 KM
4 B7 Embu – Kitui – Kibwezi (A109) 279KM
5 B8 Mombasa – Garissa (A3) 453 KM
CLASS C ROADS
1 C103 Malindi – Voi – Namanga(A104) 552 KM
2 C47 Nandwat – Kaeris – Lokilang – Nariokotome (Lake Turkana) 118 KM
3 C80 Wajir – Buna – Moyale 253 KM
4 C81 Garissa – Mado Gashi 158KM
5 C13 Migori – Kehancha – Ololulunga 196 KM

PART 3: REFERENCES
L. R Kadiyal, “ Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning” Khanna Publishers, New Delhi
“Traffic flow analogies – Lecture Notes in Transportation systems Egineering” by Prof. Tom V. Mathew.
Transportation Planning (ECE 2308) Lecture notes, DKUT.
Google Maps.