3 3 Traffic Parameters Relationship

3.4.
CORRELATIONS AMONG TRAFFIC STREAM PARAMETERS

Author: Daniela FLOREA
Ever since 1935, Geenshields presented a traffic stream model, establishing a
correlation among the basic parameters of the traffic stream: flow, density and speed,
expressed through the equation
q = K ⋅v x
which represents the fundamental diagram of the road traffic, figure 3.15.
This simple model involves a linear variation between the speed (in fact the
speeds mean according to space) and density
Figure 3.15: Fundamental diagram of the road traffic

The two parameters of the simplified model are the free-flow speed vf and the
maximum-related density also called jam density, Kj.
The free-flow speed denotes the traffic flow speed for which the flow tends to zero
under free traffic conditions (drivers can travel at the desired speed) while the jam
density can occur when both flow and speed tends to zero.
The maximum flow, qmax is related to optimum values of speed, vo and density,
Ko.
The linear correlation density-speed is given by the relation:
⎛ K ⎞⎟
v = v f ⋅ ⎜1 − .
⎜ Kj ⎟
⎝ ⎠
This relation indicates the fact that the speed reaches the free-flow speed, vf
when the density and implicitly the traffic flow reach the value zero (K→0 and q→0).
Provided the density and the flow increase, the speeds decrease until the flow
reaches the maximum value, qmax, and both the speed and the density tend to the
optimum value (v→vo and K→Ko).
The traffic density increase leads to speed reduction and traffic flow until the
density records the maximum value Kj and the speed and the flow record the value
zero (v→0 and q→0).
It is important to keep in mind that the flow may be represented in the flow-speed
diagram as a curve with maximum value tangent to the curve of density-speed
diagram at the point of optimum value of the two values (Ko and vo).
By combining the previous equations the correlation among flow, density and
speed is obtained:
v
q = vf ⋅K − f ⋅K 2 .
Kj
As
dq
= 0 when K→Ko,
dK
the optimum value of the density Ko is obtained and corresponds to the maximum
value of the traffic flow:
Kj
Ko = .
2
In figure 3.16 it can be noticed that in the fundamental diagram the mean speed
of the free flow is represented by a tangent vector to the curve in the system’s origin
while the optimum speed is a vector passing through the maxim point of the curve,
qmax.
Figure 3.16: The variation of the traffic flow according to the vehicle speed
Figure 3.17 presents an example based on experimental data for the density-
speed graph, where the usual traffic speeds can accept a linear variation.
The flow-speed correlation may be represented in connection with the density-
speed diagram due to the common vertical axis. The equation for this correlation is:
q=
Kj
vf
(
⋅ vf ⋅v − v 2 , )
and for the optimum values
q max =
Kj
vf
( )
⋅ v f ⋅ v o − v o2 = K o ⋅ v o .
For the value

vf
vo =
2
the maximum flow is obtained:
K j ⋅vf
q max = .
4
Figure 3.17: Variation of traffic density according to vehicle speed

In Greenshields’ simplified model, this value of the maximum flow is obtained only
when there is a linear relation between density and speed. The linear model calls for
the recognition of two parameters, speed of free flow vf, that may be easily observed
in traffic (for instance the speed of a traffic flow of a very low value) and density
which is generally difficult to estimate. A reasonable value for the jam density Kj
results if we consider that for the maximum density each vehicle occupies 7,5 m of
the road space. Therefore, in case of experimental values the optimum value of the
density differs from Kj/2.
Figure 3.18:Example of road traffic density according to vehicle speed - Greenburg

model
Greenburg model offers a logarithmic variation for the speed-density correlation,
figure 3.18, starting from the speed value:
Kj
v x = c ⋅ ln , and
K
Kj
q = c ⋅ K ⋅ ln .
K
Kj Kj Kj
Solving for c = v o , ln = 1 or = e1 or K o =
Ko Ko e
q max = v o ⋅ K o .
Figure 3.19 presents an example of the flow-speed correlation for various values
of the Volume/Capacity ratio and various values of the speed on highways.
Figure 3.19: Traffic flow variation according to vehicle speed.

Supplementary explanations can be obtained from the book: D. Florea, Aplicaţii
telematice în sistemele avansate de transport rutier, Editura Universităţii Transilvania
din Braşov, 2004.

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3.4.

CORRELATIONS AMONG TRAFFIC STREAM PARAMETERS

Figure 3.15: Fundamental diagram of the road traffic

For the value

Figure 3.17: Variation of traffic density according to vehicle speed

Figure 3.18:Example of road traffic density according to vehicle speed - Greenburg

Figure 3.19: Traffic flow variation according to vehicle speed.

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