LECTURE 2

EXAMPLES TRAFFIC FLOW STUDIES

EXAMPLE 1

Observers stationed at two sections XX and YY, 200 m apart on a highway, record the arrival
times of four vehicles as shown in Table EX1. If the total time of observation at XX was 15
sec, determine…

(a) the flow (b) the time mean speed

(c) the space mean speed

Table EX1
Time of Arrival Travel Time
Vehicle Section XX Section YY (sec)
A 09:30:00.00 09:30:07.58 7.58
B 09:30:03.00 09:30:09.18 6.18
C 09:30:06.00 09:30:12.36 6.36
D 09:30:12.00 09:30:21.74 9.74

SOLUTION

a.) q  (n * 3600) / T  (4 * 3600) / 15  960 veh / hr

1 n
b.) ut   ui
n i 1
uA = (200 m)/(7.58 sec) = 26.38 m/sec

uB = (200 m)/(6.18 sec) = 32.36 m/sec

uC = (200 m)/(6.36 sec) = 31.45 m/sec
uD = (200 m)/(9.74 sec) = 20.53 m/sec

1 n 1
ut   u i   26.38  32.36  31.45  20.53  27.68 m / sec  99.65km / h
n i 1 4

nL (4)( 200)
us    26.79 m / sec  96.45 km / h
c.) (7.58  6.18  6.36  9.74)
t i
EXAMPLE 2

A section of highway is known to have a free-flow speed of 90 km/h and a capacity of 3300
veh/h. In a given hour, 2100 vehicles were counted at a specified point along this highway
section. If the linear Greenshield’s model applies, what would be the estimated space-mean
speed of these 2100 vehicles?

SOLUTION

Given…..uf = 90 km/h qmax = 3300 veh/hr

Find…… us @ q = 2100 veh/hr

uf k ju f 4q max (4)(3300)
us  u f  k q max  kj    146.7 veh / km
kj 4 uf 90

q uf  q   
k us  u f     90  90  2100   90  1288.3
us k j  u s 
 146.7  u s 
 us

90u s  1288.3
us  u s2  90u s  1288.3
us

u s  17.86 km / hr or 72.14 km / hr

qmax=3300

q=2100

k
EXAMPLE 3

From a point beside a road, a one way traffic stream is observed to consist of the following:
 A stream of passenger cars traveling at 75 km/h at 20 second headways
 A stream of lorries traveling at 60 km/h at 35 second headways
 A stream of buses traveling at 70 km/h at 50 second headways

a. Determine the total traffic flow

b. Determine the total concentration
c. Determine the space mean speed of the traffic streams

SOLUTION

a. Determine the total traffic flow q  3600 / h

3600
Flow of cars =  180 veh / hr
20

3600
Flow of lorries =  103 veh / hr
35

3600
Flow of buses =  72 veh / hr
50

Total traffic flow = 180  103  72  355 veh / hr

b. Determine the total concentration k  1000 / d

us
Speed of cars = (75)(1000)/3600 = 20.83 m/s
Speed of lorries = (60)(1000)/3600 = 16.67 m/s
Speed of buses = (70)(1000)/3600 = 19.44 m/s

d  us h
Space headway of cars = (20.83)(20) = 416.6 m
Space headway of lorries = (35)(16.67) = 583.4 m
Space headway of buses = (50)(19.44) = 972.0 m

q  3600 / h

1000
Concentration of cars =  2.40 veh / km
416.6
 1000
Concentration of lorries =  1.71 veh / km
583.4

1000
Concentration of buses =  1.03 veh / km
972

Total concentration = 2.40  1.71  1.03  5.14 veh / km

c. Determine the space mean speed of the traffic streams

1 km
t car   0.013 hr
75 km / hr
1 km
t lorry   0.017 hr
60 km / hr
1 km
t bus   0.014 hr
70 km / hr

nL 3(1)
SMS , u s    68.18 kph
n
(0.013  0.017  0.014)
t
j 1
j
 LECTURE 2
EXAMPLES QUEUEING THEORY

EXAMPLE 1 D/D/1

Vehicles arrive at an entrance to a recreational park. There is a single gate (at which all
vehicles must stop), where a park attendant distributes free brochures. The park opens at 8:00
AM, at which time vehicles begin to arrive at a rate of 480 veh/h. After 20 minutes, the
arrival flow rate declines to 120 veh/h and continues at that level for the remainder of the day.
If the time required to distribute the brochures is 15 seconds, and assuming D/D/1 queuing,
describe the operational characteristics of the queue.

Solution

For t<20 min (08:00 – 08:20), arrival, =(480 veh/h) = 8 veh/min

For t>20 min (08:20 – close), arrival, =(120 veh/h) = 2 veh/min

For all times (08:00 – close), departure,  = 15 sec/veh = 4 veh/min

For t<20 min (08:00 – 08:20), total number of vehicle arrivals = 8t

For t>20 min (08:20 – close), total number of vehicle arrivals = 160 + 2(t-20)

For all times (08:00 – close), total number of vehicle departures = 4t

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
EXAMPLE 2 D/D/1

After observing arrivals and departures at a highway toll booth over a 60-min period, an
observer notes that the arrival and departure rates (or service rates) are deterministic but,
instead of being uniform, change over time according to a known function. The arrival rate is
given by the function (t) = 2.2 + 0.17t – 0.0032t2, and the departure rate is given by (t) =
1.2 + 0.07t, where t is in minutes after the beginning of the observation period and (t) and
(t) are in vehicles per minute. Determine the total vehicle delay at the toll booth and the
longest queue assuming D/D/1 queuing.

Solution

Time to queue dissipation:

t t t t
  (t )dt    (t )dt  2.2  0.17t  0.0032t dt   1.2  0.07tdt
2
0 0 0 0

2.2t  0.085t 2  0.00107t 3  1.2t  0.035t 2

 0.00107t 3  0.05t 2  t  0
t  61.8 min

Total vehicle delay : (area between the arrival and departure functions)

61.8 61.8
D 0
2.2t  0.085t 2  0.00107t 3 dt  
0
1.2t  0.035t 2 dt
D  1.1t 2  0.0283t 3  0.0002675t 4  0.6t 2  0.0117t 3
D  0.0002675(61.8) 4  0.0166(61.8) 3  0.5(61.8) 2
D  1940 veh. min
Queue length:

t t t t
  (t )dt    (t )dt Q (t )   2.2  0.17t  0.0032t dt   1.2  0.07tdt
2
0 0 0 0

Q (t )  0.00107t 3  0.05t 2  t
dQ(t )
  0.00321t 2  0.1t  1  0 t  39.12 min
dt

 max queue length  Q (39.12)  0.00107t 3  0.05t 2  t

Q (39.12)  0.00107(39.12) 3  0.05(39.12) 2  39.12
Q (39.12)  51.58 veh.
EXAMPLE 3 HIGHWAY BOTTLENECKS D/D/1

An accident occurs on a freeway that has a capacity in the northbound direction, before the
accident, of 4000 veh/h and a constant flow of 2900 veh/h during the morning commute (i.e.
no adjustments to traffic flow result from the accident). At 8:00 AM a traffic accident closes
the freeway to all traffic. At 8:12 AM the freeway is partially opened with a capacity of 2000
veh/h. Finally, the wreckage is removed and the freeway is restored to full capacity (4000
veh/h) at 8:31 AM. Assume D/D/1 queuing to determine time of queue dissipation, longest
queue length, total delay, average delay per vehicle, and longest wait of any vehicle
(assuming FIFO).

Solution.

Arrival :  = 48.33 veh/min

Full Capacity Departure :  = 66.67 veh/min

Restrictive Partial Capacity Departure : r = 33.33 veh/min

Since arrival rate is constant over the entire period, total number of vehicles, A = t

For total number of departing vehicle:

For t < 12 min Number of departing vehicle D=0

For 12 min < t < 31 min D = 0 + r(t-12) = r(t-12)

For t > 31 min. D = 0+r(31-12) + (t-31) = 633.33 + (t-31)

Time of queue dissipation:

Occur at time when arrival curve intersect with departure curve.

t = 633.33 + (t-31) 48.33t = 633.33 + 66.67(t-31) t = 78.16 min.

Time of queue dissipation = 8:00 + 78.16 min = 9:18 AM (just after)

Longest queue length:

The longest queue occurs at 8:31 AM just before the freeway is restored to full capacity.

Qm = t - r(t-12) = 48.33(31) – 33.33(31-12) = 865 veh.

Total Delay:

Area between arrival and departure curves = 37604.2 veh.min = Total delay

 31 tdt  31 (t  12) dt    78.16 tdt  78.16 633.33   (t  13)dt 

 0 12 r   31 31 

Average Delay Per Vehicle:

Total number of arriving and departing vehicles throughout 78.16 min

is (78.16 x 48.33) = 3777.5 veh.

Total delay = 37604.2 veh.min

Average Delay Per Vehicle = 37604.2/3777.5 = 9.95 min

The Longest Wait of Any Vehicle:

The 633.33rd vehicle to arrive will experience the longest wait.

This vehicle will arrive (633.33/48.33) = 13.1 min after 8:00 AM

This vehicle will depart at 8:31 AM

Thus delay for this vehicle is 8:31 – 8:13.1 = 17.9 min.