Vehicle Flow

Homework
Ch 5 # 1, 2, 4, 7, 9

Vehicle Flow
How do vehicles operate in the system

capacity
speed
headway
density

Time Space Diagrams

Show vehicle location vs. Time
one way or two way
any type of transportation system
used to find

siding placement
progression
minimum headways
Throughput

City B

A-> B = 500mi
Train A -> B loaded speed = 30mph
Train B -> A empty speed 50 mph

City A
10

20

30

40

Vehicle Following
Spacing needed for stopping

Deceleration
3 types of deceleration
Normal dn = 8fps^2
Emergency de = 24fps^2
Instantaneous

Initial spacing
S = v +v^2/2df v^2/2dl +NL +x0
Safest spacing when lead vehicle decelerates
instantaneously and following vehicle brakes at
normal deceleration

Example
What is the safe initial spacing between two
vehicles traveling 40 mph if the lead vehicle
uses an emergency deceleration of 24 fps^2
and the following vehicle normally
decelerates at 8 fps^2? PR time = 1.5 sec,
vehicle length = 20 feet, x0 = 4 feet

Flow Concepts
4 variables

volume
speed
density
headway

Volume
# of vehicles passing a given point in a
given unit time
q = n/T
cars per hour
does not tell you anything about speed or
density

Speed
2 types
Space Mean Speed
distance divided by time
useful in determining vehicle flow characteristics

Time Mean Speed

Spot speeds
Radar gun
not useful except for tickets

Example
Si = 2 miles, i = 1 - 4
v1 = 42 mph, v2 = 39 mph, v3 = 47 mph,
= 50 mph
Average V = 44.5 mph

m1 = 3.1 min, m2 = 2.8 min, m3 = 3.3 min,

m4 = 3.0 min
Average = 39.5 mph

What is the difference, is it significant?

v4

Density
Concentration
vehicles per unit length
cars/mile

Headway
Time or distance between two vehicles
h = 1/q gives the time headway
h = 1/k gives distance headway
which is more useful?

Relationships
q=uk
basic relationship

Important points
jam density
jam speed
max volume

Relationships

Relationships

Relationships

Relationships
Shape of curves
what do they tell us?

Example
The u-k relationship is
u + 2.6 = 0.001(k 240)^2
Find umax, jam density, and max capacity

Shock waves
Happens when traffic is forced to change speed
either slowing down or speeding up
shockwave

Can move either forward or backward

usw = (qb qa)/(kb ka)
a, b are 2 points of interest
If shockwave is + => heading in direction of flow
If shockwave is 0 => stationary
If shockwave is - => moving against flow

Example
A line of traffic, moving at 30 mph and a
concentration of 50 veh/mi is stopped for 30
sec at a red light. Calculate the velocity and
direction of the stopping wave, the length of
the line of cars stopped during the 30 sec of
red, and the number of cars stopped during
the 30 sec of red. Assume a jam capacity of
250 veh/mi

Control of Vehicle Flows

Control vehicles
minimize accidents
maximize effectiveness
transit
airports
roadways

Channelization most common control

Control of Vehicle Flows

Speed limits
Control on Links

signage
lane width
number of lanes
headway rules

Headway Rules
RR - uses block system

Headway Rules
Aircraft
Airports
1 aircraft on runway at any time
separation distances
2.5 miles between aircraft
10 miles horizontal / 2000 ft vertical in air
Control based on aircraft location

Ground control for aircraft not on runway

Capacity

Capacity based on mode

# of vehicles per hour
# of passengers per hour
arrivals, departures per hour

Highways
Capacity varies by road type
Freeways
no controls,

Intersections
traffic control

2 lane & 4 lane roads

lead vehicle

All use Level of Service

Determining Capacity
Based on Roadway geometrics and traffic
conditions
For Freeways
can determine ideal conditions and from that a
maximum capacity

Peak Hour Factor

Measures demand peaking

Level of Service
LOS can be based on
delay per vehicle
speed
service flow

6 LOS A - F
A is best
F is worst

Freeway Capacity
LOS based on
density
speed
v/c

For an LOS can find Maximum Service

Flow (MSF)

MSF
MSF = qmax*(v/c) - ideal conditions
SF = q = qmax*N*fw*FHV
Table 4.3.3 for heavy vehicle factors
Table 4.3.2 for width factors

Capacity Restrictions
Non recurring
Recurring

Example
Ch 4 # 14

Pedestrians
LOS based on
speed
flow rate
v/c ratio

Bike LOS
Based on amount of hindrance

Airports
Capacity depends on landside and airside
LOS is based on delay and total time
Why are airports becoming shopping malls?

Rail
Mass transit
LOS based on pass/seat, space/ pass,
both peak and off peak

AMTRAK
LOS based on wait time, comfort, pass/seat