TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION

ENGINEERING

Dr. Eman Magdy Ibrahim Youssef

Assistant professor, Civil Engineering Department, Delta Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology

1
February- 2023
 Presentation Outline

 Syllabus
 Grading policy
 Introduction
 Planning of highway network
 Traffic studies
 Rural and urban highway
 Road cross section element

2
 Syllabus

 Introduction
 Traffic studies
 Rural and urban highway
 Road cross section element
 Sight distance
 Horizontal alignment
 Vertical alignment
 Intersections
 Design criteria of car parking
 Planning of pedestrians and bicycles routs
3
 Objectives of Traffic Engineering

Traffic Engineers: Manage, organize, and control the actual

movement of vehicles and pedestrians on the facility.

To achieve the following:

 Efficient Operation,

 Safety,

 Economic Design,

 Minimize the environmental impact

4
 Basic Components in Traffic Engineering

 Road users (driver, pedestrian, cyclists)

 Vehicles
 Roads and highways
 Control Devices

5
 Factors Influencing Highway Design
 Functional classification
 Design hourly traffic volume and vehicle mix
 Design speed
 Design vehicle
 Cross section of the highway, such as lanes, shoulders, and
medians
 Presence of heavy vehicles on steep grades
 Topography of the area that the highway traverses
 Level of service
 Available funds
 Safety
 Social and environmental factors 6
 Traffic Studies
Major Traffic Elements:

 Average Daily Traffic (ADT) (Daily basis & Both directions)

 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) (Annual traffic averaged on daily basis
& Both directions)

 Design Hourly Volume (DHV) (Traffic volume used for design calculations
 & Typically between the 10th and 50th highest volume hour of the year (30th
highest is most common)

 k factor
 Directional Distribution (D)
 Percentage of Trucks and RVs
 Design Flow rate (V) – Peak 15-minute flow rate
7
 Traffic Considerations
DHV = (ADT) × (k)
Where:
The DHV represents the 30th highest hourly volume
during a year,
k factor represents the percentage of traffic occurring
k30 = 0.118
during the peak hour during an average weekday,
AASHTO recommends:
 k value of 8 to 12 percent for urban facilities and
 k value of 12 to 18 percent for rural facilities.

8
 Directional distribution factor (D)
 Factor reflecting the proportion of peak-hour traffic traveling in the peak direction
 Often there is much more traffic in one direction than the other
Directional design-hour volume (DDHV)

DDHV = K ×D×AADT

9
 Design Vehicle
 A design vehicle is selected to represent all vehicles on the highway.
 Its weight, dimensions, and operating characteristics are used to establish the
design standards of the highway such as the turning radii at intersections, max.
grades, etc.
 The vehicle type selected as the design vehicle is the largest that is likely to use the
highway with considerable frequency.

10
 Design Vehicle

Passenger Car (P) Single Unit Truck (SU)

Intercity Bus (BUS-40) Intercity Bus (BUS-45)

11
 Design Vehicle

School Bus (S-BUS-36)

Semi-Trailer (WB-40)

Semi-Trailer (WB-65)

12
 Design Vehicle
 Passenger car (P) : the main traffic generator in a parking lot or series of parking lots.

 Single-Unit Truck (SU) : intersection design of residential streets and park roads.

 City transit bus : state highway intersections with city streets that are designated bus
routes and relatively few large trucks.

 Large School Bus: (84 passengers) or Conventional School Bus (65 passengers) may be
used for the design of intersections of highways with low-volume county highways and
township/local roads under 400 ADT.

 WB-65 or 67 is : the minimum size of the design vehicle at intersections of freeway ramp
terminals and arterial crossroads, and at intersections of state highways and industrialized
streets that carry high volumes of traffic.

13
 Traffic Flow Characteristics

Definition of Traffic Flow

The theory of traffic flow can be defined as:

A mathematical study of the movement of vehicles over road network.

14
 Traffic Flow Parameters

Primary Parameters Secondary Parameters

1) SPEED (V) 1) HEADWAY (h)

2) VOLUME (q) = FLOW 2) SPACING (S)
3) DENSITY (K) 3) OCCUPANCY ( R )
4) CLEARANCE (C )
5) GAP (g)

15
 Traffic Flow Elements
1.Time Space Diagram
A graph that describes the relationship between the location of vehicles in a traffic
stream and the time as the vehicles progress along highway.
 2. Speed Traffic Flow Parameters
 In a moving traffic flow, each vehicle travels at a different speed.
 Thus, the traffic stream does not have a single characteristic speed but rather a distribution
of individual vehicle speeds.
 From the distribution of vehicle speeds, a number of “average” or “typical” values may
be used to characterize the traffic stream as a whole.
Average or mean speeds can be computed in two different ways:

1) Space Mean Speed (SMS) is defined as the average speed of all vehicles occupying a
given section of a highway over some specified time period.

2) Time Mean Speed (TMS) is defined as the average speed of all vehicles passing a point
on a highway over some specified time period.
 Traffic Flow Parameters
1) Space Mean Speed (SMS) 2) Time Mean Speed (TMS)

where,
The time mean speed is always
d is the distance traversed,
higher than the space mean
n is the number of travel times observed and
speed.
ti is the travel time for i-th vehicle.

Time mean speed is a point measure, while space mean speed is a measure relating
to a length of highway or lane.
 ‫‪Traffic Flow Parameters‬‬
‫) ‪Speed ( V‬‬
‫)‪Rate of motion ( Distance / Unit time‬‬

‫‪There are 3 more types of speeds:‬‬

‫‪Spot Speed‬‬
‫السرعة اللحظية والتى يمكن مالحظتها على عداد السيارة‬
‫‪Running Speed‬‬
‫السرعة مقاسة على أساس زمن الحركة فقط‬
‫‪Spot Speed‬‬
‫‪Overall Speed‬‬
‫السرعة مقاسة على أساس الزمن الكلى للرحلة متضمنا التأخيرات‬
 Traffic Flow Parameters

Volume and Rate of Flow (q)

Volume is defined as the actual number of vehicles that pass appoint on a highway, or a
given lane or direction of highway, during a specified time interval.
Usually expressed as vehicles per unit time, for example, vehicles per hour (vph).
Rate of Flow is the equivalent hourly rate at which vehicles pass a point on a highway
lane during a time period less than 1 hour, (but expressed in an hourly rate).
Volume is commonly converted directly to flow (q), which is a more useful parameter.
 Traffic Flow Parameters
Volume and Rate of Flow are two different measures.
 Traffic Flow Parameters

A volume of 100 vehicles observed in a 15-minute period implies a rate of flow of:

(100 x 60)/15 = 400 veh/hr

Note that 400 vehicles do not pass the point of observation during the study hour, but
they do pass the point at that rate for 15 minutes.
 Traffic Flow Parameters
Example
Calculate the rate of flow of vehicles from the following data:
Time period Volume (vehicles)
4:00-4:15 700
4:16-4:30 812
4:31-5:00 1635
Total 3147

Solution
Although the volume = 3147 veh/hr, the individual rates of flow during the three time
periods are 2800, 3248, and 3270 veh/hr, respectively.
 Traffic Flow Parameters
Density
 Traffic Flow Parameters
Density (k) or Concentration

Number of vehicles occupying a given length of a roadway (usually 1 mile), at an instant of

time.
Usually expressed as vehicles per mile (veh./mi) or vehicles per mile per lane (v/mi/ln).

q=v*k
q = rate of flow (veh/hr),
v = average travel speed (mph) and
k = average density (veh/mi)
 Traffic Flow Parameters
Density (k) or Concentration

High densities indicate that individual Low densities imply greater

vehicles are very close together, distances between vehicles.
 Spacing (s)

Front bumper to front bumper distance

between successive vehicles
 Headway (h)

Time between successive vehicles passing a fixed point

 Clearance (C)

Back bumper to front bumper

distance between successive vehicles
 Gap (g)

Time between successive vehicles passing a fixed point

 Clearance (c) and Gap (g)
Front bumper to back bumper distance and time
 Lane Occupancy
Ratio of roadway occupied by vehicles
 Units
Speed (v) –ft/sec or mph

Flow (q) –veh/sec or vph

Density (k) –veh/ft or vpm

Spacing (s) –ft/veh

Headway (h) –sec/veh

Clearance (c) –ft/veh

Gap (g) –sec/veh

 Fundamental Relationships

q= k × v
(veh/hr) = (veh/mi) × (mi/hr)

h= 1 /q
(sec/veh) = 1 / (veh/hr) × (3600)

s= 1 /k
(ft/veh) = 1 / (veh/mi) × (5280)
 Traffic Flow

Uninterrupted flow
Freeways
Multilane highways
Two-lane highways
 Traffic Flow

Interrupted flow
Signalized streets
Un-signalized streets with stop signs
Transit lanes
Pedestrian walkways
 Special Speed & Density Conditions

Free Flow Speed (FFS) Jam Density

This is the mean speed that vehicles will travel on a
roadway when the density of vehicles is low. Under low Extremely high densities can bring traffic on a roadway to a
density conditions, drivers no longer worry about other complete stop. The density at which traffic stops is called the
vehicles. They subsequently proceed at speeds that are jam density.
controlled by the performance of their vehicles, the
conditions of the roadway, and the posted speed limit.
 Speed, Flow and Density Relationship

Free
Flow
 General properties for any traffic flow model

Need to satisfy four boundary conditions

• Flow is zero at zero density
• Flow is zero at maximum density
• Mean Free-Flow Speed occurs at zero density
• Flow-density curves are convex
(i.e. there is a point of max flow)
 Connections between speed, density and flow
A: almost zero density, free-flow speed, very low volume
B: increased density, reduced speed, increased volume
C: increased density, reduced speed, max volume
D: jam density, min speed (crawling), very low volume
 Green shield’s Model
Greenshield was able to develop a model of uninterrupted traffic flow that
predicts and explains the trends that are observed in real traffic flows.
Greenshield’s model is not perfect, it is fairly accurate and relatively simple.
• Assume a linear relationship between v and k:
Green shield’s Model
Green shield’s Model
 Geometric Design
Geometric design deals with the physical elements of highways that includes the
design of geometric cross section, horizontal alignment, vertical alignment,
intersections, and various design details

Physical Characteristics Main Purpose of Traffic Movement

 Human  Safe
 Vehicle  Efficient
 Environment  Economic

44
 Design Speed

Design Speed depends on the functional classification of the highway, the topography of the
area and the adjacent land use.
Topography:
Level Rolling Mountainous

45
 functional classification of Highway

functional classification of Highway

Rural Urban

Arterial Collector Local Arterial Collector Local

Principle Minor Principle Minor

46
 functional classification of Highway

Highways are classified either by

 The function they serve (functional classification)

Function classification
 The entity responsible for their construction and
maintenance (jurisdictional classification)
Mobility
Two concepts are used when classifying highway by their
function
 Mobility: continuous travel

 Accessibility: direct access to abutting (next to or

adjacent) property
Some roads serve one of these two function while few can
satisfy both
Accessibility
47
Relationship of Functionally Classified Systems in
Serving Traffic Mobility And Land Access
Arterial
 Higher mobility
 Lowe degree of access

Collectors
 Balance between mobility and access

Local
 Lower mobility
 High degree of access

Mobility versus accessibility. (From American Association of State

Highway and Transportation Officials. A policy on the geometric
design of highways and streets. Washington, DC, 2011a.) 48
 functional classification of Highway (Rural)

Arterial

Collector
Local

Mobility versus accessibility. (From American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. A policy 49
on the geometric design of highways and streets. Washington, DC, 2011a.)
 functional classification of Highway (Urban)

Local Arterial

Collector

Mobility versus accessibility. (From American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. A policy 50
on the geometric design of highways and streets. Washington, DC, 2011a.)
 Cross section components

Highways are categorized into

Divided highways Undivided highways

51
 Cross section components
within the right of way are
Carriageway or travelling lanes Shoulder Median

Standard lane widths are normally 3.6 m Shoulders for heavily traveled roads are Longitudinal space separating dual
(12 ft), narrower lanes are sometimes used normally 2.4 to 3.6 m (8 to 12 ft) in width; carriage-ways
in old roadways. narrower shoulders are sometimes used.

52
 Cross section components
Functions of medians are:
 Separate opposing traffic streams, Minimize head light glare
 Stopping area in case of emergency
 5m for rural highways (3m under restricted conditions)
 5m for urban is desirable, but 1.2m is acceptable.
Functions of shoulder are:
 Provide areas on the side of traffic lanes for damage or stopped cars without affecting the
traffic movement
 Enable drivers to safely turn night to avoid accident
 Improve structural strength of roads and traffic capacity
 Cross section components
within the right of way are

Ditches Side-slopes Barrier

Roadside barriers are used to

One of the purposes of a roadway drainage To provide a transition from the roadway protect traffic from roadside
ditch is to prevent unsafe accumulations of shoulder to the original ground surface. obstacles or hazards.
rain water on the roadway surface. Median barriers are used to prevent
vehicles from crossing over a median
and striking an oncoming vehicle in
a head on crash. 54
 Cross section components
within the right of way are

Marking Cross section slope

It is a very important safety factor. Cross slope is

They can be used to delineate traffic lanes, inform motorists and
provided to provide a drainage gradient so that
pedestrians or serve as noise generators when run across a road, or
water will run off the surface to a drainage system
attempt to wake a sleeping driver when installed in the shoulders of a
such as a street gutter or ditch
road. Road surface marking can also indicate regulation for parking
Typical cross section is 1.5 : 3%
and stopping. 55
Cross section of Road

56
Cross section of Road

57
Cross section of cutting Rural Highway

58
Cross section of Filling Rural Highway

59
Cross section of Rural Highway

60
Cross section of Rural Highway with Ditches

61
Cross section of Rural Highway with Ditches

62
Cross section of Urban Highway

63
ANY QUESTIONS

64