Traffic Flow Characteristics

Nikhil Saboo, BITS Pilani, Rajasthan

Introduction
Complex in nature: Traffic flow
Keep to left: Right hand driving
Left extreme lane: slow moving vehicles
Maneuvers: Diverging, merging, crossing and weaving
Headways
Time headway and Space headway
Time headway (total) is a direct measurement of volume of traffic.
Minimum time and space headway depends on speed
Speed Flow Density Relations
70

60

50 Density= volume/speed
time, min/km

40

30
Relationships true for homogenous traffic
20

10

0 Capacity flow/maximum flow= Vsf . Kj /4

0 20 40 60 80 100
speed, kmph
Passenger Car Unit (PCU)
A measure if relative space requirement of a vehicle class compared to that of
passenger car under a specified set of roadway, traffic and other condition.

Factors affecting PCU

Dimension of vehicle
Dynamic characteristics: power, speed acceleration and braking
Transverse and longitudinal gaps between moving vehicles.
Traffic stream characteristics: composition of different vehicle classes, speed distribution,
volume to capacity ratio etc.
Roadway characteristics such as road geometrics, type of road, presence and type of
intersections etc.
Traffic stream, traffic control devices
Environmental and climatic conditions
Rural

Urban
Capacity and Level of Service
Highway capacity of a traffic lane is the ability of the roadway or the traffic lane to allow maximum traffic flow or
traffic volume per unit time.

Expressed as maximum number of vehicles in a lane or a roadway that can pass a given point in unit time, usually
an hour.

Vehicles per hour per lane of the roadway.

Volume represents an actual rate of flow and responds to variation in traffic demand, while capacity indicates a
capability or maximum rate of flow within a certain level of service that can be carried by the roadway.

Basic capacity: maximum no. of passenger cars that can pass a given point on a lane or roadway during 1 hour
under nearly ideal roadway and traffic conditions which can be possibly attained. Two roads having the same
physical features have the same basic capacity.

Possible capacity: under prevailing conditions.

Practical capacity: design capacity

Capacity and Level of Service
Factors affecting practical capacity:
Lane width
Lateral clearance
Width of shoulders
Commercial vehicles
Alignment
Road geometrics
Intersection
Other factors
Capacity and Level of Service
Theoretical Capacity: qc = 1000*V/S

V is the speed in kmph and S id the space headway.

S = vt + L, t is assumed to be 0.70-0.75 seconds.

In relation to minimum time headway, qc = 3600/Ht

The capacity flow or maximum flow occurs at optimum speed: flow decreases at higher as well
as lower speeds

Capacity flow: No opportunity to overtake

Level of service: operating or traffic speed; volume to capacity ratio

A, B, C, D, E and F
Capacity and Level of Service

For intersections: LOS based on delay

Design Service Volume
Maximum hourly volume at which vehicles can reasonably be expected to traverse a
point or uniform section of a lane or roadway during a given time period under the
prevailing roadway, traffic and control conditions while maintaining a designated level
of service.

Single lane Intermediate/Two lane

- Reduce by 20% for poor surface and -With paved shoulders 1.5 m
50% for no shoulders wide increase by 15%
Design Service Volume
Multilane highways: 35000 PCU can be adopted (good earthen shoulders and minimum
3m central verge)
For hard shoulders 1.5 m wide: 40000 PCU
Urban Roads:
Traffic Regulation and Control
Necessary for safe operation on roads.

Should have legal backing: Parliament acts, laws and traffic rules

Driver controls; Vehicle controls; Traffic flow regulations; General controls

Drivers: Motor vehicle act: age, license, penalty for drunken driving and breaking traffic signals
etc.

Vehicle: registration, number plate, maximum dimensions, maximum legal axle weight,
insurance policy etc.

Traffic flow: keep to left, right side overtaking, regulatory signs etc.

Others: reporting accidents, recording traffic violation cases etc.

Traffic Regulation and Control
One way street: reduces conflicts
Crossing conflicts, merging conflicts and diverging conflicts
Traffic Regulation and Control
Disadvantages of one way regulation: increase in travel time and fuel cost, possibility of
violation; difficulty for pedestrians
Traffic control devices: Traffic signs; traffic signals; road markings and traffic islands.
IRC 67 2010: Specification for road signs
Traffic signs
Regulatory
(circular with two exceptions: octagonal (stop) and inverted triangle (give way)): Mandatory signs;
violation is punishable; red color border with white interior; blue interior for no parking and no
stopping; No entry- full red with white strip.
Compulsory direction control and other signs: blue color with white marks.
Warning (triangular): white background, red border, black symbol: sharp curve, hair pin bend;
school ahead; pedestrian crossing etc.
Informatory (rectangular): NH & SH green background, white border, white alphabets; MDR,
ODR and VR: white background and black border and legends; facility information: blue
background, white/black letters/symbols; parking: square, blue background, white color.
Traffic Regulation and Control
Traffic Regulation and Control
Traffic Regulation and Control