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Traffic stream parameters includes; volume, rate of flow, speed and density.
Volume: number of vehicle that passing a given point or section of a given lane or
direction of highway during specified time interval (day or hour).
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.
Daily Volume: daily volume are frequently used as the basis for;
1- Highway planning
2- Establishment of traffic volume trends
3- Computation of crash rate
4- Development of improvement and maintenance programs
5- Evaluation of the economic feasibility of highway projects
()
AADT =
()
AAWT =
()
ADT =
()
()
AWT =
()
Hourly Volumes
Hourly volume are designed to reflect the variation of traffic over the different time
period of a day. They are also used to identify single hour or period of highest volume
in a day occurring during the morning and evening commute that is rush hour.
Peak hour: The single hour of the day that has the highest hourly volume is referred
to as the peak hour. Traffic volume within this hour is of greatest interest to traffic
engineers in design or operational analysis.
Design hour volume (DHV): A volume determined for use in design representing
the traffic that is expected to use the highway in any designated year. It is an hourly
volume, usually the 30th highest hourly volume expected during the design year.
DHV= K AADT
K=
Directional Design hourly volume (DDHV): the traffic volume may be greater
in one direction than other, therefor the directional is an important factor in highway
type which may be defined as the hourly traffic volume in each direction of travel.
DDHV= KAADTD
Where:
DDHV (vph/direction)
D = [(volume of one direction/ volume of two direction) 100]
Example (1): a rural highway has AADT of (30000 vpd). Find the directional design
hourly volume.
DDHV= KAADTD
DDHV = 0.15300000.7
Sub-Hourly Volume
Rate of Flow: the volume observed for a period of less than one hour (15 min or 5
min).
The relationship between hourly volume and the maximum rate of flow within the hour
is defined by the Peak Hour Factor (PHF).
hourly volume
PHF = =
maximum rate of flow 4 15
For example:
Time interval Volume for time interval (veh)
5:00-5:15 PM 1000
5:15-5:30PM 1100
5:30-5:45 PM 1200 Max. 15-min
5:45-6:00 PM 900
5:00-6:00 PM = 4200
PHF = =
PHF = 0.87
The passenger car unit equivalents for heavy vehicles under different topographic
conditions are shown in table below:
Type of terrain
Level (flat) Rolling Mountain
ET (heavy veh.) 1.5 2.5 4.5
For example: convert from heavy vehicle to passenger car unit (PCU) if the volume is
(3000 vph) and percent of truck (10%), mountain terrain.
= 4050 pcph
The design of new highways or improvements to existing highways should not be based
on current traffic volumes, but on the future traffic expected to use the facilities.
Where:
Example (2): design data is required for the improvement of two-way highway with
central reverse. The current traffic is (3000 veh/day) in both directions. The improved
road with design life of 20 year, annual growth rate of traffic is (8%), find the future
volume, construction period is 5 year.
Solution:
TPF = 6.8
TPF
Future Volume
k = 0.12 urban
0.15 Rural
D (0.5-0.9)
Example (3): a multi-lane minor arterial highway is being designed through a rolling
rural area. The current daily volume is (7100 vpd) with 20% truck, peak hour factor
90% and directional distribution factor is 60%. How many lane required for this
highway. TPF= 3.6, design service flow rate for one lane = 1080 pcphpl.
Solution:
Peak flow rate = = = 4260 vph
.
= 5538 pcph
DDHV = 5538 D
No. of lanes in one direction = = 3.076 lanes