FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

HIGHWAY & TRAFFIC

COURSE
ENGINEERING
COURSE CODE ECG564
LEVEL OF OPENNESS 0
CATEGORY TRADITIONAL
DEGREE OF OPEN-
0
ENDED (%)
PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 1 WEEK
EXPERIMENT SPOT SPEED STUDY

Introduction

The traditional methods of conducting laboratory activities will not be able to

provide the avenue for students to enhance independent learning activities
and inculcate creativity and innovation. Level 0 is fully prescriptive where
problem, ways & means and answers are provided to the students.
However it is still necessary especially to first and second year students.
In this laboratory activity, students are required to conduct a spot speed
study by recording the speeds of sample of vehicles at a specified location
in order to estimate the distribution of speeds of vehicles. Students are
provided with the methodology and guidelines for results and analysis to be
presented in their report.

Objectives

PREAMBLE a) To establish the speed distribution of a traffic stream at a specific site or

called as basic speed data
b) To determine vehicle speed percentiles via speed trend analysis, which
are useful in speed related decision making

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the laboratories activities, students would be able to:

a) Determine speed trends of vehicles by systematic continuous speed

studies using radar gun.
b) Analyse and assess speed as causal factor to crashes, investigate
speed parameter in respect to traffic operation and control like speed
limit, speed zones and the limits of no-passing zone.

©FKA, UiTM, SHAH ALAM September 2013

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

Theoretical Background

Spot speeds are the vehicle speeds taken at a specified point along the
roadway and the average of such speeds is referred to as time mean
speed. A spot study is carried out by recording the speeds sample of
vehicles at specified location in order to estimate the distribution of speed of
vehicles.

Spot speed data have a number of safety applications, including determine

speed trends by systematic continuous speed studies, the measurement of
traffic control devices’ or traffic programs’ effectiveness, the evaluation of
speeding problems, assessing speed as a causal factor to crashes,
investigate existing parameters in respect to traffic operation and control
like speed limit, speed zones and the limits of no-passing zones, establish
and/or evaluate the roadway’s geometric design for example sight distance
elements and so forth.

Depending on the use of data, the observer must consider whether to

collect speeds of all vehicles, including platooned vehicles or only the
speeds of unimpeded vehicles. It is impossible to obtain a radar
measurement for every vehicle under heavy traffic conditions. One may
collect all speeds during the peak period for peak flow analysis whereas the
speed of unimpeded vehicle would be collected for assessing general
speed trends or for setting speed limits or assessing the impact of speed
zone signing, thereby off-peak measurement (free-flowing traffic) are more
appropriate.

Study duration of one hour or a sample size of at least 100 vehicles. The
radar gun is position according to procedure specified in the user manual.

Over speeding is one of the major causes of road accidents in Malaysia.

Speed limits are implemented to prevent over speeding of vehicles. To
PROBLEM
determine whether the drivers of vehicles comply with the speed limit, spot
STATEMENT
speed studies are carried out to determine the speed of vehicles operating
on the road.

There are two (2) method of conducting the spot speed study, radar gun
(automatic) and stopwatch method (manual). The stopwatch method can be
used to successfully complete a spot speed study using a small sample
size taken over a relatively short period of time. The stopwatch method is a
WAYS & MEANS quick and inexpensive method for collecting speed data.

©FKA, UiTM, SHAH ALAM September 2013

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

i) The procedure for spot speed study using radar gun are as
follows:

a) Perform necessary preparations such as sufficient pens or pencils,

radar meter spot speed study data forms and clipboards, radar speed
meters are in good condition, read instructions and procedure for the
used radar gun, obtain backup battery, safety vests and others.
b) Decide study location and selected site should be a STRAIGHT AND
LEVEL road section that represents different traffic conditions
c) Enumerators should arrive 30 minutes earlier at site in order to
familiarize (do visual appraisal survey) with it prior to select strategic
location, distribute the equipment, fill in the general information of the
spot speed data recording forms that comprise the observer's name,
time and date of study, name of site, posted speed limit and weather
condition and begin at the planned time.
d) Sketch the layout of the study area with the description of chosen
reference points, position of observation, number of lanes and road
class
e) The enumerators, the radar unit and the station for speed data collection
should be inconspicuous where possible so that vehicular speeds are
significantly not effected by the data collection activities
f) Randomly select the samples, for example the observer could record a
speed reading for every third vehicle or every fifth vehicle
g) The radar meter should be made as direct a line with oncoming traffic as
possible, meaning to make it as close to the roadway as possible (an
exception when the vehicles selected and radar unit tends to affect
vehicle speeds considerably)
h) Observe the vehicle speeds for duration of one hour study or 100
samples

ii) The procedure for spot speed study using stopwatch are as
follows:

a) Perform necessary preparations such as sufficient pens or pencils,

stopwatch (manual) spot speed study data forms and clipboards,
stopwatch, safety vests and others.
b) Decide study location and selected site should be a STRAIGHT AND
LEVEL road section that represents different traffic conditions
c) Enumerators should arrive 30 minutes earlier at site in order to
familiarize (do visual appraisal survey) with it prior to select strategic
location, distribute the equipment, fill in the general information of the
spot speed data recording forms that comprise the observer's name,
time and date of study, name of site, posted speed limit and weather
condition and begin at the planned time.

©FKA, UiTM, SHAH ALAM September 2013

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

d) Sketch the layout of the study area with the description of chosen
reference points, position of observation, number of lanes and road
class
e) Select two (2) reference points and label as Start and End point with a
distance of 50 meter apart (Less than 100 meter for spot speed).
f) Station two (2) observers at Start and End point
g) Observer at starting point will give a sign to observer at end point to
record the vehicle’s time travel from start to end point (Make sure both
observers are use the same vehicle’s body reference point)
h) The other observer (Start or/and End point) will record the plate
registration number and vehicle classification of selected vehicle
i) Determine the speed of vehicles by using speed formula, speed =
distance/time (km/hr)

The raw data in tabulated form with speed interval 5km/h or 10km/h
depending on the speed range. The results of speed trend should be
presented in:

Graphical form:

a) Frequency Histogram
b) Frequency Distribution Graph
c) Cumulative frequency graph and determine at 15th, 85th and 98th
percentile speeds

Statistical analysis required are:

RESULTS a) Arithmetic mean speed

b) Median Speed
c) Modal Speed
d) Standard Deviation
e) Standard error and check the adequacy of data for 95% confidence
significant level

The group will be required to prepare the technical report of the laboratory
study highlighting the procedures adopted, data acquisition
process/analysis carried out and the relevancy of the parameters obtained
to address the problem given.
A technical report should be submitted one (1) week after the laboratory
test with the relevant results, analyses and application to civil engineering
projects.

©FKA, UiTM, SHAH ALAM September 2013