‫سلسةل حمارضات فيديويــة كوــو م ــادة‬

‫هندس املرو ‪Traffic Engineering‬‬

‫املحاضرة االولى‬
‫اعداد و اكقاء ‪:‬‬
‫ا‪.‬م‪.‬د‪ .‬فرام حسن أسد‬
‫دكتو اة هندس دني‬
‫‪0‬‬
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Highway Classification & Vehicle Characteristics ‫تصنيف الطرق و خصائص المركبة‬

1- General
1.1 Definitions ; 1.2 Phases of Traffic Engineering
2- Highway Functional Classification
2.1 Urban and Rural Areas ; 2.2 Access Needs & Control
2.3 Functional Categories
3- Vehicle Characteristics
3.1 Static Characteristics ; 3.2 Operating Characteristics

1- General
Human civilizations are distinguished by their ability to transport large numbers of people and mass
quantities of goods (freight) over long distances. People need to move from one location to another for
several purposes. Main travel purposes include work, shopping, education, leisure ‫ ترفيه‬and social activities.

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Historically, people have achieved this by developing transportation systems, which have evolved ‫تطئرت‬
from the ridden ‫ المركوبئ‬animals and horse-drawn carts ‫عيبئت‬to the nowadays spaceships. A safe, reliable
and secure transportation system requires more than just the provision ‫ تجلئ‬/ ‫ انشئت‬of highway and transit
‫ النق العتم‬infrastructure ‫ ;البن التحتي‬it also requires efficient and coordinated operations.

1. 1 Definitions
1.1.1 Transportation Engineering: is the application of technology and scientific principles to the planning,
design, operation, maintenance and management of systems and facilities ‫ منشئات‬for any mode of surface
transportation in order to provide for the safe, rapid, comfortable ‫مئي ئ ئ‬, convenient ‫سئل‬, economical, and
environmentally compatible movement of people and goods. Figure 1 shows different modes of
transportation ‫انمتط نق‬.

1.1.2 Traffic Engineering: the phase of transportation engineering that deals with planning, design, and
operations of streets and highways, their networks, abutting lands ‫اض المحتذيئ‬
‫ االت ي‬and relationships with
other motorized and non-motorized modes of transportation (ITE et al., 2016).

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Traffic on roads may composed of pedestrians, cyclists, cars,

streetcars ‫ ال ر ام‬, buses and others (See Fig. 1).

1.2 Phases of Traffic Engineering

Following are the main phases of traffic engineering (Pignataro
et al., 1973):

1.2.1 Studies of Traffic Characteristics

Studies conducted to examine and the characteristics of traffic
movement, road users, and vehicles. Figure 1: Modes of transportation.
1. The road users, 2. Speed, travel time and delay,
3. The vehicle, 4. Traffic volume, 5. Intersections
6. Car parking, 7. Origin and destination, 8. Road accidents,
9. Public transport (transit).

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

1.2.2 Traffic Operations

1) Regulatory measures ‫تداب تنظيمي‬

a. Laws for the purposes of controlling driver, vehicle and pedestrian.

b. Regulations controlling operation of the vehicles such as intersection controls, speed controls, one way
street and parking controls.

2) Traffic control devices ‫وسائل سيطرة مرورية‬

Fundamentals of the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of traffic signs, signals,
pavement markings ‫ العالمت االتضي‬and channelization ‫ تقني‬devices.

1.2.3 Traffic Planning

This phase of traffic engineering includes the planning of traffic facilities ‫المررت ئ‬ ‫المنشئات‬. It covers the
characteristics of urban travel including public transportation, the conducting of major transportation
studies, and the basic techniques in studying and developing comprehensive transportation plans.

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

1.2.4 Geometric Design

This phase includes the design of new streets and highways, the improvement of existing ones,
channelization ‫ قنئرا ترييئه المئررت‬and intersection design, and the design of off-street parking and terminal
facilities ‫منشات المحطت‬.

1.2.5 Administration
Pure technical knowledge of the traffic engineer should be reinforced ‫ تعزز‬with good understanding of the
administrative and legal background of traffic control and regulations ‫المررت‬ ‫خلفي ادات ر قتنرني للتعليمت‬.

2. Highway Functional Classification ‫الوظيف للطرق‬

‫ي‬ ‫التصنيف‬
Highways are classified according to their functions in terms of the service they provide. The classification
system facilitates ‫ يسئئتعد عئئى‬a systematic developement ‫ تحس ئي ممئئنل‬of highways and the logical
assignment ‫ ترز ئ ئ مئنط ر يق‬of highway responsibilities among governmental highway departments or agencies
‫اقستم ر ركتال الطرق الحكرمي‬.

5
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

2.1 Urban and Rural Areas

Highways and streets are categorized as rural or urban roads, depending on the area in which they are
located. This initial classification is necessary because urban and rural areas have significantly different
characteristics with respect to the type and density of land uses ‫االسئتددامت االتضئي‬, density of streets and
highways and nature of travel patterns ‫انمئتط النقئ‬. Urban areas are those places within definite boundaries
and having a population of 5,000 or more. Rural areas are those areas outside the boundaries of urban
areas (AASHTO, 2011); see Table 1 and Fig. 2.

Table 1: FHWA urban area types defined by

population rang (FHWA, 2013)

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

2.2 Access Needs and Control

The two major considerations in classifying highway and street
networks functionally are land access ‫ الرصئرلي‬and mobility ‫ النقئ‬. The
conflict ‫ التعئتت‬between serving through movement ‫اىل ( الحركئ الطرليئ‬
‫ )االمئتم‬and providing access to exiting/entering traffic leads to the

differences and gradations in the various functional types.

Limitation of access is needed on arterials to enhance their primary
function of mobility. Conversely, the primary function of local roads
and streets is to provide access (See Fig. 3 and Tables 2 & 3).

Table 2: Through
service provided by Figure 3: Relationship of functionally
various roadway classified systems in serving traffic
categories
mobility and land access (AASHTO,
2011). (Req.)

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Table 3: Road class and travel characteristics (FHWA, 2013)

2.3 Functional Categories
Within urbanized or rural
areas, roads are generally
categorized into five groups
(AASHTO, 2011):
(1) Principal arterials ‫ش تنيئ‬
‫; تئيسي‬

(2) Minor arterials (Distributors) ‫( ; ش تني ثتنو‬3) Major collectors ‫يتمع‬

(4) Minor collectors ‫( ; يتمع ثتنو‬5) Local roads and streets ‫محلي‬

2.3.1 Highways Systems within urbanized areas

The four functional highway systems for urbanized areas are: urban principal arterials (streets), minor
arterials (streets), collectors (streets), and local streets.

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

I. Urban Principal Arterial System. This system

consists of highest-traffic-volume streets that
serve the major activity centers. It carries most
of the trips entering and leaving the urban area
and also the system serves long trips that
bypass ‫ تح ئئتذ‬the central business districts
(CBDs) or connecting CBDs with outlying
residential areas. It carries a high proportion of
the total vehicle-miles of travel within the
urban area. For freeways and expressways, the
travel service to abutting (adjacent) land is
secondary with respect to the service to major
through traffic movements (See Fig. 4). Figure 4: Typical photos for the main types of highways.

9
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

II. Urban Minor Arterial System. These are the streets and highways that interconnect with and supplement
urban principal arterials. Minor arterials serves trips of moderate length and provide more land access than
principal arterials. All arterials not classified as primary are included in this class. Minor arterials may serve
local bus routes and provide urban connections to rural collector roads.

III. Urban Collector Street System. Urban collectors provide both land access service and traffic circulation
within residential, commercial and industrial areas. These streets collect traffic from local streets in such
areas or in CBDs and convey it to the arterial system. Urban collectors may also carry local bus routes.

IV. Urban Local Street System. This system consists of all other streets within the urban area that are not
included in the three above systems. The primary purpose of these streets is to provide direct access to
adjacent lands and to provide connection to the collector streets. Through traffic is discouraged on these
streets and they contain no bus routes (see Figs. 5 & 6).

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Figure 5: Schematic illustration of a portion of a Figure 6: Schematic illustration of the functional classes
suburban street network (AASHTO, 2011). (Req.) for a rural highway network (AASHTO, 2011).

11
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

2.3.2 Highways systems within rural areas

Rural roads consist of facilities outside of urban areas. They include principal arterials (roads), minor arterials
(roads), major and minor collectors (roads), and local roads.

I. Rural Principal Arterial System. This system include most of the existing rural freeways that serve
interstate and intrastate trips. Generally, all trips between urbanized areas (population > 50,000) and most
of trips between urban areas (populations > 25,000) are made on this system. The system is further divided
into freeways (divided highways with fully controlled access ‫ المئداخ رالمدئتت‬and no at-grade intersections) and
other principal arterials not classified as freeways (See Fig. 6).

II. Rural Minor Arterial System. This system of roads supplements the principal arterial system in the
formation of a network of roads that connects cities, large towns, and other traffic generators ‫مرلئدا الئرالال‬,
such as large resorts ‫ المنتجعئت السئيتالي‬and airports. Travel volumes, trip lengths, and traffic speeds on these
roads are higher than those in collectors and locals and with minimum interference to through movement.

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

III. Rural Collector System. Roads within this system carry

traffic primarily within individual counties ‫مقتطعئت‬, and
trip distances and speeds are usually less than those on
the arterial roads. Rural Major Collector routes carry
traffic primarily to and from large cities that are not
directly served by the arterial system. Rural Minor
Collector routes collect traffic from local roads and
convey it to other higher facilities.
IV. Rural Local Road System. This system consists of all
roads within the rural area not classified within the other
Figure 7: Proposed highway classification.
systems. These roads serve trips of relatively short
distances and connect adjacent lands with the collector Highway classification is the first step in
highway design process.
roads. Figure 7 shows a proposed highway classification.

13
‫‪Traffic Eng.‬‬ ‫‪Highway and Vehicle Characteristics‬‬ ‫‪19 –20‬‬

‫منقول من الموقع االلكتروني للهيئة العامة للطرق و الجسور العراقية (لالطالع)‪:‬‬

‫الم ددة العا ددة ددن ددرق ال واا د د المابي ددة ل ددل اوا ك د د ي الح و ددة‬ ‫تط ددو ت ل ددب ة الط ددرق ن‬
‫العراقيددة ا لددب ة ددن الطددرق المبلطددة الحليءددة ددي انكددا ددل ك د طدم ددن الجسددو الحليءددة ي‬
‫كاادة ارحددا ال طددر ‪.‬يبلددا الطددوا ا جمددا ي لكددب ة الطددرق ال ا جيددة ( خددا ح وددلو البلددل ات‬
‫وا ار ددة ت ددلا ) و ددوا ي ‪ 42000‬ك ددا تض ددا الط ددرق الرسد د عة ( ر ددل الم ددرو الرسد د د ددي ق ددا (‪)1‬‬
‫و ر ددل ابددو ر د الرسد د د ددي )‪ ،‬ر د‬
‫والرس د ارية الد يدت تددركز راحددظ المحاانددات والملاا د الحلو ددة‬
‫والطدرق الءاري دة ال يدت تدركز ب طدا ا قضدية واللدوا ي والطدرق الر يدة ال يدت تدركز ب طدا المجمعدات‬
‫الس لية ال رى وا اف تالطرق الءاري ة ر‬
‫والرس ارية ‪.‬‬ ‫ي‬

‫الجددلوا ا يي ي د طدا ا ددواا لددب ة الطددرق المبلطددة تافددلاايا الم تل ددة ل ا ددة ددام ‪ .2004‬كمددا‬
‫رسدا" ثابتددا" ددن ريددرل جلددة وال درات وت ر اتيمددا والو ددا وخطددو‬ ‫تضددا الكددب ة ‪ 1200‬ج د‬
‫رس د د ددا" ائم د د ددا" ‪ ،‬والييئ د د ددة س د د ددتمر ي انك د د ددا الجس د د ددو الجل د د د ددل‬
‫الس د د د د ة اض د د ددااة ا ‪ 60‬ج د‬
‫واستبلاا الجسو العائمة تاخر ثابتة ‪.‬‬

‫الطول ( كم )‬ ‫صنف الطريق‬ ‫ت‬

‫‪1084‬‬ ‫طرق املرورالسريع‬ ‫‪.1‬‬
‫‪11000‬‬ ‫الطرق الشريانية‬ ‫‪.2‬‬
‫‪15200‬‬ ‫الطرق الثانوية‬ ‫‪.3‬‬
‫‪3700‬‬ ‫الطرق الريفية‬ ‫‪.4‬‬
‫‪11000‬‬ ‫الطرق الحدودية‬ ‫‪.5‬‬

‫‪14‬‬
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Example: As a traffic engineer, propose a reasonable highway classification for the urban road network
shown in the figure below. Line marking as follows: Principal arterial (bold black); Minor arterial (dotted
black); Collector (normal black); and Local (normal white).
Solution:

H.W 01: Utilize the Google maps online service and attempt to choose an urban region in your city then
classify its highways and streets. Make a map similar to the above.

15
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

3. Vehicle Characteristics
According to AASHTO (2011), vehicles of different sizes and weights have different operating characteristics
that should be considered in highway design. Heavy vehicles (trucks and buses) are heavier and slower and
occupy more roadway space. As a result, heavy vehicles have a greater effect on highway traffic operation
than passenger cars do. Therefore, it is appropriate to examine all vehicle types, establish general class
groupings, and select vehicles of representative size within each class for design use. These selected vehicles,
with representative weight, dimensions, and operating characteristics, are known as design vehicles.

Design vehicle ‫ المركبئ التصئميم‬is that vehicle whose characteristics include those of nearly all vehicles expected
to use the highway.

According to AASHTO (2011), four general classes of design vehicles have been established: (1) Passenger
cars (2) buses (3) trucks, and (4) recreational vehicles.

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

- Passenger car: includes passenger cars of all sizes,

sport vehicle, minivan, vans and pick-up trucks.
- Buses: include intercity (coaches), city transit, school,
and articulated buses.
- Trucks: includes single-unit trucks, truck tractor-
semitrailer combinations, and truck tractors with
semitrailers in combination with full trailers.
- Recreational vehicles: include motor homes, cars with
camper trailers, and cars with boat trailers.

Table 4 presents examples of some design vehicles with

their key dimensions. Figure 8 displays vehicle
classification system suggested by the American Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA, 2011).

17
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

3.1 Static Characteristics

3.1.1 Dimensions
The dimensions (length, width and height) of the
design vehicle is very important in computing and
selecting the design standards ‫ المعئئتر التصئئميمي‬for

many highway physical elements – for example,

travel lane width, intersection design, parking
dimensions, and geometries of horizontal and
vertical curves.
3.1.2 Weight of Vehicle
The vehicle gross weight and axle weight are also
important in both the geometrical and structural
designs of roads.
Figure 8: FHWA’s Vehicle Classification System (FHWA, 2016).

18
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

3.2 Operating Characteristics

3.2.1 Turning Radii
There are two situations under which design vehicles make turns (Pignataro et al., 1973; Roess et al., 2011):
- Low-speed turns (≤ 10 mi/h)
- High-speed turns (> 10 mi/h)
Low-speed turns are limited by the characteristics of the vehicle; that is, the minimum turning radius is
controlled by the vehicle’s minimum turning path which is influenced by the vehicle’s steering mechanism. In
contrast, high-speed turns are limited by the dynamics of side friction between the roadway and the tires,
and by the superelevation (cross-slope) of the roadway.
A. Low-Speed Turns
AASHTO specifies the minimum turning path for each design vehicle based on the following factors:
•The minimum turning radius is defined by the track of the outer front wheel.
•The rear wheels of a truck usually do not track ‫ تتب‬the front wheels on the same radius (offtracking).

19
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20
Figures 9 and 10 below show details of minimum 180o turning paths for PC and interstate semitrailer design
vehicles (AASHTO, 2011).

20
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

B- High-Speed Turns
When a vehicle moves in a circular path, it
undergoes a centripetal acceleration that
acts toward the center of curvature. This
force is countered by the perceived
centrifugal force ‫ قئئرا الطئئرد المركئئز‬experienced

by the motorist.
On a superelevated highway, this force is
resisted by; (1) the vehicle weight
component parallel to the superelevated
surface and (2) the side friction developed
between the tires and pavement (AASHTO,
2011) – see Figure 11. Figure 11: Forces acting on a vehicle traveling on a horizontal
curve section of a road (Garber and Hoel, 2015).

21
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

The minimum radius of a circular curve R for a vehicle of weight W travelling at V kph can be determined by
considering the equilibrium of the vehicle with respect to its lateral moving - up or down the incline. If α is
the angle of inclination of the highway, then the component of the weight down the incline is (W sin α), and
the frictional force acting down the incline is (F = ƒ . N). Where ƒ is the coefficient of side friction and N is
the normal force.

𝑊 𝑉2
The perceived centrifugal force = mass x acceleration = . .
𝑔 𝑅

To ensure no side skidding, F should be ≤ ƒ.N. Appling equilibrium condition by algebraic summing for the
forces parallel to the inclined road surface gives:

𝑊 𝑉2 𝑊 𝑉2
𝑐𝑜𝑠 α ( . ) = 𝐹 + 𝑊 𝑠𝑖𝑛 α ; since F = ƒ . N ; 𝑁 = 𝑊 𝑐𝑜𝑠 α + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 α ( . ) ---- >
𝑔 𝑅 𝑔 𝑅

𝑊 𝑉2 𝑊 𝑉2
𝑐𝑜𝑠 α ( . ) = 𝑓(𝑤 𝑐𝑜𝑠 α + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 α ( . ) + 𝑊 𝑠𝑖𝑛 α ---- >
𝑔 𝑅 𝑔 𝑅

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

𝑉2 𝑉2
=𝑓+ 𝑒. 𝑓 +𝑒 (consider dividing by w 𝑐𝑜𝑠 α and e = tan α)
𝑔𝑅 𝑔𝑅

𝑉2 𝑒+𝑓 𝑉2
= ( re-arranging) ----- > =e+f
𝑔𝑅 1−𝑒.𝑓 9.81 𝑅

The term ef is always small compared to one, and hence can be omitted, so the relationship can be
simplified into:

𝐕𝟐
𝑹𝒎𝒊𝒏. = Where, V (speed) in kph and R (radius) in m.
𝟏𝟐𝟕 (𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒙. + 𝒇𝒎𝒂𝒙. )

So, the minimum horizontal curve radius Rmin that can ensure safe turning is occurred when applying
maximum values for rate of superelevation emax and for coefficient of side friction ƒmax. Table 5 lists
minimum design radii for roads with different e and f values (AASHTO, 2011).

23
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Table 5: Minimum design radius for roads (AASHTO, 2011).

24
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Example: What is the minimum radius of curvature allowable for a roadway with a 100 kph design speed,
assuming that the maximum allowable superelevation rate and the pavement side coefficient of friction
are 8% and 0.12 respectively?
Sol.) Minimum radius of curvature for 100 km/h design speed:

V2 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟐
𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛. = = = 393.7 = 394 m
127 (𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥. + 𝑓𝑚𝑎𝑥. ) 𝟏𝟐𝟕(𝟎.𝟎𝟖+𝟎.𝟏𝟐)

H.W 02: If the curve in the above example has been constructed and after 10 years the side friction
coefficient decreased to 0.10 due to the polished aggregate. Compute the new corresponding design
speed to maintain safe driving.

25
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

3.2.2 Braking Distance

The travelled distance needed to stop
(or decelerate) a vehicle once brakes
are applied. Consider a vehicle traveling
downhill with an initial velocity of Vi, in
km/h, as shown in Fig. 12:

Let
f = coefficient of friction between the
tires and the road pavement
a = deceleration of the vehicle when
the brakes are applied
Db = horizontal component of distance Figure 12: Forces acting on a vehicle braking on a downgrade
traveled during braking. (Garber and Hoel, 2015). (Req.)

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Note that the distance referred to as the braking distance is the horizontal distance and not the inclined
distance x. The reason is that measurements of distances in surveying are horizontal and, therefore,
distance measurements in highway design are always made with respect to the horizontal plane (Garber and
Hoel, 2015).

Frictional force on the vehicle is ( f . N = W f cos γ) and the force acting on the vehicle due to deceleration,
according to the Newton’s Second Law of Motion, is F = m.a = Wa/g, where g is acceleration due to gravity.
The horizontal component of the weight of the vehicle is W sin γ.

𝑊.𝑎
Substituting into ∑ f = m a, we obtain: 𝑊 sin 𝛾 − 𝑊 𝑓 cos 𝛾 =
𝑔

The deceleration that brings the vehicle to a stationary position can be found in terms of the initial velocity
V as a = - V2/2x (assuming uniform deceleration), where x is the distance traveled along the road during
braking. Hence;

27
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

𝑾. 𝑽𝟐
𝑾 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜸 − 𝑾 𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜸 = −
𝟐. 𝒈. 𝒙
𝐖.𝐕 𝟐
However, Db = x cos , and we therefore obtain 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝛄 = 𝐖 𝐟 𝒄𝒐𝒔 𝜸 − 𝑾 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜸
𝟐𝐠.𝐃𝐛
𝐕𝟐 𝑽𝟐
By dividing on (𝑊 cos 𝛾) giving: = 𝐟 − 𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝛄 ----- > 𝑫𝒃 =
𝟐𝐠.𝐃𝐛 𝟐𝒈(𝒇− 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝜸)
𝐕𝟐
As tan γ = grade G (slope) of the incline ---- > 𝐃𝐛 =
𝟐𝐠(𝐟− 𝐆)
𝐕𝟐
If g is 9.81 m/sec2 and V is in km/h, and Db in m, ---- > 𝐃𝐛 =
𝟐𝟓𝟒(𝐟− 𝐆)
𝐕𝟐
The equation for a vehicle traveling uphill is : 𝐃𝐛 =
𝟐𝟓𝟒(𝐟+ 𝐆)
𝐕𝟐
A general equation for the braking distance is : 𝐃𝐛 =
𝟐𝟓𝟒(𝐟± 𝐆)
The plus sign is for vehicles traveling uphill, the minus sign is for vehicles traveling downhill, and G is the
𝐕𝟐
absolute value of tan 𝛾. The AASHTO represents friction coefficient 𝑓 as (a/g); ----- > 𝐃𝐛 = 𝐚
𝟐𝟓𝟒 ±𝐆
𝟗.𝟖𝟏
Finally the general braking distance (m) equation is:

Vi = initial speed (design speed), kph; Vf = final speed (zero when vehicle has stopped), kph ; a = deceleration
rate, m/s2 (recommended by AASHTO, 3.4 m/sec2); and G = highway longitudinal grade (in percent/100).

28
Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Example: What is the distance needed for braking in order for bringing a vehicle traveling at 90 kph on a
3% downgrade to a complete stop? Consider deceleration rate is 3.4 m/s2.

Solution:
Db = ?,
Vi = 90 kph, Vf = 0,
G = 0.03, a = 3.4 m/s2.

H.W: A truck driver was driving at night at 60 Kph on a 1% uphill highway when suddenly a deer jumped
in front of his truck. The distance between the vehicle and the deer when the driver started applying the
brakes was about 30m. Assume deceleration rate is 3.6 m/s2, (1) will the driver success in avoiding hitting
the deer? (2) If not, at which speed the collision will happen?

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20
3.2.3 Acceleration
Table 6: Acceleration rates of typical car and
Passenger cars are usually with accelerating rates much typical truck on level terrain
(Roess et al., 2011).
higher than those for heavy vehicles. Table 6 shows typical
maximum acceleration rates for a passenger car and a truck.
Acceleration is highest at low speeds and decreases with
increasing speed.
Acceleration rates data are used to determine the following
(Pignataro et al., 1973):

a. The time required to cross an intersection from a standing start.

b. The distance required to pass another vehicle.
c. The gap acceptance.

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

References
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. (2011). A policy on geometric design of
highways and streets. ISBN: 978-1-56051-508-1. Washington, DC., USA.

Garber, N. J., & Hoel, L. A. (2015). Traffic and highway engineering – SI Version. 5th edition. Cengage
Learning, USA.

Federal Highway Administration. (2013). Highway functional classification concepts, criteria and procedures.
US Department of Transportation.

Federal Highway Administration. (2011). Traffic Monitoring Guide. US Department of Transportation.

ITE, Wolshon, B., & Pande, A. (2016). Traffic engineering handbook. John Wiley & Sons.

Pignataro, L. J., Cantilli, E. J., Falcocchio, J. C., Crowley, K. W., McShane, W. R., Roess, R. P., & Lee, B. (1973).
Traffic engineering: theory and practice.

Roess, R. P., Prassas, E. S., & McShane, W. R. (2011). Traffic Engineering. 4th edition. Pearson.

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Traffic Eng. Traffic
Highway and Volume Studies
Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

Traffic Volume Studies ‫اسات الحجوم المرو ة‬

1- Definitions.
2- Traffic Facilities by Flow Type.
3- Need for Traffic Volume Data.
4- Traffic Volume Variations.
5- Types of Volumes Counts.
6- Traffic Volume Presentation.
7- Methods for Conducting Vehicular Counts.
8- Traffic Forecasting.
9- Traffic Stream Composition.
10- Expanding & Adjusting Traffic Counts.

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Traffic Eng. Highway and Vehicle Characteristics 19 –20

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