Lecture-5

Traffic Study
 Traffic Study

Objectives of traffic study Traffic volume study

 Traffic monitoring
 Traffic control & management Traffic flow characteristics

 Traffic forecasting
Speed studies
 Model development
Traffic capacity study
Traffic
study
Parking study

O and D study

Accident study
 Traffic volume study

 Volume/flow: It is defines as the actual number of vehicles that pass a point on a highway or a given lane during a specific
time interval. It may be expressed in terms of annual, daily, hourly. Unit: veh/time.

 Rate of flow: It represents the number of vehicles passing a point during a time interval less than one hour but expressed as
equivalent hourly rate. Unit: veh/hour. A volume of 300 vehicle observed in a 15 min period. Rate of flow 4*300 = 1200
veh/hour which is not exact figure.

 Average annual daily traffic(AADT): It is the average 24 hr traffic volume at a given location over a full 365 day year.

 Average annual weekday traffic(AAWT): It is the average 24- hr traffic volume occurring on weekdays over a full 365
day in year.

 Average daily traffic(ADT): It is an average 24- hr volume at a given location for some period of time less than a year,
but more than one day.

 Average weekly traffic(AWT): It is an average 24-hr traffic volume occurring on weekdays for some period less than one
year.

 Design hourly volume (DHV): It is the economic hourly flow of future year, which is used for designing geometric
features of roadway.
 Traffic volume study

Objectives
The purpose for carrying out traffic volume studies are as follows:
 Design purpose
 Structural and geometric design of pavements, bridge, and other highway facilities.
 Intersection design
 Traffic control devices viz. traffic signs, markings, signals based on approach volume
 Pedestrian volume study is useful for designing side walks, pedestrian crossing etc.
 Improvement purposes
 To allocate limited maintenance budget rationally it is important to know the traffic volume carried by particular
roadway section in order to decide the importance of the road and fixing its relative priority.
 In order to improve the roadway operating condition it is important to know the traffic volume
1. to examine the existing operating condition of a roadway section
2. to check the need for traffic control devices
3. to determine the type of improvement measure need to be taken.
 Planning purposes
 Accurate information on the amount of traffic on the roads is vital for the planning of both road maintenance and
improvement polices.
 Traffic volume study
 Dynamic traffic management purpose
 Up to date and continuous flow information is essential for optimizing
 Traffic signal design and thereby improving junction performance
 Network productivity by providing information to the road users

 Other purposes
 Estimation of trends
 Estimation of highway use
 Measurement of current demand of facility
 Computation of accident rates

 Types of flow/volume
Type Description
Interrupted flow Flow at stopped and go situation
Uninterrupted flow When the flow is smooth
Saturation flow The maximum hourly rate of an approach at a signalized junction
Service flow rate The maximum hourly rate of a roadway section during a given period under prevailing
roadway condition
 Traffic volume study
Type Description
Free flow When drivers face no restriction in driving and can maintain their desired speeds
Forced flow When lane changing opportunity decreases with increasing traffic volume and drivers are
forced to follow slow leaders
Stable/Steady flow When demand is well below the roadway capacity and the average rate of flow remains
almost constant with time
Unstable/unsteady flow When demand is at or near the roadway capacity and the average rate of flow remains
almost constant with time
Peak flow Flow at peak periods
Off-peak flow Flow at off peak periods
Contra flow For repair work: an arrangement on a large road by which traffic going in both directions
uses only one side of a road
Tidal flow When traffic flows in both direction exhibit unbalanced characteristics at peak periods.
Induced flow Flow that is generated because of new or improved roadway facility
 Traffic volume study

Methods of counting
Direct method Data is counted by using hand tally and manual counters
Manual counting method Indirect method Data is collected using video camera

Contact system  Based on mechanical actuation

Automatic counting method  Based on magnetic actuation
 Based on sensors etc.
Contactless system  Based on CCTV/ video image processing machine
vision technique
 Based on electrical/optical actuation by interrupting of a
light beam.
 Radar devices based on Droppler principle etc.
Traffic volume study
Traffic volume study
 Traffic volume study

 Estimate of ADT, AWT, AADT from short counts

There are two approaches for the estimation of ADT, AADT from short counts:
1. Factor approach
2. Regression approach

1. Factor approach

a. Hourly expansion factors, HEF= (total 24. hour volume/volume of particular hour); these factors are used to expand
counts of durations shorter than 24 hour to 24-hour volume.

b. DEF= (average total weekly volume/ average volume for particular day); these factors are used to determine weekly
volume from counts of 24 hour duration.

c. MEF= (AADT/ADT for particular month) ;these factors are used to determine AADT from the ADT for a given month.
Traffic volume study
 Traffic volume study
  traffic engineer urgently needs to determine AADT on a rural primary road that has the volume distribution
A
characteristics Shown in Table 1, 2 & 3. The engineer collected data shown below on a Tuesday during the month of
may. Determine the AADT of the road.
Hour Volume
7-8 am 400
8-9am 535
9-10am 650
10-11am 710
11-12pm 650

Solution:

Estimate 24-hour volume

=11960 pcu
Estimated weekly volume= (11960*7.727)= 92414.92 pcu
ADT= (92414.92/7)= 13202 pcu
AADT= 1.395*13202= 18350
 Assignment

1. Write down of advantages and disadvantages of various methods on counting.