CE 2710 Transportation Engineering

Homework 8 Solution
1. A vehicle stream is interrupted and stopped by a flag-person. The traffic volume
for the vehicle stream before the interruption is 1200 veh/hr and the concentration
is 100 veh/mi. Assume that the jam concentration is 240 veh/mi. After five
minutes the flag-person releases the traffic. The flow condition for the release is a
traffic volume of 1600 veh/hr and a speed of 20 mph.
Approach
Conditions:
q = 1200 veh/hr
u = 12 mi/hr
k = 100 veh/mi

Platoon Conditions:
q = 0 veh/hr
u = 0 mi/hr
k = kj = 240 veh/mi

Shock wave at the rear of the platoon

Beginning at t = 0:
Usw1 = (0-1200)/(240 100) = -8.57 mi/hr
Length of Queue after 5 minutes = usw1 * t = -8.57 * (5/60) = 0.714 mi
Number of vehicles in queue = L * k2 = 0.714 * 240 = 171.4
Approach
Conditions:
q = 1200 veh/hr
u = 12 mi/hr
k = 100 veh/mi

Platoon Conditions:
q = 0 veh/hr
u = 0 mi/hr
k = kj = 240 veh/mi

Release Conditions:
q = 1600 veh/hr
u = 20 mi/hr
k = 80 veh/mi

Shock wave at the front of platoon

at t = 5 min, it was defined between the jam and release conditions:
Usw2 = (1600-0)/(80-240) = -10 mi/hr

Time for queue of 0.714 mi to dissipate

Speed of dissipation = -10 (-8.57) = - 1.43 mi/hr
Time = Length / speed = 0.714 / 1.43 = 0.5 hour

2. Traffic is traveling at 40 mph and a flow rate of 1000 veh/hr when a tractor going
at 15 mph turns on to the road. The platoon that develops behind the tractor has a
density of 60 veh/mi. After 0.75 mile, the tractor turns off the main road. The
release travel condition for the vehicles in the platoon is at a flow rate of 1200
veh/hr and a density of 40 veh/mi. Calculate the length of the platoon that
develops and the time that it will take for it to dissipate after the tractor leaves.
Approach Conditions:
q = 1000 veh/hr
u = 40 mi/hr
k = 25 veh/mi

Platoon Conditions:
q = 900 veh/hr
u = 15 mi/hr
k = 60 veh/mi

Condition in Front of Truck:

q = 0 veh/hr
k = 0 veh/mi
(Free-flow condition)

Length of Platoon when truck turns off main road

The shock wave at the rear of the platoon (i.e., between the approach and
platoon conditions) will have a speed of:
Usw1 = (900-1000)/(60-25) = -2.86 mi/hr

Shock wave at front of truck has same speed as truck, Usw1 = 15 mi/hr
Speed of growth of platoon, = 15 ( - 2.86)= 17.86 mi/hr
Time the truck takes to turn off, = 0.75 / 15 = 0.05 hr
Length of platoon after 0.05 hr, = 0.05*17.86 = 0.893miles

Approach Conditions:
q = 1000 veh/hr
u = 40 mi/hr
k = 25 veh/mi

Platoon Conditions:
q = 900 veh/hr
u = 15 mi/hr
k = 60 veh/mi

Release Conditions:
q = 1200 veh/hr
u = 30 mi/hr
k = 40 veh/mi

Shock wave at the back of platoon still has speed of -2.86 mi/hr

Shock wave at front of platoon with truck gone,

Usw2 = (1200-900)/(40-60) = -15 mi/hr
Speed of dissipation of platoon, = - 15 ( - 2.86)= - 12.14 mi/hr
Time for platoon of 0.893 miles to dissipate, = 0.893 / 12.14 = 0.074 hr = 4.41 minutes

3. Using the distance - time plot given, a) estimate the speed, average spacing and
flow of the traffic at t = 80 seconds, b) the speed of the shock wave 1 and 2 for the
vehicles that has to slow down around time = 45 seconds, c) estimate the flow
conditions before, after and during the slow down.
From the plot
a. The speed @ t = 80 sec is about 24 mph
The concentration @ t = 80 sec is about 57 veh/mi
Therefore (u*k), The flow @ t = 80 sec is about 1368 veh/hr
b. The speed of the first shock wave is about -7.0 mph
The speed of the second shock wave is about -20.5 mph
c. Speed for the approach condition,, u1 = 31 mph
The concentration for the approach condition, k1= 55
Therefore, the flow for the approach condition is about, q1 = 1705
d. Speed for the platoon,, u2 = 6 mph

From Calculation
Usw1 = (q2 q1) / (k2 k1)
Substitute known values gives, k2 = 161 veh/mi