Basic Concepts

Speed: Rate of motion(mph, km/hr). There are three types of speed:

- Spot speed.
It is the instantaneous speed of a vehicle at a specific location.
- Running speed.
The average speed maintained over a given route while the vehicle
is in motion.
- Average Journey Speed.
Distance traveled divided by the total time taken to complete the
distance.

Volume: The total number of vehicles that pass over a given point of high
way during specific time interval.

Rate of flow: the equivalent hourly rate at which vehicles pass over a given
point of highway during a given time period less than 1hour, usually 15min

Peak hour factor (PHF): the ratio of total hourly volume to the maximum
15-minute rate of flow within the hour.

volume during peak hour

Peak hour factor (PHF) 
4  V15 (peak rate of flow within peak hour)
PHF (minimum) = 0.25
PHF (maximum) = 1 ……. Steady flow

Example:

Time volume Rate of flow

6:00-6:15 375 375× 4=1500
6:15-6:30 380 1520
6:30-6:45 412 1648
6:45-7:00 390 1560
V=1557

1557
PHF   0.945
1648

Eng. Haytham Besaiso

 Density, concentration: (K,D): the number of vehicles occupying a given
length of highway at a given instant. (Veh/km)

Level of Service: LOS is a qualitative measure that describes operational

conditions within a traffic stream and their perception by drivers or / and
passengers.
Level of service has six levels, the first one is A, and the worst one in F.

ADT (average daily traffic): the average of 24hour counts collected over a
number of days greater than 1day and less than 1-year

AADT (average annual daily traffic): the average of 24-hour counts

collected over a year.
It is used to:
1- Study The accidents and obstacles.
2- Design and evaluation of highway.
3- Study the benefits that may come from the road.

Number of Lanes Determination

Data required:

1. General terrain through which the highway will pass (Level terrain,
Rolling terrain, Mountainous)
2. AADT (Average Annual Daily Traffic) for the design year.

AADT f = AADT n (1+ i)n no of years

For the design year present Annual geometric growth (ex, 0.03 )

V
3. PHF (Peak Hour Factor) , PHF 
4V15
4. Percent of trucks.

5. Type of highway (divided or undivided),

and anticipated development environment (rural, urban or suburban).

6.The desired Level of service ( LOS ) .

Eng. Haytham Besaiso

Computation steps:
1. Convert average annual daily traffic AADT to directional design
hourly volume DDHV.

DDHV = AADT * K * D (VPHPD) vehicle per hour per direction

where,
K : percent of AADT occurring in the peak hour
D : percent of traffic in the peak direction of flow
Environment K D
Urban 0.09-0.1 0.5
Sub-Urban 0.1-0.15 0.6
Rural 0.15-0.2 0.65

2. Find SFL (service flow rate per lane) in veh/hr.lane : Max no. of
vehicles allowed to enter a lane in an hour.

Service flow rate per lane for planning Applications (SFL)

Percent Trucks
LOS 0 2 4 5 6 8 10 12 15 20
Level Terrain
A 700 700 700 700 650 650 650 650 650 600
B 1100 1100 1050 1050 1050 1050 1000 1000 1000 1000
C 1400 1400 1350 1350 1350 1350 1300 1300 1250 1250
D 1750 1750 1700 1700 1650 1650 1650 1600 1600 1550
E 2000 2000 1950 1950 1900 1900 1850 1850 1800 1750
Rolling Terrain
A 700 650 600 600 600 550 550 500 500 500
B 1100 1050 1000 950 950 900 850 800 800 700
C 1400 1300 1250 1200 1200 1150 1100 1050 1000 900
D 1750 1560 1550 1500 1500 1400 1350 1300 1250 1100
E 2000 1900 1800 1750 1700 1600 1550 1500 1450 1250
Mountainous Terrain
A 700 600 550 500 500 450 400 400 350 300
B 1100 950 850 800 700 700 650 600 550 450
C 1400 1250 1100 1050 1000 900 850 750 700 600
D 1750 1550 1350 1300 1250 1100 1050 950 850 750
E 2000 1750 1550 1500 1400 1250 1200 1100 1000 850

Eng. Haytham Besaiso

3. Obtain adjustment factor (Fe): for development environment and type of
multilane highway.

Environmental Factor FE

Type Divided Un-divided

Rural 1 0.95
Urban Or Suburban 0.9 0.8

4. Calculate # of lane N where,

DDHV
N
SFL * f E * PHF
PHF : peak hour factor.
N: Number of lanes.
DDHV : Direct Design hourly volume.
SFL : Services flow rate for planning and Application .
FE : adjustment factor.

Example:
Given:

-Divided highway -(AADT)p = 9420 (vpd)

-Rural environment -PHF = 0.9
-Rolling terrain -LOS = B
-% of trucks = 8% - i=2%, n=20 years

Required:

-Number of Lanes N=?

Eng. Haytham Besaiso

Solution:

1. Find the future AADT:

(AADT) n = (AADT) p × [1+i] n
(AADT) n = 9420 x (1+0.02)20 = 13998 vpd

2. Convert AADT to DDHV:

DDHV=(AADT)n × K× D
 0.15  0.2 
DDHV=13998×   × 0.65 =1593 (vph)
 2 
3. Choose the adjustment factor Fe:
Fe=1
4. Find the SFL:
 LOS ( B) 
 
Rolling Terrain   SFL  900
%trucks  8 
 
5. Determine the number of lanes (N) in one direction:

 1.96  N  2lanes
DDHV 1593
N 
SFL  Fe  PHF 900  1 0.9

(Use 4-lane multilane highway -2 lanes in each direction).

Eng. Haytham Besaiso