Traffic Characteristics

Md. Bashirul Haque

Lecturer, CEE, SUST
Traffic characteristics

Vehiclecharacteristics

Road users characteristics
 Vehicle characteristics
Static Characteristics

Axle Load

Structural design of pavement (Thickness of
each layer, material selection)

Bridge, Fly Over, Grade Separation

Gradient of road, ramp, bridge approach etc

Width

Lane width.

Shoulder width.

Width of the parking bay.

Length

Design of horizontal curve

Passing sight distance

Road capacity

Parking facility

Height

Clearance under the structure. e.g under bridge, over
bridge, sign post, electric services etc.
Dynamic characteristics

Speed: It effects

Horizontal & vertical curve.

Grade.

Super elevation.

Length of transition curve.

Stopping/overtaking Sight Distance.

LOS

Intersection design and control

Skid resistance.

Acceleration / deceleration:

It taking the overtaking sight distance & safe stopping sight
distance. It also affects the junction capacity.
 Road users characteristics
Factors affecting road user’s characteristics:

Physical factor:

Eye sight vision.

Hearing power.

Disabilities fatigue, alcohol, Drag, illness etc.

Mental factor:

Intelligence.

Education, skill, language.

Experience/training of driver.

Psychological factor:

Attentiveness.

Ability to follow regulation.

Maturity.
Reaction time:

Perception:

Perception time involves seeing the stimuli along with other
perceived objects.

Identification:

It involves the identification & understanding of stimuli.

Emotion:

Emotion involves decision making process.

Volitions of reaction:

This involves the execution of the decision.

PIEV= Perception+ Identification+ Emotion+ Volitions.

Time of PIEV is varied with 0.5 to 7sec

Urban area PIEV is 2.25 to 2.5 sec

Rural area PIEV is 2.5 sec
Problem: Ex-06: Page-116:
A driver with 20/20 vision travelling at 55 mph in the
median lane, desire to exit the free way at the exit ramp. If 5
in letters are used, what is the minimum distance the sign
should be placed ahead of the ramp exit? Perception reaction
time= 2 sec & exit speed 30mph. Deceleration rate = 4.8
ft/sec2. A driver with 20/20 vision can read a sign of 55 ft per
inch of letter height.
Solution:
Distance travel at PIEV

s 1 = vt
55 * 5280 * 2
=
3600
= 161 . 34 ft

again ,
v 2 − u 2
s2 =
 4 .8 
30  +G 
 32 . 2 
55 2 − 30 2
=
 4 .8 
30  + 0 
 32 . 2
= 475 . 17 ft
Total distance traveled =(475+161) ft=636 ft
Driver with 20/20 vision can read a sign from a head of =5*55=275 ft
Sign should be placed (636-275) ft = 361 ft before the exit ramp.

275 ft 361 ft