International Conference on Transportation Planning & Implementation

Methodologies for Developing Countries (11th TPMDC)

Abstract number 10

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF ROTARY

INTERSECTION:
CASE STUDY, SILCHAR, ASSAM

Debasish Das1 Dr. M Ali Ahmed2

1. M-Tech Scholar, Civil Engineering Department, NIT Silchar, Assam-788010, India
2. Professor, Civil Engineering Department, NIT Silchar, Assam-788010, India
E-mail: 1. debasishd89@gmail.com 2. ali.mokaddes@gmail.com

Abstract

Increasing trends of traffic in urban area is a major concern in all the cities in India. The heterogeneous
traffic are more diverse in nature due to lane changing and lack of lane discipline characteristics of driver’s in
India. The rotary intersections are of the most vital components of urban roadway network. Intersection is one
when either three or more road meets or intersects each other. It has been observed that the entry capacity of
vehicles become comparatively lower at intersection than that of the straight portion of the road due to reduction
in speed. Hence, long queues on intersections often observed, causing huge fuel consumption as well as
environmental pollution in the urban area beside considerable time loss. The situation become more intense
during the peak hours when increase of traffic volume by 50% than normal traffic. The traffic flow
characteristics at rotary intersections are studied to observe the performance of intersection. The capacity of the
roadway rotary depends on the flow at different legs approaching the rotary. The present traffic scenario is
usually used to characterize the present traffic condition to access the different parameters at different types of
intersection. The co-relation between location and intersection capacity in the present study area also been tried.
In the vicinity of a rotary intersection, road users must co-adjust their performance by reduced speed or change
of path to avoid collision with each other. The purpose of the rotary intersection design is primarily to reduce
the zone of conflicts within the intersection the main objects of providing a rotary are to eliminate the necessity
of stopping even for crossing streams of vehicles and to reduce conflict. The crossing of vehicles is avoided by
allowing all vehicles to merge into the streams around the rotary and then to diverge out to the desired radiating
road. Thus the crossing conflict is eliminated and converted into weaving maneuver or a merging operation from
the right and diverging operation to the left. Researchers have worked on the estimation of the capacity of a
rotary intersections using different approaches. Four rotary intersections are taken up for capacity analysis. The
capacity studies on these four intersection was calculated based on the established norms of Indian road
congress ( IRC: 65, 1976 ).Rotary intersections are studied based on weaving traffic and entry volume. These
parameters are function of traffic volume and geometric features. These parameters are critically observed in
respect of distance from CBD boundary. Relative performance is compared with respect different rotary
location. The performance analysis of rotaries are based on various parameters such as total entry traffic
volume, weaving traffic, capacity of weaving section and distances from CBD boundary. The resulting
performance leads to a new modal development and its validation.

Keywords: Mixed traffic condition, Capacity of weaving section, Relation between Entry volume with distance,
Distance related model.

1. Introduction
1.1 General
Mixed type of traffic prevails in the Indian roadways particularly in the urban areas. In mixed traffic
condition the road width is shared by all types of vehicles such as light motorized vehicles, heavy motorized
vehicles and non-motorized vehicles. The rapid urbanization with economic growth results in large volume of
traffic during the peak hours in most of the Indian cities. Large traffic volume is the prime cause of traffic
congestion at urban road network mainly at the intersections. Traffic congestion in urban area is a serious
problem and is increasing day by day with the increase in population/ vehicular ownership due to uprising
economic status of urbanities. The traffic congestion not only raises the vehicle operating cost, travel time of trip
makers but also is the prime reason of poor performance at the intersection. The performance of intersections is
a key issue to address the congestion problem. To carry out the study Silchar city has been selected as a case
study area.

There are mainly three types of intersection - controlled intersection, uncontrolled intersection and
Rotary intersection. In this study we deal with rotary intersection. Data collected on rotary intersection need to
be extracted to determine peak hour for the intersection, entry volume at intersection..

1.2 Location
Four rotaries in distributed at various location in Silchar are considered for study. The photographs of
the Different rotary are shown below in Fig. 1.1 (a to d)

Fig 1.1(a) Sadarghat Fig 1.1(b) tarapur

Fig 1.1(c) Rangerkhari Fig 1.1(d) NH Point

The various land use pattern are shown in the above figure. The linear distance of various rotaries was
measured directly from the master plan. The area required for rotary are quite large and the area for traffic
operation is also large. The requisite areas in traffic use are taken from the records of local Public Works
Department. A population density and land use plan of the city was thoroughly studied for demarcation of CBD.

2. Methodology
2.1 Introduction
Rotary intersections are studied based on weaving traffic and entry volume. These parameters are
function of traffic volume and geometric features. These parameters are critically observed in respect of distance
from CBD boundary. Relative performance is compared with respect different rotary location.
The distances of each of the rotaries are important with respect to CBD boundary. Hence the distances
of rotaries are required measured directly, so as the traffic operational area of these rotaries.

2.2 Performance Study

The performance analysis of rotaries are based on various parameters such as total entry traffic volume,
weaving traffic, capacity of weaving section and distances from CBD boundary. The necessary parameters are
calculated from the existing guidelines specified by IRC: 65 - 1976.The resulting performance leads to a new
modal development and its validation.
 2.3 Flow chart
The flow chart for performance analysis of rotary intersection is shown in Fig 2.

1. Traffic
Performance analysis Type of Rotary volume
of Intersection Intersection Intersection survey
2. Geometric
design
survey

Performance analysis Estimation of capacity at

weaving section

Fig 2. Flow chart for the study methodology

2.4 Required survey technique

Manual survey technique including i) entry volume traffic and ii) geometric feature are considered for
all the rotaries.

3. Data extraction and interpretation

3.1 Introduction

The selected intersections are located at variable distance from the core urban activity area often known
as central business district (CBD). The CBD boundary is not demarcated in the present master plan. The CBD
area was demarcated in consultation with Additional Director- Department of town and country planning,
experts in the field and random physical survey at several locations. The distance of various rotaries from the
CBD has been calculated with the help of Google Earth (GE) image. The surface area covered by each of the
rotaries also computed based on GE image, which are indicated in table 3.1.

Table 3.1 surface area of rotaries and their distance from CBD

Location of Rotary Surface area in use (m2) Distance from CBD (m)

Sadarghat 583.10 250

Tarapur 502.98 310

Rangerkhari 460.67 800

NH Point 380.72 1700

3.2 Peak hour determination

Traffic volumes are usually determined at different hours to ascertain peak hours. The traffic survey
was conducted from 8 AM to 7 PM and the hourly traffic volume was obtained. The plots of the traffic volume
at different hours are shown in Fig 3.1. The total entry traffic is the volume that enters in to the rotary from
different legs at a particular time. These volumes are in terms of PCU/hr. The PCU factor for each class of
vehicle has been taken from IRC: 65-1976.
 Tarapur Sadarghat Rangirkhari N.H.Point
Hourly Volume in PCU

5500

3000

500
8am-9am

9am-10am

10am-11am

11am-12noon

12noon-1pm

1pm-2pm

2pm-3pm

3pm-4pm

4pm-5pm

5pm-6pm

6pm-7pm
Hour
Fig 3.1 Hourly entry volume at four rotaries

The plot indicates that there are two peaks in each rotary. Moreover the peaks of all the rotaries are not
at the same hour of the day, i.e. the peak hours of the rotary vary from place to place. The peak traffic volume of
the rotaries are shown in Table 3.2.

Table 3.2 Peak hour entry traffic volume at four rotaries

Rotary Peak hour 1 Entry volume Peak hour 2 Entry volume

1(PCU/hr) 2(PCU/hr)

Tarapur 9 AM- 10 AM 4498 5 PM-6PM 4420

Sadarghat 12 Noon- 1 PM 4036 4 PM-5PM 4040

Rangerkhari 12 Noon- 1PM 3549 6PM-7PM 3560

NH Point 1 AM- 12 Noon 2329 3PM-4PM 2340

From table 3.1 and table 3.2 we can conclude that though the surface area of Tarapur intersection is
less than the surface area of Sadarghat, the peak traffic volume is more in the Tarapur. So it clearly indicated
that traffic jam will be more at Tarapur rotary than Sadarghat.

Peak hour entry traffic volume and minimum weaving section capacity of all rotaries are presented in
table 3.3

Table 3.3 Entry traffic volume and minimum weaving section capacity of rotaries at peak hour

Name of the rotaries Minimum weaving section Entry traffic volume at peak
capacity (PCU/hr) hour (PCU/hr)

Tarapur 2466 4498

Sadarghat 2874 4036

Rangerkhari 3046 3549

NH Point 2835 2329

 From the above table we can say that the entry traffic volume at peak hour at three rotaries, i.e.
Tarapur, Sadarghat and Rangerkhari is much more than the minimum weaving section capacity. So it is easily
conclude that these 3 rotaries are not sufficient to serve the purpose. So special consideration may give to those
rotaries.

4. Relation of entry volume with distance

There is a strong relation between the entry volume and the location of the rotary. It is obvious that
traffic volume in CBD area is considerably high because of urban activities. Due to this high volume entering
the city, any rotary in the proximity of CBD will result large entry volume. The impact of entry volume in the
rotary with the distance from the CBD area is required to be investigated.

Three rotaries namely Rangirkhari, National highway and Sadarghat were considered to establish the
relation of entry volume and distance. The relation between distance from CBD and traffic volume is indicated
in figure 4.1. It is observed from the figure that the entry volume concentration reduce with increasing distance
of rotary from CBD.

y = -1.139x + 4413.
5000.00
Volume (PCU/hr)

R² = 0.974
4000.00
3000.00
2000.00
1000.00
0.00
0 500 1000 1500 2000
Distance in meter

Fig 4.1 Entry volumes of rotary v/s distance from CBD area

It is distinctly visible from the graph that there is a linear relationship between the distance and entry
volume. The R2 value will be 0.974.

5. Distance Related Model Generation for Rotary

The area in operation is different for each of the rotary. The entry capacity calculated need to be
redefined in terms of equal area of operation within the rotary to bring each rotary in parity. The data are
presented below in Table 5.1.

Table 5.1 Summarised data for rotaries

Minimum
Location of rotary Peak hour
2 Proportionate weaving
Distance Surface area(m ) entry
weaving capacity section
traffic flow
capacity
Sadarghat 250 583.1 4036.93 2011.1 2874
Rangirkhari 900 460.67 3549.2 2436.8 3046
National highway Point 1770 380.72 2328.53 2835 2835
Tarapur 450 502.98 4498 1866.5 2466

Using the proportionate weaving capacity of various rotaries a model is attempted showing the entry
volume against distance from CBD boundary as shown in Fig. 5.1.
 5000.00
y = -1.139x + 4413.
Volume (PCU/hr)

4000.00 R² = 0.974
3000.00 y = 0.537x + 1904.
R² = 0.989
2000.00
1000.00
0.00
0 500 1000 1500 2000
Distance in meter
Fig 5.1 Generated model of study area

The point of intersection of both the lines indicates a limiting condition that the weaving section
capacity of the rotary will yield higher value than the entry volume at a distance of 1500 m approximately from
CBD.

6. Validation of the rotary model

To validate the model the Sadarghat rotary was excluded and the Tarapur rotary has been considered.
The distance from CBD, the traffic operation area of the rotary and proportionate capacity of weaving section
are shown in table 5.1. The graphs are reploted as shown in figure 6.1.

5000
y = -1.611x + 5134
VOLUME IN PCU/HR

4000 R² = 0.988
y = 0.696x + 1655.
3000
R² = 0.921
2000
1000
0
0 500 1000 1500 2000
Distance in meter

Fig 6.1 Validation model

There is resemblance in the distance of beyond which the rotary will perform satisfactorily as the
capacity of weaving section is more than the entry volume. The R2 value is nearly same as that of the earlier
one.

7. Conclusion

All four rotaries are analyzed based on traffic flow and geometric features. From table 3.1 and table 3.2
we can conclude that though the surface area of Tarapur intersection is less than the surface area of Sadarghat,
the peak traffic volume is more in the Tarapur. So it clearly indicated that traffic jam will be more at Tarapur
rotary than Sadarghat. We can also conclude from table 3.3 that the entry traffic volume at peak hour at three
rotaries, i.e. Tarapur, Sadarghat and Rangerkhari is much more than the minimum weaving section capacity. So
it is easily conclude that these 3 rotaries are not sufficient to serve the purpose. So special consideration may
give to those rotaries. Impact of distance from CBD area on capacity of weaving section of rotary and total entry
volume at rotary is investigated. For Silchar, the suitable distance from core business area for a rotary is found
to be 1500 m. Within a radius of 1500 m in Silchar performance of rotary intersection is likely to be poor. This
may be one of the reason rotary is not preferred at CBD of urban area.
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