FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

COURSE HIGHWAY & TRAFFIC ENGINEERING

COURSE CODE ECG564

LEVEL OF OPENNESS 1

CATEGORY PARTIALLY OPEN

DEGREE OF OPEN-ENDED
33
(%)
PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 2 WEEKS

EXPERIMENT SPOT SPEED STUDY

Introduction

Level 1 laboratory activity refers to condition where the problem and ways
& means are guided and given to the students. However the answers to
the assignment are left to the students to solve using the group creativity
and innovativeness. The activity is hope to slowly introduced and
inculcate independent learning amongst students and prepare them for a
much harder task of open ended laboratory activities.
In this laboratory activity, students are required to conduct a spot speed
study (using radar gun & manual determination), by recording the speeds
of sample of vehicles at a specified location in order to estimate the
distribution of speeds of vehicles. Students are encouraged to develop
their critical analysis skills by analyzing and presenting the experimental
results appropriately.

Objectives
PREAMBLE
The objectives of the test is:

a) To establish the speed distribution of a traffic stream at a specific site

or called as basic speed data

b) To determine vehicle speed percentiles via speed trend analysis,

which are useful in speed related decision making

@ FKA, UITM SHAH ALAM SEPTEMBER 2017

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the laboratory session, students should be able:
1. Determine speed trends of vehicles by systematic continuous speed
studies using radar gun.

2. Analyse and assess speed as causal factor to crashes, investigate

speed parameter in respect to traffic operation and control like speed
limit, speed zones and the limits of no-passing zone.
Theoretical Background

Spot speeds are the vehicle speeds taken at a specified point along the
roadway and the average of such speeds is referred to as time mean
speed. A spot study is carried out by recording the speeds sample of
vehicles at specified location in order to estimate the distribution of speed
of vehicles. Spot speed data have a number of safety applications,
including determine speed trends by systematic continuous speed studies,
the measurement of traffic control devices’ or traffic programs’
effectiveness, the evaluation of speeding problems, assessing speed as
a causal factor to crashes, investigate existing parameters in respect to
traffic operation and control like speed limit, speed zones and the limits of
no-passing zones, establish and/or evaluate the roadway’s geometric
design for example sight distance elements and so forth.

Depending on the use of data, the observer must consider whether to

collect speeds of all vehicles, including platooned vehicles or only the
speeds of unimpeded vehicles. It is impossible to obtain a radar
measurement for every vehicle under heavy traffic conditions. One may
collect all speeds during the peak period for peak flow analysis whereas
the speed of unimpeded vehicle would be collected for assessing
general speed trends or for setting speed limits or assessing the impact of
speed zone signing, thereby off-peak measurement (free-flowing traffic)
are more appropriate.

Study duration of one hour or a sample size of at least 100 vehicles. The
radar gun is position according to procedure specified in the user manual.
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

Over speeding is one of the major causes of road accidents in

PROBLEM
STATEMENT Malaysia. Speed limits are implemented to prevent over speeding of
vehicles. To determine whether the drivers of vehicles comply with
the speed limit, spot speed studies are carried out to determine the
speed of vehicles operating on the road.

There are two (2) methods of conducting the spot speed study, radar
gun (automatic) and stopwatch method (manual). The stopwatch
method can be used to successfully complete a spot speed study using
a small sample size taken over a relatively short period of time. The
stopwatch method is a quick and inexpensive method for collecting
speed data.

i. The procedure for spot speed study using radar gun are as
follows:
a) Perform necessary preparations such as sufficient pens or pencils,
radar meter spot speed study data forms and clipboards, radar speed
meters are in good condition, read instructions and procedure for the
used radar gun, obtain backup battery, safety vests and others.
WAYS AND
b) Decide study location and selected site should be a STRAIGHT AND
MEANS
LEVEL road section that represents different traffic conditions.

c) Enumerators should arrive 30 minutes earlier at site in order to

familiarize (do visual appraisal survey) with it prior to select strategic
location, distribute the equipment, fill in the general information of the
spot speed data recording forms that comprise the observer's name,
time and date of study, name of site, posted speed limit and weather
condition and begin at the planned time.

d) Sketch the layout of the study area with the description of chosen
reference points, position of observation, number of lanes and road
class.

e) The enumerators, the radar unit and the station for speed data
collection should be inconspicuous where possible so that vehicular
speeds are significantly not effected by the data collection activities.

@ FKA, UITM SHAH ALAM SEPTEMBER 2017

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

f) Randomly select the samples, for example the observer could record
a speed reading for every third vehicle or every fifth vehicle.

g) The radar meter should be made as direct a line with oncoming

traffic as possible, meaning to make it as close to the roadway as
possible (an exception when the vehicles selected and radar unit
tends to affect vehicle speeds considerably).

h) Observe the vehicle speeds for duration of one-h ou r study or 100

samples.

ii) The procedure for spot speed study (manual) using stopwatch
are as follows:

a) Perform necessary preparations such as sufficient pens or pencils,

stopwatch (manual) spot speed study data forms and clipboards,
stopwatch, safety vests and others.

b) Decide study location and selected site should be a STRAIGHT AND

LEVEL road section that represents different traffic conditions.

c) Enumerators should arrive 30 minutes earlier at site in order to

familiarize (do visual appraisal survey) with it prior to select strategic
location, distribute the equipment, fill in the general information of
the spot speed data recording forms that comprise the observer's
name, time and date of study, name of site, posted speed limit and
weather condition and begin at the planned time.

d) Sketch the layout of the study area with the description of chosen
reference points, position of observation, number of lanes and road
class.

e) Select two (2) reference points and label as Start and End point with
a distance of 50 meter apart (Less than 100 meter for spot speed).

f) Station two (2) observers at Start and End point.

@ FKA, UITM SHAH ALAM SEPTEMBER 2017

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

g) Observer at starting point will give a sign to observer at end point to

record the vehicle’s time travel from start to end point (Make sure
both observers are use the same vehicle’s body reference point).

h) Station two (2) observers at Start and End point.

i) Observer at starting point will give a sign to observer at end point to

record the vehicle’s time travel from start to end point (Make sure
both observers are use the same vehicle’s body reference point).

j) The other observer (Start or/and End point) will record the plate
registration number and vehicle classification of selected vehicle.

k) Determine the speed of vehicles by using speed formula, speed =

distance/time (km/hr).

Sample set of data will be provided for the reference of student amid
this ODL laboratory classes. Analysis and report are to be done with
reference to the given data.
The raw data in tabulated form with speed interval 5km/h or 10km/h
depending on the speed range. The results of speed trend should
be presented in:

Graphical form:

a) Frequency Histogram
b) Frequency Distribution Graph
c) Cumulative frequency graph and determine at 15th, 85th and 98th
percentile speeds
RESULTS
Statistical analysis required are:

a) Arithmetic mean speed

b) Median Speed
c) Modal Speed
d) Standard Deviation
e) Standard error and check the adequacy of data for 95%
confidence significant level

@ FKA, UITM SHAH ALAM SEPTEMBER 2017

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

The group will be required to prepare the technical report of the

laboratory study highlighting the procedures adopted, data acquisition
process/analysis carried out and the relevancy of the parameters
obtained to address the problem given.

A technical report should be submitted two (2) weeks after the laboratory
test with the relevant results, analyses and application to civil
engineering projects.

@ FKA, UITM SHAH ALAM SEPTEMBER 2017

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
SHAH ALAM LABORATORY MANUAL

@ FKA, UITM SHAH ALAM SEPTEMBER 2017