COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, DESIGN, ART AND TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
CIV 4103 TEST-SEMESTER 1 2012/2013
Date: Tuesday 20/11/2012 Time: 10:00am-01:00pm
Instructions: Attempt all questions. Questions carry marks as indicated

Question 1 (25 marks)

a). (i). Differentiate between time mean speed and space mean speed. (2 marks)
 Time mean speed is the average speed of vehicles passing a given point (or
short road section) over a specified time period.
 Space mean speed is the average speed of vehicles occupying a given road
section over some specified time period.
 Time mean speed is a point measure whilst space mean speed is a space
measure.

(ii). State two applications for each of the above speeds. (3 marks)
Time mean speed (1.5 marks) Space mean speed (1.5 marks)
 Used in determining and setting of  In flow-density-speed relations to
speed limits analyse traffic operations
 Evaluation of accident prone areas  Establishing of speed trends over the
 Assessing of effectiveness of existing road network
speed limits/enforcement practices
 LOS service analysis
Any 2 of the above

b). Given the following spot speed data:

Speed group Number of vehicles observed,

(km/hr) N
15-20 0
20-25 3
25-30 6
30-35 18
35-40 45
40-45 48
45-50 18
50-55 12
55-60 4
60-65 3
65-70 0

(i). Plot the frequency and cumulative frequency curves (6 marks)

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 Speed Lower Upper Number of Cumulativ Cumulative
group value value vehicles e frequency frequency (%)
(km/hr observed, N Mid (0.5 mark) (0.5 mark)
) value
15-20 15 20 0 17.5 0 0.0
20-25 20 25 3 22.5 3 1.9
25-30 25 30 6 27.5 9 5.7
30-35 30 35 18 32.5 27 17.2
35-40 35 40 45 37.5 72 45.9
40-45 40 45 48 42.5 120 76.4
45-50 45 50 18 47.5 138 87.9
50-55 50 55 12 52.5 150 95.5
55-60 55 60 4 57.5 154 98.1
60-65 60 65 3 62.5 157 100.0
65-70 65 70 0 67.5 157 100.0

Frequency diagram (2 marks) Cumulative frequency diagram (2 marks)

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 (ii). Identify on the curves the median and modal speeds (2 marks)

Mode: 42.5km/hr- represented by peak Median: 38km/hr, value at which 50%

value of frequency curve (1 mark) of the observations occur (1 mark)

(iii). Compute the mean and standard deviation (6 marks)

Speed Lower Upper Number of fiXi (1.5 mark)

group value value vehicles
(km/hr observed, N Mid
) value
15-20 15 20 0 17.5 0
20-25 20 25 3 22.5 67.5
25-30 25 30 6 27.5 165
30-35 30 35 18 32.5 585
35-40 35 40 45 37.5 1687.5
40-45 40 45 48 42.5 2040
45-50 45 50 18 47.5 855
50-55 50 55 12 52.5 630
55-60 55 60 4 57.5 230
60-65 60 65 3 62.5 187.5
65-70 65 70 0 67.5 0
∑ 157 6447.5

Standard deviation:

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 Speed Lower Upper Number of (1.5
group value value vehicles marks)
(km/hr observed, N Mid
) value
15-20 15 20 0 17.5 0
20-25 20 25 3 22.5 1034.2
25-30 25 30 6 27.5 1104.4
30-35 30 35 18 32.5 1321.0
35-40 35 40 45 37.5 572.5
40-45 40 45 48 42.5 98.6
45-50 45 50 18 47.5 744.9
50-55 50 55 12 52.5 1568.6
55-60 55 60 4 57.5 1080.2
60-65 60 65 3 62.5 1378.1
65-70 65 70 0 67.5 0.0
∑ 157   8902.5

(iv). What are the confidence bounds on the estimate of the true mean speed of
underlying distribution at 95% confidence level? (2 marks)

c). If the length of the road stretch taken for conducting moving observer experiment is
0.4km, time taken by the test car to move with the traffic is 5 seconds, number of
vehicles moving with the test vehicle in the same direction is 10, with flow of 10
veh/sec. What is the mean space speed in m/sec? (4 marks)

Solution: Given that length, L=0.4 km, tw=5seconds, No. Of vehs moving with test vehicle
=10, q=10 veh/sec, equation,

Question 2 (20 marks)

a). State the fundamental traffic flow relation. 2 marks

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  q=uk, where q= traffic flow (veh/hr), u= speed (km/hr), k= density (veh/km) (2
marks)

b). On a specific section of a given highway, studies show that the speed-density
relationship is: . Determine the:
 free-flow speed 3 marks
For free speed, k→0 (1 mark),

 jam density 3 marks

For jam density, u & q →0 (1 mark),

 speed-flow relation 3 marks

 flow-density relation 3 marks

From q= uk, substitute

 capacity 3 marks
Capacity = peak flow of flow-density relation

 optimum speed 3 marks

At optimum speed, q = maximum, find density value at which q is maximum, then
u= q/k

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From

Question 3 (5 marks)
a) Vehicles traversing horizontal curves experience centrifugal forces. Explain how these
forces be reduced? 4 marks
Vehicle design (2 marks) Road (2 marks)
 Increase wheel base width  Increase radius of curvature
 Lower centre of gravity of vehicle for horizontal curves
 Super-elevate/bank the
carriageway

b). Why is the parabola used to describe vertical curves mathematically? 1 mark
It provides a constant rate of change of curvature thus ensuring comfort of road users
as they traverse a vertical curve. (1mark)