MAKERER UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, DESIGN, ART AND TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
CIV 4103: TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERIN
END OF SEMESTER 1 TEST 2013/2014- MARKING SCHEME (out of 45)
Date: Tuesday 10th /12/2013 Time: 10:00am-12:30pm
Instructions: Attempt all questions. Questions carry marks as indicated

Question 1 (6 marks)
a). (i). Which of the following is not a macroscopic traffic stream parameters?
A. Daily volume B. Headway C. Density (1 mark)
(ii). Which of the following traffic stream characteristic can act as both a
macroscopic and microscopic parameter?
A. Rate of flow B. Time headway C. Speed (1 mark)
b). Differentiate between annual average daily traffic volume (AADT) and average daily
traffic (ADT). (4 marks)

AADT (2 marks) ADT (2 marks)

 Average 24-hour traffic volume
over a full year
 AADT = Total number of
vehicles counted in a year/total
number of days in a year
 Average 24-hour traffic volume
over a time period that is less than
a year
 ADT= Total number of vehicles
in a given month/total number of
days in a month

Question 2 ( 14 marks)
a). Differentiate macroscopic and microscopic traffic stream characteristics (2 marks)
Macroscopic parameter describe/define the behaviour (quantitatively) of any given
traffic stream, they represent the average behaviour of a given traffic stream as a
whole. While microscopic traffic stream define behaviour (quantitatively) of any
given single element (vehicle, user, etc) within a traffic stream.

b). Given the following traffic control counts made at an urban count station, compute the
annual average daily traffic (AADT) and monthly variation factors. (12 marks)

Table 1. Traffic counts

Month Average 24-hour count Monthly variation factor,
(Vehicles) MF= AADT/ADT (1
mark)
January 2,250 =2033/2250= 0.904
February 2,200 =2033/2200= 0.924
March 2,000 =2033/2000= 1.02
April 2,100 =2033/2100= 0.97
May 1,950 =2033/1950= 1.04
June 1,850 =2033/1850= 1.10
July 1,800 =2033/1800= 1.13
August 1,700 =2033/1700= 1.20

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 September 2,000 =2033/2000= 1.02
October 2,100 =2033/2100= 0.97
November 2,150 =2033/2150= 0.95
December 2,300 =2033/2300= 0.88
Total 24,400 (2 marks) 6 marks, 0.5 mark for
each of the above
 AADT:

Question 3 (8 marks)
a). Horizontal alignment is one component of geometric design of any given road.
Explain the importance of horizontal alignment. (5 marks)
 Ensure safety & comfort of users as they traverse from one straight section to
another/horizontal curves. (1 mark)
 Provide a smooth & comfortable change from one straight to another in a
horizontal plane. (1 mark)
 For aesthetics purposes. (1 mark)
 To break monotony & ensure that the driver is alert. (1 mark)
 To avoid nature barriers or connecting human developments. (1 mark)

b). What factors affect speeds of heavy goods vehicles on gradients? (3 marks)
 Value of gradient/longitudinal slope/grade- the higher the gradient (if grade
exceeds 2%), the greater the reduction in HGVs speeds. (1
mark)
 Length of the gradient/longitudinal slope/grade- also the longer the length of
gradient the greater the reduction in HGVs speeds. (1 mark)
 Mass to power ratio of a given HGV. (1 mark)

Question 4 (17 marks)

a). Explain the following terms as related to signalised junctions: ( 6marks)
 Saturation headway
o Is the average headway describing the discharge of any given vehicle
queue through a signalised junction measure in seconds per vehicle.
Headway being defined as the time between the start of green time interval
and when the front wheels of a vehicle cross the stop-line.
(2 marks)
 Start-up lost time
o This is the average time taken by vehicles to prepare to cross the stop-line
when the signal has changed to green, it includes perception and
acceleration times. (2 marks)
 Clearance time interval
o Time interval between when the last vehicle’s front wheels cross the stop-
line and the start of the green of the next phase. It is associated with
stopping the vehicle queue at the end of green time. (2 marks)

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b). A given movement at a signalised intersection receives a 27 seconds green time, and 3
seconds of amber plus all red out of a 60 seconds cycle. If the saturation headway is
2.14 seconds/vehicle, the start-up lost time is 2 seconds/phase and the clearance lost
time is 1 second/phase, what is the capacity of the movement per lane? (6 marks)
Green time, G = 27s, Y (amber & all red) = y + ar = 3s, C= 60s, h = 2.14s/veh, L1 = 2s
per phase, L2 = 1s per phase

 Effective green, g = Green time (G) + amber+all red (yellow, Y) -∑ lost time (l)
 g= 27 + 3 – (2+1) = 27s (1 mark)
 Saturate flow rate, s:

c). What is the maximum sum of critical-lane volumes that may be serviced by an
intersection with three phases, cycle length of 75 seconds, a saturation headway of
2.75 s/vehicle, and a total lost time per phase of 3.1 seconds? Work from first
principles. (5 marks)
Given N= 3, C= 75s, s=2.75s/veh, tL =3.1s/phase
Total lost time = N x tL = = 3 x 3.1 = 9.3s