HIGHWAY ENGINEERING LABORATORY

ECG344
PARTIALLY OPEN - ENDED LAB
OCTOBER 2020 – FEBRUARY 2021

TITLE OF EXPERIMENT : TRAFFIC FLOW MEASUREMENT & ANALYSIS

(TRAFFIC VOLUME & JUNCTION
CAPACITY STUDY)
DATE OF EXPERIMENT : 10 NOVEMBER 2020
GROUP : EC110 5B
GROUP MEMBERS 1. ATHIRAH IZAZI BINTI AHIM ( 2018671464 )
2. ELAINE ANGELLICA ANAK JOHN MACLAY
( 2018243944 )
3. NUR SYAQIRA BINTI BOLHASSAN ( 2018236118 )
4. WAN AFIQ EDRUCE BIN WAN ABDULLAH
( 2018422776 )
INSTRUCTOR/LECTURER MADAM NURUL NAJIHAH MAD ROSNI
LEVEL OF OPENESS 0 / 1

ELEMENT COPO MARKS COMMENTS

INTRODUCTION

BASIC CONCEPT

SUMMARY OF
PROCEDURES /
METHOD
ANALYSIS AND
INTERPETATION OF
DATA
DISCUSSION OF 2 4 6 8 10
RESULT
CONCLUSIONS 2 4 6 8 10
TOTAL MARKS /20
INTRODUCTION
Traffic flows can be very good if the flow rate is less than capacity, but excessive delay and
congestion can arise if the flow rate is near or close. Students are subjected to the necessary
in this laboratory operation Traffic Volume Analysis methods are performed.

These data may help define critical flow time intervals, assess the impact of large vehicles or
pedestrians on vehicular traffic flow, or record traffic volume patterns. The duration of the
sampling period depends on the type of count being taken and the expected use of the data
recorded. For example, during the peak flow time an intersection count can be performed. If
so the traffic volume data could be collected using a manual count of 5-minute intervals.

OBJECTIVES
To determine the vehicle composition, trend and movement pattern in the traffic flow stream
of an unsignalised intersection

APPARATUS
1. Multi-gang tally counter
2. Stop watch
3. Clip board and field data survey forms

PROCEDURE
1. Necessary preparation is performed such as an accurate watch and set the correct
time, sufficient pens, field data forms and clipboards, mechanical hand tally counters
that are in good condition, safety vest.
2. The layout of the junction (study area) is selected and sketched with census station
numbered for each junction arm. The census station must be a strategic location (safe
for the enumerator).
3. Enumerators should arrive 15 to 30 minutes earlier at the site in order to familiarize
with the location, fill in the general information of the tally forms that comprised of
enumerator’s name , time and date of survey name of site and weather condition. The
current traffic movement is identified (through, left turn and right turn) and begin at
the planed time.
4. Proper observes’ positions is selected so they can see clearly, safely and easily count
the traffic.
5. A stop watch is set for the desired count interval required every 15 minutes. Counting
should be done for duration of 1-hour. Count the different classification of vehicle and
the number of vehicles for each directional movement. Data are reviewed after the
survey for any unusual pattern and for its accuracy and then data analysis.
 V1 (Turn right)

No. of vehicle
Time
Car /taxi Motorcycle Van Small lorry Large lorry Bus
8.45am-
34 15 2 2 - 2
9.00am
9.01am-
27 11 2 5 2 -
9.15am
9.16am
36 5 3 6 - -
-9.30am
9.31am-
37 12 2 4 - -
9.45am
Total 134 43 9 17 2 2

Total V1 = 207

V2(Straight)
No. of vehicle
Time
Car /taxi Motorcycle Van Small lorry Large lorry Bus
8.45am-
43 14 3 1 - -
9.00am
9.01am-
49 11 4 5 5 -
9.15am
9.16am
29 8 2 2 4 -
-9.30am
9.31am-
26 6 1 3 - -
9.45am
Total 147 39 10 11 9 0

Total V2 = 216
 V3 (Turn Right)

No. of vehicle
Time
Car /taxi Motorcycle Van Small lorry Large lorry Bus
8.45am-
24 2 1 - - -
9.00am
9.01am-
15 3 - 1 - -
9.15am
9.16am
11 2 1 1 - 1
-9.30am
9.31am-
27 5 1 - - -
9.45am
Total 77 12 3 2 0 1

Total V3 = 95

V4 (Turn Left)
No. of vehicle
Time
Car /taxi Motorcycle Van Small lorry Large lorry Bus
8.45am- 9.00am 70 20 3 2 - -

= 9.01am- 9.15am 64 13 5 5 1 -

9.16am -9.30am 62 9 - 7 - -

9.31am- 9.45am 71 10 2 5 - -

Total 267 52 10 19 1 0

Total V4 = 349
 V5 (Turn Left)

No. of vehicle
Time
Car /taxi Motorcycle Van Small lorry Large lorry Bus
8.45am-
7 2 1 2 - -
9.00am
9.01am-
11 4 - - - -
9.15am
9.16am
9 2 - - - -
-9.30am
9.31am-
6 5 - 1 - -
9.45am
Total 33 13 1 3 0 0

Total V5 = 50

V6 (Straight)

No. of vehicle
Time
Car /taxi Motorcycle Van Small lorry Large lorry Bus
8.45am-
48 5 5 - 2 1
9.00am
9.01am-
38 9 - 1 3 -
9.15am
9.16am
30 14 1 2 9 -
-9.30am
9.31am-
31 11 4 5 3 -
9.45am
Total 147 39 10 8 17 1

Total V6 = 222

Time Left turn Straight Right Turn & U Turn

(if any)
8.45am- 9.00am 107 122 82
9.01am- 9.15am 103 125 66
9.16am -9.30am 89 101 66
9.31am- 9.45am 100 90 88
Total 399 438 302

207 216
#2 #3
222

50
95

349

#1

Traffic Volume

#1 #2 #3 Total
R 95 207 0 302
S 0 216 222 438
L 349 0 50 399

Table 1a: conversion of Vehicle/hour into PCU/hour

 Type of vehicles Total in Vehicle/hr Conversion factor Total in PCU/hr
Car/taxi 805 1.00 805
Van/L.G.V 43 2.00 86
Medium Good 60 2.50 150
Vehicle
Heavy Good Vehicle 29 3.00 87
Motorcycle 198 1.00 198
Bus 4 3.00 12
TOTAL 1139 TOTAL 1338

Percentage commercial vehicles,

136
Pc = [ ] x 100 = 11.94
1139

Traffic volume
Bus; 4
Motorcycle; 198

Car/Taxi
Heavy Good Ve- Van/L.G.V
hicle; 29 Medium Good Vehicle
Medium Good Heavy Good Vehicle
Vehicle; 60 Motorcycle
Bus
Van/L.G.V; 43

Car/Taxi; 805
 Traffic volume/Time
250
226
204 198
200
177
Traffic Volume

150

100
58 51 49
50 40
15 7 11 17 11 18 13 10 18 3
2 3 7 1
0
8:45am-9:00am 9:01am-9:15am
0 9:16am-9:30am 9:31am-9:45am
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Time

Car/Taxi Van/L.G.V. Medium Good Vehicle

Heavy Good Vehicle Motorcycle Bus

DISCUSSION
A characteristic of the traffic volume is the continuous traffic count in a section of the lane, showing
that the traffic volume varies hour by hour, day by day and month. Awareness of these features may
also be used to calculate the precision of the amount of traffic. The analysis of traffic volume was
tested in order to define other vehicles than the trend in the traffic flow and the pattern of movement.

The percentage of car and taxi has the highest percentage among other vehicles which is 70.68 %. The
vehicles that has the least percentage is buses which is 0.35% only. Motorcycle record as the second
highest travelled the selected location (17.38%), followed by medium good vehicles (5.27 %),
Van/LGV (3.78%) and heavy good vehicles ( 2.55%).

Throughout the observation, the traffic volume decreases from 8.45 am to 9.30 am and then it started
to increase from 9.31 am to 9.45 am. The vehicles that travelled in straight direction has the highest
number of vehicles which is 438 vehicles in total. At the same time, vehicles that turn left recorded
399 vehicles in total which falls under the second highest vehicle volume passes the location. In
contrast, the vehicles that turn right and u turn recorded as the lowest vehicle volume travelled the
same location throughout the study, which is 302 in total. This indicate that there are more vehicles
travelled in the main road compared to minor road.
Flow rate of vehicles per
30 minutes was
calculated to estimate
the peak hour factor
(PHF) which represents
the ratio of total hourly
volume to the maximum
flow rate within 30
minutes. Average
vehicles volume per
hour was calculated in
order to estimate the
average
daily traffic (ADT) to
measure present
demand of traffic flow
per hour and per day.
CONCLUSION
Based on the data
collected and analyzed
from traffic volume
study, the traffic volume
observed in the selected
location can be
considered falls under
LOS C. From the analysis
of
the data collected, the
most critical time period
is from 25
th
to 30
th
minutes., where the
traffic
volume in the
intersection increases.
Since there were less
heavy vehicles pass
through the intersection,
the effect of the heavy
vehicles will reduce the
traffic volume. Changing
the lanes for these
vehicles which will
reduce the speed of the
passenger cars and the
other vehicles and this
will reduce the flow.
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we have achieved the objective of this experiment which is able to determine the
vehicle composition, trend and movement pattern in the traffic flow stream of an unsignalized
intersection. Based on the data collected and analysed from traffic volume study, the most critical
time period is from 8.45 am to 9.00 am, where traffic volume in the intersection increases. Car/Taxi is
the most commonly using this road.