Chapter Two

Traffic Flow Fundamentals

Section 1: Traffic Stream Variables

Section 2: Macroscopic Models of Traffic Flow
Section 3: Shock Waves in Traffic
Section 4: Highway Capacity and Level of Service

1
 Categories of Traffic Flows

• Uninterrupted flow
– Freeways
– Multilane highways
– Two-lane highways
• Interrupted flow
– Signalized streets
– Unsignalized streets with stop signs
– Arterial
– Transit
– Pedestrian Walkway
– Bicycle Paths
2
Analysis of Speed, Flow, and Density
Relationship

3
Actual measurements

4
 Evaluation criteria

1. Relationships of q-k-v were tested in terms of

goodness of fit to actual field data
2. Relationships were supposed to satisfy these
boundary conditions:
a. zero flow at zero density
b. zero flow at max density
c. free-flow speed at zero density
d. convex flow-density curve (i.e., there is a
maximum flow)
5
Speed-density-flow relationship

6
Speed-density and speed-flow curve

7
Flow-density curve

8
Greenshield’s Model

9
dq
 A  2 Bk  0
dk
A
ko 
2B
2
 A   A 
q m ax  A  B 
 2B   2B 
2
A

4B 10
 Greenshield’s Model

 k  0, v  A . A is the maximum or free-flow speed

 v  0, k  A / B , which is the jam density
 maximum flow occurs at half the mean free speed,
and is equal to A2/4B.
 satisfies all four boundary conditions
 poor statistical fit with real data

11
Example

12
 Example

Assuming a linear speed-density relationship, the mean

free speed is observed to be 60 mph near zero density,
and the corresponding jam density is 140 veh/mi.
Assume that the average length of vehicles is 20 ft.
a) Write down the speed-density and flow-density
equations.
b) Draw the v-k, v-q, and q-k diagrams indicating critical
values
c) Compute the speed and density corresponding to a flow
of 1000 veh/hr.
d) Compute the average headways, spacing, clearances, and
gaps when the flow is maximum.
13
Solution

14
15
16
Greenberg’s Model

17
 Greenberg’s Model

kj  
v f  v o ln  
  

18
 Model Comparison

v-k C u rve q -k C u rve s

2500
180
q( ber g)
160 q( ber g,m)
2000
v ( ber g) q( s hield)
140
v ( ber g,m)
120
v ( s hield) 1500
100
q
v
80
1000

60

40 500

20

0 0

18 .1

27 .1

36 .1

45 .1

54 .1

63 .1

72 .1

81 .1

90 .1

99 .1

10 8.1

11 7.1

12 6.1
0.1

9.1
18 .1

27 .1

36 .1

45 .1

54 .1

63 .1

72 .1

81 .1

90 .1

99 .1

10 8.1

11 7.1

12 6.1
0.1

9.1

k k

19
 Linear Traffic Flow Nonlinear Traffic

Developer
Summary
Model
Greenshields (1953)
Flow Model
Greenberg (1959)
vf  kj
v  k  relation v  vf  k v  C ln  
 j
k  k 

vf  2 kj
q  k  relation q  vf k   k q  C k ln  
 j
k  k 

kj 2
q  v  relation q  k jv   v  v 
q  k j v ex p   
 f 
v  C 
vf
Optimal speed v opt  v opt  C
2
kj kj
Optimal density k opt  k opt 
2 e
Capacity vf kj kj
(maximum flow q m ax  q m ax  C
rate) 4 e
satisfy all boundary better goodness-of-fit
Advantage
conditions
violate boundary
condition at zero
Disadvantage bad goodness-of-fit
density
( k  0, v   ) 20