PAUSTI, CIVIL ENGINEERING PROGRAM, TRANSPORTATION ENG.

OPTION
PUC 3114: PROJECT/ASSIGNMENT WORK 2022/2023; AUGUST 2023

Question 1

Consider traffic flowing at 1,000 vehicles/ hr with a concentration of 20 vehicles/ mile and a
speed of 50 mph, as represented by point 1 in Figure 7.6. A truck with a speed of 12 mph (as
represented by the slope of the radius vector 0-2 in Figure 7.6) enters the traffic stream and
travels for 2 miles. Because it is impossible to pass, cars immediately behind the truck are forced
to match his speed, so that a platoon forms with a platoon concentration of 100 vehicles/ mile, a
space mean speed of 12 mph, and a platoon flow of 1,200 vehicles/hour, as represented by point
2 of Figure Q.1.
a) Determine the speed and the direction of the shockwave at the rear of the platoon. [2.5M]
b) Determine the rate at which the length of the platoon is growing. [2.5M]
c) Determine the number of vehicles that will have been caught up in the queued platoon. [2.5M]
d) Determine the time required for the vehicles queued in platoon to dissipate once the slow
moving truck turns off and leaves the road. [2.5M]

Figure Q.1: Shockwave analysis for platoon by slow moving truck

Question 2.

The exit from a parking garage is through a single gate where a variable fee is collected and
change is made for drivers. Vehicles arrive at the gate at random at a rate, λ, of 120 vehicles/ hr.
The time to collect fees is exponentially distributed, with a mean duration (1/μ) of 15 sec. What

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are the characteristics of the operation when λ=120 arrivals/hour μ=4 services/min=240
services/hour, and ρ=λ/μ= 120/240=0.5?
(a) Determine the probability of an idle booth [2M]
(b) Determine the probability that n vehicles will be in the system, where n varies from 0 to 6. If
the operator wanted to be certain with 0.95 and 0.99 probability that departing vehicles would
not interfere with the operations, what amount of space would he need to provide? [3M}
(c) Determine the average number in the system [1M]
(d) Determine the average number waiting in a queue [1M]
(e) Determine the average length of a nonempty queue. [1M]
(f) Determine the average time in the system [1M]
(g) Determine the average time waiting in a queue [1M]

Question 3

The branch office of a customer repair service operates a fleet of vehicles that return to the office
for picking up spare parts and assignments. The repair vehicles arrive at random during the day
at a rate λ of four vehicles/hr. The stay at the parking lot is exponentially distributed, with a
mean duration of 0.5 hour (μ=2). There are five stalls (=N) in the lot set aside for the vehicles.
Determine the characteristics of the lot operation, namely: P0; Pn, (0 to 5); the probability that a
vehicle will have to wait on arrival; the average number of vehicles waiting for an empty slot;
the average number of waiting vehicles when the lot is full; the average number of vehicles
parked and waiting; the average time a vehicle spends parking and waiting; the average time
spent in waiting for an empty slot; and the average time a waiting vehicle waits for an empty
slot. [10M]

Question 4

(a) The speed-density relationship of traffic on a section of a freeway lane was estimated to be
u=18.2ln(220/k)
(i). What is the maximum flow, speed and density at this flow? [3M]
(ii) What is the jam density? [2M]

(b) Given kj = 130 veh/km; and k= 30 veh/km, when u= 30 km/h. Find qmax when the
relationship between speed and density is given by u=C ln(kj/k) [5M]

Question 5

A highway is being designed to AASHTO guidelines with 110 km/h design speed, and at one
section, an equal-tangent vertical curve must be designed to connect grades of +1.0% and -2.0%.
The driver eye height H1 is of 1080 mm (3.5ft.) and the height of object to be avoided H2 by
stopping before collision is 600 mm (2.0 ft.). Determine the length of the curve necessary to
meet stopping sight distance (SSD or S) requirements. [10M]

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Question 6

6. (a)
A rural freeway has two 12-ft lanes in each direction, with obstructions within 4 ft on the median
side and no obstruction on the right side of the one-way roadway. Traffic consists of 13% trucks
and buses, and 8% recreational vehicles. The design speed is 70 MPH, and the adjustment for
driver population factor is estimated to be 0.80. If the maximum 15-minute flow rate is 1,760
vehicles per hour, what is the level of service on 1.0 mi-long 3% upgrade? [Cj is capacity under
ideal conditions: 2,200 PCPHPL (passenger car per hour per lane) for four-lane freeways and
2,3000 PCPHPL for six-or-more-lane freeways]. [5M]

6. (b)
Generalized terrain for the freeway in 6 (a) is rolling. How many lanes are required to provide
level of service B? Assume that more than two lanes in one direction is required. [5M]

Note for Q. 6: The Tables Q.6.1 to Q.6.5 below are for use in answering the Question (Q.6).

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Tables for Question 6:

Table Q. 6.1: Level of Service Criteria for Basic Freeway Segments

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Table Q.6.2: Adjustment Factor for Restricted Width and Lateral Clearance

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Table Q. 6.3: PCEs/PCUs for Trucks and Buses on Specific Upgrades (ET)

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Table Q. 6.4: PCEs/PCUs for Recreational Vehicles on Specific Upgrades (ER)

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Table Q. 6.5: PCEs/PCUs for Trucks and Buses on Specific Downgrades

Source: Highway Capacity Manual, (TRB,1994)