TRAFFIC FLOW MODELLING ASSINGMENT

NAME: KWAKU AGYEMANG FRIMPONG

INDEX NUMBER: PG4442622

1. Define time mean speed and space mean speed and state the relationship between
them.
Time mean speed and space mean speed are inversely proportional. The space mean speed is
influenced by the number of vehicles occupying a certain segment of the road at a given
moment, whereas the time mean speed is influenced by the number of vehicles passing a
given spot within a set time period.
The space mean speed and the time mean speed will be almost identical under the premise of
a continuous flow of vehicles. The time mean speed and the space mean speed may vary,
though, because the flow of vehicles may not be continuous in reality. For instance, because
vehicles are closely spaced and traveling slowly in congested traffic, the space mean speed
may be significantly lower than the time mean speed. In contrast, the space mean speed may
be closer to the time mean speed on an open roadway with low traffic since the vehicles are
more evenly spaced and traveling at a constant speed.
Overall, the amount of traffic and the number of cars occupying a particular space affect the
relationship between time mean speed and space mean speed.
Time mean speed is the mean speed of vehicles over a period at a point in space
u1+ u2+ u3 +…+u n
Time mean speed=
n
The space mean speed is the mean speed over a space at a given instant.
n
Space mean speed= 1 1 1
+ +…+
u1 u 2 un

Relationship between time mean speed and space mean speed

2
δ
ut =u s+
us

ut =time mean speed

u s= space mean speed

2
δ = standard deviation between the time mean speed and space mean speed

2. How to measure the Critical gap.

Raff adopted the term "critical gap" and defined it as the gap for which the number of
acceptable gaps shorter than it is equal to the number of rejected gaps longer than it. It is
possible to utilize a graphical or algebraic approach.
 TRAFFIC FLOW MODELLING ASSINGMENT

NAME: KWAKU AGYEMANG FRIMPONG

INDEX NUMBER: PG4442622

Two cumulative distribution curves are created when utilizing the graphical method. The first
links gap lengths t to the number of approved gaps that are smaller than t, while the second
links t to the quantity of rejected gaps that are longer than t. The critical gap's value of t is
determined by the intersection of these two curves. The figures below shows a demonstrative
example of the critical gap determination.

Figure 1. An illustrative data for gap measurement

Figure 2. Graph to determine the critical gap.