Republic of the Philippines

SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Lucban, Quezon

CVE 06 HIGHWAY AND RAILROAD ENGINEERING

Module No. 12

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF TRAFFIC FLOW

Traffic Flow Theory involves the development of mathematical relationships

among the primary elements of a traffic stream:
Flow
Density
Speed

These relationships help the traffic engineer in planning, designing, and

evaluating the effectiveness of implementing traffic engineering measures on
a highway system.

TRAFFIC FLOW ELEMENTS

Let us first define the elements of traffic flow before discussing the relationships
among them. However, before we do that, we will describe the time-space diagram
which serves as a useful device for defining the elements of traffic flow.

Time-Space Diagram
- a graph that describes the relationship between the location of vehicles in a traffic
stream and the time as the vehicles progress along the highway
- serves as a useful device for defining the elements of traffic flow
- used to solve a number of transportation related problems

Time-Space Diagram
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This diagram shows a time-space diagram for six vehicles with distance plotted on
the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis. At time zero, vehicles 1, 2, 3, and 4
are at respective distances d1, d2, d3, and d4 from a reference point whereas
vehicles 5 and 6 cross the reference point later at times t5 and t6, respectively.

Time-Space Diagram shows the trajectories of individual vehicles:

-- in motion (slopping line)
-- stationary (horizontal line)
-- undergoing speed changes like decceleration (curved portion)
-- overtaking (intersecting lines)

Primary Elements of Traffic Flow

- The primary elements of traffic flow are flow, density, and speed.
- Another element, associated with density, is the gap or headway between two
vehicles in a traffic stream.

1. Flow
- Flow (q) is the equivalent hourly rate at which vehicles pass a point on a highway
during a time period less than 1 hour.

n = the number of vehicles passing a point in the roadway in T sec

q = the equivalent hourly flow

2. Density
- Density (k), sometimes referred to as concentration, is the number of vehicles
traveling over a unit length of highway at an instant in time.
(veh/mi) or (veh/km)

3. Speed
- Speed (u) is the distance traveled by a vehicle during a unit of time. (mi/h) , (km/h),
(ft/sec)
- The speed of a vehicle at any time t is the slope of the time space diagram for that
vehicle at time t. Vehicle

Vehicles 1 and 2 in aboved time-space diagram, for example, are moving at

constant speeds because the slopes of the associated graphs are constant.
Vehicle 3 moves at a constant speed between time zero and time t3, then
stops for the period t3 to t3 ‘ (the slope of graph equals 0), and then
accelerates and eventually moves at a constant speed.

Two Types of Mean Speeds :

(a) Time mean speed , ūt
- the arithmetic mean of the speeds of vehicles passing a point on a
highway during an interval of time.
d
u
t
ut 
i
ut  i

n n
n = number of vehicles passing a point on the highway
ui = speed of the ith vehicle

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 (b) Space mean speed , ūs
- harmonic mean of the speeds of vehicles passing a point on a
highway during an interval of time.
- It is obtained by dividing the total distance traveled by two or more
vehicles on a section of highway by the total time required by
these vehicles to travel that distance.
- the speed that is involved in flow-density relationships.

n
us 
nd 1
us 
 ti
u
1

n = number of vehicles
tt = the time it takes the ith vehicle to travel across a section of
highway (sec)
ui = speed of the ith vehicle
L = length of section of highway

The time mean speed is always higher than the space mean speed. The
difference between these speeds tends to decrease as the absolute values
of speeds increase.

Relationship between time mean speed and space mean speed

Relationship developed by Garber and Sankar using data collected at

several sites on freeways.

Space Mean Speed versus Time Mean Speed

4. Time Headway
- Time headway (h) is the difference between the time the front of a vehicle arrives
at a point on the highway and the time the front of the next vehicle arrives at that
same point. (sec)
For example, in the time space diagram presented, the time headway
between vehicles 3 and 4 at d1 is h3 – 4.

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5. Space Headway
- Space headway (d) is the distance between the front of a vehicle and the front of
the following vehicle
The space headway between vehicles 3 and 4 at time t5 is d3 – 4 (see Time-
Space Diagram).

Example 1 Determining Flow, Density, Time Mean Speed and Space Mean Speed

Figure shows vehicles traveling at constant speeds on a two-lane highway between

sections X and Y with their positions and speeds obtained at an instant of time by
photography. An observer located at point X observes the four vehicles passing
point X during a period of T sec. The velocities of the vehicles are measured as 45,
45, 40, and 30 mi/h, respectively. Calculate the flow, density, time mean speed, and
space mean speed.

Locations and Speeds of Four Vehicles on a Two-Lane Highway at an Instant of

Time

Solution:

Example 2 Time Mean Speed, Space Mean Speed, Variance of the Space
Distribution of Speeds

Three cars travel over a 60 m section of highway at constant speeds of 19, 20 and
25 m/s.
(a) Compute the time mean speed for this condition.
(b) Compute the space mean speed for this condition.
(c) Compute the variance of the space distribution of speeds.

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Solution :

Example 3 Time Mean Speed, Space Mean Speed, and Standard Deviation of the
Space Distribution of Speeds

What is the standard deviation if the space mean speed of a certain car is 20 m/s
and its time mean speed is 22 m/s.?

Solution:

Example 4 Space Mean Speed Versus Time

The following data were taken on five vehicles traveling a 1.5 km portion of the
NLEX. Determine the space mean speed in kph.
Vehicles Time (minute)
1 1.2
2 1.0
3 1.4
4 1.3
5 1.1
Solution:

Example 5 Space Mean Speed Versus Distance

From the following data of a freeway surveillance there are 5 vehicles under
observation and the following distances are the distance each vehicle had traveled
when observed every 2 seconds. Compute the space mean speed in kph.

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Solution:

Example 6 Space Mean Speed Versus Spot Speed

There are four vehicles passing through the portion of the South Super Highway in
a certain period of time. Compute the space mean speed in kph.
Vehicles Spot Speed (kph)

1 43.4

2 43.5

3 44.6

4 45.2
Solution:

Example 7 Time Mean Speed Versus Time

The following travel times were observed for 5 vehicles traveling a one km segment
of the NLEX. It is required to determine the time mean speed of these vehicles
Vehicles Time (minute)

1 1.19

2 1.22

3 1.36

4 1.48

5 1.51

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Solution:

Example 8 Space Mean Speed versus Time Headway

There are 9 vehicles observed in a 300 m section of McArthur highway. If the

average time headway is 4sec., compute the space mean speed of the vehicles in
kph.

Solution:

Example 9 Time Mean Speed Versupot Speed and Time

Four vehicles passing through the SLEX has the following observation. Determine
the time mean speed.
Vehicles Time of passing (sec) Spot Speed (kph)

1 1.5 55.40

2 6.0 56.80

3 8.0 53.60

4 12.0 48.90

Solution:

Example 10 Standard Deviation

The following data were obtained from a freeway surveillance of 5 vehicles passing
through a certain point of the freeway with the individual spot speeds. Determine
the standard deviation of the space distribution of speed.

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 Vehicles Spot Speed (kph)

1 41.08

2 48.51

3 50.64

4 46.82

5 44.14

Solution:

Example 11 Density of Traffic Versus Time Mean Speed and Space Mean Speed

Two sets of students are collecting traffic data at the two sections A and B 200
meters apart along a highway. Observation at A shows that 5 vehicles pass that
section at intervals of 8.18 sec., 9.09 sec., 10.23 sec., 11.68 sec. and 13.64 sec.
respectively. If the speeds of the vehicles were 80, 72, 64, 56 and 48 kph, compute
the following:
(a) Density of traffic in veh/km
(b) Time mean speed in kph
(c) Space mean speed in kph

Solution:

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Example 12 Density, Space Mean Speed, Flow of Traffic

From the following data of a freeway surveillance, there are 5 vehicles counted for a
length of 300 m, and the following positions are observed on two photographs taken
2 seconds apart, the distance “S” that each vehicle travel.
(a) Compute the density of flow in vehicles/km
(b) Compute the space mean speed in kph
(c) Compute the flow of traffic in veh/hr.
Vehicles Position 1 (m) Position 2 (m) S (m)

1 268.3 292.7 24.4

2 215.4 234.2 18.8

3 175.0 199.7 24.7

4 143.2 170.1 26.9

5 95.2 118.1 22.9

Solution:

Example 13 Lane Occuancy and Density of Traffic

Another measure called LANE OCCUPANCY has been developed for freeway
surveillance to measure density directly at a point. If six vehicles are distributed
along a highway 300 m long have lengths of 5.48 m, 6 m, 13.7 m, 4.6 m, 5.4 m, and
6.7 m respectively, compute the density of traffic in veh/km.
Lane Occupancy is the ratio of sum of the lengths of the vehicles to the
length of the road section in which those vehicles are present.

Solution:

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Example 14 Volume of Traffic

The spacing of the cars moving along the same lane of an expressway is 40 m
center to center. If the average velocity of the car is 80 kph, determine the volume
of traffic.

Solution:

Example 15 Peak Hour Factor

Compute the peak hour factor if the hourly volume of traffic is 1800 vehicles/hour
and the highest 15 min volume is 750.
Peak Hour Factor (PHF)
- a measure of traffic demand fluctuations within the peak hour
- the hourly volume during the maximum volume hour of the day divided by
the peak 15-minute flow rate within the peak hour.

Solution:

Example 16 Peak Hour Factor and Density Hourly Volume

The table shows a 15 minute volume counts during the peak hour on an approach
of an intersection.

Time Volume of Traffic

6:00 - 6:15 PM 375

6:15 - 6:30 PM 380

6:30 - 6:45 PM 412

6:45 - 7:00 PM 390

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Solution:

Example 17 Peak Hour Factor

From the flow rate occurring during one hour in a portion of the freeway, compute
the 5 min peak hour factor.
Interval Time of Observation Flow rate

5 min. 16

5 min. 14

5 min. 15

5 min. 18

5 min. 22

5 min. 25

5 min. 23

5 min. 20

5 min. 16

5 min. 17

5 min. 15

5 min. 10

Solution:

Example 18 Capacity of Roads

Private cars are moving at an average speed of 60 kph along an Expressway. The
cars have maintained an equal spacing of 16 m center to center. Calculate the
capacity of the single lane in vehicles/hr.

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Solution:

Example 19 Capacity of Roads

A car has an average speed of 50 kph and a length of 4.2 m. The car is moving
along a single lane roadway. If the driver's reaction time is 0.80 sec., compute the
capacity of the single lane in vehicles/hour.

Solution:

Example 20 Time Headway

Compute the minimum time headway for cars moving at an average of 60 kph. The
average length of the car is 4.5 m. Reaction time is 0.70 sec.

Solution:

Reference:
Nicholas J. Garber & Lester A. Hoel., Traffic and Highway Engineering
Fred Mannering and Walter Kilareski, Principles of Highway Engineering & Traffic
Analysis
Venancio I. Besavilla Jr., Transportation, Highway Engineering and Ports and
Harbor
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