Shock Wave in Traffic Flow

Yohahn Jo
Systems Engineering
Class of 2011
Background
Traffic waves work very similar to shock
waves
In a traffic jam, traffic wave moves
backward

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suugn-p5C1M
 How Do We Determine Shock
Wave Speeds?

Usw = speed of shock wave (km/h or mph)

qi = density (vehicles per hour)
ki = flow (vehicles per kilometer(or miles))
Positive usw = shock wave moving in the same
direction as flow
Negative usw = shock wave moving opposite
Example
traffic instantaneously changes from state B
to state A where state B is up stream and
has a volume of 1200 vph and 40 mph and
state A is 2000 vph at 20 mph. The resulting
shock wave (the difference between the
speed of the forward moving traffic and the
backward moving platoon of traffic is defined
by the equation
Apply the equation:
Qa = 2000 vph, ka = 2000 vph/20 mph = 100 vph
Qb = 1200 vph, kb = 1200 vph/40 mph = 30 vph
Usw = (2000 1200)/(100 - 30) = 11.4 mph
Greenshields Model
Bruce D. Greenshields (1935)
Linear relationship between speed and
density

u = velocity
uf = velocity of free flow
kj = jam density
k = density
Example
a traffic stream on the approach to a
signal has an approach speed of 40 mph
and density of 45 vpm and a jam density
of 130 vpm. Find a speed of the shock
wave.
k = 45 vpm
kj = 130 vpm
u = 40 mph
 40 = uf(1 45/130)
uf = 61.2 mph
u = q/ k
q = 45 * 40 = 1800 vph
usw = (0 1800)/(130 45) = -21.2 mph
Problems with Greenshields Model
Does not consider human factors or look
at individual cars
Based on single lane roads
Questions
Sources
www.cee.mtu.edu/~balkire/ce3401tc/ce3401Lec39.doc
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13402
http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt_labmanual/Chapters/traffi
cflowtheory/theoryandconcepts/ShockWaves.htm
http://mikeywally.wordpress.com/category/traffic-flow/
http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/courses/Webcourse-contents/IIT-
KANPUR/transport_e/TransportationII/lecture8/text/4slide.h
tm
http://books.google.com/books?id=Zut3O7jVIiUC&pg=PA11
&lpg=PA11&dq=greenshield%27s+model+traffic&source=bl&
ots=fbwtDUcxVt&sig=Ar8M0sTSQIhZ_VvredrXa2nlqMs&hl
=en&ei=6pD5SsKsJY7CNt656M0K&sa=X&oi=book_result&
ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=
&f=false