Shock Wave Analysis

Definition: Flow-speed-density states

change over space and time. When
these changes of state occur, a boundary
is established that separates the time-
space domain of one flow state from
another. This boundary is referred to as a
shock wave.
 Shock Wave Analysis
• Chapter 7
– Shock wave concept
– Types of shock wave
– Qualitative analysis
Shock Waves at signalized
Intersection

Speed=? Length=?

Time=?
 Shock Wave Analysis
• Chapter 11
– Quantitative analysis
– Shock wave speeds
– Time durations
– Queue lengths
–…
A flow-Density Relationship Needed.
Demand-capacity process is deterministic.
 Historical Perspective
• Shock wave analysis first appeared in the literature
in the late 1950s (Richards, 1956).
• The earlier works involved highway traffic analysis
and were typically based on changes in density.
• Later applications involved studies of traffic flows in
tunnels. More recently, shock wave analysis has
been applied at signalized intersections.
• Pipes (1965) used hydrodynamic theories to
describe traffic flow wave phenomenon.
• Lighthill and Whitham’s work considered
monumental.
Shock Wave Speed Equation
Shock Wave Speed Calculation
 What affect Distance Wave
Travels?
Incident Case

Example: Upstream: 1800vph, 50 vpm

downstream 1224vph, 170vpm
Duration 15 minutes
 Queue length = 1.2 mile upstream
 Shock Wave Analysis Example:
Signalized Intersection
• Assumptions:
– Starting with: departure=arrival
– Same arrival during red interval r (t1 to t2)
– Maximum departure flow (saturation) after
green resumes
– May have residual queue at the start of next
green
Shock Wave @ Signalized Intersection
Shock Wave @ Signalized Intersection
qD - q A  AB )
t3 - t2 = r (
 DA = =uA  BC -  AB
kD - kA

 DB =
qD - qB
=0 r  
[ BC AB ]
Qm =
kD - kB 3600  BC -  AB

q A - qB qA
 AB = =- q A - qC
kA - kB kB - kA  AC =
k A - kC
q D - qC
 DC = =+u C r  AB 
k D - kC t4 - t2 = [ BC + 1]
 BC -  AB  AC
q B - qC qC
 BC = =-
k B - kC k B - kC
Two-lane Highway Example
 Traffic Wave and Bottleneck

• Bottleneck downstream limit flow upstream

• Upstream flow can not reach capacity. Max flow
limited by downstream bottleneck capacity
Traffic Wave and Bottleneck
 Flows around Bottleneck

A B C

Cap A
Cap B
q q

k k
 Measured flow

1. Measured flow = the demand when

uncongested
2. Measured flow depends on the capacity of the
system, determined by the bottleneck, and
also depends on the measurement location:
• at the point of observation
• at a point upstream, or
• at a point downstream
 Shock Wave Application Example
• Example: incident
• Detecting incident by measuring backward
forming queue
• TRR 461
Shock Wave Example: Incident
Shock Wave Example:
Incident
Shock Wave Example:
Incident
Shock Wave Example:
Incident
Shock Wave Example:
Incident
Shock Wave Example:
Incident
 uf kj
u = uf - k k = kj - u
kj uf

Wu1 = Speed of shock wave

qB - qA
=
kB - kA
Wd1 = Speed of clearing wave (the first
wave) moving downstream from the incident.
Wu2 = Speed of the capacity boundary
wave moving upstream.
Wd2 = Speed of the capacity boundary
wave moving downstream.
Wd3 = Speed of the final clearing wave
moving downstream.
un = Normal Speed
uq = Speed in congested queue.
 qq - qn
Wu1 = k - k = - uf + un + uq
q n

Wd1 = un - uq
uf
Wu2 = - + uq
2
uf
Wd2 = - uq
2
uf
Wd3 = - + un
2
uq = Speed in Congested Queue
uf q
= 2 1- 1- q
m

where
q = flow under incident conditions
qm = available capacity under
normal conditions
 Assumptions/Limitations of Shock
Wave Theory
(1) The capacity over the length of the study section is
either constant or changes instantaneously to specific
constant values at prespecified points along the study
section,
(2) The capacity at a location over the entire time duration
of the study is either constant or changes instantaneously
to specific constant values at prespecified points in time,
(3) The demand for service over the length of the study
section is constant and there is only one entrance and
one exit,
(4) The demand for service over the entire time duration of
the study is either constant or changes instantaneously to
specific constant values at prespecified points in time,
 Assumptions/Limitations of Shock
Wave Theory
(5) A single flow-density relationship is specified for the
entire length of the study section,
(6) The selected flow-density relationship does not vary
over the time duration of the study,
(7) Only a single bottleneck is studied and the possibility of
queue collisions and queue splits are not considered,
(8) All vehicles travel at exactly the same speed for a
specific condition on the flow-density relationship, and
(9) Drivers do not anticipate changes in downstream flow
conditions and are assumed to change their speeds
instantaneously only at shock wave boundaries.
 Shockwave Applications
• Crashes/Incidents
• Congestions
• Work Zone
– Limitations; cannot model dynamic flow
changes, such as speed change for arriving
vehicles.
• Related issue: variable speed limit (VSL) can
improve flow condition and safety (realtime
control)
 VSL
• Improve safety
• More efficient use of highway
• Less burdened justice system
• Responsive to dynamic conditions
• Provide real time information
 VSL Evaluation(Effectiveness)
• Speed limit compliance
• Credibility of speed limits
• Safety improvements
• Traffic flow improvements