TRAFFIC

ENGINEERING
MODULE 4
 TRAFFIC ENGINEERING
• Deals with the improvement of traffic performance of road
network and terminals

• Can be achieved by systematic traffic studies

• Traffic engineering is the application of scientific principles,

tools , techniques and findings for safe rapid convenient and
economic movement of people and goods.
 SCOPE OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERING
BASIC OBJECTIVE
• To achieve efficient free and rapid flow of traffic with least
number of accidents
SIX SECTIONS OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERING
1. Traffic characteristics
2. Traffic studies and analysis
3. Traffic operation control and regulation
4. Planning and analysis
5. Geometric design
6. Administration and management
 TRAFFIC
CHARACHTERISTICS
ROAD USER CHARACTEERISTICS VECHICULAR CHARACTERISTICS

• Physical • Vehicle dimension

• Mental • Power of vehicle

• Psychological • Speed of vehicle

• Environmental • Braking characteristics

 1.ROAD USER CHARACTERISTICS

• Human element is involved in all road actions,

• As pedestrians, drivers and cyclists
• The above mentioned characteristics affects the ability to
operate road with safety
PHYSICAL FACTOR
• Vision- eye movement glare vision, depth judgement
• Hearing –important for motorists and cyclists
• Reaction time of road users depends on time period taken to
receive and understand the situation
• Temporary physical characteristics are: fatigue alcohol drugs
illness- reduces alertness and increases the reaction time
MENTAL CHARACTETISTICS
• Knowledge
• Skills
• Experience
• Literacy
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS
Involves reaction to traffic situations
Emotional factors- activeness, fear, anger impatience, general
attitude towards traffic and regulations, maturity to understand
Distractions to non traffic events and worries reduces activeness
to traffic situations
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
• Includes the traffic situations, facilities to traffic, atmospheric
condition and locality
• Adaptability of drivers to different traffic condition depends
on drivers characteristics
• Other environmental factors include weather visibility and
other atmospheric conditions
• Total reaction time PIEV time varies from driver to driver
considering the above characteristics
 2.VEHICULAR CHARACTERISTICS
• Timely development on roads are necessary to hold the
increasing traffic and the newly introducing vehicles with
different dimensions
• Can be divided as static characters and dynamic characteristics
o Static characteristics-dimension, weight and maximum turning angle
o Dynamic characteristics-speed, acceleration and breaking characteristics

VECHICLE DIMENSION
• Width of vehicles affects the width of traffic lens, shoulders
and parking facilities
• Height of vehicles affect the view, clearance
• Length is imprtatant in horizontal alignment, extra widening,
turnings etc
• Also affects over taking sight distance and parking facilities
WEIGHT OF VEHICLES
• Weight of loaded vehicles affects the design of pavement
thickness and gradients
• Limiting gradient purely depends of weight and power of the
heavy vehicles

POWER OF VEHICLES
• Power decides the limiting value of gradients
• With the hep of traction consisting of inertia, rolling resistance
and grade resistance, speed and acceleration are determined
• Useful in traffic regulation planning and design
SPEED OF VEHICLES
 Speed of vehicles affects
 Sight distance
 Super elevation
 Length of transition curve
 Limiting radius on horizontal curve
 Width of pavement and shoulders
 Gradient design
 Capacity of traffic lane
 Thus speed controls and governs most of the geometric
features of a highway
BREAKING CHARACTERISTICS
• Deceleration and braking characteristics depends on the design
and type of breaking system (mechanical, fluid and air brake)
and its efficiency
• Safest vehicle operation, stopping distance and spacing b/w 2
vehicles depends on breaking efficiency