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Traffic Flow

Course Description:

Traffic Flow is part of 7th semester courses. It is compulsory for the students at the Transportation Planning and Engineering cycle. The course includes basic definitions of traffic flow, traffic capacity and level of service of a single road as well as statistical analysis distributions and sampling regarding traffic counts. It also includes traffic counts by the students and analysis of saturation effect. The course foresees four hours of theory and exercises every week. During the exercises practical examples of applications are developed and in general the overall understanding of the course is assisted. It should be noted that there is no clear distinction between theory and exercises, since the theory relies on exercises and exercises deal with questions about the theory. Students consist of one class.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Knowledge of basic statistical analysis is prerequisite

Course Units

# Title Description Hours
1 Basic traffic flow definitions Definitions and characteristics of traffic flow parameters Variability of traffic density Traffic composition and traffic density diagrams Fundamental traffic flow equations and fundamental diagrams Macroscopic traffic flow concepts 3Χ4=12
2 Adjustment of statistical distributions Statistical distributions of arrivals Statistical distributions of time headways Advanced statistical analysis distributions Goodness of fit parameters of statistical distributions 3Χ4=12
3 Estimation of traffic capacity and level of service Traffic capacity and level of service Estimation of traffic capacity and level of service of interurban roads of four or more lanes Estimation of traffic capacity and level of service on selected road sections of freeways Estimation of traffic capacity and level of service on interurban roads of two lanes in total 4Χ4=16
4 Traffic counts Methods and principles of traffic counts Moving observer method Basic sampling principles 3Χ4=12

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Learn the basic definitions and parameters of uninterrupted traffic flow
  2. Realise the concept of traffic and the way of calculating traffic parameters
  3. Understand the importance of analytical and statistical approaches on traffic flow at uninterrupted flow conditions
  4. Develop basic macroscopic traffic statistical models
  5. Estimate through statistical models traffic capacity and level of service of a road section at uninterrupted flow conditions

Teaching Methods

Teaching methods Lectures Solutions of exercises Data collection (traffic flow counts) and submission of 3 individual projects
Teaching media Presentations through Power Point slides Microsoft Excel calculations
Computer and software use Students solve simple exercises during the lesson, with the support of the Professor
Assignments (projects, reports) Students create groups of 3-4 students and carry traffic counts at predefined points at an urban road of Athens. Based on these counts, the first two projects concern statistical distributions and estimation of traffic parameters. The third project concerns the estimation of traffic capacity and level of service on interurban roads of four or more lanes. Each student submits the three projects individually and is undertaking an oral exam on all of them.

Student Assessment

  • Final written exam: 70%
  • Assignments (projects, reports): 30%

Textbooks - Bibliography

  • Book: "Traffic Engineering", J. Frantzeskakis, J. Golias, Μ. Pitsiava-Latiopoulou, Papasotiriou publications 2008, The following chapters are being taught in this semester:
  • Introduction
  • Traffic flow parameters
  • Traffic flow statistical methods
  • Basic traffic capacity definitions
  • Estimation of traffic capacity (Subchapter 6.1, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6)
  • Methods of estimating traffic parameters
  • Booklet: "Traffic flow exercises", J. Golias, G. Yannis, E. Vlahogianni.

Lecture Time - Place:

  • Tuesday, 08:45 – 12:30,
    Rooms:
    • Αμφ. Ηχοτεχνίας