After this course, the student is able to:
- Develop macroscopic and microscopic traffic simulation models and devise traffic control measures (i.e., ramp metering)
- Analyze the formation/dissipation of traffic queues using the shockwave theory or macroscopic simulation models
- Evaluate the traffic dynamics at the macroscopic level using the fundamental diagrams and the continuity equations
- Generate time-space and fundamental diagrams from traffic measurements, and interpret the traffic information from such diagrams
- Infer the capacity of road segments with the use of capacity measurement methods
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An important aspect of traffic engineering is the study of traffic flows under various conditions. Some of these conditions are directly related to network “operators” such as road layout, ramp metering and traffic lights. The course Traffic Operations deals with the theoretical concepts of traffic flow behavior under different network conditions.
This course is about the description and measurement of traffic operations, from a microscopic and macroscopic perspective. The theory of traffic flows deals with basic variables like time and distance headway, intensity, velocity and density and concepts as jam density, optimal velocity, capacity, car following behavior and shock waves. Several techniques to recognize and quantify these concepts are discussed. Macroscopic and microscopic traffic simulation models are also presented. The main topics are: Traffic Measurement; Fundamental Diagrams; Capacity Measurement; Continuity Equations / Hydrodynamic Flow-Density Relation; Shockwave Formation; First-order macroscopic models (CTM model); Queueing Theory; Car-following models (i.e., Wiedemann, Gipps); Lane changes (MOBIL model); and Cellular Automata.
This course is assessed by means of a written exam and a group assignment. A satisfactory completion of the course requires an overall mark of at least 5.5, and a written exam mark of at least 5.0.
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