Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Exam Solutions CVNG 3009 Highway Engineering 2014-2015

1 (i) The fundamental equation of Traffic Flow is:-

q= k ῡs
Where q = vehicle flow rate (veh/h.) It is the equivalent hourly rate at which vehicles pass a point in
the highway

k = density (concentration) (veh/km). It is the number of vehicles which occupy a unit length of
highway ay an instant in time.

ῡs= space mean speed (km/h.). The space mean speed is the harmonic mean of the speeds of vehicles
passing a point of a highway during an interval of time. (3 marks)

The relationship is graphically represented by the fundamental diagram of traffic flow below:- (3 marks)

E
Qmax
B

C
Flow

0
kb ke kc kj k

Density Jam Density

Slopes of these lines give space
mean speeds for kb, ke and kc

(a) Flow versus Density

 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Exam Solutions CVNG 3009 Highway Engineering 2014-2015

uf
Space Mean Speed

0
Kf
Density

(b) Space Mean Speed versus Density

uf
Space Mean Speed

Uncongested
flow

Congested
flow

0
Qmax
Flow

(c) Space Mean Speed versus Flow

When the highway is devoid of traffic, the density and the flow are both zero. There is little interaction
of vehicles and thus the space mean speed is the maximum speed that can be attained. This is
designated as uf. The flow in thus uncongested.

As flow increases, so does the density and speed declines. When flow reaches its maximum, known as
qmax, the highway is at its capacity. Further increases in density lead to a decrease in flow and a further
reduction in speed. The flow is now congested. As density increases to its maximum flow and speed
decrease to zero and the highway is jammed. This maximum or "jam density" is designated kj

The slope of the flow-density curve is the space mean speed at that density. (4 Marks)
 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Exam Solutions CVNG 3009 Highway Engineering 2014-2015

The Greenshields Model assumes a linear relationship between speed and density expressed as:-

ῡs = uf - (uf/kj) k

This yields the maximum flow :-

qmax = kjuf/4 (1 Mark)

The Greenberg Model uses a fluid flow analogy with a non-linear functional form:-

ῡs = c ln(kj/k)
The value of "c" is the speed at maximum flow. (1 Mark)

(ii)

(a) The flow "q" of the traffic stream is obtained from:-

q = (350 + 20)/(5/60 + 5/60) = 2200 veh/h (3 Marks)

Avg travel time of the stream = 5/60 - 20/2200 = 0.07424

(b) The mean speed of the stream is 5/0.7424 =67.35km/h. This is a space mean speed. (3 Marks)

(c) Using q1(tobs - t1) = n1

where

q1 = the flow of vehicles with a speed of 80km/h = 0.35 x 2200 = 770 veh/h
 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Exam Solutions CVNG 3009 Highway Engineering 2014-2015
tobs = travel time of the observer = 0.0833h

t1 = travel time of vehicles travelling at 100km/h = 5/100 = 0.05h

n1 = 770(0.0833-0.05) = 25 - 26 vehicles. (2 Marks)

Question 2 (a)

The aim of a traffic management plan is to make better and more efficient use of the
existing transportation infrastructure. Such a use should also consider safety,
environmental and energy consumption considerations. A good traffic management plan
thus starts with a review of the land usage that impacts on the demand for transportation
services and infrastructure. It would require the collection of data on the transportation
infrastructure and services as well as an analysis of the current performance of the
transportation system within the study area. The plans should consider the needs of key
stakeholders and identify the most vulnerable users and affected non-users. Stakeholders
would include local government representatives, merchants, shoppers, employees, school
children pedestrians & commuters who need to traverse the area to and from points
beyond.

The traffic management plan should thus consider all the forms of activity in the area,
establish a priority of usage of existing facilities and develop short term implementable
measures to make the most efficient usage of existing streets. (4 Marks)

Based on the circumstances, a traffic management plan can have some or all of the
following elements:-

(a) Measures to influence time and place of trip generation e.g staggering work hours, traffic
restraint schemes;

(b) Measures to influence the choice of mode e.g. public transport improvements,
congestion pricing, park & ride, Bicycle lanes

(c) Measures to influence route choice e.g. traffic signal co-ordination, channelisation;

(d) Street Usage allocation e.g. one-way systems, HOV lanes, pedestrianisation;

(e) Junction control e.g. roundabouts, restricted turns

(f) Parking controls e.g. on/off street parking schemes, time of day parking restrictions;

(g) Measures to influence safety e.g. speed bumps, traffic calming, pedestrian crossings

(h) Measures aimed at environmental problems e.g. signal co-ordination to minimize overall
emissions . (4 Marks for <5measures)
 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Exam Solutions CVNG 3009 Highway Engineering 2014-2015

The tools available to traffic authorities in the implementation of these measures would be:-

(a) traffic regulations and legislation

(b) enforcement of regulations

(c) traffic control measures e.g. signals, road markings

(d) engineering construction e.g widening of junctions, channelisation, construction of loading

bays.
 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Exam Solutions CVNG 3009 Highway Engineering 2014-2015
Question. 2b

Suitable design speed from Table 2.1 = 60

[2]
km/hr

Minimum desirable grade from Table 2.2 = 8% [2]

Minimum radius of horizontal curvature = 28.35/(0.01e max + f

max)

[2]

Minimum length of crest vertical curves: L =

K*A
K = 11
L = 60(8-(-8))
L = 960 m [2]

Minimum length of sag vertical curve: L = A*V*V/395

L = 16*3600/395
L = 145.8 m [2]

[10/20]
 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Exam Solutions CVNG 3009 Highway Engineering 2014-2015
Question. 3

i= 0.12 n= 50
Construction Rehabilitation Annual Annual Annual
Alternative Cost Cost Year Maintenance Delay Toll
1 0 25.5 15, 30,40 8.4 22.35
2 188 19 35 2.8 2.8 17
3 225 24 40 1.9 1.7
Toll grows at 2% per year

Gen pwf= 8.304 Toll pwf= 9.915

Rehab Year pwf
1 15, 30,40 0.183 0.033 0.011
2 35 0.019
3 40 0.011
50 0.003 [4/20]

Present Value Costs

Alternative Construction Rehabilitation Maintenance Delay Toll Total NPV
1 0 5.78 69.76 185.61 168.56 429.70 -
2 188 0.36 23.25 23.25 234.87 194.84
3 225 0.26 15.78 14.12 255.15 174.55 [12/20]

Alternative Agency Cost User Cost Change A Change U BCR Incr BCR
1 75.54 354.16
2 211.61 191.81 136.07 162.35 1.19
3 241.04 182.67 165.49 171.49 1.04 0.31 [4/20]

Alternative 2 is best.
NPV = 194.84; Cost = 234.87; BCR = 1.19; Incr. BCR 3/2 = 0.31 Total [20/20]
 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Exam Solutions CVNG 3009 Highway Engineering 2014-2015
Question 4

Traffic

ADT = 12,500
ESAL /veh 1.92
% Com veh 21

Daily ESALs 5,040 [1/20]

n = 20 I = 3.5 %
Future ESALs = Daily ESALs *(1+i)^n)-1)/i(1+i)^n

Future ESALs = 23929,400

Design ESALs 22732,930 [2/20]

Subgrade Strength
CBR = 6.0 % 6
Subgrade Mr, psi 1500* CBR%
Mr psi 9000
Mr mpa 61.2

Stdev = 3.0

Existing Pavement SN
h1 = 100, a1 = 0.3 SN1 = 1.17
h2 = 200, a2 =
0.13 SN2 = 1.014
h3 = 300, a3 =
0.11 SN3 = 1.287
Total Pavement SN = 3.471 [3/20]

Required Pavement Layer Thickness

SN Change in SN h req

3.456 3.456 251

4.412 0.956 187
5.214 0.802 170 [12/20]

Subbase and Base layers have the required thickness.

The surfacing requires an equivalent of 170 - 100 mm = 70 mm of asphalt surfacing
Using a layer strength coefficient of 0.4, required overlay = 70*0.35/0.45
Overlay in mm = 54
[2/20] Total [20/20]
 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Exam Solutions CVNG 3009 Highway Engineering 2014-2015
Question 5.

5.b)
Sample No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Mean
Good Concrete 97.3 97 95.8 96.2 97.8 97 96.5 96.8 95.4 96.9 98.2 98.6 97
Bad Concrete 91.4 93.7 93 94.8 92.2 92.8 92.9 94.3 91.7 92.8 90.6 94.1 92.9
Stdev Good 0.94
Stdev Bad 1.25
Mean Good 97.0
Mean Bad 92.9 [4/20]

Eqn.1 L-0.93 = (0.035/√n)*Φ[0.95] [1/20]

Eqn. 2 L-0.97 = (0.035/√n)*Φ[0.05] [1/20]

Solve for Sampling Plan

L = 94.5 %, and N = 11 [6/20] [12/20]

5.a)
Pavement Management
1. Objectives
2. Policy
3. Data Collection
4. Data Analysis
5. Resources required
6. Programme Optimisation
7. Programme Preparation
8. Programme Implementation
9. Feedback [8/20] Total [20/20]