CE571 Traffic Flow Theory - Fall 2006

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TIME and PLACE: 4:30 PM - 7:50 PM Wednesday -- JEB 025

OFFICE HOURS: (MWF) 1:00 PM - 2:45 PM, Other times could be arranged by advance appointment.

REQUIRED TEXT:

	May, A. D., Traffic Flow Fundamentals, Prentice-Hall, 1990.
	Traffic Flow Theory: A State of the Art Report, sponsored by TRB Committee A3A11. http://www.tfhrc.gov/its/tft/tft.htm

COURSE CONTEXT, ORGANIZATION, and GOALS/OBJECTIVES: The Traffic Flow Theory course provides “the basic” concepts and theories that form the foundation for understanding a variety of traffic flow characteristics and the associated analytical techniques. It seeks to convey a conceptual understanding of different traffic processes through the development of mathematical models of these processes. This course reviews the foundations of traffic science and presents the major classes of models derived for various aspects of traffic flow. Recent developments and topics of current research are also addressed. Particular emphasis is placed on the implications of the models and the traffic system properties for traffic operations and control.

The course is organized in three parts: the first is concerned with the microscopic and macroscopic characteristics of the three traffic flow parameters; flow, speed, and density. The second part will deal with the analytical techniques used in traffic analysis such as traffic stream models, shock wave analysis, deterministic and stochastic queuing theories, and capacity analysis. The third and final part of the course will introduce the concepts of computer simulation and optimization models and the traffic flow models utilized in them. By the end of the term you should be able to:

	Understand the microscopic and macroscopic characteristics of the traffic flow parameters (flow, speed, and density);
	Understand the fundamental relations among the three traffic flow parameters (flow, speed, and density);
	Understand and be able to use different analytical techniques (Traffic stream models, shock wave analysis, queuing analysis and capacity analysis) for analyzing different traffic applications;
	Understand and be able to use a wide variety of traffic simulation and optimization models

COURSE SYLLABUS: The following subjects are tentatively scheduled. Please refer to the course two textbooks for sections reference. Textbooks: “Traffic Flow Fundamentals” by Adolf D. May and TRB report “Traffic Flow Theory: A State of the Art Report”

Day/Date	Subject	Sections
Week 1 (8/23/2006)	Introduction-Traffic Flow Characteristics	1.1 – 1.7
Week 1 (8/23/2006)	Human factors	3.1 -3.7 [TRB]
Week 2 (8/30/2006)	Microscopic Flow Characteristics – Random Headway State	2.1 – 2.4
	Constant Headway States	2.5
	Intermediate Headway State	2.6 – 2.8
Week 3 (9/06/2006)	Macroscopic Flow Characteristics	3.1 – 3.8
Week 3 (9/06/2006)	Microscopic Speed Characteristics (1)	4.1 – 4.2
Week 4 (9/13/2006)	Microscopic Speed Characteristics (2)	4.3 – 4.5
Week 4 (9/13/2006)	Macroscopic Speed Characteristics	5.1 – 5.4
Week 5 (9/20/2006)	Microscopic Density Characteristics- Car Following	6.1-6.2
Week 5 (9/20/2006)	Car Following Models (1)	6.2 & 4.1 – 4.4 [TRB]
Week 6 (9/27/2006)	Density Measurements	6.4 – 6.5
Week 6 (9/27/2006)	Macroscopic Density Characteristics (1)	7.1 – 7.7
	Exam 1
Week 7 (10/04/2006)	Traffic Stream Models – Stream Flow Fundamentals	10.1 – 10.4
Week 7 (10/04/2006)	Traffic Stream Models – individual Models	10.1 – 10.4
Week 8 (10/11/2006)	Continuum Flow Models-- Shock Wave Analysis	5.1
Week 8 (10/11/2006)	Continuum Flow Models- High Order Models (1)	5.2-5.3 [TRB]
Week 9 (10/18/2006)	Queuing Analysis - Deterministic	11.1 – 11.2
Week 9 (10/18/2006)	Queuing Analysis - Stochastic	11.3 – 11.6
Week 10 (10/25/2006)	Macroscopic Models – General Network Models	6.1 – 6.2 [TRB]
Week 10 (10/25/2006)	Macroscopic Models – Two Fluid Theory (1)	6.3 – 6.4 [TRB]
	Exam 2
Week 11 (11/01/2006)	Traffic Simulation (1)	13.1-13.10
Week 11 (11/01/2006)	Traffic Simulation (2)	10.1 – 10.10 [TRB]
Week 12 (11/08/2006)	Traffic Impact Models	7.1 – 7.2 [TRB]
Week 12 (11/08/2006)	Uninterrupted Flow applications – Ramp Metering	8.1 – 8.5 [May]
Week 13 (11/15/2006)	Interrupted Flow applications – Unsignalized Intersections	8.1 – 8.3 [TRB]
Week 13 (11/15/2006)	Interrupted Flow applications – Unsignalized Intersections	8.4 – 8.5 [TRB]
(11/20/2006) (11/27/2006)	FALL RECESS – NO CLASS
Week 14 (11/29/2006)	Interrupted Flow applications – Signalized intersections	9.1 – 9.4 [TRB]
Week 14 (11/29/2006)	Interrupted Flow applications – Signalized intersections	9.5 – 9.7 [TRB]
Week 15 (12/06/2006)	REVIEW
Week 15 (12/06/2006)	REVIEW
	Final Exam