Identifier

etd-01212009-023639

Degree

Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Lane restriction for trucks and differential speed limits for trucks and cars are becoming more common and feasible policies to improve the efficiency and safety of a freeway. It is believed that passenger car equivalents for trucks are impacted by these non typical freeway operating conditions, which are not explicitly addressed by the latest edition of the Highway Capacity Manual. Using simulated and real world data an elevated 18- mile four lane freeway was modeled under the restriction policies. The section which was used as a test bed was simulated under various control variables. Some of the control variables used were speed distributions from the field data, truck percentages in the traffic mix and the compliance rate to the restriction policies. The simulated results were compared with the corresponding values in HCM and observations were made which can be used for further research. The simulated results show that the ET values decreases with increase in truck percentages under the influence of the truck restrictions due to “platooning effect” caused due to increase in the truck percentage.

Date

2009

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Sherif Ishak

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.3959

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