Sensitivity Analysis of Maximum Weaving Length for One-Sided Weaving Section Based on HCM 2016
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 147, Issue 1
Abstract
As explained in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), if the segment length is greater than the maximum weaving length (), it is considered to be separate segments of merging and diverging; otherwise, it is a weaving segment. This article focuses on a situation where the maximum weaving length in merging/diverging segments is equal to the length of the segment or the sum of acceleration and deceleration. In both situations, conditions such as length and traffic volumes are equal. Data analysis in Freeval 2015e shows that merging/diverging segments perform better and follow a regular order in terms of speed and density under equal conditions. Nearly in all cases, the density decreased and the speed increased by increasing volume ratio (VR). However, for the weaving segment, density and speed follow an oscillating order. In addition, this article introduces a variable in equation called FR is equal to the ratio of the freeway-to-ramp traffic volume over the ramp-to-freeway traffic volume (). A West Hakim Highway weaving segment in Tehran, Iran, was simulated in the capacity conditions with some traffic scenarios, implying maximum weaving length and flow. Analysis of exploratory data showed that is a threshold that differs in traffic behavior before and after that value, so two regime models were used. Linear regression models for were developed in two separate parts of and for two different situations of and 3 ( = number of weaving lanes). Results showed that FR should be added to HCM’s equation.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request. This data is in the form of some R script, Seed (Freeval), and Excel files.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank Dr. Morteza Asad Amraji, Vice President of Education at Tehran Parseh Transportation Research Institute and Manager of Safety and ITS Research Center, for his assistance in Aimsun’s simulation software.
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© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Oct 4, 2019
Accepted: Jul 13, 2020
Published online: Oct 24, 2020
Published in print: Jan 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Mar 24, 2021
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