Traffic Characteristics of Non-Motorized Vehicles in Mixed Traffic

Abstract

In present day scenario, in countries like India we can find mixed traffic conditions, i.e. traffic flow constituting of all sorts of vehicles like cycles, rickshaws, auto and so on. During the peak hours, the flow of NMVs is high. The presence of NMV in the traffic stream affect the traffic characteristics like speed, density and flow of the stream. In order to design a traffic facility, the traffic behavior has to be understood. For the mixed traffic conditions, it is difficult to understand the behavior of the stream. In this thesis, an endeavor is kept to study the traffic characteristics of NMVs in mixed stream. The entire project work is consists of two parts. The former is the experimental part and the latter is the statistical testing part. The former part of study includes the study of the fundamental diagrams, finding the capacity of the section and the lateral occupancy of the section for the data obtained from the various parts of the Rourkela City. It was seen that with the change in the NMV percentage an adversity is found in the parameters like speed, density and flow. In the study of lateral occupancy, it is observed that in one way divided traffic flow, the maximum number of NMVs are occupying the left two strips and the MVs are occupying the right most strips as our Indian traffic behavior is left handed and it is easy for the MVs to overtake the slow moving vehicles. In the case of undivided two way traffic, the maximum number of traffic is found in the middle portions but a minimum on the right and left strips in the light of fact that the vehicles are present in the opposite directions. IV In the statistical analysis part, a comparison is made for the traffic parameters in Rourkela City between 2011 and 2014. The hypothesis testing is conducted between the traffic parameters and variations are found. The hypothesis testing compares the means of the two observed samples. The procedure follows four steps. The first step is of stating the null hypothesis, it is followed by test static, P-value and conclusion and finally decision making. The decision is made on the basis of Z observed and the obtained P-value. The results indicate that the percentage NMV is decreased from 2011 and the speed and flow got increased from 2011.