01049265

Component

https://doi.org/10.3141/2012-02

http://scholar.google.com...mura&publication_year=2007

This paper aims to investigate the breakdown phenomenon at on-ramp merging sections of urban expressways in Japan. The breakdown events are treated here as a probabilistic phenomenon. Six merging sections at which breakdowns frequently occur are selected to be different in their geometry in relation to acceleration lane length and ramp entrance side. Three different aspects of merging capacity are recognized: the maximum outflow rate before the breakdown, the outflow rate when the breakdown starts to occur, and the outflow rates during the queue discharge period. These outflow aspects are analyzed after they are converted into an equivalent passenger car unit to eliminate the effect of heavy vehicles. Then the probability of breakdown at these sections is investigated as a function of outflow rates. The observed breakdown probabilities follow the Weibull distribution function at all sections, with close values of shape parameter and wide range values of scale parameter. The values of the scale parameter are used to investigate the effects of the acceleration lane length and entrance ramp side. Moreover, the breakdown probability is investigated as a function of the occupancy observed immediately downstream of the merging section. Last, the effects of ramp flow ratio and interval length of aggregated data are discussed.

01084472

English

pp 11-19

2007

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

9780309104388

Print

Figures (11) ; References (11) ; Tables (4)

Acceleration lanes; Expressways; Geometric design; Highway operations; Interchange ramps; Merging area; Merging traffic; On ramps; Traffic flow; Urban areas; Weibull distributions

Downstream; Freeway breakdown

Japan

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Feb 8 2007 6:50PM

• Evaluating Benefits of A Systemwide Adaptive Ramp-Metering Strategy in Portland, Oregon
• Evaluation of Effects of Ramp Metering on Merging Operations
• Evaluation of Impacts of Open Road Tolling on Main-Line Toll Plaza
• Freeway Bottleneck Simulation, Implementation, and Evaluation
• High-Occupancy Vehicle Lanes and Hybrid Vehicles
• Improving Queue Size Estimation for Minnesota’s Stratified Zone Metering Strategy
• License Plate and Telephone Numbers in Changeable Message Sign Amber Alert Messages
• Methodology for Identifying Vulnerable Sections in a National Road Network
• Modeling Freeway Diverging Behavior on Deceleration Lanes
• Probabilistic Data-Driven Approach for Real-Time Screening of Freeway Traffic Data
• Probe Vehicle Runs or Loop Detectors? Effect of Detector Spacing and Sample Size on Accuracy of Freeway Congestion Monitoring
• Safety Impacts of Freeway Managed-Lane Strategy: Inside Lane for High-Occupancy Vehicle Use and Right Shoulder Lane as Travel Lane During Peak Periods
• Simulation Analysis of Truck-Restricted and High-Occupancy Vehicle Lanes
• Traffic Diversion Effect of Ramp Metering at Individual and System Levels