Traffic Engineering

Lecture Notes 3rd year - CE 833

Civil Engineering Department
Faculty of Engineering
University of Kufa - IRAQ
By: Dr. Firas H. A. Asad

2015 2016

IRAQ - the cradle of civilisation

Roads
Long before any human-made roads were built in Mesopotamia,
people used the rivers to travel long distances. If they had to
journey overland, they used donkeys, and later camels and horses,
and followed the routes that were physically easiest, keeping an
eye on familiar landmarks along the way. Over time some of the
routes became dirt pathways. Their obvious disadvantage was that
they became muddy and in some places impassable during the
rainy and flood season.
The Assyrians built guard posts at intervals along the roads, dug
wells to provide water for travellers and their animals, put up road
signs to help people find their way, and established a postal system
in which mounted messengers carried royal correspondence.
These longer roads were mostly still dirt paths, though some were
no doubt wider and better maintained than the previous versions.
The Assyrians did have a few paved roads, but these were short.
The paved surfaces were achieved by placing slabs of stone in a
mortar of tar (bitumen), sometimes on a base of gravel (Nardo,
2007. Ancient Mesopotamia).

Traffic Engineering

Opening Lecture

15 16
833 .

Traffic Engineering CE 833

Course Instructor

Lecturer: Dr. Firas Hasan Alwan Asad

Ph.D (Traffic Engineering) University of Salford (UK) 2013.
M.Sc. (Highways and Airports) University of Technology (Iraq) 2001.
H.Dip. (Design of Buildings by Computer) University of Technology (Iraq) 1998.
B.Sc. (Civil Engineering) University of Kufa 1997.
Uni. email: firas.alwan@uokufa.edu.iq
U

Linked in: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dr-firas-asad/71/777/352

Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=_b70E_YAAAAJ&hl=en
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Firas_Asad
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/collections/15553047/Traffic-Engineering
U

Course Description
It is a two-semester course that
covers the fundamental elements and
basic concepts of Traffic Engineering.
This course focuses on procedures
used in traffic road transportation
system planning, design, operations
and management.
The student will be familiar with the
most important traffic studies and will
be learning the principles behind
operating and controlling road
intersections.
At last but not least, students will
learn how to assess the performance
of highways and streets.
Lecture 00

Dr. Firas Asad

Traffic Engineering

Opening Lecture

15 16

Course Objectives
The objective of this course is to introduce students to key topics, issues, and design
procedures in the field of traffic engineering. Students are exposed to current design
guidelines and are introduced to the basic issues dealing with traffic engineering.
The course also aims to give the students the opportunity of conduct several traffic
studies in the field or through running the related software so that they can see how
the principles and their application come together in real-world traffic control and
management.

Student Learning Outcomes

The student will be able to:
At the conclusion of the course, the students will be able to:
1. Understand the types and methods of traffic volumes.
2. Understand the design parameters affecting sight distance
3. Determine the speed of traffic stream such as spot speed and design speed.
4. Understand flow-speed-density relationships
5. Understand impacts of human factors on roadway design
6. Evaluate and design of on-street and off-street parking.
7. Estimate level of service for basic freeway segments
8. Estimate level of service for multilane highways
9. Compute optimum cycle length for a signalized intersection
10.Determine appropriate phasing plan for a signalized intersection
11. Understand the goals and objectives of traffic signs and pavement markings.
12. Understand the possible causes and countermeasures of traffic accidents

Course Outline (Syllabus)

.833 .
Topic Title

Hrs.

First Semester
1

Introduction to traffic engineering; Principles of highway planning

and administration.
2-4 Traffic volume studies: Count types, techniques, volume variation,
short counts, volume measurement types
Lecture 00

2
6

Dr. Firas Asad

Traffic Engineering

Opening Lecture

15 16

Spot speed, speed types, definition, measurements, determination

of average spot speed, speed limit, design speed
6-8 Fundamental relationship between speed-flow-density, relationship
derivation, linear and non-linear relationship (speed-density),
evaluation of different curves
9 Factors affecting drivers (physical, psychological, modifying)

10

General requirements of vehicles and roads

10- Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) and Passing Sight Distance (PSD), Min.
12 radius of horizontal curves
13 Analysis of basic freeway section (uninterrupted flow, factors
affecting capacity, service flow rates, level of service)
14- Car parking: Surveys, types, measurements, determination of off15 street parking location (moment method)
Second Semester
1

Traffic delay study: Types, signalized intersection delay, route delay

2
6

6
2
4

2-4 At-grade Intersections: Shapes, principles of design, warrants for

signals for at-grade intersections
5-6 Design of traffic signals (Webster method), example of traffic signals

7-8 Method of coordination (specifically the flexible progressive

method), time-space diagram
9 Interchanges: Types, design principles

4
2

10

Traffic signs: Type, shapes, colors; Road markings types and

applications;
11- Traffic accident types, reporting, surveys, analysis objectives,
13 accident rates, safety precautions and countermeasures
14 Headway and gap distribution (double exponential distribution),
statistical testing

6
2

In addition to the weekly lectures, the course will also include several laboratory
sessions. The laboratory lessons are intended to complement the theoretical
lectures; they are listed below.
Lab. No.
1

Topics
Videos of data collected from field

2-4

Collecting flow data from field

5-7

Collecting speed data from field

Lecture 00

Dr. Firas Asad

Traffic Engineering

Opening Lecture

15 16

8-10

Collecting headway data

11-12

Analysis and determining flow relationship from field data- PHF

Understanding how to use the HCS for different facilities such as basic
freeway, multi-lane, two-lane, weaving, merging and intersections.
Tests

13-28
29-30

Course Materials (Recommended reading list)

1- Rogers, M. (2003). Highways Engineering. Blackwell Publishing Limited, UK.
2- Roess, R., Pacassas, E. and Mc Shane, W. (2011). Traffic Engineering. Pearson
Higher Education, 4th edition, USA.
3- Federal Highway Administration (2009). Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD).
4- HCM (2000). Highway Capacity Manual. Transportation Research Board (TRB),
USA.
5- HCM (2010). Highway Capacity Manual. Transportation Research Board (TRB),
USA.
6- Mannering, F. and Washburn, S. (2005). Principles of Highway Engineering and
Traffic Analysis. 5 th edition, USA.
7- Pignataro, L. (1973). Traffic Engineering Theory and Practice. Prentice-Hall Inc.,
New Jersey, USA.
8- American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
(2011). A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets. Washington, D.C.:
AASHTO.
9- State Corporation for Roads and Bridges (SCRB), (2005). Highway Design Manual.
Republic of Iraq, Ministry of Reconstruction & Housing, Planning and Designs
Department, Baghdad.
10- Mannering, F., Kilareski, W. and Washburn, S. (2005). Principles of Highway
Engineering and Traffic Analysis (3rd ed.). John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
11- Garber, N. and Heol, L. (2009). Traffic and Highway Engineering (4th ed.). Canada:
Cengage Learning.
Lecture 00

Dr. Firas Asad

Traffic Engineering

Opening Lecture

15 16

Grading Units
Topic

Weight

First Semester Exam

First Semester Quizzes and Homework
Laboratory
Second Semester Exam
Second Semester Quizzes and Homework
Laboratory
Final Exam

15%
5%
5%
15%
5%
5%
50%

Total

100%

Typical Grading
Grade
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Fair
Pass
Poor

Range
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
50-59%
<50%

Course Units
Course
Code
CE 833

Teaching Hours
1 Semester
2nd Semester
st

Subject
Traffic Eng.

Units

Lecture

Lab.

Tutorial

Lecture

Lab.

Tutorial

Course Outcomes - Kufa ABET Program

a.
b.
c.
d.
g.
h.
k.

An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

An ability to design and conduct experiments and to analyze and interpret data
An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
An ability to communicate effectively
Understanding the impact of engineering solutions on global and societal context
Using the techniques, skills, and modern tools necessary for engineering practice

Lecture 00

Dr. Firas Asad

Traffic Engineering

Opening Lecture

15 16

Table 1: Traffic Engineering Strategies for Achieving Outcomes and Assessment

Methods
Learning Outcome

Strategies for
Achieving Outcomes

Understand the types and methods of

traffic volumes.

Class lectures + Lab.

sessions

Understand the design parameters

affecting sight distance

Class lectures

Determine the speed of traffic stream such

as spot speed and design speed.

Class lectures + Lab.

sessions

Understand flow-speed-density
relationships

Class lectures + Lab.

sessions

Understand impacts of human factors on

roadway design

Class lectures

Evaluate and design of on-street and offstreet parking.

Class lectures + Lab.

sessions

Estimate level of service for basic freeway

segments

Class lectures + Lab.

sessions

Estimate level of service for multilane

highways

Class lectures + Lab.

sessions

Compute optimum cycle length for a

signalized intersection

Class lectures + Lab.

sessions

10

Understand phasing plan for a signalized

intersection

Class lectures + Lab.

sessions

11

Understand the goals and objectives of

traffic signs and pavement markings.

Class lectures + Lab.

sessions

12

Understand the possible causes and

countermeasures of traffic accidents

Class lectures

Assessment
Methods
Quiz
H.W.
Lab
Quiz
H.W.
Quiz
H.W.
Lab
Quiz
H.W.
Lab
Quiz
H.W.
Quiz
H.W.
Lab
Quiz
H.W.
Lab
Quiz
H.W.
Lab
Quiz
H.W.
Lab
Quiz
H.W.
Lab
Quiz
H.W.
Lab
Quiz
H.W.

===================================
Lecture 00

Dr. Firas Asad