Traffic Flow - Traffic Stream Properties

Traffic Stream Properties

Traffic flow is generally constrained along a one-dimensional pathway (e.g. a travel lane). A time-space diagram provides a graphical depiction of the flow of vehicles along a pathway over time. Time is measured along the horizontal axis, and distance is measured along the vertical axis. Traffic flow in a time-space diagram is represented by the individual trajectory lines of individual vehicles. Vehicles following each other along a given travel lane will have parallel trajectories, and trajectories will cross when one vehicle passes another. Time-space diagrams are useful tools for displaying and analyzing the traffic flow characteristics of a given roadway segment over time (e.g. analyzing traffic flow congestion).

There are three main variables to visualize a traffic stream: speed (v), density (k), and flow (q).

Read more about this topic:  Traffic Flow

Famous quotes containing the words traffic, stream and/or properties:

    There’s something about the dead silence of an office building at night. Not quite real. The traffic down below is something that didn’t have anything to do with me.
    John Paxton (1911–1985)

    I have ventured
    Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders,
    This many summers in a sea of glory,
    But far beyond my depth. My high-blown pride
    At length broke under me and now has left me,
    Weary and old with service, to the mercy
    Of a rude stream that must forever hide me.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    The reason why men enter into society, is the preservation of their property; and the end why they choose and authorize a legislative, is, that there may be laws made, and rules set, as guards and fences to the properties of all the members of the society: to limit the power, and moderate the dominion, of every part and member of the society.
    John Locke (1632–1704)