The document summarizes a traffic volume study conducted by a student group. They collected traffic data over 20 minutes using direct manual counting methods at an intersection in Dhaka. A total of 1132 passenger car units per hour passed through during the study period, indicating a level of service of D. Based on expansion factors, they estimated an average daily traffic of 18,658 vehicles and annual average daily traffic of 32,764 vehicles. The study had some limitations but provided useful findings on vehicle composition and directional flow. Recommendations included adopting automatic counting methods and improving transportation infrastructure.

1. AHSANULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING SESSIONAL II
COURSE NO. CE 452

2. Group Identification
Group No : 05
Group Members
Jarin Tasnim – 12.02.03.039
Tawfiqul Islam– 12.02.03.042
Sayedur Rahman– 12.02.03.046
Sajjad Mahmood– 12.02.03.047
Md.Tashfique Uddin Chowdhury – 12.02.03.052
Ahmed Ibrahim-08.01.03.083

3. Traffic Volume Study

4. Presentation Outline
► Methodology ► Data collection
► Objective ► Definition
►Data analysis
►Recommendation
► Conclusion
►Limitations

5. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
Vehicle Composition
Traffic Stream Properties
Directional Distribution
Flow Fluctuation
Average Daily Traffic

6. Traffic Volume Study
Traffic volume is defined as the number of vehicles crossing a section of road per unit time at
any selected period. Traffic volume studies are conducted to collect data on the number of
vehicles and/or pedestrians that pass a point on a highway facility during a specified time
period.
This time period varies from as little as 15 min to as much as a year, depending on the
anticipated use of the data.

7. General Objectives
 Designing Purpose
 Improving traffic system
 Planning Purposes
 Dynamic Traffic Management Purposes
 Others Purposes

8. GENERAL OBJECTIVES (CONTINUES)
DESIGN PURPOSE :
 STRUCTURAL AND GEOMETRIC DESIGN OF PAVEMENTS, BRIDGE, AND OTHER
HIGHWAY FACILITIES;
 INTERSECTIONS DESIGN INCLUDING MINIMUM TURNING PATH,
CHANNELIZATION, FLARING & TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES.
 PEDESTRIAN VOLUME STUDY IS USEFUL FOR DESIGNING SIDE WALKS,
PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ETC.

9. GENERAL OBJECTIVES (CONTINUES)
IMPROVEMENT PURPOSES:
 TO ALLOCATE LIMITED MAINTENANCE BUDGET RATIONALLY;
 TO IMPROVE THE ROADWAY OPERATING CONDITION;
 TO EXAMINE THE EXISTING OPERATING/SERVICE CONDITION;
 TO DETERMINE THE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT MEASURE NEED TO
BE TAKEN ETC.

10. GENERAL OBJECTIVES (CONTINUES)
Planning Purposes:
Accurate information on the amount of traffic on the roads is vital for the
planning of both road maintenance and improvement policies

11. GENERAL OBJECTIVES (CONTINUES)
Dynamic Traffic Management Purposes:
Up to date and continuous flow/congestion information is essential for optimizing; Network
productivity by providing information to the road user etc

12. GENERAL OBJECTIVES (CONTINUES)
Other Purposes:
Estimation of highway usage
Measurement of current demand of a facility
Estimation of trends
Economic feasibility evaluation
Computation of accident rates etc

13. Key terms of traffic volume study
Volume/flow
Rate of flow
Average daily traffic
Average annual daily traffic
Directional Distribution
Passenger car equivalent

14. Definitions
Volume/flow
The total number of vehicles that pass
over a given point or section of a lane or
roadway during a given time interval is
called volume. It is the actual number of
vehicle observed or predicted to passing a
point during a given interval.
Rate of flow:
The equivalent hourly rate at which
vehicles pass over a given point or section
of a lane or roadway during a time interval
less than 1hr. usually 15 min.

15. Definitions
ADT:
Average daily traffic is the volume of traffic
counted on the roadway(two way) over a given
time period (greater than one day but less than
one year) divided by the number of days in
that time period.
AADT:
Average annual daily traffic is obtained by
adding daily traffic counts over one year
divided by 365 days.

16. Definitions
Directional Distribution:
Directional distribution refers to the
percentage of traffic flow in one
direction during a particular time of
day. This factor is particularly important
in the case of commuter roads, where
maximum flow occurs in one direction
in the morning and the other in the
evening. This also needs to be
considered for efficient geometric
design
PCE:
PCE means passenger car equivalent to express
various types and characteristics vehicles to a
common type usually the passenger car. One
car is considered to one unit.

17. Expansion Factors
Hourly expansion factors:
HEF=Total volume for 24 hr period/Volume for
particular hour
Daily expansion factors :
DEF=Average total volume for a week/Average volume
for particular day
Monthly expansion factors:
MEF=AADT/ADT for particular month

18. Methodology
Traffic volume
study
Automatic
Counting
Method
Contact system
based
Contactless
system based
Manual Counting
Method
Direct Method
Indirect Method

19. Manual Counting Method: Direct
method
Data is counted by using hand tally and manual counters/enumerators.
Advantages: By this method traffic volume as well as vehicle classification and turning
proportions can be obtained. Data can be used immediately after collection.
Disadvantages: This method is not practicable for long duration count and when
flow is high. Error is common especially when volume is high. Count cannot be cross checked.
Count cannot be done in bad weather.

20. Instruments used in Direct method
Fig: Hand Counter Fig: Instrument to Measure Distance

21. Tally Sheet

22. Mechanical Counting Boards
Mechanical count boards consist of counters
mounted on a board that record each direction
of travel. Common counts include pedestrian,
bicycle, vehicle classification, and traffic
volume counts.
Fig : Mechanical Counting Boards

23. Electronic Counting Boards
Electronic counting boards are battery-
operated, lighter, more compact, and easier
to handle. They have an internal clock that
automatically separates the data by time
interval.
Fig : Electronic Counting Boards

24. Direct method
A Typical Data Sheet of Manual Method

25. Manual Counting Method: Indirect
Method
In this method, data is collected using video camera. Video is captured for long time
and data is collected later by rewinding.
Advantages: Besides traffic volume, several traffic parameters can be
obtained from recorded film. Data can be cross checked and quality can be ensured.
This method is applicable when volume is high. It is suitable for non-lane based traffic
operation.
Disadvantages: A suitable elevated place is required for filming
operation. Data cannot be used immediately after collection.

26. Manual Counting Method: Indirect Method
Video cameras are mounted
to record the traffic condition
on a road.

27. Automatic counting method:
In this method, vehicles are counted automatically without any human involvement.
Contact system based (pneumatic, mechanical, magnetic or piezoelectric method)
Contactless system based (electrical/optical, ultrasound/infrared radar, micro wave,
CCTV/video image processing method etc.)

28. Automatic counting method:
Advantages:
This method is suitable for long duration or continuous count. Count is not affected by bad
weather condition.
Disadvantages:
It requires strict lane discipline. Non motorized vehicles are hard to detect

29. Equipment used for Automatic counting
method: Contact system
Pneumatic Road
Tube Counter
Motion sensors

30. Equipment used for Automatic counting method: Contactless
system
Vehicle numbers are recorder using ultrasound, light beam or other
infrared technology.

31. Selected Method for Our Survey
Direct Manual Counting Method

32. Data Collection
Site & location : Panthapath (Square Hospital)
Direction : Panthapath to Russel square
(East to West)
Date : 29th January 2016 (Thursday)
Time : 10 – 10:20 AM
Duration : 20 min
Weather : Hazy

33. Data Collection
Survey location and our group position

34. Number of vehicle
Direction : Panthapath to Russell Square
Time : 10 – 10:20 AM
Type of Vehicle Number
Car, Jeep, Micro, Taxi 185
Auto Rickshaw 35
Bus 11
Motorcycle 42
NMV 90

36. Service Flow Rate
Vehicle Type PCU Factor Flow
(Total vehicles in
20 minutes
Flow
(PCU in 20
minutes)
Service Flow Rate
(PCU in 1 Housr)
Bus 3 11 33 99
Car,Jeep,Micro,Ta
xi
1.5 185 277.5 832.5
Auto Rickshaw 0.5 35 17.5 52.5
Motor Cycle 0.1 42 4.2 12.6
NMV 0.5 90 45 135
Total 1131.6
The Service Flow Rate is 1132 PCU/hr

37. Expansion Factor Used
Hourly expansion factor used
HEF = 18.80 for 9-10 AM
HEF = 17.11 for 10-11AM
HEF = 18.52 for 11-12 AM
Daily expansion factor used
DEF = 7.012 for Thursday

38. Estimation of Average Daily Traffic (ADT)
ADT estimation based on expansion factor
Estimated 24-hr volume for Thursday,
Using HEF = ( 1132 x 18.8 + 920 x 17.11 + 1018 X 18.52 )/3
= 18625.39
Since the roadway was divided in two directions using 3 groups (Grp 1,2,3) data,
ADT for one direction ( East to West : from Panthapath to Russel Square) is
calculated.
From 24-hr volume for Thursday, estimated volume for the week using DEF
(Daily expansion factor)
Total 7- days volume =18625.39 x 7.012 = 130601.23ADT (Average 24-hr
volume)
ADT (Average 24 hour volume) = 130601.23/ 7 = 18658 veh/day

39. Estimation of Annual Average Daily Traffic
(AADT)
Monthly Expansion Factor (MEF) for January = 1.756
AADT = 18658 x 1.756 = 32764 PCU/day

40. Directional Distribution (DD)
Average Directiona
l
Direction Time PCU/hour PCU/hour Distributi
on
(DD)
9:00AM- 1132
From
Panthapath
10:00AM 1024 50.62 %
10:00AM- 920
To Russell 11:00AM
Square
11:00AM- 1018
(East to
west) 12:00PM
From
Russell
9:00AM- 941
10:00AM
Square To 999 49.38 %10:00AM- 1044
Panthapath 11:00AM
(West to
east) 11:00AM- 1010
12:00AM

41. Directional Distribution
51%49%
Panthapath- Russell Square
Russell square - Panthapath

42. Estimation of % ADT at each direction
42

43. According to this
classification of
Level of Service,
estimated Level of
Service during
survey period was
‘D’.
LEVEL OF SERVICE
LOS SERVICE FLOW
RATE (PCU/HR)
A 600
B 700
C 900
D 1200
E 1400
F >1400

44. Flow Fluctuation Curve

45. STANDARD GRAPH FROM PREVIOUS SURVEY

46. Limitation
TIME AND RECOURSES IS LIMITED
INSOLENT SURVEYORS
MANUAL METHOD OF COUNTING, WHICH IS UNRELIABLE AND
IRREVERSIBLE
SHORT-TERM (20 MINUTE) DATA COLLECTION
CCTV FOOTAGE OR CAMERA RECORDING IS NOT AVAILABLE.

47. Recommendation
47
Non-motorized vehicle must be managed.
More public transport facilities should be introduced minimizing private facilities.
Automatic counting method should be adopted based on CCTV/VIDEO camera
surveillance.
Long duration count should be conducted for transport planning & design.
Separate lanes should be provided for bicycle facilities, proper bus lay by should be
established to avoid traffic delay.
Signal system should be automatized & must be up to date with emerging traffic volume.

48. Conclusion
48
Although there were many limitations & drawbacks in our study but we can
conclude by saying that our survey was definitely a successful one with lots of
findings & learning’s. Lack of investment in transport sector, pristine
management system, non uniform vehicular distribution. Besides, we faced
drawbacks in performing this task. Our data showed a very composite vehicular
distribution, which create traffic jam & other critical problems. In near future,
revelations of unexplained information’s from statistical volume data will help
to provide solutions to varies traffic problems. It would be affective if we can
work on these findings & bring out corresponding remedies.