An Analysis of Turbo Roundabouts from the Perspective of Sustainability of Road Transportation

Jan Petru,Vladislav Krivda

doi:10.3390/su13042119

Abstract

The designs of turbo roundabouts vary among countries and undesirable and potentially dangerous situations can occur for vehicles passing through the roundabout. In this article, we focus on an analysis of one of the problems within sustainable road transportation, i.e., the geometric layout of turbo roundabouts. First, we review the Czech and foreign regulations and describe the design procedures for turbo roundabouts. Studies that have been performed in the Czech Republic and abroad (the Netherlands, Slovenia, Poland, Germany, Hungary, etc.) are described. We evaluate the geometric layout of turbo roundabouts, the effectiveness of construction adjustments at the entrance to the roundabout, and an analysis of the physical separation of lanes. We present procedures and methods for measurements and assessments, which are used for evaluating the effectiveness of the geometry of a turbo roundabout. Finally, conclusions for the given hypotheses are given, as well as the importance of geometric elements (shape of the turbo roundabout, physical separation of lanes, the spike, etc.) for the actual passage of vehicles through the turbo roundabout. Furthermore, we discuss how these elements influence the safety of road traffic, the sustainability of road transportation, and the emergence of potentially dangerous situations.

Highlights

Transportation is an inseparable part of the world, from the simplest methods used in the past, through to conventional types of transportation used nowadays, to space transportation
An example related to the focus of this study is the design of intersections; if the dimensions or geometric layout of an intersection are such that motor vehicles have difficulty passing through the intersection safely, dangerous situations may occur
The analysis of regulations for designing turbo roundabouts showed that they differ in several aspects such as the number of variants, information about relevant structural elements, dimensions of a turbo block and other elements, the definition of the design, and the input and output parameters for checking the design

Summary

Introduction

Transportation is an inseparable part of the world, from the simplest methods used in the past (so-called nonmotorized land transport, i.e., transportation in wagons, using animals, carriers, rickshaws, etc.), through to conventional types of transportation used nowadays (road, rail, water, and air), to space transportation. Each type of transportation requires an appropriate technical base, a so-called mobile base (i.e., means of transport) and a stable technical base (i.e., transport infrastructure and equipment). These bases must coexist so that they do not negatively influence each other, and form a comprehensive, functioning, and long-term sustainable system. There are so-called backbone routes in road networks, for the transport of various large machine parts, construction machinery, etc. On such a route there is often an intersection (e.g., a roundabout), which does not contain elements for the passage of large cargoes

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