Research on Vehicle Congestion Group Identification for Evaluation of Traffic Flow Parameters

Abstract

The traffic flow parameters of the road network are most often evaluated through volumes, which are compared with its maximum volume (capacity) or speed and density. Capacity assessment was performed, considering horizontal and vertical orientation and characteristics of the traffic stream. This article presents the results of research on the identification of different states of creating congestion groups and their relationship to road capacity or decrease in speed. The following hypothesis was verified: when the capacity of the road is exceeded or almost reached, there is “always” a significant drop in the flow of traffic compared to when the capacity is not exceeded. The analysis showed that the average travel speed drops by 30% for the condition where groups of 25 or more vehicles are formed with a time interval of up to 4 s. The results make it possible to set traffic models in short time intervals according to real spatial conditions and to use them in the analysis of the environmental and safety impacts of road transport.