COURSE HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
COURSE CODE ECG304
LEVEL OF OPENNESS 1
CATEGORY PARTIALLY OPEN ENDED
DEGREE OF OPEN-ENDED
(%) 33
PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 2 WEEKS
TITLE LAB 2: SPACE MEAN SPEED
PREAMBLE 1.1 Introduction
Level 1 laboratory activity refers to condition where the problem and ways & means are guided and given to the students. However the answers to the assignment are left to the students to solve using the group creativity and innovativeness. The activity is hope to slowly introduced and inculcate independent learning amongst students and prepare them for a much harder task of open-ended laboratory activities.
In this laboratory activity the students are required to measure space mean speed (or journey speed) of a predetermined location on the road. The method calls License plate matching technique is chosen for this laboratory because of its convenient.
In general, license plate matching technique consist of collecting vehicle license plate numbers and arrival times at various checkpoints, matching the license plates between consecutive checkpoints, and computing travel times from the difference in arrival times.
1.2 Objective
The objective of the test is:
To conduct the Space Mean Speed Study by using a method call License Plate Matching Technique.
1.3 Learning Outcomes
At the end of the laboratory activity, students would be able to:
1. Identify the correct apparatus to carry out the Space Mean Speed Study by using a method call License Plate Matching Technique.
2. Analyse data correctly and present it in a typical format. 3. Work in a group to produce technical report.
1.4 Theoretical Background
beginning and end of the test section. Observers also can be positioned at other locations if elapsed times to those locations are required. Each observer records the license plate number of each car that passes the test section together with the time at which the car passes. The data of matching car’s plate number and the times of arrival at the beginning and end of the test section for each license plate recorded are accomplished in the office. The difference between these times is the traveling time of each vehicle. The average of these is the average traveling time on the test section.
Manual method of collecting license plates:
Collecting number of license plates using pen and paper or audio tape recorder. Then manually entering (writing) number of license plates and arrival times into a form.
Figure 1. Illustration of License Plate Matching Techniques
PROBLEM STATEMENT
2 Problem Statement
Students are required to conduct the Space Mean Speed study at the specific location (predetermine location) using a method of License Plate Matching Technique.
Students are required to describe the site and the nature of the road surface, the difficulty and obstacles during the laboratory and opinion on the value of Space Mean Speed and Time Mean Speed from calculation. WAYS & MEANS 3.1 Apparatus
a. Measurement tape/distance measurement wheel b. Two watches (synchronized)
b. Designate the checkpoints and specific locations where observers will be positioned,
c. Measure the length of route between two predetermine checkpoints; d. Determine number of license plates needed for minimum sample sizes, e. Train personnel and practice reading one to two hours of license plates
in actual roadside conditions before commencement of the study, f. Collect license plates number as many as you can,
g. Compare and match (at least 50 matches)the license plate numbers obtain from two checkpoints.
3.3 Data Acquisition
TRAVEL TIME STUDY (SPACE MEAN SPEED) PLATE MATCHING TECHNIQUE Name of the road: _______________
Route length: ___________________ Direction of traffic: _______________ Weather: ______________________ Date: _________________________ Time of start: ___________________ Time of end: ____________________ Observer:_______________________
Plate
No.
Time
Plate
No.
Time
Plate
No.
Time
TABLE FOR MATCHED VEHICLES’S PLATE NUMBER
NO.
MATCHED
PLATE
NO.
TIME AT
POINT A
(UP TO
SECS.)
TIME AT
POINT B
(UP TO
SECS.)
TRAVEL TIME
BETWEEN
POINT A AND
POINT B, t
(SECS.)
SPEED, v
(KM/HR)
TOTAL
Calculate Time mean speed and Space mean speed by using formula given below.
Time MeanSpeed =average speed=
∑
v
n
Space MeanSpeed=
distance traveled
average traveltime
=
d
∑
t
n
Whereby;v = speed of the vehicle (km/hr)
d = distance traveled or length of roadway segment (km) t = travel time of the vehicle (hr)
n = number of observations
Calculate the different of value between Space Mean Speed and Time Mean Speed.
RESULTS
4 Results, Analysis and Conclusion
The group is required to submit the technical report of the laboratory results highlighting the data acquisition process, analysis carried out and the relevancy of the set-out output to achieve the objective. The format of the report is left to the creativity discretion of the group.
