Road Networks Elements Design

Recommended Prerequisites

  Highway Engineering; Traffic Engineering.

Teaching Methods

The mixed theoretical-practical teaching approach enables a well-balanced teaching strategy, since it conciliates theoretical presentation of basic concepts, with the presentation and discussion of practical, mostly real life sectorial problems, which enables a permanent involvement of the students.

Learning Outcomes

  In this curricular unit the basic aim is to entitle the student to acquire a set of critical knowledge and advanced design tools, applicable to the most relevant road network elements. In parallel a significant introduction is made to the usage of benchmark specialized software, applicable to the development and evaluation of complex real life problems.

A basic aim is also related with the students’ acquisition of enhanced capabilities to study and solve complex real life problems, and, in parallel the acquisition of enhanced presentation and discussion (oral and written) of the selected solutions in the presence of relevant stakeholders.

Finally, in this curricular unit, a major aim is the students’ acquisition of enhanced capabilities in group work, and alternative solutions evaluation using benchmark evaluation methodologies.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1)Capacity and Level of Service concepts;
1.1.    Speed, flow and density concepts; The fundamental macroscopic traffic flow equation;
1.2.    Multicriteria analysis principles, and performance indicators applicable in the analysis of different road types and environments
2)Uninterrupted stretches of road capacity and levels of service
2.1.    Single carriageway road;
2.2.    Multilane or dual carriageway roads;
3) Design of signalized intersections
3.1.    Fixed time or actuated isolated intersections
3.2.    Coordinated systems
3.3.    Introduction to specialized design and evaluation software
4)Design principles of other classic and innovative types of intersections
4.1.    Priority intersections
4.2.    Classic roundabouts and Turbo Roundabouts
5)Road Signs and Markings
5.1.    Directional: Basic principles of hierarchy selection and placement of directional information to be provided; Design rules
5.2.    Information and touristic vertical and markings; Basic applicability rules

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Exam: 50.0%
Project: 50.0%

Bibliography

CCRDN, 2008 - Manual de Acessibilidades e da Gestão Viária. http://norteemrede.ccdr-n.pt/planeamento/publicacoes/manual-de-planeamento-das-acessibilidades-e-da-gestao-viaria ;

Transportation Research Board, Highway Capacity Manual, 2010

Department for Planning Transport and Infrastructure, 2014, Traffic  Modelling  Guidelines- TRANSYT 15 –

http://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/151172/TRAFFIC_MODELLING_GUIDELINES_-_TRANSYT_15_PUBLICATION_VERSION_CREATED_11_11_2014_16_03.pdf

Vasconcelos, L., Silva, A.B., Seco, A.M., Fernandes, P., Coelho, M.C. (2014). Turboroundabouts: Multicriterion Assessment of Intersection Capacity, Safety, and Emissions, Journal of Transportation Research Record, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Vol. 2402, pp. 28-37

Manuais de sinalização (vertical, horizontal, Informação e Turístico), IMT. http://www.imtt.pt/sites/IMTT/Portugues/EnsinoConducao/ManuaisEnsinoConducao/Paginas/FichasdoManualdoEnsinodaConducao.aspx