How to Calculate the Traffic Flow

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Difference between capacity C=1000v/s and c=S(g/C).

The two expressions you’ve mentioned relate to transportation or traffic flow, but they refer to different concepts in the context of traffic analysis. Here’s a breakdown:

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  1. Capacity (C = 1000 v/s):
    • This represents the capacity of a road or lane, usually expressed in terms of vehicles per second (v/s), vehicles per minute (v/min), or vehicles per hour (v/hr). In this case, C = 1000 v/s means that the maximum number of vehicles that can pass a point in one second is 1000.
    • This value is typically used to represent the maximum flow rate that can be sustained under ideal conditions, such as without traffic congestion, and with perfect road conditions and driver behavior.
  2. C = S(g/C):
    • This expression is more of a functional relationship that might represent traffic flow under specific conditions. Here’s what it means:
      • S: This could represent the space headway, or the distance between successive vehicles (in meters or another unit).
      • g: This might represent the green time in a signal cycle (the duration during which vehicles are allowed to move through an intersection).
      • C: This is likely referring to the capacity in a given context, with the function g/C modifying the flow rate.
    • In this case, the formula suggests a relationship where the flow or capacity is dependent on the green signal time, the space headway, and the existing road capacity. It’s often used in signalized intersection analysis or queuing theory.

To summarize:

  • C = 1000 v/s is a direct measure of the road’s capacity, indicating the maximum traffic flow rate.
  • C = S(g/C) is a more complex relationship that accounts for factors like signal timing and headway between vehicles, potentially used for analyzing traffic flow at signalized intersections.

These two expressions are related, but one focuses on overall capacity under ideal conditions, while the other models traffic flow in a specific situation.