• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.96-109
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• 2019

Roundabouts are actively installed to reduce unnecessary congestion and reduce traffic accidents. However, it is difficult to apply more than 450 cars per, hour. In addition, there is a downside to the concentration of delays in certain directions depending on traffic conditions. To compensate for these shortcomings, signal metering was introduced. Signal metering is a technique that gives red signals to adjacent left traffic flow in the event of a delay in a particular direction. The purpose of this study is comparing the effect of signal metering in conventional and special types (turbo roundabout, flower roundabout) of roundabout. VISSIM API is used for analysis. The analysis result show that only conventional roundabout signal metering algorithm reduce delay time per vehicle. As the result of the turbo roundabout and flower roundabout signal metering algorithm increase delay time per vehicle, signal metering algorithm can be applied in conventional roundabout.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.91-98
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• 2015

PURPOSES : Although signalized intersections have been considered the best way to control traffic volume in urban areas for several decades, roundabouts are currently being discussed as an alternative way to control traffic volume, especially when traffic is light. Because a roundabout's efficiency depends on the load geometry as well as the traffic volume, design guidelines for roundabouts are recommended only if the incoming traffic volume is very low. It is rare to substitute a roundabout for an existing signalized intersection in urban areas. This study aims to estimate the benefits from the transformation of an existing signalized intersection into a roundabout in an urban area. When there is a more moderate volume of traffic, roundabouts can be effectively used by optimizing signals located at an approaching roadway. METHODS : The methodologies of this paper are as follows: First, a signalized intersection was analyzed to determine the traffic characteristics. Second, the signalized intersection was transformed into a roundabout using VISSIM microscopic traffic simulation. Then, we estimated and analyzed the effects and the performance of the roundabout. In addition, we adjusted a method to improve the benefits of the transformation via the optimization of signals located at an approaching road to control the incoming traffic volume. RESULTS : The results of this research are as follows: The signal-optimized roundabout improved delays compared with the signalized intersection during the morning peak hour, non-peak hour, and evening peak hour by 1.78%, 12.45%, and 12.72%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS : According to the simulation results of each scenarios, the signal-optimized roundabout had less delay time than the signalized intersection. If optimized signal control algorithms are installed in roundabouts in the future, this will lead to more efficient traffic management.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2012

Under unsaturated capacity conditions with balanced approach flows, roundabout gives less delay and queue length than existing signalized intersections; however, over capacity conditions with unbalanced approach flows(flow above 450 pcu/h/lane), roundabouts efficiency drops due to the short gap between entering vehicles and circulating vehicles. This study provides a roundabout Signal Metering transfer standard and operation method. In this study, a four-way-approach with one-lane roundabout is selected to compare the Signal Metering performance for the case of unbalanced flow conditions. The performance is evaluated by using SIDRA software in terms of average delay and queue length. The result shows that the Signal Metering provides substantial improvements for the case of total approach flow is 1,800~2,000 pcu/h in which the main approach flow ratio is 60~70% gives 30~40% less delay and 30~60% less queue length than normal roundabout operation. Also, it is approved that operational performance saving can be achieved when the Metered Approach is selected adjoining to the main approach in pair.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.6D
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• pp.623-636
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• 2012

Roundabout is an intersection that allows vehicles to pass through the intersection by circulating the circular traffic island at the center of the intersection. In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted on roundabout at five locations in order to deduce the operational result and financial effect of roundabout and signal intersection. As for the operational result, it was found that roundabout showed improvement effect in the average delay per vehicle compared to that of signal intersection by minimum of 65.6% and maximum of 91.77%. it was found that roundabout showed financial cost-saving effect in the traffic congestion cost compared to that of signal operation by minimum of 58.59% and maximum of 81.69% per year. It can be known from these analysis results that roundabout has significant operational effects under certain amount of traffic volume by allowing vehicles to pass through the intersection in a continuous way without much waiting time and stoppage from signal control.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.63-75
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• 2013

Roundabouts have been operated in Europe, America and Australia since the 1970s, and many relevant researches continually was carried out. Though many studies regarding roundabout have been recently conducted in korea, most of them have focused on its operational safety and efficiency. Moreover, roundabout design guideline did not define a clear criteria related to pedestrian in roundabout, but seldom investigate the influences of pedestrian on crosswalk. In this study, we seek ways to operate the pedestrian crosswalk signal on roundabout maximizing their operational effects in exceptional case such as rush hour or intersection near the special facilities. We proved that roundabout signal operation is effective under certain circumstances in according to the number of pedestrian, and suggested the optimal signal timing plan for signalized roundabouts. For pursuing the above, we conducted the simulation test using the VISSIM model. The results show that the operational effectiveness of signalized roundabout was evaluated to be better than non-signalized roundabout in specific pedestrian volume condition. In addition, those results are confirmed using simulation analysis conducted on the real roundabout.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2012

This study deals with the operation effectiveness of roundabout. The objective of this study was to analyze the operational effectiveness of roundabout based on the operation of pedestrian signal. For pursuing the above, VISSIM was as a traffic simulation program. this study gives particular attention to analyzing the 1,680 scenarios by operation of Pedestrian Signal(7 cases), roundabout type(2 cases), pedestrian volume(8 cases) and entering volume(15 cases). The main results analyzed are as follows. First, the operational effectiveness analyzed by 2 type of 4-legged 1-lane roundabout and 6 type of 4-legged 2-lane were evaluated to be better than that by the others type. Second, the average delay time analyzed by operation of pedestrian signal were evaluated to be less than that by unsignalized pedestrian crossing. Finally, the average delay time analyzed by pedestrian crossing were decreased 8.18% than that by staggered pedestrian crossing in 4-legged 1-lane. However, the average delay time analyzed by staggered pedestrian crossing were evaluated to be decreased 36.53% than that by pedestrian crossing in 4-legged 2-lane.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.42-52
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• 2017

This was a study on the ultimate effect and characteristics of introducing a roundabout through a review of literature on the subject of roundabout. In order to examine an effect produced when roundabout is substituted for ordinary signal-controlled intersection operated at Daego Five-way Intersection and Seongmo Five-way Intersection located in Junggu, Daejeon Metropolitan City, site to be studied, the produced effect was analyzed through comparison between before and after introducing roundabouts in series at Daego Five-way Intersection and Seongmo Five-way Intersection by using microscopic traffic simulation program VISSIM widely used for analyzing an effect of roundabout based on a survey of geometric structure, traffic volume and signal interval on the site. As mentioned above, when Daego Five-way Intersection and Seongmo Five-way Intersection was changed to roundabout, a positive effect was produced on average speed and delay time in comparison with the existing status. It is possible to expect that roundabout can be more efficiently operated when 2 places on the site are changed to double roundabout than when separately changed to roundabouts.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.217-226
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• 2013

PURPOSES : Under the capacity conditions with balanced approach flows, roundabouts give less delay than existing signalized intersections; however, flows over 450 vehicles/hour/lane with unbalanced approach flow conditions, roundabouts efficiency drops due to the short time difference between the critical gap and the follow-up headway. The purpose of this study is developing a roundabout Signal Metering operation method by considering approach lanes degree of saturation. METHODS : A four-way-approach with one-lane roundabout is selected to compare the Signal Metering performance for the case of 16 different unbalanced flow conditions. Based on these traffic conditions, the performance is evaluated for 64 different cases of Signal Metering combinations by using SIDRA software. A degree of saturation(V/C ratio) sum for two adjoined approaches is used for the performance index of choosing Metered Approach and Controlling Approach. RESULTS : When the V/C ratio sum is 0.29~0.81 and Metered Approach flow is less than Controlling Approach flow, the average delay saving per vehicle is about 7 seconds; however, after this rage the delay saving decreases gradually until the V/C ratio sum reaches around 1.0. The range of V/C ratio sum 0.93~1.09 provides average delay saving per vehicle about 3 seconds. In case of V/C ratio sum is grater than 1.0 and the flows of Metered Approach is grater than Controlling Approach, the average delay per vehicle increases 3~11 times respectively. CONCLUSIONS : As expected, the Signal Metering provides substantial improvements in delay saving for the case of V/C ratio sum is 0.3~1.0 under the traffic flow conditions of Metered Approach is less than Controlling Approach.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.105-116
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• 2007

A ROUNDABOUT is more effective way to improve safety and prevent delays than signal intersection. ROUNDABOUT has been known highly safe treatment that could be used as a method to reduce conflicts between vehicles, to reduce travel speed in inner or approach of intersection, and to have no speed difference between drivers than intersection. In this study, the effective analysis on the installation of ROUNDABOUT was carried out using computer-based simulation tool VISSIM, in order to evaluate performance and safety of ROUNDABOUT and develope a warrant. In conclusion, the results indicated that there was remarkable increase of Y-intersection capacity and decrese of delay, and improvement of traffic safety. Finally, A nice feature of this study is to firstly attempt to use microscopic simulator to evaluate the effectiveness of ROUNDABOUT and suggest a passible operation boundary.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.337-347
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• 2015

Since the application of roundabouts by 2010 have been started, more than 350 roundabouts were installed in Korea. Recently the types of constructed roundabouts become various, and the intersection conditions for installing roundabouts were also various. However, there were some difficulties to install roundabouts around school zone due to safety problems. In this study, appropriate distance from adjacent signal crosswalks to roundabouts were estimated for securing pedestrian safety and operation efficiency around school zone. With the analyses, the minimum distance standard was suggested to obtain operational effectiveness of roundabout according to traffic volume, traffic flow, pedestrian green time and secures pedestrian safety and convenience. In this paper, average delay of roundabout as various length of distances between an adjacent crosswalk and a roundabout as different pedestrian signal times, traffic volumes, traffic flow rates were analyzed. Through this study, it was found that about four times of delay in a roundabout was generated if there was adjacent signal crosswalk. However if there is enough distance between an adjacent crosswalk and a roundabout, the value of increasing delay on roundabouts with adjacent a signalized crosswalk can be considerably reduced. Critical value of the distance between a roundabout and a signal crosswalk in case of roundabouts within 200-500 vehicle/hour/lane entry traffic flow, 20-40% of left turn traffic, and over 15 seconds pedestrian green time was about 50 meters. In conclusion, if there is minimum 40 meter distance from roundabouts, adjacent signal crosswalks can be installed and operated for students' safety around school zone.