• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.87-94
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• 2016

PURPOSES : This study analyzed the lane-by-lane traffic flow characteristics in Korea by using real-world data, including congestion levels, for 2-, 3-, and 4-lane freeways. METHODS : On the basis of a literature review, lane flow and speed characteristics were analyzed using flow measurements and speed ratios. In addition, the effect of congestion levels on traffic flow were visualized using rescaled cumulative plots. RESULTS : Driver behavior varied depending on the congestion level. During free-flow conditions, the lane-use ratio of individual lanes varied largely, whereas during congestion, the ratio was nearly the same for all lanes (i.e., equilibrium). During maximum-flow and congestion conditions, the median lane was used more than the shoulder lane, whereas during all other conditions, the shoulder lane had a higher lane-use ratio. In 3- or 4-lane freeways, the lane-use ratio of the median lane always exceeded 1 and was the highest during free-flow conditions. CONCLUSIONS : The results of the present analysis can be used as an index to predict congestion before a lane is overcapacitated. Moreover, the results can be applied in variable lane guidance systems, such as car navigation systems and variable message displays, to control traffic flow.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.30-44
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• 2009

Asphalt concrete pavements are often destroyed within the intended design life due to the increasement in traffic volume. The most common types of asphalt concrete pavement damages are permanent deformation and fatigue cracking, and so on. In this research, characteristics of traffic loadings and lateral wheel path distributions are analyzed using the field survey on traffic flow. The obtained traffic characteristics can be used to the decision making for the maintenance policy of roads. According to the traffic lane analysis for the 2nd and 3rd lanes, inner lane vehicles tended to pass to the right side to avoid the opposite side vehicles. In addition, the outside lane vehicles were deviated to the left side to avoid passengers. It is also noted that the lateral wheel path distributions was close to the normal distribution.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.47-56
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• 2015

PURPOSES: The purpose of this study is to estimate the impact of variable message signage (VMS) on traffic safety as a function of road curve radius using statistical methods. METHODS: In order to analyze the impact of VMS installations on traffic safety, travel speed, lateral distance, and geometric data relating to road curvature in each study area was acquired and analyzed for the impact of providing VMS information on driver performance and traffic safety using statistical methods including student t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and the Anderson-Darling test for estimating traffic safety hazard zone in each lane. RESULTS: As a result of analyzing driver performance characteristics before and after providing VMS information, it was determined that by providing VMS information, mean travel speed is deceased and vehicles are driven with increased precision, following the centerline in the first and second lanes. Also the results of analyzing traffic safety impacts of VMS indicate that traffic safety performance factors in the first lane of the Gapyeong section can, on average, increase in the left and right side of the lane by 19.22% and 68.98%, respectively, and in the case of the second lane, safety impacts, on average, can increase in both sides by 100%. For the Hongcheon section, traffic safety impacts in the first lane, on average, can increase along the left and right sides of the lane by 32.31% and 47.18%, and within the second lane, traffic safety can be increased along the left and right side of the lane by 10.97% and -0.01%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of this study, the impact on traffic safety obtained by providing VMS information for road sections with smaller curve radii is greater than can be obtained for road sections with larger curve radii.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.51-56
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• 2016

Expressways mean the primary arterial highways with a high level of efficiency and safety. However, Gyeongbu and Namhae expressways connected with Busan ports are showing travel time delay by increased traffic including the medium/large-sized vehicles of about 20% compared to those of about 13% regardless of the peak periods. This study, thus, intends to analyze lane traffic characteristics in the basic 8-lane segments of the above-mentioned expressways, compute the planning and buffer times based on travel time reliability, find the lane speed showing a higher correlation with planning time between the lane speeds in the basic 8-lane segments, and finally suggest a correlation model for predicting the planning time in expressways.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.591-597
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• 2012

Generally an urban freeway means a primary arterial which provides road users with a free-flow speed, except for ramp junctions during rush hours. However, most road users suffer from traffic congestion in the basic segments as well as in the ramp junctions of urban freeway during rush hours, because most road users prefer urban freeways to local roads in the urban areas. This study then intends to analyze lane traffic characteristics of urban freeway basic segments having more freight vehicles during rush hours, find the lane showing a high correlation with the segment speed between lane speeds, and finally suggest a segment-speed predictive model by the lane speed of urban freeway basic segments during rush hours.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.128-133
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• 2017

This study deals with the roundabout traffic accidents by traffic impeding factor. The purpose of this study is to comparatively analyze the characteristics of accidents and to develop the accident models. In pursuing the above, this study used a statistical program SPSS 20.0 to analyze 2,342 accidents occurred within 79 roundabouts in Korea. The main results are as follows. First, 4 accident models which were all statistically significant were developed. Second, the traffic volume and width of right-turn-only lane were analyzed to be common variable in the bus stop related models. The variables such as right-turn-only lane, street light, turning radius of entry lane were selected as specific variables. Especially street light and turning radius of entry lane were evaluated to have negative effects to the accidents. It is, therefore, essential to install the street light and place a sufficient turning radius in order to reduce the roundabout accidents. Finally, the traffic volume and number of entry lane were analyzed to be common variable in the on-street parking related models. Also, the width of right-turn-only lane and bus stop were evaluate to be specific variables in the model with on-street parking. This can be expected to give some implications to making the accident reduction guidelines.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 1993

The two-lane, two-way highway simulation program(TWOPAS) is evaluated for Korean Highway Capacity Manual Study. TWOPAS program input variables, especially related vehicle performance, traffic flow relationship, car-following model and passing logic are examined and modified through the analysis results of our two-lane, two-way highway traffic characteristics. Simulation outputs with and without modification are compared with the field data. The results show that improved TWOPAS program(TWOPAS KI) is well suitable for simulating our two-lane, two-way highway condition.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.29-36
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• 2013

This study is the fundamental research to establish evacuation planning and to analyze evacuation planning characteristics in Gumi-city based on existing network and traffic characteristics data. Assuming an emergency situation, it compared with evacuation time estimates between using existing traffic signal system and proposed lane-based routing method through micro simulations. As a result, using existing traffic signal system could not affect the evacuation times in each level of emergency conditions. However this study found that proposed lane-based routing method is very effective to reduce an evacuation time compared with using existing traffic signal system. Also the proposed method is verified to reduce an evacuation time especially in extreme emergency circumstances.

• Journal of The Institute of Information and Telecommunication Facilities Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.170-181
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• 2009

When a slow-moving vehicle occupies one of the lanes of a multi-lane highway, it often causes queuing behind, unlike one is caused by an actual stoppage on that lane. This happens when the traffic flow rate upstream from the slow vehicle exceeds a certain critical value. This phenomena is called as the Moving Bottleneck, defined by Gazis and Herman (1992), Newell (1998) [3], and Munoz and Daganzo (2002), who conducted the flow estimates of upstream and downstream and considered slow-moving vehicle speed and the flow ratio exceeding slow vehicle and the microscopic traffic flow characteristics of moving bottleneck. But, a study of delay on moving bottleneck was not conducted until now. So this study provides a average delay time model related to upstream flow and the speed of slow vehicle. We have chosen the two-lane highway and homogeneous traffic flow. A slow-moving vehicle occupies one of the two lanes. Average delay time value is a result of AIMSUN[9], the microscopic traffic flow simulator. We developed a multiple regression model based on that value. Average delay time has a high value when the speed of slow vehicle is decreased and traffic flow is increased. Conclusively, the model is formulated by the negative exponential function.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.17-31
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• 1988

In this research, the behavior of weaving traffic is studied in terms of lane-changing behavior and gap acceptance characteristics. General trends in lane-changing behavior and gap acceptance characteristics are investigated by analyzing descriptive statistics and the factors affecting weaving behavior are determined by means of the multiple linear regression analysis. The results of analysis show that the behavior of weaving traffic is generally similar to that in a basic freeway section and an on- or of- ramp section. Traffic density and speed appear to be better parameters than traffic volume for explaining the behavior of weaving traffic. For the same purpose, using the traffic conditions of the origin and the destination lanes are found to be more effective than using the average traffic conditions of the freeway. A detailed analysis of the gap acceptance characteristics of late merging vehicles shows that there is no significant difference between the size of gaps accepted by late merging vehicles and that accepted by early merging vehicles.