Lecture Notes in Gap

Acceptance Theory and

Intersection Analysis

FFVillareal/Civil Engineering
Program/CEAT/DLSU-D
1st Semester SY2017-18
 Gap Acceptance Theory
 Is the concept of defining the extend drivers will be able to
utilize a gap of particular size or duration.
 The minimum gap that all drivers in the minor stream are
assumed to accept at all locations is the “critical gap, tc”.
 It is assumed that a number of drivers will be able to enter
the intersection from a minor road in very long gaps.
 Usually, the minor stream vehicles (those yielding right of
way) enter in the long gaps at headways often referred to
as the “follow-up time, tf”
 Basic Elements of Gap Acceptance
Theory
Relative priority of traffic streams
Distribution (availability) of gaps in higher
priority traffic streams
Usefulness of gaps to yielding vehicles (
gap acceptance)
Queue discharge
Attributes of a Gap Acceptance Analysis
Procedure
Unsignalized intersections give no positive indication and
control to the driver.
The driver may decide when it is safe to enter an
intersection.
The driver looks for a safe opportunity or gap in the traffic
stream to enter an intersection.
The technique is described as Gap Acceptance and Gaps
are measured in time and converted to headways.
It is useful to consider that in a stream of traffic, there are
levels of priority and ranking.
Estimation of Critical Gap Parameters
The minimum gap that all drivers in the
minor stream are assumed to accept at all
locations is the “critical gap, tc”.
Usually, the minor stream vehicles (those
yielding right of way) enter in the long gaps
at headways often referred to as the
“follow-up time, tf”
Estimation of Critical Gap Parameters
The first group of techniques are based on
regression analysis of the no. of drivers that
accept a gap against a gap size.
The other group of techniques are the
distribution of follow-up times and critical
gap distribution independently.
 Headway Distribution Used in Gap
Acceptance Analysis
Exponential Headways
Poisson :
Negative Exponential: h >t
h< t
Displaced Exponential Distribution
Dichotomized Headway Distribution
 Intersection Analysis
(Intersection of Two Streams)
A priority traffic stream (major stream) of volume qp in
(veh/hr) and a non priority traffic stream (minor stream) of
volume qp in (veh/hr) are involved in this queuing model.
Vehicles from the major stream can cross the conflict area
without delay.
Vehicles from the minor stream are only allowed to enter
the conflict area, if the next vehicle from the major stream
is still tc seconds away, otherwise, they have to wait.
Vehicles from the minor stream can only enter the
intersection tf after the departure of the previous vehicle.
Intersection of Two Streams
 Traffic Conflicts
Four-leg intersection Staggered-T intersection
 N

W E
Four-Phase Signal
Phase D: N-S Thru

S
 N

W E
Four-Phase Signal
Phase C: N-S Left

S
 N

W E
Four-Phase Signal
Phase B: E-W Thru
S
 N

W E
Four-Phase Signal
Phase A: E-W Left

S
Types of Unsignalized Intersection
Two-Way Stopped Controlled (TWSC)
One typical configuration is a 4-leg intersection
where one street- the major street is-
uncontrolled, while the other street- the minor
street by stop signs.
The other typical configuration is 3-leg
intersection where the single minor street
approach is controlled by stop signs.
Types of Unsignalized Intersections
All Way Stopped Controlled (AWSC)
It requires every vehicle to stop at an intersection
before proceeding.
For a 4-leg intersection, it operates in either a 2-phase
or 4-phase pattern based primarily on the complexity of
the intersection geometry.
Flows are determined by a consensus of right-of-way
that alternates between the north-south and east-west
streams (for a single lane approach ) or proceeds in
turn to each intersection approach ( for a multi-lane
approach)
Relative Priority of Traffic Streams for
TWSC
Relative Priority of Traffic Streams for
TWSC
Relative Priority of Traffic Streams
LT vehicles in all approaches yield the right-of-way to major road
vehicles.
LT vehicles in all approaches yield the right-of-way to opposing TH
and RT vehicles.
TH and RT movements (2,3,5 and 6) on the major road has the
absolute priority. It includes pedestrian traffic 15 and 16.This group of
movement is called Rank 1.
LT traffic from the major road (1,4) and RT movement from minor
road ( 9, 12) have Rank 2. It includes pedestrian traffic 13 and 14.They
must give priority to Rank 1 movements.
TH traffic on the minor road (8,11) has Rank 3. It must give priority
to all movements on the major road (Ranks 1 and 2).
LT traffic from the minor road (7,10) is subordinate to all other
streams and it has Rank 4.
Base Critical Gaps and Follow-up
Times
Base Critical Gaps and Follow-up Times in
TWSC Intersections
Adjustments on tc and tf
Time-space diagram and gap: why the
availability of gaps is critical?
The driver in a minor stream evaluates the availability of gaps and he
enters the main stream only (or “accept” the gap) when the available
gap is equal to greater than the gap he feels safe, i.e., his “critical
gap”.
Critical Gap for Movement X
Follow-up time for minor movement x
Conflicting Flows
Conflicting Flows
Conflicting Flows
Base Condition for Potential Capacity
Potential Capacity
Capacity-Conflicting Flow Relation
Movement Capacity
Movement Capacity
Movement Capacity
Movement Capacity
Movement Capacity
Movement Capacity
Movement Capacity
Control Delay
Length of Queue
Length of Queue
Level of Service for Reserve Capacity
Level of Service for Control Delay
Outline for Unsignalized Intersection Analysis
Outline for Unsignalized Intersection Analysis
Sample Problem
Solution- Conflicting Flows
(Movement 4)
Vc,4 = V2 + V3 + V15
= 250 + 40 + 0
= 290 veh/hr
Solution- Conflicting Flows
(Movement 9)
Vc,9 = V2 /N + 0.5V3 + V14 + V15
= 250/1 + 0.5(40) + 0 + 0
= 270 veh/hr
Solution- Conflicting Flows
(Movement 7)
Vc,7 = V2 + 0.5V3 + V15 + 2V4 + V5 /N
= 250 + 0.5(40) + 0 + 2(150) + 300/1
= 870 veh/hr
Solution- Critical Gap and Follow- up
Times ( in secs)
Critical Gap
Movement 4: tc,4 = 4.1 + 1 (0.10) + 0 + 0 + 0 = 4.2
Movement 9: tc,9 = 6.2 + 1 (0.10) + 0 + 0 + 0 = 6.3
Movement 7: tc,7 = 7.1 + 1 (0.10) + 0 + 0 - 0.7 = 6.5
Follow-up Time
Movement 4: tf,4 = 2.2 + 0.9 (0.10) = 2.29
Movement 9: tf,9 = 3.3 + 0.9 (0.10) = 3.39
Movement 7: tf,7 = 3.5 + 0.9 (0.10) = 3.59
Solution- Potential Capacity
Equation used

Movement 4: Cp,4 = 1227 veh/hr

Movement 9: Cp,9 = 750 veh/hr
Movement 7: Cp,7 = 312 veh/hr
Solution- Movement Capacity
Equation used
Movement 4: Cm,4 = Cp,4 fx
Movement 9: Cm,9 = Cp,9 fx
Movement 7: Cm,7 = Cp,7f7 f7 =P0,4

Movement 4: Cm,4 = 1227 (1) = 1227 veh/hr

Movement 9: Cm,9 = 750 (1) = 750 veh/hr
Movement 7: Cm,7 = 312(0.878) = 274veh/hr
Solution- Shared Lane Capacity
Equation used

Movement 7 & 9: CSH = 523 veh/hr

Solution- 95th Percentile Queue (veh)
Equation used

Movement 7 & 9: Q95 = 1.29< 2.0

Movement 4 : Q95 = 0.41< 1.0
Solution- Control Delay
Equation used

Movement 7 & 9: d = 14.89 sec/veh

Movement 4 : d = 8.30 sec/veh
Level of Service (LOS)
Movement 7 & 9: LOS B
( 10 < 14.89 < 15 )

Movement 4 : LOS A
( 0 < 8.30 < 10 )