This course is largely focused on planning, design and management of roads and streets and is therefore useful for those wishing to make a career in transportation engineering. The topics covered in this course includes but not limited to the following:
1. Introduction
• Transportation planning process
• Land use and transport interaction
• Transport models and their classification
• Challenges and opportunities in the transport sector
• Transport demand and supply characteristics
• Global transport trends and prospective solutions
• Emerging technologies in transportation: electric vehicles, autonomous and connected vehicles, mobility-as-a-service
• Prospects for future: present and future transport needs
2. Travel demand forecasting methods
• Traditional four-step demand forecasting model
• Trip generation models
• Trip distribution models
• Modal choice models
• Trip assignment models
3. Traffic flow models
• Traffic flow measurements: at a point, over a short and long distance
• Modelling traffic flow variables: Binomial, Poisson, Exponential distributions
• Microscopic traffic flow models: Car-following models
• Macroscopic traffic flow models: LWR model, traffic stream models
• Shock wave theory
• Queuing theory
4. Traffic operations at intersections
• Priority controlled intersections (stop/yield-controlled intersections, roundabouts, and pedestrian crossings): delay and absorption capacity
• Signalised intersections: delay, LOS, signal timing calculation methods
5. Intersection modelling and analysis project
• Field data collection (in group) from a signalised intersection in Auckland
• Operational analysis of signalised intersections with public transport plan using AIMSUN
• Prepare an engineering report and comment on operational and safety performance of a selected signalised intersection
6. Literature review project
• Select a topic of your research interest related to transportation planning, traffic engineering or transport modelling
• Undertake a literature review outlining research need/knowledge gaps, strengths/weaknesses of methods involved and applications
• Prepare a literature review paper (8 to 10 pages with about 4,500 words)
Most, if not all, of the topics will be covered, some in greater detail than others. Depending upon staff resources and available time, minor changes to these topics may be required.