Author: Amandeep Amandeep Singh
Amandeep Singh, Amandeep, 2019 Assessment of Darlington Upgrade using microsimulation, Flinders University, College of Science and Engineering
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Freeways and highways are the most important links in the world transportation network. However, as traffic is increasing, many parts of the road network are currently operating at full capacity or will not be able to meet future needs. The consequences of this include travel delays, CO2 and NOx emissions, an increase in total trip cost and danger to driver safety. This thesis paper has been prepared for the assessment of Darlington upgrade using microsimulation and investigates the performance of intersections i.e. Tonsley Boulevard, Ayliffes intersection, Sturt intersection, and Flinders drive. The impact on the performance of the networks was observed on Darlington upgrade in Microsimulation model created in Autodesk Infraworks. The aim of this research is to figure out changes in terms of economic performance, travel time, level of service (LOS) and environmental impact for existing and future models for given SCATS volume data.
Mobility Simulation- a different section of same software is used to generate the microscopic simulation model of the current network and two future models. Future Model 1 follows the DPTI proposed guidelines for the upgrade operation in 2031, having three lanes tunnel in both directions. Future Model 2 includes a change to the 2031 DPTI model network to improve the network conditions, by adding one additional lane in tunnel for both directions. The future scenario was compared to check the changes in traffic delay, Level of Service(LOS) and economic evaluations.
Results were calculated for each performance indicator for all models, and it was found that future model 2 performing best in simulation analysis. Compared with future model 1 – (DPTI version), future model 2 was more economical as the average total cost was reduced by 2.19 %, representing sum of time cost, distance cost and stop cost. Moreover, the average speed of vehicle in network was 45.04 km/h with an increase of 2.67 km/h with future model 1. The level of services of intersection was improved, overall control delay was reduced by 4.67%, the carbon and nitrogen oxides emission were reduced by 0.08% and 2.05% respectively by the addition of extra lane.
Future model 1 also performed better than the existing model on all performance indicators. The average travel time increased by 61.08% and average control delay increase by 40.16%
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when it was compared with existing model. Average speed of vehicle in network was 34.06 km/h.
A detailed comparison of DPTI tunnel 3 lanes 2031 AM and Future Model 2 Tunnel 4 lanes 2031 AM is performed for lane merging at a particular time and it was found that observed length of queue is long in model 1 with bad level of service in merging of two lanes and vehicle speed in the lane was 4.9 km/h less when it was compared.
The methodology outlining the method of data collections, input, base model construction, calibration and validation. This information will help to benefit future research in the field of transportation engineering, as it can be used by developers and city planners to design the existing road network for the purpose of redevelopment.
Keywords: Microsimulation, Transport modelling, Darlington, Development
Subject: Engineering thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2019
School: College of Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Dr. Nicholas Holyoak