Development of an interchange analysis software
Date
1997
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Texas A&M University
Abstract
The planning and selection of an appropriate interchange type for a given location requires the decision maker to analyze various criteria in order to make an appropriate selection between alternative interchange configurations. This thesis documents an initial design and development effort of an interchange software, called INTERCHANGE, which attempts to analyze some of these selection criteria. Since this software development is only an initial effort, it does not address all the issues and criteria related to interchange selection. The research has focused, although not exclusively, on efficiently analyzing the traffic operations criteria of various two-level signalized service interchanges all within a single software package. The interchange types analyzed are the diamond, single-point diamond, at-grade interchange, and various partial cloverleafs. This research also provides the software with a traffic volume analysis of interchanges. Level of service and other performance measures are features that can be analyzed by future versions of the program. The unique feature of INTERCHANGE is the simplified input required and the ease of comparing interchange configurations in a Window's based environment. INTERCHANGE requires the user to enter the turning movement volumes for only one interchange configuration. It will then automatically convert the input volumes to all the other interchange configurations selected. The user then has the option of viewing different interchange forms with the converted turning movement volumes, making comparisons among different configurations very simple. The study methodology used for the research involved distributing a questionnaire to various transportation professionals and employing a hypothetical testbed to test the software. The main objective of the questionnaire was to elicit information on the participants interchange selection procedures and how software could be used effectively within the selection process. In the testbed, an isolated at-grade intersection's turning movement volumes were converted to all the interchange configurations to make comparisons between the various forms. Results from the questionnaire showed that software is judged appropriate for traffic capacity, traffic operations, and level of service analysis. Results from the testbed demonstrated that INTERCHANGE could be very useful for analyzing different interchange configurations from an operational standpoint.
Description
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Includes bibliographical references: p. 88-91.
Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.
Includes bibliographical references: p. 88-91.
Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.
Keywords
civil engineering., Major civil engineering.