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Journal Article

Citation

Kang MW, Shariat S, Jha MK. Transp. Res. C Emerg. Technol. 2013; 31: 99-111.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.trc.2013.03.002

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper proposes separate computational methods for evaluating (1) fuel efficiency, (2) sight distance deficiencies and (3) expected accident costs for a given highway alignment, depending on its detailed geometric characteristics. A fuel consumption model is developed based on two important concepts: (i) variability in the amount of fuel consumed by vehicles depending on variability in highway geometry and (ii) minimization of the fuel consumption by ensuring conditions suitable for driving at cruising speed. The methods estimate the fuel consumption by integrating vehicle propulsive force necessary to maintain the cruising speed from the beginning to the end of an alternative highway being evaluated. A sight distance model that not only automatically calculates available sight distance (ASD) and stopping sight distance (SSD), but also evaluates sight distance deficiency of alternative alignments is proposed. The total sight distance deficiency of an alternative alignment is estimated based on (i) the length of the road segments where ASD < SSD and (ii) the significance of sight distance restriction. A crash prediction model proposed in the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) is adopted to evaluate and compare alternative alignments from safety perspective. A case study is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed methods. These methods will be integrated into a highway alignment optimization model (HAO) previously developed by the authors to evaluate numerous possible alternative alignments of a new highway system through tradeoffs among various relevant decision criteria. Those criteria may include vehicle fuel efficiency, sight distance, and safety, besides various cost factors, such as the construction cost, maintenance cost, user cost, and environmental impact cost. Such an integrated modeling framework will help evaluate green and environmentally sustainable highways. Many extensions of the work remain to be worked in the future, for example: (1) the effects of gain in propulsive force when traveling down from the crest of a curve; and (2) variability in fuel consumption rate based on vehicle type, gradient, critical length of grade, weather, and other factors.

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