BANGLADESH UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, DHAKA -1000

OFFICE OF THE MEMBER SECRETARY OF THE COMMITTEE FOR ADVANCED

STUDIES AND RESEARCH, BUET, DHAKA

Application for the approval of M.Sc. Engg. Thesis Proposal

Date: - 8-Apr-23

1. Name of the student : M. M. A. Kader Chowdhury.

Status : Full Time

Roll no. : 0412042442F

Session : April, 2012.

2. Present Address : ‘Green Dale’, Flat- A3, 3rd Floor,

Road-10, House-13,

Section – 6, Block- C,

Mirpur,

Dhaka-1216

3. Name of the Department : Civil Engineering

Programme : M. Sc. Engg. (Transportation)

4. Name of the Supervisor : Dr. Md. Shamsul Hoque

Professor

Department of Civil Engineering

BUET, Dhaka-1000

5. Date of First Enrolment into M. Sc. Program: April, 2012

6. Tentative Title:

DETAILED INVESTIGATION AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF ROAD

INTERSECTIONS OF DHAKA METROPOLITON CITY

7. Background and Present State of the Problem:

In a road network, there are two vital elements: link and node. Node is also named as

intersection and link is the connecting element between two intersections. In a road traffic

system, intersections are one of the important bottlenecks, which interrupt smooth flow of

traffic and thereby cause delays. This is the vital area of road network, this small area inside a

road network but a very important one. To avoid unnecessary delay or to get an efficient

traffic flow movement, these intersections need to be planned and designed properly and

carefully. Along with the appropriate road network and geometry, the necessary traffic control

devices also need to be applied wisely.

In the developed countries like USA, UK, Australia, to obtain orderly movement of vehicles

through intersections they have strict traffic control rules, regulations and well established

planning, designing methodology for geometric design of road intersection and as well as

standard guide lines for the application of traffic control devices. Because of these practice,

clear pattern in queue formation and discharging can be seen from road junctions of these

countries. Day by day they have been adopting latest traffic engineering tools to provide

better performance of the intersection which is the vital part of road network.

The road traffic system in Bangladesh is going through the worst phase since its formation.

All major signalized intersections within the urban areas have got the severe traffic

congestion which produce long delay and insurmountable sufferings of the road users in

Dhaka city. This is happening mainly because of inappropriate / ill planned road network

inside the Dhaka city, faulty layout of the intersections, inappropriate synchronization of

traffic signals in road network, arbitrary setting of signal time / phase, poor policing activities

in signal control and many other factors. However, from the field observation it has been

identified that most of the total problems which cause traffic congestion in our intersections

mainly because of the insufficient traffic data, ill planned / controlled traffic signal,

inappropriate road network and mismanaged traffic control by police

Field observation revealed that the faulty geometrical condition of the intersection is

responsible for the delay and accidents in many cases. Presence of illegal structures by the

side of the road, unnecessary roundabouts, speed breakers, improper turning radius, absence

of medians and sign and faulty control operation of police, absence of following the lane

system, etc are some factors which cause delay and make the intersection inoperative.

Another issue at most approaches of signalized intersections within the Dhaka Metropolitan

area; it is usually operated by manual operation by police because irrational distribution of

signal phases time, increase delay. It decreases the Level of Service of intersection.

So it is necessary to improve traffic control devices (sign, signal, left turn, right turn, etc.) and

explore better road network and efficient and sustainable signal system throughout the Dhaka

city for improving the level of service of intersections in Dhaka city.

This study thus attempts to investigate the present road network, effective and efficient traffic

control signal technique and overall enhancement of performance in intersections of Dhaka

city.

8. Objectives and possible outcomes:

The study is aimed at investigating two main scopes for improving junction capacity viz.

appropriate road network and effective and efficient traffic signal control under the

supervision of police. The main objectives of the study are:

I. To identify the traffic operational problems within intersection area associated faulty

geometric plan and design.

II. To determine the better, well planned, low cost traffic signal system under the supervision

of police.

III. To identify the proper road network inside the Dhaka city, this can help the traffic

operation system.

IV. To increase the Level of Service of intersections inside the Dhaka city.

It is expected the detailed analysis of the field data would provide the following useful results:

I. Identifications of types and nature of geometrical faults.

II. Identification of the better, well planned, low cost and adaptable traffic signal system.

III. Identifications of the inappropriateness of pattern in road network of Dhaka city, these

cannot help the operation system.

IV. Identify the techniques of increments of the Level of Service of intersections in the Dhaka

city.

9. Outline of Proposed Methodology:

Observing, how junction is operated?

I. Red violation

II. Long cycle time

III. Over ride by police

Identifying –

I. Poor performance of signalized junction.

II. Faulty geometry.

III. Poor road net & hierarchy –Right turn restriction is not possible.

IV. Exclusive left/right turn (See left channel at Rangs intersection).

V. High number of phasing.

VI. Closely spaced junction/non-uniform midblock hindrance for coordinated signal.

VII. Pedestrian facilities & behavior.

VIII. Bus stoppages.

IX. NMV (Non Motorized Vehicle).

X. Ineffective pre-timed signal (Why & identify events – vehicle conflict at junction;

unpredicted arrival pattern due to VIP; procession, sudden change of demand).

XI. Other side frictions.

XII. Why police override signal?o SEE pre-requisite of signal design & observed v/c ratios.

o Unpredictable arrival flow and unmatched green time.

o Fluctuating Right turn demand.

10. Devise how to reduce signal phasing?

Attempt would be taken to reduce signal phases by introducing improved circulation plan

through road network (Non-engineer came to show his one way & U-loop/roundabout

solution or signal less operation)

[Show – one way in Tikatoli, Shantinagar]

11. References:

1. National Association of Australian State Road Authorities [1976], “Guide to Traffic

Engineering Practice”, Sydney, Australia.

2. Road Research Laboratory [1965], “Department of Scientific and Industrial Research

on Road Traffic.” HMSO, London, U.K.

3. Highway Research Board [1994], “Highway Capacity Manual”, HRB, Special Report

No. 209, USA.

4. Institute of Traffic Engineers [1994], “Transportation and Traffic Engineering

Handbook”, Second Edition, Prentice-Hall Inc. New Jersey, USA.

5. Kadialy, L. R. [1983], “Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning”, Second

Edition, Khanna Publishers, Delhi, India.

6. Papacostas, C. S. & Prevedorous, P. D. [2001], “Transportation Engineering &

Planning”, Third Edition, Prentice-Hall of India Private Limited, New Delhi,110

001,2006.

7. Khisty, C. Jotin & Kent Lall, B. [2003], “Transportation Engineering An

Introduction”, Third Edition, Prentice-Hall of India Private Limited, New Delhi, 110

001, 2006.

8. Matson, M. Theodore, Smith, S. Wilbur & Hurd, W. Fredrick [1955], “Traffic

Engineering”, Mc Graw-Hill Book Company, New York, Toronto and London,1955.

9. Ogden, K. W. [1996], “Safer Roads: Guide to Road Safety Engineering”, Avebury

Technical, Brookfield, USA.

10.