INTRODUCTION TO
TRANSPORTATION
PLANNING AND
ENGINEERING
CE 412 TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
Transportation
Engineering
Mobility has always been important to human
society. In our modern society, the need for
efficient and safe transportation has increased
so much so that the transportation facilities of a
state are considered a mark of its progress,
leading to a direct correlation between the two.
CLASSIFICATION OF MODAL CLASSIFICATION
TRANSPORTATION Any transportation system consists of various
modes of travel ranging from walking to
STUDIES driving to use of crafts that fly. One way of
classifying a transportation system would then
In order to systematically study a vast field be to form classes of different modes of travel.
like transportation engineering, we need to
classify it meaningfully and then study the
various classes.
ELEMENTAL CLASSIFICATION
A little thought at this stage will show that all
modes of travel consist of the same set of
elements such as a person who drives, the
vehicle which is driven, the path that is used, the
user who uses the mode, and the like. Therefore,
another way of looking at a transportation
system could be to look at its elements.
CLASSIFICATION OF FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION
TRANSPORTATION Another very different way of looking at a
STUDIES transportation system, is from the point of view
of functions that a transportation engineer
In order to systematically study a vast field
like transportation engineering, we need to needs to carry out.
classify it meaningfully and then study the For example, a transportation engineer may
various classes. need to analyze and design facilities to be used
by vehicles, or may need to determine routes of
buses or may even need to chalk out a plan of
transportation-related activities. We can
therefore classify the field of transportation
engineering functionally.
As can be seen from the figure, transportation
engineering can be viewed as the engineering
of transportation systems-a conglomeration
of different modes of transport which in turn
consists of various basic elements.
Also, it can be seen that transportation
engineering as a field requires various
functions like planning, pavement
engineering, and so forth.
MODAL CLASSIFICATION
A mode of transport may be simply defined as a means of
transportation. A mode, according to this definition, includes walking,
automobile, bus, train, ferryboat, ship, aircraft, helicopter, and so on.
However, all these modes use either the road, the rail tracks, the
waterways (like rivers, travel paths in oceans), or the airways.
Hence, a slightly different way of classifying the transportation
systems according to modes would be to define classes as groups of
modes which use a particular 'surface'. In this definition then, there
are, in general, four classes - the roadways, the railways, the
waterways, and the airways (see Figure 1.2).
MODAL CLASSIFICATION
In this mode of transport, all vehicles use the roadways to travel from
one point to another. There are various kinds of vehicles in this class.
Some are motorized (like automobiles, trucks, buses, etc.) and others are
human- or animal-powered (like cycles, bullock carts, etc.). Some are
private vehicles while others are meant to move either a large number of
people (public transport) or goods over long and short distances.
From a transportation engineer’s standpoint, the important aspects
related to the roadways mode of transport include:
• Safe and efficient operation and control of road traffic
• Layout of roads
• Structural design of the roadway (pavement design)
• Roadway-based public transportation Roadways
MODAL CLASSIFICATION
In this mode of transport, all vehicles use rail tracks to move from one
point to another. Vehicles in this class consist of a long train of coaches
attached to a locomotive. The coaches and the locomotive have steel
wheels which run on steel rail tracks. The locomotive either uses diesel or
uses electricity as fuel (locomotives which run on coal are hardly used
these days). These trains are used for transporting people as well as
goods. There are long-distance trains as well as trains which run within
an urban area.
Railways
MODAL CLASSIFICATION
Trains stop at pre-specified locations called stations. At stations,
various activities take place like (i) boarding and alighting of
passengers, (ii) loading and unloading of goods, (iii) regrouping of
coaches or compartments, (iv) maintenance activities, (v) ticketing,
etc. The movement of trains on rail tracks is controlled through
signal systems, operated either manually or automatically.
From a transportation engineer’s standpoint, the important aspects
related to the railway mode of transport include:
• Safe and efficient operation and control of rail traffic
• Layout of rail tracks
• Structural design of the subgrade on which rail tracks run Railways
• Planning of stations or terminals for railway vehicles
MODAL CLASSIFICATION
In this form of transport, all vehicles use channels in water bodies (like
rivers, lakes, and oceans) to travel from one point to another. Simply
stated, a channel is a charted corridor in an expanse of water which is safe
and a reasonably direct connection between the origin and the destination.
Various kinds of vessels operate on the waterways starting from the small
ferry boats to the large ocean liners. Not all channels can be used by all
types of ships, for example, the ocean liners generally cannot use the
inland river channels.
From a transportation engineer’s standpoint, the important aspects related
to this mode of transport include:
• Safe and efficient operation and control of ship traffic especially at and
near ports Waterways
• Planning and operation of ports and harbors.
MODAL CLASSIFICATION
In this mode of transport, vehicles use air routes to travel from one point to
another. Simply stated, air routes are charted paths in the air based on
various characteristics like directness of connections, prevailing
atmospheric and wind conditions, international agreements, and safety
issues. Various kinds of aircraft use the airways-from small, single-engine
planes to large jet aeroplanes.
Airways provide the fastest and one of the safest modes of transport. Their
use ranges from small shuttle flights over distances of around two hundred
kilometres to long transatlantic flights of well over three thousand
kilometres. Airways also help in connecting remote places in difficult
terrain. Presently, airways are extensively used to travel over long
distances. Goods, perishable commodities in particular, are also Airways
transported in cargo planes over long distances.
MODAL CLASSIFICATION
From a transportation engineer’s standpoint, the important aspects related
to this mode of transport include:
• Safe and efficient operation and control of air traffic especially at and
near airports
• Planning and operation of airports
• Orientation of runways and layout of taxiways
• Planning the parking pattern of aircraft
• Structural design of the runways, taxiways, and aprons
• Planning and operation of vehicle circulation and parking on the land-side
of airports.
Airways
Elemental
Classification
Driver
Every mode of transportation has a driver
who controls the vehicle used in that mode of
transportation. The importance of this
element in the analysis and design of the
transportation facilities, however, varies from
mode to mode. This element assumes
maximum importance in the roadways where
a tremendously large number of drivers
interact with each other and the facilities.
Elemental
Classification
Vehicle
The vehicles which are used in transportation have
certain characteristics (for example, turning
radius, braking distance, accelerating capabilities,
etc.) which influence the design and operation of
the transportation facility.
Elemental
Classification
Way
Every mode of transportation uses a specified path
which is either constructed or charted. For example,
in the case of roadways and railways the way (road
or rail track) has to be laid out and constructed
while in the case of waterways and airways, the
ways used are only charted paths on water bodies or
in atmosphere.
Elemental
Classification
Control
In order to ensure safety and efficiency of operation,
there are system level controls which are imposed
on the movement of the vehicles. These controls
could be static (in the form of rules or road signs
like “No U Turn” or “One-Way”) or dynamic (in the
form of road or rail signals, or instructions from
air traffic controllers, etc.).
Elemental
Classification
Terminal
This is a location where the vehicles of a mode
stop for various reasons including (i) boarding
(loading) and alighting (unloading) of passengers
(goods), (ii) resting when not in use, (iii) refueling,
(iv) maintenance, etc.
Elemental
Classification
User
Obviously any transportation system runs to
provide service to its users. The users are (i) the
public at large for transportation modes which
cater to passenger transport or (ii) organizations
for transportation modes which cater to goods
transport. The transportation system must be
sensitive to the needs of its users.
Functional This scheme of classification of transportation
Classification engineering divides this discipline in terms of the
different functions required of an engineer working in
this field. Functionally, transportation engineering can
be divided into the following primary classes: (i) traffic
engineering, (ii) pavement engineering, (iii) public
transportation, (iv) transport planning, and (v)
transport economics. There are certain other
functions which a transportation engineer may need
to perform, like providing specialized transport for the
elderly or the handicapped, logistics planning, etc.
Functional Classification
Traffic Engineering
This area of transportation engineering deals with the analysis, design, and operation of
transportation facilities used by vehicles of various transportation modes. Such a study assumes
utmost importance in the case of roadways as the number of vehicles using the transportation
facilities are the highest as well as the most varied both in terms of theirtype, their origins and
destinations, their purposes, etc.
Functional Classification
Pavement Engineering
This area of transportation engineering deals with the structural analysis and design of the way used
by different modes of transportation. Specifically, pavement engineering is concerned with (i) the
analysis, structural design, construction, and maintenance of roadway pavements, runways,
taxiways, and rail tracks and their drainage and other associated structures, and (ii) the
materials used in the construction of all such structures.
Functional Classification
Public Transportation
The area of public transportation is concerned with the analysis, design, and operation of
public transportation systems. A public transportation system is a transportation system
which operates to move the general public from one point to another.
It includes, at one end of the spectrum, para-transit systems like share-taxis (which operate on
fixed routes but not according to any fixed schedule) to rapid-transit systems like greater metropolitan area train
services, at the other end of the spectrum. The design of a public transportation system includes the design of
routes (including stop locations), design of schedules, determination of fare structures, and crew scheduling.
Functional Classification
Transport Planning
Transport planning deals with planning transportation facilities which will be able to meet the present
and future needs in a sustainable manner. This field focuses on issues like estimation of future demands,
needs and problems; generation of alternative transportation solutions; studying the financial, economic,
and technological implications of these alternatives; and analyzing their impact on the environment, land-
use and demograph trends of an area. Transport planners are also entrusted with the task of choosing
the right alternative and preparing a plan for its implementation.
Functional Classification
Transport Economics
This area studies the various economic costs and benefits of building and operating different
transportation facilities. The area focuses on (i) identifying the economic costs and benefits
and their incident sectors, (ii) studying the numerous techniques available and formulating
new techniques to estimate these costs and benefits, (iii) analyzing the financing and cost
recovery aspects of transportation projects, and (iv) suggesting economic ways of solving
certain transportation problems.
The Profession of
Transportation
For as long as the human race has existed, transportation has played
a significant role by facilitating trade, commerce, conquest, and social
interaction, while consuming a considerable portion of time and
resources. The primary need for transportation has been economic,
involving personal travel in search of food or work, travel for the
exchange of goods and commodities, exploration, personal fulfillment,
and the improvement of a society or a nation. The movements of
people and goods, which is the basis of transportation, always has
been undertaken to accomplish those basic objectives or tasks that
require transfer from one location to another.
Importance of Tapping natural resources and markets and maintaining a
competitive edge over other regions and nations are linked
Transportation closely to the quality of the transportation system. The
speed, cost, and capacity of available transportation have a
significant impact on the economic vitality of an area and
the ability to make maximum use of its natural resources.
Without the ability to transport manufactured goods and
raw materials and without technical know-how, a country is
unable to maximize the comparative advantage it may have
in the form of natural or human resources. Countries that
lack an abundance of natural resources rely heavily on
transportation in order to import raw materials and export
manufactured products.
Transportation and Good transportation, in and of itself, will not assure success
in the marketplace, as the availability of transportation is a
Economic Growth necessary but insufficient condition for economic growth.
However, the absence of supportive transportation services
will serve to limit or hinder the potential for a nation or
region to achieve its economic potential.
The availability of transportation facilities can strongly
influence the growth and development of a region or nation.
Good transportation permits the specialization of industry or
commerce, reduces costs for raw materials or manufactured
goods, and increases competition between regions, thus
resulting in reduced prices and greater choices for the
consumer. Transportation is also a necessary element of
government services, such as delivering mail, defense, and
assisting territories.
Transportation and Good transportation, in and of itself, will not assure success
in the marketplace, as the availability of transportation is a
Economic Growth necessary but insufficient condition for economic growth.
However, the absence of supportive transportation services
will serve to limit or hinder the potential for a nation or
region to achieve its economic potential.
The availability of transportation facilities can strongly
influence the growth and development of a region or nation.
Good transportation permits the specialization of industry or
commerce, reduces costs for raw materials or manufactured
goods, and increases competition between regions, thus
resulting in reduced prices and greater choices for the
consumer. Transportation is also a necessary element of
government services, such as delivering mail, defense, and
assisting territories.
Transportation and
Economic Growth
Transportation Employment
Employment opportunities exist in several areas of transportation,
including business logistics or supply chain management, vehicle
design and manufacture, provision of services related to
transportation, and the provision of the infrastructure required if
vehicles are to function as intended.
Logistic and Supply-
Chain Management
Logistics is the process of planning, implementing, and
controlling the efficient and effective flow and storage
of goods, services, and related information from
origination to consumption as required by the
customer.
An expansion of the logistics concept is called supply-
chain management: a process that coordinates the
product, information, and cash flows to maximize
consumption satisfaction and minimize organization
costs.
Vehicle Design and
Transportation Services
The service sector provides jobs for vehicle
drivers, maintenance people, flight attendants,
train conductors, and other necessary support
personnel. Other professionals, such as lawyers,
economists, social scientists, and ecologists,
also work in the transportation fields when their
skills are required to draft legislation, to facilitate
the right-of-way acquisition, or to study and
measure the impacts of transportation on the
economy, society, and the environment.
Transportation Infrastructure Services
Although a transportation system requires many skills and provides a wide variety of job opportunities, the
primary opportunities for civil engineers are in the area of transportation infrastructure. In this role, they are
responsible primarily for the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the transportation
system within the country.
The transportation engineer is the professional who is concerned with the planning, design, construction,
operations, and management of a transportation system, as illustrated in Figure below. Transportation
professionals must make critical decisions about the system that will affect the thousands of people who use it.
SUMMARY
Transportation is an essential element in the economic development of a society. Without
good transportation, a nation or region cannot achieve the maximum use of its natural
resources or the maximum productivity of its people. Progress in transportation is not
without its costs, both in human lives and environmental damage, and it is the responsibility
of the transportation engineer working with the public to develop high-quality transportation
consistent with available funds and social policy and to minimize damage.
The career opportunities in transportation that engineering students have are exciting. In the past,
transportation engineers planned and built the nation’s railroads, highways, mass transit systems,
airports, and pipelines. In the coming decades, additional system elements will be required as will
efforts toward maintaining and operating in a safe and economical manner the vast system that is
already in place. New systems, such as magnetically levitated high-speed trains or Intelligent
Transportation Systems (ITS), will also challenge the transportation engineer in the future.
Comparative Advantage of
DEVELOPING A Transportation Modes
TRANSPORTATION The transportation system that evolves in a
SYSTEM developed nation may not be as economically
efficient as one that is developed in a more
analytical fashion, but it is one in which each
of the modes provides unique advantages for
transporting the nation’s freight and
passengers. A business trip across the
country may involve travel by taxi, airplane or
rail, and automobile.
DEVELOPING A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Example 1: Selecting a Transportation Mode An individual Since this is a business trip, the person making the trip is
is planning to take a trip between the downtown area of willing to pay up to $25 for each hour of travel time
two cities, A and B, which are 400 miles apart. There are reduced by a competing mode. (For example, if one mode
three options available: is two hours faster than another, the traveler is willing to
Travel by air. This trip will involve driving to the airport pay $50 more to use the faster mode.) After examining all
near city A, parking, waiting at the terminal, flying to direct costs involved in making the trip by air, auto, or rail
airport B, walking to a taxi stand, and taking a taxi to the (including parking, fuel, fares, tips, and taxi charges) the
final destination. traveler concludes that the trip by air will cost $250 with a
Travel by auto. This trip will involve driving 400 miles total travel time of five hours, the trip by auto will cost
through several congested areas, parking in the $200 with a total travel time of eight hours and the trip by
downtown area, and walking to the final destination. rail will cost $150 with a total travel time of 12 hours.
Travel by rail. This trip will involve taking a cab to the Which mode is selected based on travel time and cost
railroad station in city A, a direct rail connection to the factors alone? What other factors might be considered by
downtown area in city B, and a short walk to the final the traveler in making a final selection?
destination.
DEVELOPING A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Solution: Since travel time is valued at $25/hr, the Reliability. If it is very important to attend the
following costs would be incurred: meeting, the traveler may select the mode that will
Air: 250 + 25(5) = $375 provide the highest probability of an on-time arrival.
Auto: 200 + 25(8) = $400 If the drive involves travel through work zones and
Rail: 150 + 25(12) = $450 heavily congested areas, rail or air would be
In this instance, the air alternate reflects the lowest preferred. If potential air delays are likely due to
cost and is the selected mode. congestion, flight cancellations, or inclement weather,
However, the traveler may have other reasons to another mode may be preferred.
select another alternative. These may include the Convenience. The number of departures and arrivals
following considerations. provided by each mode could be a factor. For
Safety. While each of these modes is safe, the example, if the railroad provides only two trains/day
traveler may feel “safer” in one mode than another. and the airline has six flights/day, the traveler may
For example, rail may be preferred because of prefer to go by air.
concerns regarding air safety issues.
INTERACTION OF
SUPPLY AND DEMAND
The transportation system that exists at any point in
time is the product of two factors that act on each
other. These are:
(1) The state of the economy, which produces the
demand for transportation and
(2) The extent and quality of the system that is
currently in place, which constitutes the supply of
transportation facilities and services.
DEVELOPING A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Example 2: Computing the toll to maximize revenue using For maximum value of x, compute the first derivative and
supply-demand curve set equal to zero:
A toll bridge carries 5000 veh/day. The current toll is 150 dR/dt = 2000 - 40x = 0
cents. When the toll is increased by 25 cents, traffic volume x = 50 cents
decreases by 500 veh/day. Determine the amount of toll The new toll is the current toll plus the toll increase.
that should be charged such that revenue is maximized. Toll for maximum revenue = 150 + 50 = 200 cents or $ 2.0
How much additional revenue will be received?
Solution: The additional revenue, AR, is
Let x = the toll increased in cents AR = (VMAX )(TMAX ) - (VCURRENT)(TCURRENT)
Assume a linear relation between traffic volume and cost, = {(5000 - (50/25)(500)}{2} - (5000)(1.50)
the expression for V is: =(4000)(2) - 7500
V = 5000 - x/25 (500) = 8000 - 7500
Revenue is the product of toll and volume: = $500
R = (V)(T)
={5000 - x/25 (500)} (150 + x)
2
=(5000 - 20x) (150 + x) = 750 000 2
- 3000x +5000x -20x
=750 000 - 3000x +5000x -20x
THANK YOU!
