Distribution of Gaps and Blocks in a Traffic Stream

Abstract

This paper studies some of the theoretical questions of large openings or gaps in a single stream of traffic. A gap in the traffic stream is defined as a headway between vehicles greater than or equal to some minimum size --say x. Several authors have studied the probability distribution of the wait which a randomly located observer must endure before he finds a gap. This paper, while briefly reviewing the solutions of this well known problem, is primarily concerned with expressions for: (i) the distribution of gap sizes; (ii) the distribution of spacings between vehicles and gaps; (iii) the mean and variance of inter-vehicle and intergap spacings; (iv) the stationary flow rates of gaps; and (v) the distribution of blocked and unblocked periods. It is assumed that the origin of measurements may be located (i) with the passing of a vehicle, (ii) at the beginning of a gap. or (iii) at random. It is also assumed that the distribution of inter-vehicle spacings are independently, but identically, distributed random variables.

Development of Vehicle Platoon Distribution Models and Simulation of Platoon Movements on Indian Rural Corridors

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An analysis of pedestrian queueing

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