31.7.1. Flow-density curve

Try these first

1. 1.

   What happens to the flow when there is zero density?

   Hint

   Think about what it means for a road to have no vehicles.

2. 2.

   Define jam density.

   Hint

   Consider the amount of cars on a road when traffic comes to a halt.

3. 3.

   What happens to flow when density is zero?

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Reflect on the definition of flow.

4. 4.

   At what point does jam density occur?

   • At zero flow
   • At maximum flow
   • At congestion

   Hint

   Consider conditions under which movement is halted.

5. 5.

   Consider a road where the density increases from 0 to 50 vehicles/km over a span of time. Graph the flow-density curve and identify the peak flow rate based on your assumptions.

   Hint

   Determine how you would expect flow to behave as density increases.

6. 6.

   Analyze a scenario where adding an additional lane doubles the vehicle flow. What implications does this have for the flow-density relationship?

   Hint

   Consider how density and flow interact when infrastructure improvements are made.