Experimental determination of the fundamental parameters of road traffic and noise levels emitted

Abstract

In this work the main objective is transmit experimentally to the student the basic knowledge about the parameters of the traffic engineering in an easy, simple and effective way. Nowadays are used different computer softwares that allow to calculate the basic parameters who characterize the traffic. However, the teaching experience over the years, has allowed us to know that a student is capable of fixing the knowledge in a better way when he learns by practical procedures. That’s why a simple practice has been designed, where the students collect data about the appraisals of the rolled traffic that circulates along a route section near to Leganes’s Campus (University Carlos III of Madrid), and then they analyse and calculate the typical parameters of the traffic, fixing this way the engineering of the traffic concepts (There has been chosen an urban section route that meets the necessary requirements to determine the basic parameters of traffic.). The accomplishment of this practice is going to allow to know the problematics that supposes a real study of the principal characteristics of the traffic: intensity, velocity, density… parameters that are used to obtain a better knowledge of the behaviour of the traffic. In reality these studies require certain investments in equipments who suppose an economic cost. In the practice, since there is a limited team of pupils, only a chronometer and a metric tape is needed. It is enough to realize a number of approximations to conclude the value of this traffic parameters. Also, by using sonometers the urban noise is registered, allowing to calculate a number of indexes that will allow to evaluate the sonorous level existing in the zone.