Civil Patras - The Department Announcements

The influence of time headway on a car-following system can determine the severity of a shockwave in the system. Based on a near-miss rear-end collision on a freeway, this study examines the importance of time headway in combination with the driver’s reaction time on the perception of the upcoming hazard. The car-following model developed by Brill relating driver’s reaction time, time headway and deceleration response to accident frequency, is used as a main tool for assessing the sensitivity of collision probability. Through microscopic analysis of the video record, and inspired by earlier studies by G. Davis and his associates, all the necessary information for the arithmetical description of the accident is extracted. Using the OpenBUGS software, which is based on the Monte Carlo Markov Chain method, simulation of the collision model is achieved along with the calculation of other main parameters that affect the shockwave form. Results of the simulation reveal the strength of influence that the combined factor headway-reaction time has on a shockwave. Through certain modifications, the improvement of the whole car-following system is attempted.

The presentation is scheduled to take place in the main Meeting Room of the Department of Civil Engineering on the 2^nd of February 2011 at 13:00 pm.

Committee: Yorgos Stephanedes (supervisor), Athanasios Chassiakos, Eustathios Steiros.

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