Traffic impact of pedestrianisation in Stellenbosch

The applicability of a pedestrianisation scheme in the historic city center of Stellenbosch, in alleviating the currently experienced transportation related problems, is investigated. These problems negatively affect the general health of a community, decrease tourism attraction and therefore also decrease turnover. Pedestrianisation is, therefore, analysed as being a catalyst for a healthy economy, as well as environment. Various factors are identified as having a key influence in the feasibility of such an undertaking. These include the direct traffic flow patterns, parking utilisation in the area, as well as the operational aspect associated therewith. Each of these are analysed according to their vulnerability to change, given the implementation of such a scheme. Parking demand and resulting vehicle movement patterns are investigated using parking utilisation studies as well as license plate analysis data. When considering the operational aspect of such a scheme, alternative entrance and exit control procedures for delivery vehicles are considered. In terms of the traffic flow impact, a traffic microsimulation analysis was conducted using PTV Vissim. Factors such as queue length, delay time and LOS values are considered before and after implementation of the scheme. Pedestrianisation can be a useful tool in bringing positive change to a city center and can be applied to a wide range of traffic scenarios. Considering this study, it was found that the application of such a scheme is possible due to sufficient alternative parking, a manageable operational aspect as well as a reasonable impact in terms of the traffic flow. It is, therefore recommended that pedestrianisation should be implemented in adding value to central StellenboschPapers Presented at the 2018 37th Southern African Transport Conference 9-12 July 2018 Pretoria, South Africa. Theme "Towards a desired transport future: safe, sufficient and affordable"

The impact of the covid-19 pandemic on urban movement: using floating car data to analyse road-based traffic patterns

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected global day-to-day movement patterns. Travel demand was markedly reduced worldwide as a result of governmental directives to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The South African government implemented a stepwise lockdown approach according to five Alert Levels, which have guided movement, social gatherings, and economic activities throughout the pandemic. Variation in traffic congestion levels was obvious on urban roads in South African cities, linked to changing Alert Levels. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the pandemic has impacted urban, road-based movement patterns, and to evaluate if mobility trends are tending towards a “new normal” or returning to pre-pandemic patterns. It is important, particularly for planning authorities, to understand the long-term impacts of the pandemic to know if the observed changes to congestion and trip distribution patterns will be ongoing, or if we can anticipate a general return to pre-pandemic movement patterns. A case study analysis of traffic movement patterns in Cape Town is conducted using traffic volume and commercial floating car data (FCD) to evaluate variation in congestion and trip distribution patterns throughout 2020 and 2021. Analysis revealed the severe impact that lockdown had on traffic and movement patterns. Furthermore, the study determined that while 2021 traffic volume and congestion remained somewhat lower than 2019 levels, trip distribution patterns had returned to a pre-lockdown profile by the end of 2021. This is the first detailed South African study of pandemic related urban movement pattern changes using FCD, also offering a case study into how commercial FCD behaves in Sub-Saharan Africa when evaluating the traffic impact of a significant event.Papers presented at the 40th International Southern African Transport Conference on 04 -08 July 202

The development of a generic step-wise framework for achieving a multimodal platform in a development country environement

Paper presented at the 33rd Annual Southern African Transport Conference 7-10 July 2014 "Leading Transport into the Future", CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa.With information and technology becoming such a vital commodity in everyday life, it can be argued that informed travellers are the key to successful future transport services. Fortunately, it is recognised that the development of a multimodal transport system is needed in providing integrated traveller information. The relating challenges and the applicable considerations in attaining such an integrated system were researched. Following from this, a generic sequential framework that facilitates multimodal data integration and traveller information as a precursor to a fully integrated multimodal system was developed. In this framework four focus areas, related to the implementation requirements of the application environment considered, were identified. These areas are based on the premise that current technological evolvements need to be exploited in order to breach the missing intelligent link between the various application environments. The focus areas are: 1) the multimodal transport network and the design and modelling thereof, 2) the role of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in achieving a multimodal platform, 3) the need for and the design criteria of a centralised database, and 4) the need for and the travel information requirements of a multimodal Journey Planner (JP). The establishment of such a concise framework (along with its associated steps in attaining multimodal information) will go a long way towards providing the impetus, and eradicate the barriers, in achieving sustainable traveller information services. Ideally, South Africa (SA) will be able to empower a better transport service that spans across the nation’s social barriers.This paper was transferred from the original CD ROM created for this conference. The material was published using Adobe Acrobat 10.1.0 Technology. The original CD ROM was produced by CE Projects cc. Postal Address: PO Box 560 Irene 0062 South Africa. Tel.: +27 12 667 2074 Fax: +27 12 667 2766 E-mail: [email protected]

Operational concept for connected and autonomous vehicles in an urban environment

Papers presented virtually at the 41st International Southern African Transport Conference on 10-13 July 2031The emergence of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) can significantly alter how people and goods are transported, as Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) offer increased automation as well as improved connectivity between vehicles and roadside infrastructure. Although a future where all vehicles on the road are autonomous, which seems to be farfetched, the rapid development of AV technologies worldwide is a clear indication that local readiness needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. There are many uncertainties regarding how AVs would operate on the road network recognising that few studies have investigated how AVs would operate in an urban environment. This study attempts to provide insight as to how AVs and CAVs perform in such an environment, thus acting as a form of preparation for the future when AVs are eventually implemented. Four levels of autonomous behaviour were evaluated with a microscopic model, developed in PTV VISSIM, to assess the relative improvements that each of these levels provides to the road network’s performance at various penetration rates. The performance of the road network was evaluated by considering various performance indicators, including average network delays, network travel times, network travel speeds, queue lengths, and the average number of stops. Specific focus was also placed on the performance of CAVs and how robust they are to changes in traffic volumes. AVs, and CAVs, were quite effective in improving the network’s performance across all the performance indicators. Additionally, CAVs were quite robust when it came to handling changes in traffic volumes. However, the performance of the AVs were significantly dependent on their penetration rate. The findings in this study provided valuable insight into what the future would look like when AVs are implemented. This research provides a useful, albeit significant, first step in understanding the incremental introduction of CAVs and AVs in South Africa from a traffic engineering perspective

Transformation of in-plane ρ(T)\rho (T) in YBa2Cu3O7−δYBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{7-\delta} at fixed oxygen content

This paper reveals the origin of variation in the magnitude and temperature dependence of the normal state resistivity frequently observed in different YBCO single crystal or thin film samples with the same $T_{c}$. We investigated temperature dependence of resistivity in $YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{7-\delta}$ thin films with 7- $\delta = 6.95$ and 6.90, which were subjected to annealing in argon at 400-420 K ($120-140^{o}C$). Before annealing these films exhibited a non-linear $\rho_{ab}(T)$, with a flattening below 230 K, similar to $\rho_{b}(T)$ and $\rho_{ab}(T)$ observed in untwinned and twinned YBCO crystals, respectively. For all films the annealing causes an increase of resistivity and a transformation of $\rho_{ab}(T)$ from a non-linear dependence towards a more linear one (less flattening). In films with 7- $\delta = 6.90$ the increase of resistivity is also associated with an increase in $T_{c}$. We proposed the model that provides an explanation of these phenomena in terms of thermally activated redistribution of residual O(5) oxygens in the chain-layer of YBCO. Good agreement between the experimental data for $\rho_{ab}(t,T)$, where t is the annealing time, and numerical calculations was obtained.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, submitted to PR

Measuring the impact of roadworks on traffic progression using floating car data

Roadworks projects, while necessary to upgrade and maintain our transport networks, are loathed for their presumed negative impact on our daily commute. The purpose of this study is to investigate how Floating Car Data (FCD) can be used to assess the influence of a work zone on traffic progression. The effective change in speed and travel time was examined within and around a work zone of the recently completed upgrade of the N1 in Cape Town, particularly during the lane closure of the inbound section of the N1 between Durban Road and Jip de Jager Drive. The use of FCD to assess the impact of work zones provided unprecedented insight into traffic patterns such as the change in position of bottlenecks during roadworks. FCD was shown to improve our understanding of traffic movement within work zones. This can provide input to strategies for safer traffic accommodation during roadworks, going some way to improve the daily commute of road users.Papers presented virtually at the 39th International Southern African Transport Conference on 05 -07 July 202

Implementation of uavs and fcd in adapting to the ‘new normal’ in the transportation industry: a traffic management case study

The Transportation industry has grown over the last few decades with the improvement of current transport technologies as well as through the implementation of innovative transport practices. This growth is happening worldwide at a country-specific pace. Now, with travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the transport sector, the Transportation industry is forced to adapt to changes in conventional travel behaviour and practices. Whether it be changes to current aspects of a transport system or reimagining entire processes, adaptation is required. This paper assesses both of these possibilities through a case study relating to traffic management processes in the study area of Stellenbosch. Changes to current traffic management processes relating to road traffic management and incident response with the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Floating Car Data (FCD) are assessed in this paper. Furthermore, a reimagination of the entire traffic management process is explored theoretically, which incorporates innovative transport technologies and systems. The goal of this paper is to development a framework for efficient transportation management that is relevant for a country with a developing transport infrastructure.Papers presented at the 40th International Southern African Transport Conference on 04 -08 July 202

Small-city traffic management using unmanned aerial vehicles (uavs)

Dedicated Traffic Management Centres (TMCs) are only operational in three of the largest metropolitan areas in South Africa (in Gauteng, eThekwini and Cape Town). Smaller cities and towns do not have TMCs to assist with traffic management due to the prohibitive cost of these facilities. This research considers the benefits that a small city environment could gain from live traffic management, specifically considering the town of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape as a case study. Stellenbosch experiences heavy congestion during the morning and afternoon peak periods due to significant trip attractions. A framework for the implementation of UAVs to monitor traffic as part of TMC activities was determined for Stellenbosch. A case study includes determination of flight parameters; flight height and speed, as well as the path a could UAV follows to monitor traffic in a 4 km radius around its point of deployment. A framework for the implementation of UAVs to incident response is also created, indicating how UAVs could be used to aid emergency response personnel to better understand and respond to an incident scene. The cost benefit of using UAVs compared to traditional CCTV monitoring for traffic management was evaluated. Additionally, the benefits and limitations of such a system are identified according to findings from the case study. It was determined that using UAVs could provide substantial benefits for traffic monitoring in small city environments.Papers presented virtually at the 39th International Southern African Transport Conference on 05 -07 July 202

Optimized Verlet-like algorithms for molecular dynamics simulations

New explicit velocity- and position-Verlet-like algorithms of the second order are proposed to integrate the equations of motion in many-body systems. The algorithms are derived on the basis of an extended decomposition scheme at the presence of a free parameter. The nonzero value for this parameter is obtained by reducing the influence of truncated terms to a minimum. As a result, the new algorithms appear to be more efficient than the original Verlet versions which correspond to a particular case when the introduced parameter is equal to zero. Like the original versions, the proposed counterparts are symplectic and time reversible, but lead to an improved accuracy in the generated solutions at the same overall computational costs. The advantages of the new algorithms are demonstrated in molecular dynamics simulations of a Lennard-Jones fluid.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures; submitted to Phys. Rev.

Micromobility : testing suitability through fcd to improve overall mobility

Papers presented virtually at the 41st International Southern African Transport Conference on 10-13 July 2061Micromobility refers to the use of small, lightweight, and often non-motorised vehicles for short trips and last-mile connections that can either by privately owned, or part of a transport offering through a fleet of vehicles owned by a mobility service provider. Micromobility solutions have the potential to significantly reduce congestion and improve the urban environment. This paper aims to investigate how floating car data (FCD) can be used to evaluate the opportunity for micromobility to unlock mobility solutions for both short trips (5 km to 10 km) and long trips (>10 km), to encourage more sustainable urban movement. This paper investigates micromobility options using the town of Stellenbosch as a case study. The potential role of micromobility is investigated by considering typical trip patterns in Stellenbosch, collected through commercial FCD detailing motorised trips. The option of creating linkages between micromobility and infrastructural elements such as vehicle parking areas and “park and ride” facilities to increase the reach of micromobility are also considered. The research revealed a high level of suitability of micromobility for internal trips made within Stellenbosch, and external trips heading into Stellenbosch from surrounds when coupled with infrastructure upgrades (“park and ride”) and ride-share facilities. The paper also demonstrates the benefits of FCD for micromobility planning