VEHICLE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS STUDY

Several methods of classifying vehicles employing mechanical-electrical and television-video tape systems were field tested and evaluated to determine their state of development and possible future use in highway data collection activities. Mechanical-electrical systems tested consisted of an inductance loop detector with two pneumatic road tubes (or two road tubes alone) along with a solid state device which automatically classifies traffic into six categories depending upon axle number and axle spacing. Systems are suitable for both permanent installation and portable use. A permanent system was installed on I-75 south of Atlanta and provides car and truck average speeds in addition to vehicle classification data via telemetry through a dedicated WATS line to a central office computer. The television-video tape system involves the use of a closed circuit television camera and time-lapse video tape recorder to provide a continuous visual record of the traffic stream from which vehicle classification data can be extracted manually from playback on a television monitor. The results of field testing over a 3 1/2 year period indicated that further improvements are necessary and appear attainable before the mechanical-electrical systems can be used with confidence in practical applications.

• Corporate Authors:

  Georgia Department of Transportation

  One Georgia Center
  600 West Peachtree Street, NW
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30308

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Alexander, MMJ
  • Threlkeld, R
  • Williams, J
• Publication Date: 1975-6

Media Info

• Pagination: 60 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automatic vehicle monitoring; Axles; Classification; Field tests; Flame photometry; Highway traffic; Loop detectors; Pneumatic equipment; Research; Solid state devices; Surveillance; Telemetry; Television; Television cameras; Traffic surveillance; Traffic surveys; Vehicle classification; Vehicles; Videotapes
• Identifier Terms: Interstate Highway System
• Old TRIS Terms: Pneumatic devices; Vehicular traffic
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Research; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00093949
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt.
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 10 1976 12:00AM