Bambui Transport - Coursework Example

2015 EWB Challenge Reignite Action for Development Bambui Transport MIBT Group 6A members: Ahmad Alrasheedi, ALRABC1303 # Abdullah Alrashidi, ALRA2D1302 # Abdullah Alajmi, ALAA1C1303 # abdulazizAlshammari, ALSA1C1301 # Table of Contents Reignite Action for Development 1 5. Needs Definition 3 5.1 Scope 3 5.2 Background 3 5.3 Existing technologies and solutions 4 5.4 Service Specification for the Design 6 5.5 Operating Conditions Specification for the Design 7 5.6 Genuine Targets Specification for the Design 8 6. Conceptual Designs 9 6.1 Summary 9 6.2 Option 1: scoot 11 6.3 Option 2: A traffic light controller 12 6.4 Option 3: solar control unit 13 6.5 Option 4: Advanced Traffic Management System 14 6.6 Evaluation of Options 16 5. Needs Definition 5.1 Scope One of the places that should be improved in terms of the transport system is Bambui. Presented in this paper is the need definition part of the project to improve the transport system in Bambui. Bambui is a town found in Cameroon. The improvement is based on combination of two objectives. The first objective is the improvement and the maintenance of the road network. The second objective is the minimization of accidents and congestion in Bambui. 5.2 Background For the growth of the economies of different countries to improve, an elaborate transport system should be put in place. Well networked transport systems help the movement of goods, money and traders. This easy movement of goods helps in improvement of the economy of a country because it helps in money circulation and creation of employment (Savy& Burnham, 2013). Engineers and urban planners thus have a duty to improve the transport systems in their jurisdiction. The transportation networks and the transportation in Bambui need modernization. These systems include bridges, culverts, underpass structures and proper drainage systems. As well, the existing transportation infrastructure has to be maintained properly to ensure that they do not deteriorate. To meet these objectives, this project has identified specific needs that should be met by the project implementation team. The road network should link well the commercial centers around Bambui. 5.3 Existing technologies and solutions Road network covering a distance of 250 kilometers should be constructed in the modern style. The roads are meant to serve a population of 50 000 people found in the township. The project proposes that the area should have modern road networks. These roads should be made up of primarily concrete or asphalt. Such roads, according to the concept of Mc-Adam, should be made up of stone aggregate in asphalt cement and a binder or Portland cement. When considering the type of the pavement to use, it will be borne in mind that asphalt is flexible pavement and will thus flow slowly under pounding of traffic. Concrete, on the other hand, is rigid pavement. This should be used in roads where heavy commercial and faster speed vehicles will be using (Reid, 2015). In the design, the local roads in the area will need asphalt while major roads will need concrete for pavement. Due to the intensity of businesses in Bambui, it is projected that the future roads should withstand heavier vehicles that have faster speeds. The constructed roads should have thick slabs and deep sub-bases. A sub-base is a layer or successive layers of gravel, sand and stone whose purpose is to support the pavement. This architecture will help conduct away water that gets under the slabs. It will also help spread out the load bearing on underlying soil. In the highways designs, there will be need for shoulders. These will give the needed margin for the side clearance. It will also provide a refuge for vehicles that could be incapacitated while on the road. Still, the shoulders will help create a parking space and an emergency lane. These shoulders should also prevent water from seeping into the soil near the edge of the main pavement. However, it should be noted that such shoulders on the Bambui road network will be built to lower standards. In order to minimize accidents and congestion on the roads in Bambui, the project has identified needs that should be fulfilled. Three devices that should communicate directly with the drivers of vehicles should be installed on the roads in Bambui. The devices should either be signals, signs or pavement markings. The three will help the drivers navigate on the roads. These tools assign the right of way at road intersections. They also guide the drivers by indicating potential hazards, warning about sharp bends, telling drivers about black spots and other rod warnings. The major intersections of Bambui need traffic lights. These lights will help ease the congestion that is experienced at some of the road intersections. They will also help reduce accidents that would otherwise have occurred due to the vehicles fighting for the right of way. The traffic light signals should be coordinated from a central point. There is need for synchronization of all the traffic lights in the urban centers. Computerized traffic lights should be installed. These will ensure that there is a seamless flow of vehicles in all the road intersections in the urban centers. Street light control systems should be developed in Bambui to control and therefore reduce the consumption of energy in the lighting system. Network operating protocols should be adopted. These will help in improvement of the safety of the drivers during dark hours while driving. Beacon lights are also needed in the transport network of Bambui. They will help reduce accidents on the roads. This is a modest and steady light put at the intersection of two roads as an aid to the navigation of the drivers. This will help the drivers identify the location of side roads as the move closer to it. This helps them adjust their brakes and understand exactly where they have to turn should they intend to leave the main roads. This lighting will also be put in the roads that pass in residential areas. Reflectors are also needed on the interstate highways. They should be put on the sidewalks for the benefit of the drivers and the pedestrians. Along some of the roads, footbridges will be needed. This will help the pedestrians cross roads safely without having to risk being knocked down by vehicles. In areas where the foot bridges will not be possible, zebra crossings need to be constructed. These should be aided by signs that warn the drivers to slow down when arriving at such markings (Xiong et al, 2012). In essence, the use of foot bridges and zebra crossings will be dependent on the population of people crossing at given section of the road. 5.4 Service Specification for the Design Table 1 shows the needs in the Bambui transport system and their importance. 1 represents least important while 5 represents more important. Table 1: Service Specification for Design No. Need Importance 1 Safe transportation system 5 2 Reliable travelling time 5 3 How much can the improvement of transportation cost? 3 4 Robust traffic control systems 5 5 Improvement of the existing road conditions 4 The Bambui Township needs safe transportation system. It also needs reliable travelling time. For these needs to be satisfied there is need for financing. Still, in order to decongest the roads, there is need for improvement of the quality of the existing roads and the introduction of robust transportation system. 5.5 Operating Conditions Specification for the Design In order to achieve improvements in the transport system of Bambui, our team intends to come up with plan whose design will result in improved roads in the town. Table 2 shows the design condition specifications for the design. Table 2: Operating Conditions Specification for the Design Project Introduction Units Importance Safety of using the road Safety 5 The total cost of road construction AUD 3 Cost of getting the human resources and labor 50 people 5 Construction time 30 days 3 Decongestion of roads Time spend on roads 5 The table above shows that our design contain many thing its effective, simple, will not cost a lot of money easy to use. 5.6 Genuine Targets Specification for the Design Our aim is to design a traffic control system which controls traffic by sending signals both visual and sound to both pedestrians and drivers. Traffic control system of this nature is critical to the safety of a junction for all, as rising wrong decisions to cross can cause catastrophic accidents. This warning system was designed to turn on a warning sound for drivers and pedestrians when 5 minutes is achieved, using the Delco Map time sensors. The alarms makes a sound of a man when it is time for pedestrians to cross and bell warning sound for drivers time. But all this is consisted with traffic junction signals. The system will also have a system to send control unit where all information’s will be processed. In case there is an accident the system will have sensors which will send signals to drivers to stop as well as signals to the police unit and ambulance services within the area. There will be a micro processor which will work with software to calculate traffic density of directions of a junction for the purpose of allocating time for traffic flow. This program or system will only be used by government and a road management authority; therefore, it will be manufactured upon request from relevant authorities. 6. Conceptual Designs The main aim is to evaluate different options available in solving the road transport system facing Bambui which has lead to loss of life and time. We have considered four options in this project which include scoot traffic control system, traffic light controller, traffic light controller using solar energy and advanced traffic management system. An option will be selected from the four with improvement since the aim is to design a product that will solve the problem. We intend to become creative by coming up with a hybrid control system from the four options. This means we will improve the strongest option to create our project. 6.1 Summary The traffic control system will require a sub-system that will be stable. The system will be stable if it has a continuous power system supply which will be made possible if national grid will be able to continuously supply without interruption. This means that there should be a subsystem of power generation since the national grid experiences power shortages. When there is detection of power shortage solar power is used. Specifically, the system will have self-inspection the periphery circuit including wire, cable and the connection between the equipments that detects areas to be maintained so as to enable it send signals. Traffic control system will be installed together with signal lights at traffic signal junctions for traffic and pedestrians to cross the junctions safely. This alerts the drivers and pedestrians by a loud sound when one or both of them make wrong moves. This leads to avoidance of serious accidents. It senses when one is making a wrong move. The circuit to be used is shown below; Figure 6.1: junction circuit The operational inputs for traffic junction’s alarm system are as follows: An alarm will sound if any of the road user makes a wrong move The bell sound for driver’s time to use the road and a man sound for pedestrians turn to cross the road. The warning sound should go on when the green light for either user is required to use. 6.2 Option 1: scoot This system receives data on traffic flow from sensors installed in various points of the road that is on junction and zebra crossing areas. It uses yellow, red, and green lights visible to the drivers and pedestrians in order to relay different messages. While the pedestrian is to cross, a steady green light signals to the pedestrian that he is cleared for cross while red to the driver. If the light is yellow it means that the pedestrian is supposed to stop for vehicles. A flashing yellow light signals on the side facing the road means that that the driver is about start or stop. The scoot model collects data using sensors which are installed on road junctions and zebra crossing sections. Being adaptive systems the software installed and linkage to the computer plays an important role. It is a system which is open loop system where data is processed. It has sensors which senses when a vehicle passes and this information is processed and signals send to the stopping line where the stopping line will indicate the red color for the vehicle stop. The system estimates the amount of traffic and calculates which section of the road that requires increased time for traffic flow. The system does not have a talking device but has a signal which is offset when the other side of the road is allowed to move. It has an optimiser which optimises road usage. This system relies on electricity to operate. Figure 6.2.(Esther &Bhaskar and King 2004) 6.3 Option 2: A traffic light controller This system controls the traffic by controlling the lighting system of the installed traffic sensors on the junction. This system works by identifying the traffic density of directions of a junction and allocates time through green signals to a direction where there is more traffic. It uses IR transmitter and receivers in a continuous manner. An IR transmitter sends signals while receivers receive them and processes the information which enables it to send signals out. It has a micro controller which has input/output port which is connected to the system to generate the signals the diagrams below shows how the system is installed on the road. 6.3: traffic control system 6.4 Option 3: solar control unit This is a solar control system which is ideal in areas where electricity from national grid is not available. It works in a similar version as a traffic light controller but it only utilizes solar to have its power. The diagram below shows the solar control unit. 6.5 Option 4: Advanced Traffic Management System This is a smarter option in traffic management because it has a control system that is connected to various junctions and various parts of the road. It has a network that connects all these junctions and sections of the road to process information and gives a rite of way. It has sensors, a network and a control system. Sensors are able to detect passing of vehicles, calculate density as well as produce the number of vehicles on the road. It can also provide the information on about on the type and categories of the vehicle on the road. The control mechanism ensures that the vehicles are allocated adequate time depending on the density. High density will have a longer signal of passage i.e. green signal as compared to those with less density. The network is a wireless/wired system which connects various sensors in the road network. The diagram below shows this system. The system uses Network Access Control by switching hardware and software grants access to specific network resources. The network performs a user and mobile unit authorization check for resources without a NAC agent. The switch also provides a means to bypass NAC authentication for MUs without NAC 802.1x support. NAC protects data proliferation in the wireless infrastructure by blocking or quarantining non-compliant devices from connecting to a WLAN. The 802.1x based pre-admission control also blocks devices at the authentication stage. It also provides qualified interoperability with MS NAP and Symantec NAC solution. 6.6 Evaluation of Options The options are The solar cells that currently exist that can help in designing a solar cell to be used in this mission have the following specifications solar cell Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 National grid power Solar power Microprocessor Central control system Network Light flashing system Alert signal Signals Stop bar detection sensors The area under consideration is supplied with national grid power system; however, there are constant blackouts. It is also situated in the tropical where there is constant supply of sunshine energy. In evaluating the options available, there is need to consider a hybrid system which utilizes both electricity from national grid and power from solar. I therefore choose the fourth option which will be modified to include usage of energy from solar. The hybrid system under consideration will be installed with speakers which will be making sound signals when the light is flashing a certain signal. The system will be expensive but will reduce the accidents that are witnessed on the roads in Bambui. The system will be designed in a manner that if it flashes a red light the driver and the pedestrian will know that it’s not time to pass through it will also have speakers attached to sensors. The speakers will only work if a driver o a pedestrian attempts to make a wrong move. A sensor will sense when a vehicle is passing or coming at a high speed and a pedestrian is attempting to cross. This ensures each person exercises caution. When there is an accident on the road especially on the junctions, there will be enhanced alert systems which will dispatch information to various points there is stoppage of vehicles and signals is sent to the police managing the area to reach at the accident point. Overlapping specifications chosen spacef Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 National grid power Solar power Microprocessor Central control system Network Light flashing system Alert signal Signals Stop bar detection sensors The traffic control system will use on and off circuit system thus relying on continuous flow of power which is also activates the red, green and yellow lights. Meaning the alarm will go off whenever a wrong move is made. In a closed system, the sensor is used to block off the electrical current, meaning the alarm will go off whenever the current is able to flow through the circuit. But it will also have speakers has got a control box with its own power source which is connected to all circuit connections as well as the alarm. Once the alarm sound is on, it can only be turned off by making a correctional measure is made or the user leaves the vicinity of the motion detectors. The effectiveness regarding the hybrid traffic control system is established through applying the method to both the simulated signals as well as the realistic movement detection signals generally under many different conditions. As such, hybrid traffic control system can be an effective system that can be used to determine the condition of any flow of traffic. Significantly, it is vital to consider having the knowledge concerning the fault detection in the alarm. In addition, it is important to consider the vital areas like the reliability as well as the safety and safety technicality of the alarm is guaranteed. Furthermore, the trend checking processes are usually associated with various harmonic as well as the stochastic models like the Fourier analysis wavelets as well as correlation techniques are performed. Following this process, movement detection occurs with similar models while considering the relationship that does exist between signals like the parameter estimation, observers, component analysis and parity equations. As a way of facilitating, the detection regarding the wrong moves by road users normally a movement at the wrong time is sensed by a sensor and is converted to strong electrical signals are converted into digital signals and pre-conditioned response is given in form of sound. Considering the preconditioning, the signals are normally comprised of processes like of anti-alias filtering as well a pre-amplifying. Ultimately, the collected information is then recorded into a known memory for future reference and can be used for other calculations. As a matter of fact, there are present inventions that have been utilized when it comes to sensing movements hence calculating particular sets of parameters regarding the direction of movement. If the system fails then provision should be there for redundant warning lights to be activated at the same input signal. Besides, the lights should be situated in important places in the junctions and control unit so that personnel will notice it as and when the warning lights are activated. The alarm bells should be linked to the system so as to alert those in the near by rom incase nobody is in the room, so that when there is an emergency it activates the alarm bells. Alarm activation should be provided for junctions also for alert for accidents alert. Bridges and zebra crossing should be fitted with rapid alert emergency response systems so as to facilitate quick response in the event of an emergency of a vehicle with abnormal speed is approaching. This system has a multifunction notification systems that notify multiple units to respond in the event of an emergency should be installed at a junction, and it should notify multiple departments like police, security, on coming vehicles as well as red cross. Figure 6.6 proposed system References Agarwal, Tarun, 2014. PIC Microcontroller Projects for Final Year Engineering Students. Crowe, J. & Hayes-Gill, B. 1998. Introduction to Digital Electronics. London: Butterworth-Heinemann. Digital circuits and systems, 2001. A traffic light controller. http://digsys.upc.es/ed/CSD/prob/Ch3/Prob_3_1/Prob_3_1.html Holdsworth, B., 2000. Digital Logic Design. London: Doctronics Educational Publishing for Design & Technology Iyyappan, S. & Nandagopal, V., 2013. Automatic Accident Detection and Ambulance Rescue With Intelligent Traffic Light System, International Journal of Advanced Research in Electrical, Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering LX Group, 2010. 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