New Extensions and Applications of the Modified Chumanov Model for Calculating Entry Capacity of Single-Lane Roundabouts

Abstract

Over the past decades many models for roundabout capacity have been proposed. Attention to this research sector has never stopped and still today new formulations are always being studied, especially in view of their direct application in design practice. This paper reports the first noteworthy results of a research concerning the Modified Chumanov (MC) model, which can be used to estimate the capacity of single-lane roundabout entrances. After a detailed examination of the original model recommended by the Russian guidelines for small urban roundabouts, the paper proposes some extensions which allow using the revised model even for larger intersections. The MC model also includes some parameterizations that allow its application with different road pavement surface conditions (i.e., dry and wet conditions). The MC entry capacity model, as function of circulating flow and other parameters dependent on geometry and environmental conditions, was compared with 15 widespread models considering a typical medium-sized single-lane roundabout. A validation test was carried out considering four capacity–circulating flow datasets from the literature. The proposed MC model showed good flexibility in adapting to data. This flexibility appears better than the most recent models by Highway Capacity Manual, in the absence of local calibration of the psychotechnical parameters.