Civil Engineering 3201:
Introduction to Transportation Engineering
CE3201 comprises two components: lecture, which meets twice a week for 50 minutes, and lab (section) which meets three times a week for 50 minutes, though each students is in one of three sections. The lab employs computer-based simulations to allow students to “learn by doing” and get a different perspective on transportation engineering than solving homework problems provides. Each lecture includes both traditional lecture component, to convey material, highlight important points, and review questions students may have, and in-class problems, to attempt to engage students in active learning.
The plot of the course is “How does an idea become a road”. It begins with transportation planning (where ideas for roads (or other transportation facilities) are generated, proceeds to queueing, traffic flow analysis, and level of service, where the size (width) of the road is determined. The third section examines human factors and vehicle performance, to establish safety constraints (sight distance, pedestrian crossing times) and physical factors (maximum grade). The fourth section considers geometric design (vertical and horizontal alignment), and can be thought of as (length) . A final section briefly covers pavement (depth) of roads. The final ties together all of the material, so students can see how the answers to one set of questions becomes input to the next set.The computer lab reinforces the lecture, using simulation models of planning, queueing, ramp metering, and intersection control. A final lab involves the geometric design of a long stretch of road
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