RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FUEL CONSUMPTION, DRIVING CONDITIONS AND TRAFFIC FLOW FACTORS IN SIGNALIZED URBAN STREET NETWORKS. ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN LAND TRANSPORT. PROCEEDINGS OF A SEMINAR ORGANISED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR ENERGY, LUXEMBOURG, MAY 16-18, 1988

Empirical observations under actual traffic conditions are used in this paper to derive relationships between the fuel consumption of cars and traffic-flow parameters, particularly for light-controlled urban streets, the parameters being chosen for their direct causal relationship with fuel consumption. Regression analysis of the measurement data reveals a clear and provable relationship between fuel consumption and trip parameters. The most significant of these variables are "average slowness", "trip time", "fraction of trip time when decelerating", "acceleration" and "acceleration work". The analysis is made more precise by examining trip phases, particularly those in which the traffic did not actually come to a standstill. These can be assigned to one of two groups: "normal" and "queuing" at light-controlled intersections. Fuel consumption during these driving phases can conveniently be estimated on the basis of the parameters "average slowness of the cycle" and "acceleration noise". For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 824263.