SIDRA SOLUTIONS News 20 December 2007
Contents
SIDRA TRIP Version 1.0 Released
Training Workshops
Sales System Changes
SIDRA INTERSECTION Version 3.2 Update Packs
SIDRA INTERSECTION Version 4
SIDRA INTERSECTION User Status
Paper on Gap-Acceptance Capacity
Microsimulation or Analytical?
User Survey
Technical Advice
Subscribing to SIDRA NEWS
SIDRA TRIP Version 1.0 Released
SIDRA TRIP 1.0 was launched in Melbourne on 29 November 2007, and is now available for purchase.
In the New Year, we will send free Trial Version CD packages to all SIDRA INTERSECTION users who have current COVER!
SIDRA TRIP is a new software product which has been under development by Akcelik & Associates since 2002. It is a unique single-trip microsimulation model for assessing travel level of service, performance (delay, speed, travel time), operating cost, user cost, fuel consumption, vehicle emissions and noise in real-life road networks.
More information about SIDRA TRIP on our website
Datasheet (PDF, 776 KB)
TopTraining Workshops
The following SIDRA INTERSECTION training workshops are available in Australia and USA during 2008:
Sydney, Australia
Two-day BEGINNER Workshop, 5-6 February 2008
Two-day INTERMEDIATE Workshop, 7-8 February 2008
Two-day ADVANCED Workshop, 11-12 February 2008
Kansas City, USA
Two-day Roundabout Analysis Training Workshop, 22-23 May 2008.
This roundabout training workshop is scheduled to coincide with the TRB National Roundabout Conference, Kansas City, MO (18-21 May 2008) to provide interested transportation professionals with the opportunity to attend both events conveniently.
During 2007, SIDRA INTERSECTION training workshops were held in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth, Australia, Takapuna and Auckland, New Zealand, Halifax, NS, Canada, and Baton Rouge, LA, Albany, NY and Rochester, NY, USA. A total of 390 delegates attended these workshops.
Since July 2000, we ran over 100 training workshops with over 1900 delegates attending.
In evaluation of these courses, the trainees rated various aspects of the training courses and the SIDRA INTERSECTION software package very highly. See Training Evaluation
For training in your local area, please contact one of our Representatives. They are supported by Akcelik & Associates for providing up to date training programs, and are experienced in running successful SIDRA SOLUTIONS training workshops.
Sales System Changes
The following important changes were introduced to our sales system on 1 December 2007:
All prices are now in Australian Dollars. A currency converter is available on the new Prices and Order pages of our website.
Users of SIDRA INTERSECTION 3.1 will now need to upgrade to the latest Version 3.2. An upgrade discount is available.
After Version 4 is released, upgrades will no longer be available for users of Version 3.1 who will need to buy a new licence. Users of Version 3.2 with valid COVER will receive free upgrade to Version 4.
Upgrades are no longer available for users of older Version 2.1 who now need to purchase a new licence.
12-month COVER for free upgrades and technical support is now compulsory with new and upgrade licence purchases. To avoid costly upgrade and new licence purchases, we strongly recommend keeping your COVER up to date.
SIDRA INTERSECTION Version 3.2 Update Packs
SIDRA INTERSECTION Version 3.2 was released in August 2007. This is a major version which requires an upgrade licence for
Version 3.1 users.
Update Pack 1 for Version 3.2 was issued on 10 September 2007. Update Pack 2 for Version 3.2 is near completion and will be issued early in the New Year.
Please keep an eye on our Updates section on our website where detailed instructions and files for download will be available for Update Pack 2 probably towards mid-January.
SIDRA INTERSECTION Version 4
We are progressing with the development of Version 4. We will inform you about the status of this in due course.
SIDRA INTERSECTION User Status
The use of SIDRA INTERSECTION software around the world increased significantly again during 2007. The number of SIDRA INTERSECTION software licences issued to date is now over 2300 sites in 87 countries.
The largest user groups (approximate numbers) are in USA (over 900), Australia and New Zealand (570), South Africa (150), New Zealand (110), Canada (100), Malaysia & Singapore (100), Arabian Peninsula (40), and Spain, Norway, Slovenia, Italy and Chile (about 30 each).
See User Status
Paper on Gap-Acceptance Capacity
A new paper presenting a review of analytical gap-acceptance models is now
available for download:
AKÇELIK, R. (2007). A Review of Gap-Acceptance Capacity Models. Paper presented at the 29th Conference of Australian Institutes of Transport Research (CAITR 2007), Adelaide, December 2007 (PDF, 231 KB).
Abstract: Gap-acceptance capacity models apply to the analysis of minor movements at two-way stop and give-way (yield) sign-controlled intersections, entry streams at roundabouts and opposed (permitted) turns at signalised intersections. The same modelling principles apply to all these cases with different model parameters representing the intersection geometry, control and driver behaviour at different traffic facilities. This paper presents a review of some well-known analytical models that use bunched exponential and simple negative exponential distribution of headways in the opposing stream. Different bunching models are considered including the latest model used in SIDRA INTERSECTION. The capacity estimates from different models are compared. Research recommendations are included. The paper includes a survey method for follow-up headway and critical gap parameters.
Microsimulation or Analytical?
Traffic and transport professionals can benefit from using software packages based on microsimulation and analytical modelling approaches as complementary tools.
A presentation by Dr Akçelik discussing relationships between microsimulation and analytical models is available for download from our website:
AKÇELIK, R. (2007). Microsimulation and Analytical Models for Traffic Engineering. Presentation at the ARRB - AUSTROADS Microsimulation Forum 19-20 Sep 2007 (PDF, 1.5 MB).
The following paper is recommended in relation to this presentation:
Akçelik, R., and Besley M. (2001). Microsimulation and analytical methods for modelling urban traffic. Paper presented at the Conference on Advance Modeling Techniques and Quality of Service in Highway Capacity Analysis, Truckee, California, USA (PDF, 231 KB).
In his presentation, Dr Akçelik pointed out to the following "modelling myths":
“The system is too complex therefore we need simulation.”
“A model is either THEORETICAL or EMPIRICAL.”
“A simulation model is STOCHASTIC and an analytical model is DETERMINISTIC.”
“Microsimulation is more detailed therefore it must be more accurate.”
“Empirical modelling software … provide little meaningful information when a road or junction reaches saturation. Microsimulation models will continue to provide results at high degrees of saturation …” (from a Wikipedia entry!)
In relation to the last point above, Dr Akçelik discussed the need for multiple simulation runs (especially for oversaturated conditions), and suggested that a serious problem not realised by many modelers and practitioners is that increased simulation time does not deal with congested conditions adequately due to time-dependence of demand.
Dr Akçelik then discussed several key components of traffic models in relation to model calibration needs. He then referred to a published roundabout analysis case comparing SIDRA INTERSECTION and VISSIM, where very different results were produced by the two software packages probably due to inappropriate model specification.
The above documents can be also be obtained via our Downloads page
User Survey
During October 2007, we carried out a web-based survey of SIDRA INTERSECTION users. We received over 350 responses. We would like to thank all users who responded to the survey. We now have valuable information about our user's computer systems, about how they view SIDRA INTERSECTION, and their preferences about future development. This will help us to streamline our development in a better way to meet user needs.
The following survey results may be of interest:
"Overall, how satisfied are you with SIDRA INTERSECTION model results?": 99 per cent of respondents gave a rating of Extremely Satisfied, Very Satisfied or Somewhat Satisfied (74 per cent Extremely Satisfied or Very Satisfied).
"How satisfied are you SIDRA INTERSECTION user interface for data input and processing?": 96 per cent of respondents gave a rating of Extremely Satisfied, Very Satisfied or Somewhat Satisfied (72 per cent Extremely Satisfied or Very Satisfied).
"Overall, how satisfied are you with our Technical Support?": 100 per cent of respondents gave a rating of Extremely Satisfied, Very Satisfied or Somewhat Satisfied (81 per cent Extremely Satisfied or Very Satisfied).
Technical Advice
Please refer to the Technical Advice page on our website where we present information on some key issues raised by SIDRA users.
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Best wishes for Christmas and a happy and successful 2008!
SIDRA Team
Akcelik & Associates
