Evaluating vehicles emissions through traffic simulation

摘要

The dynamic of the human activities due to the globalization and to the extension of the free movement of persons and goods involve the increasing of traffic flows crossing transport sensitive areas, generating great negative externalities (air, soil pollution, noise, vibrations). The paper deal with a method to assess the vehicles exhaust emissions combining traffic survey, traffic simulation and emission factors proposed by the European Environment Agency. A computer simulation model is conceived to record individual movement of cars and computing emissions based on their activity (traveled distance, speed), technical features, emissions standard. The case study investigates the exhaust emissions process on Prahova Valey in the Carpathians, a transport sensitive area bordering protected natural areas. The presence of tourist and cultural heritage attraction points, combined with the specific topography of the road network generate, during weekends and holidays, congestion phenomena associated with great externalities, mainly noise and exhaust emissions. Comparison among emission during congested periods and traffic calming are outlined.