Peak Hour Volume Calculator

| Added in Construction

What is Peak Hour Volume?

Peak Hour Volume (PHV) measures the maximum amount of something (like cars, water flow, etc.) in one intense hour, based on data from a 15-minute period. Whether you're planning a new road, designing water supply systems, or understanding the busiest times, knowing the PHV can drastically improve efficiency and planning.

Understanding PHV leads to better traffic management, optimized infrastructure, and cost savings on utilities.

How to Calculate Peak Hour Volume

The formula for calculating Peak Hour Volume is:

[\text{PHV} = \text{Peak Hour Factor} \times 4 \times \text{Peak 15 Minute Flow}]

Where:

  • Peak Hour Volume (PHV) is the total volume in units per hour
  • Peak Hour Factor (PHF) is a coefficient that represents flow distribution during the busiest hour
  • Peak 15 Minute Flow (P15) is the flow rate during the busiest 15 minutes

Calculation Example

Suppose you're analyzing traffic data with:

  • Peak Hour Factor: 0.8
  • Peak 15 Minute Flow: 20 units

Using the formula:

[\text{PHV} = 0.8 \times 4 \times 20]

[\text{PHV} = 0.8 \times 80 = 64 \text{ units/hr}]

Your Peak Hour Volume is 64 units per hour.

Summary Table

Variable Value
Peak Hour Factor (PHF) 0.8
Peak 15 Minute Flow (P15) 20 units
Peak Hour Volume (PHV) 64 units/hr

Applications

Understanding and calculating Peak Hour Volume helps optimize traffic flows, utility demands, and infrastructure design. It's essential knowledge for urban planners, civil engineers, and anyone involved in capacity planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Peak Hour Volume (PHV) measures the maximum amount of traffic, water flow, or other quantities in one hour, extrapolated from 15-minute data.

The Peak Hour Factor is a coefficient that represents how evenly traffic is distributed within the peak hour. A factor of 1.0 means perfectly even distribution.

Since there are four 15-minute periods in an hour, multiplying by 4 converts the 15-minute flow to an hourly equivalent.

Peak Hour Volume calculations are used in traffic engineering, utility planning, water supply systems, and any infrastructure that needs to handle peak demand periods.