ABSTRACT
Traffic situation in some cosmopolitan cities in Nigeria, such as
Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja are becoming chaotic, and resulting
in needless waste of man-hour and loss of lives. Traffic lights are
installed at most intersections to control traffic by authorising rite of
passage to routes in an orderly manner. The order ensures that the
rite of passage is often granted equally to all routes in sequence.
This arrangement has been seen to introduce delay, and
consequently increased travelling time of road users. The delay is
attributable to equal insensitivity to the conditions of traffic
approaching the intersection. Wireless sensor network (WSN)
application in target detection, among others, have been applied to
the modern intelligent traffic system. This research seeks to deploy
findings in WSN to improve vehicular traffic light control in a
developing country using on-road sensors. `A unique feature of the
system is the varying time slots allotted to each route subject to
traffic conditions of the highway. Time allotted for each of the
routes at any time of the day is determined based on the condition
of the route at that period. The route with the highest traffic at the
beginning of each period determines the time slot to be allotted to
it, and the other routes in relation to their comparable volume of
traffic. A simulated performance appraisal shows considerable
improvement in the waiting period at the intersection, and
subsequent reduction in travel time by travellers using the
intersection to which the system applies.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page . . . . . . . . . i
Approval Page . . . . . . . . ii
Certification . . . . . . . iii
Declaration . . . . . . . . iv
Dedication . . . . . . . . v
Acknowledgement . . . . . . . vi
Abstract . . . . . . . . . vii
Table of contents . . . . . . viii
List of figures . . . . . . . xi
List of tables . . . . . . . xii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study. . . . . . . 1
1.2 Problem Statement . . . . . . . 2
1.3 Objectives of Study . . . . . . . 3
1.4 Significance of Study . . . . . . . 3
1.5 Scope of the work . . . . . . . . 4
1.6 Thesis Outline . . . . . . . . 4
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Technology Base . . . . . . . 5
2.1.1 Sensor Network . . . . . . . . 5
2.1.2 Types of Sensors . . . . . . . . 7
2.1.3 Data Type . . . . . . . . . 8
2.1.4 Network Topology. . . . . . . . 9
ix
2.2 Related Researches . . . . . . . 10
2.3 Relevance of Related Researches. . . . . . 11
2.4 Conclusion . . . . . . . . 12
CHAPTER THREE: IMPROVED VEHICULAR TRAFFIC
CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN
3.0 Introduction . . . . . . . . 13
3.1 Design Specification . . . . . . . 13
3.2 Design Methodology . . . . . . . 15
3.2.1 WSN Nodes. . . . . . . . . 16
3.2.2 Topology . . . . . . . . . 17
3.2.3 Power Supply . . . . . . . 17
3.2.4 Software . . . . . . . . . 17
3.2.5 Microcontroller . . . . . . . . 17
3.2.6 Communication Technology . . . . . . 28
3.2.7 Traffic Light Display . . . . . . . 28
3.3 The Prototype . . . . . . . . 28
3.3.1 Sensor Nodes . . . . . . . 29
3.3.2 Transmitters and Receivers . . . . . . 29
3.3.3 Traffic Light Panel. . . . . . . . 30
3.3.4 Power Supply . . . . . . . 31
3.3.5 Microcontroller . . . . . . . . 31
CHAPTER FOUR: IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES
4.1 Discussion of Results . . . . . . . 35
4.2 Challenges/Constraints . . . . . . . 36
4.2.1 Funding . . . . . . . . . 37
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Traffic control relates to the supervision of the movement of people,
goods, or vehicles to ensure efficiency and safety[1].Techniques and
devicesused to facilitate traffic controlinclude Signs, Signals Markings,
Licensing, etc. [2]. Traffic light is one of the popular techniques employed in
support of traffic control. It tells road users what to do on approaching an
intersection or along a road, i.e. stop or go, and when or how to turn, or move
with caution. Its basic design included the tri-coloured Red to mean Stop,
Amber (Yellow) to mean Get-Ready, and Green to mean Right of Way. The
design remained in use till date. However, the basic design has been improved
to incorporate automatic timers, motion sensors, LED, among others. Various
technologies have been employed as motion sensors. These include wireless
sensors.
Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN), as a technology, has been successfully
deployed for use in a variety of applications and environments. It focused
originally on designing efficient solutions for transfer of information from
sensor nodes to a sensor network gateway.Recently the focus started to shift
towards creating sensor network based communities, the Internet of Things, and
defining the role and place of sensors and machines in the Future Internet [3].
The successful and promising outcome of such deployments in commercial,
medical and industrial applications has led to increase in the interest of new
users [4].
The main purpose of sensor networks is to monitor an area, including
detecting, identifying, localising and tracking one or more objects of interest
[5]. WSN is defined as a group of autonomous sensor nodes, mostly based on
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low power consumption, that send their sensed data to a main network gateway
by using a radio frequency channel of communication [4]. Wireless sensor
network (WSN) is a network which implements many autonomous sensors to
monitor physical or environmental conditions and passes the collected data to a
main location [6]
Traffic road network is increasing day by day in today’s world [7].
Traffic jam and high number of accidents in urban and metropolitan areas
become more and more stressful and lead to dramatic consequences on
economy, human health, and environment [6].
Two main concerns regarding traffic on roads are congestion and safety
[6]. In order to address these issues, intelligent transsportation systems are being
developed and deployed. These systems acquire traffic information across road
networks. Traffic Information acquisition Systems (TIS) in most places where
available use wired power and communication, and require powerful computing
resources to attain high detection accuracy. Such methodologies elevate the cost
of construction and maintenance; consequently, the available detection area is
narrowed. The high cost may be disincentive to adoption of (TIS), particularly
in developing countries. Thus, the promise of low cost, highly scalable detection
properties of WSN in applications such as traffic surveillance or monitoring
make deployment of the technology in solving traffic problems an attraction.
The research is therefore motivated by desire to improve traffic control
using on-road wireless sensors networks.
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Congestion on major road in urban areas results in traffic jam and high
number of accidents. In order to ensure safe society, therefore, the need to
resolve challenge of traffic congestion in the most effective and economical
way is paramount to the development of the society. Effort at addressing the
3
challenge requires acquisition of traffic condition on the road, and an effective
control thereof. It is in search of the solution that this project seeks to consider
effectiveness of the use of on-road WSN in traffic control.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
The aim of this thesis is to develop and analyzethe on-roads wireless sensor
network prototype for improving traffic control in a given road network under
real-time constraints. The following objectives are set to meet the requirements
of the thesis:
§ Collectionof vehicular movement record or traffic data using on-road
wireless sensors network
§ Design and development of the system prototype
§ Cost effective deployment of on-road WSN
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
Rising population in developing nations of the world are bound to give
rise to increase in human and vehicular movement. This increase results in
problems like congestion and possibly collusion with attendant loss of manhour,
lives and other resources. Design and development of road networks are
expected to be carried out painstakingly taking into consideration human safety
concerns. This study aims at developing and analysing on-road wireless sensor
network for improving traffic control in a given road network under real-time
constraints is therefore relevant in attaining the objective of design and
development of road network.
Secondly, it is noted that various attempts and efforts have been put into
solving the problems of road congestion and enhance road safety. However,
being an evolving challenge, following dynamism of human society, solution
requirecontinuous refinement. The focus of this thesis, which is devoted to
4
improving on the existing solution, meets this requirement. The study,
therefore, represents a significant contribution to knowledge.
1.5 SCOPE OF WORK
The project is intended to presentthe use of on-road wireless sensors
networks for vehicular traffic control at a two-lane bi-directional intersection in
a developing country.
1.6 OUTLINE
The document is structured in such that here in the introduction, WSN is
introduced. The motivation for the study, its aims and objectives are clearly
stated. The scope of the study is defined while the methodology adopted is
enumerated. Then in the second chapter, theoretical backgrounds that are used
for the realisation of the work are explained. It discusses related work carried
out on the subject matter. Further on, in chapter three the design and
implementation of the complete work, with the theoretical consideration in
mind, is presented. The chapter describes the hardware and software platforms
used for the reference implementation. Chapter four presented an evaluated
implementation of the design in real time using a designated road network. And
finally, the tests results are presented in chapter fiveto show the performance of
the system. The concluding chaptersummarises the thesis, presents conclusion
reached and recommendation for future research.
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