Use Cases > PTV xRoute > Additional Use Cases > Speeds Glossary

Speeds Glossary - different speed names and types

Static speed

For the static speed calculation the network classes and the speed classes of the map data are used together with the given vehicle speed profile.

NC/SC speed (network class/speed class)

The map data comprises a network class and a speed class for each segment. The network class indicates the level of a road segment (dependent on the functional road class, form of way, number of lanes, etc.). There are eight network class levels. The speed class is derived from the network class and speed information like speed restrictions or maximum speeds on different roads (highway, trunk road, rural road, city road). The same type of road can have different maximum speeds, e.g. wide or narrow roads, steep or even roads, mostly empty or congested roads, roads with or without many traffic lights.

Speed profile

The speed profile of a vehicle uses the network class and speed class. Usually a SpeedRangeByNetworkClass entry denotes the maximum and minimum speed on a road segment of the corresponding network class. Those speed intervals are mapped to the speed classes.

<Speed> <SpeedRangeByNetworkClass minimumSpeed="70" maximumSpeed="135"/> <SpeedRangeByNetworkClass minimumSpeed="35" maximumSpeed="125"/> <SpeedRangeByNetworkClass minimumSpeed="25" maximumSpeed="85"/> <SpeedRangeByNetworkClass minimumSpeed="25" maximumSpeed="60"/> <SpeedRangeByNetworkClass minimumSpeed="20" maximumSpeed="50"/> <SpeedRangeByNetworkClass minimumSpeed="18" maximumSpeed="40"/> <SpeedRangeByNetworkClass minimumSpeed="9" maximumSpeed="16"/> <SpeedRangeByNetworkClass minimumSpeed="4" maximumSpeed="6"/> </Speed>

NormSpeed

The maximum speed on a route segment. A NormSpeed consists of a NormSpeedType and a value. The following NormSpeedType specifies how the NormSpeed value should be interpreted:

normSpeedType = STATIC: The NormSpeed value is equal to vCalc.
normSpeedType = FREE_FLOW: The NormSpeed value contains the maximum speed which would be possible driving if there was no traffic disturbance.
normSpeedType = MAX_DYNAMIC: The NormSpeed value contains the maximum dynamic speed contained in the dynamic data. In this case vCalc is likely to be less than the NormSpeed value.

vCalc

The speed used for route calculation, i.e. it is the speed used to calculate the travel time on a segment.

FreeFlowSpeed

The maximum speed which would be possible if there was no traffic disturbance. The FreeFlowSpeed is included in the traffic patterns (see dynamic speed). If no freeFlowSpeed data is available, the maximum dynamic speed data of the traffic patterns is used.

Dynamic speed

The dynamic speed is a date-dependent (mostly day of week) and time-dependent speed. The possible driving speed is higher at night-time and decreases in the rush-hour. To calculate the dynamic speed traffic patterns are used. The diagram visualises example data for the period of one day.

Traffic patterns are also known as Historic Traffic Data, pattern over time (POT), or speed profile.

Speed limit

The speed limits represent signs on the road. They are not used to calculate the travel speed on this segment during routing calculation.