Impact of Platooning Connected and Automated Heavy Vehicles on Interstate Freeway Work Zone Operations

Work zones pose mobility issues to the traveling public and safety challenges to travelers and road maintenance workers. These safety and mobility issues may be exacerbated by the presence of heavy vehicles. Connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technologies have been identified as a potential solution for these issues. This paper investigates the operational impacts of connected and automated heavy vehicles (CAHV) on freeway work zone operations on interstate highways. A microsimulation model, calibrated to empirical work zone field data, was used to study the operational impacts of CAHV platoons under various work zone and traffic conditions. It was found that, as the CAHV market penetration rate increases, the average work zone delay and queue length decreases. In addition, as the demand and heavy vehicle percentage increases, so do the benefits of using CAHV technology. For example, it was found that, when all heavy vehicles are classified as CAHV, the average flow rate is approximately 67% higher, and the maximum queue size and average delay decrease by approximately 97%. The methodology used in this paper will help transportation agencies as they design work zones to accommodate heavy vehicles equipped with CAV technologies.