I'd say there definitely is such a connection. The "damping" and "spring"
constants for cars in traffic are - well, not constant. But constant enough
to make the same effect appear.
Cheers.
Fil
2009/11/20 Birkin, Guy <[log in to unmask]>
> Dear Keith and others,
>
> I wonder if there if a similarity here between the propagation of the
> 'auditory ripples' and the occurrence of spontaneous traffic jams on
> motorways...?
>
> Cars travelling on a motorway are analogous to the train carriages; the
> delay in acceleration between carriages is like the delay between a car
> in front braking and the time when you apply your car's brakes to avoid
> hitting it. The cars are moving forwards but the 'braking wave' is
> propagated backwards. It seems to me that if the speed of propagation of
> the 'braking wave' exceeds the speed of the cars, then a jam can result.
>
> I'm sure I've seen reports on this somewhere, but it's not my area so I
> don't have a reference to hand.
>
> Regards,
>
> Guy
>
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--
Filippo A. Salustri, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Ryerson University
350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON
M5B 2K3, Canada
Tel: 416/979-5000 ext 7749
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