Common Traffic Counting Methods in Iran's Transportation System

Modern times have seen a huge increase in the quantity of traffic on highways, and Iran is no exception. Increased traffic loads have an impact on engineering considerations, such as the fatigue life of roads and resistance to wear. These factors have an impact on safety and the economic health of the Country, meaning it is an important issue. Gathering statistics regarding paved road is therefore a major concern in Iran, and has been since the start of road construction. A quantitative measurement of the volume of various vehicle types that pass a particular section of road is important for planning, management and estimating the road requirement, as well as fields such as design, construction and maintenance. There are a number of methods available to gather such data, and in this paper, the most common methods of counting vehicles in Iran’s road network have been studied, with a subsequent analysis of their applications, advantages and disadvantages. Due to variations among the climatic conditions and different types of roads in the country, various traffic counting devices are being used across Iran. It is hoped that this paper will provide a basis for structured and knowledge-based decision making with regards to selection of the most appropriate technique for a given location.