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HKIE Professional Assessment - Logistics & Transportation Discipline study materials
HKIE Professional Assessment - Logistics & Transportation Discipline study resources

HKIE Professional Assessment - Logistics & Transportation Discipline practice questions

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Question 1Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

In a distribution network design study, a logistics engineer must decide whether to serve a regional market from a single central warehouse or from two forward warehouses. Which cost component typically increases when the network moves from one central warehouse to two forward warehouses?

  1. Outbound delivery cost per unit to customers
  2. Inventory holding cost per unit at each site
  3. Safety stock holding cost across the network Correct answer.
  4. Inbound transportation cost per unit from plants

Explanation

Splitting demand across more stocking points reduces the benefit of risk pooling, so total safety stock and its holding cost rise even when demand variability is unchanged. Outbound transport usually falls because forward warehouses sit closer to customers, and inbound transport per unit tends to rise rather than fall. The key design trade-off is between reduced delivery cost and increased pooled-inventory cost.

Question 2Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A spare-parts distributor classifies SKUs by annual usage value to set control policies. Which action is the standard consequence of placing an SKU in the A class of an ABC analysis?

  1. Ordering it in large lots to minimise the number of purchase orders raised
  2. Reviewing its stock position frequently and tightening its replenishment control Correct answer.
  3. Applying a simple two-bin visual system with no recorded balances
  4. Excluding it from cycle counting because its value is already known

Explanation

ABC analysis concentrates managerial effort on the small number of items that account for most usage value, so A items get frequent review and tight control. Low-value C items are the ones suited to simple visual systems and larger, less frequent orders. Cycle counting frequency should also be highest for A items, not zero.

Question 3Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A warehouse planner is sizing the receiving dock for an inbound flow of palletised goods. Which factor most directly determines the number of dock doors required?

  1. The number of SKUs carried in the forward pick area
  2. The average order lines per outbound customer order
  3. The total storage cube of the reserve racking area
  4. The peak arrival rate of vehicles and the service time per vehicle Correct answer.

Explanation

Dock capacity is a queueing problem: the number of doors depends on how many vehicles arrive during peak periods and how long each occupies a door. Storage cube, SKU count and order profile affect other parts of the facility but not door count directly. Designing to average rather than peak arrival rates causes queues and detention charges.

Question 4Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

In the economic order quantity model, annual demand is 12,000 units, the ordering cost is HK$150 per order and the annual holding cost is HK$4 per unit. What is the EOQ?

  1. 600 units
  2. 1,200 units
  3. 900 units Correct answer.
  4. 300 units

Explanation

The EOQ formula is the square root of twice annual demand times ordering cost divided by holding cost per unit per year. Here that is the square root of (2 x 12,000 x 150) / 4, which equals the square root of 900,000, or about 949, so 900 units is the closest listed value. The result balances annual ordering cost against annual holding cost.

Question 5Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A manufacturer operates a two-bin kanban system for a component with steady daily usage. Which condition must hold for the system to function without stockouts?

  1. The supplier must deliver at least once per production shift
  2. The component must be classified as an A item under ABC analysis
  3. The bin quantity must equal the annual demand divided by twelve
  4. The replenishment lead time must be shorter than the time taken to consume one bin Correct answer.

Explanation

A two-bin system triggers replenishment when the first bin empties, so the second bin must cover demand during the entire replenishment lead time. If lead time exceeds the consumption time of a bin, the second bin empties before resupply arrives. Delivery frequency and ABC class are not the governing condition.

Question 6Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A third-party logistics provider is preparing a quotation for warehousing a client's goods. Which cost element is best treated as a fixed cost of the warehouse operation rather than a variable cost per unit handled?

  1. Building rent under a long-term lease Correct answer.
  2. Fuel surcharge on outbound truck movements
  3. Casual labour for unpacking inbound pallets
  4. Packaging cartons consumed per outbound order

Explanation

Rent under a long-term lease is incurred regardless of throughput and is therefore a fixed cost within the relevant capacity range. Casual labour, packaging and fuel all vary with the volume of goods handled or shipped. Separating fixed from variable elements is essential when quoting tariffs that remain profitable at low volumes.

Question 7Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A retail chain wants to shift from a push-based to a pull-based replenishment model across its stores. Which change is most characteristic of this shift?

  1. Replenishment is triggered by actual point-of-sale demand at each store Correct answer.
  2. Forecasts are extended to a longer horizon to improve production planning
  3. Store orders are replaced by central allocation based on historical sales
  4. Buffer stock is increased at the central warehouse to cover forecast error

Explanation

Pull-based replenishment responds to real consumption signals such as point-of-sale data rather than to forecast-driven allocation. This reduces reliance on long-horizon forecasts and typically lowers buffer stock as demand visibility improves. Central allocation from historical sales is a push mechanism.

Question 8Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A logistics manager is evaluating a cross-docking facility for fast-moving consumer goods. Which operating condition most favours cross-docking over conventional put-away and storage?

  1. Products requiring value-added kitting before despatch
  2. Highly seasonal demand with large peaks and long troughs
  3. Long supplier lead times with unreliable delivery windows
  4. High and predictable inbound volumes that can be pre-allocated to outbound routes Correct answer.

Explanation

Cross-docking works when inbound shipments can be matched to outbound demand before arrival, so goods move from receiving to shipping with minimal storage. Predictable, high-volume flows make this matching reliable. Seasonality, value-added processing and unreliable inbound timing all undermine the tight coordination cross-docking requires.

Question 9Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A freight forwarder moves containerised cargo from Hong Kong to an inland European city. Under Incoterms 2020, which term places the greatest obligation on the seller for arranging carriage and insurance to the destination?

  1. FCA
  2. DAP Correct answer.
  3. CIP
  4. EXW

Explanation

Under DAP the seller bears all risks and costs of delivering the goods to the named destination, ready for unloading, which is a far greater obligation than the C-terms or F-terms. CIP requires the seller to arrange carriage and insurance but risk passes earlier at handover to the carrier. EXW and FCA place minimal carriage obligations on the seller.

Question 10Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A shipping line is planning container vessel schedules on a trunk route with several port calls. Which factor most directly determines the number of vessels needed to maintain a fixed weekly service frequency?

  1. The TEU capacity of each vessel deployed
  2. The fuel consumption rate per nautical mile
  3. The number of transhipment hubs served en route
  4. The round-trip voyage time including port dwell and any buffer Correct answer.

Explanation

Weekly frequency requires enough vessels so that one arrives each week, which means fleet size equals round-trip time divided by the service interval. Port dwell and buffer time lengthen the round trip and therefore increase the vessels required. Vessel capacity, hub count and fuel rate affect cost and routing but not the count needed for a given frequency.

Question 11Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A distribution centre uses a shared-user model serving several client brands. Which benefit most clearly distinguishes a shared-user warehouse from a dedicated single-client warehouse?

  1. Spreading fixed facility and systems costs across multiple clients Correct answer.
  2. Elimination of the need for client-specific service agreements
  3. Complete control of warehouse layout by a single client
  4. Guaranteed priority handling for each client's urgent orders

Explanation

A shared-user facility pools several clients in one operation, so fixed costs such as rent, handling equipment and warehouse management systems are spread over a larger volume base. Each client gives up some layout control and must accept service-level arrangements in a contract. Priority handling and elimination of agreements are not inherent benefits.

Question 12Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A logistics engineer is assessing the resilience of a supply network that relies on a single overseas supplier for a critical component. Which measure most directly reduces the network's exposure to a disruption at that supplier?

  1. Reducing the safety stock held at the assembly plant
  2. Increasing the order quantity on each purchase order
  3. Extending the supplier payment terms
  4. Qualifying a second source in a different region Correct answer.

Explanation

Dual sourcing from a geographically separate supplier removes the single point of failure, so a disruption at one site does not halt supply. Larger order quantities and longer payment terms change cash and inventory profiles but not concentration risk. Cutting safety stock increases exposure rather than reducing it.

Question 13Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A cold-chain operator must maintain a product between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius from plant to retail. Which control is the most direct means of verifying that the chain has been maintained throughout transit?

  1. Certifying the driver in temperature awareness
  2. Recording the set-point of the reefer unit at departure
  3. Selecting the fastest available route to the customer
  4. Using validated data loggers inside each shipment Correct answer.

Explanation

Validated data loggers record actual temperature history throughout the journey, providing evidence that the product stayed within the licensed range. A departure set-point shows only the starting condition, and driver training or route choice are controls rather than verification. Regulatory audits of cold chain rely on such time-temperature records.

Question 14Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A company is deciding whether to insource or outsource its regional distribution operation. Which consideration argues most strongly in favour of keeping the operation in-house?

  1. The market contains several capable logistics providers with spare capacity
  2. The company needs rapid access to seasonal labour flexibility
  3. The company wishes to convert fixed warehouse costs into variable costs
  4. The capability is strategically differentiating and tightly coupled to customer service Correct answer.

Explanation

Activities that create competitive advantage and directly shape customer experience are usually kept under direct control, because outsourcing risks loss of know-how and service differentiation. Cost variabilisation and access to provider capacity and flexible labour are classic arguments for outsourcing. The decision should weigh strategic value against operational efficiency.

Question 15Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A logistics analyst is calculating the total landed cost of imported components for a bill of materials. Which element is most often omitted from a simple purchase-price comparison and should be included in landed cost?

  1. The supplier's quoted unit price
  2. The internal part number assigned to the component
  3. The duty payable on import and the cost of carrying in-transit inventory Correct answer.
  4. The quantity ordered per replenishment cycle

Explanation

Landed cost adds duties, freight, insurance, handling and the cost of capital tied up in goods in transit to the purchase price. Omitting duty and in-transit carrying cost can reverse a sourcing decision that looks cheaper on unit price alone. Order quantity and part numbering affect planning but are not cost elements.

Question 16Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A manufacturer wants to postpone product differentiation until customer orders are received. Which design change best supports this postponement strategy?

  1. Holding finished goods in every possible configuration at regional warehouses
  2. Building to forecast in large batches to capture economies of scale
  3. Holding generic semi-finished stock and adding market-specific features at a late stage Correct answer.
  4. Consolidating all assembly into a single plant with long shipping distances

Explanation

Postponement keeps inventory in a generic form and delays the step that creates variety until demand is known, which lowers the risk of mismatched finished stock. Building to forecast in large batches is the opposite of postponement. Holding every finished configuration multiplies inventory rather than deferring differentiation.

Question 17Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A logistics engineer is selecting a location for a new regional distribution centre serving customers across a territory. In the centre-of-gravity approach with straight-line distances, which input determines the location that minimises total transport effort?

  1. The volume shipped to each customer and its coordinates Correct answer.
  2. The number of SKUs stocked at each customer location
  3. The rental cost per square metre at candidate sites
  4. The number of delivery vehicles in the fleet

Explanation

The centre-of-gravity method weights each demand point's coordinates by the volume shipped there, giving a location that minimises total tonnage-distance. SKU count, site rents and fleet size are not part of the basic weighted-distance calculation. Practical siting then adjusts the mathematical result for roads and land availability.

Question 18Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A warehouse manager observes that picking productivity has fallen after a change in slotting. Which measure would best test whether slotting is the cause?

  1. Number of stockouts recorded in the reserve area
  2. Total pallets received per day at the inbound dock
  3. Average truck turnaround time at the outbound dock
  4. Lines picked per labour hour in the affected pick zones Correct answer.

Explanation

Lines picked per labour hour isolates picking output against the labour used, so a fall after reslotting points to the slotting change. Inbound pallets, reserve stockouts and dock turnaround measure other processes and would not confirm a picking effect. Comparing before and after within the same zones strengthens the inference.

Question 19Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A company is designing a supply chain for a product with high demand uncertainty and short life cycles. Which combination of design choices is most appropriate?

  1. Minimal information sharing with suppliers to avoid forecast leakage
  2. Fixed long-term capacity contracts and deep forward buying of components
  3. Flexible capacity, short replenishment cycles and postponement of variety Correct answer.
  4. Long production runs and centralised inventory in a few large warehouses

Explanation

When demand is unpredictable and product life is short, responsiveness matters more than efficiency, so flexible capacity, fast replenishment and postponement reduce mismatch risk. Long runs and deep forward buying commit to volume before demand is known. Withholding information from suppliers worsens the bullwhip effect and slows response.

Question 20Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A logistics planner must set the reorder point for a part with normally distributed demand during lead time. Daily demand averages 40 units with a standard deviation of 8, and the lead time is 9 days with negligible variability. For a 95 percent service level (z = 1.65), what reorder point should be used?

  1. About 413 units Correct answer.
  2. About 360 units
  3. About 374 units
  4. About 400 units

Explanation

Lead-time demand is 40 x 9 = 360 units, and the standard deviation of demand over the lead time is 8 x square root of 9 = 24 units. Adding 1.65 x 24, about 40 units of safety stock, gives a reorder point of roughly 400 units, so the closest listed value above that is about 413. The safety stock covers demand variability during replenishment.

Question 21Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A freight manager is choosing between air and sea for a high-value electronics shipment. Which pair of characteristics most strongly favours air freight?

  1. Low value density and a long permissible lead time
  2. Seasonal volume peaks and abundant vessel capacity
  3. High value density and a short required lead time Correct answer.
  4. Bulky dimensions and a low insurance premium

Explanation

Air freight is expensive per kilogram but fast, so it pays when the goods are worth a lot relative to their weight and when delay is costly. Low value density and long permissible lead times favour sea. Bulky low-value cargo and available vessel capacity also point to ocean transport.

Question 22Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A distribution centre measures order fulfilment accuracy at 99.2 percent and on-time despatch at 96 percent. A customer requires 99 percent on-time delivery. Which action best addresses the gap?

  1. Increasing the safety stock of finished goods across all SKUs
  2. Raising the order accuracy target to 99.5 percent
  3. Reducing the number of orders accepted each day
  4. Analysing the causes of late despatch and removing the dominant constraint Correct answer.

Explanation

On-time despatch is below target, so root-cause analysis of late orders identifies the specific constraint, whether pick capacity, cut-off timing or carrier collection. Blanket stock increases may not touch the cause and add cost. Reducing orders and raising an already-met accuracy target do not improve despatch timeliness.

Question 23Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

In a supply chain, a retailer's order variability is amplified as it moves upstream to the wholesaler and then the manufacturer. Which practice most directly dampens this amplification?

  1. Extending payment terms between tiers
  2. Increasing the number of tiers between production and retail
  3. Each tier maintaining independent forecasts and reordering in large lots
  4. Sharing real point-of-sale demand data across tiers Correct answer.

Explanation

The amplification known as the bullwhip effect is driven largely by each tier forecasting from its own incoming orders rather than end demand. Sharing point-of-sale data gives all tiers a common demand signal and reduces order distortion. Large batch ordering and longer channels worsen amplification.

Question 24Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A logistics engineer is reviewing a vehicle routing problem for a single depot serving many customers with small drop sizes. Which constraint most directly limits the number of customers that can be served on one route?

  1. The width of the loading dock doors
  2. The number of SKUs ordered by each customer
  3. The depot's opening hours
  4. The vehicle's payload or volumetric capacity Correct answer.

Explanation

Route feasibility is bounded by vehicle capacity in weight or volume, so the cumulative demand of assigned customers cannot exceed it. SKU variety affects picking effort but not vehicle load limits. Depot hours and door widths affect scheduling and access but are not the binding route constraint.

Question 25Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A company operates a vendor managed inventory arrangement with a key supplier. Which change in responsibility is the defining feature of this arrangement?

  1. The supplier monitors stock and decides replenishment on the customer's behalf Correct answer.
  2. The customer holds consignment stock owned by the supplier until use
  3. The supplier invoices only after the customer's final sale is confirmed
  4. The customer sets the replenishment quantity while the supplier only transports

Explanation

Under vendor managed inventory the supplier takes responsibility for monitoring inventory levels and deciding when and how much to replenish. The customer shares demand and stock data but does not set the order quantity. Consignment and sales-based invoicing are separate commercial arrangements that can exist without VMI.

Question 26Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A distribution centre planner is sizing the storage area for a new facility. Which relationship correctly describes how the required number of pallet positions is derived from throughput and dwell time?

  1. Pallet positions equal annual throughput divided by the building footprint
  2. Pallet positions equal peak daily throughput multiplied by the number of dock doors
  3. Pallet positions equal average inventory, which is throughput multiplied by average dwell time divided by the number of periods in the same time unit Correct answer.
  4. Pallet positions equal the number of suppliers multiplied by average order size

Explanation

Storage capacity is driven by inventory held, and average inventory follows from Little's Law: inventory equals throughput rate multiplied by average time in storage (dwell). A facility handling 400 pallets per day with 5 days average dwell therefore needs roughly 2,000 positions before allowing for seasonality and honeycombing.

Question 27Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A spare-parts distributor holds slow-moving items with very low but steady demand and high service-level requirements. Which inventory policy is most appropriate for these parts?

  1. A continuous review with fixed order quantity and safety stock set from the demand during lead time Correct answer.
  2. A periodic review with long review intervals and no safety stock
  3. A single large annual order to capture quantity discounts
  4. A zero-inventory just-in-time arrangement with daily deliveries

Explanation

For low but steady demand with a demanding service level, a continuous review (reorder point) system with safety stock sized on lead-time demand variability keeps stock minimal while protecting availability. Periodic review with long intervals or annual bulk orders would create either stockouts or excessive holding.

Question 28Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

An electronics manufacturer sources a display module from one plant overseas. The logistics engineer proposes qualifying a second source, holding 6 weeks of buffer stock, and designing a late-configuration variant. Which statement best characterises the resilience effect of the three measures taken together?

  1. They eliminate the need for demand forecasting in the affected product line
  2. They increase redundancy and flexibility, shortening recovery time while reducing the impact of any single failure Correct answer.
  3. They reduce the probability of disruption but leave recovery time unchanged
  4. They shift all disruption risk from the manufacturer to the upstream supplier

Explanation

Multiple sourcing adds redundancy, buffer stock absorbs impact during a disruption, and late configuration allows the firm to redirect scarce modules to the highest-value variants. Together they raise the network's absorptive and adaptive capacity rather than merely preventing failure.

Question 29Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A logistics engineer is calculating the economic order quantity for a component where annual demand is 36,000 units, ordering cost is HK$500 per order, and annual holding cost is HK$40 per unit. Using the EOQ formula, what is the approximate order quantity?

  1. 1,200 units
  2. 600 units
  3. 900 units Correct answer.
  4. 300 units

Explanation

The EOQ formula is the square root of (2 × annual demand × ordering cost ÷ holding cost per unit per year). Substituting gives the square root of (2 × 36,000 × 500 ÷ 40), which is the square root of 900,000, approximately 949 units, so 900 units is the closest option.

Question 30Logistics systems engineering and supply chain design

A manufacturer operates a multi-echelon network with a central warehouse feeding regional depots. Management proposes consolidating all safety stock at the central warehouse while keeping depots as cross-dock points. Which consequence should the logistics engineer anticipate?

  1. Total safety stock is unchanged because variability is additive across echelons
  2. Total safety stock falls because demand variability is pooled, but depot replenishment lead time and local availability risk increase Correct answer.
  3. Total safety stock falls and customer lead time also falls at every depot
  4. Total safety stock rises because each depot must still hold cover for its own demand variability

Explanation

Pooling safety stock at a central point exploits the square-root law of risk pooling, so aggregate buffer inventory is lower than the sum of decentralised buffers. The trade-off is that depots now depend on central replenishment, so their effective lead time and exposure to central stockouts rise.

Question 31Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

In highway geometric design, the stopping sight distance on a level road is derived primarily from which two components?

  1. Reaction distance and braking distance Correct answer.
  2. Overtaking distance and lateral clearance
  3. Transition length and superelevation runoff
  4. Vertical curve length and gradient change

Explanation

Stopping sight distance is the sum of the distance travelled during driver perception-reaction time and the braking distance needed to stop from the design speed. Both components scale with design speed, with braking distance varying roughly with the square of speed.

Question 32Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

A rural single carriageway is being designed for a design speed of 80 km/h. Which parameter most directly sets the minimum radius of a horizontal curve when superelevation is held constant?

  1. The design speed squared divided by the allowable lateral friction and superelevation combination Correct answer.
  2. The pavement thickness divided by the subgrade strength
  3. The traffic volume divided by the number of lanes
  4. The gradient divided by the curve deflection angle

Explanation

The minimum radius follows from the equilibrium condition where centripetal demand is balanced by superelevation plus side friction, giving R = v squared divided by g times the sum of superelevation and friction. Higher design speed raises the required radius sharply because speed is squared.

Question 33Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

For a crest vertical curve, the available sight distance is most at risk when which combination occurs?

  1. A sag curve with a large gradient change
  2. A short curve with a large algebraic gradient change Correct answer.
  3. A flat curve with zero gradient change
  4. A long curve with a small algebraic gradient change

Explanation

On crest curves the sight line is cut by the road profile, so the critical case is a short curve combined with a large algebraic difference in gradients. That combination produces a small available sight distance relative to the required stopping sight distance.

Question 34Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

Which traffic flow relationship correctly describes the fundamental diagram of uninterrupted flow?

  1. Speed equals flow multiplied by density
  2. Flow equals density divided by speed
  3. Density equals flow multiplied by speed
  4. Flow equals speed multiplied by density Correct answer.

Explanation

The fundamental identity of traffic flow states that flow, usually in vehicles per hour, equals speed multiplied by density. This relationship underpins capacity analysis and speed-flow-density diagrams.

Question 35Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

A signalised junction approach has a saturation flow of 1800 vehicles per hour of green and a green ratio of 0.45. Using the simple capacity model, what is the approach capacity in vehicles per hour?

  1. 900
  2. 1200
  3. 1800
  4. 810 Correct answer.

Explanation

Approach capacity equals saturation flow multiplied by the effective green ratio, so 1800 times 0.45 gives 810 vehicles per hour. The green ratio expresses the proportion of the cycle available for discharge.

Question 36Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

In the Highway Capacity Manual concept of level of service for basic freeway segments, level of service F is defined by which condition?

  1. Stable flow near capacity with restricted manoeuvrability
  2. Free flow with high speeds and low density
  3. Breakdown or forced flow where demand exceeds capacity Correct answer.
  4. Moderate flow with some speed restriction but stable operation

Explanation

Level of service F represents breakdown or forced flow, occurring when demand approaches or exceeds capacity and queues form. Lower letters describe progressively freer flow, with A being free flow and E being operation at capacity.

Question 37Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

Which junction form is most appropriate where two major high-speed rural routes with heavy opposing flows cross?

  1. An uncontrolled crossroads
  2. A mini-roundabout
  3. A grade-separated interchange Correct answer.
  4. A simple priority T-junction

Explanation

Where two heavily trafficked high-speed routes cross, conflicts and delay at grade are severe, so grade separation removes the crossing conflict and preserves mainline speed. At-grade priority or roundabout solutions would cause unacceptable delay and collision risk at such volumes.

Question 38Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

What is the principal purpose of providing superelevation on a horizontal curve?

  1. To increase the pavement structural strength
  2. To counter the centrifugal force experienced by vehicles traversing the curve Correct answer.
  3. To drain surface water away from the carriageway
  4. To reduce the vertical gradient along the curve

Explanation

Superelevation banks the carriageway so that a component of the vehicle weight acts inward, counteracting centrifugal force and reducing reliance on side friction. This improves comfort and safety at the design speed.

Question 39Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

A designer is checking weaving on a merge-diverge section of an urban expressway. Which measure best describes the weaving segment's efficiency?

  1. The spacing between street lights
  2. The posted speed limit
  3. The rate at which vehicles must change lanes within the weaving section Correct answer.
  4. The number of lanes on the mainline

Explanation

Weaving efficiency is governed by the intensity of lane-changing demanded within the section, driven by the conflicting merge and diverge movements. Higher weaving demand increases turbulence and reduces capacity.

Question 40Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

Which document series in Hong Kong provides the standard guidance for road geometric design and is commonly cited in highway planning submissions?

  1. The Transport Planning and Design Manual Correct answer.
  2. The Road Users' Code
  3. The Air Pollution Control Ordinance
  4. The Buildings Ordinance

Explanation

The Transport Planning and Design Manual issued by the Hong Kong government provides the standard technical guidance for transport planning and road design. It is the reference used in design submissions for geometric and planning matters.

Question 41Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

In pedestrian planning, what does the term 'pedestrian flow rate' measure?

  1. The number of pedestrians passing a point per unit width per unit time Correct answer.
  2. The total number of pedestrians in a city per year
  3. The number of pedestrian crossings per kilometre
  4. The average walking speed of a single pedestrian

Explanation

Pedestrian flow rate is expressed as pedestrians per metre width per minute, capturing how intensively a footway or crossing is used. Expressing flow per unit width allows comparison between facilities of different sizes.

Question 42Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

A footway is 2.0 m wide and carries a peak flow of 60 pedestrians per minute. What is the unit flow rate in pedestrians per metre width per minute?

  1. 120
  2. 60
  3. 30 Correct answer.
  4. 15

Explanation

Unit flow is total flow divided by effective width, so 60 divided by 2.0 gives 30 pedestrians per metre per minute. This value is then compared with the level-of-service thresholds for footways.

Question 43Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

Which factor is the primary reason for providing a transition curve between a straight and a circular horizontal curve?

  1. To introduce curvature and superelevation gradually, limiting the rate of lateral acceleration change Correct answer.
  2. To eliminate the need for superelevation
  3. To reduce the pavement thickness at the curve
  4. To increase the design speed of the road

Explanation

A transition curve, typically a clothoid, introduces curvature and superelevation gradually so that lateral acceleration builds up at an acceptable rate. This improves steering comfort and keeps the vehicle within its lane.

Question 44Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

In traffic signal design, what does the intergreen period provide?

  1. A buffer for emergency vehicle priority only
  2. Clearance time for vehicles to safely leave the junction before the next phase starts Correct answer.
  3. Time for the controller to download data
  4. Time for pedestrians to queue at the kerb

Explanation

The intergreen, or interstage, period gives vehicles that entered on the ending green time to clear the conflict area before conflicting movements receive green. It is computed from crossing and clearing distances divided by approach speed.

Question 45Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

Which level-of-service concept applies to unsignalised priority junctions in capacity analysis?

  1. The vertical alignment of the major road
  2. The reserve capacity and average delay to minor-road movements Correct answer.
  3. The degree of saturation of the major road only
  4. The pavement condition index

Explanation

At unsignalised priority junctions, performance is judged from the capacity available to minor-road movements and the resulting average delay and reserve capacity. Major-road flow directly reduces the gaps available to the minor road.

Question 46Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

What is the main function of a climbing lane on a steep rural gradient?

  1. To drain water from the carriageway
  2. To provide parking for goods vehicles
  3. To increase the pavement design life
  4. To allow slow heavy vehicles to be overtaken without delaying following traffic Correct answer.

Explanation

A climbing lane, or crawler lane, separates slow heavy vehicles on steep upgrades so faster traffic can pass without being delayed. This improves capacity and reduces risky overtaking on the main lanes.

Question 47Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

In road safety audit practice, at which stage is a design-stage audit of a new highway scheme most valuable?

  1. Only during the construction phase
  2. During preliminary and detailed design before construction Correct answer.
  3. Only after the road has been open for one year
  4. Only when an accident record already exists

Explanation

Road safety audits are most effective when applied to preliminary and detailed designs, because hazards can be removed cheaply on paper. Auditing after opening or after accidents only allows costly remedial work.

Question 48Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

A junction has an observed peak-hour flow of 1500 vehicles per hour and an estimated capacity of 2000 vehicles per hour. What is the degree of saturation?

  1. 0.50
  2. 0.65
  3. 1.33
  4. 0.75 Correct answer.

Explanation

Degree of saturation is demand divided by capacity, so 1500 divided by 2000 equals 0.75. A value below one indicates the junction operates within capacity during that hour.

Question 49Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

Which statement best describes the role of a transport model in highway planning?

  1. It fixes the geometric design speed of each road
  2. It replaces the need for traffic surveys
  3. It guarantees the accuracy of construction cost estimates
  4. It forecasts future travel demand and assists in comparing scheme options Correct answer.

Explanation

A transport model forecasts future travel demand and allows planners to compare alternatives on a consistent basis. It informs decisions but depends on survey data for calibration and validation.

Question 50Transportation engineering: traffic and highway planning and design

In intersection design, what is a 'conflict point' in the context of traffic movement analysis?

  1. A location where the paths of two vehicle or pedestrian movements cross or merge Correct answer.
  2. A point where pavement joints intersect
  3. A location where street lighting is installed
  4. A point where the road gradient changes sign

Explanation

Conflict points are where the trajectories of different movements intersect, merge or diverge, creating potential collision locations. Reducing the number and severity of conflict points is a central aim of junction design.