Journal of Environmental Studies

Journal of Environmental Studies

Extraction of Driving Cycles on Southern and Southwestern Tehran Province Freeways and their Potential Impact on Air Pollution

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Khosro Ashtafi 1
Sajad Hakimi 2
Amirhosein Merrikh 2
Arash Kouhi 2
Milad Saberi 1
1 Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22059/jes.2025.390121.1008584
Abstract
Objective: In this paper, the driving cycles on three major freeways, Tehran-Qom, Tehran-Saveh, and Tehran-Karaj, have been analyzed and extracted. These cycles have not yet been calculated comprehensively or even separately, and our goal is to provide new and precise data regarding driving cycles on these routes. The obtained information can be used to improve transportation policies, help create the basis for reducing pollutants, and optimize driving behavior in the future.
Method: To conduct this study, a light passenger car and a GPS application on the driver’s cellphone were used. Vehicle speed data were collected at various time intervals along the selected routes. The data were then corrected using data-processing techniques and noise elimination. By employing MATLAB software and utilizing methods such as micro-trip analysis and the k-means algorithm, optimal driving cycles were extracted both individually for each route and for the combination of freeways. This process was undertaken to provide an accurate depiction of driving behavior on these routes.
Results: The findings indicate that the extracted driving cycles exhibit significant fluctuations in speed and acceleration. These fluctuations may be influenced by factors such as traffic congestion, the occurrence of accidents, and road and weather conditions, and they reflect the dynamic nature of driving conditions in different environments. When compared to global standard driving cycles, the driving pattern on the studied routes shows lower positive and negative accelerations, which may indicate a more cautious or smoother driving style on these routes. Moreover, most drivers tend to maintain higher speeds, such that their average speeds are higher than those of the standard cycles. Another notable point is the high proportion of driving time on these routes, which indicates few stops along the way and contributes to increased travel efficiency. In addition, the analysis shows that drivers’ behavior is strongly influenced by road conditions, pavement quality, traffic flow, and changes in weather, highlighting the necessity of adapting driving strategies to varying environmental conditions in order to improve safety and efficiency.
Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that accurate extraction of driving cycles on the main freeways of Tehran Province can be used as an effective tool for estimating pollutant emissions and designing air pollution reduction policies. The results of the research, together with the examination of similarities, confirm the high accuracy of the software in extracting driving cycles. The differences emphasize the importance of developing a driving cycle that is compatible with drivers’ behavior and the geographical conditions of each country, in comparison with other countries.
Keywords
air quality
driving cycles
freeways
K-means algorithm
Tehran
Subjects
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Journal of Environmental Studies
Volume 52, Issue 2
Summer 2026
Pages 229-248