A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Glare from nighttime construction projects and highway safety
Over the past 10 years, the Department of Transportation (DOT) shifted its priority from constructing new highways to maintaining and renovating existing highways. A significant amount of these projects were conducted at nighttime to avoid closing the road or delaying traffic. Other advantages of nighttime construction include faster material delivery, extended work zone area and reduced pollution from vehicles stopped at the construction site. Nonetheless, nighttime construction projects also created safety issues for both motorists passing by and construction workers. Statistics has shown that almost 50% of the total annual fatalities near work zone occurred at nighttime although nighttime traffic was small. Glare from work area lights is the leading cause of crashes near nighttime work zones. The glare from headlights of vehicles on the opposite direction causes issues as well. When the driver passes through from the rural area to the urban area, sudden exposure of drivers from a dark area to bright work zone area causes temporary and short-term blindness, is also attributable for hazards associated with nighttime construction projects. Therefore, investigating the effect of nighttime construction projects on highway safety by evaluating drivers' visual comfort is of importance to protect workers, motorists, and highway facilities. This work proposes to develop a numerical model to study the topic through driver-centered advanced dynamic simulations. In order to simulate drivers’ experience with glare, the following considerations had to be made: the illuminance at driver’s eyes as a combined effects of highway lighting system, and headlights of oncoming traffic in work zone. The duration of the hazardous situation, as well as the hazardous location about work zone area, will then be identified. Field tests will be performed in several selected nighttime work zone area to validate the simulation model. Finally, measures to enhance safety around nighttime work zone area will be developed based on the validated ...
Glare from nighttime construction projects and highway safety
Over the past 10 years, the Department of Transportation (DOT) shifted its priority from constructing new highways to maintaining and renovating existing highways. A significant amount of these projects were conducted at nighttime to avoid closing the road or delaying traffic. Other advantages of nighttime construction include faster material delivery, extended work zone area and reduced pollution from vehicles stopped at the construction site. Nonetheless, nighttime construction projects also created safety issues for both motorists passing by and construction workers. Statistics has shown that almost 50% of the total annual fatalities near work zone occurred at nighttime although nighttime traffic was small. Glare from work area lights is the leading cause of crashes near nighttime work zones. The glare from headlights of vehicles on the opposite direction causes issues as well. When the driver passes through from the rural area to the urban area, sudden exposure of drivers from a dark area to bright work zone area causes temporary and short-term blindness, is also attributable for hazards associated with nighttime construction projects. Therefore, investigating the effect of nighttime construction projects on highway safety by evaluating drivers' visual comfort is of importance to protect workers, motorists, and highway facilities. This work proposes to develop a numerical model to study the topic through driver-centered advanced dynamic simulations. In order to simulate drivers’ experience with glare, the following considerations had to be made: the illuminance at driver’s eyes as a combined effects of highway lighting system, and headlights of oncoming traffic in work zone. The duration of the hazardous situation, as well as the hazardous location about work zone area, will then be identified. Field tests will be performed in several selected nighttime work zone area to validate the simulation model. Finally, measures to enhance safety around nighttime work zone area will be developed based on the validated ...
Glare from nighttime construction projects and highway safety
Solanki, Sanket K. (author)
2016-12-01
Miscellaneous
Electronic Resource
English
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Developing a Decision Support Tool for Nighttime Construction in Highway Projects
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