Application of Data Mining Techniques to Predict Luminance of Pavement Aggregate

Abstract

The primary purpose of the analysis presented here is to assess the feasibility of effectively predicting the aggregate luminance coefficient. Current road lighting standards and recommendations are based on assessing the level and distribution of luminance on the road surface. The brightness of a road surface depends on the amount of light falling on it, as well as the reflective properties of the road surface, which in turn depend on its physical condition, type and mineralogical composition. The complexity of the factors on which the value of the luminance coefficient depends it makes that data mining techniques the most appropriate tools for evaluation luminance coefficient phenomenon. This article uses five types of techniques: C&RT, boosted trees, random forest, neural network, and support vector machines. After a preliminary analysis, it was determined that the most effective technique was the boosted tree method. The results of the analysis indicated that the actual value of the luminance coefficient has multiple modal values within a single aggregate stockpile, depending on the mineralogical composition and grain size, and cannot be determined by a single central measure. The present model allowed us to determine the value of the luminance coefficient Qd with a mean error of 4.3 mcd-m−2·lx−1. In addition, it was found that the best aggregate for pavement brightening that allows high visibility during the day Qd and at night RL is a limestone aggregate. In the group of those that have the ability to potentially brighten the pavement were quartzite and granite aggregates.