Abstract
Road markings are an important component of delineation, intended to provide guidance and warning, to manage and regulate road traffic. In order to properly fulfil their function, road markings must be visible and it is precisely the visibility, in terms of road safety, that presents their most important characteristic. Practical tests showed that the marking visibility, or retroreflectivity, changes depending on directionality, showing higher values in the direction the marking is applied than in the opposite direction. This paper addressed the impact of road markings directionality on their retroreflectivity using the dynamic method for testing retroreflectivity. The research considered paint, thermoplastic and structural markings made of cold plastic. The results showed that the impact of directionality of paint and flat thermoplastic markings on their retroreflectivity is negligible. The average difference in retroreflectivity of renewed paint markings is 13.1 mcd/m2·lx and 11.85 mcd/m2·lx for existing paint markings, while the respective difference concerning flat thermoplastic markings is 9.60 mcd/m2·lx for renewed markings and 9.20 mcd/m2·lx for existing markings. A more significant difference was noted with structural markings made of cold plastic, namely 62.80 mcd/m2·lx for renewed markings and 49.60 mcd/m2·lx for existing markings. The results for paint and thermoplastic markings show that directionality should not be taken into consideration when evaluating their quality, which greatly facilitates and simplifies the process of testing the markings retroreflectivity. The stated results are of great importance for traffic safety and markings maintenance system. First Published Online: 4 Sept 2017
Highlights
IntroductionMaterials used for road markings can be divided according to several criteria and it is very difficult to make a distinct division
As part of a traffic control plan, road markings warn, guide and inform road users and regulate road traffic using and combining lines, signs and symbols.Materials used for road markings can be divided according to several criteria and it is very difficult to make a distinct division
This paper examined the impact of road markings directionality on their retroreflectivity using the dynamic method for testing retroreflectivity
Summary
Materials used for road markings can be divided according to several criteria and it is very difficult to make a distinct division. The most common division is by type of material, according to which the markings are divided into: paint markings, thermoplastic markings, plural component systems, and preformed tapes. From an environmental point of view, the materials can be divided according to the presence and type of solvents into: solvent borne, waterborne, and solvent-free (Babić et al 2015). Other criteria are associated with durability, chemical composition, retroreflective performance, etc. In order to fulfil their function, the markings must be visible in all traffic and weather conditions. The visibility of markings is linked to their retroreflective performance (night-time visibility) and visibility of markings’ colour (Zhang, Wu 2006)
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