Abstract
Highway navigation is often affected by complex topography, and the flat curve plays an important role in the horizontal alignment design of a highway. Many curves are formed, where visibility could be decreased. Thus, the indicative function of a traffic sign plays a crucial role in ensuring driving safety at the curve. Due to the blocked visibility, the probability of the traffic sign occlusion at the curve of operating highways is quite high. It is urgent to consider the clearing obstructions around traffic signs at curves during highway construction. In this study, the potential of visual occlusion for traffic signs on curved highways was investigated. Firstly, the driver’s visibility window that contains traffic signs was defined and criteria of visual occlusion were proposed. Secondly, a geometric occlusion design formula was established to mimic the visual recognition process of traffic signs on a curved highway, yielding the formula to calculate the visibility window. Finally, the occlusion design formula was applied into a case study of the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Expressway (Hunan section), in which visibility windows were calculated and analyzed. The obtained results verified the correctness and effectiveness of the occlusion design formula developed in this study.
Highlights
Highways that cross over mountainous terrain are often curved due to having to navigate the complex topography
Seventy percent of road traffic accidents are related to the design and the locations of traffic designs [3]. erefore, it is an urgent need to study on the deocclusion of the visibility window of traffic signs on a curved highway
Mistakes in information recognition lead to operational errors or misjudgments that can result in traffic accidents, such as rear-end collisions and rollovers. rough the statistical analysis of the roadside traffic signs of the Changyi section of the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Expressway in Hunan Province, we investigated the occlusion of a total of 839 traffic signs on curved roads
Summary
Highways that cross over mountainous terrain are often curved due to having to navigate the complex topography To address these issues, the horizontal alignment design of the highway is dominated by at curves, and tra c signs placed on the curved roads can e ectively eliminate the interference on both sides of the highway and the tra c, attract the driver’s attention, and, to a certain extent, determine the occurrence of highway tra c accidents. In the national survey of tra c accident in the past three years (2013–2015) [1], the highest mortality rate was in Guizhou Province, 69.43 per 100 accidents, followed by Yunnan Province (53.32) and Qinghai Province (51.07), which are much higher than that in Guangdong Province (20.76) according to the statistics from the Ministry of Public Security The former three provinces mostly consist of mountainous terrrain. Seventy percent of road traffic accidents are related to the design and the locations of traffic designs [3]. erefore, it is an urgent need to study on the deocclusion of the visibility window of traffic signs on a curved highway
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
