An approach for auditing highway sections for safety improvements

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 724-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Said M Easa ◽  
Yasser Hassan ◽  
Dennis Siczkar
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Road Maintenance ◽  
Pavement Rehabilitation ◽  
Rural Highways ◽  
Sight Distance ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Mto Process

The objective of this paper is to present a framework for the evaluation of traffic safety improvements on rural highways based on the existing process of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO). The framework includes four steps to identify hazardous locations and determine the most feasible improvements. The framework was applied to a 2.2 km segment on Highway 17 (Ontario, Canada) to illustrate how the framework might be implemented in practice. The first step is defining the highway section to be studied. This section is usually a segment that was constructed in the same contract, and its surface conditions require major maintenance. The evaluation of traffic safety on sections that are undergoing major pavement rehabilitation will reduce the overall cost of road maintenance. The second step is to collect and analyze collision data, along with traffic and geometric data. The purpose of this step is to compare the actual number of collisions on the section with the expected long-run mean value and identify the causes of collisions. Based on this analysis, the third step identifies the possible improvements that would eliminate or minimize the number of collisions. These improvements can be as simple as signing improvement or as complex as a major realignment. Finally, these improvements are evaluated economically and environmentally. For this study, several sections of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, other ministries and levels of government, and interest groups participated in the evaluation process. A refined MTO process, currently being considered for implementation, is briefly described along with a discussion of its key features.Key words: evaluation, highway improvements, safety, three-dimensional alignments, sight distance, collision frequency.

scholarly journals Reliability-Based Analysis of Sight Distance Modelling for Traffic Safety

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
César de Santos-Berbel ◽  
Mohamed Essa ◽  
Tarek Sayed ◽  
María Castro
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Risk Level ◽  
Highway Design ◽  
Rural Highways ◽  
Horizontal Curves ◽  
Sight Distance ◽  
3D Methods ◽  
Geometric Elements

Sight distance is of the utmost importance for traffic safety. The consideration of three-dimensional (3D) available sight distance (ASD) in geometric design has been supported by several researchers. However, existing ASD estimation methods are two-dimensional (2D) in nature, which do not evaluate varying visibility conditions. This paper compares different methodologies of modelling the ASD. The ASD of 402 horizontal curves, located in twelve in-service two-lane rural highways, was analyzed. Three ASD estimation methods were used which include a 2D method and two different 3D methods. The ASD results obtained through 2D and 3D methodologies are compared. Also, the different conditions of the existing roadside features or geometric elements, under which the 3D ASD estimation is important, were identified. Next, reliability theory is utilized to evaluate the risk level (probability of noncompliance,Pnc) associated with limited sight distance for each ASD modelling method. The results of the comparison emphasized the importance of considering the 3D modelled sight distance when evaluating the associated risk either in highway design or during the service life. In addition, the results indicated that the ASD modelling approach can have a significant impact on the estimation of the safety of highway design.

State-of-the-art of three-dimensional highway geometric design

1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 500-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasser Hassan ◽  
Said M Easa ◽  
A O Abd El Halim
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Vehicle Dynamics ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Computer Software ◽  
Design Criterion ◽  
Geometric Design ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Sight Distance ◽  
Current Standards

Geometric design is an important phase in the highway design process that is directly related to traffic safety. Highway elements should be jointly designed to account for such design criteria as sight distance, vehicle stability, driver comfort, drainage, and aesthetics. Intuitively, such a design should be based on a three-dimensional (3-D) analysis. This paper reviews the current practice and research work related to each design criterion with emphasis on the conformity with the 3-D nature of the highway. Current standards are based mainly on a two-dimensional (2-D) analysis that does not guarantee a satisfactory design. Recently, several research efforts have been expended in the 3-D highway analysis with sight distance being the most researched area. Analytical models and computer software have been developed to accurately model 3-D daytime and nighttime sight distances. Roads designed using current 2-D standards may compromise safety or economy. Different models are currently available to simulate the forces acting on a vehicle in 3-D. These models show that the point-mass formula for modelling vehicle dynamics in the current standards can be inaccurate. Current standards contain recommendations for drainage of surface water, but explicit quantitative coordination of combined alignments is lacking. Furthermore, research is still needed to study the effect of alignment coordination on highway aesthetics and driver's perception of information.Key words: highway geometric design, three-dimensional analysis, sight distance, vehicle dynamics, drainage, highway aesthetics.

Impact of highway consistency on capacity utilization of two-lane rural highways

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 789-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gamal M Gibreel ◽  
Ibrahim A El-Dimeery ◽  
Yasser Hassan ◽  
Said M Easa
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Capacity Utilization ◽  
3D Analysis ◽  
Horizontal Curve ◽  
Highway Capacity ◽  
Highway Design ◽  
Rural Highways ◽  
Design Consistency

Consistent highway design is expected to provide safe, economical, and smooth traffic operation. Several studies have been performed to investigate the effect of highway consistency on traffic safety. However, the relationship between design consistency and highway capacity and level of service has not been addressed in current research work and design practices. In addition, the effect of the three-dimensional (3D) nature of highway alignments was not considered, and design consistency was studied based solely on two-dimensional (2D) analysis of highway horizontal alignments. This paper presents a methodology to determine the effect of highway design consistency on highway capacity utilization based on 3D analysis. This methodology will help road designers to estimate highway capacity more accurately. The study was performed on two-lane rural highways in Ontario, where two types of 3D combinations were considered: a horizontal curve combined with a sag vertical curve (sag combination) and a horizontal curve combined with a crest vertical curve (crest combination). An additional adjustment factor that reflects the effect of highway design consistency on capacity utilization was developed. Different statistical models are introduced to estimate this factor based on geometric or traffic data. In addition, typical values of the consistency factor were developed based on an overall consistency evaluation criterion and can be easily used in capacity analysis.Key words: three-dimensional, alignments, capacity, geometric design, operating speed, design consistency.

Revised Method for Calculating Departure Sight Distance at Two-Way Stop-Controlled (TWSC) Intersections

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812110315
Author(s):  
Essam Dabbour ◽  
Said M. Easa
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Major Road ◽  
Light Duty ◽  
Sight Distance ◽  
Data Loggers ◽  
Global Positioning ◽  
Actual Field ◽  
System Data ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Light Duty Vehicles

This paper introduces realistic acceleration profiles for light-duty vehicles departing from rest at two-way stop-controlled (TWSC) intersections where minor roads (controlled by stop signs) intersect with uncontrolled major roads. The new profiles are based on current vehicle characteristics and driver behavior patterns. They are established based on actual field data collected using global positioning system data loggers that recorded the positional and speed data of various experimental vehicles starting from rest at TWSC intersections. Acceleration profiles are established in this paper and are used to develop a revised method for calculating the departure sight distance at TWSC intersections. Design tables were created to provide realistic sight distance values at TWSC intersections for different design speeds and number of lanes on the major road. It was found that the current values of intersection sight distance suggested by the design guides may be inadequate. Such values may force some approaching drivers on the major road to reduce their speeds or move to different traffic lanes to avoid conflicting with the departing vehicles. These maneuvers may have negative impacts on traffic safety. Therefore, implementing the revised method for calculating intersection sight distance, as presented in this paper, may ultimately reduce traffic collisions at TWSC intersections.

Sight distance red zones on combined horizontal and sag vertical curves

1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 621-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasser Hassan ◽  
Said M Easa
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
The Other ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Horizontal Curve ◽  
Sight Distance ◽  
Stopping Sight Distance ◽  
Three Dimensional Models ◽  
Highway Alignment ◽  
Current Standards

Coordination of highway horizontal and vertical alignments is based on subjective guidelines in current standards. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of coordinating horizontal and sag vertical curves that are designed using two-dimensional standards. The locations where a horizontal curve should not be positioned relative to a sag vertical curve (called red zones) are identified. In the red zone, the available sight distance (computed using three-dimensional models) is less than the required sight distance. Two types of red zones, based on stopping sight distance (SSD) and preview sight distance (PVSD), are examined. The SSD red zone corresponds to the locations where an overlap between a horizontal curve and a sag vertical curve should be avoided because the three-dimensional sight distance will be less than the required SSD. The PVSD red zone corresponds to the locations where a horizontal curve should not start because drivers will not be able to perceive it and safely react to it. The SSD red zones exist for practical highway alignment parameters, and therefore designers should check the alignments for potential SSD red zones. The range of SSD red zones was found to depend on the different alignment parameters, especially the superelevation rate. On the other hand, the results showed that the PVSD red zones exist only for large values of the required PVSD, and therefore this type of red zones is not critical. This paper should be of particular interest to the highway designers and professionals concerned with highway safety.Key words: sight distance, red zone, combined alignment.

Three Dimensional Grillage Analysis of Reactions on Supports of a Pre-Erection Block

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sungchan Kim ◽  
Cheolho Ryu ◽  
Youngho Kim ◽  
Changbong Han ◽  
Dong Geun Kim
Keyword(s):  
Load Distribution ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Evaluation Process ◽  
Center Of Gravity ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Structural Safety ◽  
Detail Design ◽  
Grillage Analysis ◽  
Cad Models ◽  
Reaction Forces

There are many PE(Pre-Erection) Blocks in open areas of the shipyard, which are supported by the wooden, concrete, or steel supports. Their position and numbers are decided on a basis of the workers’ experiences. Recently, many shipyards have been making PE blocks with various shape and weight distribution because of the variety of kinds of ships and their building technology. Seriously, they are treating blocks which have not been experienced. In order to evaluate the reliability of all support plans of PE Blocks in such situation, many man hours (MH) are consumed, and the special knowledge and technology about structural analysis are required. We proposed how to conveniently and quickly evaluate the structural safety on PE block supports and developed an application system to implement the evaluation process with three dimensional part models of the PE block and their weight information. The evaluation is based on the simplification to a grillage model of a PE block and its grillage analysis. The load distribution on the grillage model is calculated by two approaches. The first is that the load distribution on the grillage nodes are estimated with the real weight and the center of gravity of each part of a PE block, which can be provided from design databases of the shipyard. The other is that the load distribution is optimally estimated only with the weight and the center of gravity of sub blocks of a PE block. The latter is useful in the case that block information of mother ships can be obtained without the detail design of the PE block. The integrated system has been comprehensively implemented in order to make the grillage model from the three dimensional CAD models of the PE block and their weight information, and to perform the grillage analysis for the reaction forces on the block supports. In the application program, the grillage model can be automatically built from CAD models of PE block. Also the grillage can be modified by inserting, splitting, and deleting a beam element.

scholarly journals INVESTIGATION INTO TRAFFIC FLOWS ON HIGH INTENSITY STREETS OF VILNIUS CITY

Transport ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 244-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Žiliūtė ◽  
Alfredas Laurinavičius ◽  
Audrius Vaitkus
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Traffic Volume ◽  
Capital City ◽  
State Enterprise ◽  
Traffic Intensity ◽  
Road Maintenance ◽  
Traffic Flows ◽  
The Road ◽  
Maintenance Program ◽  
Road Research Laboratory

The measurements and analysis of traffic intensity were performed in the capital city – Vilnius, the largest urban area in Lithuania. Vilnius is a centre of business, industry and tourism, and therefore traffic intensity remains the highest in this part of the country. The intensity of vehicle traffic is not only generally calculated but also simultaneously classified which means is divided predefining vehicles into beforehand established categories. Data on traffic flows are used in a road maintenance program for calculating and assessing air pollution, ensuring traffic safety, regulating traffic flows etc. The article presents the methods for measuring traffic intensity which are and were used for calculating traffic intensity not only in the streets of Vilnius but also across Lithuania. Data on vehicle intensity and classification are collected either using technologies (loop and tube detectors, counters and video detectors) or expressing them visually. The article presents the dynamics of changes in the traffic volume on the roads of Lithuania for the period 2000–2009. Also, this article examines traffic intensity of all transport means, including trucks in the permanent traffic volume measuring stations that were installed near the roads in Vilnius zone (data on traffic for the period 2005–2009) and the streets of Vilnius city (data on traffic for the period 2007–2009). Data on traffic intensity were obtained by the Road Research Laboratory of the Road Department of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University in cooperation with the State Enterprise Transport and Road Research Institute (TRRI).

scholarly journals A Medieval Bishop's Palace in Milicz: 3D Reconstruction as a Method of a Research Hypotheses Presentation

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 428-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justyna Kolenda ◽  
Małgorzata Markiewicz
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Historical Monuments ◽  
Border Towns ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Will ◽  
Academy Of Sciences ◽  
The Church ◽  
Source Materials ◽  
Intensive Development

As a result of the intensive development of multimedia 3D visualizations of various kinds of historically, artistically or scientifically valuable objects became standard at the beginning of the 21st century. What triggered the construction of three-dimensional visualizations was the will to protect the cultural heritage – especially historical monuments which are in ruins and exposed to further destruction – as well as the need to disseminate the information about such objects not only among the small group of specialists. Another reason of that is to verify the existing proposals of reconstructions or research hypotheses. The bishop’s palace in Milicz was probably built in the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century. It was a brick building referring to the type of layout of princely buildings known in Silesia. Erection of the building in Milicz was connected with the creation of the Church castellany in this area. Visualisation of the oldest phase of the bishop’s palace in Milicz is part of the project: Regni custodiam et clavem – Santok and clavis regni Poloniae – Milicz as an example of two border towns, implemented by the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences and financed from the funds of the National Program for the Development of Humanities for the years 2011-2017 (number 11H 11 0184 80). Virtual reconstructions were based on the analysis and interpretation of source materials, in accordance with the guidelines contained in the London Charter. The purpose of the visualization is to introduce residents of Milicz and tourists to history of the building and, in the long run, to take steps by local authorities towards preservation and revitalization of the bishop’s palace.

Elevation angles and attenuation of gravity waves in the ionosphere

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaroslav Chum ◽  
Kateřina Podolska ◽  
Jiri Base ◽  
Jan Rusz
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Waves ◽  
Solar Minimum ◽  
Rest Frame ◽  
Solar Maximum ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
3D Analysis ◽  
Doppler Shifts ◽  
Wind Velocities ◽  
One Year

<p>     Characteristics of gravity waves (GWs) are studied from multi-point and multi-frequency continuous Doppler sounding in the Czech Republic. Three dimensional (3D) phase velocities of GWs are determined from phase shifts between the signals reflecting from the ionosphere at different locations that are separated both vertically and horizontally; the reflection heights are determined by a nearby ionospheric sounder located in Průhonice. Wind-rest frame (intrinsic) velocities are calculated by subtracting the neutral wind velocities, obtained by HWM-14 wind model, from the observed GW velocities. In addition, attenuation of GWs with height was estimated from the amplitudes (Doppler shifts) observed at different altitudes. A statistical analysis was performed over two one-year periods: a) from July 2014 to June 2015 representing solar maximum b) from September 2018 to August 2019 representing solar minimum.   </p><p>     The results show that the distribution of elevation angles of wave vectors in the wind–rest frame is significantly narrower than in the Earth frame (observed elevations). Possible differences were also found between the wind–rest frame elevation angles obtained for the solar maximum (mean value (around -24°) and solar minimum (mean value round -37°). However, it is demonstrated that the elevation angles partly depended on the daytime and day of year. As the distribution of the time intervals suitable for the 3D analysis in the daytime–day of year plane was partly different for solar maximum and minimum, no reliable conclusion about the possible dependence of elevation angles on the solar activity can be drawn.</p><p>     It is shown that the attenuation of GWs in the ionosphere was in average smaller at the lower heights. This is consistent with the idea that mainly viscous damping and losses due to thermal conductivity are responsible for the attenuation.</p><p>  </p>

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