Center for Infrastructure-Based Safety Systems (CIBSS)

is specialized in research involved with roadway based safety systems. These systems include lighting, visibility treatments, pavement markings, signage, signals, barriers, the interaction of visibility with roadway design and weather considerations. Group expertise lies in the measurement of real world performance of drivers and their responses to different technologies used on the roadway. The goal of the center is to conduct research and development efforts that advance knowledge and provide solutions to real-world situations. CIBSS is primarily responsible for the experiments being performed with two of the major Smart Road technologies: The experimental lighting system is used in most experiments to simulate over 90% of on-road lighting conditions and the Virginia Smart Road weather making system.

Current CIBSS Projects

Spectral Effects

This project is a multi-year effort to evaluate the impact of the spectral power distribution of the light source to performance of drivers in a lighted roadway environment. This project consists of both the evaluation of a variety of spectral power distributions in headlamps and overhead lighting in a controlled environment. A variety of objects will be used to evaluate the detection distance and visual performance under each of the light sources. This study will also include the evaluation of the lighting level in each of these conditions. The other component of this project is the development of a peripheral highlighting headlamp which will swivel to provide highlighting of objects in the peripheral vision of the driver.

Visibility Model

Analysis of a driver's nighttime visual environment requires consideration of multiple interrelated variables, including human factors as well as roadway features and lighting. A driver's field of view contains features such as the roadway; the hood of the vehicle; the instrument panel; off-roadway facilities and roadway fixtures such as signs, traffic signals, and pavement markings; and the activities of other road users. From this environment, a driver must continuously draw information about the presence of potential hazards in the roadway, navigate using the roadway signage and delineation, and maintain control of the vehicle. Drivers must attend to and select which objects present important information and determine which are superfluous. Reviewing and identifying, where possible, what attracts a drivers gaze towards an object while driving at night can give insights into visual behavior at night. This project consists of the development of model of the visual activities of the driver in a roadway environment. This model is based on experimental results which captured the luminance and the eye glance behavior of a driver and compared these to the detection of objects in the roadway.

Wet Visibility III

Wet Visibility III, sponsored by the Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC), is a continuation of the Wet Visibility projects conducted several years ago. The project consists of the measurement of the visibility performance of several different pavement marking technologies in wet conditions. Using the rain making capabilities of the Smart Road, participants were asked to detect the end of a pavement marking. This detection distance will then be correlated with retroreflectivity measurements made in standardized conditions. These retroreflectivity measurements will be performed according to American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) methods as well as a new proposed wet retroreflectivity system. The final result of the project is to establish a wet retroreflectivity specification for pavement marking performance based on visibility requirements.

Wet Visibility IV

Wet Visibility IV, sponsored by the VTRC, is another project in the family of the Wet Visibility projects. This project is the evaluation of the durability of six wet night visible pavement marking technologies. These materials have been installed along Route 460 in Blacksburg, Virginia. The retroreflectivity of the pavement markings will be until March 2011, and the marking durability will be evaluated. The visibility performance of the markings will be evaluated in natural rain conditions. Twenty-four participants from the public were asked to determine the end of the pavement marking, the number of skips visible, and to rate the markings. The final results of the project will be the pavement marking technology durability assessment.

Object Color

There is some evidence for the potential to lower or change the required lighting level based on the light source used. Evidence gathered from site testing shows that a benefit in visual performance might not be related to blue light, but more so from seeing the proper rendition of color in the visual environment from a broad spectrum light source. Possible project results may include recommendations to lower light levels based on using a broad spectrum source.

Color Camera

This is the development of a camera system that accurately defines color in a drivers environment and allow for color analysis during projects. The camera allows for the capture of a succession of images at a rate of approximately 4 frames per second and will used in conjunction with the already developed Luminance Camera system. A calibration technique is being developed that will allow the color camera to be incorporated into other ongoing projects and the Roadway Lighting Mobile Measurement System (RLMMS).