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Evaluation of Retroreflective Sheetings for Use on Roadway Traffic Signs

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English


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  • Creators:
    Ahmed, Samir A. ORCID ICON IMG
  • Corporate Creators:
    Oklahoma State University. School of Civil & Environmental Engineering
  • Corporate Contributors:
  • Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Publication/ Report Number:
    FHWA/OK 95(02)
  • Resource Type:
    Tech Report
  • Geographical Coverage:
    United States
  • Edition:
    Final Report
  • Corporate Publisher:
    Oklahoma. Department of Transportation
  • Abstract:
    The primary objectives of this research were to evaluate the Oklahoma Department of Transportation's (ODOT's) policy on use of retroreflective sheeting products, and to identify any necessary changes to this policy based on driver visibility needs, durability of sheeting materials, life-cycle cost, and other practical considerations. The scope of the study included three types of retroreflective sheetings (engineering grade, super-engineering grade, and encapsulated-lens high-intensity sheeting), five sheeting colors (white, red, yellow, green, and blue), and two sign fabrication methods (screening and overlay). To meet the objectives of this project, a research plan consisting of literature review, controlled field experiments, survey of ODOT field divisions, durability data collection and analysis, and life-cycle cost analysis was adopted. The findings of this study suggest that the specification of type III-A (high-intensity, encapsulated glass-bead sheeting) on all red and yellow signs, as well as green and blue signs on interstate highways and freeways is sound and defensible. The requirement that type II-A (super-engineering grade sheeting) be used on all other traffic signs, except orange-colored signs, needs to be examined. Although the initial cost of sign face fabrication for type III-A sheeting is 25% to 65% higher than that of type II-A, life-cycle cost analysis indicates that type III-A is more cost-effective than type II-A. Evidence from visibility distance analyses and subjective evaluations made by the test subjects suggests that, in addition to upgrading sign materials to provide greater luminance, larger sign size and letter size are needed to satisfy the minimum required visibility distances, particularly at high speed, high traffic volume, and high visual complexity locations.
  • Format:
    PDF
  • Funding:
    2193
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  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:9c82a36133fb8a11322a7fc9da15a6d2db48e133ec0a974b787c02c12416b4e8a5efa83fdd64e43f87794ac802b504d8efb57977179c2df9f64e07568de7f0a2
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  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 57.71 MB ]
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