AN EVALUATION OF RETROREFLECTIVE SIGNING MATERIALS UNDER THE 3-BEAM HEAD-LAMP SYSTEM

The purpose of the study described in this paper is to measure the comparative brightness of contemparary traffic signing materials under both the conventional 2-beam and the proposed 3-beam head- lamp systems. Because most traffic signs are retroreflective, sign brightness is highly dependent on the illuminance supplied by head lamps. A systematic evaluation performed by the authors led to a general understanding of sign luminances for conventional 2-beam performance for Interstate Highway System signs. The design experiment was developed to evaluate the relative change in sign luminance should the 3-beam system be standardized. Photometrically selected 2- and 3-beam head-lamp sets were obtained from 2 lamp manufacturers, installed in standard-size passenger cars, and aligned. Night luminance measurements were made of retroreflective sign materials by using a telephotometer installed at driver eye position. Luminance measurements were taken at 7 distances from the traveled lane on a uniformly graded tangent section of test road. The proposed low beam is not different from the current low beam. The sign luminance under the proposed mid beam is approximately 4 times greater than it is under the low beam. The high beam provides substantially more light, and sign luminance under the proposed high beam is approximately 2 times greater than it is under the current high beam.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1976/562/562-008.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=AN+EVALUATION+OF+RETROREFLECTIVE+SIGNING+MATERIALS+UNDER+THE+3-BEAM+HEAD-LAMP+SYSTEM&author=H.+WOLTMAN&author=W.+Youngblood&publication_year=1976
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309024722
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Visibility. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • WOLTMAN, H L
  • Youngblood, W P
• Discussers:
  • Ayad, A A
  • Pinkney, HFL
  • Harrison, A L
• Conference:
  • 54th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia
  • Date: 1975-1-13 to 1975-1-17
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 79-92
• Monograph Title: Measures of Effectiveness, Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings, and Visibility
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 562
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Brightness; Evaluation; Experiments; Headlamps; Materials; Measurement; Retroreflectors; Traffic signs
• Old TRIS Terms: Traffic sign materials
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00134871
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309024722
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 4 1976 12:00AM