NEW MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVED TRAFFIC LANE DELINEATION

This article reviews the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) program in highway delineation materials research and attempts to place it in the perspective of the important needs for future delineation systems. A critical problem in the use of traffic paint with reflective glass beads is that at night in the rain the beading becomes flooded and looses its reflectivity. Current research is aimed at providing a snowplow-compatible wet-night delineation system. A commercially developed snowplowable raised reflective marker has been tested and the results have been mixed. An alternative approach has developed from research conducted on pavement grooving to increase wet-night delineation. Several other approaches have been investigated such as low-profile markers, self-luminous markers, radioluminescent and chemiluminescent markers. Although present day traffic paints can be placed economically and with minimal disruption of traffic, they are limited by their susceptibility to wear from traffic, snowplows, and deicing salts, and abrasives. FHWA is sponsoring research in an effort to develop new delineation materials to solve some of the problems of paints and thermoplastics. Further research is also being conducted to develop a more durable, generic marking materials. Research has been successfully concluded on the formulation of yellow traffic paints using organic pigments in place of lead chromatic. Development of installation equipment for the recessed reflective marker system developed by NYDOT is being initiated. Three methods of pavement marking removal were developed as a result of research in this area. The first method was on inexpensive hand-propelled burner assembly using a propane-oxygen flame. The second method used an externally mixed propane-oxygen flame with the residue removed by a scarifier. The third method weakened the paint-pavement bond with a steel cutter which was then broken down with high-pressure water jets.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1586080
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Highway Administration

  Office of Research and Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Harrigan, E T
• Publication Date: 1977-12

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 126-131
• Serial:
  • Public Roads
  • Volume: 41
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Federal Highway Administration
  • ISSN: 0033-3735
  • Serial URL: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Durability; Glass beads; Highway delineators; Marking materials; Pavement grooving; Pavements; Raised road markings; Reflectorized materials; Snowplows; Traffic lanes; Traffic paint; Wet weather
• Uncontrolled Terms: Removal; Wet pavements
• Old TRIS Terms: Delineators (Traffic); Raised traffic markings
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pavements; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00173895
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 31 1978 12:00AM