EVALUATION OF PAVEMENT MARKING MATERIALS FOR WET NIGHT CONDITIONS. FINAL REPORT

Traffic pavement markings serve to regulate, to guide, to channelize traffic and to supplement other traffic control devices. Under favorable conditions, traffic markings may provide information to the vehicle driver without diverting his attention from the roadway. However, the visibility of pavement markings may be considerably reduced by wet night driving conditions. This research investigated the visibility of eight pavement marking materials for both wet and dry conditions. Test markings of the materials were placed on three highways and their performance recorded for a period of eighteen months. Field measurements included periodic recording of retroreflectivity and percentage of missing material. The field-tested materials were also subjected to controlled laboratory testing for dry and wet conditions. Subjective evaluations and quantitative evaluations of in-place roadway markings were made in order to determine a minimum marking luminance level for reflective markings. A minimum luminance value was also determined through subjective evaluations and quantitative measurements for controlled and repeatable laboratory conditions. An equation was developed to express the relationship between the field and laboratory luminance subjective evaluations.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of North Carolina, Charlotte

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  9201 University City Boulevard
  Charlotte, NC  United States  28223-0001

  North Carolina Department of Transportation

  Division of Highways, P.O. Box 25201
  Raleigh, NC  United States  27611

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • King, L Ellis
  • Graham, J R
• Publication Date: 1989-10

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 178 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Dryness; Durability; Field tests; Laboratory tests; Luminous intensity; Moisture content; Night; Performance evaluations; Quantitative analysis; Retroreflectivity; Road marking materials; Visibility
• Uncontrolled Terms: Dry conditions; Subjective analysis; Wet conditions
• Old TRIS Terms: Traffic marking materials
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; I35: Miscellaneous Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00495737
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/NC/89-003
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 31 1990 12:00AM