Traffic Safety Improvement via Optimizing Light Environment in Highway Tunnels

Baofeng Su, Jiangbi Hu, Juncheng Zeng and Ronghua Wang
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Baofeng Su: Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Jiangbi Hu: Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Juncheng Zeng: Fujian Expressway Science & Technology Innovation Research Institute Co., Ltd., Fuzhou 350001, China
Ronghua Wang: Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-20

Abstract: Driving in tunnel areas depends more heavily on light conditions than that on open roadways. Traditional lighting systems in highway tunnels adjust lighting parameters only caring about outside light luminance, and focus is usually on energy conservation; however, little concern is about drivers’ actual physical and psychological needs. How to leverage the enormous research progress of traffic safety, light environment, human factors engineering, and modern lighting sources to create an ideal tunnel light environment that aids with ensuring driving safety and lower interference effects caused by the change of light environment will greatly improve safety level and reduce adverse influence on drivers’ visual health in a tunnel area. An intelligent lighting control system designed with multiple influence factors are systematically considered. Based on sensor data from outside natural light conditions, target lighting parameters are determined per each lighting zone requires; then, lighting commands will be transferred and parsed by adaptive lighting controllers and modules, eventually LED lighting properties are altered step by step. This system helps a lot with optimizing tunnel lighting quality and improving drivers’ visual performance; as a result, it contributes to lower the fluctuation of drivers’ workload and get a smooth traffic flow, and ultimately this technically ensures physical and mental health of drivers in a tunnel area.

Keywords: light environment; tunnel lighting; visual health; traffic safety; intelligent control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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