Development of a Bicycle Road Surface Roughness and Risk Assessment Method Using Smartphone Sensor Technology

Area of Science:

• Urban transportation engineering
• Pavement engineering
• Cyclist safety analysis

Background:

• Bicycle lanes are crucial for urban mobility, but their safety and comfort depend on surface quality.
• Assessing bicycle lane roughness is vital for cyclist well-being and infrastructure maintenance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify bicycle lane surface roughness in Sejong City, Republic of Korea.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of accelerometer-based sensor technology for assessing road conditions.
• To establish quantitative metrics for bicycle lane safety and maintenance planning.

Main Methods:

• Utilized smartphone-mounted accelerometers to measure vertical, lateral, and longitudinal accelerations on five distinct bicycle lane sections.
• Calculated the Bicycle Road Roughness Index (BRI) and Faulting Impact Index (FII) from collected sensor data.
• Conducted field surveys in 2022 to gather data across varying pavement conditions.

Main Results:

• Bicycle Road Roughness Index (BRI) values varied significantly, ranging from 0.2 to 0.8 across study sections.
• Sections with a BRI exceeding 0.5 were identified as potentially unsafe for cyclists.
• The Faulting Impact Index (FII) demonstrated a direct correlation between bump size, cycling speed, and impact forces experienced by cyclists.

Conclusions:

• Smartphone accelerometers provide a reliable method for assessing bicycle lane roughness and cyclist impact.
• Quantitative metrics like BRI and FII are essential for effective bicycle lane maintenance and safety management.
• The proposed methodology can enhance the evaluation and management of urban bicycle lane infrastructure, improving cyclist safety and comfort.