Experimental study on the effectiveness of warning methods for expressways in wind-sand environments

Area of Science:

• Road safety engineering
• Traffic management systems
• Human factors in driving

Background:

• Wind-sand environments (WSE) on expressways present significant driving risks due to reduced visibility and sand-covered surfaces.
• Effective early warning systems are crucial for mitigating these risks and ensuring vehicle safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of seven conventional warning methods in various wind-sand conditions.
• To provide scientific support for optimizing traffic facility layouts in sandstorm-prone regions.

Main Methods:

• Driving simulation tests integrating vehicle dynamics, driving behavior, and physiological indicators.
• Utilized the Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) method for objective weight determination.
• Employed the CRITIC-TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation method to rank warning method effectiveness.

Main Results:

• Variable speed limit signs (Sign.D) and variable message boards (Sign.E) demonstrated the most significant warning effects across all tested environments.
• These effective methods achieved up to a 54.4% reduction in guiding speed in sand-dust sections.
• Drivers using Sign.D and Sign.E experienced significantly lower mental workload compared to other methods.

Conclusions:

• Variable speed limit signs and variable message boards are recommended for priority deployment in wind-sand prone expressway sections.
• Inefficient guidance signs should be phased out to optimize traffic facility configuration.
• Optimized traffic facility layouts are essential for enhancing expressway traffic management efficiency and driving safety.