• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Listserv
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Login/Register
workzonesafety.org

National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

Library of Resources to Improve Roadway Work Zone Safety for All Roadway Users

  • Crash Information
    • Work Zone Fatal Crashes and Fatalities
    • National Estimates of Total and Injury Work Zone Crashes
    • Work Zone Fatal Crash Facts
    • Other Work Zone Crash Related Resources
  • Flagger Information
    • Flagger Training and Certification Requirements by State
    • Flagging Resources Developed Under the FHWA Work Zone Safety Grant Program
    • Classes
    • Videos
    • Job Resources
  • Training
    • FHWA Work Zone Safety Grant Products
    • Roadway Safety Training Program
    • Online Learning Management System
    • Training Courses and Programs
    • Training Videos
    • ARTBA
    • ATSSA
    • NHI
    • NSC
    • LTAP/TTAP
    • WSU
  • Events and Conferences
    • National Work Zone Awareness Week
    • Work Zone Safety Conferences
    • Other Work Zone Related Conferences
    • 2020 Transportation Construction Safety Events Calendar
  • Data Resources
    • Searchable Databases
    • Public Awareness
    • Laws, Regulations, Standards, and Policies
    • Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
  • Hot Topics
    • Improving Large Truck Safety in Work Zones
    • Smarter Work Zones
    • Transportation Management Plans
    • Accommodating Pedestrians
    • Rear End Crashes
    • Minimizing Construction Interferences with Traffic
    • Managing Speeds
    • Mobile/Short Duration Work Zones
    • Reducing Worker Run-overs and Back-overs
    • Working at Night
    • Reducing Worker Fatigue and Distraction Risks
You are here: Home / Publications / Toward Modeling the Effect of Vertical Illuminance on Perceived Glare in Work Zones

Toward Modeling the Effect of Vertical Illuminance on Perceived Glare in Work Zones

Author/Presenter: Bhagavathula, Rajaram; Gibbons, Ronald B.
Abstract:

In the United States, in most of the states, glare from the portable light towers in the work zones is evaluated subjectively. Subjective evaluation of glare usually has the inherent bias of the person performing the evaluation. Efforts to determine an objective glare metric that could be measured in situ at work zones have largely been unsuccessful. The need for such a metric is important as traffic volumes increase and more construction activities occur at night. In an attempt to determine an objective measure of perceived glare, this study characterized the vertical illuminance of three commercially available portable light towers in various orientations, correlated the vertical illuminance to perceived glare, and modelled the relationship between vertical illuminance at the driver eye level and perceived glare in a realistic work zone setup on Virginia Smart Road. The results from the characterization showed that vertical illuminance increases rapidly between a distance of 80 and 20 m to the light tower. This critical range was consistent across all the light tower types in each orientation. Results also indicated that vertical illuminance is correlated with perceived glare and could be accurately modelled with a generalized logistic function. At a mean vertical illuminance level of 17 lux in the critical range, the perceived glare transitions from low to high. These results could help in developing objective glare metrics for work zones.

Source: TRB 96th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers
Publisher: Transportation Research Board
Publication Date: 2017
Source URL: Link to URL
Publication Types: Books, Reports, Papers, and Research Articles
Topics: Glare; Lighting; Lighting Systems; Night Work; Visibility; Work Zones

Copyright © 2021 American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse is a project of the ARTBA Transportation Development Foundation. It is operated in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and Texas A&M Transportation Institute. | Copyright Statement · Legal Notices/Policies · Disclaimer
American Road and Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation, American Road and Transportation Builders Association U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Texas A&M Transportation Institute