Sun Glare Impacts on Freeway Congestion: Geometric Model and Empirical Analysis
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 10
Abstract
In this paper, a geometric model for predicting locations and times where sun glare has the potential to affect drivers on roadways was developed. Existing or prospective highway alignments can be considered. The method includes appropriate geometric models of the roadway alignment, astronomical computations for the relative position of the sun in the sky, and corrections for atmospheric refraction. Novel graphical tools were introduced to indicate the results of the model, which include sets of time and location where sun glare should be expected. The hypothesis that sun glare has an effect on congestion was tested by comparing real speed data from locations and times at which the geometric model indicates the presence of sun glare with those at which it does not. Sun glare is shown to have a statistically significant impact on mean traffic speeds.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgements
The authors respectfully acknowledge Mr. Gilbert Chlewicki of Dewberry for his assistance in selecting a case study location and Mr. Bernie Saggese of the Maryland State Highway Administration for his assistance in obtaining highway data.
References
Akaike, H. (1974). “A new look at the statistical model identification.” IEEE Trans. Automatic Control, 19(6), 716–723.
Auffray, B., Monsere, C. M., and Bertini, R. L. (2008). “An empirical investigation of the impacts of sun-related glare on traffic flow.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Blanco-Muriel, M., Alarcón-Padilla, D. C., López-Moratalla, T., and Lara-Coira, M. (2001). “Computing the solar vector.” Solar Energy, 70(5), 431–441.
Boulos, E. N., Jack, D., Surowiec, R., Bomback, J. L., Subramanian, S., Simmons, C. J., and Simmons, J. H. (1997). “Fundamental issues in automotive veiling glare.”.
Choi, Eun-Ha, and Singh, Santokh (2005). “Statistical assessment of the glare issue—Human and natural elements.” Proc., 2005 FCSM Conf., Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology, Arlington, VA.
Grena, R. (2008). “An algorithm for the computation of the solar position.” Solar Energy, 82(5), 462–470.
Ismail, Karim, and Sayed, T. (2007). “New algorithm for calculating 3D available sight distance.” J. Transp. Eng., 133(10), 572–581.
Jong, J.-C., and Schonfeld, Paul (2003). “An evolutionary model for simultaneously optimizing three-dimensional highway alignments.” Transp. Res. Part B, 37(2), 107–128.
Jurado-Piña, R., and Pardillo-Mayora, J. M. (2009). “Methodology to predict driver vision impairment situations caused by sun glare.”, 12–17.
Jurado-Piña, R., and Pardillo-Mayora, J. M. (2010). “A methodology to analyze sun glare impact on highway under prolonged exposure.” J. Transp. Eng., 136(12), 1137–1144.
Jurado-Piña, R., Pardillo-Mayora, J. M., and Jiménez, R. (2010). “Methodology to analyze sun glare related safety problems at highway tunnel exits.” J. Transp. Eng., 136(6), 545–553.
Kim, D. G., and Lovell, D. J. (2010). “A procedure for 3-D sight distance evaluation using thin plate splines.” Proc., 4th Int. Symposium on Highway Geometric Design, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Laird, N. M., and Ware, J. H. (1982). “Random-effects models for longitudinal data.” Biometrics, 38(4), 963–974.
Lovell, D. J. (1999). “Automated calculation of sight distance from horizontal geometry.” J. Transp. Eng., 125(4), 297–304.
Lovell, D. J., Jong, J. C., and Chang, P. C. (2001). “Improvements to sight distance algorithm.” J. Transp. Eng., 127(4), 283–288.
Meeus, Jean (1988). Astronomical algorithms, 2nd Ed., Willmann-Bell, Richmond, VA.
Michalsky, J. J. (1988). “The astronomical almanac’s algorithm for approximate solar position (1950–2050).” Solar Energy, 40(3), 227–235.
Mitra, S. (2008). “Investigating the impact of sun glare on transportation safety.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Reda, I., and Andreas, A. (2004). “Solar position algorithm for solar radiation applications.” Solar Energy, 76(5), 577–589.
Sæmundsson, T. (1986). “Atmospheric refraction.” Sky Telesc., 72(1), 70.
Spencer, J. W. (1971). “Fourier series representation of the position of the sun.” Search, 2(5), 172.
Vos, Johannes J. (2003). “On the cause of disability glare and its dependence on glare angle, age and ocular pigmentation.” Clin. Exp. Optom., 86(6), 363–370.
Walraven, R. (1978). “Calculating the position of the sun.” Solar Energy, 20(5), 393–397.
Wilson, E. M., and Lipinski, M. E. (2004). “Road safety audits—A synthesis of highway practice.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Zwahlen, H. T. (1989). “Conspicuity of suprathreshold reflective targets in a driver’s peripheral visual field at night.”, 35–46.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 8, 2011
Accepted: Feb 13, 2012
Published online: Feb 16, 2012
Published in print: Oct 1, 2012
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.