PURPOSES: The objective of this study is to analyze the effect of superelevation on the existing local freeway ramps where occurrence of traffic incidents are concentrated in order to improve the safety of ramp curves. Using a superelevation slope test conducted on Cheong-ju interchange as a case study, operating speed and lateral friction coefficients are measured, and the safety before and after increasing the superelevation is analyzed. METHODS: First, the actual operating speed of freeway ramps is measured for analysis and the 85th-percentile speed is calculated. This is followed by a measurement change in the lateral friction coefficient because of an increase in superelevation slope from 6% to 10%. Based on the change in lateral friction coefficient, an evaluation of the safety of driving mechanics is carried out and suggestions for the most appropriate superelevation slopes are presented. RESULTS: The operating speed (V85) of the loop ramp increases by up to 5.6 km/h after increasing the superelevation slope, and the operating speed (V85) of reverse ramp curve increases by up to 6.1 km/h. However, the standard deviation of the speed between each section has decreased, making it easier to drive smoothly. Although some sections of the loop ramp show poor safety due to the difference between actual and design friction coefficients in the safety evaluation before the increase of superelevation slope, the lateral force decreases after the increase of superelevation slope, improving the safety of the road. CONCLUSIONS : Currently, Korea’s freeway ramps pose a safety risk to vehicles traveling at speeds higher than the design speed. To improve the safety of freeway ramps, analysis on the effect of increase in superelevation slope found that the lateral friction coefficient decreases, which in turn improves the safety of freeway ramps.

PURPOSES : This study was conducted to develop expressway safety treatments based on the analysis results of older driver behaviors through literature review, surveys, and driving simulator experiments. METHODS: In this study, three analyses were conducted: surveys of 700 older drivers to find the risk segments they recognized, driving simulator experiments with older and younger drivers to investigate driver behaviors, and expert surveys to find the priority of expressway safety treatments for older drivers. RESULTS : Through survey results it was found that merging areas and tunnels were identified as the most dangerous areas, and more dangerous older driver behaviors were observed on those expressway segments in the driving simulator experiments. In addition, the priorities of safety treatments for each segment of expressways were decided based on expert surveys. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that choice and concentration strategies of expressway safety treatments for older drivers should be applied as perceptions regarding dangerous spots and older driver behaviors, including geometric designs, safety facilities, regulation, and institutes to improve expressway safety.

PURPOSES: The purpose of this study is to compare the lane curing time of natural drying and a lane drying device when painting lines on a highway. METHODS: The painting process was carried out in July 2015 and September 2015, respectively, for the Gimcheon IC - Gimcheon JC. After the painting, measurements were obtained three times at six measurement points located at 20 m intervals on the shoulder line and the dividing line. The curing time was measured for natural drying and drying using a lane drying device, and compared for different pavement types (asphalt, concrete) and paint types (waterborne paint, methyl methacrylate paint). RESULTS : The results of the lane curing time comparison on the highway are as follows. The combination of asphalt and methyl methacrylate paint cured more rapidly during both the natural drying and drying using the lane drying device. Finally, it was cured at least 32.2% and 40.7% faster when using a drying device than in natural drying. CONCLUSIONS: The comparison of lane curing time of the highway showed that the combination of asphalt and methyl methacrylate paint cured more rapidly when using both natural drying and a lane drying device.

PURPOSES: The purpose of this research is to analyze the characteristics of panels that affect the evaluating results of riding quality and to evaluate the appropriateness of roughness management criteria based on ride comfort satisfaction. METHODS: In order to analyze the influence of panel characteristics of riding quality, 33 panels, consisting of civilians and experts, were selected. Also, considering the roughness distribution of the expressway, 35 sections with MRI ranging from 1.17 m/km to 4.65 m/km were selected. Each panel boarded a passenger car and evaluated the riding quality with grades from 0 to 10, and assessed whether it was satisfied or not. After removing outlier results using a box plot technique, 964 results were analyzed. An ANOVA was conducted to evaluate the effects of panel expertise, age, driving experience, vehicle ownership, and gender on the evaluation results. In addition, by using the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve, the MRI value, which can most accurately evaluate the satisfaction with riding quality, was derived. Then, the compatibility of MRI was evaluated using AUC as a criterion to assess whether the riding quality was satisfactory. RESULTS: Only the age of the panel participants were found to have an effect on the riding quality satisfaction. It was found that satisfaction with riding quality and MRI are strongly correlated. The satisfaction rate of roughness management criteria on new (MRI 1.6 m/km) and maintenance (MRI 3.0 m/km) expressways were 95% and 53%, respectively. As a result of evaluating the roughness management criteria by using the ROC curve, it was found that the accuracy of satisfaction was the highest at MRI 3.1-3.2 m/km. In addition, the AUC of the MRI was about 0.8, indicating that the MRI was an appropriate index for evaluating the riding quality satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, the distribution of the panels’age should be considered when panel rating is conducted. From the results of the ROC curve, MRI of 3.0 m/km, which is a criterion of roughness management on maintenance expressways, is considered as appropriate.

PURPOSES: In this study, design elements of rest areas for drowsy drivers are classified and appropriate criteria for each design element are presented. METHODS : By comparing and analyzing the design criteria for rest areas, the most appropriate installation criteria were suggested by considering the driving patterns of rest area users. RESULTS: As a result of the study, elements influencing the design of rest areas for drowsy drivers are suggested such as installation location and installation type. In addition, proper separation distance between resting areas was suggested considering vehicle flow, users’fatigue and physiological needs. Other criteria for rest areas were also suggested. CONCLUSIONS : Proper safety facilities were not installed in rest areas because appropriate criteria were not established. In this study, design elements were derived and installation criteria were designed so that rest areas could be used safely and conveniently.

PURPOSES : The purpose of this paper is to analyze the change in lane reflection performance through lane washing and sweeping on highway lanes. METHODS: This paper compared and analyzed the changes in lane reflection performance before and after lane washing and sweeping. The research method was as follows. First, we selected four research sites on the Gyeong-bu Highway. Second, the parameters affecting lane reflection performance are classified into luminance, brightness, and number of glass beads. Third, the change in reflection performance was measured after washing /sweeping at the same place after studying 60m of the unwashed/unswept area. Fourth, the measurement results were compared and analyzed before and after lane washing/sweeping. RESULTS: The results of this study are as follows. First, lane washing improved the luminance and brightness by 4.2~21.4% and 1.4~5.1%, respectively, and reduced the number of glass beads per wash by 0.2~1.2%. Second, lane sweeping improved the luminance and brightness by 2.3~8.5% and 0.8~2.3%, respectively, and reduced the number of glass beads per sweep by 0.8~4.9%. CONCLUSIONS : By comparing the results of lane washing and sweeping, it was found that compared to lane sweeping, lane washing improved the luminance and fewer glass beads were dropped.

PURPOSES : The purpose of this study is to develop a regression model to predict the International Roughness Index(IRI) and Surface Distress(SD) for the estimation of HPCI using Expressway Pavement Management System(PMS).METHODS : To develop an HPCI prediction model, prediction models of IRI and SD were developed in advance. The independent variables considered in the models were pavement age, Annual Average Daily Traffic Volume(AADT), the amount of deicing salt used, the severity of Alkali Silica Reaction(ASR), average temperature, annual temperature difference, number of days of precipitation, number of days of snowfall, number of days below zero temperature, and so on.RESULTS : The present IRI, age, AADT, annual temperature differential, number of days of precipitation and ASR severity were chosen as independent variables for the IRI prediction model. In addition, the present IRI, present SD, amount of deicing chemical used, and annual temperature differential were chosen as independent variables for the SD prediction model.CONCLUSIONS: The models for predicting IRI and SD were developed. The predicted HPCI can be calculated from the HPCI equation using the predicted IRI and SD.