Graduation Year
2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Ph.D.
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Degree Granting Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Major Professor
Pei-Sung Lin, Ph.D.
Co-Major Professor
Yu Zhang, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Fred Mannering, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Mingyang Li, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Paul Atchley, Ph.D.
Keywords
Crash Modification Factors, Empirical Bayes method, mixed distribution models, random parameters, safety, temporal stability
Abstract
Lane departure crashes are one of the most prevalent accidents in Florida and the United States. Various forms of rumble strips have been employed to mitigate and decrease these incidents. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recently adopted a new sinusoidal rumble strip pattern for statewide implementation of audible and vibratory treatment (AVT). Recent research indicates sinusoidal rumble strips are highly effective in alerting drivers audibly and through tactile vibrations, thus aiding lane departure prevention. Moreover, they generate less external noise compared to other rumble strip textures.
However, a systematic assessment of the safety effectiveness of sinusoidal rumble strips in the United States has been lacking. This paper focuses on evaluating the safety impact of sinusoidal rumble strips that have been installed in Florida in recent years using an Empirical Bayes (EB) methodology. The study collected crash data from sites where these strips were implemented and compared it to data from reference sites. Based on the type of rural roads (comprising overall rural roadways, rural two-lane roads, and rural multi-lane roads) and crash severity levels (including total crashes and fatal/severe injury crashes), a series of Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) were developed. Furthermore, the authors utilized a multinomial logit model to estimate the influence of various variables and parameters on lane departure crashes.
The research findings provide quantifiable evidence of sinusoidal rumble strips' safety benefits in reducing lane departure crashes. Additionally, sinusoidal rumble strips provide valuable insights into implementing countermeasures to enhance the safety of rural roads.
Scholar Commons Citation
Shindgikar, Shubhankar Chintamani, "Evaluating the Effectiveness of Edge Line Sinusoidal Rumble Strips on Lane Departure Crash Prevention and Injury Severity" (2024). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/10680
