FIELD AND LABORATORY EVALUATION OF ROADSIDE SIGN SURFACING MATERIALS

Abstract

PHYSICAL AND OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SIGN MATERIALS AND DESIGN AND APPLICATION OF A REFLECTOMETER DEVISED BY THE KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS ARE DISCUSSED. ACCELERATED WEATHERING PROCEDURES AND SPECIFICATION STANDARDS ARE DESCRIBED. FIELD STUDIES PARALLELING LABORATORY WORK AND A POSSIBLE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE TWO ARE DESCRIBED. THE FIELD WORK INCLUDED SEVERAL THOUSAND INDIVIDUAL OBSERVATIONS COVERING 30 DIFFERENT SIGN-SURFACE TYPES UNDER ACTUAL CONDITIONS ON A NIGHT-VISIBILITY DRIVING-COURSE. MOST OF THE MAJOR TYPES OF SURFACES AVAILABLE WERE REPRESENTED. IN ADDITION TO USING ORDINARY SEALED-BEAM HEADLAMPS, FIELD OBSERVATIONS WERE MADE USING POLARIZED HEADLAMPS AND VIEWERS. /AUTHOR/