Realistic and dynamic visual models were developed that can be used in a teaching context for illustrating concepts that affect the appearance and fit of a highway alignment. The models consist of short video clips of the highway taken from the perspective of a vehicle's windscreen. These video images of the roadway are coupled with graphs showing the corresponding vertical and horizontal alignment of the roadway. The users of these models can simulate a drive over the selected highway segment and visually assess the appearance and continuity of the alignment. They can then study the accompanying alignment graphs to evaluate how different combinations of vertical and horizontal elements affect the appearance and continuity of the alignment. Each of the video clips was selected to illustrate either a good or bad example of a specific concept affecting alignment design. Some of the concepts illustrated include the coordination of vertical and horizontal alignment and consistency in alignment development. The video clips were developed using images and data from the Connecticut Department of Transportation's photologging system.
Abstract