Researchers in both Germany and the United States are developing safety models that will aid the designer in evaluating alternative designs from a safety standpoint. The current focus is primarily on the influence of vehicle dynamics on geometric design. In Germany, researchers at the University of Karlsruhe are working on a safety model that has three primary criteria: (1) Providing adequate side friction, (2) Harmonizing design speed and operating speed, and (3) Achieving design consistency in horizontal alignment. The current status of the safety model is discussed including a presentation on the software. This includes the role of vehicle dynamics in developing side friction factors based on alignment and specific vehicle characteristics. In the U.S., the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Safety and Traffic Operations R&D is developing the Interactive Highway Safety Design Model (IHSDM). One feature of the IHSDM is the ability of the designer to interface vehicle dynamics models with the geometric data stored in the Computer Aided Design (CAD) package. This will allow the designer to gather information on speed, lateral friction demand, and rollover potential as well as a visual view of the alternative based on the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design vehicles. The current status of this project is discussed, including demonstration of the software.
Samenvatting