Development of an automated system for guiderail needs evaluation

摘要

The objective of this project is to design a system for automating guiderail needs evaluation according to The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) guidelines. The relevant MTO guidelines were reviewed with a focus on Severity Index methodology for evaluating guiderail needs. The final product is a prototype design for implementing an automation tool for field engineers to automate their evaluation process. The prototype's system functions are replicated using various spreadsheet functions and database style layouts that integrate the entire Severity Index methodology. The prototype can take data input from an AutoCAD Civil 3D text file which holds all the required sections for which guiderail analysis are required. The outputs identify where guiderails are warranted and where they are not. This automation tool was validated through iterative manual calculations on various corridors. In addition to identifying locations where guiderails are warranted, benefit-cost analysis was also carried out to illustrate the workflow required in such analysis. Ultimately, this tool can help traffic engineers and roadway designers to increase efficiency when evaluating long stretches of highways for guiderail needs.