Advanced Traffic Sensor for Work Zone and Incident Management Systems. Highway IDEA Program.

摘要

This project developed and tested a portable Advanced Relocatable Traffic Sensor (ARTS) system based on microwave radar technology and wireless communication for improving the accuracy and effectiveness of work zone ITS systems. The system's components include Doppler microwave radar, digital compass, a solar portable power system, GPS positioning subsystem, satellite packet data terminal, palm-size single board computer, and an electronic interface board. The components were designed or procured and integrated into a compact prototype system that satisfied the requirements for portability, low cost, and self power, built-in satellite communication links, self-diagnostics, self-configuring, modularity, and ability to provide accurate measures of traffic counts, speed, volume, and headway. Laboratory tests using tuning fork to simulate vehicle speeds were performed that validated the satellite communications and speed data acquisition aspects of the system. Limited field tests were performed to test the satellite communications and speed acquisition in actual traffic. Observed data accuracy and communications transmission durations of a few seconds provided encouraging indications of ARTS's potential for use in real time applications for work zone safety and incident management. However, further improvement such as using ultra band radar instead of Doppler microwave transceiver, and hardware enhancement to reduce the system's size and additional field tests are needed before the system can be implemented by highway agencies.