Smart Phone for Measurement of Reflectivity of Road Pavement Markings

Thermoplastic road pavement markings guide, warn, and inform road users, contributing significantly to road safety. Pavement markings play an important role in enhancing road safety by providing visual guidance and information to drivers. Pavement markings help to improve lane discipline, delineate traffic flow and communicate important messages to road users. Portable reflectometers are used for measurement of reflectivity. Reflectivity measurements are generally carried out during the laying operations of pavement markings. The reflectometer is costly and often not available regularly with engineers of road authorities and contractors. Hence quality of reflectivity is assessed through visual means during maintenance period. Smart phones which are handy and are with all, if made used for measuring quality of reflectivity during maintenance will be more useful for quick and relatively fair assessment of quality for any intervention required will be useful to all stake holders in enhancing the road safety. An attempt is made in the study to study the feasibility of using smart phone for measuring reflectivity. The study indicate use of smart phones for assessing the maintenance interventions of pavement marking.