Effects of Sensor and Environmental Factors on Smartphone-Based Bicycle Road Monitoring

Collecting data on road conditions can allow effective resource allocation for road maintenance. This paper presents a prototype for a smartphone-based system for collecting vibration data during cycling. The system was tested on various sections of road with different conditions, with two types of bicycles, sensor sampling frequencies and smartphone orientations. The selected parameters can have a significant effect on the data collected. With suitable parameters, the collected data can be used to evaluate current road quality and improve the allocation of road maintenance resources. The system was successful in identifying individual irregularities in the road surface, the presence of road grit and general road quality, providing valuable information on road condition.