Evaluation of reflective ring facilities in different segments of highway tunnels based on factor analysis

Abstract To address the contradiction between the spacing of reflective rings and traffic safety in highway tunnels, we conducted simulation experiments using driving simulators, eye-tracking devices, and electroencephalogram (EEG) systems to analyze the impact of reflective ring facilities on drivers under various segmental scenarios with different spacings. The study uses eye movement, EEG, and driving behavior data as indicators to assess driver performance. Factor analysis is applied to determine the overall effectiveness of different reflective ring configurations. The results demonstrate that reflective rings significantly enhance driver alertness in highway tunnel segments. Among the configurations tested, the scenario with three reflective rings visible in the driver’s field of view performed best, while configurations with one or two reflective rings were less effective. In terms of tunnel segments, the entrance and central segments showed the most significant improvements in driver performance with optimal reflective ring spacing. Drivers exhibited a higher α/β ratio—An EEG metric where higher alpha (α) power relative to beta (β) power indicates greater alertness and relaxation—in the central segment, suggesting a more alert and relaxed driving strategy. In the entrance segment, both pupil size and fixation time significantly increased, reflecting the increased demand for visual information processing. The exit segment showed the lowest factor analysis score, indicating poorer driving performance with insufficient operability and attention. This study provides insights into optimizing the spacing settings of reflective rings in different segments of highway tunnels to enhance traffic safety.