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Title:

Development of an Automated Raised Pavement Marker Placement Machine

Accession Number:

01046310

Record Type:

Component

Availability:

Transportation Research Board Business Office

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Abstract:

Departments of transportation across the country utilize raised pavement markers (RPMs) to supplement the visibility of their lane stripes, especially in inclement weather. Many millions of these markers are used nationwide every year. Currently these markers are placed manually leading to significant costs and the attendant safety concerns for the personnel involved. This paper describes the development of two prototype systems to automate the task of RPM placement. The first system was developed for placing RPMs using pressure-sensitive adhesive pads and the second for placing RPMs using hot-melt adhesive. This paper covers a thirty-four-month, Georgia Department of Transportation funded effort to develop a system capable of automatically placing RPMs along the lane stripes while in motion at 5 miles per hour. The effort was conducted in two phases. The objective of the first phase was to demonstrate the function of two key components, an RPM-placement mechanism using pressure-sensitive adhesive and the lane stripe tracking system. The objective of the second phase was to develop a full-scale, truck-mounted RPM placement system. The project resulted in a system, to be delivered in November 2006, which includes placement mechanisms capable of dispensing an RPM onto the pavement along with the necessary hot-melt adhesive applied at 380°F while traveling at 5 mph. The placement mechanisms are supported on a pattern-change mechanism that can position two placement mechanisms to accommodate any of the 5 specified RPM placement patterns. Results of the initial testing indicate that issues remain to be resolved in using pressure-sensitive adhesive RPMs automatically. Results of the initial testing of the system that automatically places RPMs using hot-melt adhesive are promising.

Monograph Accession #:

01042056

Report/Paper Numbers:

07-2332

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Holcombe, Wiley
Britton, Douglas F
Daley, Wayne D. R.
Leverett, Jacob T
McMurray, Gary V
Robertson, Steven D
Ruffin, Kevin M
Simmons JR, Jack Harold
Usher, Colin T

Pagination:

12p

Publication Date:

2007

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2007-1-21 to 2007-1-25
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

CD-ROM

Features:

Figures; Photos

Geographic Terms:

Georgia

Subject Areas:

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I73: Traffic Control; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2007 Paper #07-2332

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Feb 8 2007 7:01PM