Design for Transport Safety

A special issue of Safety (ISSN 2313-576X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2019) | Viewed by 31802

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Design School, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
Interests: design for injury prevention; engineering design, modelling and simulation for injury prevention; design for women: Safety of pregnant drivers and their fetuses, safety after mastectomy, system design, mathematical interpretations; clinical systems: Spine modelling and associated engineering design

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The 3rd Design for Transport Safety Special Session is organized to focus on research, design and development that investigate ways of improving transport safety. It will provide a forum for engineers, scientists and industrialists to introduce challenges and to discuss ideas, state-of-the-art methodologies and trends in transport safety.

All papers presented in this special session will be considered for publication in the Special Issue: “Design for Transport Safety” of Safety.

Transport incidents are the leading cause of severe injuries and accidental death worldwide. An estimated 1.3 million people are killed in the world each year as a result of road traffic accidents alone. Appropriate design and manufacturing of vehicles, safety systems and infrastructure play major roles in reducing the number of injuries and fatalities.

Papers reporting investigations, design, manufacturing and experiments in the following areas will be considered:

  • Road, Rail, Water and amphibious vehicle and Aircraft crashworthiness
  • Impact Biomechanics
  • Occupant and Pedestrian Protection
  • Physical Modelling
  • Computational Modelling
  • Accident Simulations
  • Visual detection and recognition techniques
  • Road Furniture
  • Safety System Design
  • Vulnerable occupants
  • Child, Adult and Special Restraint systems

Prof. Dr. Serpil Acar
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Safety is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • Road, Rail, Water and amphibious vehicle and Aircraft crashworthiness
  • Impact Biomechanics
  • Occupant and Pedestrian Protection
  • Physical Modelling
  • Computational Modelling
  • Accident Simulations
  • Visual detection and recognition techniques
  • Road Furniture
  • Safety System Design
  • Vulnerable occupants
  • Child, Adult and Special Restraint systems

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 2238 KiB  
Article
Quality Control of the Anchoring of Steel Bridge Barriers by Non-Destructive Testing
by Tereza Komárková, Jaromír Láník and Anton Ondřej
Safety 2020, 6(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety6010002 - 7 Jan 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 6347
Abstract
Traffic barriers represent one of the basic road safety features. There are several types of traffic barriers based on the material from which they are made of and their location. Bridge structures are usually fitted with steel barriers. A steel barrier is, in [...] Read more.
Traffic barriers represent one of the basic road safety features. There are several types of traffic barriers based on the material from which they are made of and their location. Bridge structures are usually fitted with steel barriers. A steel barrier is, in fact, a relatively complex system linking individual steel elements, which, as a whole, has to meet the requirements given by normative regulations. In order for the steel barriers to fulfill their function and prevent the catastrophic consequences of traffic accidents, it is absolutely necessary to ensure their correct installation on the bridge structure. It seemed until recently that carrying out quality inspections of steel barriers installation, i.e., their anchoring into the concrete ledges, was a relatively complicated time- and money-consuming process, and that is why inspections of the correct anchoring installation in new or existing barriers were not carried out as standard. This paper thoroughly describes in detail the non-destructive ultrasonic pulse method, with which the anchoring of steel barriers on selected bridge structures is being checked. From the measurements and statistical evaluation of the results, it is apparent that carrying out inspections of the anchoring of these road safety features should be considered routine, and at the same time, the inspection of anchoring quality should be required by law in order to ensure the safety of road traffic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design for Transport Safety)
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11 pages, 5476 KiB  
Article
Traffic Safety at Median Ditches: Steel vs. Concrete Barrier Performance Comparison Using Computer Simulation
by Ayhan Öner Yücel, Ali Osman Atahan, Turan Arslan and Umur Korkut Sevim
Safety 2018, 4(4), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety4040050 - 1 Nov 2018
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 10355
Abstract
In Turkey, concrete V-shaped ditches are formed at the median section of divided highways to provide drainage. Recent accidents show that these ditches actually present safety risks to vehicles entering the medians. Vehicles either cross over the ditch, roll over, or become trapped [...] Read more.
In Turkey, concrete V-shaped ditches are formed at the median section of divided highways to provide drainage. Recent accidents show that these ditches actually present safety risks to vehicles entering the medians. Vehicles either cross over the ditch, roll over, or become trapped in the ditch, depending upon the mass, size, speed, and angle of the entering vehicle. To overcome this safety risk and reduce the severity of these accidents, longitudinal barriers are installed along these ditches. Currently, in Turkey, steel barriers are extensively used to improve traffic safety at median ditches. In this paper, the crash performances of steel and concrete barriers used at medians with ditches are compared. A model of a standard steel EDSP-1.33 barrier and a model of a newly developed concrete C470 barrier were constructed, and impact simulations were performed for when they are installed at a ditch slope break point. A nonlinear finite element program, LS-DYNA, was used for the analysis. A 13,000 kg bus model was used to impact both barriers in accordance with European standard requirements for crash tests. Simulation results show that when the steel EDSP-1.33 barrier is used, the bus has the potential for excessive penetration of the ditch, with significant barrier deformation. Moreover, the barrier damage is extensive, resulting in increased maintenance costs. On the other hand, the concrete C470 barrier successfully contains and redirects the 13,000 kg bus impact, with minimal barrier deformation and safety risk. Even though the concrete barrier slides toward the inside of the ditch, the bus does not enter the ditch area and exits the barrier in a stable manner. Therefore, to increase traffic safety at ditches located at the median section of divided highways in Turkey, utilization of the newly developed concrete barrier C470 is recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design for Transport Safety)
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11 pages, 12919 KiB  
Article
Impact Performance Evaluation of a Crash Cushion Design Using Finite Element Simulation and Full-Scale Crash Testing
by Murat Büyük, Ali Osman Atahan and Kenan Kurucuoğlu
Safety 2018, 4(4), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety4040048 - 1 Nov 2018
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 8376
Abstract
Crash cushions are designed to gradually absorb the kinetic energy of an impacting vehicle and bring it to a controlled stop within an acceptable distance while maintaining a limited amount of deceleration on the occupants. These cushions are used to protect errant vehicles [...] Read more.
Crash cushions are designed to gradually absorb the kinetic energy of an impacting vehicle and bring it to a controlled stop within an acceptable distance while maintaining a limited amount of deceleration on the occupants. These cushions are used to protect errant vehicles from hitting rigid objects, such as poles and barriers located at exit locations on roads. Impact performance evaluation of crash cushions are attained according to an EN 1317-3 standard based on various speed limits and impact angles. Crash cushions can be designed to absorb the energy of an impacting vehicle by using different material deformation mechanisms, such as metal plasticity supported by airbag folding or damping. In this study, a new crash cushion system, called the ulukur crash cushion (UCC), is developed by using linear, low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) containers supported by embedded plastic energy-absorbing tubes as dampers. Steel cables are used to provide anchorage to the design. The crashworthiness of the system was evaluated both numerically and experimentally. The finite element model of the design was developed and solved using LS-DYNA (971, LSTC, Livermore, CA, USA), in which the impact performance was evaluated considering the EN 1317 standard. Following the simulations, full-scale crash tests were performed to determine the performance of the design in containing and redirecting the impacting vehicle. Both the simulations and crash tests showed acceptable agreement. Further crash tests are planned to fully evaluate the crashworthiness of the new crash cushion system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design for Transport Safety)
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12 pages, 4172 KiB  
Article
Developing a Highway Rail Grade Crossing Accident Probability Prediction Model: A North Dakota Case Study
by Ihsan Ullah Khan, EunSu Lee and Muhammad Asif Khan
Safety 2018, 4(2), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety4020022 - 18 May 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5982
Abstract
Safety at highway rail grade crossings (HRCs) continues to be a serious concern despite improved safety practices. Accident frequencies remain high despite increasing emphasis on HRCs safety. Consequently, there is a need to re-examine both the design practices and the safety evaluation methods [...] Read more.
Safety at highway rail grade crossings (HRCs) continues to be a serious concern despite improved safety practices. Accident frequencies remain high despite increasing emphasis on HRCs safety. Consequently, there is a need to re-examine both the design practices and the safety evaluation methods at HRCs. Previous studies developed accident prediction models by incorporating highway, crossing inventory, rail, and vehicle traffic characteristics, but none of these factors considered population in the vicinity of HRCs. This study developed a binary logit regression model to predict accident likelihood at HRCs by incorporating various contributory factors in addition to population (based on census blocks 2010) within five miles of crossings. Previous North Dakota accident data from 2000 to 2016 was analyzed and used in the model development. The model results show that the number of daily trains, the maximum typical train speed, the number of through railroad tracks, and the number of highway/traffic lanes all affect accident likelihood. The presence of pavement markings in the form of stop lines helps reduce accident probability, while populations within five miles of HRCs have a positive relationship with crash likelihood. This study will help transportation agencies improve HRC safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design for Transport Safety)
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