This thesis research investigated the predictive performance of pavement marking retroreflectivity measured under various conditions of continuous wetting. The researcher compared nighttime detection distance of pavement markings in simulated rain conditions and the retroreflectivity of the same pavement markings in several continuous wetting conditions. Correlation analyses quantified the predictive performance of the resulting retroreflectivity values from the continuous wetting conditions. The researcher measured the retroreflectivity of 18 pavement marking samples under 14 different conditions. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has three standards for measuring the retroreflectivity of pavement markings under: dry (E-1710), recovery (E-2177), and continuous wetting conditions (E-2176). Using three ASTM standard conditions resulted in three sets of retroreflectivity data, and variations of the continuous wetting standard produced an additional 11 sets of continuous wetting condition data. The researcher also incorporated detection distance values measured for the same 18 pavement marking samples under three different simulated rainfall conditions at night. The three conditions included: high (0.87 in/hr), medium (0.52 in/hr), and low (0.28 in/hr) flow rates, these rates were to simulate typical rainfall rates in the state of Texas. The correlation analyses measures the linear relationship as well as the logarithmic relationship between the detection distance and the retroreflectivity of the pavement markings. A pavement markings' retroreflectivity is typically used as a detection distance performance indicator, therefore a high degree of correlation between retroreflectivity and detection distance would be desired. A high degree of correlation would indicate that a measured retroreflectivity value of a pavement marking would provide a good indication of the expected detection distance. The researcher conducted analyses for several subgroups of the pavement markings based on the markings type or characteristics. Dry, recovery, and all the continuous wetting retroreflectivity data were correlated to the detection distances. Correlation values found during this thesis research did not show a high degree of correlation for most of the subgroups analyzed. This indicates that measured retroreflectivity would not provide very good predictive performance of the pavement markings detection distance in rainy conditions.

Vid inrättandet av nya farleder är synbarheten en viktig fråga när det handlar om valet av sjömärke. Idag grundar sig detta val på subjektiva metoder eftersom det inte finns någon forskning kring det optiska upptäcktsavståndet till de sjömärken som används i svenska farvatten. Används ett sjömärke med för kort upptäcktsavstånd äventyras säkerheten, samtidigt som ett för effektivt sjömärke innebär högre kostnader. Syftet var att studien ska ligga till grund för skapandet av objektiva metoder vid utmärkning av farleder genom att undersöka det optiska upptäcktsavståndet till olika flytande sjömärken. En metodologisk triangulering genomfördes i form av en fältstudie ombord på fartyg och ett frågeformulär som besvarades av lotsar. Resultatet från fältstudien visade att bojarna generellt hade ett längre upptäcktsavstånd gentemot lysprickarna. Upptäcktsavståndet varierade beroende på sjömärkets form, höjd, bredd, färg, ögonhöjd, ljusvinkel, samt bakgrunden bakom sjömärket. Resultatet visade även intressanta skillnader och likheter bland lotsarnas svar kring de faktorer som ansågs påverka det optiska upptäcktsavståndet. / For the introduction of new waterways visibility is of importance when choosing the appropriate sea mark. Today the choice of sea mark is very subjective due to the lack of research regarding the visual detection distance of the ones used in Swedish waters. Safety is jeopardised if a sea mark is used with a detection distance that is too short, whereas a more effective sea mark leads to higher costs. The purpose was that the study would help in creating objective methods when marking waterways by investigating the visual detection distance of different floating sea marks. A methodological triangulation was performed in the form of a field study on board a ship, and a questionnaire was answered by pilots. The field study revealed that the buoys generally had a further detection distance compared to the light spar buoys. The detection distance varied according to the sea marks shape, height, width, colour, eye height, light angle and also the background behind the sea mark. The result also showed interesting differences and similarities amongst the pilots’ answers regarding the factors which where perceived to affect the visual detection distance.

Objective assessment for the effect of hearing protectors, background noise levels, and backup alarm acoustic features on listeners' abilities to localize backup alarm signals in the horizontal dimension, as well as on their ability to detect backup alarm signals in the distance dimension, is lacking in the acoustics and safety literature. Accordingly, two research experiments were conducted for this dissertation. In the first experiment, the effect of seven hearing protectors, two background pink noise levels (60 dBA and 90 dBA), and two backup alarm signals (standard and spectrally-modified) on the ability of normal hearing listeners to localize backup alarm signals in the horizontal dimension was investigated. Results indicated that a diotic sound transmission earmuff significantly degraded localization accuracy as compared to all other hearing protectors and the open ear condition. In addition, no significant difference existed between the open ear condition and the other hearing protectors in localization accuracy in most of the conditions tested. However, the E-A-R/3M HiFiTM earplug was advantageous in localization performance since it provided a significantly higher percentage correct localization than the Moldex foam earplug, the diotic earmuff, and the dichotic earmuff in 90 dBA pink noise. As for main effects of the other independent variables, the 90 dBA pink noise significantly degraded localization performance as compared to the quiet condition of 60 dBA, and a spectrally-modified backup alarm significantly improved localization performance as compared to the standard (narrowband) backup alarm. Potential application of these results includes the revision of backup alarm standards. In addition, these results provide clear advice for safety professionals to avoid the application of diotic sound transmission earmuffs for workers if localizing backup alarms is important. In the first experiment, listeners' feeling of comfort for each hearing protector was assessed subjectively by using a comfort rating scale. In addition, a subjective assessment for listeners' confidence in their localization decisions was established. Results indicated no significant difference between the hearing protectors in terms of comfort. However, in terms of listeners' confidence in localization decisions, their confidence was significantly degraded when they were fitted with the diotic earmuff. By contrast, they showed significantly more confidence in their localization decisions when they were fitted with the E-A-R/3M HiFi™ earplug as compared to when they were fitted with the Moldex foam earplug, the E-A-R/3M Ultrafit™ earplug, and the Bilsom passive earmuff. In the second experiment, listeners' performance in detecting a stationary backup alarm signal, including both a standard (narrowband) and broadband (pulsed white noise) alarm, was determined while they were equipped with various passive and electronic hearing protection devices. Listeners' performance was quantified by detection distance, which was defined as the distance between the stationary backup alarm device and the position where the listener detected the backup alarm signal. The resultant data demonstrated that normal hearing listeners detected a standard (narrowband) backup alarm signal at significantly longer distances as compared to the broadband (Brigade™) backup alarm signal, thus indicating the earlier forewarning by the standard alarm. In addition, passive hearing protection devices characterized with high attenuation significantly reduced the detection distance. These results may be applied to assist safety professionals in selecting hearing protectors and backup alarm signals that provide on-foot workers with ample time to react to an approaching backing vehicle, thus improving their safety. / Ph. D.

Submitted by Marlene Santos (marlene.bc.ufg@gmail.com) on 2016-06-15T18:33:41Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Diogo Soares Menezes Samia - 2015.pdf: 4976311 bytes, checksum: 317908c75deb4de1770cd68c544a5190 (MD5) license_rdf: 19874 bytes, checksum: 38cb62ef53e6f513db2fb7e337df6485 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-06-28T11:59:17Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Diogo Soares Menezes Samia - 2015.pdf: 4976311 bytes, checksum: 317908c75deb4de1770cd68c544a5190 (MD5) license_rdf: 19874 bytes, checksum: 38cb62ef53e6f513db2fb7e337df6485 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-28T11:59:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Diogo Soares Menezes Samia - 2015.pdf: 4976311 bytes, checksum: 317908c75deb4de1770cd68c544a5190 (MD5) license_rdf: 19874 bytes, checksum: 38cb62ef53e6f513db2fb7e337df6485 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Optimal escape theory states that animals should counterbalance the costs and benefits of flight when escaping from a potential predator. However, in apparent contradiction with this well-established optimality model, birds and mammals generally initiate escape soon after beginning to monitor an approaching threat; a phenomena codified as the “Flush Early and Avoid the Rush” (FEAR) hypothesis. Typically, the FEAR hypothesis is tested using correlational statistics and is supported when there is a strong relationship between the distance at which an individual first responds behaviorally to an approaching predator (alert distance; AD), and its flight initiation distance (the distance at which it flees the approaching predator; FID). However, such correlational statistics are both inadequate to analyze relationships constrained by an envelope (such as that in the AD-FID relationship) and are sensitive to outliers with high leverage, which can lead one to erroneous conclusions. To overcome these statistical concerns we develop the phi index (Φ), a distribution-free metric to evaluate the goodness of fit of a 1:1 relationship in a constraint envelope (the prediction of the FEAR hypothesis). Using both simulation and empirical data, we conclude that Φ is superior to traditional correlational analyses because it explicitly tests the FEAR prediction, is robust to outliers, and it controls for the disproportionate influence of observations from large predictor values (caused by the constrained envelope in AD-FID relationship). Importantly, by analyzing the empirical data we corroborate the strong effect that alertness has on flight as stated by the FEAR hypothesis. / A teoria do escape ótimo afirma que os animais devem contrabalançar os custos e benefícios da fuga quando vão escapar de um predador. No entanto, em aparente contradição com este bem-estabelecido modelo ótimo, aves e mamíferos geralmente empreendem fuga logo após inicio do monitoramento do predador em potencial; um fenômeno denominado “Flush Early and Avoid the Rush hypothesis” (a hipótese FEAR). A hipótese FEAR é geralmente testada usando estatísticas correlativas e seu suporte se dá por uma forte relação positiva entre a distância na qual um indivíduo responde comportamentalmente a um predador que se aproxima (distância de alerta; alert distance, AD) e a distância do início da fuga (flight initiation distance, FID). No entanto, o uso de estatísticas correlativas para testar a hipótese FEAR pode levar a conclusões errôneas, já que estatísticas correlativas são inadequadas para análise de relações em envelope (tais como a relação entre AD e FID) e são sensíveis a valores discrepantes (outliers) com elevado efeito de alavancagem. Por isso, nós desenvolvemos o índice fi (Φ), uma métrica não-paramétrica destinada a avaliar a qualidade do ajuste de uma relação 1:1 restrita por um envelope (tal como a observada na hipótese FEAR). Usando simulações numéricas e dados empíricos, nós concluímos que Φ é uma métrica superior às análises de correlação tradicionais porque testa explicitamente a predição da hipótese FEAR, é robusta a outiliers, e ainda controla pela influência disproporcional dos altos de AD (causado pela relação em envelope entre AD e FID). Como predito pela hipótese FEAR, a análise dos dados empíricos corroborou o forte efeito que a distância de alerta tem sobre a decisão de fuga das presas.