Photoluminescent Road Coatings for Open-Graded and Dense-Graded Asphalts: Theoretical and Experimental Investigation

Abstract

Road safety builds on traffic and driver–infrastructure interaction: nighttime visibility represents a key-aspect of this complex interaction. Therefore, providing an adequate road lighting system and improving drivers’ visibility in nighttime conditions is vital. In this sense, photoluminescent paints for pavements can improve road safety in terms of visibility. This study models photoluminescent phenomenon by referring to dense-graded friction courses (DGFC) and open-graded friction courses (OGFC), and evaluates the effects due to season. Measurements, based on the photometry technique, were carried out in the laboratory on cores. The photoluminescent phenomenon was investigated in terms of charge and discharge time linked to decay phenomena and modeled as a function of pavement type and paint treatments. Results show that photoluminescent performance depends on the luminance time and volumetric characteristics of bituminous mixtures. Results can benefit both researchers and practitioners and can allow optimizing painting treatments for different bituminous mixtures.