The visual load of a driver changes significantly
while driving through the entrance and exit sections of a highway tunnel. To
quantify the change law of the visual load at these sections, 10 drivers are
selected for conducting a driving test at the ZhashuitoXi′an section of Zhongnanshan highway tunnel
in Qinling Mountains. Data such as illuminance, vehicle speed, and pupil area
of the drivers passing through the tunnel entrance and exit sections on sunny
days are collected. By analyzing the change characteristics of the drivers′ pupil area at the entrance and exit of the tunnel, the concept of
the relative change intensity of pupil area (RCPA) is proposed. The concept is
based on physical and medical parameters, such as the peaktoaverage ratio and frequency band ratio,
which are as evaluation indices of the drivers′ visual
load. In addition, the relationships between the indices and visual comfort are
revealed. Finally, a mathematical model showing the relationships between the
RCPA and velocity and illumination is established. The results reveal the
following. (1) The RCPA sufficiently reflects the law of gradual accumulation
and sharp flatuations of the visual load at the entrance and exit of the
tunnel. (2) The instantaneous visual load of the drivers is the largest when
they are about to enter or leave the tunnel, and this load exceeds the
physiological limits of the drivers. (3) The quantitative relationships between
the RCPA and speed and illuminance can provide a reference for setting safe
speed thresholds at tunnel entrances and exits and improving the lighting
environment in tunnels.
DING Xu
,
WANG Haixiao
,
GAO Mingxing
,
LYU Zhen
.
Evaluation and Modeling of Driver′s
Visual Load at Entrance
and Exit of a Highway Tunnel
[J]. Tunnel Construction, 2022
, 42(4)
: 679
-687
.
DOI: 10.3973/j.issn.2096-4498.2022.04.017
