Solution for a two-year renewal cycle of structured road markings

Abstract

Road markings are a necessary safety feature that guides drivers. For visibility in darkness, when accident risk and severity are the highest, road markings must be reflectorised with glass beads to be visible when vehicle headlights shine on them. Renewal of thick-layer structured road markings that have lost retroreflectivity but have retained the structure mostly intact is performed through application of thin-layer paint coatings. Based on a field experiment, it was demonstrated that selection of premium glass beads profoundly extends the durability of the renewed markings, which could be further enhanced through the use of high-performance waterborne paint. Whereas the standard system based on solventborne paint and typically used glass beads failed after a single winter, the use of premium road marking system at least doubled the service life. The extended road marking service life translates to 50% savings in material consumption, 50-97% lower emissions of volatile organic compounds, and a decrease in long-term financial expense by 5-26%.