Study On Quantitative Evaluation Of Traffic Guide Sign Layout Information

In view of the present problems that are to ignore information comprehension and demand occurred in traffic guide sign design, the objective of this research is to optimize the layout of traffic guide sign. Multidisciplinary knowledge is absorbed such as traffic engineering, traffic psychology, economics, cognitive psychology, information theory and human factors engineering. The cognitive processes of traffic information transferred by traffic guide sign is analyzed with the method of combining theoretical analysis and experimental research. The quantitative evaluation of traffic guide sign layout information is studied. The results reveal that:(1) The locations and arrangements of the information presented on the sign have a significant effect on their comprehension levels;The experiment is conducted to investigate the comprehension levels for different layouts of routes or destinations on the intersection traffic guide sign. The locations and arrangements of the information presented on the sign have a significant effect(p<0.05) on their comprehension levels. When the locations of the information on the traffic guide sign are consistent with those in the actual road network, their comprehension levels are relatively higher than each others; Shiftting and rotating the information on the sign could reduce their comprehension levels by a range of 42.1% to 65.5%.(2) The demand of the traffic information in the actual road network is different from each others;The experiment is conducted to investigate the route/destination information demand from drivers when they need to drive through an intersection. The demand of the traffic information in the actual road network is different from each others. They range from 0% to 90.9%, and routes are easier to be needed than destinations; The demand decreases as the traffic information is located further from the intersection. Drivers prefer the information of the routes that are close to, and the important destinations, near the intersection, where the sign is placed, to be presented on the sign.And(3) The models based on information entropy and human factors are proposed to quantitatively evaluate the cognitive levels of the information presented on the sign.Beginning with the study of traffic information transferred by traffic guide sign, based on information entropy and human factors, information entropy model and human factors engineering model are established to measure the effectiveness of traffic guide sign transferring traffic information, quantify the traffic sign information cognitive levels, and then scientificly evaluate the traffic sign layout.The cognitive processes of traffic information transferred by traffic guide sign is studied in this dissertation. The research results offer the important theoretical and technical support for a scientific and reasonable design of traffic guide sign in China. It plays a positive role in further standardizing the information transferred by traffic guide sign and improving road traffic service level.