1.What is a solar road stud?
Solar road stud is a solar-powered, ground-mounted road safety and navigation device used to indicate the direction of travel at night or in rainy or foggy weather to improve traffic safety. A solar road stud or solar road marker is a type of road stud. It consists of retro-reflective material, shell, solar panel, LED lights and control devices, with active light-emitting and passive reflective properties.
Solar road stud features.
Large luminous brightness
Ordinary reflective road studs reflective brightness of only 300-400 MCD, while the luminous brightness of the solar road studs up to 2000 MCD or more, is the former 6-7 times, high-intensity light can be in the night through the rain and fog, safe and effective for drivers to guide the direction.
Active light, dynamic warning
Solar road studs at night with a certain frequency flashing, and human vision is more sensitive to changes, so its dynamic warning effect is very strong. Active luminescence can not only avoid the interference of rain and fog to the greatest extent possible, but also can be separated from the dependence on car lights.
Visible distance is farther and the effect is better.
Solar road studs play a very important role in rainy and foggy weather, as well as in the curves to outline the road, inducing the driver’s line of sight and thus eliminating potential safety hazards.
Solar road stud application.
Applications: highways, crosswalks, bike paths, roundabouts and dangerous curves.
2.Who invented the solar road stud?
The concept of solar road studs is based on the original “cat’s eye” road signs invented by Percy Shaw in 1934. Modern solar road studs were first developed in the late 1990s to improve road safety and visibility using renewable energy.
This invention is often credited to British inventor Tim Braithwaite, who pioneered the invention of solar road studs for highway use.
3.What are the standards for solar road studs?
The standards for solar road studs ensure their quality, safety and performance. Key standards include:
EN 1463: European standard for the performance of road spikes. Key indicators of durability and reflective properties of road marking materials, including spikes.
ASTM D4280: American standard for reflective road marking. Specifies the optical properties, durability and other requirements of reflective materials such as reflective film and reflective sheeting.
ISO 9001: Ensures manufacturing quality management system.
IP Rating: Measures water and dust resistance (e.g., IP68 indicates high durability). For solar road studs, the IP rating is important because they are often installed in outdoor environments and need to withstand a variety of weather conditions.
Battery standard: IEC 62133 for rechargeable batteries.
Each country/region may also have specific regulations regarding solar road studs, including visibility distance, battery life and material requirements. These standards may be derived from international, regional or industry-specific specifications. These standards must be carefully studied and adhered to during the design and manufacturing process to ensure product compliance and performance.
4.How to choose solar road studs?
Please consider the following factors when choosing solar road studs:
Application Scenario
Urban Roadways:
For pedestrian zones and areas with heavy foot traffic, choose low, unobtrusive solar road studs to minimize the risk of pedestrians tripping.
Considering the lighting needs of cities at night, choose spikes with moderate LED brightness that clearly indicate the path.
Highways:
The high speed of vehicles on highways requires the selection of spikes with high-intensity LEDs to ensure that they are clearly visible even at long distances.
The load capacity of the spike must be able to withstand the crushing of heavy vehicles, usually required to meet or exceed the 20-ton load standard.
Coastal Areas:
Coastal areas are characterized by high salt content and humidity, and solar road studs made of stainless steel or corrosion-resistant alloys should be selected to prevent damage due to corrosion.
At the same time, considering the erosive effect of the sea wind, the sealing performance and waterproof grade of the spike need to meet higher requirements.
Specification
Battery life:
Choose solar road studs with a battery life of at least 3-5 years and pay attention to their charging efficiency and hold time. Longer charge retention time means longer illumination even in continuous rainy weather.
LED Brightness:
Higher lumen LEDs provide better visibility, but also consider the balance of energy consumption and battery life. Choose the right LED brightness for the application scenario to meet lighting needs and save energy.
Load Capacity:
Select solar road studs with sufficient load capacity based on the traffic flow and type of vehicles at the installation site. Ensure that the spike will not be damaged or deformed when subjected to heavy vehicle crush.
Waterproof rating:
Solar road studs need to have a high waterproof rating, such as IP68, to ensure that they work well even in wet environments. The higher the waterproof rating, the longer the durability and lifespan of the spike.
Environmental conditions
Temperature Range:
Solar road studs need to operate in extreme temperature ranges, from -20°C to +70°C. Choose studs that can adapt to these temperature ranges to ensure that they are stable across different seasons and climates.
Sunlight Exposure:
In areas with less sunlight, choose road studs with highly efficient solar panels. These panels are able to absorb and convert sunlight more efficiently, providing enough power for the LEDs.
Also, consider the orientation and tilt angle of the solar road studs to maximize the area and time they receive sunlight.
Other Factors
Installation and maintenance: Choose solar road studs that are easy to install and maintain to minimize installation costs and the complexity of subsequent maintenance.
Cost-effective: Consider the price and cost-effectiveness of the solar road studs under the premise of meeting all the above requirements. Select cost-effective and reliable quality products.
5.What are the disadvantages of solar road studs?
While there are benefits to solar road studs, there are also some drawbacks:
High initial cost: installation and material costs can be high.
Dependence on sunlight: limited effectiveness in areas with prolonged overcast skies.
Battery degradation: batteries need to be replaced periodically, increasing maintenance costs.
Vulnerability: may be damaged by snowplows or heavy machinery.
Complicated installation: professional installation is required to ensure proper operation.
6.Why do road cat’s eyes (road stud) come in different colors?
The color of the cat’s eye (or road stud) is used to provide specific navigational information. Each color has a specific meaning:
White: Typically used to mark the centerline of a road or lane dividers to help drivers stay in their lane.
Red: Red may be used to indicate the left edge of a roadway or a no passing zone. Note, however, that the exact meaning of red road sutds may vary from region to region.
Amber (Yellow): Commonly used to mark the right edge of a highway or two-lane roadway, as well as turn or merge lane indications. Amber road stud is also commonly used to warn drivers of changes or potential hazards ahead.
Green: Commonly used to indicate entry/exit points such as freeway ramps, parking areas or service areas. Green is also commonly used to indicate environmental zones or sustainable transportation facilities.
Blue: In some areas, blue may be used to highlight the location of emergency services, such as fire hydrants, police stations or first aid stations. However, this usage is not common and may vary from area to area.
Why are roadway cat’s eyes colors different?
Improved safety: Different colors of roadway cat’s eyes provide intuitive and universally understood visual cues to help drivers quickly identify key information while driving, thus improving roadway safety.
Enhance navigation: In low visibility, darkness or adverse weather conditions, a distinctly colored road cat’s eye can help drivers navigate better and reduce the risk of getting lost or misusing the road.
Support emergency response: It is critical for emergency responders to be able to quickly identify the location of critical infrastructure. A specific color of roadway cat’s eye (e.g., blue) can help them quickly locate needed services.
While there is a trend towards some global standardization of the basic meanings of road cat’s eye colors, specific usage and meanings may vary depending on regional, national or cultural differences. Therefore, local traffic rules and customs need to be considered when understanding and applying these colors.
7.Types of solar road studs
Embedded road stud
Characteristics: Installed flush with the road surface, usually fixed on the road surface through a special installation process or glue, not protruding from the road surface, reducing the interference of vehicle driving.
Application: Mainly applicable to highways, urban main roads and other roads that need to maintain the smoothness of the road surface. As it is flush with the road surface after installation, it is not easy to be damaged by vehicle crushing, so it has a long service life.
Surface mounted road stud
Characteristics: Installed directly on the road surface, usually connected to the road surface through screws or other fixings. Compared with embedded studs, they are more convenient to install and replace.
Application: Suitable for parking lots, side roads, sidewalks and other areas with low traffic flow or where frequent stud replacement is required. Surface mounted spikes are advantageous in these scenarios due to their ease of maintenance.
Flush mounted road stud
Characteristics: Stylish design, maintains a certain level with the road surface, but the top of the spike may protrude slightly from the road surface compared to recessed spikes for increased visibility.
Application: Suitable for pedestrian areas, bike paths and other areas where aesthetics and safety need to be balanced. The flush spike design not only provides clear roadway indication, but also adds to the aesthetics of the roadway.
In addition, according to the different energy storage components, solar road studs can also be categorized into capacitive and battery type. Capacitive solar road studs have a longer service life, but also relatively high cost; while battery-type solar road studs have the advantage of lower cost, but may have a shorter service life.
8.Future development trend of solar road studs
With the development of intelligent transportation systems, solar road studs will gradually be integrated with intelligent road systems to realize functions such as data collection and adaptive lighting. For example, through the built-in sensors and communication modules, solar road studs can monitor real-time traffic flow, speed and other information, and upload the data to the intelligent traffic management system. At the same time, according to the traffic conditions and environmental lighting conditions, solar road studs can also automatically adjust the brightness of the lighting to improve road safety and energy saving.
As a new type of road safety facilities, solar road studs have broad application prospects and development space. With the continuous progress and innovation of technology, solar road studs will gradually realize the development goal of intelligent, efficient and environmentally friendly, and make a greater contribution to the development of road traffic safety and intelligent transportation system.
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