A fuzzy set approach for bridge traffic safety evaluation1

Abstract On the basis of an extensive literature survey a set of factors that affect traffic safety on bridges was identified. These were grouped into three categories: bridge related, approach roadway related and environmentally related. A detailed accident analysis of a selected number of bridges in the state highway system of Indiana was conducted to verify these factors and to obtain insights into bridge accidents. A bridge traffic safety evaluation model was developed based on fuzzy set mathematics and the concept of linguistic variables. All subjective evaluations in the model are represented as fuzzy sets which are then considered as fuzzy numbers for the purpose of calculations. The weighted averages for the fuzzy weights and fuzzy ratings are calculated for each group of contributing factors. These weighted averages are then logically combined to obtain the Bridge Safety Index. The model takes into consideration the cumulative effect of the three groups of contributing factors related to bridge, ...

[1]  D. F. Dunlap.  Influence of combined highway grade and horizontal alignment on skidding. Final report. Volume 1 of 2 , 1974 .

[2]  Robert R Roberts.  EFFECT OF BRIDGE SHOULDER WIDTH ON TRAFFIC OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS (ABRIDGMENT) , 1976 .

[3]  G D Weaver,et al.  THE RELATIONSHIP OF VEHICLE PATHS TO HIGHWAY CURVE DESIGN , 1971 .

[4]  Daniel S Turner,et al.  INVESTIGATION OF ACCIDENTS ON ALABAMA BRIDGE APPROACHES , 1982 .

[5]  Lotfi A. Zadeh,et al.  The Concepts of a Linguistic Variable and its Application to Approximate Reasoning , 1975 .

[6]  D L Woods,et al.  SAFETY AT NARROW BRIDGE SITES , 1979 .

[7]  J. A. Cirillo,et al.  ANALYSIS AND MODELING OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ACCIDENTS AND THE GEOMETRIC AND TRAFFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM , 1969 .

[8]  M D Shelby,et al.  VEHICLE SPEED AND PLACEMENT SURVEY , 1958 .

[9]  F. S. Wong,et al.  Fuzzy weighted averages and implementation of the extension principle , 1987 .

[10]  Bernard F Byrne,et al.  EFFECT OF GUARDRAILS ON INTERSTATE BRIDGES ON VEHICLE SPEED AND LATERAL PLACEMENT (ABRIDGMENT) , 1976 .

[11]  Biman Das,et al.  AN IMPROVED BRIDGE SAFETY INDEX FOR NARROW BRIDGES , 1984 .

[12]  Daniel S Turner,et al.  EFFECTS OF PAVED SHOULDERS ON ACCIDENT RATES FOR RURAL TEXAS HIGHWAYS , 1981 .

[13]  M H Hilton,et al.  SOME CASE STUDIES OF HIGHWAY BRIDGES INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS , 1973 .

[14]  Lotfi A. Zadeh,et al.  A fuzzy-algorithmic approach to the definition of complex or imprecise concepts , 1976 .

[15]  Albert N. Badre,et al.  On the Precision of Adjectives Which Denote Fuzzy Sets , 1974 .

[16]  L Ellis King,et al.  LATERAL VEHICLE PLACEMENT AND STEERING WHEEL REVERSALS ON A SIMULATED BRIDGE OF VARIABLE WIDTH , 1973 .

[17]  D. Dubois,et al.  Operations on fuzzy numbers , 1978 .