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The Smart Road: Practice and Concept

DOI:10.1016/j.eng.2018.07.014
Authors:
Lijun Sun at Zunyi Medical University
Lijun Sun
Hongduo Zhao at Tongji University
Hongduo Zhao
Huizhao Tu at Tongji University
Huizhao Tu
Yu Tian at Tongji University
Yu Tian
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The Smart Road: Practice and Concept
Lijun Sun, Hongduo Zhao, Huizhao Tu, Yu Tian
College of Transportation Engineering, Tongji University, China
1. The smart road: Practice
The concept of a super highway for intelligent connected vehicles
and autonomous vehicles has been proposed in China, and pilot
projects have been initiated. These projects include: modular pave-
ment instrumented with distributed optical fiber, which has been
built in Shanghai; self-healing asphalt pavements and self-snow-
melting systems, which have been built in several provinces; and
roads with humidity self-regulating subgrade, which have been built
in Hunan Province. Most recently, according to a report in The New
York Times, in December 2017, the construction of a photovoltaic
pavement was completed on the expressway in Jinan, Shandong
Province [1]. The section is 1080 m long and has three layers. The
surface layer is constructed from a transparent material that allows
sunlight to reach the solar panels underneath, which cover two
lanes. This layer is also instrumented with power cables and sensors
to monitor temperature, traffic flow, and axle load. Although the
technology required to charge electrical vehicles (EVs) in motion is
not yet ready, the ultimate goal of the photovoltaic pavement is to
extend the driving range of EVs by charging them while they drive.
The section was constructed by Qilu Transportation Development
Group Co., which has been working on this technology for over a
decade. Qilu reports that the cost of the test section was around
1100 USDm
2
; this cost can be reduced by mass production to
500 USDm
2
—a cost that is projected to be acceptable for mass
adoption.
2. The smart road: Definition and philosophy
A ‘‘smart road” can be defined as road infrastructure that is inte-
grated with advanced network and communication technologies.
In other words, a smart road is composed of advanced structural
materials, perceptive networks, information centers, communica-
tion networks, and energy systems, and possesses the capabilities
of active perception, automatic discrimination, self-adaptation,
dynamic interaction, and continuous energy supply [2]. Compared
with a conventional road, a smart road should be able to extend its
service life [3], increase its performance, reduce safety risks, and
improve service quality.
The philosophy behind a smart road is centered on the realiza-
tion of intelligent capabilities such as those mentioned above [4].
Various technologies can be used in the development and use of
a smart road, including intelligent materials, distributed optical
fibers, intelligent film, piezoelectric devices, traditional sensors,
and so forth.
A smart road relies on smart materials or sensors to actively
monitor its own status, performance, environment, and behavior
[5,6]; it then automatically calibrates, integrates, manages, ana-
lyzes, diagnoses, and evaluates the collected data. Based on the
processed results, the smart road can further self-adapt to changes
in temperature, humidity, traffic, and so forth, and can actively
regulate and repair any damage. Meanwhile, the smart road can
dynamically interact with external factors using perception and
discrimination. A smart road should be a self-sustaining system
that maintains all the aforementioned functions using self-gener-
ated power.
Information organization is a key factor in smart road imple-
mentation [7,8]. Within the transportation system, a road-to-
everything (R2X) system must be built, with an equivalent
vehicle-to-everything (V2X) system; a vehicle-road-to-everything
(VR2X) system must also be created to support a vehicle-road inte-
grated system. Information within the vehicle-road integrated
system can be effectively organized by relying on a transportation
information modeling platform with four components, known as
the TIM4 platform. The TIM4 platform is composed of transporta-
tion driver information modeling (TDIM), transportation vehicle
information modeling (TVIM), transportation building information
modeling (TBIM), and transportation environment information
modeling (TEIM). Based on the requirements for communication
speed and data volume, the information can be classified into four
categories: dynamic, quasi-dynamic, quasi-static, and static.
Different communication methods can be used to achieve informa-
tion exchange between the various elements in the transportation
system.
The envisioned future transportation system can be charac-
terized as a ‘‘five-zero” system, with zero casualties, zero delays,
zero maintenance, zero emissions, and zero failure. The realiza-
tion of such a system requires the interactions between
elements and the coordination of each element in the trans-
portation system (i.e., people, vehicles, the road, and the envi-
ronment) to be considered from a systematic optimization
point of view.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2018.07.014
2095-8099Ó2018 THE AUTHORS. Published by Elsevier LTD on behalf of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Higher Education Press Limited Company.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Engineering 4 (2018) 436–437
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Engineering
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/eng
References
[1] Free Power From Freeways? China is Testing Roads Paved with Solar Panels.
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L. Sun et al./ Engineering 4 (2018) 436–437 437
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The forever open road: defining the next generation road
  • Sep 2011
  • M J Lamb
  • R Collis
  • S Deix
  • B Krieger
  • N Hautiere
Lamb MJ, Collis R, Deix S, Krieger B, Hautiere N. The forever open road: defining the next generation road. In: 24th World Road Congress proceedings: roads for a better life: mobility, sustainability and development; 2011 Sep 26-30;
Smart pavement monitoring system
  • May 2013
  • N Lajnef
  • K Chatti
  • S Chakrabartty
  • M Rhimi
  • P Sarkar
Lajnef N, Chatti K, Chakrabartty S, Rhimi M, Sarkar P. Smart pavement monitoring system. McLean: Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center; 2013 May. Report No.: FHWA-HRT-12-072. Contract No.: DTFH61-08-C-00015.
Instrumentation and monitoring of the next gen road infrastructure: some results and perspectives from the R5G project
  • N Hautière
  • F Bourquin
Hautière N, Bourquin F. Instrumentation and monitoring of the next gen road infrastructure: some results and perspectives from the R5G project [abstract].
Permanent International Association of Road Congresses
  • Jan 2013
  • Mexico City
  • Mexico
  • Paris
Mexico City, Mexico. Paris: Permanent International Association of Road Congresses; 2013.