Citation

Byrne BF, Roberts RR, King LE, Arbogast RG. Transp. Res. Rec. 1976; 615: 1-3.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1976, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The tests are described and the results are discussed of research to evaluate the use of a pressure-sensitive electrical strip-switch, or tapeswitch detector, to simultaneously record vehicle speed and lateral placement. Three different tests were run on the tapeswitch system that simultaneously records vehicle speed and lateral placement. In the first test, the tapeswitch system was compared with time-lapse photography for recording vehicle placement and radar meter for recording speed. The tapeswitch system results are more precise for both parts of the test. This test also determined that, of the two geometric configurations tested, the extended tapeswitch system gives better results. In the second test, vehicle speed recorded by the tapeswitch system was compared with vehicle speed recorded by a towed fifth wheel. Placement was compared by using the tapeswitch system and a fine powder spread on the ground. Again, compatibility in both cases was obtained. The third test consisted of a theoretical error analysis that determined that the maximum likely error in speed was less than 0.8 km/h (0.5 mph) and error in placement was less than (61 mm) 0.2 ft. Both of these results are well within acceptable limits. Therefore, the tapeswitch system has proved to be an accurate means for obtaining vehicle speed and lateral placement simultaneously.