Glazed Frost Warning Stations
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Automatic Glazed Frost Warning Station has been constructed in co-operation with Research Institute of Roads and Bridges (RIRB) in Warsaw. As yet "TRAX Elektronik" and RIRB have installed 90 stations all over Poland.
This warning system comprises road stations situated at chosen points at the road and central stations at the Road Users' Office (Road District Office or Road Management Office).
Road Glazed Frost Warning Station - scheme:
- RC12 digital recorder,
- computer modem + telephone line or GSM or Centertel, radio modem + radio,
- wind velocity and direction sensors located 9m above road.
- precipitations sensor located 3m above road.
- air temperature and humidity sensors located 3m above road.
- air temperature sensor located 20cm above road
- road surface and at depth of 5cm temperature sensors
- road surface conductance sensor.
The central station comprises an IBM 486 DX computer combined with a telephone or radio modem and a printer. Appropriate software is provided.
How the system works
The road station measures continuously all parameters (air humidity, two air temperatures, two road surface temperatures, wind velocity and direction, road surface condition and conductance, precipitation depths, precipitation intensity, glazed frost hazard, dew-point temperature). The digital recorder unit records the measurement results every 10 minutes. The recorder is provided with a memory to store data recorded within last 10 weeks.
Semiautomatic glazed frost warning system operation mode
Operator at the central station who starts the ASPG program can read the data from the chosen (using modem) road station recorded during last 4 or 12 hours. With this program it is possible to review the data, to represent the data on graphs and to print the results and graphs. On the base of received data operator analyses the conditions on the road and in case of pending danger undertakes appropriate decisions.
Automatic glazed frost warning system operation mode
- Status of enhanced threat
In such situation the computer at the central station controls transmission of data from road stations. Operator determines in advance which of road stations should transmit data. Depending on the threat, program sets the interval between successive data transmissions and independently of the operator requests additional data from appropriate measuring points. On the operators screen the information on road surface conditions (dry, moist, wet, wet and salty), air and road surface temperature, air humidity, dew-point temperature, temporal changes in road surface temperature, time when the road surface will reach the temperature of 2°C and 0°C are displayed.
- Status of lower threat
Under such circumstances the road stations perform measurements and analyse the conditions themselves. In case of a stated danger the road station communicates with the central station and transmits there measured data.
Additionally, every road station is equipped with a RC10p and RC10m software, which is installed at the central station, enabling necessary changes in settings at the road station (time, data, sensor coefficients) and to reading all the data from the recorder memory (up to 3 months back).
Automatic glazed frost warning station - additional functions
- Variable warning sign board
The Automatic Glazed Frost Warning Station can be coupled with a display board (changing warning signs) installed above the road. The board displays alternately warning signs for the drivers informing about the road surface and air temperature. When a glazed frost is likely to occur a sign "SLISKO" (SLIPPERY) is displayed alternately with a sign "uwaga inne niebezpieczeństwa" (Attention: other dangers).
- Use of the station during warm periods of the year
Independently of its basic functions the ASPG station can also be operated in summer time, informing on the asphalt surface temperature and air temperature. This is important for traffic regulation of heavy trucks in summer, which at high temperatures cause permanent damages to the asphalt pavement (there are deep ruts on most of polish roads).
- Measurement of the road traffic intensity
The Automatic Glazed Frost Warning Station can also serve to continuously measure the traffic intensity. The inductive loop sunk in asphalt on 1, 2, 3 or 4 traffic lanes generate impulses whenever a vehicle passes over. These pulses are summed up and recorded by the RC10 recorder. When there is a data transmission to the central station they are received by the operator as an extra information on the road traffic.
- Picture of the road from the camera mounted at the Automatic Glazed Frost Warning Station
Another function of the Automatic Glazed Frost Warning Station is to transmit the picture from the road to the central station or to any other station equipped with a computer with special software. When there is a threat of glazed frost, road monitoring on the screen provides additional information enabling the operator to undertake the right decision. Moreover, camera situated in the crucial section above the road enables quick reaction to actual dangers (trucks obstructing the road on a slippery sloping road, vehicle failures or collisions).