Efficient collection and real-time provision of information on roadworks with impact on traffic flow are essential to reliable and effective traffic and transport management for urban and regional road networks.
Roadworks management systems are used for planning of construction work zones, whereas exact real-time information on
- opening of roadworks,
- spatial-timely progress and
- completion of roadworks.
This information is only to be obtained by connected sensors that are deployed directly in the work zone. The sensor-based IoT connected warning light – also denoted as IoT sensor beacon – has been developed which allows the geo-referencing of road works in real time with sub-meter accuracy.
The combined use of multiple connected sensor lights allows the extent of the work site to be exactly mapped. The construction site related information is provided to an urban data plat-form for further processing with software systems for road-works information and coordination.
Energy supply and consumption
Energy supply of the IoT sensor beacon is provided through the 6-volts lantern battery 4R25 as the standard low-cost power source for barricade lights.
Positioning accuracy
The developed solution takes advantage of the high precise real-time positioning service SAPOS® that is available for use all over Germany. SAPOS® provides the official geodetic spatial reference in the form of a Germany-wide network of GNSS reference stations and correction data by the international standard. Within urban settings the reception conditions are often affected by buildings, trees and other obstacles that cause multi-path signal propagation. In cases of such external surrounding conditions, the required accuracy cannot be warranted. Practical field tests have shown that sub-meter precision is achieved in 75% of overall measured position fixes.
Remote monitoring
Municipal authorities or commercial vendors and service providers of roadwork safety equipment can monitor the status of their equipment remotely without the need for physical inspection directly in the work zone. Information on timestamps, coordinates, precision, and remaining voltage are easily to be reviewed from the desktop monitoring application. So, roadworks safety service providers can save time, energy and cost of ownership.