Citation

McConnell WA. Highw. Res. Board bull. 1957; 149: 34-56.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1957, National Research Council (U.S.A.), Highway Research Board)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Human perception thresholds to motions and the various characteristics of motions in six degrees of freedom are presented. Experiments made to establish these thresholds for disturbances of the duration or frequency that might arise from highway geometry-durations in the range of one to several hundred seconds-are described. Analysis of threshold data shows that on highway curves the detection of direction changes, and comfort levels as well, are determined by changes in acceleration, both angular and translational. On roads meeting aasho design stnadards, accelerations or forces themselves reach perceptible or disturbing levels. Applications of motion sensitivity criteria in the design of vertical and horizontal highway curves and transitions are developed, with examples from ford motor company's arizona and michigan proving grounds. The resulting geometric features of the high-speed road systems differ in several important respects from conventional highway practice and previous automotive test track designs.