Work

A new metric to predict flicker effect in long tunnels and underground roads

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The flicker effect can be roughly defined as the visual perception of a change in luminance or spectral distribution with time. It can happen in a wide variety of situations but has a peculiarity in tunnels: the changes in the light pattern are not due to the source, but to the movement of the vehicles. In parallel, the new technologies and trends to build very long tunnels and underground roads (VLUR), where drivers stay longer, give a key role to the flicker effect. These circumstances, together with the serious consequences of lower performance and the severity of accidents in tunnels, require effective strategies to predict, quantify and minimize it. In this work, the characteristics and peculiarities of this effect in tunnels are analyzed and, departing from this framework, a new metric to assess the newly defined Flicker Frequency referred to HPD Overlap (FHO) and the potential flicker even before the installation is working, is developed. The methodology in this work has combined both theoretical considerations and calculation of the typical parameters for the main zones of the tunnel.

Source: Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology

DOI: 10.1016/j.tust.2026.107774

Author: A. Peña-García

Institution: Universidad de Granada

Language: English

Topic: Traffic and Road Safety

Subfield: Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,820