Cycling environment analysis by bicyclists’ skill levels using instrumented probe bicycle (IPB)

Abstract

This study seeks to improve the methodology of determining the relationship between cycling dynamic performance and characteristics of roadway environment considering different bicyclists’ skill levels. To achieve this goal, an instrumented probe bicycle (IPB) equipped with various sensors was built. A naturalistic field experiment was conducted. This experiment included intersections, a roundabout, gradient changes, and different road surface conditions. The pavement surface and evaluation rating system (PASER) was used to determine the quality of road surfaces. Besides, two self-reported questionnaires were used in order to obtain each participant’s skill level as well as their perception of their comfort level while cycling. This study focuses on two significant performance measurements: mobility and comfort. The cycling comfort index (CCI) was derived from the probabilistic outcome of an ordered probit model, which describes the relationship between bicycle dynamics and the comfort level. Thereafter, a fault tree analysis (FTA), a technique widely used to measure the probability of a fault event occurrence in a system, was employed to integrate mobility and comfort. The estimation results showed that the probability of occurring a fault event is related to the bicyclist’s experience level, roadway slope, and quality of the road surface. Using bicycle dynamic movements along the roadway (x-axis), the authors found that the average y-axis acceleration (lateral movement) and the mean absolute deviation of z-axis velocity (vertical movement) are significant to determine the cycling comfort level. The results of this study have practical implications for improving bicyclists comfort perceptions and increasing bicyclists’ safety.

Keywords:

• Instrumented probe bicycle
• cycling environment
• mobility performance measure
• cycling comfort index
• fault tree analysis