Prototype Decision Support System for Black Ice Detection and Road Closure Control

Black ice, a thin sheet of glazed ice on a road surface, is hard to spot by drivers, because it usually has the same color as the road. It is very hazardous and causes many car accidents each year. Unfortunately, the current static road warning signs (such as "Ice May Form on Bridge") may not draw enough attention from drivers. In order to provide in-time warning signals during black ice emergencies, this paper proposes a remote-controlled black-ice detection and warning system with economic black ice detection sensors, Geographic Information System (GIS) based database and a remote control server. This system also provides visualization functions to help users locate the affected sites on a digital map.