|
February, 2004 Traffic markings such as Centre lines, Zebra Crossings, Edge bars, Stop bars, Direction arrows, Bicycle lane markings and Parking lines on the roads play an important role in the regulation of traffic. Often, these get rubbed off and need frequent re-painting. This problem has assumed more significance with the increase of traffic and advent of radial tyres which have a larger contact area with the road surfaces. Some permanent solution needs to be found for this recurring problem of traffic markings getting rubbed off again and again. Another important factor is to ensure visibility of road markings during night time. In general, this aspect is not paid due attention. Mostly, adequate light is available at the crossings but not along the routes. It is not possible to provide fluorescent paint markings all along the road lengths because of cost restraints and high glare problems. Fluorescent paint glare may sometimes blind the vehicle drivers resulting in their losing the balance and causing mishaps. To overcome the problem, a new product has been invented and now, it is available in India also. It is a cold plastic coating material that gets hardened through a chemical reaction and serves as a permanent marking paint. This cold setting marking paint is thixotropic and carries refractive glass beads in it which shine during night without causing any glare to the drivers and make the markings visible during night. The paint hardens within 20 to 30 minutes of its application and thus can be used without much hindrance to road traffic. Produced in both the colours used for roads i.e. white and yellow, it has two components which are mixed and stirred well before applying. As the setting time of the mixed paint is 20 minutes, the mixture need to be used within this period. Thus machine marking is preferred over manual marking for better efficiency, good and accurate marks and optimum coverage. Coverage capacity is quite good, consumption ranging between 1.5 and 2.0 kg per sq.metre per mm thickness. The paint is weather resistant, skid resistant and tested for day and night visibility. White paint has the properties of non-yellowing and oil spill resistance also. The road marking machine produced to apply this paint carries an Auto Glass Bead Application system. If the machine capacity is 75 kg, the glass bead container has a corresponding capacity of 10 kg. However the flow of glass beads can be increased or decreased through a knob provided for the purpose. Glass beads application activates automatically as soon as paint application begins. The bead container has a level indicator which ensures addition of more quantity of beads to the container well in time. The machine is quite cheap and proves economical than manual painting. Modern cities like Chandigarh should try such markings on one or two roads. Further use can be made after assessing the performance of glass bead paint markings, if found satisfactory.
|
