When torrential rain pours down or dense fog blankets the highway, traditional reflective road signs often lose their effectiveness in rain or low visibility conditions. Data shows that the accident rate in adverse weather conditions is more than three times higher than under normal weather conditions, with poor visibility and ineffective road signs being the primary causes. In this context, solar road studs, with their self-illuminating and highly durable characteristics, have emerged as a critical solution for modern transportation systems to address extreme weather conditions. These intelligent devices embedded in the road surface not only continue to emit light during heavy rain, snow, ice, or fog but also offer the advantage of not requiring an external power source, providing reliable safety assurance for roads in remote or disaster-prone areas.
High-quality solar road studs generally adopt IP68-rated waterproof standards, meaning they can be submerged in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes without being affected. The core of this lies in a triple waterproof design:
PC (polycarbonate), aluminum alloy, or stainless steel are selected, as these materials are not only corrosion-resistant but also effectively block water penetration. For example, after anodization treatment, the waterproof performance of an aluminum alloy housing can be improved by over 40%.
The combination of rubber seals and waterproof adhesive creates a “double barrier” at the shell joints. Tests by a certain brand show that even after being submerged in continuous heavy rain for 72 hours, the internal circuitry remains dry.
The shell is manufactured using seamless die-casting technology to eliminate the risk of gaps associated with traditional assembly methods. Some high-end models also apply a nano-waterproof coating to the circuit board surface, further enhancing moisture resistance.
During a flood disaster in a coastal city, sections of road equipped with IP68-rated solar road studs performed exceptionally well. Despite water depths exceeding 30 centimeters in some areas, the road studs continued to emit light, clearly marking road boundaries and assisting rescue vehicles in safe passage. In contrast, sections without the devices experienced multiple incidents where vehicles mistakenly entered the bicycle lane due to submerged road markings. This case underscores the critical value of waterproof design in extreme weather conditions.
Traditional solar devices are often criticized for “stopping work in cloudy and rainy weather,” but modern solar road studs have overcome this limitation through technological innovation:
Using monocrystalline silicon or cadmium telluride thin-film batteries, light conversion efficiency can still reach 15%-18% under cloudy conditions. Even after three consecutive days of rain, the battery can still accumulate sufficient power.
Lithium-ion or nickel-metal hydride batteries offer more than twice the energy density of traditional lead-acid batteries. A certain model of road stud can support continuous LED lighting for 120 hours when fully charged, and up to 200 hours when in flashing mode (60 flashes per minute).
Solar road studs are equipped with light-sensitive sensors that automatically detect changes in ambient light:
Daytime Sleep Mode: When light intensity exceeds 2000 lux, the road stud automatically turns off the lights and enters charging mode;
Nighttime Wake-Up Mode: When light intensity drops below 500 lux, the LED lights automatically turn on to ensure visibility during low-light periods such as dusk and dawn;
Dynamic Adjustment: Some models also feature brightness adaptation functionality, automatically increasing brightness during heavy rain or fog to prevent battery waste.
In heavy rain or fog, the self-luminous properties of solar-powered road studs significantly outperform traditional reflective road signs:
High-brightness surface-mounted LEDs are used, with a color temperature typically of 6000K (white light) or 5900K (yellow light), offering three times the penetration capability through rain and fog compared to ordinary reflective film.
Some road studs are equipped with Fresnel lenses, which converge light into a 120° fan-shaped beam, expanding the illumination range while avoiding glare for drivers.
White/yellow: Marking lane edges or divider lines;
Red: Indicating no-parking zones or hazardous sections;
Green: Indicating emergency lanes or pedestrian crossings.
In a foggy environment (visibility 50 meters), a brightness comparison test of road studs showed:
Traditional reflective road signs: The average distance at which drivers detected the signs was 30 meters, with a reaction time of approximately 1.5 seconds;
Solar-powered road studs: The detection distance increased to 80 meters, with a reaction time extended to 4 seconds, sufficient for vehicles to decelerate from 60 km/h to a safe speed.
In heavy rain scenarios, the road studs' ability to penetrate rainwater is equally significant, increasing the visible distance of road markings by over 50%.
High-quality road studs feature a die-cast aluminum alloy housing capable of withstanding vertical pressures exceeding 80 tons. A certain brand passed a simulation test of 1 million truck碾压 cycles, with the housing showing no deformation and functioning normally.
The internal circuit board is encapsulated with silicone, ensuring that components remain securely in place even under severe vibrations (e.g., from heavy trucks passing by).
At 70°C, the solar panel's conversion efficiency decreases by only 5%, and LED light decay is less than 10%;
At -40°C, the lithium battery can still release over 80% of its charge, ensuring nighttime lighting in extremely cold regions;
The surface of the road studs typically features a streamlined design to prevent snow accumulation, with protrusion heights usually controlled between 20-30mm to ensure visibility while minimizing the risk of damage from snowplow operations.
Immersion test: Submerge the road stud in a 1.5-meter-deep water tank for 30 minutes, then inspect for internal water ingress;
Spray test: Use a high-pressure water gun (80 kPa pressure) to spray all sides of the road stud for 15 minutes, simulating heavy rain impact.
Simulate overcast weather lighting (5000 lux), charge continuously for 3 days, and measure battery capacity;
Disable charging functionality and test whether the LED light's continuous operating time meets the 100-hour standard.
Under different light intensities (500–2000 lux), observe whether the road stud's light switching response is timely and accurate.
The installation surface must be clean and dry, and wiped with alcohol to remove grease, ensuring the waterproof adhesive bonds tightly to the road surface;
Use single-component silicone structural adhesive, with a tensile strength of ≥1.5 MPa after curing and weather resistance lasting over 10 years;
The height difference between the top of the road stud and the road surface should be ≤5 mm to avoid stress concentration when vehicles roll over it;
Avoid exposure to rain for 24 hours after installation. Once the adhesive has fully cured, apply soapy water to the joints and observe for any bubbles to test the seal integrity.
|
Weather Type |
Challenges and Requirements |
Core Solutions for Solar Road Studs |
|
Heavy Rain/Flooding |
Road markings submerged, reflective properties lost |
IP68 waterproof design ensures no water ingress; self-illuminating LEDs penetrate rain curtains to clearly mark lane boundaries, reducing the risk of vehicles veering off course. |
|
Heavy Snow/Ice |
Snow-covered roads, increased braking distance |
Crush-resistant structure withstands snowplow operations; lights penetrate snow to provide early warnings at intersections and curves; low-temperature batteries ensure continuous power supply. |
|
Fog/Haze |
Visibility below 50 meters increases the risk of rear-end collisions |
High-brightness LED lights penetrate fog, with an illumination range exceeding 80 meters; color-coded systems (e.g., yellow warning curves) guide drivers. |
|
Strong Winds/Sandstorms |
Debris collides with equipment, causing loose installations |
Embedded installation + high-strength housing; wind-resistant design reduces sand accumulation; sealed structure prevents sand from entering internal circuits. |
In 2023, the Philippines installed 2,000 solar road studs on coastal highways prone to heavy rain. Data from six months later showed:
Traffic accident rates during heavy rain decreased by 45% year-on-year;
Driver satisfaction with road markings increased from 32% to 89%;
Incidents of vehicles mistakenly entering non-motorized vehicle lanes due to water accumulation decreased by 76%.
After installing solar road studs on foggy sections of provincial highways in western China's mountainous regions (average of 120 foggy days per year):
Nighttime accident rates decreased from 28 per year to 12 per year;
Freight drivers reported that the warning distance for curves increased from 30 meters to 80 meters, providing more time for braking;
The feature of not requiring an external power source saved approximately 1.5 million yuan per kilometer in cable installation costs for traditional streetlights.
|
Parameter |
Recommended Standard |
Application Scenario Description |
|
IP Rating |
≥IP68 |
Ensures waterproof performance in heavy rain and flooded environments |
|
Compressive Strength |
≥80 tons |
Suitable for highways with frequent heavy truck traffic |
|
Continuous Operating Time |
≥100 hours (constant-on mode) |
Meets lighting requirements during prolonged rainy weather |
|
Light Control Sensitivity |
500–2000 lux automatic on/off |
Adaptable to varying day/night light conditions in different regions |
Clean dust and debris from the surface of the road studs, and inspect the housing for cracks or loosening;
Conduct waterproofing and charging tests as described earlier, and replace aged batteries;
After extreme weather, focus on inspecting whether the installation base has shifted and whether the sealant has cracked.
Through scientific selection and standardized maintenance, the service life of solar road studs can reach 5-8 years, with annual maintenance costs only 1/10 of traditional streetlights, making them the most cost-effective road safety investment under harsh weather conditions.
From waterproofing to battery life, from lighting to durability, solar road studs have become core equipment for modern transportation to cope with harsh weather through comprehensive technological innovation. Their value lies not only in enhancing visibility but also in establishing a “self-sustaining, high-reliability” road safety system—capable of operating during power grid outages and providing continuous protection in extreme climates. With the development of smart transportation, future solar road studs will integrate IoT technology to enable functions such as fault warning and networked brightness adjustment, offering smarter solutions for road safety in harsh weather conditions.
