SAFETY OF LEVEL CROSSINGS ON COASTAL LINE RAILWAY FROM PANADURA TO GALLE K.Chandrakumara (06/8852) Master of Engineering in Highway & Traffic Engineering Department of Civil Engineering University of Moratuwa Sri Lanka May 2010 SAFETY OF LEVEL CROSSINGS ON COASTAL LINE RAILWAY FROM PANADURA TO GALLE K.Chandrakumara (06/8852) Thesis/Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Engineering Department of Civil Engineering University of Moratuwa Sri Lanka May 2010 i DECLARATION “ I certify that thesis is does not incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any University to the best of my knowledge and belief it does not contain any material previously published, written or orally communicated by another person or myself except where due reference is made in the text. I also hereby give consent for my dissertation, if accepted, to be made available for photocopying and for interlibrary loans, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organizations” ……………………. …………………. Signature of candidate Date To the best of my knowledge, the above particulars are correct. …………………….. Supervisor ii ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is identification of critical reasons for accidents on railway level crossings, identification of most dangerous top 10 number of railway level crossings based on accident data which were reported during last 4 years, finding of 10 number of most unsafe & dangerous level crossings which are not recorded in the above category using the collected data analysis and identification of appropriate safety measures which can be taken by Sri Lanka Railway, Authorities of roads & public of the area within the level crossing from Panadura to Galle. Based on the field survey on level crossings within the area & the data analyzing the following factors were found related to safety on level crossing. 1. Variability of driver behavior including carelessness & wrong prejudgment at the level crossing locations. 2. Due to permanent & temporary obstruction which are on either side of the railway track closer to the level crossing been lacking the visibility to the road users. 3. Effect of geometric design and gate operating system on driver behavior 4. Short comings of Sri Lanka railway related to gates, gate operators and gate operating systems. Suitable and possible accidents preventing measures for each unsafe level crossing is discussed in the report. iii ACKNOWLEGEMENT I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Prof.Amal S. Kumarage for his best guidance and assistance extended during the research programme period. His excellent knowledge related to the subject of traffic engineering and Road Safety is very much helps to success the project. I wish to record my gratitude to Prof. J.M.S.J.Bandara and Dr. M.A.W.Kumara who are sharing their excellent knowledge of the project related subjects during the periods of the course lectures. My gratitude is extended to the Management of Road Development Authority and University of Moratuwa for arranging facilities to follow this course successfully and complete the research programme. The assistant received during the project field survey period from the officers & other staff of Road Development Authority and State Development & Construction Corporation is acknowledgement. 31th May 2010 iv CONTENTS DECLARATION i ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 01 1.1 General 01 1.2 Problem Statement 01 1.3 Objectives of the Research 02 1.4 Organization of Report 02 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 04 2.1 Road Accidents 04 2.2 Road Safety 04 2.3 Road Design 05 2.4 Accident Cost 06 2.5 Rail Services in Sri Lanka 07 CHAPTER 3 METHOLOGY OF STUDY 09 CHAPTER 4 OBSSERVATIONS & RESULTS 14 CHAPTER 5 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 21 5.1 Identified Causes for Accidents 21 5.1.1 Lack of Visibility to the Road Users 21 5.1.2 Carelessness and Wrong Prejudgment of Road Users 22 v 5.1.3 Unsafe Vertical Alignment of the road on Railway Crossings 23 5.1.4 Non suitability of Gate types 23 5.1.5 Not Closing the Gate at the Correct time 24 5.2 Analysis of Accidents Data 24 5.2.1 Analysis of Vertical Alignment of the Road at the Accident Locations 24 5.2.2 Analysis of Sight Distance to the Road User 25 5.2.3 Analysis of Accidents Data vs. Gate Availability 26 5.2.4 Analysis of Accidents Data vs. Availability of Warning Signs 27 5.3 Calculation of Total Safety Values on Level Crossings 28 5.3.1 Percentage of Safety Values for each Factors 28 5.3.2 Multiple Values for Considered Safety Factors 29 5.4 Analysis of Accidents Data according to Safety Category of Level Crossings 36 5.5 Analysis of Accidents Locations vs. Distance to the Closest Station 38 5.6 Analysis of Accidents Data vs. Traffic Level 38 5.7 Analysis of Distances between Level Crossings 39 CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS 43 REFERENCES 47 APPENDIX A 48 APPENDIX B 49 APPENDIX C 50 APPENDIX D 51 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 5.1: Obstruction for Road User 21 Figure 5.2: A Vehicle Closer to the Rail Track 22 LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1: List of Railway Stations situated within Divisional Secretariat areas and related Police Stations 10 Table 3.2: Road Name, Owner ship and Closest Station 11 Table 4.1: Summary of Survey Records on Level Crossings From Panadura to Maggona 16 Table 4.2: Summary of Survey Records on Level Crossings From Maggona to Induruwa 17 Table 4.3: Summary of Survey Records on Level Crossings From Induruwa to Kandegoda 18 Table 4.4: Summary of Survey Records on Level Crossings From Kandegoda to Thiranagama 19 Table 4.5: Summary of Survey Records on Level Crossings From Thiranagama to Galle 20 Table 5.1: Road Gradients at the Accidents Recorded Crossing Locations 25 Table 5.2: Sight Distance to the Road User at the Accidents Recorded Crossing Locations 26 Table 5.3: Gate Availability at the Accidents Recorded Crossing Locations 26 Table 5.4: Percentage of Accidents Locations with Gates Availability 27 Table 5.5: Availability of Warning Signs at the Accidents Recorded Crossing Locations 27 Table 5.6: Marks on Safety for Average Gradient of the road at the Location 28 Table 5.7: Marks on Safety for Average Sight Distance to the Road User 28 vii Table 5.8: Marks on Safety for Gate Availability 29 Table 5.9: Marks on Safety for Availability of Warning Signs 29 Table 5.10 Multiple Values on Safety for above Factors 30 Table 5.11 Total Values of Safety on Level Crossings 31 Table 5.12 Categories of Level Crossings on Safety 34 Table 5.13 Separation of Accidents due to Affected Reason 36 Table 5.14 Percentage of accidents on Level Crossings excluding Driver behavior variability 37 Table 5.15 Percentage of accidents on Level Crossing Including Driver behavior variability 37 Table 5.16 Accidents Locations vs. Distance to Closest Station 38 Table 5.17 Accident Records vs. Distance to Closest Station from the Crossing Location 38 Table 5.18 Locations of Accidents and Traffic Level of the related Roads 39 Table 5.19 Distances between Level Crossings 39 Table 6.1 Conditions on Accidents Recorded Level Crossing Locations 43 Table 6.2 Proposed suitable safety Measures for the most Unsafe Level Crossings 45