A retroreflective composite bead for highway marking having high retroreflectivity both when initially installed and over the bead lifetime, allowing vehicle drivers to see highway marking lines at night and in adverse conditions during nighttime. When installed the retroreflective beads essentially retroreflect the base color of the highway marking material in which the retroreflective beads are embedded. The beads comprise a larger bead with a coating of smaller particles heat bonded to its surface.

A retroreflective composite bead for highway marking having high retroreflectivity both when initially installed and over the bead lifetime, allowing vehicle drivers to see highway marking lines at night and in adverse conditions during nighttime. When installed the retroreflective beads essentially retroreflect the base color of the highway marking material in which the retroreflective beads are embedded. The beads comprise a larger bead with a coating of smaller particles heat bonded to its surface.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for enhancing road markings using Infrared (IR) retroreflective spherical elements, comprising immersing a plurality of IR retroreflective spherical elements in one or more paint materials to produce a composition applied to paint road markings on one or more surfaces of one or more road segments. Each of the plurality of IR retroreflective spherical elements is at least partially transparent in visible light spectral range and in one or more infrared spectral ranges and is at least partially coated with one or more IR reflective materials characterized by (1) reflecting more than a first value of light in the one or more infrared spectral ranges, and (2) transferring more than a second value of light in the visible light spectral range. The painted road markings expressing driving information relating to the one or more road segments.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for enhancing road markings using Infrared (IR) retroreflective spherical elements, comprising immersing a plurality of IR retroreflective spherical elements in one or more paint materials to produce a composition applied to paint road markings on one or more surfaces of one or more road segments. Each of the plurality of IR retroreflective spherical elements is at least partially transparent in visible light spectral range and in one or more infrared spectral ranges and is at least partially coated with one or more IR reflective materials characterized by (1) reflecting more than a first value of light in the one or more infrared spectral ranges, and (2) transferring more than a second value of light in the visible light spectral range. The painted road markings expressing driving information relating to the one or more road segments.

A robust sintered retroreflective composite comprising, a core bead, a peripheral bead, and an interphase coating. The bead can be used in typical retroreflective indicia and uses.

The disclosed retroreflective element includes a polymeric core that is loaded with a plurality of first beads and second beads distributed at the perimeter of the core. The first beads are different than the second beads. Because of the beads in the core, the retroreflective element remains useful for returning light even after portions of the core begins to wear away. Further, when the retroreflective elements get wet, water will settle to the bottom of the perimeter of the core. Therefore, using the second beads with a refractive index suited for wet conditions, while the first beads have a refractive index suited for dry conditions allows the retroreflective element to be useful in both wet and dry conditions even while the retroreflective element wears during use.

The disclosed retroreflective element includes a polymeric core that is loaded with a plurality of first beads and second beads distributed at the perimeter of the core. The first beads are different than the second beads. Because of the beads in the core, the retroreflective element remains useful for returning light even after portions of the core begins to wear away. Further, when the retroreflective elements get wet, water will settle to the bottom of the perimeter of the core. Therefore, using the second beads with a refractive index suited for wet conditions, while the first beads have a refractive index suited for dry conditions allows the retroreflective element to be useful in both wet and dry conditions even while the retroreflective element wears during use.

A road marking (10) has bristles (11) extending above a road surface level (12). The bristles (11) are attached below the road surface level (12), leaving a recess (13) between the road surface level (12) and the bristles (11). The recess (13) allows the bristles (11) to bend below the road surface level (12) during snowploughing. The forces exerted to the raised road marking (10) do not pull the bristles (11) or the whole road marking (10) assembly off the road surface.

The bristles (11) may be installed into the road surface by cutting a suitable cavity (15) into the road surface. A bottom portion of the cavity (15) is filled with a fluid adhesive, leaving the surface of the adhesive below the road surface. The bristles (11) are inserted in the fluid adhesive. After the adhesive has been cured, the bristles (11) stand proud from the road surface.

Trafficked pavement substrates utilize markings to segregate traffic (e.g., divide lanes traveling in the same direction, divide sides of the road traveling in opposite directions). A dry polymer modified cement mixture may be used to provide the markings. The dry polymer modified cement mixture is prepared by mixing a dry polymer modified cement blend (ordinary Portland cement, aggregate and polymer powders) with water. The location of the lines is identified, and the dry polymer modified cement mixture is applied onto the identified areas as a thin layer. The dry polymer modified cement blend may include polymers to provide colored markings. Glass beads may be embedded into the dry polymer modified mixture before it cures to retroreflect light shined thereon. The trafficked pavement substrate may have troughs formed therein and the dry polymer modified cement markings may be formed therewithin so that the markings are flush.

Trafficked pavement substrates utilize markings to segregate traffic (e.g., divide lanes traveling in the same direction, divide sides of the road traveling in opposite directions). A dry polymer modified cement mixture may be used to provide the markings. The dry polymer modified cement mixture is prepared by mixing a dry polymer modified cement blend (ordinary Portland cement, aggregate and polymer powders) with water. The location of the lines is identified, and the dry polymer modified cement mixture is applied onto the identified areas as a thin layer. The dry polymer modified cement blend may include polymers to provide colored markings. Glass beads may be embedded into the dry polymer modified mixture before it cures to retroreflect light shined thereon. The trafficked pavement substrate may have troughs formed therein and the dry polymer modified cement markings may be formed therewithin so that the markings are flush.