Adaptive Hazard Zone Model for Improved Safety in Highway Work Zones

Highway work zones present hazardous conditions where worker safety is at constant risk due to interactions with construction equipment. In such environments, accurately defining hazard zones around equipment is vital for timely detection and prevention of incidents. Traditional static hazard zone models, often relying on simple geometric shapes, fall short as they cannot adapt to changes in equipment speed and movement, leading to either inadequate safety coverage or frequent false alarms. This study proposes a dynamic hazard zone model that leverages a probabilistic approach based on bivariate Gaussian distribution to generate adaptive and realistic hazard zones. Real-time data from GPS and inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors enable the model to adjust hazard zone dimensions dynamically in response to equipment behavior, improving both accuracy and responsiveness. Simulations conducted in Webots software demonstrated that the proposed model achieved 93% accuracy in hazard detection, significantly outperforming the 60% accuracy of static circular zones tested in the same environment. The findings underscore the potential of dynamic hazard zone modeling to enhance safety in highway work zones, providing a practical and effective approach for reducing risks.