Tunnel lighting

In parallel to the increase in traffic volume, the requirement of tunnels becomes vitalparticularly in mountainous areas. It is expected that tunnels should provide a driver?s safetyand comfort and maximize his/her visual ability as if on a safe open road.A long tunnel, particularly on bright sunny days, appears as a black hole for approachingdrivers when it is not well illuminated. In order to assist the driver?s visual ability, and to takethe dark adaptation of the eye into account, it is necessary to have intensive lighting in thethreshold (first) zone of the tunnel.The lighting design of the threshold zone, which took a major part in tunnel lightning costs interms of total installation and operating costs, is fundamentally related with the luminancelevel of the access zone and the speed of traffic. After the threshold zone, with increasing theillumination levels step by step unique to adaptation of the human eye, some improvement isachieved for the costs.In this work, in order to provide the optimum tunnel lightning, firstly, information regardingthe basics of light and photometric definitions are given. In the following chapters, researchesand comparisons are carried out regarding tunnel lightning and lighting lamps in this field.In the conclusion of the thesis, practical information with regard to design stages of ?DevrenTunnel?, which was taken as an example, are given. In assistance of TunLight software,possible values are assigned to some variables in comply with some scenarios whereon somedeterminations and suggestions are presented.Keywords: Lighting techniques, exterior lighting, tunnel lighting, highway tunnels, lightingarmatures, tunnel architecture, highway driving safety, lighting automation, computer aidedlighting calculationsx