Evaluation of Winter Maintenance Chemicals and Crashes with an Artificial Neural Network

The objective of this study was to investigate and evaluate the effects of winter maintenance chemicals on road safety. To this end, a winter chemical usage model was developed. A methodology combining artificial neural network (ANN) methods and sensitivity analysis is presented. In this method, the ANN system was used to establish the relationship between road safety and associated factors, and sensitivity analysis was used to identify significant variables and quantify their effects. The chemical usage model and the ANN system were then applied to case studies in Idaho. The results from the case study showed that the use of winter maintenance chemicals played an important role in road safety. Furthermore, benefit–cost analysis of the case studies indicated that the use of winter maintenance chemicals produced more benefits than costs.