IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i10p4133-d359769.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Effects of Ambient Illumination, Color Combination, Sign Height, and Observation Angle on the Legibility of Wayfinding Signs in Metro Stations

Author

Listed:
  • Yuqi Shi

    (Department of Transportation Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China)

  • Yi Zhang

    (Department of Transportation Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China)

  • Tao Wang

    (Department of Transportation Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China)

  • Chaoyang Li

    (Department of Transportation Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China)

  • Shengqiang Yuan

    (Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute (Group) Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200092, China)

Abstract

Well-designed wayfinding signs play an important role in improving the service level of metro stations, ensuring the safety of passengers in evacuation, and promoting the sustainable development of public transport. This study explored the effects of ambient illumination, color combination, sign height, and observation angle on wayfinding signs’ legibility in metro stations. In the experiment, simulated metro-wayfinding signs were made to test legibility. As designed, the legibility was measured based on the following independent variables: two levels of ambient illumination (70 lux and 273 lux), two target/background color combinations (achromatic-white target on black background, chromatic-yellow target on black background), two sign heights (1.5 m and 2 m), and three observation angles (0°, 45°, 70°). The results showed that brighter ambient illumination provided passengers with higher legibility. Achromatic color combination was more legible than chromatic color combination, but not significantly. Different types of signs, set at different height, did not directly affect legibility. Observation angle had significant effects on legibility. Visibility catchment area of wayfinding signs was like an ellipse, with its short axis nearly equal to the legibility distance of the sign at 0 degrees. The findings will facilitate the layout and setting location of wayfinding signs in metro stations and improve the level of wayfinding service.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuqi Shi & Yi Zhang & Tao Wang & Chaoyang Li & Shengqiang Yuan, 2020. "The Effects of Ambient Illumination, Color Combination, Sign Height, and Observation Angle on the Legibility of Wayfinding Signs in Metro Stations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4133-:d:359769
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/10/4133/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/10/4133/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Young-Hoon Bae & Young-Chan Kim & Ryun-Seok Oh & Jong-Yeong Son & Won-Hwa Hong & Jun-Ho Choi, 2020. "Gaze Point in the Evacuation Drills: Analysis of Eye Movement at the Indoor Wayfinding," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-14, April.
    2. Bin Lei & Jinliang Xu & Menghui Li & Haoru Li & Jin Li & Zhen Cao & Yarui Hao & Yuan Zhang, 2019. "Enhancing Role of Guiding Signs Setting in Metro Stations with Incorporation of Microscopic Behavior of Pedestrians," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-14, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wenying Zhang & Lian Zhu & Zixuan Zhang & Zhan Zhang & Linjun Lu, 2020. "A Sustainable Evaluation Method for a Tourism Public Wayfinding System: A Case Study of Shanghai Disneyland Resort," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-18, October.
    2. Reza Askarizad & Jinliao He & Elham Mehrinejad Khotbehsara, 2022. "The Legibility Efficacy of Historical Neighborhoods in Creating a Cognitive Map for Citizens," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Liang Sun & Yao Xu & Sijing Teng & Bo Wang & Ming Li & Shanmin Ding, 2022. "Research into the Visual Saliency of Guide Signs in an Underground Commercial Street Based on an Eye-Movement Experiment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-23, December.
    4. Ammar Al-Sharaa & Mastura Adam & Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin & Riyadh Mundher & Ameer Alhasan, 2022. "Assessment of Wayfinding Performance in Complex Healthcare Facilities: A Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-20, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wenying Zhang & Lian Zhu & Zixuan Zhang & Zhan Zhang & Linjun Lu, 2020. "A Sustainable Evaluation Method for a Tourism Public Wayfinding System: A Case Study of Shanghai Disneyland Resort," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-18, October.
    2. Yixuan Wei & Jianguo Liu & Longzhe Jin & Shu Wang & Fei Deng & Shengnan Ou & Song Pan & Jinshun Wu, 2023. "Individual Behavior and Attention Distribution during Wayfinding for Emergency Shelter: An Eye-Tracking Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-21, August.
    3. Young-Hoon Bae & Jong-Yeong Son & Ryun-Seok Oh & Hye-Kyoung Lee & Yoon-Ha Lee & Won-Hwa Hong & Jun-Ho Choi, 2021. "Optimal Installation Location of Escape Route Signs at T-Type Intersections," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Yu-Ling Hsieh & Ming-Feng Lee & Guey-Shya Chen & Wei-Jie Wang, 2022. "Application of Visitor Eye Movement Information to Museum Exhibit Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, June.
    5. Liang Sun & Yao Xu & Sijing Teng & Bo Wang & Ming Li & Shanmin Ding, 2022. "Research into the Visual Saliency of Guide Signs in an Underground Commercial Street Based on an Eye-Movement Experiment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-23, December.
    6. Wenting Jin & Ying Yao & Guichao Ren & Xiaohua Zhao, 2022. "Evaluation of Integration Information Signage in Transport Hubs Based on Building Information Modeling and Virtual Reality Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-20, August.
    7. Haoru Li & Jinliang Xu & Xiaodong Zhang & Fangchen Ma, 2021. "How Do Subway Signs Affect Pedestrians’ Wayfinding Behavior through Visual Short-Term Memory?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-17, June.
    8. Yifei Suo & Bin Lei & Tianxiang Xun & Na Li & Dongbo Lei & Linlin Luo & Xiaoqin Cao, 2023. "Optimization Method of Subway Station Guide Sign Based on Pedestrian Walking Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-18, August.
    9. Wei, Yixuan & Zhang, Yixing & Xu, Yifei & Wang, Shu & Liu, Jianguo & Jin, Longzhe & Ou, Shengnan & Pan, Song & Liu, Yiqiao, 2024. "Impact of risk preferences on evacuee behavior and attention distribution in urban underground space evacuations," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 640(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4133-:d:359769. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.