Midtveisseminar ved ph.d.-programmet i Person, helse og samfunn for ph.d.-kandidaten Kyungbinn Noh

Sustainable urban development requires inclusive, safe and resilient cities, where safe mobility is a key requirement. As urban areas become denser, underground and transitional spaces such as tunnels are increasingly important components of transport infrastructure. Therefore, improving mobility conditions for all users is essential for ensuring safe, affordable and sustainable transport. However, current lighting standards are primarily developed for road tunnels for motor vehicles, open pedestrian environments or underpasses, and do not adequately address the specific perceptual and safety needs of pedestrians and cyclists in long tunnels.

Lighting plays a critical role in shaping visibility, spatial perception and users’ sense of safety. Inadequate adaptation of existing standards may lead to poor lighting conditions, reducing both visual performance and perceived safety. To address the challenges of conducting experiments in tunnel environments, this research employs Virtual Reality (VR) as a methodological approach, enabling controlled investigation of diverse lighting scenarios.

This PhD project aims to build a scientific foundation for more user-oriented and effective architectural lighting design strategies in long pedestrian and cycling tunnels. It investigates how lighting influences visual perception, visibility, and perceived safety, with the goal of supporting future lighting standards and contributing to safer, more attractive, and sustainable active mobility infrastructure.

• Hovedveileder: Førsteamanuensis Veronika Zaikina, USN
• Medveiledere: Forskningsleder Claudia Moscoso, SINTEF
• Ekstern evaluator: Assosiert forsker og førsteamanuensis Dorukalp Durmus, Pennsylvania State University, USA
• Intern evaluator: Professor Hanne Mari Schiøtz Thorud, USN
• Seminarleder: Førsteamanuensis Torgeir Solberg Mathisen, USN