## 6 Conclusions  
This research analyzed the retroreflectivity data collected from pavement markings at Brazilian test sites under real traffic action subjected to tropical climate conditions. It adjusted a statistical model to evaluate the influence of paint and glass bead characteristics on pavement markings' service life.  
The research demonstrated the importance of the proper characterization of paints and glass beads before field application. Paints' volume solids are an important characteristic for pavement markings' durability since higher values of volume solids in paints were found to enhance pavement markings' durability. Regarding the glass beads, the results emphasize the importance of their shape on the initial retroreflectivity. Moreover, the research addresses the characterization of glass beads' size distribution as a discrete value, facilitating comparison based on gradation.  
The research findings offer guidance for pavement marking practitioners and road authorities in selecting materials. By understanding the impact of paint characteristics and glass bead properties on retroreflectivity, practitioners can make informed choices regarding suitable paint and glass beads. Moreover, improving pavement markings' service life reduces the maintenance frequency and, consequently, reduces road safety issues.  
From the results obtained, it is possible to conclude that white water-based paints with higher volume solids are preferable for improving pavement markings' service life. In addition to the importance of glass beads' shape characteristics regarding sphericity (SPHT) and thickness-to-length ratio (b/l), it is also recommended to characterize the glass beads' grain size distribution by the coefficients of uniformity and curvature.  
It is important to emphasize that this research does not aim to reduce or replace the characterization tests of paints and glass beads. Rather, it evaluates which parameters most significantly affect the retroreflectivity to improve the acceptance limits of these materials. Furthermore, the results obtained herein are based on a restricted number of materials subjected to specific climate conditions and traffic. Therefore, the application of this research must be carefully conducted, considering only white acrylic water-based paints and glass beads with characteristics similar to those evaluated herein.  
Conceptualization, L.N.M. and L.B.; methodology, L.N.M., O.A., G.L. and K.V.; validation, L.N.M. and O.A.; formal analysis, L.N.M., K.V., O.A. and L.B.; resources, L.B., K.V. and G.L.; writing--original draft preparation, L.N.M. and O.A.; writing--review and editing, L.N.M., K.V., L.B., O.A. and G.L.; visualization, L.N.M., G.L. and O.A.; supervision, K.V. and L.B.; project administration, L.B.; funding acquisition, L.B., K.V. and G.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
Not applicable.  
Restrictions apply to the availability of these data. Data were obtained from Autopista Fernao Dias and are available from the authors with the permission of Autopista Fernao Dias.  
Author [PERSON] was employed by the company Arteris S.A. The remaining authors declare that the re-search was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.