<![CDATA[This paper presents a conceptual review of photonic materials and optical sensing technologies for smart road infrastructure. The focus is placed on three mutually reinforcing functions: real-time pavement condition monitoring, local energy harvesting, and adaptive road-safety communication. Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors are considered as a practical photonic sensing element for measuring traffic-induced strain and temperature inside pavement layers. Photovoltaic and other pavement energy-harvesting approaches are discussed as potential sources for autonomous sensor nodes, while long-afterglow and active luminous materials are considered for adaptive nighttime guidance. A conceptual monitoring chain is proposed in which vehicle loading produces a pavement structural response, the response is converted into an optical wavelength shift, and the resulting data are transmitted to an analytical platform for pavement-health assessment. The paper also formulates a Photonic Smart-Road Architecture that links embedded optical sensing, IoT communication, artificial-intelligence-based analysis and maintenance decision support. The study is conceptual and literature-based; therefore, no unverified experimental performance values are claimed.]]>
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