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Infrastructures
Special Issues
Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures
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Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures

A special issue of Infrastructures (ISSN 2412-3811).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2018) | Viewed by 57751

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Loprencipe

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
DICEA, Department of Civil, Constructional and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana, 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Interests: road structure health monitoring
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giuseppe Cantisani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
DICEA, Department of Civil, Constructional and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana, 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Interests: design and construction of road, railways and airport infrastructure; active and passive road safety; road pavements; sustainable mobility; context sensitive design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Paola Di Mascio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
DICEA, Department of Civil, Constructional and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana, 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Interests: airport design; PMS; airport safety; airport and road pavement; rigid pavement

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Transportation infrastructures are sustainable if they are able, during their entire lifecycle, to efficiently use resources and maximize the benefit/cost ratio. This means, in particular, to improve the benefits for the entire community, to respect the environment, and to provide socio-economic services in terms of mobility, safety and comfort; these objectives imply well-planned methods for design, maintenance and rehabilitation of these infrastructures.

Nowadays, to find a sustainable equilibrium means to consider, not only the infrastructure life cycle costs, but to also assess future impacts of environmental and social benefits. In addition, choosing good technical solutions that allow to operate with limited resources and achieve the project goals by balancing the many interests in competition (which are often in opposition) are needed.

In this context, this Special Issue discusses and groups the proposed topics in three main themes, which can be considered as the essential components of future Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures:

Environment

  • predictive models of pollution (air quality, traffic noise and vibration, etc.);
  • sustainable mobility;
  • recycling techniques and green materials;
  • infrastructure and landscape fruition;
  • upgrading of secondary networks and historical infrastructures;
  • infrastructures and climatic conditions;
  • infrastructure in urban areas;
  • terminals, plants and logistic platforms.

Safety

  • technical standards and implementing rules;
  • human factors and user behavior;
  • geometric design;
  • active and passive safety;
  • safety audit and safety review procedures;
  • risk analysis;
  • risk mitigation strategies;
  • road pavements;
  • emergency management.

Economy

  • Resource allocation models;
  • User needs;
  • Planning of interventions;
  • Data collection and management;
  • Assessment of operating costs;
  • Definition of quality standards;
  • Financing policies;
  • Infrastructures management and maintenance.

Dr. Giuseppe Loprencipe
Dr. Giuseppe Cantisani
Dr. Paola Di Mascio
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Infrastructures is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 915 KiB  
Article
Consistency between Infrastructure Rating Systems in Measuring Sustainability
by Oluwatobi Oluwalaiye and Mehmet E. Ozbek
Infrastructures 2019, 4(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures4010009 - 28 Feb 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5518
Abstract
To date, several transportation sustainability rating systems (TSRS) have been developed to measure and promote sustainability. However, studies show that these TSRS have not been developed with a consistent sustainability scope. This raises the question of the consistency of these TSRS in measuring [...] Read more.
To date, several transportation sustainability rating systems (TSRS) have been developed to measure and promote sustainability. However, studies show that these TSRS have not been developed with a consistent sustainability scope. This raises the question of the consistency of these TSRS in measuring the sustainability of transportation projects. This study assesses how three prominent TSRS (Envision, INVEST, and GreenLITES) rate the sustainability performance of transportation projects with the goal of determining if a consistency exists in the way these three TSRS measure sustainability. These three TSRS are applied to five transportation projects. The results showed that these three rating tools assess and reward sustainability practices differently. Additionally, results suggest that it may be easier for a project to get awarded in GreenLITES compared to the other two TSRS. Notwithstanding all of the above, a consistency was noted in all three rating systems in the quality of life/social performance of projects. This study helps to inform stakeholders in the transportation industry on how transportation projects perform when run through each of these rating systems. This will help stakeholders to make informed decisions with respect to choosing one (or more) TSRS to assess their projects with and evaluating the results obtained from such TSRS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures)
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18 pages, 3832 KiB  
Article
An Assessment of Sustainable Airport Water Management: The Case of Osaka’s Kansai International Airport
by Glenn Baxter, Panarat Srisaeng and Graham Wild
Infrastructures 2018, 3(4), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures3040054 - 29 Nov 2018
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 9078
Abstract
Airports are an essential infrastructure to facilitate aviation. The substantial growth of aviation has led to a significant increase in water usage by airports. Airports also generate large volumes of wastewater that may include contaminants. Hence, understanding sustainable water management practices is essential [...] Read more.
Airports are an essential infrastructure to facilitate aviation. The substantial growth of aviation has led to a significant increase in water usage by airports. Airports also generate large volumes of wastewater that may include contaminants. Hence, understanding sustainable water management practices is essential in the aviation industry. In this study, an exploratory research design was utilized in the examination of the sustainable water management strategies and systems at Kansai International Airport from 2002 to 2016. The qualitative data were examined using document analysis as part of a case study. The quantitative data were analyzed using regression analysis as part of a longitudinal study. The airport has been able to reduce the total water consumption, water consumption per passenger, and water consumption per aircraft movement, even with increased traffic in recent years. The airport sources water from the municipal authorities and reclaims water for non-potable water uses. The airport conducts regular water quality tests which measure the Chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphates. The airport’s onsite wastewater processing centre processes all wastewaters, which discharges non-reclaimed water into Osaka Bay. With a decrease in water consumption, there has similarly been a decrease in the need to treat wastewater, while the reclaimed water ratio has increased over the period of the study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures)
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20 pages, 3154 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Materials for Transportation Infrastructures: Comparison of Three Commercially-Available Metakaolin Products in Binary Cementitious Systems
by Matthew S. Sullivan, Mi G. Chorzepa, Hiwa Hamid, Stephan A. Durham and S. Sonny Kim
Infrastructures 2018, 3(3), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures3030017 - 21 Jun 2018
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5937
Abstract
Metakaolin is the only major natural pozzolan to be specified for use as a supplementary cementitious material in the United States. As a result, the metakaolin market for concrete has grown dramatically in the past 20 years. As of now, the specifications of [...] Read more.
Metakaolin is the only major natural pozzolan to be specified for use as a supplementary cementitious material in the United States. As a result, the metakaolin market for concrete has grown dramatically in the past 20 years. As of now, the specifications of up to 16 state departments of transportation allow for the use of commercially-available and high-reactivity metakaolin products. However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study has been performed to evaluate whether these products are comparable in their performance. Three commercially-available (U.S.) metakaolin products, each replacing 10%, 15%, and 20% of the cement content in concrete and mortar mixtures are studied. Concrete mixtures contained a cementitious content of 422 kg/m3, a coarse aggregate fraction of 985 kg/m3, and a water-to-cementitious ratio equal to 0.43. Varying levels of a superplasticizer were used to maintain a uniform workability between mixtures. Each mixture was subjected to the following tests: compression, split-cylinder tension, modulus of rupture, dynamic elastic modulus, rapid chloride-ion penetrability, alkali–silica reactivity, sulfate resistance, the coefficient of thermal expansion, and drying shrinkage. Benefits from the inclusion of metakaolin were highly product-dependent and include increases in mechanical strength. All metakaolin supplemented concrete mixtures benefitted from decreased permeability and increased resistance to chemical attacks, with the exception of the sulfate resistance of mortars including a metakaolin product with high fineness. The inclusion of any metakaolin at any replacement level increased the coefficient of thermal expansion of concrete specimens. Reasons for difference in performance between products are discussed, and predictors of quality are recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures)
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16 pages, 3891 KiB  
Article
Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors in Three Asphalt Pavement Layers
by Patricia Kara De Maeijer, Wim Van den bergh and Cedric Vuye
Infrastructures 2018, 3(2), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures3020016 - 20 Jun 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 7220
Abstract
In the present study, a new approach to the installation of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors in three asphalt pavement layers (the surface layer and both base layers) was implemented for the first time in Belgium. Fiber Bragg grating sensors (FBGs) are diagnostic [...] Read more.
In the present study, a new approach to the installation of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors in three asphalt pavement layers (the surface layer and both base layers) was implemented for the first time in Belgium. Fiber Bragg grating sensors (FBGs) are diagnostic tools that accurately and efficiently monitor in situ structural behavior. However, nowadays, this technology is not commonly used in asphalt due to its application restrictions under installation and service conditions. FBGs are fragile and break easily under loading. Therefore, there is a need for suitable protection of FBG sensors if they are to be installed during the rough construction process and exposed to heavy-duty loading afterwards. The main objective of the present study is to show the FBG results only for the initial construction process, and, if successful, to continue studying this FBG monitoring system and to plan the next research step by adjusting the system for its application in heavy-duty pavements. Two approaches to FBG installation in three asphalt layers (placed at the bottom of each layer) were tested in the present study: (1) installation of FBGs in prefabricated asphalt specimens in the base layer, directly on the base, and (2) installation of FBGs on the surface of the previously constructed asphalt layer. Both innovative approaches allow the implementation of FBGs without sawing the whole layer into two parts. The obtained results proved a survival rate of 100% for the FBGs. It can be concluded that these new described methods of FBG installation—using a cross-section configuration to carry out strain measurements in two directions (transverse and longitudinal)—can be applied for the monitoring of heavy-duty pavements, while providing the possibility to further re-evaluate current pavement design methods used in Flanders (Belgium). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures)
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16 pages, 4866 KiB  
Article
Impact of Pavement Surface Condition on Roadway Departure Crash Risk in Iowa
by Ahmad Alhasan, Inya Nlenanya, Omar Smadi and Cameron A. MacKenzie
Infrastructures 2018, 3(2), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures3020014 - 13 Jun 2018
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 8068
Abstract
Safety performance is a crucial component of highway network performance evaluation. Besides their devastating impact on roadway users, traffic crashes lead to substantial economic losses on both personal and societal levels. Due to the complexity of crash events and the unique conditions in [...] Read more.
Safety performance is a crucial component of highway network performance evaluation. Besides their devastating impact on roadway users, traffic crashes lead to substantial economic losses on both personal and societal levels. Due to the complexity of crash events and the unique conditions in each country and state, empirical local calibration for the correlation between attributes of interest and the safety performance is always recommended. Limited studies have established a procedure to analyze the impact of pavement condition on traffic safety in a risk analysis scheme. This study presents a thorough analysis of some roadway departure crashes which occurred in Iowa between 2006 and 2016. All crash records were mapped onto one-mile segments with known traffic volume (i.e., AADT), posted speed limits (SL), skid numbers (SN), ride qualities (IRI), and rut depths (RD) in a geographic information system (GIS) database. The crash records were correlated to the pavement surface condition (i.e., SN, IRI, and RD) using negative binomial regression models. Moreover, a novel risk analysis framework is introduced to perform crash risk assessment and evaluate the possible consequences for a given combination of events. The analysis shows a significant impact of pavement skid resistance on roadway-departure crashes under all accident conditions and severities. Risk analysis will facilitate coordination between the pavement management system and safety management system in the future, which will help with optimizing the overall highway network performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures)
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4570 KiB  
Article
Isolated and Single Pedestrians and Pedestrian Groups on Sidewalks
by Francesco Pinna and Roberto Murrau
Infrastructures 2017, 2(4), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures2040021 - 21 Nov 2017
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 6224
Abstract
Walking freedom can define the quality of an urban area, but this freedom is conditioned by various factors. The research objective is to study pedestrian behavior on sidewalks. Data are collected during on site surveys by means of concealed camcorders. For each pedestrian [...] Read more.
Walking freedom can define the quality of an urban area, but this freedom is conditioned by various factors. The research objective is to study pedestrian behavior on sidewalks. Data are collected during on site surveys by means of concealed camcorders. For each pedestrian many factors are observed, such as gender, age, direction, distractions, transport of objects, etc., which could influence pedestrian behavior. Data processing allows the identification of mathematical models describing the average pedestrian’s behavior, subdivided for user type (isolated, single, group). In general, the mean walking pedestrian speed decreases depending on user type (in a linear manner if age class grows for isolated pedestrians, while with the square of age for other user types), of gender, and of facing type. Models obtained for the different pedestrian types were compared to understand the differences in speeds, underlining that pedestrian interferences play a significant role in defining behavior and, therefore, speed. The results support the idea that, to define a smooth pedestrian speed as an indicator of the “walkability” of a path, in addition to considering the path and user’s characteristics, it is also necessary to define the type of user for which the infrastructure is designed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures)
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Review

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19 pages, 7519 KiB  
Review
Pavement Distress Detection Methods: A Review
by Antonella Ragnoli, Maria Rosaria De Blasiis and Alessandro Di Benedetto
Infrastructures 2018, 3(4), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures3040058 - 19 Dec 2018
Cited by 122 | Viewed by 14562
Abstract
The road pavement conditions affect safety and comfort, traffic and travel times, vehicles operating cost, and emission levels. In order to optimize the road pavement management and guarantee satisfactory mobility conditions for all road users, the Pavement Management System (PMS) is an effective [...] Read more.
The road pavement conditions affect safety and comfort, traffic and travel times, vehicles operating cost, and emission levels. In order to optimize the road pavement management and guarantee satisfactory mobility conditions for all road users, the Pavement Management System (PMS) is an effective tool for the road manager. An effective PMS requires the availability of pavement distress data, the possibility of data maintenance and updating, in order to evaluate the best maintenance program. In the last decade, many researches have been focused on pavement distress detection, using a huge variety of technological solutions for both data collection and information extraction and qualification. This paper presents a literature review of data collection systems and processing approach aimed at the pavement condition evaluation. Both commercial solutions and research approaches have been included. The main goal is to draw a framework of the actual existing solutions, considering them from a different point of view in order to identify the most suitable for further research and technical improvement, while also considering the automated and semi-automated emerging technologies. An important attempt is to evaluate the aptness of the data collection and extraction to the type of distress, considering the distress detection, classification, and quantification phases of the procedure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation Infrastructures)
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