Highway Construction Research Articles

Проблемы противодействия хищению бюджетных средств, выделенных на строительство автомобильных дорог

The article touches upon the problems of the field of road construction in terms of embezzlement of public funds allocated for both construction and major repairs of roads and road infrastructure.. The article considers the main signs, types of violations and crimes in this area, which are often committed during the construction of highways. The issue of criminal liability and consequences for committing crimes related to embezzlement of budget funds has been raised. The article suggests ways to solve this problem, including improving control over the use of budget funds, improving the system of state and municipal procurement, tougher penalties for crimes and other measures.

Geospatial Intelligence for Landslide Susceptibility and Risk Analysis: Insights from NH31A and East Sikkim Himalaya Settlements

Slope instability is a serious concern in the Sikkim Himalayas. The town and numerous road segments along National Highway 31A were ravaged by multiple landslides that occurred in the nearby region. A bivariate statistical method known as frequency ratio (FR), information value (IV), and certainty factor (CF) analysis was employed in this work to examine landslide risk assessment (LRA) and landslide susceptibility zonation (LSZ) maps in the Rorachu watershed. This study represents the first comprehensive analysis of landslide risk in the populated areas of East Sikkim and along NH31A, offering a deeper understanding of the risks involved and contributing to the enhancement of local resilience against landslide hazards. A total of 153 different landslide locations were mapped using Google Earth and GIS software; 30% (46) of these locations were used to validate the models, and 70% of these (107) served as training data for the FR, IV, and CF models. The thirteen landslide causative factors (geology, soil, elevations, slope, curvature, drainage density (DD), road density (RD), rainfall, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), land use land cover (LULC), topographic position index (TPI), stream power index (SPI), and topographic wetness index (TWI)) were extracted from a spatial database for LSZ mapping. Landslides were most prevalent on slopes (35° to 50°), heights (2,500–4,100 m), and rainfall (2000–2,500 mm and 3,000–3,300 mm). The area under the curves (AUC) for the FR, IV, and CF models are 0.925 (92.50%), 0.846 (84.60%), and 0.868 (86.20%), respectively. The prediction rates are shown by the AUCs for the FR, IV, and CF models, which are 0.828 (82.8%), 0.750 (%), and 0.836 (83.60%), respectively. According to the landslide risk assessment (LRA), the FR (20.75%), IV (40.91%) and CF (18.78%) models showed high risk on Highway 31A, while the FR (9.05%), IV (38.59%) and CF (20.90%) models showed high risk in densely populated areas. These landslide risk and vulnerability maps can be used to develop land use planning strategies that can save lives and are useful for planners and mitigation measures. Special attention should be paid to urbanization, highway construction, and deforestation.

Study on viscoelastic properties and rheological properties of SBS modified asphalt for road use with service life

SBS modified asphalt is an important material in the construction of high-grade highway, and its performance changes directly affect the pavement performance. In this study, SBS modified asphalt was extracted from the actual pavement with different service years, and the rheological properties of SBS modified asphalt with different service years were studied by macroscopic test and microscopic molecular dynamics simulation. The macroscopic test results show that the needle penetration value of SBS modified asphalt increases by 50.6% after two years of service, and the viscosity of SBS modified asphalt increases by 54.8% after 12 years of service. With the increase of service life, G* and G’’ of SBS modified asphalt showed an increasing trend, and δ and G’’/G’ showed a decreasing trend. The molecular dynamics simulation results of SBS modified asphalt were consistent with the macroscopic experimental results. The rheological properties of SBS modified asphalt showed a decreasing trend with the service life, and the interfacial energies between SBS modified asphalt and aggregate also showed a decreasing trend. The research in this paper will provide a theoretical basis for the future study of the deterioration law of SBS modified asphalt and the formulation of road maintenance plan.

Development of Risk-Based Methodologies for Highway Pavement Construction Inspection

Construction inspection plays a critical role in Portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) and hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement projects. To ensure the quality of pavement projects, state departments of transportation (DOTs) in the U.S. typically conduct construction material tests and inspect workmanship processes using quality assurance (QA) programs. Given today’s reality of reduced QA inspection resources such as funding, staff ability, and availability, several state DOTs have used a risk-based inspection (RBI) approach to optimize their QA processes. A thorough review of existing literature revealed limited studies examining RBI methodologies in highway pavement construction projects. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of RBI for pavement construction projects. It employed a triangulation research methodology, including an extensive literature review, a survey questionnaire of 50 state DOTs, focus groups, and a vetting workshop. A list of 16 core items in field inspection for both PCCP and HMA pavement projects was developed and verified. A generic risk rating of these critical inspection activities was determined. Additionally, inspection frequency, documentation effort, and inspector experience associated with these critical inspection activities identified through focus groups and the vetting workshop served as a reference point when conducting RBI for PCCP and HMA pavement projects. This study contributes to the body of knowledge and the highway construction industry by identifying and prioritizing 16 core inspection items for PCCP and HMA pavement construction. Construction project managers and inspectors may benefit from this study by analyzing the risks of core inspection items and implementing appropriate risk mitigation plans.

Technical aspect of the operation of accelerometers as composition of a system for monitoring engineering structures of a cable-stayed bridge over the Petrovsky canal in the construction of the Western Speed Diameter highway in Saint Petersburg

Aim. This study analyzes the current monitoring system for the engineering structures of a cable-stayed bridge across the Petrovsky Canal, part of the Western High-Speed Diameter highway in St. Petersburg, focusing on emergency situations where accelerometers on pylons record values that exceed limits. Methods and Materials. The study utilizes statistical data from existing monitoring system databases. The tasks, set within the framework of the study, are accomplished by applying theoretical scientific methods including analytical techniques, mathematical statistics, and induction. Results. The analysis presents an overview of the current system used for monitoring engineering structures and highlights issues related to emergency situations in which accelerometer readings exceed threshold values. This study proposes a method for assessing the reliability of the monitoring system by classifying the data obtained from the accelerometer into two groups. The research identifies the need for further investigations to understand the root causes of these issues. Conclusion. Тhe results can assist in the design and installation of monitoring systems of the engineering structures for cable-stayed bridges, as well as for modernization and optimization of existing monitoring systems to improve the quality of structural technical condition assessments.

Evaluation of carbon sink and photovoltaic system carbon reduction along roadside space

As China's photovoltaic (PV) sector experiences rapid growth, the availability of land resources has become a pivotal policy focus, driving the need for comprehensive research and strategic planning for roadside PV initiatives. Utilizing a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approach, combined with GIS spatial analysis and a modular design framework, our study quantitatively compared the carbon reduction capabilities of PV systems against the carbon sequestration potential of various vegetative arrangements along the roadside space. The roadside space analysis modular considers a range of factors including topography, meteorology, and construction costs. We examined the spatial distribution of suitability for PV installation and vegetation establishment along the provincial expressway network in China. The results revealed that Inner Mongolia stood out as the frontrunner in carbon reduction potential within high-suitability zones for PV construction, achieving an impressive 4.845 million tons of carbon reduction—nearly four times greater than that of Shaanxi Province. In contrast, the carbon sequestration attributed to vegetation greening in areas less suited for PV development revealed a higher propensity in the southeastern provinces. Guangdong led the charge with an impressive annual carbon sequestration of 2.89 million tons. This was closely followed by Yunnan, Sichuan, Hebei, Guizhou, and Henan, each achieving carbon sequestration amounts exceeding 2 million tons. These results offer valuable quantitative support and practical recommendations for achieving low-carbon objectives in the construction of China's expressways.

Технологии информационного моделирования в концепции устойчивого строительства автомобильных дорог

Based on the analysis of open statistical data, the authors conclude that the volume of industrial and household waste is growing rapidly, most of which is not recycled. The growing environmental impact of the construction industry is leading to the development of green standards for highway design and construction at the state level. The paper considers the peculiarities of the construction sector in the context of sustainable road development. One of the tools for such development is the application of information models that ensure energy efficiency and environmental friendliness of the project. The paper characterises the ecologically-oriented directions of development of design, construction and operation of automobile roads. The authors present One Click LCA software as an example. It allows to assess the environmental impact of the constructed object - a road - throughout the entire life cycle.

Impact on the environment and expected results of the highway construction process

Impact on the environment and expected results of the highway construction process

Analysis of the Current Situation of Cost Management and Control of Highway Construction Projects

The highway engineering process is complex, coupled with a relatively long construction period, hence requires increased coordination between participating units to prevent economic disputes and efficiency losses. The main body of the construction project needs to strengthen the management and control of funds. In this regard, this paper analyzes the importance of cost management in highway projects by clarifying and analyzing the current cost management status quo problems and causes. The highway engineering cost control strategy and implementation methods are summarized to provide references for improving the quality of highway engineering.

Дорожное хозяйство Дальнего Востока России в период новой экономической политики (1922–1927 гг.)

The article highlights the work on the establishment of the road works management apparatus, the road works themselves carried out in the Far Eastern region after the Civil War and intervention. There were certain organi-zational difficulties in road construction, which were managed only after the creation of the Far Eastern Railway District. The authors give a brief list of restored and under construction dirt and highway roads of both state and local importance. At the same time, particular attention is paid to the construction of the Amur-Yakutsk highway, the laying of which began during the First World War. The article discusses the main problems of the industry’s development: lack of funds, lack of engineering and technical personnel and road workers. This, in turn, caused the need to use the free labor of the surrounding peasants in the construction of local roads. The first steps in the mechanization of road works in the region are highlighted. When writing the article, the authors relied on methodological principles generally recognized in historical science, the most important of which are the principle of objectivity and the principle of historicism.

Does transport infrastructure development inhibit firm-level employment fluctuations? Evidence from national expressway construction in China

Employment Stabilization has always been a key focus of the Chinese government's work. Exploring the influencing factors of employment stability is of great significance for promoting the realization of high-quality employment. Based on the manually collected national expressway data and the China Industrial Enterprise Database from 1998 to 2015, this paper conducts an empirical study on the impact of transportation infrastructure development on enterprise employment fluctuations using the multi-timepoint difference-in-differences method. We find that the development of expressways has a significant inhibitory effect on enterprise employment fluctuations. Compared with areas where expressways have not been opened, the opening of expressways reduces local enterprise employment fluctuations by approximately 0.9 %. The development of expressways affects the demand side or supply side of the enterprise labor force through market scale effects, labor allocation effects, etc., thereby influencing enterprise employment fluctuations. The impact of expressway development on employment fluctuations of enterprises with different ownership natures, different economic regions, and different scales varies to some extent. Finally, this paper proposes relevant policy recommendations, providing practical and effective references for coordinating and promoting the goal of Employment Stabilization under the background of the strategy of building a strong transportation country.

Evaluation of the performance enhancement of asphalt concrete via graphene oxide incorporation: A multi-test approach

The need for improved asphalt pavements has led to the exploration of nanomaterials such as graphene oxide (GO). This study investigates the potential of GO to enhance the performance of asphalt concrete (AC) with a nominal maximum aggregate size of 12.5 mm (AC_12.5) pavements, a commonly used material in highway construction that has not been extensively studied with GO modification. The main objective is to evaluate the impact of varying GO content (1%, 1.5%, and 2%) on the key technical properties of AC_12.5, including rutting resistance, moisture stability, and tensile capacity. A series of performance tests, including Marshall stability, residual stability, splitting tensile strength, and dynamic modulus, were conducted on AC_12.5 samples with varying GO content. Furthermore, a mechanistic– empirical (M-E) approach was employed to compare the rutting resistance of GO-modified pavements with that of conventional pavements. Initial findings suggest that GO incorporation significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of AC_12.5 compared with the control mixture. Performance tests indicated improved rutting resistance, moisture stability, and tensile capacity. The M– E analysis demonstrated superior rutting resistance in the GO-modified pavement structures. The findings confirm the potential of GO as a promising nanomaterial for enhancing the performance of AC_12.5 pavements. The observed improvements in key mechanical properties and rutting resistance suggest its feasibility for developing more durable, sustainable, and cost-effective roads in the future.

Application of Artificial Intelligence and Fuzzy Control Algorithm in Green and Low-Carbon Highway Construction

Smart highways endorse green and low-carbon handling construction infrastructures for promoting pollution-free environments and driving spaces. With the incorporation of artificial intelligence and smart computing features, sophisticated decision systems improve the aim of such smart highway constructions. For promoting green and low-carbon highway construction infrastructure, this research article introduces a pollution control-facilitated recommendation system (PCFRS). The system aims to satisfy eco-friendly driving demands and low-carbon emission requirements. In this system, eco-friendly driving demands and low-carbon emissions are the prime requirements for designing such highways. The research employs fuzzy control algorithms to analyze the relationship between green demands and demand satisfaction factors across different infrastructures based on policies from environmental departments and governing agencies. The green demands as formulated by the environmental department/ governing agencies are used for verifying the demand and relationship factors across various infrastructures. The fuzzy algorithm provides recommendations for optimal highway infrastructure design by identifying the maximum possible combinations of satisfaction factors, enabling cost-effective construction while meeting green environment and low-carbon emission goals. This process is aided by a fuzzy control algorithm with the relationship and demand factor as crisp inputs. The decisions on the maximum possible combinations of the satisfaction factor are used for infrastructure recommendations. The need for optimal design and promoting green environments are optimal across various highway lanes.

Using Field Maps to monitor environmental and social impacts on Morava Corridor motorway construction in Serbia

Using Field Maps to monitor environmental and social impacts on Morava Corridor motorway construction in Serbia

Effect of low-content crumb rubber modification on the performance of bitumen and asphalt

The performance of flexible pavements is greatly influenced by rutting, fatigue, and durability, leading to premature failures under environmental conditions. The limitations of traditional bitumen in flexible asphalt pavements are due to the significant rise in traffic loads and volumes. The reason for incorporating tire waste into bitumen is its incredible qualities and economical price as a bitumen modifier. The quality of crumb rubber (CR)-modified bitumen mainly depends on the concentration of low-content CR dispersed into the base bitumen. The primary target of this research is to modify the bitumen with low-content CR to improve the thermal properties, rheology, rutting resistance, fatigue resistance, and moisture-damaged performance. The three concentrations, i.e., 5%, 10%, and 15% of CR, were selected based on extensive preliminary trials when dispersed in conventional 60/70 penetration grade bitumen. The consistency and mixture test results concluded that the optimum dosage of CR-10% provides a 20% improvement in thermal performance, a 15% increase in rheological stability, a 25% enhancement in rutting resistance, a 30% boost in fatigue resistance, and a 10% reduction in moisture damage susceptibility. The inclusion of CR makes rubberized asphalt an attractive and effective solution for highway construction, aligning with sustainable construction practices. The findings demonstrate that low-content CR-modified asphalt improved the durability of asphalt mixtures against moisture-induced damage and other benefits, such as reduced cracking and maintenance requirements. The CR technology led to a significant subsidization in the environmental impact of asphalt paving from 5 to 10% compared to standard paving applications.

Koopman theory meets graph convolutional network: Learning the complex dynamics of non-stationary highway traffic flow for spatiotemporal prediction

Reliable and accurate traffic flow prediction is crucial for the construction and operation of smart highways, supporting scientific traffic management and planning. However, accurately predicting spatiotemporal traffic flow in non-stationary and unprecedented traffic patterns scenarios, such as holidays and adverse weather conditions, remains a challenging task. Considering that (1) Koopman theory effectively captures the underlying time-variant dynamics of the non-stationary temporal sequence (2) Graph convolutional network (GCN) effectively extracts complex spatial dependencies, combining the strengths of both is a promising solution. Therefore, this paper proposes a spatiotemporal prediction network that integrates Koopman theory and GCN, named KoopGCN, for predicting non-stationary and inexperienced highway traffic flow. KoopGCN decomposes the input into time-invariant and time-variant components based on Fast Fourier Transform. The dual engine block consisting of KoopGCN InvarEngine and KoopGCN VarEngine is designed to predict two types of components separately. And the dual engine block also passes the residual to the next block for modeling. The experiment is conducted on real monitored highway data in Ningde City, Fujian Province, China. The results indicate that even if there is a significant distribution difference between the training and testing sets, KoopGCN can achieve accurate prediction, significantly outperforms state-of-the-art baselines.

Seismic Safety Evaluation of Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Wall for Highway Construction

The usage of Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls has grown in popularity over the last few decades and has been widely used in many countries for highway construction, including Indonesia. As a country with a high risk against seismic hazards, a considerable stability analysis against earthquakes for construction must be conducted. This paper is directed to evaluate the static and seismic stability of MSE wall by adopting design criteria from SNI 8460:2017 using the pseudo-static approach with Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) which modelling earthquake as a seismic coefficient, a one-way constant load and dynamic response approach with Finite Element Method (FEM) which modelling earthquake as ground motion, a fluctuating load which varies in time. The stability analysis is performed by considering three failure mechanisms that mostly occurred in MSE Walls; base sliding, tensile overstress, and slope failure. The earthquake load is modelled based 1000-year return period earthquake. Based on the analysis result, the most potential failure mechanism that may occur in the MSE wall is tensile overstress, while the least potential failure is base sliding. The analysis result also shows that the finite element method obtained higher safety factors compared to limit equilibrium, while on the other hand, the remaining two failure mechanisms shows the different result, with the finite element method obtaining lower safety factors than limit equilibrium. Modelling seismic load as an accelerogram indicates that earthquakes have higher impacts on structure stability compared to seismic coefficient, based on seismic safety factor reduction of each method. Although show differences in the value of the safety factor, the minimum safety factor required still complies with both methods.

Development of time-cost trade-off optimization model for Indian highway construction projects using non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II methodology

Development of time-cost trade-off optimization model for Indian highway construction projects using non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II methodology

A Study of Carbon Emissions during the Operational Period of an Integrated Expressway Construction Station

An integrated construction station for an expressway is characterized by complex carbon emission sources and high carbon emission intensity. Conducting carbon emissions accounting makes possible a comprehensive understanding of these characteristics, enabling targeted and guided carbon reduction efforts, which is crucial for advancing the low-carbon development of expressway construction. This paper, based on an in-depth analysis of the carbon emission structure during the operational period of an integrated expressway construction station identifies, as calculation boundaries, eight categories: residential areas, station transportation, mixing stations, precast beams, steel bar yards, artificial carbon emissions, chemical reactions during construction, and construction conditions. The study adopts a “bottom-up” approach to carbon emission measurement and constructs a carbon emission model for the production and operational period of the integrated construction station, based on the carbon emission factor method. Using the SG-2 section of the Fengqiu to Xiuwu stretch of the Changxiu Expressway as an engineering case, carbon emissions accounting for each component of the integrated construction station’s operational period was conducted, and the results were compared with the station’s monitoring system. High-precision characterization and calculation of total carbon emissions, as well as emissions from each process and piece of equipment during the operational period, were achieved. The results indicate that: (1) the relative error between the overall calculation results and actual monitoring is 3.6%, verifying the model’s accuracy; (2) the monthly carbon emissions of the integrated construction station during the operational period reached 72.15 tons; (3) there is a significant difference in carbon emissions among the different processes, with the highest emissions coming from transportation and residential areas, accounting for 43.4% and 23.7%, respectively. Therefore, electrification of transportation equipment could significantly reduce the overall carbon emissions of the integrated construction station.

Experimental study on deformation characteristics of seasonal subgrade soil under dynamic load.

In Northwest China, the highway infrastructure often faces challenges due to the widespread presence of subgrade soil. This soil undergoes significant changes in performance under cyclic loading and freeze-thaw cycles. To effectively design and construct highways in these regions, it is crucial to understand the impact of various factors on the deformation characteristics and mechanical properties of subgrade soil. This study aims to investigate the influence of freeze-thaw cycles, water content, confining pressure, and loading rate on the deformation behavior and mechanical properties of subgrade soil under cyclic loading conditions. Experimental tests were conducted to analyze the deformation characteristics and mechanical properties of the subgrade soil. The test results revealed the following: 1) Dynamic loading leads to a noticeable decrease in the strength of subgrade soil, resulting in a softening effect on the stress-strain curve. The cumulative strain of the soil is positively correlated with the number of freeze-thaw cycles and water content, while negatively correlated with confining pressure. The final cumulative strain remains below 1%. 2) The failure stress of subgrade soil decreases exponentially with an increase in freeze-thaw cycles, dropping from 224.52 kPa to 196.76 kPa. 3) An increase in water content linearly decreases the failure stress of subgrade soil, ranging from 377.1 kPa to 151.5 kPa. 4) Confining pressure exhibits a linearly increasing relationship with the failure stress of subgrade soil, ranging from 151.6 kPa to 274.5 kPa. 5) The failure stress of subgrade soil demonstrates a linear increase with the loading rate, ranging from 200.46 kPa to 210.62 kPa. These findings provide valuable insights for the design and construction of highways in seasonal frozen areas. They also offer guidance for preventing and mitigating subgrade freeze-thaw issues in the future.