Highway Construction Projects Research Articles

BIM-Supported Knowledge Collaboration: A Case Study of a Highway Project in China

Collaboration is challenging in highway building projects since there are always a number of stakeholders involved, each with different responsibilities, backgrounds, objectives, and competing interests. The basis for addressing collaboration problems in building projects is knowledge. Knowledge management (KM) can benefit greatly from the distinctive characteristics of BIM (building information modeling). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate knowledge collaboration in highway construction projects that is enabled by BIM. It first explores the motivations behind and difficulties with using BIM for knowledge-based collaboration. Next, it looks for possible ways to overcome those difficulties. It employs a large highway project as a study case in China. It uses in-depth interviews with a range of contractors working on this project to comprehend the difficulties they face in working together and investigate ways that BIM-supported KM can help stakeholders collaborate more effectively. Ultimately, it creates a conceptual model for knowledge-driven collaborative management within the BIM environment, offering both a theoretical framework and useful direction for knowledge-based collaboration amongst various stakeholders. The study explores the advantages of BIM characteristics in knowledge collaboration, which provides empirical evidence for the transformation from traditional IT-based knowledge collaboration to BIM-based knowledge collaboration in large and complex highway projects.

Enhancing regional well-being: An assessment of how infrastructure investments affect gross territorial product

The role of infrastructure in promoting regional well-being has gained significant attention. Infrastructure is critical in integrating the regional economy, multiplying economic development, and improving quality of life. Effective decision-making is crucial to maximize the return on these capital investments. This study assesses infrastructure investments’ short-term and long-term impacts. Short-term efficiency is evaluated through the multiplier effect on other sectors, while long-term efficiency focuses on the influence on economic growth. A polynomial model is constructed using regression analysis based on investments in highway construction projects and the corresponding dynamics of gross territorial product in surrounding areas. This model explains the nature of the multiplier impact of transport infrastructure investments. This study significantly contributes to understanding how infrastructure investments can be strategically targeted to enhance economic growth and regional well-being, providing valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and professionals in economics, urban planning, and infrastructure development.

A Novel Approach to Estimating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Federal Highway Construction Projects in Brazil

A Novel Approach to Estimating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Federal Highway Construction Projects in Brazil

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.

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.

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

Global Post-Evaluation for Highway Construction Projects

Global Post-Evaluation for Highway Construction Projects

Public Assessment for Environmental Management Plan Implementation: Comparative Study of Performance Indicators of Road and Highway Construction Projects

Public Assessment for Environmental Management Plan Implementation: Comparative Study of Performance Indicators of Road and Highway Construction Projects

Driving environmental inequality: the unequal harms and benefits of highways

ABSTRACT Highway construction projects have created extensive environmental and social burdens on racially segregated neighborhoods in urban areas in the U.S. However, few studies examine how some places benefit from highways and contribute to the harms in highway-adjacent communities. This paper aims to fill this gap by (1) conducting a case study of three highway projects in Omaha, Nebraska, and (2) using location-based services data to compare the neighborhood racial demographics of highway drivers to the racial demographics of highway-adjacent neighborhoods. In doing so, our paper heeds the call for more research on relative distribution environmental inequality and environmentalized urban sociology. Our historical case study elucidates how highway planning differed across three highway projects in racially segregated Black, Hispanic, and White neighborhoods. Further, the descriptive statistics show that modern-day drivers on highways in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods are from disproportionately more White neighborhoods compared to the neighborhoods bordering the highways. However, the reverse is not true: drivers using the highway in a majority White neighborhood are from neighborhoods that largely match the demographics of bordering neighborhoods. We discuss the implications of these results for future studies of transportation-related environmental and social inequality and current policy initiatives to remedy these harms.

A Multi-Objective Evaluation Method for Smart Highway Operation and Management

Smart highways represent a novel highway concept in the era of big data, emphasizing the synergy among people, vehicles, road facilities, and the environment. However, the operation and management of smart highways have become more intricate, surpassing the adaptability of traditional highway evaluation and management methods. This study integrates the distinctive characteristics of smart highway facilities and operational objectives to enhance and modernize the existing highway evaluation system. Drawing from research on smart highway construction projects, a smart highway evaluation system encompassing facility structure, electromechanical facilities, and operation services is formulated based on a hierarchical analysis method. The quantitative evaluation of each indicator is achieved by combining existing specifications and expert questionnaire solicitation. The group decision-making method is initially employed to optimize subjective weights, followed by the calculation of combined weights using both the entropy weight method and critic method in objective evaluation. Finally, a comprehensive evaluation model is established and validated through engineering projects. The results demonstrate that the evaluation system effectively highlights the advantages and disadvantages in the operation and management of smart highways, thereby fostering the advancement of smart highway iteration.

Disturbance Effect of Highway Construction on Vegetation in Hexi Corridor, North-Western China

The ecological environment of the Hexi Corridor in China is fragile owing to its unique geographical conditions. Since the 21st century, the construction of highway projects in the Hexi Corridor has increased with the implementation of China’s western development policy. The impact of highway construction on vegetation along roads is uncertain and requires attention. In this study, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was obtained based on remote sensing data, and the correlations between the vegetation index, climate changes, and highway construction from 2000 to 2019 were analyzed. The results showed that the NDVI of the Hexi Corridor showed a significant increasing trend, and the spatial difference was obvious, which was largely controlled by climatic conditions. Generally, the vegetation index was negatively correlated with temperature, but positively correlated with precipitation, and the correlation between the NDVI and precipitation was greater than that of temperature. The impact of highways on vegetation is a long-term process. In the eastern region of the Hexi Corridor, where the ecological environment is better, highway construction promoted vegetation development. However, in the western region with high desertification, the damage caused by highway construction to vegetation was serious, and the recovery rate of degraded vegetation was slow after the completion of highway construction. Although the vegetation development in the Hexi Corridor was mainly affected by precipitation, in the western region, highway construction was the main factor controlling vegetation disturbance within a certain range on both sides, and its contribution to vegetation disturbance reached 60%. The research results can improve understanding of the disturbance effect of highway construction on vegetation in arid areas.

Cost Control Strategies in the Pre-Construction Period of Highway Construction

Effective cost control in the investment and design phases of highway construction is crucial for managing project expenses. However, current management practices often overlook pre-construction cost management, leading to budget overruns and project delays during later stages. To ensure the smooth execution and cost control of highway construction projects, this paper examines the significance of cost control, evaluates the current state and challenges of highway construction, and proposes strategies for cost management. These strategies aim to establish a robust foundation for cost management in highway projects.

Exploring the key risk factors impeding the performance of highway construction projects: an evidence from Nigeria

Purpose Construction projects, and particularly highway infrastructures, are known to be major contributors to the socio-economic growth of developing countries. However, these types of projects are infamous for being highly risky due to the interplay of numerous risk factors. This study aims to explore the key risk factors impacting on the performance of highway infrastructure projects in Nigeria from the contextual viewpoint of key industry stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data was collected using semi-structured interviews. Specifically, 17 in-depth expert interviews were conducted with experienced stakeholders in the highway sector of the Nigerian construction industry. The collected data was transcribed and analysed using an established coding framework (grounded on case study approach, principles of thematic analysis and saliency analysis). Findings Overall, 17 key risks were identified from the data analysis process, and 6 risks were recognised as the most significant, based on the combination of prevalence of occurrence and significance of the coded information. The six top risks were: change in government, corruption, cost of construction materials, inflation, project funding issues and construction project delay. However, the first two of these risks (change in government and corruption) are politically related, which is specific and unique to the setting of Nigeria and thus might be seen as discouraging indicators that could have an impact on attracting foreign investors/contractors to Nigeria. Originality/value The study addressed the gap related with identifying context-specific risk factors impeding the performance of highway projects in Nigeria from the viewpoints of industry experts. It is expected that the findings will provide a better insight into the various risk factors and thus aid relevant policymakers to provide context-specific mitigating strategies.

A study on settlements of road embankments on soft ground using vertical drains

In civil engineering, the study of embankment settlement on soft ground is a vital geotechnical task in order to maintain serviceability of the road embankment, pavement, and facilities. This paper presents a study on settlements of road embankment on soft ground using vertical drains, including prefabricated-vertical drain (PVD), sand drain (SD), and sand compaction pile (SCP) on a number of packages of Hanoi – Haiphong Expressway Construction Project. The effectiveness of settlement prediction of vertical drain solutions is evaluated considering the ratios between the observed consolidation settlements and settlements predicted in the Detailed Design, in relation to the thickness of soft soil and the depth of treatment. Regression analysis is used to establish the correlation between the observed settlement and the height of embankment. The results show that (i) the design generally overestimated settlements; (ii) the ratios between observed and predicted settlements tend to positively correlate with the thickness of soft soil and the depth of treatment, and (iii) there are positive correlations between the height of embankment and the observed settlement. These correlations can be a valuable source of reference for anticipating settlements in basic design of highway projects with soft ground treated by vertical drains, in the regions that have geological stratum similar to Thabinh and Haihung formations of Bacbo Plain

Assessment of Schedule Quality Problems from the DOT Schedule Reviewers’ Perspective: Case of TxDOT

A construction schedule review is an essential aspect of schedule management for U.S. state departments of transportation (DOTs) to deliver transportation construction projects on time. Despite their importance, current literature pays limited attention to addressing schedule quality problems for highway construction projects. This research aims to assess schedule quality problems from DOTs’ perspective and suggests recommendations to improve DOTs’ schedule review practices. To achieve this, two questions were formulated: 1) What schedule problems do DOT schedule reviewers perceive as vital to schedule quality? and 2) What schedule problems do DOT schedule reviewers find repeatedly? This research first reviewed relevant literature and identified 44 schedule quality problems noted about highway construction. Based on these 44 problems, a survey was developed to assess the level of impact and the likelihood of occurrence of each problem. The survey was deployed to Texas Department of Transportation practitioners with schedule review experience. The analysis prioritized the problems by the relative impact and frequency, and DOTs can utilize this analysis to improve their schedule review process and practices. This paper contributes to the academic body of knowledge by investigating the schedule quality problems in highway construction and DOT practitioners’ perceptions of the schedule quality problems. Its industry contribution includes providing the methodology for DOTs to assess their schedule quality problems.

Research on Performance Evaluation Index System of Rural Highway PPP Project

In recent years, China has actively and steadily expanded the effective investment in rural transportation infrastructure, actively guided social capital to participate in rural development, promoted the combination of PPP model and all aspects of rural areas, and implemented a new round of rural road construction and transformation. Rural highway construction is an important measure to promote rural economic development. Because of the wide range of rural construction in China and the huge capital investment and demand, it is necessary to build a scientific and comprehensive evaluation index system to evaluate the performance of rural highway construction projects, analyze the evaluation results, and put forward feasible suggestions to help decision makers grasp the benefits and effects of construction, and take targeted measures to guide and promote the positive development of rural highways. Taking the northern extension project of XL highway as an example, this paper constructs a performance evaluation index system, which can provide reference for the project management of XL highway and other highway projects.

Analysis of Bridge Inspection Technology for Highway Reconstruction and Expansion

This article focuses on bridge testing technologies in highway construction and expansion projects. It provides an overview of the inspection process for bridges in highway reconstruction and expansion projects, the main inspections, and strategies for improving the quality of inspections. Relevant units should conduct bridge inspections using appearance inspections, special inspections, and bearing capacity assessments in highway reconstruction and expansion projects. To effectively improve testing quality, relevant units should also focus on establishing and improving testing standards, strengthening material testing, and improving the overall quality of the testing personnel. This research aims to enhance the quality of highway reconstruction and expansion projects by supporting the sensible application of bridge inspection technology.

Analysis of Site Construction Management of Huangshi Section of Wuyang Expressway

In recent years, all aspects of our society have been in rapid development. The construction of the highway has also been greatly promoted, especially in the field of transportation, and has made a lot of achievements. With the continuous advancement of social development, the quality requirements for highway projects are also increasing. Therefore, the construction unit should deeply understand the problems existing in the current construction management and take effective measures to strengthen the construction management to ensure the safe and reliable operation of highways. This paper takes highway project construction management as an example, adopts the literature research method and case analysis method, and carries on a series of analyses of the Wuyang Highway Huangshi Section project and current Chinese highway project construction management by searching the literature about standardized highway construction. First of all, the background and significance of the research topic, as well as the status quo at home and abroad, are introduced, and the main research content and purpose of this study are proposed. Secondly, the content and concrete measures of standardization of expressway construction are expounded, respectively. Thirdly, on this basis, combined with the example of the Wuyang Expressway Huangshi Section project construction management, the highway project construction management is analyzed and studied. In the process of research, some problems existing in the construction management process at this stage are put forward. Finally, the paper puts forward the improvement measures and further optimization plans for the problems. In this paper, the freeway project construction management is studied, and the theory is explored for the development and improvement of our country's freeway project construction management system.

Research on Clustering of Material Inspection Data for Highway Construction Projects Based on Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering

In large-scale highway construction projects, the project implementers will carry out detailed testing of various material indicators used in the project. By processing and analyzing these material testing data, we can reasonably classify large-scale highway construction projects, so that each project implementer can better manage the quality of the materials, which will greatly help all parties to strengthen the quality control of the project and improve the level of project management. This study first preprocesses the material testing data to obtain a structured data set suitable for data analysis. Then statistical features are constructed for the features in the dataset, including maximum, minimum, mean, median and standard deviation, to improve the performance and accuracy of the model. Next, the clustering hierarchical clustering method is applied for classification and the classification results are visualized in the form of dendrograms. Finally, through the comparison of performance analysis and clustering evaluation indexes, it is concluded that the classification of works into 3 or 4 categories according to material performance is in line with the actual level of engineering quality.

Сохранение биоразнообразия в Прибайкальском национальном парке при строительстве дорог

The article deals with the issue of biodiversity conservation in a unique natural area located in the northern part of the Small Sea. The Zama area is an inaccessible tourist site due to the local road, where you need to drive at least 80 km along a difficult road strewn with boulders. The highway construction project will change the habitats of Red Book and endemic species of the Pribaikalsky National Park (PNP). The article considers the toponymy, climatic and edaphic characteristics of the area. The ecological characteristics and floristic richness of the habitats of plant species in the PNP are also explored. Plant communities of successional type in anthropogenically disturbed areas are described. The reasons for anthropogenic impact and recommendations for the restoration of natural communities are provided. The changes and the effect of human activities are described. The research materials can be used for creating an information basis for decision-making on preventing negative consequences of tourism activities and the environmental safety of Lake Baikal.