Highway Performance Research Articles

The Use of Roughness Meter of Geophone Basis for Evaluating Functional Performance of Highways

The performance of a road link is globally divided into two categories: structural and functional. The structural performance is a condition shown by the condition of its remaining life, while the functional one relates to the comfort of road users passing on the pavement link. The roughness meter used is based on the censor of geophones and GPS, while the general roughness meters are based on accelerometer sensors such as ARRB, IRI meter, etc. The main reason to use the geophone is because the accelerometer and geophone are the sensors used to measure displacement. The theories behind this roughness meter are based on Watanabe et al. The retrieved data uses a stand-alone program based on Visual Basic 6. An Arduino Mega 2560 is used for the microcontroller, and the post-processing operation is programmed with MATLAB. Another advantage of this roughness meter is that the results of IRI values can be presented on a map, making it much easier for the road authority to determine the condition of the road links tested. This type of roughness meter has been tested for two road links in the Central Java province. Both of the two links have an average value of IRI of 3.7, which means that they are still in routine maintenance, but soon, they will get to the stage of minor rehabilitation.

Enhancing the utilization of renewable generation on the highway with mobile energy storage vehicles and electric vehicles

The growth of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable generation on the highway will magnify the imbalance between the energy supply and traffic electricity demand. Reshaping EV charging loads to address the above imbalance is challenging. Scheduling mobile energy storage vehicles (MESVs) to consume renewable energy is a promising way to balance supply and demand. Therefore, leveraging the spatiotemporal transferable characteristics of MESVs and EVs for energy, we propose a co-optimization method for the EV charging scheme and MESV scheduling on the highway, considering locational marginal price, renewable generation, and EV users’ benefit. Furthermore, by building a time–space–energy model for MESVs and EVs, we develop a bi-level optimization model to simulate the interaction between EV users and the highway operator (HO). In detail, the upper-level model optimizes EV charging pricing and MESV scheduling strategies to maximize HO profit, while the lower-level model considers EV users’ characteristics to minimize their charging-parking costs. The column-and-constraint generation algorithm is adopted due to the objective conflict between two levels. The study shows a 32.0% increase in renewable energy utilization and a reduction of 3190.1 kWh in electricity purchased from the main grid, promoting environmental and economic sustainability for the HO.

Soviet Practices of Financing the Operation of Highways in the Tyumen North: Between Regional Lobbying and Departmental Voluntarism

The article analyzes the Soviet practices of financing the operation of highways in the Tyumen North in the mid-1960s – early 1970s. Based on the materials of state and municipal archives, as well as the memoirs of road users of the Tyumen region, with the help of historical-genetic and historical-comparative methods, an attempt is made to show departmental interests and features of regional lobbying practices during the formation of contributions from enterprises of the Khanty-Mansiysk and Yamalo-Nenets national districts to the so-called “road fund” of the Tyumen Region for the operation of highways within the framework of the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (April 7 , 1959). The main problems of financing the repair and maintenance of highways, which led to contradictions between the Soviet authorities at the regional and district levels, are identified. Interdepartmental conflicts between Tyumenavtodor’s management and enterprises of the national districts were an active continuation of regional contradictions. The essence of the main contradictions in the period under study was the departmental affiliation of the highways of the Tyumen North. They did not belong to local or regional public roads and could not be repaired at the expense of deductions received by decree from enterprises and organizations in national districts. Among the practices of administration by the road industry, directive planning for the year and the formation of a task for the shared participation of enterprises of the districts played an important role. The author comes to the conclusion that enterprises and organizations of the national districts sought to reduce the amount of monetary contributions for the repair and construction of highways and redistribute funds to the district or city budget at the enterprise’s location. However, the Soviet authorities, represented by Tyumenavtodor’s management, hindered these processes, pursuing the goals of financial support for roads under construction in the south of the region, as well as recruiting road construction equipment and enterprises’ trucks.

Design of a tracking controller for autonomous articulated heavy vehicles using a nonlinear model predictive control technique

This article proposes a design of a tracking controller for autonomous articulated heavy vehicles (AAHVs) using a nonlinear model predictive control (NLMPC) technique. Despite economic and environmental benefits in freight transportation, articulated heavy vehicles (AHVs) exhibit poor directional performance due to their large sizes, multi-unit vehicle configurations, and high centers of gravity (CGs). AHVs represent a 7.5 times higher risk of traffic accidents than single-unit vehicles (e.g. rigid trucks, cars, etc.) in highway operations. Human driver errors cause about 94% of traffic collisions. However, little attention has been paid to autonomous driving control of AHVs. To increase the safety of AHVs, we design a novel NLMPC-based tracking controller for an AHV, that is, a tractor/semi-trailer combination, and this tracking controller is distinguished from others with the feature of controlling both the lateral and longitudinal motions for both the leading and trailing units. To design the tracking controller, a new prediction AHV model is developed, which represents both the lateral and longitudinal dynamics of the vehicle and captures its rearward amplification feature over high-speed evasive maneuvers. With the proposed tracking controller, the AAHV tracks the predefined reference path and follows a planned forward-speed scheme. Co-simulation demonstrates the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed NLMPC tracking controller.

Factors Affecting the Impact of Autonomous Vehicles on Freeway Operations – An Exploratory Analysis Using PCEs

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) and human-driven vehicles (HDVs) will share the roads for a long time, hence the need to study traffic flows mixing AVs and HDVs, especially during the AV introduction period. This paper aims to investigate the roadway and traffic characteristics that affect the impact of AVs on freeway traffic operations, using an adapted version of the HCM6 truck passenger-car equivalent (PCE) methodology. A large number of scenarios comprising different roadway characteristics, AV types and traffic flow compositions were simulated using Vissim to obtain AV PCEs. The results indicated that, for all scenarios considered, an AV has a 20% lower impact on the quality of service and operation than an HDV. A CART decision tree indicated that the most important factors affecting the AVs’ impact on traffic operations are vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity level and the capability of travelling in platoons. Maximum platoon length did not matter, and the increase in the number of traffic lanes reduced the positive impact of AVs on service quality.

Numerical Simulations of Failure Mechanism for Silty Clay Slopes in Seasonally Frozen Ground

Landslide damage to soil graben slopes in seasonal freezing zones is a crucial concern for highway slope safety, particularly in the northeast region of China where permafrost thawing is significant during the spring. The region has abundant seasonal permafrost and mostly comprises powdery clay soil that is susceptible to landslides due to persistent frost and thaw cycles. The collapse of a slope due to thawing and sliding not only disrupts highway operations but also generates lasting implications for environmental stability, economic resilience, and social well-being. By understanding and addressing the underlying mechanisms causing such events, we can directly contribute to the sustainable development of the region. Based on the Suihua–Beian highway graben slope landslide-management project, this paper establishes a three-dimensional finite element model of a seasonal permafrost slope using COMSOL Multiphysics 6.1 finite element numerical analysis software. Additionally, the PDE mathematical module of the software is redeveloped to perform hydrothermal-coupling calculations of seasonal permafrost slopes. The simulation results yielded the dynamic distribution characteristics of the temperature and seepage field on the slope during the F–T process. The mechanism behind the slope thawing and sliding was also unveiled. The findings provide crucial technical support for the rational analysis of slope stability, prevention of sliding, and effective control measures, establishing a direct linkage to the promotion of sustainable infrastructure development in the context of transportation and roadway engineering.

Windblown sand hazards risk assessment along the highways based on GIS-game theory combination weight.

Windblown sand hazards seriously threaten the safe operation of highways in desert areas. Reasonable risk assessment can provide the basis for windblown sand hazards prevention and risk reduction. To facilitate the formulation of better windblown sand hazards prevention and reduction strategies, a new windblown sand hazards risk assessment model along the highways was proposed, in which seven evaluation indicators were selected from danger of the hazard-causing factors, vulnerability of the hazard-forming environment, and the vulnerability of the hazard-bearing body. The model was established based on the combination weighting method of game theory, and the risk map was generated based on the GIS platform. Finally, the model was applied to the windblown sand hazards risk assessment along the Wuhai-Maqin Highway. The result showed that the risk of the windblown sand hazards along the Wuhai-Maqin Highway is mainly medium, low, and very low. High and very high risk windblown sand hazards sections account for only 33% of the total length of the highway. The high and very high risk highway sections of the windblown sand hazards are mainly distributed in the hinterland of shifting dunes area and near the horizontal curve with a small radius in the flat sandy land area. By comparing with the real information of windblown sand hazards along the highway, correlation was up to 85.93%, which verified the accuracy of the model. The model can be applied to windblown sand hazards risk assessment along the highways.

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.

Development of a Mechanistic-Empirical-Based Highway Cost Allocation Model for Flexible Pavements

Construction, operation, and maintenance of a pavement network requires funding, partially sourced from road user taxes. Recent studies showed that lightweight vehicles are typically taxed higher compared with heavy trucks that damage the roads the most. To facilitate the equity and fairness of the allocated costs to different vehicles in the United States (U.S.), Highway Cost Allocation Studies (HCAS) were performed using various pavement performance prediction models. Reviewed literature showed the lack of mechanistic-empirical (ME)-based HCAS models for the flexible pavement network. In this study, a national-level ME-based HCAS model was developed, and the damage shares of different vehicle classes have been estimated for 67,583 pavement sections in the U.S. Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) database. The proposed HCAS model was compared with the existing Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) HCAS model (i.e., National Pavement Cost Model [NAPCOM]). The analysis of the traffic data showed that two-axle single-unit trucks (SU2) and tractor-semitrailers with two tandem and one single axle (CS5T) were the most frequent users of the pavement network. The results showed that the damage share of SU2 is dominant in minor roadways, while the damage share of the heavier vehicles in the CS5T class is dominant in major arterials and interstates. In addition, it was found that, although the geographical location and environmental condition of the pavement section affects the magnitude of the pavement distresses, the distribution of the damage shares remains almost the same. This can be attributed to the similarities in the traffic data, for example, vehicle class distribution and axle load spectra.

Are you in the mood to pass? A study on the interplay of psychological traits and traffic on young drivers’ overtaking behavior on two-lane, two-way highways

Overtaking maneuvers – the passing of a vehicle traveling in the same direction through use of an opposing lane – on two-lane, two-way highways have significant implications on safety and highway performance. This research examines the interplay between young drivers’ psychological traits and traffic variables to better understand overtaking behavior. A total of 111 licensed drivers between the ages of 18 and 28 (inclusive) successfully completed four unique traffic scenarios presented in random order. In all four scenarios, the lead vehicle was a truck for which the speed and passing gap size varied. A standardized self-report questionnaire captured demographic and psychological factors including impulsiveness, mindfulness, attitude towards driving and depression. Results revealed that, irrespective of the traffic scenario, the propensity to overtake a lead vehicle is associated with lower attitudes towards rule violations and speeding. In more difficult traffic scenarios, the effects of impulsiveness and mindfulness are more pronounced. Concerning moods, young drivers with higher depressive symptoms are more likely to overtake in the most dangerous scenarios. These findings can enhance driver education campaigns and targeted curricula for young drivers promoting safe driving to lessen the social and economic burdens of high-impact crashes.

Impact Mitigation of Tunnels Maintenance Works on Highway Performance

Major maintenance interventions on highways (e.g., for the safety improvement of tunnels and viaducts) involve the presence of work zones for extended periods of time and along wide sections of the infrastructure. These interventions lead to supply changes, especially a reduction in capacity, causing a decrease in the performance of the transportation system, which users experience with increased traffic congestion and economic losses in terms of productivity. This paper aims to demonstrate that proper traffic management and work zone planning allow for a significant reduction of such impacts. In relation to traffic management, possible solutions consist of diverting traffic flows onto alternative routes (if possible, using primary roads) or keeping them in the remaining lanes along the work zone. In terms of work zone planning, leverage can be applied, on the one hand, through the design of the work zone layout and maintenance scheme and, on the other, through the duration and scheduling of the interventions. The methodology proposed in this paper is based on traffic simulation models in order to assess different maintenance scenarios under varying demand levels (i.e., during the rush hour and off-peak hours, weekdays and weekends, summer and winter months) and vehicular compositions (i.e., percentage of heavy vehicles), with the goal of identifying the scenario that minimizes the impacts on users. Modelling evidence on a real case study of tunnel maintenance interventions on an Italian highway is reported, discussing the policy implications on the basis of quantitative indicators, such as level of service, duration of delays, length of queues, and economic impacts.

Preliminary Study on Ecological Restoration Technology of Highway Slopes in High Altitude Mountain Areas—Taking Gansu Zhuohe Expressway Phase I Project as an Example

This study focuses on the technical difficulties of ecological restoration of highway slopes in high-altitude mountainous areas. Based on the theory of ecological restoration, starting from the characteristics of the ecological environment of highway slopes and the current status of ecological restoration technology of highway slopes, combined with the first phase of the Zhuoni Hezuo Expressway project in Gansu Province, we conducted research on ecological restoration technology of highway slopes in high-altitude mountainous areas. Based on the characteristics of the project and the natural environment, On the basis of investigation and evaluation of slope restoration design, it was proposed to add local leguminous plant combinations, including Astragalus adsurgens, yellow clover, and small crown flower. Grass family plants were selected, including smooth bromegrass, drooping elymus, flat ice grass, Chinese fescue, and cold early maturing bluegrass. The plant combination design was carried out; At the same time, according to the characteristics of the slope, ecological protection technologies such as vegetation blanket, spraying thin soil, planting bags+hydraulic spraying+planting shrub seedlings have been proposed for the slope; And proposed requirements for surface soil utilization and plant maintenance. This study aims to explore a technical solution suitable for ecological restoration of highway slopes in the Gannan region, in order to improve the stability and erosion resistance of slopes, improve the ecological environment, and ensure the safe operation of highways. It has guiding significance for ecological restoration of highway slopes in high-altitude mountainous areas and can be used as a reference for research on rock slope restoration in other regions.

Research on Highway Maintenance and Management Cost Based on Life Cycle Cost Analysis

With the rapid development of China’s highway construction, the huge demand for funds and the lack of financial strength of the contradiction is increasingly obvious, can effectively control the maintenance costs, highway operators to obtain sustainable development advantages of the key factors. This paper measures the highway maintenance and management costs including carbon emission costs based on the perspective of life cycle cost analysis. Based on the perspective of life cycle cost analysis, prediction models are developed for each component cost of highway maintenance and management costs. The carbon emission costs generated during the operation duration of highways are also included in the life-cycle costs, and the calculation model is proposed for the strategy of “30∙60 carbon target” in China. In the example analysis, the carbon emission cost of new energy vehicles is only 3/4 of that of fuel vehicles in the driving phase; more than 90% of the carbon emission is generated by the driving vehicles.

Operation standards for exclusive bus lane on expressway using simulation and traffic big data

<abstract> <p>Korea operates exclusive bus lanes (XBLs) on many of its expressways. As XBLs convert one lane of regular-use traffic into bus-only traffic, they have a large impact on traffic flow, so careful judgment is required to determine if the operation is effective. However, XBLs have been operated based on only political judgment due to the lack of standards for the operation of expressway XBLs. Therefore, we sought to establish standards for the operation of expressway XBLs using the micro-traffic simulation program VISSIM and the multi-criteria value function methodology. Various scenarios were established based on traffic volume changes of passenger vehicles and bus traffic of four- and five-lane expressway networks. Through an expert survey, the average speed and speed-deviation values, which are the criteria for evaluating operational efficiency and safety, were determined. Also, value points were converted using average speed and speed deviation extracted from the simulation. In addition, quantitative operation standards were established using the converted value scores. Using the results of this study, we established standards for the operation of the XBLs and presented guidelines for related agencies such as police, bus groups, and corporations. The National Police have prepared guidelines for the operation of the XBLs. Citing the results of this study, the new guidelines were implemented in February 2021, and sections of some XBLs have been abolished. Through this study, quantitative standards for the operation of XBLs, one of the management lane techniques necessary for sustainable highway operation, were prepared and applied to actual highways. By properly applying the newly applied guidelines according to quantitative standards, there will be effects of reducing traffic congestion, improving travel time, and enhancing environmental characteristics such as exhaust gas emission. It is also expected to have a positive effect on safety.</p> </abstract>

Modeling External and Empty Freight Truck Trips using Agent-Based Simulation

Modeling external and empty freight trips helps in better planning and scheduling of transportation operations. This can lead to more effective route planning, load consolidation, and overall optimization of transportation networks. In this study external and empty truck trips modeled using Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) and Highway Performance Measurement System (HPMS) data with generating trip outputs from POLARIS agent-based simulation framework. The model then applied to the Austin metropolitan area, Texas, USA. The model estimated single and multi-unit AADT values with 91% and 93.4% accuracy compared with the HPMS volume, respectively. The estimated error – 9% and 6.6% - is due to the shortest path routing that may prefer faster routes on certain highways. Truck trips on large volume links tend to be overestimated while short links underestimate truck trips to some extent.

Method of forecasting the durability of road structures

Aim: This article is proposed method for studying the durability of road structures in order to ensure reliability and accident-free operation of highways.
 Materials and Methods: The problem of durability assessment is solved by methods of the theory of Markov random processes.
 Results: The result of the work is a mathematical formulation of the problem of predicting the residual resource (durability) and a method for solving it.
 Conclusion: The method makes it possible to justify options for road and bridge structures that have the required durability while minimizing resource consumption.

Development laws of geological hazards along urban highway in Southwest China and countermeasures for prevention and control

China is a mountainous country with highly developed road geologic hazards, which pose a great threat to the construction and operation of highways, bridges, and tunnels and to the safety of people and property. This paper discussed the types, basic features, formation, and prevention conditions of road geologic hazards in China based on field research and study data collected thus far. The study considered an urban area of a city in southwest China as the center and a geological field investigation was performed over a total of 282 ​km on three important lifeline projects. The results show: Types of geologic hazards along the highways are mainly avalanches, debris flows, and landslides, respectively. Among them, the landslips are mainly distributed along the roads, with slip, dumping, and wrong break types as the main ones; the debris flows are widely distributed, mainly concentrated in the river valleys; and the unstable slopes are relatively few in number. Geological disasters are characterized by large-scale and concentrated triggering in time and space, and a single disaster can easily trigger other disasters, thus forming a chain of disasters. Neotectonic movement, seismic activity, topography, climatic conditions, stratigraphic lithology, and human activities are important factors leading to geologic hazards in the study area. This study is of great practical significance for reducing the occurrence of roadbed diseases and prolonging the service life of highways.

The place of comprehensive environmental and analytical assessment of the impact of the "CRE" system on environmental components in the EIA procedure

Problem. The operation of highways has a wide and multi-component impact on all components of the environment. Environmental Impact Assessment of roads is crucial for assessing the potential environmental consequences of road construction and operation. It is advisable to conduct this assessment based on a systemic analysis using a hierarchical structure for a comprehensive evaluation of the impact of the "CRE" system on the environment. Goal. The goal is to present the results of a comprehensive ecological-analytical assessment of the impact of roads on environment, which can be effectively used in the EIA procedure. Methodology. The 'CRE' system was analyzed using system analysis. Prioritization and weight coefficients for each element of the hierarchy were determined using expert-analytical assessments with the use of the MAI software complex. For a rapid assessment of the impact of road operation on the state of environment and the accumulation of heavy metals (HM) in vegetation and roadside soils, natural measurements and atomic absorption spectrometry methods were employed. Results. The expert-analytical research results revealed the contributions of each component within the complex hierarchical structure. Accumulation of HM in the roadside areas, including pollution of vegetation and soil, exceeding the permissible levels, was confirmed. Rank series were constructed: accumulation of HM in vegetation and soil samples, vegetation according to the property of accumulation of different HM in them. Originality. The study proposed a comprehensive assessment of the impact of road operation on the components of environment through an ecological-analytical evaluation of the developed hierarchical 'CRE' structure, resulting in the determination of weight coefficients and priorities of each element in the hierarchy's contribution to the environmental impact through expert-analytical assessment using the T. Saaty AНР method. Practical value. Using the proposed systematic approach in the EIA procedure for roads at every stage of their life cycle can improve control quality and the effectiveness of environmental protection measures, reducing environmental impact.

3D Inversion of Transient Electromagnetic Data for Concealed Karst Cavern Detection

The karst cavern is common undesirable geological body in limestone areas, which can bring great safety hazards to the construction and operation of tunnels, bridges and highways. Transient electromagnetic method (TEM) can effectively detect hidden karst structures based on the difference in electrical property between the karst cavern and the surroundings. Traditionally, 1D inversion is commonly used for the interpretation of TEM data due to its high efficiency. However, this may lead to artifacts due to 2D or 3D effects in practical surveys. In this study, we present a Gaussian-Newton approach to 3D inversion of TEM data for karst cavern detection. The numerical test on synthetic TEM data demonstrates that 3D inversion can effectively delineate the location and geometry of concealed karst cavern compared to the 1D inversion results.

GEODESIC MONITORING OF SHORT-TERM BRIDGE DEFORMATIONS IN RIVNE

The safe bridges functioning is a condition for long-term and accident-free operation of highways and railways. This work object is to study the short-term deformations of the bridge. The relevance of this problem is that the short-period component of deformations understudied, because its monitoring requires continuous observations of the bridge structure and requires the installation of stationary measurement stations. The very values of the deformations and their influence on the safe functioning of the structure remain little researched. A Leica TCR 1205 electronic reflection-free total station was used to study the short-term deformations of the bridge along Popovycha Street in Rivne. Eight cycles of observations were conducted during daylight hours from one station. The measurement results were processed as double exact measurements of homogeneous quantities. 
 The monitoring results indicate that the short-term deformations of the bridge beams are significant and can be recorded by geodetic methods. Spatial deformations of different points of the bridge in one cycle differ significantly from each other. The maximum deformation values obtained at the points turned towards the sun's rays. There are complex deformations of the beams, such as transverse bending and torsion, which significantly increases the forces in the structural elements of the bridge. Short-term deformations reach their maximum value at the period from 1 to 4 p.m., and then subside. The hypothesis that the main cause of short-term deformations is the heating of structures by solar rays seems reliable. Short-term deformation monitoring should be considered as an integral part of the bridge information system (BrIM).