Road Structure Research Articles

A comparative review study on the electrified road structures: Performances, sustainability, and prospects

The electrified road (eRoad) technology, which allows for delivering electrical power to electric vehicles (EVs) in motion, has been under active development as a novel charging solution, with a great potential to eliminate EV’s range anxiety and to reduce the battery dependency. Three promising eRoad technologies, including pantograph, conductive rail, and the inductive power transfer (IPT), have gained momentum. In this review, the following studies are performed: (1) a comparative analysis of the three eRoad technologies is made by focusing on the working principles, performances as well as technology readiness levels (TRLs). (2) From the perspective of road infrastructure, the potential structural compatibility issues are extensively discussed; the recommendations and emerging research needs, which could improve the eRoads’ service lifetime, are further presented. (3) Life cycle sustainability potential for the three eRoad solutions are comparably analyzed, emphasizing as well the importance of integrating eRoad infrastructure into the full life cycle assessment on the use of EVs for clean transport. (4) In the context of the drastic development of smart road systems, potential synergistic development of eRoad with other novel technologies is envisioned.

Results of Laboratory Studies of Strengthening Subgrade Soil with Modifier

Current modern trends in road construction are the increase in traffic intensity and the carrying capacity of motor transport, as well as the expansion of the road network, including local roads. These trends put forward the task of not only increasing the durability of road structures, but also the use of local materials and soils in the construction of highways. Several methods have been developed to strengthen the soils of the road base. A variety of surfactants, modifiers and additives are also produced to strengthen the roadbed. Many of them have not shown their effectiveness in practice. Therefore, there is a need for plenty laboratory and field studies on this topic. Laboratory studies were carried out to investigate the effect of the modifier on the roadbed soil. The type of soil and its maximum density were determined at optimal humidity. Based on this, cement and a modifier were introduced into the soil composition, density and compressive strength were determined. The results of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were obtained to study the effect of the modifier on the roadbed soil. Laboratory studies and SEM-analysis have shown that the addition of a modifier to the soil leads to an increase in its maximum density, a significant increase in compressive strength and that the modifier serves to improve the binding properties by forming a crystalline bond with cement.

Mechanical Analysis of Semi-Rigid Base Asphalt Pavement under the Influence of Groundwater with the Spectral Element Method

Over prolonged exposure to groundwater conditions, semi-rigid base asphalt pavements can undergo significant changes in their internal moisture field, resulting in substantial variations in the pavement’s stiffness and, consequently, affecting the overall load-bearing capacity and stability of the road structure. This paper employs FWD non-destructive testing equipment to assess its mechanical performance and conduct data analysis and conducts a mechanical response study of asphalt road surfaces, considering the influence of roadbed moisture levels. Using the dynamic analytical theory, the fundamental equations and stiffness matrices for a linear elastic half-space model were established, leading to the development of a computational model for the mechanical response of semi-rigid base asphalt pavements under FWD dynamic loading, with an examination of the surface deflection in relation to changes in groundwater levels. Numerical examples and engineering applications were employed to validate the proposed model. The research findings indicate: With the passage of time, surface deflection values initially increase and then decrease, exhibiting a sinusoidal variation pattern similar to that of the applied load. As the distance from the loading center increases, the moment of peak deflection continually lags behind. The average absolute relative error between the results obtained using the method proposed in this study and the traditional ABAQUS finite element method was only 0.70%. The correlation coefficient between the theoretically computed deflection curve and the measured deflection curve using the spectral element method was greater than 0.9, with an average absolute relative error of 4.92% between the theoretical peak deflection and the measured peak deflection. As the groundwater level rises, surface deflection noticeably increases, with an approximately 40% increase in deflection values at the loading center. These research findings can be utilized to analyze the dynamic deflection of semi-rigid base asphalt pavements under various groundwater conditions, providing significant practical value for assessing road structural performance and serviceability.

RDPGNet: A road extraction network with dual-view information perception based on GCN

Automatic road extraction from satellite images is a popular research hotspot topic in the field of remote sensing. However, the complexity of road features and structures hinders their precise extraction. Road features have different saliency due to the occlusion of other objects and diverse road types. Road structures are scattered across various locations and affected by geographical conditions, population distribution, and transportation demands. These issues render current methods based on convolutional neural networks prone to fragmented and incomplete road extraction results. To address these issues, a Road Extraction Network with Dual-View Information Perception Based on GCN (RDPGNet) is proposed, where the GCN-based dual-view perceptron (GDVP) uses the superior information interaction capability of the GCN to explore road information under a dual view. In the GDVP, we first design the road feature saliency graph reasoning module (RFSG) and road structure homogeneous space graph reasoning module (RSHS) based on the features and structures. The RFSG obtains the similarity of road feature information in different regions as a similarity matrix to participate in the graph reasoning process, ensuring that equal treatment is given to regions with varying saliency levels. The RSHS projects the road structure onto a corresponding homogeneous space while aggregating and interacting with information through graph convolution, thereby enhancing the network’s perception of roads in diverse locations. Second, because multi-view information usually shares a potential common representation, a multi-view information fusion and alignment strategy (MVFA) is designed to comprehensively model road information. Experimental results obtained from two public datasets indicate that RDPGNet outperforms other state-of-the-art networks.

How Much Do Urban Terminal Delivery Paths Depend on Urban Roads – A Research Based on Bipartite Graph Network

The structural deficiencies of the terminal delivery path often make it the main culprit of urban traffic congestion and environmental pollution. Traditional studies of express networks regarded them as an independent entity, ignoring the endogenous role of urban road network morphology and structure. To solve this problem, this paper explored the spatial dependency of terminal delivery routes in Xi'an City based on the idea of a bipartite graph network. A spatial dependency matrix of delivery paths–urban roads was constructed by abstracting delivery paths as node-set A and urban roads as node-set B. In addition, three spatial dependencies indexes, including degree centrality, betweenness centrality and closeness centrality were introduced to analyse the coupling features of these two objects. The results show that these dependency measures can reflect the coupling features of urban terminal delivery paths and urban roads. Firstly, degree centrality demonstrates terminal delivery path coverage and coupling hierarchy and scale-free nature. Secondly, betweenness centrality presents the road utilisation balance of terminal delivery paths. Thirdly, closeness centrality explains how easy it is for delivery paths to connect with others.

Comparative analysis of the quality of execution of road surfaces on newly built, reconstructed and renovated roads in the city Płock area (Poland)

Carrying out repair works, reconstruction, and construction of new road surfaces is a permanent element of urban space. The quality of the new pavement for the adopted traffic category directly impacts the road infrastructure's durability. The choice of road surface structure depends on the adopted traffic category. The aim of the article is to assess the works carried out on selected road surfaces within the city of Płock (Poland) in terms of the technical specification requirements and the durability of road infrastructure. The paper presents the tests of three road layers: base layer, binding layer and wearing course. The tests were carried out on 11 streets, and 29 samples were collected.

UnetEdge: A transfer learning-based framework for road feature segmentation from high-resolution remote sensing images

Topological information is a crucial factor affecting road feature extraction using semantic segmentation. Many segmentation models have recently been developed for road feature extraction from high-resolution remote sensing imagery but have yet to achieve accurate predictions when occluded by shadows. This study proposes a transfer learning-based framework, called UnetEdge, which is designed to effectively propagate topological information into the feature map. The novel Edge module transmits edge level topological information along with contextual spatial information through the decoder layer to the final feature map. This essentially enhances the continuous flow of semantic road pixel information into the network. Moreover, to integrate heterogeneous road structure information into the network, we have leveraged the transfer learning approach to produce accurate road segmentation maps. Extensive experiments on five standard public datasets and comparative analysis against the state-of-the-art networks establish the robustness and efficiency of the model. Furthermore, the experimental results on our acquired Indian drone dataset achieved an IoU score of 70.22 and a mIoU score of 82.45% with an overall accuracy of 95.27%, validating the model's effectiveness for real-world applications.

Determining Priorities for Handling Environmental Road Sections in Palu City (Case Study in West Palu District)

Palu City has numerous roads, including environmental road networks, where the function of many environmental roads has decreased due to heavy traffic and damaged road structures. The improvement of environmental road infrastructure is a complex issue that requires objective policymakers. Sometimes, the work carried out to address environmental issues on roads is not prioritized effectively. To tackle this problem, a research study was conducted to determine the priority order for handling environmental roads in the West Palu sub-district of Palu City. The study used a multi-criteria analysis approach to determine priorities, where the criteria were weighted based on input from respondents from government agencies related to road infrastructure. The criteria used to determine priorities in this research were road conditions, traffic volume, land use, and development planning deliberation proposals. The criteria for road conditions and traffic volume were given the highest priority weighting with weight values of 39.10% and 28.10%, respectively. This was followed by the development planning deliberation proposal criteria at 21.50% and land use criteria at 11.30%. By weighting criteria and scoring criteria based on operational criteria variables, the analysis obtained the top 5 priority orders for handling environmental road sections on Jl. Srikaya. Lr. Sirsak II Kel. Kamonji, Jl. Mas Mansyur Lr. Kel. Baru, Jl. Samudra II Lr. II Kel. Lere, Jl. Lasoso Lr I Kel. Lere and Jl. Durian Lr. Kel. Kamonji.

Sensor-Based Structural Health Monitoring of Asphalt Pavements with Semi-Rigid Bases Combining Accelerated Pavement Testing and a Falling Weight Deflectometer Test

The Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of pavement infrastructures holds paramount significance in the assessment and prognostication of the remaining service life of roadways. In response to this imperative, a methodology for surveilling the surface and internal mechanical responses of pavements was devised through the amalgamation of Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT) and Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) examinations. An experimental road segment, characterized by a conventional asphalt pavement structure with semi-rigid bases, was meticulously established in Jiangsu, China. Considering nine distinct influencing factors, including loading speed, loading weight, and temperature, innovative buried and layout configurations for Resistive Sensors and Fiber-optic Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors were devised. These configurations facilitated the comprehensive assessment of stress and strain within the road structure across diverse APT conditions. The methodology encompassed the formulation of response baselines, the conversion of electrical signals to stress and strain signals, and the proposition of a signal processing approach involving partial filtering and noise reduction. In experimental findings, the asphalt bottom layer was observed to undergo alternate tensile strains under dynamic loads (the peak strain was ten με). Simultaneously, the horizontal transverse sensor exhibited compressive strains peaking at 66.5 με. The horizontal longitudinal strain within the base and subbase ranged between 3 and 5 με, with the base registering a higher strain value than the subbase. When subjected to FWD, the sensor indicated a diminishing peak pulse signal, with the most pronounced peak response occurring when the load plate was situated atop the sensor. In summary, a comprehensive suite of monitoring schemes for road structures has been formulated, delineating guidelines for the deployment of road sensors and facilitating sustained performance observation over extended durations.

Integrated approaches for road extraction and de-noising in satellite imagery using probability neural networks

Remote sensing plays a crucial role in detecting and monitoring natural resources, extending its applications to various fields, such as geography, topographical surveying, and geoscience disciplines, including land management, forest monitoring, crop identification, soil mapping, and ocean resource finding. Road extraction holds significant importance among these applications, contributing to the development of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The automatic updating of GIS information has become essential in daily life. Road extraction stands out as a prominent application within remote sensing image systems, addressing challenges related to intensity and width. Intensity challenges involve variations in spectral or color values of roads, while width challenges pertain to the issues associated with the size and structure of roads during the extraction process. Addressing the challenges associated with road extraction from remote sensing imagery is crucial for achieving accurate and efficient results. This paper under consideration compares the conventional and contemporary methods of road extraction, emphasizing completeness and correctness metrics. Conventional methods involve techniques like CLAHistogramEqualization for enhancement and fuzzy c-mean clustering for extraction, resulting in incremental improvements. To enhance results further, images are de-noised using Gray World Optimization and iterative domain-guided image filtering. To improve efficiency in road extraction, the authors proposed a contemporary approach through probability neural networks with de-noised images. The comparison is made based on the completeness and correctness of both conventional and contemporary methods.

Waypoint Transfer Module between Autonomous Driving Maps Based on LiDAR Directional Sub-Images

Lane graphs are very important for describing road semantics and enabling safe autonomous maneuvers using the localization and path-planning modules. These graphs are considered long-life details because of the rare changes occurring in road structures. On the other hand, the global position of the corresponding topological maps might be changed due to the necessity of updating or extending the maps using different positioning systems such as GNSS/INS-RTK (GIR), Dead-Reckoning (DR), or SLAM technologies. Therefore, the lane graphs should be transferred between maps accurately to describe the same semantics of lanes and landmarks. This paper proposes a unique transfer framework in the image domain based on the LiDAR intensity road surfaces, considering the challenging requirements of its implementation in critical road structures. The road surfaces in a target map are decomposed into directional sub-images with X, Y, and Yaw IDs in the global coordinate system. The XY IDs are used to detect the common areas with a reference map, whereas the Yaw IDs are utilized to reconstruct the vehicle trajectory in the reference map and determine the associated lane graphs. The directional sub-images are then matched to the reference sub-images, and the graphs are safely transferred accordingly. The experimental results have verified the robustness and reliability of the proposed framework to transfer lane graphs safely and accurately between maps, regardless of the complexity of road structures, driving scenarios, map generation methods, and map global accuracies.

DESIGN REVIEW ANALYSIS OF THE USE OF STONE HEAPS FROM STONE EXCAVATIONS IN THE PROBOLINGGO – BANYUWANGI TOLL ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT SECTION 3

In constructing a toll road, the road structure will be carried out by constructing embankments on the road. However, in practice it often causes elevation differences between the two land surfaces, thereby increasing the risk of landslides. The objectives of the research are 1) Identifying the impact if Common Borrow Material (CBM) embankment work is replaced by rock embankment from excavation results, 2) Determine the value engineering process steps related to completing alternative design selection if there are differences between the actual Detailed Engineering Design in the field and 3) Determine the strategy and design optimization for volume differences which have implications for additional costs and project implementation time. The research uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods. The data analysis technique is carried out using the Zero-one and Cost Analysis methods. The research results prove that 1) Implementation of the design review method for changes in common borrow material dumping work requires innovation to reduce cost elements and match performance and quality. 2) Solving problems using the design review method in the civil works construction phase where the Detail Engineering Design and actual field conditions have different stages of value engineering analysis. 3) Based on function analysis to optimize cost savings for work items using design review, a Preliminary Design according to DED Rp. 4,068,258,782,670 and Design after RE Rp. IDR 3,987,286,153,268 so the cost reduction after implementing the design review for the work of piling stones from stone excavation results is IDR 80,972,629,402.

Evaluating the impact of construction-induced vibration on nearby structures when building road embankment in Hanoi

Vietnam is currently undertaking numerous transportation and infrastructure projects in urban areas, particularly in densely populated cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. These cities have high traffic density and frequent traffic congestion, which necessitates the use of construction equipment such as vibratory rollers and pile drivers. However, these machines can cause vibrations that affect the surrounding structures. This study investigates the impact of roller compaction-induced vibration on the building structure of Ring road No.2 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The finite element method (Plaxis 2D) was applied to evaluate the impact of vibration on surrounding structures. The maximum measured velocity is similar to the values derived from numerical analysis. The Finite element method (FEM) results exhibited a high degree of correlation with the actual velocity measurement and frequency dominant structure responses caused by ground-borne vibration induced by roller compaction within the frequency range of 5 Hz to 10 Hz.

Novel method for ecosystem services assessment and analysis of road-effect zones

To explore the cumulative ecological effects of roads in ecologically fragile areas, the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) tool was applied to assess the spatiotemporal changes in habitat quality, water yield, and soil erosion in road-effect zones of the Western Sichuan Plateau, China. Then, generalized estimating equations were formulated to analyze the impact of synergies among road attributes, climate, topography, land cover, and other factors on ecosystem service changes. The results showed that the habitat quality within the road-effect zones was mostly affected by road grade and structure, and water yield and soil erosion were attributed to the factors of road structure, rainfall, and topography. Roadbed sections had the greatest negative impact on ecosystem services, followed by bridge sections and tunnel sections. Overall, the results of this study address habitat encroachment and soil and water loss in ecologically fragile areas, contributing to knowledge on green infrastructure planning.

Humidity field for unsaturated subgrade accounting for the hydro-mechanical coupling and the difference of compactness: A simulation method

The safety and stability of road structures heavily rely on the precise assessment of subgrade humidity. However, existing methods often fall short in fully considering the coupling effect between humidity and stress states, as well as variations in compactness across different subgrade areas. In this study, a new model is proposed for simulating water migration in soil subgrade, incorporating hydro-mechanical coupling and the degree of compaction. The model is implemented using a newly added physical field in the COMSOL Multiphysics platform, and a numerical method is developed for calculating subgrade humidity. Moisture migration behavior in subgrades is investigated by selecting two atmospheric environments, namely dry and wet conditions. The results demonstrate that the developed humidity calculation method, accounting for hydro-mechanical coupling and compactness variations, yields reasonable and accurate predictions. Substantial differences in subgrade humidity are observed between wet and dry conditions. Compared to the dry conditions, pronounced fluctuations in subgrade humidity are observed in areas near slopes, with the equilibrium moisture content increasing by approximately 50% compared to the initial content. Additionally, the equilibrium time for moisture migration is significantly shortened under wet conditions. Based on these findings, it is recommended that waterproof should be considered in subgrades exposed to wet atmospheric environments to avoid excessive moisture content in subgrade.

Modeling and analysis of ice condensation on bridge deck pavement surface based on heat transfer theory and finite element method

Bridge surfaces usually freeze more easily than road surfaces in wet and cold conditions, which is unfavorable to traffic safety. This study aims to develop an ice prediction model for bridge deck pavement structures by integrating external climatic factors and internal structure parameters, and to analyze the mechanism of ice condensation. This model adopted finite element analysis to deal with the heat transfer problem and the latent heat during the phase change process. A series of experiments were designed to validate the model, and the relative difference was around 10 %. Results shown that: among external climatic factors, the impact of changes in water accumulation on ice formation is not significant. Meanwhile, the air temperature has the greatest impact, and there is a non-linear relationship between wind speed and the initial freezing time. In the study on the effect of aging, it was found that aged asphalt concrete pavement would freeze earlier and melt later compared to new. When comparing different structures, it was observed that the initial freezing time of the bridge deck pavement structure was 0.8 h earlier than the road structure, and the total freezing time was 2.8 h shorter than the road structure. It was also found that the lower thermal conductivity would delay the occurrence of icing when the bridge deck pavement structure was in a cooling stage. Finally, it was observed that the vehicle speed played a critical role in determining the direction of the heat flow with a specific value, and the value would increase as the temperature difference decreased. This prediction model is useful for transportation agencies to understand the mechanism of pavement ice formation and ensure traffic safety in winter.

An efficient pavement distress detection scheme through drone–ground vehicle coordination

Efficient road maintenance is imperative for infrastructure longevity and safety. Conventional ground vehicle-based methods for detecting pavement distress, however, encounter limitations in practice when dealing with complex road structures. Drones, endowed with greater spatial freedom, can access road segments that are hard-to-reach to ground vehicles, thereby enhancing detection efficiency and expanding detection coverage. By harnessing the complementary strengths of both detection modalities, we propose a scheme that capitalizes on the cooperative coordination of drones and ground vehicles for effective pavement distress detection. Our proposed scheme is evaluated using realistic road networks in practice. Results reveal that the coordinated detection scheme strikes a favorable balance between fixed device-related expenses and detection efficiency. This scheme offers promising policy implications, streamlining maintenance across diverse road networks and meeting extensive infrastructure needs, offering policymakers an efficient and viable scheme for road infrastructure maintenance.

Development of road pavement structures using zeolite of the Tatar-Shatrashanskoe deposit

Introduction. The growing dynamics of road construction, the active improvement of domestic road structures and technologies, and the modernization of the production base will make it possible to form a comprehensive sustainable transport framework for the country, which will provide an impact to the entire economy of the Russian Federation. One of the economically and technologically advantageous solutions for this is the development and construction of road structures using zeolite - pozzolanic additive. The analysis of Russian and foreign sources indicates that pozzolanic additives improve the physical and mechanical properties of road building materials. The purpose of the work is to develop road pavement structures using zeolite from the Tatarsko-Shatrashanskoe deposit. To achieve this purpose, the tasks such as the development of road building materials using zeolite ( local mineral materials treated with Portland cement and zeolite are used for base layers, warm asphalt concrete with zeolite is used for coating layers), the design and calculation of road pavements using zeolite from the TatarskoShatrashanskoe deposit were solved.Materials and methods. The experimental laboratory studies of materials in accordance with GOST 23558, GOST R 70396, GOST R 58406.8, GOST R 58406.9, GOST 9128, GOST 12801 were carried out. The calculation of road pavement structures in the Credo Radon software package for permissible elastic deflection, shear resistance, bending resistance, static load, frost resistance, drainage layer for climatic conditions typical of the Republic of Tatarstan, according to PNST 265, GOST R 58818 was carried out.Results. As a result of the research, the physical and mechanical properties of samples of road building materials using zeolite, which correspond to regulatory requirements were determined. The design and calculation of road pavements using zeolite in the Credo Radon software package was carried out. Structural transverse profiles of highways of categories IV and V using zeolite from the Tatarsko-Shatrashanskoe deposit have been proposed. The use of developed materials and road structures will currently improve the economy, rational environmental management of the region and, in general, provide an opportunity to improve the quality of life in cities and towns by successfully completing the five-year road activity plan.

Development levels for time planning model ofroad constru ction at design stages

Introduction. The experience of Russian computer companies in the field of information modelling technologies (IMT) in construction is analyzed. The attention to the role of standardization and classification of construction information (CSI) for coding elements of the digital information model (DIM) at the stages of organizational design and calendar planning is drawn. The specificity of linear objects with respect to the level of elaboration of model elements and their attribute characteristics at different planning levels is noted. Models and methods. The necessity of an individual approach to the decomposition of road structure elements taking into account the complex of natural and man-made factors is substantiated. At different stages of designing the organization of road construction, the timetable with different degrees of detail depending on the design objectives and available information about the object is presented. The parameters of specialized flows of a linear object, limitations and criteria for the optimality of the calendar plan at the design stage of the construction organization (CO) are determined. The level of elaboration of the model elements at the stage of work production by the contracting organization has been increased. The developed algorithm for forming a complex flow graph in the form of a flowchart and a DIM is presented.Results. The use of the method is considered on the examples of structuring the elements of the object and technological processes at the stage of work production by the contracting organization, taking into account different options and schemes for organizing the work of specialized streams. The design results are presented in the form of a calculation matrix, a cyclogram and a Gantt graph in the MS Project program.Discussion and conclusion. The development of the basic information for the model of the calendar plan for the construction of a road at different stages of design in an integrated general data environment is presented. The use of linear road is justified. zoning as a method of decomposition of a linear object at the stages of CAD, POS and work production by the contracting organization. The structural elements of the design at the final stage (work production by the contracting organization) are linear design and technological modules and specialized flows formed on the basis of maps of labor processes of the contracting organization.

The use of drainage geocomposites in cold regions

When designing road structures in cold climates, engineers must consider frost heave, a natural process that involves the cyclic freezing and thawing of water in soil or rock. The formation of ice lenses as water separates from the soil when the ground freezes is the primary cause of frost heave, and its effect on road structures depends largely on soil particle size. Frost heave damage is more noticeable in fine-textured soils that promote capillary uplift and is more destructive in the spring due to the influx of water from melting snow and ice. One possible solution to prevent road structure deformations caused by frost heave effects is the use of drainage geocomposites. Polymeric geocomposites have been widely studied and used worldwide in transportation infrastructure for drainage or as an anticapillarity layer. It is important to note that their performance is affected by temperature variations, and while many studies and regulations have focused on temperatures above 20°C, there is limited information available for cold climates.