Road Network Research Articles

Comprehensive Analysis of the Transport Sector in Narayanganj City: Existing Scenario and Way Forward

This study examines transportation issues in Narayanganj City Corporation, one of the densely populated cities in Bangladesh. It examines the Chashara intersection which is a major intersection within the city, suffers from ever worsening traffic and poor infrastructure. Using qualitative research methods, information was obtained through field surveys, observation as well as four focus group discussions with residents aged 20-50 years mainly students, urban dwellers experts. Some of the problems that emerged from the study include poor traffic control, limited road construction and maintenance. The findings also highlight significant challenges, including poor traffic management, insufficient road networks, and inefficient regulation of transport services, notably the prevalence of auto-rickshaws contributing to the congestion. The study identifies the Chashara intersection as a critical area requiring urgent intervention. Proposed solutions emphasize the introduction of alternative routes to alleviate bottlenecks, stricter regulation of auto-rickshaw operations, and the implementation of congestion pricing mechanisms to manage traffic flow. These recommendations aim to provide a strategic framework for improving urban mobility and ensuring sustainable development in the transportation sector of Narayanganj. The need for immediate, coordinated efforts from local authorities and urban planners is underscored, as addressing these issues is essential for enhancing the city’s livability and accommodating future growth.

Spatial–Temporal-Correlation-Constrained Dynamic Graph Convolutional Network for Traffic Flow Forecasting

Accurate traffic flow prediction in road networks is essential for intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Since traffic data are collected from the road network with spatial topological and time series sequences, the traffic flow prediction is regarded as a spatial–temporal prediction task. With the powerful ability to model the non-Euclidean data, the graph convolutional network (GCN)-based models have become the mainstream framework for traffic forecasting. However, existing GCN-based models either use the manually predefined graph structure to capture the spatial features, ignoring the heterogeneity of road networks, or simply perform 1-D convolution with fixed kernel to capture the temporal dependencies of traffic data, resulting in insufficient long-term temporal feature extraction. To solve those issues, a spatial–temporal correlation constrained dynamic graph convolutional network (STC-DGCN) is proposed for traffic flow forecasting. In STC-DGCN, a spatial–temporal embedding encoder module (STEM) is first constructed to encode the dynamic spatial relationships for road networks at different time steps. Then, a temporal feature encoder module with heterogeneous time series correlation modeling (TFE-HCM) and a spatial feature encoder module with dynamic multi-graph modeling (SFE-DCM) are designed to generate dynamic graph structures for effectively capturing the dynamic spatial and temporal correlations. Finally, a spatial–temporal feature fusion module based on a gating fusion mechanism (STM-GM) is proposed to effectively learn and leverage the inherent spatial–temporal relationships for traffic flow forecasting. Experimental results from three real-world traffic flow datasets demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed STC-DGCN compared with state-of-the-art traffic flow forecasting models.

Assessing movement-specific resilience of a signalized road network under lane-level cascading failure

Accurately assessing the resilience of the road network is crucial for responding to emergencies and enhancing public safety. Signal control plays a significant role in managing traffic flow. However, its impact is often overlooked in resilience assessments, where traffic flow and signal control are usually considered separately. A Movement-Specific Resilience (MSR) assessment model is proposed to integrate signal timing into resilience analysis. To accurately represent traffic flow paths under phase control, a dual graph is used to depict the topological network, allowing the assessment of relationships among all movements at an intersection. Based on this, a cascading failure model is developed to analyze the impact of signal control on traffic flow reassignment, reflecting how signal timing influences traffic flow propagation after failures. The method is validated using data collected from a sub-road network in Xi’an city. Results reveal the cumulative resilience of single lanes is not equivalent to the resilience of road segments. The MSR is higher when the network’s failure degree is low and decreases as the failure level increases. Furthermore, road saturation is inversely related to MSR, while MSR is proportional to capacity. MSR remains unaffected by failures and oversaturation when capacity exceeds a certain threshold. These insights could be a theoretical foundation for bolstering resilience via signal control adjustments.

Огляд методичних підходів до планування робіт з експлуатаційного утримування автомобільних доріг

Introduction. The development of Ukraine's road network under current conditions is characterized by limited funding for road maintenance. At the same time, determining the scope and list of works based on the actual operational condition of the roads is extremely important, as it significantly affects the safety and comfort of road users, as well as the efficiency of vehicle operation. A standard norm is used to determine the planned scope of work, which is averaged for roads of the corresponding category. This simplifies calculations, but such an approach does not precisely establish the annual planned volumes of maintenance work for a specific section, as it does not consider its actual operational condition. Given the current level of funding, it is relevant to develop a methodology for determining the planned volumes and lists of maintenance work that is accurate enough, but does not require significant costs for road section inspections. Problem Statement. The determination of the scope of maintenance work is based on a comprehensive analysis of the road surface condition, forecasted traffic loads, and the allocation of budgetary resources. However, under martial law, the country’s priorities have shifted, with the focus on ensuring state defense, providing humanitarian aid, etc. Based on the current trends in the development of Ukraine’s road industry, the main task is the rational use of limited financial resources and maintaining roads in proper operational condition.

Обгрунтування доцільності влаштування саморегульованих кільцевих розв’язок на вулично-дорожній мережі міста

Introduction. In the modern world, the transport infrastructure of cities faces significant challenges related to the growth of traffic intensity, congestion and the need to ensure road safety. Among the wide range of engineering solutions and technologies aimed at solving these problems, it is worth highlighting the issue of justifying the choice of planning solutions in places of the highest concentration of traffic flows - transport hubs. International experience shows that the construction of roundabouts is one of the ways to optimize traffic, reduce congestion and improve road safety. Therefore, it is important to consider this type of planning solutions for transport hubs in terms of the feasibility of their use on the city's street and road network.

Determinants of commercialization among onion producer households in southern Ethiopia: a double hurdle approach

This study examined the determinants of onion commercialization of smallholder farmers in the Wolayita and Gomo zones of southern Ethiopia. Both primary and secondary data were used in this study. Primary data were collected from randomly selected 160 onion producers by using a structured questionnaire. Both descriptive statistics and the double-hurdle econometric model were employed in the analysis. The descriptive statistics indicated that the mean commercialization level of smallholder farmers in the study area was 79.51%, highlighting that onion producers in this region primarily focus on marketing their produce. Using the econometric model the first-stage double hurdle results revealed that family size, farming experience, frequency of extension contacts, and distance to the nearest market were factors significantly affecting the market participation decision of onion producers. The second stage of the double hurdle results indicates that education level, family size, frequency of extension contacts, land size allotted for onion production, and distance to the nearest market were factors that significantly affected the level of onion commercialization. Therefore, policies aimed at increasing farmers' access to better road networks and transportation facilities, improving access to education, promoting agricultural training programs, and improving extension services are recommended to improve the commercialization of onion production.

Концептуальні засади визначення ефективності виконання завдань і заходів державних цільових програм розвитку для підвищення ефективності управління автомобільними дорогами

Introduction. Effective functioning of road transport is only possible when the quantitative growth, quality level, and technical condition of roads meet the demands of road transport. This combination of road network characteristics can only be achieved with adequate funding to implement all planned works. Investments in road infrastructure can become a catalyst for economic recovery and growth, as they will improve logistics capabilities, reduce freight and passenger transportation costs, and enhance regional competitiveness. Problem Statement. In the first decades of independence, the road industry faced chronic underfunding, which negatively affected its development. The situation worsened with the full-scale military aggression of the Russian Federation in 2024. According to the World Bank's “Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA3)” report, post-war recovery needs for public roads and bridges alone are estimated at around USD 28.8 billion. For the rapid and quality restoration and development of Ukraine, this issue is critically important, as the state of the roads affects transportation costs, prices, employment levels, and the overall pace of economic development. Furthermore, the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation raises questions about ensuring reliable logistics routes, prompt transportation of humanitarian aid, and the country's defense capabilities.

Internalizing External Accident Costs in Safety Investment Evaluation Using Cost–Benefit Analysis

The primary objectives of transportation system development in European countries include improving transport efficiency, enhancing national economic competitiveness, and promoting sustainable mobility. A key aspect of achieving these goals is the evaluation of transport externalities, particularly external accident costs, which is critical for ensuring the economic and social sustainability of road transport development. This study comprehensively evaluates external road accident costs and proposes an innovative approach to internalizing these costs through a cost–benefit analysis (CBA). By integrating these external costs into CBA, policymakers can better understand the societal impact of road safety investments, allowing for more informed decisions regarding measures to reduce road accidents and fatalities. This paper also explores the role of specific safety investments, such as installing vehicle restrain systems (VRS), buffers, and terminals on the national road network, as well as installing speed cameras, in reducing accidents and mitigating external costs. The findings highlight road safety measures’ importance in enhancing economic efficiency and social well-being, providing a solid foundation for the sustainable and efficient development of transportation systems.

Management Model Using Standardized Contracts and BIM Tools for the Optimization of PPP Projects in Peru

Public–private partnerships (PPPs) are contractual schemes that have relative success in Latin America due to their configuration, where the spirit of the contract lies in an appropriate distribution of risks. This is both the most important and fundamental aspect of this contractual scheme but also the most complex, as it is the main cause of contract modifications (addenda) in countries across the region. In this context, different concessionary contractual frameworks for PPPs on the national road network of Peru were evaluated, revealing common failure indicators that lead to contract modifications within the first six years of the concession. This study offers the development of a management model that includes the good practices of contractual management of NEC4 Option F and the application of BIM information management processes, optimizing the management of infrastructure through emerging technologies of information management supported by agile contractual schemes.

Проєктування цементобетонного покриття на залізобетонній плиті мостового полотна автодорожніх мостів

ntroduction. Road bridges are an important part of the road network of the transport infrastructure of Ukraine. Nowadays a large number of road bridges do not meet the modern requirements for ensuring road traffic safety and structural reliability of building elements. Problems. It was established that there is a need to develop a method of designing a cement-concrete coating on a reinforced concrete slab of the carriageway of road bridges Goal. To propose an approach for designing a cement-concrete coating on a reinforced concrete slab of the carriageway of road bridges. Results. The strength calculation was performed when assessing the limit state of the cement-concrete coating in terms of crack resistance from the joint action of vehicles and temperature changes. The measures of damage to the cement-concrete coating on the reinforced concrete slab of the carriageway of road bridges due to tensile stresses arising from the action of pneumatic wheels of vehicles were determined. Conclusions. The paper proposes approaches to the design of a cement-concrete coating on a reinforced concrete slab of the carriageway of road bridges

До проблеми визначення пройденого шляху для розрахування плати за проїзд автомобільними дорогами

Introduction. Various contactless vehicle identification systems on public roads are widely used in global practice. They solve a wide range of problems, from tracking traffic flows and collecting tolls for road usage to designating parking spots and digital identification. A key role in implementing the state's transportation strategy is played by the development of transport infrastructure, the most crucial component of which is the public road network of national importance. This network has suffered damage due to the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation. The network is vital for the country's defense logistics, industrial and agricultural efficiency, and ensuring adequate societal communication. The main source of road infrastructure funding is the Road Fund, formed from revenues from excise duties and import tariffs on petroleum products, as well as excise duties and import tariffs on vehicles and tires imported into Ukraine.

How does PM2.5 affect forest phenology? Integrating PM2.5 into phenology models for warm-temperate forests in China

Vegetation can regulate particulate matter (PM) through various mechanisms, such as facilitating the deposition of gases and particulates and purifying the air via photosynthesis. Conversely, PM directly damages leaves through dry deposition, while it also indirectly affects plant growth by altering weather conditions. However, the ways in which PM influence vegetation growth patterns, and the driving factors behind these impacts, remain unclear. In this study, we primarily focused on the start of the growing season (SOS) of warm-temperate zone forests in China with severe PM. SOS exhibited a trend of advancing at a rate of 0.15 days/yr during the study period from 2004 to 2022. We assessed the impact of satellite-derived fine PM (PM2.5) and coarser PM (PM10) on forest SOS across warm temperate forest regions in China using partial correlation analysis methods. After removing the effects of PM, we found that the correlation between temperature and SOS weakened. Additionally, PM exhibited a positive correlation with SOS in most pixels. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between relative humidity (RH) and the relationship between PM2.5 and SOS. However, in areas where RH exceeds 60.38%, this effect becomes unstable, presumably due to increased aerosol hygroscopicity or the saturation of aerosol particles. We also found that as road network density increased, the relationship between PM2.5 and SOS strengthened, whereas the impact of nightlight on this relationship was relatively weak. It is important to note that while the observed correlations reveal mechanisms by which PM2.5 affects SOS, they do not directly imply causation, as the complex interactions between environmental factors may influence these relationships. Finally, we incorporated PM2.5 into the phenology model and optimized its parameters using the least squares method, which improved the accuracy of SOS simulations and provided insights for predicting vegetation phenology in areas with severe PM pollution.

Disaster vulnerability in road networks: a data-driven approach through analyzing network topology and movement activity

The rise in natural disasters and climate-induced events, such as wildfires, hurricanes, and flooding, has significantly affected urban life. These events can disrupt daily activity and flows of individuals and goods on road and transit networks. To enhance urban resilience against disasters, it’s crucial to study and understand road network vulnerability, utilizing data-driven insights to inform planning and preparedness efforts. The aim of this paper is to develop a data-driven exploratory approach to assess vulnerability in road networks in response to a disruption. To accomplish this, we compare the centrality of road segments before, during, and after disaster, considering the network topological structure and movement activity as it is observed through large tracking data of cellphone traces on the network. The novelty of our approach lies in inferring the impact from movement data, instead of manually removing links from the network. The results obtained from this study suggest that incorporating movement data into the assessment of network functionality provides a more realistic estimation of the road network vulnerability in response to a disruption, compared to solely using network topology.

Video Content Analysis for Detection of Road Traffic Congestion Pattern: An Optimized YOLOv8 Based Approach

This paper presents a new approach to Video Content Analysis (VCA) with a specific focus on detecting and analyzing road traffic congestion patterns. The implemented methodology deploys the YOLOv8 (You Only Look Once) object detection framework, which has been optimized to accurately and efficiently identify road traffic objects within video streams. The primary goal is to improve traditional VCA systems by capturing and understanding complex road congestion scenarios. This research develops a customized YOLO model optimized specifically for road traffic analysis. The optimization process addresses the challenges inherent in real-world traffic scenarios including variations in lighting conditions, diverse vehicle types and dynamic traffic flow patterns. The developed model seeks to enable robust and real-time detection of congestion-related events such as heavy congestion and normal congestion thereby contributing to improved traffic management and overall road safety. Moreover, the paper explores the integration of advanced techniques for congestion pattern analysis including vehicle detection, tracking, and counting. The combination of these features facilitates a comprehensive understanding of traffic dynamics and congestion evolution over time. The proposed approach is trained and evaluated on benchmark datasets and real-world video footage to assess its performance. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the optimized YOLOv8-based approach in accurately detecting and analyzing road traffic congestion patterns. The system exhibits promising capabilities in handling diverse and challenging scenarios thereby serving as a valuable tool for intelligent transportation systems, urban planning and traffic management. This research significantly contributes to the advancement of video-based traffic analysis, providing a robust solution for monitoring and mitigating congestion-related challenges on road networks.

Coupling Coordination Measurement and Multi-dimensional Conflict Diagnosis among Territorial Space Functions

Exploring the relationship between urban, agricultural, and ecological functions is crucial for optimizing the territorial spatial patterns and achieving balanced territorial spatial development. Based on the classification system of "urban-agricultural-ecological" territorial spatial planning and with the help of multi-source data, including land use, population density, nighttime light, road network, precipitation, and county statistical data from 2010 to 2020, we constructed an evaluation index system of territorial space functions at the grid scale in the Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone. The coupling coordination levels among territorial space functions was measured using the coupling coordination degree model and spatial autocorrelation analysis. Moreover, the multi-dimensional function conflict identification model was used to diagnose the type and intensity of function conflicts. The results showed that： ① The urban function was mainly improved, accounting for 75.67%. The grids with high function evaluation index were mainly located in the south of the study area, whereas the intensity of urban function improvement in the north was higher than that in the south. Otherwise, the agricultural and ecological functions were mainly reduced, accounting for 77.44 % and 57.66%, respectively, and the majority of grids with a significant decrease were distributed in the south of Poyang Lake. ② From 2010 to 2020, the coupling coordination type was dominated by an imbalance recession, accounting for 53.87% and 49.89 %, respectively. However, the number of grids with crucial imbalance and primary coordination was reduced, and the coupling coordination types tended to change from both ends to the middle. The coupling coordination hot spots were mainly concentrated in the southern plain, whereas the cold spots were mainly distributed in the northern mountainous and hilly areas, both of which showed a reducing trend. However, in the north of Poyang Lake, a small number of hot spots, distributed along the lake area with relatively flat terrain, showed an expanding trend. ③ The intensity of four territorial space function conflicts was mainly moderate or severe. In addition to the slight positive trend of 'urban-agricultural' function conflict, the function conflicts of "urban-ecological", "agricultural-ecological", and "urban-agricultural-ecological" were all aggravated. The grids with aggravating conflicts were mainly distributed in the Ganjiang River and Fuhe River Basin. The major reason for the aggravation was that the urban function increased obviously, whereas the ecological and agricultural functions decreased significantly. In conclusion, in both the coupling coordination types and multi-dimensional conflicts among territorial space functions, significant spatial differences existed； thus, proposing optimization strategies according to local conditions is necessary. Additionally, the protection of ecological and agricultural spaces during each stage of urbanization development must be focused.

Eco-Friendly Route Planning Algorithms: Taxonomies, Literature Review and Future Directions

Eco-friendly navigation (a.k.a. eco-routing) finds a route from A to B in a road network that minimizes the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission or fuel/energy consumption of the traveling vehicle. As road transport is a major contributor to GHG emissions, eco-routing has received considerable research attention in the past decade, mainly on two research themes: (1) developing models to estimate emissions or fuel/energy consumption of vehicles; and (2) developing algorithms to find eco-friendly routes for a vehicle. There are some excellent literature reviews that cover the existing estimation models. However, there is no literature review on eco-friendly route-planning algorithms. This article fills this gap and provides a systematic literature review in this area. From mainstream online databases, we obtained 2,494 articles and shortlisted 76 articles using our exclusion criteria. Accordingly, we establish a holistic view of eco-routing systems and define five taxonomies of estimation models, eco-routing problems and algorithms, vehicle types, traffic, and road network characteristics. Concerning the taxonomies, we categorize and review the shortlisted articles. Finally, we highlight research challenges and outline future directions in this important area.

Review of the facilitators and barriers to adoption of biofortified foods and food products.

Biofortification - the process of increasing the concentrations of essential nutrients in staple crops - is a means of addressing the burden of micronutrient deficiencies at a population level via existing food systems, such as smallholder farms. To realise its potential for global impact, we need to understand the factors that are associated with decisions to adopt biofortified crops and food products. We searched the literature to identify adoption determinants, i.e. barriers to (factors negatively associated) or facilitators of (factors positively associated) adoption, of biofortified crops and food products. We found 41 studies reporting facilitator(s) and/or barrier(s) of adoption. We categorised the factors using the Consolidated Framework of Implementation Research 2.0, resulting in a set of factors that enable or constrain adoption of biofortified foods across twenty-four constructs and five domains of this meta-theoretical determinant framework from implementation science. Facilitators of orange sweet potato adoption included knowledge about importance, relative advantage, efficient production and management practices; barriers included lacking timely access to quality vines and market remoteness (28 studies total). Facilitators of vitamin A cassava adoption included awareness of its benefits and access to information; barriers included poor road networks and scarcity of improved technology including inadequate processing/storage facilities (8). Facilitators of high-iron bean adoption included farmers' networking and high farming experience; barriers included low knowledge of bean biofortification (8). Barriers to vitamin A maize adoption included low awareness and concerns regarding yield, texture and aflatoxin contamination (1). These barriers and facilitators may be a starting point for researchers to move towards testing implementation strategies and/or for policymakers to consider before planning scale-up and continuous optimisation of ongoing projects promoting adoption of biofortified crops and food products.

PRINCIPLES FOR PREPARATION OF GROUND AND DESIGN MODELS RELATED TO ROCK MASSES IN THE LIGHT OF THE SECOND GENERATION OF EUROCODE 7

The article gives elements of methodology for preparation of ground models related to rock masses in the light of the second generation of Eurocode 7 (EC7 2025). The goal is to present state of the art in this field and to discuss procedures in ground modelling for typical rock engineering problems. Proposed methodology is based on earlier knowledge in preparation of engineering geological and geotechnical models developed in Yugoslavia, modified and adopted to newer recomendations in the EC7 2025. Preparation of Ground and Geotechnical Design Model shall be based on results from geotechnical investigations necessary in succesful definiton of Geotechnical Categories (GC) based on a combination of Consequence Class (CC) and Geotechnical Complexity Class (GCC). Practical illustration is done through presentation of several case histories for different types of structures constructed in rock mass media along Macedonian road network or hydrotechnical projects. Some open questions that can be a starting point for further developments are also mentioned.

Correction: Ebner et al. Photovoltaic Roofing for Motorways and Other High-Ranking Road Networks: Technical Feasibility, Yield Estimation, and Final Demonstrator. Energies 2024, 17, 3991

In the published publication [...]

Research on the Delineation Method of Urban Community Living Circle Based on Transportation Network Analysis in Yuanping, China

In the context of accelerating global urbanization and the demands for high-quality and sustainable development, the exploration of an urban community living area delineation method based on traffic network analysis offers a fresh perspective for defining urban living areas. This paper employs a traffic network analysis method rooted in objective analysis. It leverages open-source big data on Points of Interest (POI) from public facilities and road network data obtained from relevant urban planning to construct a comprehensive road network dataset for the central urban area. Following the construction of the road network dataset, the paper conducts a service area and accessibility analysis of public facilities, which serves as an initial step in outlining the boundaries of the urban community living area. Subsequently, the delineation is further refined by considering factors such as development boundaries, as well as natural and man-made constraints such as rivers, railways, and major roads. The boundaries of the urban community living area undergo further adjustments, taking into account the scope of the development boundary and various constraining elements such as rivers, railways, and main roads. A final revision is made by considering subjective factors, where the boundaries of the ten-minute urban community living area are ultimately determined through extensive communication and coordination with various stakeholders. This approach is aimed at meeting the current societal development needs, which include breaking down segregation, fostering social interactions, strengthening neighbourly relationships, enhancing overall quality of life, promoting sustainable development, and creating a more humane and sustainable city. Its ultimate goal is to enable residents to feel a sense of belonging and happiness within the bustling urban environment.