Transport Infrastructure Projects Research Articles

Solving Transport Infrastructure Investment Project Selection and Scheduling Using Genetic Algorithms

The development of transport infrastructure is crucial for economic growth, social connectivity, and sustainable development. Many countries have historically underinvested in transport infrastructure, necessitating more efficient strategic planning in the implementation of transport infrastructure investment projects. This article addresses the selection and scheduling of transport infrastructure projects, specifically within the context of utilizing pre-allocated funds within a multi-annual budget investment program. The current decision-making process relies heavily on expert judgment and lacks quantitative decision support methods. We propose a genetic algorithm as a decision-support tool, framing the problem as an NP-hard 0–1 multiple knapsack problem. The proposed genetic algorithm (GA) is unique for its matrix-encoded chromosomes, specially designed genetic operators, and a customized repair operator to address the large number of invalid chromosomes generated during the GA computation. In computational experiments, the proposed GA is compared to an exact solution and proves to be efficient in terms of quality of obtained solutions and computational time, with an average computational time of 108 s and the quality of obtained solutions typically ranging between 85% and 95% of the optimal solution. These results highlight the potential of the proposed GA to enhance strategic decision-making in transport infrastructure development.

Prospects for further development of logistics and trade in Central Asian Countries

This paper examines the conditions of foreign trade of the Central Asian countries and their impact on economic growth. Currently, the transport corridors of Central Asia are at the peak of their demand. The current positive changes and achievements of the region are considered. Attention is drawn to the geopolitical trends that create conditions for the development of alternative transport corridors and infrastructure projects. Special attention is paid to improving transport connectivity. It is proposed to develop transit and transport potential and increase the production of finished products. The comprehensive analysis carried out in this work allows us to take a broader look at the potential of the region and propose measures for its full development. Due to the growing role of Central Asia in the international arena, this paper also examines the impact of foreign policy on the development of the region’s economy. The strategic location of Central Asia between China, Russia, Iran and other countries makes the region an important partner in international trade and transport links. The paper analyses the current positive developments in the region, such as the creation of new transport corridors, the development of logistics infrastructure and the strengthening of trade relations with other countries. Special attention is paid to projects for the development of regional integration and economic unions, which contribute to improving competitiveness and economic stability in Central Asia.

Beyond polarisation and simplified storylines: Exploring discursive struggles over a transport infrastructure project in Vienna, Austria

Major transportation infrastructure projects are often associated with public disputes and polarised debates. However, by using the example of a controversial infrastructure project in Vienna (the “Lobau highway”), we show that a binary “pro-versus-con” framing does not do justice to the complex realities of such debates. Based on a Q methodological analysis, we reveal four distinct perspectives, which reflect a broad spectrum of “generally pro” and “generally against” positions: (i) More roads, more traffic, (ii) Less politics, more facts, (iii) Better roads, better city, and (iv) The highway must be built. While our analysis points at unexpected overlaps between perspectives and some entry points for consensus building, it also highlights disagreement on fundamental beliefs such as the impact of roads on the environment, the phenomenon of induced traffic, or the right to drive a car. Against this background, we discuss the wider socio-political context of the analysed debate, reflect on the basic premise of consensus building, and derive policy implications.

Risk Identification, Prioritization, and Mapping for Early Construction Cost Contingency in Transportation Infrastructure Projects

Risk Identification, Prioritization, and Mapping for Early Construction Cost Contingency in Transportation Infrastructure Projects

Integrating building information modelling (BIM) and extended reality (XR) in the transportation infrastructure industry

Although building information modelling (BIM) has been widely used in the building industry, its usage in infrastructure projects such as bridges has been very challenging. Extended Reality (XR) that simulates a construction project is still considered a new technology in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. This paper investigates the viability of integrating both BIM and XR technologies into transportation infrastructure projects. A fully integrated workflow for introducing different XR, Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR), and BIM technologies using different software for a case study of El-Merghani bridge, a reinforced concrete girder type bridge, was developed. The models for the bridge included GIS integration and geometric road design according to AASHTO, documentation, shop drawings and quantification were developed for the bridge. A hypothetical time schedule was generated in Oracle Primavera P6 elevating the BIM model to 4-D and developing VR and AR virtual experiences with the capability to investigate, visualize, and present the model in a virtual environment, at a high level of immersion. Additionally, the associated risk reduction for the considered XR technology was assessed using Monte Carlo simulation. The workflow and the detailed 3D models developed for the bridge along with the highly immersive VR and AR experiences have provided an interactive platform for engineers and different stakeholders to monitor the project during the design and construction phases. The risk analysis showed that significant cost savings can be achieved with the utilization of VR and AR technology in bridges construction.

Transport infrastructure in ensuring regional development and China's global competitiveness

Purpose: is to evaluate the modern role of transport infrastructure as the factor in the development of the regional economy and strengthening competitive positions outside the country using the example of China.Methods: the correlation-regression analysis, traditionally used to solve the task of the identifying influencing factors, was applied to the economic and transportation indicators across 28 Chinese regions for the year 2021. It was supplemented by the analysis of statistical data and the thematic case study of data on Chinese investments into the transport infrastructure projects both domestically, and abroad.Results: the assessment of infrastructure development of the railway and port infrastructure was carried out based on the analysis of the dynamics of the main indicators. The construction of a correlation and regression analysis model made it possible to form an idea of the impact of China's transport infrastructure on the gross regional product of the provinces. The degree of penetration of Chinese influence into other economies of the world through investments in transport infrastructure has been assessed. The tools for promoting infrastructure projects have been identified that characterize Chinese specifics and make it possible to ensure the country's competitiveness at the global level.Conclusions and Relevance: China is the striking example of the widespread construction of ports, railways, and highways, in addition to the creation of direct freight vehicles and dry cargo ships for the distribution of their products. The high importance of transport infrastructure and the number of employed people in this industry for the growth of the regional product of the provinces of China has been revealed. In the external circuit, the PRC is actively using the strategy of lending to other countries for the construction of infrastructure on their territories. The construction of roads, airports, seaports, power plants and transmission lines allow China to create infrastructure enclaves in developing countries to market its goods and export raw materials for subsequent processing. Borrowing the experience of the PRC in terms of mechanisms for granting grants and loans for the implementation of infrastructure projects will allow Russia to create an extensive system of movement of national goods to markets where they are most in demand in the territories of neighboring states.

The Regulation Impact of Foreign Ownership on the Cooperation Projects Air Transportation

<div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><p class="AbstractText">This study aims to identify, locate, and analyze constitutional issues regarding the impact of foreign capital ownership above 50% (fifty percent) in government-business cooperation projects, particularly in the area of public interest projects involving air transportation infrastructure. This normative research examines legal texts, mainly primary and secondary legal materials. This research found that, first, the changes in the Presidential Regulation regarding foreign investment in the field of public interest, such as airport services, were incompatible with the Constitution. The changes abolished the maximum percentage limit of foreign investment regulated in the previous provisions so that currently, foreign investment may carry out Government Cooperation with Business Entities on air transportation infrastructure projects without a percentage limit. Second, based on the Indonesian Constitution, ownership of air transportation should be under the state's authority, learning from China, which excessively applies foreign investors in the air transportation sector, causing consumer welfare to be affected by very high airplane ticket prices.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

Rework in relational engineer-to-order production systems: An ‘error-as-process’ archetype

While an extensive body of work has examined the dynamics of rework in engineer-to-order (ETO) production systems, and several archetypes to mitigate its occurrence have been produced, the role of error-making has yet to be thoroughly examined. This paper uses the theoretical lens of error-as-process to explain the rework phenomena where errors are viewed as a chain of emergent triggers, adaptive activities, and social interactions that progress and transform over time in an ETO production system. We develop a resilient error-as-process archetype-based emergent best practice to address the following research questions: (1) How and why do errors and rework occur? and (2) How should a project system adapt and respond to errors and manage rework? An inductive case study of a relational ETO production system – an AU$19.8 billion transport infrastructure project procured using a program alliance – is undertaken to examine our research questions. Through various data collection methods (e.g., interviews, documentation, and site dairies), several rework events occurring in construction are identified and analysed using our process-oriented lens. Several latent conditions (e.g., production pressure and procedural drift) and contributory factors (e.g., complacency creep and communication breakdowns) resulting in error-making and rework are unearthed. We also reveal the alliance was able to adapt and respond to errors and its rework by building resilience into its production ecosystem, as this enhanced its team and subcontractors’ adaptive capacity. Our theoretically robust error-as-process archetype is grounded in the actualities of practice. It provides a frame of reference to show how relational ETO production systems should mitigate their rework. Future research is required to validate our resilient error-as-process archetype so that best practices can be identified and drawn upon to contain and reduce errors and mitigate rework in construction and other ETO production systems (e.g. shipbuilding), where relational contracting prevails.

Knowledge fusion-driven sustainable decision-making for mega transportation infrastructure projects

Knowledge fusion-driven sustainable decision-making for mega transportation infrastructure projects

De-risking, re-balancing and recentralising: Intra-state relations in Chinese-backed transport infrastructure projects in Europe

China's Belt and Road Initiative is the most visible manifestation of the country's wider internationalisation efforts in which infrastructure connectivity projects are central. Existing spatialised narratives of these projects have usefully focused on long-standing geopolitical binaries and bilateral state relations, as well as newer spatial ontologies of corridors, zones and networks. Yet they tend to underplay central-local state relations in the countries receiving Chinese infrastructure investment and so this paper examines these intra-state dynamics through three case studies of Chinese-backed transport projects in Germany, Italy and Hungary. Using Jessop, Brenner and Jones' ‘TPSN’ approach we argue that the promise of these infrastructure projects was virtuous insertion of places into global production networks, but in practice we see the central state over-riding local political actors. In Germany and Italy this is in the name of ‘de-risking’ Chinese investments whereby the re-centralisation of state power is a response to a perceived ‘China threat’. In Hungary, the centralised regime uses major infrastructure for legitimatory purposes and uses the growing connectivity to China as an Eastwards balance to its strained relations with Western Europe. We conclude by arguing that greater attentiveness to spatiality and power are needed in future studies of ‘de-risking’.

Research on Critical Factors Influencing Organizational Resilience of Major Transportation Infrastructure Projects: A Hybrid Fuzzy DEMATEL-ISM-MICMAC Approach

To strengthen major transportation infrastructure projects’ (MTIPs’) organizational resilience and fortify their capacity for crisis management and project risk prevention. In this paper, based on the resilience theory development process, the connotation of organizational resilience of MTIPs is defined, and 20 influencing factors of organizational resilience of MTIPs are extracted from four categories of stability, redundancy, adaptability, and rapidity according to the literature analysis and case study method. The significance, causality, and multilevel recursive order structure of the influencing factors were investigated by the fuzzy DEMATEL-ISM approach, and their driving and dependent characteristics were analyzed through MICMAC. The results indicate that risk warning and prediction, human resources management, inter-organizational synergies, resource reserve situations, organizational leadership, and organizational learning are the crucial factors of organizational resilience in MTIPs. There are three levels and five ranks in the multilevel recursive rank structure of the factors affecting MTIPs’ organizational resilience. Among them, risk warning and prediction, equipment condition and performance, human resources management, and organizational leadership have the deepest impact on organizational resilience in MTIPs. The findings can clarify ideas for subsequent research on organizational resilience in this area and inform project decision-makers in developing strategies for optimizing organizational resilience.

Revisiting Project Delivery Performance: Evidence from Swedish Transport Infrastructure

This study of Swedish road and rail project performance challenges understanding of project success and presents findings that run counter to the widely held position that transport infrastructure delivery performance and outcomes are persistently poor. Both road and rail investments proved economically profitable and were typically delivered to budget, evidence that questions theory claiming optimism bias and malicious agency dynamics such as strategic misrepresentation are endemic in decision-making during planning and persistently cause poor project performance. Summary findings on the performance of Swedish transport infrastructure projects are: 93% of road projects achieved intended benefits, 86% returned positive net present value, and cost overrun was typically 2.7%. Road projects typically achieve a net present value of 1.6 against an estimate of 0.6. 70% of rail projects achieved intended benefits, 63% returned positive net present value, and typical cost performance was -1.8% underrun. This contribution opens new avenues for research by scholars to explain this apparent success and why some projects, even in Sweden, fail.

Civil Integrated Management (CIM) for Advanced Level Applications to Transportation Infrastructure: A State-of-the-Art Review

The recent rise in the applications of advanced technologies in the sustainable design and construction of transportation infrastructure demands an appropriate medium for their integration and utilization. The relatively new concept of Civil Integrated Management (CIM) is such a medium; it enhances the development of digital twins for infrastructure and also embodies various practices and tools, including the collection, organization, and data-management techniques of digital data for transportation infrastructure projects. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of advanced CIM tools and technologies and categorizes its findings into the following research topics: application of advanced surveying methods (Advanced Surveying); geospatial analysis tools for project planning (Geospatial Analysis); multidimensional virtual design models (nD Modeling); Integrated Geospatial and Building Information Modeling (GeoBIM); and transportation infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation planning (Asset Management). Despite challenges such as modeling complexity, technology investment, and data security, the integration of GIS, BIM, and artificial intelligence within asset-management systems hold the potential to improve infrastructure’s structural integrity and long-term performance through automated monitoring, analysis, and predictive maintenance during its lifetime.

Influential factors for risk assessment and allocation on complex design-build infrastructure projects; the Texas experience

Introduction: The design-build (DB) delivery method is used to deliver increasingly complex transportation infrastructure projects associated with higher uncertainty. As such, allocating risks in the contract between the owner and design-builder becomes challenging and often leads to higher initial bids, increased contingency, or claims. Learnings from implementation worldwide have underlined the need for improving risk allocation in DB contracts. Most existing studies address risk allocation mechanisms to manage contingency at the contract level. Other studies have recognized the need for owners to adapt their processes to better allocate risks in DB contracts. This study explored the influential factors for risk assessment and allocation for complex DB infrastructure projects, addressing the opportunity to improve transportation owners’ risk allocation processes before the design-builder is selected and the DB contract is awarded.Method: The objectives of this work were achieved by utilizing empirical data collected through 20 interviews with Texas Department of Transportation and private sector experts. The interview data were analyzed using inductive and axial coding. Inductive coding allowed themes to emerge without a pre-existing framework, identifying six influential factors and six pertinent risks on complex DB projects.Results: These factors include the (i) Quality of DB teams, (ii) Level of up-front investigation, (iii) Limitations on the timing of letting, (iv) Design optimization opportunities, (v) Project-specific requirements, and (vi) Relationships with third parties. Through axial coding, the interaction and frequency between the factors and risks were also examined. The coded interactions demonstrated how the identified factors influence allocation for six pertinent risks including right-of-way acquisition, stakeholder approval, site conditions, permits and third-party agreements, railroad interaction, and utility adjustments and coordination. Findings indicate that the evaluation of these interactions can shift the risk allocation from baseline norms established by an agency to correspond to project-specific needs.Contribution: In contributing to the infrastructure project management, this is the first study to examine the factors that influence risk allocation in complex DB projects and examine interactions with pertinent risks, setting the foundation for optimizing allocation based on project-specific needs. In practice, the findings presented in this study can guide owners in adapting their allocation practices, managing, and developing their strategic plan for delivering complex DB projects. The findings can also assist contractors in pricing risks more efficiently and increase competitive bidding.

Transport infrastructure and the spatial distribution of CO[formula omitted] emissions

This study presents an analysis of transport infrastructure projects and their effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Causal inter-regional spillover effects are estimated for the launch of the China Europe Railway Express using a spatial difference in differences estimator. The preferred Spatial Durbin Model reveals a small negative direct effect of approximately -3.5 percent and a more substantial positive indirect effect of around 12.7 percent. These results suggest a crowding out of pollutant heavy industries from the nodal regions into the periphery. We provide further evidence for this hypothesis by testing the impact on the respective regions’ structural composition. A number of robustness checks support causality of benchmark findings.

Toward a Better Understanding of the Construction Impacts of a Light Rail System in Montréal, Canada

Large-scale transport infrastructure projects generate long-lasting changes in the built environment and alter the lives of nearby residents. It is crucial to understand public perceptions of public-transit projects and associated construction impacts, as they influence the social acceptance and eventual success of such projects. To characterize the construction-phase experiences of a new light rail in Montréal, Canada—the Réseau express métropolitain (REM)—we analyzed data from 1,236 respondents from the Greater Montréal region who self-reported ongoing construction activities near their homes. This study employs an exploratory factor and k-means cluster analysis to group residents by their different experiences and perceptions of the REM and its associated construction impacts. The analysis returned five clusters with distinct construction experiences: construction-concerned travelers, REM-critical respondents, neutral travelers, REM enthusiasts, and rerouted travelers. Subsequently, the acceptability of the impacts during the construction phase on each cluster is assessed by comparing perceptions of the impact of neighborhood change on their quality of life and their intention to use the REM. Finally, we derive targeted policy recommendations to help promote increased social acceptability of light-rail transit (LRT) projects, including mitigating disruptions in construction zones, public information campaigns, and inclusive decision-making processes. Findings from this study can benefit policymakers and transport planners as they aim to reduce the disruptions associated with the construction of LRT systems and promote increased social acceptability.

Formulating Reliable Target Outturn Costs in Transport Infrastructure Projects: Insights From Senior Executives

Formulating Reliable Target Outturn Costs in Transport Infrastructure Projects: Insights From Senior Executives

In the Spotlight: Bat Activity Shifts in Response to Intense Lighting of a Large Railway Construction Site

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a major form of anthropogenic pollution, disrupting nocturnal wildlife behaviour and ecosystem function. Large construction sites are typically located at the intersection of urban and natural areas, introducing intense lighting into previously dark natural habitats. This study examines the responses of bats to intense nighttime lighting at a major construction site associated with a linear transport infrastructure (LTI) project. We used passive acoustic monitoring to record bat activity and species richness at the construction site and in adjacent urban and natural areas with different lighting levels. Generalist species, such as Pipistrellus kuhlii and Nyctalus leisleri, were attracted to illuminated areas, likely due to increased prey availability. Conversely, sensitive species, such as those from the Myotis and Plecotus genera, along with Barbastella barbastellus, avoided illuminated areas, particularly the construction site. Species richness was significantly lower at the construction site compared to other environments, reflecting ALAN’s barrier effect on movements and habitat accessibility for more sensitive species. The findings highlight the ecological impacts of introducing ALAN to previously unlit natural environments, underscoring the urgent need for implementing ALAN mitigation strategies in urban planning and construction practices to protect biodiversity in urbanising areas.

Enhancing clay content estimation through hybrid CatBoost-GP with model class selection

Excessive soil swelling, triggered by variations in moisture content, is recognized as one of the most severe geo-hazards. Swelling Potential (SP) is closely correlated with Clay Content (CC), Plasticity Index (PI), and Activity (A = PI/CC), which are crucial input features for SP prediction models. Traditional methods for determining CC, such as the hydrometer and pipette methods, are labor-intensive and time-consuming. Employing easily accessible soil properties to predict CC directly not only enhances the modeling efficiency of SP prediction models but also mitigates the impact of laboratory test errors on model performance. This study leveraged two databases encompassing a broad spectrum of soil classifications and developed three ensemble learning models (RF, XGBoost, and CatBoost) to predict CC efficiently. Sequential model-based optimization algorithms (SMBO) were employed to effectively identify the optimal hyperparameters for these models. To further refine the model, the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method was utilized to ascertain the most influential soil properties. The findings revealed that the CatBoost model, optimized via GP, achieved the highest level of predictive accuracy. Three easily measurable soil properties — the percentage of soil particles passing through 0.075 mm and 0.425 mm sieves, along with the plasticity index — were identified as key predictors for CC. The estimated CC values were instrumental in constructing various empirical and machine learning models to predict SP, all of which exhibited exceptional performance. This research advances the modeling efficiency of SP prediction models, making it particularly relevant for rapid-response scenarios in transportation infrastructure projects.

Land Price Variability Assessment of a Transport Infrastructure Project in Pabna District, Bangladesh

Transport infrastructure development projects play a vital role in improving accessibility, which has dynamic effects on the regional economy as well as increases property values. This research aims to assess the land price variability in control and catchment areas before and after the Dasuria-to-Dhalarchar railway development project in Pabna district, Bangladesh. A set of independent variables was considered to measure the correlation between development project and land price through a questionnaire survey and focus group discussion. The impact of a railway project on land price was determined by the ordinary least squares method, after which the method was justified through Cook’s distance, P-P plot and scatter plot. The data analysis reveals a strong association between land price and distance to a central business district. The data shows that the land price increased significantly after implementation of the railway project with different intensities, as functional characteristics vary among selected stations.