Experimental feasibility study of using date palm oil as a bitumen Bio-Modifier in HMA pavement

This paper examines the effects of Date palm oil as a bitumen modifier on the compressive strength of bitumen and hot mixed asphalt (HMA) pavement. Date palm oil contains anti-oxidant isomers that have the potential to enhance the performance and durability of bitumen. The compressive strength test of asphalt pavement mixed with Date palm oil was performed in accordance with British Standards BS 1881: Part 116: 1983. The cube specimens of asphalt pavement were manufactured mixing with 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% of Date palm oil out of total sample mass. The experimental results suggested that Date palm oil as a bitumen modifier reduced the compressive strength of HMA pavement. The findings of this paper urge for further experiments to understand the effects of Date palm oil on the asphalt pavements under long-term traffic load, environment and surface drainage

Regional Freight Movement and Its Impact on Air Quality: Simulation of Freight Traffic and Pavement Maintenance Operations

Freight movement emits greenhouse gases (GHGs) and deteriorates pavement - thereby causing additional emissions from pavement maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) treatments. This study predicts the carbon dioxide equivalent GHGs (CO2eGHGs) emission from simulated freight movement and pavement M&R operations on regional highways connecting the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Quebec. This study estimates the equivalent single axle loads (ESALs), CO2e GHGs emissions, and vehicle distance on every regional highway for a 30 years period. The International Roughness Index (IRI) estimates pavement deterioration curves for highways based on ESALs and observed pavement strength. Linear programming of life-cycle optimization estimates the pavement M&R operations required to maintain the pavement in good condition during the design period. The simulated freight traffic will emit 1.279 million tons of carbon dioxide gas while emissions from pavement M&R treatments will be 1.403-1.755 million tons of CO2e GHGs

Understanding Air Pollution from Induced Traffic during and after the Construction of a New Highway:Case Study of Highway 25 in Montreal

This study demonstrates through a case study that detailed analyses, even after the construction of a project, are feasible using current technologies and available data. A case study of highway 25 is used to illustrate the method and verify the levels of air contaminants from additionally induced traffic during and after the construction of highway. Natural traffic growth was removed from the effect of observed gas emissions by comparing observed levels on other further locations in the same metropolitan area. This study estimates air pollution from the additional traffic during and after the construction of A-25 extension project. NO2 levels were spatially interpolated during peak and off-peak hour traffic and traffic density simulated on the road network for four scenarios. Comparing the four scenarios, it was found that levels of NO2 concentrations were reduced at neighbor areas due to less traffic during the construction period. Levels of NO2 after the construction were higher than those in 2008. The simulated traffic density for four scenarios revealed that traffic density was significantly increased on both arterial and access roads within the close vicinity of the extension project during and after its construction

Evaluating the Microstructure of Photoluminescent Concrete Pavement Containing Strontium-Aluminate, Acrylic and Recycled Waste Glass

This paper constructs the photoluminescent concrete pavement (PhotoCP) mixing the photoluminescent material (Strontium-Aluminate) with recycled waste glass and transparent acrylic to visible the neighbourhood streets without streetlights. The non-destructive analyses of photoluminescent materials were conducted using the X-Ray Fluorescence, X-Ray diffraction, and Scanning Electron Microscopy instruments to understand the behaviour of atoms in photoluminescent materials when they interact with radiation. The compressive strength test examined the load bearing capacity of PhotoCP. A 30cm x 230cm test bed was constructed at a neighbourhood street in Peshawar, Pakistan to assess the impact of photoluminescent materials on lighting the neighbourhood street. The non-destructive analyses and compressive strength test show that PCP specimens have good interlocking capability, structural strength and durability. The testbed experiment observed the illuminance of PhotoCP for a period of 6 to 8 hours with highest lumen intensity of 1-3 lux from sunset to 8:30 pm

Pavement Management Systems: Integration of Transportation Modeling, Land Use, Economy and Indicators of Development

The physical condition of road infrastructure in Canada is not good and roads are in critically condition in many regions. Canadian transportation agencies still require a comprehensive pavement management system (PMS) to guide and recommend the best practices for their appropriate application and communication. The general objective of this research is to extend PMS by incorporating dynamic states of land use, regional economics, travel modeling, and socio-economic development criteria. The specific objectives at regional scale is to integrate regional economy, transport modeling and community development criteria to simulate freight-traffic distribution between Atlantic Provinces of Canada to improve pavement-deterioration modeling and overall province-wide PMS. The specific objective at urban scale is to develop PMS for the road network of Montreal city incorporating simulated traffic and measurement errors free pavement performance curves. Comparison of current practices and proposed PMS based on simulated truck traffic reveals that incorporation of simulated truck traffic into PMS resulted in a more accurate estimation of required levels of funding for maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R). Socio-economic factors of the communities of Atlantic Provinces of Canada are integrated with regional economy and transportation modeling to support multi-criteria based PMS considering that policy makers are not only guided by the engineering characteristics but also by socio-economic benefits of the communities to allocate M&R budget. With and without scenarios of community development criteria into PMS have different implications on M&R budgets. The Backpropagation Neural Network (BPN) method with Generalized Delta Rule (GDR) learning algorithm is applied to develop pavement performance curves for Montreal road network reducing the measurement errors. Finally, a linear programming of PMS is developed for Montreal city incorporating the simulated traffic and pavement performance curves developed by BPN networks. Lifecycle optimization of PMS estimates that CAD 150 million is the minimum annual budget to achieve most of arterial and local roads are at least in good condition (PCI>70) in Montreal city. This research will provide the transportation agencies with an improved decision-making framework capable of delivering a more balanced M&R budget for the achievement of global objectives, such as cost, condition, service, accessibility, and community benefits

Exploring the travel behavior changes caused by the COVID-19 crisis:A case study for a developing country

This study aims to examine the extent to which SARS-Cov-2 and associated governmental interventions to mitigate virus transmission has affected daily travel decisions in Bangladesh. A questionnaire survey was used to record opinions of respondents hailing from diverse socio-economic backgrounds on trip number and mode preferences for a variety of trip purposes for “before” and “during” COVID-19 situation. This was used to assess changes in (i) trip frequencies, and (ii) travel mode preferences using contingency tables, ordinal logistic regression and Sankey diagrams. Analyses revealed that COVID-19 caused large variation in mode preferences but small variation in trip frequencies. Males still go outside for work and shopping, putting them at greater risk than females. COVID-19 has drastically cut recreational trips, but not so many work trips. Although online work or education (950%) and shopping (170%) has risen, this seems to be limited to urban areas. Besides, buses continue to be preferred the most during pandemic for trips involving short distance recreation (26.75%), markets (43.18%), and long distance recreation (35.66%). Results suggest the lack of online penetration in rural and suburban areas have prevented worktrip reductions in those places, putting the inhabitants at heightened risk from virus. Moreover, majority of the people continue to use buses at the expense of their health for lack of cheaper alternatives. Results imply that the government needs to ensure proper hygiene practices in public transit and non-motorised paratransit vehicles. Moreover, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), pedestrian and bicycle facilities need to be improved