Infrastructures — Open Access Journal

The scarcity of resources, the limited land, and the overstressing of tourism, as well as the estrangements of movement, make the insular territories relevant case studies in terms of their regional management and governance and, consequently, sustainable development. Thereby, Transportation and Infrastructures’ Sustainability in these territories is not an exception. In this regard, the present study, through exploratory tools, expects to analyze, using accessibility and connectivity indicators, the impacts over the social-economic sphere that the local Transportation and Infrastructures may deliver to the populations of the Canary Islands Archipelago. The study enables us to identify the islands of La Palma, El Hierro, Fuerteventura, and La Gomera as those with better accessibility patterns. Full article

Thermal stresses are generated in concrete during the accelerated curing process in precast concrete. These stresses may cause concrete to crack, which would have a negative effect on the general concrete performance. This paper provides the results of the thermal stress analysis of concrete containing 25% replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) by ground granulated blast-furnace slag cement (GGBFS) with 3000 cm²/g fineness. A total of 2.5% of limestone powder and 1.75% of fine gypsum by mass of OPC were incorporated in the other concrete mix proportion to check their effect on the cracking tendency of concrete. The concrete was subjected to heat curing. JCMAC, a 3D finite element analysis software developed in Japan, was used in this study for the thermal stress analysis. The heat curing period of one day, similar to generally used in the precast concrete industry for civil engineering products consisting of 3 h preheating period, heating to a peak temperature of 65 °C and this temperature was kept for 3 h, and lastly cooling was used in the study. A standard precast box culvert model member together with some experimental results obtained in the laboratory were used in the analysis. Lower cracking resistance at 1 day was observed in both mix proportions that would lead to cracking at demolding time. Curing sheets were then introduced in the analysis to cover the precast mold during accelerated curing and this showed improvement in cracking resistance of concrete containing limestone powder and fine gypsum. Full article

There are a number of pavement management systems, but most of them are limited in providing pavement design and pavement design sensitivity information. This paper presents efforts towards the integrated pavement design and management system, by developing smart pavement design sensitivity analysis software. In this paper, the sensitivity analyses of critical design input parameters have been performed to identify input parameters which have the most significant impacts on the pavement thickness. Based on the existing pavement design procedures and their sensitivity analysis results, a smart pavement design sensitivity analysis (PDSA) software package was developed, to allow a user to retrieve the most appropriate pavement thickness and immediately perform pavement design sensitivity analysis. The PDSA software is a useful tool for managing pavements, by allowing a user to instantaneously retrieve a pavement design for a given condition from the database and perform a design sensitivity analysis without running actual pavement design programs. The proposed smart PDSA software would result in the most efficient pavement management system, by incorporating the optimum pavement thickness as part of the pavement management process. Full article

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has a crucial role in smart road applications, not only limited to the design and construction stages, but also to traffic monitoring, autonomous vehicle navigation, road condition assessment, and real-time data delivery to drivers, among others. Point clouds collected through LiDAR are a powerful solution to capture as-built conditions, notwithstanding the lack of commercial tools able to automatically reconstruct road geometry in a BIM environment. This paper illustrates a two-step procedure in which roads are automatically detected and classified, providing GIS layers with basic road geometry that are turned into parametric BIM objects. The proposed system is an integrated BIM-GIS with a structure based on multiple proposals, in which a single project file can handle different versions of the model using a variable level of detail. The model is also refined by adding parametric elements for buildings and vegetation. Input data for the integrated BIM-GIS can also be existing cartographic layers or outputs generated with algorithms able to handle LiDAR data. This makes the generation of the BIM-GIS more flexible and not limited to the use of specific algorithms for point cloud processing. Full article

The transport of dangerous goods by rail carries a high risk of accident and every effort should be made to ensure that such transport is carried out under the best possible safety conditions. The research objective was to analyze and identify the main risks associated with the transport of dangerous goods by rail as well as to identify and assess the main factors of safe transport in order to reduce the risk of accident. For this purpose, analysis of the literature, systematization, generalization, and evaluation by experts was applied. The article states that in order to ensure the safe transport of dangerous goods by rail, it is necessary to comply with the rules for loading and unloading dangerous goods, the established requirements and instructions, and technical conditions of wagons and their labelling as well as preventive measures to reduce the risk. Recommendations are provided on how to reduce accidents and incidents in the transport of dangerous goods by rail. Full article

In recent years, the smart car sector has been increasing enormously in the Internet of Things (IoT) market. Furthermore, the number of smart cars seems set to increase over the next few years. This goal will be achieved because the application of recent IoT technologies to the automotive sector opens up innovative opportunities for the mobility of the future, in which connected cars will be more and more prominent in smart cities. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current status and future perspectives of smart cars, taking into account technological, transport, and social features. An analysis concerning the approaches to making smart a generic car, the possible evolutions that could occur in the coming decades, the characteristics of 5G, ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), and the power sources is carried out in this paper. Full article

Over the last few decades, the attention on the safety of existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures has significantly increased. RC bridges, in particular, are highly relevant for strategic importance. In the Italian context, several of these bridges were built around 1960, when engineering practice commonly ignored or underestimated the presence of seismic actions. Therefore, it is fundamental to quantify as accurately as possible their seismic safety level with state-of-the-art analysis techniques. In this paper, an efficient procedure based on the multi-modal pushover analysis approach is proposed for the risk evaluation of several bridges of the Italian highway network. This procedure, tailored for portfolio level assessment, takes into account the non-linear behavior and the complex dynamic response this type of structure with limited computational effort. Three fundamental aspects are defined for the structural modelling of bridges, i.e., materials’ constitutive law, finite element type and nonlinear hinge models. Flexural and shear nonlinearities of piers are included to account for ductile and brittle damage potential. The standardized procedure guarantees consistent comparisons among different bridges of the same network in the form of risk indexes. Full article

Obtaining pedestrian trajectories by a vision-based methodology is receiving increasing attention in the literature over recent decades. Within the field of study of human-induced vibrations on footbridges, practical challenges arise when collecting the trajectories of high-density crowds during measurement campaigns. A cheap and robust methodology tackling these issues is presented and applied on a case study consisting of a real-life footbridge occupied with many pedestrians. A static camera setup consisting of low-cost action cameras with limited installation height is used. In addition, a drone camera was employed to collect a limited amount of footage. Pedestrians are equipped with colored hats and detected using a straightforward color-segmenting approach. The measurements are subjected to both systematic and random measurement errors. The influence of the former is theoretically investigated and is found to be of limited importance. The effect of the latter is minimized using a Kalman filter and smoother. A thorough assessment of the accuracy results reveals that the remaining uncertainty is in the order of magnitude of 2 to 3 cm, which is largely sufficient for the envisaged purpose. Although the methodology is applied on a specific case study in the present work, the conclusions regarding the obtained accuracy and employability are generic since the measurement setup can be extended to a footbridge with virtually any length. Moreover, the empirically obtained results of the presented case study should find use in the calibration of pedestrian dynamic models that describe the flow of high-density crowds on footbridges and the further development of load models describing crowd-induced loading. Full article

To a certain degree, composite railway sleepers and bearers have been recently employed as a replacement for conventional timber sleepers. Importantly, attributed to the rise in traffic demand, structural health monitoring of track structural members is essential to improve the maintenance regime and reduce risks imposed by any structural damage. A potential modern technique for detecting damage in railway components by using energy waves is called acoustic emission (AE). This technique has been widely used for concrete structures in other engineering applications, but the application for composites is relatively limited. Recently, fiber-reinforced foamed urethane (FFU) composites have been utilized as railway sleepers and bearers for applications in the railway industry. Neither does a design standard exist, nor have the inspection and monitoring criteria been properly established. In this study, three-point bending tests were performed together with using the AE method to detect crack growth in FFU composite beams. The ultimate state behaviors are considered to obtain the failure modes. This paper is thus the world’s first to focus on damage detection approaches for FFU composite beams using AE technology, additionally identifying the load-deflection curves of the beams. According to the experimental results, it is apparent that the failure modes of FFU composite beams are likely to be in brittle modes. Through finite element method, the results were in good agreement with less than 0.14% discrepancy between the experimental and numerical data. The attractive insights into an alternative technique for damage assessment of the composite components will help railway engineers to establish structural monitoring guidelines for railway composite sleepers and bearers. Full article

This article presents the latest improvements in a recently developed nondestructive testing (NDT) approach for early detection of various flaws (corrosion, delamination, and concrete cracking) in reinforced concrete (RC) bridge decks. The proposed method involves the use of internal steel reinforcement as a wave guide for transmitting ultrasonic waves through the system and the measurement of leaked energy from the surface of the concrete. This paper builds upon the progress made in the previously published phases of the project and aims to further explore the capabilities and practicality of the proposed NDT method. Specifically, the limits of propagation distance, effect of bidirectional reinforcement, methods of attachment and coupling of the sensors to the reinforcement and concrete, and suggestions for optimal sensor arrays are discussed in this paper based on the findings from the most recent laboratory tests and pilot field tests. The results show that with careful placement of sensors and data interpretation, early stages of localized corrosion and delamination can be detected, even when bidirectional and multiple layers of reinforcement are present. For field applications, an angled seat made of fast-setting Hydrocal gypsum cement is recommended, and it is projected that the optimal angle of attachment is 33 degrees or less from the vertical axis. Full article

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) involves the evaluation of information about pipe raw materials, processes, and product manufacturing to obtain the associated emissions and ecological impacts. Open-cut (OC) pipeline replacement involves digging a trench along the length of the proposed pipeline, placing the pipe in the trench on suitable bedding materials, and then embedding and backfilling. The trenchless cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) method involves a liquid thermoset resin saturated material that is inserted into the existing pipeline by hydrostatic or air inversion or by mechanically pulling-in and inflating. The liner material is cured-in-place using hot water or steam or light cured using ultraviolet light, resulting in the CIPP product. The objectives of this paper are: (1) to present a literature review on the progress acquired over the years in understanding the environmental impacts from the OC and CIPP methods, (2) to analyze and compare the environmental impacts for small diameter sanitary sewers (SDSS) using USEPA’s tool for the reduction and assessment of chemical and other environmental impacts (TRACI) methodology from the SimaPro software, and (3) to identify the factors that influence the environment for the OC and CIPP methods. Published papers were identified that reported the environmental impacts from the OC and CIPP methods over a period from 1989 through to 2020. An actual case study based on the City of Pasadena, California, river basin was used to carry out an environmental analysis for small diameter OC and CIPP methods. The literature review suggests that the material production phase consumes a large amount of energy and is a major contributor of environmental impacts. Higher environmental impacts from the OC method are a result of longer project durations and more equipment requirements compared to the CIPP. The assessment results show that, on average, CIPP renewal caused 68% less environmental impact, 75% less impact on human health, and 62% less resource depletion as compared to the OC replacement for SDSS. The liner, felt, and resin influenced the environment the most for CIPP as compared to the OC method, where the power consumption of construction equipment and the pipe material had the greatest environmental impacts. It can be concluded that the comparison of the environmental impacts from pipeline renewal and replacement is an important element when considering a sustainable underground infrastructure development. The pipe material and outside diameter should be considered during the installation phase by OC and CIPP methods to allow a detailed evaluation and comparison of their sustainability impacts. This study can be further developed for analyzing the environmental impacts and associated costs of the OC and CIPP methods for sanitary sewers with different project and site conditions. Full article

The US Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration require routine inspections to monitor bridge deterioration. Typically, bridge inspections are conducted every 24 months. This timeframe was determined solely based on engineering judgment. The objective of this study is to develop probabilistic models to forecast bridge deterioration and statistically determine the optimal inspection intervals. A two-dimensional Markov process model that considers the current condition of a bridge, and number of years that the bridge has been in that condition, is created to predict future bridge conditions based on historical data. Using the forecasting model, a statistical process is developed to determine the optimal inspection intervals. The proposed methodology in this study is implemented, utilizing a dataset consisting of information about deterioration conditions of more than 17,500 bridges in the state of New York from 1992 to 2018. The outcomes of the statistical analysis indicate that the typical 24-month inspection interval is considerably pessimistic, and not necessary for all bridges currently in condition 5 or higher. However, the 24-month interval is too optimistic and risky for bridges currently in condition 4 or lower. The outcomes of this study help bridge owners and transportation agencies assign maintenance resources efficiently, and invest the millions of dollars currently allocated for unnecessary inspections in much-needed infrastructure development projects. Full article

Reinforced concrete retaining walls are concrete structures that are built to retain natural soil or fill earth. This study examines the lower cost-optimized design of retaining walls. Recently, a large number of modern optimization techniques were published, but a small number of them were proposed for reinforced concrete retaining walls. The proposed method develops a heuristic optimization approach to achieve the optimal design of these structures. This method simultaneously satisfies all structural, geotechnical, and European Code design restraints while decreasing the total cost of these structures. In order to confirm the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method, characteristic retaining wall examples are demonstrated. Furthermore, the parametric investigation is examined to study the result of pertinent parameters on the minimum-cost static and seismic design of retaining structures. Full article

Quantity Surveying (QS) is a process concerned with controlling and managing the costs of construction projects. QS Measurement relies on sophisticated measurement rules that are understood by experienced practitioners. Traditional QS systems, such as standard paperwork, are time-consuming and only approximate the cost estimate. This paper aims to design and deploy a web-based framework for automating the cost estimation of concrete construction, using ASP.NET. It introduces a user-friendly interface, which ensures that the work is completed in the chronological order of the construction phases. The proposed QS framework offers a reliable and time-efficient estimation method, in comparison to other methods (i.e., human labor using paper or Excel), which was tested using real data and was validated by experts and consultant companies. Furthermore, it automated the reading of project information from construction maps, which reduced errors when estimating costs. It could also automatically determine the project location using Google Maps and could quickly guide the user to the location. The proposed QS framework automated the manual and Excel work of cost computing with an accuracy of 99%, reducing human calculation errors. It also effectively reduced the calculation time to only three days (compared to 114 days of manual work or 19 days of Excel work). The comparison result of the Quantity Surveyor’s average paid salary indicated that using web-based QS framework helps in reducing the cost estimation time and labor costs. Full article

In passing maneuvers on two-lane highways, assessing the needed distance and the potential power reserve to ensure the required speed mode of the passing vehicle is a critical task of speed planning. This task must meet several mutually exclusive conditions that lead to successful maneuvers. This paper addresses three main aspects. First, the issues associated with a rational distribution of the speed of the passing vehicle for overtaking a long commercial vehicle on two-lane highways are discussed. The factors that affect the maneuver effectiveness are analyzed, considering the safety and cost. Second, a heuristic algorithm is proposed based on the rationale for choosing the necessary space and time for overtaking. The initial prediction’s sensitivity to fluctuations of the current measurements of the position and speed of the overtaking participants is examined. Third, an optimization technique for the passing vehicle speed distribution during the overtaking time using the finite element method is presented. Adaptive model predictive control is applied for tracking the references being generated. The presented model is illustrated using a simulation. Full article

Transition curves are a useful tool for lateral alignment of railway segments. Their design is important to ensure safe and comfortable travel for passengers and cargo. Well designed transition curves can lead to reduced wear of tracks and vehicles, which is beneficial from a maintenance point of view. Extensive studies have been performed through decades to find transition curves that can replace existing railway segments for the purpose of enhancing certain properties. Those studies seek to form curves that satisfy desired evaluation criteria, which are often connected to geometric continuity between the curve segments, and vehicle dynamics, to secure a smooth ride. This research topic is still ongoing and active at present. Recent results and findings are in line with the developments on the topic of vehicle dynamics and within the railway industry. For this reason it is appropriate to collect and discuss the latest work, since there are no up-to-date detailed literature reviews available. This paper explores the present state-of-the-art of railway transition curves, and identifies some of the research challenges and future research opportunities in the field. Full article

This paper presents models of path and control planning for the parking, docking, and movement of autonomous vehicles at low speeds, considering space constraints. Given the low speed of motion, and in order to test and approve the proposed algorithms, vehicle kinematic models are used. Recent works on the development of parking algorithms for autonomous vehicles are reviewed. Bicycle kinematic models for vehicle motion are considered for three basic types of vehicles: passenger car, long wheelbase truck, and articulated vehicles with and without steered semitrailer axes. Mathematical descriptions of systems of differential equations in matrix form and expressions for determining the linearization elements of nonlinear motion equations that increase the speed of finding the optimal solution are presented. Options are proposed for describing the interaction of vehicle overall dimensions with the space boundaries, within which a maneuver should be performed. An original algorithm that considers numerous constraints is developed for determining vehicle permissible positions within the closed boundaries of the parking area, which are directly used in the iterative process of searching for the optimal plan solution using nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC). The process of using NMPC to find the best trajectories and control laws while moving in a semi-limited space of constant curvature (turnabouts, roundabouts) are described. Simulation tests were used to validate the proposed models for both constrained and unconstrained conditions and the output (state-space) and control parameters’ dependencies are shown. The proposed models represent an initial effort to model the movement of autonomous vehicles for parking and have the potential for other highway applications. Full article

Smart societies will make more intelligent use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), which has the potential to transform the way to plan and manage infrastructures. New developments in computer hardware, as well as new applications and software, are changing the face of the infrastructure sector and society more generally, driving greater efficiency, increasing productivity, and greatly simplifying construction processes and life-of-asset maintenance. In European countries, the adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) standards have been expedited. In this research article, the architectural-structural model in a BIM environment of the elevated walkway connecting the gate with the runway, a project named “IV Bridge” under construction for the expansion of the departure area of Naples Capodichino International Airport, is carried out. Software including Autodesk family, Revit for the architectural/structural model, Robot Structural Analysis (RSA) for the analytical verification and Naviswork (NW) for the 4D/5D model were used. The effectiveness and benefits obtained by implementing the BIM methodology are discussed, showing a reduction in terms of construction times and costs. Full article

This contribution considers a virtual experiment on the vibrational response of rail and road bridges equipped with smart devices in the form of damping elements to mitigate vibrations. The internal damping of the bridge is considered a discontinuity that contain a dashpot. Exact complex eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are derived from a characteristic equation built as the determinant of a 4 × 4 matrix; this is accomplished through the use of the theory of generalized functions to find the response variables at the positions of the damping elements. To relate this to real world applications, the response of a bridge under Poisson type white noise is evaluated; this is similar to traffic loading that would be seen in a bridge’s service life. The contribution also discusses the importance of smart damping and dampers to sustainability efforts through the reduction of required materials, and it discusses the role played by robust mathematical modelling in the design phase. Full article