Best presentation

Sara Oliveira, Luís Vasconcelos and Ana Bastos Silva, Automatic calibration of microscopic simulation models for the analysis of urban intersections

Best impact research
Federico Autelitano, Erika Garilli and Felice Giuliani, Road route planning for transporting wind turbines in Europe

Best innovative idea
Edoardo Bocci, Fabrizio Cardone and Andrea Grilli, Mix design and volumetric analysis of hot recycled bituminous mixtures using a bio-additive 168

Gaetano Bosurgi, Orazio Pellegrino and Giuseppe Sollazzo – A PSO Algorithm for Designing 3D Highway Alignments Adopting Polynomial Solutions / This research propose a method for designing improved 3D highway alignments using a specific optimization algorithm, based on a Swarm Intelligence technique, adopting an innovative polynomial transition curve as the unique horizontal curvature element, called PPC (Polynomial Parametric Curve). This geometric solution assures higher levels of comforts for users than the traditional ones (clothoid – circular curve – clothoid), because the PPC shows more gradual trends of the main dynamic variables involved while driving, and defines each whole curve through a unique element, simplifying the design procedure.

Alfredo Ingletti, Maria Scala and Laura Chiacchiari – BIM experience in infrastructural large projects: Doha Metro – Al Jadeda Station al Matar B case study/ This research discusses the importance of BIM technology in Civil Engineering and Architectural sectors, as an important mean for the time optimization compared to the traditional approach and the reduction of costs, thanks to the prevision and the resolution of the issues, during the planning through the interface checking. As case study have been studied, using BIM technology, the project phases of architectural finishes and MEP works of Al Jadeda Station al Matar B. All project phases, from the analysis of the two-dimensional drawing, through the construction of a 3D model, achieving an high detailed level for every single designed part and the outputs are not simple representations but a set of information.

Dejan Gavran, Sanja Fric, Vladan Ilic, Filip Trpcevski and Stefan Vranjevac – 3D control of obstacles in airport location studies/ To choose the site of a new airport, meteorological and environmental analyses, as well as navigational analyses, are all of the ultimate importance. Especially in mountainous regions, navigational analyses are concentrated on the control of obstacles which is synonym for the analyses of Obstacle Limitation Surfaces. OLS are imaginary surfaces defining the volume of airspace in the vicinity of the airport that should ideally be kept free from obstacles so as to provide for safe aircraft operations. This study is focused on 3D techniques of orienting the runway to minimize the extent of protrusions through the Obstacle Limitation Surfaces.

Luca Bernardini, Michele Leone, Giuseppe Loprencipe and Gabriele Malavasi – Building Information Modeling (BIM): prospects for the development of Railway Infrastructure industry/ In all phases of infrastructure life, the digital representation can facilitate the organizational model that always puts the information content of all railway components at the center of any decision-making process. In this sense, the development of BIM processes for punctual building has now reached a very satisfying level of maturity. However, as regards linear construction, the full application of these BIM processes still remains rather complex considering that the current processes representation in use has achieved an adequate level of development. In this case study, applications have been developed in BIM mode with the aim of highlighting the main potential of this innovative process. Moreover, it includes some proposals for improvements on which it is necessary to concentrate in order to promote the full implementation of the BIM technology for rail infrastructure.

CHAIRMAN: Salvatore Antonio Biancardo

Erika Garilli, Federico Autelitano, Felice Giuliani, Amela Guga and Giulio Maternini – A reading key of motorisation rate trend in Italy / In the 70s it was shown that the trend of the motorisation rate could be well represented by sigmoid functions. This study presented an analysis of the analytical expressions of the motorisation rate trend in Italy. In the current continental framework, Italy is one of the country with the greatest motorisation rate but also a country for which the interpretation of this simple statistical parameter necessarily requires a deepening. The motorisation rate is still well fitted by sigmoid function but with a gap between Northern and Southern Italy due to an infrastructure delay, highly noticeable in Southern Italy, but especially to a different management policy of the public transport and the related infrastructure investments.

Lucas Jardín, Carlos Loch and Vanesa Kolodziej – Analysis of the impact of road networks in urban distribution spatial through dynamic models and multipurpose cadastre / The objective of the work presented was oriented to determine the incidence of road networks in the evolution of the territory over time, supported in the multipurpose cadaste, which provides information from urban infrastructure close to roads, the factors that show urban dynamics such as the study of infrastructure networks, serving functionality city. The study was developed in Joinville city, State of Santa Catarina, located in the south of Brazil. The integration of dynamic models and geo-technologies are the basis to originate simulations and generate representations of spatiotemporal processes that demonstrate the densification suffered in proximity to most important roads.The generated information – cartographic and numeric – proves the powerful ability of dynamic modelling tools to obtain a coherent interpretation of the city and predict possible scenarios of the relationship between road networks and their environment.

Song Zeng and Huaikun Xiang – Research on the Method of Multi-resource Traffic Data Fusion for the Calculation of Urban Road Traffic Operation Index / At present, the computation of the urban road traffic operation index in China is mainly based on the GPS data of floating cars. This road traffic operation index based on the GPS data only of the floating cars is not sufficiently accurate, which inevitably influences the validity and authority of the index. In the presented work, a segment of an urban expressway equipped with the geomagnetic detectors and the floating cars in Shenzhen is selected as the scenario for the data collection. Three data fusion methods are proposed, respectively based on the confidence in traffic sensors’ property, the artificial neural network and the least squared nonlinear support vector machine (abbreviated as LS-SVM). The method based on confidence is simple and straightforward and its computing speed is very fast, but the confidence level of the traffic sensor is required according to its operating performance. The accuracy and reliability of the method based on the artificial neural network relies on the structure and the size of the training sample for the neural network. The method based on LS-SVM shows the best data fusion accuracy.

Cristiana Piccioni, Marco Valtorta and Antonio Musso – On-street parking management: bridging the gap between theory and practice / Cities have to cope with high rates of parking demand but the on-street parking provision appears very often inadequate. Many studies and researches have developed different parking management approaches, over the last decades, in order to meet the changing dynamics affecting urban mobility. However, possible links between such parking systems and contexts within which they work are generally not investigated. The paper summarized the findings of a study aimed at exploring, from a quantitative viewpoint, the gap between theory and practice also showing that, at practical level too, there is not yet a common understanding in selecting specific parking measures.

Hai Yan, Mowen Ran and Mengtian Li – A Study on the influence of parking policy mix on travel model choice behavior within the scope of heterogeneous travel purposes / Parking policies have significant impacts to travel mode choice and traffic system operation. Due to heterogeneous travel purpose, people perceive the same parking policy mix with different extent. In order to understand the existing reason about different perception for the same policy, a multiple-factor behavior model has been developed, by considering the factors of parking price, public transit travel time, traffic conditions and parking supply. Three major findings obtained from the study presented are as following: travel mode choice has been significantly affected by dynamic traffic; parking price and bus travel time have important effects on the mode choice of commuting drivers; the non-commuting drivers are more sensitive to parking price than commuting drivers only when making mode choice.

Inbal Haas and Shlomo Bekhor – Multi-objective Network Design Problem considering system time minimization and road safety maximization / The transportation-related project selection problem is known in the literature as the Network Design Problem (NDP). In this work a model that focuses on two objectives was presented: minimizing the system time and maximizing the safety level. The developed model is based a heuristic for finding the system time of a combination of projects, and on an existing crash prediction model (CPM). Both the developed heuristic and the CPM are integrated into an optimization model for solving the NDP. The model developed in this paper relies on the bi-level formulation of the NDP. In order to solve the multi-objective optimization model formulated we use two different approaches: the constrained multi-objective optimization, and a variation of the Niched-Pareto Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II), used in MATLAB. The proposed model is applied for the Israel national network.

CHAIRMAN: Francesca Russo

The initial session program also included further presentations but for unpredictable reasons the speakers could not be present at the TIS congress.

Vladimír Adamec, Barbora Schullerova, Jiri Pospisil, Adam Babinec and David Herman – Using the System DataFromSky to Monitor Emissions from Traffic / The issue of the transport emissions and their impact on human health is becoming increasingly more actual. One of the possible approaches to solve this issue is using data obtained from the DataFromSky software for modeling of intensities and emission from traffic. This is the software tool that uses real traffic information about the monitored traffic area, such as the type of passing vehicles, their speed and acceleration profile. These data are obtained on the basis of the monitoring of the traffic area with the application of the drone technology or camera system. The software is then able to analyze the monitored area and the traffic intensity. Besides, obtained data is then possible to use for the modeling of the emission with a suitable software tool. The paper presenteted introduces one of the possible approaches in the assessing emissions from transport and subsequent application of these results to the transport management and planning.

Salah Zoorob, Cesare Sangiorgi and Shahin Eskandarsefat – A Review of Sulfur Extended Asphalt Modifiers – Feasibility and Limitations / Sulfur Extended Asphalt Modifier (SEAM) is currently being marketed as an additive for hot asphalt mix-tures. Typically 40% by mass of the binder phase in the asphalt mix can be replaced by SEAM using con-ventional mix design and production techniques. During the production stages of SEAM asphalt mixes in conventional hot mix plants, the sulfur component will exist in the liquid phase, which requires careful thermal management to control gaseous emissions. The work presented a general review of exposure limits for sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide emissions and their short and long term health effects on healthy and asthmatic individuals.

Rami M. Alfaqawi, Gordon D. Airey and James Grenfell – Effects of Different Fillers on Bitumen Mastics Chemistry and Rheology / The study attempted to provide an improved understanding of the factors affect the laboratory aging process of binders. and investigate the effect of different fillers including hydrated lime on the ageing of asphalt mastic mechanisms. Different aging methods to simulate the short and long term aging of binders and mastics were used in this study, the changes due to the aging are measured by different aging indices. Also, the chemical changes of the binders were investigated by the means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).  The results indicated that the fillers can significantly affect the rate of oxidative aging, and this depends mainly on the filler type and concentration. Also the effectiveness of filler on reducing the aging rate depends on the bitumen source. The results also showed that hydrated lime is active filler that reduces the oxidative aging hardening rate more than limestone and granite fillers do and this also correlated with the chemical changes measured by FTIR by the means of the rate of change of carbonyl and sulfoxide oxidative products.

Mauro Ranieri, Clara Celauro and Loretta Venturini – Performance improvements of asphalt mixtures by dry addition of polymeric additives / The authors showed the results of an experimental study concerning the development and optimization of asphalt mixtures for binder and base courses, improved with specifically engineered additives. The focus was on the mechanical improvements the mixtures as achievable via the dry modification with the SuperPlast additive developed by Iterchimica, in order to make use of aggregate and bitumen of average quality, as locally available, in order to save better quality not-renewable resources. In particular, the modified mixtures prove to have better performance in terms of both permanent deformation resistance and stiffness modulus. Moreover, the presence of SuperPlast allows the optimization of the mixtures at lower binder contents, thus proving the economic feasibility of this modification, when considering the ad-vantage of consuming mixtures components of average quality for production of highly performing mixtures.

Marco Pasetto and Nicola Baldo – Dissipated Energy Approach for the Fatigue Evaluation of RAP Asphalt Mixtures / The results of a laboratory investigation on the fatigue resistance of Base Courses Asphalt (BCA) mixes, for road pavements, were discussed. The experimental analysis was performed on bituminous mixtures with Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP), up to 40% by weight of the aggregate. Both conventional and polymer modified bitumen was used in the investigation. The mix design was based on volumetric (gyratory) and indirect tensile tests, on both wet and dry samples. The fatigue behaviour was evaluated at 20°C and 10 Hz, under strain control mode, by means of the conventional ap-proach, based on the reduction in the initial stiffness modulus, as well as using a dissipated energy method fo-cused on the Plateau Value concept. Between the different approaches used for the fatigue data analysis, it has been verified a qualitative consistency in the mixtures ranking, with a higher fatigue resistance presented by the polymer modified mixtures produced with RAP aggregates.

Carlotta Godenzoni, Maurizio Bocci and Andrea Graziani – Rheological characterization of cold bituminous mastics produced with different mineral additions / The use of CBMs is increasing because they combine economical and environmental efficiency. The mechanical behavior of the entire CBMs is strictly related to the behavior of the bitumen emulsion mastic. The present study focuses on the rheological characterization of two cold bituminous mastics produced in the laboratory with bitumen emulsion and two mineral additions: cement and calcium carbonate. For each mineral addition two different volumetric concentration rates (0.15 and 0.30) were tested.  The results showed that mastic composition strongly affects the viscosity and the mechanical response of the material. In particular, at higher temperatures and higher concentration rates phase separation was observed. The viscoelastic behavior showed an evolutive trend at longer curing times, especially for cold bituminous mastic prepared with cement. In addition, the time-temperature superposition principle was verified in the range of temperatures and frequencies investigated.

Edwina Saroufim, Clara Celauro and Nariman Khalil – Laboratory investigation into the modification effect of paving bitumen with different plastomeric polymers / Plastomeric polymers are known to be amongst the most used in bitumen modification. This work investigate the influence and degree of modification of several plastomeric modified bitumen in terms of rheological properties and morphology, investigated by means of fluorescent light optic microscopy. New processed and mixed polymers are introduced in the analysis. The results confirm that the fundamental properties and morphology of the modified bitumen are directly dependent on the type of polymer in use. Overall, the polymer-modified bitumen improves the original bitumen properties: remarkably stable blends were spotted with overall good performing properties. The microscope pictures provide useful information on the different type of interaction between the polymers and the bitumen.

Douglas Mocelin, Lelio Brito, Marlova Johnston, Vinicius Alves, Gracieli Colpo and Jorge Ceratti – Evaluation of Workability of Warm Mix Asphalt through the CDI and Air Voids / Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) has grown in production over the past years due to its various advantages, such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, lower energy consumption and reduced compaction temperature among others. The research has evaluated the workability of warm mixes accounting the Construction Densification Index (CDI), obtained in the compaction curve of a Superpave Gyratory Compactor (SGC) and also by means of air voids control achieved in Marshall specimens. The experiment tested a standard dense HMA and equivalent WMA varying both mixes on their production and compaction temperatures at -15°C, -30°C and -45°C of the reference HMA (143°C), totalling seven analysed mixtures. The results showed no workability variation on the mixes production but an improvement on the compactability; the latter being highly sensitive to surfactant presence and to temperature decrease. In general, the mixtures at reduced temperatures only reach the proper compaction using WMA surfactant additive. The tests carried out allow the conclusions that the addition of WMA surfactant additive enables a decrease in the compaction temperature of about, at least, 30°C without significant loss in workability and improving particle homogeneity in the mixes.

CHAIRMAN: Marco Pasetto

Vladan Ilić, Isidora Pančić, Marko Orešković and Dejan Gavran – The use of porous asphalt for the improvement of the grading plan geometry and drainage of pavement surfaces on urban roads / Porous asphalts are applied all over the world to minimize the effect of noise caused by everyday traffic. Beside the effect of noise reduction, thanks to their open texture and improved drainage characteristics, porous asphalts decrease the impact of spraying water behind a moving vehicle. Since drainage capability of porous asphalt as a surface permeable layer is much higher compared to a conventional dense-graded asphalt surface course, the values of cross grades of pavement wearing course on the road sections with porous asphalts should be additionally considered. Hence, the primary topic of the paper was how the application of porous asphalt could affect the geometric design of grading plans of pavement surface on urban roads, especially in intersection zones, where different longitudinal and cross grades of intersecting directions have to be mutually aligned. Due to a higher drainage capacity of porous asphalt layers, layout plan of storm water inlets can be changed if pavement cross grades are reduced.

Edoardo Bocci, Fabrizio Cardone and Andrea Grilli – Mix design and volumetric analysis of hot recycled bituminous mixtures using a bio-additive / Nowadays, the use of reclaimed asphalt (RA) as a constituent material for hot bituminous mixtures, is gaining increasing interest, because of the important technical and environmental advantages. One of these benefits deals with the reuse of the old bitumen from the RA, which allows reducing the required amount of new bitumen with clear economic returns. However, only a small percentage of RA can be recycled in new asphalt concretes (typically less than 20%), as the excess of oxidized aged bitumen may lead to a brittle behavior of the pavement layer. In order to avoid this issue, when high amount of RA are used, specific additives are recommended in order to restore the bitumen characteristics and thus obtain a mixture with the expected me-chanical properties. The paper presented deals with the use of a bio-based additive (A) for the production of an asphalt concrete for binder layer containing high quantities of RA. In particular, the study is focused on the mix design phase, in order to highlight the effects of RA and A on the volumetric properties of the mixtures. The experimental program included four asphalt concretes with no RA, 40% of RA, 40% of RA and additive A, 50% RA and additive A. Results showed that the optimum bitumen content decreased when decreasing RA content or when adding A. Moreover, the use of A allowed obtaining the desired volumetric properties even with a significantly lower amount of virgin bitumen in the mix.

Alibay Iskakbayev, Bagdat Teltayev and Cesare Rossi – Deformation And Strength Of Asphalt Concrete  Under Static And Step Loadings / Asphalt concrete is one of the main materials for construction of pavement for modern highways. Its mechanical properties depend greatly on temperature, duration and type of loading. This work represents test results for samples of fine-grained asphalt concrete under static and step loadings during direct tension at the temperature of 20-24 °С. More than 100 samples of asphalt concrete have been tested. Bitumen of grade 100-130 was used for preparing of asphalt concrete. It has been determined that failure strain depends on type and duration of loading and does not exceed 10 %. Dependence of  long term strength for asphalt concrete has been determined on the value of static load.

Federico Perrotta, Luis Canhoto Neves and Tony Parry – A Big Data approach to assess the Influence of Road Pavement Condition on Truck Fleet Fuel Consumption / In Europe, the road network is the most extensive and valuable infrastructure asset. In England, for example, its value has been estimated at around £344 billion and every year the government spends approximately £4 billion on highway maintenance (House of Commons, 2011).  Fuel efficiency depends on a wide range of factors, including vehicle characteristics, road geometry, driving pattern, and pavement condition. The latter has been addressed, in the past, by many studies showing that a smoother pavement improves vehicle fuel efficiency. A recent study estimated that road roughness affect around 5% of fuel consumption (Zaabar & Chatti, 2010). However, previous studies were based on experiments using few instrumented vehicles, tested under controlled conditions (e.g. steady speed, no gradient etc.) on selected test sections. For this reason, the impact of pavement condition on vehicle fleet fuel economy, under real driving conditions, at network level still remains to be verified. A 2% improvement in fuel efficiency would mean that more than about 720 million litres of fuel (~£1 billion pounds) could be saved every year in the UK. It means that maintaining roads in better condition could lead to cost savings and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Modern trucks use many sensors, installed as standard, to measure data on a wide range of parameters including fuel consumption. This data is mostly used to inform fleet managers about maintenance and driver training requirements. In the present work, a ‘big data’ approach is used to estimate the impact of road surface conditions on truck fleet fuel economy for hundreds trucks along a motorway in England. Assessing the impact of pavement conditions on fuel consumption at truck fleet and road network level would be useful for road authorities, helping them prioritise maintenance and design decisions.

Lina ŠneideraitienĖ and Daiva ŽilionienĖ – Research and analysis of dolomite aggregate for resistance to fragmentation / Mechanical and physical properties of aggregates, used for producing asphalt mixture, influence the quality indices of pavement structure, i.e. functionality, reliability and durability. Investigation of various mechanical and physical properties of numerous aggregates by using test methods of EU standards Lithuania started in 2004. Requirements for resistance to fragmentation of aggregate, the technical specifications of mineral materials in Lithuania and in Latvia have been determined. The resistance to fragmentation of Lithuanian high quality dolomite aggregate meets Lithuanian and Latvian requirements according to TRA ASPHALT 08 Technical Specifications for Road Asphalt Mixtures and Ceļu SPECIFICATIONS 2015 for course mineral materials, bituminous mixtures and surface treatments.

CHAIRMAN: Ezio Santagata

The initial session program also included further presentations but for unpredictable reasons the speakers could not be present at the TIS congress.

 Yang Yanqun, Huang Qinwei, Xu Meiling and Yu Sheng – Study on Paving factors of Stone Path in Campus Based on Characteristics of Pedestrian Walking / Stone path is usually seen in places such as campus, park, scenic spots, etc. Such road can not only serve as a passage, but also decorate and beautify the environment. The pavement of stone path is closely related to the characteristics of pedestrian walking. Therefore, it has been collected 306 valid samples by studying the stone paths and the characteristics of the students in a university, and analyse their

Eleonora Cesolini, Stefano Oddone and Sonia Gregori – Anas Quality Evaluation Management System / The ANAS Quality Evaluation Management System (QEMS) is an innovative tool that enables the collection, the analysis and the evaluation of all the information related to road pavement for new construction projects and for maintenance of existing roads. The system presended provides on-time quality reports which include information about the quality of the activities involved in road construction and maintenance, and data about the performances of the Key Suppliers (KS). Based on this, with the QEMS you can check the quality performance of each activity performed by KS.  In addition, it can be used by each KS, who is allowed accessing only to its own results. This interactive tool is proposed as a support to enhance the quality of road construction by providing a synthetic and on-time analysis of performances, all the results are showed with different colors on a geographical map in order to facilitate the user to read them. In the QEMS, each project is divided in more audit areas each characterized by a unique pavement design. Then, in each Audit Area, the activities of each KS (e.g., laying, compaction), are audited acquiring selected information (laboratory test data, on site audit, management quality audit), defined as parameters, each parameter is evaluated according a weight and an optimal value and an acceptable value. Within the same audit area all the activities are organized into a hierarchical structure, called Activity Tree, where their quality depends on the quality and the weight factors of activities and parameters at lower levels. The QEMS is completely configurable and you can simulate more scenarios with various weight factors in order to get reports with different evaluation criteria.

Guido Bonin, Nicola Folino, Giuseppe Loprencipe, Cesare Oliverio Rossi, Sergio Polizzotti and Bagdat Teltayev – Development of a Road Asset Management System in Kazakhstan / The author of paper has described the development of a custom Road Asset Management System, that will take care of the 24,500 km of roads that make the Kazakhstan main network of roads (Republican roads), that also includes 6 international corridors. The system has two main roles, (1) organizing the asset information (road cadaster or “road passport” according to the Kazakh standard) in a modern digital database and (2) managing the maintenance of the network, optimizing through economic analysis the budget allocation for maintenance works. The system development takes also care of organizing the data collection procedures for both roles, that will be done using automated devices installed on mobile laboratories. The system will also use data from other sources, such as the growing ITS equipment (mainly weather stations, cameras, Weigh In Motion devices and traffic counters for the purposes of this system). The system is organized as a web based service and it is acces-sible through any internet connected device, offering the operators the possibility to browse the database or update it in any place with an internet connection available. One of the key element of the system is its ability to make analysis and forecasts: the system is developed to measure periodically condition data across all the network, to have a clear understanding and control on the status of the roads. This module uses HDM-4 (that is used as an external, off line analysis tool) to make pavement maintenance analysis and optimization of re-sources. The system will start its operation with the first complete data collection, that will be calibrated over the years by the repetition of condition analysis, allowing to improve reliability and quality of analysis forecasts. The system will also serve for other analysis, such as the control of Asset Value, analysis on the effect of new road projects over the network.

Gianfranco Battiato, Lorenzo Cosimi and Christos Stratakos – The Pavement Management System For Improving Airports And Roads Infrastructures / The author has explained as a PMS (Pavement Management System) provides a set of objectives and well-organized procedures for determining areas having high maintenance priorities and work plans, assigning resources and budgeting for pavement M&R (Maintenance and Rehabilitation). It also can be used to quantify information and furnish detailed recommendations for works required to maintain a set of pavements at a satisfactory level of service and safety while minimizing the cost of M&R. By the PMS it’s possible not only to evaluate the actual condition of a pavement network, but also to predict their future condition through the use of pavement condition parameters, such as residual life and overlay, IRI and PCI. When a pavement gets to a critical condition and its parameters begin to decay rapidly, rehabilitating is the only solution to restore the project condition, but this is at least five times more expensive that maintaining and preserving a pavement in good condition yet. The PMS, implemented by the use of a specific software, permits to avoid these situations, extended the service life of a pavement network. Since the late ’80s RODECO Group has developed RO.MA® (Road Management) PMS & Asset Management software, in order to increase the quality of the Roads and Airports Infrastructures in the short, medium and long term, for improving pavement durability and safety.

Vanesa María Kolodziej, Glicério Trichês, Jahel Sarvia Ledezma Pérez, Gabriela Ceccon Carlesso, Ramon Mendes Knabben and Lucas Martín Jardín – Functional and durability properties evaluation of open graded asphalt mixes / In the opinion of the authors, open graded asphalt mixes it could be one solution to the current demand for roads that offer quality, safety and comfort to users. However, these mixtures have problems of durability and mechanical strength. In this context, the aim of this research is to obtain a mixture that presents a balance between the permeability, acoustic and durability properties. This study evaluated mixtures with two different aggregate gradations with a maximum aggregate size of 9.5 mm and a polymer modified binder, through a series of laboratory testing. One of the two aggregate gradations was studied in Brazil (G1), and another gradation was based on a work done in the United States (G2). The research has concluded that G2 mixture shows satisfactory performance re-lated to acoustic, permeability and durability properties.

Laura Trupia, Tony Parry, Luis Neves and Davide Lo Presti – Rolling Resistance Impact On A Road Pavement Life Cycle Carbon Footprint Analysis / The environmental impact of road pavement rolling resistance – in terms of pavement surface properties – can be significant during the life cycle of a pavement. The assessment of this component requires specific knowledge to incorporate it in the pavement Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework. Although the impact of this element has been included in the LCA framework of several studies in the last years, there is still a high level of uncertainty related to the methodological assumptions and the parameters that affect the results. In order to adopt pavement Carbon footprint/LCA as a decision making tool, it is necessary to assess the impact of the chosen methods on the LCA results. The main aim of the paper was to estimate the impact – in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – of the pavement-vehicle interaction (PVI) due to the pavement roughness and macrotexture during the use phase of the pavement, for two UK case studies and analyse the influence of the methodological assumptions relating to the rolling resistance on the LCA results. To do that, the CO2 emissions, calculated with two different rolling resistance models present in the literature, are compared and a sensitivity test on some specific input variables (pavement deterioration rate, traffic growth and emission factors/fuel efficiency improvement) is performed. The models used to calculate the impact of the pavement surface properties on fuel consumption and the pavement deterioration rate significantly affect the LCA results, while traffic growth and fuel efficiency improvements do not seem to have a large impact on the estimated vehicle CO2 emissions. The results show that the methods of modelling and the methodological assumptions need to be transparent in the analysis of the impact of the surface pavement properties on fuel consumption, in order to be interpreted by decision makers and implemented in the LCA framework.

CHAIRMAN: Luigi Carrarini

The initial session program also included further presentations but for unpredictable reasons the speakers could not be present at the TIS congress.

Giovanni Leonardi and Rocco Palamara – Finite element modelling of flexible pavement reinforced with geogrid / The always increasing patterns of vehicle traffic on roads, in all weather, sets that the maintenance and rehabilitation of infrastructures among the engineering key tasks for transport infrastructures. Furthermore, the need to guarantee high performance wilts increasing pavement life, has led research and industry to focus a greater attention on the use of pavement reinforcements. In recent years, numerous kinds of geosynthetic grids have been introduced on the market which can be used for pavement reinforcement, extending extend pavement life, guaranteeing high performance and reducing costs of service and maintenance. The use of geosynthetics can produce several benefits, such as draining, reinforcement, filtering, separation and proofing. The study has proposed a numerical investigation using a three-dimensional Finite Element Method (FEM) to analyze the importance, in terms of rutting at the top of pavement system, of geogrids in the behavior under wheel traffic loads on pavement. In the model, a multi-layer pavement structure was considered with a geogrid reinforcement and the model dimensions, element types and meshing strategies are taken by successive attempts to obtain desired accuracy and convergence of the study. FEM results show that a geogrid reinforcement can provide lateral confinement at the bottom of the base layer by improving interface shear resistance and reduce rutting at the top of pavement system.

Maja Krcum and Anita Gudelj, Modelling of a Multi-Agent Architecture for Power Management System on a Ship – The object of this work was to present the design of an information system for the management of power system on a ship using software agents. The Power Management System is a critical part of the control equipment in the ship. It is usually distributed on various control stations that can operate together and share information between each other or independently in case of special emergency situations in which ship have to operate. The system becomes more complex by applying renewable energy system due to special rules implemented by International Maritime Organization (IMO). Based on an analysis of the information flow of the data processing for making appropriate decisions, a control architecture for power distribution, which has to be hierarchical, was proposed. This control architecture is implemented as multi-agent system. It is modelled by Colored Petri Net.

Zvonimir Lušić, Danijel Pušić and Dario Medic, Analysis of the maritime traffic in the central part of the  Adriatic – This paper analyses maritime traffic in the central part of the Adriatic Sea as well as risk of collisions and groundings on the main sailing routes passing through this area. Here, in fact, two main traffic flows, northwest and southeast, are concentrated in two narrow paths, mainly safely separated due to traffic separation schemes in vicinity. But these main traffic flows overlap with routes of other vessels; fishing vessels, yachts, transversal traffic, etc.  accordingly causing increased probability of accident. Calculation of probability of collisions and groundings was based on AIS traffic data and IWRAP software. Accordingly, some recommendations how to reduce risk of accidents were given.

Elen Twrdy and Milan Batista, Evaluating the competitiveness of transhipment ports in Mediterranean – Ports, as one of the most important links in the logistics chain, are forced to follow the fast progress of ship size and to adjust all technology and process to the new environment. This study present models to evaluate container transhipment ports in Mediterranean Sea. A detailed analysis on dynamics of containers by using portfolio analysis, market share analysis and shift-share analysis was presented. Then a simple Markov chain method was used in order to predict behaviour of this ports with respect to the identified trends in containers traffic. They concluded that there are not big differences in marker share between those ports. We calculated the HH index and saw that the concentrations is low (around 0.22) which means that all those ports are important players.

Stefano Gori and Marco Petrelli, A simulation model for managing port operations – The objective of this study is to create a simulation tool that involves the development and the management of the entire port infrastructure, using historical and real-time data, working with design and operating scenarios. Such infrastructures are characterized by several, different activities, often in overlap in space and time, involving critical issues about terminals capacity and reliability of ships scheduling. Such issues are growing for importance due to the combined effect of the increasing level of freight and the increasing difficulties in medium and long term investment projects. The simulation model was realized with a discrete-event approach using the software ARENA and a tool for a graphic user interface, implemented in the C# language. The model was implemented to simulate the activities in Civitavecchia, a multipurpose port, using real world data.

Paolo Fadda, Gianfranco Fancello, Claudia Pani and Patrizia Serra, The Optimed Project: A New Mediterranean Hub-Based Ro-Ro Network – The main objective of the study is to design a new optimised corridor between the two shores of the Mediterranean sea. The new corridor, founded on the hub-based concept, is composed by two hub ports: Porto Torres (Italy) and Beirut (Lebanon) serving the north-western area and the south-eastern area, respectively. A data collection process  was performed in order to collect the information necessary to define the existing scenario and to characterise nodes (ports) and arcs (links) of the new network. Origin/Destination matrices was used to calibrate the network and alternative scenarios of future demand was built-up, in order to determine how the new network structure can be able to match changing demand over the years. Environmental balances was performed to assess the environmental efficiency of the new network with respect to the existing transport options.

Francesca D’Orsi – Terminal Operator / Francesca D’Orsi explained as a layer the figure of the terminal operator, which can best be defined as the main player in the complex of port operations within the port area, is still one of the most controversial figures in the context of maritime law, and more specifically as regards the juridical qualification to be given to the contracts stipulated with them for the execution of the aforementioned operations and the consequent regime of liability in terms of the fulfilment of their obligations.

CHAIRMAN: Elen Twrdy

The initial session program also included further presentations but for unpredictable reasons the speakers could not be present at the TIS congress.

Riccardo Gabriele Di Meglio, Silvia Ferrini, Giorgio Mainardi and Ivano Toni, Motorways of the Sea: an outlook of technological, operational and economic tools – The paper was about how new technologies can be successfully deployed within the MoS related logistic chains, analysing needs for monitoring the freight, improving safety of passengers flows, detecting hazardous events, in compliance with IMO directives and international regulations. Based on current practices, the paper will explore the use of RFID, e-seals, port monitoring platforms, in the light of market needs for reliable and interoperable ITS. The contribution will finally deal with the Port of Livorno case, analyzed as meaningful for other Mediterranean ports. This case study gives the chance to consider, in the real life of the first Ro-Ro port in Italy, the implementation of above mentioned technological, operational and economic tools.

Vittorio Marzano, Andrea Papola and Fulvio Simonelli, A methodology for evaluating the competitiveness of Ro-Ro services – This work proposes a methodology for the appraisal of the effectiveness of Ro-Ro services in competition with the all-road alternative. The methodology was applied for the analysis of the intermodal corridor Italy-Spain. The relevant ports are firstly analyzed in terms of their maritime accessibility, that is measuring the factors usually taken into account by shipping companies in choosing new routes/services. Then, a potential basin and an effective basin are defined for each port, respectively the first encompassing the set of o-d pairs whose maritime shortest path passes through that port, the second containing the o-d pairs with an actual convenience in choosing Ro-Ro with respect to the road mode. The basins are evaluated with reference both to an ideal maritime supply, that is with all ports connected among themselves, and to the current maritime supply between Italy and Spain. This allows the identification of new potential attractive routes, whose effective basin are in turn determined by applying the same proposed methodology.

Pietro Ugolini, Francesca Pirlone, Ilenia Spadaro and Selena Candia, Waterfront and sustainable mobility. The case study of Genoa – Nowadays many port areas are no more exploited for port’s trade. Several cities used these spaces designing modern waterfronts for leisure, culture and tourism activities. Waterfront revitalisation is also fundamental for urban mobility. Port cities can use these areas to develop new transport infrastructure promoting sustainable mobility. The case of one important port city in the Mediterranean, Genoa, was analysed. This analysis is necessary to define new forms of mobility and transport promoting sustainability inside port cities centres taking often advance of port abandoned areas.

Evandro José Da Silva and Nicolau D. F. Gualda – A computational model for aerodrome geometry analyses of conformity to ICAO design standards /  A computational model to conform an aerodrome geometry to the ICAO Annex 14 standards was presented. These standards impose geometric characteristics on runways, taxiways and aprons, as well as protection surfaces free of interferences according to the project aircraft. The model generates a KML file that can be read in a virtual globe such as Google Earth or in a GIS desktop as QGIS. It allows automatic analysis of possible aerodrome geometry conflicts. Model functionality has been verified for both hypothetic and real world instances. The author showed results of its application to the Viracopos Airport in Campinas, Brazil (SBKP).

Mario De Luca, Demetrio Carmine Festa and Giuseppe Guido – Modeling airport noise using Artificial Neural Networks and Non-Linear Analysis / In this work two models are built to estimate the level of aircraft noise (Lva) around populated areas. In particular the study evaluates the effects of this phenomenon on people and buildings. Data of the level of noise pollution (Lva), were detected on the airport of Lamezia Terme (IATA: SUF, ICAO: LICA). The data were processed with the Non-Linear technique and Artificial Neural Network technique. Both models showed good predictive ability in terms of Lva. The simulation capacity of the models was tested on samples coming from the same airport, but not used to built the models.

Ioannis Politis, Georgios Georgiadis and Panagiotis Papaioannou – Airport ground access logit choice models for fixed track systems / In this study, binary logit models are developed in order to identify the mode and user specific parameters that affect airport ground access mode choice. The airport under examination is the International Airport “Macedonia” of Thessaloniki. A combined revealed and stated preference study examined the significant factors that influence airport visitors’ choices against three future alternative fixed track public transport systems. The results indicate significant relation of mode specific variables with the final choice. User specific attributes of gender, age and trip frequency was found in the case of bus and taxi users to have an explanatory power on mode choice. Finally, travel and cost elasticities for the different examined cases are presented and commented.

Laura Moretti, Giuseppe Cantisani, Paola Di Mascio, Stefano Nichele and Silvia Caro – A runway veer-off risk assessment based on frequency model: Part I, probability analysis and Part II, risk analysis / In these two parts a comprehensive airport risk assessment methodology was presented, for aircraft runway veer-off accidents around the world. The most frequent causes for this type of accidents are inappropriate pilot performance and aircraft damage; while influential factors include transversal wind, contamination of the runway, and poor visibility. A successful probabilistic model of veer-off accidents was developed in the first part. The second part assesses the level of safety guaranteed by the Cleared and Graded Area (CGA), which is a part of the Runway strip that enhances the deceleration of an aircraft in the case of an excursion. Therefore, a model of veer-off accident was developed to quantify the risk of an event. The results for the risk analysis of veer-off accidents showed that there are some cases for which the Real Level of Safety (RLS) was higher than the proposed Target Level of Safety (TLS), meaning that the level of damage expected is higher than the proposed one. An application example of the model complies to the requirements of the ICAO Regulation for non-instrument Code A run-ways.

Aleksander Ljubic – High Modulus Asphalt Concrete for Ljubljana Airport Apron / Central part of the apron at the Ljubljana airport from 1978 was scheduled for reconstruction in 2014 because of the increased traffic loads and subsequent distress of the existing asphalt pavement. Because of the traffic situation and faster completion time the asphalt pavement was chosen for the reconstruction and for the planned high traffic loading and severe climatic conditions a suitable asphalt mix had to be selected. A high stiffness modulus asphalt mix was chosen for base layers and the article describes the mix design, its testing and finally completed reconstruction of the airport apron area.

CHAIRMAN: Olja Cokorilo

Matteo Ignaccolo, Giuseppe Inturri, Nadia Giuffrida, Michela Le Pira and Vincenza Torrisi – Structuring transport decision-making problems through stakeholder engagement: the case of Catania metro accessibility  / This work presents a procedure for the structuring of a problem hierarchy by involving key stakeholders, representing a first step towards a participatory decision-making process. The case study regards Catania metro accessibility and the building of a new metro station (named Milo) that will be opened next year..The decision should be based on different criteria, including non-monetary ones, and it should be able both to solve the mobility needs of the district and to improve the quality of life of the whole city.From the results of the interviews submitted to the key stakeholders, a first hierarchy of the problem has been built, to be used for analysis via appropriate multicriteria decision-making methods.

Francesco Deflorio, Hernan Dario Gonzalez Zapata and Marco Diana – Public Transport resilience during emergency: a simulated case in Torino / Nowadays detailed Public Transport (PT) data are available thanks to open standards such as the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS), introduced to enable information services usually provided via web. In this study this dataset was used, for accessibility analysis, based on some indicators to measure how the zones of a city are well connected, in terms of capacity, number of transit options and their efficiency. The study focuses mainly on the assessment of the consequences of transport resources disruption, considering a large flooding event as risk scenario, which could generate also the closure of bridges and then limit the PT coverage. The presented case study was Torino (Italy).

Renzo Emili – Tram and Light Rail Transit in modern urban mobility systems / The consequence of the exponential growth of individual transport by car this phenomenon was a gradual urban transformations of the cities .These transformations are mainly due to the migration of inhabitants from the city centre to the suburbs. Several issues arise from what said above: desertification and environmental decay of the city center, exasperated car commuting, social decay of the suburbs in absence of a valid public transport linkage. To sort out these issues is mandatory to rethink mobility systems traditionally based on highways and subway lines, much expensive in terms of Life Cycle Cost compared to cheaper and innovative Light Rail systems. The paper focuses on some innovative Light Rail systems already implemented in significant cities, such as: Strasbourg (Euro Tram), Dallas (Light Rail Transit), Karlsruhe (Tram-Train network).

Maria Vittoria Corazza, Umberto Guida, Antonio Musso and Michele Tozzi – Shaping the future of buses in Europe: outcomes and directions from the EBSF and EBSF_2 projects / EBSF – European Bus System of the Future (2008 – 2013) and its follow-up EBSF_2 (2015 – 2018) are two research projects funded by the European Commission and led by UITP with the aim of developing a new generation of buses across Europe. Within EBSF the accomplished goals were to increase the bus attractiveness by testing innovative vehicles  integrated in the European urban scenarios . Coherently with that, EBSF_2 is committed to raise the image of the bus through solutions for more and more increased efficiency of the system, mainly in terms of energy consumption and operational costs. More comfortable and accessible bus layouts, advanced maintenance tools and processes, energy management, IT standard equipment and services and ecodriving are key working areas in both projects.

Nadia Giuffrida, Giuseppe Inturri, Salvatore Caprì, Sebastiano Spica and Matteo Ignaccolo – The impact of a bus rapid transit line on spatial accessibility and transport equity: the case of Catania / The purpose of this paper is to verify if a transit network based on few BRT lines with high level of service and ridership can provide an equitable access to all residents and to a large number of destinations, compared with traditional network bus systems with low level of service but high spatial coverage. To this aim a relative accessibility measure between private transport and public transport (by car) was used, properly weighted by data on population, in order to obtain a simple indicator of spatial accessibility to opportunities. A high spatial resolution approach is used to capture the importance of different stop density for walking access impedance, through a GIS transport modeling software. The methodology is tested for the case study of Catania (Italy), by modelling the impact of three Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines on urban accessibility, considering different scenarios of the transport network.

Marcello Corsi – LRT urban tracks. The case of Luas Cross City design and construction in Dublin / Luas Cross City (LCC) is Dublin new 5.9km light rail extension, being built as part of the overall development, since 2004, of a new, modern and efficient LRT network for the Irish Capital. One of the major challenges for what is essentially a city central, on street LRT, has been the design and construction of the track system, and the re-configuration of the whole urban landscape and roads around the new Luas. Embedded track design had several main objectives to fulfil, including an easy and quick installation, standardisation of construction, a design life of 60 years for the track structure and 30 years for the rails, easy and cost effective maintenance, low Life Cycle Cost and perfect durability under tram and road vehicle traffic. The Contractor, in conjunction and collaboration with TII experts, developed an innovative track design. The track construction methodology was be presented with a view to demonstrate the suitability for confined spaces, speed of construction and achievement of the required durability.

Maria Vittoria Corazza, Marianne Karlsson and Antonio Musso – More accessible bus stops: results from the 3ibs research project / Within 3iBS specific emphasis is placed on the design of bus stops as crucial elements to improve the quality and accessibility of bus services. The rehabilitation of bus stops serves as a case to stress the need to have univocal directions to design inclusive bus facilities as part of a general process which makes accessibility one of the key features of this new generation of bus systems. General 3iBS guidelines and specific recommendations for implementation of innovations in this field were so provided.

Giovanni Mantovani – Which role for tramways in the next years / In the first decades of last century, tramways were the main means of local public transport. Reasons of decline and revival are outlined. Then various innovative characteristics of the modern tramways are examined, in order to highlight the offered advantages. However, pros and cons must be considered, to understand when the construction of new lines or systems is useful and sustainable. Thus, it is attempted to define the field of advisable use of tramway (rather than buses, BRT, metro), in terms of transport demand and other factors. The need to support tramway plans with a proper general policy for mobility was reminded and some advice was given to develop good new systems.

CHAIRMAN: Marco Medeghini

Antonio Placido, Marco Marchesini and Vincenzo Cerreta – The importance of railways for developing countries. The feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the Mchinji to Nkaya rail line in Malawi / Malawi Railway Network has the potentialities to be a vital asset for the entire southern region of Africa, inasmuch as it is part of an international corridor connecting the Indian Ocean through the port of Nacala in Mozambique to the inner regions of the Continent. This work describes the traffic forecast, the infrastructure design, the operation and maintenance action plans, the environmental and social impact assessment, the multicriteria analysis as well as the cost benefit analysis culminating in a feasibility study report which identifies an optimal investment solution for the rehabilitation of the Mchinji to Nkaya rail section. It also highlights the strategic importance of the railway to support the fragile economy of Malawi and that of the neighbouring countries.

Francesca Pagliara, Luigi Biggiero and Fabrizio Menicocci – Social exclusion and High-Speed Rail: some evidence from three European countries / In the last decades, an important expansion of the HSR network has characterised Europe. Indeed several European cities and regions are served today by HSR and national agendas have planned significant extensions of the networks in the next decade. The objective of this study is to compare the current situation of non-HSR users in Italy, Spain and England in order to get evidence of the different users ‘behaviour. For this purpose, three surveys have been delivered to Italian, English and Spanish users of the transport systems for long distance journeys. The main result of the surveys has been that there’s an evident relationship between social exclusion and HSR especially, in terms of economic and geographical exclusion.

Francesco Alberti – The relaunch of branch lines as a territory project for the inner areas / In the National Strategy for Inner Areas (2012), improving accessibility is one of the priority axes of intervention, for this reason the presence of railways, may represent a strategic asset to activate revitalization processes, through the integration of regional and mobility policies, actions for social inclusion and actions for growth. On this basis, this research presents two projects of the Research Unit “SUP&R” (Sustainable Urban Projects & Researches) of the Department of Architecture of Florence for the Tuscan inner areas of Val di Cecina, and Garfagnana, in the Appennine Mountains, both characterized by the presence of old railroads now in decline, whose “smart” reuse – by mean of innovative services on the line and towards the stations – is the key element for “territory projects” aimed at the enhancement of their conspicuous local resources (heritage, landscape, agriculture, etc.).

Francesco Viola and Chiara Barbieri – The “form” of railways: between construction and regeneration of contemporary landscape / When the engineering works – made of industrial serial elements – are abandoned they gain a unique character becoming aesthetically interesting. Residual elements are also used in many fields of Contemporary Art to give them new life and new social functions through post-production processes and formal contaminations. These artistic techniques can be applied to reuse abandoned railways too. This kind of design strategy proposes the enhancement of railway architectures’ characters, thus avoiding a nostalgic reconstruction of their original form, but working on surviving elements and signs produced by time and looking for an integration between old and new. In this case, the relationship between elements, the sequences and rhythms by which they are placed along the paths crossing the territory, are far more important than the objects themselves.

Marco Pasetto, Giovanni Giacomello, Emiliano Pasquini and Andrea Baliello – Feasibility and preliminary design of a new railway line in the Dolomiti area of Veneto region/ Actual conformation of railway line in the Dolomiti area of Veneto region is not an efficient network to join the territory and serve the entire mobility demand.  For this reason a new railway line from Calalzo to Cortina d’Ampezzo passing through Auronzo could meet the provincial mobility needs, leading to a potential increase of induced traffic and thus improving the economical and touristic development of the area. Therefore, to take into account the environmental impact of the new railway line on this UNESCO Heritage Site, has been preliminarly designed a 45 km long single-track railway layout hypothesizing two passenger trains per hour and assuming a minimum speed of 80 km/h, a minimum bend radius of 300 m, a maximum longitudinal slope of 20 ‰ and gauge of 1435 mm, with a whole cost of 500 million Euros.

Agostino Cappelli, Gabriele Malavasi and Simone Sperati – Secondary or no longer used rail infrastructures: a new tool for the regional railway and land planning/ This research intends to demonstrate how the process of locationing and the development of the rail transportation supply could reorganize the growth of the demand in exploited areas by providing an innovative contribution on transportation planning using the Smart Regional Railway [SRR] System. Analyses were performed using the software Qgis on three railway lines with different levels of exploitation. Has been created a new index, called “Cross Section Space [Cross Section Spatial Index [CSSI]” which consider the way real estate value, namely depending on the distance from an efficient transportation system, and a model based on quantitative indicators of land use that optimizes the existing regional rail transport in areas where the current demand does not justify such action, but that, in the future, might play a leading role in the local development.

Davide Lo Presti, Maria Carmen Rubio, Paul Marsac and Gordon Airey – SUP&R ITN: an International Training Network on SUstainable Pavements and Railways/ The Nottingham Transportation Engineering Centre (NTEC) at the University of Nottingham, has shaped the Sustainable Pavements & Railways Initial Training Network (SUP&R ITN), a training-through-research programme within a consortium of 29 partners between universities, research centres and companies/industries, from five EU countries (UK, Italy, France, Ireland and Spain) and USA. The SUP&R ITN started at the beginning of October 2013 and will empower Europe by forming a new generation of multi-disciplinary researchers and professionals capable of conceiving, planning and executing sustainable road and railway infrastructures, and deliver long-term benefits.

CHAIRMAN: Giuseppe Inturri