Highways are a vital component of global transportation infrastructure,but their environmental impact,particularly in terms of carbon emissions,poses significant challenges to achieving global sustainability and clima...Highways are a vital component of global transportation infrastructure,but their environmental impact,particularly in terms of carbon emissions,poses significant challenges to achieving global sustainability and climate goals.This literature review discusses the new area of low-carbon highways,including next-generation construction technologies and near-zero carbon operation strategies.It discusses the purpose of innovative materials,such as low-carbon cements,recycled asphalt,and geopolymers,and intelligent infrastructure solutions,including intelligent traffic control and electric vehicle charging systems.The article also explores the significance of Lifecycle Assessment(LCA)and carbon accounting in the measurement and minimization of the carbon footprint of highways.Even though a lot of progress has been made,there are still several technical,economic,and regulatory obstacles,among which are the prohibitive initial cost of low-carbon technologies and the non-standardization of policies.The future outlook indicates that to alleviate these challenges,a coordinated effort among the research,policy,industry,and communities is necessary.Low-carbon highways can help to have a robust,sustainable transport system that meets global climate goals by incorporating sustainable processes in highway design,construction,and operation.展开更多
Scientific analysis of aeolian sand environments is fundamental for sustainable disaster mitigation along desert highways.However,significant regional variability in wind energy conditions complicates accurate charact...Scientific analysis of aeolian sand environments is fundamental for sustainable disaster mitigation along desert highways.However,significant regional variability in wind energy conditions complicates accurate characterization of wind regimes and introduces uncertainty in determining optimal monitoring timescales.Moreover,prevailing sand control measures often rely on standardized designs rather than site-specific adaptive strategies.To address these issues,this study proposes an integrated framework for aeolian environment analysis and develops targeted disaster mitigation strategies tailored for desert highways.The proposed framework employs wavelet transform to unravel the periodic characteristics of wind speed time series and integrates multi-source data(including ERA5 wind datasets,sand samples,ASTER GDEM,and multi-temporal remote sensing imagery)to enable a comprehensive aeolian environmental assessment.Concurrently,a suite of adaptive strategies is formulated to mitigate disaster risks along desert highways.Validated through a case study of the Tumushuk-Kunyu Desert Highway in Xinjiang,China,the framework exhibits high accuracy:predictions of annual aeolian sand transport activity show relative errors mostly below 7%against long-term reference sequences,and the calculated resultant drift direction exhibits a strong correlation with observed dune migration,yielding an R-squared value of 0.96.These findings confirm the framework’s reliability and provide a robust basis for designing adaptive,location-specific mitigation strategies,thereby enhancing the sustainability of desert highway infrastructure.展开更多
In order to improve the smoothness of traffic flow on bidirectional two-lane highways, an analytical method is proposed to optimize the minimum spacing of the signalized intersections. The minimum signal spacing is de...In order to improve the smoothness of traffic flow on bidirectional two-lane highways, an analytical method is proposed to optimize the minimum spacing of the signalized intersections. The minimum signal spacing is determined by two parts, including the necessary distance for stabilizing the traffic flow after it passes through the signalized intersections and the length of the upstream functional area of intersection. For the former, based on the platoon dispersion theory, the stable distance determination problem of traffic flow is studied and a model of dispersion degrees varying with the distance from the upstream intersection is presented, in which the time headway is intended to yield the shifted negative exponential distribution. The parameters of the model for medal and collector highways are estimated respectively based on the field data. Then, the section at which the slope of dispersion degree curve equals -0.1 is regarded as the beginning of the dispersion stable state. The length of the intersection upstream functional area is determined by three parts, including the distance traveled during perception-reaction time, the distance traveled while a driver decelerates to a stop, and the queue storage length. Based on the above procedures, the minimum signal spacing of each highway category is proposed.展开更多
Investigating the wind-sand flow response regularity in the longitudinal slope sections of desert highways provides a scientific basis for selecting the slope of desert roads.This study uses the Tengger Desert section...Investigating the wind-sand flow response regularity in the longitudinal slope sections of desert highways provides a scientific basis for selecting the slope of desert roads.This study uses the Tengger Desert section of the Wuhai-Maqin Expressway as a case study,employing CFD numerical simulation methods to calculate and analyze the wind-sand flow field distribution characteristics in different longitudinal slope sections.The results show that:(1)Along with the direction of the incoming flow,the windward and leeward slope toes of the embankment are low-wind-speed zones,with the wind speed at the leeward slope toe being even lower.The higher the embankment,the larger the low-wind-speed zone at the windward and leeward slope toes.As the longitudinal slope increases,the extent of the lowwind-speed zone at the same location along the route also increases.(2)Along the route direction,the wind speed at the windward and leeward slope toes decreases as embankment height increases.At the embankment toe,sand particles are transported from the top to the bottom of the longitudinal slope,and the greater the longitudinal slope,the stronger the transport effect.(3)Along the route direction,the sand accumulation around the embankment gradually gathers toward the bottom of the longitudinal slope as the slope increases.When the longitudinal slope is 3%and 4%,the trend of sand accumulation moving from the windward side at the end of the route to the leeward side at the start of the route is more significant.When the longitudinal slope is less than or equal to 3%,severe sand accumulation within the embankment range is reduced by 86.4%or more compared to when the slope is 4%.(4)Under the same longitudinal slope,the higher the embankment height,the smaller its transport rate.When the embankment height is the same,the greater the longitudinal slope,the greater the embankment transport rate.展开更多
Sand control engineering plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safe operation of transportation corridors that traverse desertified areas.Evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions provides a crucial scientifi...Sand control engineering plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safe operation of transportation corridors that traverse desertified areas.Evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions provides a crucial scientific basis for mitigating aeolian hazards and guiding the sustainable management of fragile and arid ecosystems.In this study,we investigated a representative section of Highway S315,which is prone to windblown sand hazards,in Ejin Banner,northern China.By integrating segmented measurements with unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)-based oblique photogrammetry,we quantitatively characterized the spatial and temporal evolution of sand accumulation around multiple sand control structures and assessed their blocking efficiency.Complementary road sand-removal records and meteorological observations were analyzed to evaluate the long-term performance of engineering measures.Our results showed that sand accumulation behind high vertical sand barriers typically exhibited a triangular cross-sectional morphology,with a gently inclined stoss slope and a steep lee slope.The shape and volume of these deposits evolved dynamically in response to variations in the prevailing wind regime,reflecting strong feedback between barrier geometry and local airflow redistribution.In contrast,the low-profile checkerboard sand barriers displayed a three-stage morphological trajectory—initial accumulation,edge intensification,and functional decline—indicating a progressive loss of sand-trapping capacity as burial proceeded.Sand accumulation was markedly greater on the highway's western(upwind)side than on the eastern(downwind)side,with 70.0%–90.0%of the airborne sediment flux intercepted by the upwind structures.From 2015 to 2020,mean annual wind speeds remained stable(2.68±0.04 m/s),while precipitation varied from 22.6 to 103.7 mm.However,the annual sand removal volume from the road decreased consistently,confirming the enhanced mitigation effect of multi-level protective system.These findings highlight the coupled interactions between engineering design,wind–sand dynamics,and topographic context.Beyond their immediate protective role,well-designed sand control systems also contribute to the prevention of regional desertification by stabilizing mobile dunes and fostering conditions favorable for ecological restoration.The insights gained here provide both theoretical and practical support for optimizing sand control engineering and advancing sustainable hazard mitigation in arid and semi-arid areas.展开更多
To uncover the decision-making mechanisms and evolutionary dynamics of multiple stakeholders in highway noise pollution control,a three-party evolutionary game model involving the government,operators,and the public i...To uncover the decision-making mechanisms and evolutionary dynamics of multiple stakeholders in highway noise pollution control,a three-party evolutionary game model involving the government,operators,and the public is constructed.The operation period is divided into different stages for differentiated analysis.A simulation analysis was performed on the Lituo sinking section of the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Highway to assess the impact of variations in critical elements on the system.The results indicate that the Lituo sinking section of the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Highway is currently in its early stage of development,with the corresponding strategies being active regulation,excessive emissions,and supervision.When the cost of the government’s active regulation decreases from 1×10^(5) to 5×10^(4) yuan,the system converges more rapidly toward the active regulation strategy.When the cost of the operator’s excessive emissions increases from 14.08×10^(6) to 20.00×10^(6) yuan,the system drives the operator toward the standardized emission strategy.In addition,when the cost of public supervision decreases from 15×10^(4) to 5×10^(4) yuan and the compensation paid by operators to the public increases from 1.288×10^(6) to 2.576×10^(6) yuan,the system converges more quickly toward the supervision strategy.The cost of the operator’s excessive emissions serves as the core decision variable for achieving the ideal equilibrium in the three-party game involving government active regulation,operator standardized emissions,and public supervision.展开更多
Identifying and classifying intersections according to severity is very important problem for implementation of safety related counter measures and effective models are needed to compare and assess the severity. Highw...Identifying and classifying intersections according to severity is very important problem for implementation of safety related counter measures and effective models are needed to compare and assess the severity. Highway safety organizations have considered intersection safety among their priorities. In spite of significant advances in highways safety, the large numbers of crashes with high severities still occur in the highways. Investigation of influential factors on crashes enables engineers to carry out calculations in order to reduce crash severity. In the previous studies, there are no perfect models which are capable to illustrate the influence of human factors, road, vehicle, weather conditions and traffic features including traffic volume and flow speed on the crash severity. Therefore, this paper is aimed to develop the models for illustration of the simultaneous influence of these variables on the crash severity in urban highways. The models represented in this study have been developed using binary Logit Models. SPSS software has been used to calibrate the models. It must be mentioned that backward regression method in SPSS was used to identify the significant variables in the model. Consider to obtained results it can be concluded that the main factor in increasing of crash severity in urban highways are driver age, movement with reverse gear, technical defect of the vehicle, vehicle collision with motorcycle and bicycle, bridge, frontal impact collisions, frontal-lateral collisions and multi-vehicle crashes in urban highways which always increase the crash severity in urban highways. Obtained results show the effectiveness and capability of the developed models.展开更多
Since the Wenchuan earthquake in China on May 12th, 2008, highways in earthquake-affected areas have been frequently interrupted by debris flows. We analyzed the hazard effect modes and damage processes along highways...Since the Wenchuan earthquake in China on May 12th, 2008, highways in earthquake-affected areas have been frequently interrupted by debris flows. We analyzed the hazard effect modes and damage processes along highways and developed three key indexes, scale of debris flows, deposits on highways and river blockage, to describe quantitatively the highway disasters. By combining the empirical methods and the actual terrain conditions, we proposed new methods to determine the value of hazard indexes. In addition, we used the economic value and resistance of highway as vulnerability assessment indexes, then determined the specific subindexes for the subgrade, bridges and culverts, and developed a way for the quantified vulnerability zoning. Moreover, we proposed the assessment and mapping methods for highway risk. The risk is described into 5 grades： extremely low risk, low risk, middle risk, high risk and extremely high risk. We applied these methods in a case study carried out on provincial highway S3o3 from Yingxiu Town to Wolong Town, in Wenchuan County. Analysis of debris flow risk for the whole highway, showed that the total length of highway in extremely low risk area was 28.26 km, 4.83 km in low risk area, 8.0 km in middle risk area, 3.65 km in high risk area, and 3.06 km in extremely high risk area. The assessment results are consistent with the field survey data which reflected the disaster situation. This risk method can be used objectively to evaluate the debris-flow risk along highways, and is useful for highway reconstruction in mountainous areas suffering from active debris flows.展开更多
To achieve complete poverty alleviation,the improvement of infrastructure and living conditions is fundamental.Promoting the flow of factors through infrastructure investment,thereby reducing the income gap among resi...To achieve complete poverty alleviation,the improvement of infrastructure and living conditions is fundamental.Promoting the flow of factors through infrastructure investment,thereby reducing the income gap among residents,has become an important focus of poverty alleviation.Because of the high amount of investment in transportation infrastructure,greater attention has been paid to the income distribution effect it brings,but few studies have analysed the effect of rural highways on the income gap of farmers.Based on the panel data pertaining to 30 provinces in China from 1993 to 2013,this paper uses a fixed-effect model to test the impact of rural highways supply on the income gap of farmers.The empirical results show that:(1)The effect of Chinese rural highways on the farmers'income gap among provinces is"U-shaped".(2)Chinese national and provincial trunk highways are helpful in narrowing the farmers'income gap among provinces.(3)The level of education,household productive fixed assets investment,level of urbanization,and level of regional economic development have multiple effects on the farmers'income gap among provinces.Then,based on the empirical analysis,the paper analyzes the mechanism of rural highways affecting the income gap of farmers from a theoretical perspective and focuses on the causes of the"U-shaped"relationship between rural highways supply and farmers'income gap.展开更多
This work addresses the integrated assessment of rockfall(including landslides) hazards and risk for S301, Z120, and Z128 highways, which are important transportation corridors to the world heritage site Jiuzhai Valle...This work addresses the integrated assessment of rockfall(including landslides) hazards and risk for S301, Z120, and Z128 highways, which are important transportation corridors to the world heritage site Jiuzhai Valley National Park in Sichuan, China. The highways are severely threatened by rockfalls or landslide events after the 2017 Ms 7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake. Field survey(September 14-18 th, 2017, May 15-20 th, 2018, and September 9-17 th, 2018), unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV), and satellite image identified high-relief rockfalls and road construction rockfalls or landslides along the highway. Rockfall hazard is qualitatively evaluated using block count, velocity, and flying height through a 3D rockfall simulation at local and regional scales. Rockfall risk is quantitatively assessed with rockfall event probability, propagation probability, spatial probability, and vulnerability for different block volume classes. Approximately 21.5%, 20.5%, and 5.3% of the road mileage was found to be subject to an unacceptable(UA) risk class for vehicles along S301, Z120, and Z128 highways, respectively. Approximately 20.1% and 3.3% of the road mileage belong to the UA risk class for tourists along Z120 and Z128 highways, respectively. Results highlighted that high-relief rockfall events were intensively located at K50 to K55(Guanmenzi to Ganheba) and K70 to K72(Jiudaoguai to Shangsizhai Village) road mileages along S301 highway and KZ18 to KZ22(Five Flower Lake to Arrow Bamboo Lake) road mileages, KZ30(Swan Lake to Virgin Forests), and KY10.5 kilometers in Jiuzhai Valley. Rockfalls in these locations were classified under the UA risk class and medium to very high hazard index. Road construction rockfalls were located at K67(Jiuzhai Paradise) and K75–K76 kilometers along S301 highway and KZ12 to KZ14(Rhino Lake to Nuorilang Waterfall), KZ16.5 to KZ17.5(Golden Bell Lake), KY5(Lower Seasonal Lake), and KY14(Upper Seasonal Lake) kilometers along Z120 and Z128 highway in Jiuzhai Valley. Rockfalls in these areas were within a reasonable practicable risk to UA risk class and very low to medium hazard index. Finally, defensive measures, including flexible nets, concrete walls, and artificial tunnels, could be selected appropriately on the basis of the rockfall hazard index and risk class. This study revealed the integration between qualitative rockfall hazard assessment and quantitative rockfall risk assessment, which is crucial in studying rockfall prevention and mitigation.展开更多
In recent years,the ecological environment along highways in Tibetan Plateau has been severely affected due to the rapid construction of highways.In order to solve the problems of multiple indicators and inconsistent ...In recent years,the ecological environment along highways in Tibetan Plateau has been severely affected due to the rapid construction of highways.In order to solve the problems of multiple indicators and inconsistent criteria in the ecological impact assessment of highways,and to scientifically screen assessment indicators,the paper proposes a multi-round indicator screening method,which combines literature analysis,expert rating,and statistical analysis.Based on this screening method,normalized difference vegetation index,land surface temperature,elevation,and normalized difference soil index are screened out.Combined with multiple linear regression,an ecological impact assessment model is established and applied to ecological impact assessment of Gonghe-Yushu Expressway.The results show that the expressway construction is the first driving force for the deterioration of the ecological environment along the roadside,and its interference range on the desert grassland ecosystem is greater than that on the agroforestry system.The ecological environment within 150 m on both sides of the expressway should be protected.展开更多
To explore the influence of intelligent highways and advanced traveler information systems(ATIS)on path choice behavior,a day-to-day(DTD)traffic flow evolution model with information from intelligent highways and ATIS...To explore the influence of intelligent highways and advanced traveler information systems(ATIS)on path choice behavior,a day-to-day(DTD)traffic flow evolution model with information from intelligent highways and ATIS is proposed,whereby the network reliability and experiential learning theory are introduced into the decision process for the travelers’route choice.The intelligent highway serves all the travelers who drive on it,whereas ATIS serves vehicles equipped with information systems.Travelers who drive on intelligent highways or vehicles equipped with ATIS determine their trip routes based on real-time traffic information,whereas other travelers use both the road network conditions from the previous day and historical travel experience to choose a route.Both roadway capacity degradation and travel demand fluctuations are considered to demonstrate the uncertainties in the network.The theory of traffic network flow is developed to build a DTD model considering information from intelligent highway and ATIS.The fixed point theorem is adopted to investigate the equivalence,existence and stability of the proposed DTD model.Numerical examples illustrate that using a high confidence level and weight parameter for the traffic flow reduces the stability of the proposed model.The traffic flow reaches a steady state as travelers’routes shift with repetitive learning of road conditions.The proposed model can be used to formulate scientific traffic organization and diversion schemes during road expansion or reconstruction.展开更多
Detecting small objects on highways is a novel research topic.Due to the small pixel of objects on highways,traditional detectors have difficulty in capturing discriminative features.Additionally,the imbalance of feat...Detecting small objects on highways is a novel research topic.Due to the small pixel of objects on highways,traditional detectors have difficulty in capturing discriminative features.Additionally,the imbalance of feature fusion methods and the inconsistency between classification and regression tasks lead to poor detection performance on highways.In this paper,we propose a balance feature fusion and task-specific encoding network to address these issues.Specifically,we design a balance feature pyramid network(FPN)to integrate the importance of each layer of feature maps and construct long-range dependencies among them,thereby making the features more discriminative.In addition,we present task-specific decoupled head,which utilizes task-specific encoding to moderate the imbalance between the classification and regression tasks.As demonstrated by extensive experiments and visualizations,our method obtains outstanding detection performance on small object detection on highways(HSOD)dataset and AI-TOD dataset.展开更多
Based on TM images,ArcGIS and landscape ecology,4 typical roads in the Pearl River Delta are taken for example to analyze infl uence range of highway,and study the laws of highway construction infl uencing landscape p...Based on TM images,ArcGIS and landscape ecology,4 typical roads in the Pearl River Delta are taken for example to analyze infl uence range of highway,and study the laws of highway construction infl uencing landscape patterns by reviewing landscape pattern changes in areas along the highways. According to the research,for Yuebei Section(north Guangdong) of Beijing–Zhuhai Highway,road construction has signifi cant infl uence on landscape patterns of the 300-m wide buffer zone(especially woodland and urban land); for Foshan–Kaiping Highway,road construction has significant influence on landscape patterns of the 1,000-m wide buffer zone(especially woodland and agricultural land); for Dongguan–Shenzhen Highway,road construction has signifi cant infl uence on landscape patterns of the 8,000-m wide buffer zone(especially woodland and urban land).展开更多
In comparison to the construction of modern highway engineering,several of China’s early pavement construction concerns,such as pavement collapse,are rather clear.Limited by historical and technical factors,the subgr...In comparison to the construction of modern highway engineering,several of China’s early pavement construction concerns,such as pavement collapse,are rather clear.Limited by historical and technical factors,the subgrade and pavement design for highways lacks scientificity,thus inducing potential safety problems in the operation.In order to comprehensively improve the subgrade and pavement design as well as ensure the quality and safety of highway engineering projects,this paper takes the reconstructed and expanded highway projects as research subjects and focuses on proposing optimization measures for the subgrade and pavement design of reconstructed and expanded highways,so as to provide adequate reference.展开更多
Studies conducted on crashes at rural intersections of state highways and local roads/streets with two-way stop control have proved that the problem was likely poor judgment by the stopped driver on the minor approach...Studies conducted on crashes at rural intersections of state highways and local roads/streets with two-way stop control have proved that the problem was likely poor judgment by the stopped driver on the minor approach of the speed of an oncoming vehicle and/or safe gap in traffic on the major highway. Several mitigating strategies have been suggested and studied in various studies to improve safety at the two-way stop control rural intersections and at other rural highway segments. There are also several low-cost techniques used, mostly in foreign countries, to slow drivers on major highways as they enter small towns and villages, e.g., narrowing pavement lines, establishing visual gateways, etc. Lowered speeds would decrease crash severity. In this study, four strategies including solar speed display units, mobile speed trailers, optical speed bars, and colored pavement were tested and assessed in some locations in Kansas. The results of this research indicate that both solar speed display units and mobile speed trailers are effective in speed reduction at the desired points, but optical speed bars and colored pavements do not yield reliable results. Additional studies and longer term studies, should be conducted.展开更多
Due to the need to update the current guidelines for highway design to focus on safety, this study sought to build an accident prediction model using a Geographic Information System (GIS) for single-lane rural highway...Due to the need to update the current guidelines for highway design to focus on safety, this study sought to build an accident prediction model using a Geographic Information System (GIS) for single-lane rural highways, with a minimum of statistically significant variables, adequate to the Brazilian reality, and improve accident prediction for places with similar characteristics. A database was created to associate the accident records with the geometric parameters of the highway and to fill in the gaps left by the absence of geometric highway plans through geometric reconstitution or semi-automatic extraction of highways using satellite images. The Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) method was applied to estimate the coefficients of the model, assuming negative distribution of the binomial error for the count of observed accidents. The accident frequency and annual average daily traffic (AADT) were analyzed, along with the spatial and geometric characteristics of 215 km of federal single-lane rural highways between 2007 and 2016. The GEE procedure was applied to two models having three variations of distinct homogeneous segmentation, two based on segments and one based on the kernel density estimator. To assess the effect of constant traffic, two more variations of the models using AADT as an offset variable were considered. The predominant correlation structure in the models was the exchangeable. The principal contributing factors for the occurrence of collisions were the radius of the horizontal curve, the grade, segment length, and the AADT. The study produced clear indicators for the design parameters of roadways that influence the safety performance of rural highways.展开更多
Since the launch of the reform and openingin China, the civil aviation service inJiangsu Province has been developed. ByJune 1996, nine airports scattered across theprovince in Nanjing Dajiaochang, WuxiShuofang, Chang...Since the launch of the reform and openingin China, the civil aviation service inJiangsu Province has been developed. ByJune 1996, nine airports scattered across theprovince in Nanjing Dajiaochang, WuxiShuofang, Changzhou Benniu, Nantong Xing-dong and Rugao, Lianyungang Baitapu,Xuzhou Daguozhuang and Yancheng andSuzhou Guangfu have opened services tothe public. Apart from Yancheng展开更多
A methodology for the evaluation of the economic impact of overweight permitted vehicles hauling agricultural products on state highways is presented in this study. The different gross vehicle weight scenarios that ar...A methodology for the evaluation of the economic impact of overweight permitted vehicles hauling agricultural products on state highways is presented in this study. The different gross vehicle weight scenarios that are selected for this investigation range between 80,000 lb. and 100,000 lb. Uniform distribution of axle loads and lumped loads are considered in this study. This study evaluates the proposed higher truck loads and their economic impact to the highways and to the industry. The effects of adapting higher truck loads on the existing highways are evaluated using a deterministic load capacity evaluation as well as a reliability assessment. The target reliability level is derived from AASHTO （American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials） standard design specifications to satisfy safe and adequate performance level. The overlay thickness required to carry traffic from each gross vehicle weight scenario for the overlay design period is determined. Differences in overlay life were calculated for different gross vehicle weight scenarios with uniform and lumped axle loads. The overlay thickness and costs were determined for a twenty year analysis period using statistical methods. The result showed that lumped loads with allowable axle load of 48,000 lb. produce more pavement damage than the current permitted gross vehicle weight for timber trucks with equally loaded axles.展开更多
Concession contracts in highways often include some kind of clauses （for example, a minimum traffic guarantee） that allow for better management of the business risks. The value of these clauses may be important and ...Concession contracts in highways often include some kind of clauses （for example, a minimum traffic guarantee） that allow for better management of the business risks. The value of these clauses may be important and should be added to the total value of the concession. However, in these cases, traditional valuation techniques, like the NPV （net present value） of the project, are insufficient. An alternative methodology for the valuation of highway concession is one based on the real options approach. This methodology is generally built on the assumption of the evolution of traffic volume as a GBM （geometric Brownian motion）, which is the hypothesis analyzed in this paper. First, a description of the methodology used for the analysis of the existence of unit roots （i.e., the hypothesis of non-stationarity） is provided. The Dickey-Fuller approach has been used, which is the most common test for this kind of analysis. Then this methodology is applied to perform a statistical analysis of traffic series in Spanish toll highways. For this purpose, data on the AADT （annual average daily traffic） on a set of highways have been used. The period of analysis is around thirty years in most cases. The main outcome of the research is that the hypothesis that traffic volume follows a GBM process in Spanish toll highways cannot be rejected. This result is robust, and therefore it can be used as a starting point for the application of the real options theory to assess toll highway concessions.展开更多
文摘Highways are a vital component of global transportation infrastructure,but their environmental impact,particularly in terms of carbon emissions,poses significant challenges to achieving global sustainability and climate goals.This literature review discusses the new area of low-carbon highways,including next-generation construction technologies and near-zero carbon operation strategies.It discusses the purpose of innovative materials,such as low-carbon cements,recycled asphalt,and geopolymers,and intelligent infrastructure solutions,including intelligent traffic control and electric vehicle charging systems.The article also explores the significance of Lifecycle Assessment(LCA)and carbon accounting in the measurement and minimization of the carbon footprint of highways.Even though a lot of progress has been made,there are still several technical,economic,and regulatory obstacles,among which are the prohibitive initial cost of low-carbon technologies and the non-standardization of policies.The future outlook indicates that to alleviate these challenges,a coordinated effort among the research,policy,industry,and communities is necessary.Low-carbon highways can help to have a robust,sustainable transport system that meets global climate goals by incorporating sustainable processes in highway design,construction,and operation.
基金jointly funded by the Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.U2568210)the Interdisciplinary Research Program of Shihezi University(Grant No.JCYJ202317)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12362035)。
文摘Scientific analysis of aeolian sand environments is fundamental for sustainable disaster mitigation along desert highways.However,significant regional variability in wind energy conditions complicates accurate characterization of wind regimes and introduces uncertainty in determining optimal monitoring timescales.Moreover,prevailing sand control measures often rely on standardized designs rather than site-specific adaptive strategies.To address these issues,this study proposes an integrated framework for aeolian environment analysis and develops targeted disaster mitigation strategies tailored for desert highways.The proposed framework employs wavelet transform to unravel the periodic characteristics of wind speed time series and integrates multi-source data(including ERA5 wind datasets,sand samples,ASTER GDEM,and multi-temporal remote sensing imagery)to enable a comprehensive aeolian environmental assessment.Concurrently,a suite of adaptive strategies is formulated to mitigate disaster risks along desert highways.Validated through a case study of the Tumushuk-Kunyu Desert Highway in Xinjiang,China,the framework exhibits high accuracy:predictions of annual aeolian sand transport activity show relative errors mostly below 7%against long-term reference sequences,and the calculated resultant drift direction exhibits a strong correlation with observed dune migration,yielding an R-squared value of 0.96.These findings confirm the framework’s reliability and provide a robust basis for designing adaptive,location-specific mitigation strategies,thereby enhancing the sustainability of desert highway infrastructure.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.5120810051308192)
文摘In order to improve the smoothness of traffic flow on bidirectional two-lane highways, an analytical method is proposed to optimize the minimum spacing of the signalized intersections. The minimum signal spacing is determined by two parts, including the necessary distance for stabilizing the traffic flow after it passes through the signalized intersections and the length of the upstream functional area of intersection. For the former, based on the platoon dispersion theory, the stable distance determination problem of traffic flow is studied and a model of dispersion degrees varying with the distance from the upstream intersection is presented, in which the time headway is intended to yield the shifted negative exponential distribution. The parameters of the model for medal and collector highways are estimated respectively based on the field data. Then, the section at which the slope of dispersion degree curve equals -0.1 is regarded as the beginning of the dispersion stable state. The length of the intersection upstream functional area is determined by three parts, including the distance traveled during perception-reaction time, the distance traveled while a driver decelerates to a stop, and the queue storage length. Based on the above procedures, the minimum signal spacing of each highway category is proposed.
基金financially supported by Youth Science“Research on Failure Mechanism and Evaluation Method of Sand Control Measures for Railway Machinery in Sandy Area”(12302511)Ningxia Transportation Department Science and Technology Project(20200173)The Central Guidance on Local Science and Technology Development Funds(22ZY1QA005)。
文摘Investigating the wind-sand flow response regularity in the longitudinal slope sections of desert highways provides a scientific basis for selecting the slope of desert roads.This study uses the Tengger Desert section of the Wuhai-Maqin Expressway as a case study,employing CFD numerical simulation methods to calculate and analyze the wind-sand flow field distribution characteristics in different longitudinal slope sections.The results show that:(1)Along with the direction of the incoming flow,the windward and leeward slope toes of the embankment are low-wind-speed zones,with the wind speed at the leeward slope toe being even lower.The higher the embankment,the larger the low-wind-speed zone at the windward and leeward slope toes.As the longitudinal slope increases,the extent of the lowwind-speed zone at the same location along the route also increases.(2)Along the route direction,the wind speed at the windward and leeward slope toes decreases as embankment height increases.At the embankment toe,sand particles are transported from the top to the bottom of the longitudinal slope,and the greater the longitudinal slope,the stronger the transport effect.(3)Along the route direction,the sand accumulation around the embankment gradually gathers toward the bottom of the longitudinal slope as the slope increases.When the longitudinal slope is 3%and 4%,the trend of sand accumulation moving from the windward side at the end of the route to the leeward side at the start of the route is more significant.When the longitudinal slope is less than or equal to 3%,severe sand accumulation within the embankment range is reduced by 86.4%or more compared to when the slope is 4%.(4)Under the same longitudinal slope,the higher the embankment height,the smaller its transport rate.When the embankment height is the same,the greater the longitudinal slope,the greater the embankment transport rate.
基金supported by the Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Planning Project(23ZDFA018)the Research Program of Construction Science and Technology Project of the Transportation Department of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,China(NJ-2018-29)the Gansu Province Longyuan Youth Talent Program,and the Doctoral Research Start-up Fund of Fuyang Normal University,China(2024KYQD0123).
文摘Sand control engineering plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safe operation of transportation corridors that traverse desertified areas.Evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions provides a crucial scientific basis for mitigating aeolian hazards and guiding the sustainable management of fragile and arid ecosystems.In this study,we investigated a representative section of Highway S315,which is prone to windblown sand hazards,in Ejin Banner,northern China.By integrating segmented measurements with unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)-based oblique photogrammetry,we quantitatively characterized the spatial and temporal evolution of sand accumulation around multiple sand control structures and assessed their blocking efficiency.Complementary road sand-removal records and meteorological observations were analyzed to evaluate the long-term performance of engineering measures.Our results showed that sand accumulation behind high vertical sand barriers typically exhibited a triangular cross-sectional morphology,with a gently inclined stoss slope and a steep lee slope.The shape and volume of these deposits evolved dynamically in response to variations in the prevailing wind regime,reflecting strong feedback between barrier geometry and local airflow redistribution.In contrast,the low-profile checkerboard sand barriers displayed a three-stage morphological trajectory—initial accumulation,edge intensification,and functional decline—indicating a progressive loss of sand-trapping capacity as burial proceeded.Sand accumulation was markedly greater on the highway's western(upwind)side than on the eastern(downwind)side,with 70.0%–90.0%of the airborne sediment flux intercepted by the upwind structures.From 2015 to 2020,mean annual wind speeds remained stable(2.68±0.04 m/s),while precipitation varied from 22.6 to 103.7 mm.However,the annual sand removal volume from the road decreased consistently,confirming the enhanced mitigation effect of multi-level protective system.These findings highlight the coupled interactions between engineering design,wind–sand dynamics,and topographic context.Beyond their immediate protective role,well-designed sand control systems also contribute to the prevention of regional desertification by stabilizing mobile dunes and fostering conditions favorable for ecological restoration.The insights gained here provide both theoretical and practical support for optimizing sand control engineering and advancing sustainable hazard mitigation in arid and semi-arid areas.
基金The Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province(No.LH2023E011)Open Fund of National Key Laboratory of Green and Long-Life Road Engineering in Extreme Environment in Changsha University of Science and Technology(No.kfj230105).
文摘To uncover the decision-making mechanisms and evolutionary dynamics of multiple stakeholders in highway noise pollution control,a three-party evolutionary game model involving the government,operators,and the public is constructed.The operation period is divided into different stages for differentiated analysis.A simulation analysis was performed on the Lituo sinking section of the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Highway to assess the impact of variations in critical elements on the system.The results indicate that the Lituo sinking section of the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Highway is currently in its early stage of development,with the corresponding strategies being active regulation,excessive emissions,and supervision.When the cost of the government’s active regulation decreases from 1×10^(5) to 5×10^(4) yuan,the system converges more rapidly toward the active regulation strategy.When the cost of the operator’s excessive emissions increases from 14.08×10^(6) to 20.00×10^(6) yuan,the system drives the operator toward the standardized emission strategy.In addition,when the cost of public supervision decreases from 15×10^(4) to 5×10^(4) yuan and the compensation paid by operators to the public increases from 1.288×10^(6) to 2.576×10^(6) yuan,the system converges more quickly toward the supervision strategy.The cost of the operator’s excessive emissions serves as the core decision variable for achieving the ideal equilibrium in the three-party game involving government active regulation,operator standardized emissions,and public supervision.
文摘Identifying and classifying intersections according to severity is very important problem for implementation of safety related counter measures and effective models are needed to compare and assess the severity. Highway safety organizations have considered intersection safety among their priorities. In spite of significant advances in highways safety, the large numbers of crashes with high severities still occur in the highways. Investigation of influential factors on crashes enables engineers to carry out calculations in order to reduce crash severity. In the previous studies, there are no perfect models which are capable to illustrate the influence of human factors, road, vehicle, weather conditions and traffic features including traffic volume and flow speed on the crash severity. Therefore, this paper is aimed to develop the models for illustration of the simultaneous influence of these variables on the crash severity in urban highways. The models represented in this study have been developed using binary Logit Models. SPSS software has been used to calibrate the models. It must be mentioned that backward regression method in SPSS was used to identify the significant variables in the model. Consider to obtained results it can be concluded that the main factor in increasing of crash severity in urban highways are driver age, movement with reverse gear, technical defect of the vehicle, vehicle collision with motorcycle and bicycle, bridge, frontal impact collisions, frontal-lateral collisions and multi-vehicle crashes in urban highways which always increase the crash severity in urban highways. Obtained results show the effectiveness and capability of the developed models.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)(Grant No.41030742)the projects of National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program)(Grant No.2011CB409902)
文摘Since the Wenchuan earthquake in China on May 12th, 2008, highways in earthquake-affected areas have been frequently interrupted by debris flows. We analyzed the hazard effect modes and damage processes along highways and developed three key indexes, scale of debris flows, deposits on highways and river blockage, to describe quantitatively the highway disasters. By combining the empirical methods and the actual terrain conditions, we proposed new methods to determine the value of hazard indexes. In addition, we used the economic value and resistance of highway as vulnerability assessment indexes, then determined the specific subindexes for the subgrade, bridges and culverts, and developed a way for the quantified vulnerability zoning. Moreover, we proposed the assessment and mapping methods for highway risk. The risk is described into 5 grades： extremely low risk, low risk, middle risk, high risk and extremely high risk. We applied these methods in a case study carried out on provincial highway S3o3 from Yingxiu Town to Wolong Town, in Wenchuan County. Analysis of debris flow risk for the whole highway, showed that the total length of highway in extremely low risk area was 28.26 km, 4.83 km in low risk area, 8.0 km in middle risk area, 3.65 km in high risk area, and 3.06 km in extremely high risk area. The assessment results are consistent with the field survey data which reflected the disaster situation. This risk method can be used objectively to evaluate the debris-flow risk along highways, and is useful for highway reconstruction in mountainous areas suffering from active debris flows.
基金supports from the Transport Strategic Planning Policy Foundation of the Ministry of Transport of China(2019-4-1)the Humanities and Social Sciences Project Funded by the Ministry of Education of China(20YJC790005)。
文摘To achieve complete poverty alleviation,the improvement of infrastructure and living conditions is fundamental.Promoting the flow of factors through infrastructure investment,thereby reducing the income gap among residents,has become an important focus of poverty alleviation.Because of the high amount of investment in transportation infrastructure,greater attention has been paid to the income distribution effect it brings,but few studies have analysed the effect of rural highways on the income gap of farmers.Based on the panel data pertaining to 30 provinces in China from 1993 to 2013,this paper uses a fixed-effect model to test the impact of rural highways supply on the income gap of farmers.The empirical results show that:(1)The effect of Chinese rural highways on the farmers'income gap among provinces is"U-shaped".(2)Chinese national and provincial trunk highways are helpful in narrowing the farmers'income gap among provinces.(3)The level of education,household productive fixed assets investment,level of urbanization,and level of regional economic development have multiple effects on the farmers'income gap among provinces.Then,based on the empirical analysis,the paper analyzes the mechanism of rural highways affecting the income gap of farmers from a theoretical perspective and focuses on the causes of the"U-shaped"relationship between rural highways supply and farmers'income gap.
基金supported by research funds awarded by the Key Research & Development Program of Sichuan Province (No. 2017SZYZF0008, No. 2019YFS0489)
文摘This work addresses the integrated assessment of rockfall(including landslides) hazards and risk for S301, Z120, and Z128 highways, which are important transportation corridors to the world heritage site Jiuzhai Valley National Park in Sichuan, China. The highways are severely threatened by rockfalls or landslide events after the 2017 Ms 7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake. Field survey(September 14-18 th, 2017, May 15-20 th, 2018, and September 9-17 th, 2018), unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV), and satellite image identified high-relief rockfalls and road construction rockfalls or landslides along the highway. Rockfall hazard is qualitatively evaluated using block count, velocity, and flying height through a 3D rockfall simulation at local and regional scales. Rockfall risk is quantitatively assessed with rockfall event probability, propagation probability, spatial probability, and vulnerability for different block volume classes. Approximately 21.5%, 20.5%, and 5.3% of the road mileage was found to be subject to an unacceptable(UA) risk class for vehicles along S301, Z120, and Z128 highways, respectively. Approximately 20.1% and 3.3% of the road mileage belong to the UA risk class for tourists along Z120 and Z128 highways, respectively. Results highlighted that high-relief rockfall events were intensively located at K50 to K55(Guanmenzi to Ganheba) and K70 to K72(Jiudaoguai to Shangsizhai Village) road mileages along S301 highway and KZ18 to KZ22(Five Flower Lake to Arrow Bamboo Lake) road mileages, KZ30(Swan Lake to Virgin Forests), and KY10.5 kilometers in Jiuzhai Valley. Rockfalls in these locations were classified under the UA risk class and medium to very high hazard index. Road construction rockfalls were located at K67(Jiuzhai Paradise) and K75–K76 kilometers along S301 highway and KZ12 to KZ14(Rhino Lake to Nuorilang Waterfall), KZ16.5 to KZ17.5(Golden Bell Lake), KY5(Lower Seasonal Lake), and KY14(Upper Seasonal Lake) kilometers along Z120 and Z128 highway in Jiuzhai Valley. Rockfalls in these areas were within a reasonable practicable risk to UA risk class and very low to medium hazard index. Finally, defensive measures, including flexible nets, concrete walls, and artificial tunnels, could be selected appropriately on the basis of the rockfall hazard index and risk class. This study revealed the integration between qualitative rockfall hazard assessment and quantitative rockfall risk assessment, which is crucial in studying rockfall prevention and mitigation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(No.41801387)。
文摘In recent years,the ecological environment along highways in Tibetan Plateau has been severely affected due to the rapid construction of highways.In order to solve the problems of multiple indicators and inconsistent criteria in the ecological impact assessment of highways,and to scientifically screen assessment indicators,the paper proposes a multi-round indicator screening method,which combines literature analysis,expert rating,and statistical analysis.Based on this screening method,normalized difference vegetation index,land surface temperature,elevation,and normalized difference soil index are screened out.Combined with multiple linear regression,an ecological impact assessment model is established and applied to ecological impact assessment of Gonghe-Yushu Expressway.The results show that the expressway construction is the first driving force for the deterioration of the ecological environment along the roadside,and its interference range on the desert grassland ecosystem is greater than that on the agroforestry system.The ecological environment within 150 m on both sides of the expressway should be protected.
基金Project(71801115)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(2021M691311)supported by the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of ChinaProject(111041000000180001210102)supported by the Central Public Interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund,China。
文摘To explore the influence of intelligent highways and advanced traveler information systems(ATIS)on path choice behavior,a day-to-day(DTD)traffic flow evolution model with information from intelligent highways and ATIS is proposed,whereby the network reliability and experiential learning theory are introduced into the decision process for the travelers’route choice.The intelligent highway serves all the travelers who drive on it,whereas ATIS serves vehicles equipped with information systems.Travelers who drive on intelligent highways or vehicles equipped with ATIS determine their trip routes based on real-time traffic information,whereas other travelers use both the road network conditions from the previous day and historical travel experience to choose a route.Both roadway capacity degradation and travel demand fluctuations are considered to demonstrate the uncertainties in the network.The theory of traffic network flow is developed to build a DTD model considering information from intelligent highway and ATIS.The fixed point theorem is adopted to investigate the equivalence,existence and stability of the proposed DTD model.Numerical examples illustrate that using a high confidence level and weight parameter for the traffic flow reduces the stability of the proposed model.The traffic flow reaches a steady state as travelers’routes shift with repetitive learning of road conditions.The proposed model can be used to formulate scientific traffic organization and diversion schemes during road expansion or reconstruction.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.61906168 and 62202337)the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.LY23F020023 and LZ23F020001)+1 种基金the Construction of Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Intelligent Visual Monitoring of Hydropower Projects(No.2022SDSJ01)the Hangzhou AI Major Scientific and Technological Innovation Project(No.2022AIZD0061)。
文摘Detecting small objects on highways is a novel research topic.Due to the small pixel of objects on highways,traditional detectors have difficulty in capturing discriminative features.Additionally,the imbalance of feature fusion methods and the inconsistency between classification and regression tasks lead to poor detection performance on highways.In this paper,we propose a balance feature fusion and task-specific encoding network to address these issues.Specifically,we design a balance feature pyramid network(FPN)to integrate the importance of each layer of feature maps and construct long-range dependencies among them,thereby making the features more discriminative.In addition,we present task-specific decoupled head,which utilizes task-specific encoding to moderate the imbalance between the classification and regression tasks.As demonstrated by extensive experiments and visualizations,our method obtains outstanding detection performance on small object detection on highways(HSOD)dataset and AI-TOD dataset.
文摘Based on TM images,ArcGIS and landscape ecology,4 typical roads in the Pearl River Delta are taken for example to analyze infl uence range of highway,and study the laws of highway construction infl uencing landscape patterns by reviewing landscape pattern changes in areas along the highways. According to the research,for Yuebei Section(north Guangdong) of Beijing–Zhuhai Highway,road construction has signifi cant infl uence on landscape patterns of the 300-m wide buffer zone(especially woodland and urban land); for Foshan–Kaiping Highway,road construction has significant influence on landscape patterns of the 1,000-m wide buffer zone(especially woodland and agricultural land); for Dongguan–Shenzhen Highway,road construction has signifi cant infl uence on landscape patterns of the 8,000-m wide buffer zone(especially woodland and urban land).
文摘In comparison to the construction of modern highway engineering,several of China’s early pavement construction concerns,such as pavement collapse,are rather clear.Limited by historical and technical factors,the subgrade and pavement design for highways lacks scientificity,thus inducing potential safety problems in the operation.In order to comprehensively improve the subgrade and pavement design as well as ensure the quality and safety of highway engineering projects,this paper takes the reconstructed and expanded highway projects as research subjects and focuses on proposing optimization measures for the subgrade and pavement design of reconstructed and expanded highways,so as to provide adequate reference.
文摘Studies conducted on crashes at rural intersections of state highways and local roads/streets with two-way stop control have proved that the problem was likely poor judgment by the stopped driver on the minor approach of the speed of an oncoming vehicle and/or safe gap in traffic on the major highway. Several mitigating strategies have been suggested and studied in various studies to improve safety at the two-way stop control rural intersections and at other rural highway segments. There are also several low-cost techniques used, mostly in foreign countries, to slow drivers on major highways as they enter small towns and villages, e.g., narrowing pavement lines, establishing visual gateways, etc. Lowered speeds would decrease crash severity. In this study, four strategies including solar speed display units, mobile speed trailers, optical speed bars, and colored pavement were tested and assessed in some locations in Kansas. The results of this research indicate that both solar speed display units and mobile speed trailers are effective in speed reduction at the desired points, but optical speed bars and colored pavements do not yield reliable results. Additional studies and longer term studies, should be conducted.
文摘Due to the need to update the current guidelines for highway design to focus on safety, this study sought to build an accident prediction model using a Geographic Information System (GIS) for single-lane rural highways, with a minimum of statistically significant variables, adequate to the Brazilian reality, and improve accident prediction for places with similar characteristics. A database was created to associate the accident records with the geometric parameters of the highway and to fill in the gaps left by the absence of geometric highway plans through geometric reconstitution or semi-automatic extraction of highways using satellite images. The Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) method was applied to estimate the coefficients of the model, assuming negative distribution of the binomial error for the count of observed accidents. The accident frequency and annual average daily traffic (AADT) were analyzed, along with the spatial and geometric characteristics of 215 km of federal single-lane rural highways between 2007 and 2016. The GEE procedure was applied to two models having three variations of distinct homogeneous segmentation, two based on segments and one based on the kernel density estimator. To assess the effect of constant traffic, two more variations of the models using AADT as an offset variable were considered. The predominant correlation structure in the models was the exchangeable. The principal contributing factors for the occurrence of collisions were the radius of the horizontal curve, the grade, segment length, and the AADT. The study produced clear indicators for the design parameters of roadways that influence the safety performance of rural highways.
文摘Since the launch of the reform and openingin China, the civil aviation service inJiangsu Province has been developed. ByJune 1996, nine airports scattered across theprovince in Nanjing Dajiaochang, WuxiShuofang, Changzhou Benniu, Nantong Xing-dong and Rugao, Lianyungang Baitapu,Xuzhou Daguozhuang and Yancheng andSuzhou Guangfu have opened services tothe public. Apart from Yancheng
文摘A methodology for the evaluation of the economic impact of overweight permitted vehicles hauling agricultural products on state highways is presented in this study. The different gross vehicle weight scenarios that are selected for this investigation range between 80,000 lb. and 100,000 lb. Uniform distribution of axle loads and lumped loads are considered in this study. This study evaluates the proposed higher truck loads and their economic impact to the highways and to the industry. The effects of adapting higher truck loads on the existing highways are evaluated using a deterministic load capacity evaluation as well as a reliability assessment. The target reliability level is derived from AASHTO （American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials） standard design specifications to satisfy safe and adequate performance level. The overlay thickness required to carry traffic from each gross vehicle weight scenario for the overlay design period is determined. Differences in overlay life were calculated for different gross vehicle weight scenarios with uniform and lumped axle loads. The overlay thickness and costs were determined for a twenty year analysis period using statistical methods. The result showed that lumped loads with allowable axle load of 48,000 lb. produce more pavement damage than the current permitted gross vehicle weight for timber trucks with equally loaded axles.
文摘Concession contracts in highways often include some kind of clauses （for example, a minimum traffic guarantee） that allow for better management of the business risks. The value of these clauses may be important and should be added to the total value of the concession. However, in these cases, traditional valuation techniques, like the NPV （net present value） of the project, are insufficient. An alternative methodology for the valuation of highway concession is one based on the real options approach. This methodology is generally built on the assumption of the evolution of traffic volume as a GBM （geometric Brownian motion）, which is the hypothesis analyzed in this paper. First, a description of the methodology used for the analysis of the existence of unit roots （i.e., the hypothesis of non-stationarity） is provided. The Dickey-Fuller approach has been used, which is the most common test for this kind of analysis. Then this methodology is applied to perform a statistical analysis of traffic series in Spanish toll highways. For this purpose, data on the AADT （annual average daily traffic） on a set of highways have been used. The period of analysis is around thirty years in most cases. The main outcome of the research is that the hypothesis that traffic volume follows a GBM process in Spanish toll highways cannot be rejected. This result is robust, and therefore it can be used as a starting point for the application of the real options theory to assess toll highway concessions.
