72763 - Infrastructure Systems

Academic Year 2019/2020

Learning outcomes

The main goals of this course are: (i) to review and explain the theoretical foundations of methods that are necessary to understand, apply and evaluate the various scientific and technological approaches which claim to improve the sustainability of transportation; (ii) to present examples of the aforementioned approaches such as alternative fuels and propulsion methods, innovative transport systems, and various taxation schemes to include external costs and attempts to change awareness. A main purpose is to make students capable to analyzing critically the potential of new approaches to sustainable transportation, rather than to give a complete coverage of all known methods proposed to date. The student knows how to study the problems related with the vulnerability of road infrastructures, the risk analysis of in-ground constructions, the verification of existing roads and the design of new roads. He is also able to prepare maintenance plans and safety plans for roads and galleries.

Course contents

The programme of the Sustainable Transportation Engineering (STE) module:

Includes the following themes:  

  • Overview (the nature of transport, planning, sustainability)
  • Vehicles (dynamic vehicle models, energies, traffic-flows, the characteristic curve)
  • Transport network (network topology, link cost models, zoning)
  • Transport demand (4-stage model, alternative demand models)
  • Environmental impact of transport (transport energy generation, air pollution, noise pollution, space occupation, Live Cycle analyses)
  • Financial impact of transport (macroscopic impacts, cost models, internal/external costs, CBA)
  • Social impacts (Accessibility, accidents)
  • Sustainable transport planning (Transport Oriented Planning, functional network classification, traffic shielding, traffic calming, car-free areas, shared space areas)
  • Bike and pedestrian networks (design of bike and pedestrian networks)
  • Innovation in Public transport technologies (Metrotranvia, Bus Rapid transit, APM, Group Rapid Transit, Personal Rapid Transit)
  • Innovation in automobile technologies (Battery electric cars, E-mobility, ITS, self-driving cars)
  • Case studies


Uncertainty and Risk in Transportation Systems (URTS) module:

 
I. Overview of Multimodal Transportation Events of Interest (Natural Disaster Events, Unintentional Events, Attacks on Multimodal Transportation Infrastructure).

II. Review of basic principles, Uncertainty, Probability and Risk.

III. Road Safety Management Concepts – Directive 2008/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on Road Infrastructure Safety Management.

IV. Road Safety Impact Assessment for Infrastructure Projects, Road Safety Audit.

V. Safety ranking and management of the road network in operation, Safety Inspections.

VI. Risks in Tunnels - Directive 2004/54/EC f the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the Trans-European Road Network.

VII. Quantitative Risk Analysis Model

VIII. F/N Curves for the Societal Risk

IX. Pavement Management System - Road maintenance planning.

X. Life-Cycle Benefit/Cost Analysis under Certainty, Risk, and Uncertainty.

Readings/Bibliography

Sustainable Transportation Engineering (STE) module:

On-line Class notes. 


E. Cascetta. Transportation systems engineering: theory and methods. Kluwer
Academic Publisher, Boston/Dordrecht/London, 2001. (Italian version available).

WHO.Particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen dioxide.
Technical report, World Health Organization, Bonn, Germany,2003.
www.euro.who.int/document/e79097.pdf.


Uncertainty and Risk in Transportation Systems (URTS) module:

Class notes

 
Directive 2008/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on Road Infrastructure Safety Management.

Directive 2004/54/EC f the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the Trans-European Road Network.

Teaching methods

The Sustainable Transportation Engineering (STE) module relies on the following teaching methods:
1.) Lecture, 3h per week.
2.) Exercises, 1h per week.
3.) Extensive lecture notes, available on-line.
4.) Practical transport planning exercise (if possible with computer simulations).

Uncertainty and Risk in Transportation Systems (URTS) module:

 
Class notes
Directive 2008/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on Road Infrastructure Safety Management
Directive 2004/54/EC f the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the Trans-European Road Network



Assessment methods

Assessment methods of the Sustainable Transportation Engineering (STE) module:
 
The exam consists in a written test with the following rules:

  • There will be 3 problems to be answered by written in 2 hours.
  • The first problem is a collection of multiple choice questions/answers, covering the material of the entire course. Each question has one or more correct answers.
    Correctly ticked answers will result in one point, incorrectly ticked answer will result in minus half a point. The minimum of the multiple choice problem is zero points the maximum is 8 points.
  • The remaining two problems will be calculations, covering the subjects of the exercises.
    The maximum points can only be obtained if all results are correct. Usually problems are divided into sub-problems where the number of points for each sub-problem is indicated.
  • Allowed is a non-programmable pocket calculator and one sheet with hand-written notes (front and rear side can both be used).
  • Before the exam, the the planning exercise must be completed and evaluated. The mark of the planning exercise will be a part of the overall mark.


Assessment methods of the Uncertainty and Risk in Transportation Systems (URTS) module:

Written test.


The total points of the integrated course Infrastructure systems is composed of 2/3 from the STE exam and 1/3 from the URTS exam.

Teaching tools

A notebook is recommended for downloading and viewing lecture notes and possibly  perform simulations.

Office hours

See the website of Joerg Schweizer

See the website of Andrea Simone

SDGs

Affordable and clean energy Industry, innovation and infrastructure Sustainable cities Climate Action

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.