Journal of Infrastructure Systems

Pavement markings provide important information to motorists, especially in a work zone environment where alignments are often changed from what is typical. Unlike normal roadway applications, work zone pavement markings are often placed on the roadway for a limited period of time, such as during an interim phase of construction. The performance and total cost for each material may vary greatly depending on a number of factors, such as traffic volume, surface type, and project duration. The objective of this study is to develop a systematic approach to provide practitioners with objective guidance for selecting cost-effective pavement marking materials for work zones that meet specific performance requirements. A Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analyses were conducted to establish a cost-based decision support guidance given a set of factors influencing the performance of marking materials. Four types of materials considered in this study were paint, thermoplastics, temporary tapes, and traffic buttons. The analysis results indicated that traffic buttons perform slightly better at shorter phase durations and moderate traffic levels on the concrete surface. The use of thermoplastics was recommended as the lowest-cost alternative only on the asphalt surface with moderate project durations and traffic levels. Paint markings are recommended for short-duration projects regardless of traffic conditions or pavement surfaces.

Motorway bridges constitute a major part of modern transportation infrastructure networks. Interestingly, although foundations substantially influence the bridge construction cost, few studies have focused on predesign cost estimates. This paper presents a conceptual cost-estimate model for bridge foundations that involves three stages: the selection of the foundation system, the estimation of the material quantities, and the estimation of the foundation cost. It describes an easy-to-use ground classification method, which combined with a rule-based system, leads to the choice of the foundation system. This paper also describes the development of prediction models for the material quantities of different types of foundations. The significant independent variables were identified by the experts in interview sessions. Despite its drawbacks, the stepwise regression methodology was applied to see whether the results are consistent with the experts’ opinion. The major assumptions underlying the correct application of the regression methodology were tested, and the necessary adjustments were made. The proposed conceptual cost-estimating methodology provides fast and reliable results that can be very useful in the early stages of a project.

This paper presents a decision-support system for the management of highway assets that uses a dominance-based rough set approach (DRSA). The decision concerns the allocation of maintenance funds among various highways owned by a central agency, and it takes into account multiple evaluation criteria. The proposed methodology supports the distribution of available resources to improve safety on highways, and it considers the current condition of each component of the highway infrastructure (pavements, bridges, signs, guardrails, culverts, and vegetation). The multiple-criteria decision problem in this paper is a sorting problem, i.e., the highways are assigned to preference-ordered classes, and the resources are allocated according to this sorting. The DRSA enables consideration of the quantitative and qualitative criteria, and it provides recommendations in terms of if-then decision rules, which are easily understandable by the decision maker. This approach enables an interaction between the analyst and the decision maker, and the decision maker’s preferences can be considered in the allocation of funds. This paper then presents an application of the proposed methodology to a case study performed for an Italian highway agency.

Costs and benefits resulting from improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified buildings are often hypothesized; however, the precise quantification of such costs and benefits remains a challenge. This research examined the incremental hard and soft costs of realizing IEQ improvements in LEED office buildings and related benefits to occupant well-being and productivity using a case study approach. Self-reported well-being and productivity data were collected by surveying employees occupying conventional offices compared to similar data upon their move to LEED offices. These pre- and postmove findings were analyzed using the life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) framework to calculate the potential economic gains of IEQ improvements to the organizations. The results indicate economically viable investments in LEED-IEQ credits and offers directions for future research. These preliminary findings may assist building owners/investors/policymakers in making better-informed building decisions towards IEQ improvements in buildings from the economic perspective of sustainability.