1. Pathway toward sustainable winter road maintenance (case study)Katja Malovrh Rebec, Janez Turk, 2023, samostojni znanstveni sestavek ali poglavje v monografski publikaciji Povzetek: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method was applied to evaluate the environmental impacts of winter road maintenance managed by an innovative road-weather information system and the impacts of vehicles passing the road during the snowstorm event. A case study refers to 10-hour lasting snowstorm event, considering a specific road section and application of a road-weather information management system to help winter road maintenance agency optimizing activities (salt gritting and/or plowing). Reliable information on the timing of the beginning of the snowstorm event affects (1) the activities of winter road maintenance, (2) the mobility of all vehicles passing the road, and (3) the fuel consumption of the vehicles. Since activities are optimized in case of preventive operation of winter road maintenance, less salt is needed overall. The road remains free of snow cover in case of preventive winter road maintenance operation, meaning that passenger cars and trucks pass the road at normal speed, without undesirable acceleration and braking caused by wheels slipping if snow accumulates on the road. Fuel consumption of vehicles passing salted and snow-free road remains unchanged, while fuel consumption increases in case of snow cover. Reduction of environmental burdens in case of such optimized winter road maintenance operation, is shown in this case study. The overall results of the comparative LCA analysis showed that the use of the road-weather information system in road traffic allows for as much as 25% reduction of environmental footprints. In the scenario where the winter service does not use information system the winter service also uses 40% more salt, which is also related with additional environmental impacts.
Ključne besede: LCA, okoljski odtisi, cesta, snežne razmere, preventivno delovanje, promet, poraba goriva, varnost, LCA, environmental impacts, road, snow cover, preventive operation, traffic, fuel consumption, safety
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 11.12.2023; Ogledov: 208; Prenosov: 140
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2. Accounting for cloud cover and circannual variation puts the effect of lunar phase on deer–vehicle collisions into perspectiveJacopo Cerri, Laura Stendardi, Elena Bužan, Boštjan Pokorny, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Although several studies have focused on the influence of moonlight on deer–vehicle collisions, findings have been inconsistent. This may be due to neglect of the effects of cloud cover, a major impediment to moon illumination and circannual variation in both deer and human activity. We assessed how median cloud cover interacted with the illuminated fraction of the moon in affecting daily roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) roadkill in Slovenia (Central Europe). Data included nationwide roadkill (n = 49,259), collected between 2010 and 2019 by hunters, as required by law. Roadkill peaked under medium to high cloud cover and decreased during nights with low or extremely high cloudiness. This pattern was more pronounced on nights with a full moon. However, the effects of moon illumination and cloud cover had a lower predictive potential than circannual variation, as collisions clearly peaked in April/May, July and August/September. Our results suggest that moonlight could influence roe deer movements through compensatory foraging. However, on nights with a full moon, collisions could also be affected by weather. On bright nights, roe deer might be less active due to increased human presence and sustained vehicular traffic. Then, with medium to high cloud cover and also rainfall, human presence in the environment may be low enough to increase deer movements, but vehicular traffic can still be intermediate, maximizing the risk of collisions. Finally, with overcast skies, widespread rainfall can reduce both traffic volume and human outdoor activity, decreasing the risk of collisions. Moon illumination may indeed affect wildlife–vehicle collisions and roadkill, but its effects should be quantified as a function of cloud cover. Moreover, to make studies truly comparable, research about wildlife–vehicle collisions should also account for time of the year. Policy implications. Because collisions with roe deer peak at particular periods of the year, signs should be installed seasonally. By doing so, they would warn drivers about the risk, improve drivers' awareness and increase their safety. Moreover, as collisions also increase on nights with a full moon and overcast skies, interactive warning signs that are activated by ground illumination should also be useful.
Ključne besede: cloudiness, MODIS Surface Reflectance, moon, road ecology, roe deer, Slovenia, thin-plate splines, wildlife–vehicle collisions
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 16.11.2023; Ogledov: 418; Prenosov: 181
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3. Digital twins and road construction using secondary raw materialsSebastjan Meža, Alenka Mauko Pranjić, Rok Vezočnik, Igor Osmokrović, Stanislav Lenart, 2021, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Secondary raw materials (SRMs) tend to be a valuable replacement for finite virgin materials especially since construction works (i.e., building and civil engineering work such as road construction) require vast quantities of raw materials. Using SRM originating from recycling a broad range of inorganic waste materials (e.g., mining waste, different industrial wastes, construction, and demolition waste) has been recognized as a promising, generally more cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly alternative to the exploitation of natural resources. Despite the benefits of using SRM, several challenges need to be addressed before using SRM even more. One of them is the long-term durability and little-known response of construction works built using such alternative materials. In this paper, we present the activities to establish a fully functioning digital twin (DT) of a road constructed using SRM. The first part of the paper is devoted to the theoretical justification of efforts and ways of establishing the monitoring systems, followed by a DT case study where an integrated data environment synthesizing a Building Information Model and monitored data is presented. Although the paper builds upon a small scale, the case study is methodologically designed to allow parallels to be drawn with much larger construction projects.
Ključne besede: digital twins, road construction, circular economy
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 19.07.2023; Ogledov: 336; Prenosov: 210
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