No abstract

With the passage of time, due to vehicle movement and environmental conditions, the road pavement deteriorates. The accident rate increases if there is no proper maintenance of road deterioration. This study evaluates the safety performance due to the change in pavement performance indicators on the selected roads of Bahawalpur, Punjab Pakistan. Three roads different pavement conditions were selected, based upon their physical inspection, of 5 Km length (each road). The pavement performance indicators used in this study were International Roughness Index (IRI), rutting and cracking. The accident data of last five years (Jan 2015 to April 2019) was used in this study. The pavement performance indicators were measured on site and accident data was taken from emergency service (Rescue 1122). The relationships between pavement performance indicators and accident data were examined. No linear relationship is found between pavement performance indicators and traffic safety, however a parabolic relation is best fitted between these variables. The parabolic models are developed by keeping the pavement performance indicators on independent axis and accident data on dependent axis which can be use by road designers for assessing the value of IRI, rutting and cracking for safe traffic flow. Some values are also suggested which can be used as evaluation criteria that whether the road needs rehabilitation work or not. The suggested values/range for IRI is 1.75-2 m/Km, for rutting 9 – 10 mm and for cracking-Pavement Condition Rating (PCR) 75-80.

There has been an increase in plastic production during the past decades, yet the recycling of plastic remains relatively low. Incorporating plastic in concrete can mitigate environmental pollution. The use of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles as an aggregate weakens properties of concrete. An alternative is to use PET bottles as a binder in the mortar. The PET binder mixed with sand results in weak mortar. Marble and iron slag can enhance PET mortar properties by preventing alkali reactions. This study examines the mechanical and durability properties of PET mortar with different mixes. The mixes were prepared as plastic and marble (PM); plastic and iron slag (PI); plastic, sand, and marble (PSM); plastic, iron slag, and marble (PIM); and plastic, sand, and iron slag (PSI). PM with 30–45% plastic content had increased compressive and flexural strength up to 35.73% and 20.21%, respectively. PI with 30–35% plastic content showed strength improvements up to 29.19% and 5.02%, respectively. However, at 45% plastic content, strength decreased by 8.8% and 27.90%. PSM, PIM, and PSI specimens had nearly double the strength of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) mortar. The durability of PET mortar in chemical solutions, mainly 5% HCl and 20% NaOH, indicate that mass decreased after 3, 7, and 28 days. All specimens showed good resistance to HCl and NaCl solutions compared to OPC mortar. However, its resistance to NaOH is low compared to OPC mortar. PET mortar without cement showed higher strength and durability than cement mortar, making it suitable for paver tiles, drainage systems, and roads.

Pedestrians’ safe mobility at intersections is associated with the facilities provided at the crossings. Lahore is one of the most populous cities in Pakistan. Too many road accidents occur daily at various areas of Lahore in which pedestrian-vehicle collision has a major ratio. To reduce the pedestrian-vehicle collisions, pedestrian signals are installed at major intersections of Lahore city. This paper examines the relationship between pedestrian signals and Level of Service (LOS), with a focus on enhancing awareness of pedestrian signal operation and investigates the impact of pedestrian signals on the LOS of intersections in Lahore in terms of pedestrian movement. Research shows that the poor level of awareness about how pedestrian signals work contributes to the inadequate level of service of intersections in terms of pedestrian movement. The results also provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners in developing effective strategies to improve the pedestrian experience and reduce pedestrian-vehicle collisions at intersections.