Analyzing the transportation infrastructure-rural industry integration relationship in China

Transportation infrastructure is crucial to China’s economic growth because it substantially contributes to the holistic development of rural primary,secondary,and tertiary industries.This study innovatively examines transportation infrastructure and urbanization levels to explore,both theoretically and empirically,their relationship with the holistic development of primary,secondary,and tertiary industries in rural China,and the mediating role of urbanization on this relationship.We employed fixed-effects models,the entropy weight approach,mixed regression,and generalized method of moments to analyze the data of 30 provinces across China from 2013 to 2020.The results indicate that the construction of transportation infrastructure directly fosters the collective advancement of such industries in rural areas and that urbanization partially mediates the transportation infrastructure-rural industry integration relationship.However,the western region shows disparities in the integrated development of these sectors.Further analysis reveals that foreign investments amplify the positive influence of transportation infrastructure on rural industry integration.Essentially,the enhancement of rural transportation infrastructure,promotion of urbanization,implementation of strategic planning,and strengthening of support mechanisms are crucial aspects in the comprehensive development of rural industries and the achievement of rural revitalization in China.

Seismic behavior of tire waste-sand mixtures for transportation infrastructure in cold regions

Tire wastes have many properties that are valuable from a geotechnical engineering perspective, such as low density, high strength, thermal insulation, energy absorption capacity, permeability, durability, compressibility, resilience, and high frictional strength. Thus, tire wastes offer good thermal characteristics in resisting frost penetration and have good drainage characteristics, being as permeable as coarse granular soil for fill materials. The many advantages of tire wastes make the material suitable for transportation infrastructure construction in cold regions. Also, tire wastes with high damping prop- erty make them a preferable admixture with sand for transportation infrastructures in seismic regions, This study aimed to determine the seismic performance of certain tire waste-sand mixtures in cold regions. A 70% sand-30% tire crumb mixture by weight （TC30） with a very high damping property was selected for analysis as an engineering material for transportation infrastructure. Small-scale shake-table tests were conducted on this material as well as on a sand-only sample under two different temperatures, 0 ℃ and 20 ℃, to simulate cold-region and moderate-temperature performance, respectively. The 1999 lzmit Earthquake Excitation （EW） （Mw = 7.4） was taken as the input motion. Test results showed that the tire waste-sand mixture at 0 ℃ showed better seismic performance than that at room temperature, suggesting that a tire waste-sand mixture in cold regions may reduce seismic hazards to infrastructure.

Upgrade of Transportation Infrastructure and Siting of Polluting Enterprises:The Case of High-Speed Railway Launch in China

With the quasi-natural experiment of the launching of high-speed railways in Chinese cities,this paper empirically investigated the effects of the upgrade of the transportation infrastructure on the site selection of polluting enterprises.We found that although the launching of a high-speed railway generally has a negative impact on the siting of polluting enterprises:(i)While there was a significant decrease in polluting enterprises of a private and other nature,the reduction in overseas-funded and state-owned enterprises was insignificant;(ii)while the launching of a high-speed railway greatly restrained the entry of polluting enterprises in the eastern region,large cities and more developed cities,this was followed by the movement of more polluting enterprises to the central and western regions,small and medium-sized cities and less developed cities;(iii)there was a significant decrease in polluting enterprises in environmentally conscious cities after the launching of a high-speed railway.This paper also found that infrastructure upgrade may influence the siting of polluting enterprises through the following:Environmental cleanness,factor concentration and spatial integration.Government authorities and market entities should be fully aware of and attach great importance to how the transportation infrastructure influences the site selection of businesses,as this is of great significance for China’s regional development planning,local business climate and investment planning,environmental protection,and other related policymaking initiatives.

Resilience surface for quantifying hazard resiliency of transportation infrastructure

Resilience assessment of transportation infrastructure is a crucial aspect of ensuring the continued functionality of a city or region in the face of various disruptions.However,these infrastructures are also vulnerable to various types of disruptions,such as natural disasters.The ability of transportation infrastructures to withstand and recover from such disruptions is referred to as their resilience.This research presents a comprehensive framework to develop the resilience surface for assessing the resilience of transportation infrastructure such as bridges,roads,and tunnels.The framework involves the identification of the unique damage configurations through performing the fragility analysis,and the restoration of the infrastructures through developing recovery curves for each damage configuration by considering the relevant restoration data.The framework also considers the inherent uncertainty in the hazard intensity,modeling uncertainty,and restoration process.The framework is illustrated through the application to a case study of a highway bridge in Canada.The aim of this paper is to provide a useful tool for decision-makers to evaluate and improve the resilience of transportation infrastructures.

The Effects of Infrastructure Projects on House Prices and Rents:Evidence from the HS2 Extension Cancellation in the UK

This paper uses the HS2 extension cancellation in November 2021 as a quasi-experiment to study its impact on house prices and rents in Leeds.Using a DiD approach on repeat sales and monthly rents,I compare property values near the HS2 station and proposed construction site before and after the announcement.Results show a 3.6%decrease in house prices and a 3.9%decline in rents near the station,while properties near the construction site experienced a 2.4%increase in prices and a 2.1%rise in rents.This is the first paper to analyse the HS2 cancellation effect using panel data methods.

Fire hazard in transportation infrastructure:Review,assessment,and mitigation strategies

This paper reviews the fire problem in critical transportation infrastructures such as bridges and tunnels.The magnitude of the fire problem is illustrated,and the recent increase in fire problems in bridges and tunnels is highlighted.Recent research undertaken to address fire problems in transportation structures is reviewed,as well as critical factors governing the performance of those structures.Furthermore,key strategies recommended for mitigating fire hazards in bridges and tunnels are presented,and their applicability to practical situations is demonstrated through a practical case study.Furthermore,research needs and emerging trends for enhancing the“state-of-the-art”in this area are discussed.

Iterative Factors Favoring Collaboration for Interorganizational Resilience:The Case of the Greater Montréal Transportation Infrastructure

Between members of a network, interorganizational resilience is favored by effective collaboration and coordination during a crisis. The quality of that collaboration depends on various iterative factors present between these organizations before the occurrence of a crisis.We find that these factors are iterative since collaboration factors follow a mutually reinforcing cycle: collaboration within a crisis management network is conditioned by a general agreement, which is in turn conditioned by the extent to which the institutions coordinate themselves prior to crisis. We evaluated the factors that promote collaboration between public and private organizations that manage the Greater Montréal transportation infrastructure.These factors are based on adaptive management processes such as mutual agreements, common organizational culture, knowledge and financial resources, levers of power,regulations, and pressure. Crisis management coordination represents the ability to build and assess the effectiveness of common response plans to risks to which they are exposed. We show how these processes vary depending on the links between private and public organizations.

Preface for the special issue on "Advanced Transportation Infrastructure and Materials"

The International Association of Chinese Infrastructure Pro- fessionals （IACIP） and Chang＇an University jointly hosted the first International Conference on Transportation Infrastruc- ture and Materials （ICTIM） in Xi＇an, China on July 16-18, 2016. This conference covered a variety of research topics on transportation infrastructure and materials, including pave- ment mechanics, geomechanics, highway materials, ground improvement, recycling materials, maintenance and rehabil- itation, intelligent construction, infrastructure management, intelligent transportation system, and risk and reliability. Over 200 participants from 11 countries participated in this conference, which included 13 presentation sessions, 2 workshops, and 1 forum.

The heterogeneous impact of China-Europe railway express on the efficiency of logistics industry in node cities

Purpose-The spatiotemporal compression effect of China-Europe Railway Express(CR-Express)can reduce the filow costs of resources between China's node cities.Additionally,it can break through the limitations of low-added-value marine products,significantly impacting the logistics industry efficiency.However,there are few literature verifying and analyzing its heterogeneity.This study explores the impact of CR-Express on the efficiency of logistics industry in node cities and analyzes the heterogeneity.Design/methodology/approach-First,this study uses panel data to measure the efficiency of node city logistics industry.Secondiy,this study discusses the impact of the opening of CR-Express on the efficiency of logistics industry in node cities based on the multi-period differential model.Finally,according to the node city difference,the sample city experimental group is grouped for heterogeneity analysis.Findings-The results show that CR-Express can promote the urban logistics industry efficiency,with an average effect of 4.55%.According to the urban characteristics classification,the heterogeneity analysis shows that the efficiency improvement effect of logistics industry in inland cities is more obvious.The improvement effect of node cities and central cities in central and western China is stronger,especially in the sample of megacities and type I big cities.Compared with non-value chain industrial products,the CR-Express has significant promotion effects on the logistics efficiency of the cities where main goods are value chain products.Originality/value-Under the background of double cycle development,this paper can provide a scientific basis for the investment benefit evaluation of CR-Express construction and the follow-up route planning.

Transportation Development Transition in China

Scientific development is an invaluable asset to a country.Policies and development modes should be carried out based on scientific findings not only in industry,but also in transportation infrastructure construction.Building an integrated transportation system,which is in line with the national requirements of China and supports sustainable socio-economic development,is a key strategic issue related to building a moderately prosperous society and achieving realistic goals of a medium-level developed country.Based on a systematic review of the advances in China's transportation infrastructure over the last 60 years,this paper explores the main drivers of transportation development,including national policy,transportation structure,investment efficiency,and technological innovation.Analysis shows that China's comprehensive transportation infrastructure construction since 1949 can be divided into five stages initiated by these drivers,which correspond to four transition modes:policy transition,structural transition,efficiency transition,and technology transition.The transition path of China's transportation development shows that the dominant factors have changed,and the interval for each transition has shortened.With the implementation of the '12th Five-Year Plan',China's transportation infrastructure construction is showing some new characteristics and facing a new development transition.Finally,this paper analyzes the trends in transportation development in China and concludes that technological innovation will be the main driving force to increase the transportation supply and service area in the future.

Navigating the hydrogen prospect:A comprehensive review of sustainable source-based production technologies,transport solutions,advanced storage mechanisms,and CCUS integration

The review is a comprehensive discussion of current research advances,commercial scale developments,challenges,and techno-eco nomics for the entire H_(2) value chain,including production,mainly focusing on sustainable sources,storage,and transport.The challenges,advantages,and uses of H_(2) energy are included at length.Moreover,apart from the sustainable production approaches,the approaches and current developments for combating the carbon dioxide(CO_(2))emissions from existing H_(2) production facilities are highlighted in terms of ca rbon capture,utilization,and storage(CCUS).Concisely,the review discusses current material and recent technological adva ncements in developing pilot projects and large-scale establishments for viable and rapidly emerging sou rce-ba sed H_(2) productio n.Moreover,the review also aims to provide an in-depthdiscussion and explore current developments based on the advantages of H_(2) energy in terms of its utilization,based on its high energy density,and its ability to be used as a feedstock and fuel.On the other hand,the challenges of H_(2) are also elabo rated.Next,the role of CCUS in a carbon-neutral economy and value chain for minimization of emissions from existing facilities is thoroughly deliberated,and the recent commercial-scale implementation of CCUS technologies is highlighted.Extending the utilization and recycling of captured CO_(2) emissions along with H_(2) to produce e-fuels in terms of current advances is detailed in this review.Fu rthermore,the most applicable,efficient,a nd develo ping approaches are discussed for physical and chemical H_(2) storage,considering recent la rge-scale implementations of liquid carriers and liquid organic hydrogen carriers as storage options.Lastly,the review elaborates on recent insights into advances in H_(2) transport infrastructure,including compressed and liquid H_(2) delivery via roads,ships,pipelines,and flight cargo.The review gives precise insights into the recent scenario through an elaborated conclusion of each discussion topic separately and a discussion of future perspectives.The current review will help researchers to fully understand the ongoing research advancements and challenges in the H_(2) value chain for formulating new solutions for sustainable H_(2) production,alo ng with focusing on suitable approaches for its storage and tra nsport to make the production and utilization of H_(2) applicable on a large scale.

Impacts of road on plant invasions in the Middle Mountain region of central Nepal

Biological invasion is triggered by human development activities such as the construction and expansion of road networks.Road verges serve as important habitats and corridors for the distribution of invasive alien plant species(IAPS)between geographically distant habitats.However,the trajectory of plant invasion and the data regarding the impact of roads on IAPS distribution are relatively poor in Nepal.Here,we surveyed two road types(main roads and feeder road)in the Middle Mountain region of central Nepal in order to investigate how different road types are driving the dispersal of IAPS along road verges and the adjacent natural habitats.Systematic sampling was conducted at ca 2.5 km intervals along the roads.At each sampling site,paired plots(25 m×4 m)were sampled:one adjacent to and along the road,and another 20 m away and parallel to it in the interior habitat.Our results revealed that the main road verges had a higher cover(33%)and a larger number of IAPS(14 species)than the feeder road(25%;10 species).The IAPS cover and richness were significantly higher along verges than in the adjacent interior habitats for both road types,indicating that roads are contributing as corridors for the dispersal of IAPS in the Middle Mountain areas of central Nepal.Further,elevation,tree canopy,and disturbances(grazing/mowing/trampling)were found to be the key factors that determine spatial distribution of IAPS along road verges.We emphasize that regular monitoring of vegetation along the road verges can help with the early detection and control of potential IAPS in the region before they become problematic.

Spatial spillover effects of transport infrastructure on regional economic growth

Spatial spillover effects,either positive or negative,of transport infrastructure,highways/expressways,etc.,on regional economic growth are proposed.Using the panel data for 11 cities of Zhejiang province from 1994 to 2003,a spatial production function is applied to examine the spatial spillovers which can be generated as a positive output spillover from the transport infrastructure between neighboring cities.Some spatial weighted matrices are adopted to define different neighboring cities to measure how easily factors or economic activities can migrate between regions.The estimation results show that the output elasticity of the highway infrastructure in 11 cities are all insignificant at a 5% significance level;hence,highway infrastructure in a region cannot explain the same region's economic growth.On the other hand,the highway infrastructure of other contiguous regions has positive spillover effects on a same region's economic growth.

The Impact of Transport Infrastructure and Pollutant Emissions in Sustainable Tourism for Mongolia

Tourism has a positive impact on economic growth,and it is one of the rapidly growing sectors in Mongolia.The Mongolian government,focusing on the development of tourism and transportation since 1990,has made it possible for achieving continuously growing sustainable tourism.Sustainable tourism is a way of maintaining a high level of tourist satisfaction while reducing adverse impacts on the environment.As transportation has been an integral part of the tourism industry,the purpose of this study is to examine the impact of transportation infrastructure,CO2 emission,and other classical demand factors on tourism flow in Mongolia by using a gravity model.Utilizing a panel data of tourists from 30 countries with the highest number of travel visits in Mongolia from 2002 to 2018,the study employs on panel co-integration analysis,aside from the conventional pooled ordinary least squares(OLS),fixed effects,and random effects estimators,to estimate the long-run relationship between Mongolian tourism flow and their respective determinants.According to the result of this study,the local transportation system and transportation investment have came out negative due to the underdeveloped transportation system.Moreover,the research indicates that carbon dioxide emission has a positive impact on tourism flow in the long-run.

Framework for Quality Improvement of Infrastructure Projects

In order to achieve high quality that not only gives acceptable return value to society but also satisfies the needs of all the stakeholders of infrastructure projects, comprehensive understanding of issues pertaining to the quality of the project is needed. The aim of this study is to provide an overview the most common procurement methods used in constructing infrastructure transport projects and analyze how these methods contribute to the desired quality of the final product in relation to client competence. An on-line survey of construction actors was carried out to ascertain quality level of Swedish infrastructure transport projects and determinant factors of quality problems. An equal number of respondents indicated that the quality of infrastructure projects has either increased or remained same level over the past twenty years. Respondents also pointed out lack of client competence that is vital in realizing the desired quality level through proper procurement, monitoring and evaluation procedures. Public clients heavily rely on traditional design-build procurement that requires considerable client involvement of a project. Thus, the association of quality problems and lack of client competence may not be a mere coincidence but an overlooked outcome of current situation.

Risk Management of Large Infrastructure Projects: Risk, Uncertainty, and Complexity

The development of large infrastructure projects requires the consideration of many different risks in advance,of which the two common risks are strategic risk and project risk.This study provides an overview of the different relevant literature on risk management of large infrastructure projects.Based on the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed rail,this study identified the project’s main strategic risks and project risks,and provided suggestions for risk management.

Field Observations of Near-Surface Wind Flow Across Expressway Embankment on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Crushed rock layers(CRLs),ventilation ducts(VDs)and thermosyphons are air-cooling structures(ACSs)widely used for maintaining the long-term stability of engineered infrastructures in permafrost environments.These ACSs can effectively cool and maintain the permafrost subgrade’s frozen state under climate warming by facilitating heat exchange with ambient air in cold seasons.As convection is a crucial working mechanism of these ACSs,it is imperative to understand the near-surface wind flow(NSWF)across a constructed infrastructure,such as an embankment.This article describes a yearlong field observation of the NSWF across an experimental expressway embankment,the first of its kind on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau(QTP).The wind speed and direction along a transect perpendicular to the embankment on both the windward and leeward sides and at four different heights above the ground surface were collected and analyzed.The results showed that the embankment has a considerable impact on the NSWF speed within a distance of up to ten times its height,and in the direction on the leeward side.A power law can well describe the speed profiles of NSWF across the embankment,with the power-law indices(PLIs)varying from 0.14 to 0.40.On an annual basis,the fitted NSWF PLI far away from the embankment was 0.19,which differs substantially from the values widely used in previous thermal performance evaluations of ACSs on the QTP.Finally,the significance of the NSWF to the thermal performance of the ACSs,particularly the CRLs and VDs,in linear transportation infrastructure is discussed.It is concluded that underestimating the PLI and neglecting wind direction variations may lead to unconservative designs of the ACSs.The results reported in this study can provide valuable guidance for infrastructure engineering on the QTP and other similar permafrost regions.

Spatial Structure Adjustment Strategies of the Coal Resource-Based Cities during the Mature Period: A Case Study of Pingdingshan

Coal cities are the main part of the resource-based cities in China, and the benign development of coal cities' spatial structure has a direct impact on these cities' future economic and social development, as well as the urban residents' welfare. Land use fragmentation is the most typical morphological characteristic of the coal city's spatial structure development. In this paper, Pingdingshan City of Henan Province in China is taken as an example. Through empirical analysis, the urban spatial structure development processes of a typical coal resource-based city in its mature period are illustrated, and the formation reasons and potential mechanism behind coal city land use fragmentation are explored, and the measurement method of land use fragmentation degree of the coal city is put forward. On the above basis, the appropriate adjustment strategies and methods aimed at the coal city spatial structure are found out and given. This study is a good guideline and reference for the spatial structure planning and land use planning of the coal city during the mature and declining period, which is of great help to the sustainable development and industrial structure transformation of the coal city. It also has certain reference significance for the coal city in the growth period.

Laser additive manufacturing for infrastructure repair:A case study of a deteriorated steel bridge beam

As our transportation infrastructure ages,its deterioration is becoming a growing concern.Rapid and effective methods for repair can reduce the need for time-and cost-intensive replacement of structures such as roadway bridges.In this work,laser-based additive manufacturing(AM)was developed for the repair of damaged beams in steel bridges.A corroded structural beam of low-carbon A36 steel was selected for this case study and 316L stainless steel was used for repair due to its excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance.Simulated repair experiments were performed on specimens extracted from the beam,and prepared with various groove shapes(Rectangular,Trapezoidal,and U-shaped).More in-depth parametric and microstructural studies were carried out with a series of U-shaped specimens repaired with the linear laser input energy varied from 19.5 to 30.0 J mm–1.The tensile properties of the repaired specimens and interface structures were also investigated in detail.It was found that the repaired specimens had a slightly higher tensile strength despite a reduction in tensile elongation compared to the A36 steel base metal.The influence of interfacial microstructure and heterogeneity on the mechanical properties of the repaired specimens was discussed.Our work suggests the promising potential to employ AM for structural repair and provides fundamental insights into processing-structure-property relationships in laser AM-repaired materials.

Situation and hotspot analysis on rural transport infrastructure from the perspective of bibliometric analysis

The construction of rural transportation infrastructure is of great significance to promote the organic integration of transportation construction with resource exploitation and industrial development in rural areas,and realize poverty alleviation and poverty reduction driven by convenient transportation.In order to understand the research status of rural transport infrastructure at home and abroad,this paper adopts CiteSpace,VOSviewer,Pajek,SPSS and other software and makes quantitative analysis and knowledge map drawing of the literature on rural transportation infrastructure collected in Web of Science database.The results show that the emphasis of this field is different in different periods,Chinese scholars'attention to this field increased significantly after the rural revitalization strategy was put forward.Based on the classification results of keyword clustering,the following conclusions are drawn:The planning mode of rural transportation infrastructure under rural revitalization is relatively backward and the lack of theoretical analysis of the root causes has achieved the purpose of rational allocation of transportation resources.Moreover,there are few studies on the mechanism and empirical analysis of transport infrastructure's effect on rural poverty reduction.From the analysis of research hotspots,the integration of urban and rural areas and rural road safety will be the main research direction in the future,and rural road accidents and other topics have research potential.