The CIHT Prize for the Best Performance in a Highways or Transportation Related Final Year Project
Mahrokh Muhammad, Nottingham Trent University
Towards Sustainable Road Infrastructure: An assessment of the best practices for reducing CO₂e emission
Thomas Turrell, Salford University
Contributory factors for road-traffic collisions in Greater Manchester over a 10-year period
The CIHT Prize for the Best Performance by a Highways or Transportation Apprentice in a Degree or Graduate Apprenticeship
Shiraz Rafiq Narma, Coventry University
Root Cause Investigation into sub-soil shrinkage at Mill Lane, Sutton Cheney, Leicestershire, UK
The CIHT Prize for the Best Performance by an MSc or MEng Student in Highways or Transportation
Noorjahan Pallikkandi Malivekal, Coventry University
A Community-led Approach to Plan and Design of Active Travel Infrastructure: A Case Study of Royal Leamington Spa
Meisam Kabiri, Nottingham Trent University
Pavement Assessment and Design Report
Michael Kilby, Salford University
CYCLOPS junctions: How safely do they manage multi-modal conflicts?
Noorjahan Pallikkandi Malivekal
Coventry University
A Community-led Approach to Plan and Design of Active Travel Infrastructure: A Case Study of Royal Leamington Spa
The nominated study for the CIHT student award aims to plan and design an inclusive ‘Active Travel’ route between Leamington Spa train station and Warwick Castle with a community-led approach, underpinned by the principles outlined in the Cycle Infrastructure Design LTN 1/20. The primary objective of this study was to identify obstacles faced by different user groups in using active travel infrastructure, investigate specific strategies and design principles for inclusivity, assess the role of stakeholders and community engagement, and develop an improvement plan for the route.
The methodology encompasses site visits, safety audits, stakeholder engagement, and improved route development within current regulatory, best-practice and design codes. Site visits facilitated the identification of key issues such as inadequate cycle lanes, shared path safety concerns, and infrastructural inadequacies, particularly at critical junctions. In accordance with LTN 1/20 guidelines, proposed mitigation measures prioritise coherence, directness, safety, comfort, and attractiveness, adhering to the core design principles of LTN 1/20.
This study suggests that the community-led approach, incorporating stakeholder feedback from platforms such as 'Widen My Path’, ensures that the infrastructure aligns significantly with its users' actual needs and preferences. The report additionally debates that stakeholder engagement participation activities should have been integrated to achieve comprehensive success.
The findings in this study confirm that the current infrastructure only uses limited inclusive planning. Hence, implementing mitigation measures signifies the need to develop an inclusive and sustainable active travel infrastructure. By addressing key safety and accessibility concerns, enhancing the user experience, and involving stakeholders meaningfully, the study sets a benchmark for future urban planning initiatives specific to this site but with the potential to be generalised for other similar locations.
Recommendations include widening existing cycle lanes, redesigning shared paths, regular maintenance of the route, and continuous stakeholder engagement to ensure the route caters to diverse needs. Limitations of the study, such as the data collection methodology and the scope of the project, are acknowledged, providing a comprehensive framework for active travel infrastructure implementation that is safe, accessible, and enjoyable for all users.
Shiraz Rafiq Narma
Coventry University
Root Cause Investigation into sub-soil shrinkage at Mill Lane, Sutton Cheney, Leicestershire, UK
The study was based on a case study at Mill Lane, Sutton Cheney in Leicestershire, which had suffered from subsoil shrinkage resulting in significant defects to the highway pavement, such as settlement, rutting, and deep longitudinal cracking. It involved undertaking an experimental study on the physical and mechanical properties of the clay soil 'Bosworth Superficial Deposit,' which was extracted from the site and mixed well with cement (at minimum content) and a new nanotechnology additive called RoadCem (RC). There were three phases to the soil testing: firstly, conducting tests on the untreated soil; secondly, adding 8% of cement to the soils, and thirdly, reducing the cement to 6% with the addition of 2% of RC. The tests conducted on the clay samples included Standard Proctor, Atterberg limits, and Unconfined Compression test (UCT).
From the site and laboratory investigations, it was confirmed that the soil was a mix of medium to coarse sand and fine gravel. It was well-graded, had a uniformity coefficient of five, and the optimum moisture content matched that obtained onsite. The Atterberg limits and soil classification showed that it was inorganic clay of high plasticity, confirming it was a highly expansive soil that would cause volumetric changes resulting in major defects such as settlement, longitudinal cracking, and rutting. The study focused on using the new nanotechnology additive called RC to reduce the cement content for soil stabilisation, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and save costs.
The UCT showed that the stress-strain behaviour with 2% RC and 6% cement increased the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) threefold to 0.8-1.0 MPa compared to the untreated soils and also improved ductility somewhat. Most importantly, the Atterberg limits, plasticity index, and soil classification improved the soil mix to medium plasticity. In theory, this would reduce volumetric changes on-site.
In addition, a local best practice guide has been proposed for soil stabilisation using RC and cement, and this may be potentially used at Leicestershire County Council.
The next steps to further this study would be to attain funding from the Central government to undertake a trial soil stabilisation treatment at Mill Lane, Sutton Cheney. However, it should be noted that this study was based on small samples, and when applying this on the ground, it would require thorough planning and testing to ensure the correct design is delivered.
Mahrokh Muhammad
Nottingham Trent University
Towards Sustainable Road Infrastructure: An assessment of the best practices for reducing CO2e emission.
The transport sector significantly impacts the environment and contributes heavily to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere. According to research, this sector accounts for approximately 54% of total GHG emissions, making it one of the most significant contributors to climate change. As the demand for road construction and maintenance continues to increase, reducing GHG emissions in asphalt production is crucial to mitigate climate change and meet the UK's net-zero target by 2050.
The dissertation focused on the importance of reducing CO₂ emissions during asphalt production, which is a critical component in the construction of roads. Asphalt production is a complex process that involves several stages, each of which contributes to the overall carbon footprint of the material. Therefore, it is essential to identify and analyse the factors contributing to CO₂e emissions while constructing an asphalt road.
The research methodology employed in the dissertation involved the implementation of a carbon calculator tool to estimate the carbon footprint of asphalt road construction projects. The carbon calculator was used to assess the carbon footprint of several scenarios to identify potential areas for reducing CO₂e emissions.
The results of the study indicated that using carbon calculators in the early stages of construction can significantly reduce CO₂e emissions associated with road construction. For example, locally recycled material can help lower carbon emissions by about 46%. On the other hand, using virgin materials with a long distance travelled can increase the emission by over 200%.
Overall, the findings of the dissertation demonstrate the importance of using sustainable materials and practices in road construction to mitigate the environmental impact of the transport sector. It is crucial to prioritise sustainability in the construction industry to achieve the UK's net-zero target and ensure a sustainable future for future generations.
Meisam Kabiri
Nottingham Trent University
Pavement Assessment and Design Report
In this coursework the student was appointed by a client (National Highways) to act as the pavement engineering consultant for 3 different trunk road schemes (two existing roads, and one proposed new road). He was tasked with providing the analysis and advice for each of the schemes.
The coursework gave an opportunity to provide an interpretation of the general condition of an existing trunk road, based on the investigation. The analysis also focused on identifying if any sections of the scheme require further detailed investigations and the type of investigations required to provide additional information. The information obtained from proposed investigations was presented in his submission and concluded as below.
The evaluation of pavement design options has provided important considerations to guide the decision-making process.
Option 1, which uses EME2 material, offers advantages such as lower thickness, single layer construction, simplified quality control, and reduced excavation and material volume requirements.
On the other hand, option 2, which uses HBM, offers benefits such as significant energy savings during production, the use of fly ash and slag to reduce embodied carbon, and the ability to prepare the mixture on-site using recycled and secondary materials.
Ultimately, the choice of pavement design option will depend on the specific project requirements and priorities, including performance, cost, environmental impact, and construction logistics.
Thomas Turrell
Salford University
Contributory factors for road-traffic collisions in Greater Manchester over a 10-year period
The aim of the dissertation was to investigate contributory factors to collisions in Greater Manchester between 2010 and 2020 (excluding data affected by Covid-19 period). This has been achieved by:
- Creating a literature review into available texts, journal articles and other sources of information to explore the current research into contributory factors.
- Using STATS19 dataset to map out locations of collisions and to select sites of interest.
- Creating a pilot survey to structure a plan of 18 surveys over 6 sites.
- Conducting the surveys and presenting findings from them along with presenting STATS19 data provided by TfGM.
- These two data sets have then been analysed and compared to each other.
The literature review looked at existing research into the subject area. A series of traffic surveys have been undertaken, and the results examined and compared to the expected results gained from the STATS19 contributory factor dataset. The main finding from the data analysis is how the occurrence of groups of contributory factors differ between the surveys and the STATS19 data. During surveys ‘injudicious actions’ contributory factors were more common, whereas in the STATS19 data ‘Driver/rider error’ was more common.
The student concluded that this may be due to the degree of accepting responsibility which these groups hold; it is much easier for a driver to admit to simply “not looking properly” as opposed to disobeying a sign, signal, or speeding. The study also noted that one of the sites exhibited a high amount of ‘Failed to look properly’ accidents, compared to other sites. The student concluded that this may be related to the fact that the site is a 5-arm roundabout. The student has also suggested that it is worth investigating more roundabout junctions of different types and sizes to understand the most common contributory factors associated with them.
Michael Kilby
Salford University
CYCLOPS junctions: How safely do they manage multi-modal conflicts?
Michael’s dissertation examines the safety performance of a CYCLOPS junction in Salford, Greater Manchester (GM). This is a new untested design philosophy intended to provide safety benefits to cyclists to support the delivery of the GM walking and cycling ‘Bee Network’ strategy.
The first CYCLOPS junction has only been in operation since July 2020, and since then a further nine CYCLOPS junctions have been constructed across GM without any understanding of the impact they have on road user safety. As an under researched topic, with a small sample size of available STATS19 data to analyse due to the infancy of CYCLOPS junctions, an alternative method of analysing road safety performance was required. A two-stage methodological framework was used to obtain contextual, real-world knowledge about how active travel users behave at a CYCLOPS junction.
The first stage involved unstructured behavioural observations to gather initial intelligence on the types of risk-taking behaviours that take place at a CYCLOPS junction. The findings from stage one was used to inform stage two, where a more detailed traffic conflict study was undertaken.
Using a combination of behavioural observations and a traffic conflict study to analyse non-collision events, this study found there are fundamental safety deficiencies in the way active travel users interact with CYCLOPS infrastructure. Compliance with traffic signal infrastructure by pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooter riders was generally poor and a significant factor in the contribution to multi-modal conflict events. It was also recognised that in striving to improve the safety of cyclists, this has come at the detriment to pedestrians who were found to be the most frequently involved road user class in multi-modal conflicts.
This research argues that the current design of CYCLOPS junctions should be considered as a first iteration, and that further refinements are required to optimise the design to improve the safety of all road users.
