Research Group 4 - Transport Engineering and Management (TEM)
Scope & Objectives
Research carried out in the Transport Engineering Unit spans across a wide range of topics ranging from Traffic Engineering and Safety, with a special emphasis over urban environment related problems, to Pavement Mechanics and Management Systems and to Transport Economics.
Main current research objectives:
- Examine in-depth the causes and consequences of road accidents using microsimulation modelling approaches based on a thorough understanding of drivers’ behaviour, including distraction and sleepiness, and develop a detection and warning system fitted to the driver and his/her journey (SIESTA and AWAREE projects).
- Analyse the impacts of the progressive adoption of automated vehicle technologies on road capacity and safety in urban areas, and devise policies to implement such technologies in order to leverage the benefits that they may bring.
- Extend the research previously carried out Developing a Multi-objective Decision-Aid Tool and a Life-Cycle Assessment system, both for pavement management, and on the development of a road pavement energy harvesting systems (PAVENERGY project).
- Better understand the effects of natural hazards, mainly those from seismic and geotechnical origin, and their effects on the performance and robust design of transport infrastructures.
Research Team
- Integrated Researchers with PhD – Adelino Ferreira (coordinator), António Couto , Álvaro Seco, Ana Bastos Silva, António Lobo, António Vasconcelos, Arminda Almeida, Carlos Rodrigues, Henrique Miranda, João Silva, Jorge Gonçalves, José Pedro Tavares, Luís Santos, Paulo Coelho, Sara Ferreira, Sérgio Callai, Sérgio Duarte
- Integrated Researchers without PhD - (PhD Students and young researchers) - Anna Oliveira, Diogo Correia, Gabriel Rego, Harley Amado, Josué Cardoso, Matheus Correia, Muhammad Shafiq, Nuno Gregório, Tiago Tamagusko
- Collaborators Researchers - Bruno Cardoso
Financial Support
- Foundation for Science and Technology / Fundação Ciência e Tecnologia
- Faculty of Engineering of the University of Oporto / Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto
- Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra / Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra
- Treaty of Windsor Programme
- 7th Framework Programme- Capacities Specific Programme Research Infrastructures
Laboratory Facilities
- Road Pavements Laboratory – FCTUC
- Geotechnical Laboratory - FCTUC
- Traffic Analysis Laboratories including Instrumented Vehicles and a Driving Simulator – FEUP/FCTUC
Main Contributions



Current Research Projects
- 4.31 - ASIASAFE - Modernisation, Development and Capacity Building of Master Curriculum in Traffic Safety in Asian Universities
- 4.35 - TRAIN - Mapping risks and requirements for truck platooning using a driving simulator
Previous Research Projects
- 4.1 - AROUND - Improving Capacity And Emission Models of Roundabouts
- 4.2 - MODAT - Multi-objective Decision-Aid Tool for Highway Asset Management
- 4.3 - WAYNERGY VEHICLES – Electric Energy Generation System Using the Movement of Vehicles
- 4.4 - EMSURE – Energy and Mobility for Sustainable Regions
- 4.5 - LIVE - tooLs to Injury preVEntion
- 4.6 - CiViTAS – ELAN: Mobilizing Citizens for Vital Cities
- 4.7 - SAFESPEED – Speed Management Strategies: an Instrument for the Implementation of Safe and Efficient Road Management Solutions
- 4.8 - TA Project - Centrifuge Study of the Seismic Performance of Propped Flexible Retaining Walls Embedded in Saturated Sand
- 4.9 - TA Project - Shallow Foundations Exposed to Seismic Liquefaction: A Centrifuge-Based Study on the Level and Mitigation of the Effects
- 4.10 - PTDC/ECM/103220/2008: Tools for Performance-Based Design in Liquefiable Deposits
- 4.11 - POCTI/ECM/46461/2002: Sistema de Gestão de Pavimentos Rodoviários Determinístico e com Decisão ao Nível do Trecho Rodoviário
- 4.12 - PORTAL: Promotion of Results in Transport Research and Learning
- 4.13 - POCTI/ECM/32909/1999: Sistemas de Gestão de Pavimentos Rodoviários: Um Instrumento de Optimização com Decisão ao Nível de Trecho de Pavimento
- 4.14 - PAVENERGY - Pavement Energy Harvest Solutions
- 4.15 - DIW 2020 – Douro’s Inland Waterway 2020: New Markets and Services in Douro’s Inland Waterway
- 4.18 - AWAREE - Análise de dados orientada para o estudo da distração e sonolência do condutor
- 4.19 - AUTODRIVING – Modelação do comportamento do condutor em contexto de veículo autónomo com recurso ao simulador de condução
- 4.20 - SIMUSAFE - SIMULATOR OF BEHAVIOURAL ASPECTS FOR SAFER TRANSPORT
- 4.21 - SIESTA Enhancing Safety by usIng data from rEal-Time driver drowSiness feedbAck
- 4.26 - GENETIPAV-D - A Deterministic Segment-Linked Pavement Management System
- 4.30 - C-ROADS PORTUGAL
- 4.33 - DynamiCITY: Fostering Dynamic Adaptation of Smart Cities to Cope with Crises and Disruptions
- 4.34 - BBAI - Brain Behavior Analysis Using The Most Advanced Artificial Intelligence And Computer Vision
Current PhD Projects
- 4.17 - Speed Management in Single Carriageway Roads: Speed Limit Setting through Expert-Based System
- 4.27 - Incorporating Road Safety Concerns into Pavement Management
- 4.28 - Street Space Allocation for Transportation: A Simulation-optimization approach
- 4.29 - Evaluation and Modeling of pedestrian behavior on the presence of electric vehicles
- 4.36 - Road Asset Management Considering Connected and Automated Vehicles
- 4.37 - Incorporation of Plastic Waste into Road Pavements
- 4.38 - Artificial Intelligence Applied to Transport Infrastructure Management
- 4.40 - Identification of Critical Success Factors for Hub Airports and Ports
Previous PhD Projects
- 4.16 - Pavement energy harvesting system to convert vehicles kinetic energy into electricity
- 4.22 - Operating Speed Modeling in Two-Lane Highways
- 4.23 - Analyzing strategic and tactical decisions in the urban Emergency Medical Service (uEMS) transport system
- 4.24 - Intelligent Traffic Signal Control
- 4.25 - The Deployment of Automated Vehicles in urban transport systems