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 – Álvaro Seco (coordinator), Adelino Ferreira, Ana Bastos Silva, António Couto, António Lobo, António Vasconcelos, Arminda Almeida, Carlos Rodrigues, Francisco Duarte, Henrique Miranda, João Santos, Jorge Gonçalves, José Pedro Tavares, Luís Santos, Paulo Coelho, Sara Ferreira, Susana Meneses.
- Integrated Researchers without PhD - 12 (PhD Students and young researchers) - Andreia Marques, Anna Espíndola, Cristina Vilarinho, Hudson Pereira, Joana Dourado, Kerti Chandan Kancharla, Lígia Conceição, Luis Miguel Coimbra Simões, Marco Amorim, Nuno Gregório, Ricardo Azeiteiro, Rita Justo Silva, Rita Rodrigues.
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
- 4.14 - PAVENERGY - Pavement Energy Harvest Solutions
- 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
- 4.2? - PRISC “Portuguese Research Infrastructure of Scientific Collections”
- 4.2? - PORBIOTA “Portuguese E-Infrastructure for Information and Research in Biodiversity”
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
- 4.15 - DIW 2020 – Douro’s Inland Waterway 2020: New Markets and Services in Douro’s Inland Waterway
- 4.21 - SIESTA Enhancing Safety by usIng data from rEal-Time driver drowSiness feedbAck
Current PhD Projects
- 4.16 - Pavement energy harvesting system to convert vehicles kinetic energy into electricity
- 4.17 - Speed Management in Single Carriageway Roads: Speed Limit Setting through Expert-Based System
- 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
- 4.26 - GENETIPAV-D - A Deterministic Segment-Linked Pavement Management System
- 4.27 - Incorporating Road Safety Concerns into Pavement Management
- 4.28 - Street Space Allocation for Transportation: A Simulation-optimization approach