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Civil Engineering Home
Research Activities
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Transport Operations
Using GPS data to build drive-cycles for urban buses (Greaves) (Faculty of Engineering New Staff Member Research Grant) and (Francis/Greaves) (2003 final year undergraduate research project)
This project explores the potential to build drive-cycles for urban buses collected from on-board GPS data, and these drive-cycles are compared to those currently used in emissions modelling and necessary adjustments made.
Quantification of road pavement performance at a road network level and a road project level (Tim Martin and Professor William Young) (PhD project)
Pavement performance is influenced mainly by levels of maintenance expenditure, climate, traffic loading and the structural condition of the pavement. This research aims to develop improved network and project level roughness deterioration models.
Cement pavements (Richard Yeo and Professor William Young) (PhD project)
This new project is currently being defined and an abstract will be published shortly.
Western technology based transport, infrastructure and engineering projects financed and constructed in China and Asia (Mark Karpovich and Professor William Young) (PhD project)
This new project is currently being defined and an abstract will be published shortly.
The modelling and intelligent optimisation of field service territories (Jim Youngman and Associate Professor Geoff Rose) (PhD project)
The aim of the project is to find a process for subdividing any region into territories that results in near minimal response times for service requests, assuming the total number of staff available is fixed.
Public transport stop design (Grant/Ryan/Currie/Young) (2003 final year undergraduate research project)
This study investigates the efficiency of the design of public transport interchange designs. It compares these designs with international standards on interchange design.
Environmental Impacts of transport (Young)
Long term changes in transport and their impact on land use and the environment are investigated in this study.
Performance based standards for heavy vehicles (Young) (Austroads)
This study explores the role and potential for performance based standards in improving the economic, safety and environmental performance of the road system.
Sustainability and urban transport (Young)
This project explores the interaction between the transport system and sustainability of cities. The study proposes a number of projects and investigates their utilisation of framework acceptability.
Impact of travel mode choice on pollution exposure (Banks/Greaves) (2003 final year undergraduate research project)
Limited evidence suggests that a travellers exposure to pollutants is impacted by their choice of travel mode (train, bus, car, bike, walk). This project compares the levels of pollutant exposure to toxic particulate matter for a typical commute journey to Monash University made by each of these modes.
Emissions from heavy vehicles (Matheson/Greaves) (2003 final year undergraduate research project)
Emissions from heavy vehicles are expensive and problematic to monitor. This project entails a literature review of available options and a proposal for a heavy vehicle emissions monitoring program in Melbourne.
Exposure to pollution (Greaves)
This project assesses how peoples travel choices (mode, time etc) impact on their potential exposure to respirable particulate matter.
Incorporating driver behaviour into vehicle emissions estimates (Greaves)
Driver behaviour is believed to have a significant effect on the factors underlying vehicle emissions calculations. This project identifies the most critical determinants of differences in driver behaviour and then develops and tests methodology to tailor default emission factors in order to reflect driver behaviour/local conditions and thereby improve the reliability of subsequent emissions estimates.
Mobile phones as traffic probes (Rose/Sekercioglu/Ygnace) (Faculty of Engineering small grant)
This technology has application to parts of the road transport network which is not instrumented with traditional data collection equipment. This is a collaborative project involving A/Prof Geoff Rose from ITS (Monash) along with Dr Ahmet Sekercioglu from Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering at Monash University and Dr Jean-Luc Ygnace from INRETS, France.
Travel time prediction estimation (Ruimin Li and Associate Professor Geoff Rose) (PhD project)
This project studies ways of developing and improving various travel time prediction and estimation models. The models are being developed on the basis of the traffic data routinely collected by inductive loop detectors on motorways (speed, flow and occupancy), as well as probe vehicle data which can be provided by automatic vehicle identification systems.
Bicycles and intermodal transport (So/Rose) (2003 final year undergraduate research project)
This project explores experience in Australia and overseas with the provision of infrastructure to encourage intermodal journeys on bicycles, particularly bicycles and public transport. The review is focused on the provision of racks on buses to accommodate bicycles.
Analysis of bicycle count data (Stephenson/Rose) (2003 final year undergraduate research project)
This project explores the trends in bicycle counts at particular locations around Melbourne and attempts to relate the growth in bicycle usage to the investment in on or off-road bicycle facilities.
Bicycle facility level of service (Cheung/Rose) (2003 final year undergraduate research project)
The level of service provided by bicycle facilities is an important determinant of user satisfaction and route choice behaviour. This project applies U.S Highway Capacity Manual methods to a series of case studies in order to determine the level of service provided by Melbourne bikeways.
Power assisted bicycles (Smith/Reed/Rose) (2003 final year undergraduate research project)
Legislation in Australia limits the power assistance which can be provided on a bicycle to 200W. This is now well below the power limits which are allowed overseas. This project explores dimensions for a performance based standard for the regulation of power assisted bicycles. Field data is examined to determine the health and mobility tradeoffs associated with power assisted bicycles.
Improving the accuracy of walking measurement with electronic pedometers (Garlick/Seethaler/Greaves) (2003 final year undergraduate research project)
Measurement of walking trips has traditionally been a difficult and inaccurate phase of data collection. This project investigates the potential for and issues associated with using a small electronic pedometer for recording walking distances.
Weaving section study (Sittiarjharn/Sarvi) (2004 final year undergraduate research project)
This study focuses on the weaving manoeuvre in congested conditions in Melbourne. In this preliminary study, all suitable sites to conduct data collection are investigated.
Calibration and comparison of macro and micro simulation models along Manningham Road (Sarvi)
This research performs a generic calibration of Paramics and Transit simulation models, develops a base case (Manningham road without bus priority) for Paramics and Transit and compares the output of the two models. A bus priority case is then developed for both simulation programs and the outputs again compared.
Developing an instrumented vehicle (Sarvi) (New Staff Member Research Fund)
The development of mathematical procedures for replicating driver behaviour is fundamental to predicting the impact of transport infrastructure changes. The long term aims of this project are to develop a sophisticated instrumental vehicle, to utilize this vehicle to obtain adequate driving behaviour data, and to develop driving behaviour models of merging, weaving and lane changing manoeuvres.
Driving behaviour at weaving sections (Young/Sarvi) (Faculty of Engineering small grant)
This work focuses on the little researched area of modelling vehicle acceleration-deceleration behaviour during weaving manoeuvres under congested traffic situations. Traffic congestion frequently occurs at weaving bottleneck sections and it is therefore vital to investigate traffic behaviour and characteristics in order to design safer and less congested weaving points and to achieve more efficient control at these bottleneck sections. Sets of data capturing a wide range of information are collected using a videotape and image processing techniques, and a theoretical framework for modelling weaving driver acceleration-deceleration behaviour is developed. This mathematical model will serve as an initial guide for modelling freeway weaving phenomena and will be a very important element of all micro simulation models attempting to model freeway traffic operation and management.
Driving behaviour at merging sections with the focus on the lag vehicle (Sarvi)
This work develops a model for the lag vehicle merging process (approaching the ramp area from the freeway) to provide a complete picture of driver interaction behaviour at the time of merging. In doing so, it builds on the content of earlier work in which a general methodology of modelling ramp vehicle acceleration was presented.
Vehicle drive cycles (de Marco/Warren/Young) (2004 final year undergraduate research project)
Private and public transport vehicles are significant contributors to energy consumption and air pollution in urban areas. In order to predict the levels of energy consumption and pollution created by vehicles, it is necessary to understand how drivers make travel route decisions. To investigate, data loggers are used to follow vehicle movements through the road system. This data forms the base of a study of vehicle drive cycles.
Road space allocation (Day/Young) (2004 final year undergraduate research project)
The road system provides a base for the car, public transport, non-motorised vehicles and goods vehicles to move around and provide the mobility to people living in cities. The use of road space relates to the level of density of development and community needs and preferences. This project investigates the allocation of priority to vehicles on particular roads in terms of the road cross-section and the likely impact of change in allocation.
Parking behaviour (Zivanovic/Yeung/Young) (2004 final year undergraduate research project)
The process of searching for a parking space is crucial in the design of parking facilities. It is necessary to understand how and why people search for particular spaces. This study investigates the search pattern for drivers in multistorey parking facilities.
Pedestrian and cyclist conflicts (Cuthbert-Sayers/Rose) (2004 final year undergraduate research project)
This project examines the conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians and explores the extent to which this is a behavioural problem or an infrastructure problem. Common conflict points are in the CBD (specifically in relation to cyclist couriers) and on shared use paths which can be used by pedestrians and cyclists. A key part of this project explores Australian and overseas experience with conflicts on these facilities, and in particular identifies whether the introduction of more powerful electric power assisted bicycles overseas has increased these conflicts.
Bicycle holding rails, help or hindrance (Chau/Rose) (2004 final year undergraduate research project)
Bicycle holding rails are often provided where bike paths cross roads/intersections so that cyclists can wait to cross while remaining seated on their bike and ready to push off. These rails cost money to install and may require maintenance. In some circumstances they are a potential hazard to pedestrians and may restrict footpath access for individuals in wheelchairs. This study explores their application and, through a few case studies, gauges user reactions in Melbourne. A survey of a number of sites provides a basis for correlating the different site characteristics with use and possible negative safety impacts. The project is being undertaken in conjunction with the City of Yarra.
Electric vehicles (Rose)
This project looks at regulations and transport policy issues associated with electric and hybrid fuel vehicles (bicycles and cars).
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