Research Groups

Overview

This group focuses on traffic systems management in terms of the organizational arrangements, guidance, and control of both stationary and moving traffic, including pedestrians, bicyclists and all types of vehicles. Its aim is to provide for the safe, orderly and efficient movement of persons and goods, and to enhance the quality of the local environment on and adjacent to traffic facilities.

Objectives

The main objectives of the group are:

• To conduct supply chain analysis and management studies
• To conduct freight and logistics assessment in traffic studies
• To conduct traffic studies, evaluation and analysis
• To evaluate the potential benefits for traffic control technologies
• To design and develop signal timing plan for an intersection as well as 
• To evaluate the traffic system operations
• To evaluate different transportation facilities in terms of LOS, capacity, congestion and environment.
• Corridor management research program

Overview 

Transportation Planning and management of multimodal transportation systems is an area in which engineers and planners can contribute to addressing a wide variety of challenges, ranging from Master Planning, Regional Transportation Planning (Long Range), Planning Studies for selected corridors to mitigate traffic congestion, alternative analysis, and for environmental impact assessments. Intermodal Transport Planning and modelling (ITPM) Research Group specializes in transportation systems planning and analysis: including development of 

• Master planning, Regional Transport Planning, Transport Impact Studies
• Traffic Simulation models (microsimulation, meso, and macro)
• Traditional four step travel demand forecast models
• Combined traffic assignment and signal control-based models
• Activity-based, agent-based, and choice models
• Land use and network planning models
• Development of household diary and on-board transit survey instruments 
• Econometrics related data mining
• Static and dynamic traffic assignment-based user-control interactions

Collectively, we are a group of researchers with significant interests and strong research records of accomplishment in transport, travel behavior/real time traveler Information, and intermodal connectivity. We have been actively engaged in implementation of several regional transport planning projects and traffic corridor studies in collaboration with municipalities and local government organizations in the region.  We are particularly interested in how society shapes, and is shaped by, technological developments in transport, commonly termed as Econometrics in Transport Planning. This requires an inter-disciplinary approach involving transportation engineering, planning, economics, and social sciences.

Objectives

The main objectives of the group

• To investigate, develop, and apply simulation models as well as travel demand forecast models for real life planning studies and applied research projects in the region
• To conduct traffic impact and corridor studies to assess the traffic impact of new developments and/or improvements to the study corridors 
• To conduct transport planning analysis for Master Plans, Regional Transportation Plans, and Regional or sub regional Transport Planning Studies
• To design, conduct and administer survey instruments to provide the data required for transportation planning used in transport modelling and simulations for areas on all resolutions.
• To help stakeholders make informed final decisions among planning alternatives that best integrate multiple objectives such as technical feasibility and cost minimization. 
• To provide advisory services, project management, and transport planning support in real life projects 
• To help regional stakeholders assess the impact of transportation on the environment and the land by conducting environmental impact assessment studies

Overview

Smart mobility is booming and comprises of an important part of the development of smart cities. The technological shift towards connected and alternative mobility options such as connected and autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles with imprints of Mobility as a Service highlight the need for new, sustainable mobility concepts in urban and rural areas. Consequently, this raises the expectations of engineering and planning practice including municipalities, cities, and relevant ministries. The main research areas are: smart mobility planning, integration of smart systems to infrastructure, transportation network optimization and systems analysis, intelligent transportation systems, deployment smart systems in transit systems planning, resilient infrastructure systems, connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), connected corridors, alternative transport systems, mobility as a service, innovative concepts in active transportation, ride sharing, crowd sourcing in transport, big data analytics, and sustainable transportation infrastructure.

Objectives

The main objectives of the group:

• To apply and deploy Intelligent Transportation Systems 
• To test innovative ITS elements for traffic impact corridor studies 
• Connected transportation corridors and ITS systems implementation 
• Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) & Alternative Transportation
• To Integrate multimodal transport systems for efficient operations such as smart integrated mass transit and public transport systems
• To deploy innovative mobility concepts such as Mobility as a Service, Smart road safety enforcement technologies, Big Data integration to connected traffic management centers 
• To test and deploy smart parking and fare/tariff management systems
• To test and deploy smart active transportation systems
• To deploy real time end user information relay for Smart Transportation
• To assist in professional capacity building for public/private stakeholders

Overview

Human Factors and Road Safety (HFRS) Research is a research group dedicated to human behavior, road and transport safety research. Road safety research is vital. In accordance with the Government's New Road Safety Strategy 2020-2030, our research capability and capacity is pertinent to our ability to improve our understanding of local road safety problems and identify fit for purpose built solutions in line with global best practice. HFRS research is structured around the essential disciplines needed for an effective transport and road safety research: 

• Safe system approach and vision zero deployments
• Human factors linkages to road safety and epidemiology
• Comprehensive Road Safety Audits and mitigation interventions
• Integrated regional road traffic accident (RTA) mortality data registries
• Crash data analytics and mining
• Accident reconstruction and analytics
• Road safety policy strategy development 
• Highway Safety Manual (HSM) based Crash prediction methods & models 
• Transport psychology, driver behavior, and crashworthiness
• Deployment of advanced road safety enforcement technologies
• Biostatistics, information technology systems and social sciences
• Safe driver training curriculum development and education programs
• Road Safety awareness campaigns and program management
• Regional safe travel corridors program deployment

We utilize our extensive knowledge in integrated transport systems to develop innovative and world-class road safety measures to keep traffic moving safely and efficiently in our cities. We are actively engaged in real life studies on road safety including comprehensive road safety audits, black spot mitigations, crash data analytics, and RTA mortality data registry studies in collaboration with several government stakeholders.

Objectives

The main objectives of the group

• To conduct traffic safety and human factors analysis
• To conduct comprehensive road safety audits on intersections, corridors, sub-areas, and regions 
• To Identify, analyze, and mitigate black spots and near miss spots 
• To conduct road accident reconstruction and analysis; determine underlying causalities
• To deploy integrated road safety enforcement technologies
• To develop safe driver education programs
• To conduct road safety awareness studies
• To investigate effectiveness of road accident mortality data registries
• To assist in regional safe corridors deployment programs

Overview

The pavement infrastructure network is a valuable asset that needs to be preserved with a limited budget constrain. Pavement management systems and pavement distress assessment have been implemented for decades to evaluate the condition of a pavement at a network and project levels. The Pavement Condition Assessment and Management (PCAM) Group conducts studies of emerging methods and technologies in the measurement and use of network level pavement data. Research activities include developing methods of analyzing pavement performance from pavement management data and exploring the relationship between preventive maintenance and pavement management data. We specialized in quality pavement testing, design, evaluation and management of roads.

Objectives

The focus areas the group are as follows:

• Pavement engineering modeling and management
• Pavement Condition Assessment methods and systems
• Developing model to estimate and predict pavement conditions 
• Evaluation, analyzing and modelling pavement distresses
• Performance appraisal method of pavement
• New pavement technologies that are environmentally friendly 

Overview

The Pavement Materials Performance, Characterization and design (PMPCD) research group focuses on advanced research-oriented experiments for assessing the engineering properties and behaviors of paving materials and recycled paving materials. It is also well equipped to support research activities in the area of nondestructive field evaluation of in-service road. Research on pavement design, mechanics, materials and construction for efficient, reliable and sustainable pavement systems. It uses innovative research and sound engineering principles to improve pavement structures, materials, and technologies. Research areas include: Materials Performance, Mechanistic-Empirical Design, Performance Based Specifications, Construction Quality Control, Recycling, Sustainability. The research focuses on issues particularly relevant to KSA, such as the effects of high temperatures on pavement, pavement concrete durability, and use of polymer and recycled rubber for upgrading pavement performance.

Objectives

The main focus research area of the group are:

• Modeling and testing of asphalt binder, asphalt concrete mix characterization, aggregate characterization etc.
• Use of sustainable pavement materials such as recycled plastic waste, recycled asphalt pavements, recycled concrete, permeable pavements, rubber asphalt, polymer modified binder, and alternative binders.
• Performance and Durability Assessment of AC materials