Brazilian Journal of Transport

RBT - Editorial and Interview Infrastructure Minister

2021-03-30T11:45:09-03:00

Strategic Assessment of the Access to Jobs Opportunities in Belo Horizonte

2021-01-19T11:29:03-03:00

This article aims to understand the problem of accessibility to work opportunities and its relationship with mobility in the city of Belo Horizonte. For this purpose, a method was applied to evaluate, at a strategic level, problems of unequal and inequitable distribution of accessibility and mobility (GARCIA et al., 2018), based on spatial analysis techniques and ethical theories of social justice. The methodology consists of the characterization and diagnosis of distributions of accessibility and mobility problems, based on the relationships between factors contributing to these problems' occurrence and their characteristics. For this purpose, the selected indicators were submitted to exploratory analysis, considering non-spatial and spatial approaches. Belo Horizonte presents uneven and unequal distributions of accessibility and mobility to work opportunities. The levels of accessibility to work are higher in the central business district, where there is a concentration of jobs and shorter travel times compared to the rest of the municipality. In contrast, mobility has a very dispersed pattern of spatial distribution. Critical zones were delimited from unequal distribution in the diagnostic phase, based on sufficiency parameters for each transport mode. Also, analyses of the relationships between accessibility and mobility and the urban attributes contributing to the uneven and unequal distribution of opportunities were carried out. The results of this work can support the formulation and prioritization of public policies.

Estimation of Curves and Grades for Planning and Safety Analysis from GIS And GPS

2021-01-19T15:13:33-03:00

Vertical profile and horizontal alignment of the road are used by the Highway Safety Manual to estimate the effect of the of grades and curves on the number of predicted crashes. Nevertheless, not always this resource is available to planners. In addition, large scale planning applications may render the conventional extraction of geometry parameters unfeasible. In this context, this paper proposes a general-purpose algorithm based on both GPS or Geographic Information System databases to extract geometry data from alignments and profiles for use in safety and operation analysis. In special, the horizontal curve component was designed to identify spiral transitions. A genetic algorithm was coded to calibrate the proposed curve algorithm, so that curve radii, length and spiral transitions match real data. A testing two-lane highway facility was selected to evaluate accuracy of the proposed method. Resulting curve parameters estimated by the proposed algorithm were compared to as-built drawings obtained from 26 curves. All curves were identified by the algorithm, and all transitions correctly classified. The estimated radii values were similar to the real ones, which indicates that the proposed method could be validated and applicable to different locations for planning level analysis.

The Maglev-Cobra Project: from Incubator to Industry

2021-01-15T22:56:51-03:00

More than 80% of the Brazilian population lives in cities. As a response to the serious
problem of urban mobility, UFRJ developed the MagLev-Cobra, a vehicle that uses
the magnetic levitation (MagLev) method based on superconductors of high critical
temperature and rare earth magnets, made possible at the end of XX century and
early XXI century. The article presents the essential elements for the understanding
of the system, comparing it with other alternatives of urban transportation and with
other techniques of magnetic levitation. Numerous opportunities for innovation and
technological growth are offered. The proposal respects the precepts of sustainable
transportation, without the emission of polluting gases and noise, less energy
consumption and operational cost, in addition to a strong futuristic visual appeal. The
passage of the MagLev-Cobra project through the four evolutionary stages (proof of
concept, functional prototype, operational prototype and industrialization), framed in
the TRL (Technology Readiness Level) scale proposed by NASA, is detailed. The
paper ends with a discussion on the paths for the establishment of a commercial
technological enterprise, the expected return to the society.

An Overview of Current Capital Investments in Latin American Port Infrastructure

2021-01-20T16:17:10-03:00

Port infrastructure development is an important requirement for sustainable economic growth as it allows for the increment of trade, which benefits the countries involved. As occurs with most infrastructure projects, however, this investment requires significant amounts of capital with long term returns under conditions or risk and uncertainty, which frequently cannot be afforded by the host government. To address these challenges, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) agreements have been widely used to meet the port infrastructure needs in many countries. In this article, we analyze the case of port infrastructure development in Latin America and show that the incorporation of managerial flexibility may help increase the value and reduce the risk in this class of projects. We discuss several port projects in the region and discuss in detail the case of the Terminal Portuario Multipropósito de Salaverry to show how uncertainty can be mitigated by incorporating managerial flexibility into the bid documents and contracts.