Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1995. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-140). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1996. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-166). Also available via the Internet.

The decision-making process in highway construction projects identifies and selects the optimal alternative based on the user requirements and evaluation criteria. The current practice of the decision-making process does not consider all construction impacts in an integrated decision-making process. This dissertation developed a multi-criteria evaluation framework to support the decision-making process in highway construction projects. In addition to the construction cost and mobility impacts, reliability, safety, and emission impacts are assessed at different evaluation levels and used as inputs to the decision-making process. Two levels of analysis, referred to as the planning level and operation level, are proposed in this research to provide input to a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) process that considers user prioritization of the assessed criteria. The planning level analysis provides faster and less detailed assessments of the inputs to the MCDM utilizing analytical tools, mainly in a spreadsheet format. The second level of analysis produces more detailed inputs to the MCDM and utilizes a combination of mesoscopic simulation-based dynamic traffic assignment tool, and microscopic simulation tool, combined with other utilities. The outputs generated from the two levels of analysis are used as inputs to a decision-making process based on present worth analysis and the Fuzzy TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Situation) MCDM method and the results are compared.

The purpose of the following report is to account for and summarize the authority and tasks that municipalities, authorities and contractors have in the implementation of temporary traffic diversions. In addition to this, the cooperation between all actors has also been investigated with the aim of finding out what types of routines and potential tools are used in connection with the work. The implementation of the report is based on a qualitative study, for which relevant people with different tasks have been interviewed or answered questionnaires. Furthermore, governing documents for relevant parties have been studied with the intention of describing the requirements that apply to work adjacent to or on the road. The results have subsequently been compiled in an account of the work parties' tasks, views and suggestions for improvement. In this it appears that the road maintenance authorities have an examinative responsibility and has the authority to approve the work carried out on its behalf. For and in particular all road works, of which the diversion is a part, traffic device plans must also be drawn up and describe solutions for traffic-related problems. These are the tasks of the executing contractor to draft with regard to the requirements of the road maintenance authority. It also appears that the majority of the interviewees consider the cooperation to be satisfactory, but state how interpretation of the governing documents can result in conflicts between the parties. In addition, significant differences for the systems used in the coordination can be noted for each municipality and authority.