Search

• This paper proposes a framework to evaluate the overall service performance of the pavement. • Six indexes, including functional performance and DBPs, are investigated. • The priority of pavement maintenance was ranked by improved TOPSIS. • The proposed method can provide some basis for the determination of maintenance time and mode. Highway organizations need an accurate evaluation of the overall condition of the pavement to make appropriate maintenance decisions. However, existing specifications only consider functional performance and rarely involve structural performance, especially the contribution of the base and subgrade parts to the overall service condition of the pavement surface. Therefore, by introducing principal component analysis and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution , this paper proposes an overall pavement evaluation framework based on functional and structural performance indexes and applies it to the Hubei section of the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway. Results show that the method can accurately evaluate the overall performance of alternative sections, and the degree of influence of various indicators on the overall service status of the pavement is also determined and discussed. Among them, D 0 contributes the most, while D 4 contributes the least. The proposed method can provide some basis for the determination of pavement maintenance time and mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper proposed a pavement comprehensive performance ranking method based on the extended matter-element model and TOPSIS. • Seven indices, including functional performance, structural performance, and material performance, are selected. • The priority of pavement maintenance was determined by the optimal proximity coefficient K+. • The recommended evaluation method can be used to develop a pavement repair plan. The evaluation of pavement conditions determines the need for pavement maintenance. To ensure that maintenance funds are allocated fairly, it is necessary to prioritize the overall performance of pavement sections based on multidimensional state data and determine maintenance priority. In this study, the pavement functional performance, structural performance, and material performance were among seven indexes chosen to evaluate to overcome the limitation of only considering the functional index in evaluating the performance of asphalt pavement. The extended matter-element model was combined with the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) based on determining the weight of the index combination and applied to the Hubei section of the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway to calculate the matter-element of the best closeness of the pavement performance and determine the priority of maintenance. The case study demonstrates that the proposed method can obtain an accurate ranking of the overall performance of the alternative road sections, and its superiority was demonstrated through comparative analysis. Furthermore, the degree of influence of each performance index on overall performance was determined and discussed. Among them, dynamic modulus (|E⁎|), which represents the mechanical strength of asphalt mixture material, contributed the most influence, while the rut depth index (RDI), which represents the permanent deformation level of road surface, contributed the least. This recommended evaluation method can be used to develop a pavement repair plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether the China ETS policy has achieved carbon emission reduction at the expense of economic development. Moreover, we are interested in unmasking the role of the institutional factors adopted by the ETS pilots in their ETS effects. Using the province-level panel data during the 2008–2016 period. we employ the DID model to compare carbon emissions and economic development between the ETS and non-ETS regions and between the pre- and post-ETS periods. Some novel empirical findings emerge. First, compared with the non-ETS areas, the ETS policy has significantly reduced carbon emission in the ETS areas. This emission reduction has not come at the cost of economic development. Second, the ETS policy leads to a decline in carbon intensity and fossil fuel energy consumption relative to all energy types. Lastly, some heterogeneity across markets arise. The Beijing carbon market performs the best among all pilots in terms of achieving targets of carbon reductions, followed by the Hubei carbon market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]