Public transport use has drastically declined during the COVID-19 pandemic because the virus spreads through close contact with infected people and contaminated surfaces, especially in closed-environments. Evidence suggests that following the necessary safety guidelines can limit the spread of the virus, however, non-compliance to precautionary measures has been reported widely. Ignoring the precautionary measures may lead to quick transmission of the virus since public transport vehicles generally resemble closed-environments. This study explores people’s intentions to use public transport during the COVID-19 pandemic while adhering to precautionary measures. For this purpose, a total of 1516 useable responses were collected through a questionnaire survey conducted in Lahore, Pakistan. Regression models were developed to model the intentions to use public transport during the pandemic, to adhere to the precautionary measures while using public transport during the pandemic, and to use public transport while suffering from COVID-19 disease. The results of this study will help in understanding the intentions of the public transport users during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also provide insights for policymakers and public transport operators about further necessary actions to promote safe public transport use during the current and any possible future pandemics. As public transport use declined during the pandemic, policy implications for alternative mobility options such as demand-responsive-transport (DRT) are also presented. Considering the study results, a policy interventions framework is proposed to promote the safe use of various public transport modes, particularly in developing regions.

The high use of gasoline and diesel vehicles results in environmental pollution and loss of natural resources. The use of electric vehicles can be socially beneficial and reduce air pollution. In this research study, the main aims are to identify the potential of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Pakistan using a Stated Preferences (SP) survey. An SP questionnaire was designed using the theoretical framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). This questionnaire consisted of travelers’ personal and travel characteristics and various statements designed to address the variables of TPB such as Attitudes Towards the Electric Vehicles, Subjective Norms (SN), Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC), and Behavioral Intentions (BI). The behavior items were designed in the context of travelers’ willingness to buy and use EVs. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs) were conducted to validate the designed hypotheses related to the variables of TPB. The cross-analysis revealed that there are variations in responses across different occupations, trip distances, travel modes, and vehicle ownership. The developed structural models showed that the Attitudes and PBC have a positive influence on BI and PBC, which also have a direct impact on travelers’ willingness to use EV. The SN, PBC, and Attitudes are significant predictors of behavioral intentions in the willingness to buy EV and PBC is not a direct predictor of travelers’ willingness to buy an EV. The BI acts as a mediator to explain the indirect effects of Attitudes, SN, and PBC on willingness to purchase and use an EV. In the end, a framework is also proposed for the behavior-related interventions to promote the EVs considering the socio-economic context of Pakistan.

This study aims to identify the travelers’ adoption behavior towards electric vehicles (EVs) using the theoretical background of the Norm Activation Model (NAM) theory. A questionnaire was designed and conducted in Lahore, Pakistan. A total of 402 usable samples were obtained. The collected data were analyzed using factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling methods. The factor analysis confirmed the hypothesis of the statements designed according to the NAM theory, that is, awareness of consequences (AC), ascription of responsibility (AR), and personal norm (PN). Other factor analyses resulted in the following reliable factors: social and economic values (SEV), personal preferences (PP), willingness to buy (Buy), and willingness to use (Use) of an EV. The results of SEM revealed that the AC, AR, and SEV are significant predictors of PN, whereas the PN and PP are also positive predictors of travelers’ willingness to buy and use. The young travelers (≤30 years), motorcycle users, employees, and trip distance (>10 km) have significant and positive correlations with the PN. The car ownership status of travelers has a positive correlation with the ownership and usage of EVs. Suitable behavioral intervention techniques were derived to promote the ownership and usage of EVs in the context of developing regions.

Recently, hemp-fiber-reinforced polymer (HFRP) composites have been developed to enhance the strength and ductility of normal and lightweight aggregate concrete along with recycled brick aggregate concrete. In addition, both experimental and analytical investigations have been performed to assess the suitability of the existing strength and strain models. However, the theoretical and analytical expressions to predict the stress–strain curves of HFRP-confined concrete were not developed. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to develop analytical expressions to predict the stress–strain curves of HFRP-confined waste brick aggregate concrete. For this purpose, a new experimental framework was conducted to examine the effectiveness of HFRP in improving the mechanical properties of concrete constructed with recycled brick aggregates. Depending on the strength of the concrete, two groups were formed, i.e., Type-1 concrete and Type-2 concrete. A total of sixteen samples were tested. The ultimate compressive strength and strain significantly increased due to HFRP confinement. Improvements of up to 272% and 457% in the ultimate compressive strength and strain were observed due to hemp confinement, respectively. To predict the ultimate compressive strength and strain of HFRP-confined concrete, this study investigated several existing analytical stress–strain models. Some of the strength models resulted in close agreement with experimental results, but none of the models could accurately predict the ultimate confined strain. Nonlinear regression analysis was conducted to propose expressions to predict the ultimate compressive strength and strain of HFRP-confined concrete. The proposed expressions resulted in good agreement with experimental results. An analytical procedure was proposed to predict the stress–strain curves of hemp-confined concrete constructed by partial replacement of natural coarse aggregates by recycled fired-clay brick aggregates. A close agreement was found between the experimental and analytically predicted stress–strain curves.