The pressing challenges of environmental pollution and the depletion of fossil resources have intensified the search for renewable and sustainable materials in the pavement industry. In response, this study investigates the potential of olive pomace lignin (OPL), a bio-product derived from agricultural waste, as a sustainable and eco-friendly modifier for asphalt binders and concrete mixtures. Unlike prior studies utilizing raw olive pomace or its ash, this research isolates lignin—a high-performance biopolymer—enhancing compatibility, stability, and mechanical performance. The OPL was extracted using acid hydrolysis and blended with asphalt binder at dosages ranging from 4 to 12%. Comprehensive laboratory evaluations, including penetration, ductility, softening point, rotational viscosity, Marshall stability, and resilient modulus tests, were conducted to assess the mechanical and rheological characteristics of asphalt binder and mixture performance. Results highlight that 10% OPL represents the optimal dosage, delivering improved stiffness, resistance to deformation, and thermal stability without compromising workability. Economic and environmental assessments demonstrate 22.3% cost savings, 5–7% energy reductions, and 6.1–9.8% lower CO₂ emissions compared to conventional asphalt. These findings emphasize OPL’s role as a sustainable, high-performance alternative for modern infrastructure, promoting circular economy principles by transforming agricultural waste into functional materials for road construction.

This research develops the BUS‐CTM, a novel mathematical simulation model that adapts the cell transmission model (CTM) to analyze spatiotemporal passenger flow dynamics in urban bus networks. The framework discretizes bus routes into interconnected cells bounded by adjacent stops, enabling simultaneous tracking of passenger density evolution and bus traffic interactions through a unified state‐space representation. By integrating real‐time data streams—including GPS trajectories, automatic passenger counters (APCs) records, and VISSIM‐simulated traffic dynamics—the model captures critical nonlinearities in boarding/alighting processes and network‐wide congestion propagation at shared stops. Numerical experiments on Gainesville’s RTS network demonstrate the model’s accuracy in predicting passenger distributions, achieving a 4% mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) during peak hours (6:30–9:45 a.m.) and successfully identifying bottlenecks where densities exceed 85% of capacity. The BUS‐CTM advances prior CTM adaptations through three key innovations: (1) integration of mixed‐traffic capacity reduction effects to account for bus‐induced roadway bottlenecks, (2) modular parameterization for transferability across diverse transit systems, and (3) real‐time applicability via embedded calibration protocols for door throughput ( C _door = 1.2 pax/s) and fare efficiency ( γ = 0.8–1.0). These contributions provide transit agencies with a computationally efficient tool for optimizing service frequency, mitigating crowding, and improving network resilience.

Road congestion in Amman City has been increasing yearly, due to the increase in private car ownership and traffic volumes. This study aims to (a) evaluate the toll road’s effects on society and the economy in Amman, Jordan, through a survey questionnaire using statistical software (SPSS), (b) assess the impact of the toll road on reducing congestion and delays using micro-simulation (VISUM), (c) identify the optimal toll price for a selected road using VISUM and (d) validate the simulated models with the optimal revenue. Traffic, geometric, and cost data about the toll technique of two sections on the Airport Highway (from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Madaba Interchange; and from the Madaba Interchange to the Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) Interchange) were used for simulation purposes. The toll road (across seven different scenarios at different prices) was evaluated for optimal revenue. The survey questionnaire was made based on all scenarios, including the AM peak hour. The operation cost for the toll road was determined based on the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM). The best scenario was determined based on the value of revenue (JOD). The results indicate that higher acceptance is achieved when applying road pricing during the AM peak hour and that users prefer the charging method based on travelled distance (54.02%). Additionally, the total cost of the manual toll collection (MTC) method is 126,935 JOD. Road pricing can reduce traffic delay (or speed up traffic flow) by 4.61 min in the southbound direction and by 9.52 min in the northbound direction. The optimal toll value is 0.25 JOD (34.08%), with revenues of 1089.6 JOD for 2024 and 1122.6 JOD for 2025. Eventually, applying road pricing on the airport road is shown to be effective and economically feasible only when using the manual method.

Road congestion in Amman city increased yearly, due to the increase in private car ownership and traffic volumes. This study aims to (a) assess the social and economic impacts of the toll road in Amman, Jordan through a survey questionnaire using statistical software (SPSS), (b) identify the optimal price at selected road using micro-simulation (VISUM). Traffic, geometric and cost data of toll technique of two sections on the Airport Highway (From Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Madaba Interchange.; and From Madaba Interchange to Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) interchange) were used for simulation purpose. The toll road (across 7 distinct scenarios at various price) were assessed for an optimal revenue. The survey questionnaire was made based on all scenarios including AM peak hour. The operation cost for toll road was determined based on greater Amman Municipality (GAM). The optimal scenario was measured based on the value ¬¬of revenue (JD), and type of payment. The results indicate that users found the most charging method to be based on traveled distance (54.02%) and the optimal value of the toll to be equal 0.25 JD (34.08%). In Addition, the total cost of Manual Toll Collection method (MTC) in 2025 is 126,935JD and the revenue is 1122.6 JD so this indicates to positive result. Eventually, the result of applying road pricing on the airport road in 2025 indicate to be effective and economically feasible only by using Manual Method.

This study investigates the impact of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the mechanical properties and microstructural development of cement-based composites. Characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) revealed uniformly distributed, spherical ZnO NPs with an average size of approximately 72 nm. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and SEM analyses were performed on cement paste and mortar specimens with varying ZnO NP contents (1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, and 3.0% by weight). The results indicate that lower ZnO NP contents (1.0% and 1.5%) accelerate initial setting times, while higher contents (2.0%, 2.5%, and 3.0%) delay them due to the formation of clinohedrite (CaZn(SiO)₄•H₂O), which increases porosity and reduces matrix compaction. Calorimetric analysis showed decreased hydration heat with rising ZnO NP content, negatively affecting workability. This study highlights the dual effect of ZnO NPs in cement-based materials: low concentrations improve early-age mechanical performance, while higher amounts hinder hydration and microstructural integrity. These findings provide insights into optimizing ZnO NP dosage for the development of high-performance, nano-enhanced construction materials.