Weather-related events are among the major causes of failure propagation in natural gas pipeline infrastructure. The interaction between multiple natural-force factors, such as temperature, precipitation, and wind, and their unpredictable simultaneous occurrence can intensify the vulnerability of pipeline infrastructure, increasing the likelihood of leaks, ruptures, and mechanical damage. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the combined effect of weather-related events on the failure propagation of pipelines, focusing on the impact of weather-related external force factors and climate change on sustainable pipeline integrity, including corrosion, erosion, and mechanical damage. Additionally, the paper examines various maintenance policies and strategies that can be implemented to mitigate the impact of weather-related failures. The review highlights gaps in existing knowledge and future research directions to enhance the understanding of weather-related failure propagation in natural gas pipeline infrastructure. This paper provides insights into the challenges and opportunities for improving the resilience and sustainability of pipeline infrastructure to weather-related failures.

Advanced driving technologies have the potential to transform the transportation sector. Specifically, the progress of autonomous vehicles (AVs) has caught the interest of governmental authorities, industrial groups, and academic institutions, with the goal of improving the driving experience, effectiveness, and comfort while also improving safety and flexibility and lowering vehicle emissions. Considering these facts, the purpose of this study is to assess the possible effects and advantages of AVs under diverse traffic situations in urban and rural environments. Knowledge of traffic behavior inside a certain road network is made easier by traffic microsimulation. PTV VISSIM (Verkehr In Städten—SIMulationsmodell) is among the microsimulation software programs that has attracted great interest because of its remarkable capacity to faithfully simulate traffic conditions. This review helps researchers choose the best methodological strategy for their individual study objectives and restrictions while using VISSIM. This research assesses the effect of AVs in different driving behavior and weather conditions in urban and rural situations using VISSIM and introduces traffic safety using the surrogate safety assessment model (SSAM). The study focuses on 10 parameters from the Wiedemann 99 car-following model and speed distribution to establish the correlation between weather conditions and surrogate safety measures (SSMs). The findings could lead to more accurate and authentic models of driving behavior and encourage the automotive industry to further equip AVs to operate efficiently in various environmental and driving conditions.

Adverse weather conditions significantly degrade mobility and safety at rural signalized intersections, where high approach speeds and limited driver expectancy amplify operational and crash risks. While autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to improve traffic performance, it takes a significant duration to penetrate. During this period, mixed traffic with human drivers and AVs will dominate. In this mixed traffic, the impacts of AVs at low penetration levels on adverse weather remain insufficiently understood, particularly in rural contexts. This study presents a simulation-based assessment of the effects of low AV penetration on mobility and safety at a rural signalized intersection under varying weather conditions. A calibrated microsimulation model was developed using PTV VISSIM to represent clear, rain, and snow scenarios with autonomous vehicles introduced at low penetration rates within conventional traffic. Mobility performance was evaluated using delay, travel time, and average speed, while safety impacts were assessed through surrogate safety measures extracted using the Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM), including time-to-collision and post-encroachment time. Results indicate that low levels of AV penetration of 10% can improve overall mobility performance compared with conventional traffic, particularly under adverse weather conditions. Safety outcomes show a reduction in conflict frequency and severity under low AV penetration, with more pronounced benefits observed during degraded weather scenarios. Further AV penetration from 10% to 25% may not significantly improve in a rural environment. The findings suggest that early-stage AV deployment may offer measurable mobility and safety benefits at rural signalized intersections, even before widespread adoption. This study provides practical insights for transportation agencies and policymakers regarding the potential role of low-penetration AV integration in enhancing rural traffic operations and safety under adverse weather conditions.