The results of research involving a well-designed before-and-after evaluation of the safety effects of providing left- and right-turn lanes for at-grade intersections are presented. Geometric design, traffic control, traffic volume, and traffic accident data were gathered for a total of 280 improved intersections as well as 300 similar intersections that were not improved during the study period. The types of improvement projects evaluated included installation of added left-turn lanes, added right-turn lanes, and extension of the length of existing left- or right-turn lanes. An observational before-and-after evaluation of these projects was performed by using several alternative evaluation approaches. Three contrasting approaches to before-and-after evaluation were used: the yoked comparison or matched-pair approach, the comparison group approach, and the empirical Bayes approach. The research not only evaluated the safety effectiveness of left- and right-turn lane improvements but also compared the performances of these three alternative approaches in making such evaluations. The research developed quantitative safety effectiveness measures for installation design improvements involving added left-turn lanes and added right-turn lanes. The research concluded that the empirical Bayes method provides the most accurate and reliable results. Further use of this method is recommended.

Seashells have been explored as a partial replacement for cement in cementitious matrices to promote sustainable waste management and decrease the carbon footprint associated with cement production. As research in this area expands, it is essential to synthesize current findings and practices to guide future studies on the feasibility of using seashells as a filler. This study analyzed existing research on using seashells as a partial cement replacement in cementitious composites through a systematic literature review conducted across six scientific databases, yielding 44 studies for data analysis and synthesis. Key findings identified the shell processing methods, established typical ranges for shell powder’s physical–chemical properties and dosage, and quantified the impact on mechanical properties in binary mixtures. The reported effects on mechanical properties varied among studies, potentially due to differences in processing techniques and the origins of the shells. Most improvements in composite properties were observed with 5% to 15% cement replacement in binary mixtures. Overall, incorporating shell powder reduces the carbon emissions of the produced composites. Further detailed investigations into shell processing variables and dosages are recommended to better understand how these factors influence the properties of the composites produced.

This study reviews the pertinent literature and summarizes water consumption indicators (CI) for hospitals. To facilitate comparison, two consistent metrics are highlighted, namely the annual water usage per bed (m³/bed/year) and per built area (m³/m²/year) for the different locations. Overall, the review reveals a wide variation among water consumption indicators. Hospitals in Italy have a reported use of 458 m³/bed/year, the highest indicator reported; the lowest CI among the reviewed articles was for German public hospitals at 103 m³/bed/year. Not surprising, higher water tariffs tend to reduce consumption, while higher per capita income increased consumption. Yet overall CI values tended to reflect a variety of causes, including activity level, laundry arrangements, water costs, the application of sustainable practices, environmental certification and other considerations. Given the high indicator values identified for Brazilian hospitals, future research might consider a more detailed study how their water consumption might be better managed.

Highway agencies face a dilemma in determining the appropriate balance of resurfacing and safety improvements in their programs to maintain the structural integrity and ride quality of highway pavements. Highway agencies currently lack a tool that would allow them to determine which sites should be resurfaced without accompanying safety improvements and which sites should be resurfaced and improved in other ways that would enhance safety. A resource allocation process that maximizes the benefits from resurfacing and safety improvements within a specified improvement budget can provide such a tool. A resource allocation process that accomplishes this goal has been developed and implemented in a software tool known as the Resurfacing Safety Resource Allocation Program (RSRAP). RSRAP uses an optimization process based on integer programming to determine which improvement alternatives (or combinations of alternatives) would optimize the benefits for a specified set of improvement projects. RSRAP incorporates the best available estimates of the safety effectiveness of specific geometric and safety improvements. RSRAP also gives consideration to the potential effects of resurfacing on vehicle speeds and on safety. The goal of the optimization process is not to optimize safety at any particular site but to optimize systemwide safety for a given set of resurfacing projects while not exceeding a user-specified improvement budget.

This study aims to assess the applicability and adherence to social sustainability indicators by large and medium-sized construction companies in Pernambuco, Brazil. The study measures the importance and influence of these indicators in companies’ decision-making processes. The social indicators from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) were selected as they come from a globally recognized and widespread organization. The research focuses on nine companies by conducting semi-structured interviews, site visits, and data validation through observations. The results indicate that most of the indicators were considered to have a high level of importance. However, these indicators are not as influential in decision-making as their importance suggests they should be. Currently, only 26% of the indicators are being measured by the companies, covering only three of the 19 GRI categories. The categories reported are occupational safety and health, local communities, and customer privacy. Most companies would be able to report the other 16 categories with minimal additional effort. A prioritization matrix is presented according to the importance and influence of the indicators and the effort to implement them. Overall, this study reveals that companies could easily measure most social sustainability indicators, making it possible to implement more sustainable decisions with less effort.