天堂视频

School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering

Research

electric car being charged

Transport and Urban Planning

This group conducts fundamental, innovative and policy-relevant research in the areas of Air Transport, Autonomous and Intelligent Transport, Passenger Transport, and Smart and Sustainable Cities.

OUR AIM

Our vision is to be a world leader in transport and urban planning research. To achieve this, we are undertaking original transdisciplinary research to address the key challenges associated with our priority areas - automated transport systems, aviation and sustainable transport.

The aim of our research is to make fundamental discoveries to enrich the UK’s world research standing, advance our understanding and knowledge in developing enhanced transport policy of benefit to society.

Central to our strategy is collaboration with leading academics worldwide, leading international research groups, and carefully targeted universities with a major transport presence, industry and government agencies in the UK and internationally. 

RESEARCH THEMES

Automated transport systems

Our research is concerned with collision-free path planning, self-driving vehicles, sensor fusion techniques and operations and evaluation of smart transport infrastructure.

Specific challenges include:

  • How can we integrate traffic engineering theories with robotics in developing collision-free path planning for driverless vehicles?
  • How can we estimate the impacts of self-driving vehicles on network-level safety and congestion?
  • Can we assist automobile industry in developing intelligent sensor fusion algorithms that would take data low-cost sensors but provide better quality outputs? How could we use data from connected vehicles to spatio-temporally forecast traffic states?

We have an instrumented vehicle (funded by EPSRC) equipped with cameras, GPS, gyroscopes, accelerometers, ultrasound sensors and radars. Data from this vehicle is extensively used to test and evaluate sensor fusion algorithms developed by our researchers. We have been actively working with colleagues from other schools in addressing the challenges under this research theme.

Aviation

This is a growing area worldwide, is problem rich and is/and will increasingly generate major issues be they environmental, capacity constraint, energy supply, or sustainability related.

Our research is concerned with airport and airline planning and operations, airport capacity analysis, airspace and air traffic management, airport ground access, air transport policy, aviation security, air cargo and logistics, the introduction of new technologies and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Sustainable transport

We assess the impacts of transport on society, the environment and the economy. Key areas of focus include: low carbon transport and fuels; noise from transportation sources; innovative forms of transport provision; active travel. Challenges of an increasingly urban and aging society; in the appraisal and evaluation of impacts; implementation and acceptability of sustainable solutions.

CASE STUDIES

New approaches to traffic crash modelling

Our research in crash modelling has contributed significantly to our understanding of crash triggering factors which in turn has led to the development of more targeted and effective preventative measures. 

New approaches to traffic crash modelling

Aviation planning and operations

Our research addresses some of the most challenging issues relating to aviation planning and operations at a variety of spatial scales from the local to the global.

Aviation planning and operations

Map-matching algorithms

We have developed a number of map-matching algorithms for various Intelligent Transport Systems and Services (ITSS) to improve accuracy, integrity, availability and safety. 

Map-matching algorithms

MORE ABOUT US

  • Real-time intelligent map-matching algorithms for advanced transport telematics systems (RiMATTS)
  • Quantifying the transport-related impacts of parental school choice in England
  • School Transport and Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Modelling Policy Options in the Real World
  • Freight Route Choice using GPS Data
  • The Prospects for Sustainable Aviation in the UK: Evaluating, Negotiating and Mediating between Competing Perspectives
  • Quantifying the disruptive impact of CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy) on air traffic flows through UK airspace
  • Executive Journeys: travel, performance and comfort in the jet age
  • Comprehending parking: the spatialities of parking provision in the UK and the potential for reducing energy intensive practice.
  • TRAVEL PLAN PLUS
  • DRT for DRT: Developing Relevant Tools for Demand Responsive Transport
  • The ‘ABC’ project. Airports and Behavioural Change: towards environmental surface access travel
  • Airport Energy Technologies Network (AETN)
  • Future Resilient Transport Networks (FUTURENET)
  • Estimating the value of a range of local environmental impacts
  • Economic Value of Quiet Areas
  • LCV GRID
  • LCV Grid Low Carbon Vehicles: Gas Refuelling Infrastructure Demonstration

We teach on the following courses:

Undergraduate

Postgraduate Taught

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

PhD opportunities

Our PhD students play a central role in our wide-ranging research activities, making vital contributions to the success of the research itself. Find out more about our PhD opportunities.

PhD opportunities

Athena Swan Bronze award

Contact us

+44 (0)1509 222637

School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering
天堂视频
Leicestershire
LE11 3TU