PATREC Research

iMOVE

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Optimising video analytics for traffic data collection and calibration incorporating fixed camera videos

Main Roads Western Australia has been working with the University of Western Australia (UWA) to develop video analytics (VA) software for processing and analysing drone videos to gather and auto-calibrate critical traffic data for network optimisation, such as vehicle counts and trajectories, delay, saturation flow, queue length, back-of-queue arrival rate, and gap acceptance. The evolving research has been supported by Main Roads through a series of projects.

This project will further develop the capability by integrating processing of videos recorded by fixed cameras, already in place and in use on the road network. Fixed cameras can complement drones in areas with flight restrictions or severe occlusions caused by the environment. They can also record videos with much longer duration. The main objectives are faster processing time, more robust algorithms to deal with occlusions, and more accurate data.

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Use of biochar waste in carbon capture and reduced emissions

This project will explore the potential of biochar for use as a climate-responsible, high-performance, pavement material.
According to Transport Emissions: Driving down car pollution in cities, transport contributes 17% of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Western Australia (WA). While vehicle emissions are an obvious source of GHG emissions, the construction of transport infrastructure also contributes. New pavement materials offer the potential not only to improve pavement performance but to contribute to achieving WA’s aspirational target of net zero emissions by 2050, through reuse, carbon storage and reduced emissions.

Biochar is the product of pyrolysis, which is the process of heating biomass to a relative high temperature (500 °C, for example) without oxygen. It is a lightweight black solid that locks carbon in a chemically stable form and can endure in soil for thousands of years. It has a long history of being used to increase soil fertility and agricultural productivity but there has been a growing interest in its role in carbon capture and storage because of its stability.

Furthermore, recent literature suggests that biochar can improve asphalt’s performance against the effects of aging, deformation, and high temperature. To harness the carbon sequestration potentials, this research will investigate:

  1. the application of biochar as a filler material in asphalt pavements; and
  2. the combination of biochar and limestone dust to reduce or even replace the anti-stripping agent – hydrated lime (the production of which generates a large amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere).

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Tour-based mode choice model development

The 2018-2022 Perth Area Travel and Household Survey (PATHS) provides valuable revealed and stated preference data for estimating a tour-based mode choice model. Compared to a trip-based transport model, a tour-based transport model is behaviourally more realistic and will provide better forecasts to policy or infrastructure initiatives.
Recognising this, the Department of Transport (DoT) of WA has decided to develop and implement a tour-based strategic transport model.

The project aim is to estimate a tour-based mode choice model on the revealed and stated preference data collected by PATHS.

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Micromobility and freight: Exploring opportunities in WA

Around the world, cities are embracing micromobility as an option for the freight challenge in cities – including lightweight vehicles such as e-bikes, e-cargo bikes, trolleys, and drones. This research project seeks to consider the applicability and potential for micromobility to assist with the last mile freight task in the Perth CBD and other built-up areas.
It will also explore issues related to applying micromobility freight solution to the last mile delivery in major activity centres in Perth by establishing baseline knowledge of micromobility and last mile freight from global case studies and test scenarios of potential micromobility solutions in the Perth metropolitan region.

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Feasibility of battery-electric buses for regional school bus services in Western Australia

The State Government’s Climate Policy (2020) sets out the strategic objectives for Western Australia to reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 and recognises the importance of significant action in the decade to 2030 to reduce emissions. As well, State Government agencies need to develop strategies to reduce GHG emissions by 80% on 2020 levels by 2030. The Public Transport Authority has taken responsibility for developing strategies to transition all government funded bus services to zero emissions in the next two decades. The transport sector generates nearly 15 million tonnes per annum of GHG emissions, and this has increased by 45% since 2005. The bus services funded by the State Government through the Public Transport Authority (Transperth, regional cities and towns, school bus services) require extensive fleets of buses and these typically involve a 15-20 year fleet replacement cycle. A Strategy to transition these bus services to zero emissions vehicles is needed to support decisions that will enable the transition to commence by the mid-late 2020s.

The objectives of this research project are to assess the feasibility of battery-electric buses for regional school bus services in Western Australia; identify and, where needed, propose solutions for electricity network capacity constraints; and identify the technical support services required for zero emissions buses and related infrastructure.

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