Ciências e Tecnologia / Sciences and Technology
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Browsing Ciências e Tecnologia / Sciences and Technology by Field of Science and Technology (FOS) "Engenharia e Tecnologia::Engenharia Civil"
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- Do people adapt to where they live?: a comparative analysis of perceived physical urban pleasantness using a quantitative modelPublication . Medina Monteiro, João Pedro; Sousa, Nuno; Jesus, Eduardo Natividade; Rodrigues, João Coutinho; Oliveira, Leise Kelli; Santos, Patrícia da SilvaThis article examines the question of whether people perceive their own urban environment more favourably than people from other urban environments, i.e., whether residents, in a sense, adapt to where they live. To analyse this question, a quantitative statistical model that uses geometric and land use elements was applied to a case study of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, to estimate the perception of physical pleasantness of the urban environment using two calibrations: a global one and one obtained from a survey carried out in Belo Horizonte. The article then contrasts findings specific to Belo Horizonte with global perceptions, highlighting that local residents tend to evaluate their city's geometry and land use more positively than a worldwide audience. This difference suggests that familiarity and acclimatisation to the urban environment can significantly influence residents’ perceptions of their physical living environment.
- Walking and cycling friendliness as proxies to retrofit active transport infrastructurePublication . Pais, Filipe; Sousa, Nuno; Jesus, Eduardo Natividade; Rodrigues, João CoutinhoActive transport modes, such as walking and cycling, have been promoted by scientific studies and policymakers due to congestion-reduction and health benefits, and low environmental impact. However, adequate infrastructure is necessary for citizens to exercise their choice for those modes. This article presents a case study on the active mode infrastructural condition of a city which, as many others, privileged motorized modes in its growth during the 20th century. Using walking and cycling friendliness as evaluators of the infrastructural condition and a Geographic Information System environment as the calculational tool, an accessibility-based analysis was carried out that enables policymakers to identify the main issues affecting those modes and, most importantly, to pinpoint specific problems that are common to both modes. The methodological approach is scalable to any city size and is a decision-aid tool that can provide value mainly by identifying those common problems which can be efficiently addressed in future infrastructural improvements and maintenance actions. For the case study, common problems turn out to lay along large, distributor roads which fail to provide active travellers with adequate safety from traffic. Based on the results, a concrete intervention plan is proposed, for which a cost-benefit analysis was carried out.
- Walking to public transport: rethinking catchment areas considering topography and surrogate buffersPublication . Pais, Filipe; Sousa, Nuno; Monteiro, João Pedro Medina ; Rodrigues, João Coutinho; Jesus, Eduardo NatividadeService, or catchment areas of public transport stops are traditionally assessed using Euclidean or network distances, often neglecting other relevant factors such as topography. This study proposes a refined approach that integrates network-based accessibility with terrain variations and the effect they have on walking time and on the physical effort required for pedestrian movement. Using geographic information systems-based analysis that include walking time and walking energy cost models, the impact of topography on accessibility to public transport is evaluated in a case study of the hilly city of Coimbra, Portugal. Results show that, as compared to their flat counterparts, network distance-based service areas that consider hilliness, exhibit a decrease in accessibility of circa 10% in terms of area covered and population affected. These findings highlight the need for more realistic accessibility assessments to support more realistic and equitable public transport planning. Because extensive network datasets are not always available to decision-makers, this article also introduces the concept of surrogate buffers as a practical alternative for obtaining catchment areas, summarized by the “0.7/0.6R rule”.