AIRPORT, RAILWAY AND INTERMODAL INFRASTRUCTURES

The ability to plan, design and manage transport engineering infrastructure. The ability to analyse and interpret the regulation and impact of infrastructure. Students will acquire an understanding of the design and operation of modal interchange transport infrastructure, including airports, rail terminals and logistic facilities. The following learning outcomes are expected to be achieved:

Extending and/or strengthening knowledge and understanding typically associated with civil engineering and enabling students to develop and/or apply original ideas in the field of transport infrastructure.

Applying knowledge, understanding and skills to solve problems in new or unfamiliar contexts, within interdisciplinary contexts related to transport infrastructure.

Formulating opinions and making judgements independently and critically, also on the basis of limited or incomplete information, making the best use of current IT tools.

Communicating clearly and unambiguously one’s conclusions, as well as the knowledge and rationale underlying them, to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Extending and/or strengthening independent learning skills.

It is possible to distinguish three different topics, such as airport, railway and intermodal infrastructures.  For each of them the course is structured with a review of rules and lecuters. Attendance at lessons is strongly recommended as it is consistent with the proposed training model which aims to encourage gradual learning, active participation of the student in class, dialogue between teachers and students, and carrying out design exercises in the classroom.

There are no prerequisites. However, it is strongly advised to have taken the exam of "Road Infrastructure" or, at least, to have acquired the frequencies.

Attendance at lessons is strongly recommended as it is consistent with the proposed training model which aims to encourage gradual learning, active participation of the student in class, dialogue between teachers and students, and carrying out design exercises in the classroom.

Airport infrastructures

1. Aerodrome requirements: National and international legislation. Technical regulation. Air traffic. Classification of airports.Free Zones Obstacles.

2. Geometric design: Runway. Taxiway. Apron. Horizontal and vertical alignment. Cross sections.

3. Pavement design: Characteristics. Design criteria. Empirical design (FAA). Rational design (LEDFAA, APSDS). Structural interventions.

4. Operating conditions: Signaling systems. Stop devices. Runways instrumentation. Skid resistance control. Cleaning pavements. Levels of air pollution, water pollution, noise.

5. Pavement Maintenance: Utilization criteria. PCI and instrumental surveys. Pavement distress. Maintenance. Airport Management System

6. Safety: Accidents. Safety management system (SMS). Risk management.

7. Special infrastructures: Heliports. STOL ports. VERT ports

Rail infrastructures

1. Rail routes: Railway transport management. Railway Network. Technical Specifications for Interoperability. Levels of project.

2. Geometric design: Mechanics of locomotion. Levels of performance and performance. Horizontal and vertical alignment. Distance to obstacles. High speeds lines.

3. Track design: Ballasted Track (subgrade, ballast, organs and joints, rails). Not ballasted track. Design (loads, temperature). Track equipment.

4. Stations: Criteria of the station levels. Set of tracks. Relationships with users.

5. Management and diagnostics: Service and maintenance. Classification of defects. Track geometric parameters. Quality Binary. Diagnostic tools. Inspection, noise, vibration.

6. Safety: Accident. National Rail Safety Agency. Signaling systems. Risk management.

Intermodal Infrastructures

1. Intermodal transport: European and national framework. Technical Regulations. Development of logistics market. Terminology.

2. Intermodal loading units: Shipping containers and terrestrial. Swap bodies. Semitrailers. Train gauge. Containers and air pallets. Vehicles and handling equipment.

3. Design: Freight (European situation and national network, design of the individual areas, layout examples). Intermodal terminals (classification of terminals and related equipment, components,      design examples). Environmental impact.

A. Di Graziano – Lectures of airport, railway and intermodal infrastructures (slides).

Standards and Technical Regulations

C. Esveld – Moder Railway Track Ed. MRT productions

M. Guerrieri - Fundamentals of Railway Design

The exam consists of an oral test including references to the design exercises carried out during the course. Verification of learning can also be carried out electronically if conditions should require it. The assessment is expressed on a scale of thirty according to the following criteria:

Fail: the student does not demonstrate the minimum knowledge required of the main contents of the course. The ability to use specific technical terminology is poor or absent, and the student is unable to independently apply the knowledge acquired.

18–21: the student demonstrates a minimum knowledge of the topics, with a limited ability to integrate and critically analyse the situations presented. The student presents the topics sufficiently clearly, although command of the subject-specific language is limited.

22–25: the student demonstrates a fair knowledge of the topics, although mainly limited to the key aspects. The student is able to integrate and critically analyse the situations presented, although not always in a linear manner, and presents the topics with reasonable clarity and a fair command of the subject-specific language.

26–28: the student demonstrates good knowledge of the topics and is able to integrate and critically analyse the situations presented in a clear and logical manner. The student is able to solve complex problems with a reasonable degree of independence and presents the topics clearly, using appropriate technical terminology.

29–30 cum laude: the student demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of the topics and is able to promptly and correctly integrate and critically analyse the situations presented, independently solving problems of a high degree of complexity. The student demonstrates excellent communication skills and a strong command of the subject-specific language.

The questions will focus on the topics present in the program. Some practical exercises related to airport and railway design are planned.