http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/459 Sun, 16 Aug 2026 22:52:19 GMT 2026-08-16T22:52:19Z http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/87419 Título: Benchmarking methodology for road safety policies analysis in brazilian cities based on the safe system approach Autor(es): Torres, Caio Assunção Abstract: The road traffic injuries are considered an actual and urgent issue of global public health. This complex epidemiological phenomenon requires a multisectoral and vertically coordination approach across multiple levels of governments. The current road safety paradigm, called Safe System, recognizes that road safety policies (RSP) should be properly defined in order to consider the fallibility and vulnerability of the human body. In this approach, the road safety outcomes consider the interaction between the dimensions of the complex and dynamic system that influences the way people travel and behave on the roads. The most relevant Safe System dimensions, defined by WHO, are: (i) Road Safety Management; (ii) Safer Driving Environment; (iii) Safer Vehicles; (iv) Safer Road Users and (v) Post-crash Response. In a scenario of economic recession, mainly for low- and middle-income regions, understanding the impact of these dimensions should be useful for designing more efficient RSP. In addition, comparative analysis between regions, based on the benchmarking approach, could generate opportunities for the regions to rethink their RSP based on best practices from other similar regions. In this sense, this thesis proposes a road safety policies benchmarking methodology for Brazilian cities, considering a framework able to quantify the structural relationships of the main Safe System dimensions and the road traffic fatality (RTF) rate. In an effort to apply the proposed method, this framework was evaluated for a global level. After, a Brazilian road safety indicators database was consolidated based on a structured questionnaire. A multivariate modeling was performed to evaluate the complex relationships between the Safe System dimensions and its respective road safety indicators. The modeling outcomes are used to build a RSP performance index applied in the benchmarking analysis. The indices analysis allowed a quantitative evaluation of the Safe System dimension relevance. RSP aims to promote Safer Driving Environment and Safer Road Users have the highest and direct effect in reducing RTF. Road Safety Management and Post-crash Response policies present an indirect effect. Finally, these RSP performance indexes are used to compare cities within clusters, considering its socioeconomic indicators. The results of the comparative benchmarking analysis could bring valuable contribution to support the definition of strategic planning scenarios, identifying opportunities to objectively improve the Brazilian cities' road safety policies efforts. Tipo: Tese Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/87419 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/87310 Título: Transportation and slum gentrification in Latin America: fighting to stay, but missing the gains? Autor(es): Assis, Rebeca Froes de Abstract: Transport-induced gentrification (TIG) has received increasing scholarly attention, particularly in North American cities. This geographical focus reflects the dominance of a Global North perspective through which gentrification has long been interpreted. However, recent decades have marked a turning point, as growing advocacy for a “geography of gentrification” has emerged. Consequently, scholars have begun to situate this phenomenon in cities across low- and middle-income countries, incorporating place-based explanations into the debate. Following in the footsteps of these efforts, this three-manuscript thesis frames the discussion of TIG in Latin America. To this end, I first conduct a Systematic Literature Review and, as a result, develop a conceptual framework that shows how TIG is shaped by the profound informality and poverty inherent in the region. Second, an investigation empirically grounded in Fortaleza (Brazil) showed that an informal settlement began welcoming slightly more affluent residents after a Light Rail Transit (LRT) was implemented, mostly relying on informal rental arrangements. This first case study also showed that, to date, market-driven displacement has not occurred in the community. These findings relied on a visual comparison of Google Street View images, followed by a participatory workshop aimed at providing place-based explanations for the changes in the built environment. The findings of this second manuscript show that TIG in Latin America poses challenges to the usual definition of gentrifiers as iddle- or high-income individuals. Furthermore, they show that gentrification in informal settlements is often associated with regional processes of urban restructuring. These outcomes led to a turning point in the research as the analytical fo cus was shifted from displacement to the burdens imposed onincumbents. In this sense, I conducted a qualitative approach (using the process tracing method) to explore the role TIG plays in changing incumbents’ mobility practices as the local retail composition changes and incumbents are theoretically allowed to go farther and faster using the LRT. In general, findings of the third manuscript reinforce that it is essential to explore how individuals perceive and experience gentrification within the context of transit developments. This case study also shows that improving objective accessibility may be insufficient not only to enhance activity participation but also to shift the mobility practices ofresidents in ways that align with the expectation of achieving sustainability-related goals. That is because many low-income incumbents reported both an inability to engage in nearby opportunities and a need for travelling longer to achieve suitable ones, with hardly any mention of the LRT. To some extent, the findings of this thesis not only frames TIG as a distinctive case of transport-related social exclusion (TRSE) but also support the distinction between perceived accessibility and perceived sufficiency of opportunities, since even when the respondents reported their inability to engage in the nearby activities, they frequently expressed a positive assessment regarding the number and diversity of activities in the neighborhood. Overall, findings regarding the Fortaleza’s LRT may provide urban planners and decision-makers with actionable insights, helping to move the discussion from the supply of transportation resources to inclusive transit-oriented development. As policy takeaways, I note that the extent to which local communities are affected by mass transit systems should not only be part of ex-ante assessments but must also be mitigated in advance. Ultimately, this may require proactive measures to guarantee social mixing, maintain affordable rental prices, and foster local entrepreneurship, to prevent the unfolding of gentrification as a distinct kind of TRSE. Tipo: Tese Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/87310 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/87224 Título: Caracterização do comportamento mecânico de faixas preparadas em excursões laterais de pistas de pouso e decolagem Autor(es): Facó, Jefferson de Sousa Abstract: Runway excursions pose risks that can compromise the operational safety of landings and takeoffs, cause damage to aircraft, and result in financial and human losses. To mitigate these risks, it is essential to evaluate the mechanical behavior of runway strips, taking into account the stresses generated by the interaction between landing gear systems and the surface. This study aims to characterize the interaction between aircraft landing gear and the surfaces of runway strips during lateral runway excursions. To achieve this, simulations were conducted using the finite element method with the ABAQUS/CAE software, along with an empirical analysis performed using the P-CASE software. The developed model considered eight structural configurations of runway strips composed of different materials, and the impact of four distinct aircraft models (Boeing 737-800, Airbus A321-200, Boeing 787-9 e Boeing 777-300ER) on the surface of these strips, resulting in a total of 32 combinations analyzed. The simulations assessed the influence of Resilient Modulus (MR), layer thicknesses, and various landing gear configurations on surface displacements of the runway strips, as well as their loadbearing capacity, quantified by the number of allowable passes. The results indicated that the analyzed structures exhibited adequate structural capacity, with no significant displacements. A sensitivity analysis was conducted considering structures with final layer thicknesses of 15 cm, 25 cm, and 35 cm, combined with 12 MR values and 4 aircraft models, totaling 144 simulations. It was found that displacements vary nonlinearly with MR, and that the effects of layer thickness are more pronounced at lower MR values. The study concluded that surface displacements in runway strips are influenced by MR, layer thickness, and specific aircraft characteristics. Notably, aircraft with lower operational weight may generate greater displacements due to landing gear configuration and load distribution. Furthermore, the interaction between MR and layer thickness showed that less rigid materials tend to exhibit greater displacements in thicker layers, whereas more rigid materials are less affected. Tipo: Dissertação Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/87224 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/86962 Título: Thermochromic functionalization of asphalt mixtures as an urban heat island mitigation strategy: assessing spray-coating performance and microclimatic impacts in a tropical environment Autor(es): Ribas, Larissa Virginia da Silva Abstract: Urban heat has become one of the most critical environmental challenges in contemporary cities. The extensive presence of impervious surfaces, particularly asphalt pavements, intensifies solar absorption and heat storage, significantly contributing to the formation and persistence of urban heat islands (UHIs). Because pavements occupy large portions of urban areas, they constitute a strategic surface for implementing sustainable cooling solutions. In this context, the thermochromic functionalization of asphalt pavements emerges as a promising cool pavement strategy, as it enhances the surface’s capacity to modulate temperature. Thermochromic materials reversibly change color according to temperature, modifying surface albedo and increasing solar reflectance under high thermal conditions. The main objective of this research is to evaluate how the thermochromic capacity of asphalt pavement surfaces, functionalized through a surface spraying technique, influences the formation and mitigation of UHI effects. This dissertation is organized into four main parts. First, a bibliometric analysis followed by a systematic literature review investigates the current scientific panorama of thermochromic asphalt pavements’ functionalization, identifying research trends and knowledge gaps. Second, experimental studies evaluate the effects of thermochromic spray coatings applied to recycled asphalt mixtures on surface texture and cracking resistance. Laboratory analyses include colorimetry, texture characterization, pull-off adhesion tests, accelerated aging, and semi-circular bending (SCB) tests under long-term aging conditions. Third, outdoor experiments assess optical-thermal balance, cooling performance, and durability under environmentalexposure. Finally, a case study simulates the microclimatic impacts of the thermochromic strategy, including pedestrian thermal comfort, in different urban morphologies of a tropical city using computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based modeling. Results indicate that thermochromic coatings reduce surface temperatures by 5–9 °C during peak solar radiation. The functionalization shows good adhesion, minimal changes in surface texture, and improved cracking resistance in aged specimens with 6% thermochromic content. However, accelerated weathering reveals reductions in solar reflectance over time, highlighting durability challenges. At the urban scale, simulations demonstrate surface temperature reductions of up to 9.6 °C and air temperature reductions of 1.7 °C. Nevertheless, thermal comfort analysis using the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) reveals that lower thermophysical variables do not necessarily result in improved daytime comfort, due to increased mean radiant temperature and the influence of urban canyon geometry. The findings confirm the potential of thermochromic pavements for UHI mitigation, while emphasizing the need for context-sensitive and integrated urban climate strategies. Tipo: Tese Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/86962 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z