Today, transportation engineers are always being challenged not only to plan, design and build durable and safe highway systems, optimize the materials used and reduce traveling delay time, but all the while keep a sustainable environment. Hence, this conference is considered timely to share the international experience of academics and professionals with those of the gulf region on transportation systems and pavements. The discussed topics include highway planning, network optimization, traffic congestion and safety, fright transportation, pavement material characterization, analysis, design, and modeling, and pavement mechanics.
This conference represents a major step forward in the gulf series conferences, not only as it becomes international, but also as it becomes a fully refereed conference. All papers were reviewed by at least by two reviewers. Seventy-seven papers are included in the proceedings covering recent advances in transportation materials and systems. In addition, the Conference includes six Keynote Speakers, and technical sessions arranged in two parallel tracks. In addition, two workshops on road safety and pavement materials, design and evaluation will be held prior to the conference.
Qatar is very pleased to host the Conference considering the rapid transportation growth in the region and the growing interest in this topic in the Gulf. Papers from 20 different countries were accepted for presentation and publication indicating the international nature of the Conference. The Conference Proceedings provide both a state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice record on Traffic Control and Management, Road and Traffic Safety, Highway Design and Transportation Planning, Binder Characteristics and Their Effect on Hot-Mix Asphalt (HMA) and Pavements, HMA Characteristics and Evaluation, Flexible Pavement Design and Assessment, Pavement Distresses and Maintenance, and Infrastructure Management. In addition, papers on Research, Development, and Standardization are included.