Bayata, Halim Ferit; Baş, Fatih İrfan; Mengi, Gamze Şeyda

In today’s modern city life, shopping centers have become a part of the urban identity. Erzincanpark Shopping Center, which was put into service at the city’s western entrance in 2022 in Erzincan, created an additional traffic volume causing inadequacies and accidents in urban transportation. This study aimed to identify these problems and inadequacies and develop possible solutions and suggestions. To examine the importance of coordination between junctions, traffic flow, and phase arrangements, Erzincanpark was chosen as the study area, and the junctions on Halitpasa Street were examined. The study used the traffic impact analysis method to examine traffic counts at junctions, signal optimization, travel time, queue length, delay, CO2, NOx, VOC emissions, and fuel consumption values. The study results showed that Yildiz and Nedim Muratoglu junctions should be modern roundabouts to ensure the optimum situation. Furthermore, it was determined that there was no change in the parameters studied in the design of Ergan Junction in 3 different ways: signaled, 4-way (without an island), and modern roundabout. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), one of the multi-criteria decision- approaches, was used to find the feasible result, considering safety and construction costs.

Bayata, Halim Ferit; Baş, Fatih İrfan; Demircioğlu, Muhammed Sami; Çolak, Muhammed Ali

The increasing world population has also increased the demand for vehicles and brought along various problems such as traffic delays, accidents, and air pollution. In addition, the increase in the number of vehicles causes an increase in the time spent at intersections, negatively affecting people’s quality of life, distracting drivers, and unsafe driving practices. Moreover, greenhouse gas emissions, including CO2 and NOx from vehicles, cause climate change and deterioration of air quality. To solve these problems, in this study, seven signalized intersections on a corridor in the city center of Erzincan province were examined. Using the Aimsun traffic simulation program, factors such as CO2, VOC, NOx emissions, queue length, delay time, travel time, and speed were evaluated. Using one of the multiple criteria decision methods, the TOPSIS method, the ideal scenario was determined based on the simulation results, considering the construction costs. The study revealed significant improvements in several parameters. CO2 emissions were reduced by 10%, delay time by 35%, VOC emissions by 14%, NOx emissions by 13%, queue length by 35%, delay by 38%, and travel by 19%. Furthermore, the speed was increased by 15%.

Bulut, H. Alperen

This article presents the outcomes of a comprehensive study utilizing all-natural perlite in producing lightweight aggregate concrete composites and investigating the mechanical, permeability, and durability properties. With this aim, lightweight concrete composites were produced using 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 75% and 100% of natural perlite aggregate in concrete production. In addition to fresh density, compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), dynamic modulus of elasticity, capillary absorption, electrical resistivity, acid and sulfate attack tests were carried out on 28–56–90-day-ϖold concretes. Accordingly, the highest compressive strength value was obtained after 90 days using 10% natural perlite (62.42 MPa for NP10/90). In terms of UPV values, concretes with natural perlite were able to produce good or excellent class concretes. The experimental results indicated that the increase in the dynamic modulus of elasticity of concretes cured for 90 days (35 GPa for NP100/90) can be up to 14% compared to concretes cured for 28 days (30.7 GPa for NP100/28). Capillary absorption coefficients decreased in all concretes at advanced ages. The electrical resistivity value of concrete with 100% natural perlite (139.75 kΩ-m for NP100/90) was 140% higher than the control concrete (58.14 kΩ-m for C/90). It was observed that insulating concrete could be produced with an increase in the use of natural perlite at advanced ages. It was determined that concretes with 75% and 100% natural perlite exhibited high resistance against acid and sulfate attacks. The 30% perlite ratio was the critical ratio against aggressive solutions. In line with the aim of the study, it has been proved that lightweight concretes with a high natural perlite dosage can be produced in terms of permeability and durability properties without compromising mechanical strength. Graphical abstract: (Figure presented.)