Thesis Abstract

All Thesis Abstracts

Laboratory Investigation on Improving California Bearing Ratio Value of Weak Subgrade Soil Modified with Fly Ash, Waste Concrete Fines and Road Dust

Riju Adhikari

Asst. Prof. Rajesh Khadka

Trip Based Mode Choice Modeling : A Case Study of Biratnagar Metropolitan City

Sunil Khatri

Er. Rajesh Khadka

Evaluation of Traffic Congestion Costs of New Baneshwor to Old Baneshwor Road Section

Ankur Bhatta

Prof. Dr. Thusitha Chandani Shahi

Analysis of Pedestrian Gap Selection Behavior at Selected Crosswalks of Unsignalized Intersection:A Case Study of Durbar Marg and Naya Bazaar of Kathmandu

Sujana Thapaliya

Prof. Dr. Thusitha Chandani Shahi

Evaluation of Combined Effect of Flakiness and Elongation in the Strength Parameters of First Coat Stone Chippings for Double Bituminous Surface Treatment

Parbesh Manandhar

Er. Rajesh Khadka

Determination of Relationship between Thickness of Base Course and Different Physical Properties of Base Material in the Construction of Flexible Pavement

Aashma Neupane

Asst. Prof. Rajesh Khadka

Evaluation of Road Network Connectivity, Accessibility and Vulnerability: A Case Study of Tilottama Municipality, Rupandehi District, Nepal

Student: Bikash Bhandari

Supervisor: Er. Bishnu Prasad Devkota

Submitted Date: September, 2024

Abstract

The road network is crucial not only for connectivity and accessibility but also for future development. Disruptions can lead to socio-economic costs like reduced accessibility, increased travel distance and time. This study evaluates the connectivity, accessibility, and vulnerability of the road network in Tilottama municipality, Rupandehi district, Lumbini province, Nepal. Field enumeration with Hand-held GPS device were used to gather travel distance and time data, while secondary data were taken from Google Map, Municipal and Provincial Transport Master Plans, maps from survey department and municipality profile data. The collected road network data was organized into a 58x58 matrix in MS Excel and analyzed using graph theory for evaluating the road connectivity. Inverse Distance Weighted maps were generated in ArcGIS software in order to present the accessibility based on Degree of Node (DoN) or Connectivity Index (CI), Associated Number (AN), Shimbel Index (SI). The Network Efficiency in Python scripts were adopted to analyze the datasets for evaluating the network vulnerability. The study revealed that the current level of road network circuitry, complexity, connectivity and density is low, with about 26% circuitry and nearly 51% connectivity indicating the need of additional links in the municipality. Again, the value of β-index is 1.483 compared to ideal values 2.90. In Minimum Spanning Tree, less than half of travel time (48.17%) and distance (44.94%) were used to connect all 58 nodes. Shankanagar, Nayamil and Shivapur have the highest DoN while Yogikuti, Shankarnagar, Drivertol, Manigram are more accessible nodes from AN and SI values. In contrast, Vutahawa, Rehera, Madhawliya and Khairiya are less accessible area. Nodes N5 (Veterinary Chowk) and N30 (Manigram Chowk) identified as the most vulnerable, so, there is a need of strengthening these nodes to improve resilience. Links L87, L88, L89, and node N59 is recommended adding in order to improve the network efficiency and reduced vulnerability. It is concluded that the existing road network of Tilottama Municipality has low connectivity, fluctuated accessibility and high vulnerability at some nodes. It is recommended to add some new nodes as well as links around most vulnerable nodes and strengthen connections to improve connectivity, accessibility, and structural vulnerability of road network.

Keywords

Road Network, Connectivity, Structural Vulnerability, Accessibility, MST

THESIS ABSTRACT