The thesis “Modelling of the actions and behaviour of underground car park users”, by Félix Andrés Caicedo Murillo, was the research project to receive the 2nd abertis Award. The work analyses how users make their choice of floor and empty parking space, and establishes some models that help predict driver behaviour in underground car parks. On the this basis, the thesis suggests new criteria to be borne in mind when operating these infrastructures, from the viewpoint of improving customer service.

Caicedo was presented the award by Joaquim Nadal, Minister of Territorial Policy and Public Works of the Generalitat de Catalunya (the government of Catalonia), at a ceremony held midday today at Barcelona’s Higher Technical School of Civil Engineers, part of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). Also present at the ceremony were UPC Rector Josep Ferrer, abertis Managing Director Salvador Alemany and abertis chair Director Francesc Robusté.

The Minister stressed in his speech the fact that the works submitted for this abertis Award “cover many of the subjects that are the focus of the Catalan government’s current work” on infrastructure and transport. Joaquim Nadal also referred to the changes recently taking place in some European countries with regard to payments for the use of infrastructures. In this regard, he stated that “there is a need to reflect upon some of the concepts of providing transport and communication services”. “We are at a key point in the country’s history, in which a new infrastructure culture should be fostered”, he added.

For his part, UPC Rector Josep Ferrer, expressed his “academic satisfaction” at the quality of the works submitted this year and highlighted the “social orientation and clear link of the works with the real issues faced by cities and infrastructures”.

abertis MD Salvador Alemany stressed that “our corporation feels that it has a responsibility to show a certain leadership in modelling and orienting infrastructure-related scientific work”. Salvador Alemany also noted the importance of collaboration between the academic world, businesses and the authorities. Collaboration which should find concrete form in intensifying research and development (R&D) work. He also added that the abertis chair and the abertis Award “aim to be an embryo from which infrastructure-related R&D develops”.

The abertis Award falls within the framework of the abertis chair in Transport Infrastructure Management and constitutes its main initiative to boost research in this field. The abertis chair, created by abertis in collaboration with the UPC, has as its objective to encourage training and research in the field of transport and communications infrastructure management.

The jury for this second such award has, exceptionally, awarded a Special Mention to the work “The provision, financing and operation of transport infrastructure and its effects upon economic development”, in light of the scientific importance of Samuel López Carpintero’s research. This work evaluates and quantifies the link between transport infrastructure and economic development, on the basis of examples from both rich and developing countries.

The abertis Award is open to all students at Spanish universities, including those studying for postgraduate qualifications, masters and doctorates. It consists of 4,000 euros, in addition to the publication of the winning work. On this occasion, the recipient of the Special Mention was also published.

Ten projects submitted

This second edition of the Award received for its consideration a total of ten works on the field of transport infrastructures and services, focusing on themes such as urban car parks, the repercussion of infrastructures on regional economic development, guided transport and the environment, traffic accidents, metropolitan traffic congestion charges, the renovation of urban railway spaces, fees for the use of roads for goods transport and air navigation.

In addition to the Award winner and the recipient of the Special Mention, the jury also shortlisted the works “A guide for the implementation of a congestion charge in Barcelona”, by María Isabel Cano Tarruella, and “The viability of a charge for the transportation of goods by road in Spain”, by Marina Lussich Obes.

On this occasion, the jury was formed by Salvador Alemany —who acted as Jury Chairman—, Josep Martínez-Vila, José Vicente Solano, Enric Venancio and Ricard Maxenchs, from abertis, and by Andrés López, Félix Edmundo Pérez and Francesc Robusté, from the UPC.