TY - JOUR AN - 01549165 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Weingroff, Richard F TI - 100th Anniversary – An Evolving Partnership PY - 2014/11 VL - 78 IS - 3 AB - In honor of the 100th anniversary of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), this article looks at the State-Federal collaboration during the interstate era. Though construction of the interstate system began in 1956, the history of the system dates back to the 1930s, during which proposals for transcontinental superhighways were common. However, it was not until President Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 that the interstate system was truly established. The construction of the interstate system was driven by the partnership of AASHTO and the Federal Highway Administration. AASHTO continues to work to meet the challenges of the United States transportation network. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Cooperation KW - Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 KW - Highway planning KW - History KW - Interstate highways KW - Partnerships KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/14novdec/03.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334528 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01549155 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Horton, Jeffrey L TI - Surviving an Interstate Bridge Collapse PY - 2014/11 VL - 78 IS - 3 AB - In May of 2013, a section of the Skagit River Bridge in Washington State collapsed. It was caused by a combination vehicle hauling a permitted oversize load, which struck the northern portal and several overhead sway braces, leading to the collapse of the northern span of the through-truss. Two vehicles fell into the river, but there were no casualties. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and partners immediately launched a response, including rescue efforts and bridge engineers to assess the damage. WSDOT established detour routes and kept the public informed. Restoration of the bridge was a priority, starting with a temporary span, with a permanent one added later. The project to restore the bridge required constant communication and collaboration between WSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration. KW - Bridge construction KW - Case studies KW - Collapse KW - Detours KW - Emergency management KW - Highway bridges KW - Interstate highways KW - Oversize loads KW - Reconstruction KW - Skagit River (Washington) KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Washington State Department of Transportation UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/14novdec/05.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334530 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01549113 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Kafalenos, Robert AU - Hyman, Robert AU - Lupes, Rebecca AU - Beucler, Brian TI - Bracing for Hard Times Ahead PY - 2014/11 VL - 78 IS - 3 AB - Transportation officials are constantly developing strategies for adapting to weather-related natural hazards, which are exacerbated by climate change issues such as rising sea levels and air temperatures. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been studying the impacts of climate change on transportation for over a decade and is leading activities to help partners assess vulnerabilities and develop policies and strategies by building a more resilient transportation system. FHWA has completed studies and developed tools and frameworks to help transportation agencies plan for the future. There are ongoing activities to provide further information and guidance to counter risks. KW - Climate change KW - Risk assessment KW - Transportation planning KW - Transportation policy KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Weather conditions KW - Weatherproofing UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/14novdec/04.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334529 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01549090 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Murakami, Elaine TI - One Size Doesn’t Fit All PY - 2014/11 VL - 78 IS - 3 AB - Smaller communities in the United States require distinct solutions for overcoming the challenges of multimodal transportation planning. The Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Committee on Transportation Planning in Small and Medium-Sized Communities works with communities with a population below 200,000. These communities must address many of the same issues as larger towns and cities, but with fewer resources. The Committee on Transportation Planning in Small and Medium-Sized Communities holds a biennial Tools of the Trade conference, which introduces practical tools and techniques for smaller communities. Transportation planning in small communities requires creative thinking to accomplish goals while saving money, and new and emerging tools can help the process. KW - Communities KW - Costs KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Small towns KW - Transportation planning KW - Transportation Research Board KW - United States UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/14novdec/02.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334527 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01549032 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Gregory, Joe AU - Irwin, Ben TI - A New Approach to Improving Travel Times PY - 2014/11 VL - 78 IS - 3 AB - Traffic congestion is a constant challenge for United States highways, and transportation agencies are looking beyond the traditional methods to increase capacity. One method is transportation systems management and operations (TSM&O). TSM&O involves integrated operations-related strategies and solutions to maximize the capacity of existing infrastructure. The second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) has developed a suite of tools called Organizing for Reliability Tools, which is designed to advance systems management and operations. Organizing for Reliability Tools can improve performance of the highway system and enhance safety and reliability of travel times. Many transportation agencies are working to implement this system. KW - Operations KW - Organization KW - Reliability KW - Strategic Highway Research Program 2 KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation system management KW - Travel time KW - United States UR - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/14novdec/01.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334526 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01549009 AU - Hallmark, Shauna AU - Chrysler, Susan AU - Oneyear, Nicole AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Validation of Traffic Simulation Model Output for Work Zone and Mobile Source Emissions Modeling and Integration with Human-in-the-Loop Driving Simulators PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 36p AB - The next generation motor vehicle emission rate model used in the U.S., the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES), requires second-by-second vehicle data in order to fully utilize model capabilities. However, field data collection of this type of data is resource intensive and frequently not realistic for local agencies. Some microsimulation models have the capability of outputting instantaneous speed and acceleration, which can be used in MOVES. With these capabilities, microsimulation offers a valuable tool to conduct analyses requiring a large number of data. However, simulation models usually employ theoretical profiles for the relationship between acceleration and speed. The algorithms were intended to model gross measures of traffic activity, such as changes in cycle length or the effect of an incident. Model output, however, remains unvalidated for predicting the level of vehicle activity output required for MOVES. Collecting field data to calibrate Vissim models is often expensive and not always feasible. The use of a driving simulator provides an additional way to provide these data. A simulator has advantages over field data in that it can be used to collect data for new projects where field data cannot be collected. Simulators also allow for complete control over interactions between the driver and other vehicles. Two case studies were used to assess the utility of the microsimulation model, Vissim, in developing output that can be used as input to MOVES. In one scenario, drivers were selected to drive an instrumented test vehicle along a test corridor. In another scenario, five drivers drove through a roundabout in the University of Iowa National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS). Models for each scenario were also developed in Vissim. Model output was compared to field collected speed/acceleration profile data to assess the accuracy of microsimulation models in providing realistic estimates of vehicle activity as input to MOVES. Results were summarized to demonstrate the applicability of linking microsimulated vehicle activity data with emissions models to better estimate the emission impacts of different transportation strategies. KW - Case studies KW - Driving simulators KW - Microsimulation KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Traffic simulation KW - Validation KW - VISSIM (Computer model) KW - Work zones UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/MATC_Vissim_traffic_simulation_model_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1336268 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548665 AU - Walubita, Lubinda F AU - Faruk, Abu N M AU - Lee, Sang I AU - Nguyen, Dung AU - Hassan, Raenita AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - HMA Shear Resistance, Permanent Deformation, and Rutting Tests for Texas Mixes: Final Year-2 Report PY - 2014/11//Technical Report SP - 178p AB - Traditionally run at one test temperature (122°F), the Hamburg wheel tracking test (HWTT) has a proven history of identifying hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixes that are moisture susceptible and/or prone to rutting. However, with the record summer temperatures of the recent years, several shear and rutting failures have occurred with HMA mixes that had passed the HWTT in the laboratory. For the most part, failures occurred in high shear locations, particularly with slow-moving traffic at controlled intersections (accelerating/decelerating), stop-go sections, elevated temperatures, heavy/high traffic loading, and where lower performance grade (PG) asphalt-binder grades have been used. This two-year study was undertaken to improve the performance of the existing laboratory rutting-shear tests including the HWTT in simulating the field rutting conditions of the HMA and exploring new supplementary and/or surrogate HMA rutting/shear tests. In particular, a potential surrogate test should be able to discriminate HMA mixture performance for application in high shear stress areas (i.e., intersections) as well as discern temperature thresholds at which a given HMA mix, with a given PG asphalt-binder grade, becomes unstable and more prone to rutting and/or shear failure. In line with these objectives, this final project report documents the research work completed in this study. Several of the existing HMA rutting-shear tests were comprehensively evaluated with special focus on the HWTT. Researchers propose several enhancements to the HWTT protocol that are expected to improve its overall performance in predicting HMA rutting susceptibility. Additionally, a new supplementary HMA shear test, namely the simple punching shear test (SPST) was developed that showed good potential to be considered as a surrogate to the HWTT. KW - Deformation KW - Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Recommendations KW - Rutting KW - Shear strength KW - Shear tests KW - Test procedures KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6744-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334947 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548658 AU - Arnold, Terence Stanley AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Use of Phosphoric Acid to Stiffen Hot Mix Asphalt Binders PY - 2014/11 SP - 91p AB - This document offers guidelines for the use of phosphoric acid to stiffen asphalt binders for hot mix paving applications. Data are presented on the likely effect on pavement life, moisture resistance, and use with limestone aggregates and liquid amine antistrip additives. Analytical methods for the detection of phosphoric acid in asphalt binders are also presented. Asphalt producers, hot-mix paving contractors, and State departments of transportation are the main audiences. KW - Amines KW - Antistrip additives KW - Bituminous binders KW - Guidelines KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Limestone aggregates KW - Pavement performance KW - Phosphoric acid KW - Stiffness UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/14086/14086.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334574 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548651 AU - Yurdakul, Ezgi AU - Taylor, Peter AU - Ceylan, Halil AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Concrete Pavement Mixture Design and Analysis (MDA): Evaluation of the Fresh and Hardened Properties of Concrete Mixtures Containing Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Types of Permeability-Reducing Admixtures to Develop a Standard Testing Protocol PY - 2014/11//Technical Report SP - 37p AB - Concrete durability may be considered as the ability to maintain serviceability over the design life without significant deterioration, and is generally a direct function of the mixture permeability. Therefore, reducing permeability will improve the potential durability of a given mixture and, in turn, improve the serviceability and longevity of the structure. Given the importance of this property, engineers often look for methods that can decrease permeability. One approach is to add chemical compounds known as integral waterproofing admixtures or permeability-reducing admixtures, which help fill and block capillary pores in the paste. Currently, there are no standard approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of permeability-reducing admixtures or to compare different products in the US. A review of manufacturers’ data sheets shows that a wide range of test methods have been used, and rarely are the same tests used on more than one product. This study investigated the fresh and hardened properties of mixtures containing commercially available hydrophilic and hydrophobic types of permeability-reducing admixtures. The aim was to develop a standard test protocol that would help owners, engineers, and specifiers compare different products and to evaluate their effects on concrete mixtures that may be exposed to hydrostatic or non-hydrostatic pressure. In this experimental program, 11 concrete mixtures were prepared with a fixed water-to-cement ratio and cement content. One plain mixture was prepared as a reference, 5 mixtures were prepared using the recommended dosage of the different permeability-reducing admixtures, and 5 mixtures were prepared using double the recommended dosage. Slump, air content, setting time, compressive and flexural strength, shrinkage, and durability indicating tests including electrical resistivity, rapid chloride penetration, air permeability, permeable voids, and sorptivity tests were conducted at various ages. The data are presented and recommendations for a testing protocol are provided. KW - Admixtures KW - Concrete pavements KW - Durability tests KW - Mix design KW - Permeability KW - Strength of materials KW - Test procedures KW - Waterproofing UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/reports/waterproofing_admixtures_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333215 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548629 AU - Gabree, Scott H AU - Chase, Stephanie AU - Doucette, Ann AU - Martino, Michael AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Countermeasures to Mitigate Intentional Deaths on Railroad Rights-of-Way: Lessons Learned and Next Steps PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 91p AB - Trespassing is the leading cause of rail-related fatalities in the United States. A large proportion of these trespasser fatalities are from intentional acts (i.e., suicides). With a lack of systematic research and evaluation of the countermeasures that are currently in place as well as those that have been proposed, it is difficult for railroad carriers and communities that seek to select appropriate countermeasures that are likely to be effective at mitigating suicides. This report discusses the current information available on trespasser fatalities and the implementation of countermeasures in use internationally to prevent suicides on the railroad right-of-way. The paper presents a discussion of each countermeasure according to various intervention points along the path to complete suicide on the railroad right-of-way. These intervention points include: preventing individuals from reaching a suicidal state, making the railroad environment appear to be a less viable means for attempting suicide, deterring access to the right-of-way, avoiding collisions with trespassers and pedestrians, reducing the lethality of a train-person collision, and improving the quality of data and reporting standards. Each of these intervention points provides an opportunity for a countermeasure to potentially divert the individual from the path towards a suicidal act. KW - Countermeasures KW - Fatalities KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroads KW - Suicide KW - Trespassers KW - United States UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14240 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54427/Countermeasures_Mitigate_Deaths_20141124l.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333143 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548602 AU - Krishnan, Vijaya K AU - Dasari, Deepika AU - Ding, Lei AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - EEG Correlates of Fluctuation in Cognitive Performance in an Air Traffic Control Task PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 30p AB - Performance changes that are attributed to mental fatigue in real-world tasks need reliable monitoring to prevent occupational hazards. The present study investigated the association of cognitive functional decrements over time with neurophysiological patterns indicative of mental fatigue when performing a low-fidelity simulated air traffic control task for up to two hours. Electroencephalography (EEG) and performance data, i.e., response time and routing time for navigating aircraft, were simultaneously collected during the task. Cognitive capacities of participants were assessed using the Minicog rapid assessment battery before and after the task. Acquired EEG signals were epoched into multiple segments of 10 minutes over time, and these segmented EEG data were statistically compared with each other using non-parametric statistical analysis to identify neurophysiological patterns due to the time-on-task effect. Significant changes in EEG power spectra were localized to the midline regions from the frontal and parietal areas of the human brain. Significant changes in performance data were also observed in response time and routing time. These observed changes in EEG power spectra and performance data suggest a consistent correlation among them in the time domain in individual sessions and participants, as well as at the group level. Both deteriorating cognitive performance and EEG, indicative of the development of mental fatigue, occurred at approximately 70 minutes into the task. Such a correlation suggests EEG signals are promising for use in developing a reliable on-line mental fatigue monitoring system. KW - Air traffic control KW - Cognition KW - Electroencephalography KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Mental condition KW - Reaction time KW - Simulation KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201412.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334825 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548598 AU - Elliott, K R AU - Solomon, M G AU - Preusser, D F AU - Preusser Research Group, Incorporated AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Evaluation of a High-Visibility Enforcement Seat Belt Program on the Blue Ridge Parkway PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 44p AB - The National Park Service (NPS) conducted a high-visibility enforcement (HVE) seat belt program on a 24-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) known as the Roanoke Corridor, that carries both park and commuter traffic. Seat belts are required by all motor vehicle occupants on Federal property, including national parks, such as the BRP. Many of the Roanoke Corridor commuters are in a unique situation as they travel through secondary and primary seat belt enforcement jurisdictions on a daily basis, creating an opportunity to reach drivers while in a primary enforcement jurisdiction. For this HVE program, the NPS used low-cost media and stepped-up seat belt enforcement to encourage seat belt use on the BRP. Two program periods were evaluated (i.e., May 17 to 28 (coinciding with national Click It or Ticket) and October 18 to 29, 2010). The awareness survey conducted by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles in Roanoke indicated that Roanoke respondents were aware of the program enforcement activity, but did not show a significant increase in awareness of the seat belt laws in Virginia and on the BRP. While seat belt observations showed a significant increase in belt use on the BRP, no change was found in Roanoke. Possibly contributing to this result, only a small proportion of Roanoke respondents reported frequent BRP use, possibly limiting exposure to the program activity. Observed seat belt use on the BRP significantly increased from 82.5 to 91.8 and 82.5 to 90.1 percent for the May and October efforts, respectively. Observed belt use increased for drivers, passengers, males, females, and for all vehicle types from baseline to the end of the second wave. Generally, the groups with the lowest belt use before the program gained the most over the course of the two waves. There were no changes observed in the comparison area, Charlottesville, either in awareness or in observed seat belt use. Data limitations include minimal seat belt observation data, infrequent BRP use among Roanoke respondents, and low baselines. Nevertheless, the data show the NPS implemented a successful HVE program, marked by strong partnerships among participating enforcement and significant pre-to-post increases in observed seat belt use on the BRP. KW - Awareness KW - Blue Ridge Parkway KW - Evaluation KW - National parks KW - Roanoke (Virginia) KW - Safety programs KW - Seat belt use KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/812085_HVE-BlueRidgePkwy.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335243 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548597 AU - Young, Peg AU - Notis, Ken AU - Firestine, Theresa AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Services Index and the Economy—Revisited PY - 2014/11//Technical Report SP - 14p AB - The Transportation Services Index (TSI) is the broadest monthly measure of U.S. domestic transportation services and, as such, provides the best snapshot available of the current state of these services. As an index, the TSI reflects real monthly changes in freight and passenger services in the United States. The TSI consists of three component indexes: a freight index, a passenger index, and a combined (or total) index. In 2007 the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, published a report entitled: Transportation Services Index and the Economy, on the relationship of the freight portion of the TSI to the growth cycles in the U.S. economy. Since that time, BTS has re-engineered the TSI to improve processing of the monthly data and to improve the methodology and data sources used in the calculation of the index. This report provides details on the updated methodology and data, along with the resultant changes in the turning points of the TSI due to these improvements. KW - Economic indicators KW - Freight transportation KW - Information processing KW - Methodology KW - Statistical analysis KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/TSI_Economy.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335543 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548579 AU - Bligh, Roger P AU - Arrington, Dusty R AU - Menges, Wanda L AU - Kuhn, Beverly T AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Skid-Mounted Support System for Temporary Guide Signs PY - 2014/11 SP - 137p AB - A common issue during phased highway construction projects is the need to temporarily relocate large guide signs on the roadside or install new guide signs for temporary use. The conventional concrete foundations used for these signs are costly and time-consuming to install and remove after construction is completed. A freestanding, skid-mounted support system for temporary large guide signs was developed and successfully crash-tested in accordance with the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) guidelines. The design considered wind loads, ballast requirements, and impact performance. The skid-mounted design eliminates the need for below-ground footers, and permits rapid movement and relocation of the sign. The results of the research have been used to establish guidelines for both the direct embedded temporary wood support system (developed in the first year of the project) and the skid-mounted support system. The guidelines provide the designer with a means of selecting the appropriate number, size, and grade of support posts for a given sign panel size. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Guide signs KW - Guidelines KW - Impact tests KW - Posts KW - Sign supports KW - Temporary structures UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6782-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335231 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548552 AU - Dulkadir, Zeki AU - Chaturvedi, Arvind K AU - Craft, Kristi J AU - Hickerson, Jeffery S AU - Cliburn, Kacey D AU - Gulhane Military Medical Academy AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Tricyclic Antidepressants Found in Pilots Fatally Injured in Civil Aviation Accidents PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 16p AB - Since the 1950s, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) have been used for treating depression. The prevalence of this group of antidepressants in the pilot population has not been explored. Therefore, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) aviation accident and the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) toxicology and medical certification databases were searched for the necessary information related to pilots fatally injured in aviation accidents. During 1990-2012, CAMI received biological samples of fatally injured pilots from 7,037 aviation accidents for toxicological evaluation. Of these, 2,644 cases (pilot fatalities) were positive for drugs. TCAs were present in 31 pilot fatalities. Only TCAs were found in nine cases; in addition to TCAs, other substances were also present in the remaining 22 cases. Blood samples were available for TCA analysis in only 17 cases. TCA blood concentrations ranged from therapeutic to toxic levels. The NTSB determined that the use of drugs and ethanol as the probable cause or contributing factor in 35% (11 of 31) of the accidents, and six pilots had taken TCAs, as documented in their personal medical records and histories obtained by the NTSB. None of the 31 pilots reported the use of TCAs during their aviation medical examination, though 45% of them did report other drugs. The present study disclosed that the prevalence of TCAs in aviators was less than 0.5% (31 of 7,037 cases). This study suggests that aviators should fully disclose the use of medications at the time of their aviation medical examination for the improvement of aviation safety. KW - Air pilots KW - Air transportation crashes KW - Antidepressants KW - Aviation medicine KW - Aviation safety KW - Civil aviation KW - Crash causes KW - Drugs KW - Fatalities KW - Medical examinations and tests KW - Toxicology UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201411.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334826 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548546 AU - Overman, John H AU - Storey, Beverly AU - Kraus, Edgar AU - Miller, Kristi AU - Walewski, John A AU - Elgart, Zachary AU - Atkinson, Sam AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute, College Station AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Maximizing Mitigation Benefits-Making a Difference with Strategic Inter-Resource Agency Planning : Year Two Technical Report PY - 2014/11//Technical Report SP - 72p AB - The objective of this research project is to assess current mitigation policies and practices in comparison to resource agency objectives and to identify mitigation strategies and priorities that provide greater cost-benefit potential and implementation speed through strategic inter-resource agency planning. Mitigation for various actions associated with transportation development has been part of the process for decades. Although the science, practice, and technology may have advanced during this time, many of the processes and practices are rooted in traditional rules and regulations that require mitigation. The objective for this project is to assess mitigation policies and practices as a whole, looking at both the current and future of mitigation efforts in the transportation development process. This guide presents a summary of the Integrated Ecological Framework approach for mitigation in the transportation development process. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Environmental impacts KW - Interagency relations KW - Strategic planning KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning KW - Workshops UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6762-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334423 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548537 AU - Horton, Suzanne AU - Segev, Eran AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Roadside Intervention Effectiveness Model, Fiscal Year 2010 PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 36p AB - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in cooperation with the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, has developed an analytic model to measure the effectiveness of roadside inspections and traffic enforcements in terms of the number of crashes avoided, injuries prevented, and lives saved. Traffic enforcements and roadside inspections are considered interventions; this analytic model is known as the Roadside Intervention Effectiveness Model (RIEM). This model provides FMCSA management with the information needed to address the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, which requires Federal agencies to measure the effectiveness of their programs as part of the budget cycle process. It also provides FMCSA and State safety program managers with a quantitative basis for optimizing the allocation of safety resources in the field. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Crash rates KW - Government Performance and Results Act KW - Inspection KW - Measures of effectiveness KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety KW - U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54100/54126/13-062_-_RIEM_FY2010_-_FINAL_-_508C.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334682 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548524 AU - Knapp, Keith K AU - Hallmark, Shauna AU - Bou-Saab, Georges AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Systemic Safety Improvement Risk Factor Evaluation and Countermeasure Summary PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 91p AB - The majority of crash fatalities in the United States occur along rural roadways. These roadways typically have low volumes and widespread crashes. In other words, no one location generally has an unexpectedly high number of crashes. Systemic safety tools/methodologies can be used in this type of situation because they evaluate and prioritize expected crash risk through the consideration of regional data patterns, research results, and engineering judgment. This project investigated two systemic safety tools/methodologies: the approach followed to produce Minnesota county road safety plans (and now described in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool) and United States Road Assessment Program (usRAP). Both tools/methodologies were applied with data collected from two counties in Iowa and a sensitivity analyses completed on their results. It was concluded that changing the “weight” of the safety risk factors considered as part of Minnesota approach could have an impact on some of the locations in the “top 20” of the rankings and subsequent decision-making. However, the amount of that impact varied and a correlation analysis of the original and alternative rankings developed found a statistically insignificant difference. The change in acceptable benefit-cost ratio for the application of usRAP showed that it impacted the type and number of countermeasures, along with the benefit-cost ratio of the plan suggested by the software. It is recommended that additional research be completed to consider similar input variable changes on transportation systems with a higher level of variability in their characteristics. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Iowa KW - Minnesota KW - Rural highways KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Traffic crashes KW - U.S. Road Assessment Program UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/matc_systemic_safety_improvement_w_cvr1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335545 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548519 AU - Wu, Xindong AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Harvesting Data from Advanced Technologies PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 41p AB - Data streams are emerging everywhere such as Web logs, Web page click streams, sensor data streams, and credit card transaction flows. Different from traditional data sets, data streams are sequentially generated and arrive one by one rather than being available for random access before learning begins, and they are potentially huge or even infinite so that it is impractical to store the whole data. To study learning from data streams, the authors target online learning, which generates a best–so far model on the fly by sequentially feeding in the newly arrived data, updates the model as needed, and then applies the learned model for accurate real-time prediction or classification in real-world applications. Several challenges arise from this scenario: first, data is not available for random access or even multiple access; second, data imbalance is a common situation; third, the performance of the model should be reasonable even when the amount of data is limited; fourth, the model should be updated easily but not frequently; and finally, the model should always be ready for prediction and classification. To meet these challenges, the authors investigate streaming feature selection by taking advantage of mutual information and group structures among candidate features. Streaming feature selection reduces the number of features by removing noisy, irrelevant, or redundant features and selecting relevant features on the fly, and brings about palpable effects for applications: speeding up the learning process, improving learning accuracy, enhancing generalization capability, and improving model interpretation. Compared with traditional feature selection, which can only handle pre-given data sets without considering the potential group structures among candidate features, streaming feature selection is able to handle streaming data and select meaningful and valuable feature sets with or without group structures on the fly. In this research, the authors propose 1) a novel streaming feature selection algorithm (GFSSF, Group Feature Selection with Streaming Features) by exploring mutual information and group structures among candidate features for both group and individual levels of feature selection from streaming data, 2) a lazy online prediction model with data fusion, feature selection and weighting technologies for real-time traffic prediction from heterogeneous sensor data streams, 3) a lazy online learning model (LB, Live Bayes) with dynamic resampling technology to learn from imbalanced embedded mobile sensor data streams for real-time activity recognition and user recognition, and 4) a lazy update online learning model (CMLR, Cost-sensitive Multinomial Logistic Regression) with streaming feature selection for accurate real-time classification from imbalanced and small sensor data streams. Finally, by integrating traffic flow theory, advanced sensors, data gathering, data fusion, feature selection and weighting, online learning and visualization technologies to estimate and visualize the current and future traffic, a real-time transportation prediction system named VTraffic is built for the Vermont Agency of Transportation. KW - Algorithms KW - Computer online services KW - Data collection KW - Data fusion KW - Forecasting KW - Real time information KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic flow UR - http://vtransplanning.vermont.gov/sites/aot_policy/files/documents/planning/2014%20-%2011%20Harvesting%20Data%20from%20Advanced%20Technologies.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335036 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548515 AU - Lee, Jung-Su AU - Stokoe, Kenneth H AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Data Collected on TPAD Implementation Projects PY - 2014/11 SP - 53p AB - Total pavement acceptance device (TPAD) testing was conducted by Center for Transportation (CTR) personnel at the following locations during Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Project 5-6005-01: Statewide Implementation of Total Pavement Acceptance Device (TPAD) (January 2013 through August 2014): (1) San Marcos Airport, (2) IH 10 in El Paso (two tests conducted at this site), (3) US 75 in Sherman, (4) IH 27 in Lubbock and Amarillo, (5) US 287 in Quanah, (6) US 287 in Childress, and (7) SH 288 in Houston. This document consists of the data from the testing. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Data collection KW - Implementation KW - Pavement performance KW - Texas KW - Total Pavement Acceptance Devices UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/5-6005-01-P3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332797 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548509 AU - Walubita, Lubinda F AU - Hassan, Raenita AU - Lee, Sang Ick AU - Faruk, Abu N M AU - Flores, Maria AU - Scullion, Thomas AU - Abdallah, Imad AU - Nazarian, Soheil AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Data Collection and Population of the Database (The DSS and RDSSP) PY - 2014/11 SP - 82p AB - This study was initiated to collect materials and pavement performance data on a minimum of 100 highway test sections around the state of Texas, incorporating both flexible pavements and overlays. Besides being used to calibrate and validate mechanistic-empirical (M-E) design models, the data collected will also serve as an ongoing reference data source and/or diagnostic tool for Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) engineers and other transportation professionals. Towards this goal, this product provides an itemized documentation of the data collection and population that is being conducted. KW - Data collection KW - Databases KW - Flexible pavements KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement performance KW - Test sections KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6658-P5.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335033 ER - TY - SER AN - 01548497 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Research Note PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Berning, Amy AU - Smither, Dereece D TI - Understanding the Limitations of Drug Test Information, Reporting, and Testing Practices in Fatal Crashes PY - 2014/11 SP - 3p AB - Since 1975, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has collected data from all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico on all police-reported fatal crashes on public roadways. NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) includes data from these fatal crashes in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). This dataset provides a wealth of information on fatal crashes, the roadways, vehicles, and drivers involved. “Impaired driving” includes use of alcohol, or drugs, or both. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) results are not known for all drivers in fatal crashes. For crashes with missing alcohol data, NHTSA uses a statistical model called “multiple imputation” to estimate the BAC of a driver at the time of the crash. In contrast, the variables regarding drug test information in crashes is evolving. It does not include estimates for missing data or impairment levels and therefore needs further interpretation. This paper summarizes some of the complexities related to drug-involved driving, notes limitations of drug data collected in FARS, and presents challenges in interpreting, reporting, and analyzing the data. KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Drug tests KW - Drugged drivers KW - Fatalities KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812072.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334683 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01546186 AU - Dao, Thang AU - van de Lindt, John W AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Safety Factor Increase to Fatigue Limit States through Shear Spiking for Timber Railroad Bridge Rehabilitation – Phase I PY - 2014/11 SP - 18p AB - The overall project is to demonstrate the effectiveness of shear spiking (technique already developed through a previous project). Many timber railroad bridges are deficient but it is too costly to replace them; hence, inexpensive repair techniques are needed. The proposed project will provide the necessary documentation of the effectiveness of this newly developed mitigation technique under realistic loads using new equipment available from a National Science Foundation grant to Colorado State University. This will ultimately be accomplished through a series of spatio-temporal fatigue tests on stringers for both non-repaired and repaired. The timing and locations of the loading will be determined from influence line analysis of a typical freight train(s). The results will be used as leverage and/or proof-of-concept to approach the American Railway Association for additional funding. This report presents the intermediate results of the project, which is designated herein as Phase I. Phase I focused on development of the actuator control algorithm, which was successfully tested in the Colorado State University Structural Engineering Laboratory in the spatio-temporal test frame using seven actuators simultaneously in force control. KW - Algorithms KW - Fatigue tests KW - Railroad bridges KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Safety factors KW - Spikes KW - Wooden bridges UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-273.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331988 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01546179 AU - Whelton, Andrew J AU - Tabor, Matthew L AU - Boettcher, Anne AU - White, Kevin D AU - Newman, Derrick AU - Seward, Eric J AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Standardized Test Method to Quantify Environmental Impacts of Stormwater Pipe Rehabilitation Materials PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 43p AB - The purpose of this study was to develop a standardized test method that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) can apply to evaluate the environmental impact of stormwater infrastructure materials. Three laboratory stormwater infrastructure material leaching protocols named static, stirbar, and modified Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (mTCLP) were developed. These protocols were evaluated for their ability to predict field stormwater quality and aquatic toxicity caused by a pipe rehabilitation material. Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) was used in this study as a model rehabilitation material because there was prior evidence this technology could cause environmental damage. The study objective was achieved, and during this project it was discovered that the material installation process itself was the main cause of environmental pollution, more than the material. Additional materials and installation processes should be examined in future work. Freshly cured CIPP samples were removed from the field and were submerged in synthetic stormwater and deionized water (54 hr, 23°C, pH 7.2, 120 ppm as CaCO₃). Every 18 hour extractant water was analyzed for chemical oxygen demand (COD), UV₂₅₄ absorbance, and styrene levels along with nonvolatile organic contaminants. CIPP weight gain measurements were also conducted to understand polymer composite water interaction. Results showed that the greatest CIPP weight increase occurred during the first contact period and was roughly 2% to 3%. Water pH and alkalinity levels were unaffected by contact with CIPP specimens. The mTCLP method resulted in the greatest chemical leaching as shown by elevated COD, UV₂₅₄ absorbance, and styrene levels, while the static and stirbar methods both poorly predicted field stormwater quality levels. For mTCLP testing, COD, UV₂₅₄ absorbance, and styrene levels for the material leaching protocols were roughly 12, 43, and 4 times less than levels observed in the field stormwater, respectively. Water type, exposure duration, and agitation methods were found to be statistically significant factors influencing chemical release. Four tentatively identified chemicals were detected in both the laboratory and field testing that included styrene, benzene, 4-(1,1-dimethyl)-cyclohexanol, and 4-(1,1-dimethyl)-cyclohexanone. Several (18) contaminants found in field stormwater were not detected during laboratory material leaching tests. With the exception of styrene, the concentration of detected chemicals was not quantified. None of the laboratory material leaching test extractant waters was acutely toxic to Daphnia magna for any exposure period. As shown by the results of this study, chemicals other than styrene were released by CIPP into stormwater. Any further CIPP testing should not be limited to a few contaminants, but be expanded to include other contaminants of environmental and human health concern. Further work is necessary to determine the ability of the mTCLP method to predict field stormwater levels at multiple installation sites, for broader range of materials, and evaluate additional water quality and toxicity indicators. Additional materials that should be examined with this method include at least those that are created in-situ by chemical reactions such as spray-on coatings and liners. Further testing with additional model systems and individual compounds and at field sites is recommended. KW - Contaminants KW - Cured in place pipe KW - Environmental impacts KW - Laboratory tests KW - Leaching KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Runoff KW - Test procedures KW - Virginia KW - Water quality management UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/15-r11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332696 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01546159 AU - Boriack, Paul C AU - Katicha, Samer W AU - Flintsch, Gerardo W AU - Tomlinson, Christopher R AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Laboratory Evaluation of Asphalt Concrete Mixtures Containing High Contents of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and Binder PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 43p AB - This study investigated the effect of added asphalt binder content on the performance and volumetric properties of asphalt concrete mixtures containing reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in the amounts of 0%, 20%, and 40%. A laboratory-produced mixture containing 100% RAP was also evaluated. Performance of the mixtures was evaluated based on three criteria: stiffness (dynamic modulus), fatigue resistance, and rutting resistance (flow number and asphalt pavement analyzer). Results showed that a 0.5% increase in binder content improved both the fatigue and rutting resistance of the 0% and 20% RAP mixtures with only slight (insignificant) decreases in dynamic modulus. However, the addition of various amounts of binder to the 40% RAP mixture led to a significant decrease in rutting resistance with little or no improvement to fatigue resistance. Volumetric analysis was performed on all of the mixtures, and detailed results are presented. Based on the results of the study, the authors recommend that the Virginia Department of Transportation supplement current asphalt mixture design procedures that are based on mixture volumetric properties with laboratory-mixture performance testing. KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Bituminous binders KW - Fatigue strength KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Rutting KW - Stiffness KW - Volumetric analysis UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/15-r8.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332463 ER - TY - SER AN - 01545304 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Mao, Yiwei AU - Ouyang, Yanfeng AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Data Collection and Analysis for Local Roadway Safety Assessment PY - 2014/11 IS - 14-023 SP - 20p AB - The project “Data Analysis for Local Roadway Assessment” conducted systematic road-safety assessment and identified major risks that can be eliminated or reduced by practical road-improvement measures. Specifically, the primary task of this project was to collect and code detailed data on key roadway and traffic control characteristics for 100-meter roadway segments from Internet-based photos on Google Street View®. From November 1, 2013, to April 30, 2014, data on more than 50 key safety-related design characteristics were carefully collected and documented for 1,566 100-meter road segments in Boone County, 3,941 in Champaign County, and 2,545 in Vermilion County. Data were collected at an average rate of 4.16 kilometers per hour. This report summarizes the main activities (training, data coding, and communication), management and control (internal and external supervision), and key results of this project. KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Google Street View KW - Highway safety KW - Illinois KW - Photographs KW - Roads UR - https://apps.ict.illinois.edu/projects/getfile.asp?id=3302 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331782 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544706 AU - Yousefpour, Hossein AU - Helwig, Todd AU - Bayrak, Oguzhan AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Structural Monitoring of the World’s First Precast Network Arch Bridge during Construction PY - 2014/11//Technical Report SP - 183p AB - This report provides an overview of a monitoring study on the West 7th Street Bridge in Fort Worth, Texas that was carried out by The University of Texas at Austin (UT). The West 7th Street Bridge was designed by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and is believed to be the first precast concrete network arch bridge in the world. The bridge consists of a series of prestressed concrete arches that were precast and post-tensioned at a staging area before they were transported to the bridge site and erected. Due to the innovative construction of this bridge, some of the most critical stresses in the life of the arches happened during construction. Therefore, an instrumentation program was conducted to make sure that the arches were not damaged during the fabrication, transport, and erection procedures. The researchers from UT embedded a series of Vibrating Wire Gages (VWGs) in the critical sections of arches and monitored the sensors throughout construction to ensure the safety of the arches. The recorded data also allowed the researchers to evaluate the accuracy of some of the assumptions that were necessary during the design of the arches. An overview of the monitoring effort and the major findings from instrumentation are provided in this document. KW - Arch bridges KW - Bridge construction KW - Fort Worth (Texas) KW - Instrumentation KW - Precast concrete KW - Sensors KW - Stress gages KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/5-5253-03-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330763 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544700 AU - Clement, J Christopher AU - Stutts, Zachary W AU - Alqarni, Ali S AU - Fowler, David W AU - Whitney, David AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Revamping Aggregate Property Requirements for Portland Cement Concrete PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 293p AB - Current Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) procedures for evaluating coarse aggregate for portland cement concrete (PCC) have been in place for over 39 years. Item 421 in the TxDOT “Standard Specifications for Construction and Maintenance of Highways, Streets, and Bridges” describes the tests and test limits that must be met by aggregates before they can be approved for use in portland cement concrete applications. The intention of Item 421 is to ensure that only strong, durable aggregates are used in concrete so that the life of concrete is not cut short by common distress mechanisms, which ultimately lead to costly repairs and replacements. The two main tests currently used by TxDOT to evaluate aggregates are the magnesium sulfate soundness test and the Los Angeles abrasion and impact test. Unfortunately, past research has shown that the magnesium sulfate soundness test and the Los Angeles abrasion and impact test are not able to successfully predict the field performance of an aggregate in concrete. The requirements of Item 421 have thus far done a reasonably good job of ensuring long-lasting concrete; however, the current tests and test limits may be unnecessarily precluding the use of some local materials. As high quality aggregate sources are depleted and transportation costs increase, it will become more necessary to distinguish good performers from marginal and poor performers in the future. If aggregate tests can be found that demonstrate better correlations with field performance, it may be possible to use more local aggregate sources and still provide the desired level of reliability for pavements, bridges, and other TxDOT concrete applications. Researchers will attempt to relate this test data to concrete behavior and ultimately recommend tests for improved TxDOT aggregate specifications. KW - Aggregate tests KW - Coarse aggregates KW - Pavement performance KW - Performance based specifications KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Recommendations KW - Texas KW - Texas Department of Transportation UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6617-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330350 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544686 AU - Tremblay, Jason AU - Wild, Jim AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Concrete Bridge Mix Designs for Control of Cracking, Phase I PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 48p AB - Cracking of concrete is a common problem with concrete structures such as bridge decks, pavements and bridge rail. The Agency of Transportation (VTrans) has recently invested in higher performing concrete mixes that are more impervious and has higher early strength. VTrans has also begun to standardize on bare decks on bridge rehabilitation projects. Higher strength concrete is more susceptible to cracking. With more decks being constructed with exposed concrete, the risks of chlorides and other corrosives penetrating to the reinforcing may lead to early deterioration. Additional moisture within the concrete may compound the deterioration during freezethaw periods. These stressors lead to decreased strength, which results in increased maintenance to ensure safety and durability, a reduction in the overall aesthetics of the structures and a decrease in public confidence and support. With closer attention made to the concrete mix by the addition of key admixtures, concrete may be able to perform as desired with fewer resulting problems. With 22 different concrete mix designs produced and tested for various concrete properties, flexural and compressive strength, rapid chloride permeability and shrinkage, it is clear that there are seven candidate designs, given the measured data, which could outperform current VTrans standards. To ensure successful performance of new mix designs, further testing on each, with additional refining, a second phase of this project has been approved, with the same testing parameters, to refine the chosen mix designs further. The refining of designs will entail further optimization of aggregate gradations, as the industry has trended towards reporting benefits of this, lowering only cement content to achieve design strength within 10% at 28 days while other components remain unchanged in a mix, and include shrinkage control measures in most if not all mixes. KW - Admixtures KW - Bridge decks KW - Compressive strength KW - Concrete bridges KW - Cracking KW - Flexural strength KW - Mix design KW - Rapid Chloride Permeability Test KW - Shrinkage KW - Vermont UR - http://vtransplanning.vermont.gov/sites/aot_policy/files/documents/planning/2014%20-%2009%20Evaluation%20of%20Concrete%20Bridge%20Mix%20Designs%20for%20Control%20of%20Cracking%2C%20Phase%20I.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331770 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544685 AU - Lincoln, Olivia AU - Tremblay, Jason P AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Crosswalk System (PHB) or High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) Evaluation, Initial Report PY - 2014/11 SP - 26p AB - The Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Crosswalk (PHB) is a type of traffic control system, used to aid pedestrians safely crossing the street and to regulate traffic flow. This study examines the success of the first PHB installed in the state of Vermont. Erected in Colchester, VT, the area is noted for its high traffic flow, as it connects the Fanny Allen Hospital to several travel destination points across VT Route 15. By measuring yielding compliance, approach speed and advance speed, this study seeks to monitor the safety and success of the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Crosswalk over a 3-year period. After analyzing the results from the speed study, the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Crosswalk has proven more effective, and therefore safer, than having no system in place. Following installation of the PHB, yielding compliance increased by 18% on average, and an 83% increase was found in the number of vehicles slowing down as they approach within 300 feet of the crosswalk. Another pedestrian study will be performed in the future to determine if the system provides long-term benefits once drivers become used to the system. KW - Crosswalks KW - Evaluation KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic speed KW - Vermont KW - Yielding UR - http://vtransplanning.vermont.gov/sites/aot_policy/files/documents/planning/2014%20-%2010%20Pedestrian%20Hybrid%20Beacon%20Crosswalk%20System%20%28PHB%29%20or%20High-Intensity%20Activated%20Crosswalk%20%28HAWK%29.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331769 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544682 AU - Jin, Peter J AU - Fagnant, Dan AU - Hall, Andrea AU - Walton, C M AU - Hockenyos, Jon AU - Krusee, Mike AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Work Plan for Establishing Test Platforms for New Transportation Systems PY - 2014/11 SP - 19p AB - The Texas Technology Task Force (TTTF) reviewed the status and potential of autonomous vehicles (AV), connected vehicles (CV), electric vehicles (EV), and cloud computing (CC) and crowdsourcing technologies. The main objectives of TTTF is to make Texas the pioneering state in the research, development, and deployment of new transportation technologies, to take advantage of its long-standing role as an early adopter, and help to create a market for these new technologies. A cost-effective solution to achieve such goals is the establishment of test platforms, or testbeds. Testbeds can become major resources for accomplishing beta testing (multi-month, pre-commercial testing, etc.) and demonstrating technologies. They allow developers to perform testing in a safe and controlled environment, helping to ensure functionality and quality of the application across multiple platforms and technologies. Testing for feedback and improvement can take place before products go to market. KW - Cloud computing KW - Crowdsourcing KW - Electric vehicles KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Research and educational facilities KW - Strategic planning KW - Technological innovations KW - Testing KW - Texas UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6803-P4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331169 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544675 AU - Lin, Jane AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Green House Gas Emissions Models PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 10p AB - The objective of the project is to evaluate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions models used by transportation agencies and industry leaders. Factors in the vehicle operating environment that may affect modal emissions, such as, external conditions, vehicle fleet characteristics, vehicle activities, vehicle gasoline specifications, inspection and maintenance programs and anti-tampering programs, etc. are considered. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA’s) newly released Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator 2010 (MOVES2010) is recommended. KW - Evaluation KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Pollutants KW - Vehicles UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0224.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331610 ER - TY - SER AN - 01544669 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Control of Rolling Contact Fatigue On Premium Rails in Revenue Service PY - 2014/11 IS - RR 14-34 SP - 4p AB - Effective rail maintenance strategies are essential for controlling rolling contact fatigue (RCF) and reducing wear of rails under heavy axle load (HAL) operations. In an effort to optimize rail maintenance strategies in revenue service, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) has been investigating top-of-rail (TOR) friction control and preventative grinding practices for control of RCF. Rail performance testing has been conducted in revenue service since the fall of 2005 at the eastern and western mega sites near Bluefield, West Virginia, and Ogallala, Nebraska, respectively. The primary objective of this test is to evaluate the performance of premium rail in the HAL revenue service environment. A secondary objective, established later for the western mega site only, is to evaluate the long-term effects of different rail maintenance strategies on premium rail in the HAL revenue service environment. KW - Axle loads KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Maintenance of way KW - Performance KW - Rail grinding KW - Railroad tracks KW - Rolling contact UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14158 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330892 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544666 AU - Workman, Dave AU - Stuart, Cameron AU - EWI AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Developing a Reliable Signal Wire Attachment Method PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 100p AB - The goal of this project was to develop a better attachment method for rail signal wires to improve the reliability of signaling systems. EWI conducted basic research into the failure mode of current attachment methods and developed and tested a new process that provides improved performance over current techniques. EWI studied currently available stud alloys and developed a solid state inertia friction welding (IFW) process to better control the joining process and reduce the likelihood of forming martensite in the rail head. C464 Naval Brass exhibited high strength without the formation of martensite under manageable process parameters. EWI developed the new welding process and conducted a series of tests to address any barriers to implementation. The testing included comparative tests between current exothermic welding techniques and the new IFW process. These tests included tensile testing, fatigue testing of welded joints, impact testing of weld joints, shear testing, microstructural analysis, and hardness testing in the rail steel immediately adjacent to the joint. In these tests, no martensite was found in the rail using the newly developed IFW process conditions. The mechanical tests showed a joint strength comparable to exothermic processes and fatigue performance that was as good, or better than, existing methods. This suggests the IFW approach should allow placement of the weld on the rail head with low risk of rail steel damage. A conceptual design for a portable IFW machine was completed. KW - Fatigue tests KW - Joints (Engineering) KW - Mechanical tests KW - Railroad signals KW - Welding KW - Wire UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14159 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330891 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544657 AU - Hossain, M Shabbir AU - Kim, Wan Soo AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Estimation of Subgrade Resilient Modulus Using the Unconfined Compression Test PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 39p AB - To facilitate pavement design, the new proposed mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide recommends the resilient modulus to characterize subgrade soil and its use for calculating pavement responses attributable to traffic and environmental loading. Although resilient modulus values could be determined through laboratory testing of actual subgrade soil samples, such testing would require significant resources including a high level of technical capability to conduct the test and interpret results. For smaller or less critical projects, where costly and complex resilient modulus testing is not justified, correlation with the results of other simpler tests could be used. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) uses a simple correlation with the California bearing ratio (CBR) to estimate the resilient modulus in their current pavement design procedure in accordance with the 1993 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design guide. As this correlation with CBR is considered to be poor, a simpler unconfined compression (UC) test was explored for better estimation of the resilient modulus of fine-grained soils. Several models were developed in this study to estimate the resilient modulus of fine-grained soil from the results of UC tests. The simplest model considers only the UC strength to predict the resilient modulus with a fair correlation. The more detailed models with stronger correlations also consider the plasticity index, percentage of materials passing the No. 200 sieve, and modulus of the stress-strain curve from the UC test. These models are recommended for implementation by VDOT. KW - California bearing ratio KW - Compression tests KW - Deformation curve KW - Fine grained soils KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Pavement design KW - Plasticity index KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Virginia Department of Transportation UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/15-r12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331767 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544644 AU - Seedah, Dan AU - Cruz-Ross, Alejandra AU - Sankaran, Bharathwaj AU - La Fountain, Peter AU - Agarwal, Prateek AU - Kim, Haegon AU - Cebelak, Meredith AU - Overmyer, Sarah AU - Prozzi, Jolanda AU - O’Brien, William J AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Integrating Public and Private Data Sources for Freight Transportation Planning PY - 2014/11//Technical Report SP - 160p AB - The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) stipulates that state transportation agencies expand their interest in freight initiatives and modeling to support planning efforts, particularly the evaluation of current and future freight transportation capacity necessary to ensure freight mobility. However, the understanding of freight demand and the evaluation of current and future freight transportation capacity are not only determined by robust models, but are critically contingent on the availability of accurate data. Effective partnerships are clearly needed between the public and private sectors to ensure adequate freight planning and funding of transportation infrastructure at the state and local levels. However, establishing partnerships with firms who are both busy and suspicious of data-sharing, remains a challenge. This study was commissioned by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to explore the feasibility of TxDOT entering into a data-sharing partnership with representatives of the private sector to obtain sample data for use in formulating a strategy for integrating public and private sector data sources. This report summarizes the findings, lessons learned, and recommendations formed from the outreach effort, and provides a prototype freight data architecture that will facilitate the storage, exchange, and integration of freight data through a data-sharing partnerships. KW - Data collection KW - Data sharing KW - Demand KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Freight traffic KW - Mobility KW - Private enterprise KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6697-ctr-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330353 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544628 AU - Buddhavarapu, Prasad AU - Smit, Andre F AU - Prozzi, Jorge A AU - Fan, Wei AU - Gurmu, Zegeye AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - University of Texas, Tyler AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Revised Pay Adjustment Factors for HMA and Concrete Pavements PY - 2014/11//Technical Report SP - 190p AB - The current pay adjustment system for hot mix asphalt (HMA) production, placement, and ride consistently rewards contractors, but does not necessarily result in improved performance of constructed HMA pavements and longer service life. The current system needs to be changed in order to improve the quality of pavements in Texas and provide performance-related incentives. A database framework was developed incorporating Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT’s) SiteManager quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) database and network-level performance data in the Pavement Management Information System (PMIS) database, yielding a large dataset comprising more than 600 pavements across Texas with available QC/QA data and performance records spanning 3 to 10 years. The research team evaluated the influence of variations in the construction QC/QA parameters on pavement performance. Advanced statistical modeling of these relationships using econometric approaches was conducted to establish the significance, sensitivity, and consistency of these parameters in regard to pavement performance. The statistical models provided the tools necessary to evaluate the current pay adjustment system with an eye to developing new performance-related specifications. This report provides recommendations for revising the production and placement pay adjustment factors for HMA pavements and revised pay adjustments for the ride quality of HMA and concrete pavements. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Contractors KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Incentives KW - Pavement performance KW - Payment KW - Performance based specifications KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Recommendations KW - Ride quality KW - Texas Department of Transportation UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6675-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330637 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544614 AU - Edwards, J Riley AU - Lange, David A AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improved Concrete Railway Crosstie Design and Performance PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 28p AB - The approach for the proposed concrete tie research under the NEXTRANS Center funding was to characterize the abrasion demand on the concrete-tie rail seat, as well as the abrasion resistance of different rail seat materials and designs (e.g. concrete strength, porosity, admixtures, surface treatments, etc.) and tie pad materials (e.g. polyurethane, plastic, steel, etc.). The approach and methodology for this project included a thorough literature review, interviews with industry experts, concrete tie performance data collection, modeling, experimental testing, and ultimately the development of laboratory tests to objectively evaluate different rail seat materials based on their resistance to abrasion. The investigators are confident that the abrasion-related knowledge gained in this project will benefit other modes of transportation that utilize concrete as a construction material, as well as the field of materials engineering. KW - Abrasion KW - Abrasion resistance KW - Concrete ties KW - Design KW - Laboratory tests KW - Literature reviews KW - Performance measurement KW - Properties of materials KW - Tie pads UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/070IY03%20Improved%20Concrete%20Railway%20Crosstie%20Design%20and%20Performance.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330771 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544599 AU - Sampson, Laura C AU - Houston, Alexandra V AU - Charbeneau, Randall J AU - Barrett, Michael E AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Water Quality and Hydraulic Performance of Permeable Friction Course on Curbed Sections of Highways PY - 2014/11//Technical Report SP - 103p AB - This paper presents the results of a study on the use of porous overlays on urban highways. Permeable friction course (PFC) is a layer of porous asphalt applied to the top of conventional asphalt highways at a thickness of around 50 mm. The first objective of the study was to determine the impact of porous asphalt on the quality of stormwater runoff on highways with a curb and gutter drainage system. The quality of highway stormwater runoff was monitored before and after the installation of PFC on an eight-lane divided highway in the Austin, Texas, area. Observed concentrations of total suspended solids from PFC were 92% lower than those in runoff from the conventional pavement. Concentration reductions were also observed for nitrate/nitrite and total amounts of phosphorus, copper, lead, and zinc. The data shows that the pollutant reductions on highway sections with curb and gutter are similar to those with a rural cross section. The effect of two different binder compositions was also compared, showing an increase in zinc when recycled rubber is used. The second objective focuses on the drainage capabilities of PFC. While porous overlays can reduce stormwater accumulation on roadways, conveyance capacity at high rainfall intensities is limited. Installing subgrade underdrains within PFC could further improve stormwater conveyance. This research determined the hydraulic profile of runoff as it approached an underdrain with varying flow rates and grades. The results could assist Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in the sizing and configuration of drains based on rainfall intensity and roadway geometry. KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Before and after studies KW - Binder content KW - Curbs KW - Drainage KW - Friction course KW - Gutters KW - Permeability KW - Porous pavements KW - Runoff KW - Urban highways KW - Water quality UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6635-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330351 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544586 AU - Buddhavarapu, Prasad AU - Smit, André de Fortier AU - Prozzi, Jorge A AU - Trevino, Manuel AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of the Benefits of Diamond Grinding of CRCP PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 72p AB - This report outlines the testing and evaluation of a continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) on IH35W near Fort Worth rehabilitated using diamond grinding instead of applying an asphalt overlay to extend the serviceability of the old concrete pavement. Surface macrotexture, skid, roughness and noise testing was done prior to the diamond grinding to establish reference levels for comparison. After grinding, the macrotexture, skid, roughness and noise testing of the surface was repeated after 4, 9, and 15 months to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of this rehabilitation strategy. Statistical analyses of the data collected were done to investigate the change in surface properties with diamond grinding and how the macrotexture, skid, roughness, and noise of the surface changed over time. The influence of pre-existing surface condition as well as traffic load and speed on the deterioration of the diamond-ground surface was also investigated. The study indicates the benefit of diamond grinding as a rehabilitation strategy for enhancing the functionality of aged CRCP but extended monitoring of the diamond-ground sections is recommended to better define the serviceability, service life and benefit/cost ratio of this strategy. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Continuously reinforced concrete pavements KW - Diamond grinding KW - Evaluation KW - Macrotexture KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Roughness KW - Skid resistance KW - Statistical analysis KW - Tire/pavement noise UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/5-9046-01-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330352 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544565 AU - Galea, E R AU - Blackshields, D AU - Finney, K M AU - Cooney, D P AU - University of Greenwich AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Passenger Train Emergency Systems: Development of Prototype railEXODUS Software for U.S. Passenger Rail Car Egress PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 180p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), is sponsoring a research program, which includes investigation of the applicability of time-based egress performance requirements to U.S. passenger rail cars. This report describes the development of a new prototype railEXODUS computer software (Prototype Software) that can be used to evaluate the applicability of time-based egress requirements to U.S. passenger rail cars. The new Prototype Software is based on modifications to existing railEXODUS prototype software, which were implemented to adapt the EXODUS model for use in accurately predicting U.S. passenger rail car egress times. All movement and behavior data for individuals (agents) within the new Prototype Software are derived from analysis of U.S. passenger rail car egress experimental trials conducted in 2005 and 2006. The experimental trials included egress of individuals from commuter rail cars using end- and side-door exits to: (1) a high platform under normal and emergency lighting conditions and (2) low platform and right-of-way locations under normal lighting. (All of the egress trials were conducted under best-case, non-competitive conditions.) This research found that the use of such software is essential for performing thorough analyses of passenger train emergency evacuation scenarios. KW - Emergency exits KW - Evacuation KW - Passenger trains KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Railroad safety KW - Simulation KW - Software UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14201 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331612 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544550 AU - Stanchak, Kathryn AU - daSilva, Marco AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Trespass Event Risk Factors PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 62p AB - The Volpe Center has used three sources of data—the Federal Railroad Administration’s required accident reports, locomotive video, and U.S. Census data—to investigate common risk factors for railroad trespassing incidents, the leading cause of rail-related deaths in the U.S. Risk factors found include (1) a disregard for grade crossing warning signs, (2) trespasser intoxication, (3) use of distracting electronic devices, and (4) right-of-way proximity to stations, bridges, and rail yards. This research report offers several suggestions for improved data availability to support future studies. KW - Data collection KW - Fatalities KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad safety KW - Trespassers UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14160 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54100/54179/DOT-VNTSC-FRA-14-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330890 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544546 AU - Jin, Peter J AU - Fagnant, Dan AU - Hall, Andrea AU - Walton, C M AU - Hockenyos, Jon AU - Krusee, Mike AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Work Plan for Establishing a Public-Private Consortium for Technology Development PY - 2014/11 SP - 19p AB - The Texas Technology Task Force (TTTF) proposes that Texas launch a public-private consortium (PPC) that will bring together technology industry leaders and experts, public professionals and representatives, nonprofit organizations, and research institutions in order to encourage the adoption of emerging technologies that will contribute to a safer, more efficient, seamless, and enjoyable transportation system. This document includes Texas PPC examples, stakeholders, key issues and a work plan. KW - Public private partnerships KW - Stakeholders KW - Technological innovations KW - Texas UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6803-P3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331170 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544525 AU - Tremblay, Jason AU - Sanborn, Devon AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Assessment of ASTM D 6690-12 Type II and Type IV Joint Sealers PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 31p AB - To address the issue of water infiltration and debris retention, bituminous crack sealers and fillers have been developed to help prevent premature pavement distress. If applied appropriately, crack sealers and fillers can significantly extend the life of a pavement. To utilize crack sealers and fillers properly, one must understand that sealers and fillers differ in application and material types. Crack sealers are typically used on cracks that move more than one-eighth inch, with the intention to prevent water and debris from entering the pavement structure. The rigorous installation process involves thorough crack preparation followed by placement of high elongation material in a specific configuration. Crack fillers generally use a stiffer material than crack sealers and are typically used on non-working cracks. The purpose of this study was to examine and evaluate the constructability, overall performance and cost effectiveness of American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) M324-12 Type II versus IV Joint Sealers. Research personnel assessed each product’s durability at each location. Cracks were filled according to the project plans. Efforts were made to provide a comparative analysis with regard to performance and cost of both material types by minimizing application variations in weather conditions, equipment used, and application crewmembers by applying material on the same day and/or conditions. Over a three-year span and six data collection timeframes, the type IV material resulted in an average of a 10% less allowance of water passage through the length of a filled crack. A ten percent better performance of a material over a comparable alternative is considerable and should not be ignored, and results in approximately 2 feet less of compromised length of a full width transverse crack. KW - Costs KW - Durability KW - Infiltration KW - Joint sealers KW - Joint sealing KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Vermont UR - http://vtransplanning.vermont.gov/sites/aot_policy/files/2014%20-%2008%20Assessment%20of%20ASTM%20D%206690-12%20Type%20II%20and%20Type%20IV%20Joint%20Sealers.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331771 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579166 AU - Bender, Donald A AU - Olszko, Evan AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - NDE System for Determining Wood Guardrail Post Integrity PY - 2014/10/31/Final Project Report SP - 59p AB - Wood guardrail posts degrade over time and a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) inspection system is needed to determine the condition of the nearly 2 million posts along our highways to prioritize future investments in maintenance. A robust, cost-effective stress wave technique was developed that addressed deficiencies in current equipment with regard to accuracy, ease of use and worker safety; efficient ways to acquire/store/transmit data; along with heuristics to interpret data and guide decision-making on guardrail maintenance and replacement. The stress wave timing (SWT) technique was judged most promising, and a prototype device was developed with an industrial partner. The system includes wireless communication features and can be operated with a smart phone app. The system was validated with over 200 guardrail posts that were removed from service and tested at the Washington State University (WSU) campus. Field-testing of the device occurred on December 18, 2014 with Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) personnel in a western Washington location. Internal conditions of the posts were accurately detected in 86% of the specimens. The device also successfully detected the internal condition of all posts inspected during a field test. An inspection procedure was recommended for implementation using SWT in conjunction with drilling of posts that are suspected to have decay. Field inspection protocol, training materials and final report were developed and presented to WSDOT staff in Olympia on June 1, 20 15. A final project report was submitted to WSDOT on June 29, 2015. KW - Field tests KW - Guardrails KW - Inspection KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Posts KW - Washington (State) KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-31-WSU-Bender.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370901 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01573559 AU - Liu, Tieming AU - Wang, Ning AU - Yu, Hongbo AU - Basara, Jeffrey AU - Hong, Yang (Eric) AU - Bukkapatnam, Satish AU - Oklahoma State University, Stillwater AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Black Ice Detection and Road Closure Control System for Oklahoma PY - 2014/10/31/Final Report SP - 74p AB - Black ice is a thin coating of glazed ice on roadways or other transportation surfaces. Black ice has identical appearance with black pavement and wet road, and it often forms during calm weather. It is highly transparent and thus difficult to see. Black ice usually forms at night or early morning, first on bridges and overpasses (due to their elevated nature and being exposed on all sides), then on the roads as temperatures continue to drop. In this project, the authors develop a prototype decision support system (DSS) to predict and detect black ice formation and pinpoint dangerous road sections. To reduce accidents caused by black ice, a wireless controlled module control would activate ice-warning and lane-closure signals and lights remotely. The DSS will help Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) make prompt and effective decisions to reduce the number of traffic accidents caused by ice. KW - Black ice KW - Decision support systems KW - Detection and identification KW - Emergency management KW - Lane closure KW - Oklahoma KW - Prototypes KW - Remote control KW - Warning systems KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://l92018.eos-intl.net/elibsql16_L92018_Documents/FHWA-OK-14-08%202249%20Liu.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363439 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548609 AU - Goodchild, Anne AU - Wygonik, Erica AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Changing Retail Business Models and the Impact on CO2 Emissions from Transport: E-commerce Deliveries in Urban and Rural Areas PY - 2014/10/31/Final Project Report SP - 61p AB - While researchers have found relationships between passenger vehicle travel and smart growth development patterns, similar relationships have not been extensively studied between urban form and goods movement trip making patterns. In rural areas, where shopping choice is more limited, goods movement delivery has the potential to be relatively more important than in more urban areas. As such, this work examines the relationships between certain development pattern characteristics including density and distance from warehousing. This work models the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Particle Matter (PM10) generated by personal travel and delivery vehicles in a number of different scenarios, including various warehouse locations. Linear models were estimated via regression modeling for each dependent variable for each goods movement strategy. Parsimonious models maintained nearly all of the explanatory power of more complex models and relied on one or two variables – a measure of road density and a measure of distance to the warehouse. Increasing road density or decreasing the distance to the warehouse reduces the impacts as measured in the dependent variables (vehicle miles traveled (VMT), CO2, NOx, and PM10). The authors find that delivery services offer relatively more CO2 reduction benefit in rural areas when compared to CO2 urban areas, and that in all cases delivery services offer significant VMT reductions. Delivery services in both urban and rural areas, however, increase NOX and PM10 emissions. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Delivery vehicles KW - Development KW - Electronic commerce KW - Freight traffic KW - Land use KW - Linear regression analysis KW - Nitrogen oxides KW - Pollutants KW - Rural areas KW - Urban areas KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Warehouses UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-23-626637-Goodchild-Anne-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334572 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01559952 AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Hassol, Josh AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Sheridan, Amy AU - Sloan, Suzanne AU - Stuart, John AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Dynamic Mobility Applications Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Enabling Advanced Traveler Information Services (EnableATIS) PY - 2014/10/30/Policy analysis white paper SP - 26p AB - This report documents policy considerations for Enabling Advanced Traveler Information Services, or EnableATIS. EnableATIS is the traveler information element of the Dynamic Mobility Applications program, and it provides a framework to develop multi-source, multimodal data into new advanced traveler information applications and strategies. The policy team has documented four policy issues for EnableATIS, none of them high-priority. In conclusion, the policy team finds that additional policy research, outreach, and other steps may be needed, including investigation of public-private partnerships to broaden the reach and improve the effectiveness of ATIS implementation. In summary, the four issues and recommended next steps include: 1) Inequitable distribution of ATIS and other connected vehicle functionality may need to be evaluated for the level of potential impact on underserved populations; 2) Driver distraction—an issue shared by many connected vehicle applications—is among the central concerns of connected vehicle policy research. Analysis is currently under way by USDOT and industry experts; 3) Data integration may result from market forces or from standards development organizations becoming involved in the ATIS application market. The USDOT may choose to provide support if the private sector is motivated to work with public agencies; 4) Similarly, tools for providing ATIS data to transportation management centers may evolve if private-sector stakeholders are motivated to work with USDOT towards greater system-wide efficiency and effectiveness. Based on the results of this analysis, the policy team does not foresee a need for any new policies to be enacted or any major issues that will stand in the way of successful private sector ATIS development. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - ITS program applications KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Plan implementation KW - Policy analysis KW - Policy making KW - Public private partnerships KW - Technology assessment UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54600/54616/FHWA-JPO-14-135_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348679 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01559951 AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Hassol, Josh AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Sheridan, Amy AU - Sloan, Suzanne AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Dynamic Mobility Applications Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Freight Advanced Traveler Information Systems (FRATIS) PY - 2014/10/30/Policy analysis and white paper SP - 28p AB - This report documents policy considerations for the Freight Advanced Traveler Information System, or FRATIS. FRATIS applications provide freight-specific route guidance and optimize drayage operations so that load movements are coordinated between freight facilities to reduce empty-load trips. The analysis identified the following potential policy issues: 1) Data Privacy. There may be inherent trade-offs for users between the desired functionality of FRATIS and the need to protect confidential information, such as location data, company proprietary information (e.g., pricing, customer lists), and financial transaction data. A privacy impact assessment using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-53 Rev 4 is underway to identify the minimal amounts of data necessary for FRATIS functionality, and to assess any data sensitivities. 2) Data Security. Given the multiple existing systems involved in generating FRATIS data (including the vehicle themselves), FRATIS faces the threat of spoofing or hacking that is intended to corrupt, falsify, disrupt, disable, or end-run the system. Examination as to whether existing freight logistics security offers enough protection against these common security threats is underway. 3) Data Quality and Compatibility. As use of FRATIS expands to involve more carriers and larger geographic regions, the system may find it beneficial to integrate both proprietary and public data from varying sources and formats to have a common set of protocols for data exchange. This raises three potential concerns. First, some needed data elements may be unavailable, reducing the overall quality and usefulness of the data. Second, in cases where data are available, they may exist in incompatible formats. Finally, certain limitations may exist on the collection and use of data. 4) Oversize/Overweight (OSOW) Permitting and Routing. The FRATIS ConOps identified OSOW permitting as a possible capability. However, this capability is not being tested as part of the FRATIS demonstrations. Based on stakeholder outreach, there is some industry interest in exploring use of OSOW for route planning in FRATIS. This capability could be demonstrated with states that already have OSOW routing maps that could be incorporated into FRATIS. This would likely be a technical issue moving forward and would not have any policy implications, but would require institutional coordination to enable any demonstration. 5) Assigning Loads to Unsafe Drivers or Carriers. In theory, the container-load matching capabilities of FRATIS could result in loads being assigned to carriers, drivers, or vehicles that have safety violations or poor overall safety records. Existing FMCSA safety regulations are effectively used by enforcement personnel to identify unsafe drivers, vehicles, and carriers. 6) Conflicts with Existing Intermodal Terminal Policies. Initially, there were concerns that the variable gate capacity needed at intermodal terminals to enable FRATIS drayage optimization would conflict with union shift-work rules. This issue has been resolved by the development team by modifying the FRATIS drayage optimization algorithms to ensure that they do not result in schedules that conflict with established terminal work rules. Based on the results of this analysis, the policy team does not foresee a need for any new policies to be enacted or any major issues that will stand in the way of successful market adoption and use by industry. Ultimately, guidance on installation, integration, operations, and maintenance will be produced by the technical teams when completing their technology transfer to the marketplace. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Drayage KW - Freight traffic KW - ITS program applications KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Policy analysis KW - Policy making KW - Route guidance KW - Technology assessment UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54600/54617/FHWA-JPO-14-139_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348690 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554464 AU - Yao, Tao AU - Friesz, Terry AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Computational and Data-Enabled Analysis for Sustainable Transportation Systems PY - 2014/10/30/Final Report SP - 64p AB - Transportation planners and traffic engineers are faced nowadays with immense modeling challenges arising from several emerging policy, planning, and engineering developments. In fact, the recent emergence of mobile sensing and traffic monitoring technology has provided an unprecedented amount of information and data for traffic analysis, demanding the adaptation of mathematical and physical models to a new generation of cyberinfrastructure. Some of the major challenges that traffic models meet include: computational tractability, very large-scale deployment, real-time application decision support, multiple time scales, and fusion of dissimilar data. This research takes a major step in developing analytical, holistic mathematical models and traffic analysis tools capable of addressing data-enabled traffic modeling, estimation, control and optimization problems, leading to a more efficient, reliable, and sustainable transportation system. In the project, the authors constructed: (1) a class of Mathematical Programming with Equilibrium Constraints (MPEC) problems to understand and mitigate congestion externalities and mobile source emissions, and (2) a class of Mixed Binary Integer Programs (MBIPs) for data fusing, real-time traffic estimation and prediction, as well as data-enabled traffic control. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Data fusion KW - Mathematical models KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Pollutants KW - Tolls KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic estimation KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2011-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342486 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544053 AU - University of Central Florida, Orlando AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Semi-annual Program Progress Performance Report for Electric Vehicle Transportation Center PY - 2014/10/30 SP - 20p AB - The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic goal of planning for near-term integration of alternative fuel vehicles as a means to build a sustainable transportation system. The project will evaluate technologies, standards and policies to ensure seamless integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into a complex transportation network and electricity grid. The EVTC will bridge the gap between deployment of electric vehicles and the traditional transportation system. The EVTC’s goals were described in detail in the previous Program Progress Performance Report. These goals have not changed significantly and this report provides updates to each of the following areas: Research and Development, Industry Collaboration, Education and Workforce Development, Technology Transfer and Diversity. Project performance metrics are also identified to drive improvement and characterize progress and effectiveness. KW - Education and training KW - Electric power KW - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center KW - Electric vehicles KW - Performance measurement KW - Research projects KW - Strategic planning KW - Technology transfer KW - University Transportation Centers Program UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/reports/EVTC-PPPR-02_2014-10-30.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329529 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544637 AU - Medhani, Rezene AU - Khan, Wasi AU - Arhin, Stephen AU - Howard University AU - District of Columbia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Mix Designs and Test Procedures for Pervious Concrete PY - 2014/10/27/Final Report SP - 39p AB - Pervious concrete is a mixture of cement, aggregate, and water that provides a level of porosity which allows water to percolate into the sub-grade. It differs from the conventional concrete since it usually contains a smaller amount of fine aggregate. There is typically single size aggregate in pervious concrete which results in larger air void than conventional concrete. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) constructed pavements in selected street alleys using pervious concrete on a pilot basis. DDOT does not currently have its own specifications for pervious concrete. As a result, this research was aimed at developing and testing five design mixes of pervious concrete to identify the appropriate mix which would provide the maximum compressive strength with an acceptable permeability rate and flexural strength. The tests were conducted on the five design mixes using three different types of compaction methods (self-consolidating, half-rodding and Standard Proctor Hammer). Based on the results, a design mix with a compressive strength of 3,500 pounds per square inch (psi) with a maximum coefficient of permeability of 57.82 inches per hour (in/hr) was selected. The maximum modulus of rupture of the selected mix was determined to be 565 psi. The in-situ infiltration tests conducted at 3 locations in the District of Columbia (DC) with the optimal pervious concrete mix yielded average infiltration rates between 86.1 and 208.7 in/hr. This falls within the typical infiltration rate of pervious concrete (i.e., 100 to 200 in/hr, on average). KW - Compressive strength KW - Concrete KW - Flexural strength KW - Infiltration KW - Mix design KW - Permeability KW - Porosity KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://d92016.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_D92016_Documents/2014-02_Pervious%20Concrete%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331669 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01542937 AU - Payne, Amanda AU - Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Hatfield McCoy Regional Recreation Authority TI - CSX Rail Trestle Conversion to ATV Trail PY - 2014/10/24 SP - 6p AB - The Hatfield and McCoy Trail Authority (HMRRA) operates the Rockhouse all terrain vehicle (ATV) trail between Man and Gilbert, West Virginia. Prior to this project, trail riders wishing to cross the Guyandotte River had to ride the streets of Man, WV. The project goal was to promote trail use by providing ATV riders a means of crossing the Guyandotte River that would minimize conflicts with automobiles. HMRRA secured a license agreement from CSX to adapt an ‘inactive’ existing railway bridge in Man, WV for recreational ATV use. The bridge is a plate girder structure that, following conversion, directs ATV traffic away from high-traffic streets. It should be noted that the bridge is rail banked by the CSX Corporation. As such, CSX continues to own the structure and can reclaim it for railroad use at a future date. KW - All terrain vehicles KW - CSX Transportation KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad tracks KW - Trails KW - Trestles KW - West Virginia UR - http://www.mticutc.org/assets/pdf/MTIC_-_CSX_Rail_Trestle_Conversion_-_FINAL_10-24-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329327 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543001 AU - Department of Transportation TI - Better Program Management and Oversight Are Required for USMMA's Efforts to Address Sexual Assault and Harassment PY - 2014/10/23/Audit Report SP - 30p AB - The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT’s) Maritime Administration (MARAD) operates the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), which is responsible for training midshipmen to become professional merchant marine officers. USMMA midshipmen must comply with prescribed disciplinary and honor systems, and the Academy must maintain a culture that does not tolerate sexual assault and harassment. The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act requires the Secretary of Transportation and the USMMA to address sexual assault and harassment at the Academy. By Congressional request the Office of Inspector General conducted a review to evaluate USMMA’s adherence to statutory requirements and implementation of its action plan. Briefly, the results of this review show that the USMMA has made progress in implementing its nine broad goals to reduce sexual assault and harassment—goals that are based on its 2009–2010 survey and included in the Academy’s initial action plan. The review also shows that since the Duncan Hunter Act took effect in October 2008, USMMA has not issued its reports for the first 4 academic program years (APYs) in a timely manner. A lack of clear oversight authority and responsibility undermine USMMA’s efforts to address sexual assault and harassment. To date, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) has not designated authority or assigned responsibility for overseeing USMMA’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) program and for ensuring compliance with legislative requirements. Specifically, it has not delineated the SAPR program elements that are to be managed at the Department level and those that are to be managed by MARAD or USMMA. In addition, MARAD has not established clear lines of reporting or training requirements for key positions related to the Academy’s sexual assault and harassment prevention programs. Ultimately, there is no clear accountability for addressing and correcting program weaknesses. The Office of Inspector General is making recommendations related to USMMA’s achievement of the goals in its original action plan, the timeliness of the Academy’s annual reports, and oversight of the SAPR program. KW - Accountability KW - Auditing KW - Compliance KW - Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act KW - Oversight KW - Prevention KW - Program management KW - Recommendations KW - Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program KW - Sexual harassment KW - U.S. Maritime Administration KW - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/USMMA%20Sexual%20Assualt%20and%20Sexual%20Harassment%20Audit%20Report%5E10-23-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329065 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548659 AU - Langfitt, Quinn AU - Haselbach, Liv AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessment of Lube Oil Management and Self-Cleaning Oil Filter Feasibility in WSF Vessels Phases II and III: Part 1 Report PY - 2014/10/22/Research Report SP - 86p AB - Washington State Ferries (WSF) has proposed an alternative of the propulsion engine lubricating oil (lube oil) filtration systems on some vessels in their fleet. Currently, WSF uses disposable cartridge filters for oil filtration on most vessels. Self-cleaning oil filters could be installed which would eliminate the need for disposable filter cartridge changes and might raise the particle removal efficiency. WSF began with a pilot installation on one of two engines on the M/V Chetzemoka in early 2014 and is interested in utilizing a three pronged perspective in their decision making on whether to install more of these filters in their fleet, considering operational performance, cost savings, and potential environmental benefits. These three perspectives are the focus of this research endeavor, with operational performance considered through lube oil analysis of samples taken from the M/V Chetzemoka, potential cost savings through a life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), and potential environmental impacts through a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. This report covers the first stage of this research effort: a background on lube oil analysis, a rough order of magnitude life cycle cost analysis of lube oil and the filtration alternatives, and an overview of environmental impacts of lube oil and some disposal methods through life cycle assessment methodologies. The preliminary LCCA shows that for a retrofit vessel such as the M/V Chetzemoka, cost savings would likely be achieved by installation of a self-cleaning filtration system, considering a 50 year life cycle. These savings would be even greater for installation on a new vessel. The environmental impact data assembled and modeled herein gives WSF a simple tool for approximating environmental impacts from an LCA perspective separately for acquisition and disposal by distillation. It can be applied directly to the filter problem, or in other capacities when oil use and disposal volume changes are involved. For the acquisition of lube oil, the most significant impact category with respect to US daily normalization per capita is Human Health Non-Cancer. For disposal through distillation to other products, the benefits gained from offsetting these products are always higher than the impacts of the disposal process. Future work is ongoing to gather more information on the oil analyses with the self-cleaning oil filter over extended periods. With this additional information, the work herein will be updated. For the environmental analysis, future work might relate the gallon functional unit to different functional units relevant to WSF operations such as passenger/vehicle capacity, etc. Additional future research could be to expand the analyses to consider other vessels in the fleet. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Environmental impacts KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Ferries KW - Filtration KW - Life cycle costing KW - Lubricating oils KW - Oil filters KW - Vessel operations KW - Washington State Ferries KW - Waste disposal UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-44-739428-Haselbach-Liv-Small-Project.pdf UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-44-WSU-Haselbach.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334573 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01570472 TI - 11th International Conference on Low Volume Roads and Peer Exchange AB - The focus of this pooled fund project will be to encourage States and other agency participation in the Low Volume Roads Conference. The primary activities of this pooled fund project are technology exchange, information sharing, and the facilitation of partnering relationships among state agencies, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and other appropriate associations. Specifically this pooled fund will: (1) Provide communication and information sharing among member states. Discuss research, development and technology transfer needs in the areas of design, construction, maintenance, and safety on low volume roads and provide research ideas to Transportation Research Board (TRB) in connection with the 2015 11th Low Volume Roads (LVR) Conference. (2) 11th International Low Volume Roads Conference: Provide a technology and knowledge exchange forum to enhance the practical knowledge of conference participants concerning low volume road management with a focus on encouraging State Department of Transportation (DOT) participation in the conference. (3) State DOT Meeting on Low Volume Road Issues: Provide a technology and knowledge exchange forum focused on State DOT Low Volume Road Issues during a workshop at the conference. Topics may include agency collaboration, funding, asset management, shared Right of Way (ROW)/utilities, safety programs, emergency response, training and certifications, maintenance of traffic, federal oversight, standards and specifications, contracting methods, environmental issues, energy development, maintenance, material sources and quality, and bonding. KW - Highway design KW - Highway maintenance KW - Highway safety KW - Low volume roads KW - Road construction KW - Technology transfer UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/559 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1362113 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544695 AU - Kim, Sangkey AU - Hajbabaie, Ali AU - Williams, Billy M AU - Rouphail, Nagui M AU - North Carolina State University, Raleigh AU - North Carolina State University, Raleigh AU - North Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Near Real Time Performance Measurements for Closed-Loop Signal Systems (CLS) Using Historical Traffic Data from Existing Loop Detectors and Signal Timing Data PY - 2014/10/17/Final Report SP - 230p AB - The overarching goal of this research project was to investigate the potential for the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Central Office Signal Timing (COST) Section to monitor and assess the quality of field deployed closed-loop signal system plans using the data inherent in the systems. The project is complete and has produced recommendations and deliverables that should enhance the COST Section’s ability to achieve its mission of developing and maintaining quality signal coordination plans across the state of North Carolina. Key findings and conclusions include the identification of a series of monitoring and analysis elements that can be implemented using the OASIS software detector and split monitor logs. In order to analyze dynamic, cycle-by-cycle bandwidth, a tool entitled the Dynamic Bandwidth Analysis Tool (DBAT) was developed and provided as a project deliverable. The DBAT tool was enhanced to provide exhaustive search optimization that identifies offset combinations that maximize dynamic bandwidth for a given set of split monitor log cycle-by-cycle signal indications. DBAT optimization is feasible for systems up to four or five intersections in length. A linear program (LP) formulation was developed and tested that overcomes the system size limitation. The LP formulation can serve as the basis for future development of an implementable dynamic bandwidth optimization tool. KW - Bandwidth (Traffic signals) KW - Feedback control KW - Linear programming KW - North Carolina KW - Optimization KW - Performance measurement KW - Recommendations KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic signal timing UR - http://www.ncdot.gov/doh/preconstruct/tpb/research/download/2012-12finalreport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329808 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544667 AU - Srinivasan, Raghavan AU - Lan, Bo AU - Carter, Daniel AU - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill AU - North Carolina Department of Transportation TI - Safety Evaluation of Signal Installation With and Without Left Turn Lanes on Two Lane Roads in Rural and Suburban Areas PY - 2014/10/17/Final Report SP - 53p AB - Data from 117 intersections on two lane roads in rural and suburban areas in North Carolina were used to determine the safety effect of signalization with and without left turn lanes. This was a before-after study that was conducted using the empirical Bayes method. Before signalization, all the 117 intersections were controlled by stop signs on the minor legs. As part of implementing the empirical Bayes method, safety performance functions were estimated using data from a reference group of minor road stop controlled intersections. Results have been provided for three and four leg intersections separately. Five types of crashes were investigated: total, injury and fatal, rear end, frontal impact (type 1), and frontal impact (type 2). It is clear that the introduction of signals without the addition of left turn lanes resulted in a reduction in total crashes, injury and fatal crashes, and frontal impact crashes (both types), and an increase in rear end crashes. When left turn lanes were added, rear end crashes decreased as well. Injury and fatal crashes and rear end crashes benefited the most from the addition of left turn lanes. Overall, frontal impact crashes did not benefit from the addition of the left turn lanes. These results along with information about the cost of adding left and right turn lanes could be used by North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to determine the locations where these turn lanes would be most cost-effective. KW - Before and after studies KW - Crash rates KW - Installation KW - Intersections KW - Left turn lanes KW - North Carolina KW - Rural areas KW - Suburbs KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic signals KW - Two lane highways UR - http://www.ncdot.gov/doh/preconstruct/tpb/research/download/2013-11finalreport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54200/54241/2013-11finalreport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331605 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587768 AU - Haider, Zulqarnain AU - Nikolaev, Alexander AU - Kang, Jee Eun AU - Kwon, Changhyun AU - State University of New York, Buffalo AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Real-time Dynamic Pricing for Bicycle Sharing Programs PY - 2014/10/15/Final Report SP - 39p AB - This paper presents a new conceptual approach to improve the operational performance of public bike sharing systems using pricing schemes. Its methodological developments are accompanied by experimental analyses with bike demand data from Capital Bikeshare program of Washington, DC. An optimized price vector determines the incentive levels that can persuade system customers to take bicycles from, or park them at, neighboring stations so as to strategically minimize the number of unbalanced stations. This strategy intentionally makes some unbalanced stations even more highly unbalanced, creating hub stations. This reduces the need for trucks and dedicated staff to carry out inventory repositioning. For smaller networks, a bilevel optimization model is introduced to minimize the number of unbalanced stations optimally. The results are compared with two heuristic approaches. One approach involves a genetic algorithm, while the second adjusts route prices by segregating the stations into different categories based on their current inventory profile, projected future demand, and maximum and minimum inventory values calculated to fulfill certain desired service level requirements. It is shown that the latter approach, called the iterative price adjustment scheme (IPAS), reduces the overall operating cost while partially or fully obviating the need for a manual repositioning operation. KW - Bicycle parking KW - Bicycle travel KW - Capital Bikeshare KW - Genetic algorithms KW - Optimization KW - Pricing KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Real-time-Dynamic-Pricing-Bicycle-Sharing.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394940 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579213 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Enhanced Delineation and Friction for Horizontal Curves PY - 2014/10/15 SP - 2p AB - Implementing the recently published curve treatments included in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) should improve curve safety over past practices by providing consistency.  However, additional enhancements can be made with post‐mounted delineation in the curve or an enhanced signing treatment that may include larger chevron signs with enhanced retroreflectivity.  For more challenging curves, dual indicated advanced signs with constant flashing beacons may be effective.  Pavement markings are also an effective communication tool to indicate the alignment change.  Pavement friction is critical for changing vehicle direction and ensuring the vehicle remains in its lane.  Traditional friction courses or high friction surface treatments should be considered for curves with numerous wet weather crashes or severe curves with higher operating speeds. KW - Friction course KW - Highway curves KW - Highway safety KW - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices KW - Traffic control devices UR - http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/fhwa_sa_12_009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370742 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548566 AU - Chitturi, Madhav V AU - Noyce, David A AU - Santiago-Chaparro, Kelvin R AU - Alsghan, Ibrahim AU - University of Wisconsin, Madison AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Elongated Pavement Marking Signs PY - 2014/10/15/Final Report SP - 103p AB - The goal of this study was to evaluate the conspicuity, legibility, and effectiveness of symbolized pavement markings that are elongated (horizontal) versions of the post-mounted signs they complement. Towards this goal, a comprehensive literature and state-of-the-practice review was performed followed by a driving simulator evaluation and field evaluation of elongated pavement markings. Research shows that elongated pavement marking letters and arrows significantly improve recognition distance; however, the effect of elongated pavement marking signs has not been evaluated. Based on a comprehensive literature review and feedback from the Traffic Control Devices Pooled Fund Study members, speed limit (R2-1), curve (W1-2), and pedestrian crossing (W11-2) signs were chosen for the driving simulator evaluation. Results from the driving simulator evaluation indicate that recognition distance increased quadratically as elongation ratio increased. Data suggested an elongation ratio of 5:1 provided maximum visibility distance for drivers. Driving simulator results also showed that operating speeds of drivers in conditions with elongated pavement marking signs complimenting post-mounted signs were similar or lower than operating speeds in locations with only post-mounted signs. The field evaluation was limited to speed limit and curve signs. Field evaluations were conducted in Kansas, Missouri and Wisconsin using the 5:1 elongation ratio for speed and curve warning signs. Operating speed of free flowing vehicles was used as the measure of effectiveness and speed data were collected upstream of-, at-, and downstream of the corresponding post-mounted sign. The speed limit sign was tested at four sites (at least one in each state) and was found to effectively reduce operating speeds at three of the sites. A curve sign was tested at three sites in Kansas and Wisconsin and found operating speed reductions at two of the sites. Research findings demonstrate a measureable effect in operating speed reduction with installing elongated pavement marking regulatory and warning signs to compliment the adjacent post-mounted signs. KW - Driving simulators KW - Field studies KW - Kansas KW - Literature reviews KW - Missouri KW - Operating speed KW - Road markings KW - State of the practice KW - Traffic control devices KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Document/Download/5366 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333207 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548652 AU - Cuddy, Matthew AU - Epstein, Alexander AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Westrom, Ryan AU - Hassol, Joshua AU - Kim, Anita AU - Damm-Luhr, David AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Smart/Connected City and Its Implications for Connected Transportation PY - 2014/10/14/White Paper SP - 52p AB - This white paper outlines the potential for the emerging connected transportation system to interface with smart/connected cities. Its aim is to lay the foundation for defining steps that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Connected Vehicle Program should take to identify and exploit opportunities to help ensure that connected vehicles and connected transportation fulfill their potential to improve safety, mobility, and environmental outcomes in future complexly interdependent and multimodal environments. The paper describes a framework for understanding the dynamics that animate smart/connected cities: intelligent infrastructure, new knowledge-generating processes, and a smart grid to power it all. In the process, it contextualizes and connects emerging and established concepts that describe technology-enabled changes such as “the sharing economy” and “crowdsourcing.” Drawing on that framework, the paper argues that two trends are likely to predominantly shape the opportunities for connected transportation in future cities: 1) the rise of the Internet of Things and the essential role that vehicles play as nodes in that network, and 2) a transition away from achieving mobility through asset (car) ownership and toward accessing mobility as a service. The paper concludes by recommending eight research objectives to structure future USDOT research in this area. KW - Cities KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Mobility KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Recommendations UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54200/54204/smart_connected_city_FINAL_111314.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334681 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544552 AU - Sage, Jeremy AU - Casavant, Ken AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Performance Measurement Approach to Benefit/Cost Freight Project Prioritization PY - 2014/10/14/Final Project Report SP - 141p AB - Future reauthorizations of the federal transportation bill will require a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of the freight benefits of proposed freight system projects. To prioritize public investments in freight systems and to insure consideration of the contribution of freight to the overall system performance, states and regions need an improved method to analyze freight benefits associated with proposed highway and truck intermodal improvements that would lead to enhanced trade and sustainable economic growth, improved safety and environmental quality, and goods delivery in Washington State. This project develops a process to address this need by building on previous and ongoing research by some project team members with the goal of developing an agency-friendly, data-supported framework to prioritize public investments for freight systems in Washington and Oregon. The project integrates two ongoing Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) funded efforts: one to create methods to calculate the value of truck and truck-intermodal infrastructure projects and the other to collect truck probe data from commercial global positioning system (GPS) devices to create a statewide Freight Performance Measures (FPM) program. This integration informs the development of a framework that allows public agencies to quantify freight investment benefits in specific areas such as major freight corridors and across borders. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Construction projects KW - Freight transportation KW - Global Positioning System KW - Infrastructure KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Oregon KW - Performance measurement KW - Washington (State) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-4-739428-Casavant-Kenneth-Multi-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329342 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544515 AU - Trejo, David AU - Barbosa, André R AU - Link, Tim AU - Eberhard, Marc O AU - Roeder, Charles W AU - Lehman, Dawn E AU - Stephens, Max AU - Tran, Hung V AU - Stanton, John F AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - New Strategies for Maintaining Post-Seismic Operations of Lifeline Corridors PY - 2014/10/14/Project Report SP - 177p AB - This project furthered the development of three strategies that could positively impact maintaining post-seismic operations of lifeline corridors. In Year 1, most of the focus was on the development of the three individual strategies. In Year 2, a follow-up project will include more formal assessments of the situation in which each strategy might be preferred. The first part of the investigation, performed at Oregon State University, assessed the use of high strength reinforcement (HSS) for use in reinforced concrete (RC) columns.HSS is not currently allowed in RC due to lack of information on the material characteristics and lack of performance information when used in columns. But potential benefits in construction, performance, and economics justify the need for research, especially for critical corridors. Results indicate that a column constructed with Grade 80 HSS reinforcement performs similar to column constructed with conventional Grade 60 reinforcement. The second part of the investigation, performed at the University of Washington, focused on a new type of connection between a precast concrete column and a cast-in-place drilled shaft. The column is precast with a roughened outer surface at the bottom of the column which will be embedded in the cast-in-place shaft. The connection can be built rapidly and allows generous construction tolerances. Building on two previous tests, a third quasi-static scaled connection test between a precast bridge column and a drilled shaft was performed to investigate the seismic performance of the new connection. The geometry of the test specimen was based on the minimum practical difference between the diameters of the shaft and the column, and so represented the most critical cases. The performance of the system was investigated up to a drift ratio of 10%. The experimental results showed that, if adequate confining steel is included in the splice zone, the plastic hinging mechanism forms in the column, without incurring damage in the splice zone or shaft. If the confinement is insufficient, the strength of the splice zone deteriorates rapidly with cyclic loading. Recommendations for transverse reinforcement in the transition area are provided to ensure desirable performance. The third part of the investigation, also performed at the University of Washington, focused on the performance of concrete filled steel tubes (CFST), with specific focus on connections to precast concrete piers and pile caps. CFSTs have the potential to improve performance in seismic events and decrease overall costs. CFSTs may be used for bridge piers, shafts, caissons, and columns, but their use is limited because American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design specifications for CFSTs are dated and few validated, constructible connections exist. Part 3 of this report (Part 3) compares current CFST design provisions to experimental results, noting limitations and deficiencies. Improved provisions proposed for the AASHTO specifications and partly based on the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) provisions are summarized. CFST connections are also addressed. A foundation connection capable of developing the full composite capacity of a CFST was evaluated experimentally and initial study of CFST column-to-cap beam connections was conducted using numerical simulation. Both are effective in developing and transferring the full capacity of the CFST and are summarized. KW - Columns KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - High strength steel KW - Piers (Supports) KW - Pile caps KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Structural connection KW - Tubing UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-1-739437-Trejo-David-Multi-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329341 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544649 AU - Department of Transportation TI - FHWA’s Federal Lands Highway Program Lacks Adequate Processes for Thoroughly Evaluating Contract Bid Prices PY - 2014/10/09 SP - 20p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is responsible for all Federal highway programs. Its Office of Federal Lands Highway (FLH) provides resources and technical assistance for public roads on Federal and tribal lands. FLH relies mainly on sealed bid contracting to award contracts for its road projects. Between October 2012 and September 2013, FLH awarded $305 million in fixed-price contracts—53 percent of FHWA’s total fixed-price contracts. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this audit between April 2013 and August 2014 in accordance with generally accepted Government auditing standards. To conduct this work, OIG assessed FLH’s compliance with Federal regulations to ensure price reasonableness in awarding fixed price contracts under sealed bidding, including its procedures and practices for evaluating bids. Specifically, OIG reviewed Federal requirements, FHWA’s policies and procedures, and best practices. From a universe of 37 contract files, OIG analyzed 13 randomly selected contract files and interviewed FHWA and FLH personnel. OIG conducted work in Washington, DC, and FLH’s Division Offices. OIG found that FHWA lacks adequate procedures and practices to ensure that contracting personnel thoroughly evaluate bid prices for FLH’s contracts. KW - Best practices KW - Bids KW - Contract administration KW - Evaluation KW - Federal Lands Highway Program KW - Policy KW - Regulations KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/FHWA%20contract%20bid%20prices%20re%20Fed%20lands%20hwys%20508.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329740 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543080 AU - Department of Transportation TI - Oversight Weaknesses Limit DOT's Ability to Ensure Passenger Protections During Long, On-Board Flight Delays PY - 2014/10/09/Audit Report SP - 26p AB - Airline passengers experienced over 2 million flight delays per year in 2012 and 2013. In the same time period, the number of domestic on-board delays reported by air carriers exceeding 3 hours more than doubled, from 41 to 84. While lengthy on-board delays are rare events, they cause passengers undue discomfort and inconvenience, particularly when the delay occurs on the tarmac with passengers on board the aircraft. Both Congress and the Department of Transportation (DOT) have taken steps to ensure that airlines are providing passengers the best service possible during these lengthy tarmac delays. Since 2000, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) has issued numerous recommendations to DOT to reduce the impact of flight delays and cancellations on air travelers. In response, DOT issued regulations in 2009 and 2011 to increase the accountability, enforcement, and protection afforded to air travelers by requiring airlines to establish contingency plans with assurances that provide for passenger comfort during long, on-board flight delays (LOBFDs). In addition, in 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Modernization and Reform Act (act) required airport operators to have contingency plans that contain a description of how they will provide an area that can be secured by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Customs), and equipment to aid in passenger deplanement. As part of the act, Congress directed OIG to update its 2000 report as well as examine the impact of flight delays and cancellations on air travelers. Accordingly, the audit objective was to assess DOT’s oversight of airports’ and airlines’ compliance with contingency plans and other LOBFD requirements. Specifically, OIG assessed DOT’s efforts to (1) review and approve airports’ and airlines’ contingency plans and (2) investigate potential violations and ensure implementation of LOBFD requirements. Briefly, OIG found that DOT has effectively reviewed and approved contingency plans submitted by U.S. airports and U.S. airlines. However, DOT’s efforts to investigate potential violations and ensure implementation of LOBFD requirements are limited by weaknesses in its investigation process and tarmac delay regulations. Specifically, DOT sometimes relies on responses from the airline to describe what occurred during a tarmac delay and whether the carrier met LOBFD regulations without collecting supporting evidence during its investigations. As a result, DOT may not have sufficient evidence for determining whether a violation occurred. In addition, weaknesses in DOT’s tarmac delay regulations make some LOBFD assurances difficult to implement and enforce. This report makes recommendations to improve DOT’s oversight of LOBFD requirements. KW - Airlines KW - Airports KW - Compliance KW - Flight delays KW - On-board flight delays KW - Oversight KW - Passenger comfort KW - Passenger security KW - Quality of service KW - U.S. Department of Transportation UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/Long%20Onboard%20Flight%20Delays.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329092 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541450 AU - Donnell, Eric AU - Gayah, Vikash AU - Jovanis, Paul AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Performance Functions PY - 2014/10/08/Final Report SP - 82p AB - This project developed safety performance functions for roadway segments and intersections for two-lane rural highways in Pennsylvania. The statistical modeling methodology was consistent with that used in the first edition of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Highway Safety Manual. Two realistic case study examples are provided to illustrate how to use the safety performance functions developed in this project. KW - Case studies KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Intersections KW - Pennsylvania KW - Rural highways KW - Safety Performance Functions KW - Two lane highways UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2013-09.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325334 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551418 AU - Long, Suzanna AU - Qin, Ruwen AU - Betak, John AU - Ojha, Akhilesh AU - Myers, John AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Quantifying Economic Benefits for Rail Infrastructure Projects PY - 2014/10/05/Final Report SP - 103p AB - This project identifies metrics for measuring the benefit of rail infrastructure projects for key stakeholders. It is important that stakeholders with an interest in community economic development play an active role in the development of the rail network. Economic development activities in both rural and urban settings are essential if a nation is to realize growth and prosperity. Many communities have developed goals and visions to establish an economic development program, but they often fail to achieve their goals due to uncertainties during the project selection and planning process. Communities often select a project from a vast pool of ideas with only limited capital available for investment. Selecting the right project at the right time becomes imperative for economic and community development. This process is significantly hampered by limited methods for quantifying the economic benefit to key stakeholders. Four methodologies are used in this project to determine the most useful tools for quantifying benefit given the availability of data, relevant expertise, and other information. KW - Construction projects KW - Decision making KW - Economic benefits KW - Infrastructure KW - Methodology KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Missouri KW - Railroads KW - Socioeconomic development KW - Stakeholders KW - Strategic planning UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/rdt/reports/TR201410/cmr15-004.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339677 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01558270 AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Puckett, Sean AU - Petrella, Margaret AU - Minnice, Paul AU - Ray, Rosalie AU - Lappin, Jane AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effects of Full-Facility Variable Tolling on Traveler Behavior: Evidence from a Panel Study of the SR-520 Corridor in Seattle PY - 2014/10/03/Final Report SP - 115p AB - This paper uses a two-stage panel survey approach, with roughly 2,000 respondent households, to analyze the impacts of a federally sponsored variable tolling program on SR-520 in the Seattle region. The focus is on corridor users’ daily travel choices and opinions. Key survey findings include a marked decrease in respondents’ travel in the corridor after tolling, particularly on SR-520, and significant diversion to nearby toll-free I-90. There were also increases in transit mode share in the corridor, while carpooling and telecommuting levels were relatively stable. In the post-tolling survey, respondents registered an overall increase in satisfaction with their commutes and less stress associated with driving. Reported satisfaction with the speed and reliability of individual trips on SR-520 also increased substantially, and personal attitudes shifted slightly in favor of tolling. KW - Attitudes KW - Commuting KW - Modal split KW - Panel studies KW - Route choice KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Travel behavior KW - Variable tolls KW - Washington State Route 520 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54000/54063/UPA_Panel_Survey_Seattle_Final_Report_Volpe.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347054 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577142 TI - Identification of Effective Next Generation Pavement Performance Measures and Asset Management Methodologies to Support MAP-21 Performance Management Requirements AB - The study involves: (1) The identification or conceptual development of a more strategic pavement performance measure that can be used to effectively and timely assess that investments are made to “…maintain the highway infrastructure asset system in a state of good repair” as it relates to pavement assets. USDOT TIGER II Guidance issued in 2010 by the Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary, under Docket No. DOT–OST–2010–0076 defined the State of Good Repair (SGR) as “improving the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, with particular emphasis on projects that minimize life‐cycle costs.” (2) The identification or conceptual development methodologies to guide full implementation of comprehensive asset management, including trade-off analysis from a common ground among disparate assets that are traditionally individually assessed and managed. Section 1106 of MAP-21 defines asset management “a strategic and systematic process of operating, maintaining, and improving physical assets, with a focus on both engineering and economic analysis based upon quality information, to identify a structured sequence of maintenance, preservation, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement actions that will achieve and sustain a desired state of good repair over the lifecycle of the assets at minimum practicable cost.’’ The scope of this effort is limited to identification or conceptual development only. Development, validation, and pilot implementation of promising concept(s), if any, will be pursued in a follow on effort. It is also anticipated that there may be multiple approaches that may merit consideration and that some may draw from approaches in use outside transportation and from international experience. KW - Asset management KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Life cycle costing KW - Maintenance management KW - Methodology KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Pavement performance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370389 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573304 TI - Partnership for the Transformation of Traffic Safety Culture AB - This program is a cooperative effort of participating state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other (traditional and non-traditional) organizations with a vested interest in traffic safety. This long-term partnership will support an evolving and integrated project portfolio developed and revised each year by the partners, and complimentary to other related research activities, such as National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 17-69: A Strategic Approach to transforming Traffic Safety Culture to Reduce Deaths and Injuries. Together, these projects will accelerate the development and delivery of tools and services to transform the national, state, and community level traffic safety culture. The goal of this transformation is to support the Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) vision with sustainable traffic safety solutions. Funded projects include: (1) Driving After Cannabis Use; (2) Exploring Traffic Safety Citizenship; and (3) Traffic Safety Cultures and the Safe Systems Approach. KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - Partnerships KW - State departments of transportation KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Toward Zero Deaths KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/research/projects/trafficsafety.shtml UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/558 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366528 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01552155 AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Vermont Agency of Transportation Transportation Asset Management Implementation Plan PY - 2014/10/01/Final Report SP - 46p AB - This implementation plan was developed in four steps. The first step was performance of a strategic self-assessment. As part of this process, eighty-four Agency staff participated in an online Gap Analysis survey (AMEC, 2014) based on the American Society of Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Transportation Asset Management Guide, Volume 1 (AASHTO, 2002). The second step included in-depth face-to-face interviews with internal stakeholders to drill down into the results of the online survey and inform the Gap Analysis process (AMEC, 2014). The third step was an asset management workshop with Major Staff and Executive Staff that served as a forum to formulate and discuss Vermont Agency of Transportation's (VTrans') asset management vision and goals resulting in development of specific prioritized initiatives for transportation asset management (TAM) implementation (AMEC, 2014). Finally, the draft implementation plan was developed, reviewed, and presented to Executive Staff. The input received during this step was incorporated into this final TAM Implementation Plan. The report is organized into 5 sections including: Section 2 introduces the topic of TAM. This material is adopted from the AASHTO TAM Guide that was developed through National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 20-24(11), Asset Management Guidance for Transportation Agencies. (AASHTO, 2002); Section 3 summarizes current asset management practice at VTrans using the state-of-the-practice asset management framework in the AASHTO TAM Guide as a benchmark; Section 4 establishes a mission and goals for integrating TAM in the Agency business model; and Section 5 recommends an asset management work plan with practical implementation steps that support the vision and goals. KW - Asset management KW - Implementation KW - Vermont Agency of Transportation UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset/gap/vtgap.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341307 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543181 AU - Mannheim, Daniel AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Alternatives Analysis for LCM Replacement PY - 2014/10/01/Final Report SP - 36p AB - This report documents a study which analyzed various transportation options for Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (APIS) to pump toilet systems and perform construction support activities. The report presents the background of the study; describes the required missions for the transportation options; analyzes the costs and labor hours of the various transportation options; and presents the study's findings and conclusions. The estimated costs for each operating model were analyzed based on the initial cost, total costs, and labor hours for the 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 year periods. The costs were also separated to describe the operating cost to the park as well as the total ownership costs to the National Park Service. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (Wisconsin) KW - Costs KW - Lake Superior KW - Landing craft UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52854/DOT-VNTSC-NPS-14-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329313 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612322 AU - Considine, James AU - Van Houten, Ron AU - Gustafson, Tim AU - Smith, David AU - Carlson, Suzanne AU - T.Y. Lin International AU - Chicago Department of Transportation AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Advancing Pedestrian Safety Using Education and Enforcement in Pedestrian Focus Cities and States: Chicago PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 316p AB - The City of Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) has extensive programs to improve walking as a transportation mode. These programs involve encouraging pedestrian activity through engineering, enforcement, education, and encouragement. This document summarizes CDOT efforts, funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to improve pedestrian enforcement and education. The goal of the project was to reduce pedestrian crashes. Project specific objectives were to increase public attention towards pedestrian safety, further develop the Chicago Police Department (CPD) ongoing pedestrian safety enforcement program, and increase pedestrian safety awareness within the CPD. KW - Before and after studies KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Crosswalks KW - Drivers KW - Education and training KW - Law enforcement personnel KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Public information programs KW - Safety programs KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Yielding UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/12521-CDOTPedReport-812082.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423977 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599885 AU - Ashtiani, Reza S AU - de Haro, Gabriel AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Determination of Precast Concrete Slabs Used for the Repair of Rigid Pavements PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 72p AB - The safety of civilians is of paramount importance during the construction and repair of concrete pavements. A complete understanding of the pavement distresses that compromise the structural stability and performance of rigid pavements are required for a proper selection of the repair method. Additionally, the time required to complete the repair process should be minimized to reduce the delay imposed on the users of the transportation facilities. The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in association with the Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency (AFCESA) developed a state of practice protocol for the repair of damaged runways using precast concrete slabs. The current study tends to extrapolate the previous research on this topic to civilian highway pavements. In the AFRL study, three installation techniques, widely used by the transportation industry, were incorporated in the experiment design. The original study did not consider the influence of temperature fluctuations, humidity and the stresses induced by environmental conditions for the performance evaluation of the precast slabs. This study tends to capture the influence of the climatic conditions on the orthogonal load bearing capacity of repaired sections. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Humidity KW - Load tests KW - Pavement performance KW - Precast concrete KW - Repairing KW - Rigid pavements KW - Slabs KW - Temperature UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-017-final_0.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55308/CAIT-UTC-017-final_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407816 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598791 AU - Stockton, William AU - Newcomb, David AU - Fernando, Emmanuel AU - Epps, Jon AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - An Economic Analysis of Four Options for Dealing with Low-Volume Roads in Energy-Impacted Areas of Texas PY - 2014/10//Technical Report SP - 36p AB - The Texas A&M Transportation Institute undertook an economic analysis to compare the costs of maintaining a typical Texas low-volume road in an energy-impacted area in its current state versus widening and maintaining the road; converting it to an improved, emulsified asphalt surface (IEAS); or rehabilitating the low-volume road for short-term oil/gas field traffic. For each option, three different cost scenarios were considered. For each cost scenario, the analysis shows that converting the road to an IEAS is the lowest-cost alternative among the four options considered. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Costs KW - Economic analysis KW - Emulsified asphalt KW - Highway maintenance KW - Low volume roads KW - Pavement widening KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6806-TTI-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404688 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596779 AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Stantec AU - Salisbury University AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Maryland State Highway Administration Climate Change Adaptation Plan with Detailed Vulnerability Assessment PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 308p AB - This report presents the results of a Climate Resilience Pilot Project conducted by the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) and sponsored in part by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The primary objectives of the Pilot Study are to assess the vulnerability of SHA’s transportation assets (roads and bridges) to climate variables or stressors, to develop engineering approaches to address current and future climate induced risks and to make recommendations for policy or process changes to improve the resiliency of Maryland’s highway system. This Pilot Study serves as a model from which SHA will be able to establish the framework and process for asset vulnerability assessment, prioritization, and adaptation in response to climate change. Another objective of the Pilot Study is interagency knowledge transfer and mutual capacity building. As such, the Pilot Study will share information on methods used and lessons learned with other state Departments of Transportations and government agencies for the purpose of expanding the transportation sector’s ability to respond to ongoing climate change impacts across jurisdictions. A framework was developed for the vulnerability assessment. Asset and climate information was compiled from a variety of reputable sources. Predictive models were developed using recent Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) information from the State of Maryland and Hazus modeling. Three primary assets were evaluated: bridges (including small structures), roadways, and small culverts/drainage conveyances. Each of the climate variables were reviewed and evaluated for their potential impacts on Maryland’s transportation assets and it was determined that sea level change, storm surge from extreme weather events, and increased intensity in precipitation would have the greatest impact on the transportation assets under study. KW - Asset management KW - Bridges KW - Climate change KW - Culverts KW - Highways KW - Laser radar KW - Maryland State Highway Administration KW - Rainfall KW - Recommendations KW - Risk assessment KW - Sea level KW - Storm surges KW - Weather and climate UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/adaptation/resilience_pilots/2013-2015_pilots/maryland/mdpilot.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403118 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592631 TI - Slosh Characteristics of Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) AB - The objective of this project is to determine the slosh characteristics of intermediate bulk carriers (IBCs) with a combined capacity of up to 1,000 gallons through engineering modeling and road testing. An IBC can hold 119–884 gallons of liquid. The results from the engineering modeling and road testing will be used to determine if the slosh characteristics of IBCs aggregated to 1,000 gallons are similar to a single or compartmented cargo tank of the same capacity. In the final rule on commercial driver’s license (CDL) testing and commercial learner’s permit standards published on May 9, 2011, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revised the definition of “tank vehicle” to include any commercial vehicle transporting tanks (to include IBCs) of liquids or gases with an aggregate of 1,000 gallons or more. The revision of the definition of “tank vehicle” implies that a person driving a commercial vehicle carrying an aggregate of 1,000 gallons or more of liquids or gases in IBCs must hold a CDL with a tank vehicle (N) endorsement. Previously, drivers of such vehicles were not subject to this requirement. Engineering modeling and road testing have been undertaken to ascertain whether the slosh characteristics of IBCs aggregated to 1,000 gallons or more are similar to a single or compartmented cargo tank of the same capacity. The results of this testing will be considered in determining whether there is a need to revise the existing rule on tank vehicle endorsements. A final report that concludes whether the slosh characteristics of IBCs aggregated to 1,000 gallons or more are similar to the slosh characteristics of a single cargo tank of the same capacity. KW - Bulk cargo KW - Bulk carriers KW - Commercial drivers KW - Containers KW - Licenses KW - Safety KW - Safety engineering KW - Sloshing KW - Tanks (Containers) UR - www.fmcsa.dot.gov UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400233 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587623 AU - ICF International AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Department of Transportation TI - The Gulf Study, Phase 2: Assessing Transportation System Vulnerability to Climate Change: Synthesis of Lessons Learned and Methods Applied PY - 2014/10//Final Report, Task 6 SP - 46p AB - The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) conducted a comprehensive, multi‐phase study of the Central Gulf Coast region to better understand climate change impacts on transportation infrastructure and identify potential adaptation strategies. This region is home to a complex multimodal network of transportation infrastructure, and it plays a critical economic role in the import and export of oil and gas, agricultural products, and other goods. Phase 1 of this Gulf Coast Study (completed in 2008) examined the impacts of climate change on transportation infrastructure at a regional scale. Phase 2 (completed in 2014) focused on a smaller region, enhancing regional decision makers’ ability to understand potential impacts on specific components of infrastructure and to evaluate adaptation options. An important goal of Phase 2 was to develop methodologies that could be used by other transportation agencies to evaluate vulnerability and adaption measures. With that goal in mind, the project team developed transferrable methodologies and pilot tested them on the transportation system in Mobile, Alabama. This study evaluated the impacts on six transportation modes (highways, ports, airports, rail, transit, and pipelines) from projected changes in temperature and precipitation, sea level rise, and the storm surges and winds associated with more intense storms. The project resulted in findings on Mobile’s transportation vulnerability, as well as approaches for using climate data in transportation vulnerability assessments, methods for evaluating vulnerability and adaptation options, and tools and resources that will assist other agencies in conducting similar work. KW - Climate change KW - Gulf Coast KW - Infrastructure KW - Methodology KW - Mobile (Alabama) KW - Pilot studies KW - Risk assessment KW - Storms KW - Transportation modes UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/adaptation/ongoing_and_current_research/gulf_coast_study/phase2_task6/fhwahep15007.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395307 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582441 AU - VanFrank, Kevin AU - VanMilligen, Michael AU - Biel, Tim AU - CME Transportation Group AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Cold In-Place Recycle Phase III: Mix Design PY - 2014/10//Final Report AB - This project’s purpose is to revise the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) accepted design methods for Cold In-Place Recycling so that they better reflect field behavior and target the desirable attributes of the material. The previous design process failed to adequately predict behavior related to temperature as well as did a poor job of characterizing return to traffic performance. This project calls upon both laboratory observation and field experience to obtain optimization between rutting, stripping and intermediate temperature cracking. It also ties down the constructability and return to traffic parameters required by maintenance of traffic constraints. The new design process continues the use of Marshall Stability and Tensile Strength Ratio to set rutting and stripping resistance. It further uses Semi-circular bending to set an intermediate temperature cracking parameter. New compaction/temperature and compaction/gradation relationships are developed to help determine final density and emulsion targets. A new test for emulsion set time is developed to prequalify emulsion construction performance. Modified BBR and Elastic Recovery testing is used to establish cold temperature properties of recovered binder. KW - Asphalt emulsions KW - Cold in-place recycling KW - Compaction KW - Marshall test KW - Mix design KW - Rutting KW - Stripping (Pavements) KW - Tensile strength KW - Thermal degradation KW - Utah UR - http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=25598123266212453 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56728/UT-14.08_Cold_In_Place_Recycle_Phase_III.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376024 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582194 AU - Mizuta, Arianne AU - Roberts, Kim AU - Jacobsen, Les AU - Thompson, Nick AU - Parsons Brinckerhoff AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Ramp Metering: A Proven, Cost-Effective Operational Strategy—A Primer PY - 2014/10 SP - 32p AB - This primer poses ramp metering as a potential tool to address commonly occurring congestion and safety issues. Despite initial opposition and skepticism from various stakeholders, ramp metering has been deployed, sustained, and even expanded in many regions. This primer incorporates recent research on challenges agencies experience during their attempts to deploy or expand ramp metering in their regions. While geometric limitations of existing ramps are a common challenge, agency support and project costs also pose difficulties for several agencies. Recent case studies provide insights into how these common challenges could be addressed as well as lessons learned. This primer emphasizes organizational capability, public outreach, and geometric limitations as key considerations when deploying or expanding ramp metering. KW - Case studies KW - Costs KW - Geometric design KW - Outreach KW - Ramp metering KW - Transportation departments UR - http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop14020/fhwahop14020.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375677 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580466 AU - Raghunathan, Deepak AU - Sadasivam, Suri AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Wyoming Demonstration Project: Wyoming Hwy 196 – Buffalo South/WMA Overlay Project PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 51p AB - The Buffalo project was both the Wyoming Department of Transportation's (WYDOT's) and the contractor’s first experience with additive based warm mix asphalt (WMA). Prior to this project, WYDOT had undertaken a WMA project (foaming based) near College Drive, Cheyenne, WY. On this project, WMA and hot mix asphalt (HMA) overlay of 4.79 miles of a secondary two-lane highway was carried out. The project, located south of Buffalo, Wyoming, involved pavement rehabilitation on Wyoming Highway 196 in Johnson County from milepost 294.63 to milepost 299.42. The last rehabilitation of this section of roadway, excluding the maintenance patching, was carried out in the late 1950s. This project received 80 percent Federal funding and 20 percent State funding. WYDOT undertook this project anticipating that the properties of WMA will allow for easier and better compaction, lower permeability, and reduced segregation, resulting in better long-term pavement performance.The innovative technologies deployed on this project were 1) WMA (additive and foaming methods), and 2) 6:1 taper. A suite of laboratory testing was conducted by WYDOT to evaluate the concerns related to WMA’s potential for increased rutting and moisture damage. The Hamburg Wheel Tracking (HWT) test results indicated that the WMA mixtures have the potential to exhibit higher initial rutting (i.e. consolidation during initial stages after construction); however, their rate of rutting accumulation stabilizes over time and is comparable to that of HMA at later years. The Highways for LIFE (HfL) performance goals on quality and safety aspects of this project were met. The user satisfaction survey conducted by the WYDOT indicated that a high percentage of the local residents and traveling public were satisfied with the project. The contractor received a net bonus of $32,621.98 for mat density, aggregate gradation, asphalt content, and smoothness. Cost comparison between WMA and HMA, based on the winning bid, indicated that the unit prices (i.e. $/ton) that the actual tonnage cost of WMA was 9.4 percent higher than HMA. Since the placement of HMA and WMA would have required the same construction time, there would be no differential user costs between the traditional and as-built scenarios. Hence, the computation of user costs was deemed not necessary. WYDOT had no cost associated with the Warm Mix aspect of the project except what is reflected in the bid prices. Also, the contractor received no incentive except for those related to Quality Assurance. KW - Buffalo (Wyoming) KW - Costs KW - Demonstration projects KW - Highways for LIFE KW - Laboratory tests KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Technological innovations KW - Two lane highways KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdf_2/Wyoming%20HfL%20Hwy%20196%20WMA%20and%20Safety%20Edge_10092014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373012 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580235 AU - Rao, Shreenath AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Accelerated Bridge Construction over Burnt River on Old US30 using Prefabricated Elements and Ultra High Performance Concrete PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 61p AB - As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE (HfL) program, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) was awarded a $300,000 grant to develop plans and specifications, and then construct Bridge 21252 over the Burnt River on Old US30 near Huntington, OR. The key innovation included the use of accelerated bridge construction (ABC) techniques by precasting the deck panels off-site in the controlled environment of a fabrication facility, transporting the panels to the project site, and installing the panels onto prefabricated concrete girders. The innovation also included the use of Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) for the shear pockets and the deck joints which allowed for elimination of post-tensioning of the deck panels. This report documents the entire work effort, including the innovative ABC techniques employed by ODOT, with specific focus on the connection details including haunches, blockouts, and joints. Removal and replacement of the Burnt River bridge was a great success, and ODOT was able to meet the HfL program requirement related to the project goals of safety, construction congestion, quality, and user satisfaction. ODOT and the construction contractor learned some valuable lessons in the process. Since this was the first project of its kind undertaken in Oregon, ODOT’s goal was to use it as a learning and evaluation tool and chose a project site with low traffic volume and minimal anticipated impact to traffic. The overall costs for the construction of this bridge were higher than if the bridge had been constructed using traditional cast-in-place (CIP) techniques; however, if the bridge had been constructed in a location with shorter haul distances for the precast panels, higher traffic impacts, near urban areas with morning and evening peaks, and longer detours, it could potentially result in cost savings to ODOT and the traveling public. KW - Bridge construction KW - Costs KW - High performance concrete KW - Oregon KW - Panels KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Structural connection KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdf_2/OR_OldUS30_Burnt_River_Bridge_10082014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372994 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579219 AU - Limrick, Kevin AU - Lambert, Ann AU - Chapman, Eric AU - California Department of Motor Vehicles AU - California Office of Traffic Safety AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Cellular Phone Distracted Driving: A Review of the Literature and Summary of Crash and Driver Characteristics in California PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 60p AB - The present study reviews the literature on cell phone-distracted driving including the effectiveness of legislative efforts to reduce the behavior. It also reports results of descriptive analyses characterizing crashes and drivers involved in police-reported, cell phone-distracted crashes in California. Cell phone use in the U.S. is widespread and increasing. People tend to support legislative efforts to limit the use of cell phones while driving despite the fact that many continue to engage in the behavior. Empirical and observational research consistently shows a negative impact of cell phone use on driving performance and crash risk. The present study extracted data from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System database pertaining to crashes that occurred between 2003 and 2011 in California. These data were examined at two levels: crash and driver. Crash analyses revealed that most crashes did not involve inattention. When they did, non-cell phone inattention was more common than cell phone inattention and hand-held phone use was more commonly associated with crashes than hands-free. The most common primary crash factor for cell phone-related fatal/injury crashes was traveling at an unsafe speed. A larger percentage of cell phone-related fatal/injury crashes occurred during the workweek than on the weekend, and more occurred in the afternoon than in the morning or night. Driver analyses revealed that 21 to 30 year-old drivers accounted for the largest percentage of drivers involved in cell phone-related fatal/injury crashes. Males accounted for more cell phone-related fatal/injury crashes than females. Finally, drivers reported as using a cell phone at the time of fatal/injury crashes were more likely to be found at fault, and were slightly more likely to be found at fault than those using hands-free devices. KW - Attention lapses KW - California KW - Cellular telephones KW - Crash analysis KW - Days KW - Distraction KW - Drivers KW - Legislation KW - Literature reviews KW - Males KW - Periods of the day UR - http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/wcm/connect/08ac48df-b006-4f3e-aa97-04f4f9682a66/S7-248.pdf?MOD=AJPERES UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371611 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01578188 AU - Bhajandas, Amar AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Sadasivam, Suri AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - I-84 Bridge Over Dingle Ridge Road Replacement Using Superstructure Slide-In Technology PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 81p AB - As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE program, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) was awarded a $2.1 million grant to demonstrate the use of proven, innovative technologies for accelerated bridge removal and replacement. This report documents accelerated bridge construction techniques using prefabricated superstructure slide-in technology to replace two Interstate 84 bridges over Dingle Ridge Road in Putnam County. Each new superstructure was installed during a 20-hour time period over a weekend. This report includes project/site challenges, construction details, deployment of the lateral slide-in technology, and NYSDOT’s public outreach efforts to minimize impact to traffic. Under conventional construction methods, the project would have taken 2 years to build and would have required the construction of a temporary roadway and bridge to channel traffic during construction. This would have increased delays during peak hours of travel. Using precast elements and lateral slide-in technology, the project was built in 1 year, and the impact to travelers in each direction on I-84 was reduced to a detour for 20 hours. Furthermore, by reducing traffic impacts substantially, it is estimated that NYSDOT avoided six crashes, one of which could have potentially resulted in injury/fatality. The innovative technology resulted in savings of $0.9 million in construction costs and $1.37 million in user delay costs. Together, the savings represent 22 percent of the $10.2 million construction cost of the project. Because of the success of this project, the NYSDOT plans to use the lateral slide-in technology on future projects where this innovative technology is feasible and appropriate for conditions. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge replacement KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Costs KW - Demonstration projects KW - Highways for LIFE KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Putnam County (New York) KW - Slide-in technology KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdf_2/NY%20I-84%20Final%20Report_10092014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371168 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01577862 AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Sadasivam, Suri AU - Ullman, Jerry AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Massachusetts Demonstration Project: Reconstruction of Fourteen Bridges on I-93 in Medford Using Accelerated Bridge Construction Techniques PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 109p AB - As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE program, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was awarded a $1 million grant to demonstrate the use of proven, innovative technologies to deliver a $91.0 million project in less time than conventional construction. This report documents the use of accelerated bridge construction techniques and Design-Build (D-B) contracting to replace 14 bridges on Interstate 93 in Medford, Middlesex County. The bridge superstructures were installed during a 55-hour weekend closure over 10 weekends between June 3 and August 15, 2011. This report describes project/site challenges, construction details, D-B contract administration, fabrication, shipping and installation of prefabricated modular steel elements, traffic operations management, and MassDOT’s extensive public outreach and communication efforts to minimize the impacts of weekend closure on I-93 motorists and adjacent detour routes. Under traditional construction methods, the project would have taken 48 months (4 years) to build all 14 bridges. With five stages of construction and the placement of single-lane closure, the project would have impacted I-93 traffic for the full 48 months. Using accelerated bridge construction and D-B contracting, the project was completed 39 months earlier, with only 550 hours of travel impacts to motorists. The D-B contracting allowed MassDOT to overlap design and construction phases and issue a notice to proceed for construction 17 months earlier than the anticipated issue date. The use of innovations resulted in savings of $1.75 million in construction costs and $8.45 million in user delay costs. The use of accelerated bridge construction instead of traditional staged and cast-in-place construction also resulted in user cost savings of approximately $136 million. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge replacement KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Demonstration projects KW - Design build KW - Highways for LIFE KW - Massachusetts KW - Medford (Massachusetts) KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Reconstruction KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdf_2/MA%20I-93%20Fast-14%20Final%20Report_10_09_2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370469 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01577852 AU - Raghunathan, Deepak AU - Sadasivam, Suri AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Iowa Demonstration Project: Massena IA-92 Bridge Replacement Project PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 62p AB - As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE program, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) was awarded a $400,000 grant to demonstrate the use of proven, innovative technologies, including lateral bridge slide and prefabricated bridge element systems (PBES), to deliver this $2.0 million project in less time and with less impact to motorists than conventional construction. The project consisted of replacing the Iowa Highway 92 bridge (Maint. No 1563.4S092) over a small natural stream, 1 mile west of Iowa Highway 148. The replacement bridge was designed to increase the structural capacity of the bridge, improve roadway conditions, and enhance user safety by providing a wider bridge and approaching roadway. This project focused on implementation of an accelerated bridge construction (ABC) policy and first-time use of the demonstrated innovative construction methods. This was the first lateral bridge slide project in the State of Iowa. The project was let on April 16, 2013 using a design-bid-build contract, and the winning bid amount was $1.3 million. The project involved three phases: 1) construction of the bridge structure off-alignment, 2) the bridge slide-in, and 3) revetment, grading, and clean-up. The replacement structure was a single-span 120-foot by 44-foot bridge with cast-in-place abutment footings, precast wingwalls, and a precast superstructure fabricated adjacent to the existing bridge and moved into position by lateral slide. The ABC approach resulted in a full closure of 9 days with no incentives or disincentives awarded to the contractor at the end of this project. A 12.89 mile detour was utilized during the full closure, thus resulting in an out-of-distance mileage of 6.89 miles. To estimate the cost savings for the ABC method, the total costs were computed for both the as-built bridge and a baseline (cast-in-place) scenario by adding the agency costs and user costs. The results indicated a cost savings of around 43 percent over the baseline scenario, mainly attributable to the significantly reduced user costs of the as-built project. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge replacement KW - Construction management KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Demonstration projects KW - Design bid build KW - Highways for LIFE KW - Iowa KW - Lateral bridge slide KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdf_2/Iowa%20Massena%20Route%2092%20ABC_Draft%20Report_10092014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370462 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01577098 AU - Bhajandas, Amar AU - Sadasivam, Suri AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Colorado Demonstration Project: Pecos Street over I-70 Bridge Replacement Using SPMT Technology PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 60p AB - As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE program, the Colorado Department of Transportation was awarded a $3.76 million grant to replace the Pecos Street Bridge over I-70 to demonstrate the use of an alternative contract delivery method called construction management/general contractor (CM/GC) and the use of proven, innovative technologies for accelerated bridge removal and replacement. This report documents accelerated bridge construction technique using a self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT), which allowed substructure and superstructure work to proceed concurrently. Under conventional construction methods, the project would have taken 15 months to build, causing significant delays to traffic on Pecos Street and I-70 due to limited closures and shutdowns. However, using the CM/GC approach and SPMT methodology, the bridge was replaced in only 7 months. The impact to travelers on I-70 was reduced to 50 hours over a weekend. Travelers on Pecos Street were impacted for 10 weeks, which were required to build roundabouts at both ends of the bridge to improve safety and capacity. By compressing the construction time, it is projected that 15 crashes were avoided at the site. The construction costs for the innovative option were $0.65 million more than traditional methods would have been. However, user delay costs were reduced by an estimated $2.24 million. When bundled together, there was a net saving of $1.59 million. This represents about 9 percent of the $18.6 million spent for the construction and construction engineering for this project. A public online survey indicated that, overall, more than 85 percent of the respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the approach to minimizing traffic disruption during project construction. Because of the success of this project, Colorado plans to accelerate bridge construction using SPMT on future projects, where this innovative technology is feasible and appropriate for conditions. KW - Bridge construction KW - Colorado KW - Construction management KW - Contract administration KW - Costs KW - Demonstration projects KW - Self-propelled modular transporters KW - Surveys KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic delays UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdf_2/Colorado%20I-70%20Pecos%20Street%20Draft%20Report_12_4_2014_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370099 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576184 AU - Cope, Evan D AU - Hotchkiss, Rollin H AU - Brigham Young University AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Rock Stream Stability Structures in the Vicinity of Bridges PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 51p AB - This report was sponsored by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to determine if rock stream stability structures could be used as scour countermeasures and to protect streambanks. Traditional scour countermeasures, such as rock riprap, are effective in minimizing erosion but may not provide the best aquatic habitat. UDOT is interested in finding countermeasures that are effective in minimizing erosion at design flows and also benefit the aquatic habitat. David Rosgen, a specialist in fluvial geomorphology, has developed restoration structures that are friendly for aquatic habitat and also provide streambank protection and stream stability. These structures are the J-Hook Vane, Cross-Vane and W-Weir. Based on the findings outlined in this report, Cross-Vanes and W-Weirs can help protect bridges because they will protect both sides of a streambank while also providing grade control of the streambed. For stream stability structures to withstand design flows and shear stresses experienced near bridges, they should follow the design guidelines specified in this report. One of the most important design guidelines is that the structures discussed in this report have an attached portion of floodplain where the structure meets the streambank. This portion of floodplain area can help to disperse the energy of the flow, thereby reducing shear stresses at abutments. Cross-Vanes and W-Weirs can help protect bridges and other infrastructure against scour by reducing shear stresses at piers and abutments at the design flood event. To further investigate their use as a scour countermeasure, it is recommended that this type structure be installed near a bridge following this report’s design criteria. UDOT believes that Cross-Vanes and W-Weirs should not be used as a primary scour countermeasure and that rock riprap (or other equivalent structural countermeasure) should be used as the primary protection for bridge foundations, abutments and piers. KW - Banks (Waterways) KW - Bridges KW - Countermeasures KW - Design KW - Erosion control KW - Habitat (Ecology) KW - Hydraulic structures KW - Scour KW - Shear stress KW - Stream restoration KW - Utah UR - http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=21195118296789782 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369249 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01573558 AU - Refai, Hazem AU - Othman, Ahmad AU - Tafish, Hasan AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Portable Weigh-In-Motion for Pavement Design PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 93p AB - Keeping Oklahoma’s roadways, highways, and bridges in good condition is necessary to the state’s safety and to avoid expenditures in billions of dollars each year for road repairs and replacement. According to a study done by state of Oregon in 2009, heavy vehicles account for 79% (or $60 million) of annual expenditures required for roadway repaving. Likewise, they were also responsible for 66.8% (or $27 million) of pavement and shoulder reconstruction; 65.1% (or $145 million) of pavement and shoulder rehabilitations; and 61.5% (or $140 million) of pavement maintenance. To weigh traveling trucks, the state of Oklahoma has installed 20 permanent Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) sites. Expanding site coverage to include additional roadways and highways improves data accuracy; however, it requires significant roadside construction and costly infrastructure support. This report presents deployment results of a novel portable WIM system and compares captured data with that collected at a nearby permanent WIM system. Design, development, and road-installation details of the heavy-vehicle centric, portable WIM system are also provided. Outcomes demonstrate that the portable system maintains data quality but for short intervals and provides a viable alternative to permanent systems at merely 10 percent of the cost. The portable WIM system uses off-the-shelf components and commercially available WIM controllers. The WIM controller used was IRD iSINC Lite. The fabricated portable system could be promoted as an alternative WIM monitoring solution to permanent WIM systems and/or static scale stations, both of which are extremely expensive to install on highways. The portable WIM uses RoadTrax BL piezoelectric class-1 sensors, galvanized metal fixtures equipped with pocket tapes to house the sensors, and a trailer with cabinet to house WIM electronics, batteries, and REECE device for real-time monitoring. The system is solar powered with three 100-Watt panels, and it costs roughly $20,000. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Data quality KW - Oklahoma KW - Portable equipment KW - Solar power KW - Weigh in motion UR - http://l92018.eos-intl.net/elibsql16_L92018_Documents/FHWA-OK-14-07%202240%20Refai.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363440 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01573557 AU - Commuri, Sesh AU - Zaman, Musharraf AU - Barman, Manik AU - Nazari, Moeen AU - Imran, Syed AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Performance of Asphalt Pavements Constructed Using Intelligent Compaction Techniques PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 158p AB - The long-term performance of asphalt pavements depends on the quality of the subgrade and asphalt layers. Intelligent compaction methods continuously monitor the modulus/stiffness of subgrade and asphalt layers during compaction process and have been proposed for ensuring uniform compaction. The use of the Intelligent Compaction Analyzer (ICA) developed at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK in determining the subgrade modulus and asphalt layer density/dynamic modulus during construction was addressed in this project. Several case studies were conducted to demonstrate the application of the ICA in real-time estimation of compaction quality. Results from these case studies show that the ICA was able to estimate the modulus of the stabilized subgrade with accuracy suitable for the control of compaction quality. Similarly, the ICA was found to accurately estimate the density/dynamic modulus of asphalt layers during construction of asphalt pavements. Project results demonstrate that the ICA was helpful in identifying and remediating the under-compacted regions in stabilized subgrades as well as asphalt layers. It was also found that the average subgrade modulus, average asphalt layer density/dynamic modulus, and overall uniformity of compaction could be improved with the use of the ICA. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Case studies KW - Dynamic modulus of elasticity KW - Intelligent compaction KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Pavement layers KW - Pavement performance KW - Quality control KW - Road construction KW - Subgrade (Pavements) UR - http://l92018.eos-intl.net/elibsql16_L92018_Documents/FHWA-OK-14-15%202246%20Commuri.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363434 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01573556 AU - Kosmopoulou, Georgia AU - Zhou, Xueqi AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Langston University AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Understanding A+B Bidding Patterns and Policy Implications for ODOT Project Lettings PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 57p AB - A key challenge for Departments of Transportation around the country is to keep the cost of construction low while ensuring that projects will be completed in a timely manner. Those goals can often be conflicting. The purpose of this research project was to investigate the empirical relationship between project cost and project duration to offer recommendations to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) on the optimal use of time incentives in the procurement process. The authors first surveyed all Transportation Agencies on their rules of implementation of A+B and incentive/disincentive designs. A complete survey of A+B and I/D letting practice is presented. Policy details such as application, scope and parameter choice are included in the report. The authors utilized program evaluation techniques to assess the performance of A+B bidding in comparison to the standard contracting low bid practice. Using their statistical knowledge and information on alternative contracting methods adopted by ODOT and other state Departments of Transportation, the authors conducted economic evaluation of contracting practices. The end goal was to prepare guidelines for distinguishing between costly projects and those that are economically practical to speed up, and help ODOT to improve efficiency in highway construction. The authors found evidence that item bids respond to the time incentive asymmetrically. As an example, items 202(C)0184 (Unclassified Borrow) and 619(B)2500 (Removal of Bridge Items) display especially favorable reactions to time incentives and hence projects that prescribe such items more heavily are desirable candidates for A+B letting consideration. There is evidence suggesting that bids (and the underlying cost) rise less steeply than for other items when time is a constraint. Naturally, acceleration on such items may be achieved at a relatively lower cost to the state department. KW - A + B bidding method KW - Competitive bidding KW - Construction projects KW - Contracting KW - Costs KW - Disincentives KW - Economic analysis KW - Incentives KW - Oklahoma Department of Transportation KW - Policy KW - Procurement KW - Road construction KW - State departments of transportation KW - Time duration UR - http://l92018.eos-intl.net/elibsql16_L92018_Documents/FHWA-OK-14-12%202257%20Kosmopoulou.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363437 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01573555 AU - Ley, M Tyler AU - Hajibabaee, Amir AU - Khatibmasjedi, Morteza AU - Oklahoma State University, Stillwater AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development and Implementation of a Mechanistic and Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) for Rigid Pavements - Phase 2 PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 87p AB - The work investigates the impact of curing methods and their impact on subsequent curling in both the laboratory and the field in different drying environments. Results are also presented for a field instrumentation of a continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) in Tulsa, Oklahoma that uses a number of different curing methods. Next, a sensitivity analysis is completed for typical Oklahoma jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) and CRCP with different base friction parameters. Then the results from Darwin-ME are compared with field performance of CRCP and JPCP in Oklahoma. Finally, the shrinkage and coefficient of thermal expansion of concrete pavement mixtures are investigated with different paste contents. KW - Cement content KW - Coefficient of thermal expansion KW - Concrete curing KW - Continuously reinforced concrete pavements KW - Curling (Pavements) KW - DARWin-ME (Computer program) KW - Field studies KW - Jointed plain concrete pavements KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Rigid pavements KW - Shrinkage KW - Tulsa (Oklahoma) UR - http://l92018.eos-intl.net/elibsql16_L92018_Documents/FHWA-OK-14-13%202208%20Ley.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363436 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570383 AU - Alotto, Anthony AU - Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Lone Star LTAP Peer Exchange PY - 2014/10//Technical Report SP - 84p AB - On April 7–9, 2014, Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) center directors from Arkansas, Connecticut, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin met in San Antonio, Texas, to discuss two key topics: marketing LTAP center services and obtaining/developing curriculum for LTAP center use. Also supporting the discussion were representatives from the Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Independent facilitation staff from the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, which also operates the Texas Lone Star LTAP Center, conducted the meeting. The final results of the meeting were prioritized lists of best practices that the center directors identified as key to greater success in each of the topic areas. In the area of marketing LTAP center services, all of the centers experienced a high volume of service requests and a variety of expectations. Solutions centered on close affiliation with elected officials, cooperation with industry associations, and effective use of advisory committees. In the area of obtaining/developing curriculum, the problem centered on identification and funding of the needed curriculum. Solutions included partnering with industry associations and each other, as well as exploring new delivery technologies. These problems and recommended solutions apply not only to the centers represented at the peer exchange, but also to LTAP centers nationwide that may be experiencing similar problems. KW - Best practices KW - Curricula KW - Education and training KW - Local Technical Assistance Program KW - Marketing KW - Peer exchange KW - State departments of transportation UR - https://teex.org/documentsresources/LTAP%20Peer%20Exchange%20Report%20May%202014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359790 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570288 AU - Muthumani, Anburaj AU - Veneziano, David AU - Huang, Jiang AU - Shi, Xianming AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Benefit-Cost Analysis of CDOT Fixed Automated Spray Technology (FAST) Systems PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 103p AB - The Western Transportation Institute (WTI) conducted research on behalf of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to study the cost effectiveness of existing CDOT FAST systems. Both the national survey and the CDOT survey confirm the need for significant maintenance activities to ensure successful operation of FAST systems. Safety analysis of CDOT FAST system reveals a reduction in the number of annual crashes on multilane rural highways by 2 percent, urban interstates by 16 to 70 percent, rural interstates by 31 to 57 percent and interchange ramps between interstates by 19 to 40 percent. Overall, CDOT FAST systems included in the analysis have reduced crash severities at many sites resulting in potential safety benefits of $196,428 per winter season during the “after deployment” study period. Further, a benefit-cost excel sheet was developed based on the estimated crash reductions observed for each of the different roadway types. The study found that FAST systems have demonstrated the potential to reduce the number of crashes and reduce the cost of winter maintenance activities, if sited at appropriate locations (e.g., high-traffic-volume ice-prone ramps). However, improved installation techniques and involvement of maintenance crews during FAST installation are necessary to further increase the cost-effectiveness of a FAST system deployment. Extra effort will be made in sharing the information gained from this research study by focusing on CDOT personnel involved in planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of FAST systems. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Colorado Department of Transportation KW - Crash rates KW - Crash severity KW - Fixed automated spray technology KW - Installation KW - Snow and ice control KW - Sprayers KW - Surveys KW - Winter maintenance UR - https://www.codot.gov/programs/research/pdfs/2014/benefit-cost-analysis-of-cdot-fixed-automated-spray-technology-fast-systems/view UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360224 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570268 AU - Truschke, Carrie AU - Peshkin, David AU - Smith, Kelly L AU - Smith, Kurt D AU - Applied Pavement Technology, Incorporated AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Colorado Department of Transportation Hot-Mix Asphalt Crack Sealing and Filling Best Practices Guidelines PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 173p AB - Crack sealing and filling on hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements are cost-effective pavement preservation techniques that improve pavement performance and extend the life of existing pavements. If performed in a timely and effective manner, crack sealing can extend the life of HMA pavements. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) supports the sealing of cracks on HMA pavements. Under Study No. 11.40, CDOT Pavement Crack Seal and Fill Best Management Practices, CDOT sponsored this study to update its procedures and guidelines for crack sealing and filling of HMA pavements. The draft Guidelines included in this report reflect CDOT experience, current state-of-the-practice, and the most recent research findings, and address where and when to perform crack sealing and filling, material selection, installation methods, construction inspection, and follow-up evaluation. Three primary tasks were undertaken to meet the project objective including a literature review and survey of agencies, a draft of recommended best practices guidelines, and recommended procedures for monitoring, evaluating, and documenting the effectiveness of crack sealing and filling methods and materials. Once the final guidelines are developed, CDOT will broadly communicate the existence of the new guidance, highlighting any changes and how they will contribute to improved performance. Developing and presenting a 2- to 4-hour workshop and training session on improved crack sealing practices would also benefit all maintenance crews engaged in the activity. KW - Best practices KW - Colorado Department of Transportation KW - Guidelines KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Literature reviews KW - Pavement cracking KW - Sealing (Technology) KW - Sealing compounds KW - State of the practice KW - Surveys UR - https://www.codot.gov/programs/research/pdfs/2014/cdot-hot-mix-aaphalt-crack-sealing-and-filliing-bes-practices-guidelines/view UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360226 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01563486 AU - Rossi, Thomas F AU - Bhat, Chandra R AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guide for Travel Model Transfer PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 78p AB - Travel demand models are important tools used in transportation planning to forecast the amount of travel expected to occur under various scenarios and to estimate the effects of changes in transportation supply or policies. The mathematical relationships in these models depend on parameters that reflect the sensitivity of travelers’ choices to the model’s input variables. The process of model transfer from one region to another has become commonplace as a way to obtain model parameter estimated when sufficient local data for model estimation. This report provides guidance to transportation planners on alternative approaches to model transfer based on the amount of available resources. The guidance, which is based on research that has been conducted on model transferability, is supplemented with simple examples of the various model transfer methods. KW - Calibration KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand KW - Validation UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/tmip/publications/other_reports/travel_model_transfer/fhwahep15006.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1353320 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01562604 AU - Basshgam, Lynnda AU - Luttrull, Dana AU - Lower Savannah Council of Governments AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Lower Savannah Aging, Disability & Transportation Resource Center: Regional Travel Management and Coordination Center (TMCC) Model and Demonstration Project PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 61p AB - This report details the deployed technology and implementation experiences of the Lower Savannah Aging, Disability & Transportation Resource Center in Aiken, South Carolina, which served as the regional Travel Management and Coordination Center (TMCC), created with assistance from a Mobility Services for All Americans (MSAA) grant award. The Lower Savannah Council of Governments (LSCOG) leveraged the MSAA award with grants from several other sources to procure and deploy a number of technologies to learn if they could enhance human services transportation and its coordination among the five transportation providers that served as partners in the regional TMCC demonstration project. KW - Aged KW - Aiken (South Carolina) KW - Coordination KW - Demonstration projects KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobility KW - Mobility Services for All Americans Initiative KW - Persons with disabilities KW - Public transit KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons KW - Travel Management Coordination Center UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/FTA_Report_No._0065.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55500/55548/FTA_Report_No._0065.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352141 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560908 AU - Hallmark, Shauna L AU - Hawkins, Neal R AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Synthesis of Iowa Research to Address Rural Safety PY - 2014/10 SP - v.p. AB - The objective of these web pages is to synthesize safety research to address the top traffic safety needs in Iowa. Information about roadway departures, rural intersections, and rural speed management relevant to Iowa is summarized to help agencies more effectively target specific types of crashes in Iowa. KW - Countermeasures KW - Fatalities KW - Intersections KW - Iowa KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Research KW - Rural highways KW - Speeding KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/19162/1/IADOT_InTrans_Hallmark_Synthesis_of_Iowa_Research_Rural_Safety_2014_summary.pdf UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/19162 UR - http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/research-synthesis/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347717 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01556727 AU - Kramer, Steven L AU - Valdez, Carlos AU - Blanchette, Benjamin AU - Baker, Jack W AU - University of California, Berkeley AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance-Based Design Factors for Pile Foundations PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 213p AB - The seismic design of pile foundations is currently performed in a relatively simple, deterministic manner. This report describes the development of a performance-based framework to create seismic designs of pile group foundations that consider all potential levels of loading and their likelihoods of occurrence in a particular area. Because of the multitude of factors that can exist at a site, development of a complete, integrated procedure that would extend from ground motions to limit state exceedance was not practical. To make the problem more useful to the research sponsors, a modular approach was developed. The framework allows for the development and use of a structural model with a simplified representation of the foundation system. The discrete soil model was developed using an equivalent linear format so that stiffness and damping characteristics were consistent with deformation levels. The foundation loads computed in these analyses were then applied to a three-dimensional soil-pile group model to compute the resulting displacements and rotations of the pile cap. A computer program was developed to perform the calculations required to develop load and resistance factors and demand and capacity factors. The calculations allow a designer to select a return period for limit state exceedance and then select the corresponding factors that will produce a design that corresponds to the desired limit state exceedance rate. KW - Computer programs KW - Deformation KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Performance based specifications KW - Pile foundations KW - Structural models UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/827.1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54600/54621/827.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345502 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555791 AU - Shariati, Ali AU - Schumacher, Thomas AU - Ramanna, Nakul AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Delaware Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Exploration of Video-Based Structural Health Monitoring Techniques PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 40p AB - Structural health monitoring (SHM) has become a viable tool to provide owners with objective data for maintenance and repair. Traditionally, discrete contact sensors such as strain gages or accelerometers have been used for SHM. However, distributed remote sensors could be advantageous since they don’t require cabling and can cover an area rather than a limited number of discrete points. Digital image correlation (DIC) has been used successfully but has disadvantages in terms of complexity and computational costs when applied to videos. In this research project, the authors investigated and proposed a different approach. The basic concept is that small changes in the intensity value of a monitored pixel with fixed (or Eulerian) coordinates caused by the vibration of structures can be captured, even if it is not visible to the naked eye. In this research report, the authors explain the basic concept and mathematical theory for their proposed so-called virtual visual sensors (VVS), present a set of laboratory experiments to demonstrate the accuracy of the approach, and provide two practical monitoring examples of in-services bridges. Finally, the authors discuss future work to improve the current methodology. KW - Bridges KW - Case studies KW - Digital video KW - Eulerian coordinate systems KW - Pixels KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Vibration KW - Virtual visual sensors UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-038-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342954 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554413 AU - McCarthy, Charlie AU - Harnett, Kevin AU - Carter, Art AU - Hatipoglu, Cem AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Assessment of the Information Sharing and Analysis Center Model PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 46p AB - An Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) is a trusted, sector-specific entity that can provide a 24-hour per day and 7-day per week secure operating capability that establishes the coordination, information sharing, and intelligence requirements for dealing with cybersecurity incidents, threats, and vulnerabilities. An ISAC can serve as an industry resource by which to gather key information about cybersecurity events and issues and identify, communicate, and analyze potential impacts of such concerns to the sector. This report presents findings from an assessment of the ISAC model, and how ISAC’s are effectively implemented in other sectors. The report also explains how a new sector ISAC could be formed by leveraging existing ISAC models. This publication supports the goal of facilitating the establishment of a cybersecurity information sharing forum in the automotive sector (Goal 2). KW - Assessments KW - Automobile industry KW - Cybersecurity KW - Implementation KW - Information dissemination KW - Information Sharing and Analysis Centers KW - Risk management KW - Safety and security KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash Avoidance/Technical Publications/2014/812076-AssessInfoSharingModel.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341933 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554345 AU - Heiselt, N Eric AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Family Engineering Nights PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 17p AB - In an effort to increase interest and understanding of the fields of engineering, with particular emphasis toward transportation, the College of Engineering at Mississippi State University sponsored five Family Engineering Night events. Each of these events were held at an elementary school and attended by families of the students. 585 families (parents and their children) participated in activities that simulate the work and ideas of engineering. Activities spanned the fields of engineering in order to give a more broad perspective of the role of engineers in everyday life. During the activities, participating parents gave feedback on the activities and what they learned from completing the tasks in order to assess the learning that occurred. Additionally, at the conclusion of the events, parents were asked to identify their perceptions about the efficacy of the event. Analysis of the responses, the impact of these events on the understanding of both the parents and the k-6 students’ understanding seems to have been significantly impacted. Many families commented that their understanding of the work of engineers was very limited prior to the event but they felt that they could explain at least some facets of their lives that were affected by the work of engineers. KW - Education KW - Elementary school students KW - Engineering KW - Engineers KW - Parents UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Heiselt_K-12_Workforce_Development_at_MSU_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343110 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554339 AU - Ng, Kam W AU - Sritharan, Sri AU - Ashlock, Jeramy C AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Preliminary Load and Resistance Factor Design of Drilled Shafts in Iowa PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 232p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) mandated utilizing the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) approach for all new bridges initiated in the United States after October 1, 2007. To achieve part of this goal, a database for Drilled SHAft Foundation Testing (DSHAFT) was developed and reported on by Garder, Ng, Sritharan, and Roling in 2012. DSHAFT is aimed at assimilating high-quality drilled shaft test data from Iowa and the surrounding regions. DSHAFT is currently housed on a project website (http://srg.cce.iastate.edu/dshaft) and contains data for 41 drilled shaft tests. The objective of this research was to utilize the DSHAFT database and develop a regional LRFD procedure for drilled shafts in Iowa with preliminary resistance factors using a probability-based reliability theory. This was done by examining current design and construction practices used by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) as well as recommendations given in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) LRFD Bridge Design Specifications and the FHWA drilled shaft guidelines. Various analytical methods were used to estimate side resistance and end bearing of drilled shafts in clay, sand, intermediate geomaterial (IGM), and rock. Since most of the load test results obtained from O-cell do not pass the 1-in. top displacement criterion used by the Iowa DOT and the 5% of shaft diameter for top displacement criterion recommended by AASHTO, three improved procedures are proposed to generate and extend equivalent top load-displacement curves that enable the quantification of measured resistances corresponding to the displacement criteria. Using the estimated and measured resistances, regional resistance factors were calibrated following the AASHTO LRFD framework and adjusted to resolve any anomalies observed among the factors. To illustrate the potential and successful use of drilled shafts in Iowa, the design procedures of drilled shaft foundations were demonstrated and the advantages of drilled shafts over driven piles were addressed in two case studies. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge foundations KW - Calibration KW - Case studies KW - Databases KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Iowa KW - Iowa Department of Transportation KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Load tests KW - Resistance (Mechanics) UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/18672/1/IADOT_InTrans_RB03_012_Ng_Dev_preliminary_Load_Resistance_Factor_Drilled_Shafts_Iowa_2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342483 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554327 AU - Bennett, Caroline AU - Matamoros, Adolfo AU - Barrett-Gonzalez, Ron AU - Rolfe, Stan AU - University of Kansas Center for Research, Incorporated AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Enhancement of Welded Steel Bridge Girders Susceptible to Distortion-Induced Fatigue PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 96p AB - The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate the performance of retrofit techniques for existing steel bridges that have already sustained damage due to distortion-induced fatigue, or are anticipated to experience distortion-induced fatigue cracking within their design life. A second goal was to evaluate the use of new technologies and materials for repairing distortion-induced fatigue damage in steel bridges. While a number of retrofit techniques exist for repairing distortion-induced fatigue cracking, many of them require partial or full bridge closure to perform the repair. The retrofits developed under this project are intended to be able to be installed with minimal disturbance to traffic. Four primary subject matters are reported on within this document: (1) the development of the “angles-with-plate” distortion-induced fatigue repair; (2) development of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) repairs for distortion-induced fatigue and in-plane fatigue; (3) development of Piezoelectric Induced Compressive Kinetics (PICK) technology for treatment of crack-arrest holes; and (4) a series of analytical investigations aimed at better understanding distortion-induced fatigue susceptibility of skewed bridge systems. KW - Distortion (Structures) KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Girders KW - Piezoelectricity KW - Retrofitting KW - Steel bridges UR - http://idmweb.ksdot.org/PublicLib/publicDoc.asp?ID=003836741 UR - http://idmweb.ksdot.org/PublicLib/publicDoc.asp?ID=003836742 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341457 ER - TY - SER AN - 01554306 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Alkali-Silica Reaction Mechanisms and Detection: An Advanced Understanding PY - 2014/10 SP - 12p AB - The deterioration caused by alkali-silica reaction (ASR) was first described 70 years ago in the pioneering paper by Stanton and has since been extensively researched. The traditional attempts to mitigate ASR in concrete structures focused on preventing and/or reducing the amount of gel formed by modifying the chemical environment. Limiting the alkali content of concrete, using supplementary cementitious materials, or using chemical admixtures all have been found to be effective and have been extensively used for that purpose. However, the complexity of chemical and mechanical mechanisms of ASR made it difficult to develop reliable quality control test methods and performance prediction models. Therefore, increased understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of ASR may lead to the development of additional (and possibly better) options for ASR control and for reactivity characterization of susceptible aggregates. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the fundamental mechanisms involved in the ASR process and to advance approaches to detect the damage caused by ASR. A more indepth understanding of the mechanisms underlying ASR, combined with the methods to detect ASR damage developed in the course of this study, is expected to help establish more reliable methods of mitigating ASR and increasing the design life of newly constructed concrete structures. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Concrete structures KW - Deterioration KW - Flaw detection UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/bridge/14079/14079.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342275 ER - TY - SER AN - 01554305 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Muench, Steve AU - Van Dam, Tom TI - Pavement Sustainability PY - 2014/10 SP - 12p AB - An increasing number of agencies, companies, organizations, institutes, and governing bodies are embracing principles of sustainability in managing their activities and conducting business. A sustainable approach focuses on the overarching goal of considering key environmental, social, and economic factors in the decision-making process. Sustainability considerations are not new, and in fact have often been considered indirectly or informally, but in recent years significant efforts are being made to quantify sustainability effects and to incorporate them in a more systematic and organized fashion. The purpose of this Tech Brief is to present a summary of the application of sustainability concepts to pavements. It provides an introduction to these concepts and how they are applied as best practices in the industry, focusing on current and emerging technology and trends. KW - Best practices KW - Pavements KW - Paving KW - Sustainable development KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/sustainability/hif14012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342626 ER - TY - SER AN - 01554299 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Harvey, John AU - Meijer, Joep AU - Kendall, Alissa TI - Life Cycle Assessment of Pavements PY - 2014/10 SP - 10p AB - An ever-growing number of agencies, companies, organizations, institutes, and governing bodies are embracing principles of sustainability in managing their activities and conducting business. This approach focuses on the overarching goal of emphasizing key life cycle economic, environmental, and social factors in the decision-making process. Sustainability considerations are not new, and in fact have often been considered indirectly or informally, but in recent years increased efforts are being made to quantify sustainability effects and to incorporate them into the decision-making process in a more systematic and organized fashion. One instrument that can be used to quantify the environmental performance of sustainability considerations is life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA is a structured methodology that quantifies environmental impacts over the full life cycle of a product or system, including impacts that occur throughout the supply chain. The purpose of this Tech Brief is to describe LCA principles, define the main elements of LCA, and provide an introductory overview of how LCA may be applied to pavements. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Pavements KW - Paving KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/sustainability/hif15001.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342627 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554279 AU - Brown, Michael C AU - Gomez, Jose P AU - Hammer, Maureen L AU - Hooks, John M AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Long-Term Bridge Performance High Priority Bridge Performance Issues PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 102p AB - Bridge performance is a multifaceted issue involving performance of materials and protective systems, performance of individual components of the bridge, and performance of the structural system as a whole. The Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program was initiated to collect, store, and analyze the data necessary to better understand high priority bridge performance issues. The success of the program depends on first being able to identify the most important performance issues bridge owners face. To identify these issues, input from those bridge owners and other key stakeholders was sought. As part of this outreach, bridge experts in 15 State transportation departments were interviewed and asked to name the performance issues in their bridge inventory that are most common and/or most difficult to solve. The findings of these interviews are included in this report. To supplement these interviews and identify high priority issues related to bridge substructures, a workshop on substructure performance issues was held. The findings from the interviews and the substructure workshop were used to develop a list of 22 high priority performance issues. From this list, a shorter list of six bridge performance issues was recommended as the first group of issues for study under the LTBP Program. KW - Bridge substructures KW - Bridges KW - Data collection KW - Long-Term Bridge Performance Program KW - Stakeholders KW - State departments of transportation KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Workshops UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/ltbp/14052/14052.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342276 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554253 AU - Martin, James B AU - Bailey, Nancy R AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - LEGO Robot Vehicle Afterschool Workshops: Transportation Engineering Problem Solving PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 20p AB - “LEGO® Robot Vehicle Lesson Plans for Secondary Education – A Recruitment Tool for Transportation Engineering” was a workforce development project that was used to introduce students at the middle school level to congestion mitigation solution research, describing the importance of modeling and assessment of advanced technologies and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) with respect to congestion mitigation; and improvements of traffic signal systems to reduce delays in urban corridors. Students used computers, basic computer programming, mathematics, and robots as tools. They were introduced to transportation engineering as a career and were shown how Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects apply to the field. Through the material presented in the lesson plans, the students developed an understanding of the work involved in transportation engineering. The lesson plans were used to show the students how transportation affects society as a whole and teach them how the use of advanced technology is integral to solving current and future transportation problems. Students were able to relate what they were learning about technology and engineering through hands-on exercises that employed elements of math and science. KW - Education KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Middle school students KW - Technology KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering KW - Workshops UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_LEGO_Robot_FinalReport_Martin_2912-FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343111 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554250 AU - Ay, Suat U AU - TranLIVE AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Research and Special Programs Administration TI - A High-Speed Trapezoid Image Sensor Design for Continuous Traffic Monitoring at Signalized Intersection Approaches PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 59p AB - The goal of this project is to monitor traffic flow continuously with an innovative camera system composed of a custom designed image sensor integrated circuit (IC) containing trapezoid pixel array and camera system that is capable of intelligent future extractions. The new trapezoid complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor IC was designed, fabricated, and tested. New feature extraction algorithms for moving object monitoring was developed and implemented in field programmable gate array (FPGA) platform. A camera system composing of FPGA platform to run the algorithms and control the trapezoid imager was developed. KW - Algorithms KW - Cameras KW - Image processing KW - Integrated circuits KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic surveillance UR - http://tranliveutc.org/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/UI_TranLIVE_FinalReport_High-SpeedTrapezoidImage UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341976 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548588 AU - Lewis, Carol Abel AU - Council, Walter AU - Auzenne, Jennifer AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Effect of the City of Houston Transit Corridor Ordinance on Development along METRO’s Light Rail Corridors PY - 2014/10 SP - 33p AB - Many cities are moving toward more compact, transit friendly development. Specifically when the focus of the development is the transit, the concept is considered transit friendly and termed transit supportive or transit oriented development (TOD). Typically rail stations or transit centers spawn medium to high density mixed-use developments, designed to promote walking, transit and bicycling in those areas. It is common for cities to revise codes and guidelines to encourage transit friendly development. The City of Houston’s development, public infrastructure and built environment are guided by the Chapter 42 Subdivision, Developments, and Platting Ordinance. In 2009 the City of Houston added a Transit Corridor Ordinance, a code in Chapter 42 to encourage an urban environment that improves pedestrian mobility, supports METRO’s light rail investment, and helps accommodate the City’s anticipated growth. This research examines developer response to the Transit Corridor Ordinance and determines which parcels owners have chosen to undertake design of elements within this code. Other agency TOD efforts, various developer rail station projects and best practices of public and private joint developments are also explored. KW - Developers KW - Development KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Land use planning KW - Light rail transit KW - Ordinances KW - Public private partnerships KW - Rail transit stations KW - Transit oriented development KW - Transportation corridors UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00047-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335917 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548581 AU - Peters, Diniece AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Productivity-based Approach to Valuation of Transportation Infrastructure PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Transportation infrastructure, a vital component to sustain economic prosperity, represents the largest public-owned infrastructure asset in the U.S. With over a trillion invested dollars invested into long-lived physical assets such as roads and bridges, transportation agencies are tasked with maintenance and rehabilitation efforts to ensure that the access to transportation facilities is readily available and that the infrastructure is properly preserved. The management of these assets and the determination of their value, however, have been at the forefront of discussions in many state agencies and local governments. As a consequence, asset valuation has become a key component in asset management because it links the performance of infrastructure and deterioration process with the value of the infrastructure and its depreciation, providing critical information for decision makers at various levels to make more informed decisions. A utility-based methodological framework for the valuation of transportation infrastructure is presented along with a case study to demonstrate its applicability. A general framework is presented with emphasis on the valuation of pavement infrastructure. The results from the framework are then compared to existing valuation methods in addition to a series of sensitivity analysis on the variation of performance measures and their effect on the value of an asset. The development of this valuation approach serves as a starting point for assessing, in addition to the physical condition of an asset, the operational measures that can often make an asset less useful to its customers and managing agency. Utility theory can be utilized to combine the effect of performance indicators of varying measures and scales on the value of an asset. The proposed framework can assist state and local transportation agencies in the optimization of resource allocation procedures for better coordination of asset investments, facilitating benefit-cost analyses to quantify the impact of infrastructure investments. This tool allows agencies to detect deficiencies if any, in the management of its assets, providing a feedback mechanism that can foster an introspective review of its current management practices that may need further refinement or possibly elimination. KW - Asset management KW - Case studies KW - Infrastructure KW - Maintenance KW - Performance measurement KW - Resource allocation KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Texas KW - Utility theory KW - Valuation UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00089-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335916 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548541 AU - Okeil, Ayman M AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Data Collection and Evaluation of Continuity Detail for John James Audubon Bridge No. 61390613004101 PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 106p AB - This report summarizes findings from monitoring data that was collected over a two-year period from Bridge No. 61390613004101 in the John James Audubon Project, which was formerly designated as Bridge #2 prior to construction completion. The bridge was instrumented as part of an earlier project (LTRC Project No. 08-1ST). Results from the first monitoring project warranted resuming data collection to monitor the performance of Bridge No. 61390613004101 over a longer period of time. The focus of the monitoring effort for both projects is on the employed continuity detail, which is based on the recommendation of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Final Report 519. Continuity details are typically used to eliminate the needs for high-maintenance joints that often lead to the acceleration of element deterioration near the joints. The employed positive moment continuity detail transfers forces between adjacent girders via positive moment reinforcement that extends out of the bottom flanges of the prestressed concrete (PSC) girders into a continuity diaphragm. The 96-channel monitoring system that was installed as part of Project 08-1ST was reactivated in February 2012. Data from the embedded and surface-mounted sensors that measure strains, temperatures, rotations, and gap openings in critical locations in the monitored segment were collected for a period of two years. The collected data from both projects (12-1ST and 08-1ST) was analyzed and interpreted. Furthermore, four field visits were conducted to document the condition of the girder ends in the monitored segment. Recommendations based on the project findings are drawn. Data shows that 5 years after the construction of the bridge, some long-term effects such as creep and shrinkage have diminished. It is also evident that temperature effects are still a major factor that continues to strain the bridge in such a way that should not be ignored in the design of bridges with similar continuity details. The high-localized strains at girder ends due to thermal variation caused cracking in a few girder ends. KW - Continuous girder bridges KW - Data collection KW - Field studies KW - Girders KW - John James Audubon Bridge KW - Monitoring KW - Recommendations KW - Structural analysis KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Temperature UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2014/FR_526.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333212 ER - TY - SER AN - 01548507 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Phased-Array Ultrasonic Testing Acceptability Criteria (Phase I) PY - 2014/10 SP - 12p AB - There has not been broad acceptance of phased-array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) in the bridge fabrication industry because it is currently not a recognized inspection technology in the American Welding Society’s (AWS) D1.5 bridge-welding code. One situation the technology would excel at would be inspection of complete joint penetration (CJP) butt welds. Currently, AWS D1.5 requires CJP welds subjected to tensile or reversal stresses to be inspected by radiographic testing (RT). However, discontinuities normally seen by RT should also be seen with PAUT. Until specification language is adopted into D1.5, there will continue to be hesitancy to use PAUT for the inspection of CJP butt welds, but acceptance criteria and the specification language must first be developed. Phase I of this research effort involved a review of the current state of the art of weld inspection using PAUT, development of the preliminary technical approach to inspecting CJP butt welds with and without transitions, fabrication of suitable test specimens, and the use of appropriate calibration blocks for inspection of thick weld specimens. Based on a literature review, it was deemed necessary to first explore the phased-array pulse-echo (PE) technique for all inspections in this phase. The preliminary results from the inspections conducted on four butt-weld specimens are presented in this TechBrief. Phase II of the research will include development of scan plans for transition butt-welds. In-depth analysis of PAUT data obtained in phase I and phase II will determine the exact location and sizing information of the defects. Phase II will also compare PAUT results with those obtained using conventional ultrasonic testing (UT) and radiography. Phase III of this project will explore the time of flight diffraction and combined time of flight diffraction (TOFD)-PE approach. Phase I developmental efforts are presented in this TechBrief. KW - Bridges KW - Butt welds KW - Calibration KW - Inspection KW - Literature reviews KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Ultrasonic tests UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/bridge/14074/14074.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334575 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01546188 AU - Barnes, David AU - Connor, Billy AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Managing Dust on Unpaved Roads and Airports PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 83p AB - Fugitive dust emanating from vehicle traffic on unpaved roads and runways can have significant impacts on safety, health, quality of life, and the cost of maintenance. Managing dust provides a means of reducing these impacts. Shearing forces created at the interface between the surface and vehicle tires produce dust on unpaved surfaces. The dust produced becomes airborne as a result of turbulence created by moving vehicles. Once airborne, different monitoring techniques can be used to assess the amount of fugitive dust produced and to measure the effectiveness of dust management strategies. Communities can manage dust by properly constructing and maintaining the unpaved surface, reducing vehicle speed on roads, and with the proper use of dust palliatives. The proper gradation of aggregate, the right profile, and good drainage are all necessary for reducing fugitive dust from unpaved roads and runways. Moreover, reducing vehicle speed on unpaved roads can dramatically reduce the amount of fugitive dust and result in longer periods between maintenance events. Several different types of palliatives are available for both managing dust on unpaved roads and runways. The choice of palliative is dependent on aggregate gradation, traffic amounts, climate, and location (remote or accessible). KW - Aggregates KW - Airport runways KW - Costs KW - Dust KW - Dust control KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Traffic speed KW - Unpaved roads UR - http://tundra.ine.uaf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Final-Report-Managing-Dust-on-Unpaved-Roads-and-Airports.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332727 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01546173 AU - Conway, Alison AU - Kamga, Camille AU - Cheng, Jialei AU - Eickemeyer, Penny AU - Chen, Quanquan AU - Singhal, Abhishek AU - City College of New York of the City University of New York AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New York State Energy Research and Development Authority AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Freight Tricycle Operations in New York City PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 192p AB - As cities become more congested and increasingly focused on sustainability, cargo cycles offer a potential alternative to motorized vehicles for local and last-mile goods delivery. However, few studies have examined this mode in the North American context. This project seeks to address this existing gap in research on cargo cycles/freight tricycles in North America and in New York City (NYC). The goals of this project are: (1) to understand the potential commodities moved and sectors served by cargo cycles; (2) to identify the expected benefits, challenges, and barriers to operation for cargo cycles operating in NYC; (3) to understand freight tricycle traffic performance in NYC conditions; and (4) to understand the capability of cargo cycles for use in cold chains – such as food and pharmaceutical delivery – that require temperature control. KW - Bicycle travel KW - Commodities KW - Delivery vehicles KW - Freight transportation KW - New York (New York) KW - Refrigerated cargo KW - Temperature control KW - Urban goods movement UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Freight-Tricycles-NYC.pdf?utm_source=10-13-15+Final+Reports&utm_campaign=07-06-14+PR-Final+Reports&utm_medium=email UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-11-11%20Final%20Report_Oct%202014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332465 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01546160 AU - Ban, Xuegang (Jeff) AU - Kamga, Camille AU - Wang, Xiaokun (Cara) AU - Wojtowicz, Jeffrey AU - Klepadlo, Eric AU - Sun, Zhanbo AU - Mouskos, Kyriacos AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Adaptive Traffic Signal Control System (ACS-Lite) for Wolf Road, Albany, New York PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 96p AB - Adaptive Control Software Lite (ACS-Lite) is a traffic signal timing optimization system that dynamically adjusts traffic signal timings to meet current traffic demands. The purpose of this research project was to deploy and evaluate the ACS-Lite adaptive traffic control system on a congested urban corridor in New York State (NYS). In this case, the Wolf Road Corridor in Albany, New York, was chosen. The primary goal was to document the experiences and key lessons learned from the deployment and evaluation regarding how an adaptive control system can be deployed, the advantages and disadvantages of the system, and whether it is suitable for use in other corridors in NYS. The results of the project showed that for heavily congested corridors adaptive control can improve flow within its own system, but may cause extra delays at the boundaries where there are interactions with other traffic control systems. Therefore, a more comprehensive control/management framework may be needed in some cases. The specific ACS-Lite software also needed to be upgraded and improved in order to work for the selected corridor, which caused delays to this project. KW - Adaptive control KW - Albany (New York) KW - Before and after studies KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Evaluation KW - Software KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Adaptive-Traffic-Signal-Wolf-Road.pdf UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-10-13%20Final%20Report_10-7-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331986 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544703 AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Kamalanathsharma, Raj Kishore AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - TranLIVE AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - U.S. Department of Transportation TI - Green Cooperative Adaptive Control Systems in the Vicinity of Signalized Intersections PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 57p AB - Vehicle stops and speed variations account for a large percentage of vehicle fuel losses especially at signalized intersections. Recently, researchers have attempted to develop tools that reduce these losses by capitalizing on traffic signal information received via vehicle connectivity with traffic signal controllers. Existing state-of-the-art approaches, however, only consider surrogate measures (e.g. number of vehicle stops, time spent accelerating and decelerating, and/or acceleration or deceleration levels) in the objective function and fail to explicitly optimize vehicle fuel consumption levels. Furthermore, the majority of these models do not capture vehicle acceleration and deceleration limitations in addition to vehicle-to-vehicle interactions as constraints within the mathematical program. The connectivity between vehicles and infrastructure, as achieved through Connected Vehicles technology, can provide a vehicle with information that was not possible before. For example, information on traffic signal changes, traffic slowdowns and even headway and speed of lead vehicles can be shared. The research proposed in this report uses this information and advanced computational models to develop fuel-efficient vehicle trajectories, which can either be used as guidance for drivers or can be attached to an electronic throttle controlled cruise control system. This control system is known as an Eco-Speed Control system. The modeling of the system constitutes a modified state-of-the-art path-finding algorithm within a dynamic programming framework to find near-optimal and near-real-time solutions to a complex non-linear programming problem that involves minimizing vehicle fuel consumption in the vicinity of signalized intersections. The results demonstrated savings of up to 30 percent in fuel consumption within the traffic signalized intersection vicinity. The proposed system was tested in an agent-based environment developed in MATLAB using the Rakha-Pasumarthy-Adjerid (RPA) car-following model as well as the Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) J2735 message set standards for vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. The results showed how multi-vehicle interaction enhances usability of the system. Simulation of a calibrated real intersection showed average fuel savings of nearly 30 percent for peak volumes. The fuel reduction was high for low volumes and decreased as the traffic volumes increased. KW - Adaptive control KW - Autonomous intelligent cruise control KW - Computer models KW - Fuel consumption KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Shortest path algorithms KW - Signalized intersections KW - Simulation KW - Vehicle trajectories UR - http://www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/VT_TranLIVE_Final_GreenCooperativeAdaptive UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330356 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544688 AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Estakhri, Cindy AU - Wilson, Bryan T AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Statewide Implementation of Very Thin Overlays PY - 2014/10 SP - 70p AB - Very thin overlays are defined as overlays where the final lift thickness is 1 inch or less. These are designed to be high performance overlays in that they to pass both a rutting (Hamburg Wheel tracking Test) and reflection cracking (Overlays Test) requirements. In this study three different types of thin overlay were designed and placed in the field; these being the open graded (fine Permeable Friction Course), gap graded (fine Stone matrix Asphalt) and fine dense graded mix. To meet the performance requirements, only high quality aggregates are recommended for these mixes, and for most applications the use of a PG 76-22 binder is recommended. Consequently these mixes cost approximately 30% more per ton than traditional Item 341 dense graded mixes. However, because of the thin placement temperatures a substantial savings per square yard has been reported when using these mixes. In this study, test sections were built in several districts around the state, and the performance to date has been excellent. Specifications were written, and many of the recommendations have been incorporated into the Construction Division's current statewide specifications. KW - Aggregates KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Field tests KW - Friction course KW - Pavement performance KW - Specifications KW - Stone matrix asphalt KW - Test sections KW - Texas UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331067 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544677 AU - Lyon, Jillian AU - Zhu, Zhengyuan AU - Kaiser, Mark AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Quantifying Uncertainty in Real Time Performance Measurement for Highway Winter Maintenance Operations – Phase 2 PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 30p AB - Winter weather in Iowa is often unpredictable and can have an adverse impact on traffic flow. The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) attempts to lessen the impact of winter weather events on traffic speeds with various proactive maintenance operations. In order to assess the performance of these maintenance operations, it would be beneficial to develop a model for expected speed reduction based on weather variables and normal maintenance schedules. Such a model would allow the Iowa DOT to identify situations in which speed reductions were much greater than or less than would be expected for a given set of storm conditions, and make modifications to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The objective of this work was to predict speed changes relative to baseline speed under normal conditions, based on nominal maintenance schedules and winter weather covariates (snow type, temperature, and wind speed), as measured by roadside weather stations. This allows for an assessment of the impact of winter weather covariates on traffic speed changes, and estimation of the effect of regular maintenance passes. The researchers chose events from Adair County, Iowa and fit a linear model incorporating the covariates mentioned previously. A Bayesian analysis was conducted to estimate the values of the parameters of this model. Specifically, the analysis produces a distribution for the parameter value that represents the impact of maintenance on traffic speeds. The effect of maintenance is not a constant, but rather a value that the researchers have some uncertainty about and this distribution represents what they know about the effects of maintenance. Similarly, examinations of the distributions for the effects of winter weather covariates are possible. Plots of observed and expected traffic speed changes allow a visual assessment of the model fit. Future work involves expanding this model to incorporate many events at multiple locations. This would allow for assessment of the impact of winter weather maintenance across various situations, and eventually identify locations and times in which maintenance could be improved. KW - Iowa KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Performance measurement KW - Real time information KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic speed KW - Weather conditions KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/17902/1/IADOT_InTrans_RB03-013_Quantifying_Uncertainty_RT_Perf_Meas_Highway_Winter_Maint_Ops_Phase_2_2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329668 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544673 AU - Hu, Sheng AU - Zhou, Fujie AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Texas Cracking Performance Prediction, Simulation, and Binder Recommendation PY - 2014/10 SP - 88p AB - Recent studies show some mixes with softer binders used outside of Texas (e.g., Minnesota's Cold Weather Road Research Facility mixes) have both good rutting and cracking performance. However, the current binder performance grading (PG) system fails to justify/identify this phenomenon, particularly as it applies to softer but highly modified binders. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the current asphalt grading system and recommend associated specification limits, especially for modified binders. The major objectives of this research were to (a) identify/develop simple lab evaluation methods to characterize binder properties, (b) recommend potential binder specification changes, (c) track the field performance of pavements using different binders including softer but highly modified binders, and (d) develop a statewide catalogue of binder recommendations for each district based on cracking performance simulation and life cycling analysis results. KW - Bituminous binders KW - Cracking KW - Evaluation KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Pavement performance KW - Performance based specifications KW - Recommendations KW - Simulation KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6674-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329338 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544652 AU - Finley, Melisa D AU - Miles, Jeffrey D AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Alcohol on Lane Placement and Glance Patterns when Passing a Parked Active Law Enforcement Vehicle PY - 2014/10 SP - 29p AB - For this project, researchers used an existing dataset from a previous research effort to investigate the moth effect theory, where it is believed that drivers drift toward bright lights. While the previous research study primarily focused on signs, on one segment of the closed-course participants drove past a law enforcement vehicle with its overhead flashing lights activated at two blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels (0.00 and 0.12 g/dL). Researchers also utilized the existing dataset to investigate how alcohol affects pupil size and vehicle speed. Within 300 ft of the law enforcement vehicle, all of the participants initially steered the vehicle away from the vehicle. However, about 250 ft upstream of the vehicle all of the participants began to drift back toward the vehicle and continued to drift toward the vehicle for approximately 200 ft, moving laterally 8 to 24 inches. Nonetheless, all participants kept the study vehicle well within the lane lines. On average, participants drifted farther toward the law enforcement vehicle at a BAC level of 0.12 g/dL. However, the effect of BAC level on lane placement varied by participant. Researchers confirmed that the pupil diameter for the majority of participants was larger at a BAC level of 0.12 g/dL than at a BAC level of 0.00 g/dL. Participants at a BAC level of 0.12 g/dL also tended to look directly at the law enforcement vehicle less. Small differences in the vehicle speed between BAC levels were seen; however, the differences were practically negligible. Typically, the participants at the 0.00 g/dL BAC level appeared to drive more conservatively. Overall, the vehicle lane placement findings upstream of the law enforcement vehicle support the moth effect theory. In addition, the pupil diameter findings confirmed expectations regarding bright light sources and alcohol-impaired driving. KW - Blood alcohol levels KW - Brightness KW - Drunk drivers KW - Eye movements KW - Lateral placement KW - Police vehicles KW - Pupils (Eyes) KW - Speed KW - Vehicle lighting UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Finley-ATLAS-2013-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329984 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544641 AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Wilson, Bryan T AU - Estakhri, Cindy AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Construction and Monitoring of Thin Overlay and Crack Sealant Test Sections at the Pecos Test Track PY - 2014/10 SP - 51p AB - In this project, several crack sealant sections were constructed at the Pecos RTC. Six different sealants were applied in routed and non-routed configurations on both older and newer pavement. The following summer, the sections were reevaluated including simulated heavy traffic testing. The sealants were also tested in the lab with a sealant adhesion test. Also in this project three different thin overlays were constructed at the test track, these being the fine-graded permeable friction course (PFC), fine stone matrix asphalt and a crack attenuating mix. The fine PFC used at Pecos was also placed on Loop 338 around Odessa. These new thin overlays and crack sealant demonstration projects will be evaluated in coming years for future research projects. The researchers recommend applying more test sections on regularly trafficked pavements using a standard sealant (Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Class A or B), and the two best performing sealants (AR Plus and Roadsaver 203). These should be applied to pavements with different levels of traffic and different amounts of crack movement. The thin overlays first demonstrated in these test section have now become widely used around Texas. They are now included in the most several specification (SS 3228 and Item 347) and sections constructed in at least half of the Texas Districts. KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Fine aggregates KW - Friction course KW - Pavement performance KW - Performance tests KW - Sealing compounds KW - Test sections KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/9-1529-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329324 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544633 AU - Robinson, R Michael AU - Foytik, Peter AU - TranLIVE AU - Old Dominion University, Virginia Beach AU - U.S. Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimizing Freight Routes and Modes to Minimize Environmental Impacts: Integrating Truck Emissions Cost in Traffic Assignment PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 25p AB - Adverse impacts of greenhouse gases (GHG) and the imperative for reducing the production are well established. The transportation sector accounts for 28% of all U.S. GHG production. Heavy-duty vehicles (e.g., large freight trucks) account for nearly 1/5 of the U.S. total and this fraction is growing. Most current efforts emphasize one of four areas: (1) engineering improvements to improve fuel economy or reduce emissions, (2) shifts to other transport modes, (3) improved logistics to reduce the movement of partially full or empty containers, and (4) reduced travel costs for individual trucks. A small fraction of studies have assessed modifications to route choice considerations as a means of improving fuel economy of individual vehicles. These studies suggest the potential gains are very small. In this study, potential gains of emissions-based route choice were assessed by integrating the EPA Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) with a macroscopic regional traffic demand model. For this integration, route choices included a simplified emission calculation within the repeated model iteration runs of a Frank-Wolfe type algorithm. Analyses suggest reductions of freight truck emissions are possible and show an example where the total systems truck emission was reduced by up to 0.61% (88.8 tons). KW - Algorithms KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight transportation KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Pollutants KW - Route choice KW - Traffic assignment KW - Travel demand KW - Trucks UR - http://www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/ODU_TranLIVE_FinalReport_FreightEmissions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329807 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544632 AU - Kubas, Andrew AU - Vachal, Kimberly AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Energy Sector Growth on Perceived Transportation Safety in the Seventeen-County Oil Region of Western North Dakota: A Follow-Up Study PY - 2014/10 SP - 56p AB - The sharp increase in travel volumes, shift in traffic mix, and large increases in crashes have transformed the travel environment in the oil region of western North Dakota. Roads once used for local access and agricultural purposes now mostly serve expanding oil production. Oil companies, workers, commercial trucks, and industrial equipment associated with oil extraction use these roads to access oil drilling and production sites. This has led to a larger number of overweight and oversized vehicles on the road. A survey questionnaire was sent to drivers to better understand perceptions and behaviors of road users in this region. County-level crash data were gathered for the state of North Dakota to understand changes in driving conditions during the latest oil boom – specifically between 2004 and 2013. This study addresses two goals for improving traffic safety in the region: first, to examine public perceptions of traffic safety issues and priorities; and, second, to address crash trends and possible intervention strategies. Survey results indicate that drivers perceive the region to be dangerous. Crash data reveal that overall crash events are growing at near exponential rates, and some metrics are worsening even when factoring for changes in vehicle miles traveled and population growth. KW - Behavior KW - Crash data KW - Drivers KW - Highway safety KW - North Dakota KW - Petroleum industry KW - Rural areas KW - Surveys KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle mix UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-271.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329528 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544627 AU - Overman, John H AU - Storey, Beverly AU - Kraus, Edgar AU - Miller, Kristi AU - Elgart, Zachary AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Introductory Guide to Integrated Ecological Framework PY - 2014/10 SP - 24p AB - This guide introduces the Integrated Ecological Framework (IEF) to Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) engineers and planners. IEF is step-by-step approach to integrating ecological and transportation planning with the goal of avoiding impacts, minimizing mitigation costs, conserving resources, and improving project delivery. Transportation agencies do their best to avoid and minimize any impacts to the environment, but some impacts are unavoidable. Compensatory mitigation is used to offset these unavoidable impacts to the environment. The environmental permitting process under federal and state legislation constitutes a major component of the transportation project development and delivery process. Over $3.3 billion is spent annually on compensatory mitigation under the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act programs, so there are significant incentives to minimize the cost of mitigation from transportation impacts. KW - Conservation KW - Ecology KW - Environmental impacts KW - Resource allocation KW - Strategic planning KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6762-P1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329838 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544624 AU - Mattson, Jeremy AU - Miller, James AU - Hough, Jill AU - Goodwill, Jay AU - Sriraj, P S AU - Small Urban and Rural Transit Center AU - University of Illinois, Chicago AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating the State of Mobility Management and Human Service Transportation Coordination PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 102p AB - The Federal Transit Administration and its partners have worked to build a transportation coordination infrastructure to improve community mobility. Recent efforts at coordinating human services transportation have focused on mobility management, emphasizing the needs of customers and using the assets of a number of organizations. As a part of this study, an evaluation method was developed that can be used in communities across the country to examine the effectiveness of their mobility management and coordination programs. Results examine three key impacts: the impacts of services on meeting the needs of transportation-disadvantaged populations, the impacts of improved mobility on quality of life, and the impacts of mobility management and coordination efforts on meeting the goals of quality of service, ease of access, and efficiency. The evaluation method developed for the study consisted of a series of surveys of both transit users and stakeholders in communities across the country. Stakeholders included transit providers, human service agencies, and other organizations. Results from both the end-user and stakeholder surveys suggest improvements in efficiencies, ease of access, and quality of service. Most respondents to the stakeholder survey reported benefits that have been realized. Results from an ordered probit model demonstrate the positive impacts that improved mobility has on life satisfaction. KW - Coordination KW - Evaluation KW - Mobility KW - Probits KW - Quality of life KW - Quality of service KW - Social service agencies KW - Stakeholders KW - Surveys KW - Transit riders KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/2014-10-evaluating-mobility-management.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331209 ER - TY - SER AN - 01544617 JO - Technote PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Graybeal, Ben TI - Design and Construction of Field-Cast UHPC Connections PY - 2014/10 SP - 36p AB - Advancements in the science of concrete materials have led to the development of a new class of cementitious composites called ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). UHPC exhibits mechanical and durability properties that make it an ideal candidate for use in developing new solutions to pressing concerns about highway infrastructure deterioration, repair, and replacement. Field-cast UHPC details connecting prefabricated structural elements used for bridge construction have proven to be an application that has captured the attention of owners, specifiers, and contractors across the country. These connections can be simpler to construct and can provide more robust long-term performance than connections constructed through conventional methods. This document provides guidance on the design and deployment of field-cast UHPC connections. KW - Bridge construction KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Structural connection KW - Ultra high performance concrete UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/14084/14084.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331780 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544616 AU - Cetin, Mecit AU - Unal, Ozhan AU - TranLIVE AU - Old Dominion University AU - U.S. Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real-time Prediction of Queues at Signalized Intersections to Support Eco-Driving Applications PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 28p AB - The overall objective of this research is to develop models for predicting queue lengths at signalized intersections based on the data from probe vehicles. The time and space coordinates of the probe vehicles going through signalized intersections are utilized to predict the back of the queue profile. For a single intersection, prediction models are developed where both over-saturated and under-saturated conditions are considered. The shockwave theory (i.e., the Lighthill-Whitham-Richards theory) is used to estimate the evolution of the back of the queue over time and space from the event data generated when probe vehicles join the back of the queue. An analytical formulation is developed for determining the critical points required to create the time-space diagrams that characterize queue dynamics. These critical points are used to estimate the queue lengths. The formulation is tested on the data obtained from traffic simulation software VISSIM. It was found that the shockwave-based formulation is effective in estimating queue dynamics at signalized intersections for -- and over-saturated conditions even with a relatively low percentage of probes (e.g., 10-20%) in the system. For example, under over-saturated conditions simulated, the error is less than ±10% in more 90% of the cycles when the market penetration of probe vehicles is 15%. KW - Ecodriving KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Probe vehicles KW - Signalized intersections KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Traffic queuing KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/ODU_TranLIVE_Final%20Report_Real-Time%20Prediction UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329806 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544605 AU - Salomon, Abraham Lama AU - Moen, Cristopher D AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Structural Design Guidelines for Concrete Bridge Decks Reinforced with Corrosion-Resistant Reinforcing Bars PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 51p AB - This research program develops and validates structural design guidelines and details for concrete bridge decks with corrosion-resistant reinforcing (CRR) bars. A two-phase experimental program was conducted where a control test set consistent with a typical Virginia Department of Transportation bridge deck design using Grade 60 steel (ASTM A615, fy = 60 ksi) and epoxy-coated reinforcing steel was compared to deck slab specimens where Grade 60 is replaced with CRR bars. The experimental program was designed to evaluate how flexural performance at service and ultimate limit states are affected by a one-to-one replacement of Grade 60 with CRR bars, a reduction of concrete clear cover, and a reduction in rebar size. Structural analysis models were developed using Response 2000 in order to predict the CRR bridge deck moment-curvature and the moment-crack width relationships. Experimental trends proved to be consistent with the analytical results demonstrating the viability of Response 2000 as a design tool for reinforced concrete with high-strength and nonmetallic rebar without a defined yield plateau. For reduced bar size and clear cover (2.00 in instead 2.50 in), ASTM A1035 and UNS S32304 specimens proved to have similar deformability ratios and crack widths that comply with current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) requirements, with as much as 36% less steel. KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete bridges KW - Corrosion resistance KW - Guidelines KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Steel KW - Structural analysis KW - Structural design KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/15-r10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330762 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544604 AU - Chaudhary, Nadeem A AU - Charara, Hassan A AU - Sunkari, Srinivasa R AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of NTCIP-Based Portable Traffic Signal Evaluation System PY - 2014/10//Technical Report SP - 86p AB - The objective of this project was to develop a custom toolbox for monitoring and troubleshooting operational issues and faults at signalized intersections and diamond interchanges, and for providing a mechanism to facilitate signal timing optimization using third-party optimization programs. This report describes work conducted by Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) researchers to achieve the above objectives, which resulted in three software modules: (1) a monitoring module that uses National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocols (NTCIP) messages to monitor and record real-time statuses of events in a traffic controller and logs collected and processed data for later use, (2) an analysis module that generates various easy-to-interpret reports to allow assessment of controller event data, and (3) an update module that reads optimized signal timing from a selected universal traffic data format (UTDF file) and uses NTCIP messages to download these timing data to a controller. The report also describes in-lab and field testing that researchers conducted to verify the operations of these modules. KW - Diamond interchanges KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - National Transportation Communications for Intelligent Transportation Systems Protocol KW - Optimization KW - Signalized intersections KW - Software KW - Texas KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Traffic signals KW - Troubleshooting UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6775-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329631 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544594 AU - Nguyen-Hoang, Phuong AU - Yeung, Ryan AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Dollars for Lives: The Effect of Highway Capital Investments on Traffic Fatalities PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 34p AB - There is no research that links capital investments on highways with highway fatalities. This research project aimed to fill that gap. The authors used state-level data from the 48 contiguous states of the U.S. from 1968 through 2010 to estimate the effects of highway fatalities on capital expenditures and highway capital stock, which is defined as the total street and highway capital value that has accumulated up to a given point in time. The authors estimated these effects by controlling for a set of control variables, together with state and year dummy variables, and state-specific linear time trends. It was found that capital expenditures and capital stock had significant and negative effects on highway fatalities. The results of the research emphasize that while state and local governments are currently fiscally strained, it is important for them to continue investments in roadways to enhance traffic safety and, more significantly, to save lives. KW - Capital expenditures KW - Capital investments KW - Fatalities KW - Highways KW - Traffic safety KW - United States UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Nguyen-Hoang_DollarsforLivesTheEffectofHighwayCapitalInvestmentsonTrafficfatalities.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331078 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544591 AU - Llorens, Jared J AU - Richardson, James A AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Economic Impact Analysis of Short Line Railroads PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 48p AB - This research project assesses the economic role and impact of short line railroads in the state of Louisiana. While relatively small in scope, with 11 operators and approximately 500 miles of track, short line railroads play a significant role in supporting the state’s core economic drivers. Overall, short line railroads are small, but significant components of the state’s business connections since the primary purpose of these rail lines is to move commodities from Louisiana producers, via rail, to national and international markets and vice versa. This report addresses a number of key factors related to their overall economic impact upon the state’s economy, including the regional economic impact of the short line railroads. First described is the scope and presence of the eleven short line railroads currently operating in the state of Louisiana, paying particular attention to their role in facilitating the transportation of goods to and from Class I railroads. Second, a detailed description of the broader economic contribution of short line railroads in Louisiana, focusing on key economic metrics such as employment levels, parish presence and industries served, as well as estimates of the economic impact of the short line railroads on the state and selected regions of the state, is provided. In this section, the fact that short line railroads account for approximately 1,821 direct and indirect jobs in the state, many of which are located in parishes with limited employment opportunities, is highlighted. More importantly, short line railroads directly support the State’s leading industries (i.e., agriculture, oil and gas, etc.) which represent the major drivers of the State’s overall economy. These major industries support over 260,000 jobs in the Louisiana economy or close to 15 percent of all jobs in the state. In addition, these core industries create the opportunity for other businesses to be successful. In this section, also addressed are possible alternatives to short line rail operations and their environmental and economic impact. Lastly, short line policies (e.g., grant programs for capital improvements) that should be considered by the state of Louisiana in order to accommodate the flow of goods using railways in the state is explored. These policies are drawn from short line rail policies that have been crafted by other states, but are related to the unique short line issues in Louisiana. KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic impacts KW - Employment KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight transportation KW - Industries KW - Louisiana KW - Policy KW - Short line railroads UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2014/FR_527.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330376 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544582 AU - Liu, Jenny AU - Zhang, Xiong AU - Chamberlain, Andrew AU - Li, Lin AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Financial Impact of Fines in the Unbound Pavement Layers PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 129p AB - This study continued the research effort on evaluating the resilient behavior of D-1 base course materials when there is limited water access during freezing. D-1 material from the Northern region of Alaska was used, and a closed system was adopted for the specimen preparation process to represent an extreme natural freezing process condition in which no water intake occurs during freezing. Resilient moduli (MR) of soil specimens were measured and influencing factors investigated included four fines contents ranging from 6% to 12%, three moisture contents ranging from 3.3% to 6%, three temperature gradients (low, medium, and high) during the freezing process, and a series of temperatures ranging from -5°C to 20°C. The study confirmed several findings from previous study (Li et al. 2010). In addition, it was found that temperature gradient and stress state are important influencing factors. In a closed system, for D-1 materials with different fines contents, soils tended to increase in MR after a freeze-thaw cycle, in some cases significantly, due to soil structure change during the freezing process. MR models were then calibrated to predict the resilient behavior of D-1 material under different temperature, moisture, and fines contents and under both non-frozen and frozen conditions. KW - Alaska KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Economic impacts KW - Fines (Materials) KW - Freeze thaw tests KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Moisture content KW - Pavement layers KW - Temperature UR - http://tundra.ine.uaf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/revised-final-Fines-report-10-09-14-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331606 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544581 AU - Martinez, Mark AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Rideability Of A Deflected Bridge Approach Slab (LTRC Project 02-2GT Continuation: Phase II) PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 165p AB - This report presents the findings associated with an effort to develop a complementary pavement roughness indexing system that utilizes the 25 ft. Moving Baselength Roughness Index (IRI₂₅-ft) alongside the posted speed localized roughness index (LRIPS) to find, index, and detect the types of bumps that appear on Louisiana highways. Currently established pavement roughness indices, such as ride number (RN), profile index (PI), and international roughness index (IRI), cannot effectively locate the position of bumps on the pavement due to inherent limitations. The complimentary index being proposed is intended to overcome these limitations. The IRI₂₅-ft represents a methodology that the pavement indexing community has begun to utilize to evaluate bumps. For the purposes of this research, it is to be employed to index bump magnitude. The LRIPS was developed in a previous study carried out at the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC). For the purposes of this research, it is to be employed to locate the position of bumps on roadways and to identify bump type like faults and angle changes. KW - Bridge approaches KW - Indexing KW - Louisiana KW - Methodology KW - Pavement distress KW - Ride quality KW - Roughness UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2014/FR_531.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329741 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544580 AU - Williams, Kevin W AU - Gildea, Kevin M AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - A Review of Research Related to Unmanned Aircraft System Visual Observers PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 28p AB - This paper is a review of human factors research that is related to the task of the visual observer in unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations. Primarily, visual observers are used to assist in the prevention of a mid-air collision during the course of a UAS operation. Therefore, much of the research reviewed is related to ground-based visual observation of aircraft. The research covers basic human visual system capacity and limitations, visual performance models, and empirical studies of visual observation. The empirical studies include visual observer studies, aircraft see-and-avoid research, and search and rescue operations research. The results from this research are compared with current visual observer requirements to show where some of the requirements might exceed the capacity of the visual observer to perform adequately. The final section of the document presents recommendations and suggested guidelines for the UAS operations that use visual observers. In addition to their use in avoiding mid-air collisions with aircraft, visual observers can be used to assist the UAS pilot in avoiding difficult to see obstructions such as power lines and guy wires. Observers can also be used to monitor the movements of people and vehicles that might stray too close to an operation. KW - Aircraft operations KW - Drone aircraft KW - Human factors KW - Recommendations KW - Vision KW - Visual perception UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201409.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329343 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544572 AU - Aubeny, Charles P AU - Biscontin, Giovanna AU - Huang, Jie AU - Bin-Shafique, Sazzad AU - Dantal, Vishal S AU - Sadat, Rafat AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Design Parameters and Methodology for Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls PY - 2014/10//Technical Report SP - 356p AB - Since its appearance in 1970s, mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls have become a majority among all types of retaining walls due to their economics and satisfactory performance. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has primarily adopted the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guidelines for the design of MSE walls. Researchers (1) conducted laboratory tests on backfill materials and the statistical analysis to determine variability of soil properties (such as friction angle and unit weight) for soils meeting the TxDOT specifications, (2) performed Monte Carlo simulation using the determined soil property variation to assess the effect of spatial variability of material properties on the calculated factor of safety on sliding and overturning, (3) carried out numerical analysis using a Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua (FLAC) program to investigate possible failure modes under conditions of complicated geometries and rapid drawdown, and (4) evaluated the effect of precast panel on the compound failure analysis. Researchers evaluated design parameters for sliding analysis recommended by AASHTO and recommended modified design parameters calculated from FLAC simulations for different geometries and for different soil parameters. Similarly, a parametric study was performed to address issues related to bearing capacity for MSE walls and justify AASHTO recommendation with German code (EBGEO) for MSE walls. KW - Backfill soils KW - Bearing capacity KW - Design KW - Earth walls KW - Lagrangian functions KW - Mechanically stabilized earth KW - Methodology KW - Numerical analysis KW - Simulation KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6716-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329898 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544566 AU - Quiroga, Cesar AU - Sharma, Sushant AU - Meyland, Mary AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Costs to Process and Manage Utility and Driveway Permits PY - 2014/10 SP - 145p AB - Reviewing and processing utility and driveway permits at the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) requires a considerable amount of involvement and coordination by TxDOT personnel, both at the district and division levels. Currently, TxDOT absorbs the entire cost to review, process, and archive utility and driveway permits regardless of type of permit application, proposed project scale, or required TxDOT resources involved. The purpose of the research was to evaluate the time and costs to process various types of utility and driveway permits, evaluate potential fee alternatives, determine the feasibility of transferring permitting responsibilities to local jurisdictions, and develop recommendations for access management compliance. To estimate the costs, the researchers conducted extensive interviews with TxDOT districts and divisions to characterize the permitting process and collected permit data from multiple sources. The costs estimation included direct labor, equipment, information technology, and office cost categories, as well as some costs associated with coordination activities that are directly relevant to the permitting function. Data availability enabled a differentiation between simple and complex utility permits as well as a differentiation between residential and nonresidential driveway permits. With this information, the researchers examined potential fee alternatives to cover permit administrative costs. Based on feedback from districts and divisions, the researchers concluded that transferring utility permits to local jurisdictions was not feasible given the current utility permitting structure at TxDOT. However, transferring driveway permitting to local jurisdictions is feasible under certain conditions. The researchers conducted four regional stakeholder workshops to discuss and fine-tune the research findings and recommendations. KW - Access control (Transportation) KW - Costs KW - Driveways KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Fees KW - Permits KW - Public utilities KW - Recommendations KW - Stakeholders KW - Texas KW - Texas Department of Transportation KW - Workshops UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329839 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544560 AU - Sargand, Shad AU - Khoury, Issam AU - Gray, Jayson AU - Al-Jhayyish, Anwer AU - Ohio University, Athens AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Incorporating Chemical Stabilization of the Subgrade in Pavement Design and Construction Practices PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 124p AB - The objectives of this study were to determine how to incorporate the increase in stiffness of stabilized subgrade in the design of (Flexible?) pavement, and to examine the longevity of subgrade stabilization. Pavement sites that included stabilized subgrade across the state of Ohio were selected for field measurements. The field work included measurements made with portable seismic properties analyzer (PSPA), falling weight deflectometer (FWD), core collection, and dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) at multiple locations at each site. Original construction records, soil logs, and soil classification data were consulted as well. The FWD and DCP data were used to determine the resilient moduli and layer coefficients of aggregate base and stabilized subgrade and the resilient modulus of the unstabilized subgrade. Several methods of data analysis were used, including back calculation using finite element modeling from the FWD data and estimation of modulus from the DCP data and soil classification using procedures given in the 1993 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide for Design of Pavement Structures, Ohio Department of Transportation's (ODOT’s) Pavement Design Manual, and a report for ODOT written by Eddie Chou [2004]. As borne out by FWD and DCP measurements, both cement stabilization and lime stabilization resulted in significant long term increases in the modulus of the stabilized subgrade relative to the unstabilized subgrade. The modulus and stiffness of the base is also increased because it is confined by the stabilized soil underneath and the pavement on top. The significant increase in the modulus of the base and stabilized subgrade has an impact on the thickness design of pavement. KW - Dynamic Cone Penetrometer KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Layer coefficient (Pavements) KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Ohio KW - Pavement design KW - Soil stabilization KW - Stiffness KW - Subgrade (Pavements) UR - http://worldcat.org/webharvest/ArcViewerRedirect.jsp?volumeid=h1421091039365 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331204 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544538 AU - Diefenderfer, Stacey D AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Developing a Laboratory Protocol for Asphalt Binder Recovery PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 28p AB - Asphalt binder extraction and recovery are common laboratory procedures used to provide material for research and quality assurance testing. The most common methods of recovery performed today include the Abson method and the rotary evaporator (or Rotavap) method. The purpose of this study was to compare the Rotavap method proposed for use at the asphalt binder laboratory of the Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research (VCTIR) to the Abson method currently in use at the asphalt materials laboratory of the Virginia Department of Transportation Materials Division to provide for continuity in test results. Blank determinations were produced, recovered, and tested to provide comparative data for the two methods of recovery. In addition, base binders used in the production of the blank determinations were tested under the same conditioning protocols as those for the recovered binder to provide baseline data. Analysis of the test data indicated that using both the Rotavap and Abson methods affected the resultant binder properties; however, the impacts were similar for both methods. There were few significant differences between the test results using the two methods, and neither method was found to result in any change in the resultant binder grade of a recovered binder as compared to that of the base binder. Based on these findings, it was concluded that the Rotavap method provides recovered binders that are comparable to those recovered using the Abson method. It was recommended that VCTIR continue to use the Rotavap method to recover binders and proceed with efforts to become accredited by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Materials Reference Laboratory in the use of Rotavap recovery. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Bituminous binders KW - Evaporators KW - Laboratory tests KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/15-r7.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329322 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544534 AU - Byrne, Cristina L AU - Broach, Dana AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - An Evaluation of the Utility of AT-SAT for the Placement of New Controllers by Option PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 16p AB - As a follow-up to the completion of the Concurrent Validation of the Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT) test for Tower Controller Hiring (CoVATCH) project, the authors investigated the utility and fairness of using AT-SAT scores to place Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) applicants into terminal or en route facilities. Generally speaking, controller pay is higher at en route facilities than at most terminal facilities; placement by option thus affects the terms and conditions of employment and therefore is a selection decision within the scope of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1978). While results of statistical analyses indicated that AT-SAT could be considered a valid tool for use in placement, based on technical considerations only, it was concluded that it should not be used in that way due to lack of utility and potential for adverse impact. The analyses indicated that if AT-SAT were used for placement, while the field training success rate (the proportion of developmentals achieving Certified Professional Controller status at the first field facility) would increase in en route facilities, the success rate would decrease in terminal facilities. Since more positions are available at terminal facilities, the overall success rate across both options would not change substantially and might actually decrease slightly. Furthermore, using AT-SAT to place new ATCSs into en route or terminal facilities might have adverse impact on blacks, Hispanics, and females. If the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were to use AT-SAT for placement, the risk of additional adverse impact and pay disparities should be evaluated against the marginal utility of placement in terms of changes in field training success rates. In sum, given the findings of both validation studies, the analyses conducted here, and the projected ratio of controllers that will likely be hired into each option, using AT-SAT scores to guide placement decisions is not recommended at this time. KW - Air traffic controllers KW - Air Traffic Selection and Training KW - Aptitude tests KW - Enroute traffic control KW - Evaluation KW - Selection and appointment KW - Statistical analysis KW - Terminal air traffic control UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201410.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330661 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544533 AU - Sunkari, Srinivasa AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improvements to Rural Intersections To Improve Motorist Compliance PY - 2014/10//Technical Report SP - 50p AB - The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has placed improving safety as one of its top objectives. Improving safety in rural intersections is a means to improve roadway safety especially in rural districts such as the districts in West Texas. The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) in consultation with TxDOT engineers developed a low-cost system that can be configured with off the shelf components and can be installed fairly easily. The system uses wireless sensors to complete contact closures in a cabinet that was built by TTI researchers to activate beacons on the Stop sign and Stop Ahead sign when a vehicle is arriving on a stop-controlled approach. The system also would keep the beacons on the Stop sign flashing till the vehicle at the Stop Bar leaves the intersection. The system was demonstrated at the Pecos Test Track. A TxDOT expert panel reviewed the system both during daytime and nighttime. The expert panel was overall supportive of the system, made some recommendations for improving the system, and was interested in implementing the system in their districts. The system was implemented at an intersection near Pecos. Based on panel’s recommendation a system that would activate the beacons on the Stop sign if vehicle speed is above a user defined threshold was also designed, implemented, and demonstrated to the district engineers. KW - Flashing beacons KW - Implementation KW - Intersections KW - Rural highways KW - Stop signs KW - Texas KW - Traffic signs KW - Traffic speed KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/9-1529-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329919 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544526 AU - Taylor, Peter AU - Wang, Xuhao AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Iowa Department of Transportation TI - Concrete Pavement Mixture Design and Analysis (MDA): Factors Influencing Drying Shrinkage PY - 2014/10 SP - 29p AB - This literature review focuses on factors influencing drying shrinkage of concrete. Although the factors are normally interrelated, they can be categorized into three groups: paste quantity, paste quality, and other factors. KW - Cement paste KW - Concrete pavements KW - Drying KW - Literature reviews KW - Mix design KW - Shrinkage UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/shrinkage_lit_rvw_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330378 ER - TY - SER AN - 01544523 JO - Hydraulic Engineering Circular PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Douglass, Scott L AU - Webb, Bret M AU - Kilgore, Roger AU - Kilgore Consulting & Management AU - South Coast Engineers TI - Highways in the Coastal Environment: Assessing Extreme Events PY - 2014/10 IS - 25 (Volume 2) SP - 149p AB - This manual provides technical guidance and methods for assessing the vulnerability of coastal transportation facilities to extreme events and climate change. This is a standalone supplement, a "Volume 2," to the existing, primary Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Hydraulic Engineering Circular (HEC) manual: "Highways in the Coastal Environment," HEC-25 (2nd edition, FHWA 2008). The focus of this supplement is quantifying exposure to sea level rise, storm surge, and waves considering climate change. It is anticipated that there will be multiple uses for this guidance including risk and vulnerability assessments, planning activities, and design procedure development. The critical coast processes controlling the vulnerability of transportation assets to extreme events are identified by region along with some available methods for modeling them and the likely impacts of climate change. Global sea level rise, including projections of future sea levels, is emphasized because of its importance. Tools for developing vulnerability assessments for coastal transportation infrastructure are described within the framework of engineering risk. Storm damage mechanisms, often exacerbated by sea level rise and climate change, are described. Adaptation approaches for coastal transportation infrastructure are also described. Many of the adaptations required for climate change and sea level rise are the same adaptations required for improving infrastructure resilience to extreme events with today's sea levels. Specific approaches for assessing exposure of coastal infrastructure to extreme events and climate change are presented in three different "levels of effort" ranging from use of available data to original numerical modeling. The inclusion of trained coastal scientists and engineers in the analysis team is suggested at all levels of effort. Three case studies from the existing literature on coastal vulnerability assessments to extreme events and climate change are described. Coastal transportation infrastructure is highly exposed to extreme events today and that exposure is likely to increase with sea level rise and climate change. KW - Case studies KW - Climate change KW - Coasts KW - Infrastructure KW - Manuals KW - Mathematical models KW - Risk assessment KW - Sea level KW - Storm surges KW - Weather and climate UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/pubs/nhi14006/nhi14006.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331202 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544521 AU - Maritime Administration AU - American Association of Port Authorities AU - Department of Transportation TI - Port Planning and Investment Toolkit: Funding Strategy Module PY - 2014/10 SP - 72p AB - Funding strategy is a primary consideration of any capital investment decision, and a key factor when defining the various port objectives, strategies and timelines for pursuing selected forms of infrastructure investment and delivery. While every port capital investment project is different, and each work plan has unique attributes, ports should generally evaluate and approach investment opportunities using an approach grounded in prudent due diligence and fundamental credit / investment evaluation. Ports function as intermodal facilities for goods and passengers, and they are by necessity public-private partnerships (“P3). As a result, the range of financial needs and solutions for public ports is very broad. In order to make the best use of available funding sources, it is important for ports to understand the full range of potential capital needs and financial solutions, and not be wed to just one potential solution. The funding strategy processes outlined in this document are the very steps that have been undertaken in port project financings, and have been successfully used to attract billions of investment dollars for public port and transportation enterprises. Using the Toolkit modules described, once customized to the specific port project, should lead a port through a logical and thorough step-by-step process to make sound investment decisions and then to choose and implement the best and most viable financing alternative. It is important to note that the steps outlined herein do not necessarily occur in a linear fashion; that is, there is often overlap and recurrence of steps. The key is that investment decisions can be made based on certain thought processes, and adapted to specific and changing circumstances of each port project under consideration. KW - Capital investments KW - Financing KW - Ports KW - Public private partnerships KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.marad.dot.gov/documents/Funding_Strategy_Module.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331201 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544518 AU - Clevenger, Caroline M AU - Ozbek, Mehmet E AU - Mahmoud, Hussam AU - Fanning, Blaine AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impacts and Benefits of Implementing Building Information Modeling on Bridge Infrastructure Projects PY - 2014/10 SP - 34p AB - To date, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is not widely utilized in infrastructure asset management. Benefits achieved through implementation in vertical construction, however, suggest that BIM represents significant opportunity for gains in process, material, and economic efficiency throughout infrastructure life cycles. This research documents the current state of BIM implementation across four regional transportation authorities in the United States. Next, it provides a detailed case study analyzing and comparing two current (2013) bridge projects, one that uses BIM and one that does not. The advantages of BIM are confirmed through observed reduction in requests for information (RFIs) and change orders (COs) relative to construction area (SF), cost ($), and average daily traffic, compared with typical construction. Finally, the report outlines potential benefits and implications of using BIM for infrastructure asset management by regional transportation authorities and the transportation industry overall. Numerous stakeholders involved with horizontal construction and operation currently seek information regarding the potentially significant benefits of integrating BIM into infrastructure asset management. This research is important because it serves to assess and inform such an imminent transition. The contribution of this research is to document and assess the role of BIM implementation and potential impacts in order to use it in assisting throughout the life cycle of infrastructure assets. KW - Asset management KW - Average daily traffic KW - Benefits KW - Bridge construction KW - Building information modeling KW - Case studies KW - Computer aided design KW - Costs KW - Implementation KW - Infrastructure KW - State of the practice KW - United States UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-272.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330172 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543590 AU - Biton, Anna AU - Nash, Logan AU - Mannheim, Daniel AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service TI - Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge Alternative Transportation Study PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 106p AB - This study for the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) identifies and analyzes options for enhancing alternative transportation access to the Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge (Nantucket NWR) at Great Point in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The study team developed and evaluated multiple scenarios for enhancing alternative transportation access to Nantucket NWR. The team developed an initial set of land- and water-based scenarios, and then refined them with further research on visitor demand, site conditions, financial projections, and implementation requirements. After arriving at a core set of access options, the study presents specific considerations and recommendations for FWS and its partners as they move to implement enhanced service. The project team recommended that rather than implement a drastically new service model, FWS implement flexible enhancements to the current tours. KW - Access KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Nantucket (Massachusetts) KW - Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge KW - Public transit KW - Tourism UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54100/54103/DOT-VNTSC-FWS-14-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330874 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543177 AU - McCarthy, Charlie AU - Harnett, Kevin AU - Carter, Art AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - A Summary of Cybersecurity Best Practices PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 40p AB - This report contains the results and analysis of a review of best practices and observations in the field of cybersecurity involving electronic control systems across a variety of industry segments where the safety-of-life is concerned. This research provides relevant benchmarks that are essential to making strategic decisions over the next steps for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA’s) research program. This publication is part of a series of reports that describe the authors' initial work under the goal of facilitating cybersecurity best practices in the automotive industry (Goals 1 and 2). The information presented herein increases the collective knowledge base in automotive cybersecurity; helps identify potential knowledge gaps; helps describe the risk and threat environments; and helps support follow-on tasks that could be used to establish security guidelines. KW - Automobile industry KW - Best practices KW - Cybersecurity KW - Electronic control KW - Motor vehicles KW - Safety and security KW - Traffic safety KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52889/812075_CybersecurityBestPractices.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329314 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543175 AU - Geyer, Michael AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Aircraft Navigation and Surveillance for a Spherical Earth PY - 2014/10//Project Memorandum SP - 197p AB - This memorandum addresses a basic function of aircraft (as well as marine, missile and satellite) surveillance and navigation systems analyses — quantifying the geometric relationship of two or more locations relative to each other and to a spherical earth. Here, geometry simply means distances (ranges) and angles. Applications that fit well with the methods presented herein include (a) planning a vehicle’s route; (b) determining the coverage region of a radar or radio navigation installation; or (c) calculating a vehicle’s position from slant-ranges, spherical-ranges, slant- or spherical-range differences, azimuth/elevation angles and/or altitude. The approach advocated is that, to simplify and clarify the analysis process, the three-dimensional problems inherent in navigation and surveillance analyses should, to the extent possible, be re-cast as the most appropriate set/sequence of sub-problems/formulations: Vertical-Plane Formulation; Spherical-Surface Formulation; Three-Dimensional Vector Formulation; and Linearized Least-Squares Iterative Formulation. These techniques are applied to a series of increasingly complex situations, starting with those having two problem-specific points, then extending to those involving three or more problem-specific points (e.g., two or more sensor stations and an aircraft). Closed-form (non-iterative) solutions are presented for determining an aircraft’s position based on virtually every possible combination of ranges, pseudoranges, azimuth or elevation angles and altitude measurements. The Gauss-Newton Linearized Least-Squares (LLS) iterative methodology is employed to address the most complex situations. These include any combination of the following circumstances: more measurements than unknown variables, measurement equations are too complex to be analytically inverted (including those for an ellipsoidal-shaped earth), or empirical data are utilized in the solution. Also, the capability of the LLS methodology to provide an estimate of the accuracy of any solution to the measurement equations is presented. KW - Aircraft pilotage KW - Closed form solutions KW - Linearized least squares methodology KW - Location KW - Position fixing KW - Surveillance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/53000/53100/53123/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-15-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329317 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543113 AU - Gros, Stéphane AU - Lee, Jon AU - Goodman, Daniel AU - Park, Brian AU - Pumphrey, Melissa AU - Erickson, Tim AU - Johnson, Michael AU - HDR AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Impact of Canadian Economic Development on Northern Montana Highways Phase II, Ports of Wild Horse and Morgan Highway Corridors PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 230p AB - The purpose of this study is to determine whether highway infrastructure in Montana is adequate to support future expected growth in traffic resulting from economic development in Canada, and a number of potential changes in border operations, industry structure and freight-related policy. Historical data on cross-border traffic, empirical findings from existing research, interviews with selected industry representatives and subject matter experts, as well as professional judgment, were used to: i) provide an overview of the regional economy, highlighting threats and opportunities for future economic development and growth in international trade; ii) develop forecasts of cross-border commodity flows and commercial traffic under alternative scenarios and economic growth assumptions; iii) document existing conditions along two highway corridors connecting US 2 with the Canadian border, namely the S-232 corridor between US 2 and Wild Horse, and the US 191 corridor between US 2 and Morgan; and iv) assess whether existing highway infrastructure along these corridors was adequate to accommodate future expected traffic levels. A number of conclusions could be reached. First, it is anticipated that existing highway infrastructure in Montana will be adequate to handle the potential increase in overall traffic, as well as the potential increase of truck traffic for both corridors of interest. Second, should the existing pavement and geometric conditions be maintained, the expected increase in annual average daily traffic (AADT) and truck percentages should not degrade the weighted traffic operations below free-flow conditions (LOS A); although individual locations within the corridor may experience higher degradation in operations than the overall weighted average operations. Third, traffic operations along the highway segments immediately adjacent to the ports are expected to remain below free-flow conditions through 2032. Only under the most aggressive growth scenario would traffic conditions south of Wild Horse deteriorate below LOS A in the busiest hour, in 2028. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Canada KW - Commodity flow KW - Economic development KW - Forecasting KW - Highway corridors KW - Highway operations KW - Infrastructure KW - International trade KW - Level of service KW - Montana KW - Ports of entry KW - Traffic growth KW - Truck traffic KW - United States-Canada Border UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/canada_impact_nhwy/final_report2_oct14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329095 ER - TY - SER AN - 01543010 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Phased-Array Ultrasonic Testing Acceptability Criteria (Phase II) PY - 2014/10 SP - 12p AB - This document is a technical summary of the unpublished Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) report "Development of Phased-Array Ultrasonic Testing Acceptability Criteria (Phase II)." The preliminary technical approach and scan plans developed during phase I of this research was implemented on testing four butt-weld specimens. The ray path analysis carried out to develop the scan plans and the preliminary data analysis indicated the need to carry out a minimum of two scans at different index points to enable complete volume coverage of the weld, particularly for thick weld specimens. The results also indicated the presence of defects (mainly lack of fusion, porosity, and cracks) in each of the four test specimens. The analysis of each defect to determine the size using the 6 dB drop method has been pursued in phase II of this research, and the results have been compared with the quality assurance/quality control [conventional ultrasonic testing (UT) and radiographic testing (RT)] results provided by the fabricators. In addition, the inspections were carried out using 5 and 2.25 MHz phased-array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) probes. This report details the work carried out in phase II, which involved the fabrication of additional transition butt-weld specimens that will be used in phase III of this study. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Butt welds KW - Flaw detection KW - Phased-array ultrasonic testing KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Steel pipe UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/bridge/14075/14075.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328587 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543004 AU - Jin, Peter J AU - Hall, Andrea AU - Hockenyos, Jon AU - Walton, C M AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Work Plan for the Completion of Strategic Business Plan PY - 2014/10 SP - 45p AB - The Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT's) mission is to provide a safe and reliable transportation system for Texas, while addressing congestion, connecting Texas communities, and becoming a best-in-class state agency. In an effort to help TxDOT achieve its mission, the Texas Technology Task Force (TTTF) was established. The TTTF was formally created in February 2013. After General Appropriations Bill, S.B. No. 1, 83rd Legislature, item 44, VII-31 (2013) was passed, TxDOT and the Task Force were directed to oversee a study on transportation technology. Through guidance from a technology industry expert panel, the TTTF has developed a vision for the future Texas transportation system that furthers these goals via technology-based solutions. The TTTF met from March to August of 2013 (Phase I) to develop a set of recommendations for continuing work in a second phase of a technology study. The recommendations from Phase I are provided in the first section of this report; subsequent sections synthesize and discuss work completed in Phase II. KW - Highway transportation KW - Strategic planning KW - Technological innovations KW - Texas Department of Transportation KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation safety UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6803-P5.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328752 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543002 AU - Ohlms, Peter B AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Local Government Funding and Financing of Roads: Virginia Case Studies and Examples From Other States PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 74p AB - Several Virginia localities have used local funding and financing sources to build new roads or complete major street improvement projects when state and/or federal funding was not available. Many others have combined local funding sources with state and/or federal funds to accelerate a project of importance to the locality. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine the extent to which local governments have completed road projects under Virginia statutes that enable various types of funding and financing tools and to document lessons some localities learned in the process; and (2) to identify examples of locally generated funding sources from other states not currently used in Virginia that could be promising for road projects. To achieve the first purpose, case studies and a survey were used to gather the necessary information. To achieve the second purpose, a literature review was conducted. Different localities had different enabling factors that led to their decisions to apply local funds to road projects. Enabling factors that were evident from the case studies included the following: high growth rates and the resultant increases in tax receipts; regional medical centers associated with substantial ancillary land development; local government staff with experience managing road construction projects; a combination of future-focused transportation plans and negotiation during the land development process; a record of success with similar projects; collaboration with universities and other local governments; and careful budgeting and saving. Examples of locally generated funding sources from other states that are not widely used in Virginia include transportation utility fees, local motor fuel taxes, mileage-based user fees, special property taxes on non-residential parking spaces, a tax per employee, concurrency, availability payment public-private partnerships, and various types of special districts. In addition to identifying the enabling factors listed, the study concludes that Virginia’s local governments have become major funding sources for road improvements of local importance. This role intensified as state funding levels decreased before Virginia’s 2013 transportation funding revisions, but some localities said that they could not sustain this trend over the long term. Even so, localities have an interest in using local dollars to advance local priority projects. The study recommends that the Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research and the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Local Assistance Division (1) develop a “road show” summarizing the findings from the case studies conducted in this study, with a focus on options for local funding that other localities might find useful; and (2) enhance an existing annual workshop that focuses on local project administration to add consideration of innovative local funding tools currently in use by jurisdictions outside Virginia. KW - Case studies KW - Financing KW - Highways KW - Innovation KW - Literature reviews KW - Local government KW - Virginia KW - Virginia Department of Transportation UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/15-r2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328986 ER - TY - SER AN - 01542847 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Evaluation of Detection-Control System PY - 2014/10 SP - 6p AB - High-speed signalized intersections present unique challenges to improving highway safety. Techniques for achieving safety often have an adverse effect on efficiency, and techniques for achieving efficiency sometimes have an adverse effect on safety. Bonneson et al. developed an alternative dilemma zone detection-control system (D-CS), which overcomes the limitations of traditional multiple advance-detector systems. The new system intelligently forecasts the best time to end the signal phase based on consideration of vehicle presence in the dilemma zone, vehicle type (i.e., truck or car), and the presence of vehicles waiting for a conflicting phase. This TechBrief is a technical summary of the Federal Highway Administration report of the same title (FHWA-HRT-14-058), which had the following objectives: (1) Verify the D-CS design objectives through rigorous field instrumentation—at the moment of signal change from green to yellow, no truck shall be in the dilemma zone, and no more than one passenger car shall be in the dilemma zone; (2) Quantify the effectiveness of D-CS in improving safety and reducing dilemma-zone-related crashes and red-light violations at rural, high-speed, signalized intersections; and (3) Identify the upper limit of traffic conditions under which the D-CS can operate safely and effectively. KW - Dilemma zone KW - Field studies KW - High speed intersections KW - Highway safety KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic signal controllers KW - Vehicle detectors UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/14082/14082.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328585 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01542841 AU - Lichty, Monica G AU - Bacon, L Paige AU - Richard, Christian AU - Battelle Seattle Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Collecting and Analyzing Stakeholder Feedback for Signing at Complex Interchanges PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 66p AB - The purpose of this project was to identify design constraints related to signing, markings, and geometry for complex interchanges, and then to identify useful topics for future research that will yield findings that can address those design issues. Obtaining this feedback was an important way to ensure that future research remains calibrated with the information needs of engineers and other practitioners.This project involved conducting phone interviews with 17 State transportation departments, represented by 28 individuals. These interviews provided information about how stakeholders identify problem interchanges, what types of problems occur, how they can address those problems, and how they deal with unique configurations that are not covered by existing design references. Complex interchanges pose an ongoing challenge to roadway engineers and State transportation department personnel. These interchanges often involve multiple routes that converge or diverge within a short distance, resulting in geometric or signing elements that ultimately cause higher workload for drivers. However, there is no simple definition or single prototype example of a “complex interchange”, and a variety of geometric and signing elements can make different interchanges complex and difficult for drivers to navigate. Consequently, the human factors problems that drivers can face at these interchanges also vary greatly, which is reflected in the wide range of research needs identified by stakeholders. They also see value in additional research and design guidance that would address these information gaps. KW - Driver workload KW - Geometric design KW - Human factors KW - Interchanges KW - Interviewing KW - Research needs KW - Stakeholders KW - State departments of transportation KW - Surveys KW - Traffic signs UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/14069/14069.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328584 ER - TY - SER AN - 01541864 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Yuan, Jiqiu AU - Graybeal, Benjamin A AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Bond Behavior of Reinforcing Steel in Ultra-High Performance Concrete PY - 2014/10 SP - 78p AB - Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a relatively new class of advanced cementitious composite materials, which exhibits high compressive [above 21.7 ksi (150 MPa)] and tensile [above 0.72 ksi (5 MPa)] strengths. The discrete steel fiber reinforcement included in UHPC allows the concrete to maintain tensile capacity beyond cracking of the cementitious matrix. The combination of the matrix and fiber performance allow for a reduction on the development length of reinforcing bar, thus providing the potential for a redesign of some structural systems such as field–cast connections between prefabricated bridge elements. The bond behavior of deformed reinforcing bar in UHPC is investigated in this study by conducting direct tension pullout tests. Over 200 tests were completed and the effects of embedment length, concrete cover, bar spacing, concrete strength, bar size and type on bond strength were investigated. It was found that the development length of embedded reinforcement in UHPC can be significantly reduced. Guidance on the embedment of deformed reinforcing bars into UHPC is provided. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Compressive strength KW - Deformed bars KW - Development length (Reinforcement) KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - Pullout tests KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Steel fibers KW - Tensile strength KW - Ultra high performance concrete UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/bridge/14090/14090.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328523 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541861 AU - Gallagher, Susan AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - 2014 Montana Summer Transportation Institute PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 31p AB - The Summer Transportation Institute (STI) hosted by the Western Transportation Institute (WTI) at Montana State University (MSU) aims to heighten student interest in transportation careers at the pre-college level. The program recruits high school students to participate in a two-week educational program on the MSU campus. The residential program introduces participants to all modes of transportation, seeks to build creative problem-solving skills, and supports college and career planning activities. The 2014 STI program was comprised of rising tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students from 7 different counties in Montana and 3 additional states. Students lived on the MSU campus while participating in a multidisciplinary academic curriculum, which included guest speaker presentations, hands-on laboratories, and field trips. Students gained leadership skills while working on team design-build projects. During the evenings and weekend, STI students participated in educational, sports, and team-building activities. Twelve secondary school students completed the program, which ran from June 15 to June 27, 2014. KW - Education and training KW - High school students KW - Montana KW - Summer Transportation Institute, Montana State University KW - Transportation careers KW - Vocational guidance UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/summer/final_report_oct14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328424 ER - TY - SER AN - 01541854 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Research Note PB - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Driver License Compliance Status in Fatal Crashes PY - 2014/10 SP - 8p AB - Driver license status in fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes was examined in association with other variables in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Some of the major findings for 2012 are: Nineteen percent of motor vehicle fatalities involved drivers with invalid licenses; Drivers with invalid licenses comprised 13 percent of all drivers involved in fatal crashes; Motorcycle operators involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes were the most likely to have invalid licenses; Large-truck and bus drivers were the least likely to have invalid licenses; Nighttime crashes were more likely to involve drivers with invalid licenses; Male drivers involved in fatal crashes had invalid licenses more frequently than did female drivers; and Other than those under age 16, drivers 21 to 34 had the highest proportion of invalid licenses in fatal crashes. In conclusion, it was found that about one in five fatal crashes, as well as traffic fatalities, involve drivers without valid licenses. This percentage varies depending on the gender and age of the driver, the time of day, and the type of vehicle being driven. Understanding which drivers are most at-risk for having invalid licenses is useful in developing programs, enforcement, and media campaigns. Individual States varied widely in the percentage of fatalities in crashes involving drivers with invalid licenses, from a low of 6 percent to a high of 31 percent. KW - Age groups KW - Bus drivers KW - Compliance KW - Driver licenses KW - Driving without a license KW - Fatal Accident Reporting System KW - Fatalities KW - Gender KW - Motorcyclists KW - Nighttime crashes KW - Periods of the day KW - States KW - Truck drivers KW - Vehicle classification UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812046.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328420 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541830 AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Summary of Class II and Class III Railroad Capital Needs and Funding Sources PY - 2014/10 SP - 39p AB - This report marks the fifth time that this issue has been reviewed since the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) delivered to Congress in January 1993 the policy study titled "Small Railroad Investment Goals and Financial Options." Class II and Class III railroads (collectively referred to as “short line railroads”) play a critical role in originating and terminating goods transported by rail. Particularly important is the role that they play in providing rail service to rural America and their link to the Class I rail network. To understand the concerns with the financial and operating health of this segment of the rail industry, it is necessary to take a broad view and revisit the intent of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980 (Staggers). Staggers encouraged the sale of light-density lines, rather than their abandonment, in order to preserve rail service. In the decade following Staggers, more than 250 short line railroads were formed, adding to the approximately 220 such railroads that existed as of 1980. For Congress, policy makers, State and local governments, and other stakeholders, there was a concern at that time that this segment of the rail industry would not be able to generate sufficient traffic and revenues to sustain operations. Now, 34 years after Staggers and two decades after the growth in Class II and Class III railroads reached its zenith, this segment of the rail industry has survived. Today, there are more than 560 short line railroads operating in the U.S. Aside from accessing funds in the private capital markets to invest in infrastructure and maintain facilities, this segment of the rail industry has relied on State and Federal programs. Many States, with the goal of ensuring transportation options and maintaining a balanced transportation system, have robust programs to assist short line carriers. At the Federal level, Class II and Class III railroads can access funding (loans) through the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) program. A new offering at the Federal level is the Transportation Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grants program, where funding was initially provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and later under subsequent appropriations. This has been very popular among short line railroads. The “Section 45G” tax credit has also been another option, when available. The most significant change that this segment of the rail industry has seen is the consolidation of Class III carriers under the control of holding companies. Today, there are 27 holding companies that control nearly 270 small railroads. This development has changed the relationship between the railroad and the banker and has also changed the lending calculus. Holding companies have railroads that encompass geographic and commodity diversity and have essentially reduced the banker’s risk of not being repaid. Holding companies have also taken a sophisticated approach to fund infrastructure projects and have relied on multiple combinations of funding from all programs available. However, as these holding companies explained, there are still significant investments to be made, particularly the upgrade of track to handle 286,000-pound rail cars as well as the repair and replacement of bridges. The holding companies also noted that the funding that is available often must be thinly spread among all carriers under their control in order to meet current and ongoing needs. Independent Class III railroads (i.e., Class III railroads not under the control of holding companies) also face these same investment challenges and the need to access capital to upgrade track and bridges for heavier rail cars as well as maintain their systems. A 2013 survey conducted by the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) confirms that there continue to be significant capital needs among Class II and Class III carriers. KW - Capital KW - Class II railroads KW - Class III railroads KW - Consolidations KW - Financial health KW - Financial sources KW - Financing KW - Holding companies KW - Investments KW - Maintenance of way KW - Needs assessment KW - Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing KW - Short line railroads KW - Staggers Rail Act of 1980 KW - Tax credits KW - Transportation Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery UR - http://fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14131 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328286 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541497 AU - Pierce, Linda G AU - Broach, Dana AU - Byrne, Cristina L AU - Bleckley, M Kathryn AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Using Biodata to Select Air Traffic Controllers PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 20p AB - This report examines biographical data (biodata) as predictors of training status (successful or unsuccessful) for candidate air traffic control specialists (ATCSs): self-reported high school grade point average (GPA), high school GPA in mathematics, highest educational degree achieved, completing an aviation program from a school in the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA’s) collegiate training initiative program, and holding any pilot certificate. These factors have been shown to predict controller training success in previous research or are being considered for use as quality rating factors in controller selection. The researchers computed separate logistic regression equations for en route and terminal trainees. Score on the Air Traffic-Selection and Training (AT-SAT) test battery and age at entry on duty was entered first and second into the equations. Finally, the biodata items were entered using a forward stepwise selection method. Success in training, first at the FAA Academy and subsequently at the trainee’s first facility, was the criterion measure. Results were only partially supported by previous research. As expected, AT-SAT score was a significant predictor of training success in both regression models. Trainees with higher AT-SAT scores were more likely to complete training successfully than trainees with lower AT-SAT scores. Also, and as expected, age was inversely related to training success in both models. Younger trainees were more likely to complete training successfully than older trainees were. En route trainees with a self-reported high school math GPA of A and those with any type of pilot certificate were more likely to succeed in training than trainees with a high school math GPA less than an A and/or without any type of pilot certificate. For terminal trainees, no biodata items added to AT-SAT score and age in predicting training success. Based on an analysis of the relationship between selected biodata items and training success, it is concluded that the evidence for using these biodata items for controller selection is weak. The authors recommend that if biodata are used to select ATCSs, additional research is needed to identify and validate items predictive of success in training. The authors also recommend that a criterion measure representative of job performance of air traffic controllers be developed and validated for use in future research on the selection of air traffic controllers. KW - Age KW - Air traffic controllers KW - Air Traffic Selection and Training KW - Education and training KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Selection and appointment UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201408.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326381 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01624568 TI - Instrumented Roadways for Speeding-related Problems AB - This project is a naturalistic study of speed management program efforts to reduce speeding-related safety problems in a medium sized city or county (approximate population of 150,000 to 500,000) with a dedicated traffic law enforcement division. After recruiting an appropriate site with a speeding problem, traffic measurement devices will be deployed to collect traffic speed data on various road types in the participating jurisdiction, including the road sections with speeding-related problems, control road segments and potential spill-over roads. Data will be collected on both the instrumented roadway sections and traffic enforcement activities throughout the project. After a 90-day baseline data collection period, the data will be shared in real time with the enforcement agency to use in their speed management efforts. These speed management efforts will be determined by the participating jurisdiction. The Contractor shall observe and collect data in order to evaluate how the data is used to deploy resources and address the speeding-related problems in the jurisdiction for one year. After completion of the naturalistic observation study of the speed management program, an evaluation of a yet-to-be-determined speeding countermeasure will also be conducted. In addition, an independent analysis of traffic speeds and enforcement levels on the targeted roadways will be conducted to examine the relationship of speeding, traffic volume, and crashes at those sites and to ascertain optimal levels of enforcement for reducing speeding and speeding-related crashes for those locations. KW - Crash causes KW - Data collection KW - Instrumentation KW - Medium sized cities KW - Speed control KW - Speed data KW - Speeding KW - Test tracks KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Traffic measurement KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic volume UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1448591 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01618699 TI - Evaluation of Correct Child Restraint System Installation AB - While the rate of use of child restraint systems (CRS) is increasing and fewer children are unrestrained, studies have estimated rates of improper installation of child safety seats to be in the range of 70 to 80 percent. While errors have been well documented, the causes of these errors, however, are speculative. This study seeks to explore why errors occur and what factors contribute to proper installation by evaluating installation performance and caregiver confidence in both experienced and novice CRS users. The study sample will consist of 150 participants (75 of each novice and experienced users) who will complete a total of four installations including choosing a restraint type for one of four dolls of varying ages/sizes, installing the CRS in one of four vehicle types, and restraining the doll in the CRS. Performance will be assessed by child passenger safety technicians using a standardized, objective form. Confidence, level of effort, and risk appraisal will also be assessed. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is interested in reducing the number of errors made in CRS installation. The results of this study will provide insight into the cause of observed errors, which can then inform methods aimed at removing those factors. KW - Child restraint systems KW - Errors KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Installation KW - Restraint systems KW - Risk analysis KW - Seats UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1436857 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577740 TI - RCPM-10a: Pavement Technology Deployment AB - No summary provided. KW - Implementation KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavements KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370802 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544625 AU - Graves, Clark AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Southeast Transportation Consortium AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Regional Implementation of Warm Mix Asphalt PY - 2014/09/30/Final Report SP - 54p AB - Asphalt is used in over 94 percent of all paved roadways in the United States. The ability to reduce its cost and emissions while improving its performance has benefits that could potentially change the direction the asphalt industry moves toward in the future. Warm-mix asphalt (WMA) technology is becoming more prevalent in routine roadway construction across the country. It provides many benefits over conventional hot-mix asphalt (HMA). There are three groups of technologies currently being used to achieve these lower temperatures. They are chemical additive, organic additive (wax), and water additive (foamed). Each of these technologies is different, yet they all function on the same basic concept. They each decrease the viscosity of the liquid binder, thus allowing the binder to more easily coat the aggregate at a cooler temperature. In the last decade, WMA has increasingly been used across the country. Many states have developed special provisions or have modified their standard specifications to accommodate the use of WMA. In an attempt to quantify the use of WMA technology in the southeastern region of the United States, this study was initiated with the following objectives. 1. To inform research agencies of the work that is ongoing, as well as the work that has already been done. 2. To provide a document that can be used to educate and inform contractors from an unbiased perspective of the costs and benefits associated with the different types of warm mix asphalt. 3. To assist government agencies in establishing acceptance criteria for warm mix asphalt, thus allowing it as a suitable replacement for hot mix asphalt. A survey was sent to 12 southeastern states to attempt to answer the questions listed above. Also, internet searches were conducted to determine specification and policy changes that were made in the subject states to accommodate WMA technology. Results of the research indicated that WMA technology is being used in all of the southeastern states and that all of the states have made changes in standard specification and special provisions to permit the use of WMA. The most significant change made in specifications is the permission to allow the mixing and placing of WMA at cooler temperatures. Although more long-term performance data is needed, it appears that at this time the performance of WMA technology is comparable to that of conventional HMA. The cost between HMA and WMA does not currently appear to be significant. WMA appears to be a viable technology, and its use is expected to increase in the immediate future. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Implementation KW - Policy KW - Southeastern United States KW - Specifications KW - Surveys KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2014/fr_534.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329742 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01624543 TI - National Traffic Speeds Survey 3 AB - The objectives of this project are to capture on-road travel speed data from motor vehicles; to provide national estimates of these speeds on differing roadway classes; to examine differences in these speed estimates for the various roadway classes by other variables, including but not limited to speed limit, time of day, day of week, road geometry, and vehicle type; and to compare these data with data collected in the first two national traffic speed surveys (2007 and 2009). This third national traffic speed study will develop a new sampling approach to produce a more accurate nationally representative sample of the Nation’s traffic speeds. The survey design will use geographic cluster samples of primary sampling units (PSUs) chosen to represent a range of combinations of regions of the United States, level of urbanization, and type of topography (flat, hilly, mountainous). Speeds will be measured on randomly drawn road segments on three Feature Class Code (FCC) Road Classifications. Speed measurement sites will be selected in road segments with various degrees of straight, curved, flat, and hilly geometry. As with the earlier surveys, comparisons will be made across time of day, day of week, daylight/nighttime, and vehicle length. Unlike the previous surveys, this survey will also record weather and examine differences across posted speed limits within the three road types. These data will be of use to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Highway Administration as they set policy regarding the management of speeds in pursuit of reductions in speeding-related crashes. KW - Cluster analysis KW - Crash causes KW - Daylight KW - Highway safety KW - Night KW - Periods of the day KW - Speed data KW - Speed limits KW - Speeding KW - Surveys KW - Traffic speed KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration KW - United States KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1448587 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01619674 TI - Effects of Internal Distraction on Driving AB - Internal distractions can generally be defined as the decoupling of attention from an individual's perception of the outside world coincident with his or her shift in focus to internal thought processes. Mind wandering has been linked to performance degradation on tasks involving hazard perception, reading, working memory, sustained attention, and cognitive skills related to intelligence testing. Previous studies estimate that a driver whose mind wanders has a relative risk of being in a traffic crash or near crash comparable to risk estimates of talking on a cellphone, dialing a cellphone, and texting. Unfortunately, these studies did not focus on the frequency with which―and circumstance under which―mind wandering occurs during driving. Additionally, none of these studies directly compare the magnitude and effect of mind wandering to other forms of distraction. To quantify the effects of mind wandering on driving safety, a reliable method of mind wandering detection needs to be developed. The objective of this project is to review the current literature and algorithms associated with mind wandering detection and determine the plausibility of using different methods, or combinations of methods to assess the incidence and impact of mind wandering on traffic safety. The project will develop a methodology, informed by the literature/algorithm review, to detect mind wandering in a driving simulator and demonstrate and report on its effectiveness. KW - Attention KW - Cognition KW - Crash causes KW - Distraction KW - Driver performance KW - Driving simulators KW - Text messaging KW - Traffic safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440714 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01616421 TI - Evaluation of an Innovative and Sustainable Seat Belt Enforcement Program AB - This research project evaluates an innovative and sustainable seat belt enforcement program developed and implemented by a law enforcement agency. The program includes an innovative seat belt enforcement method that can be sustained independently by the agency, such as seat belt enforcement that is integrated into routine patrol on a daily or weekly basis. The objectives of this program evaluation are to determine if the innovative strategy can be implemented and sustained, if the program activity (i.e., enforcement and earned media activity) contributes to changes in observed seat belt use and restraint use in crashes, and if the program is cost-effective for the agency. KW - Innovation KW - Law enforcement KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Restraint systems KW - Seat belt use KW - Traffic patrol UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1435197 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01615068 TI - Characteristics and Predictors of Occasional Seat Belt Users AB - Understanding the factors that contribute to inconsistent, improper, and infrequent seat belt use is essential to the development of programs aimed at promoting an increased level of seat belt use. Previous research has been limited to observation and self-report techniques. Naturalistic studies of driving behavior, however, provide a unique opportunity to observe seat belt use longitudinally, at the individual level, and objectively. In 2003-2004, a naturalistic driving study was conducted which collected video and driving metrics for each trip taken by over 100 drivers in a 12 month period. Results showed that likelihood of seat belt use by occasional users on a given trip increased with the average speed during a trip and, to a lesser degree, distance traveled. However, due to the small sample size of only 28 occasional users and geographic location of the study, interpretation and generalization of these findings are limited. Thus, a larger and broader sample is desirable to further investigate this issue and confirm these findings. The objectives of this project are to: identify the impact of factors, including distance traveled, average and maximum speed during trip, weather conditions, roadway type, and time of day, on seat belt use in occasional users, and identify individual differences, including demographics, which differentiate between user groups. To accomplish these objectives, data will be sampled from the 2nd Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) data, the most comprehensive naturalistic driving study to date. Findings will contribute to the development of programs and educational materials for the purpose of increasing seat belt use. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Demographics KW - Driver performance KW - Seat belt use KW - Strategic Highway Research Program 2 KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1427693 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544631 AU - Arhin, Stephen A AU - Noel, Errol C AU - Howard University AU - District of Columbia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Predicting Pavement Condition Index from International Roughness Index in Washington, DC PY - 2014/09/29/Final Report SP - 61p AB - A number of pavement condition indices are used to conduct pavement management assessments, two of which are the International Roughness Index (IRI) and Pavement Condition Index (PCI). The IRI is typically measured using specialized equipment that calculates the smoothness and ride quality of the roadway segment based on established computer algorithms, while the PCI is based on subjective rating of the number of pavement distress. The literature suggests that most pavement indices are related, as a result of which several jurisdictions have developed models to predict one index from the other(s). This study used three (3) years of IRI-PCI data obtained from the District Department of Transportation to develop models which could potentially predict PCI from IRI by functional classification and by pavement type. The regression models explored were developed using the ordinary least squares method and were tested on the basis of 5% level of significance. The IRI-PCI models yielded R² and adjusted R² values between 0.008 and 0.0730, indicating that the models could only explain up to 7.3% of the variations in the data. In addition, the root mean square errors of the models were all determined to be greater than 1. Even though the results of the ANOVA tests indicated that the coefficients were generally statistically significant, the low R² values and high Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE) indicate that the models do not adequately predict PCI from IRI, within the margin of error. A more sophisticated prediction tool, such as artificial neural networks, could be explored to potentially predict PCI from IRI more accurately. KW - International Roughness Index KW - Pavement Condition Index KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement management systems KW - Regression analysis KW - Roughness KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://d92016.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_D92016_Documents/2014-03_IRI-PCI%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331670 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551350 AU - Goel, Rajni AU - Wijesekera, Duminda AU - Bondi, Andre B AU - Howard University AU - George Mason University AU - Siemens Corporation AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Identity Management for Interoperable PTC Systems in Bandwidth-Limited Environments: The Final Report, Part 1 (of three parts) Introduction to The Project And Performance Studies PY - 2014/09/28 SP - 45p AB - Positive Train Control is a wireless based system designed to provide comprehensive safety coverage for passenger and cargo trains operating on U.S. railroads by 2015. Mandated by Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RISA 2008), major railroads have designed a broad architecture consisting of two networks; namely the Signaling Network (SN) and the Wayside Interface Unit (WIU) network powered by software-defined radios (SDRs) that use the same 220MHz range. The Signaling Network provides authorities for trains to enter fixed blocks of track and other signal functions and the Wayside Interface Network provide sensory information about the vicinity of the tracks. The railroad community has decided that both networks require message integrity and availability but not confidentiality for both networks. The research work originally funded was going to address the ability to create an identity management system for PTC signaling, covering both the Signaling network and the WIU network. Subsequently, as the work progressed, the project scope concentrated on the security of the WIU network. The main findings show the need to propose an enhanced WIU network. The second part articulates the need and the third part describes a potential solution and a prototype implementation. KW - Bandwidth KW - Communications KW - Performance KW - Positive train control KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad signaling KW - Security KW - Wayside signals UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14335 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341292 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577831 TI - SI.11.11: Tunnel Inspection Initiatives AB - No summary provided. KW - Inspection KW - Maintenance KW - Tunnels UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370873 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605718 AU - Yut, Iliya AU - Mahoney, James AU - Zinke, Scott AU - University of Connecticut, Storrs AU - Connecticut Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Preparation of the Implementation Plan of AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (M-E PDG) in Connecticut PY - 2014/09/25/Final Report SP - 407p AB - 2002 Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide is based on mechanistic-empirical (M-E) principles that provide a uniform platform for the design of flexible, rigid, and composite pavements. It considers design parameters for traffic, structure conditions, environment, and allows the user to specify a reliability Level of the predictions. The distress prediction models were originally calibrated to national averages using data from the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) effort. The distress models need to be recalibrated with data obtained locally in order to be applicable for the particular materials, construction practices, and environmental conditions encountered in Connecticut. Longitudinal (top-down fatigue), alligator (bottom-up fatigue), thermal cracking, asphalt rutting and total rutting prediction models were analyzed for all pavement designs. Statistical sensitivity analyses were conducted for all of the input ranges identified as pertinent for Connecticut including mix properties, environmental factors, underlying structures etc... All of the the inputs were then ranked according to their significance in order to establish target levels of detail as necessary for each input. Because this study only provides analyses based on a limited dataset, it is recommended that all of the M-EPDG models should be calibrated for use throughout the state. An implementation plan is presented along with course/training materials and recommendations for further analysis. KW - Calibration KW - Connecticut KW - Implementation KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement distress KW - Sensitivity analysis UR - http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/dresearch/SPR-2274_Final_9-25-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416279 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01625570 TI - Identify Effective Underage Drinking and Driving Countermeasures AB - Even though all States have enacted laws making any alcohol illegal for drivers under 21, in 2009, 24% of drivers under the age of 21 involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above .01. Nationwide, legislative measures, such as setting the minimum legal drinking age to 21 and adopting zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21, have helped decrease underage alcohol-impaired motor vehicle fatalities. While legislative changes typically result in significant behavior changes, they require substantial resources and are not targeted on a community’s exact needs. In addition, most programs focusing on underage drinking are aimed at deterring drinking and not specifically reducing impaired driving and alcohol-involved crashes. The primary goal of this project is to implement effective countermeasures that reduce underage drinking and driving and alcohol-involved motor vehicle crashes. As a first step in that direction, a systematic literature review comprised of qualitative and quantitative elements will be performed to identify effective countermeasures that reduce underage drinking and driving and alcohol-involved crashes. From these studies, relevant traffic safety results will be evaluated and the key variables/program components (countermeasures) related to the drinking and driving and alcohol-involved crash reductions for underage drivers will be delineated. KW - Alcohol effects KW - Blood alcohol levels KW - Countermeasures KW - Drunk drivers KW - Fatalities KW - Impaired drivers KW - Teenage drivers KW - Traffic crashes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1453681 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577744 TI - BT-3: Modular Steel Bridge Development (HPS-1) AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Highway bridges KW - Modular structures KW - Steel bridges UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370806 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01620670 TI - Older Drivers’ Self-Regulation AB - Conventional wisdom holds that older drivers reduce their crash risk by self-regulating, that is, limiting their driving to situations they believe they can navigate safely. However, crash data show that older drivers are more likely than middle-aged drivers to contribute to crashes, particularly at intersections, turning left across traffic, and when driving at highway speeds. This project builds upon previous National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research where focus groups of older drivers described concerns about their driving abilities and the extent to which they avoided driving under conditions that made them uncomfortable. Most focus group participants in their 60s were confident in their driving abilities and only avoided some nighttime driving. Participants in their 70s articulated driving difficulty, particularly in managing complex driving situations. Those in their 80s reported being good, safe drivers and noted that other drivers, particularly young ones, were dangerous. Drivers across these age groups insisted that they would know when they could no longer drive safely and would surrender their licenses at that point. However, more recent studies have reported that the older drivers with the weakest driving skills were least likely to recognize and accommodate to their limitations. These studies suggest that some older adults have poor insight into their functional limitations, which would undermine their ability to regulate their driving exposure appropriately. Knowing the degree to which older drivers self-regulate, and if so, under which conditions they self-regulate appropriately could help clinicians who work with older adults to guide their clients in matching their driving exposure to their abilities. Such information would also guide development of educational materials for older drivers. KW - Aged drivers KW - Awareness KW - Driving cessation KW - Perception KW - Risk KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1442040 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01595998 TI - Saxton Transportation Operations Laboratory Task Order 11: User Friendly Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Program Benefit-Cost Estimation Tool AB - Traffic incident management (TIM) strategies are major approaches to dealing with safety and mobility issues resulting from traffic incidents. As such, they are critical for traffic operation and management. These strategies support quick incident response, thereby shortening incident duration, and controlling traffic demand around the incident scene. Since some TIM strategies could be costly to tax payers, and because resources and funding are limited among State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and local transportation agencies, it is essential to investigate benefits and costs for different potential and existing TIM strategies. Some transportation engineers and researchers have offered different methods and software packages for estimating the benefits and costs of the various TIM strategies. However, the majority of these methods and software packages are related to safety service patrols (SSPs). Further, these methods and software packages employ a wide range of estimation methodologies and monetary equivalent conversion factors. As a result, benefit and cost (BC) ratio estimates vary widely for TIM strategies. This has created a need to develop a more consistent and standardized methodology for TIM BC assessment. Since different State DOTs and local transportation agencies use different TIM strategies, to meet requirements for most of these agencies, the research team identified the eight most commonly used TIM strategies according to surveys and interviews from a project advisory committee. Building on previous efforts from a prototype SSP-BC tool developed by the University of Maryland, this study fashioned a standardized methodology that can be universally and equitably employed in BC ratio estimation for different TIM strategies, which is essential to creating consistency and, therefore, greater confidence in the validity of the results. The methodology was incorporated into a user-friendly and less data-intensive web-based TIM-BC tool to facilitate cost-effective TIM evaluations by State and local transportation agencies. The new TIM-BC tool covers eight different strategies, including safety service patrols, driver removal laws, authority removal laws, shared quick clearance goals, pre-established towing service agreements, dispatch colocation, TIM Task Forces, and Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP 2) training. As part of this project, the study team conducted a case study of the New York experience, which compared the effectiveness of implementing three selected TIM strategies: safety service patrols, driver removal laws, and dispatch colocation. The case study example may also help practitioners to understand the need for a standardized BC ratio estimation tool and the effectiveness of a developed TIM-BC tool. In the final section, conclusions from this project and recommendations for future research are presented. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Highway safety KW - Incident management KW - New York (State) KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic Highway Research Program KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic incidents UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403672 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577871 TI - Horizon 2020 & Project Twinning AB - No summary provided. KW - European Union KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Innovation KW - Project management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371144 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544698 AU - Coifman, Benjamin AU - Wu, Lan AU - Wei, Heng AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Increasing Accuracy of Vehicle Detection from Conventional Vehicle Detectors- Counts, Speeds, Classification, and Travel Time PY - 2014/09/23/Final Report SP - 44p AB - Vehicle classification is an important traffic parameter for transportation planning and infrastructure management. Length-based vehicle classification from dual loop detectors is among the lowest cost technologies commonly used for collecting these data. Like many vehicle classification technologies, the dual loop approach works well in free flow traffic. Effective vehicle lengths are measured from the quotient of the detector dwell time and vehicle traversal time between the paired loops. This approach implicitly assumes that vehicle acceleration is negligible, but unfortunately at low speeds this assumption is invalid and length-based classification performance degrades in congestion. To addresses this problem, the authors seek a solution that relies strictly on the measured effective vehicle length and measured speed. The authors analytically evaluate the feasible range of true effective vehicle lengths that could underlie a given combination of measured effective vehicle length, measured speed, and unobserved acceleration at a dual loop detector. From this analysis the authors find that there are small uncertainty zones where the measured length class can differ from the true length class, depending on the unobserved acceleration. In other words, a given combination of measured speed and measured effective vehicle length falling in the uncertainty zones could arise from vehicles with different true length classes. Outside of the uncertainty zones, any error in the measured effective vehicle length due to acceleration will not lead to an error in the measured length class. Thus, by mapping these uncertainty zones, most vehicles can be accurately sorted to a single length class, while the few vehicles that fall within the uncertainty zones are assigned to two or more classes. The authors find that these uncertainty zones remain small down to about 10 mph and then grow exponentially as speeds drop further. Using empirical data from stop-and-go traffic at a well-tuned loop detector station the best conventional approach does surprisingly well; however, this new approach does even better, reducing the classification error rate due to acceleration by at least a factor of four relative to the best conventional method. Meanwhile,this approach still assigns over 98% of the vehicles to a single class. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Accuracy KW - Loop detectors KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic counts KW - Traffic speed KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle classification KW - Vehicle detectors KW - Vehicle length UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/092OY04%20Final%20Report%20and%20Technical%20Summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330057 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544577 AU - Coifman, Benjamin AU - Kim, Seoungbum AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Behavior at Freeway Bottlenecks PY - 2014/09/23/Final Report SP - 53p AB - This study examines traffic behavior in the vicinity of a freeway bottleneck, revisiting commonly held assumptions and uncovering systematic biases that likely have distorted empirical studies of bottleneck formation, capacity drop, and the fundamental relationship (FR). This simulation-based study examines an on-ramp bottleneck using Newell's lower order car following model with a driver relaxation factor added for the vehicles that enter or are immediately behind an entering vehicle (termed "affected vehicles"). The affected vehicles will tolerate a truncated headway for a little while after an entrance but slowly relax back to their preferred speed-spacing relationship. All other vehicles remain on their preferred speed-spacing relationship throughout. Simulating conventional detector measurements, the authors show that flow is supersaturated in any sample containing an affected vehicle with a truncated headway, i.e., the flow is higher than the underlying FR would predict. This systematic bias is not readily apparent in the detector measurements, during the initial queue formation speeds remain close to free speed and the supersaturated states can exceed the bottleneck capacity. As the affected drivers relax, the high flows become unsustainable so a queue initially forms downstream of the on-ramp (consistent with earlier empirical results) only later receding upstream past the on-ramp. This initial phase of activation often lasts several minutes. Without any evidence of queuing upstream of the ramp, the conventional point bottleneck model would erroneously indicate that the bottleneck is inactive. Thus, an empirical study or traffic responsive ramp meter could easily mistake the supersaturated flows to be the bottleneck's capacity flow, when in fact these supersaturated flows simply represent system loading during the earliest portion of bottleneck activation. Instead of flow dropping "from capacity", the authors see flow drop "to capacity" from supersaturation. The authors also discuss how the supersaturated states distort empirically observed FR. The authors speculate that these subtle mechanisms are very common and have confounded the results of many past empirical studies. KW - Bottlenecks KW - Headways KW - Highway capacity KW - On ramps KW - Simulation KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic speed UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/088OY04%20Final%20Report%20and%20Technical%20Summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329802 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544559 AU - Coifman, Benjamin AU - Wu, Lan AU - Wei, Heng AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Increasing Accuracy of Vehicle Speed Measurement in Congested Traffic over Dual-Loop Sensors PY - 2014/09/23/Final Report SP - 39p AB - Classified vehicle counts are a critical measure for forecasting the health of the roadway infrastructure and for planning future improvements to the transportation network. Balancing the cost of data collection with the fidelity of the measurements, length-based vehicle classification is one of the most common techniques used to collect classified vehicle counts. Typically the length-based vehicle classification process uses a pair of detectors in a given lane to measure effective vehicle length. While the calculation is simple and seems well defined, this study demonstrates that small changes in the calculations can lead to large differences in performance during challenging conditions. In particular, most conventional calculations assume that acceleration can be ignored, which simply is not the case in congested traffic. As a result of this fact, many operating agencies are reluctant to deploy classification stations on roadways where traffic is frequently congested. This study examines six variations of the conventional vehicle length calculation and develops a seventh that also estimates constant acceleration. It then highlights two of these approaches that work well in extreme conditions on freeways for speeds down to 15 mph. This range should be sufficient for most applications. Then using empirically collected data the authors find that the extreme events were uncommon and even the conventional method did quite well in stop-and-go traffic since the slower traffic moves, the lower the flow during that period. In any event, the key to success is the use of well-tuned detectors. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Data collection KW - Loop detectors KW - Speed measurement KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic speed KW - Transportation planning KW - Vehicle classification KW - Vehicle length UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/066OY03%20Final%20Report%20and%20Technical%20Summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330039 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577466 TI - Advanced, Low-Cost Snowplow Visual Guidance System AB - The scope of this work is to comprehensively research and develop a visual guidance system that will be used by the operator onboard snowplow units, incorporating recent technological advances in digital imaging, remote sensing, global positioning system (GPS) and digital three-dimensional (3D) visualization. The conditions for intended use are low, and zero visibility environments such as encountered during blizzards, rural nighttime operations, super-cooled fog, and other high visual impairment situations. The effort will include gathering/synthesizing data, distilling this data to parse out technology applicable to the project goals, and designing and assembling an operational prototype unit that will be ready for further validation, enhancement, and field use. These latter tasks beyond delivery of an operational prototype would be addressed in a possible phase II, and are not part of the present project scope. KW - Global Positioning System KW - Onboard navigational aids KW - Operators (Persons) KW - Remote sensing KW - Snowplows KW - Three dimensional displays KW - Visibility KW - Winter maintenance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370728 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570331 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - West Virginia Peer Exchange: Streamlining Highway Safety Improvement Program Project Delivery PY - 2014/09/22 SP - 7p AB - The West Virginia Division of Highways (WV DOH) hosted a Peer Exchange to share information and experiences for streamlining Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) project delivery. The event was held September 22 to 23, 2014 in Charleston, West Virginia. This report summarizes the results of the event, which was supported by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety’s Roadway Safety Professional Capacity Building Program and the FHWA West Virginia Division Office. Representatives attended from four peer States, including Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Representatives from West Virginia included members of the safety team in WV DOH’s Traffic Engineering Division. The purpose of the peer exchange was to share noteworthy practices for streamlining HSIP project delivery and identify opportunities for West Virginia to advance HSIP project delivery from planning through design and construction. KW - Best practices KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Improvement Program KW - Peer exchange KW - Project delivery KW - Recommendations KW - West Virginia Division of Highways UR - http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/p2p/wv/hsip_wv_sept2014.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55249/hsip_wv_sept2014.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59400/59498/peer_report_WV_Sept2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360038 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577972 TI - B&T1 EM- Effective Fireproofing Coatings and Methods for Tunnels AB - No summary provided. KW - Coatings KW - Fireproof materials KW - Fires KW - Tunnels UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371327 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577830 TI - MISC-19: Motorist Warning System (FY 12) AB - The objective of this research project is to collect and process pavement data. KW - Data collection KW - Motorist aid systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Warning systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370871 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577828 TI - SPM-2: Establish Peformance Tolerances for FHWA Oversight of the NBIS through 23 Metrics AB - No summary provided. KW - Bridges KW - Inspection KW - Oversight KW - Performance measurement KW - Standards KW - Tolerances (Engineering) KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370869 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577822 TI - ID-106: Post-Tensioning System Detailing and Durability AB - No summary provided. KW - Durability KW - Posttensioning KW - System design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370863 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01576057 TI - Using Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) to Form High-Performance Vehicle Streams AB - Cooperative autonomous cruise control (CACC) uses a combination of forward-ranging sensors and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication to help a vehicle adjust its speed as it follows the preceding vehicle in the same lane. More broadly, CACC enables cooperative maneuvering by vehicles, facilitating the merging of traffic streams and the formation of vehicles in platoons. This research proposes to overcome the key remaining technical challenges that stand in the way of CACC implementation. The research will address improved platoon maneuvering protocols and more accurate car-following models. California Partners for Advanced Transportation Technology (PATH) and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) will conduct parallel analyses of different simulation tools, which will enhance the verification of impacts and the credibility of results. The simulation modeling will include arterial networks in addition to freeways. PATH and TU Delft will use the driver-behavior data collected from a previous Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) project, as well as their previous research with Infinity CACC vehicles. KW - Autonomous intelligent cruise control KW - Behavior KW - Car following KW - Drivers KW - Traffic platooning KW - Traffic simulation KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/projectdetails.cfm?projectid=FHWA-PROJ-13-0110 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370012 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577876 TI - 2014-61 (HSIP) Synthesis of Local Road Safety Noteworthy Practices AB - No summary provided. KW - Best practices KW - Highway safety KW - Syntheses UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371180 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577874 TI - 2014-52 (HSIP) HSIP Online Reporting Tool AB - No summary provided. KW - Annual reports KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Improvement Program KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - State departments of transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371177 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577848 TI - Develop TIM PM Data Collection Analysis & Report Process AB - Research then deploy the business case and approach for the expanded Collection Analysis & Reporting of Traffic Incident Management (TIM) performance measures. KW - Cooperation KW - Crash data KW - Crash reports KW - Data collection KW - Incident management KW - Performance measurement KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic incidents UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371019 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577846 TI - IACP Cooperative Agreement & TIM Subcommittee Activities AB - Research then deploy the business case and approach for the expanded Collection Analysis & Reporting of TIM performance measures KW - Cooperation KW - Crash data KW - Crash reports KW - Data collection KW - Incident management KW - Performance measurement KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic incidents UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371017 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577990 TI - B&M-1 Bridge Safety Inspection Program- MAP-21 Priority Section 1111 AB - No summary provided. KW - Bridges KW - Inspection KW - Maintenance KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371358 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577820 TI - ID-97: Refined Engineering Analysis AB - No summary provided. KW - Bridge management systems KW - Engineering KW - Infrastructure KW - Refining UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370861 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577739 TI - APM-3: Improved Measurement of Pavement Cracking AB - No summary provided. KW - Cracking KW - Measurement KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370801 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577732 TI - PDA-7: Develop and Deploy New Concrete Pavement Materials Technologies AB - No summary provided. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Development KW - Materials KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370795 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577727 TI - SI.11.04.01: Infrastructure Health Index AB - No summary provided. KW - Infrastructure KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavements KW - Structural health monitoring UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370771 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577472 TI - PDA-1: Demonstrations and Deployment of Market Ready NDE Tools to States AB - No summary provided. KW - Demonstration projects KW - Infrastructure KW - Market share KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Pavement performance KW - State departments of transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370734 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01546162 AU - Zinke, Scott AU - Mahoney, James AU - University of Connecticut, Storrs AU - Connecticut Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Use of Polymer Modified Asphalt Binder for High Friction Thin Lift Overlays in Connecticut PY - 2014/09/17/Final Report SP - 48p AB - Controlling the frictional characteristics of a roadway is of paramount importance when considering highway safety. Several state highway agencies specify a friction wearing course to be used in high profile or high accident prone areas. The Connecticut Advanced Pavement Lab along with the Connecticut Department of Transportation investigated a polymer modified high friction wearing course placed in CT in 2012. Laboratory tests including moisture susceptibility and rutting susceptibility indicated no potential for premature failure of the wearing surface. Field testing of both pavement macrotexture and skid testing also show promise that this mix will enhance tire to pavement interface friction. Several field visits to the site have indicated that the surface is performing well to date regarding its durability. KW - Connecticut KW - Durability KW - Field tests KW - Friction course KW - Laboratory tests KW - Macrotexture KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Rutting KW - Skid resistance tests UR - http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/dresearch/CT-2268-F-14-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332694 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577869 TI - Pilot Off Hour Urban Freight Delivery- Contracts AB - Additional contract support for handbook development, technical assistance and evaluation. KW - Contracts KW - Delivery service KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Freight and passenger services KW - Handbooks KW - Off peak periods KW - Technical assistance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371142 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541457 AU - Department of Transportation TI - FTA’s National Transit Database: Data Used for Allocating Transit Grants Were Generally Supported PY - 2014/09/16 SP - 20p AB - The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) distributed $4.3 billion to 179 urbanized areas, as well as to States and territories, through the Urbanized Area Formula Program in fiscal year 2014. The program is FTA’s largest grant program that provides funding to the Nation’s major transit systems for capital, operational, and planning assistance. All recipients and beneficiaries of formula grants are required to report operating expense and transit service characteristics (such as annual miles traveled or number of passengers) data to FTA through its National Transit Database (NTD). FTA uses NTD data as a basis for distributing over 63 percent (or over $3 billion) of formula grant funds annually. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) initiated this audit to assess FTA’s oversight of the NTD to determine whether recipients of Urbanized Area Formula grants submit complete, accurate, and timely data to the NTD. Specifically, OIG assessed whether (1) the documentation provided by transit agencies supported information used to allocate Urbanized Area Formula funding and (2) FTA had oversight controls and guidance for transit agencies’ NTD reporting. To conduct the audit work, OIG focused on data related to bus operations—the category that receives the largest portion of Urbanized Area Formula grant funding. A statistical sample of 15 of 129 transit agencies from randomly selected urbanized areas that had a total population of 1 million or more were selected. OIG reviewed documentation that the 15 sample transit agencies used to support their NTD data submissions for report years 2008 through 2011. OIG also interviewed FTA and transit agency officials, and evaluated FTA’s current actions to modernize the NTD system and its future plans to oversee the NTD data validation process. KW - Bus transit KW - Data collection KW - Grant aid KW - Information management KW - National Transit Database KW - Transit operating agencies KW - U.S. Federal Transit Administration KW - Urbanized Area Formula Grant Program KW - Validation UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/NTD%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324913 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541526 AU - Shen, Qing AU - Chen, Peng AU - Schmiedeskamp, Peter AU - Bassok, Alon AU - Childress, Suzanne AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Puget Sound Regional Council AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bicycle Route Choice: GPS Data Collection and Travel Model Development PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 71p AB - Bicycle use is being promoted for a variety of social benefits. Because of the benefits associated with bicycling, jurisdictions across the central Puget Sound region and the nation have been investing in improvements to bicycle infrastructure. Academic and professional literature provides a basis for generally understanding bicycling behavior. However, less is known about the benefits of one facility type over another, or the potential inducement of new bicycle users when a policy intervention improves bicycling conditions. This study will rely on global positioning system (GPS) bicycle trace data collected by the Puget Sound Regional Council through the CycleTrack mobile application. The objectives of the study include improving the Puget Sound Regional Council’s travel demand model to include bicycle route choice and assignment, which will allow for policy analysis and an improved understanding of the tradeoffs between facilities, the relationship between utilitarian and recreational bicycling, and an analysis of the utility of a number of bicycle facilities that will become operational over the course of the study. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Bicycling KW - Global Positioning System KW - Puget Sound Region KW - Route choice KW - Travel demand UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-19-625083-Shen-Qing-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325004 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541525 AU - Hulsey, J Leroy AU - Xioa, Feng AU - Dolan, J Daniel AU - University of Alaska, Fairbanks AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Phase II: Correlation Between Experimental and Finite Element Analysis Alaska Bridge 255- Chulitna River Bridge PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 80p AB - In this study, the behavior of the Alaska Chulitna Bridge is monitored for the specific purpose of assisting the Department of Transportation (DOT) in performing an accurate condition assessment of this bridge. Based on the state-of-the-art structural health monitoring (SHM) knowledge and technologies with a specific interest in those which could be used on bridges in cold, remote regions, the objective of this study is to provide important information for structural condition assessment of the Chulitna River Bridge. Proposed SHM objectives are listed below—applicable to all bridges: (1) Develop a SHM protocol including preferred system integrator, software, instrumentation, and sensors suitable for Alaska’s remote, harsh weather locations. (2) Develop criteria to incorporate SHM into the state’s bridge management process. The established SHM system for Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) will be able to monitor performance of bridges subjected to extreme temperature and conditions—an aspect that is very important information for assessment of the structural condition and potential remaining service life of Alaska bridges. KW - Alaska KW - Bridge management systems KW - Condition surveys KW - Finite element method KW - Frigid regions KW - Sensors KW - Service life KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-13-739439-Hulsey-J.-Leroy-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324997 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541524 AU - Barbosa, Andre R AU - Mason, H Benjamin AU - Romney, Kyle AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - SSI-Bridge: Soil-Bridge Interaction During Long-Duration Earthquake Motions PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 128p AB - The seismic response of a complete soil-bridge system during shallow, crustal and subduction zone earthquakes is the topic of this report. Specifically, the effects of earthquake duration on the seismic performance of soil-bridge systems are examined. This topic is important, because many bridges worldwide are located in tectonic regions characterized by a subducting plate boundary, where high-intensity, long-duration earthquake motions are possible. To date, the effects of earthquake duration are not widely considered during seismic design of bridges. In this report, a model of a soil-bridge system is developed in the finite element framework OpenSees. The soil-bridge system is subjected to earthquake motions of varying durations using the direct method. Comparative results show that the number of inelastic excursions in the bridge column and pile increase significantly with earthquake duration, even though other traditional measures of damage such as maximum bending moments and peak column drifts are independent of duration. The results also indicate that the number of inelastic excursions is strongly correlated with earthquake intensity measures that incorporate earthquake duration, such as significant duration, and cumulative absolute velocity. The results imply that earthquake duration needs to be considered when designing and retrofitting bridge superstructures, especially when these are designed to fail in flexure, which is the desired mode of failure in current design methodologies. KW - Bridges KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Earthquakes KW - Finite element method KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Soil structure interaction KW - Time duration UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-8-739437-Mason-Ben-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324995 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541522 AU - Ideker, Jason H AU - Bañuelos, José AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Use of Synthetic Blended Fibers to Reduce Cracking Risk in High Performance Concrete PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 72p AB - Transportation departments have observed varying degrees of cracking in their concrete structures. Cracking of high performance reinforced concrete structures, in particular bridge decks, is of paramount concern to Pacific Northwest Departments of Transportation. Cracking at early ages (especially within the first year after placement) results in additional costs and a significant maintenance burden to Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The causes behind cracking in high performance concrete are well known and documented in the existing literature. Recent research at Oregon State University under two separate projects: SPR 711 and SPR 728 has elucidated the propensity for shrinkage in high performance concrete mixtures mainly used for concrete bridge decks. These previous projects identified 1) mitigation methods to reduce shrinkage (e.g. internal curing using fine lightweight aggregates (FLWA), and/or the use of shrinkage reducing admixtures (SRA)) and 2) proposed shrinkage measurement techniques and thresholds/limits using those techniques that should reduce shrinkage and early-age cracking risk. The aim of this project was to investigate a relatively new technique to control early-age cracking; the use of blended size polypropylene fibers in high performance concrete mixtures. The key findings from this work were that the use of drying shrinkage test methods alone, without the capture of cracking risk, showed that the inclusion of fibers did not reduce drying shrinkage in unrestrained specimens. However, in restrained testing (where the possibility of crack formation is promoted) the fibers were able to 1) reduce the rate of stress generation in specimens 2) prolong the time to cracking in the restrained ring test (ASTM C 1581) and 3) reduce the crack widths and the growth of cracks once cracking did initiate. As a result the use of blended fibers in high performance concrete points to another viable solution for reducing the risk of cracking in service. KW - Bridge decks KW - Cracking KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - High performance concrete KW - Oregon KW - Polymer fibers KW - Shrinkage UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-11-739437-Ideker-Jason-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324994 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541498 AU - Wall, Richard W AU - Bauer, Denise H AU - University of Idaho, Moscow AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Second Generation Accessible Pedestrian Systems PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 50p AB - The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has had a great impact on the implementation of Accessible Pedestrian Systems that target accessible and safety impediments faced by pedestrians with mobility and visual impairments. Intersection geometries are not uniform, and the traffic signal timing varies widely from one intersection to the next as well as days of the week and even hours of the day. The customization of the traffic signal operations is generally oriented to improving the performance of the vehicular traffic; the resulting changes in traffic patterns almost always impact the pedestrian access. Longer cycle lengths require pedestrians to cope with inclement weather or become impatient resulting in crossing without a WALK signal. For pedestrians who have vision impairments, the challenges become daunting. No longer is vision the primary means of communicating information that directly affects the safety when crossing a street. To allow safer and more reliable pedestrian access at signalized intersections, the pedestrian systems should be able to be customized easily and quickly. Pedestrians can be faced with confusing or conflicting directions resulting in unsafe actions and could be tempted to assume increased individual risks if there is no ability to tune the pedestrian information for each intersection. These systems are intended for use by pedestrians possessing a wide range of physical and cognitive abilities, and this research seeks to provide direction and alert these pedestrians of potential dangers in ways that are clear and quickly comprehended. This research leverages off Smart Signals Research that started in 2004. The goal from the beginning was to develop a system that can provide capability for advanced technologies to improve the safety for pedestrians at signalized intersections. At early stages in this research, it was realized that the technologies currently being used do not provide the necessary infrastructure. Hence, past research focused on an enabling technology that has resulted in an innovative highly customizable pedestrian control system that has been commercially offered to a national market since 2010. Feedback from transportation agencies, pedestrian advocacy groups, and transportation equipment manufacturers has directed the research in areas that can provide the enhanced capabilities for precise and reliable systems to assist the general pedestrian population. Through workshops with an advisory group, extensive dialogs with experts, and technology development, the authors have developed a second generation of accessible pedestrian systems capable of being expanded to include direct interaction with selected pedestrians. A pilot test was also conducted to determine an appropriate tone for the second speaker navigation. Technical reviews involving the research designers and the engineers with equipment manufacturers for the first generation pedestrian control system hardware and software brought out several key elements that needed improving. The hardware and software underwent extensive redesign, testing and performance evaluation. The resulting equipment has lower cost and improved capability and performance. The major system design improvements are wider operating temperature range, independent audio outputs, simplified power circuit design, extensible communications capability using diverse wireless and direct wired network technologies, and equipment that is less expensive to install. The results of the pilot testing gave direction for future larger-scale testing and insights on how individuals cope without vision. The benefit of the advanced features will be realized when the pedestrian navigation and guidance features are integrated with the second generation hardware. KW - Audible pedestrian signals KW - Pedestrian actuated controllers KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrians KW - Persons with disabilities KW - Signalized intersections KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Visually impaired persons UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-16-739436-Wall-Richard-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325001 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541482 AU - Goodchild, Anne AU - Drescher, Jerome AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Port of Seattle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Robust Survey Methodology for Collecting Information on the Port Truck Drayage Industry PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 73p AB - This paper describes the population characteristics in the drayage trucking population of the Port of Seattle as determined by the 2013 Truck Driver Survey. The 2013 Truck Driver Survey was created to give the Port of Seattle more information on the trip destinations, working conditions, equipment, and economics of truck drivers serving the Port of Seattle, so that policy makers creating regulations affecting trucking at the port could be better informed about the trucking population. The survey was a 44 question mail-back survey that was distributed at the Port of Seattle. The survey was distributed for eight days at all container terminals at the Port of Seattle, and got a 29% response rate. The majority of the trips to and from the Port of Seattle are for the local Seattle area (33%) and the Kent Valley (20%). Other trips are distributed to service areas throughout the State of Washington. Owner-operators were found to make more of the short trips, with employee drivers making more of the long trips. 62% of trucks at the Port of Seattle are more than 12 years old. These trucks will have to be replaced before 2015 to comply with the Port of Seattle Clean Trucks Program. The Port of Seattle has a diverse population, with 53% of drivers indicating that they did not speak English as a first language. Drivers who indicated that they didn’t speak English were about 50% from Africa, with South/Central America and Asia/Pacific Islands also having significant populations. KW - Data collection KW - Demographics KW - Drayage KW - Economics KW - Equipment KW - Methodology KW - Origin and destination KW - Port of Seattle KW - Ports KW - Surveys KW - Truck drivers KW - Working conditions UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-17-624908-Goodchild-Anne-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325002 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541458 AU - Larson, Timothy AU - Cheng, Hui AU - Cai, Mengyu AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessment of a New Screening Model for Use in Siting Near-Road NO₂ Monitors PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 13p AB - Near-road monitoring of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in major urban areas in the U.S. will be required by 2013. It is not yet known exactly how many urban areas will be in attainment of the new NO₂ air quality standard, due to a lack of historical near-road monitoring information. The answer is sensitive to the exact siting of these monitors with respect to the roadway and the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA’s) siting guidance for near-road NO₂ monitors is not yet officially established. In this project the authors test the feasibility of a relatively new air quality model, the Quick Urban Industrial Complex (QUIC) model as a practical and economical screening tool for assessing near-road NO₂ monitoring sites in a complex urban environment. Using the QUIC model, predictions of nitrogen oxides concentrations are made at locations near Interstate 5 in Seattle. Model performance are assessed by comparing predictions with accompanying measurements using a mobile monitoring platform. KW - Air quality KW - Computer models KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Nitrogen oxides KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Urban areas UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-20-624882-Larson-Timothy-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325005 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541456 AU - Stuedlein, Armin W AU - Walters, James J AU - Strahler, Andrew W AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Characterization of Frictional Interference in Closely-Spaced Reinforcements in MSE Walls PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 180p AB - This research addresses one of several knowledge gaps in the understanding of tall Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall behavior: prediction of reinforcement loads impacted by frictional interference of closely-spaced reinforcements associated with tall walls. Key findings of this research include: (1) New backfill-specific and gravelly-soil models for the prediction of the apparent friction coefficient with normal effective stress were developed for use with ribbed steel strip reinforcements. (2) The performance of the proposed pullout resistance design models were compared to the current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design model and found to produce significantly more accurate predictions of the apparent friction coefficient. (3) Preliminary test results indicate that frictional interference appear to exist in the vertical direction at vertical pressures of 100 kPa and may increase the peak pullout loads of reinforcement strips as much as 40% at a spacing of 152 mm. KW - Backfill soils KW - Earth walls KW - Friction KW - Gravelly soils KW - Mechanically stabilized earth KW - Pull out test KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Stresses UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-9-739437-Stuedlein-Armin-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324996 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541432 AU - Hurwitz, David S AU - Olsen, Michael AU - Marnell, Patrick AU - Mahmoudabadi, Hamid AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Rendering of Dense, Point Cloud Data in a High Fidelity Driving Simulator PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 36p AB - Driving Simulators are advanced tools that can address many research questions in transportation. Recently they have been used to advance the practice of transportation engineering, specifically signs, signals, pavement markings, and most powerfully to examine the safety and efficiency of alternative transportation solutions. These simulators are a powerful 3D, virtual environment enabling the study of how drivers respond to potential designs or policies. A key challenge is virtual environment that maintains high fidelity to the real world. 3D laser scanners, which use Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), are line-of-sight technology that emits laser pulses at defined, horizontal and vertical angular increments to produce a 3D point cloud, containing XYZ coordinates for objects that return a portion of the light pulse within range of the scanner. This detailed point cloud is a virtual world that can be explored and analyzed by a variety of people. Through the combination of these two technological systems, more authentic, virtual, built-environments can be used by transportation engineering professionals for the purpose of 3D design. This research project focuses on the technical issues of importing and displaying 3D laser scan data within a driving simulator. For import in the simulator, datasets need to be in the VRML97 format with color values scaled from [0 1]. A transformation needs to be applied to convert between real-world coordinates and screen coordinates. Large datasets should be filtered, when possible, and tiled into very small increments (< 35 MB) to maintain system interactivity. KW - Data files KW - Driving simulators KW - Information processing KW - Laser radar KW - Three dimensional displays UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-10-739437-Hurwitz-David-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324993 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541421 AU - Van Gerpen, Jon H AU - He, B Brian AU - Wang, Dongyun AU - Bi, Zheting AU - University of Idaho, Moscow AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Production of Renewable Diesel Fuel from Biologically Based Feedstocks PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 39p AB - Renewable diesel is an emerging option to achieve the goal set by the Federal Renewable Fuel Standard of displacing 20% of our nation’s petroleum consumption with renewable alternatives by 2022. It involves converting readily available vegetable oils and animal fats to alkane hydrocarbons that can be considered to be drop-in replacements for petroleum-based fuel components. The objective of the project was to develop a model process to produce renewable diesel from triglyceride feedstocks, such as vegetable oils, in a bench scale facility. Specifically, this study was to investigate the process conditions that affect the catalytic decarboxylation of fatty acids and esters without an external supply of hydrogen. Several heterogeneous catalysts were tested for their effectiveness of oxygen removal via decarboxylation. Palladium on activated carbon (Pd/C) was found to be the most reactive catalyst, and hence was used in further investigations on the effects of process conditions, including reaction time, operating temperature and pressure, solvent application, mixing intensity and catalyst application rate. Studies revealed that the reaction temperature is the most influential process parameter affecting the reactant conversion rate and the product yield. When the operating temperature was increased from 265°C to 300°C, the reactant conversion was increased from 54%mol to approximately 98%mol after one hour of reaction. The catalyst application rate also affects the decarboxylation rate. However, this effect levels off when the catalyst concentration is 8%wt, i.e., further increase in catalyst application beyond 8% by weight did not increase the process efficiency of decarboxylation significantly. The solvent to reactant mass ratio is also important because it affects the process productivity. It was found that the effects of operating pressure and mixing intensity were negligible under the conditions of investigation. Once the most influential process parameters were identified, an optimization of the process conditions for renewable diesel production from methyl stearate, the model compound for fatty acid esters, was attempted based on a 2³ full factorial central composite design (CCD). Experimental results revealed that there were no true optimal points on reactant conversion or desired product yield in the range of operating temperature (300°C - 340°C). Therefore, a conditional set of optimum process parameters were obtained instead. Under the pre-set targets of 85% product yield, the process parameters are a temperature of 355°C, a solvent to reactant mass ratio of 62:38, and a reaction time of 187 minutes. Experimental verification showed that this set of operating conditions led to a targeted product yield of 82.38±4.62%mol, very close to the expected 85%mol level. Experimental results showed that decarboxylation of mixed fatty acid methyl esters yielded a complex product mixture due to the presence of unsaturated methyl esters. Besides decarboxylation, other reactions, such as cracking of the unsaturated feedstock, also occurred. Further systematic investigation is needed to fully understand the chemical reactions and process parameters on the composition of the final product mixture. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Chemical reactions KW - Esters KW - Fuel processing KW - Optimization KW - Temperature KW - Vegetable oils UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-15-739436-Van-Gerpen-Jon-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325000 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541415 AU - Hoisington, David AU - Hamel, Scott AU - University of Alaska, Anchorage AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation of Anchor Nut Loosening in High-Mast Light Poles Using Field Monitoring and Finite Element Analysis PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 159p AB - High mast lighting poles (HMLPs) are cost effective structures for lighting highways and intersections. They are 100 to 250 feet (30m to 76m) tall, and can hold a variety of lamp configurations. They are commonly used at highway interchanges because a single unit effectively covers more area than the typical, approximately 30 foot (10m) tall, light poles. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (AKDOT&PF) maintains 104 such poles in the greater Anchorage area. One issue that has been observed by AKDOT&PF with HMLPs is anchor nut loosening. Anchor rods and their associated nuts are used to secure the HMLP base plate to the pole’s foundation. When they are tight, they allow the rods to transfer load from the HMLP to the foundation. The anchor nuts have been loosening on many HMLPs regardless of foundation type, pole height, lamp configuration, date of installation, number of anchor rods, rod diameter, or temperature during the time of installation. Any poles that have loose nuts undergo a re- tightening procedure outlined by the American Association of Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO). From 2007-2011, 177 inspections were done on 104 poles. 54 of these inspections revealed loose anchor nuts. This program is too costly for the Department to continue indefinitely. The need for solutions for existing and yet to be installed poles is evident. To understand the behavior of HMLP foundations during tightening, strains were monitored in the anchor rods of two HMLPs. The first was tightened according to existing AASTHO provisions. The second modified those provisions based on the conclusions drawn from the first tightening. The strains in the rods of both HMLPs were monitored after their tightening procedures to try to capture anchor nuts loosening. The tightening procedures did not result in rod pretension magnitudes below existing recommendations. Some of the rods in the initial tightening procedure resulted in rods tightened above yield. Existing literature suggests that the recommended pretension magnitudes are adequate to prevent nearly all loosening in dynamic loading scenarios of low magnitude. This is how traditional loosening manifests itself, with the nut rotating due to vibratory effects. There are reports by AKDOT&PF personnel who indicated that nuts that were “loose” did not rotate from a position which was marked after tightening. The loss of clamp load without rotation of either clamping nut has been quantified in previous studies which showed that to simulate this nonlinear post-yield behavior, a complex model is required. This model must allow for contact interactions, friction between parts, nonlinear behavior, displacement based tightening, and force based loading. Finite-element (FE) modeling satisfies all these requirements in the most accurate way possible. An FE model was created of several HMLP foundation configurations, including the two whose tightening was monitored in the field. In addition to these scenarios, the effects of thickening the base plates, adding stiffeners to the poles, and using high strength anchor rods were analyzed. Significant clamp load loss due to post-yield effects was recreated in all of the scenarios. One such scenario had complete clamp load loss in five rods with a single application of a design wind load. Other scenarios were highly resistant to this type of clamp load loss. A number of conclusions were drawn from these studies. It is shown that when large diameter fasteners with short grip lengths are snug tightened without controlling the torque, they are likely to exceed the recommended snug tight pretension range. Final bolt pretensions would be more likely to fall within the desired range if the degree of rotation in the turn-of-the-nut method were adjusted for the grip length/rod diameter ratio. Clamp load loss due to permanent rod deformation is not affected by pretension magnitude (in F1554 grade 55 rods). The difference between the magnitude of external load required to cause complete clamp load loss in one rod, and that required to cause complete clamp load loss in several rods, is relatively small. Rods in double nut moment connections and high strength rods are less likely to experience clamp load loss due to permanent deformation. Recommendations for existing and yet to be installed HMLPs are presented based on these conclusions. KW - Alaska KW - Anchor bolts KW - Finite element method KW - High mast lighting KW - Maintenance KW - Nuts (Fasteners) KW - Poles (Supports) KW - Strain (Mechanics) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-14-739439-Hamel-Scott-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324998 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541412 AU - Hurwitz, David S AU - Boyle, Linda AU - Abdel-Rahim, Ahmed AU - Brown, Shane AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Educating Teenage Drivers in the Pacific Northwest Regarding the Dangers of Distracted Driving PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 30p AB - The goal of this outreach project was to examine driver distraction among teenagers in the Pacific Northwest. Specifically, to identify secondary tasks they consider distracting and determine their self-reported engagement in those same secondary tasks while driving. A presentation was developed and administered to 1400 teenage drivers (approximately 500 participants in each of the three states Washington, Idaho, and Oregon). Of those participants, 1009 teenage drivers responded to a pre- and post-knowledge survey administered immediately before and two weeks after the presentation. The purpose of the survey was to measure the degree to which the demonstration improved teenage driver perspectives regarding the hazards of distracted driving. Results indicated that the presentation positively influence teenage driver perspectives regarding the dangers of distracted driving. KW - Before and after studies KW - Distraction KW - Idaho KW - Oregon KW - Outreach KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Safety education KW - Surveys KW - Teenage drivers KW - Washington (State) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-7-739437-Hurwitz-David-Multi-Outreach.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324886 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541404 AU - Wen, Haifang AU - McLean, David I AU - Boyle, Spencer R AU - Spry, Timothy C AU - Mjelde, Danny G AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Laboratory Evaluation of Recycled Concrete As Aggregate in New Concrete Pavements PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 106p AB - The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has initiated a research project to investigate the use of recycled concrete as aggregates (RCA) in Portland (hydraulic) cement concrete pavements (PCCP). The planned source for the RCA in the project will be from demolished pavements in western Washington, which generally contain very high-quality aggregates. Aggregate quality varies across the state, and concrete made with RCA sourced elsewhere will likely have different properties. This Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium proposal is to expand the scope of the WSDOT project to include additional sources of RCA as well as evaluations of the RCA properties for the purpose of establishing performance criteria necessary for successful application in PCCP. The goal of the combined projects is to evaluate the use of RCA for widespread application in concrete pavements in Washington State and beyond. KW - Concrete aggregates KW - Concrete pavements KW - Evaluation KW - Performance measurement KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Properties of materials KW - Recycled materials KW - Washington (State) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-22-739428-Wen-Haifang-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325006 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539726 AU - Brown, Shane AU - Hurwitz, David AU - Kyte, Michael AU - Hallenbeck, Mark AU - Perkins, Robert AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Digital Dissemination Platform of Transportation Engineering Education Materials PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 44p AB - National agencies have called for more widespread adoption of best practices in engineering education. To facilitate this sharing of practices a web-based system will be developed that will be used by transportation engineering educators to share curricular materials and methods. A research-based action oriented approach will be taken with iteration between development and studies of usability and adoptability of the system. The efforts described in this report are the first in two stages and include the development and testing of a pilot system, including research efforts that support the development, and the gathering of existing curricular materials to be uploaded to the system. Diffusion of Innovations (DI) Theory has been used extensively to study and implement the characteristics of a system that will facilitate its broad use by educators. This research and development effort will rely on DI theory, with a specific focus on characteristics of an innovation known to affect adoption. Understanding potential adopters’ experiences, opinions, and values enabled the initial development of the web-based repository’s architecture. Interviews with these individuals and a supplementary analysis of syllabi in relevant courses afforded the initial development of the web-based repository according to the tenets afforded by DI theory. The results of this study suggest tangible and direct means of addressing potential users’ perceptions about the repository and the materials included within it, such as managing the size of materials provided onsite and providing various ways of accessing the materials. Next steps in this project include one more sequence of usability and adoptability studies followed by the development and dissemination of PacTrans Transportation Education Resource Center (PTERC) to a broader audience. KW - Best practices KW - Curricula KW - Education KW - Information dissemination KW - Transportation engineering KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-6-739437-Brown-Shane-Multi-Education.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324884 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612158 AU - Abbas, Montasir AU - Mladenovic, Milos AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - MADONNA’s Decision Support System and User Interface Enhancement for Workshops and Professional Development PY - 2014/09/14/Final Report SP - 27p AB - Transportation agencies need to go through a hard decision-making process while selecting the traffic signal controller that corresponds to the needs of their future signal systems. The complexity of this problem originates from the current level of controller standardization, market-driven competition, responsibility for long-term operation, and scale of investment. This report presents the results of a Mid-Atlantic University Transportation Center (MAUTC)-funded project to enhance and develop a user-friendly user interface for the Multi Attribute Decision-making Optimizer for Next-generation Network-upgrade and Assessment (MADONNA) framework, which emerged during a research project conducted to address upgrade needs raised by Virginia Northern Region Operations. The MADONNA framework is a tool for system-engineering assessment and upgrade of control hardware/software to improve the overall signal system performance. In this project, a decision-support system (DSS) for selecting traffic signal controllers based on an analytical hierarchy process was developed as an application in MS Excel. The main improvement in this DSS system compared to the authors’ previous work is the component for expert knowledge acquisition during the assignment of criteria weights. The graphical user interface and supporting analytical engine are based on fuzzy logic and were developed to enhance the expert knowledge acquisition. The application interface and the analytical engine are presented and are made available for Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) on-demand workshops. KW - Analytical hierarchy process KW - Continuing education KW - Decision support systems KW - Expert knowledge KW - Fuzzy logic KW - Graphical user interfaces KW - Microsoft Excel (Software) KW - Multi Attribute Decision-making Optimizer for Next-generation Network-upgrade and Assessment (MADONNA) KW - Traffic signal controllers KW - Virginia Department of Transportation KW - Workshops UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2013-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424201 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598404 AU - Kauten, Rebecca L AU - Chamberlain, Heather AU - Spielbauer, Robert AU - Beeler, Madison AU - University of Northern Iowa AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Practical Data Collection: Establishing Methods and Procedures for Measuring Water Clarity and Turbidity from Active Major Highway Construction Sites PY - 2014/09/12/Final Report SP - 67p AB - In anticipation of regulation involving numeric turbidity limit at highway construction sites, research was done into the most appropriate, affordable methods for surface water monitoring. Measuring sediment concentration in streams may be conducted a number of ways. As part of a project funded by the Iowa Department of Transportation, several testing methods were explored to determine the most affordable, appropriate methods for data collection both in the field and in the lab. The primary purpose of the research was to determine the exchangeability of the acrylic transparency tube for water clarity analysis as compared to the turbidimeter. KW - Construction sites KW - Data collection KW - Iowa KW - Runoff KW - Suspended sediments KW - Test procedures KW - Turbidity KW - Water quality UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/21967 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59225/IADOT_Practical_Data_Collection_Establishing_Methods_2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405305 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577741 TI - R04 Bridge Design for Rapid Renewal AB - No summary provided. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge design KW - Strategic Highway Research Program 2 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370803 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541505 AU - Department of Transportation TI - ADS-B Benefits Are Limited Due to a Lack of Advanced Capabilities and Delays in User Equipage PY - 2014/09/11 SP - 29p AB - Since fiscal year 2004, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been developing the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to increase the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS). Central to FAA’s NextGen plans is its goals to transition from a ground-based radar system to a satellite-based system for monitoring and managing air traffic. To execute this transition, FAA is developing the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system, which is expected to leverage new and existing technologies to provide aircraft information to pilots and air traffic controllers during all phases of flight. Full implementation of ADS-B requires the installation of a nationwide network of ground-based radio stations, aircraft equipped with ADS-B rule-compliant avionics, and the integration of ADS-B data into FAA’s air traffic control automation systems. FAA plans to spend approximately $1.7 billion on ADS-B through 2014, and an additional $1 billion between 2014 and 2020. In October 2010, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) reported that FAA faces significant risks and challenges in finalizing ADS-B’s technical requirements, managing its cost and schedules, and encouraging airspace users to equip with ADS-B avionics. At the request of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, OIG conducted a follow-up audit on FAA’s progress in implementing ADS-B. This follow-up audit also addresses a mandate from the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 that OIG conduct a review of the ADS-B program. Accordingly, OIG (1) assessed FAA’s progress toward deploying and testing the ADS-B ground system; (2) identified the capabilities and benefits ADS-B will provide to users; and (3) estimated ADS-B’s current cost, schedule, and planned benefits as measured against the original program goals. KW - Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast KW - Benefits KW - Costs KW - FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 KW - Implementation KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Testing KW - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration UR - https://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/default/files/FAA%20ADS-B%20Program%20Audit%20Report%5E9-11-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326312 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544571 AU - O’Kelly, Morton E AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Air Freight Hubs and Fuel Use PY - 2014/09/10/Final Report SP - 16p AB - The aim of this project was to examine air express/freight to (1) come up with more accurate representation of the types of active links; (2) convert the links to aircraft movements; (3) make reasonable estimate of fuel/energy use by fleet operations; and (4) allocate the costs of these movements to hubs in a realistic way. Data on over 180,000 FedEx flights provide the basis for these calculations. An important finding is that various patterns in the air freight system are influenced by factors such as network hubs and geographical location. The study provides details for Memphis (MEM) and Indianapolis (IND) and shows the range of national and international links (MEM) as well as the interesting complementary role played by IND. KW - Air transportation KW - Aircraft KW - Costs KW - Freight service KW - Fuel consumption KW - Hubs KW - Indianapolis International Airport KW - Memphis International Airport UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/086OY04%20Air%20Freight%20Hubs%20and%20Fuel%20Use.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330349 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529470 AU - Zuschlag, Michael AU - Bürki-Cohen, Judith AU - Chandra, Divya C AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - An Algorithm for Generating Data Accessibility Recommendations for Flight Deck Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Applications PY - 2014/09/09/Final Report SP - 53p AB - Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) In technology supports the display of traffic data on Cockpit Displays of Traffic Information (CDTIs). The data are used by flightcrews to perform defined self-separation procedures, such as the in-trail procedure (ITP). Crews must have appropriate access to the data they need to perform the procedure. This report proposes an algorithm for determining whether data are satisfactorily accessible for each ADS-B task and procedure. Accessibility is defined as the effort of finding data on a visual display and looking directly at the data. The premise of the algorithm is that the more important the data for the procedure, the higher its recommended accessibility should be. The data’s importance depends on a combination of their criticality and update rate, which are determined by expert judgment. The algorithm generates tables indicating recommended virtual locations for the data on the CDTI. Examples of algorithm inputs and output are provided. Additional work is required to validate the algorithm output. If the algorithm works as intended, it can be used to answer questions about how the data should be shown on the CDTI and where the CDTI can be installed on the flight deck. KW - Air traffic control KW - Aircraft navigational aids KW - Aircraft separation KW - Algorithms KW - Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast KW - Data collection KW - Flight decks KW - Information display systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51700/51712/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-14-09.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1311868 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577985 TI - B&T-5 Tunnel Inspection Program-MAP-21Priority Sec. 111 AB - No summary provided. KW - Inspection KW - Maintenance KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Strut and tie method KW - Tunnels UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371354 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577873 TI - 2014-51 (OTHER) Program Implementation Assistance AB - Provide Program Implementation Assistance. KW - Highway planning KW - Implementation KW - Programming (Planning) KW - Technical assistance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371176 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538231 AU - Donnell, Eric T AU - Solaimanian, Mansour AU - Stoffels, Shelley M AU - Kulis, Philip N AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Rumble Strips Installation on Thin Pavement Overlays PY - 2014/09/03/Final Report SP - 52p AB - The purpose of this project was to establish a synthesis of best practices from various state and other transportation agency stakeholders regarding the installation and re-installation of rumble strips on pavements treated with a thin pavement overlay. This was completed based on a review of existing literature and a state transportation agency outreach effort. The best practices are intended to provide a standardized, cost-effective process for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to effectively utilize rumble strips in conjunction with thin pavement overlays. These include three rumble strip types (centerline, edge line, and shoulder), two standard rumble strip depths (3/8-inch and ½-inch), and three thin overlay types (hot-mix asphalt, microsurfacing, and seal coat). KW - Best practices KW - Installation KW - Literature reviews KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pennsylvania KW - Rumble strips KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2014-02.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52500/52592/PSU-2014-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322127 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537860 AU - Holden, Danielle AU - Det Norske Veritas, Incorporated AU - Maritime Administration TI - Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Bunkering Study PY - 2014/09/03 SP - 165p AB - Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is an attractive fuel choice for many vessels because it exceeds the air quality standards set forth in the North American Emission Control Area (ECA), and the price of LNG is significantly lower than ECA-compliant fuel. However, because the use of LNG as a marine propulsion fuel is a relatively new concept in the U.S., there are significant safety and regulatory gaps. In addition, there are several challenges related to the development of a national infrastructure for LNG bunkering. The Maritime Administration (MARAD) has partnered with other government agencies, industry, and academia to determine the feasibility and likelihood of using natural gas as a propulsion fuel in the maritime sector. Through previous research and outreach with all of the stakeholders, MARAD identified specific information needs regarding natural gas infrastructure and the refueling of vessels (i.e., bunkering). MARAD contracted with DNV GL to complete this study with the objective of analyzing existing LNG bunkering infrastructure, safety, regulations, and training, and identifying and recommending best practices. Over the course of this study, DNV GL has made recommendations for specific audiences concerning standards and integration of LNG bunkering into U.S. maritime operations. The study is divided into four sections that analyze the following topics: LNG bunkering infrastructure; LNG bunkering safety; regulations; and personnel training. KW - Bunkering KW - Infrastructure KW - Liquefied natural gas KW - Regulations KW - Safety KW - Training KW - Water transportation UR - http://www.marad.dot.gov/documents/DNVLNGBunkeringStudy3Sep14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323288 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01625575 TI - Motorcycle Safety: A Review of the State of the Knowledge AB - In the face of much research to determine ways to improve motorcycle safety, it remains a significant highway safety problem. The number of motorcycle fatalities and injuries is disproportionately high, considering that motorcycles constitute about 3 percent of the total vehicle fleet. When compared to the safety gains made for passenger vehicles, the state of motorcycle safety suggests that new approaches to safety are necessary to lower crash risk among motorcyclists. Adding to the complexity of motorcycle safety issues are rapid changes in engineering and vehicle technology; social changes in rider demographics; and policy changes in helmet use legislation across the States. The objective of this study is a comprehensive, up-to-date review of the literature on motorcycle safety for the purpose of providing an empirical basis for research and program planning and policy decision-making. A comprehensive review of the state of knowledge about motorcycle traffic safety in the United States supports the development and implementation of safety programs and public policy. The review shall highlight trends and gaps in safety research, and showcase features that show promise as potential countermeasures. One of the goals of the review is to serve as an important resource for researchers, highway safety and public health professionals, rider instructors, safety advocates and others. KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - Knowledge KW - Legislation KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - Motorcycle helmets KW - Risk assessment KW - State of the practice KW - Traffic safety KW - United States UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1453687 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01625569 TI - Strategies for Increasing Ignition Interlock Use among DWI Offenders AB - Alcohol ignition interlock devices are increasingly used as a sanction for Driving While Impaired (DWI), with as many as 318,714 interlocks across the country. Yet, with the number of persons arrested for DWI upwards of a million individuals, the percent of DWI offenders using interlocks is relatively low. Increasing interlock use is a worthy safety goal because interlocks are a proven means of reducing the number of alcohol-impaired driving trips. This project will evaluate different strategies for increasing interlock use by working with an interlock program that has implemented a strategy to determine whether the strategy is effective. The objective is to develop guidelines and lessons learned of value to interlock programs. The project data will address the following questions: (1) Was there an increase in interlock use by DWI offenders change after a State or jurisdiction deployed a new program or strategy? (2) What factors facilitated interlock use?(3) What factors hindered interlock use? (4) What are the lessons learned about deploying the program or strategy? KW - Alcohol ignition interlock devices KW - Drunk driving KW - Guidelines KW - Impaired drivers KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1453463 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577465 TI - Quality Assurance Data Analysis as a Leading Indicator for Infrastructure Condition Performance Management AB - The objective of this project is to examine the quality assurance data collected during pavement construction to determine whether and how it could be used as a leading indicator within an agency’s pavement management system in supporting performance management and pavement investment decisions. KW - Condition surveys KW - Data collection KW - Infrastructure KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Quality assurance KW - Road construction UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370727 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577143 TI - Porous-Graded Asphalt AB - The objective of this research is to support Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) by advancing the current knowledge and state-of-the-practice in the sciences and technologies utilized in the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and management of the porous-graded asphalt (PGA) used in the Nation’s highways. This will require synthesizing relevant information available and building upon that information to develop and carry out a research and implementation plan.  Strategically, this research will enable and expedite the development and deployment of PGA which will greatly improve the safety and efficiency of highway transportation. KW - Asphalt KW - Design KW - Paving KW - Planning KW - Porous pavements KW - State of the practice UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370391 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577137 TI - Utilizing 3D Digital Design Data in Highway Construction – A Case Study AB - Select a representative highway project to showcase the successful utilization of three-dimensional (3D) digital design data and use the information gathered from that project to develop broader guidance that can be used by highway agencies. Through a comprehensive case study, a representative highway construction project that successfully transitioned digital data from design to construction, the objectives in the Key Project Objectives field will be accomplished. KW - Case studies KW - Digital displays KW - Guidelines KW - Highway design KW - Road construction UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370383 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575528 TI - LED-based Low Cost Gas Sensor for Crew and Vehicle Safety AB - In this project the University of Central Florida (UCF) will work on the design and testing of a sensor that is capable of time-resolved, quantitative measurements of CO and CO₂ using LED-based diagnostics. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Diagnosis KW - Flight crews KW - Measurement KW - Sensors KW - Vehicle safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367927 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599877 AU - Squire, Devin AU - Heaslip, Kevin AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development for Transportation Asset Management Inventory & Management Tools PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 168p AB - Mobile technology is becoming more and more pervasive within the consumer industry. Devices such as smartphones and tablets are able to relay information effectively and affordably either with or without an accompanying cellular connectivity plan. The effect of this technology is slowly making its way through the corporate world. Recognizing that this technology has the potential to affect workflow practices within a Department of Transportation, this report first presents two mobile applications to address specific areas of concern identified within the Utah Department of Transportation. The first application creates a living directory that provides specific information regarding employees, equipment, and location within maintenance shed locations throughout the state of Utah. The second application provides a seamless method of information transfer as it relates to traffic signs from the field directly to central servers in an effort to reduce data loss and corruption. In order to facilitate a determination of effectiveness, the second aspect of this report develops a framework through which the developed applications can be deemed as either effective or ineffective given indicators of fit, viability, usability, and productivity. These areas are assessed using a defined survey that presents users of the mobile applications with a series of questions relevant to each of the four indicators. The surveys are then analyzed through both descriptive and inferential statistical methods in order to provide a conclusion of effectiveness. Because they seek to develop a basic framework, the concepts and practices presented in this report can be used as a guide for the assessment of other mobile applications as they become available. As such, the application of this framework will allow agencies to confidently incorporate mobile technology into everyday work practices. KW - Asset management KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Information dissemination KW - Inventory KW - Maintenance management KW - Mobile applications KW - Smartphones KW - Statistical analysis KW - Surveys KW - Traffic signs KW - Utah Department of Transportation UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-002-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407815 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594281 AU - Hunter, Michael AU - Rodgers, Michael AU - Corso, Gregory AU - Xu, Yanshi Ann AU - Greenwood, Aaron AU - Georgia Institute of Technology AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improved Methods for Delineating Diverges in Work Zones PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 74p AB - This report presents results from an investigation regarding the impacts of various delineation methods on driver performance in properly identifying the condition and location of work zone diverges. The motivation for this research program stems from the needs to (1) understand the fundamental principles behind driver perception of traffic control devices in a work zone; (2) understand how the design and configuration of work zone traffic control devices interact with these principles to impact human performance; and (3) develop cost-effective screening methods to test new designs and configurations. A testing method was developed in which computer-rendered still images (near photo-realistic) of various work zone environments were briefly shown to participants who were asked to identify (1) the location of a diverge within a work zone and (2) its condition (i.e., open or closed) when given a very limited response time. To examine these issues, three separate but related experiments were conducted. In each, the responses from participants were collected and analyzed in terms of percent correct, several error types, and the observed latency (time delay) in making the ramp identification decision. In almost all circumstances delineation devices that maintained continuity and linearity throughout the desired path resulted in better human performance. The experiments also showed that when a construction project requires the full closure of a ramp then driver understanding of delineation becomes increasing challenging. Finally, in several instances, scenarios without delineation equipment showed greater errors. This observation indicates that the presence of equipment may provide additional cues signaling active work zones to drivers. KW - Diverging traffic KW - Methodology KW - Perception KW - Ramps (Interchanges) KW - Testing KW - Traffic control devices KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/10-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398320 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592630 TI - Restorative Rest for Motorcoach Drivers AB - The objective of this project is to determine how much restorative rest is needed for motorcoach drivers. The study will analyze the relationships between time off duty and sleep. This will be a re-analysis of the motorcoach driver sleep and performance data that were collected for the study entitled “Motorcoach Driver Fatigue Study, 2011” (Belenky et al., 2012). The original motorcoach driver fatigue study analyzed data from 84 commercial motorcoach drivers and collected continuous sleep, work, performance, and fatigue data for each driver for approximately 1 month. Drivers were recruited from across the United States and from a range of motorcoach operations (i.e., regular route, tour, charter, and commuter express). The purpose of the motorcoach driver fatigue study was to assess the degree to which active motorcoach drivers push the limits of motorcoach hours-of-service (HOS) regulations and, as a result, expose themselves to less-than-24-hour duty/rest cycles-cycles that would entail getting up earlier and earlier each day, likely restricting their sleep and impairing their performance. The study found no evidence that the participating motorcoach drivers exposed themselves to non-24-hour duty/rest cycles. Duty start times were clustered in the morning, indicating that duty days were synchronized to the circadian rhythm. The aim of the present study is to characterize the relationship between off-duty time and sleep using the data collected in the original study. The study will answer the following research questions: (1) How much sleep do motorcoach drivers obtain given the amount of time they have off between shifts? (2) How much time off between shifts do motorcoach drivers need to ensure that they are able to get 7-8 hours of sleep in each 24-hour period? The proposed re-analysis will expand upon the original motorcoach driver fatigue study by examining sleep in any given 24-hour period as a function of off-duty time during the same 24-hour period. Of particular interest is the off-duty time in a 24-hour period that is associated with 7-8 hours of sleep during that same period, as 7-8 hours of sleep in every 24 hours is thought to sustain operational performance. A report that describes how much restorative rest is needed for motorcoach drivers. KW - Bus drivers KW - Commercial drivers KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Motor Coach KW - Rest periods KW - Safety UR - www.fmcsa.dot.gov UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400232 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592553 TI - Crash Reporting Research AB - The objective of this project is to assess the completeness of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA’s) Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) crash database and associated collection issues. The project seeks to estimate the rate of crash reporting completeness in MCMIS and to develop recommendations for improving the reporting of FMCSA-reportable crashes. The study will review the State Data Quality Reports and collect and analyze a sample of carriers’ crash records, comparing them to the MCMIS crash records. The period of performance is from October 2014 to April 2016. The research will lead to an estimate of the crash reporting completeness in MCMIS and will develop methods to improve the processes for collecting reportable crashes. KW - Crash data KW - Crash records KW - Data quality KW - Information systems KW - Motor carriers KW - Safety KW - Systems analysis UR - www.fmcsa.dot.gov UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400156 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592550 TI - Case Study of Mexico's Third-Party Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) Program for Commercial Vehicle Operators AB - The objective of this project is to document lessons learned for assisting the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in the development of an entry-level driver training (ELDT) program in the United States using a third-party system. Effective October 1, 2012, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), in Section 32304, Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Training, mandated that FMCSA issue a final rule on ELDT programs and that it cover all commercial driver’s license (CDL) drivers. FMCSA is separately gathering research information on the effectiveness of different types and amounts of ELDT. The proposed process in the 2007 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for delivering ELDT is via third-party schools. There is information available from Mexico’s implementation of a third-party process for training commercial drivers. The United States’ acceptance of a Mexican Licencia Federal (LF) dates back to November 21, 1991, when the Office of Motor Carrier Safety in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Dirección General de Autotransporte Federal (DGAF) in the Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) determined mutually that Mexican CDLs are comparable to U.S. CDLs and entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing the comparability. FMCSA is in the process of updating this MOU by revisiting the numerous revisions that have occurred in the CDL programs of both countries. Since the execution of that MOU, the Mexican program has changed the licensing program from a federally staffed operation to a private third-party school operation. This project involved conducting a literature review of ELDT methods and analyzing Mexico’s experience using a third-party approach for ELDT programs to document lessons learned. The period of performance was from October 2014 to September 2015. : Documentation of the Mexican experience and results from development and implementation of an ELDT program using a third-party approach. Consideration of how such a program could relate to implementation of a similar third-party approach in the United States. KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Driver training KW - Mexico KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Recently qualified drivers KW - Training programs KW - Truck drivers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400148 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587634 AU - Hyman, Robert AU - Kafalenos, Robert AU - Beucler, Brian AU - Culp, Michael AU - ICF International AU - Parsons Brinckerhoff AU - South Coast Engineers AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Assessment of Key Gaps in the Integration of Climate Change Considerations into Transportation Engineering: Task 2.3 PY - 2014/09 SP - 69p AB - In many areas of the United States, climate change is bringing an increase in frequency of extreme heat and precipitation, as well as an increase in sea level rise and associated storm surge, and a host of secondary impacts. These climate stressors are taxing an already aging transportation system, and the continuation or acceleration of these trends are often not accounted for in new construction. Recent research has provided insights into how scientists believe the climate may change, and recent pilot studies have revealed anticipated vulnerabilities of transportation agencies. However, research on how transportation practitioners should use and react to this information is still limited. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is seeking to provide answers through the development of case studies and methodologies in the Transportation Engineering Approaches to Climate Resiliency Project. A first step to addressing these shortcomings is the identification of exactly what type of assistance practitioners need. This report (1) Reviews gaps in information and practice related to integrating climate change into transportation engineering and (2) Recommends a select set of gaps for further investigation in the remainder of the project. KW - Climate change KW - Knowledge KW - Methodology KW - Recommendations KW - Research KW - Transportation engineering KW - United States UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/adaptation/ongoing_and_current_research/teacr/key_gaps/fhwahep15059.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395309 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582198 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Ramp Metering: A Proven Effective Strategy PY - 2014/09 SP - 4p AB - Ramp metering is a strategy used to regulate the volume of vehicles entering a freeway at a given time thereby seeking optimal freeway operations. Access to the freeway is controlled using a traffic signal that is powered by an algorithm that uses real-time system traffic data to determine the rate at which vehicles should enter the freeway. This breaks up the platoons of vehicles attempting to merge onto the mainline. Vehicles already on the mainline will not need to reduce their speed as much due to the spacing of the entering vehicles. This document briefly explores the benefits, common challenges, keys for successful deployment, public outreach, and performance measurements of ramp metering. Case studies are also included. KW - Benefits KW - Case studies KW - Implementation KW - Outreach KW - Performance measurement KW - Ramp metering UR - http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop14021/fhwahop14021.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375676 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576199 AU - Tyagi, Avdhesh K AU - Ali, Abdelfatah AU - Hamilton, Matthew AU - Oklahoma State University, Stillwater AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Energy Dissipation in Thirty-Foot Broken-Back Culverts Using Laboratory Models PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 170p AB - This research investigates the reduction in scour downstream of a broken-back culvert by forming a hydraulic jump inside the culvert. A broken-back culvert is used in areas of high relief and steep topography as it has one or more breaks in profile slope. A broken-back culvert in the laboratory represents a 1 (vertical) to 2 (horizontal) slope after the upstream inlet and then continuing 90 feet at a 1 percent slope in the flat part of the culvert to the downstream outlet. The prototypes for these experiments were either a two barrel 10-foot by 10-foot, or a two barrel 10-foot by 20-foot reinforced concrete culvert. The drop between inlet and outlet was selected as 30 feet. Three flow conditions were simulated, consisting of 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 times the culvert depth. This report represents Phase V of broken-back culverts with a drop of 30 feet. The first phase of this research was performed with a drop of 24 feet, the second phase of this research was carried with for a drop of 6 feet, the third phase of this research, performed was a drop of 18 feet, and the fourth phase of this research was performed with a drop of 12 feet. The Froude number (Fᵣ₁) of the hydraulic jump created in the flat part of the culvert ranged between 2.53 and 5.66. This Fᵣ₁ classifies the jump as an oscillating to steady jump. The jump began nearly at the toe by placing sills and friction blocks of different sizes in the flat part. For new culvert construction, the best option to maximize energy dissipation under open channel flow conditions is to use one 5.83-foot sill located 33.33 feet from the outlet. The maximum length of the culvert can be reduced from 25 feet to 30 feet that was for middle sill. For existing and new culverts, the best option is to use one end sill with height of 6.67-foot. In pressure flow conditions, the optimal location was determined at a distance of 31.67 feet from the outlet for 4.17-foot sill. The length of the culvert can be reduced by 25 feet to 30 feet. Also, for new and existing culverts, the optimal end sill is to use one 4.17-foot sill height under pressure flow conditions. Such a scenario is important where right-of-way problems exist for culvert construction. Also examined was a slotted sill which has a cut in the middle for cleanup purposes. In open channel flow conditions, the best option to maximize energy dissipation is to use one 5.83-foot slotted sill located 33.33 feet from the outlet, and for end slotted sill is to use 7.5-foot height. In the pressure flow conditions, the optimal slotted sill was 5-foot at a distance of 41.67 feet from the outlet, and for end slotted sill is to use 4.17-foot height. The regular and slotted sills contain two small orifices at the bottom to allow the culvert to completely drain. The impact of friction blocks was found to be minimal. No friction blocks were used to further dissipate the energy. KW - Culverts KW - Dissipation KW - Froude number KW - Hydraulic jump KW - Laboratory tests KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Scour UR - http://l92018.eos-intl.net/elibsql16_L92018_Documents/FHWA-OK-14-10%202254%20Tyagi.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369876 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574075 AU - Sheppard, Eric AU - Khaikine, Vitali AU - Jagasivamani, Vadivel AU - Hampton University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intermodal Transportation Infrastructure Interactions: Utilizing Acoustic Emission and other Non-Destructive Evaluation Technologies PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 17p AB - This project studied application of acoustic emission (AE) technology to perform structural health monitoring of highway bridges. Highway bridges are a vital part of transportation infrastructure and there is need for reliable non-destructive methods to monitor their structural condition to ensure safety and efficiency. Many factors lead to the deterioration of highway bridges, including aging, extreme events such as natural disasters, other hazards including negligence, improper maintenance, and collisions, and, most importantly, operational loads from the increased freight transportation truck weights. A candidate structure – a steel girder bridge crossing of the Interstate I-64 over the Route 165 Kempsville Road in Norfolk, VA, was selected for this study. This bridge has a known, visually identified defect on girder 9 – crack in the stiffener-to-girder connection weld. Therefore this work concentrated on the AE analysis of girder 9 of this bridge and girder 8 of this structure was taken up for comparison. AE activity was found to be occurring in both girders 8 and 9 of the steel girder bridge selected for this study. There was weak AE activity reported in girder 8 and this activity exhibited no increase during the period of this research. On the other hand, girder 9 of this bridge was found to be experiencing significantly stronger levels of AE activity which noticeably increased during the same period. The majority of the girder 9 AE activity sources were determined to be located in the vicinity of sensors 3, 4, and 5, which is where the visually identified crack exists on the girder. It was confirmed that the AE technique is capable of revealing material defects in steel girder bridges and is suitable for conducting long-term monitoring of structural safety to reduce and prioritize maintenance efforts. KW - Acoustic emission KW - Acoustic emission tests KW - Cracking KW - Girders KW - Highway bridges KW - Norfolk (Virginia) KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-29FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363643 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570329 AU - Glisic, Branko AU - Schumacher, Thomas AU - Betti, Raimondo AU - Princeton University AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multi-Sensor Sheets Based on Large-Area Electronics for Advanced Structural Health Monitoring of Civil Infrastructure PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 37p AB - Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) has a great potential to provide valuable information about the actual structural condition and can help optimize the management activities. However, few effective and robust monitoring technology exist which hinders a nationwide use of SHM in on-site application for structural condition evaluations. The objective of this research was to develop and evaluate a prototype of a novel multi-sensor sheet that is inexpensive, can be equipped with a variety of different sensors, easy to fabricate and deploy, and which provides densely spaced quantitative measurements from large areas of a structure. This sheet is based on technology called large-area electronics and consists of dense arrays of sensors supporting several different electronic components (interconnects, circuits, batteries, etc.) that are patterned or laminated on a polyimide substrate. The sensors that can be incorporated in this sheet are, for example, strain gauges, temperature and humidity sensors, and piezoelectric transducers. At this stage, the development focused on strain sensors and piezoelectric transducers to address the challenges presented above. The design principles for sensing sheet were created. Prototypes were manufactured and successfully tested in laboratory under fatigue crack condition. Different configurations of sensors were tested to assess their performances. Data analysis algorithms were elaborated. The project description and outcomes are presented in detail in the report. KW - Algorithms KW - Design KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Laboratory tests KW - Piezoelectric transducers KW - Sensors KW - Sheets KW - Strain (Mechanics) KW - Structural health monitoring UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-025-final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55237/CAIT-UTC-025-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359777 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570280 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The FHWA 2015 R&T Story: Research and Innovative Solutions for the Nation’s Highway Challenges PY - 2014/09 SP - 44p AB - The responsibility of the federal government is to fund and conduct research and technology (R&T) activities of national interest that will lead to finding solutions to highway transportation issues and significantly advance technology innovation with a clear public benefit when private investment is neither present nor sufficient. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) coordinates with State departments of transportation (DOTs), and local agencies, industry, and academia because, in addition to conducting research, those agencies are responsible for deploying and implementing research products and innovations on State and local transportation systems. This FHWA 2015 R&T Story presents some of the national highway transportation challenges, and discusses how the research and innovations conducted or sponsored by FHWA address these challenges and contribute to changes and improvements in the transportation system. This document also highlights a variety of research projects and activities that demonstrate FHWA’s positive and long-lasting impact on the national highway transportation system. Topics include: advancing safety, improving mobility, preserving infrastructure, enhancing system performance, and promoting sustainability. KW - Highways KW - Infrastructure KW - Mobility KW - Research projects KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic safety KW - Transportation system management KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/general/14091/14091.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359684 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01561004 AU - Guin, Angshuman AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Integrating Intersection Traffic Signal Data into a Traffic Monitoring Program PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 99p AB - The objective of this study was to provide the Georgia Department of Transportation with an evaluation of the feasibility of integrating intersection traffic signal data into a traffic monitoring program. Some of the pertinent conclusions from this study are: Accuracy of 15-minute aggregates of vehicle counts is above 90% at a 95% level of confidence at majority of the study sites; Data quality at some intersections are affected by insufficient offset of the detection zone from the stop bar, leading to queuing of vehicles over the detector and resulting in over-counting of vehicles; and Data from intersections using video based detection are of comparable quality as other intersections using inductive loop detectors. For using the intersection signal detector data for traffic monitoring the following cautions need to be exercised: (1) Discard locations with data spikes i.e. detectors reporting more than 500 vehicles per lane per 15 minutes (threshold can be fine-tuned) at any single data-point. (2) Ensure stability of data connection for completeness of data at remote locations which use wireless data transfers. (3) Data availability does not guarantee data quality. Check plot of historical data for expected traffic patterns before considering use of data in traffic monitoring. (4) Use data from signal detector downstream of midblock location (i.e. use data from two intersections instead of one). (5) Use data from locations where the inductive loop detectors are physically located upstream of the beginning of turn lanes (if any). (6) Avoid locations where there is evidence (can be confirmed with site visit during peak period) of vehicles queuing over the detection zone. To improve the usability of intersection signal detector data for traffic monitoring it is recommended that for future installations and maintenance on existing detectors, detection zones are moved further upstream beyond the maximum queue length of a typical peak hour queue and beyond the beginning of the turn lanes. If it is not possible to move detections zones upstream of turn lanes, detectors should be installed on turn lanes as well. Based on the findings of the study, it is apparent that in majority of the cases, the intersection signal detector data is similar in quality to pneumatic tube count data in terms of both the mean and variability of the errors. However, there are two major concerns. Firstly, the intersection signal detector data does not provide classification data. If this is a major impediment in using the intersection signal detector data in traffic monitoring, this problem should be further investigated to identify possible solutions or workarounds. Secondly, as with any detection technology, the accuracy of the induction loop data feeding into the signal cabinets is dependent on the field deployment characteristics. While there is some variability in the level of error from site to site, in general following the intersection eligibility criteria guidelines should help ensure high quality of data for use in the traffic monitoring program. If the data from a particular site is expected to be used extensively on a long term basis, validation of the data via short term counts is recommended. KW - Data quality KW - Detectors KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Georgia KW - Intersections KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic queuing KW - Traffic surveillance UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/13-10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349703 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560901 AU - Tutumluer, Erol AU - Sarker, Priyanka AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Improved Pavement Rehabilitation Procedures Based on FWD Backcalculation PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 83p AB - Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) overlays are among the most effective maintenance and rehabilitation alternatives in improving the structural as well as functional performance of flexible pavements. HMA overlay design procedures can be based on: (1) engineering judgment, (2) pavement component analysis, (3) non-destructive testing (NDT) with limiting defection criteria, and (4) mechanistic-empirical analysis and design. Although different state highway agencies have different methodologies in designing HMA overlay thickness, design procedures are more or less following or modifying the 1993 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Pavement Design Guide procedure, which is an empirical based approach using the structural deficiency concept and generally listed in above categories 1 and 2. The lack of mechanical testing for evaluating the structural conditions of existing, in-service pavements often leads to unsafe and uneconomical practices as far as the rehabilitation of low volume roads is concerned. This research study presents a mechanistic-empirical (M-E) approach for overlay thickness designs of flexible pavements through a combination of NDT and pre-established pavement damage models. Structural conditions of a number of in-service pavement sections were tested in the field using a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) test device. The required overlay thicknesses of the field pavement sections were then determined using two different methods currently used by local agencies, and the newly developed M-E Overlay Design method. The M-E Overlay Design Method mechanistically backcalculates pavement layer moduli and critical pavement responses due to FWD loading using advanced materials characterization and layered analysis solutions, and then compares them to threshold pavement responses for the fatigue cracking and rutting pavement damage criteria according to pre-established pavement damage algorithms. KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Field tests KW - Flexible pavements KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Illinois KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Thickness UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Tutumluer_NEXTRANS_094IY04_Final%20Report_01-22-2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349697 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560333 AU - Biton, Anna AU - Daddio, David AU - Andrew, James AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning Handbook PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 94p AB - This handbook is designed to help State departments of transportation (DOTs) develop or update State pedestrian and bicycle plans. Based on research including interviews with nine State DOTs and critical evaluations of documents from 15 States, this handbook covers statewide planning from plan inception and scoping to engaging stakeholders and the general public; developing goals, objectives and strategies; collecting and analyzing data; linking to the larger statewide transportation planning process; and implementation. For each stage of the planning process, this handbook uses recent experiences and noteworthy practices from DOTs around the country, helping inform a new generation of statewide nonmotorized planning and implementation. KW - Bicycle travel KW - Bicycling KW - Handbooks KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrians KW - Plan implementation KW - Planning KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the practice UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54500/54587/Ped-Bike_State_Planning_Handbook.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344678 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557288 AU - Kim, Sung-Hee (Sonny) AU - Yang, Jidong AU - Southern Polytechnic State University AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Guidelines for Proper Selection of Finer Graded Aggregate Base for Georgia Pavements - Phase I PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 56p AB - In this study, the effects of No. 810 screening contents in graded aggregate base (GAB) on pavement performance and GAB strength were investigated. One Group I (013C) source and three Group II sources (028C, 048C, and 158C) were selected and specimens were prepared for Proctor Test, California Bearing Ration (CBR) measurement, and morphological analysis. It showed that Proctor and CBR test results were influenced by morphological data and particle size distribution. It was found that replacing 25% of GAB with No. 810 screening materials decreased the density and strength of Group II assemblies while the opposite was true for Group I assemblies. Pavement performance with/without screening materials in GAB was simulated using the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) software based on the measured CBR. As a result, replacing GAB with 25% of screening materials increased alligator cracking when Group II sources were used and decreased alligator cracking when Group I sources were used. Nevertheless, most of the aggregate assemblies with 25% of screening materials didn’t meet the Georgia Department of Transportation's (GDOT’s) GAB gradation requirements. Thus, further investigations including the permeability, plasticity index, resilient modulus, and life cycle cost analysis, may be needed prior to the adoption of screening materials in GAB. Additionally, a new methodology was developed to estimate the stress-strain relationship of unbound aggregate base using linear viscoelastic theory. Aggregate specimens prepared from two different sources were subjected to CBR test and relaxation modulus test thereafter. From the test data, the time-dependent stress due to a known strain rate was computed as a convolution integral of the strain. The computed stress-strain relationship was compared with ones from the resilient modulus test. The results indicate that the stress-strain relationships from the resilient modulus test and the convolution integral are quite comparable with nearly same slopes when horizontal stress is assumed as approximately 45% of vertical stress. Given this agreement, the proposed methodology could be used to assist state highway agencies to validate the resilient modulus test results for quality control and quality assurance of aggregate base materials for pavement design and construction. KW - Alligator cracking KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - California bearing ratio KW - Deformation curve KW - Fine aggregates KW - Georgia KW - Guidelines KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Pavement performance KW - Screenings UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346740 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01556463 AU - Hans, Zachary AU - Hawkins, Neal AU - Gkritza, Konstantina AU - Shaheed, Mohammad AU - Nlenanya, Inya AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety and Mobility Impacts of Winter Weather – Phase 3 PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 86p AB - Highway agencies spend millions of dollars to ensure safe and efficient winter travel. However, the effectiveness of winter-weather maintenance practices on safety and mobility are somewhat difficult to quantify. Safety and Mobility Impacts of Winter Weather - Phase 1 investigated opportunities for improving traffic safety on state-maintained roads in Iowa during winter-weather conditions. In Phase 2, three Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) high-priority sites were evaluated and realistic maintenance and operations mitigation strategies were also identified. In this project, site prioritization techniques for identifying roadway segments with the potential for safety improvements related to winter-weather crashes, were developed through traditional naïve statistical methods by using raw crash data for seven winter seasons and previously developed metrics. Additionally, crash frequency models were developed using integrated crash data for four winter seasons, with the objective of identifying factors that affect crash frequency during winter seasons and screening roadway segments using the empirical Bayes technique. Based on these prioritization techniques, 11 sites were identified and analyzed in conjunction with input from Iowa DOT district maintenance managers and snowplow operators and the Iowa DOT Road Weather Information System (RWIS) coordinator. KW - Bayes' theorem KW - Crash rates KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - Iowa KW - Traffic crashes KW - Winter KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Hans_SafetyandMobilityImpactsofWinterWeather-Phase3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344947 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555792 AU - Betti, Raimondo AU - Columbia University AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Combining Model Based and Data Based Techniques in a Robust Bridge Health Monitoring Program PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 59p AB - Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) aims to analyze civil, mechanical and aerospace systems in order to assess incipient damage occurrence. In this project, the authors are concerned with the development of an algorithm within the SHM paradigm for application to civil engineering structures. Vibration-based techniques are the ones considered to be the most appropriate to perform SHM of civil engineering structures. They are based on the premise that damage will alter the properties of the structure, which will be manifested in its dynamic response. Thus, by measuring and analyzing the vibration response time histories it will be possible to detect such changes. A “mixed” approach to vibration based SHM is explored in this project, combining the comparative advantages provided by “model based” and solely “data based” techniques. A damage sensitive feature (DSF) is defined using experimental modal parameters which may be obtained from operational/ambient vibration response of the structure. This DSF is proportional to the relative change in any diagonal element of the stiffness matrix of a model of the structure, with structural damage being represented as localized stiffness reduction. Although the DSF is derived in a model-based setting, necessary parametric modeling assumptions are kept to a minimum. The DSFs extracted from measured vibration response data are used to perform damage assessment in a statistical pattern recognition (data-based) framework, using empirical complementary cumulative distribution functions (ECCDFs) of the DSFs. The inherent statistical nature of the framework allows for uncertainties induced by measurement noise, environmental/ambient effects etc. Methods are discussed to perform a three-fold probabilistic structural health assessment: (a) “Is there a change in the current state of the structure compared to the baseline state?”, (b) “Does the change indicate a localized stiffness reduction or increase?”, with the latter representing a situation of verification of retrofitting operations, and (c) “What is the severity of the change in a probabilistic sense?”. Particular effort is made to account for “non-damage” related structural variations, induced, for example, by diurnal temperature changes, using lower and upper bound ECCDFs to define the baseline structural state. Such an approach is intended to decouple normal structural variations from damage induced changes. The damage assessment procedure is discussed using numerical simulations of ambient vibration testing of a bridge deck system, considering both complete and partial instrumentation scenarios. KW - Algorithms KW - Bridges KW - Damage assessment KW - Dynamic response (Structures) KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Vibration UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-015-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342960 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554364 AU - Fine, Alisa AU - Colton, Paige AU - Cotton, Ben AU - Futcher, Emily AU - Middleton, Scott AU - Merrefield, Clark AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Geospatial Tools for Data-Sharing: Case Studies of Select Transportation Agencies PY - 2014/09 SP - 80p AB - This report explores how State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies are developing and using geospatial tools, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to support increased collaboration and improved information-sharing. These objectives are associated with the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Geospatial Data Collaboration (GDC) initiative, which encourages State DOTs and others to use geospatial tools to streamline and improve transportation decision-making. This report provides examples of GIS and geospatial tools that support GDC objectives from 21 State DOTs and one non-profit organization. The examples comprise a spectrum of activities that include collecting geospatial data, integrating or consolidating geospatial data into a common framework, developing standards and common formats for these data, accessing these data, and using these data to better communicate with stakeholders. KW - Case studies KW - Cooperation KW - Data collection KW - Data sharing KW - Geographic information systems KW - State departments of transportation KW - Technological innovations UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54469/GeoSpatialToolsForDataSharingCaseStudies.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342278 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554323 AU - Leahy, Rita AU - Yang, Shih-Shien Sam AU - Vargas, Adriana AU - Schmalzer, Peter AU - Nichols Consulting Engineers, Chartered AU - Arizona Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effects of Deicing/Anti‐Icing Chemicals (DIAICs) on Rubberized Asphalt Pavements PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 62p AB - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of typical chemical winter maintenance practices on Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) pavements. A review of previous studies on the effect of deicing/anti‐icing chemicals (DIAICs) did not yield definitive recommendations, especially for DIAICs typically used by ADOT. Researchers conducted a laboratory study evaluating the effects of magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, and distilled water on eight different open‐graded rubber‐modified asphalt concrete mixes using the boiling test (ASTM D3625). All experimental factors were found to be statistically significant, and the researchers provide recommendations on which DIAICs should be used for different binder and aggregate types.   KW - Arizona KW - Asphalt rubber KW - Chlorides KW - Deicing KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Laboratory studies KW - Mix design KW - Recommendations KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://apps.azdot.gov/ADOTLibrary/publications/project_reports/PDF/AZ617.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343905 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554249 AU - Lerner, Neil AU - Robinson, Emanuel AU - Singer, Jeremiah AU - Jenness, James AU - Huey, Richard AU - Baldwin, Carryl AU - Fitch, Gregory AU - Westat AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Human Factors for Connected Vehicles: Effective Warning Interface Research Findings PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 134p AB - This project explored human factors issues in the development of Connected Vehicle (CV) driver vehicle interfaces with an emphasis on maximizing driver comprehension and appropriate responses to warnings. Four distinct research efforts are described in this report. Experiment 1 investigated the perceived urgency of various driving event scenarios in a laboratory setting. The objective of the experiment was to identify the structure of user perceptions of urgency so that CV systems might be made consistent with user expectancies. Results showed that several factors affected participants’ perceptions of perceived urgency, and that ratings of urgency tended to fall into one of three general categories: High threat, caution, and no urgency. Experiment 2 used a series of psychophysical experiments to determine how the manipulation of various alert parameters affects perceived urgency. The experiment also developed and validated a method to determine and compare perceived urgency across visual, auditory, and tactile modalities and within different parameters of each of these modalities. Experiment 3 investigated whether collision avoidance systems should present individual crash alerts in a multiple conflict scenario, or only present one alert in response to the first conflict and suppress the subsequent alert to the second conflict. The closed-course procedure showed that participants’ responses to a surprise event were generally more appropriate when both alerts were presented, and participants subjectively preferred this approach. Experiment 4 investigated the extent to which driver response to imminent crash warnings is affected by the degree of integration when there are multiple CV products in the vehicle. The closed-course procedure showed that participants recognized warnings most quickly when only one display was active in the car. When both displays were active, response times generally improved when messages and warnings were integrated into a single physical location. The authors used the research findings as a basis for a discussion of implications for the design and use of crash-related warning displays within the CV context. KW - Comprehension KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Driver vehicle interfaces KW - Human factors KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Perceived urgency KW - Perception KW - Warning signals UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash Avoidance/Technical Publications/2014/812068-HumanFactorsConnectedVehicles.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341935 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551536 AU - Brod, Daniel AU - Leslau, Boaz AU - DecisionTek, LLC AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - BNSF San Bernardino Case Study: Positive Train Control Risk Assessment PY - 2014/09 SP - 101p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration funded the BNSF San Bernardino Case Study to verify its Generalized Train Movement Simulator (GTMS) risk assessment capabilities on a planned implementation of the I-Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS) positive train control (PTC) system. The analysis explicitly simulated a 10-year period of railroad operations. During simulation, all initiating errors and failures of PTC-preventable accidents were captured and stored along with the entire system state. Subsequent analysis conducted repeated simulations based on random draws from these stored initiating system states to generate hazards and accidents with equivalent statistical confidence of more than 300 years of conventional Monte Carlo simulation. Subject to model assumptions, Base Case mean time to accident (MTTA) for collisions by type is: head-head 4.5 years, head-tail 11.8 years, and sideswipe 2.56 years. An over-speed derailment accident is predicted with a frequency of once every 8.6 years; risk of work zone accident is negligible. As modeled, I-ETMS mitigates all but negligible risk of PTC-preventable accidents with a high degree of confidence. A sensitivity analysis confirms these results. Changes to operating assumptions that could indicate greater risk in the Base Case actually show small variance in total risk. However, there is greater variance in the mix of accidents by accident type. KW - Case studies KW - Monte Carlo method KW - Positive train control KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad simulators KW - Risk assessment KW - San Bernardino (California) UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/details/L15985 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1327110 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551429 AU - Bowman, Mark D AU - Chou, Raymond AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Review of Load Rating and Posting Procedures and Requirements SN - 9781622603237 PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 55p AB - All states are required to load rate and post bridges in order to comply with federal standards. Load ratings are performed in order to determine the safe live load capacity of a bridge, considering the existing conditions of the bridge. Based on the load ratings, the bridge is evaluated for load posting or strengthening. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) was notified that their practice for load rating and posting did not satisfy 23 CFR 650.313. The purpose of this study was to summarize and compare load rating and posting procedures used in other states and to provide recommendations and information necessary to modify the load rating and posting procedures in INDOT’s Bridge Inspection Manual (Part 3: Load Rating) in order to satisfy 23 CFR 650.313. In order to understand how load rating and posting is performed in other states, department of transportation (DOT) manuals were examined, questionnaires were sent to states, and additional states of interest were surveyed. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) The Manual for Bridge Evaluation, Second Edition, which is the current specification for load rating and posting bridges was reviewed, as well as older AASHTO bridge evaluation manuals. Based on this information, revisions were proposed to the INDOT Bridge Inspection Manual (Part 3: Load Rating) in order to eliminate current deficiencies. KW - AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation KW - Bridges KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Inspection KW - Load factor KW - Recommendations KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3059&context=jtrp UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341029 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551296 AU - Steve, Kenneth AU - Parker, Julie AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Highlights of Ferry Operators in the United States PY - 2014/09//Special Report SP - 8p AB - Ferries provide links for commuters in major metropolitan areas and offer a means of transportation across bodies of water not easily served by bridges or tunnels. Ferries are also used for emergency evacuations in times of disaster, natural or otherwise. Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) (Public Law 112-141, section 1121(a)) set aside $67 million in 2013 and 2014 for the maintenance and improvement of the Nation’s ferry system. It also required the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to use the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS) National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO) data to set the specific formula for allocating Federal ferry funds. This report highlights the findings of the 2010 NCFO. The current census is now being administered with a preliminary data release scheduled for the fall of 2014. Data for the current census will be finalized by winter 2014 with an updated report issued in the spring of 2015. KW - Ferries KW - Ferry service KW - Ferry terminals KW - Passenger traffic KW - Revenues KW - Statistics KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/HighlightsFerryOperators.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339998 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551268 AU - Smith, Kurt AU - Harrington, Dale AU - Pierce, Linda AU - Ram, Preshant AU - Smith, Kelly AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Concrete Pavement Preservation Guide PY - 2014/09//2nd Edition SP - 307p AB - This document provides valuable guidance and information on the selection, design, and construction of cost-effective concrete pavement preservation treatments. It is based on a document prepared in 2008 but has been revised and expanded to include updated information to assist highway agencies in effectively managing their concrete pavement network through the application of timely and effective preservation treatments. The preservation approach typically uses low-cost, minimally invasive techniques to improve the overall condition of the pavement. In addition to several introductory chapters covering pavement preservation concepts and pavement evaluation, eight chapters on specific concrete pavement preservation treatments are included: slab stabilization, partial-depth repairs, full-depth repairs, retrofitted edge drains, load transfer restoration, diamond grinding, joint resealing, and concrete overlays. Each of these chapters discusses the purpose of each treatment, its limitations and effectiveness, material and design considerations, construction recommendations, and quality assurance/troubleshooting information. In addition, a final chapter is included on strategy selection procedures. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Joint sealing KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Paving KW - Preservation KW - Quality assurance KW - Recommendations KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Slabs UR - http://www.cptechcenter.org/technical-library/documents/preservation_guide_2nd_ed_508_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339599 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551258 AU - Harrington, Dale AU - Fick, Gary AU - Taylor, Peter AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Preservation and Rehabilitation of Urban Concrete Pavements Using Thin Concrete Overlays: Solutions for Joint Deterioration in Cold Weather States PY - 2014/09 SP - 41p AB - The purpose of this guide is to provide a resource for pavement owners, designers, and contractors to design and construct successful thin (≤ 5-in.) concrete overlays, both bonded and unbonded, as a longer-term (15 years of more) preservation solution for concrete pavements with prematurely deteriorating joints. It covers topics such as selecting appropriate candidate pavements for such an overlay and designing and constructing thin overlays in urban areas. It also summarizes several case studies. This guide is a companion document to the Guide to Concrete Overlays: Sustainable Solutions for Resurfacing and Rehabilitating Existing Pavements, Third Edition (2014), and Guide to the Design of Concrete Overlays Using Existing Methodologies (2012). KW - Case studies KW - Cold weather KW - Concrete overlays KW - Concrete pavements KW - Pavement joints KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Preservation KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.cptechcenter.org/technical-library/documents/thin_concrete_508_compliant_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339600 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01549007 AU - Deeter, Dean AU - Crowson, Ginny AU - Roelofs, Tina AU - Schroeder, Jeremy AU - Gopalakrishna, Deepak AU - Battelle AU - Athey Creek Consultants AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Best Practices for Road Condition Reporting Systems: Synthesis Report PY - 2014/09 SP - 104p AB - Often, the center of an agency’s traveler information system is a Road Condition Reporting System (RCRS). The RCRS is frequently the focal point, populated by manual and automated data and information feeds, supplying information to various information dissemination mechanisms. While the potential benefits of an RCRS are obvious, there are also costs of associated with the development, management, and support of the software system as well as costs associated with the operator time to perform entry. The benefits and costs are impacted by many institutional and technical issues that operations managers must face. This report presents a synthesis of current industry practices regarding the design, development, operation, maintenance, and use of RCRSs. This report compiles information received through a survey and interviews with transportation agencies throughout North America to understand the uses of RCRSs and to identify industry practices that have delivered benefits to the agencies operating RCRSs. A total of 49 Current RCRS Industry Practices, 7 Best Practices, and 3 Emerging Best Practices are described in this report. KW - Best practices KW - Condition surveys KW - Highways KW - Information dissemination KW - North America KW - State of the practice KW - Surveys KW - Transportation departments KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop14023/fhwahop14023.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1336010 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01549004 AU - Gallivan, Frank AU - Rose, Eliot AU - Choe, James AU - Williamson, Scott AU - Houk, Jeff AU - Jack Faucett Associates, Incorporated AU - Venner Consulting AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - FHWA Infrastructure Carbon Estimator: Final Report and User's Guide PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 96p AB - This study developed a method of estimating energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from construction and maintenance of transportation systems. Designed as a spreadsheet-based model for practitioners, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA’s) Infrastructure Carbon Estimator is based on data collected from state departments of transportation (DOTs), a nationwide database of construction bid documents, and consultation with transportation engineers and lifecycle analysis experts. The new tool improves upon previously available methods, which often require complex inputs or are based on outdated research. The Estimator allows users to create “ballpark” estimates of energy and GHG emissions using limited data inputs. This approach allows the tool to be used in transportation planning processes before details about specific facility dimensions, materials, and construction practices are known. The User’s Guide component of this document provides a step-by-step guide to using the tool. Detailed instructions and explanations of key input parameters are also provided in the tool itself. KW - Computer program documentation KW - Construction projects KW - Energy KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Maintenance KW - Pollutants KW - Spreadsheets KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/mitigation/publications_and_tools/carbon_estimator/users_guide/fhwahep14052.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1336061 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548657 AU - Preisen, Linda AU - Deeter, Dean AU - Athey Creek Consultants AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Ministry of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Next Generation Traffic Data and Incident Detection from Video PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 49p AB - The term Video Analytics refers to the capability of analyzing video feeds to determine events that are not based on a single image. A number of commercially available Video Analytics systems are available that are capable of processing video streams from fixed and pan-tilt-zoom traffic cameras and then automatically creating alerts for conditions such as traffic incidents, stopped/slow moving vehicles, wrong-way vehicle movements, wildlife, and debris in real-time. Additionally, data collected by these systems can include traffic volume by lane, speed, vehicle classification, and lane occupancy. The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) partnered with the ENTERPRISE Transportation Pooled Fund Program to conduct a project to research and document the potential for Video Analytics as a tool for traffic operations centers (TOCs) and for traffic data collection. This report summarizes the testing results of several systems in the United States (Iowa, Missouri) and in Ontario, Canada, under real-world environments. KW - Data collection KW - Image analysis KW - Incident detection KW - Iowa KW - Missouri KW - Ontario (Province) KW - Real time information KW - Traffic control centers KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Video UR - http://enterprise.prog.org/Projects/2010_Present/nextgenerationvideo/ENT_VideoAnalytics_Report_Sept2014_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333218 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548639 AU - Shi, Xianming AU - Xie, Ning AU - Dang, Yudong AU - Muthumani, Anburaj AU - Huang, Jiang AU - Hagel, Adam AU - Forsythe, Shane AU - Selig, Elizabeth AU - Falk, Dustin AU - McVey, Eli AU - Kessel, Amanda AU - Martins, Callie AU - Zhang, Yan AU - Fang, Yida AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Understanding and Mitigating Effects of Chloride Deicer Exposure on Concrete PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 166p AB - Field and laboratory investigations were conducted to examine the effects of chloride deicers on concrete bridge decks and to identify and evaluate best practices and products to mitigate such effects. The concrete bridge decks exposed to potassium acetate (KAc) or magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) deicer showed significant reductions in their compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and microhardness, whereas those exposed to sodium chloride (NaCl) deicer and without signs of surface distress did not. Visual inspection would be misleading for assessing the condition of concrete bridge decks exposed to MgCl₂ deicer, as the chemical attack by MgCl₂ generally does not exhibit apparent signs of distress. Chloride penetration as low as 0.1 in (2.5 mm) based on silver nitrate (AgNO₃) spray method does not guarantee the integrity of the concrete exposed to MgCl₂ deicer. At least half of cored Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) bridge decks exhibited air void spacing factor higher than 200 microns (0.008 inches) per the ASTM C457 test method, indicating that they no longer have a proper air-void system for freeze-thaw resistance. The role of MgCl₂ in the carbonation and alkali silica reaction (ASR) of field concrete, if any, is not significant, but KAc may play a significant role in contributing to ASR in concrete containing reactive aggregate. The microscopic evidence further suggests that the concrete in the field environment had been affected by both physical and chemical degradation by the joint action of freeze-thaw cycles and MgCl₂. A set of mortar samples can be deployed to assess the cumulative MgCl₂ exposure at a given site. A simplistic empirical-mechanistic model was developed to evaluate the conditions of the current bridge decks. Surface treatments, especially penetrating sealers and water repellents should be used to protect new concrete and existing concrete without too much chloride contamination. For any surface treatment to be used, it is important to select products with high resistance to both gas and water penetration to maximize the concrete’s resistance to “salt scaling”. When the concrete surface has deteriorated to a more severe degree, overlays should be used. For concrete decks exposed to freeze-thaw and wet-dry cycles and both NaCl and MgCl₂ deicers, silica fume modified cementitious overlays and micro-fiber modified cementitious overlays should be used. For decks mainly exposed to MgCl₂ deicer, Castek T48 polymer overlay is a good candidate. For areas that are also subjected to studded tires and high risk of abrasion, Castek T48 and KwikBond PPC-1121 polymer overlays should be used instead of cementitious overlays. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Bridge decks KW - Chlorides KW - Concrete bridges KW - Corrosion KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Field studies KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Laboratory studies KW - Oregon KW - Strength of materials KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR742_EffectsOfChlorideDeicer_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335918 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548594 AU - Andrews, Scott AU - Cogenia Partners AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Deployment Strategy for Rural Connected Vehicle Systems PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 18p AB - This document describes the deployment options and the recommended strategy of the deployment of a Rural Connected Vehicle system. The intent of this effort was to identify the needs of rural users and the constraints imposed by the rural environment, and to conceptualize a variant of the connected vehicle system that is uniquely adapted to meet those needs given those constraints. KW - Implementation KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Recommendations KW - Rural areas KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://enterprise.prog.org/Projects/2010_Present/ruralconnectedvehicles/ENT%20Rural%20Connected%20Vehicle%20Deployment-%20FINAL%209%2023%202014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333217 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548587 AU - Qin, Nan AU - Raissi, Ali AU - Brooker, Paul AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis of Fuel Cell Vehicle Developments PY - 2014/09 SP - 11p AB - A fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) is a type of electric vehicle that uses a fuel cell to power its electric motor. FCEVs are targeted to provide customers with the benefits of battery electric vehicles such as low to zero emission, high performance, and low maintenance, without compromising range and refill time. This report investigated over a hundred FCEV models that have been developed in the past fifty years. A historic timeline of FCEV development was presented. The fuel cell powertrain configurations and fuel cell sizes of these FCEV models were statistically studied. The analysis reveals that for pure fuel cell cars, most of the fuel cell sizes range from 80-100 kW, while for fuel cell/battery hybrid cars, the fuel cell sizes range from 20 to 100 kW. KW - Fuel cell vehicles KW - Fuel cells KW - History KW - Hybrid automobiles KW - Power trains KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/fsec-cr-1987-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334943 ER - TY - SER AN - 01548580 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Nondestructive Inspection Protocol for Reinforced Concrete Barriers PY - 2014/09 SP - 8p AB - Reinforced concrete barriers are generally anchored to the deck of a bridge or retaining wall using reinforcing steel protruding from the main structure or by anchored bars or bolts added during retrofits. Corrosion of steel bars or bolts can weaken this attachment and reduce the capacity of the barrier. Anchorages and adjacent voids are typically embedded in concrete structural elements and consequently cannot be fully inspected visually. Research has been done on nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods to evaluate reinforced concrete and embedded steel reinforcement. Four NDE technologies were examined and tested in this project, and the results of those test are reviewed and summarized in this document. The four NDE technologies considered in this project were ground-penetrating radar (GPR), low-frequency ultrasonic tomography, infrared (IR) thermography, and digital radiography. KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - Corrosion KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Radiography KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Thermal imagery KW - Tomography UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/14071/14071.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334576 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548548 AU - Reising, Rebecca S AU - Connor, Robert J AU - Lloyd, Jason B AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Risk-Based Bridge Inspection Practices SN - 9781622603121 PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 90p AB - Improving bridge safety, reliability, and the allocation of bridge inspection resources are the goals of the proposed risk-based bridge inspection practices. Currently, most bridges in the United States are inspected at a fixed calendar interval of 24 months, without regard to the condition of the bridge. Newer bridges with little or no damage are inspected with the same frequency as older, more deteriorated bridges thus creating inefficiency in the allocation of inspection resources. The proposed methodology incorporates reliability theory and expert elicitation from the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Risk Assessment Panel, developed during this research, to rationally determine bridge inspection needs. Assessments are made based on the likelihood and consequence of failure for specific bridge components. The likelihood of failure is determined through attributes based on design, loading, and condition characteristics while the consequence of failure is based on expected structural capacity, public safety, and serviceability. By combining the expressions of likelihood and consequence for each component, an optimum inspection interval for the entire bridge can be determined through the use of risk matrices. The methodology was evaluated through case studies involving Indiana bridges. Over 30 years of historical inspection reports were utilized in the back-casting process to evaluate deterioration levels and assess the adequacy of the risk criteria. Results of the case studies conducted during the research indicated that the risk analysis procedures provided suitable inspection intervals ranging from 24 to 72 months for Indiana bridges. KW - Bridges KW - Case studies KW - Evaluation KW - Indiana KW - Inspection KW - Methodology KW - Needs assessment KW - Risk analysis KW - Scheduling KW - Structural analysis UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284315511 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334702 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548500 AU - Padfield, Jon AU - Handy, Jim AU - Stephens, Jim AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Seal Coat Productivity SN - 9781622603145 PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 30p AB - The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) conducts chip seal operations on state highways to prolong the life of the road. The chip seal operation is labor, equipment and material intensive. A typical chip seal operation may involve 35 or more INDOT employees including truck drivers, flagmen, and equipment operators (brooms, rollers, aggregate spreader, and distributors). This project was launched to better understand and document variations in how each of the six INDOT districts, approach the planning and execution of their respective chip seal operations. The goal was to identify areas in the operation where there were differences between districts and to determine best practices that could be shared among the districts. Two observers joined the chip seal operations in all six districts. The observers spent a total of 10 days with the chip seal crews (2 days each with the crews from Fort Wayne, La Porte, Greenfield, and Seymour and 1 day each with the crews from Vincennes and Crawfordsville). One additional day was spent in Crawfordsville observing the Fog Seal operation that takes place a few days following chip seal. During the initial phases of this project, many differences were observed regarding various aspects of the operation including the stone and equipment used, truck loading procedures, traffic control, and covering raised pavement markers (RPNs). These observations were shared with key stakeholders on November 4, 2013 and with a second group of stakeholders on January 22, 2014. With the help of stakeholders, best practices were identified from the observations and a list of 14 recommendations was created to be shared across all districts. A series of meetings were then scheduled to share the recommendations with each district and to determine which recommendations they were interested in piloting. The three ideas found during this project that provide the greatest opportunities for improving the overall operational efficiency of the chip seal operation are (1) the importance of closing roads during chip seal whenever possible, (2) the importance of choosing the best locations for stone stockpiles and oil tanker deliveries, and (3) the importance of fully loading dump trucks to their maximum safe and legal limit. KW - Best practices KW - Chip seals KW - Construction management KW - Indiana KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Productivity KW - Recommendations KW - Stakeholders UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284315512 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334703 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01545583 AU - Furman, Burford AU - Fabian, Lawrence AU - Ellis, Sam AU - Muller, Peter AU - Swenson, Ron AU - Mineta Transportation Institute AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Automated Transit Networks (ATN): A Review of the State of the Industry and Prospects for the Future PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 240p AB - This study explains Automated Transit Networks (ATN) technology, setting it in the larger context of Automated Guideway Transit (AGT). It looks at the current status of ATN suppliers, the status of the ATN industry, and the prospects of a U.S.-based ATN industry. Proceedings from seven Podcar City conferences held since 2006 are summarized. The report discusses how ATN could expand the coverage of existing transit systems and explores the challenges in planning and funding ATN systems. It concludes with a summary of the existing challenges and opportunities for ATN technology. The study is intended to be an informative tool for planners, urban designers, and those involved in public policy, especially for urban transit, to provide a reference for history and background on ATN, and to use for policy development and research. KW - Automated guideway transit KW - Financing KW - Markets KW - Personal rapid transit KW - Procurement KW - Suppliers KW - Transportation planning UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1227-automated-transit-networks.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5bp1gxn/1/producer%2F892222974.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323833 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544696 AU - Weinberger, Rachel AU - Ricks, Karina AU - Schrieber, Jason AU - Cohen, Liza AU - Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates AU - Symmetra Design, LLC AU - District of Columbia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Trip Generation Data Collection in Urban Areas PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 97p AB - There is currently limited data on urban, multimodal trip generation at the individual site level. This lack of data limits the ability of transportation agencies to assess development impacts on the transportation system in urban and multimodal contexts. This project sought to begin addressing this gap by developing and testing a protocol for collecting trip generation by mode at the site level. The report provides a comprehensive review of previous research and develops and defines a data collection protocol for site and context data. The report documents the results of a pilot data collection that tests the protocol. The results of the pilot data collection are compared to the predicted impacts based on the industry standard, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual, and to six alternative methods, all of which pivot from ITE’s data. None of the existing methods reliably predict the field data. The report identifies next steps for the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and other agencies to take to improve multimodal trip generation estimation. To that end, a field-guide for future data collection, based on this pilot, is included as an appendix. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Data collection KW - Institute of Transportation Engineers KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Transportation departments KW - Travel demand KW - Trip generation KW - Urban areas KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://d92016.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_D92016_Documents/2014-01_Urban%20Trip%20Generation%20Final%20Report%201.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331613 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544680 AU - Hamel, Scott AU - Hoisington, David AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - High-Mast Light Poles Anchor Nut Loosening in Alaska: An Investigation Using Field Monitoring and Finite-Element Analysis PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 154p AB - High mast lighting poles (HMLPs) are tall, roadside structures effective for lighting large areas of highways and intersections. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (AKDOT&PF) maintains 118 such poles in the greater Anchorage and Fairbanks areas. Some of these HMLPs have experienced anchor nut loosening at their foundation connection and an in-depth review of inspection reports suggests that the foundation type and the number of anchor rods affect loosening. In this study, two HMLPs were field instrumented and the axial force in their anchor rods was recorded during tightening. Excessively high anchor rod pre-tensions were recorded on the first pole, after which a modified tightening procedure was created and used successfully on the 2nd pole. Finite-element (FE) modeling was conducted to examine the mechanical behavior of the foundation connections and recreate the clamp-load loss. The monitoring and modeling results indicate that plastic deformation of the anchor rods is the likely cause of clamp-load loss in flange-type connections. Anchor rods in double nut moment connections, high strength rods, and increased flange plate thickness were all shown to reduce clamp-load loss. Recommendations for existing and yet to be installed HMLPs are presented based on these results. KW - Alaska KW - Anchor bolts KW - Field studies KW - Finite element method KW - High mast lighting KW - Nuts (Fasteners) KW - Plastic deformation KW - Poles (Supports) KW - Recommendations KW - Structural connection UR - http://tundra.ine.uaf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/HMLP-Final-Report_PacTrans.pdf UR - http://www.dot.state.ak.us/stwddes/research/assets/pdf/4000-117.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329348 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544623 AU - Jordan, Craig AU - Cetin, Mecit AU - TranLIVE AU - Old Dominion University AU - U.S. Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Travel Times for Emergency Response Vehicles: Traffic Control Strategies Based on Connected Vehicles Technologies PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 43p AB - This research is focused on developing and evaluating new traffic control strategies to enable emergency response vehicles (EVs) to travel in transportation networks as quickly as possible while the disruption to the rest of the traffic is kept to a minimum. Providing the best possible route or trajectory for an EV depends on the traffic conditions, the type of roadway, and other relevant factors. For instance, under light traffic on multilane highways, vehicles equipped with Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications can be alerted to clear a particular lane to allow the EV to pass by at its desired speed. If the lanes are wide enough or there is a wide shoulder, vehicles can also be directed to move to the shoulder to provide the EV an unobstructed path. However, under congested conditions on roadways with narrow lanes, enabling the EV to traverse the road at high speeds may not be trivial since there is no obvious solution to clear a lane for the EV. In this research, new methods and traffic control strategies are developed to optimize the travel time of an EV in a transportation network with signalized intersections. It will be assumed that regular vehicles have communications capabilities and comply with the alert messages sent by the EV. The proposed strategies are evaluated in microscopic simulation software (e.g., VISSIM). KW - Emergency vehicles KW - Microscopic traffic flow KW - Optimization KW - Route guidance KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic simulation KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/ODU_TranLIVE_Final%20Report_Impove%20Travel%20Times UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329805 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544608 AU - Bligh, Roger P AU - Menges, Wanda L AU - Kuhn, Darrell L AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Crash Test and Evaluation of Locking Architectural Mailboxes PY - 2014/09 SP - 164p AB - Some homeowners and businesses are becoming increasingly concerned about mail-identity theft. Consequently, there is a growing demand for the use of locking mailboxes for theft deterrence and vandal resistance. There are a number of mailbox products on the market that offer enhanced security for mail and small parcels. They typically feature an upper hopper for incoming mail, and a lower lockable compartment for mail retrieval. These lockable mailboxes are significantly larger and can be 4-5 times heavier permitting their use on the state highway system. Under this project, crash tests were performed following Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) guidelines and procedures to assess the impact performance of lockable, secure mailboxes on both single and multiple mount configurations. A single locking mailbox was successfully crash tested on a thin-wall steel tube support post installed in a releasable wedge-and-socket foundation. Testing of the larger, heavier locking mailboxes on multiple-mount support posts was unsuccessful due to windshield deformation and intrusion KW - Evaluation KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Mailboxes KW - Structural supports UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/9-1002-12-9.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329339 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544593 AU - Reboredo, Jose A Perez AU - Jahren, Charles T AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Electronic Construction Collaboration System – Final Phase PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 69p AB - This phase of the research project involved two major efforts: (1) Complete the implementation of AEC-Sync (formerly known as Attolist) on the Iowa Falls Arch Bridge project and (2) develop a web-based project management system (WPMS) for projects under $10 million. For the first major effort, AEC-Sync was provided for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) in a software as a service agreement, allowing the Iowa DOT to rapidly implement the solution with modest effort. During the 2010 fiscal year, the research team was able to help with the implementation process for the solution. The research team also collected feedback from the Broadway Viaduct project team members before the start of the project and implementation of the solution. For the 2011 fiscal year, the research team collected the post-project surveys from the Broadway Viaduct project members and compared them to the pre-project survey results. The result of the AEC-Sync implementation in the Broadway Viaduct project was a positive one. The project members were satisfied with the performance of AEC-Sync and how it facilitated document management and transparency. In addition, the research team distributed, collected, and analyzed the pre-project surveys for the Iowa Falls Arch Bridge project. During the 2012 fiscal year, the research team analyzed the post-project surveys for the Iowa Falls Arch Bridge project AEC-Sync implementation and found a positive outcome when compared to the pre-project surveys. The second major effort for this project involved the identification and implementation of a WPMS solution for smaller bridge and highway projects. During the 2011 fiscal year, Microsoft SharePoint was selected to be implemented on these smaller highway projects. In this year, workflows for the shop/working drawings for the smaller highway projects specified in Section 1105 of the Iowa DOT Specifications were developed. These workflows will serve as the guide for the development of the SharePoint pages. In order to implement the Microsoft SharePoint pages, the effort of an integrated team proved to be vital because it brought together the expertise required from researchers, programmers, and webpage developers to develop the SharePoint pages. KW - Bridges KW - Construction projects KW - Data sharing KW - Highways KW - Implementation KW - Information management KW - Iowa KW - Iowa Department of Transportation KW - Project management KW - Software KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/18674/1/IADOT_InTrans_Reboredo_Electronic_Construction_Collaboration_System_Final_phase_2014.pdf UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/electronic_collaboration_final_phase_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331210 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544592 AU - Hallenbeck, Mark E AU - Goodchild, Anne AU - Drescher, Jerome AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Travel Costs Associated with Flood Closures of State Highways Near Centralia/Chehalis, Washington PY - 2014/09 SP - 69p AB - This report discusses the travel costs associated with the closure of roads in the greater Centralia/Chehalis, Washington region due to 100-year flood conditions starting on the Chehalis River. The costs were computed for roadway closures on I-5, US 12, and SR 6, and are based on estimated road closure durations supplied by Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The computed costs are only those directly related to travel that would otherwise have occurred on the roads affected by the flooding closures. The computed costs do not include the economic losses associated with delayed delivery of goods or services, losses in economic activity attributable to travelers being unable to reach their intended destinations, or economic losses associated with the loss of goods because they could not be delivered. The reported costs do include the added costs of time and vehicle mileage associated with available detour routes. Costs were also estimated for each trip that will be abandoned. That is, this study estimated the number of trips that will not be made as a result of road closures. The researchers also conducted a sensitivity analysis of the findings for the I-5 cost computation. Sensitivity tests were conducted for the value of time, the speeds and level of congestion assumed to occur on the routes used for detours, the values associated with trips that are not made via the expected detours, the percentage of personal trips made for work/business purposes versus those being made for personal reasons, the fraction of cars and trucks willing to detour, the effects of flood closure during the weekend or the summer, and growth in traffic volumes on I-5. KW - Detours KW - Floods KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - State highways KW - Street closure KW - Travel costs KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/832.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331203 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544548 AU - Chandler, Kevin L AU - Rizek, Jodi M AU - Sutherland, Pamela J AU - Battelle AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Security and Emergency Preparedness Action Items for Transit Agencies: A Resource Document for Transit Agencies PY - 2014/09 SP - 26p AB - Prepared by the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Office of Transit Safety and Oversight, Security and Emergency Preparedness Action Items for Transit Agencies: A Resource Document for Transit Agencies is part of FTA’s technical assistance to transit agencies. FTA and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) collaborated to update and consolidate the FTA Top 20 Action Items into 17 Action Items, which are aligned with TSA’s Baseline Assessment and Security Enhancement (BASE) and the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS). These Action Items apply to all transit modes directly operated or contracted by transit agencies. Transit Agencies are encouraged to include all of these Action Items in their security programs scaled appropriately to risk environment and operation size. This document provides an explanation of the current 17 Action Items, including supporting topics that further explain the content of each Action Item. High-level elements are used to organize and group similar Action Items. Relevant resource documents developed by FTA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), TSA, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), Transportation Research Board (TRB), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), and the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA’s) security standards program have been included for each high-level element. These documents were selected to provide users with additional information and provide industry benchmarks for potential implementation. KW - Benchmarks KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Implementation KW - Public transit KW - Security KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/508_new_top_17.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330361 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543674 AU - Raustad, Richard AU - Fairey, Philip AU - University of Central Florida, Orlando AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Electric Vehicle Life Cycle Cost Assessment PY - 2014/09 SP - 27p AB - This report has three objectives: to develop a life cycle cost (LCC) model for automotive vehicles that accurately evaluates electric vehicle types, to allow for any user to download and use the developed LCC model, and to evaluate photovoltaics (PV) as a power option for electric vehicles. The most important part of the work is the LCC model that compares ownership costs, on a present value and an annual cost basis, of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV) as compared to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles for an average number of miles driven per year. The analysis uses actual cost values for 16 production vehicles all sold in the United States. The LCC model includes the vehicle costs of purchase price with federal incentives, if any; salvage value; fuel consumption (electricity and liquid fuel); tires; insurance; maintenance; state tax; and financed interest payments. The vehicles considered are hybrid electric vehicles, PHEVs, and BEVs as compared to ICEs using gasoline, ethanol, or diesel. It is noted that the traction battery replacement costs for electric vehicles are difficult to ascertain, yet they are included in the analysis by replacing the batteries in the 11th year in order to investigate the battery impact on overall costs. Economic factors used in the LCC include differing rates for inflation, discount, and fuel escalation and battery degradation in the electric vehicles to account for battery energy depletion over time. The LCC is performed over a 5-, 10-, or 15-year lifetime period. For the specific case of 12,330 miles driven per year and for the selected economic factors, the LCC results show that even with higher first costs battery powered vehicles are lower in cost to conventional ICE vehicles. Using the two lowest-cost variant vehicles, a Nissan Leaf and a Hyundai Elantra, the Leaf's 5-year annual cost including salvage value is $5,360/year compared to the Hyundai at $7,076/year. The results for the 10-year lifetime show the Leaf at $4,683/year and the Hyundai at $6,040/year. These results are primarily due to lower fuel cost of electricity versus gasoline, which for the Leaf is $3,919 while the Hyundai gasoline cost is $10,931 for the 10-year period. A comparison of two other popular plug-in electric vehicles, the Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius, shows higher values for both vehicles; over a period of 10 years, the Volt is $6,286/year and the Prius is $6,156/year. The results for the case where the Leaf government incentive of $7,500 is deleted also show the LCC values for a 10-year period that the Leaf is less than the Hyundai when salvage value is considered. The Leaf is $5,369/year compared to the Hyundai at $6,040/year. For a 5-year period, this result is also true where the Leaf is $6,733/year and the Hyundai is $7,076/year. The other objective of the work is the LCC simulation program that can be downloaded and used by any individual with his or her own miles driven and vehicle cost data. The program with the input for three example vehicles is presented. The third objective is the application of PV power, which was assessed to determine the size of a PV array located in Florida that would completely supply power for electrical needs of a vehicle using a traction battery. For a 10-year period, the array size was determined to be 2.38 kW for the Nissan Leaf. KW - Computer programs KW - Economic factors KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Internal combustion engines KW - Life cycle costing KW - Operating costs KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - United States UR - http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-1984-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329335 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543183 AU - Barami, Bahar AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Transportation System Resilience, Extreme Weather and Climate Change: A Thought Leadership Series PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 41p AB - This report summarizes key findings from the Transportation System Resilience, Extreme Weather and Climate Change thought leadership series held at Volpe, the National Transportation Systems Center from fall 2013 to spring 2014. Volpe, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, convened notable and influential voices in transportation system resiliency and climate change to present the current state of climate science and to discuss challenges, opportunities and fresh approaches related to these pressing multi-modal, multi-sector issues. KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - Climate change KW - Leadership KW - Resilience (Adaptability) KW - Transportation KW - Weather UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52855/Transportation_System_Resilience_Extreme_Weather_and_Climate_Change.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329318 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543182 AU - Sparko, Andrea L AU - Chase, Stephanie G AU - Morowsky, Katarina AU - Jo, Young Jin AU - Norman, R Michael AU - Prinzel, Lawrence (Lance) J AU - Kramer, Lynda J AU - Arthur, Jarvis (Trey) J AU - Ellis, Kyle K E AU - Bailey, Randall E AU - Rehfeld, Sherri S AU - Yeh, Michelle AU - McGray, Bruce AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Aeronautics and Space Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Low Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (LVO/SMGCS) Chart Usability: An Examination of Flightcrew Position Awareness in Homogeneous 300 ft/75 m RVR Conditions PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 92p AB - Two studies were conducted to identify best practices for the design of Low Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (LVO/SMGCS) paper charts and flightcrew use of them in extremely low visibility surface conditions. In the Chart Usability study, the researchers gathered information to understand the general usability of LVO/SMGCS charts on flightcrew position awareness. In the Airport Markings study, the researchers evaluated different airport marking designs, which may influence the use of LVO/SMGCS charts under those same conditions. For each study, 24 air transport pilots (twelve flightcrews) with Cat II or III qualifications performed taxi scenarios in a simulation of Memphis International Airport at runway visual range (RVR) 300 ft/75 m at night. The RVR and night-time conditions were chosen to represent worst-case conditions for LVO/SMGCS operations. In some scenarios, flightcrews were given difficult air traffic control (ATC) clearances that contained appropriate clearance instructions but did not necessarily follow strict ATC clearance protocol. The study was particularly interested in examining the accuracy of flightcrew actions under these conditions while using LVO/SMGCS taxi charts. The results of these studies showed that, under extreme low-visibility conditions, an 8.5 x 11 inch (21.59 x 27.94 cm) black-and-white paper LVO/SMGCS chart was sufficient for flightcrews to maintain position awareness. Additionally, flightcrews generally responded to air traffic control instructions properly and reported their locations correctly. The detailed results of the studies were used to generate a list of recommended best practices for LVO/SMGCS charts and airport markings. KW - Air traffic control KW - Airport apron markings KW - Airport runways KW - Best practices KW - Charts KW - Flight crews KW - Flight simulators KW - Low visibility operations KW - Night visibility KW - Position awareness KW - Surface Movement Guidance and Control System UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52800/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-14-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329311 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543174 AU - McCarthy, Charlie AU - Harnett, Kevin AU - Carter, Art AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Characterization of Potential Security Threats in Modern Automobiles: A Composite Modeling Approach PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 46p AB - The primary objective of the work detailed in this report is to describe a composite modeling approach for potential cybersecurity threats in modern vehicles. Threat models, threat descriptions, and examples of various types of conceivable threats to automotive systems are included, along with a matrix containing a condensed version of the various potential attacks. This publication is part of a series of reports that describe the authors' initial work under the goal of facilitating cybersecurity best practices in the automotive industry (Goals 1 and 2). The information presented herein increases the collective knowledge base in automotive cybersecurity; helps identify potential knowledge gaps; helps describe the risk and threat environments; and helps support follow-on tasks that could be used to establish security guidelines. KW - Automobile industry KW - Best practices KW - Computer models KW - Cybersecurity KW - Motor vehicles KW - Safety and security KW - Threats KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52887/Characterization_Potential_Threats_Autos-090314.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329315 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543172 AU - McCarthy, Charlie AU - Harnett, Kevin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Risk Management Framework Applied to Modern Vehicles PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 27p AB - The primary objective of the work described in this report is to review the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) guidelines and foundational publications from an automotive cybersecurity risk management stand-point. The NIST approach is often used as a baseline to develop a more targeted risk management approach for the specific use cases and issues in specific industries and sectors. This report can be considered as a primer that establishes a baseline conceptual understanding of the NIST approach for the readers and a common vocabulary for discussing risk management for the automotive sector. Additional work would be needed to more effectively apply this framework to the automotive sector. This publication is part of a series of reports that describe the authors' initial work under the goal of facilitating cybersecurity best practices in the automotive industry (Goals 1 and 2). The information presented herein increases the collective knowledge base in automotive cybersecurity; helps identify potential knowledge gaps; helps describe the risk and threat environments; and helps support follow-on tasks that could be used to establish security guidelines. KW - Cybersecurity KW - Guidelines KW - Motor vehicles KW - Risk management KW - Safety and security KW - U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52888/Natl_Instit_Standards_Tech_Cyber-090314.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329316 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543007 AU - Mahmassani, Hani S AU - Frei, Charlotte AU - Frei, Andreas AU - Story, Joseph AU - Lem, Lewison AU - Talebpour, Alireza AU - Chen, Ying AU - Zockaie, Ali AU - Saberi, Meead AU - Halat, Hooram AU - Haas, Robert AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Northwestern University, Evanston AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Analysis of Network and Non-Network Factors on Traveler Choice Toward Improving Modeling Accuracy for Better Transportation Decisionmaking PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 228p AB - The need to reduce congestion, enhance safety, and make the U.S. transportation system and cities more sustainable has given rise to various programs, technologies, and policies. The effectiveness of these interventions depends on how users eventually respond and, in some instances, modify their travel behavior. While significant advances have taken place over the past 50 years in the field of travel behavior research and travel demand forecasting, the ability to reliably predict the direction and magnitude of behavioral responses to various network and non-network factors and interventions remains limited. Many experts have called for better data collection and analysis methods and better integration of behavior models with supply analysis tools. This report provides a synthesis of the state of knowledge in travel behavior research and showcases how to improve current models with relevant behavior realism through six case studies. These case studies range from long-term policy interventions (e.g., urban design policy affecting land use and neighborhood walkability), to short-term en-route interventions (e.g., traveler information systems for weather-responsive system management). The case studies also include interventions aimed at environmental as well as congestion avoidance objectives. The applications provide an enhanced capability to capture traveler choices in both the main evaluation tools as well as in supporting the design process actively. This multifaceted research initiative cuts across several Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) programs such as the Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty; Office of Operations; Office of Safety; and Office of Research, Development, and Technology. This study will facilitate implementation of a balanced, cross-cutting effort to better understand the topic of traveler choice, and builds on current activities related to modeling and analysis across FHWA, professional associations, and academia. KW - Case studies KW - Choice models KW - Congestion avoidance KW - Decision making KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Weather-responsive traffic management models UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/operations/13097/13097.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328586 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01542843 AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Southwest Multi-State Rail Planning Study PY - 2014/09//Technical Background Report SP - 147p AB - The Southwest Multi-State Rail Planning Study (SW Study) is the first high-performance rail (HPR) network planning study led by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). FRA initiated the SW Study concurrent with its national rail planning effort to develop a national toolkit for the conceptual planning of HPR networks at the multi-state and mega-regional level. The national toolkit includes a newly developed CONceptual NEtwork Connections Tool (CONNECT), which can help analyze the performance of HPR corridors and networks. The SW Study is a test case for the guidelines, tools, and performance standards developed in the national planning effort. Representatives from key transportation organizations worked through challenges of developing multi-state rail plans and outlined a common preliminary vision for HPR in the Southwest. The SW Study is the first multi-state rail plan (MSRP) effort developed within FRA’s conceptual HPR framework. Key tasks conducted to develop the plan included: Synthesizing existing state, local, and private plans and proposals and then identifying issues as related to multi-state rail network planning; Generating conceptual planning information for intercity corridors that have not yet been studied or have not been studied recently; and Convening stakeholders to work through challenges related to an MSRP and move towards a common preliminary vision for HPR in the Southwest. This document summarizes the analysis and findings from the SW Study. Close to eighty percent of stakeholders provided feedback on the draft Technical Background Report. Comments included requests for clarification, updates on projects and references, and general expressions of support for the SW Study. In addition, there was great interest in advancing next steps to sustain the momentum for rail planning in the Southwest region. KW - High-performance rail KW - Long range planning KW - Multistate planning KW - Railroad transportation KW - Southwestern States KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14124 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328539 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541528 AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Linthicum, Alex AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Primer on the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 10p AB - The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid program for State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs) administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This is a major source of funding for safety projects on the nation's public roads, including non-State owned public roads. HSIP and the associated Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) development processes are prime opportunities for the National Park Service (NPS) to highlight and build awareness of safety issues within or leading to NPS units, and to engage State DOTs in collaborative and mutually beneficial efforts to address them. KW - Cooperation KW - Financing KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Improvement Program KW - National Park Service KW - National parks KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic Highway Safety Plan UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52700/52751/DOT-VNTSC-NPS-14-08.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=September_newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324917 ER - TY - SER AN - 01541520 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Use of Recycled Tire Rubber to Modify Asphalt Binder and Mixtures PY - 2014/09 SP - 14p AB - This Technical Brief provides an overview of the various processes for recycled tire rubber used as a modifier for asphalt binders and as an additive for asphalt mixtures. Considerations for laboratory and field testing, as well as performance, are discussed. Since some aspects of the technology are still evolving, best practices and areas of caution have been included. KW - Best practices KW - Bituminous binders KW - Field tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Recycled materials KW - Tires UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/pubs/hif14015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1327215 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541504 AU - Regan, Terry AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - North Carolina DOT Peer Exchange on Performance Management PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 24p AB - This report summarizes the key themes and recommendations identified at a peer exchange on November 19-20, 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina. North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) hosted peers from South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to exchange best practices surrounding performance management. The peer exchange was sponsored by the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Peer Program, which is jointly funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). KW - Best practices KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act KW - North Carolina Department of Transportation KW - Peer exchange KW - Performance measurement KW - South Carolina Department of Transportation KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52700/52747/NCDOT_Performance_Mgmt_Peer_Exchange-_TPCB_Peer_Report-Nov_2013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325008 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541495 AU - Agent, Kenneth R AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Roadway Contributing Factors in Traffic Crashes PY - 2014/09//Research Report SP - 52p AB - One of the three general areas of contributing factors in traffic crashes is the broad category of “environmental factors.” This category includes several factors which relate to the roadway (such as traffic control devices, drainage and limited view). The information contained in this code has the potential to provide valuable information to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KyTC) to identify locations in need of improvement. However, the consistency and accuracy of this data has not been evaluated. This project involved an evaluation of the codes which relate to roadway contributing factors. This included a review of relevant codes used in other states. Crashes with related codes were summarized and analyzed. A sample of crash sites was inspected to compare the information found at the site with the data provided on the crash report in order to evaluate the accuracy of the data. The results of the study are recommendations for a coding format to enable accurate and consistent data concerning the roadway as it affected the crash as well as areas of training to improve the accuracy and consistency of the data. KW - Coding systems KW - Crash data KW - Highway factors in crashes KW - Kentucky KW - Recommendations KW - States KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2014/10/KTC_14_08_OHS_14_1F_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326942 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541489 AU - Qi, Yi AU - Liu, Jie AU - Wang, Yubian AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Safety Performance for Freeway Weaving Segments PY - 2014/09//Final Technical Report SP - 51p AB - The intensive lane change maneuvers at weaving sections often result in safety and operational problems. Various factors, including the design of ramp roadways, use of auxiliary lanes, and continuity of lanes will have significant effects on the level of service and safety performance of the weaving sections. This study investigated the safety performance of freeway weaving sections and developed a quantitative model for predicting the safety impacts of different types of geometric treatments for freeway weaving sections. The results of this study show that weaving sections with longer length will have lower crash frequency per 1000 ft., more required lane changes for diverge vehicles will result in more crashes in the freeway weaving section, increasing merge traffic in the weaving sections will slightly reduce the crash risk at this section, and increasing diverge traffic in the weaving sections will increase the crash risk at this section. In this study, Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) were also developed based on the developed crash prediction model for estimating the impacts of different safety treatments for the freeway weaving sections. KW - Crash modification factors KW - Crash rates KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Diverging traffic KW - Freeways KW - Geometric design KW - Highway safety KW - Level of service KW - Merging traffic KW - Regression analysis KW - Weaving sections UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00045-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328010 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541488 AU - Gambatese, John A AU - Zhang, Fan AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safe and Effective Speed Reductions for Freeway Work Zones Phase 2 PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 125p AB - Freeway preservation projects typically require construction workers to conduct their work in close proximity to ongoing traffic and often reduce traffic flow to a single lane while work is undertaken in an adjacent lane. Due to the short-term nature of these work zones, temporary traffic control measures typically consist of a line of cones, blocker vehicles, and impact attenuators. Work zones place both the workers and passing motorists at risk of injury. The Oregon Department of Transportation conducted a research study to investigate the impact of selected traffic control devices on vehicle speeds within highway paving project work zones. The research study, which follows a similar study conducted a year earlier, centered around two case studies on multi-lane paving projects in Oregon. On each case study, the researchers implemented combinations of multiple traffic control devices (“Speed 50” signs, PCMS signs, and radar speed displays) and evaluated their impact on vehicle speed. The research findings suggest using a combination of reduced speed limit signs, radar speed monitoring displays, and portable changeable message sign (PCMS) signs on either trailers or rollers. The results of the present study complement those of the prior study and, combined with the prior study, provide Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) with guidance on the selection of traffic control measures for freeway preservation projects. KW - Case studies KW - Freeways KW - Oregon KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic signs KW - Traffic speed KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR769_HighSpeed_Final.pdf UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SPR769_HighSpeedReduction_Appendices.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328099 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541485 AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2012 Data: Passenger Vehicles PY - 2014/09 SP - 14p AB - A passenger vehicle is a motor vehicle weighing less than 10,000 pounds; the category includes passenger cars and light trucks (pickup trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and other light trucks). Passenger vehicles make up over 90 percent of registered vehicles, and account for nearly 90 percent of total vehicle miles traveled (VMT). In 2012 there were an estimated 9,754,000 vehicles involved in police-reported traffic crashes, 96 percent (9,387,000) of which were passenger vehicles. There were 45,586 vehicles involved in fatal crashes, of which 78 percent (35,346) were passenger vehicles. In 2012, there were 21,667 passenger vehicle occupants who lost their lives in traffic crashes, and an estimated 2.09 million were injured. Additional statistics include: restraint use, fatalities in rollovers, and alcohol-impaired drivers. KW - Crash injuries KW - Crash rates KW - Drunk driving KW - Fatalities KW - Passenger vehicles KW - Registrations KW - Rollover crashes KW - Seat belt use KW - Statistics KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812070.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1327217 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541478 AU - Schroeder, Bastian AU - Rouphail, Nagui AU - Salamati, Katy AU - Hunter, Elizabeth AU - Phillips, Briana AU - Elefteriadou, Lily AU - Chase, Thomas AU - Zheng, Yinan AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia P AU - Mamidipalli, Shrikanth AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Empirically-Based Performance Assessment and Simulation of Pedestrian Behavior at Unsignalized Crossings PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 193p AB - The objective of this research was to provide an improved understanding of pedestrian-vehicle interaction at mid-block pedestrian crossings and develop methods that can be used in traffic operational analysis and microsimulation packages. Models describing driver yielding and pedestrian gap acceptance behavior were developed from field data collected at 27 mid-block pedestrian crossings in three states (Alabama, Florida, and North Carolina) encompassing two different types of land use: university campuses and downtown areas. The project included an in-vehicle driver behavior study with 15 drivers. This part of the data collection was performed in Florida and the results were used to develop nine simulation components describing various aspects of pedestrian-vehicle interaction. Specific outcomes for this research include: (a) a standalone model of pedestrian gap acceptance behavior at unsignalized crossings, (b) a driver yielding behavioral model, (c) models describing vehicle dynamics and driver behavior in advance of the crosswalk, (d) prototype algorithms incorporated and tested in a micro simulator, and (e) educational modules for dissemination of the research results. Key deliverables include the prototype algorithms implemented in simulation, a final report summarizing the research and findings, and educational modules on the research results that can be incorporated into university curricula, or serve as material for standalone professional development courses. KW - Alabama KW - Algorithms KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Florida KW - Gap acceptance KW - Microsimulation KW - Midblock crossings KW - North Carolina KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian vehicle interface KW - Unsignalized intersections KW - Yielding UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Schroeder_STRIDE_2012-016S_Final_Report.pdf UR - http://www.stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Schroeder_STRIDE_2012-016S_Final_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55329/Schroeder_STRIDE_2012-016S_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326314 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541477 AU - Burton, Maria AU - Kim, MooYeon AU - Smit, Andre AU - Trevino, Manuel AU - Wu, Hui AU - Murphy, Mike AU - Prozzi, Jorge AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Flexible Pavement Narrow Widening Best Practices and Lessons Learned PY - 2014/09 SP - 193p AB - The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has experienced problems with construction quality and performance on narrow widening projects (i.e., projects that notch and widen pavement to increase lane width 2–8 ft or add a 2- to 5-ft shoulder). Texas has approximately 64,000 lane-miles of pavement with 9- to 11-ft wide lanes, which includes over 35,000 lane miles of Farm-to-Market (FM) roads (MapZapper 2011). In addition, approximately 20%, 26%, and 36% respectively of roadways with 9-, 10-, or 11-ft lanes have either no shoulder or a 1-ft shoulder. These roads are potential candidates for lane or shoulder widening to improve safety performance and increase capacity. However, due to constraints regarding construction equipment widths and other limitations, material selection options and compatibility, construction methods, and other issues, narrow widening projects can present construction and performance problems. These challenges include inadequate compaction of the subgrade, compaction of the base material at the notch-and-widen joint interface, drainage within the pavement and at the pavement surface, either high or depressed surface layer construction joints, and potential safety concerns. To effectively overcome these challenges, TxDOT has initiated this project to prepare a compendium of best practices and lessons learned regarding narrow widening projects. KW - Best practices KW - Decision support systems KW - Flexible pavements KW - Pavement performance KW - Pavement widening KW - Paving KW - Road shoulders KW - Texas UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6748-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1327011 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541466 AU - Yu, Yao AU - Machemehl, Randy AU - Hakimi, Shadi AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real-Time Optimization of Passenger Collection for Commuter Rail Systems PY - 2014/09 SP - 43p AB - Commuter rail systems are being introduced into many urban areas as an alternative mode to automobiles for commuting trips. The shift from the auto mode to rail mode is anticipated to greatly help alleviate traffic congestion in urban road networks. However, the right-of-way of many existing commuter rail systems is usually not ideally located. Since the locations of rail systems were typically chosen long ago to serve the needs of freight customers, the majority of current commuter rail passengers have to take a non-walkable connecting trip to reach their final destinations after departing even the most conveniently located rail stations. To make rail a more viable, competitive commuting option, a bus feeder or circulator system is proposed for seamlessly transporting passengers from their departing rail stations to final work destinations. The primary research challenge in modeling such a bus circulator system is to optimally determine a bus route and stop sequence for each circulating tour using the real-time demand information. In this paper, the authors termed this joint routing and stop optimization problem the circulator service network design problem, the objective of which is to minimize the total tour cost incurred by bus passengers and operators while minimizing the walk time of each individual bus passenger. A bi-level nonlinear mixed integer programming model was constructed and a tabu search method with different local search strategies and neighborhood evaluation methods was then developed to tackle the circulator service network design problem. KW - Bus routes KW - Bus stops KW - Feeder services KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Optimization KW - Public transit KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Real time information KW - Tabu search KW - Travel demand UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00082-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328012 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541464 AU - Quadrifoglio, Luca AU - Yin, Kai AU - Lu, Wei AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance Measures for Multi-vehicle Allowance Shuttle Transit (MAST) System PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 35p AB - This study investigates the performance measures for multi-vehicle mobility allowance shuttle transit (MAST) system. Particularly, researchers were primarily concerned with two measures, waiting time and ride time, to evaluate the performance and help design of m-MAST systems. The MAST system is an innovative concept that allows transit vehicles to deviate from a fixed route consisting of a few mandatory checkpoints to serve on-demand customers within a predetermined service area, and thus can be both affordable and convenient enough to attract the general public. For the MAST system, the fixed route can be either a loop or a line between two terminals. The checkpoints are usually located at major transfer stops or high demand zones and are relatively far from each other. Researchers developed analytical results for the waiting time probability distribution and its expected value as well as the expected ride time for different types of customers in terms of the system parameters for both 1-MAST system and multi-vehicle MAST (m-MAST). Researchers also discussed the assumptions behind the estimation. Based on the analytical results, researchers provided the inherent constraints between these parameters and demand. KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Performance measurement KW - Public transit KW - Shuttle service KW - Transit riders KW - Travel demand KW - Waiting time UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00026-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328008 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541462 AU - Ideker, Jason H AU - Bañuelos, José AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Use of Synthetic Blended Fibers to Reduce Cracking Risk In High Performance Concrete PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 68p AB - The aim of this project was to investigate a relatively new technique to control early-age cracking; the use of blended size polypropylene fibers in high performance concrete mixtures. The key findings from this work were that the use of drying shrinkage test methods alone, without the capture of cracking risk, showed that the inclusion of fibers did not reduce drying shrinkage in unrestrained specimens. However, in restrained testing (where the possibility of crack formation is promoted) the fibers were able to 1) reduce the rate of stress generation in specimens 2) prolong the time to cracking in the restrained ring test (ASTM C 1581) and 3) reduce the crack widths and the growth of cracks once cracking did initiate. As a result the use of blended fibers in high performance concrete points to another viable solution for reducing the risk of cracking in service. KW - Bridge decks KW - Cracking KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - High performance concrete KW - Oregon KW - Polymer fibers KW - Polypropylene KW - Shrinkage UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/14RS0500_620_ODOTFibersReport_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328100 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541452 AU - Hans, Zachary AU - Gritza, Konstantina AU - Cerwick, Donald AU - Huang, Yundi AU - Nlenanya, Inya AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Statewide Heavy-Truck Crash Assessment PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 156p AB - In 2010, 16.5 percent of all fatal vehicle crashes in Iowa involved large trucks compared to the national average of 7.8 percent. Only about 16 percent of these fatalities involved the occupants of the heavy vehicles, meaning that a majority of the fatalities in fatal crashes involve non-heavy-truck occupants. These statistics demonstrate the severe nature of heavy-truck crashes and underscore the serious impact that these crashes can have on the traveling public. These statistics also indicate Iowa may have a disproportionately higher safety risk compared to the nation with respect to heavy-truck safety. Several national studies, and a few statewide studies, have investigated large-truck crashes; however, no rigorous analysis of heavy-truck crashes has been conducted for Iowa. The objective of this study was to investigate and identify the causes, locations, and other factors related to heavy-truck crashes in Iowa with the goal of reducing crashes and promoting safety. To achieve this objective, this study used the most current statewide data of heavy-truck crashes in Iowa. This study also attempted to assess crash experience with respect to length of commercial driver’s license (CDL) licensure using the most recent five years of CDL data linked to the before mentioned crash data. In addition, this study used inspection and citation data from the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) Motor Vehicle Division and Iowa State Patrol to investigate the relationship between enforcement activities and crash experience. KW - Commercial drivers KW - Crash causes KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash data KW - Driver licenses KW - Fatalities KW - Iowa KW - Traffic citations KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucks UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/17823/1/CTRE_MATC_Hans_Statewide_Heavy-Truck_Crash_Assessment_2014_r.pdf UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/statewide_heavy-truck_crash_assessment_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326922 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541445 AU - Kelle, Peter AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - University of Tennessee, Knoxville AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Performance Measurement for Freight Transportation PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 80p AB - In this project, the researchers built a set of performance measures that are unified, user-oriented, scalable, systematic, effective, and calculable for intermodal freight management and developed methodologies to calculate and use the measures. The following measures for freight transportation systems are suggested to address the needs of transportation users. 1. Mobility: Reducing transportation time and delay is a major concern of most transportation users. 2. Safety: The objectives related to transportation safety and security include improving traffic safety, i.e., reducing traffic accident rates, injuries, fatalities, and risks. They also include increasing traffic security and reducing crime rates, improving accident detection and response, and increasing public and homeland security. 3. Environmental Stewardship: The objectives include reducing the amount of transportation-related pollutants, promoting the community livability near major transportation infrastructures, and decreasing energy consumption. 4. Direct Cost Efficiency: The objectives include developing cost-efficient transportation systems that have low cost/benefit ratios and high sustainability. 5. Economic Growth: The objectives include promoting local or regional economic growth and increasing local or regional employment opportunities. There are two major outcomes from this project: An intermodal performance measurement system for freight management, including metrics definition, calculation procedure, and methodologies of data collection; and a case study that demonstrates how to apply the proposed performance measurement system to evaluate the Louisiana intermodal network for freight management. KW - Case studies KW - Data collection KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Louisiana KW - Methodology KW - Performance measurement UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2014/fr_522.pdf UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-34FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1327674 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541441 AU - Sexton, Timothy V AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Current Centerline Rumble Strip Design(s) to Reduce Roadside Noise and Promote Safety PY - 2014/09//Final Research Report AB - Noise from vehicles passing over rumble strips is a major source of complaints from residents living adjacent to highways in Washington state. This project evaluated wayside noise levels from various centerline rumble strip designs to determine overall sound levels and 1/3-octave band frequencies. Results suggest that some designs have lower exterior sound levels and sufficient interior sound levels. However, the effects of specific design variables on exterior noise levels were inconclusive and suggest that interactions among variables contribute to exterior sound levels. KW - Center lines KW - Design KW - Evaluation KW - Highway safety KW - Rumble strips KW - Sound level KW - Tire/pavement noise KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/835.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324908 ER - TY - SER AN - 01541440 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Grinter, Mark AU - Minchin, Peter AU - Weber, Irene AU - Morgan, Susan AU - Retzlaff, William AU - Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Temporary Stabilization Specification Improvements PY - 2014/09 IS - 14-022 AB - Seed variety performance data for establishing temporary vegetative cover was collected at four Illinois locations at four planting seasons. Current Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) standard specifications call for a mixture of perennial rye and spring oats for temporary vegetative cover, with no variation for time of year or site conditions. That mixture has demonstrated some success; however, for every location and time of year, this study identified at least one seed variety that demonstrated performance superior to the specified mix. Temporary seeding specifications currently employed by nearby states were reviewed and compared with Illinois’ specifications. In addition to seed variety, the effectiveness of seed bed preparation using a power rake and the effectiveness of straw-mat and loose wheat-straw mulching methods were investigated. Based on the observed results, the research team has proposed modifying temporary seeding recommendations to reflect seeding date and site location. Adoption of these research-based temporary seeding specifications will likely result in improved temporary vegetative cover establishment, reduced erosion, and improved water quality. KW - Erosion control KW - Illinois KW - Mulching KW - Recommendations KW - Seasons KW - Seeding KW - Soil stabilization KW - Specifications KW - Vegetation UR - https://apps.ict.illinois.edu/projects/getfile.asp?id=3197 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326315 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541435 AU - Goodwin, Gwendolyn C AU - Schoby, Jamaal AU - Council, Walter AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Hot Spot Analysis of Teenage Crashes: An Assessment of Crashes in Houston, Texas PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 33p AB - Today, states have enacted laws to ensure that teen drivers are more skilled and drive safely. The result is fewer accidents. However, in previous research, when teen crashes were mapped, certain streets and areas appeared to have more accidents than other areas. The goal of this research is to investigate the “hot spot” locations where teens have accidents and to determine important factors contributing to the concentration of accidents. This research will benefit planners and engineers and help them determine if additional changes are needed at locations with high teen crashes to make these areas safer. KW - Crash analysis KW - High risk locations KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Teenage drivers KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161341-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328011 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541405 AU - Larsen, Katie A AU - Mattingly, Stephen P AU - Madanu, Sunil K AU - Clower, Terry L AU - Wilson-Chavez, Owen AU - Seman, Michael AU - Qi, Yi AU - Wright, Vernaldo AU - Ardekani, Siamak AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - GUIDEBOOK: Use of Highway ROW for High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail and Dedicated Freight Transportation Systems PY - 2014/09 SP - 137p AB - The purpose of this guidebook is to help Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) staff evaluate proposals for using new or existing highway right-of-way (ROW) for high-speed intercity passenger rail (HSIPR) or dedicated freight transportation systems. This guidebook is intended to provide the foundation for a new manual covering such evaluations. This guidebook consists of the following sections: section 1 introduction; section 2 reviews the legal and administrative considerations of using existing highway ROW; section 3 describes the design requirements for different HSIPR and freight technologies, a feasibility analysis methodology, and the conditions of approval needed for projects; section 4 presents highway and road design criteria that accommodate potential co-location with HSIPR or dedicated freight transportation systems; section 5 identifies procedures used by other state departments of transportation (DOTs) for use of ROW for innovative transportation systems; and section 6 synthesizes information from DOTs, past reports, and published literature regarding capturing revenue, matching grants or entering into private-public partnerships for use of state DOT ROW for HSIPR and dedicated freight transportation systems. KW - Evaluation KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Finance KW - Freight transportation KW - High speed rail KW - Highway design KW - Highways KW - Literature reviews KW - Passenger transportation KW - Public private partnerships KW - Regulations KW - Right of way (Land) KW - State departments of transportation KW - Texas UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6698-p3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324990 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539727 AU - Ocel, Justin M AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Fatigue Testing of Galvanized and Ungalvanized Socket Connections PY - 2014/09 SP - 46p AB - The fatigue resistance of welded traffic signal support structure details is an ongoing research topic being addressed at multiple universities primarily through state funding mechanisms. Fatigue problems with these structures have plagued multiple states, and a handful of collapses are identified in the open literature. Some premature failures have been hypothesized to have been caused by cracking in the zinc metal bath during galvanizing. This led to a fatigue testing matrix of socket connection geometries in a galvanized and ungalvanized state. Specimens were attained from two different pole manufacturers and fabricated using their own techniques. This report describes how the specimens were tested along with the results showing the difference in fatigue life between galvanized and ungalvanized structures. Generally, the galvanized specimens showed a one-category reduction in fatigue life versus identical specimens that were not galvanized. KW - Fatigue tests KW - Galvanizing KW - Parts of traffic signals KW - Poles (Supports) KW - Sign supports KW - Structural connection UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/bridge/14066/14066.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324882 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539724 AU - Bosch, Harold R AU - Pagenkopf, James R AU - Genex Systems, LLC AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Dynamic Properties of Stay Cables on the Penobscot Narrows Bridge PY - 2014/09 SP - 182p AB - Cable-stayed bridges have been recognized as the most efficient and cost effective structural form for medium to long span bridges over the past several decades. With their widespread use, cases of serviceability problems associated with large amplitude vibration of stay cables have been reported. Stay cables are laterally flexible structural members with very low inherent damping and thus are highly susceptible to environmental conditions such as wind and rain/wind combination. Recognition of these problems led to the incorporation of different types of mitigation measures on many cable-stayed bridges around the world. These measures included surface modifications, cable crossties and external dampers. Modification of cable surfaces has been widely accepted as a means to mitigate rain/wind vibrations. Recent studies have firmly established the formation of a water rivulet along the upper side of the stay and its interaction with wind flow as the main cause of rain/wind vibrations. Appropriate modification of exterior cable surface effectively disrupts the formation of a water rivulet. The objective of this study was to supplement the existing knowledge base on some of the outstanding issues of stay cable vibrations and develop technical recommendations that may be incorporated into design guidelines. Specifically, this project focused on identification of in-situ cable dynamic properties and performance of external viscous dampers on the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. Forced vibration tests were conducted on the stay cables during the latter stages of construction, just prior to and following installation of viscous dampers. Cable properties, such as vibration frequencies and damping levels, were established and compared with design targets. KW - Bridge design KW - Cable stayed bridges KW - Damping (Physics) KW - Penobscot Narrows Bridge (Maine) KW - Recommendations KW - Vibration KW - Vibration control KW - Wind UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/bridge/14067/14067.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324881 ER -