TY - RPRT AN - 01446013 AU - Elseifi, Mostafa A AU - Abdel-Khalek, Ahmed M AU - Dasari, Karthik AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Implementation of Rolling Wheel Deflectometer (RWD) in PMS and Pavement Preservation PY - 2012/08//Final Report SP - 124p AB - The rolling wheel deflectometer (RWD) offers the benefit to measure pavement deflection without causing any traffic interruption or compromising safety along tested road segments. This study describes a detailed field evaluation of the RWD system in Louisiana in which 16 different test sites representing a wide array of pavement conditions were tested. Measurements were used to assess the repeatability of RWD measurements, the effect of truck speeds, and to study the relationship between RWD and falling weight deflectometer (FWD) deflection measurements and pavement conditions. Based on the results of the experimental program, it was determined that the repeatability of RWD measurements was acceptable with an average coefficient of variation at all test speeds of 15 percent. In addition, the influence of the testing speed on the measured deflections was minimal. The scattering and uniformity of the FWD and RWD data appears to closely follow the conditions of the roadway. Both test methods appear to properly reflect pavement conditions and structural integrity of the road network by measuring a greater average deflection and scattering for sites in poor conditions. RWD deflection measurements were in general agreement with FWD deflections measurements; however, the mean center deflections from RWD and FWD were statistically different for 15 of the 16 sites. This study developed and validated a direct and simple model for determining the pavement structural number (SN) using RWD deflection data. To develop this model, the relationship between the average RWD surface deflection and the peak FWD deflection was investigated. The developed model correlates a pavement’s SN to two RWD-measured properties (average RWD deflection and RWD index). The developed model was fitted to RWD data collected in 16 road sections (each 1.5 miles), referred to as research sites, in Louisiana. The model was then validated based on FWD and RWD data collected on 52 road sections in Louisiana. Results showed a good agreement between SN calculations obtained from FWD and RWD deflection testing. While the developed model is independent of the pavement thickness and layer properties, it provides promising results as an indicator of structural integrity of the pavement structure at the network level. The fitting statistics support the use of the proposed model as a screening tool for identifying structurally deficient pavements at the network level. Based on the RWD evaluation conducted in District 05, this study recommends extending the use of RWD to the other districts in Louisiana. KW - Deflection tests KW - Deflectometers KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Field tests KW - Implementation KW - Louisiana KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Repeatability KW - Rolling wheel deflectometers KW - Traffic speed UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2012/fr_492.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45884/fr_492.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212656 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446011 AU - Molinas, Albert AU - Mommandi, Amanullah AU - Hydrau-Tech, Incorporated AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Modeling Ballasted Tracks for Runoff Coefficient C PY - 2012/08//Final Report SP - 51p AB - In this study, the Regional Transportation District (RTD)’s light rail tracks were modeled to determine the Rational Method runoff coefficient, C, values corresponding to ballasted tracks. To accomplish this, a laboratory study utilizing a rainfall-runoff facility was conducted at Colorado State University’s Hydraulics Laboratory. The input to this model was provided by using RTD’s design criteria, data from existing installations, and a field study to sample surface materials along ballasted tracks. By subjecting the 1:1 scale model railroad segment to 1-hour rainfall events with various recurrence intervals and measuring the corresponding runoff volumes, runoff coefficients were computed for Denver hydrology. For the more frequent 2-year, 5-year, 10-year events, the average C value is approximately 0.55. For the 25-year, 50-year, and 100-year return frequency rainfall events, the C value is in excess of 0.55 and is expressed in terms of multiplication factors of this average value. The runoff coefficient for ballasted tracks is significantly larger than the previously tabulated values for railroad yards. The higher runoff coefficient reflects the design of ballasted tracks to drain rainfall as quickly as possible. As a part of the research, detention times in the ballasted tracks were also determined. The detention time is a function of antecedent soil moisture content and rainfall intensity. In general terms, for dry antecedent conditions the initial 0.3 inch-0.4 inch of rainfall is detained in the ballasted tracks. The initial 0.5 inch of rainfall produces only a small amount of runoff. For 25-year, 50-year, and 100-year events, the runoff starts 9 minutes, 7 minutes, and 6 minutes after the start of the event. KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Coefficients KW - Drainage KW - Laboratory studies KW - Light rail transit KW - Railroad tracks KW - Rainfall KW - Runoff KW - Scale models UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2012/runoff.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45758/runoff.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212473 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446009 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2010 Data: Speeding PY - 2012/08 SP - 6p AB - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) considers a crash to be speeding-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if an officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash. Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. NHTSA estimates that the annual economic cost to society of speeding-related crashes is $40.4 billion. In 2010, speeding was a contributing factor in 31 percent of all fatal crashes, and 10,395 lives were lost in speeding-related crashes. Speeding related fatalities decreased by 3 percent from 10,664 in 2009 to 10,395 in 2010. Additional data in this report includes alcohol involvement and seat belt use. KW - Blood alcohol levels KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - Seat belts KW - Speeding KW - Statistics KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811636.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213683 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446006 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2010 Data: Pedestrians PY - 2012/08 SP - 7p AB - In 2010, 4,280 pedestrians were killed and an estimated 70,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the United States. On average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and injured every eight minutes in traffic crashes. A pedestrian, as defined for the purpose of this Traffic Safety Fact Sheet, is any person on foot, walking, running, jogging, hiking, sitting or lying down who is involved in a motor vehicle traffic crash. For the purpose of this Traffic Safety Fact Sheet a traffic crash is an incident that involves one or more vehicles where at least one vehicle is in-transport and the crash originates on a public traffic way. Crashes that occurred exclusively on private property, including parking lots and driveways, were excluded. The 4,280 pedestrian fatalities in 2010 were an increase of 4 percent from 2009, but a decrease of 13 percent from 2001. In 2010, pedestrian deaths accounted for 13 percent of all traffic fatalities, and made up 3 percent of all the people injured in traffic crashes. Additional statistics on pedestrian fatalities and injuries in traffic accidents in 2010 are provided in this traffic safety fact sheet. KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Statistics KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811625.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213691 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445984 AU - Rosenbaum, Joyce E AU - Boeker, Eric R AU - Buer, Alexandre AU - Gerbi, Paul J AU - Lee, Cynthia S Y AU - Roof, Christopher J AU - Fleming, Gregg G AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Assessment of the Hybrid Propagation Model, Volume 1: Analysis of Noise Propagation Effects PY - 2012/08//Final Report SP - 44p AB - This is the first of two volumes of a report on the Hybrid Propagation Model (HPM), an advanced prediction model for aviation noise propagation. This volume presents the noise level predictions for eleven different sets of propagation conditions, run by the HPM. The conditions include effects of uneven terrain, refractive atmosphere, and ground type transitions. The results are analyzed in detail and comparisons are made across four different source altitudes and between the different component models of the HPM. In addition, a scheme of “intelligent switching” between the HPM’s component models is posed as an approach to address the long runtimes of the HPM. The feasibility of this strategy is discussed and some points of caution regarding its implementation are identified. HPM results are compared to the Integrated Noise Model (INM) under uneven terrain conditions in Volume 2 of this report. The goal of this research is to enhance the modeling capabilities of the Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) and INM, particularly in complicated environments such as National Parks. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Atmosphere KW - Aviation Environmental Design Tool KW - Hybrid Propagation Model KW - National parks KW - Sound transmission KW - Terrain UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45704/Hybrid_Propagation_Model_Vol1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212602 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445979 AU - Molinas, Albert AU - Mommandi, Amanullah AU - Hydrau-Tech, Incorporated AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Modeling Ballasted Tracks for Pollutants PY - 2012/08//Final Report SP - 58p AB - In this study, the Regional Transportation District’s (RTD’s) light rail operations were examined for pollutant production and runoff. To accomplish this, a laboratory study utilizing a rainfall-runoff facility was conducted. Input to this laboratory model was provided by using RTD’s design criteria, data from existing installations, and a field study to sample surface materials along ballasted tracks. A rainfall-runoff physical model of the light rail system was constructed at the Colorado State University Hydraulics Laboratory to study the effectiveness of the as-built ballasted tracks in the railroad environment. This model was subjected to Denver hydrology and environmental conditions using the available local rainfall information and pollution data. A 1-to-1 model of an 8-foot railroad segment was constructed using RTD’s design criteria and materials. A rainfall simulator was designed to vary rainfall duration and intensity. The model had the capability of capturing all of the runoff for volumetric measurement of the quantity and quality of the runoff. Potential sources of pollutants from a light rail system are: metal introduced from track abrasion; metal from wheel abrasion; material from disk brakes; and material from overhead power lines, etc. These quantities were computed using RTD’s maintenance records for wheel truing, brake rotor maintenance, track replacement, copper power line replacement, and field sampling of light rail tracks. For field measurements, toe regions of tracks near the most heavily traveled sections of the light-rail system were sampled at RTD’s Broadway Light Rail Station. The measured iron and aluminum concentrations from the field samples were introduced into the laboratory ballasted-track model and were subjected to various rainfall events. Runoff water and soil samples collected during and after different frequency events were analyzed to trace the effectiveness of ballasted tracks for capturing pollutants. Conclusions from the study include: water leaving ballasted tracks carries only a small fraction of the heavy metals that are introduced into tracks from the light rail operations; and heavy metal concentrations at the most heavily traveled light rail station showed that pollutant concentrations were far below the regulatory limits. KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Drainage KW - Heavy metals KW - Laboratory studies KW - Light rail transit KW - Pollutants KW - Railroad tracks KW - Rainfall KW - Runoff KW - Scale models UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2012/ballastedtracks.pdf/ UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45757/ballastedtracks.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212495 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445183 AU - Stokoe, Kenneth H AU - Lee, Jung-Su AU - Nam, Boo H AU - Lewis, Mike AU - Hayes, Richard AU - Scullion, Thomas AU - Liu, Wenting AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Developing a Testing Device for Total Pavements Acceptance: Third-Year Report PY - 2012/08//Technical Report SP - 175p AB - During the third year of Project 0-6005, significant progress was made towards building the Total Pavement Acceptance Device (TPAD). The TPAD will be a multi-function pavement evaluating device that will be used to profile continuously along pavements at speeds in the range of 3 to 7 mph. The test functions will include those associated with the Rolling Dynamic Deflectometer (RDD), ground penetrating radar (GPR), Distance Measurement Instrument (DMI), and high-precision differential Global Positioning System (GPS), and surface temperature measurements, as well as digital video imaging of the pavement and right-of-way conditions. The TPAD mobile platform and dedicated hauling equipment, a tractor and trailer system, were delivered to the Center for Transportation Research (CTR) in late fall 2010. Acceptance testing for the TPAD mobile platform was initiated in winter 2010 and continued through summer 2011. Acceptance testing involved evaluating (1) the speed control, (2) the static load control, (3) the dynamic load control, (4) the portable load calibration system, and (5) the DMI. Some improvements were identified that were completed by the manufacturer. Progress was also made in developing (1) improved rolling sensors and associated data analysis methods commensurate with the target testing speeds and (2) a second-generation integrated data acquisition and display system that records all test functions on the same time and distance baselines. KW - Continuous profiling (Pavements) KW - Distance measuring equipment KW - Global Positioning System KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Mobile equipment KW - Pavement performance KW - Rolling dynamic deflectometers KW - Rolling sensors KW - Temperature measuring instruments KW - Testing equipment KW - Texas KW - Total Pavement Acceptance Devices KW - Video imaging detectors UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6005_4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212747 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444976 AU - Barker, Nina AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - LEGO Robot Vehicle Lesson Plans for Secondary Education - A Recruitment Tool PY - 2012/08//Final Report SP - 293p AB - Robotics is a great way to get kids excited about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) topics. It is also highly effective in stimulating development of teamwork and self-confidence. This project provides transportation-related lesson plans for middle school-aged students utilizing LEGO® Mindstorms NXT robots to foster interest in the transportation engineering profession as a career choice. A series of lesson plans for fifth through eighth graders was developed. The objective is how an intelligent vehicle can help mitigate congestion through the use of sensors and computer programming. During these lessons, students will learn some fundamentals of transportation engineering and how the use of advanced technology is integral to solving current and future transportation problems. They will also learn how much transportation affects the quality of life in our society. In the piloting of the lesson plans, the course goal and objectives were met. Based on assessments at the end of each lesson and pre and post course questionnaires, students generally understood basic definitions and concepts presented. In general, students found learning about transportation interesting and would like to take another LEGO® robotics course. KW - Education and training KW - Middle school students KW - Robotics KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/barker_lwashburn_2011-001_final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46800/46870/barker_lwashburn_2011-001_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212618 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444857 AU - Ndubisi, Forster AU - Joh, Kenneth AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An eCertificate Program in Transportation Planning PY - 2012/08//Final Report SP - 34p AB - In this project, researchers developed a proposal to extend the delivery of the recently developed Graduate Certificate in Transportation Planning at Texas A&M University (TAMU) to a wider audience via distance education (online or eCertificate). While the need for an interdisciplinary approach to transportation is widely recognized by the professional community, there are few educational programs that address the field of transportation in a truly comprehensive, interdisciplinary manner. The TAMU university-wide graduate Certificate in Transportation Planning was established in August 2008 to address this need. The certificate provides an interdisciplinary perspective on how economics, public policy, finance, and urban design influence the effectiveness of transportation systems. This certificate has proved to be very successful. However, a limitation has been its availability to graduate students only at TAMU in College Station. This project sought to convert four courses in the existing certificate into online courses, to develop a proposal for delivering the courses via distance education, and to move the proposal through the TAMU approval processes. The eCertificate will increase access to transportation courses and Texas A&M’s transportation curriculum substantially, and it will strengthen Texas A&M as a national and global leader in the education of transportation professionals. KW - Certification KW - Continuing education KW - Curricula KW - Distance learning KW - Economics KW - Finance KW - Graduate study KW - Interdisciplinary studies KW - Professional personnel KW - Public policy KW - Texas KW - Texas A&M University KW - Transportation planning KW - Urban design UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Ndubisi_11-13-72.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45763/Ndubisi_11-13-72.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212427 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444836 AU - Rhys, Margaret J AU - Karkle, Daniel E AU - Russell, Eugene R AU - Kansas State University Transportation Center AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Study of KDOT Policy on Lane and Shoulder Minimum Width for Application of Centerline Rumble Strips PY - 2012/08//Final Report SP - 136p AB - The objectives of this research were: a) to obtain updated information on DOTs' policies and guidelines for installation of centerline rumble strips (CLRS) in the United States in order to identify current practices; b) to verify the before-and-after safety effectiveness of CLRS currently installed in Kansas; c) to determine if CLRS cause levels of exterior noise that can disturb nearby residents and propose a minimum distance from houses for installation of CLRS in Kansas; d) to estimate the effects of CLRS on vehicles’ operational speed and lateral position and to verify if it is safe to install CLRS on sections of highways with narrow shoulders; and e) provide recommendations of when it is beneficial to install rumble strips, given known values of traffic volume, shoulder width, and the presence of other types of rumble strips. The methodologies that were applied in this research include: a) an email survey that was sent to all state DOTs to verify their current guidelines for installation of CLRS; b) application of Bayesian before-and-after methods to investigate the safety effectiveness of CLRS in Kansas; c) field data collection according to standard procedures to verify if CLRS produce exterior noise levels that can disturb residents that live nearby to treated highways, d) standard field data collection methods to investigate how CLRS impact vehicular lateral position and operational speed; and e) modeling and interpretation of regression equations to predict number of crashes. Based on the analysis of safety performance function (SPF) models for total correctable crashes, on roadways with narrow shoulders, SRS only is recommended for all annual average daily traffic levels (AADTs) considered in this study. For AADTs lower than 5,750 vehicles per day, CLRS are recommended. For AADTs greater than 3,000 vehicles per day, the both configuration is also recommended. The study of SPFs was limited by the fact that only 29 sections of highway were used to build the models. Overall, both patterns currently installed in Kansas have provided crash reductions and are recommended. Shoulder width and traffic volume should be considered as crash predictors for enhancement of the benefits. KW - Center lines KW - Highway safety KW - Kansas KW - Road shoulders KW - Rumble strips KW - Traffic lanes KW - Width UR - http://idmweb.ksdot.org/PublicLib/publicDoc.asp?ID=003821547 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45752/KSU107_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212331 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444606 AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Positive Train Control: Implementation Status, Issues, and Impacts PY - 2012/08//Report to Congress SP - 53p AB - The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA) established a completion date for the installation of interoperable Positive Train Control (PTC) systems by December 31, 2015. The RSIA also required the Secretary of Transportation to transmit a report to specified congressional committees no later than December 31, 2012, on the progress of the railroad carriers in implementing such PTC systems. This report satisfies the statutory reporting requirement. Although the initial PTC Implementation Plans (PTCIP) submitted by the applicable railroads to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for approval stated they would complete implementation by the 2015 deadline, all of the plans were based on the assumption that there would be no technical or programmatic issues in the design, development, integration, deployment, and testing of the PTC systems they adopted. However, since FRA approved the PTCIPs, both freight and passenger railroads have encountered significant technical and programmatic issues that make accomplishment of these plans questionable. Given the current state of development and availability of the required hardware and software, along with deployment considerations, most railroads will likely not be able to complete full RSIA-required implementation of PTC by December 31, 2015. Partial deployment of PTC can likely be achieved; however, the extent of which is dependent upon successful resolution of known technical and programmatic issues and any new emergent issues. KW - Needs assessment KW - Plan implementation KW - Positive train control KW - Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 KW - Railroad law KW - Railroad safety KW - Scheduling KW - Technology assessment KW - United States UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L03718 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212129 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444336 AU - Turnbull, Katherine F AU - Griffin, Greg P AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation and Tourism PY - 2012/08//Final Report SP - 28p AB - This project explored the link between transportation and tourism in Texas. A session on transit and tourism was organized and conducted as part of the 2012 Texas Transit Conference. Speakers at the session described public transit services oriented toward tourists in San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and South Padre Island. Session participants discussed additional research needs, outreach activities, and possible demonstration projects. A meeting was also held with representatives from the Texas Department of Transportation and BikeTexas to discuss current bicycle and walking programs oriented toward tourists in the state and areas for additional research, pilot testing, and technology transfer. KW - Bicycling KW - Public transit KW - Texas KW - Tourism KW - Tourists KW - Walking UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Turnbull_11-45-79.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45733/Turnbull_11-45-79.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211642 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444335 AU - Brown, Andrew C AU - Dellinger, Gregory F AU - Gilbert, Robert B AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Long-Term Performance of Drilled Shaft Retaining Walls: Assessment of Existing Walls PY - 2012/08//Technical Report SP - 58p AB - This report provides assessment from information and analysis for three drilled shaft walls in service in Houston, Texas. The three walls have been in service for 14, 9 and 2 years, respectively, and have cantilevered heights ranging from 5 to 23 feet. A field inspection of each wall revealed no obvious signs of significant distress. Based on L-Pile analyses, earth pressures greater than a linear increase of 80 psf/ft would likely be required to produce significant distress that could be readily observed in these walls. KW - Drilled shafts KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Height KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Inspection KW - Long term performance KW - Retaining walls UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-6603-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212094 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444332 AU - Prozzi, Jorge AU - Gao, Lu AU - Chi, Seokho AU - Centurion, Claudia AU - Murphy, Mike AU - Yildirim, Yetkin AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Maintenance Test Section Survey: Data Collection and Analysis PY - 2012/08//Technical Report SP - 43p AB - A Maintenance Test Section Survey (MTSS) was conducted as part of a Peer State Review of the Texas Maintenance Program conducted October 5–7, 2010. The purpose of the MTSS was to conduct a field review of 34 highway test sections and obtain participants’ opinions about pavement, roadside, and maintenance conditions. The goal was to cross-reference or benchmark Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT’s) maintenance practices based on practices used by selected peer states. Representatives from six peer states (California, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Washington) were invited to Austin to attend a 3-day Peer State Review of TxDOT Maintenance Practices Workshop and to participate in a field survey of a number of pre-selected one-mile roadway sections. It should be emphasized that the objective of the survey was not to evaluate and grade or score TxDOT’s road network but rather to determine whether the selected roadway sections met acceptable standards of service as perceived by Directors of Maintenance or senior maintenance managers from the peer states. The pavement sections were selected such that the sample contained a wide range of conditions including Very Good (like new) to Very Poor (extensive cracking, rutting, and rough ride) and in immediate need of maintenance or rehabilitation. In addition to pavement conditions, the roadside and traffic marking maintenance conditions were evaluated by the researchers when making final section selection. It was also important to sample sections within each facility type; therefore, the sample contained sections from the interstate, national, and state systems as well as numerous Farm-to-Market roads. Two county roads were also included in the sample. The MTSS participants traveled in six vans, and rated the one-mile sections traveling at highway speeds over a four-hour period. The results were recorded by the participants on survey sheets handed in at the end of the Survey. The evaluation was based on a simple 1.0 (Well Below Expectations) to 5.0 (Well Above Expectations) scale for each category. These results of the peer state rating were compared to the Texas Maintenance Assessment Program (TxMAP) annual ratings for these sections and the ratings of other participants, grouped according to their background and experience in highway maintenance assessment. KW - Condition surveys KW - Maintenance practices KW - Peer groups KW - Ratings KW - Test sections KW - Texas UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6664_2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212096 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01360395 AU - Lindly, Jay AU - University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Driver Reaction at Railroad Crossings PY - 2012/08//Final Report SP - 29p AB - The Alabama Department of Transportation desires to make highway/rail crossings in Alabama as safe as practicable. Accordingly, it initiated Federal Aid Project HPPF-AL49(900) to determine whether DOT crossing number 728478C where US 231 crosses the Gulf & Ohio Railways track in Troy, Alabama would be safer and if driver behavior would be modified when a StopGate™ stop arm developed by Quixote Transportation Safety was installed at the crossing. Personnel from the University Transportation Center for Alabama (UTCA) were employed to help in two areas of the project: to analyze driver behavior characteristics based on digital images provided by Quixote and to document crashes and/or near misses at the crossing from data provided by the Gulf & Ohio railroad. Unfortunately, the digital images of driver reactions at the crossing supplied by a third party vendor were unusable for the analysis. Additionally, the Gulf & Ohio does not keep near miss records for the Shortline Railroad that includes this crossing. Without useful data, UTCA could not reach statistically verifiable conclusions. A limited amount of observations after the gates installation led to the following observation. The only violations that were observed occurred after flashing lights began but before full deployment of the gates; no vehicles drove around the gates, and there were no violations after the gates were locked in place. Rather than to attempt to draw firm conclusions from inadequate data, the UTCA team recommended instead to use the lessons learned from this installation to better prepare for future projects. KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Gates KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Traffic violations KW - Troy (Alabama) UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/files/2011/11/08401-Final-Report.pdf UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/research/projects/?id=08401 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44600/44647/HPPF-AL49__900__UTCA_08401_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1125926 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01518748 AU - Sawyer, Michael AU - Lefler, Nancy AU - Soika, Jon AU - Carter, Daniel AU - Scopatz, Robert AU - Gross, Frank AU - Rothenberg, Heather AU - Miller, Jeffrey AU - Bahar, Geni AU - Eccles, Kim AU - Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - United States Roadway Safety Data Capabilities Assessment PY - 2012/07/31/Final Report SP - 233p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) conducted a capabilities assessment for each State in terms of the collection, management, and use of roadway safety data. This project is part of the Roadway Safety Data Partnership (RSDP), a collaborative effort between the FHWA and States to ensure that they are best able to develop robust data-driven safety capabilities. This final report provides an overview of findings based upon the assessment of fifty States plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway safety KW - States KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - United States UR - http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/rsdp/downloads/rsdp_usrsdca_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1301939 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482133 AU - Myers, John J AU - Volz, Jeffery S AU - Sells, Eric AU - Porterfield, Krista AU - Looney, Trevor AU - Tucker, Brian AU - Holman, Kyle AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Self-Consolidating Concrete for Infrastructure Elements PY - 2012/07/31/Final Report SP - 36p AB - Because of its unique nature, self-consolidating concrete (SCC) has the potential to significantly reduce costs associated with transportation-related infrastructure, benefiting both Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the residents of Missouri. SCC is a highly flowable, nonsegregating concrete that can be placed without any mechanical consolidation, and thus has advantages over conventional concrete including decreased labor and equipment costs during concrete placement, decreased potential for and costs to repair honeycombing and voids, increased production rates of precast and cast-in-place elements, and improved finish and appearance of cast and free concrete surfaces. However, concerns exist over the structural implications of SCC in cast-in-place and precast elements. Specifically, higher paste contents, higher fines contents, and the use of smaller, rounded aggregates may significantly alter the creep, shrinkage, bond, and shear strength of SCC mixes as compared to traditional concrete mixes with the same compressive strength. These concerns increase for mixtures that use untested aggregate types and various supplementary cementitious materials. The objective of this research was to determine the structural implications of using SCC mixes compared to traditional concrete mixes. This study focused on the hardened properties of SCC mixes containing Missouri aggregates and developed guidelines on its use in infrastructure elements for MoDOT. Consequently, to achieve the benefits and potential savings with SCC, this study undertook seven tasks including the following: Task 1: Literature Review; Task 2: Mix Development; Task 3: Bond and Development of Prestressing Strand and Mild Steel; Task 4: Hardened Properties of SCC Mixes; Task 5: Shear Properties of SCC Mixes; Task 6: Recommendations and Specifications for SCC Implementation; and Task 7: Value to MoDOT and Stakeholders to Implementing SCC. Within these studies, locally available materials were used that were representative of MoDOT produced concrete. The final report consists of a summary report and five technical reports. The findings, conclusions and recommendations of the study can be referenced within these reporting components. KW - Aggregates KW - Cast in place concrete KW - Durability KW - Implementation KW - Missouri KW - Mix design KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shear properties UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1103/cmr13-03.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46965/cmr13-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250722 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444853 AU - Kommalapati, Raghava AU - Ramalingam, Radhakrishnan AU - Stockton, William AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Workforce Development: Sustaining and Expanding High School Outreach Programs and Multi-agency Partnerships PY - 2012/07/31/Final Report SP - 82p AB - This project supported a multi-university/agency partnership between Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), and Texas A&M University (TAMU) that focuses on producing high-quality transportation professionals from underrepresented groups. This project redesigned and expanded the Summer Transportation Institute (STI) Scholars program created with previous funding from this sponsor; its goal is to motivate students to take an interest in civil engineering and transportation careers. The STI Scholars program curriculum was redesigned to enhance the stimulating environment that would attract, inspire, and encourage students from various high schools within Texas and beyond to participate in the STI and STI Scholars program for the two summers before they pursued higher education. The STI Scholars program’s internet presence was enhanced with updates and improvements to the STI webpage and Facebook page. To promote long-term sustainability, the project produced a network of (a) former students, (b) educational professionals (counselors and teachers), and (c) public and private agencies including academia. The program was able to track former graduates as part of its goal to monitor their education and careers beyond the program and found that 100 percent of the STI Scholars program graduates that could be tracked (seven out of eight) are pursuing higher education and more than 70 percent are pursuing higher education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related fields. The success of this project is having a positive impact on the civil engineering programs at PVAMU and TAMU and can serve as a model for similar outreach programs at other locations across the nation. KW - Civil engineering KW - Curricula KW - Education and training KW - High school students KW - Outreach KW - Summer Transportation Institute KW - Texas KW - Transportation careers UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Kommalapati_11-00-63.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45762/Kommalapati_11-00-63.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45927/Kommalapati_11-00-63.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212430 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01481637 AU - Ramezani, Hani AU - Benekohal, Rahim F AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Computing Moving and Intermittent Queue Propagation in Highway Work Zones PY - 2012/07/29/Final Report SP - 88p AB - Drivers may experience intermittent congestion and moving queue conditions in work zones due to several reasons such as presence of lane closure, roadway geometric changes, higher demand, lower speed, and reduced capacity. The congestion and queue have spatial and temporal effects and knowing their extent is needed to find users’ cost, and to select traffic management strategies to reduce congestion in work zones. The first objective of this study was to develop a computer program, called IntQ, to estimate delay and queue length for intermittent queues in work zones. The IntQ models intermittent arrival pattern for groups of vehicles and generates the group characteristics, such as inter-group gap and group size, from statistical distributions developed from field data for work zones. Then the groups are moved along the network under certain rules. Also the effects of traffic volume on the distributions are discussed. The second objective was to develop a computer program called MovQ to study moving queues in work zones. Inputs to MovQ are geometric, construction and demand data, and output is queue length, delay, and state of traffic. The MovQ establishes speed-flow curves for each section of a work zone and uses shockwave theory to keep track of interactions between traffic waves. The report includes discussions about computational issues, input/output data, and example problems that are solved using the programs. KW - Computer programs KW - Simulation KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow rate KW - Traffic queuing KW - Work zone traffic control KW - Work zones UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Final%20Report%20071IY03%20Computing%20Moving%20and%20Intermittent%20Queue%20Propagation%20in%20Highway%20Work%20Zones.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250501 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486729 AU - Ioannou, Petros AU - Wang, Yun AU - Abadi, Afshin AU - Butakov, Vadim AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Dynamic Variable Speed Limit Control: Design, Analysis and Benefits PY - 2012/07/28/Final Report SP - 91p AB - In this study, the problems of the design, analysis and evaluation of dynamic variable speed limit (VSL) controllers are addressed. The control strategies are designed based on simplified validated macroscopic traffic flow models but applied and tested on validated microscopic traffic models under different traffic conditions. Three dynamic VSL control designs are presented and tested using both macroscopic and microscopic simulation models. Examining the performance measurements summarized from several hundreds simulations runs, the simple PI type controller with less computational burden is not inferior to the more complicated nonlinear MPC which also needs predicted demand and accident information as inputs. Although macroscopic simulations demonstrates that both simple controller and model predictive controller could reduce Total Time Spent (TTS) for about 20%, VISSIM microscopic simulations show that Total Travel Time (TTT) could not be improved by variable speed limit controllers due to the vehicle level transient responses and the second rate shock wave generated by slowing down traffic in advance both of which are not captured in macroscopic models. Safety benefits of VSL controllers such as reducing number of stops and reducing number of lane changes are demonstrated through VISSIM simulations. To obtain environmental benefits, VSL should be implemented in a way to force smoother speed profiles of individual vehicles. Simulation results also show that the effectiveness of VSL controllers are dependent on the traffic demand level and the congestion level. VSL controllers are more effective when traffic density is close to the critical density. KW - Control systems KW - Design KW - Macroscopic traffic flow KW - Microscopic traffic flow KW - Traffic simulation KW - Variable speed limits KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/11-14_Ioannou_final_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247844 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466551 TI - Interagency Agreement between Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Transportation Training in Conservation Courses AB - The purpose of this Interagency Agreement (IAA) is to facilitate better communication between the various sectors in addressing conservation issues in transportation planning and project delivery by training resource and conservation professionals and stakeholders. This would be accomplished through creating specialized training modules/courses aimed at technology transfer to the resource and conservation community. The desired outcome is to increase the technical and collaborative competencies to achieve both national transportation and conservation objectives. KW - Conservation KW - Education and training KW - Interagency relations KW - Natural resources KW - Technology transfer KW - Training programs KW - Transportation planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234786 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466548 TI - Interagency Agreement between U.S. Department of Transaction, Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers AB - This Interagency Agreement (IAA) is entered into by and between the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the U.S. Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers (Corps) for the delivery of improved data tracking and analysis specifically for State Department of Transportation (DOT) wetland and stream mitigation projects in the Corps Regulatory In-Lieu Fee and Banking Information Tracking System (RIBITS). The goals of this program are as follows: (1) Develop methods and procedures for FHWA and State DOT transportation projects to expedite environmental review through the use of web based tools, including those for wetland and stream mitigation and conservation banking. (2) Improve collaboration, coordination and communication among and between FHWA, State DOTs, and the Corps. (3) Provide a source of mitigation and conservation bank and in-lieu fee program information that is accessible via the internet to facilitate FHWA and State DOT planning processes and improve project development and delivery. KW - Conservation KW - Cooperation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Interagency relations KW - Mitigation measures (Ecology) KW - Streams KW - Transportation planning KW - Websites (Information retrieval) KW - Wetlands UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234783 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603519 AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Crash Weighting Research Plan: Will crash weighting improve the capability of FMCSA to identify high crash-risk motor carriers? PY - 2012/07/23 SP - 5p AB - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is conducting a research study to better understand the safety benefits of adjusting crash weights in the Safety Measurement System (SMS) based on the carrier’s role in the crash (i.e., preventability). The Crash Indicator in SMS currently utilizes all crashes. This safety measurement area has proven to be one of the better predictors of future crash risk. FMCSA is considering modifying the Crash Indicator to weight crashes not only based on severity and timeliness but also on the role of the motor carrier in the crash. The planned research study will provide necessary insight to ensure Agency decisions related to the development of a crash weighting process are based on sound analysis and science. The research will focus on answering the following key questions: (1) Do police accident reports (PARs) across the nation provide sufficient, consistent, and reliable information to support crash weighting determinations? (2) Will a crash weighting determination process offer an even stronger predictor of crash risk than crash involvement and how will crash weighting be implemented into SMS? (3) How would the Agency manage the process for making crash weight determinations including public input to the process? The Agency’s approach toward answering these questions in the planned research study is described in this document. KW - Crash reports KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Implementation KW - Motor carriers KW - Trucking safety KW - U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration KW - Weighting UR - https://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/CrashWeightingResearchPlan_7-2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1413002 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01496680 AU - Anderson, M S AU - Simkins, J M AU - Battelle AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Report D – Revised Comprehensive Report Development of Long Distance Multimodal Passenger Travel Modal Choice Model PY - 2012/07/23 SP - 84p AB - This report includes an executive summary as well as details of research conducted to develop a set of statistical models to predict long-distance passenger travel mode. A literature and practice review was conducted to gather information on the current knowledge and practices for long-distance passenger travel modal choices. Using this information, a set of multinomial logistic regression models were developed to predict mode choice given various demographic and socioeconomic attributes of the traveler, trip characteristics such as length and purpose, land-use characteristics, as well as availability of transportation infrastructure. The models use long-distance travel data from the 2001 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) as well as other sources. K-fold cross-validation is used to assess the predictive ability of the models. KW - Demographics KW - Literature reviews KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Mode choice KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Passengers KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Statistical analysis KW - Trip length UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/dldmpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1265601 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446295 AU - Coifman, Benjamin AU - Lee, Ho AU - NEXTRANS AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Innovative Vehicle Classification Strategies: Using LIDAR to do More for Less PY - 2012/07/23/Final Report SP - 60p AB - This study examines light detection and ranging (LIDAR) based vehicle classification and classification performance monitoring. The portable LIDAR based classification system was developed with the sensors mounted in a side-fire configuration next to the road. Several measurements are taken from each non-occluded cluster to classify vehicles into one of six classes: motorcycle, passenger vehicle, passenger vehicle pulling a trailer, single-unit truck, single-unit truck pulling a trailer, and multi-unit truck. The algorithm was evaluated at six different locations under various traffic conditions. By measuring height, shape and length, the LIDAR based system was able to distinguish between vehicle classes that challenge other classification technologies. Compared to concurrent video ground truth data for over 27,000 vehicles on a per-vehicle basis, 11% of the vehicles are suspected of being partially occluded. The algorithm correctly classified over 99.5% of the remaining, non-occluded vehicles. This research also uncovered emerging challenges that likely apply to most classification systems, e.g., differentiating commuter cars from motorcycles. KW - Algorithms KW - Automatic vehicle classification KW - Automatic vehicle detection and identification systems KW - Highway traffic KW - Laser radar KW - Performance measurement KW - Vehicle detectors UR - https://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Year%202%20Final%20Reports/Final%20Report%20033.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213821 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573320 TI - Clear Roads Winter Highway Operations Pooled Fund AB - The objectives of this ongoing pooled fund project will include: (1) Conduct structured field testing and evaluation across a range of winter conditions and different highway maintenance organizational structures to assess the practical effectiveness, ease of use, optimum application rates, barriers to use, durability, safety, environmental impact and cost-effectiveness of innovative materials, equipment and methods for improved winter highway maintenance. (2) Establish industry standards and develop performance measures for evaluating and utilizing new materials and technologies. (3) Support technology transfer by developing practical field guides and training curriculum to promote the results of research projects. (4) Conduct cost-benefit analysis to ensure that new technologies, materials or methods contribute to operational efficiency. (5) Support the exchange of information and ideas via peer exchanges and collaborative research efforts that provide opportunities for winter maintenance specialists to share experiences related to winter maintenance. (6) Promote public education and outreach related to winter maintenance and winter driving safety. (7) Conduct state of the practice surveys to share best practices on current operational issues (for example salt shortages, level of service requirements or other hot button issues). KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Best practices KW - Field tests KW - Highway operations KW - Peer exchange KW - Performance measurement KW - Snow removal KW - Technology transfer KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/446 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366544 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466550 TI - Interagency Agreement between the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Ecological Services AB - The purpose of this agreement is to develop and test methods for assessing effects of transportation projects on stream habitat connectivity so that the net gain in the barrier removal process can be maximized and impacts of new transportation projects on habitat connectivity can be minimized. There is significant value in using multiple tools and approaches to evaluate potential effects of barriers so that managers can use the best supported decision when deciding how to proceed. Thus, multiple methods of quantifying effects of transportation projects on habitat connectivity will be employed and evaluated in three watersheds harboring Endangered Species. Results will not only serve managers that aim to build new transportation projects, retrofit, and/or remove existing barriers, but they will also serve as a template for assessing habitat connectivity in other transportation districts and watersheds.The goals of this project are to develop and test methodologies for determining the effects of new and existing barriers (including transportation projects) to fish movement on stream habitat connectivity using a landscape context. This will be completed through the following tasks: (1) Quantification of habitat fragmentation; (2) Quantification of habitat quality; (3) Prioritization of barriers for removal; (4) Evaluation of the effects of new barrier placement or barrier removal; (5) Evaluation of the benefits of financially expensive but high-resolution (field-based) data and the benefits of including biologically relevant information into passage assessments; and (6) Present results and methodology to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) personnel to demonstrate the implementation of the methodology and use of the data products developed from the previously mentioned deliverables. KW - Barriers KW - Decision making KW - Endangered species KW - Fishes KW - Habitat (Ecology) KW - Interagency relations KW - Project management KW - Streams KW - Transportation projects KW - Watersheds UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234785 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456747 AU - Heidemann, John AU - Zhang, Chengjie AU - Park, Unkyu AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - SRVC: Sensornets for Remote Vehicle Classification PY - 2012/07/19/Final Report SP - 47p AB - Automated vehicle classification systems based on networks of small, battery-powered and wireless, intelligent sensors should be easily deployed with brief setup time (tens of minutes), with accurate vehicle information (as good as or better than human observers), and communicate this information to a central monitoring site. Current approaches are not rapidly deployable, accurate enough, and lack the ability to relay data in real-time to central site. This report summarizes the results of a two-year research effort on sensornets for vehicle traffic classification. The communications requirements for traffic monitoring systems (both short-range wireless inside a traffic sensornet, and wide-area to a central Traffic Management System), are investigated, self-configuring traffic monitoring systems are developed, and prior work is integrated with these new results. The key outcomes are to understand communications in a classification system, to carefully evaluate the effects of signature matching, and to further develop self-configuration. The new approaches are tested through a second major data collection exercise at the University of Southern California. KW - Algorithms KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Automatic vehicle classification KW - Data fusion KW - Freight traffic KW - Remote sensing UR - http://www.metrans.org/research/07-04-sensornets-remote-vehicle-classification-srvc UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1223090 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380304 AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Long Term Success of ATSAP Will Require Improvements in Oversight, Accountability, and Transparency PY - 2012/07/19 SP - 28p AB - The United States has one of the best air safety records in the world, thanks in part to the actions of the nation’s air traffic controllers. However, operational errors, which occur when an air traffic controller fails to ensure the required separation distance between aircraft, remain a significant safety concern. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) statistics show that the number of reported operational errors increased from 1,234 in fiscal year 2009 to 1,887 in fiscal year 2010. According to FAA, this increase was mostly due to increased reporting, such as through the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP), rather than other factors that could contribute to an increase in the actual number of errors. FAA initiated ATSAP in July 2008 as a voluntary non-punitive reporting program to encourage FAA air traffic employees to report safety events and safety concerns, with the intent of capturing all events that might lead to a breakdown in safety. The program is governed by, among other things, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) established between FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). In 2011, the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and its Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security as well as the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation requested that the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General (OIG) review ATSAP. Accordingly, their objectives were to 1) evaluate FAA’s progress with implementing ATSAP and 2) assess FAA’s oversight of ATSAP. OIG found that, although FAA completed ATSAP implementation at all air traffic control facilities in 2010, the Agency will need to make significant improvements before ATSAP will be able to effectively identify and address the root causes of safety risks. For example, due to ATSAP provisions designed to protect controller confidentiality, much of the ATSAP data that FAA collects are not validated, raising questions about the effectiveness of these data for analyzing safety trends. OIG also found that FAA’s oversight of ATSAP lacks effective program management controls. For example, FAA does not have a formal process to review the effectiveness of decisions made by the program’s review committees to ensure that report acceptance criteria are rigorously followed and that conduct issues are dealt with appropriately. Failure to address potential deficiencies in transparency and accountability may lead to the perception that ATSAP is an amnesty program in which reports are automatically accepted, regardless of whether they qualify under the program’s guidelines. OIG made 10 recommendations to improve FAA’s implementation of ATSAP and to strengthen internal controls, use of data, and performance management within the program. KW - Accountability KW - Air traffic controllers KW - Air Traffic Safety Action Program KW - Aviation safety KW - Confidential incident reporting KW - Human error KW - Oversight KW - Program management KW - Risk assessment KW - Transparency (Program management processes) KW - U.S. Federal Aviation Administration UR - http://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/dot/files/Report%20on%20FAA%27s%20Air%20Traffic%20Safety%20Action%20Program%5E7-19-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148003 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467737 TI - Bridge Pier Scour Research AB - The bridge pier scour research evaluation report (NCHRP 24-27 (1)) is currently being finalized. The report examines the present state of knowledge regarding bridge-pier scour, evaluates the reliability of leading current methods to provide accurate estimates of design scour depth, and recommends a structured approach to scour-depth estimation for design use. The large variation in factors potentially influencing scour at bridge sites requires an approach sufficiently comprehensive to account for the more important individual parameter influences to be considered, yet that also treats pier scour from a systems-analysis perspective when the number of parameters is too numerous, or the parameters are insufficiently independent, to be described practically in terms of a series of individual parameter influences. The objectives of this research address several research issues whose resolution should enhance the reliability of scour depth estimation. The research issues fall into several categories: (1) Fundamental processes inadequately understood. The issues primarily concern flow field capacity to erode the channel boundary, and the boundary¿s capacity to resist erosion; (2) Complicating processes inadequately understood. The issues concern flow field capacity to erode the channel boundary, and the boundary's resistance to erosion; (3) Development of reliable design methods. Testing of standard or common abutment forms subject to complicating design considerations; (4) Development of smart instrumentation and observation procedures for monitoring boundary and flow conditions at bridge waterways. The Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) Hydraulics Laboratory will collaborate on this proposed research and will provide Lab capabilities and technical assistance. The Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center. TFHRC Hydraulics Laboratory is planning to utilize a high speed recirculation flume for the tests identified. This will allow live bed scour experiments for flow velocities up to 5 times the critical velocity for a specific selected sediment size and to study the live bed peak carefully. KW - Bridge abutments KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge piers KW - Flow conditions KW - Flow fields KW - Scour UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/439 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235973 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01455296 AU - Terpsma, Ryan J AU - Reid, John D AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Sicking, Dean L AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development and Recommendations for a Non-Proprietary, High-Tension, Cable End Terminal System PY - 2012/07/17/Final Report SP - 198p AB - Cable guardrail systems have been increasing in popularity in recent years due to several perceived benefits over the commonly used W-beam guardrail. A non-proprietary design was desired as an alternative to the many proprietary designs available. A non-proprietary, high-tension, cable end terminal was necessary to accompany the non-proprietary, high-tension, cable guardrail system under development. The objective of this research project was to develop design recommendations for a non-proprietary, high-tension, cable end terminal. An analysis of several cable guardrail end terminals was undertaken to identify any common features that may prove to be beneficial or detrimental to end terminal designs. Next, a study of the non-proprietary, low-tension system was conducted to determine the cause of vehicle instabilities in full-scale testing. Since the high-tension and low-tension, cable end terminal designs are similar, it is likely that any issues with the low-tension design will also be evident in testing of the high-tension design. LS-DYNA modeling of current cable terminal anchor hardware was then accomplished and compared to bogie testing results. The anchor model proved to be sufficiently accurate to preliminarily analyze alternative cable anchor designs. A final, optimized, high-tension, cable anchor design was produced along with alternative terminal post recommendations for continuing development of the non-proprietary, high-tension, cable end terminal. KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - Cables KW - Guardrail terminals KW - Guardrails KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Tension UR - http://ne-ltap.unl.edu/Documents/NDOR/dev_and_recommend_high%20tension_cable_end.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46949/Development_and_Recommendations_for_a_Non-Proprietary_High-Tension_Cable_End_Terminal_System.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1223711 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01570484 TI - Reorganization of Section 5, Concrete Structures, of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications AB - The purpose of this project is to reorganize Section 5, Concrete Structures, of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Bridge Design Specification so that Section 5 is logically organized, and philosophically and technically consistent. The entire LRFD Bridge Design Specification and AASHTO Bridge Construction Specification must be reviewed and updated as necessary to maintain consistency. This research project would be carried out in six tasks: 1) survey stakeholders; 2) develop annotated revised table of contents; 3) critically review all interim changes for technical and philosophical consistency; 4) write interim report; 5) develop new revised and reorganized draft Section 5, Concrete Structures; and 6) develop final Section 5, Concrete Structures. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge design KW - Concrete bridges KW - Design standards KW - Load and resistance factor design UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/504 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1362125 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463238 TI - Evaluating Impacts of Sustainability Practices on Airport Operations and Maintenance AB - There are many airports that have been implementing practices that are considered to be sustainable, i.e., they have environmental, social, and economic benefits. Airports implement sustainabillity practices because of local and regional priorities, the availability of grant funds for that particular project or practice, and/or the practice may have appeared to be relatively inexpensive to implement without consideration or awareness of long-term implications. Airport maintenance departments frequently are asked to support and maintain a new system, practice, or piece of equipment as a result of integrating a sustainability practice, but rarely have an opportunity to discuss impacts they foresee occurring. As a result of this, and for other reasons, there have been impacts and implications to these practices that were not necessarily considered or known prior to their implementation. It is prudent for airports to assess the budgetary and operational implications of various sustainability practices, as some may require more maintenance and upkeep than originally anticipated. There have been many studies and materials written on sustainability for airports, but very little has been done to look at long-term operational and maintenance implications. Research is needed to help airports consider all the operational and maintenance implications and impacts of sustainability practices. The objective of this research is to develop a process to evaluate sustainability practices as they relate to the impacts on day-to-day airport operations and maintenance. At a minimum, elements of the evaluation process should include: a) the short- and long-term implications of maintaining the sustainability practice, b) budgetary implications, c) staffing issues, d) appropriate metrics, e) environmental impacts, and f) a tool for conducting a cost-benefit analysis. The evaluation process should be applicable to such sustainability practice categories as: 1) Water conservation, 2) Energy conservation, 3) Waste management, 4) Consumables and Materials (e.g., paper products, paints, light bulbs, filters), and 5) Alternative Fuels. It is not necessary for the evaluation process to be applicable to noise and de-icing sustainability practices. KW - Airport operations KW - Airports KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Maintenance practices KW - Sustainability UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3257 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1231463 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383431 AU - Watts, Richard AU - Witham, Aaron AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Social Network Analysis of Sustainable Transportation Organizations PY - 2012/07/15/Final Report SP - 30p AB - This study examines the communication networks of 121 organizations promoting sustainable transportation policy in northern New England. “Sustainable transportation” is defined here as ameliorating transportation’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, ground based air pollution, pollution in waters and streams, and human health issues such as obesity and lung disease. In a broad sense, it meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Organizations promoting this goal include government agencies, planning commissions, nonprofits, transit providers and businesses. Communication patterns consist of the sending and receiving of information, which may be reflective of collaboration, sharing resources, and other relationships that influence an organization’s power to affect the policy process. Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are the focus of this study because of their geographical proximity and their similarities in terms of population densities and demographics, climates, and transportation challenges. KW - Communications KW - Information dissemination KW - Interorganizational relations KW - Maine KW - New England KW - New Hampshire KW - Organizations KW - Social networking KW - Surveys KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation policy KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-12-008.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148119 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01455840 AU - Mongiardini, Mario AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Reid, John D AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Test Matrices for Evaluating Cable Median Barriers Placed in V-Ditches PY - 2012/07/13/Final Report SP - 70p AB - Cable barrier systems designed to be used in median ditches have been traditionally full-scale crash tested placed either within 4 ft from the slope break point (SBP) of a 4H:1V front slope or near the bottom of the ditch. Recently, there has been some discussion about proposing specific standard test conditions for cable barrier systems which are designed to be placed in a median ditch. The objective of this research was to propose a matrix of critical tests for cable barriers placed in median V-ditches. Critical tests were proposed based on the identification of those locations where the potential for override/underride is more likely, as indicated by an analysis of the simulated bumper trajectory of small cars, passenger sedans, and pickup trucks when trespassing a median V-ditch. The bumper trajectories as well as the vehicle kinematics were obtained using LS-DYNA computer simulations considering different ditch widths and slopes. Results from previous full-scale crash tests of cable systems placed in V-ditches were also considered in the assessment of the test matrices. KW - Cables KW - Ditches KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Location KW - Median barriers KW - Underride override crashes UR - http://ne-ltap.unl.edu/Documents/NDOR/Test_Matrics_For_Evaluating.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46800/46869/Test_matrices_for_evaluating_cable_median_barriers_placed_in_v-ditches.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224019 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466553 TI - Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA )Watershed Resource Registry (WRR) AB - The Watershed Resource Registry (WRR), a collection of data and information, including an evaluation of watershed and wetland conditions and a database of mitigation opportunities needed to address future Clean Water Act requirements. The proposed pilot would provide State Department of Transportations (DOTs) with much needed regulatory streamlining and predictability with relation to cost and delivery of transportation projects. The tasks below outline the proposed actions under this proposal. It should be noted that as a part of these tasks,the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a technical and administrative role in coordinating the TAC Meetings and the overall project management for the WRR. Support for these functions should be recognized as part of the following tasks. (1) Demonstrate how the watershed resource registry (WRR) can streamline the regulatory process on real projects by cutting the permitting time and provide accountability to the regulators. Benchmark the times savings and process efficiencies. (2) Demonstrate how WRR can target implementation on the ground - identify locations and the best design using higher performance/lower cost type best management practices (BMPs). Monitor and measure the effectiveness for storm water treatment and management. (3) Develop a watershed resource accounting/monitoring system using a WRR to account for watershed wide mitigation measures. (4) Coordination with FHWA - Provide status of tasks and deliverables through quarterly conference calls with progress reports. The EPA should provide progress reports on their specified tasks and deliverables on a quarterly basis with copy to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). KW - Best practices KW - Clean Water Act KW - Coordination KW - Data collection KW - Mitigation measures (Ecology) KW - Monitoring KW - Regulations KW - Streamlining KW - Watersheds KW - Wetlands UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234788 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472425 AU - Blaesing-Thompson, Shawn AU - Haubrich, Matthew AU - Schuman, William AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Final Report (SPR Project 90-00-RB10-012) on the Maintenance Asset Management Project - Phase I PY - 2012/07/09/Final Report SP - 19p AB - This project resulted in the development of a proof of concept for a features inventory process to be used by field staff. The resulting concept is adaptable for different asset classes (e.g. culverts, guardrail) and able to leverage existing DOT resources such as the videolog and LRS and our current technology platforms including Oracle and our GIS web infrastructure. The concept examined the feasibility of newly available technologies, such as mobile devices, while balancing ease of use in the field. Implementation and deployment costs were also important considerations in evaluating the success of the project. This project funds allowed the pilot to address the needs of two DOT districts. A report of findings was prepared, including recommendations for or against full deployment of the pilot solution. KW - Asset management KW - Costs KW - Deployment KW - Implementation KW - Inspection KW - Inventory KW - Maintenance KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46800/46891/Blaesing-Thompson_etal_Asset_Management_Phase_I_2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1240235 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01467752 TI - Northwest Transportation Consortium AB - The objective of this research project is to address high priority transportation research topics of common interest to the four Northwest states and for which expertise exists in the four University Transportation Centers (UTC) in these same states. KW - Conferences KW - Northwestern United States KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Regional transportation KW - University Transportation Centers Program UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/414 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1235988 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466568 TI - Assessment of Metropolitan Planning Organization and State Department of Transportation Resources and Technical Capabilities Relative to Adopting New Air Quality Modeling Applications AB - The objective of this requirement is to assess and evaluate the overall analytical capacities and experiences of Metropolitan Planning Organization's (MPO), Council of Government's (COG) and State Department of Transportation's (DOT) capabilities to adopt and incorporate new air quality modeling applications into regional and hot-spot analysis for conformity purposes. For many smaller MPOs with limited staff resources and expertise and DOTs experiencing significant resource and budget constraints, the adoption of increasingly complex air quality emission modeling tools can present significant challenges. KW - Air quality KW - Air quality management KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Modeling KW - Pollutants KW - State departments of transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234803 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466552 TI - Training Course for the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model AB - Application and use of water quality models and their results depend on the user's understanding of the model theory and application to real world and unique situations. Acceptance and use of the model depends on the formation of a group of users who are familiar with the model, how it works and when to use it. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will develop the documents and training modules necessary to define and implement the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM). KW - Data collection KW - Dilution KW - Education and training KW - Empirical methods KW - Stochastic processes KW - Training programs KW - Transportation planning KW - Water quality management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234787 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01431183 AU - Pardalos, Panos M AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Novel Approaches for Road Congestion Mitigation PY - 2012/07/02/Final Report SP - 20p AB - Transportation planning is usually aiming to solve two problems: the traffic assignment and the toll pricing problems. The latter one utilizes information from the first one, in order to find the optimal set of tolls that is the set of tolls that leads to a user equilibrium solution and that would benefit all travelers-users. This problem is particularly hard, so an evolutionary algorithm is proposed based on the work by Buriol et al. (2005) and Ericsson et al. (2002). Computational results are given to depict the success of this approach. KW - Algorithms KW - Congestion pricing KW - Evolutionary algorithms KW - Tolls KW - Traffic assignment KW - Traffic congestion KW - User equilibrium UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/pardalos_cms_2010-001_final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45650/pardalos_cms_2010-001_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1193237 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01607877 TI - Midwest States Pooled Fund Crash Test Program AB - The objective of this research project to crash test highway roadside appurtenances to assure that they meet criteria established nationally. KW - Crashes KW - Impact tests KW - Midwest United States KW - Pooled funds KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Roadside structures KW - Safety programs KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/418 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1420468 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573316 TI - National Sustainable Pavement Consortium AB - The objective of the proposed pooled-fund project is to establish a research consortium focused on enhancing pavement sustainability. The six-year program will be developed in cooperation with the consortium participants, and will include, at a minimum, answering the following research questions: (1) What emerging materials, construction practices and pavement systems have the most potential for increasing the sustainability of our road infrastructure? The consortium will review emerging sustainable materials, technologies, products, and pavement systems, how to facilitate their adoption; and what testing, approaches, and methods are needed to adopt these technological improvements; (2) What do we need to measure --and how-- to address sustainability in the context of pavement engineering? To start answering this question, it will necessary to identify an appropriate set of metrics that cover all aspects of pavement sustainability and the adaption or development of tools for the assessment of pavement sustainability on a qualitative and quantitative relative scale; (3) How do we integrate sustainability consideration into the pavement management processes? This can be answered by looking at how sustainability considerations will affect all aspect of pavement engineering such as planning, design, construction, maintenance, management, and reclamation; (4) What changes are needed in our pavement engineering practices to adapt to climate changes? The consortium will investigate the effect of climatic change on pavement engineering in the region, in terms of design, construction, maintenance and management. KW - Construction practices KW - Pavement design KW - Pavements KW - Paving KW - Paving materials KW - Research and educational facilities KW - Sustainable pavements UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/497 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366540 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466650 TI - Making Freight-Centric Communities More Livable: Measuring the Impact of Advanced Technologies AB - Communities that attract or retain industrial viability are considered less livable, but reducing, limiting, or mitigating freight operations have direct, measurable economic impacts. This research will measure benefits of advanced technologies and practices to safely blend freight with passenger, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic including Safe Routes to School. These technologies could mitigate a community's safety, noise, and environmental concerns and accelerate implementation of improved practices. This research involves scenario-based analyses to evaluate quantifiable livability benefits of adopting these technologies. Advanced technologies such as intelligent transportation system ( ITS), intersection management, dynamic mobility, dynamic route guidance, and optimization will be reviewed for application suitability. As a case study, a selected subset of advanced ITS technologies will be applied in the Memphis area and evaluated for their sustainability, cost effectiveness, transferability to other regions, and safety impacts. National Center for Freight & Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) partner institutions bring different research experiences and strengths that coalesce in the proposed research including cutting-edge modeling approaches in simulating the behavior of many elements of the freight transportation system, designing ITS travel information systems, and using geographic information systems (GIS) and related information technologies. Additionally, the Federal Highway Administration has shown a strong interest in using Memphis as a test bed for evaluating the application of advanced technologies to improve the efficiency of freight movement in an urban environment. KW - Freight traffic KW - Geographic information systems KW - Livable communities KW - Memphis (Tennessee) KW - Mode choice KW - Sustainable development KW - Technological innovations KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234885 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466649 TI - Mining Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) Data for Improved Vessel Trip Analysis Capabilities AB - The objective of this project is to develop a means to archive, analyze, and disseminate automatic identification system (AIS) data. There are two components of the research: an inland rivers component (Paducah, KY and Reserve, LA) and a Great Lakes component. Researchers at Vanderbilt University, the University of Toledo and the University of Wisconsin-Superior are collaborating to find the best practices of using similar freight global positioning system (GPS) data, detect vessel events (arrivals, departures, lockages, etc.), archive the data for subsequent ad-hoc access, perform statistical performance analysis, relate the data to other publicly available data sets, and other tasks. KW - Automatic identification systems KW - Best practices KW - Global Positioning System KW - Information dissemination KW - Inland waterways KW - Locks (Waterways) KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/research/projects/ri-04/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234884 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01463237 TI - A Guidebook for Airport Winter Operations AB - Winter weather has the potential to disrupt operations at airports of all sizes; and recent events at several airports have again illustrated the importance of preparing for, operating during, and recovering from winter events. Lack of preparation by an airport for these events can result in potential safety issues. In addition, it is well known that dealing with winter operations can represent a significant cost to airports. For example, at a larger airport facility, the cost of delaying flight operations to permit snow clearing has been estimated in some cases to exceed $300,000 per hour--a factor which can support a decision to increase investment in snow removal so as to reduce the time required to clear a runway. To prepare for these events, airports have to develop a variety of procedures based on individual or unique requirements. Examining the range of existing procedures and evaluating effectiveness would help airports in general respond to a continuing winter operations requirement. Research is needed to develop a guidebook that would provide a useful tool in preparing an effective winter operations plan. Such a guidebook would help to ensure that, based on best practices, optimal investments are being made at airports of varying sizes. The objective of this research is to prepare a guidebook to help airports prepare for, operate during, and recover from disruptive winter events, as well as manage airport user expectations. The guidebook will identify and evaluate best practices in airport airside and landside winter operations, as well as provide guidance on how to manage overall passenger experience within a framework of safety and efficiency. The guidebook will also provide guidance to airport operators on determining the optimal level of investment necessary to implement an effective program, given expected winter conditions and the nature of the aviation activity at that particular airport. The audience for this guidebook will include managers, operators, and users of small to large airport facilities. At a minimum, the guidebook should address the following program elements as components of an effective winter operations plan adaptable to a variety of airports: (1) Operational consideration (friction, weather, and other factors); (2) Strategies and tactics (equipment, chemicals, drift control, and other related factors); (3) Operational guidelines (personnel, timing, human factors, and other related issues); (4) Economic and finance considerations (budget analysis, benefit-cost analysis, risk analysis); (5) Environmental issues (permitting and other applicable regulations). KW - Airport operations KW - Airports KW - Best practices KW - Decision making KW - Finance KW - Handbooks KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3263 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1231462 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449534 AU - Spiller, David AU - Mejias, Luis AU - Duffy, Catherine AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Weir Farm National Historic Site: Alternative Transportation Feasibility Study PY - 2012/07/01/Final Report SP - 88p AB - This report provides an assessment of the feasibility of alternative transportation options to accommodate visitation at Weir Farm National Historic Site in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Weir Farm, the historic home of artist J. Alden Weir, faces numerous challenges, particularly parking constraints in a residential neighborhood. Accommodating more visitors in private cars will come at a high cost with regard to the landscape and its viewshed, in addition to the strain on narrow, local roads. This feasibility study considers alternatives to parking expansion, namely a parking reservation system and transit. Transit emerges as the transportation alternative most suitable at Weir Farm. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - National parks KW - Parking facilities KW - Parking reservation systems KW - Public transit KW - Residential areas KW - Transportation planning KW - Weir Farm National Historic Site UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45932/DOT-VNTSC-NPS-12-10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1216161 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448717 AU - Guerre, Joseph AU - Groeger, Jonathan AU - Van Hecke, Sam AU - Simpson, Amy AU - Rada, Gonzalo AU - Visintine, Beth AU - AMEC Environment and Infrastructure, Incorporated AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improving FHWA’s Ability to Assess Highway Infrastructure Health: Pilot Study Report PY - 2012/07/01/Final Report SP - 109p AB - This report documents the results of a pilot study conducted as part of a project on improving FHWA’s ability to assess highway infrastructure health. As part of the pilot study, a section of Interstate 90 through South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin was evaluated in order to 1) test approaches for categorizing bridge and pavement condition as good/fair/poor that potentially could be used across the country, and 2) provide a proof of concept for a methodology to assess and communicate the overall health of a corridor with respect to bridges and pavements. As a result of the pilot study, it was found that a bridge good/fair/poor methodology can be implemented nationwide today. For pavements, the International Roughness Index can be used today to classify pavement ride quality nationwide. However, additional investigation of other pavement condition metrics is necessary prior to implementation of a holistic pavement indicator that includes distress and structural condition. Also, a conceptual condition and health reporting tool was developed and is presented in the report. KW - Asset management KW - Bridges KW - Highways KW - International Roughness Index KW - Interstate 90 KW - Minnesota KW - Pavement performance KW - Pavements KW - Performance measurement KW - Ride quality KW - South Dakota KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset/pubs/hif12049/hif12049.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46182/Improving_FHWA_s_ability_to_assess_highway_infrastructure_health_Pilot_Study_Rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1216332 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446004 AU - Deutschman, Harold AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Value Pricing and Traffic Reduction Incentives PY - 2012/07/01/Final Report SP - 24p AB - As traffic congestion grows in cities and suburban areas throughout the United States, the cost of traveling is directly affected and increased. A new concept for combating congestion is the idea of Value Pricing, also known as congestion pricing. The Value Pricing theory involves altering the pricing of transportation facilities, so that it can lead to improved service for transportation users, leading to a more productive use of existing transportation capacities. The problem often faced in value pricing experiments is an increase in congestion on the remaining “slow lanes”. Monetary traffic reduction incentives will solve this problem. A portion of the money generated by value lane users will be used to fund an off-peak incentive program. Daily drivers of the slow lanes will be offered a monthly reward to ensure that their daily commute occurs before or after peak hours. If administrated properly, peak hour volume will decrease in the slow lanes to a manageable size, and highway efficiency will increase as user costs accumulated by lost time are reduced. This program may be monitored by EZ-Pass to ensure driver cooperation. This research examines through a hypothetical example, the effects on congestion in the slow lanes when additional toll revenues (Value Pricing) are combined with Peak Traffic Reduction (Incentives). This methodology is designed to use incentives to change the time/travel patterns of a portion of the highway users, while greatly reducing congestion. KW - Congestion management systems KW - Congestion pricing KW - Highway traffic control KW - Incentives KW - Off peak periods KW - Peak hour traffic KW - Road pricing KW - Tolls KW - Traffic congestion UR - http://utrc2.org/research/assets/228/FinalReport-Value-Pricing1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212462 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01577808 AU - Proctor, Gordon D AU - Varma, Shobna AU - Varnedoe, Steve AU - Gordon Proctor and Associates, Incorporated AU - StarIsis Corporation AU - National Center for Pavement Preservation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Asset Sustainability Index: A Proposed Measure for Long-Term Performance PY - 2012/07 SP - 120p AB - This report examines the concept of asset sustainability metrics. Such metrics address the long-term performance of highway assets based upon expected expenditure levels. It examines how such metrics are used in Australia, Britain and the private sector. It also reviews asset management data from selected States to illustrate that long-term sustainability metrics could be produced using available US asset management data. KW - Asset management KW - Australia KW - Expenditures KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Performance measurement KW - Private enterprise KW - United Kingdom KW - United States UR - https://www.planning.dot.gov/documents/ASI_report/ASI_July9_FINAL_web.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370738 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557290 AU - Watson, Donald AU - Moore, Jason R AU - Taylor, Adam J AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effectiveness of Anti-Strip Agents in Asphalt Mixtures PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 83p AB - Since the late 1970s there has been much research performed to better understand the stripping phenomenon in asphalt mixtures. As a result, there have been changes in both materials and technology over the past 30 years to improve the resistance to moisture damage and the ability to test for performance under adverse moisture conditions. Due to the changes in materials and technologies related to the development and improvement of anti-strip agents, this research study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of current anti-strip agents used in hot mix asphalt pavements. One purpose of the project was to evaluate anti-strip agents with a variety of aggregates and mix types. Three granite sources were used: one does not have a history of stripping, one is a known stripping aggregate, and the other has used both hydrated lime and liquid additive in the past in order to meet tensile strength requirements. All granite sources were used in both 12.5 mm surface mixture and 25 mm base mixture. In addition, a limestone source was used in the 25 mm analysis to determine whether liquid anti-strips may result in better performance than hydrated lime. Limestone was used only in the 25 mm mix because it is not typically used in surface mixtures due to a tendency to polish under traffic. Secondly, the past field performance of Georgia’s mixes designed with hydrated lime to the performance of Georgia’s mixes designed using liquid anti-strip agents was evaluated. Therefore, part of the study involved identifying projects with similar age, aggregate source, and mix type in order to make comparisons of performance for mixtures with liquid anti-strip with similar projects that used hydrated lime. Thirdly, a field test section was constructed where three different anti-strip agents were used in a conventional Superpave surface mixture. This was done on a typical mill and inlay project. A final objective involved conducting a series of laboratory performance test comparisons using different aging periods to make long-term comparisons of the effectiveness of hydrated lime to liquid and Warm mix anti-strip additives. KW - Antistrip additives KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Calcium hydroxide KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Georgia KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Laboratory tests KW - Moisture damage KW - Pavement performance KW - Stripping (Pavements) KW - Superpave UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346742 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541406 AU - Moudon, Anne Vernez AU - Stewart, Orion AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Moving Forward: Safe Routes to School Progress in Five States PY - 2012/07//Research Report SP - 46p AB - This study assessed the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program in five states: Florida, Mississippi, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. A database of all SRTS projects announced for funding and all schools affected by these projects was developed. The database was analyzed to (1) quantify the SRTS programs’ impact in the five states and compare them to SRTS programs nationally, (2) assess the SRTS programs’ effectiveness in increasing rates of walking and bicycling to school, and (3) identify characteristics of SRTS projects associated with greater increases in walking and bicycling to school. In the five states, 569 SRTS projects were announced for funding through April 2011. These projects reached more than 1,410 schools and 781,180 children—roughly 10 percent of the PK-8 grade public school population in the five states. Engineering components were featured in most projects, and sidewalks were the most common engineering activity. Among completed SRTS projects with before and after travel data, rates of walking increased by 45 percent (from 9.8 percent to 14.2 percent), bicycling increased by 24 percent (from 2.5 percent to 3.0 percent), and all active travel to school (ATS) increased by 37 percent (from 12.9 percent to 17.6 percent). Increases in rates measured at the project level were statistically significant. Before and after travel data were only available for projects with an engineering component. Among these projects, those that affected fewer schools and students, as well as those with encouragement and education components tended to perform better. These relationships, however, were not statistically significant. The only statistically significant relationship found was a negative correlation between baseline rates of bicycling to school and increases in rates of bicycling to school, suggesting that SRTS projects may be more effective at encouraging bicycling to school where few children already do so. The results of this study offer preliminary evidence that the SRTS program is achieving one of its primary goals of increasing rates of walking and bicycling to school and that SRTS funds are delivering a return on investment. It identified some trends of more successful projects, which warrant further investigation. As more projects end, the research framework established in this study can be used to further explore these findings and refine programs that help children safely walk or bicycle to school. KW - Assessments KW - Before and after studies KW - Bicycling KW - Elementary schools KW - Florida KW - Mississippi KW - Safe Routes to School (Program) KW - School trips KW - Students KW - Texas KW - Walking KW - Washington (State) KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/743.3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326244 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531111 AU - Herricks, Edwin E AU - Bunch, Wendell AU - Osmek, Steve AU - Svoboda, Frank AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Using an Avian Radar to Supplement an Airport Wildlife Hazard Assessment PY - 2012/07//Technical Note SP - 35p AB - Wildlife hazard assessments are regularly performed to support the development of wildlife hazard management plans (WHMP) for airports. Current assessments use visual observations of wildlife, with particular attention paid to birds. As a tool, avian radar systems supplement visual observations of birds on and around airports. A study was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of using avian radar to supplement a year-long wildlife hazard assessment effort at Cedar City Regional Airport in Utah. In December 2010, avian radar was used to test its capability to supplement scheduled monthly observations. This report summarizes the supplementary information provided by avian radar and discusses the utility of avian radar application in wildlife hazard assessments. The avian radar consistently observed more bird targets than were identified by visual observation and provided a useful data set for analyses that supported the development of the airport’s WHMP. KW - Airports KW - Aviation safety KW - Bird strikes KW - Birds KW - Hazard evaluation KW - Radar KW - Utah KW - Wildlife UR - http://www.airporttech.tc.faa.gov/DesktopModules/FlexNews/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=ac831835-ca04-4ae1-8767-a03a868c18db&f=TC-TN12-27_Final_Avian_Radar_070612.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313496 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526348 AU - Bax, Charlotte AU - American Trade Initiatives AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) AU - National Cooperative Highway Research Program TI - Policy Instruments for Managing European Union Road Safety Targets: Carrots, Sticks, or Sermons? An Analysis and Suggestions for the United States PY - 2012/07 SP - 28p AB - This report investigates the European Union policy on road safety targets and its strategies to achieve these targets. The purpose of the report is to provide the Federal Highway Administration and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials with ideas to consider for use in the United States. The European Union uses three types of policy instruments to achieve road safety targets: regulation, economic instruments, and information. Important elements of the European Union approach are using a variety of policy instruments, building a broad network of road safety-related organizations, stimulating member states to take actions on their own, and steering on effect rather than implementation. KW - Economic policy KW - European Union KW - European Union countries KW - FHWA International Scanning Program KW - Highway safety KW - Information management KW - Policy KW - Regulations KW - United States UR - http://international.fhwa.dot.gov/scan/12024/12024.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1307441 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01518997 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Tone-Corrected Metrics for Pre-2005 INM Helicopters PY - 2012/07 SP - 4p AB - Of the 21 Helicopters represented in Integrated Noise Model (INM) 7.0b, only five include the tone-corrected metrics. The calculation of these metrics involves the analysis of 1/3 octave-band data obtained during the source data measurement process, and requires sound-pressure levels at all measured frequency bands (50-10,000 Hz) for the duration of the aircraft event. A census of data availability was undertaken for helicopters currently in the INM, to determine whether available source data were sufficient to reprocess and calculate the tone-corrected metrics. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Effective sound pressure KW - Helicopters KW - INM (Integrated Noise Model) KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51000/51024/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-14-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1302149 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01493352 AU - Taylor, Peter AU - Sutter, Larry AU - Weiss, Jason AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigation of Deterioration of Joints in Concrete Pavements PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 210p AB - Premature deterioration of concrete at the joints in concrete pavements and parking lots has been reported across the northern states. The distress is first observed as shadowing when microcracking near the joints traps water, later exhibiting as significant loss of material. Not all roadways are distressed, but the problem is common enough to warrant attention. The aim of the work being conducted under this and parallel contracts was to improve understanding of the mechanisms behind premature joint deterioration and, based on this understanding, develop training materials and guidance documents to help practitioners reduce the risk of further distress and provide guidelines for repair techniques. While work is still needed to understand all of the details of the mechanisms behind premature deterioration and prevention of further distress, the work in this report has contributed to advancing the state of knowledge. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Deterioration KW - Guidelines KW - Maintenance KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement joints KW - Preventive maintenance UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/14953/1/IA_DOT_TPF-5%28224%29_InTrans_joint_deterioration_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1261828 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01492322 AU - Hooton, R Doug AU - Vassilev, Dimitre AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Deicer Scaling Resistance of Concrete Mixtures Containing Slag Cement Phase 2: Evaluation of Different Laboratory Scaling Test Methods PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 60p AB - With the use of supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) in concrete mixtures, salt scaling tests such as ASTM C672 have been found to be overly aggressive and do correlate well with field scaling performance. The reasons for this are thought to be because at high replacement levels, SCM mixtures can take longer to set and to develop their properties: neither of these factors is taken into account in the standard laboratory finishing and curing procedures. As a result, these variables were studied as well as a modified scaling test, based on the Quebec BNQ scaling test that had shown promise in other research. The experimental research focused on the evaluation of three scaling resistance tests, including the ASTM C672 test with normal curing as well as an accelerated curing regime used by VDOT for ASTM C1202 rapid chloride permeability tests and now included as an option in ASTM C1202. As well, several variations on the proposed draft ASTM WK9367 deicer scaling resistance test, based on the Quebec Ministry of Transportation BNQ test method, were evaluated for concretes containing varying amounts of slag cement. A total of 16 concrete mixtures were studied using both high alkali cement and low alkali cement, Grade 100 slag and Grade 120 slag with 0, 20, 35 and 50 percent slag replacement by mass of total cementing materials. Vinsol resin was used as the primary air entrainer and Micro Air® was used in two replicate mixes for comparison. Based on the results of this study, a draft alternative test method to ASTM C672 is proposed. KW - American Society for Testing and Materials KW - ASTM C 672 KW - Concrete KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Laboratory tests KW - Scaling (Concrete) KW - Slag cement UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/deicer_scaling_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1261144 ER - TY - SER AN - 01491331 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Inman, Vaughan W AU - Haas, Robert P AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Evaluation of a Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersection PY - 2012/07 SP - 4p AB - This TechBrief describes comparisons of field observations of the operations of an unsignalized restricted crossing U-turn (RCUT) intersection in Maryland with a roughly comparable conventional stop-controlled intersection on the same corridor. It also summarizes the results of several crash analysis approaches for intersections converted from conventional designs to RCUT designs along two four-lane divided highway corridors in Maryland. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Before and after studies KW - Crash analysis KW - Divided highways KW - Field studies KW - Four lane highways KW - Highway safety KW - Intersection elements KW - Maryland KW - Restricted crossing U-turn intersections KW - Rural highways KW - U turns KW - Unsignalized intersections UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/hsis/12037/12037.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258668 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486647 AU - Ordonez, Fernando AU - Dessouky, Maged M AU - Wang, Chen AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - New Approach for Routing Carrier Delivery Services with Urgent Demand PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 81p AB - Courier delivery services deal with the problem of routing a fleet of vehicles from a depot to service a set of customers that are geographically dispersed. In many cases, in addition to a regular uncertain demand, the industry is faced with sporadic, tightly constrained, urgent requests. An example of such application is the transportation of medical specimens, where timely, efficient, and accurate delivery is crucial in providing high quality and affordable patient services. In this work we propose to develop better vehicle routing solutions that can efficiently satisfy random demand over time and rapidly adjust to satisfy these sporadic, tightly constrained, urgent requests. We formulate a multi-trip vehicle routing problem using mixed integer programming. We devise an insertion based heuristic in the first phase, and use stochastic programming with recourse for daily plans to address the uncertainty in customer occurrence. The resource action for daily plans, considers a multi-objective function that maximizes demand coverage, maximizes the quality of delivery service, and minimizes travel cost. Because of the computational difficulty for large size problems, Tabu Search has been used to find an efficient solution to the problem. Simulations have been done on randomly generated data and on a real data set provided by a leading healthcare provider in Southern California. Our approach has shown significant improvement in travel costs as well as in quality of service as measured by route similarity than existing methods. KW - Delivery service KW - Demand KW - Heuristic methods KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Routing KW - Travel costs UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/11-10_Ordonez_final_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225412 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486645 AU - Shehab, Tariq AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cost Estimating Model for Sustainable Rehabilitation of Road Projects PY - 2012/07 SP - 10p AB - There are about 3,000,000 miles and 50,000 miles of paved roads and highways in the US, respectively. Many of these roads and highways have approached the end of their design life and are considered to be in poor conditions. To upgrade these valuable infrastructure assets in a sustainable manner, state and federal governments have suggested the use of the rubberized asphalt technology. The use of this sustainable rehabilitation technique has been suggested to meet the current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own demands. This research develops a cost estimating system for the rubberized asphalt road rehabilitation projects. The proposed system uses information collected from 44 projects and applies neural networks for performing its task. It is believed to be a helpful tool that could be used in many road project applications such as preparation of accurate budget estimates and life-cost analysis. It is also considered to be an efficient tool that could be used to manage financial resources in limited budget environments. KW - Asphalt rubber KW - Cost estimating KW - Highway maintenance KW - Neural networks KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/11-25_Shehab_final_0_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247843 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01486639 AU - Psounis, Konstantinos AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - End-to-end Performance in Vehicular Networks with an Emphasis on Safety and Security Applications PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 32p AB - When designing wireless networks, one needs to consider the interdependence among nodes within interference range of each other. Tag spotting refers to a communication system which allows reliable control data transmission at signal-to-noise rations (SNR) values as low as 0 dB. Using real-world experiments on an OFDM system built with software radios, it is shown that data can be transmitted at the target SNR value of 0 dB with a 6% overhead. Simulations show how tag spotting can be used in implementing fair and efficient rate control and scheduling schemes in the context of wireless multi-hop networks, while pointing out that the idea of tag spotting is useful in the context of any wireless network in which control-plane information must travel beyond the communication range of a node. KW - Algorithms KW - Networks KW - Signal processing KW - Signal to noise ratio KW - Transmission errors and interference KW - Vehicular ad hoc networks (Computer networks) KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.metrans.org/research/10-05-end-end-performance-vehicular-networks-emphasis-safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225415 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01485306 AU - Anderson, Douglas I AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Skid Correction Program - User's Manual PY - 2012/07 SP - 25p AB - This document outlines methods for use by Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) personnel to address pavements with unacceptable skid numbers. The program involves coordination between Safety, Pavement Management, Region, and Maintenance managers. A process has been recommended using a skid number history, crash history, and other information to make decisions concerning these pavements. This manual provides flow charts, templates and examples to facilitate implementation. The program requires very limited manpower in decision-making and delivery of information to UDOT stakeholders. Implementation of this manual should result in enhanced analysis methods and better communication between UDOT divisions and regions. KW - Decision making KW - Highway safety KW - Maintenance management KW - Manuals KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Skid resistance KW - Utah Department of Transportation UR - http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=6613425320739293 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1253834 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482791 AU - Wheeler, Anthony R AU - University of Rhode Island Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Succession Planning in State Departments of Transportation PY - 2012/07 SP - 27p AB - This project examines how state departments of transportation understand and implement the human resources management practice of succession planning. Past research examining succession planning in the public sector has identified numerous potential impediments that government agencies must overcome; however, little evidence exists documenting the degree to which these impediments impact state departments of transportation. As departments of transportation employ large numbers of in-demand engineers, some states have developed comprehensive succession plans to integrate recruitment, performance management, training, and retention practices. This project highlights two particular impediments – specific human resources management educational experiences of agency employees and the organizational culture of agencies on long-term workforce planning efforts – that agencies might consider rectifying. KW - Human resources management KW - Management and organization KW - Selection and appointment KW - State departments of transportation KW - Turnover UR - http://www.uri.edu/library/faculty_publications/2013/lrs13.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251367 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482569 AU - Lee, Hosin AU - Glueckert, Thomas AU - Ahmed, Taha AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Accelerated Testing of Warm Mix Asphalt for Safe and Reliable Freight Transportation PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 41p AB - This report presents a new organic warm mix asphalt (WMA) product that has been recently introduced to the U.S. market, which is Polyethylene (PE) Wax-based WMA additive with crystal controller to increase the low temperature cracking resistance and anti-stripping agent to enhance moisture susceptibility. The new PE Wax-based WMA mixtures with recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) materials were also tested using the Hamburg Wheel Tracking (HWT) device and the wheel passes were significantly higher with WMA mixtures with PG 64-28 binder, Minnesota aggregates and 25% RAP than the ones with 64-22 binder, Iowa aggregates and 10% RAP. The HWT test results seemed to be influenced by more on the characteristics of aggregates and RAP materials than the WMA additive. In-service roads in Iowa and Minnesota were successfully rehabilitated using the PE Wax-based WMA mixtures. The average void of 1.5-inch WMA overlay (9.0%) was higher than that of hot mix asphalt (HMA) overlay (7.0%) placed on an urban street in Iowa City. It was partly due to the asphalt temperature that was lowered to match the lower aggregate temperature. As a result, the aggregate temperature for WMA was also significantly lower than HMA. It is interesting to note, however, that the average air void of the cores obtained from the rehabilitation section of the same street using LEADCAP was 6.0%. On Minnesota’s state highway, the average air voids of four WMA and HMA cores for quality control were 5.85% and 5.29%, respectively, and those of four other WMA and HMA cores for quality assurance were 6.05% and 6.01%, respectively. The WMA pavements were easier to reach 94% density with fewer passes of a compactor than HMA. The LEADCAP WMA test section was constructed at the Accelerated Pavement Load Facility (APLF) at Ohio University. The maximum rut measurement was 0.30 and 0.34 inch under each of the loading duel tires. The most significant amount of rut developed after 5,000 repetitions. KW - Accelerated tests KW - Aggregates KW - Air voids KW - Antistrip additives KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Ethylene resins KW - Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device KW - Iowa KW - Minnesota KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Recycled materials KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Rutting KW - Warm mix paving mixtures KW - Waxes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251180 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482135 AU - Myers, John J AU - Volz, Jeffery S AU - Sells, Eric AU - Porterfield, Krista AU - Looney, Trevor AU - Tucker, Brian AU - Holman, Kyle AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Report C: Self‐Consolidating Concrete (SCC) for Infrastructure Elements: Bond Behavior of Mild Reinforcing Steel in SCC PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 135p AB - The main objective of this study was to determine the effect on bond performance of mild reinforcing steel in self-consolidating concrete (SCC). The SCC test program consisted of comparing the bond performance of normal and high strength SCC with their respective Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) standard mix designs. Two test methods were used for bond strength comparisons. The first was a direct pull-out test based on the RILEM 7-II-128 “RC6: Bond test for reinforcing steel. 1. Pull-out test” (RILEM, 1994). The direct pull-out tests were performed on specimens with #4 (#13) and #6 (#19) deformed reinforcing bars. The second test method consisted of a full-scale beam splice test specimen subjected to a four-point loading until failure of the splice. This test method is a non-ASTM test procedure that is generally accepted as the most realistic test method for both development and splice length. The beam splice tests were performed on beams with #6 (#19) reinforcing bars spliced at midspan at a specific length to ensure bond failure occurs prior to shear or flexural failure. Analysis of the SCC data indicates that using SCC does not result in any increase in the required development length of mild reinforcing. KW - Beams KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Load tests KW - Missouri KW - Pull out test KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Self compacting concrete UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/tryy1103/cmr13-03_C.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250720 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482124 AU - Myers, John J AU - Volz, Jeffery S AU - Sells, Eric AU - Porterfield, Krista AU - Looney, Trevor AU - Tucker, Brian AU - Holman, Kyle AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Report B: Self‐Consolidating Concrete (SCC) for Infrastructure Elements: Bond, Transfer Length, and Development Length of Prestressing Strand in SCC PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 282p AB - Due to its economic advantages, the use of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) has increased rapidly in recent years. However, because SCC mixes typically have decreased amounts of coarse aggregate and high amounts of admixtures, industry members have expressed concerns that the bond of prestressing strand in SCC may be compromised. While the bond performance of prestressing strand in a new material such as SCC is an important topic requiring investigation, the results are only applicable if the research is completed on strands with similar bond quality as the strands used in the field. Therefore, the objectives of this research program were to investigate the transfer and development lengths of prestressing strand in SCC and also evaluate the effectiveness of two proposed bond tests in determining acceptable bond quality of strand. Transfer and development lengths of 0.5-in. diameter (12.5 mm), Grade 270 prestressing strand were evaluated using rectangular beams constructed from normal and high strength conventional concrete and SCC mixes. End slips at release and strain readings over 28 days were used to calculate transfer lengths, and development lengths were evaluated through four-point loading at varying embedment lengths. Additionally, the NASP bond test and Large Block Pullout Tests (LBPT) were evaluated with strand from three different sources to determine if one test could be considered more reliable at predicting acceptable bond. Results indicated that bond performance of SCC and conventional concrete were comparable. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Development length KW - Missouri KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Prestressing KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Transfer length UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46967/cmr13-03_B.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250718 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482121 AU - Myers, John J AU - Volz, Jeffery S AU - Sells, Eric AU - Porterfield, Krista AU - Looney, Trevor AU - Tucker, Brian AU - Holman, Kyle AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Report D: Self‐Consolidating Concrete (SCC) for Infrastructure Elements: Creep, Shrinkage and Abrasion Resistance PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 89p AB - Concrete specimens were fabricated for shrinkage, creep, and abrasion resistance testing. Variations of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) and conventional concrete were all tested. The results were compared to previous similar testing programs and used to determine the adequacy of the materials for use in practice. The testing program consisted of normal strength (6000 psi) and high strength (10,000 psi) variations of SCC and conventional concrete. All specimens were tested for compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, shrinkage strain, creep strain, and abrasion resistance. All tests were performed according to their respective ASTM standard methods. In general, SCC performed well relative to conventional concrete at high strengths, but not as well at normal strengths for shrinkage and creep. KW - Abrasion resistance KW - Compressive strength KW - Creep tests KW - High strength concrete KW - Missouri KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shrinkage UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46969/cmr13-03_D.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250719 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482118 AU - Myers, John J AU - Volz, Jeffery S AU - Sells, Eric AU - Porterfield, Krista AU - Looney, Trevor AU - Tucker, Brian AU - Holman, Kyle AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Report E: Self‐Consolidating Concrete (SCC) for Infrastructure Elements: Hardened Mechanical Properties and Durability Performance PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 183p AB - Concrete is one of the most produced and utilized materials in the world. Due to the labor intensive and time consuming nature of concrete construction, new and innovative concrete mixes are being explored. Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is one such method of improving the overall cost and time efficiency of concrete production. SCC is a highly flowable form of concrete. This characteristic drastically reduces the amount of labor and time needed to place the concrete. The highly flowable nature also allows for much easier placement in applications of highly congested reinforcement. In order to test this new and innovative concrete mix, SCC was tested for both hardened material properties and durability in this investigation. The results indicated that SCC was superior to the baseline conventional concrete. KW - Durability tests KW - Mechanical properties KW - Missouri KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Strength of materials UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46970/cmr13-03_E.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250721 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482117 AU - Myers, John J AU - Volz, Jeffery S AU - Sells, Eric AU - Porterfield, Krista AU - Looney, Trevor AU - Tucker, Brian AU - Holman, Kyle AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Report A: Self‐Consolidating Concrete (SCC) for Infrastructure Elements: Shear Characteristics PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 238p AB - Because of its unique ability to maintain high flow-ability and remain homogeneous, self-consolidating concrete (SCC) has the potential to significantly reduce the costs associated with civil infrastructure; however, the use of higher paste and lower coarse aggregate volumes than non-SCC concretes raises concerns about the structural implications of using SCC. Of particular concern is the effect of concrete compressive strength, and aggregate type, shape, and content level on shear strength of SCC mixes. This research focused on the components that contribute to the concrete’s ability to provide shear resistance, in particular, shear provided by aggregate interlock. Variables investigated by push-off tests to determine the shear contribution from aggregate interlock included concrete compressive strength (6 and 10 ksi [41.3 and 68.9 MPa] target), coarse aggregate type (limestone and river gravel), and volumetric content level of the coarse aggregate portion (36%, 48%, 58%, and 60%). Post-failure digital imaging software was used to confirm fresh concrete parameters in the hardened state as well as check for variability and the impact on shear. Additional attention was given to the global contributions of shear by the concrete in larger scaled tests of pre-stressed beam members. The results were used to assess the appropriateness of designing Missouri Infrastructure elements using the current AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specification for shear and while using typical Missouri SCC batch proportions and materials. KW - Admixtures KW - Coarse aggregates KW - Compressive strength KW - Image analysis KW - Interlocking aggregates KW - Missouri KW - Mix design KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shear strength UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46966/cmr13-03_A.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250717 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01480997 AU - Sharma, Anuj AU - Burnett, Nathaniel AU - Aria, Sepideh S AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - IntelliDrive Technology based Yellow Onset Decision Assistance System for Trucks PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 101p AB - Erroneous decisions by drivers to stop or go at the onset of yellow can lead to incidences of premature stopping or red light running, which in turn can cause severe rear end or right angle collisions. Because trucks or busses are relatively less maneuverable, and also have lower available acceleration rates, lower comfortable deceleration rates, and a higher line of sight than passenger vehicles, the risk of crashes is higher for trucks than other vehicles upon stop or go situations. Dilemma zone protection systems are used at high speed intersections to enhance safety; however, such systems are generally designed around the dilemma zone boundaries of cars, and are static, lacking the intelligence to adapt to existing traffic, weather, or visibility conditions. The current research examined the effect of information systems such as advance warning flashers (AWFs) on the probability of conflict at onset yellow at high-speed intersections. A probit modeling technique was used to establish dilemma zone boundaries. Based on dilemma zone boundaries, probability of perceived conflict curves were computed and compared against actual conflicts that were observed at each of the studied intersections. This information was used to generate a better understanding of the risks associated with the use of AWFs. Results demonstrated that the provision of stop/go information that was consistent with the actual duration of yellow reduced the variability of driver decision making and reduced the dilemma hazard. When no information was provided to drivers, the critical time threshold for stopping was very close to the actual duration of yellow. These findings implied that drivers were inclined to stop when the time to stop bar was greater than the duration of yellow, and were inclined to go when the time to the stop bar was less than the duration of yellow. This concept was used to develop a prototype Yellow Onset Driver Assistance (YODA) system, consisting of a pole-mounted unit (StreetWave) and an in-vehicle unit (MobiWave). The in-vehicle unit was designed to request decision assistance from the pole-mounted unit as a truck approaches an intersection; based on the time to the stop bar and the duration of yellow, the YODA system advises drivers on whether or not it is safe to proceed through the intersection. KW - Decision making KW - Dilemma zone KW - Driver support systems KW - Probits KW - Signalized intersections KW - Stopping distances KW - Truck traffic KW - Yellow interval (Traffic signal cycle) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1249575 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01480991 AU - Sharma, Anuj AU - Burnett, Nathaniel P AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing the Risk of Crash for Trucks on Onset Yellow PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 69p AB - Each day, millions of signal changes to the yellow phase occur at isolated high speed intersections, when erroneous driver decisions to stop or go may often lead to a crash. Dilemma zone protection systems are typically used to control these intersections in order to ensure the safe and efficient movement of vehicles. However, traditional dilemma zone protection systems show deterioration in performance during medium to heavy traffic volume conditions, jeopardizing both the safety and efficiency of intersections. The performance of these control systems for heavy vehicles is even more greatly affected, as traditional dilemma zone boundaries were developed for passenger vehicles. Research conducted by the authors found that to have the same level of protection as passenger vehicles, heavy vehicles needed to be protected for twice as long. The traditional surrogate measure of safety, the dilemma zone, marks the region of risk at high speed intersections, but does not quantify the level of risk, which is essential from an economic framework. In the current study, an improved surrogate measure of safety, the dilemma hazard function, was developed by expanding the existing measure of safety, utilizing the concept of traffic conflict. The probability of traffic conflict defined the dilemma hazard function, which was used to quantify safety benefits for high speed intersections. A behavioral model was used to develop the dilemma hazard function for passenger vehicles and heavy vehicles using data collected at a typical high speed intersection site in Noblesville, Indiana. The advent of advanced wide area detector technology made it feasible to assume that the dilemma hazard function could be developed for each site, hence, barring the need for a search for a universal dilemma hazard function. KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Dilemma zone KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Indiana KW - Probability KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic conflicts KW - Traffic volume KW - Yellow interval (Traffic signal cycle) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1249574 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01479825 AU - Perk, Victoria A AU - Catala, Martin AU - Reader, Steven AU - National Bus Rapid Transit Institute AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Land Use Impacts of Bus Rapid Transit: Phase II—Effects of BRT Station Proximity on Property Values along the Boston Silver Line Washington Street Corridor PY - 2012/07 SP - 54p AB - The development of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems is relatively recent in the U.S.; however, several systems are operating and many more are being planned. A comprehensive understanding of the relationship between land uses and BRT systems is needed, particularly in comparison to other fixed-guideway modes such as rail. This report describes an effort to quantify the impacts of access to BRT stations on the sale prices of surrounding condominiums located along Boston’s Washington Street where Phase I of the Silver Line BRT began in 2002. To test the hypothesis that the BRT stations have an impact on market value that is commensurate with rail transit projects (considering the level and permanence of services and facilities), a hedonic regression methodology was used to estimate the impact of access to BRT station on sale prices of condo units. A key result is that for condo sales that occurred in 2007 or 2009, the BRT premium was approximately 7.6 percent. For condo sales in 2000 and 2001, prior to the opening of the Silver Line, no sales premium existed for proximity to the corridor. Further, changes in land uses along the corridor were examined over the period from 2003 to 2009. As more BRT systems continue operating in the U.S., this methodology should be applied to other cities as well as to other types of properties. These studies can help policymakers and those in the transit industry gain a better understanding of the overall impacts of proximity to BRT stations on property values, land uses, and economic development. KW - Accessibility KW - Boston (Massachusetts) KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Economic development KW - Land use planning KW - Market value KW - Property values UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/FTA_Report_No._0022.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55500/55508/FTA_Report_No._0022.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1248174 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01479820 AU - Eudy, Leslie AU - Chandler, Kevin AU - National Renewable Energy Laboratory AU - Battelle AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Connecticut Nutmeg Fuel Cell Bus Project: First Analysis Report PY - 2012/07 SP - 52p AB - This report summarizes the experience and early results from a fuel cell bus demonstration funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the National Fuel Cell Bus Program (NFCBP). A team led by the Northeast Advanced Vehicle Consortium and UTC Power developed a next-generation fuel cell electric bus for demonstration. A total of four buses are being operated in service by Connecticut Transit in Hartford. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has been tasked by FTA to evaluate the buses in service. This report documents the early development and implementation of the buses and summarizes the performance results through May 2012. KW - Connecticut Transit KW - Demonstration projects KW - Electric buses KW - Fuel cell vehicles KW - Hartford (Connecticut) KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - National Fuel Cell Bus Program KW - Transit buses UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/FTA_Report_No._0020.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55500/55506/FTA_Report_No._0020.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1248176 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01478270 AU - Gabler, Hampton C AU - Hampton, Carolyn AU - Johnson, Nicholas AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Development of the WinSMASH 2010 Crash Reconstruction Code PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 68p AB - This report describes the development of WinSMASH2010, an extensive update and enhancement to the WinSMASH crash reconstruction code. The specific objectives were (1) to correct known programming bugs in the original WinSMASH; (2) to convert the code from the obsolete Delphi language to C-Sharp to allow future upgrades; and (3) to enhance WinSMASH accuracy by implementing an automated method of selecting vehicle specific stiffness coefficients. KW - Coding systems KW - Crash reconstruction KW - National Automotive Sampling System - Crashworthiness Data System KW - Stiffness KW - WinSmash UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811546.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1246775 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01478089 AU - Douma, Frank AU - Garry, Thomas AU - Simon, Stephen AU - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - ITS Personal Data Needs: How Much Do We Really Need to Know? PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 78p AB - The recent spread of geolocation technology in intelligent transportation systems (ITS) raises difficult and important policy questions about locational privacy. However, much of the current public discussion on locational privacy and ITS appears at risk of becoming increasingly disconnected. In one camp are privacy advocates and others who oppose the spread of ITS locational technology on privacy grounds. In the other camp are technologists and the ITS industry who generally view privacy issues as a secondary matter. The net result is that the ITS privacy debate often involves two sides talking past each other, with too little energy spent on finding potential common ground. This disconnect in part results from a lack of basic clarity, on both sides, about just what the needs and interests of those involved in the ITS privacy issue are and how they relate to the betterment of the transportation system. This report sheds new light on the ITS privacy debate by identifying just who is involved in the ITS privacy problem and what their goals are with respect to privacy and ITS data. The analysis identifies the types of locational data and the methods for obtaining it that create privacy conflicts and, in turn, recommends general approaches for both policymakers and industry practitioners to better manage these conflicts. The report represents a first effort in mapping the interests of participants in the ITS privacy debate. KW - Data collection KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Laws KW - Policy making KW - Privacy KW - Regulations KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/reportdetail.html?id=2252 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247236 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01478053 AU - Joint Planning and Development Office TI - Flight Operations Centers: Transforming NextGen Air Traffic Management FOC Study Team Report PY - 2012/07 SP - 26p AB - This report documents the findings and recommendations of the Airline Operations Centers (AOC)/Flight Operations Centers (FOC)/Wings Operations Centers (WOC) Study Team (herein referred to as FOC). The Study Team was commissioned by the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) and supported by the NextGen Institute. The purpose of the report is to bring greater attention and focus to the important role that FOCs should play in the evolution of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The overall goal is to identify opportunities for making broader system improvements through expanded FOC-NextGen interaction. This expansion represents a new form of cooperative partnership that can accelerate implementation of NextGen capabilities, reduce program risk, and improve return on investment. Several subject matter experts (SMEs) from industry and government, including personnel from major air carriers and regional airlines, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), Department of Defense (DOD), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), participated in a series of workshops driven by a core team led by industry and the FAA. During the 10-month process, participants explored the role of the FOC in the NextGen Implementation Plan (NGIP) and the JPDO’s Joint Planning Environment (JPE). Areas where FOC involvement was found to be too minimal are summarized in the report findings. Additionally, opportunities for making a course correction in NextGen through greater FOC interaction are summarized in the report recommendations. The report finds that while many of the stated NextGen capabilities and Operational Improvements are not possible without the FOC, the FOC’s role is de-emphasized or omitted entirely from NextGen planning documents. Further, the report finds that lessons learned from ongoing efforts such as Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) are not incorporated into NextGen documents in the form of research areas or operational improvements. KW - Decision making KW - Implementation KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System Joint Planning & Development Office KW - Partnerships KW - Traffic control centers KW - Workshops UR - http://www.jpdo.gov/library/07122012_AOC_FOC_complete.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247212 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01475833 AU - Rosenhand, Hadar AU - Roth, Emilie AU - Multer, Jordan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Cognitive and Collaborative Demands of Freight Conductor Activities: Results and Implications of a Cognitive Task Analysis PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 72p AB - This report presents the results of a cognitive task analysis (CTA) that examined the cognitive and collaborative demands placed on conductors, as well as the knowledge and skills that experienced conductors have developed that enable them to operate trains safely and efficiently. A secondary aim of the CTA was to understand the implications of the Rail Safety Improvement Act (RSIA) of 2008 regarding the role of the freight conductor, specifically the mandate for conductor certification and implementation of positive train control (PTC). Data were collected through a combination of field observations, phone interviews, and onsite focus group sessions with experienced conductors, locomotive engineers, trainers, and training managers. A primary finding is that conductors and locomotive engineers operate as a joint cognitive system (Woods and Hollnagel, 2006). They not only work together to monitor the operating environment outside the locomotive, they also collaborate in planning activities, problem solving, and identifying and mitigating potential risk. Although the present CTA does not directly address the issue of how new technologies, such as PTC, are likely to impact the role of conductors in the future, the CTA results do identify multiple ways in which conductors contribute to safe and efficient train operation. As new PTC technologies are introduced, it will be important to assess their impact on the various functions conductors perform in support of safe and efficient train operation, as specified in this report. The CTA also uncovered a variety of knowledge and skills that distinguish experienced conductors from less experienced ones. These findings suggest an opportunity to potentially accelerate building conductor expertise through more systematic training opportunities (both on the job and in locomotive cab simulators). The report concludes with open questions and future research needs as yet uncovered by the CTA. KW - Cognition KW - Conductors (Trains) KW - Cooperation KW - Locomotive engineers KW - Positive train control KW - Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 KW - Railroad safety KW - Train operation KW - Training UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46162/TR_Cognitive_Collaborative_Demands_Freight_Conductor_Activities_edited_FINAL_10_9_12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1244518 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01473721 AU - Wu, Xiaolong AU - Englert, Burkhard AU - California Department of Transportation AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multi-Layer Biometric System for the Port of Los Angeles PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 36p AB - The purpose of this project is to study and analyze the existing biometric technology, and propose a multi-layer biometric security system for one of the largest ports on the west coast of the United States, the port of Los Angeles in California. The multi-layer biometric security system contains a new mechanism against impersonation attack based on voice recognition, which will be protecting the port from any outside, unauthorized breach mainly that could be caused by a breach from the transportation medium personals. The multi-layer biometric security system will also create redundancy path in case of one technology is down or misused. The proposed system will mainly work on verification mode; however in case of a breach, it will automatically switch mode to identification mode to try to find a match of identity in the wanted or terrorist databases collected by the different government agencies. KW - Biometrics KW - Identification systems KW - Pattern recognition systems KW - Port of Los Angeles KW - Security KW - Terrorism UR - http://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/Multimodal%20Biometric%20Models%2011-19.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1223091 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470762 AU - Margiotta, Richard AU - Dowling, Rick AU - Paracha, Jawad AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation for Traffic Incident Management Applications PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 54p AB - Traffic incidents are a major source of congestion in both urban and rural areas. Nationally, roughly 25% of total congestion is due to traffic incidents. Further, traffic incidents create unexpected congestion – congestion that occurs in times and places where travelers don’t expect to be delayed – and are therefore a major source of frustration for travelers. Implementing Traffic Incident Management (TIM) strategies has proven to be a highly cost-effective way of treating congestion problems. However, a strong need exists to be able to predict what the impacts of TIM strategies will be at the planning stage of project development and to monitor the effects of TIM programs. To support modeling and evaluation of TIM strategies, this document provides a synthesis of analysis, modeling, and simulation (AMS) methods for incident impacts. The focus is on incidents effects on congestion and reliability as well as secondary incidents, for the purpose of estimating benefits and evaluating programs and proposed strategies. This document covers several specific topics including: a synthesis of AMS methods for incidents, TIM AMS application areas, data required to undertake modeling and evaluations of TIM strategies, and identification of future improvements to TIM AMS applications. KW - Analysis KW - Crashes KW - Highway traffic control KW - Incident management KW - Mathematical models KW - Reliability KW - Secondary crashes KW - Simulation KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic incidents UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12045/fhwahop12045.pdf UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12045/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1238453 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470009 AU - Chen, Genda AU - Zhou, Zhi AU - Xiao, Hai AU - Huang, Ying AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Pilot Study on Rugged Fiber Optic Brillouin Sensors for Large-Strain Measurements to Ensure the Safety of Transportation Structures PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 81p AB - Brillouin-scattering Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (BOTDR) is a viable technology for simultaneous, distributed strain and temperature measurements for miles-long transportation structures. It is a promising tool to ensure the smooth operation and safety of bridge structures that are key links in surface transportation networks or between various transportation modes, for example, from airport to train station. Currently, telecom-grade optical fibers are widely used in civil engineering for strain and temperature measurements. These fibers are very fragile and easy to break during installation and measurement. In order to understand the ultimate behavior of structures, more rugged optical fibers such as carbon/polyimide coated fibers were recently proposed. One laboratory study on two single fibers indicated that new carbon/polyimide coated fibers can sustain a maximum strain of up to 4%, which can survive any local crack in concrete members or buckling in steel members once they are installed on the structural members. This project aimed to characterize the ruggedness and signal loss of various packaged optical fibers and validate their performance as sensors. Among the tested optical fibers, bare single-mode fibers (SMF-28) with uncoated anchoring have the lowest shear strength and the lowest ultimate strain under tension, and are thus not suitable to apply in harsh environments. Polyimide-coated optical fibers have the highest shear strength and the highest ultimate strain under tension, making them the best candidate for civil infrastructure applications. Both glass fiber reinforcing polymer (GFRP) and carbon coated optical fibers are sufficiently rugged to be applied to civil infrastructure. KW - Bridges KW - Carbon fibers KW - Fiber optics KW - Glass fiber reinforced plastics KW - Optical fibers KW - Polymer fibers KW - Ruggedness KW - Sensors KW - Shear strength KW - Strain measurement UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46676/Chen_114_Pilot_Study_COMBINED_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225947 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469992 AU - Chen, Genda AU - Yan, Dongming AU - Wu, Chenglin AU - Leventis, Nicholas AU - Mahadik, Shruti AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Concrete Surface with Nano-Particle Additives for Improved Wearing Resistance to Increasing Truck Traffic PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 42p AB - This study focused on the use of nanotechnology in concrete to improve the wearing resistance of concrete. The nano materials used were polymer cross-linked aerogels, carbon nanotubes, and nano-silicon dioxide (SiO2), nano-calcium carbonate (CaCO3), and nano-aluminium oxide (Al2O3) particles. As an indirect measurement of the concrete wearing resistance, the tensile and compressive properties and the permeability of concrete were evaluated for various mix designs. The optimal amount of nano material additives were determined following the American Society of Testing Methods (ASTM) standard test methodologies. The test results from the materials were compared for their mechanical behaviors. This type of technology may potentially improve the comfort level of passengers, the safety of highway operations, and the efficiency of fuel consumptions. It may also reduce the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) associated with the poor condition of roadways. KW - Admixtures KW - Compression tests KW - Concrete pavements KW - Durability KW - Mechanical properties KW - Mix design KW - Nanostructured materials KW - Permeability KW - Tensile strength UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46677/FlippedPagesChen_441_Concrete_Surface_with_Nano_Particle_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225946 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469935 AU - Mulinazzi, Thomas E AU - Schrock, Steven D AU - Fitzsimmons, Eric J AU - Rescot, Robert A AU - University of Kansas, Lawrence AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Preliminary Appraisal of the Safety and Operational Effects on the Regional Transportation System Caused by New Rail-Truck Intermodal Facilities PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 135p AB - Potential for impacts to a small Kansas city were evaluated in light of a planned rail to truck intermodal facility. The city of Edgerton, Kansas, was selected for an intermodal terminal in 2006 by a Class I railroad due to its regional proximity to the Kansas City market and market conditions favorable to such a facility. Through an analysis of various reports and literature along with original traffic, railroad, and environmental data, along with citizen feedback, the framework was laid to be able to compare the impacts of the facility to a snapshot in time prior to its opening. KW - Edgerton (Kansas) KW - Environmental impact analysis KW - Freight traffic KW - Impact studies KW - Intermodal facilities KW - Intermodal terminals KW - Railroad traffic KW - Safety factors KW - Truck traffic UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46668/FlippedPagesMulinazzi_121_Combined.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225861 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469920 AU - Nowak, Andrzej S AU - Rakoczy, Anna M AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of System Reliability Models for Railway Bridges PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 212p AB - Performance of the railway transportation network depends on the reliability of railway bridges, which can be affected by various forms of deterioration and extreme environmental conditions. More than half of the railway bridges in the United States were built before 1950 and many show signs of distress. There is a need for efficient methods to evaluate the safety reserve in the railway bridges by identification of the most sensitive parts of the bridge. An accurate estimation of remaining fatigue life of a structural component is very important in prioritizing bridge rehabilitation and replacement. However, existing procedures to evaluate the fatigue behavior of bridges are based on estimation rather than the exact formulas because the load and the resistance models contain many uncertainties. Therefore, probabilistic methods are the most convenient way to provide levels of safety for various design cases. The objective of this study is to develop a reliability model for railway bridges, in particular for the fatigue and strength limit states. It will be demonstrated on two through-plate girder structures. The research involved nonlinear finite element method (FEM) analysis of typical railway bridges, development of statistical parameters of live load and resistance, and calculation of a reliability index for various considered conditions. The findings of this research with final conclusions will serve as a basis for the development of more rational provisions for the design and evaluation of railway bridges. KW - Fatigue tests KW - Finite element method KW - Load tests KW - Railroad bridges KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Reliability KW - Strength of materials KW - Structural analysis UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46675/Nowack_426_FINAL_COMBINED_REVISITED_10-26.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225948 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469911 AU - Xiao, Hai AU - Chen, Genda AU - Gao, Zhan AU - Huang, Ying AU - Tang, Fujian AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Initial Study and Verification of a Distributed Fiber Optic Corrosion Monitoring System for Transportation Structures PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 62p AB - For this study, a novel optical fiber sensing system was developed and tested for the monitoring of corrosion in transportation systems. The optical fiber sensing system consists of a reference long period fiber gratings (LPFG) sensor for corrosive environmental monitoring and a LPFG sensor coated with a thin film of nano iron and silica particles for steel corrosion monitoring. The environmental effects (such as pH and temperature) are compensated by the use of the reference LPFG sensor. The sensor design, simulation, and experimental validation were performed in this study to investigate the feasibility of the proposed sensing system for corrosion and environment monitoring. The detailed investigations of the proposed sensing system showed that within the detection limitation of the thin coated layer, the proposed sensor could monitor both the initial and stable corrosion rate consistently. Compared to the traditional electrochemical method, the proposed optical fiber sensing system has a converter coefficient of 1 nm/day=3.746×10-3 A/cm2. Therefore, the proposed nano iron/silica particles dispersed polyurethane coated optical fiber sensor can monitor the critical corrosion information of the host members in real time and remotely. With multiple LPFGs in a single fiber, it is possible to provide a cost effective, distributed monitoring solution for corrosion monitoring of large scale transportation structures. KW - Corrosion KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Fiber optics KW - Monitoring KW - Sensors KW - Steel structures KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46673/Xiao_345_COMBINED_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225880 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458070 AU - Abdel-Rahim, Ahmed AU - Dixon, Michael AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Expanding the City of Moscow Field Lab Data Collection Capabilities PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 32p AB - The city of Moscow signal integration project, completed at the end of 2009, improved the city’s traffic signal system by connecting the city’s 17 signalized intersections with a fiber optic network, upgrading the cabinets to TS2 Type 1 cabinets and the controllers to NEMA TS2 IP-based controllers, and installing centralized control software to manage the city’s traffic signal system. As part of the project, National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology traffic controller labs were connected to the city’s traffic signal system through a direct fiber optic link to create a field lab environment capable of collecting real-time traffic operation data. As an expansion to the project, 6 of the city’s 17 intersections are equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras connected to the state communications system. In this project, the authors expanded the city of Moscow’s field lab data collection capabilities by instrumenting the intersections in the city to record high resolution signal and detector status data. KW - Data collection KW - Data logging KW - Moscow (Idaho) KW - Real time information KW - Television cameras KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal controllers UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK723_N12-13.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46620/KLK723_N12-13.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225670 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458069 AU - Den Braven, Karen R AU - Abdel-Rahim, Ahmed AU - Henrickson, Kristian AU - Battles, Amanda AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling Vehicle Fuel Consumption and Emissions at Signalized Intersection Approaches: Integrating Field-Collected Data Into Microscopic Simulation PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 59p AB - Microscopic models produce emissions and fuel consumption estimates with higher temporal resolution than other scales of models. Most emissions and fuel consumption models were developed with data from dynamometer testing which are sufficiently accurate for macroscopic level emissions inventories. The primary goal of this project is to improve the microscopic modeling of emission and fuel consumption by integrating detailed vehicle data into the simulation. The proposed approach combines a microscopic traffic simulation model (VISSIM) with detailed emissions and fuel consumption data that is either collected in the field or obtained from an existing emission inventory dataset. The project also examines the possibility of using the vehicle’s on-board diagnostic board (OBD) to record real-time engine and emissions data at a high temporal resolution. The outcome of this project provides transportation operators with a model that is capable of reliably estimating the environmental impact of various traffic management policies at the microscopic modeling level and would fill a gap that currently exists in traffic modeling capabilities. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Highway traffic control KW - Microsimulation KW - Pollutants KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic models KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK721_N12-12.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46619/KLK721_N12-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225669 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458030 AU - Strong, Aaron AU - Sikka, Nikhil AU - Salvatore, Lindsay AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Impacts of the Chicago River Closure to Prevent an Asian Carp Infestation PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 34p AB - This project develops a simple linear programming model of the Upper Midwest regions rail transportation network to test whether a closure of the Chicago River to freight traffic would impact the capacity constraint of the rail system. The result suggest that the rail network in the Upper Midwest regions are nowhere near approaching capacity and that a closure would have little impact on the rail network. Two noteworthy sets of commodities may be adversely affected, cereal grains and other agricultural product and gravel and crushed stone. KW - Chicago River KW - Fishes KW - Impacts KW - Invasive species KW - Railroad capacity KW - Railroad transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46641/Strong_477_Asian_Carp_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225562 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458020 AU - Parsons, Robert AU - Jowkar, Milad AU - Han, Jie AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - University of Kansas, Lawrence AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance of Geogrid Reinforced Ballast under Dynamic Loading PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 133p AB - Railroad ballast consists of open graded crushed stone used as a bed for railroad track to provide stability. Over time, ballast degrades and loses its strength. Fouling of ballast with fines has been a major issue of railway engineering. In this experimental study, a full-scale railroad section 5 ft in length was constructed with and without geogrid reinforcement. A full-scale trapezoidal cross-section of a railroad was built. The subgrade was covered with 2 ft of ballast 9 ft wide at the top and sloped down on both sides on a 2:1 slope. The track panel ties were embedded in the ballast to a depth of 7 in. The reinforced test section that had geogrid placed 7 in. below the tie performed better than the unreinforced test section in regards to settlement and fouling of ballast. Settlement of the reinforced test section between the ties and geogrid was reduced by 37 to 65 percent compared with the settlement of the same portion of the unreinforced test section. The percentage of rock dust and small diameter particles generated by ballast breakdown beneath the ties was less for the reinforced test section than for the unreinforced test section. KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Dynamic loads KW - Geogrids KW - Performance KW - Reinforcing materials KW - Subgrade (Pavements) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46640/Parsons_363_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225561 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457330 AU - Abdel-Rahim, Ahmed AU - Sonnen, Joseph AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Idaho Transportation Department AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Potential Safety Effects of Lane Width and Shoulder Width on Two-Lane Rural State Highways in Idaho PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 52p AB - This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the relationship between crash rates and shoulder width and lane width for two-lane rural state highways in Idaho. Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) for shoulder width and lane width were developed using Idaho crash data covering the period from 1993 to 2010. The CMFs developed as part of this project will allow Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) to assess the potential safety benefits of shoulder widening projects. In addition to all crashes, models for single-vehicle and multiple-vehicle crashes were also developed. The CMFs presented in this study follow the general trends of prior knowledge and research. The results of the analysis showed that there is no significant difference between 12 ft lanes and 11 ft lanes in terms of safety for all types of crashes. The CMF for highways with 11 ft lanes was 1.02 indicating a marginal 2 % increase in all crashes in comparison to highways with standard 12 ft lanes. The CMFs for highways with very small shoulders (less than 1 ft) were 1.16, 1.17, and 1.15 for all crashes, single-vehicle crashes, and multiple-vehicle crashes, respectively. This corresponds to an average increase in crashes of 16 % when compared to highways with a 3-ft shoulder width. For highway sections with a shoulder width of 8 ft or more, the CMFs were 0.87, 0.90, and 0.83 for all crashes, single-vehicle crashes, and multiple-vehicle crashes, respectively, indicating an average reduction in crashes of approximately 13 % when compared to highways with a 3 ft shoulder width. Idaho’s crash data was also used to investigate the characteristics of pedestrian and bicycle crashes on two-lane rural highways. The results show that roadway sections with a right paved shoulder width of 4 ft to 6 ft had the lowest number of pedestrian and bicycle crashes. The probability for a pedestrian/bicycle crash increases significantly for roadway sections with shoulder widths less than 3 ft. The likelihood of a crash also increases for roadway sections with shoulder widths of 8 ft or more. KW - Bicycle crashes KW - Crash rates KW - Highway safety KW - Idaho KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Road shoulders KW - Rural highways KW - Traffic lanes KW - Two lane highways KW - Width UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46300/46364/RP200Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225523 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457145 AU - Ley, Tyler AU - Cook, Daniel AU - Fick, Gary AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Iowa Department of Transportation TI - Concrete Pavement Mixture Design and Analysis (MDA): Effect of Aggregate Systems on Concrete Properties PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 47p AB - For years, specifications have focused on the water to cement ratio (w/cm) and strength of concrete, despite the majority of the volume of a concrete mixture consisting of aggregate. An aggregate distribution of roughly 60% coarse aggregate and 40% fine aggregate, regardless of gradation and availability of aggregates, has been used as the norm for a concrete pavement mixture. Efforts to reduce the costs and improve sustainability of concrete mixtures have pushed owners to pay closer attention to mixtures with a well-graded aggregate particle distribution. In general, workability has many different variables that are independent of gradation, such as paste volume and viscosity, aggregate's shape, and texture. A better understanding of how the properties of aggregates affect the workability of concrete is needed. The effects of aggregate characteristics on concrete properties, such as ability to be vibrated, strength, and resistivity, were investigated using mixtures in which the paste content and the w/cm were held constant. The results showed the different aggregate proportions, the maximum nominal aggregate sizes, and combinations of different aggregates all had an impact on the performance in the strength, slump, and box test. KW - Admixtures KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Aggregates KW - Concrete pavements KW - Viscosity KW - Water cement ratio KW - Workability UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/14950/1/IA_DOT_TPF-5%28205%29_InTrans_mda_aggregates.pdf UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/mda_aggregates_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225092 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457133 AU - Taylor, Peter C AU - Yurdakul, Ezgi AU - Ceylan, Halil AU - Bektas, Fatih AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Iowa Department of Transportation TI - Development of Performance Properties of Ternary Mixtures and Concrete Pavement Mixture Design and Analysis (MDA): Effect of Paste Quality on Fresh and Hardened Properties of Ternary Mixtures PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 57p AB - The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cement paste quality on the concrete performance, particularly fresh properties, by changing the water-to-cementitious materials ratio (w/cm), type and dosage of supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), and air-void system in binary and ternary mixtures. In this experimental program, a total matrix of 54 mixtures with w/cm of 0.40 and 0.45; target air content of 2%, 4%, and 8%; a fixed cementitious content of 600 pounds per cubic yard (pcy), and the incorporation of three types of SCMs at different dosages was prepared. The fine aggregate-to-total aggregate ratio was fixed at 0.42. Workability, rheology, air-void system, setting time, strength, Wenner Probe surface resistivity, and shrinkage were determined. The effects of paste variables on workability are more marked at the higher w/cm. The compressive strength is strongly influenced by the paste quality, dominated by w/cm and air content. Surface resistivity is improved by inclusion of Class F fly ash and slag cement, especially at later ages. Ternary mixtures performed in accordance with their ingredients. The data collected will be used to develop models that will be part of an innovative mix proportioning procedure. KW - Admixtures KW - Air voids KW - Compressive strength KW - Concrete pavements KW - Fresh concrete KW - Mix design KW - Water cement ratio KW - Workability UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/14948/1/IA_DOT_TPF-5%28205%29_InTrans_mda_guide_spec_commentary.pdf UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/ternary_mda_paste_quality_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225093 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457104 AU - Sheedy, Patrick AU - Peterman, Robert J AU - Kansas State University Transportation Center AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Alleviating Concrete Placement Issues Due to Congestion of Reinforcement in Post-Tensioned Haunch-Slab Bridges PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 148p AB - A flowable hybrid concrete mix with a spread of 17 to 20 inches was created with a superplasticizer to be used in post-tension haunch-slab (PTHS) bridges where rebar congestion is heaviest. The mix would allow for proper concrete consolidation. A conventional concrete mix with a slump of three to four inches was also created to be placed on top of the hybrid mix. The conventional mix would be used to create a sloping surface on the top of the concrete. The two mixes could be combined in the PTHS bridge deck and act as one monolithic specimen. Standard concrete tests such as compressive strength, tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, permeability, freeze/thaw resistance, and coefficient of thermal expansion were determined for the mixes and compared. Core blocks were cast using both mixes and composite cores were drilled. The cores were tested and their composite split-tensile strengths were compared to the split-tensile strengths of cylinders made from the respective mixes. A third concrete mix was made by increasing the superplasticizer dosage in the hybrid concrete mix to create a self-consolidating concrete (SCC) mix with a 24-inch spread. The SCC mix was created as a worst-case scenario and used in the determination of shear friction. Eighty-four push-off shear friction specimens were cast using the SCC mix. Joint conditions for the specimens included uncracked, pre-cracked, and cold-joints. Uncracked and pre-cracked specimens used both epoxy- and nonepoxy-coated shear stirrups. Cold-joint specimens used both the SCC mix and the conventional concrete mix. Joint-conditions of the cold-joint specimens included a one-hour cast time, a seven-day joint with a clean shear interface, and a seven-day joint with an oiled shear interface. The shear friction specimens were tested using a pure shear method and their results were compared to the current American Concrete Institute code equation. KW - Admixtures KW - Bridge design KW - Compressive strength KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Mix design KW - Posttensioning KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Self compacting concrete UR - https://idmweb.ksdot.org/PublicLib/publicDoc.asp?ID=003820959 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46231/KSU087_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224263 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457052 AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - Murphy, Michael R AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Procedural Document Describing the Process of Developing the 4-year Plan PY - 2012/07 SP - 12p AB - The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is responsible for a vast managed pavement network: 79,991 centerline miles of highways and 49,829 bridges. Rider 55 of the appropriations bill for TxDOT requires that prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the department provide the Legislative Budget Board and the Governor with a detailed plan for the use of these funds. This plan should include, but is not limited to, a district-by-district analysis of pavement score targets and how proposed maintenance spending will impact pavement scores in each District. To fulfill this requirement, TxDOT and its Districts develop the 4-year pavement management plans and update the plans every year. The plans are used to predict the future conditions of pavements and analyze the impact of the appropriated funding on the conditions of the pavements. To support the TxDOT Districts in developing the 4-year pavement management plans, this report presents a procedural process to guide the Districts in plan development KW - Budgeting KW - Financing KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/5_9035_01_p8.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224261 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457035 AU - Taylor, Peter AU - Tikalsky, Paul AU - Wang, Kejin AU - Fick, Gary AU - Wang, Xuhao AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Iowa Department of Transportation TI - Development of Performance Properties of Ternary Mixtures: Field Demonstrations and Project Summary PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 332p AB - Supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) have become common parts of modern concrete practice. The blending of two or three cementitious materials to optimize durability, strength, or economics provides owners, engineers, materials suppliers, and contractors with substantial advantages over mixtures containing only portland cement. However, these advances in concrete technology and engineering have not always been adequately captured in specifications for concrete. Users need specific guidance to assist them in defining the performance requirements for a concrete application and the selection of optimal proportions of the cementitious materials needed to produce the required durable concrete. The fact that blended cements are currently available in many regions increases options for mixtures and thus can complicate the selection process. Both portland and blended cements have already been optimized by the manufacturer to provide specific properties (such as setting time, shrinkage, and strength gain). The addition of SCMs (as binary, ternary, or even more complex mixtures) can alter these properties, and therefore has the potential to impact the overall performance and applications of concrete. This report is the final of a series of publications describing a project aimed at addressing effective use of ternary systems. The work was conducted in several stages and individual reports have been published at the end of each stage. KW - Admixtures KW - Demonstration projects KW - Durability KW - Portland cement KW - Setting (Concrete) KW - Shrinkage KW - Strength of materials KW - Ternary mixtures UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/ternary_final_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224273 ER - TY - SER AN - 01456853 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Long, Jim AU - Anderson, Andrew AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improved Design for Driven Piles on a Pile Load Test Program in Illinois PY - 2012/07 IS - 12-011 SP - 677p AB - Dynamic pile testing and one static load test was performed in accordance with Illinois Center for Transportation (ICT) project R27-69, “Improved Design for Driven Piles Based on a Pile Load Test Program in Illinois.” The objectives of this project are to (1) increase the maximum nominal required bearing that designers can specify to reduce the number and/or weight of piles, (2) decrease the difference between estimated and driven pile lengths to reduce cutoffs and splice lengths by development of local bias factors for predictive methods used in design, (3) increase reliance of pile setup to increase the factored resistance available to designers, (4) reduce the risk of pile driving damage during construction, and (5) increase the resistance factor (decrease in factor of safety) based on increased data and confidence from load tests in and near Illinois. Project deliverables can be categorized as (1) better prediction methods for stresses during driving, (2) better prediction methods for pile capacities using resistance factors for driven piling based on local calibrations that consider the effects of pile setups, and (3) collections of static and dynamic load test data focused on Illinois soils and geology. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Dynamic tests KW - Illinois KW - Load tests KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Pile driving KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Static loads UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2142/45809 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224924 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456591 AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - Murphy, Michael R AU - Wu, Hui AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - User Guides for PPMM and GIS for PMIS: Final Report PY - 2012/07 SP - 16p AB - This CD-ROM is presented in two parts. Part A: "The Pavement Performance and Maintenance Management (PPMM) is a web-based application that aims to use the existing data from the Pavement Management Information Systems (PMIS) database to monitor and analyze current pavement performance. PPMM comprises two primary tools: Section Tool and Network Tool." Part B: "This document introduces users to the steps involved with accessing the web-based dynamic information system and using its various features to access the information. The dynamic information system offers tools for viewing and querying the spatial and attribute data on the state highway network as retrieved from PMIS. Those tools can be used to perform spatial analysis tasks, such as selecting and buffering features, and to analyze information. The following sections will discuss how to use those tools to retrieve the information." KW - Computer program documentation KW - Geographic information systems KW - Information retrieval KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Spatial analysis UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/digitized/ctr/5-9035-01-P2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224982 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01455828 AU - Gentry, Lance AU - Heartland Market Research LLC AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Report Card from Missourians - 2012 PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 129p AB - Overall statewide satisfaction with Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and additional feedback about MoDOT’s operations was obtained from a representative sample of the general adult public in Missouri. A professional calling center was engaged to obtain a diverse sample across Missouri. Specific minimums were given, such as 500 responses per district, with gender and age-range targets for each county in Missouri. 3,554 completed responses were obtained between May 7, 2012 and May 30, 2012. With the exception of the demographic questions (age, gender, and voting), all statewide results presented in this document are weighted results. The data was weighted in accordance with the true distribution of the regional population in terms of geographic (county), gender, and age distributions using the most recent (2010) US government census information available. Following past practice, all district measures presented in this document are unweighted. With a minimum of 500 responses per district, the district measures have a 95% level of confidence with a precision (margin of error) of +/- 4.4%. The statewide results for the stratified-random sample of 3,554 Missourians have a 95% level of confidence with a precision of +/- 1.6%. KW - Customer satisfaction KW - Demographics KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Missouri KW - Missouri Department of Transportation KW - Performance measurement KW - Public opinion KW - Ratings KW - State departments of transportation KW - Surveys KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/tryy1228/tryy1228RFM_SWRC.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46986/tryy1228RFM_SWRC.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1223598 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454648 AU - Lee, Doh-Won AU - Johnson, Jeremy AU - Lv, Jinpeng AU - Novak, Kristen AU - Zietsman, Josias AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Comparisons Between Vehicular Emissions from Real-World In-Use Testing and EPA MOVES Estimation PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 50p AB - This research study developed a methodology to perform mandatory dynamometer vehicular emissions tests on real roads, performed on-road emissions tests, and compared the test results to the estimates using the current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions estimation model. Currently, mandatory vehicular exhaust emission tests are performed on chassis or engine dynamometers using the Federal Test Procedure (FTP)/Supplemental Federal Test Procedure (SFTP) drive schedules. Based on the developed real-world in-use emissions testing methodology with using a modified test vehicle, authors could follow the FTP/SFTP drive schedules while the vehicle was driven on real roads, and measure emissions during the in-use on-road FTP/SFTP emissions testing. Emissions from the vehicle during the testing were measured, analyzed, and compared to estimated emissions using the current EPA emissions estimation model, MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES). The authors observed discrepancies between the measured data and the MOVES estimates, especially when associated with cold-start emissions. More detailed analysis results, along with the detailed test methodologies, are provided in this report. KW - Dynamometers KW - Emissions testing KW - Exhaust gases KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - On-road emissions KW - Pollutants KW - Real world data UR - http://d2dtl5nnlpfr0r.cloudfront.net/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/476660-00021-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1223274 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454138 AU - Shah, Ayesha AU - McDaniel, Rebecca S AU - Olek, Jan AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Continued Monitoring of Indiana's SPS9-A Site PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 40p AB - This study was initiated to continue monitoring the performance of five test sections placed in 1997 to compare the performance of Superpave asphalt mixtures with different binder grades and one test section designed using the Marshall mix design method. A previous study had evaluated the performance of these test sections for four years after construction. This study extended that evaluation period to 12 years. During that time period, cores were taken from each test section at 9.5 and 12 years in service. Cores were tested and analyzed to determine the volumetrics and low temperature cracking behavior of the mixtures. Additional cores were used to extract, recover and test the binder in the mixtures. Results showed that the air void content in the mixtures did continue to decrease up to about nine years, then it appears to have leveled off. Aging (stiffening) of the unmodified binders was observed through Dynamic Shear Rheometer testing of the recovered binders but not by the penetration test. The modified binder did not exhibit the same level of aging as the unmodified binders. Aging also affected the recovered low temperature binder grade of four of the six binders, but the other two seemed relatively insensitive to aging at low temperatures. Testing of field cores showed that all of the mixtures would be expected to show thermal cracking at 9.5 years and beyond; this was confirmed by field distress surveys. The mix with polymer modified binder showed the greatest amount of cracking, which began at an early age in the field; this was not expected and did not correlate well with the lab testing results for unknown reasons. The mix with 15% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) was slightly stiffer than a companion control mix without RAP, but the difference in predicted cracking temperature was only 1 ‐ 2°C for the surface mixes. Based on these results, Indiana Department of Transportation can continue to use Superpave mixes with confidence, especially when considering the fact that Superpave has continued to evolve and be refined since this project was constructed. The mixture with RAP has performed about as well as the virgin mixtures under heavy interstate traffic. KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Air voids KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Binders KW - Cores (Specimens) KW - Cracking KW - Indiana KW - Low temperature KW - Marshall mix design KW - Pavement performance KW - Recycled materials KW - Superpave KW - Volumetric analysis UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314983 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46400/46412/fulltext.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46400/46413/Technical_Summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1222729 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454113 AU - Salari, Ezzatollah AU - Chou, Eddie AU - Lynch, James J AU - University of Toledo AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Pavement Distress Evaluation using 3D Depth Information from Stereo Vision PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 42p AB - During the last few decades, many efforts have been made to produce automatic inspection systems to meet the specific requirements in assessing distress on road surfaces using video cameras and image processing algorithms. However, due to the noisy images from pavement surfaces, limited success was accomplished. One major issue with pure video based systems is their inability to discriminate dark areas not caused by pavement distress, such as, tire marks, oil spills, shadows, and recent fillings. To overcome the limitation of the conventional imaging based methods, a probabilistic relaxation technique based on 3-dimensional (3D) information is proposed in this report. The primary goal of this technique is to integrate conventional image processing techniques with stereovision technology to obtain an accurate topological structure of the road defects. In addition, a road scene often contains other objects such as grass, trees and buildings which should be separated from the pavement. Therefore the earlier algorithm has been enhanced to extract the pavement region from a road scene using a Support Vector Machine (SVM). Various types of cracks are then obtained from the pavement surface images and classified using a feed-forward neural network. The proposed algorithms are implemented in MATLAB and the results are presented. The second half of the document includes a report detailing the development of a software package that would allow the user to review digital photographs of pavement, evaluate that pavement by the PASER method, store the results in a database, and then make decisions based on the results of that analysis. The computer interface and analysis portion of the software was written in Microsoft Visual BASIC 2008. The long-term goals of this project include linking the evaluation results to a geographical information system database and developing various reporting strategies. KW - Algorithms KW - Digitized photography KW - Highway maintenance KW - Image processing KW - PASER KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement management systems KW - Software KW - Stereovision KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Three dimensional imaging UR - http://mioh-utc.udmercy.edu/research/ts-43/pdf/MIOH_UTC_TS43_2012-Final_Rpt_Pavement_Distress_Evaluation_Using_3D_Depth_etc.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46119/MIOH_UTC_TS43_2012-Final_Rpt_Pavement_Distress_Evaluation_Using_3D_Depth_etc.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218637 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454104 AU - Maloney, Thomas C AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - The Collection of Ice in Jet A-1 Fuel Pipes PY - 2012/07//Technical Thesis SP - 118p AB - This study seeks to understand the underlying principles of ice growth in fuel flow systems. Tests were performed in a recirculated fuel system with a fuel tank that held approximately 115 gallons of Jet A-1 fuel, and ice accumulation was observed in two removable test pipes. The setup was in an altitude chamber capable of reaching -60°F, and the experiments involved full scale flow components. Initially, tests were performed (stage I) to better understand the system and the variables that affected accumulation. First, initial conditions within the test pipes were varied. Also, pipe geometry, pipe surface properties, initial water content of the fuel, and heat transfer from the fuel pipe were varied. As a result of the tests, observations were made about other effects involved in the study. The effects include the result of sequentially run tests, the effect of the fuel on the freezing temperature of the entrained water, the effect of ice accumulation on pipe welds, and the effect of the test pipe entrance and exit flow conditions on ice accumulation. The results of initial tests were qualitative. Later quantitative tests were performed (stage II) to demonstrate the dependence of temperature, Reynolds number, and heat transfer on ice accumulation. Tests were quantified with a pressure increase across the pipe sections that was normalized by the expected theoretical initial pressure. As a result of these tests the effect of contamination in the fuel was revealed. The results of stage I showed that accumulation of soft ice was greatest when a layer of hard ice had initially formed on the pipe surface. Stainless steel collected more ice than Teflon®, and there was a lack of a preferential accumulation region downstream of a pipe bend. A greater heat transfer from the pipe increased ice accumulation for aluminum that was made rough with 80-grit sand paper and for Teflon. Water collected in the pipe system as the number of tests increased and the freeze temperature of either the hard or soft ice was about 0°C. Finally, results of stage I tests showed that stainless steel pipe welds were a preferred sight for ice to accumulate. Repeatability was done first in stage II, and the normalized pressure increase for two 3/4″ uninsulated pipe tests were within 7%. Normalized pressure increased across a pipe as the Reynolds number decreased. A 50% increase in the Reynolds number led to a 40% decrease in characteristic normalized pressure increase (CNPI). Tests were performed at three temperatures, and ice accumulated the most at -11°C. The CNPI at -11°C was about 3 times greater than the CNPI at -7.4°C and about 60 times greater than the CNPI at -19.4°C. A greater heat transfer from the fuel pipe increased ice accumulation. For the amount of time that the tests ran, the total normalized pressure increase was about 0.9 greater for an uninsulated pipe than for an insulated pipe. Contamination in the fuel increased the amount of soft ice that collected in the system. The CNPI for the more contaminated fuel was more than double the case with less contaminated fuel. Possible solutions for the prevention or decrease of ice accumulation in aircraft fuel systems based on the results of this study are insulated pipes, a change in the type of pipe material, a higher fuel flow rate, and cleaner fuel. The fuel temperature could also be altered to avoid temperatures where the most ice accumulates. KW - Aircraft fuels KW - Aviation safety KW - Fuel system components KW - Ice prevention KW - Icing KW - Jet propelled aircraft KW - Pipe UR - http://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/pdf/TC-TT12-29.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218521 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454100 AU - Safronava, Natallia AU - Lyon, Richard AU - Technology & Management International, LLC AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Combustion Characteristics of Adhesive Compounds Used in the Construction of Aircraft Cabin Materials PY - 2012/07//Technical Note SP - 25p AB - Adhesives are widely used in the aviation industry to construct lightweight and fatigue resistant aircraft cabin materials. Presently, there is no separate requirement for the flammability of adhesives, potting compounds, and fillers used in construction of cabin materials. The Flammability Standardization Task Group is an aircraft industry group that has proposed testing adhesives using the 12- and 60-second Vertical Bunsen Burner (VBB) Fire Tests requirements for cabin materials in Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 25.853 to demonstrate that new adhesives have similar flammability to those used in certified cabin materials. Cabin materials pass or fail the VBB tests based on criteria for burn length, after-flame time, and time required for flaming drips to extinguish. The present study was conducted to determine whether the microscale combustion calorimeter (MCC) could also be used to establish similarity of aircraft adhesives, potting compounds, and fillers. To this end, thermal combustion properties were measured by MCC for 37 adhesives, edge fillers, and potting compounds, and the results were compared to VBB ratings to determine whether the former could be used to predict the latter. KW - Adhesives KW - Aircraft cabins KW - Aviation safety KW - Combustion KW - Flammability KW - Flammability tests KW - Microscale combustion calorimetry KW - Vertical Bunsen Burner Fire Test UR - http://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/pdf/TN12-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218531 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454030 AU - Hallmark, Shauna L AU - Hawkins, Neal AU - Smadi, Omar AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Consortium AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Low-Cost Treatments on Rural Two-Lane Curves PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 44p AB - The objective of this project was to evaluate low-cost measures to reduce speeds on high-crash horizontal curves. The researchers evaluated two low-cost treatments in Iowa to determine their effectiveness in reducing speeds on rural two-lane roadways. This report summarizes how the research team selected sites and collected data, and the results. The team selected six sites. Retroreflective post treatments were added to existing chevrons at four sites and on-pavement curve markings were added at two sites. The researchers collected speed data before and after installation of the two treatments. The study compared several speed metrics to assess the effectiveness of the treatments. Overall, both were moderately effective in reducing speeds. The most significant impact of the treatments was in reducing the percentage of vehicles traveling over the posted or advisory speed by 5, 10, 15, or 20 or more mph. This result suggests that the treatments are most effective in reducing high-end speeds. KW - Countermeasures KW - High risk locations KW - Highway curves KW - Iowa KW - Low cost KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Rural highways KW - Speed control KW - Two lane highways UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/low-cost_treatments_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218115 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449554 AU - Broach, Dana AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Incremental Validity of Biographical Data in the Prediction of En Route Air Traffic Control Specialist Technical Skills PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 16p AB - Research has demonstrated that an empirically-keyed, response-option scored biographical data (biodata) scale predicted supervisory ratings of air traffic control specialist (ATCS) job performance (Dean & Broach, 2011). This research focused on the validity of scores on the Controller Background Assessment Survey (CBAS) in predicting an objective, computerized measure of en route controller technical skills. The analysis was conducted in two steps. First, computerized aptitude test battery (AT-SAT) scores for 229 en route controllers were regressed on the Computer-Based Performance Measure (CBPM). Second, biodata scores were entered into the equation. AT-SAT scores accounted for 27% of variance in the criterion measure (β=0.520, adjusted R 2 =.271, p<.001). Biodata accounted for an additional 2% of the variance in CBPM (β=0.134; adjusted ΔR 2 =0.016, ΔF=5.040, p<.05). The empirically-keyed, response-option scored biodata scale demonstrated incremental validity over the computerized aptitude test battery in predicting scores representing the core technical skills of en route controllers. Utility analysis suggested that even a small increment in validity was likely to have substantial organizational utility, given the high applicant volume and ATCS training costs. Further research to examine the relationship of CBAS scores to training outcomes at the Federal Aviation Administration Academy and in field ATC facilities is recommended. KW - Air traffic controllers KW - Aptitude tests KW - Biographical factors KW - Performance prediction KW - Professional skills KW - Quality of work KW - Selection and appointment KW - Validity UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201208.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45873/201208.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1216285 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449527 AU - R G W Cherry & Associates Limited AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - A Research Study Into the More Pertinent Features of Small Commercial Airplanes Affecting Emergency Evacuation PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 91p AB - The majority of evacuation research has been directed toward large transport airplanes. The significant factors in evacuation from smaller transport airplanes are less generally understood. In addition to this, evacuation demonstrations are only required for airplanes certificated under CAR Chapter 525/14 CFR Part 25 with a passenger seating capacity of more than 44 passengers (CAR 525.803 (c)/14 CFR 25.803 (c)). This study is intended to determine the features of smaller transport airplanes that are pertinent to evacuation by conducting an evaluation of cabin safety and evacuation regulations, an inspection of several smaller airplanes, and a review of smaller airplane past accident evacuation issues. The report covers aspects that directly and indirectly influence an emergency evacuation, with emphasis on the differences and constraints that the design or operation of smaller airplanes may impose. These aspects include doors and emergency exits, evacuation flow and emergency exit access, flight attendants, assist means, interior emergency lighting and marking, communication system, emergency equipment requirement, and survivability factors. KW - Aviation safety KW - Civil aircraft KW - Emergency exits KW - Evacuation KW - Federal Aviation Regulations KW - Small aircraft UR - http://www.fire.tc.faa.gov/pdf/AR09-31.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217151 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449132 AU - Bien-Aime, Patrick AU - Carroll, Anya A AU - daSilva, Marco AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - North Carolina “Sealed Corridor” Phase IV Assessment – Private Crossings PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 49p AB - The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Railroad Administration tasked the USDOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to document the success of the safety improvements at private highway-rail grade crossings along the Charlotte to Raleigh portion of the Southeast High-Speed Rail (SEHSR) Corridor. This set of safety improvements, implemented during Phase IV of North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Sealed Corridor project, targeted the private crossings along that segment of the SEHSR corridor. The Sealed Corridor program aimed at improving or consolidating every highway-rail grade crossing, public and private, along the Charlotte to Raleigh rail route. The research on the Sealed Corridor private crossings, conducted from October 2008 to February 2010, assessed the progress made at the 44 crossings between Charlotte and Raleigh that have been treated with improved warning devices or closed from 1990 through 2008. Two approaches were used to describe benefits in terms of lives saved: a fatal crash analysis to derive estimated lives saved and prediction of lives saved based on the reduction of risk at the treated crossings. Both methods estimated that over 1.5 lives have been potentially saved at private crossings as a result of the 44 improvements implemented through 2008. Analysis also shows that the resulting reduction in incidents, as a result of the crossing improvements, is sustainable through 2010, when anticipated exposure and train speeds along the corridor will increase. KW - Grade crossing closure KW - Improvements KW - North Carolina KW - Private property KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Safety KW - Warning devices UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/2187 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46031/TR_NorthCarolina_SealedCorridor_PhaseIV_AssessmentPrivateCrossingsJuly2012_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1216930 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449077 AU - Thomas, M D A AU - Fournier, B AU - Folliard, K J AU - Resendez, Y A AU - Transtec Group, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Alkali-Silica Reactivity Surveying and Tracking Guidelines PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 35p AB - This document is intended to serve as guidelines for State highway agencies (SHAs) to survey and track transportation infrastructure affected by alkali-silica reactivity (ASR). The focus of the guidelines is to assist engineers, inspectors, and users in tracking and surveying ASR-induced expansion and cracking in bridges, pavements, and tunnels. The guidelines are simple and are intended to collect, quantify, and rank typical signs of ASR distress, based primarily on visual inspection. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Concrete KW - Condition surveys KW - Cracking KW - Expansion KW - Inspection KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement maintenance UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/asr/pubs/hif12046.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1216372 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448972 AU - Rajbhandari, Rajat AU - Villa, Juan AU - Macias, Roberto AU - Tate, William AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Battelle Memorial Institute AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Border-Wide Assessment of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Technology—Current and Future Concepts – Final Report PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 130p AB - The purpose of this effort was to conduct a border-wide assessment of the use of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies and operational concepts at and near land border crossings between the U.S. and Mexico. The work focused on tolling, traffic management and operations, and safety. The specific objectives of this project were to research, assess and document how ITS technologies can be used in areas of: (1) Toll collection and management in border regions, identifying technology used, system components, and any special data sharing arrangements between the two countries; (2) Transportation operations and traffic management in US/MX border regions; (3) Transportation safety policy and operations; (4) Traffic management, traffic operation and traffic enforcement on tolled roads/tolled border-crossing roads; and (5) Archiving toll and traffic management data. KW - Border crossings KW - Border regions KW - Data sharing KW - Highway operations KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mexico KW - Toll collection KW - Traffic safety KW - United States KW - United States-Mexico Border UR - http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12015/fhwahop12015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1215785 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448623 AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2010 Data: Older Population PY - 2012/07 SP - 7p AB - This fact sheet focuses on the older population in the United States, defined as all people age 65 and older. In 2010, 13 percent of the total U.S. resident population (40.4 million people) were age 65 and older. In 2010, 5,484 people age 65 and older were killed and 189,000 were injured in traffic crashes. These older individuals made up 17 percent of all traffic fatalities and 8 percent of all people injured in traffic crashes during the year. Compared to 2009, fatalities among people age 65 and older increased by 3 percent. Among people injured in this age group there was a slight (1%) increase from 2009. Over three-fourths (79%) of all older occupants of passenger vehicles involved in fatal crashes were using restraints at the time of the crash, compared to 66 percent for other adult occupants (18 to 64 years old). Among the 65-and-older age group, from 2001 to 2010, the total population increased by 15 percent (increased for males by 19% and for females by 11%). However, driver fatalities for this age group declined by 15 percent (decreased for males by 15% and for females by 17%). KW - Aged KW - Aged drivers KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - Seat belt use KW - Seat belts KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811640.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1215940 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448622 AU - Humphrey, Kate AU - NADO Research Foundation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Lessons Learned from Irene: Vermont RPCs Address Transportation System Recovery PY - 2012/07 SP - 16p AB - Hurricane Irene arrived in Vermont on August 27, 2011. The storm caused widespread damage in 223 of the state’s 251 towns and villages. Severe flooding was particularly devastating for transportation infrastructure, requiring the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) to take a leading role in the recovery. The extent of the damage, however, proved too much for a single agency to manage alone. VTrans’ leadership sought help from the state’s 11 regional planning commissions (RPCs) to assume responsibility for assessing needed local road repairs. While the RPCs were well positioned to assist because of their established relationships and networks within the towns, their recovery activities often went beyond their typical scope of work. The collaboration between VTrans and the RPCs offers lessons for disaster preparedness and recovery, both crucial elements for building more resilient communities. KW - Cooperation KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Emergency response and recovery KW - Floods KW - Hurricane Irene, 2011 KW - Hurricanes KW - Lessons learned KW - Loss and damage KW - Vermont KW - Vermont Agency of Transportation KW - Vermont Regional Planning Commissions UR - http://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/IreneVT.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1216054 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447855 AU - Huey, R AU - De Leonardis, D AU - Freedman, M AU - Westat AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - National Traffic Speeds Survey II: 2009 PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 171p AB - A field survey was conducted during spring and summer 2009 as a longitudinal repetition to a similar effort undertaken in 2007. The goal was to measure travel speeds and prepare nationally representative speed estimates for all types of motor vehicles on freeways, arterial highways, and collector roads across the United States. Over 10 million vehicle speeds were measured at 627 sites included in the geographic cluster sample of 20 primary sampling units (PSUs). Each PSU was a city, county, or group of two or three counties representing combinations of regions of the United States, level of urbanization, and type of topography (flat, hilly, mountainous). Speeds were acquired on randomly drawn road segments on limited access highways, major and minor arterial roads, and collector roads. Speed measurement sites were selected in road segments with low, medium, or high degrees of horizontal and vertical curvature or gradient. Overall, speeds of free-flow traffic on freeways averaged 70.5 mph and were approximately 17 mph higher than on major arterials, which at 53.3 mph were in turn about 6 mph higher than the mean speed of 47.0 mph on minor arterials and collector roads. Most traffic exceeded the speed limits. Seventy-one percent of traffic on limited access roads and about 56% of traffic on arterials and collectors exceeded the speed limit. About 16% of traffic exceeded the speed limit by 10 mph or more on freeways, arterials, and collector roads. Speeds of passenger vehicle size classes were generally higher than for medium trucks. KW - Arterial highways KW - Average travel speed KW - Collector roads KW - Field studies KW - Freeways KW - Speed estimates KW - Speeding KW - Traffic speed KW - United States UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811638.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45706/811638.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214956 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447511 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Transportation Feasibility Study PY - 2012/07 SP - 134p AB - This feasibility study addresses growing concerns with traffic and parking congestion at popular recreation sites within Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (RRCNCA), a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) natural area in Clark County, Nevada. The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center/U.S. Department of Transportation (Volpe Center) examined four transportation alternatives that combine parking, transit, and management strategies to address transportation challenges at RRCNCA. The study explores alternatives that encompass a broad range of transportation solutions including parking lot reconfigurations and expansions, voluntary transit services, and intelligent transportation systems as well as other management options for reducing congestion at parking lots. The study has several specific goals to inform alternatives evaluation: 1. Enhance visitor mobility by reducing congestion at parking lots along Scenic Drive. 2. Improve the visitor safety and especially consider the safety of non-motorized visitors. 3. Improve visitor experience. 4. Preserve the site’s unique natural and aesthetic resources. 5. Ensure that all transportation and management solutions are financially and operationally feasible. To achieve the goals of the study addressing the causes of congestion, the transportation alternatives incorporate one or more of the following strategies: 1. Reduce the number of vehicles on the site during peak visitation periods. 2. Improve transportation infrastructure to accommodate more vehicles and/or visitors. 3. Influence driver behavior to operate vehicles more efficiently. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Congestion management systems KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Highway travel KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Parking KW - Public transit KW - Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel demand management UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45802/DOT-VNTSC-BLM-12-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214402 ER - TY - SER AN - 01447431 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Al-Qadi, Imad L AU - Cortina, Alejandro Salinas AU - Hasiba, Khaled I AU - Ozer, Hasan AU - Leng, Zhen AU - Mahmoud, Enad AU - Parish, Derek C AU - Worsfold, Stephen J AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Best Practices for Implementation of Tack Coat: Part 2, Field Study PY - 2012/07 IS - 12-005 SP - 93p AB - Interface bonding between pavement layers is a key factor affecting the performance of any pavement structure. Over the years, several studies have been performed to better understand bonding between pavement layers. The first phase of this study was a laboratory assessment, which analyzed different parameters to better characterize the interlayer bond in pavements. Phase 2 of the study was a field validation and evaluation. This report, based on the results of phase 2, focuses on optimizing in-situ tack coat application rate and field installation. The main objectives of phase 2 were to validate the lab-determined optimum residual application rate for tack coat materials on a milled hot-mix asphalt (HMA) surface and to evaluate field performance of tack coat materials. Several parameters were analyzed, including the cleaning method prior to tack coat application, the paving procedure, tack coat type, and existing pavement surface texture. Tack coat materials used were SS-1h, SS-1hp, and SS-1vh (non-track tack coat). For the cleaning methods, the conventional procedures, broom and vacuum, were used on most of the sections and were compared to air-blast cleaning. Two paving procedures were studied: the conventional paving method using a distributor truck and a regular paver, and the spray paver, which applies tack coat and paves at the same time. Twenty-six sections were constructed on Interstate 80 in Illinois, and 19 sections were built on Illinois Route 98. The Interstate 80 test sections were constructed on three existing pavement surfaces: milled HMA, milled Portland cement concrete (PCC), and fresh binder stone mastic asphalt (SMA). Two tests were used to analyze interface bonding: the interface shear test and the torque bond test. The test section on Illinois Route 98 was constructed on a milled surface. All specimens were cored in the field and tested at the Illinois Center for Transportation (ICT) using the Interface Shear Test Device (ISTD). The results showed similar bond strength for the two types of cleaning methods; however, air-blast cleaning required use of a lower optimum residual application rate in the field to achieve the same bond strength. The bond strength at the interface when tack coat was applied with a spray paver is similar to the bond strength achieved when a conventional paver was used. The optimum residual application rate for milled surfaces obtained from the laboratory was 0.06 gal/yd2 (0.27 L/m2). This rate was validated at both test sites. The optimum residual application rate obtained for fresh binder SMA was 0.02 gal/yd2 (0.09 L/m2). SS-1vh performed better than any other tack coat material studied, and SS-1hp performed better than SS-1h. Identification of the optimum tack coat application rate will help ensure costeffective and efficient tack coat application and will enhance pavement performance. It will also help the industry to better optimize resources and improve pavement performance. KW - Application rates KW - Best practices KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Bonding KW - Cleaning KW - Field studies KW - Illinois KW - Interfaces KW - Pavement layers KW - Shear tests KW - Tack coats UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2142/45808 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214603 ER - TY - SER AN - 01447430 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Al-Qadi, Imad L AU - Hasiba, Khaled I AU - Cortina, Alejandro Salinas AU - Ozer, Hasan AU - Leng, Zhen AU - Parish, Derek C AU - Worsfold, Stephen J AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Best Practices for Implementation of Tack Coat: Part 1, Laboratory Study PY - 2012/07 IS - 12-004 SP - 43p AB - Tack coat is a light layer of diluted asphalt that is applied to hot mix asphalt concrete (HMA) or Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement surfaces to ensure good interface bonding between layers. Interface bonding is affected by several factors; including tack coat (type, application rate, curing time, application temperature, and asphalt residue content), pavement surface characteristics (asphalt content, aggregate type and gradation, and surface texture), and environmental conditions. This study evaluated interface bonding between two HMA layers by conducting a laboratory shear performance test. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of various tack coats and determine the optimum residual application rates for three pavement surfaces: unmilled aged nontrafficked, milled aged, and unmilled aged trafficked HMA. The study also examined the influences of tack coat curing time, temperature, HMA type, and surface texture on the performance of tack coats. The study considered four tack coat materials: SS-1hp, high float emulsion (HFE), SS-1vh (very hard, no-track emulsion), and straight asphalt (PG 64-22). The tack coat was optimized at residual rates of 0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, and 0.08 gal/yd2 (0.00, 0.09, 0.18, 0.26, and 0.36 L/m2). Three curing times were considered: 0.25, 2, and 24 hr. Two overlay mixes (9.5-mm surface mix and 4.75-mm surface mix) were used. Prior to testing, the specimens were conditioned at four temperatures: 5°F, 41°F, 77°F, and 113°F (–15°C, 5°C, 25°C, and 45°C). The study found that the optimum tack coat residual rate was 0.04 gal/yd2 (0.18 L/m2) for trafficked and nontrafficked unmilled aged HMA surfaces, while the optimum residual rate for milled HMA was 0.06 gal/yd2 (0.26 L/m2). SS-1vh tack coat showed superior performance over the other tested tack coats. The optimum curing time was determined to be 2 hr. Milling the surface improved interface shear strength. The interface shear resistance was greater when the surface nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) increased from 4.75 mm to 9.5 mm. Increasing the temperature resulted in a reduction in shear strength. KW - Application rates KW - Best practices KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Bonding KW - Curing time KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Interfaces KW - Laboratory tests KW - Pavement layers KW - Shear tests KW - Tack coats UR - https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/45807/FHWA-ICT-12-004.pdf?sequence=2 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214602 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447157 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2010 Data: Children PY - 2012/07 SP - 6p AB - In 2010, there were 61 million children age 14 and younger in the United States, 20 percent of the total U.S. resident population in 2010. Motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death for children age 4 and ages 11 to 14 (based on 2009 figures, which are the latest mortality data currently available from the National Center for Health Statistics). During 2010, there were a total of 32,885 traffic fatalities in the United States. The 14-and-younger age group accounted for 1,210 (4%) of those traffic fatalities, which is an 8-percent decrease from the 1,320 fatalities in 2009. In 2010, there were an additional 171,000 children age 14 and younger injured, which is a 4-percent decrease from the 179,000 children injured in 2009. An average of 3 children age 14 and younger were killed and 469 were injured every day in the United States in motor vehicle crashes during 2010. In the 14-and-younger age group, males accounted for 57 percent of the fatalities and 52 percent of those injured in motor vehicle crashes during 2010. KW - Children KW - Crash data KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Injuries KW - Traffic crashes KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811641.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214568 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447156 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Traffic Records Program Assessment Advisory PY - 2012/07 SP - 132p AB - This updated Traffic Records Program Assessment Advisory gives States information on the contents, capabilities, and data quality of an effective traffic records system by describing an ideal system that supports high-quality decisions and leads to cost-effective improvements in highway and traffic safety. In addition, the Advisory outlines a comprehensive approach for assessing the systems and processes that govern the collection, management, and analysis of traffic records data. The Advisory provides a uniform set of questions derived from the ideal system as described above. The questions are used by a group of qualified independent assessors to determine how close a State’s capabilities come to the described ideal. There are three gradations: (a) meets the description of the ideal traffic records system, (b) partially meets the ideal description, and (c) does not meet the ideal description. The Advisory also provides State respondents with standards of evidence that identify the specific information necessary to answer each assessment question. This assessment instrument highlights a State traffic records system’s strengths as well as opportunities for improvement. KW - Crash records KW - Data files KW - Data quality KW - Driver records KW - Information processing KW - Records management KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic records KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811644.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214569 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446915 AU - Fan, Yingling AU - Guthrie, Andrew AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing Neighborhood and Social Influences of Transit Corridors PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 206p AB - This research investigates neighborhood and social influences of major transit improvements in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. To delineate a comprehensive picture, this research focuses on four transit corridors, Hiawatha Light Rail Transit (LRT), NorthStar Commuter Rail, Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), and Central Corridor LRT, each of which is at a different stage of planning, construction, or operation. The project undertakes a general quantification of neighborhood social change in transit served areas. For each corridor, the researchers also investigate inter-neighborhood and inter-corridor variations in social change, and examine residents' and business owners' perceptions of neighborhood social change, as well as of the specific impacts of transit corridors. A mix of quantitative analysis and survey research is used. By examining a wide range of system development stages including planning, construction, and operation, research findings will help policy makers determine at what point in the timelines of major transit capital projects policy responses are needed and likely to be most effective. By covering a variety of transit technologies including LRT, BRT and Commuter Rail, as well as a diverse range of urban and suburban neighborhoods, results from this research will help policy makers make more informed decisions about how to prevent and mitigate socially harmful neighborhood changes associated with various types of transitways. The research also presents strategies for engaging residents and businesses with negative, neutral and positive perceptions of transit projects in the transitway development process. KW - Benefits KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Light rail transit KW - Neighborhoods KW - Perception KW - Residents KW - Social change KW - Social impacts KW - Surveys KW - Transit corridors KW - Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minnesota) UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1788 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214376 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446532 AU - Blomberg, Richard D AU - Thomas, F Dennis AU - Marziani, Bruce J AU - Dunlap and Associates, Incorporated AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Demonstration and Evaluation of the Heed the Speed Pedestrian Safety Program PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 94p AB - This study built upon the work of Blomberg and Cleven (2006) in Arizona, where they developed and pilot-tested the concept of Heed the Speed, a neighborhood-based combination of enforcement, education, and modest engineering designed to reduce vehicle speeds to benefit pedestrian safety. The current program was expanded and applied to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in an attempt to determine if reducing speeds in neighborhoods would lead to a reduction in pedestrian-involved crashes. The study attempted to increase speed enforcement by the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) in six police districts by purchasing 24 Speed Tracker units that were installed and calibrated in four police cars in each of the six police districts. Since Pennsylvania law prohibits the use of radar by local police, the availability of the Speed Tracker timing devices provided the PPD with additional capability to document speed violations. It was hoped that publicizing this capability would deter speeding in the test districts. The Philadelphia Streets Department focused its efforts on engineering countermeasures in the six target police districts. Street Smarts, the city’s safety education contractor, distributed pedestrian safety information throughout the city; however, community involvement in the targeted districts was limited. The evaluation of the program showed speed reductions at 17 of 24 measurement locations. However, no crash reductions were observed in the six districts relative to the remainder of the city. Also, an awareness survey showed little penetration of the safety messages or awareness of increased speeding enforcement by the police. This is not surprising given the lack of paid media, the sparse enforcement that was actually mounted in the test districts, and the assessment of awareness at licensing centers outside the test districts. Overall, the results indicate that a direct scale-up of Heed the Speed as used in targeted Arizona neighborhoods to a city the size of Philadelphia is likely not realistic given the resources required. The study also suggested that the inability to use radar as an enforcement tool was not totally overcome by the use of quantitative speed timing devices. Either the techniques should remain as originally developed and only be applied on a road-segment-by-road-segment basis, or the Heed the Speed toolkit should be expanded to address the unique situations and constraints of large, congested cities where speeding is not an enforcement priority. KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash rates KW - Equipment KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) KW - Public information programs KW - Residential streets KW - Speed control KW - Speed measurement KW - Speeding KW - Surveys KW - Traffic citations KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Traffic safety education UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811515.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45709/811515.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214061 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446531 AU - Jones, Ralph K AU - Nichols, James L AU - Mid-America Research Institute, Inc. AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Breath Test Refusals and Their Effect on DWI Prosecutions PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 60p AB - This report describes the design and results of a project aimed at estimating the rate that drivers refuse to submit to a legally-requested breath alcohol concentration (BAC) test, and the effect of such refusals on the prosecution of driving while impaired (DWI) cases. The study found the mean refusal rate to be 21% in 39 jurisdictions providing data, a very small change from that found in prior studies. The study did not indicate a clear relationship between refusing a BAC test and the probability of conviction for DWI/DUI across five local study sites. Generally, the case studies suggested that the difference in conviction rate between refusers and compliers was quite small. Refusers who were convicted, however, consistently received greater penalties than non-refusers who were convicted. KW - Alcohol breath tests KW - Alcohol test refusal KW - Blood alcohol levels KW - Case studies KW - Conviction rates KW - Drunk drivers KW - Drunk driving KW - Highway safety KW - Penalties KW - Prosecution UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811551.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45708/811551.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214057 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446050 AU - Miller-Hooks, Elise AU - Nair, Rahul AU - Kumi, Jonathan AU - Denny, Kevin AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Robust Dynamic Distribution of Security Assets in Transit Systems PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 28p AB - A robust, mixed-integer, multi-stage program is presented that seeks to effectively secure a transit system where risk is considered to be dynamic and varies over time. A time-varying risk measure reflects the unique nature of transit systems, where accumulation of passengers at transfer facilities, stations and transit vehicles is dynamic and increases the vulnerability of transit users and system to adverse events. The model is robust under uncertainty and better matches security assets at stations in the face of time-varying risk by redistributing them. The volume-dependent risk measure and subsequent deployment of security assets are developed for the transit system in Washington, D.C. demonstrating the variable nature of risk and response. The value of considering a robust solution is demonstrated by comparing the robust approach to an expected value approach. Five scenarios, designed on recent events on the system, replicate the operational conditions of the transit system for the morning rush hour period and show the effectiveness of the developed deployment strategies. KW - Mathematical models KW - Passenger security KW - Public transit KW - Risk management KW - Risk models KW - Robustness KW - Security KW - Transportation safety KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UMD-2010-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213703 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446048 AU - Watkins, Bart AU - Irick, David AU - Carroll, Aaron AU - Nibali, Ben AU - Power Source Technologies, Inc. AU - Aptus DesignWorks Inc. AU - National Transportation Research Center, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - U35: Legacy Engine PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 41p AB - The Legacy engine is a new core technology that can be used with existing infrastructure providing for near term benefits while minimizing costs. Also, as a new technology, it will be optimized for many years to come providing the opportunity for continued environmental and economic benefit for the United States. Utilization of the Legacy engine will reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and our dependence on foreign oil, provide the United States a technological advantage in a critical market, and create thousands of “green” jobs. For the Legacy engine to achieve the predicted benefits, optimization of induction and exhaust in the engine is critical. The continued research and development will result in a commercially viable Legacy engine. The development of an aspiration plate with optimal port geometry is the technical challenge that is addressed in this project. This project consists of design, manufacturing, testing and evaluation of port configuration for the Legacy engine aspiration plate. The results of this research will allow for the continuing development of the Legacy engine. Both inline and counter-rotational flow concepts were investigated. Two aspiration plates were designed and evaluated. Based on the results of the tests, a third aspiration plate, with optimal port geometry was designed and evaluated. KW - aspiration plates KW - Design KW - Diesel engines KW - Evaluation KW - Legacy engine KW - Prototype tests KW - Rotary engines UR - http://www.ntrci.org/Uploads/Files/ResearchReports/U35-Legacy%20Engine.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45754/U35-Legacy_Engine.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212687 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446023 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2010 Data: Motorcycles PY - 2012/07 SP - 8p AB - In 2010, 4,502 motorcyclists were killed, a slight increase from the 4,469 motorcyclists killed in 2009. There were 82,000 motorcyclists injured during 2010, a decrease from 90,000 in 2009. In 2010, two-wheeled motorcycles accounted for 95 percent of motorcycle body types in fatal crashes. In 2010, motorcyclists accounted for 14 percent of total traffic fatalities, 16 percent of all occupant fatalities, and 4 percent of all occupants injured. Motorcycles made up 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2010 and accounted for only 0.6 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2010, motorcyclists were about 30 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 5 times more likely to be injured. Per registered vehicle, the fatality rate for motorcyclists in 2010 was 6 times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants. The injury rate for motorcyclists was 0.9 times the injury rate for passenger car occupants. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that helmets saved 1,550 motorcyclists’ lives in 2010, and that 706 more could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets. KW - Crash data KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - Motorcycle helmets KW - Motorcyclists KW - Statistics KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811639.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213600 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446005 AU - Sprague, David AU - Archambeau, Jamie AU - Atkins North America AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Adaptive Signal Timing: Comparison Between the InSync and QuicTrac Adaptive Signal Systems Installed in Colorado PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 25p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)’s Every Day Counts (EDC) initiative identifies adaptive signal control as a tool for local agencies to deploy innovation. In an effort to achieve the goals of the EDC initiative, the traffic sections of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), in Region 2 and 4 and the City of Greeley implemented adaptive traffic signal control systems on 10th Street (US 34 Business) in Greeley and US 24 in Woodland Park. This new technology uses real-time data collected by system detectors to optimize signal timing for each intersection in the corridor. The use of real-time data means that signal timing along the corridor changes to accommodate the traffic patterns at any given time of the day. There are many different adaptive traffic signal control systems of which two, InSync and QuicTrac, were selected for implementation in Colorado. The InSync adaptive signal control system, produced and supplied by Rhythm Engineering, was installed in Greeley on 10th Street and the QuicTrac adaptive signal control system, produced and supplied by McCain, Inc., was installed on US 24 in Woodland Park. The evaluation of the performance of these systems on their distinct corridors was documented in separate reports and provided to the agencies and stakeholders. This report focuses on a more direct comparison between the two systems including costs for installation, maintenance, and expected benefits on a per intersection basis. The study is not intended to recommend a preferred system, but present the results for each system and provide data allowing decision makers to make an informed decision when selecting an adaptive system. KW - Adaptive control KW - Benefits KW - Evaluation KW - Greeley (Colorado) KW - Installation KW - Maintenance KW - Real-time Traffic Adaptive Signal Control System KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic signal timing UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2012/adaptivesignaltiming.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45756/adaptivetrafficsignals.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212496 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445989 AU - Eudy, Leslie AU - Burgess, Robert AU - Ainscough, Chris AU - Lewis, John AU - National Renewable Energy Laboratory AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction Program: First Assessment Report PY - 2012/07//FTA Report No. 0016 SP - 148p AB - The purpose of this report is to provide an overview and preliminary analysis of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration’s Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) Program. TIGGER provides capital funds to transit agencies for projects that would reduce the agency’s energy use and/or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The report outlines the program history, goals, and technologies being implemented. It also provides a preliminary analysis of potential energy and GHG savings estimates. The report provides a description and current status of each project awarded in the program. KW - Assessments KW - Capital investments KW - Case studies KW - Energy consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - History KW - Savings KW - Strategic planning KW - Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/FTA_Report_No._0016.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55500/55502/FTA_Report_No._0016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212617 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445980 AU - Braham, Andrew AU - Hill, Robert AU - Jackson, Alexander AU - Smith, Sadie AU - Mack Blackwell National Rural Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Exploring Different Forms of Base Stabilization PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 29p AB - Our nation’s roadways have experienced a growing demand over the past couple of decades. With decreasing funds and the need to provide the public with an efficient, safe, and cost effective roadway system, there has been a remarkable increase in the need to rehabilitate our existing pavements. When a flexible pavement has deteriorated to the point where rehabilitation or reconstruction is necessary, pavement engineers have traditionally used either the mill and overlay strategy or complete reconstruction. With the advances made on road construction equipment over the last two decades, there has been a growth in asphalt recycling and reclaiming as a technically and environmentally friendly way of rehabilitating the existing, failed pavements. An example of rehabilitation is base stabilization, or Full-Depth Reclamation. This research identified two mix designs for Portland cement base stabilization, three mix designs for asphalt emulsion base stabilization, and two mix designs for asphalt foam base stabilization. These mix designs are currently being synthesized to produce one final mix design for each technology. Preliminary testing indicated that the modified proctor and Superpave Gyratory Compactor can produce similar moisture density curves. In addition, increasing the water content and asphalt foam content of asphalt foam base stabilization mixture increased the compressive strength. KW - Asphalt emulsions KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Base stabilization (Pavements) KW - Flexible pavements KW - Foamed asphalt KW - Full-depth reclamation KW - Mix design KW - Portland cement KW - Rehabilitation treatments (Pavements) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45882/MBTC_DOT_3033.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213758 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445973 AU - Harrington, Dale AU - Rasmussen, Robert AU - Merritt, David AU - Cackler, Tom AU - Taylor, Peter AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Long-Term Plan for Concrete Pavement Research and Technology—The Concrete Pavement Road Map (Second Generation): Volume II, Tracks PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 424p AB - The Long-Term Plan for Concrete Pavement Research and Technology (CP Road Map) is a holistic strategic plan for concrete pavement research and technology transfer. The CP Road Map is a living plan that includes 12 distinct but integrated research tracks leading to specific products and processes. The resulting improvements will help the concrete pavement industry meet the challenges and achieve the industry’s full potential in the 21st century. The plan was developed in close partnership with stakeholders representing all aspects of the concrete pavement community, public and private, and the research will be conducted through partnerships of stakeholders. Over the last several years, the plan has been managed through an operational support mechanism provided by a transportation pooled fund project. The CP Road Map is presented in two volumes. Volume I describes why the research plan is needed, how it was developed, and what the plan generally includes. It also describes the research management plan that will guide the conduct and implementation of research. Volume II describes in detail the 12 tracks of research. Each track description includes a general overview, a track goal, track action items, a list of subtracks, and detailed problem statements within each subtrack. KW - Concrete Pavement Road Map KW - Concrete pavements KW - Mix design KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Research KW - Strategic planning KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/pccp/11070/11070.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46180/Long_term_plan_for_concrete_pavement_research_and_technology_vII_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212650 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445949 AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2010 Data: Rural/Urban Comparison PY - 2012/07 SP - 6p AB - In 2010, there were 30,196 fatal crashes resulting in 32,885 fatalities. Rural areas accounted for 54 percent (16,292) of the fatal crashes and 55 percent (18,026) of the fatalities as compared to urban areas which accounted for 45 percent (13,608) of the fatal crashes and 44 percent (14,546) of the fatalities. According to the 2010 Census, 19 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas, however, rural fatalities accounted for 55 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2010. From 2001 to 2010, rural fatalities decreased 28 percent whereas urban fatalities decreased by 14%. Further details concerning these accidents with regard to vehicle miles traveled, speeding, alcohol involvement, seat belt use, and rollover are provided in this fact sheet. KW - Drunk driving KW - Fatalities KW - Rollover crashes KW - Rural areas KW - Seat belt use KW - Seat belts KW - Speeding KW - Statistics KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Urban areas KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811637.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212782 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444826 AU - Lindsey, Greg AU - Hoff, Kristopher AU - Hankey, Steve AU - Wang, Xize AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding the Use of Non-Motorized Transportation Facilities PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Traffic counts and models for describing use of non-motorized facilities such as sidewalks, bike lanes, and trails are generally unavailable. Because transportation officials lack the data and tools needed to estimate use of facilities, their ability to make evidence-based choices among investment alternatives is limited. This report describes and assesses manual and automated methods of counting non-motorized traffic; summarizes counts of cyclists and pedestrians in Minneapolis, Minnesota; develops scaling factors to describe temporal patterns in non-motorized traffic volumes; validates models for estimating traffic using ordinary least squares and negative binomial regressions; and estimates bicycle and pedestrian traffic volumes for every street in Minneapolis. Research shows that automated counters are sufficiently accurate for most purposes. Automated counter error rates vary as a function of type of technology and traffic mode and volume. Across all locations, mean pedestrian traffic (51/hour) exceeded mean bicycle traffic (38/hour) by 35 percent. One-hour counts were highly correlated with 12-hour "daily" counts. Significant correlates of non-motorized traffic vary by mode and include weather (temperature, precipitation), neighborhood socio-demographics (household income, education), built environment characteristics (land use mix), and street (or bicycle facility) type. When controlling for these factors, bicycle traffic, but not pedestrian traffic, increased over time and was higher on streets with bicycle facilities than without (and highest on off-street facilities). These new models can be used to estimate non-motorized traffic where counts are unavailable and to estimate changes associated with infrastructure improvements. KW - Bicycle counts KW - Bicycle traffic KW - Bikeways KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Pedestrian counts KW - Pedestrian traffic KW - Traffic counts KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Traffic volume UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1754 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212334 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444605 AU - Yang, C Y David AU - Morton, Tom AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Trends of Transportation Simulation and Modeling Based on a Selection of Exploratory Advanced Research Projects: Workshop Summary Report PY - 2012/07//Summary Report SP - 40p AB - This report summarizes an Exploratory Advanced Research Program workshop held at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in August 2011 as part of an ongoing effort to examine advancement in simulation and modeling and the applications in transportation research and practice. Part One summarizes the following presentations: Driver Behavior in Traffic; Intersection Control for Autonomous Vehicles; Advanced Traffic Control Signal Algorithms; Agent-­Based Approach for Integrated Driver and Traveler Behavior Modeling: Theory, Methodology, and Applications to Transportation Systems Management and Investment Planning; VASTO -­‐‑ Evolutionary Agent System for Transportation Outlook. Part Two of the report summarizes the group breakout discussions addressing overall trends of transportation simulation and modeling, and specific simulation and modeling needs. KW - Agent-based modeling KW - Computer models KW - Connected vehicle technologies KW - Driver vehicle interfaces KW - Exploratory Advanced Research Program KW - ITS program applications KW - ITS program technologies KW - Research projects KW - Simulation KW - Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center KW - Workshops UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/12040/12040.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212120 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444603 AU - Arbogast, Kristy B AU - Belwadi, Aditya AU - Allison, Mari AU - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Reducing the Potential for Heat Stroke to Children in Parked Motor Vehicles: Evaluation of Reminder Technology PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 43p AB - The primary objective of the study was to evaluate products that are designed to prevent children up to 24 months old from being left behind in closed, parked vehicles – a scenario that can result in heat stroke. This preliminary assessment was the first of its kind to evaluate this kind of product. The efficacy of heat stroke prevention technologies in sensing the presence of a child in a child restraint and alerting the caregiver if he or she walks away from the car without removing the child was evaluated. The study also examined the effects of child posture and the time/child movement associated with a typical commute on the efficacy of these devices. It was found that across different evaluations, the devices were inconsistent and unreliable in their performance. They often required adjusting of the position of the child within the child restraint. The distance to activation varied across trials and scenarios, and the devices experienced continual synching/unsynching during use. For some of the devices evaluated, issues such as interference with other electronic devices and inability to function in the presence of liquids were common. In sum, the devices require considerable effort from the parent/caregiver to ensure smooth operation, and often that operation is not consistent. KW - Audible warning devices in vehicles KW - Child restraint systems KW - Children KW - Fatalities KW - Heat KW - Hyperthermia KW - Infants KW - Market assessment KW - New products KW - Product development KW - Sensors KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/811632.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212112 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444570 AU - Kim, Dong H AU - Fowler, David W AU - Ferron, Raissa P AU - Trevino, Manuel M AU - Whitney, David P AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Materials Selection for Concrete Overlays: Final Report PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 210p AB - Concrete overlays have been a rehabilitation method for many years. It has been extensively utilized and studied in other states, but Texas is still at an initial stage of fully implementing the method. The large volume of concrete highways in Texas makes bonded concrete overlays, unbonded concrete overlays, and whitetoppings very viable options. However, there is a lack of educational guidelines for pavement engineers for concrete overlay construction. This research presents the information gathered from literature review, condition survey, and evaluation of existing concrete overlays in Texas. Also, a laboratory research was performed for recommendations for materials selection and construction for concrete overlays. From these, guidelines for materials selection and construction method developed that will assist in future concrete overlays in Texas are presented. KW - Concrete overlays KW - Condition surveys KW - Construction management KW - Guidelines KW - Laboratory tests KW - Materials selection KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Texas KW - Whitetopping UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6590_2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212118 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444334 AU - Estakhri, Cindy AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Laboratory and Field Performance Measurements to Support the Implementation of Warm Mix Asphalt in Texas PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 78p AB - An objective of this study was to monitor the performance of more than 10 warm mix asphalt (WMA) projects in the state. Several WMA technologies were included in the study (foaming, Advera, Evotherm, Rediset, Sasobit) and it was determined that performance of the warm mix was comparable to hot mix. In addition, mix from two warm mix projects were subjected to different curing times and temperatures and then evaluated for mixture volumetrics and performance properties. Results from this study lend support to the current procedures the Texas Department of Transportation has adopted. KW - Advera KW - Curing temperature KW - Curing time KW - Evotherm KW - Field studies KW - Foamed asphalt KW - Laboratory tests KW - Pavement performance KW - Sasobit KW - Test sections KW - Texas KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/5-5597-01-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45745/5-5597-01-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211640 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444333 AU - Stokoe, Kenneth H AU - Kallivokas, Loukas F AU - Nam, Boo H AU - Carpenter, Claire K AU - Lee, Jung-Su AU - Bryant, Adam D AU - Weeks, Damon A AU - Hayes, Richard AU - Scullion, Thomas AU - Liu, Wenting AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Developing a Testing Device for Total Pavements Acceptance PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 85p AB - During the second year of Project 0-6005, significant progress was made towards building the Total Pavement Acceptance Device (TPAD). The TPAD will be a multi-function device that will be used to profile continuously along pavements at speeds in the range of 5 to 10 mph. The test functions will include those associated with Rolling Dynamics Deflectometer (RDD), ground penetrating radar (GPR), Distance Measurement Instrument (DMI) and high-precision differential Global Positioning System (GPS), and surface temperature measurements, as well as digital video imaging of the pavement and right-of-way conditions. The specifications, bid documents, bid acceptances, and purchase of the TPAD mobile platform and the TPAD transportation equipment (tractor and trailer) were completed by the University of Texas Center for Transportation Research team. Construction of the TPAD is well underway and the acceptance testing will be done in early Year 3. Progress was also made in developing (1) improved rolling sensors and associated data analysis methods commensurate with the target testing speeds and (2) a second-generation integrated data acquisition and display system which records all test functions on the same time and distance baselines. KW - Data collection KW - Data displays KW - Distance measuring equipment KW - Global Positioning System KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Rolling dynamic deflectometers KW - Sensors KW - Surface temperature KW - Testing equipment KW - Total Pavement Acceptance Devices KW - Video imaging detectors UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6005_2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211657 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444331 AU - Robinson, Dianne H AU - Mathewson, Heather A AU - Morrison, Michael L AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Study of the Potential Impacts of Highway Construction on Selected Birds with Emphasis on the Golden-Cheeked Warbler: Final Report 2008-2011 PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 62p AB - This report summarizes the 2008–2011 field seasons for the Highway 71 impact assessment of highway construction noise and activity on golden-cheeked warblers (Setophaga chrysoparia). Researchers examined if construction activity and noise altered the reproductive success and behavior of birds, with an emphasis on the golden-cheeked warbler. Researchers found that ambient noise levels were significantly higher in 2011 than 2010 across study sites, and decreased significantly as distance from the right-of-way (ROW) increased. Ambient noise levels were louder 512 m from the ROW in the construction site when compared to levels at 256 m and 512 m in the pre-construction site. Pairing success was significantly lower in the control site in 2010 than any other site and year combinations. Fledging success was significantly lower in 2009 than in other years, across all study sites. There was no indication that birds directly reacted to construction noise or that they altered their singing or nesting behavior. Researchers found no effect from study site, distance from the ROW, or year on warbler reactions to construction noise playbacks. KW - Birds KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Right of way (Land) KW - Road construction UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6263-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45748/0-6263-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211630 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444330 AU - Prozzi, Jolanda AU - Paes, Thiago AU - Loftus-Otway, Lisa AU - Caldas, Carlos AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidance on Extracting Value from TxDOT’s Land Holdings PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 487p AB - Many Departments of Transportation (DOTs), including the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), have been challenged by inadequate funding from traditional federal and state fuel taxes, increasing construction costs, aging highway systems, traffic congestion, and recent natural disasters, compromising their primary mission to provide safe vehicle transportation routes with adequate capacity. Furthermore, environmental awareness and sustainability concepts have strengthened and sparked debates in Congress, culminating with several regulatory policies that affect transportation projects. This scenario has prompted DOTs to pursue innovative ways to reduce maintenance cost (at minimum), generate revenue (at maximum) by exploiting their assets, and meet the new regulations. Likewise, the Center of Transportation Research at the University of Texas at Austin undertook a comprehensive research study to identify and determine when, where, and under what circumstances TxDOT should pursue the implementation of Value Extraction Applications (VEAs), and how to effectively recognize and involve key stakeholders. As a result, 11 VEAs were identified (property management, 3 types of airspace leasing, advertising, solar panels, wind turbines, solar roads/piezoelectric asphalt, geothermal and carbon energy, carbon sequestration and biomass, and wildlife crossings). In addition, a methodological framework—embedding a multi-attribute criteria analysis matrix as the decision making method—was devised to guide TxDOT through the process of identifying, evaluating, comparing, and selecting the most appropriate VEA. A list of stakeholders associated with each VEA and an analysis framework was provided to help TxDOT to identify and reach out to key stakeholders. KW - Advertising KW - Airspace utilization KW - Asset management KW - Biomass KW - Carbon sequestration KW - Decision making KW - Financing KW - Geothermal resources KW - Leasing KW - Maintenance KW - Property management KW - Property values KW - Revenue generation KW - Solar panels KW - Stakeholders KW - Texas Department of Transportation KW - Wildlife crossings KW - Wind turbines UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6634_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211948 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444329 AU - Middleton, Dan AU - Li, Yingfeng AU - Le, Jerry AU - Koncz, Nick AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Accommodating Oversize and Overweight Loads: Technical Report PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 242p AB - Adequate management of oversize/overweight (OS/OW) permit loads throughout the state of Texas is critical to maintaining a vibrant state economy. The growth in the number and size of permit loads in recent years is clear evidence that new tools and new techniques are needed to match this growth without causing undue delays to permit applicants. Problems such as increasing prevalence of reroutes due to maintenance and other district activities along with potential damage to the highway infrastructure from permit loads led to this research project. A related initiative was development of a new automated routing program—Texas Permit Routing Optimization System. Research objectives were to: Identify the most common OS/OW dimension and weight groups; Identify criteria for assigning these OS/OW groups to existing road networks; and Identify criteria for assigning current and projected OS/OW groups to the future road network upgraded to meet future demand. The research project resulted in a statewide map recommending primary and alternate OS/OW route networks for the most common origins and destinations based on historical Motor Carrier Division data. Keeping strategic routes open for OS/OW loads and minimizing the number of reroutes along the way will reduce the impedances and unknowns in this critical segment of the motor carrier industry. KW - Motor carriers KW - Optimization KW - Origin and destination KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - Permits KW - Routing KW - Strategic planning KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6404-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45747/0-6404-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211631 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444328 AU - Huang, Yan AU - Buckles, Bill P AU - University of North Texas, Denton AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Low Cost Wireless Network Camera Sensors for Traffic Monitoring PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 222p AB - Many freeways and arterials in major cities in Texas are presently equipped with video detection cameras to collect data and help in traffic/incident management. In this study, carefully controlled experiments determined the throughput and output quality of various communication configurations. Configurations entailed antennas at several cost levels and it was determined that the least expensive antennas were adequate only for one-hop systems. Via a survey to which 20 districts responded, incidents, volume, and speed were found to be the functionalities most in demand for autonomous surveillance systems. Most systems are monitored by human operators. An alternative to operator-based video monitoring is video analytics. An autonomous traffic monitoring system from a vendor was tested. A demonstration surveillance system was developed and delivered to the Texas Department of Transportation. KW - Texas KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Video analytics KW - Video cameras KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6432-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45749/0-6432-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211629 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444327 AU - Liu, Wenting AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Kassem, Emad AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of TTI's Asphalt Compaction Monitoring System PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 52p AB - In recent years, the Texas Department of Transportation has made significant progress with the development and implementation of new technologies to measure the uniformity of new hot mix asphalt layer construction. Early studies focused on the development of the Pave-IR system for checking temperature uniformity during mat placement. In Project 0-6992, researchers took this check one step further by developing an accurate global positioning system tracking system for compaction rolling so that the compaction effort applied can be monitored for 100 percent of the new surface. Additional sensors were also included in the system, including two temperature sensors and an accelerometer, to monitor whether the roller is vibrating. The new system can be mounted on any roller in a matter of minutes, and it provides the roller operator with real-time color displays of: the number of passes of the entire mat; the compaction effectiveness (this study found that better compaction was found directly under the center portion of the roller than at the roller edges); and the temperature at the first pass of the roller. This report presents details of the hardware and software developed in this study. The system was field tested on a number of new overlay projects in Texas. Those results will be reported in later reports from this study. KW - Accelerometers KW - Compaction KW - Global Positioning System KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Monitoring KW - Paving KW - Rollers KW - Temperature sensors KW - Vibration UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6992-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45746/0-6992-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211632 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01443819 AU - Dissanayake, Sunanda AU - Shaheed, Mohammad Saad AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Safety of the Surface Transportation System by Addressing the Issues of Vulnerable Road Users: Case of the Motorcyclists PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 170p AB - Over the past few years, motorcycle fatalities have increased at an alarming rate in the United States. Motorcycle safety issues in Kansas are no different from the national scenario. Accordingly, this study examines motorcycle crashes in Kansas in order to identify and evaluate critical crash-related factors and subsequent impacts on motorcycle crash injury outcomes. State-level motorcycle rider fatality rates were investigated while considering various factors including helmet laws, using generalized least-squares regression modeling. A detailed characteristic analysis was carried out for motorcycle crashes, using Kansas crash data. Comparisons were made between several aspects of motorcycle crashes and other vehicle crashes. Logistic regression analyses were performed on Kansas motorcycle crash data to identify factors affecting fatal motorcycle crashes. In addition, a survey was administered to motorcyclists in order to gather information on rider behaviors and helmet usage patterns, as well as their perceptions regarding helmet laws in Kansas, potential problems associated with the law, crash-related factors, and the level of difficulty in executing various motorcycle maneuvers. Ordered probit modeling was used to identify factors contributing to the increased severity of injuries sustained by motorcycle riders involved in crashes. Results from state-based modeling showed statistically significant relations between motorcycle fatality rates in a given state and crash-related factors such as weather-related conditions, helmet laws, per capita income, highway mileage of rural roads, population density, education, demographic distributions, and motorcycle registrations in the state. States with mandatory helmet laws had 5.6% fewer motorcycle fatalities per 10,000 motorcycle registrations and 7.85% fewer motorcycle fatalities for every 100,000 in a given population. Characteristic analysis of motorcycle crashes in Kansas revealed that motorcycle maneuvers such as overtaking, motorcyclists being older than 40 years, not using motorcycle helmets, daytime riding, crashes occurring on roadside shoulders, and influence of alcohol among the riders during crashes increased the risk of crash fatalities. Survey results showed that 71% of motorcyclist respondents perceived drivers of other vehicles as the single biggest threat to their own safety. Moreover, 64% opposed legislation that would require motorcycle riders and passengers in Kansas to wear helmets. The ordered probit model results indicate that overturned and fixed-object motorcycle crashes, not wearing a helmet, being younger in age, speeding, good weather, as well as being under the influence of alcohol significantly contributed to increased severity of motorcyclist crash-related injuries in Kansas. KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash severity KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Kansas KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - Motorcycle helmets KW - Motorcycles KW - Motorcyclists KW - Probits KW - Surveys UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45755/Dissanayake_253_Motorcyclists_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211612 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383564 AU - Russell, Eugene R AU - Landman, E Dean AU - Kansas State University Transportation Center AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimizing the Analysis of Routing Oversize/Overweight Loads to Provide Efficient Freight Corridors PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 100p AB - The subject of this report is limited specifically to Kansas’ highways. Current features of the State Highway System were looked at to determine corridors that do not limit Oversize/Overweight (OS/OW) vehicles, or that limit loads to varying degrees. Now that roundabouts are becoming more common throughout the state and the nation, many individuals, both in the public and private sectors, believe that the main concern for efficient movement of oversized loads are roundabouts that were being constructed. However, information that has been collected indicates that vertical clearance, diamond interchanges, curbs, non-removable signs, enhancements at pedestrian crosswalks all limit the ability for over-length loads to make turns to varying degrees. While it is not usually feasible to remove structures with limited vertical clearance, it is feasible to develop policies to better control OS/OW movements. There is a trade-off between what shippers might want to move and what the agencies responsible for the design of the highway/street system can provide. The use of a steerable rear axle has allowed many oversize loads to make crucial turns at intersections or at ramps of interchanges that were previously a barrier. The vertical height restriction of low clearance structures is not easily solved. Developing a freight network which includes segments where selected OS/OW vehicles can be accommodated is becoming increasingly important. There is an economic benefit to the State of Kansas to allow OS/OW loads and this should be balanced with the economic burden of providing this ever increasing demand on public roads. KW - Freight traffic KW - Height restrictions KW - Highway corridors KW - Kansas KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - Policy KW - Routing KW - Traffic loads KW - Truck traffic UR - http://idmweb.ksdot.org/PublicLib/publicDoc.asp?ID=003820460 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148244 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380311 AU - Burris, Mark AU - Arthur, Winfred AU - Devarasetty, Prem Chand AU - McDonald, Jennifer AU - Munoz, Gonzalo J AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Traveler Behavior: The Psychology Behind Managed Lane Use PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 114p AB - Recent analysis of Katy Freeway/Managed Lane (ML) travelers and I-394 Freeway/High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane traveler data has found that many travelers pay to use these HOT lanes and MLs when adjacent toll-free lanes are operating at nearly the same speed. Assuming that drivers are indeed cognizant of the fact that HOT and ML lanes are traveling at nearly the same speed, then it would seem that travelers are paying for the use of these lanes for reasons other than travel time savings. This project investigated the role of psychological variables, such as risk aversion, that may explain why travelers choose to pay to use these lanes when the travel time is almost equal. The results indicate that some psychological variables had significant relationships with the stated preference questions, but this was very limited. KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - Managed lanes KW - Psychological aspects KW - Traffic speed KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel time UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Burris_11-07-66.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45732/Burris_11-07-66.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148109 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380244 AU - Douma, Frank AU - Munnich, Lee AU - Garry, Thomas AU - Loveland, Joe AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Identifying Issues Related to Deployment of Automated Speed Enforcement PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Automated speed enforcement (ASE) has been shown to be one of the most effective strategies for reducing speeding by vehicles and improving road safety. However, the perception that ASE is unpopular and controversial has limited its use by policymakers in the United States. This report investigates whether this perception is justified in Minnesota by conducting a public opinion survey of Minnesota residents about their views of ASE. In light of the survey results, the report then examines the legal and related political obstacles for deploying ASE in Minnesota, and outlines a strategy for moving forward with ASE in Minnesota in select areas. KW - Automated enforcement KW - Deployment KW - Highway safety KW - Minnesota KW - Public opinion KW - Speed limits KW - Speeding KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=1752 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147332 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379907 AU - Carrion, Migdalia AU - Prozzi, Jolanda AU - Seedah, Dan AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Multimodal Freight Database – A Potential User Perspective PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 24p AB - As part of Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Project 0-6297 entitled “Freight Planning Factors Impacting Texas Commodity Flows,” the Center for Transportation Research (CTR) team focused on understanding the critical factors that influence freight planning in Texas. All U.S. states are required in terms of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 and by the subsequent Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) to conduct statewide freight transportation planning. However, understanding how freight impacts the transportation system of a state and conducting statewide freight planning requires robust data. Consequently, as part of TxDOT Project 0-6297, the CTR team developed a relational Multimodal Freight Database software (RMFDB) that captured relevant publicly available freight variables that can be used for updating TxDOT freight models and studies. The objective of this Implementation Project was to disseminate information about the Relational Multimodal Freight Database by hosting six workshops in Texas. KW - Freight transportation KW - Information dissemination KW - Relational databases KW - Software KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning KW - Workshops UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/5_6297_01_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147674 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379905 AU - Serigos, Pedro A AU - Prozzi, Jorge A AU - Nam, Boo H AU - Murphy, Mike R AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Evaluation of Automated Rutting Measuring Equipment PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 170p AB - The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has developed a state-of-the-art 3D system for rut measurements. This system will allow more accurate assessment of road performance at both the network and project levels and potentially eliminate the need for manual visual assessments. Furthermore, the improved accuracy, which can be achieved while traveling at highway speeds, will eliminate any subjective elements and lead to more consistent and reliable data. The improved accuracy of the system will significantly impact the TxDOT Pavement Management Information System (PMIS). PMIS is used to monitor statewide pavement condition and to evaluate the effectiveness of pavement maintenance and rehabilitation treatments. PMIS is also used to report progress towards the annual statewide pavement condition goal. To ensure the rational adoption of the new systems, TxDOT initiated this project to allow an independent assessment of the accuracy and repeatability of the newly developed system. The TxDOT system was compared to other, similar systems from a variety of different vendors to identify the most suitable system for implementation. The project consists of two phases. Phase I evaluated the rut measurements and Phase II will evaluate automated distress data measurements, including longitudinal, transverse, and alligator cracking; failures; spalled cracks; and punchouts. This report summarizes the Phase I tasks, data, analysis, main findings, and recommendations. KW - Information processing KW - Lasers KW - Measuring instruments KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Ruts (Pavements) KW - State of the art KW - Surface profile KW - Texas UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6663_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147676 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379904 AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Sebesta, Stephen AU - Estakhri, Cindy AU - Harris, Pat AU - Shon, Chang-Seon AU - Harvey, Omar AU - Rose-Harvey, Keisha AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Full-Depth Reclamation: New Test Procedures and Recommended Updates to Specifications PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 104p AB - Rehabilitating an old pavement by pulverizing and stabilizing the existing pavement is a process referred to as Full Depth Reclamation (FDR). The stabilized layer becomes either the base or sub-base of the new pavement structure. This process has been used widely for over 20 years in Texas to strengthen and widen structurally inadequate pavement sections. This project developed guidelines on successful FDR practices, developed training materials, and identified areas where improvements to current practices are required. To improve the FDR process, this report includes the following enhancements: (1) As current laboratory testing to select the optimal type and amount of stabilizer takes too long and requires too much material, continue to run parallel testing with the small sample test protocols proposed in this report; (2) Use the falling weight deflectometer (FWD) during construction to validate that the design assumptions are being met; (3) Implement the proposed bond test to select the optimum prime material and amount needed to effectively bond the base to the surfacing materials; (4) Modify the specifications to avoid working in freezing conditions; and (5) Consider implementing the other modifications to specifications proposed in this report. KW - Full-depth reclamation KW - Guidelines KW - Laboratory tests KW - Specifications KW - Test procedures KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6271-2.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45627/0-6271-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147683 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379900 AU - Krugler, Paul E AU - Freeman, Thomas J AU - Wirth, John E AU - Wikander, John P AU - Estakhri, Cindy K AU - Wimsatt, Andrew J AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Comparison of Various Seal Coat Grades Used in Texas PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 124p AB - This report documents research efforts to provide comparative quantitative performance information for various grades of seal coat aggregate available in the Texas Department of Transportation’s standard specifications. Length of service before replacement and level of noise generated at the tire-pavement interface were the primary focuses of the relative performance evaluations. The additional service life possible from seal coats with larger aggregate and higher asphalt application rates is compared to the additional cost generally associated with these larger aggregate seal coats. The comparative performance information combined with knowledge gathered from numerous department field engineers resulted in the development of guidelines for optimal seal coat grade selection. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Chip seals KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Pavement performance KW - Seal coats KW - Service life KW - Texas KW - Tire/pavement noise UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6496-1-CD.zip UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6496-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45628/0-6496-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147686 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379862 AU - Figliozzi, Miguel AU - Feng, Wu-chi AU - Laferriere, Gerardo AU - Feng, Wei AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Study of Headway Maintenance for Bus Routes: Causes and Effects of “Bus Bunching” in Extensive and Congested Service Areas PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 72p AB - A healthy and efficient public transit system is indispensable to reduce congestion, emissions, energy consumption, and car dependency in urban areas. The objective of this research is to 1) develop methods to evaluate and visualize bus service reliability for transit agencies in various temporal and spatial aggregation levels; 2) identify the recurrent unreliability trends of bus routes (focusing on high-frequency service periods) and understand their characteristics, causes and effects; and 3) model service times using linear regression models. This research utilized six months of archived automatic vehicle location (AVL) and automatic passenger count (APC) data from a low-performance route (Route 15) of TriMet, the public transit provider in the Portland metropolitan area. Route 15 has experienced difficulties in terms of schedule adherence and headway regularity. This research developed methods to summarize causes of bus bunching. The authors first determined the frequency of each cause (expressed as percentages) meeting pre-determined thresholds. Next, they performed a sensitivity analysis to demonstrate how cause percentage results change using varying difficulty levels of bus bunching thresholds. Finally, the authors investigated how cause percentage results vary spatially along different route segments. This research also developed novel ways to summarize and visualize vast amounts of bus route operations data in an insightful and intuitive manner: 1) a route/stop level visualization performance measure framework using color contour diagrams and 2) a dynamic interactive bus monitoring visualization framework based on a Google Maps platform. Visualizations proposed in this study can aid transit agency managers and operators to identify operational problems and better understand how such problems propagate spatially and temporally across routes. Finally, regression models were estimated to understand the key factors impacting dwell and travel times. KW - Bunching KW - Bus transit operations KW - Dwell time KW - Headways KW - Linear regression analysis KW - Portland Metropolitan Area (Oregon) KW - Schedule maintenance KW - Service reliability KW - Transit buses KW - Travel time KW - Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon KW - Visualization UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=1202 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45630/OTREC-RR-12-09_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147623 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379861 AU - Figliozzi, Miguel AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analyzing and Quantifying the Impact of Congestion on LTL Industry Costs and Performance in the Portland Metropolitan Region PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Increased congestion during peak morning and afternoon periods in urban areas is increasing logistics costs. In addition, environmental, social, and political pressures to limit the impacts associated with CO2 emissions are mounting rapidly. A key challenge for transportation agencies and businesses is to improve the efficiency of urban freight and commercial vehicle movements while ensuring environmental quality, livable communities, and economic growth. However, research and policy efforts to analyze and quantify the impacts of congestion and freight public policies on carriers' operations and CO2 emissions are hindered by the complexities of vehicle routing problems with time-dependent travel times and the lack of network-wide congestion data. This research focuses on the analysis of costs and CO2 emissions for different levels of congestion and time-definitive customer demands. Travel time data from an extensive archive of freeway sensors, time-dependent vehicle routing algorithms, and problems-instances with different types of binding constraints are used to analyze the impacts of congestion on commercial vehicle emissions. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Costs KW - Less than truckload traffic KW - Logistics KW - Peak hour traffic KW - Portland Metropolitan Area (Oregon) KW - Routing KW - Time dependence KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel time KW - Urban areas UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=1194 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45631/OTREC-RR-12-10_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147625 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379860 AU - Hillsman, Edward L AU - Hendricks, Sara J AU - Fiebe, JoAnne K AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Summary of Design, Policies and Operational Characteristics for Shared Bicycle/Bus Lanes PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 167p AB - This report contains the results of an investigation of the design and operation of shared bicycle/bus lanes in municipalities in the United States and other countries. These lanes are designated for use by public transit buses, bicycles, and usually also for right-turning vehicles. Some municipalities may also allow use of these lanes by taxis and delivery vehicles. The purpose of such lanes is to provide a time advantage to public transit service by taking the buses out of the general traffic flow and into a designated lane. Where constrained right-of-way prevents provision of a separate bicycle lane, the intent is to allow bicycles to use the designated bus lane. This is to provide a more direct route for bicyclists, provide greater level of service to bicyclists and provide some degree of space separation between general traffic and bicyclists for their greater safety and comfort. However, this combined use raises many issues of compatibility of bicycles and buses sharing the same road space. The limited available research on the subject of shared bicycle/bus lanes includes informative investigations from the Minneapolis Public Works Department, Minnesota; the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Pennsylvania; the City of Ottawa, Canada; the Department for Transport of the United Kingdom; and Austroads, Sydney, Australia. Investigators compiled a list of shared bicycle/bus lanes in cities in the United States and Canada, including facility attributes that are presented in an appendix. Researchers found very few examples of state-level guidance on shared bicycle/bus lanes but more examples at the local and regional levels. These are provided in the report. Through surveys and interviews, the shared bicycle/bus lanes from four cities in the United States were selected for in-depth examination and were developed into case studies: Ocean City, Maryland; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Washington, D.C. As a result of this investigation, an identification and discussion of the contextual factors, design variables, and tools for planning and implementing shared bicycle/bus lanes is presented. The report provides recommendations for further needed research. KW - Bicycle lanes KW - Bicycle vehicle interface KW - Bicycles KW - Bus lanes KW - Case studies KW - Design KW - Guidelines KW - Highway operations KW - Level of service KW - Minneapolis (Minnesota) KW - Ocean City (Maryland) KW - Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) KW - Policy KW - Shared bicycle/bus lanes KW - State of the practice KW - Traffic conflicts KW - Transit buses KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_RD/FDOT_BDK85_977-32_rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45622/77937.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147607 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379859 AU - Lehrman, Jora AU - Higgins, Christopher AU - Cox, Daniel AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Laboratory Performance of Highway Bridge Girder Anchorages Under Simulated Hurricane-Induced Wave Loading PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 132p AB - Many bridges along the Gulf Coast of the United States were damaged by recent hurricanes, and many more are susceptible to similar damage. This research examines the structural performance of common connection details used to anchor prestressed concrete girders to the substructure. Full-scale specimens were fabricated and tested under static and dynamic cyclic load histories. Dynamic load histories were developed from previously conducted hydraulic tests of a 1/5 scale model of a highway bridge under hurricane wave loads. The load effects considered included the pseudo-statically applied vertical uplift force, horizontal force, combined horizontal and vertical forces, and dynamically applied combined horizontal and vertical forces. This research describes the structural performance of the details under these loading conditions, provides improved understanding of connection performance, and enables better design details for new bridge construction and for rehabilitation of existing bridges to resist hurricane loads to produce surface transportation infrastructure that is more resilient to natural hazards. KW - Bridge anchorages KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge substructures KW - Dynamic loads KW - Girders KW - Gulf Coast (United States) KW - Highway bridges KW - Hurricanes KW - Load tests KW - Prestressed concrete bridges KW - Static loads KW - Structural connection KW - Wave loading UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=1196 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45629/OTREC-RR-12-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147622 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379849 AU - Cole, Richard AU - Dennis, David AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Transportation Economy: Just in Time PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 36p AB - The purpose of this project was to produce a short educational video, targeted at middle school and high school students, illustrating the critical role transportation plays in our modern economy. This report documents the production of a 6.5-minute video that provides students with a glimpse of how transportation has become an integral part of the modern economy. The video, titled "The Transportation Economy: Just in Time," is available in both streaming and downloadable formats to public and private schools online (http://transportationeconomy.tamu.edu/). The site includes a full transcript of the production and a downloadable PowerPoint® presentation. These materials are for use as supplemental material for middle school and high school economics and civics classes. KW - Economics KW - Education KW - High school students KW - Just in time production KW - Logistics KW - Middle school students KW - Transportation UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Cole_09-27-05.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45610/Cole_09-27-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147581 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379845 AU - Ellis, David R AU - Glover, Brianne AU - Norboge, Nicolas AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Refining a Methodology for Determining the Economic Impacts of Transportation Improvements PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 48p AB - Estimating the economic impact of transportation improvements has previously proven to be a difficult task. After an exhaustive literature review, it was clear that the transportation profession lacked standards and methodologies for determining economic impact from transportation investments. As a result, Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) researchers sought to fulfill this need. This project examined the current and historical economic impact assessment programs utilized by four state departments of transportation. Researchers evaluated these programs based on three outcomes: increased business and industry competitiveness, strengthened long-term regional and local economies, and enhanced household well-being. Researchers found that promoting transparency and flexibility and involving as many stakeholders as possible were key elements to economic program success. Based on these successful program elements, TTI professionals developed a new economic determination method to incorporate into the existing Transportation Revenue Estimation and Needs Determination System (TRENDS). The results from this study were also used to educate the public on the impacts transportation improvements, or lack of improvements, have on communities. KW - Case studies KW - Economic impacts KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Improvements KW - Infrastructure KW - Methodology KW - State departments of transportation KW - Texas Revenue Estimator and Needs Determination System (TRENDS) UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Ellis_11-00-68.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45606/Ellis_11-00-68.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147567 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379844 AU - Kuhn, Beverly AU - Jasek, Debbie AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhancement and Outreach for the Active Management Screening Tool PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 38p AB - Active traffic management—widely deployed for decades in Europe but in its infancy in the United States—maximizes the effectiveness and efficiency of the facility, and increases throughput and safety through integrated systems with new technology, including the automation of dynamic deployment to optimize performance quickly. In a previous UTCM project (TRID Online Accession #01364063) the principal investigator completed a beta version of an Active Management Screening Tool (AMST) for use by agencies in their congestion management process. The purpose of the AMST is to help agencies better assess the potential of active management strategies for their region. It is structured to provide beneficial information and guidance related to active management strategies in all areas and levels of transportation planning. Active management strategies included in the tool are: high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes; express toll lanes; non-tolled express lanes; exclusive/dedicated truck lanes; exclusive transitways; temporary shoulder use; speed harmonization; queue warning; dynamic rerouting and traveler information; ramp metering; dynamic merge control; and automated enforcement. This project enhanced the AMST with recent and emerging research and domestic experiences to make it a more robust product. The project also enhanced the website developed in the previous UTCM project to incorporate recent development and changes in the newly formed Active Transportation and Demand Management program within the Federal Highway Administration. Furthermore, by reaching out to practitioners across the country regarding the availability of the AMST, this project can have a positive impact on transportation networks by providing a tool to assess appropriate active management strategies for a region. KW - Active traffic management KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Congestion management systems KW - Highway traffic control KW - Screening tools KW - Traffic congestion UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Kuhn_11-46-71.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45607/Kuhn_11-46-71.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147570 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379843 AU - Jasek, Debbie AU - Perkins, Judy AU - Bierling, David AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Innovative Educational Modules for the Next Generation of Transportation Professionals PY - 2012/07//Technical Report SP - 22p AB - Basic science and mathematics competence, including awareness of engineering careers, gained in grades K-12 forms the foundation of an educated, capable, and technical future transportation workforce. This project developed a series of educational science, technology, and engineering, and math (STEM)-based modules for grades 6-12. These modules engage students in real-world applications of math, deductive reasoning, and problem solving. The modules can be incorporated in either the classroom or informal educational settings, such as after-school enrichment programs. The modules created by this project can be found at http://www.transportationoutreach.org. KW - After school programs KW - Education and training KW - Engineering KW - High school students KW - Mathematics KW - Middle school students KW - Science KW - Technology KW - Transportation careers UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Jasek_11-27-70.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45609/Jasek_11-27-70.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147577 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379842 AU - Henk, Russell AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Activating Teens to Prevent Traffic Crashes PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 26p AB - Car crashes kill more young people each year than any other cause. In addition to law enforcement and driver education, efforts to improve safety for this age group over the years have included public education and outreach programs, but these programs have suffered from two notable shortcomings. First, they have tended to focus exclusively on drunk driving, largely overlooking dangers that are actually more common to teenage drivers, such as nighttime driving and distractions (mainly cell phones/texting and other teen passengers). Second, the programs have typically been developed by adults with little or no involvement by the target audience, thereby limiting their potential effectiveness. Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) is a growing program that addresses each of these issues by focusing on many of the common teen driver dangers and by involving teens in both the development and delivery of safety messages. This essential teen involvement takes many forms, one of the most important of which is the TDS Teen Advisory Board, a representative group of teens from across Texas who offer ongoing guidance and feedback to Texas Transportation Institute staff who are responsible for the TDS program. The activities described in this report have enhanced the substance and value of this teen feedback by bringing the board’s members together once each quarter for extensive, interactive involvement in the ongoing refinement and growth of the TDS program. Since the launch of TDS in 2003, the frequency and rate of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes has fallen faster and more steadily in Texas than in any other state, a distinction due in part to how TDS peer messaging augments and supports the state’s graduated driver license law. This increased teen involvement in TDS has helped to ensure continued success of the program. KW - Advisory groups KW - Countermeasures KW - Fatalities KW - Graduated licensing KW - Messages (Communications) KW - Peer groups KW - Peer-to-peer communication KW - Safety programs KW - Teenage drivers KW - Texas KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Henk_10-10-52.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45608/Henk_10-10-52.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147568 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379717 AU - Liu, Wenxing AU - Jaipuria, Sunny AU - Murphy, Mike AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Four-Year Pavement Management Plan (FY 2011-FY 2014) PY - 2012/07 SP - 122p AB - Rider 55 of the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT's) appropriations bill requires that prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the department provide the Legislative Budget Board and the Governor with a detailed plan for the use of these funds that includes, but is not limited to, a district-by-district analysis of pavement score targets and how proposed maintenance spending will impact pavement scores in each district. The 2011–2014 Pavement Management Plan (PMP) provides TxDOT with a mechanism to predict pavement conditions based on a specified funding level and project-specific plan. The resulting report consisted of the summary of the number of lane miles that each district planned to treat as Preventive Maintenance (PM), Light (LRhb), Medium (MRhb), or Heavy Rehabilitation (HRhb) and the impact that those treatments are predicted to have on the pavement conditions. KW - Appropriations KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Preventive maintenance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Strategic planning KW - Texas Department of Transportation UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/5_9035_01_P5.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147322 ER - TY - SER AN - 01379204 JO - Traffic Safety Facts - Crash Stats PB - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities for the First Quarter (January–March) of 2012 PY - 2012/07 IS - HS-811 642 SP - 2p AB - A statistical projection of traffic fatalities for the first quarter of 2012 shows that an estimated 7,630 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. This represents a significant increase of about 13.5% as compared to the 6,720 fatalities that were projected to have occurred in the first quarter of 2011. Preliminary data reported by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) show that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the first three months of 2012 increased by about 9.7 billion miles, or about a 1.4% increase. The fatality rate for the first three months of 2012 increased significantly to 1.10 fatalities per 100 million VMT, up from 0.98 fatalities per 100 million VMT in the first quarter of 2011. Previously, in 2011, fatalities are projected to have declined in all four quarters. If these projections for the first quarter of 2012 are realized, it will represent the second largest year-to-year quarterly increase in fatalities since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began recording traffic fatalities (1975). The largest recorded year-to-year quarterly increase by NHTSA was a 15.3% increase in fatalities during the first quarter of 1979. KW - Fatalities KW - Forecasting KW - Quarterly reports KW - Statistical analysis KW - Statistical projections KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811642.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146798 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379169 AU - Schvaneveldt, Roger W AU - Branaghan, Russell J AU - Lamonica, John AU - Beringer, Dennis B AU - Arizona State University, Mesa AU - Lamonica Aviation AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Weather in the Cockpit: Priorities, Sources, Delivery, and Needs in the Next Generation Air Transportation System PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 40p AB - A study was conducted to identify/verify weather factors important to the conduct of aviation activities and that would be important to consider in systems intended to operate within the NextGen environment. The study reviewed weather-information systems available for General Aviation aircraft at that time. The report presents a listing of recognized aviation weather hazards followed by rankings, by General Aviation pilots, of weather data elements associated with these hazards. This is followed by a listing of pilot-accessible sources for the relevant weather data and examples of graphical presentations of much of the data. Included is a brief listing and discussion of avionics systems able to host these graphical data. Recommendations are provided for the presentation of weather data in the cockpit, the incorporation of decision aids, forecasts, reliability labeling, and display strategies. KW - Aircraft operations KW - Aviation safety KW - Cockpits KW - Data collection KW - Decision support systems KW - General aviation pilots KW - Information systems KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Real time information KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2010s/media/201207.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146808 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01378870 AU - Gong, Qi AU - Miao, Qing AU - Wang, Bruce X AU - Adams, Teresa M AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing Public Benefits and Costs of Freight Transportation Projects: Measuring Shippers' Value of Delay on the Freight System PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 62p AB - Freight delay is detrimental to the national economy. In an effort to gauge the economic impact of freight delay due to highway congestion, this project focuses on estimating shippers’ value of delay (VOD). The authors have accomplished this through three strategies to monetize the impacts of congestion on shippers’ operations: (1) Three half-structured on-site interviews with shipping managers in different type of industries were conducted to obtain insights into their daily logistic operations and their subjective assessment of the delay impacts. In light of the interviews, a comprehensive survey of major manufacturers and wholesalers within Texas and Wisconsin was conducted. (2) The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and willingness-to-pay (WTP) method were then applied to quantify the impact of congestion on shippers. The AHP reveals that among four possible delay components, en route transportation delay is the most important, which justifies WTP evaluating the value of highway congestion delay. The authors have found a value of $56 per hour for congestion. Furthermore, a value of $0.4 per percentage delay was also calculated for transportation time reliability using individual defined travel time. (3) An analytical inventory model was used to examine the value of delay in view of mean and reliability of transit time for shipment receivers. Nine industrial groups were analyzed. For example, shippers in the chemical industry are calculated to have an additional $13.89 cost on a truckload delivery if the transit time is expected to increase by one hour. The random delay has an average of $31.04 per hour per truckload delivery. KW - Analytical hierarchy process KW - Delay costs KW - Delays KW - Economic impacts KW - Freight transportation KW - Logistics KW - Traffic congestion KW - Willingness to pay UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Wang_11-00-65.pdf UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0414.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146606 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376327 AU - Cherrington, Linda AU - Sandidge, Matt AU - Joh, Ken AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transit Management Certificate Program PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 46p AB - Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) worked closely with the Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning Department (LAUP) of Texas A&M University (TAMU) to develop a transit management certificate focus for the current Graduate Certificate in Transportation Planning (CTP) housed in the College of Architecture at TAMU. The purpose of the focus area is to provide graduate level curriculum to individuals interested in public transportation. The focus is multidisciplinary and open to all graduate students at Texas A&M University. This program is the first step in the development of future educational opportunities in public transportation in Texas. KW - Certification KW - Curricula KW - Education KW - Graduate study KW - Public transit KW - Texas A&M University KW - Transportation planning UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Cherrington_10-55-48.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144071 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376323 AU - Mjelde, James W AU - Dudensing, Rebekka AU - Cherrington, Linda K AU - Jin, Yanhong AU - Israel, Alicia A AU - Chen, Junyi AU - University Transportation Center for Mobility AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Value of Public Transportation for Improving the Quality of Life for the Rural Elderly PY - 2012/07//Final Report SP - 140p AB - Transportation for the rural elderly is an increasing concern as baby boomers age and young people continue to exit rural communities. As the elderly are no longer able to drive themselves, they rely on alternate forms of transportation, including public transportation systems. However, such systems are often not a good substitute for driving a private car, especially in rural areas. This study focuses on non-medical transportation; medical transportation is addressed in the literature and is more widely available to the elderly. Because expanded rural transportation systems likely will be funded by taxpayers, an understanding of their preferences and willingness-to-pay for non-medical transportation options is essential. To fulfill this objective, a choice experiment survey was administered to taxpayers in three counties (Atascosa, Polk, and Parker) in Texas and to students at Texas A&M University. Results indicate that taxpayers value transportation services for the elderly and are willing to support them. They value more flexible options over base levels of the attributes presented, but they may not always prefer the most flexible options. Respondents’ willingness to pay for attributes was similar across counties, but differences in socio-demographic coefficients suggests that transportation systems may need to be customized to meet local needs. Furthermore, the cost of improvements to the transportation systems may be more than county residents are willing to pay. Students’ willingness-to-pay was generally higher than that of county residents, and the variation in students’ willingness to pay was smaller. However, students and county residents ranked the value of transportation attributes similarly, suggesting that students may be a good convenience sample for behavioral questions but less so for policy matters. KW - Aged KW - Atascosa County (Texas) KW - College students KW - Consumer preferences KW - Parker County (Texas) KW - Polk County (Texas) KW - Quality of life KW - Rural transit KW - Surveys KW - Texas A&M University KW - Transportation policy KW - Willingness to pay UR - http://utcm.tamu.edu/publications/final_reports/Mjelde_11-08-74.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1144070 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01496775 AU - Ehrenfeucht, Renia AU - McPherson, Justice AU - University of New Orleans AU - Gulf Coast Research Center for Evacuation and Transportation Resiliency AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Walking in the City PY - 2012/06/30/Final Report SP - 48p AB - Motivated by traffic congestion, excessive energy use and poor health outcomes, planning and public health researchers have developed an extensive body of research that examines walking and other active transport as well as walking for recreation. In different discussions, walking has become a newly interesting subject and method to understand urban (and non urban) life, and a growing number of researchers have sought to understand mobility, the social experience and functions of walking and its cultural meanings. These areas of research rarely overlap. The latter has the potential for enriching the research about active travel and physical activity and, through doing so, suggest more effective pathways to healthier and less energy intensive life patterns. This project first examines these divergent literatures. It then uses New Orleans to discuss both the pedestrian improvements and the vibrant public life that New Orleans sustained without the new pedestrian infrastructure. It concludes with a discussion about pedestrian oriented research agenda. KW - New Orleans (Louisiana) KW - Pedestrians KW - Travel behavior KW - Urban areas KW - Walking UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/47000/47900/47911/11-11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264195 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01494502 AU - Kang, Thomas H-K AU - Kim, Woosuk AU - Lam, Kah Mun AU - Martin, Randy D AU - Kim, Kyu AU - Huang, Yu AU - Holliday, Lisa AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Oklahoma Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Relief of Reinforcing Congestion in Beams and Bent Caps of Concrete Bridges PY - 2012/06/30/Final Report SP - 159p AB - In order to determine how to resolve the issues involving steel congestion in reinforced concrete (RC) structures, three potential solutions to this problem were researched. In the first method, RC was mixed with steel fibers. The use of steel fibers instead of shear reinforcement stirrups resulted in the reduction of steel congestion in a manner which was both effective in reducing the effects of congestion and which was practical to implement. In the second method, steel congestion in RC was effectively reduced by the use of self-consolidating concrete (SCC), which does not require the use of vibrators in its casting. In the final method, steel congestion was effectively reduced by the use of headed bars instead of traditional hooked bars. This first and third approach is emerging as a research topic of special interest in the American Concrete Institute. In evaluating these three approaches, and in combining them in this study, varied types of concrete were used. Shear testing was conducted using a lightweight concrete mix. Flexural testing of lightweight prestressed concrete (PC) beams was conducted using SCC. Seismic testing of headed bars in RC beam-column connections was conducted using a normal weight concrete mix. These three experiments were the subject matter of this study. In these studies the experimental results were compared with the ACI 318-08 provisions and with existing modeling equations proposed by many researchers. New models were proposed which better correlated with the test results were proposed. Therefore, although other studies in the world may have dealt with the relief of steel congestion in RC and/or PC structures, in researching these three unique methods for the relief of steel congestion it was discovered that several variations and combinations of such methods can provide effective solutions for diverse conditions. Most of all, this study should prove important in providing the basis for additional research since the guidelines and codes regarding the relief of steel congestion are shown to be based upon previously limited data. KW - Beams KW - Bents KW - Concrete bridges KW - Flexural strength KW - Lightweight concrete KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Seismic tests KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shear tests KW - Steel fibers KW - Structural connection UR - http://www.oktc.org/otc/files/finalReports/OTCREOS9.1-27-F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1262831 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449524 AU - Matsuo, Miwa AU - Ishise, Hiroyuki AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The U.S.-Canada Border Effect: Smaller Than Previously Thought and Becoming Smaller PY - 2012/06/30/Final Report SP - 47p AB - The authors revisit the effect of the U.S.-Canada national border on trade, considering to what extent the border reduces trade when observable economic factors are controlled. A reexamination of the data yields estimates of the border effect that are 50% higher than previously expected (Feenstra, 2004); however, the nonlinearity of the estimation and distance measure reduce the effect by 65%. The authors therefore conclude that the border effect in 1993 had a factor of 4.10. This figure is 15% lower than the effect proposed by previous research. The authors also calculate the border effect for subsequent years and find that this effect steadily decreased to a low of 3.21 in 2007. Interestingly, a traditional linear methodology cannot be used to identify this decline clearly. KW - Border effect KW - Border regions KW - Canada KW - Gravity models KW - International trade KW - Trade KW - United States KW - United States-Canada Border UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Matsuo_FreightBottlenecksandtheBorderPuzzle.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46150/Matsuo_Bottlenecks_473_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447541 AU - Qi, Yan AU - El Gendy, Amin AU - Wang, Feng AU - Jackson State University, Jackson AU - Mississippi Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of MDOT's Distress Thresholds for Maintained Pavement Projects PY - 2012/06/30/Final Report SP - 100p AB - As an alternative to traditional contracting, pavement warranty has been adopted in Mississippi since 2000, aimed to enhance pavement performance and protect the investment in pavement construction. Currently, a manual distress survey method and the associated deduct point-based pavement condition rating approach are employed to monitor the performance of warranty pavements (maintained projects). The main objective of this study is to evaluate the appropriateness of using the current deduct points and distress thresholds to monitor the performance of the maintained projects in Mississippi. In the study, a comprehensive literature review and online survey were conducted to review the recent state of practice of pavement warranty in North America. The analytical section of the study employed pavement distress and riding quality data collected from warranty pavements and the corresponding data of non-warranty pavements stored in the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) Pavement Management System (PMS) for the statistical analysis. Using raw data, converted deduct points, and composite index as performance indicators, basic statistics were developed to investigate the distribution of performance indicators at various service times and the corresponding percentiles associated with the existing threshold values. In addition, pairwise comparisons were conducted to examine the evolvement of distress over time for warranted and non-warranted pavements. Further, two sample t-tests were performed to compare the performance of warranted and non-warranted pavements at the same service time. The survey study has shown that most other pavement warranty programs in other states use direct measurements of pavement distresses or densities of pavement distresses for their distress indicators and thresholds while the pavement warranty program at MDOT employs deduct points based distress thresholds which are quantities converted from measurements of pavement distresses. The analytical results show that the performance of the warranty pavements is significantly better than that of the non-warranty pavements at the same service time level, and warranty pavements can maintain at high service levels for a longer time than non-warranty pavements. The pavement warranty program adopted by MDOT has improved pavement performance, and is effective in practice. However, the current distress thresholds adopted by MDOT are inconsistent with regard to the various corresponding percentile levels for different distress types at a same service time, and the different increase rates of the percentile level for different distress types over service time. It is suggested that direct measurements of pavement distresses or distress densities be used as distress thresholds, and consistent threshold levels be implemented for all distress types. KW - Literature reviews KW - Mississippi KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Service time KW - Surveys KW - Warranty UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46040/State_Study_221_-_Evaluation_of_MDOT_s_Distress_Thresholds_for_Maintained_Pavement_Projects.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46122/State_Study_221_-_Evaluation_of_MDOT_s_Distress_Thresholds_for_Maintained_Pavement_Projects.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214781 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447240 AU - Macias, Thomas AU - Nelson, Elysia AU - Watts, Richard AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Environmental Concern, Social Capital and the Social Context of Tailpipe Emissions-Related Knowledge in Northern Climates PY - 2012/06/30 SP - 36p AB - Approximately a quarter of all greenhouse gases originate from motor vehicle tailpipe emissions (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007). Along with reducing household energy usage, changes in transportation behavior would have the most direct impact on lowering consumer output of greenhouse gases, specifically carbon dioxide. Despite increased levels of awareness surrounding global warming and interest in reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, there is little evidence that people have been willing to make changes in their lives to attain this collective goal. That technological improvements alone have not been able to reduce overall CO2 emissions draws attention to the motivations people have, if any, to reduce vehicle emissions as a matter of daily practice. This project has thus been motivated by three central questions: What do people know about vehicle tailpipe emissions? How does social context inform this knowledge and concern about environmental impacts, more generally?; and How do knowledge of vehicle tailpipe emissions and environmental concern grounded in social context affect individual transportation behavior? KW - Exhaust gases KW - Pollutants KW - Public opinion KW - Social factors KW - Travel behavior UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-12-011.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214564 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447238 AU - McRae, Glenn AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - University of Vermont, Burlington TI - Transportation Education Demonstration Pilot Program UVM Transportation Research Center PY - 2012/06/30/Final Report SP - 16p AB - The Transportation Education Development Pilot Program develops innovative workforce development programs to attract and retain skilled workers in the transportation sector of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine and encourages statewide economic development by cultivating a well-trained workforce. The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $979,829 to the University of Vermont's Transportation Research Center as part of a $1.01 million workforce development project to help develop four innovative programs. Three programs, Transportation Systems Institute, Transportation Systems Academy, and Second Careers in Transportation, are aimed at attracting and retaining skilled workers. Non-traditional labor sectors (e.g. young adults, retirees, veterans) are provided with transportation career awareness and skill building. One program, Community College, has assessed the capacity of community colleges nationwide to participate in transportation workforce development. KW - Community colleges KW - Education and training KW - Maine KW - New Hampshire KW - Personnel development KW - Personnel retention KW - Recruiting KW - Transportation KW - Transportation careers KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-12-013.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46024/UVM-TRC-12-013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214562 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446534 AU - Tung, Leonard J AU - Florida State University, Tallahassee AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Automated Testing Tools for Traffic Control Signals and Devices PY - 2012/06/30/Final Report SP - 48p AB - Through a coordinated effort among the electrical engineering research team of the Florida State University (FSU) and key Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) personnel, an automated testing system for National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) TS2 Type-1 Actuated Signal Controller (ASC) has been developed and constructed. The system developed consists of the following: A laptop with proper ports and software;, A Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card by Quatech; A device for the interface between an ASC and the Quatech card; A total of 20 automated testing programs covering all the functionalities of an ASC; An executable C# Windows Console application to execute all the automated testing programs: ASCAutoTester.exe; A user manual for the automated ASC testing system; and A compact disk (CD) containing all program codes and documents of the project. KW - Actuated traffic signal controllers KW - Automated testing KW - Automatic test equipment KW - Computer program documentation KW - Software KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic signal controllers KW - Traffic signals UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_TE/FDOT_BDK83%20977-08_rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46170/FDOT_BDK83_977-08_rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46171/FDOT_BDK83_977-08_sum.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214054 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448975 AU - Rajbhandari, Rajat AU - Villa, Juan AU - Macias, Roberto AU - Tate, William AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Battelle Memorial Institute AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Measuring Border Delay and Crossing Times at the US/Mexico Border – Part II: Step-by-Step Guidelines for Implementing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) System to Measure Border Crossing and Wait Times PY - 2012/06/29/Final Report SP - 73p AB - The purpose of these step-by-step guidelines is to assist in planning, designing, and deploying a system that uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to measure the time needed for commercial vehicles to complete the northbound border crossing process at the U.S.–Mexico border (i.e., crossing time) as well as time needed to reach the primary inspection station of the Customs and Border Protection facility from the end of a typical queue (i.e., wait time). Guidelines described in this document are based on experiences gathered while deploying RFID-based systems to measure crossing times and wait times at various U.S.–Mexico land border crossings in Texas. However, this document provides a step-by-step process that is not port of entry (POE) specific, so similar systems can be deployed at any POE, including those on the U.S.–Canada border. KW - Border crossing time KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Guidelines KW - Ports of entry KW - Radio frequency identification KW - Texas KW - United States-Canada Border KW - United States-Mexico Border KW - Waiting time UR - http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12016/fhwahop12016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214980 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454437 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - AASHTO Peer Exchange: Communicating Transportation Funding Issues PY - 2012/06/27/Final Report SP - v.p. AB - Inside the transportation industry, practitioners agree that the role of America’s transportation system as an anchor for the nation’s economic prosperity and quality of life is threatened by aging roads, buses, rail tracks and bridges that are beginning to buckle under the weight of travel volumes that were unforeseen by the engineers that built them. Even armed with a mounting array of anecdotal evidence, hard data, reports and plans for action, the industry often has a tough time getting their ‘infrastructure funding’ messages to stick outside the halls (and minds) of transportation agencies. In an attempt to address this issue, on June 27, 2012, the Center for Excellence in Project Finance (CEPF) at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored and convened a peer exchange for members of the AASHTO Standing Committee on Finance and Administration (SCOFA) and the AASHTO Standing Committee on Planning (SCOP) entitled “Effectively Communicating Transportation Funding Issues.” The peer exchange took place in conjunction with the AASHTO Transportation Research Board (TRB) Policy Meeting taking place June 25-27, 2012 at the TRB Beckman Center in Irvine, CA. One of the goals of the peer exchange was to share emerging and best practices that state departments of transportation are using to better communicate the issues surrounding finance, funding, planning, and project selection with the general public and the users of the transportation system. The agenda was designed around the four building blocks of effective communication: audience identification, market research, message design and message delivery. This document includes a summary of the day’s agenda, activities, and findings. Appendix A includes best practices submitted by the participants; appendices B and C include the day’s presentations. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Best practices KW - Communication KW - Financing KW - Market research KW - Message delivery KW - Message design KW - Peer exchange KW - Project selection KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.mrr.dot.state.mn.us/research/pdf/200021.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1222937 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01443816 AU - Datta, Tapan K AU - Gates, Timothy J AU - Savolainen, Peter T AU - Wayne State University AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Impact of Non-Freeway Rumble Strips - Phase 1 PY - 2012/06/26/Final Report SP - 91p AB - In an effort to reduce lane-departure crashes, in 2008 the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) began a three-year statewide non-freeway rumble strip installation initiative. This initiative called for the installation of milled centerline rumble strips on all rural non-freeway highways with a posted speed limit of 55 mph and a paved roadway width greater than 20 ft and shoulder rumble strips on roadways with paved shoulders that were at least 6 ft wide. Approximately 5,400 miles of non-freeway roadways were ultimately included in this rumble strip installation initiative. As this initiative was believed to be the largest of its kind in the United States at the time, it was important for MDOT to evaluate the impacts associated with the rumble strip installations to provide guidance for future implementation both within Michigan and other states. The objectives of this study included: identification and analysis of “Before” traffic crashes; assessment of impact of rumble strips on driver behavior, bicyclist safety, roadside noise, and short term pavement performance. Several field data collection efforts were undertaken in order to accomplish the objectives. Based on the results of the evaluation, it is concluded that rumble strips on high-speed non-freeway highways improves driver performance on most highways and traffic scenarios. Vehicles produced higher levels of roadside noise when traveling over the rumble strips compared to normal passbys. The rumble strip noise typically did not exceed the roadside noise level produced by tractor trailer trucks traveling on normal highways. Finally, centerline rumble strips did not contribute to short-term transverse cracking in asphalt pavements. Three years of “Before” crash data were analyzed to identify the target crashes that is expected to be alleviated by the installation of centerline rumble strips on MDOT’s high-speed trunkline (non-freeway) system. KW - Before and after studies KW - Center lines KW - Crashes KW - Michigan KW - Noise KW - Pavement performance KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Road shoulders KW - Rumble strips KW - Rural highways KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_Research_Report_RC1575_Appendix_1_394365_7.pdf UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_Research_Report_RC1575_Appendix_2_394367_7.pdf UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_Research_Report_RC1575_Appendix_3_394368_7.pdf UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_Research_Report_RC1575_Report_394019_7.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45667/MDOT_Research_Report_RC1575_Report_394019_7.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45668/MDOT_Research_Report_RC1575_Appendix_1_394365_7.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45669/MDOT_Research_Report_RC1575_Appendix_2_394367_7.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45670/MDOT_Research_Report_RC1575_Appendix_3_394368_7.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1211605 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01431181 AU - Srinivasan, Sivaramakrishnan AU - Nowrouzian, Roosbeh AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Center for Multimodal Solutions for Congestion Mitigation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Tour Generation Models for Florida PY - 2012/06/25/Final Report SP - 39p AB - Household travel surveys from three regions of Florida (Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami areas) were examined to understand patterns in travel behavior. Tours were constructed and characterized in terms of purpose, travel party composition, complexity, and flexibility. The empirical findings underscore the need for travel-demand models that incorporate trip-chaining and intra-household interactions. A framework for modeling tour generation was also developed. This comprises a suite of four models applied sequentially. These models were estimated for each of the three regions (a total of 12 multinomial logit models in all). This study also examined the transferability of tour-generation models among three metropolitan regions in Florida. Naïve transfer methods are examined to assess the performance of the transferred models (from two other regions) to that of the locally-estimated model. Transferability is evaluated using multiple measures such as aggregate and disaggregate predictive ability and the aggregate elasticities to specific socio-economic factors. Overall, while it might be acceptable to use a similar modeling framework, caution must be exercised in borrowing parameters from one area for use in another region. The current study can be significantly extended using the recent Florida add-on samples to the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) to guide the efforts to build a standardized activity-based modeling system for Florida. KW - Activity-based models KW - Florida KW - Households KW - Jacksonville (Florida) KW - Miami (Florida) KW - Multinomial logits KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Tampa (Florida) KW - Transferability of models KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Travel surveys KW - Trip generation UR - http://cms.ce.ufl.edu/research/srinivasan_CMS_2009-008_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1189076 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448973 AU - Rajbhandari, Rajat AU - Villa, Juan AU - Macias, Roberto AU - Tate, William AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Battelle Memorial Institute AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Measuring Border Delay and Crossing Times at the US/Mexico Border – Part II: Guidebook for Analysis and Dissemination of Border Crossing Time and Wait Time Data PY - 2012/06/22/Final Report SP - 63p AB - The purpose of this guidebook is to describe to local, regional, and State agencies how to analyze and disseminate data collected by a radio frequency identification (RFID)-based system to measure travel times of commercial vehicles, which is referred to in this document as the RFID-based border crossing time and wait time measurement system. The guidebook includes recommended statistical analyses that can be used to support monitoring the performance of border crossings. The guidebook also describes available mechanisms to disseminate crossing times and wait times. These data include traveler information (e.g., current crossing and wait times) and archived information (e.g., performance measures, pre-coded reports and charts). The guidebook is not specific to one port of entry and hence is applicable to any border crossing deriving crossing time and wait time data similar to those collected by RFID-based systems that have been implemented at various U.S.–Mexico land border crossings in Texas. KW - Border crossing time KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Data collection KW - Handbooks KW - Ports of entry KW - Radio frequency identification KW - Texas KW - Travel time KW - United States-Mexico Border KW - Waiting time UR - http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12014/fhwahop12014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1216394 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01379201 AU - Charness, Neil AU - Boot, Walter AU - Mitchum, Ainsley AU - Stothart, Cary AU - Lupton, Heather AU - Florida State University, Tallahassee AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation TI - Aging Driver and Pedestrian Safety: Parking Lot Hazards Study PY - 2012/06/20/Final Report SP - 97p AB - In Task 1, the authors analyzed pedestrian crash data for parking lots in West Central Florida, finding: 1) Seasonal variation in crash frequency in parking lots with higher frequencies in winter and spring, likely associated with tourist influxes to Florida; 2) Variation in crash frequency during daytime hours with peaks from noon to 6 pm; 3) Greater crash risk (per 1000 population) for all crashes and serious crashes for younger (age 15-19) and older (age 75+) pedestrians, as well as for younger (age 20-24) and older (age 65+) drivers; 4) Greater crash frequencies in smaller than larger parking lots and in residential parking lots; 5) No significant variation in crash frequency by parking space angle or by presence of crosswalks; and 6) Greater frequency of back out crashes for older pedestrians (age 75+) and forward driving crashes for younger (age 14 and below) pedestrians. In Task 2, an observational study of pedestrian behavior in parking lots, the authors found: 1) Greater use of crosswalks by all age groups (young, middle, old) in larger parking lots, though no significant age variation occurred in using crosswalks; 2) No significant age variation was seen in lateral distance to parked cars when pedestrians were navigating; and 3) Greater distracted walking by younger than older pedestrians. In Task 3, a field experiment requiring middle-aged and older pedestrians to navigate through an open parking lot and a parking garage wearing eye-tracking equipment, the authors found: 1) Age differences in walking speeds when navigating parking lots with older pedestrians, aged 65 and older, walking about 0.6 ft slower than middle-aged adults, aged 50 to 64; and 2) No significant age differences in attention patterns when navigating parking lots, as indicated by scanning behavior (e.g., head turns, eye fixation patterns) or in response to a backing out threat (fixation response time, walking path deviation). The authors conclude that the most likely reason for the differential crash types in parking lots for older compared to younger pedestrians probably lies in the reduced speed with which older pedestrians can react to hazardous events. Potential countermeasures to improve safety could include age-targeted educational campaigns and development and deployment of collision-avoidance technology. The authors also recommend that future work focus on developing new ways to assess pedestrian crash exposure in parking lots that take into account walking speed and distance from parking spaces to store fronts. KW - Age groups KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash rates KW - Crosswalks KW - Distraction KW - Field studies KW - Florida KW - Parking lots KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Tourists KW - Walking speed UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_TE/FDOT_BDK83_977-12_rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1146804 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472595 AU - Mahmassani, Hani S AU - Kim, Jiwon AU - Hou, Tian AU - Zockaie, Ali AU - Saberi, Meead AU - Jiang, Lan AU - Verbas, Omer AU - Cheng, Sihan AU - Chen, Ying AU - Haas, Robert AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Northwestern University, Evanston AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Implementation and Evaluation of Weather Responsive Traffic Estimation and Prediction System PY - 2012/06/18/Final Report SP - 182p AB - The objective of the project is to develop a framework and procedures for implementing and evaluating weather-responsive traffic management (WRTM) strategies using Traffic Estimation and Prediction System (TrEPS) methodologies. In a previous Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funded project, a methodology was developed and tested for incorporating weather impacts in off-line TrEPS. This capability is now included in on-line TrEPS, which interacts with multiple sources of local real-time information, to provide operators with predicted traffic states under the current and future weather conditions. The main goal is to support the decision making process for addressing the disruptive effect of inclement weather on the traffic system. These tools were developed, applied, calibrated and tested in three different locations across the United States. The networks selected include Salt Lake City, Utah, New York’s Long Island Expressway Area and Chicago, Illinois. In addition to building the networks and developing the various demand and supply inputs, calibration of the traffic models to local weather conditions has provided a rich database of calibrated weather-sensitive traffic models that could be applied in any region. The methodology is configured to run with real-time traffic data (e.g. from loop detectors or remote traffic microwave sensors). The methodology was used to evaluate the effectiveness of different weather-related traffic management strategies in specific areas. The project has successfully demonstrated the potential of a TrEPS installation that is “always on”, up to date and adaptively calibrated to address a range of weather conditions and scenarios, retrievable on demand by local operating agencies through a scenario manager. KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Dynamic traffic assignment KW - Highway operations KW - Highway traffic control KW - Long Island (New York) KW - Real time information KW - Road weather information systems KW - Salt Lake City (Utah) KW - Traffic estimation KW - Traffic models KW - Weather KW - Weather conditions UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46300/46357/FHWA-JPO-12-055_FINAL_PKG.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239156 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01394338 AU - Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration AU - Department of Transportation TI - Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Operators’ Integrity Management Programs Need More Rigorous PHMSA Oversight PY - 2012/06/18 SP - 33p AB - Every day, 175,000 miles of pipelines transport crude oil, refined petroleum products, and other hazardous liquids throughout the United States. These pipelines can be vulnerable to accidents caused by corrosion, pipe defects, and other factors. Between 2005 and 2010, 356 significant accidents that were IM-detectable occurred, resulting in 6 deaths, 11 injuries, and $852 million in clean-up costs. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) defines “IM-detectable” as significant accidents that are caused by internal corrosion, pipe seam welds, and other factors that are potentially detectable by integrity assessments under the Hazardous Liquid Integrity Management (IM) rule. Given the significant public and environmental impact of pipeline accidents, the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (OIG) initiated this audit to assess the effectiveness of PHMSA’s oversight of hazardous liquid pipeline operators’ IM programs. Specifically, OIG assessed PHMSA’s (1) inspection and enforcement activities, (2) requirements for non-line pipe facilities (e.g., valves, pump and meter stations, and storage tanks), and (3) data management and analysis capabilities. KW - Hazardous materials KW - Integrity management KW - Oversight KW - Pipeline safety KW - Pipelines KW - Safety inspections KW - U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration UR - http://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/dot/files/PHMSA%20Oversight%20of%20Hazardous%20Liquid%20Pipeline%20Operators%27%20Integrity%20Managment%20Programs%5E6-18-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148446 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01466555 TI - Highway Traffic Noise Prediction and Analysis Fiscal Year 2012 through Fiscal Year 2015 Federal Aid to Highway Tasks AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Traffic Noise Model (TMN) was developed by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) for the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Office of Natural Environment to aid in compliance with environmental regulations. The Volpe Center will provide continuing support to this effort by: (1) Completing development and distribution of TMN Version 3.0; (2) Supporting special project analysis and other technical support; and (3) Project management. KW - Environmental policy KW - Project management KW - Regulations KW - Technical assistance KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234790 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470705 AU - Delaware Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Delaware Transportation Facts 2010 PY - 2012/06/11 SP - 48p AB - This report is a fascinating and informative collection of data that highlights important information related to transportation in Delaware. The facts and figures collected here reinforces the vital role of transportation in our daily lives, as well as the strategic role that transportation plays in Delaware’s economy. The link between a healthy transportation infrastructure and a health state economy is easily recognized. Businesses require a transportation network that is in good condition and meets their needs. Delawareans who use that transportation network to go to and from work and conduct their daily lives have the same need. Without a strong transportation network, attracting and retaining companies and the jobs they provide presents a daunting challenge. Fortunately, these transportation challenges are being met. The role that the Delaware Department of Transportation plays in our daily lives is incredibly large. Whether we drive a car, take a train or bus, or in the course of our employment, use another type of vehicle, DelDOT has some part in it. Traffic controls, safety features along roadways, maintenance of the hundreds of bridges across the state, are all part of DelDOT’s daily mission. And while the department focuses on what is needed for highway safety today, DelDOT is also looking toward the future and new technologies that will benefit all of us in the coming years. This report discusses the following transportation topics: roads and bridges, traffic safety, walking and biking, parking and ridesharing, transit, aviation and nautical, transportation planning and transportation funding. KW - Bridges KW - Cyclists KW - Delaware KW - Pedestrians KW - Ridesharing KW - Traffic safety KW - Transportation planning KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://deldot.gov/information/pubs_forms/fact_book/pdf/2010/2010_fact_book.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1238079 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464950 TI - Automatic Recognition and Understanding the Driving Environment for Driver Feedback AB - The long-term goal of this project is to develop techniques for building internal models of the vehicle's static environment (objects, features, terrain) and of the vehicle's dynamic environment (people and vehicle moving in the vehicle's environment) from sensor data, which can operate online and can be used to provide the information necessary to make recommendations, to generate alarms, or to take emergency action. KW - Automotive computers KW - Driver feedback KW - Driving environments KW - Sensors KW - Terrain KW - Vehicle dynamics KW - Warning systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233183 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464949 TI - Sensory Augmentation for Increased Awareness of Driving Environment AB - The goals of this project are to extend the state of the art of vehicle perception systems for use in roadway traffic and develop systems that can model and predict the actions of multiple simultaneous road users in order to identify potentially hazardous situations before they turn into accidents. The project proposes augmenting vehicles with sensors and processing capabilities to perceive obstacles (both static and dynamic), predict how those obstacles might move over time, identify locations where unseen hazards might appear, and continually evaluate these values to determine the possibility that an unsafe condition might occur in the immediate future. While the Urban Challenge focused on fully autonomous vehicles, similar perception systems could also be deployed in manually-driven cars that could alert the human driver if an unsafe road condition is approaching. The project uses behavioral models of traffic to identify the perceived intent of nearby vehicles, use those intent models to predict the most likely future positions of those vehicles and determine whether a potentially unsafe condition may arise in the near future. KW - Augmentation systems KW - Autonomous land vehicles KW - Driving environments KW - Obstructions (Navigation) KW - Perception KW - Sensors KW - Vehicle dynamics UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233182 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464942 TI - Assessment of Information & Communication Technologies in Transportation AB - Introduction of advanced control and communication technologies on US roadways and vehicles is likely to have a variety of impacts to be considered. Congestion, emissions, and accident rates could all be affected. Any reduced congestion in the system will alter travel demand decisions, often reducing the net effect of the new technologies. Moreover, combinations of new technologies may have synergies that affect assessments. The project will estimate the collective impact of different technologies in a traffic simulation model to help the design and implementation of the new technologies. Improving the design and implementation of the new advanced control and communication technologies will improve their safety and efficiency impacts. The project will review and assess the costs and benefits, including accident costs, congestion and environmental costs and benefits (measured by air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions) of a range of new information and communications technologies, using a consistent set of emission factors and analysis boundaries. We will identify potential technologies and combinations of technologies, and develop a region-specific tool to aid local decision-makers in assessing benefits and costs and in choosing between and designing technologies. The tools will be available for widespread use, and will contribute to the growing interest in 'smart growth' guidelines and standards. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Information and communication technologies KW - Smart growth KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic simulation KW - Travel demand UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1233175 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449703 AU - Waite, Andrea AU - Walsh, Richard AU - Garcia, Dominie AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enabling a Secure Environment for Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) Transactions: April 2012 Public Workshop Proceedings PY - 2012/06/08 SP - 28p AB - This report provides a summary and overview of the Public Workshop entitled, “Enabling a Secure Environment for Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Transactions”, presented by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The workshop took place on April 19-20, 2012 at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. and was intended to bring together various public and private stakeholders interested in the connected vehicle program to provide updates on the program's progress and related policy work. The workshop included discussion of the communications security architecture and design under development, and provided an opportunity for solicitation of input related to additional critical areas of analysis. Multiple breakout sessions were held to discuss business model frameworks, and operational and implementation considerations. Key take away points from those sessions and plenary sessions are included in this proceedings document. KW - Business models KW - Connected vehicle technologies KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Security KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45621/FHWA-JPO-12-072_508_CME_Workshop_Proceedings_Report_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217363 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01570490 TI - Recycled Materials Resource Center - Third Generation AB - The goal of the proposed Recycled Materials Resource Center- Third Generation (RMRC-3G) is to provide the resources and activities needed to break down barriers and increase utilization of recycled materials and industrial byproducts. This will be done through carefully integrated and orchestrated activities that include applied research in key areas relevant to transportation applications combined with outreach programs that provide the educational and technical resources needed to maximize the rate at which recycled materials and industrial byproducts are used in transportation applications. RMRC-3G would be supported by a pooled fund and focus specifically on issues of direct relevance to the contributing state departments of transportation (DOTs). The governance structure would include a Board of Directors comprised of representatives of participating State DOTs as well as Stephen R. Mueller, Pavement and Materials Engineer in the Federal Highway Administration's Resource Center in Lakewood, CO. Mr. Mueller was the technical representative and co-Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) for RMRC-2. The Board would have direct input on the activities and priorities of RMRC-3G through a balloting process tied to the level of contribution provided by each state. Through research projects, workshops and outreach efforts, the RMRC-3G expects to achieve its goal via the accomplishment of the following objectives: (1) Maintain RMRC webpage as an up-to-date resource and be available as a resource to the highway materials and construction community on recycled materials. (2) Define, conduct or manage critical recycled materials research that will support and improve the sustainability of transportation systems construction. (3) Collect and share information between state agencies that will improve the understanding of recycled materials and the appropriate applications. (4) Reach out to and share ideas with private sector producers of recycled materials on approaches to making their availability, quality control, and delivery more smoothly. (5) Define a system of regionally significant recycled materials and establish performance expectations for those materials in various applications that will guide and enhance their use and management. (6) Evaluate and recommend effective technologies and other roadway appurtenances from a recycled materials perspective and in a manner that supports the reliable, efficient, safe and sustainable use of construction materials. (7) Identify issues or bottlenecks that frustrate the wide spread use of recycled materials and then taking actions, individually or as a group, to improve those conditions. (8) Actively contribute to the development of specifications and guidelines through the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). (9) Organize webinars and workshops on critical recycled materials. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Highway maintenance KW - Recycled materials KW - Recycled Materials Resource Center KW - Road construction KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/499 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1362131 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573247 TI - Rapid Load Rating of Concrete Bridges AB - The project will develop a tentative technical approach identifying what, how, when, where, and for how long data needs to be collected, as well as how it might be used to produce ratings. The statistical and reliability theories employed by the Load and Resistance Factor Rating (LRFR) Specifications shall be reviewed for requirements and restrictions applicable to processes or procedures for the actual collection of data when developing this plan.After the plan has been approved by the Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR), the contractor shall conduct market research on sensors and data gathering technologies to determine if there are commercially available systems that will collect long-term field measurements of bridge data (strains and possibly deflections) under regular highway/roadway traffic. These sensors and data collection systems shall have the capability of gathering the data without having to impede traffic with lane closures or other forms of work zone traffic control. Rating equations and possible algorithms shall be developed. The equations and algorithms shall also utilize the statistical and reliability theory employed by the LRFR Specifications to produce reliability-based load ratings. Laboratory tests will be performed for validation of the equipment for use in the field without impact to traffic. After laboratory validation of the sensors and data collection systems and tools, field measurements will be taken with actual bridge traffic; however, consideration will be given to a heavy moving test load mixed with traffic, without interruption to traffic and without lane closures. A final report will document the entire research effort, including an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) ballot item to be presented to AASHTO T-18 for consideration and possible incorporation into the AASHTO Bridge Evaluation Manual. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Concrete bridges KW - Data collection KW - Deflection KW - Lane closure KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Sensors KW - Strain (Mechanics) KW - Vehicle mix UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366317 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543084 AU - Cushman, David AU - Klein, Terry AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - SRI Foundation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Planning for Environmental Linkages for Historic Preservation PY - 2012/06/01 SP - 55p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state and local transportation agencies are working hard to deliver projects more quickly and efficiently, and for less cost. Many state departments of transportation (DOTs) and local transportation planning organizations have developed innovative programs to help them achieve these goals. Several of these programs focus on streamlining compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and improving historic resource stewardship, through the early consideration of historic preservation factors in planning and early project development. These programs are consistent with the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) "Every Day Counts" initiative to identify and implement innovative practices that expedite project delivery, enhance roadway safety, and protect the environment. An important element of the "Every Day Counts" initiative is FHWA’s Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) program. PEL encourages the use of information developed in transportation system planning to inform the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) review process. PEL also is consistent with the regulations implementing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (i.e., 36 CFR Part 800). This report was prepared in support of the FHWA "Every Day Counts" initiative. Presented are case studies showcasing effective state DOT and local transportation agency programs that consider historic preservation factors in planning and early project development. The achievements of these agencies and the lessons they have learned can serve as guidance for other agencies who may be thinking about developing and implementing similar programs. The majority of the case studies included in this report were originally showcased in a 2009 National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) report entitled NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 49, "Effective Practices for Considering Historic Preservation in Transportation Planning and Early Project Development." The current report updates the results of the NCHRP Task 49 study and provides analysis on the effectiveness and benefits of these programs. KW - Case studies KW - Compliance KW - Environmental protection KW - Environmental stewardship KW - Historic preservation KW - National Environmental Protection Act of 1969 KW - National Historic Preservation Act KW - Project delivery KW - Project development KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/histpres/HistPres_PEL_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329079 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01518947 AU - Lee, Landris T AU - U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center AU - Mississippi Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - State Study 151 and 236: Yazoo Clay Investigation PY - 2012/06/01/Final Report SP - 260p AB - Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDoT) State Study 236 was assigned to the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) to analyze MDoT-furnished data, perform testing of Yazoo clay soil samples, and provide guidance concerning Yazoo clay identification and characterization. The first tasked portion was to analyze Yazoo clay data previously collected by MDoT researchers in order to finalize an antecedent study (MDoT State Study 151). The second portion was to conduct and document a lab testing program to include descriptions of test methods, analysis of results, conclusions, and recommendations. KW - Clay soils KW - Expansive clays KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mississippi KW - Recommendations KW - Soil mechanics KW - Test procedures UR - http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/research/Reports/Interim%20and%20Final%20Reports/State%20Study%20151%20and%20236%20Yazoo%20Clay%20Investigation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1300323 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470778 AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - NS 8898 (C40-9W - GE) Locomotive Test Report PY - 2012/06/01 SP - 56p AB - This test is designed to collect voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) data in several formats for use in locomotive noise and intermodulation reporting. The test involved collecting VSWR and return loss data in the following formats; VSWR, S1P scatter parameters, comma separated values, and a portable network graphics. It is important to know if the antenna system is properly matched to the transceiver equipment as this can be a source of intermodulation and/or standing waves in the radio frequency (RF) system. The first set of data was collected at the RF port located closest to each antenna element in the locomotive radio frequency system to give an accurate picture of antenna matching. A second set of data recorded the VSWR at the end of the transmission line cable that connects to the radio transceiver antenna connector, including any installed filtering to show what the full system response is that is presented to the transceiver. This measurement includes all system losses. This test helps us to characterize the band pass parameters of the antenna. The information is useful in determining how much the antenna element contributes to filtering out of band energy as well as whether or not the antenna is functioning correctly. The results from the VSWR testing indicated all antennas and associated components were functioning properly. KW - Antennas KW - Data collection KW - Locomotives KW - Noise KW - Radio frequency KW - Ratios KW - Standing waves KW - Testing KW - Voltage UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/2800 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1238779 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610888 AU - Holmes, Jonathan AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of a Method to Remove Raised-Pavement Markers (RPMs) From Road Surfaces PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 91p AB - The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) uses raised pavement markers (RPMs) widely on roads throughout the State to increase road safety. Each of the approximate 3 million RPMs in Georgia was placed manually. Unfortunately, RPMs do not last as long as the road surface meaning they need to be replaced several times throughout the life of a road. There is a strong desire to remove the RPMs prior to placing new ones. GDOT contracted with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) for a feasibility study of new methods of removing RPMs. Currently, RPM removal is a manually intensive process. To remove RPMs, workers use either a reciprocating chisel or an eradicator/scarifier. The approach that GTRI proposed was to use a high speed machining technique to mill the marker off of the road surface. This technique had not been attempted before and the machining rates were well beyond standard machining operations published in literature. Due to the unknowns, a prototype cutting cell was developed that demonstrated the ability to machine markers as proposed. This operation of the concept was confirmed through testing but some challenges that were highlighted from testing are discussed. Lastly, a conceptual design was completed that contains features needed to adapt the laboratory prototype into a mobile platform such as a truck. KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Georgia KW - Machining KW - Milling KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Prototypes KW - Road markings UR - http://g92018.eos-intl.net/eLibSQL14_G92018_Documents/10-25.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422583 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587155 AU - Anderson, Keith W AU - Uhlmeyer, Jeff S AU - Sexton, Tim AU - Russell, Mark AU - Weston, Jim AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Long-Term Pavement Performance and Noise Characteristics of Open-Graded Friction Courses PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 113p AB - This report describes the first of three experimental installations of open-graded friction course (OGFC) “quieter pavements” designed to reduce the noise generated at the tire/pavement interface. Experimental sections of OGFC were built using asphalt rubber (AR) and styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymer modified asphalt binders. A section of conventional hot mix asphalt (HMA) served as the control section for the two experimental sections. The noise level of the OGFC-AR test section was audibly quieter than the HMA control section for only a period of four months after construction. The OGFC-SBS section was not initially audibly quieter than the HMA but attained that level of noise reduction for brief periods of time that extended to fourteen months after construction. The OGFC test sections were prone to excessive raveling and rutting, especially the OGFC-AR test section which in places wore through to the underlying pavement. The OGFC-AR test section was removed in the fall of 2010 after only four years of service due to safety concerns with vehicles having to cross the deep ruts during shifts of traffic necessary for the construction of new ramps for the Alderwood Mall interchange. Open graded friction course quieter pavements are not recommended for use in Washington State due to the short duration of their noise mitigation properties and higher life cycle cost. KW - Asphalt rubber KW - Friction course KW - Life cycle costing KW - Open graded aggregates KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Quiet pavements KW - Rutting KW - Stripping (Pavements) KW - Test sections KW - Tire/pavement noise KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/683.2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394959 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537415 AU - Pickerill, Heath AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Missouri Local Technical Assistance Program at Missouri University of Science and Technology: Annual Progress Report, January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2011 PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 33p AB - This annual report is a summary of the activities during 2011 for the Missouri Local Technical Assistance Program (Missouri LTAP), which is located at Missouri University of Science and Technology. The report highlights Missouri LTAP’s performance and activities over the past year. It gives detailed information on how the four focus areas of the National LTAP Strategic Plan were met through training and various activities and projects. It also includes information on how Missouri LTAP accomplished the six tasks that support the four focus areas. Performance indicators for each of the tasks are included. The four focus areas and six tasks are covered in detail under the 2012 Work Plan. Further, this report contains information on the training provided; training summaries for 2011; summaries of Missouri LTAP’s advisory and ambassadors’ meetings; the 2012 Work Plan; and the 2012 budget. KW - Annual reports KW - Highway departments KW - Local Technical Assistance Program KW - Missouri KW - Technical assistance KW - Training UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/ETT267%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322150 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536625 AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - United States Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan PY - 2012/06 SP - 16p AB - The United States Government (USG) is committed to addressing the climate change impacts of commercial aviation and is pursuing a multi-pronged approach to achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions. The USG already achieved significant reductions in GHG emissions from, and energy efficiency improvements in, the aviation sector over the past decade through public and private efforts, and it is on a trajectory to continue that progress in coming years. The USG has set an ambitious overarching goal of achieving carbon-neutral growth for U.S. commercial aviation by 2020, using 2005 emissions as a baseline. Given current forecasts for aviation growth this equates to about a 115 million metric tons (MT) reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from commercial aviation by 2020, and by extending those approaches further there could be an additional 60MT reduction by 2026. As part of the Next Generation Air Transportation System Plan, the USG has laid out plans and initiatives for improvement in technology and operations, advances in development and deployment of sustainable alternative fuels, and policies and selective measures to incentivize transition of the fleet and airspace system . KW - Alternate fuels KW - Civil aviation KW - Climate change KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Policy KW - Pollutants KW - Technological innovations KW - United States UR - http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/apl/environ_policy_guidance/policy/media/Aviation_Greenhouse_Gas_Emissions_Reduction_Plan.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320969 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535672 AU - Terfehr, Justin AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluating Department of Transportation’s Research Programs: A Methodology and Case Study PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 120p AB - An effective research program within a transportation organization can be a valuable asset to accomplish the goals of the overall mission. Determining whether a research program is pursuing relevant research projects and obtaining results for the sponsoring organization has been a challenge in the past. This report will present a methodology for conducting an evaluation of a research program within a transportation agency. The methodology provides ten performance measures that are used to summarize the findings of the evaluation. These performance measures are quantifiable, meaning they are designed to place a score or value on the accomplishments of the research program which can then be used to make managerial decisions for the research program. The developed methodology was implemented for the Wyoming Department of Transportation’s (WYDOT's) Research Program to demonstrate how the methodology can be utilized. Specific recommendations and conclusions for the WYDOT Research Program are presented in the final chapter of this report. Final recommendations for implementing the methodology for any other agency looking to perform an evaluation of their research program are also presented in the final chapter of this report. KW - Case studies KW - Evaluation KW - Methodology KW - Performance measurement KW - Research management KW - Research projects KW - Wyoming Department of Transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51800/51882/FHWA_1202F_RS_03211_Evaluating_DOT_REsearch_Programs.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317678 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01502053 AU - Olsen, Ryan AU - Perkins, Gail AU - Maritime Administration TI - Coastal Tank Vessel Market Snapshot, 2011 PY - 2012/06 SP - 15p AB - The tank vessel building boom of the last decade is winding down. Over the last 10 years, 137 new/rebuilt double-hull tank vessels entered service. The surge in tank vessel deliveries over the last 10 years was due largely to Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA-90) double-hulling requirements and a 2004-2007 increase in charter rates. As of year-end 2011, the double-hulling process was nearly complete, and charter rates were down significantly from four years earlier. Seven tank vessels are scheduled for delivery over the next 3 years. The orders will replace 4 non-double-hull product tankers, and perhaps other 25+ year old double-hull tank vessels that face high dry dock costs and inadequate charter rates. At 2011 rates, investment in new double-hull tank vessels, though risky, would generate a return no better than that for high grade securities. KW - Investments KW - Market assessment KW - Tank barges KW - Tankers KW - Twin hulled ships UR - http://www.marad.dot.gov/documents/Coastal_Tank_Vessel_Market_Snapshot.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1279837 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01499695 AU - Holland, R Brett AU - Moser, Robert AU - Kahn, Lawrence AU - Singh, Preet AU - Kurtis, Kimberly AU - Georgia Institute of Technology AU - Georgia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Durability of Precast Prestressed Concrete Piles in Marine Environment: Reinforcement Corrosion and Mitigation, Part 2 PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - v.p. AB - The overall purpose of this research was to determine methods which may be applied economically to mitigate corrosion of reinforcement in precast prestressed concrete piles in Georgia’s marine environments. The research was divided into two parts, reported in volumes 1 and 2: (1) to develop and evaluate concrete mix designs to prolong service lives of precast prestressed concrete piles in aggressive marine environments, and (2) to assess the potential of using stainless steel for prestressing reinforcement and to compare the strength and corrosion resistance of stainless steel strand to conventional prestressing strand. Studies of piles from Georgia’s coastal environment showed that the brackish waters caused both sulfate attack of the cement paste and biological attack to limestone aggregate. Use of granite aggregate, Type II cement, class F fly ash and slag are recommended. For corrosion resistance and high strength, the best, readily accessible stainless steel alloys were 2205 and 2304. Actual production of stainless steel wire and strand showed that induction heating, while the strand was under tension, increased the strand strength and lowered the relaxation from about 8% to about 2.5% for both 2205 and 2304. The presence of crevices in normal A416 prestressing strand geometry significantly increased and accelerated corrosion as compared with plain wires. Strands made with Grades 2205 and 2304 developed ultimate tensile strengths of 242 ksi and 261 ksi, respectively; but the 2304 exhibited notch sensitivity at the prestressing grips, and its use is not recommended in production at this time. KW - Coasts KW - Corrosion KW - Corrosion resistance KW - Durability KW - Georgia KW - Mix design KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Precast concrete KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Salt water areas KW - Service life KW - Stainless steel UR - http://www.dot.ga.gov/BuildSmart/research/Documents/GDOT%20RP%2010-26%20Final%20Report%20Pile%20Durability%20Part%202%20Vol%202.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1267719 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01496741 AU - Ge, Yuning Louis AU - Rosenblad, Brent L AU - Stephenson, Richard W AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Coal Fly Ash and Other Waste Products in Soil Stabilization and Road Construction-Including Non-Destructive Testing of Roadways PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 107p AB - An extensive laboratory testing program was performed on subgrade soils stabilized using fly ash and lime kiln dust. The laboratory program included measurements of: compaction curves, small strain elastic moduli, resilient modulus (Mr), Briaud Compaction Device (BCD) modulus, and unconfined compressive strengths of subgrade soils mixed with various amounts of Class C fly ash and lime kiln dust (LKD). The objectives of this study were to (1) quantify changes with time in subgrade modulus and strength from soil stabilization and (2) evaluate potential non-destructive quality control (QC) methods. The amount of improvement in subgrade modulus varied with soil type and soil stabilizer. Increases in Mr values by up to a factor of five were observed. Relative changes in resilient modulus with time were compared to changes in modulus values measured from small-strain velocity measurements and the BCD (both of which can be applied in the field for QC) with mixed results. In many cases, the trends in modulus change were in good agreement, but in other cases significant differences were observed. Short-term tracking of wave velocity of stabilized soil showed increases of about 20 to 40% (relative to the unstabilized soil) within 1-hour after compaction. Future studies should focus on evaluation of these non-destructive testing (NDT) methods under field conditions. KW - Fly ash KW - Kiln dust KW - Laboratory tests KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Quality control KW - Road construction KW - Soil stabilization KW - Subgrade materials KW - Waste products UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1109/cmr13-006.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264723 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01496674 AU - Rakha, Hesham A AU - Ahn, Kyoungho AU - Park, Sangjun AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - AERIS: Eco-Driving Application Development and Testing PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 47p AB - This exploratory study investigates the potential of developing an Eco-Driving application that utilizes an eco-cruise control (ECC) system within state-of-the-art car-following models. The research focuses on integrating predictive cruise control and optimal vehicle acceleration and deceleration controllers within car-following models to minimize vehicle fuel consumption levels. This system makes use of topographic information, spacing to lead vehicle, and a desired (or target) vehicle speed and distance headway as input variables. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Algorithms KW - Autonomous intelligent cruise control KW - Car following KW - Cruise control KW - Deceleration KW - Ecodriving KW - Fuel consumption KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Vehicle spacing UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/47000/47500/47598/Final_Package_Eco-Driving-Applications_V3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1264948 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01495870 AU - Proctor, Gordon D AU - Varma, Shobna AU - Gordon Proctor and Associates, Incorporated AU - StarIsis Corporation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Risk-Based Transportation Asset Management Literature Review PY - 2012/06//Oct. 2011 to Feb. 2012 SP - 46p AB - This literature review summarizes existing research, publications and proceedings relating to risk management and how it can be applied to transportation asset management (TAM.) The review examines domestic sources from the public and private sectors, as well as reports from international public sector agencies. This report provides background for a series of five reports on how risk management can be incorporated into TAM. KW - Accountability KW - Asset management KW - Literature reviews KW - Risk management KW - Security KW - Sustainable infrastructure UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset/pubs/hif12036.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1265592 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01495868 AU - Proctor, Gordon AU - Varma, Shobna AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Risk-Based Transportation Asset Management: Evaluating Threats, Capitalizing on Opportunities: Report 1: Overview of Risk Management PY - 2012/06 SP - 44p AB - As the United states considers developing risk-based transportation asset management (TAM) plans, agencies will need to understand risk and how it can be used to improve decision making in asset management programs. This is the first of five reports that define risk, explain risk management and examine their application to TAM both in the U.S. and abroad. This first report provides an overview of risk management as applied to managing physical assets. KW - Asset management KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Risk assessment KW - Risk management KW - Threats KW - Transportation infrastructure UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset/pubs/hif12035.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1265590 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01491379 AU - Kawamura, Kazuya AU - Sriraj, P S AU - Bader, Cara AU - Fu, Elizabeth AU - Halpern-Givens, Ethan AU - Murchie, Jud AU - Lindquist, Peter AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - University of Illinois, Chicago AU - University of Toledo AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Broad Economic Benefits of Freight Transportation Infrastructure Improvement PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 140p AB - This project strives to introduce a novel way to quantify the broad re-organization benefits associated with an improvement in the freight infrastructure. Using the approach based on the technique known as Field of Influence and RAS adjustment of input-output account, the benefits of reducing truck congestion in urban areas are estimated with and without the re-organization effects. Both approaches are applied to various urban areas in the upper Midwest to evaluate their broad applicability and to investigate the relationship between the estimated benefits and the economic structure and size. KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic benefits KW - Freight transportation KW - Improvements KW - Infrastructure KW - Input output models KW - Midwestern States KW - Traffic congestion KW - Trucking KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0314.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1257320 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01489954 AU - Bier, Vicki AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Managing Challenges of Import Safety in a Global Market PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 16p AB - This collaborative will examine market, regulatory, and hybrid approaches to managing risk from deliberate or unintentional contamination in imported commodity products from the global supply chain, through research and on-campus activities involving industry, regulators, and visiting academics. KW - Commodity flow KW - Contamination KW - Globalization KW - Imports KW - Risk management KW - Safety KW - Supply chain management UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0302.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1258467 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01488497 AU - Garder, Jessica A AU - Ng, Kam W AU - Sritharan, Sri AU - Roling, Matthew J AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of a Database for Drilled SHAft Foundation Testing (DSHAFT) PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 82p AB - Drilled shafts have been used in the United States for more than 100 years in bridges and buildings as a deep foundation alternative. For many of these applications, the drilled shafts were designed using the Working Stress Design (WSD) approach. Even though WSD has been used successfully in the past, a move toward Load Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) for foundation applications began when the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a policy memorandum on June 28, 2000. The policy memorandum requires all new bridges initiated after October 1, 2007, to be designed according to the LRFD approach. This ensures compatibility between the superstructure and substructure designs, and provides a means of consistently incorporating sources of uncertainty into each load and resistance component. Regionally-calibrated LRFD resistance factors are permitted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to improve the economy and competitiveness of drilled shafts. To achieve this goal, a database for Drilled SHAft Foundation Testing (DSHAFT) has been developed. DSHAFT is aimed at assimilating high quality drilled shaft test data from Iowa and the surrounding regions, and identifying the need for further tests in suitable soil profiles. This report introduces DSHAFT and demonstrates its features and capabilities, such as an easy-to-use storage and sharing tool for providing access to key information (e.g., soil classification details and cross-hole sonic logging reports). DSHAFT embodies a model for effective, regional LRFD calibration procedures consistent with PIle LOad Test (PILOT) database, which contains driven pile load tests accumulated from the state of Iowa. PILOT is now available for broader use at the project website: http://srg.cce.iastate.edu/lrfd/. DSHAFT, available in electronic form at http://srg.cce.iastate.edu/dshaft/, is currently comprised of 32 separate load tests provided by Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska state departments of transportation and/or department of roads. In addition to serving as a manual for DSHAFT and providing a summary of the available data, this report provides a preliminary analysis of the load test data from Iowa, and will open up opportunities for others to share their data through this quality–assured process, thereby providing a platform to improve LRFD approach to drilled shafts, especially in the Midwest region. KW - Bridge foundations KW - Data analysis KW - Databases KW - Drilled shafts KW - Iowa KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Load tests KW - Manuals UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/DSHAFT_Final_Report_June_2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1257199 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01488182 AU - Hanley, Paul AU - Ma, Suyun AU - Yu, Hai AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Procedure for Matching Truck Crash Records with Hazardous Material Release Incidents and a Comparative Analysis of the Determinants of Truck Crashes with Hazardous Material Releases PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 91p AB - The current study quantifies the number and location of hazardous release crashes and identifies the events leading to crashes, as well as the type of material released. This study, for the first time, combined two federal databases: the United States Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) database, and the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) crash database. PHMSA and MCMIS data for 1999 through 2009 were obtained and matched using the common attributes of time, day, month, year, county, state, and phase of transportation. Naive Bayesian, logistic and neural network classification methods were developed and compared. Each method performed well. All possible pairwise combinations of records between the two datasets were identified. Likelihood estimates of a match using these common attributes were calculated, after which a sample of the records was drawn. The sample was manually checked for matches and mismatches, and was used in the calibration of the logistic and neural networks. The matching algorithms were run using all possible pairwise combinations to identify exact matches, as well as the probability of matches. Pairwise comparisons with a probability of a match greater than 0.50 were extracted and used in the statistical analysis of truck crash characteristics. Each of the extracted records was weighed based on the probability of a match, and the weighted total was set to equal the number of MCMIS reported crashes characterized by hazardous material releases. One outcome of this study will be the identification of a probabilistic model that will advance safety regulations of the U.S. trucking industry and fleet. KW - Comparative analysis KW - Crash causes KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash records KW - Hazardous materials KW - Motor Carrier Management Information System Crash File KW - Spills (Pollution) KW - Truck crashes KW - U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Hanley_AProcedureforMatchingTruckCrashRecordswithHazardousMaterialReleaseIncidentsandaComparativeAnalysisoftheDeterminantsofTruckCrasheswithHazardousMaterialReleases.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1257072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482535 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Coordination with Railroads to Facilitate Acquisition of ROW PY - 2012/06 SP - 77p AB - It has been observed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR) that there has been an emerging national trend for increasingly difficult and time consuming right-of-way (ROW) access agreements and acquisitions of smaller parcels from railroads. The frequent complaint is that railroads are slow to process requests for access rights and State Departments of Transportation (SDOTs) have a difficult time reaching an amicable negotiated settlement. FHWA has determined that it would be a worthy research effort to explore ways in which SDOT ROW access agreements and real estate acquisitions from railroads could be expedited to the benefit of all stakeholders and the safety and convenience of the traveling public. This project will be confined to research of this problem in the northeastern United States, specifically those states through which the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) operations its Northeast Corridor. The purpose of this research is to develop approaches which will be useful to acquiring agencies as they advance ROW access and land acquisition programs. This includes identifying the best ways to use HEPR resources to help SDOTs and other local public agencies successfully and expeditiously achieve railroad access agreements and acquisitions consistent with the provisions of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisitions Policies Act of 1970 as amended, also known as the Uniform Act (UA). Objectives of this project were to identify strategies and institutional agreements that will facilitate beneficial relationships between railroad companies and public agencies; and identify barriers to an effective agreement process and propose remedies. Key observations, findings and best practice opportunities for DOTs are included, as well as opportunities and potential next steps for FHWA. KW - Best practices KW - Coordination KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Northeastern United States KW - Property acquisition KW - Railroads KW - Right of way (Land) KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic planning KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/real_estate/publications/row_railroad_coordination/finalacqrow.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/48000/48100/48199/finalacqrow.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250630 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01481253 AU - Rojas, Francisca M AU - Harvard Kennedy School AU - Taubman Center for State and Local Government AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transit Transparency: Effective Disclosure through Open Data PY - 2012/06 SP - 85p AB - This study examines the process by which transit agencies in the United States disclose their operations data to the public and analyzes how constituencies for that data, particularly software developers and transit riders, used that information. This report is based upon five case histories of public transit agencies: Portland’s Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation System of Oregon (TriMet), Boston’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Washington D.C.’s Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), and New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The authors sought to understand the origin, evolution and effect of those agencies’ open data initiatives using extensive interview work, web research, and analyses of customer surveys. Through this methodology, the authors identified the drivers and barriers to adoption of transparent, consumer-oriented information systems by transit agencies. KW - Case studies KW - Chicago Transit Authority KW - Data sharing KW - Information dissemination KW - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority KW - New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority KW - Public transit KW - Surveys KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transit riders KW - Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon KW - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority UR - http://www.transparencypolicy.net/assets/FINAL_UTC_TransitTransparency_8%2028%202012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1245606 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01481181 AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Laredo District Laredo-Coahuila/Nuevo León/Tamaulipas Border Master Plan PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 225p AB - Border Master Plans document a region’s needs and priorities, and recommend a mechanism to ensure coordination on current and planned future port of entry (POE) projects and supporting transportation infrastructure to serve the anticipated demand imposed by a growing population and an increase in economic activity in the study area. The objectives of the Laredo-Coahuila/Nuevo León/Tamaulipas Border Master Plan were to: (1) design a stakeholder agency involvement process that is inclusive and ensure the participation of all involved in POE projects and the transportation infrastructure serving those POEs; (2) increase the understanding of the POE and transportation planning processes on both sides of the border; (3) develop and implement a plan for prioritizing and promoting POE and related transportation projects, including evaluation criteria and rankings over the short, medium and long term; and (4) establish a process to ensure continued dialogue among federal, state, regional, and local stakeholder agencies in Texas and Mexico to ensure continued coordination on current and future POE and supporting transportation infrastructure needs and projects. KW - Border regions KW - International borders KW - Laredo (Texas) KW - Master plans KW - Nuevo Leon (Mexico) KW - Ports of entry KW - Stakeholders KW - Strategic planning KW - Texas-Mexico Border region KW - Transportation planning KW - United States-Mexico Border UR - http://www.borderplanning.fhwa.dot.gov/documents/LaredoBMP_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250039 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01480519 AU - Bonaquist, Ramon AU - Advanced Asphalt Technologies, LLC AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Flow Number (Fn) as a Discriminating HMA Mixture Property PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 110p AB - This research investigated the use of the flow number in asphalt concrete mixture design and acceptance. It included: (1) a review of completed research concerning the flow number and the effect of mixture composition on rutting resistance, (2) an evaluation of Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) criteria for mixture design and acceptance based on relationships between mixture composition and rutting resistance developed in National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Projects 9-25, 9-31, and 9-33, (3) a laboratory experiment to evaluate the effect of changes in asphalt content and filler content on rutting resistance as measured by the flow number, and (4) a laboratory experiment to develop flow number criteria for intersection mixtures. Recommendations and criteria for using the flow number test in mixture design and acceptance were developed. KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Flow number KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Performance measurement KW - Rutting UR - http://wisdotresearch.wi.gov/wp-content/uploads/WisDOT-WHRP-project-0092-09-01-final-report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1249187 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01478149 AU - Zaniewski, John P AU - Yan, Yu AU - West Virginia University, Morgantown AU - West Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Hot Mix Asphalt Concrete Density, Bulk Specific Gravity and Permeability PY - 2012/06 SP - 128p AB - This research examined the density and permeability of samples from both field trials and a laboratory experiment. The NCAT permeameter was used to evaluate infiltration rates for both existing pavements, rehabilitation projects and for fog seals. There was some measurement success with the existing pavements and fog sealed surfaces and a distinct reduction in permeability was achieved with the fog seals. Measurements on new construction failed as the meter could not be properly sealed to the surface. Field density measurements from standard and thin lift nuclear gauges were compared to cores from the same location. The need to develop calibration factors for the nuclear gauges using cores was demonstrated. Laboratory densities were measured using the conventional SSD method (AASHTO T 166) and the CoreLok method (AASHTO T 331). This research demonstrated the T331 method should be used when the absorption of the sample is greater than one percent. The permeability of several mix designs were evaluated in the laboratory. In general, the rule of thumb that permeability greatly increases as air voids increase past eight percent was verified. However, lab evaluation of field cores indicates permeability is a potential problem at air voids as low as six percent. KW - Air voids KW - CoreLok KW - Density KW - Field tests KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Permeability KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) UR - http://www2.cemr.wvu.edu/~wwwasph/wvdohreports/HMAC%20Density,%20Gmb%20and%20Permeability-Yan%2006-2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247187 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01476695 AU - Murphy, Ray AU - Swick, Ryan AU - Hamilton, Booz Allen AU - Guevara, Gabe AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Best Practices for Road Weather Management. Version 3.0 PY - 2012/06 SP - 92p AB - On average, there are over 6,301,000 vehicle crashes each year. Twenty-four percent of these crashes – approximately 1,511,000 – are weather-related, resulting in 7,130 fatalities and 629,000 injuries. In spite of these statistics, there is a perception that transportation managers can do little about weather. However, three types of mitigation measures may be employed in response to environmental threats: advisory; control; and treatment strategies. Advisory strategies provide information on prevailing and predicted conditions to both transportation managers and motorists. Control strategies alter the state of roadway devices to permit or restrict traffic flow and regulate roadway capacity. Treatment strategies supply resources to roadways to minimize or eliminate weather impacts. Many treatment strategies involve coordination of traffic, maintenance, and emergency management agencies. These road weather management strategies are employed in response to various weather threats including fog, high winds, snow, rain, ice, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, and avalanches. This report contains 27 case studies of systems in 22 states that improve roadway operations under inclement weather conditions. Each case study has six sections including a general description of the system, system components, operational procedures, resulting transportation outcomes, implementation issues, as well as contact information and references. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Emergency management KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Road weather information systems KW - State departments of transportation KW - Weather conditions KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop12046/fhwahop12046.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/47000/47800/47832/fhwahop12046.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1246297 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01475854 AU - Rajabipour, Farshad AU - Wright, Jared AU - Shafaatian, Seyed (Afshin) AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Utilizing Coal Fly Ash and Recycled Glass in Developing Green Concrete Materials PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 51p AB - The environmental impact of Portland cement concrete production has motivated researchers and the construction industry to evaluate alternative technologies for incorporating recycled cementing materials and recycled aggregates in concrete. One such technology is based on using pulverized glass as sand or pozzolan. Currently in the United States more than 600,000 tons/year of recycled glass bottles are stockpiled due to prohibitive shipping costs from recycling locations to glass melting factories. This project demonstrates the potential use of this waste material along with fly ash (another industrial byproduct with landfill rate of 42.4 million tons/year) in developing durable and environmentally positive concretes that can be used for various transportation applications. Toward this objective, the project included two main tasks. In the first task, the deleterious alkali-silica reaction (ASR) induced by the use of silicate glass aggregates was mitigated via the use of fly ash. Mixtures were prepared using one of six different fly ashes. The main objective of this task was to better understand the mechanisms by which fly ash mitigates ASR and to identify factors that most significantly determine fly ash effectiveness against ASR. Through a combination of advanced analytical measurements and numerical simulations, it can be concluded that fly ash is effective against ASR by (1) reducing the alkalinity of pore solution by alkali binding, (2) reducing the mass transport in concrete, (3) improving the tensile strength of concrete, and (4) reducing the aggregate dissolution rate by reducing the concentration of hydroxyl ions per unit surface area of siliceous aggregates. In addition, fly ashes with low calcium oxide and alkali content and high silicon dioxide and aluminium oxide contents were found to be most effective against ASR. The goal of the second task was to provide recommendations and design tools for engineers and materials suppliers to allow proper proportioning and production of “Glasscrete” mixtures (i.e., concrete containing recycled glass fine aggregates as 100% replacement of natural sand). Several Glasscrete mixtures with target slump, air content, and compressive strength were prepared and their fresh and hardened properties compared against concretes with natural sand. All mixtures contained 20% class F fly ash as mass replacement of Portland cement to mitigate ASR. It was found that the use of glass sand results in a reduction in the compressive strength of concrete, potentially due to weakening of the aggregate-paste bonding. In comparison with natural sand concrete, Glasscrete was found to have better workability, lower water sorptivity, lower chloride permeability, and lower coefficient of thermal expansion. On the other hand, Glasscrete showed lower resistance against abrasion. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Fine aggregates KW - Fly ash KW - Glass KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Pozzolan KW - Recycled materials UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2010-07.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46063/PSU-2010-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1244581 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01475808 AU - Boriboonsomsin, Kanok AU - Sheckler, Ross AU - Barth, Matthew AU - University of California, Riverside AU - Calmar Telematics LLC AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - AERIS: Assessment and Fusion of Commercial Vehicle Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Data for Real-Time Emission Modeling PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 51p AB - Heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) play a significant role in the freight transportation sector in the United States. However, they consume a vast amount of fuel and are a significant source of both greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant emissions. In order to properly design strategies to reduce energy and environmental impacts of HDTs, accurate data of their fuel consumption and emissions are required, preferably in real-time. One of the important sources of these data is the on-board electronic control units (ECUs) that can provide hundreds of vehicle and engine operating parameters. This report investigates how data items from ECUs, such as engine speed, engine load, and fuel flow rate, might be collected and what value these data items might have in studying the environmental issues associated with highway transportation and in the development of advanced applications, such as real-time emission modeling and reporting system, to manage these issues. KW - Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Data collection KW - Electronic control units KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Pollutants KW - Real time information UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46187/FINAL_PKG_FHWA-JPO-12-051.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1244516 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01474176 AU - McCormack, Sarah M AU - Van Dyke, Chris AU - Suazo, Ashley AU - Kreis, Doug AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Temporary Flood Barriers PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 51p AB - This report investigates the use and effectiveness of temporary flood barriers (TFBs) to mitigate the impacts of flood waters on Kentucky's roadways. TFBs are structures, usually filled with sand, which are constructed along the edges of roadways and thus serve as a buffer against rising waters. In doing so, they can protect the structural soundness of roads, and ensure that roads remain open to traffic during flood events. The report is divided into four main sections. The first chapter introduces the concept of TFBs and notes situations in which they have been effectively deployed. The second chapter surveys the different kinds of TFBs currently available on the market and advances recommendations regarding which types are the most efficient and cost effective options for Kentucky. After this, the report investigates 8 potential sites at which TFBs may be deployed, in Kentucky's Highway Districts 1 and 2. Two sites are recommended for further testing and potential implementation, and two alternative sites are suggested in case the preferred sites prove unworkable. The fourth chapter briefly explores the legal issues related to TFB usage. Because of the potential liability issues involved, to avoid legal action being taken against state employees in the case of TFBs failing and causing damage to adjacent property, the report recommends subcontracting the installation and maintenance of TFBs out to private entities. A final chapter summarizes all of the conclusions and recommendations of this report, and suggests that the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet move forward by (a) inviting manufacturers to demonstrate their products onsite; and (b) developing, in consultation with emergency managers and other officials at the local level, a comprehensive flood mitigation strategy that incorporates TFBs. KW - Emergency management KW - Flood protection KW - Floods KW - Kentucky KW - Legal factors KW - Temporary barriers UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2012/12/KTC_12_14_SPR_448_11_1F-Temporary-Flood-Barrier.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1244477 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01473722 AU - Kozub, Christopher A AU - Jenkins, Brian Michael AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bus Operator Awareness Research and Development Training Program PY - 2012/06 SP - 10p AB - The Bus Operator Security Training Program overview is a security awareness course specifically designed for public transit bus operators. The training is designed to enhance abilities to evaluate suspicious activities, take appropriate action, and provide accurate information to law enforcement. KW - Bus drivers KW - Bus transit KW - Security UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/2875-II-bus-operator-awareness-research-development-training.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218687 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01473054 AU - Kropp, Ramsey AU - Cramer, Steven M AU - Anderson, Marc AU - University of Wisconsin, Madison AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Laboratory Study of High Performance Curing Compounds for Concrete Pavements – Phase I PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 53p AB - Three emulsion-type and two sealing-type curing compounds were evaluated for their ability to impart freeze-thaw scaling resistance, and restrict evaporation, carbonation and chloride penetration to concrete specimens prepared to represent common pavement situations. Two coarse aggregate types and three cementitious material situations were the main variables in addition to the five membrane forming curing compounds (MFCC’s). The final finishing and curing compound applications occurred at a fixed-time of two hours after casting. Coarse aggregate type had little or no influence on the results but the effectiveness of the MFCCs varied with the mix type. Slag cement and fly ash mixtures displayed considerably higher levels of scaling than the ordinary portland cement mix. In addition to the base durability of each type of concrete, observed differences were also likely the result of different levels of paste moisture at the surface at the time the curing compounds were applied. The moisture sealing ability of the curing compounds did not correlate with the tendency to protect from freeze-thaw scaling, suggesting that the MFCCs alter the surface layer of the concrete in multiple ways. Overall the acrylic sealing compound provided the best protection. The interaction between the MFCC and the concrete surface is complex. These results show it is not simply a question of the effectiveness of the MFCC in sealing but rather a question of the resulting microstructure at the surface of the concrete following application of the MFCC. Thus effective concrete curing guidelines should consider the mix type and the state of the concrete surface at the time of MFCC application. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Curing agents KW - Evaporation KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Laboratory studies KW - Scaling (Concrete) KW - Slag cement UR - http://wisdotresearch.wi.gov/project?id=57 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239131 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472537 AU - Rakha, Hesham A AU - Kamalanathsharma, Raj Kishore AU - Ahn, Kyoungho AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - AERIS : Eco-Vehicle Speed Control at Signalized Intersections Using I2V Communication PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 36p AB - This report concentrates on a velocity advisory tool, or decision support system, for vehicles approaching an intersection using communication capabilities between the infrastructure and vehicles. The system uses available signal change information, vehicle characteristics, lead vehicle characteristics, and intersection features to compute the fuel-optimal vehicle trajectory. The proposed system involves a complex optimization logic incorporating roadway characteristics, lead vehicle information, vehicle acceleration capabilities and microscopic fuel consumption models to generate a fuel-optimal speed profile. The research also develops a MATLAB application in order to demonstrate the potential of an in-vehicle application of such a technology. KW - Fuel consumption KW - Signalized intersections KW - Speed control KW - Traffic signal phases KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle trajectories UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46300/46329/FHWA-JPO-12-063_FINAL_PKG.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239140 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472534 AU - Tran, Hung Viet AU - Eberhard, Marc O AU - Stanton, John F AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Seismic-Resistant Connections between Precast Concrete Columns and Drilled Shafts PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 130p AB - In most areas of the country traffic is becoming more congested, and delays, more common. Highway construction, and especially construction that requires lane closures, exacerbates the delays, and imposes costs that can be measured in dollars, wasted fuel, carbon emissions, safety and personal stress levels. Methods of constructing bridges that require less time on site are therefore being developed in order to address these costs, and are referred to collectively as Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC). One approach to ABC involves prefabricating concrete elements of the bridge off-site, and connecting them onsite. This procedure saves the time needed to erect formwork, assemble reinforcement cages and wait while the concrete gains strength. The elements are most conveniently cast and transported if they are line elements, such a straight beams and columns. In non-seismic regions, this presents no special problems. However, in seismic regions, precasting line elements means that the connections must be made at the intersections between them, which is where the moments are highest and the inelastic cyclic deformations the largest. Designing connections that are sufficiently robust to withstand severe seismic loading and are at the same time simple to complete is a challenge. This report described a method of connecting a precast concrete column to a drilled shaft foundation in a way that is suitable for use in a high seismic region. The method was adapted from the existing way of constructing a cast-in-place drilled shaft-to-column connection, and involves embedding the precast column into the top of the cast-in-place drilled shaft. The quantity and detailing of the reinforcement in the transition region, where the embedment occurs, is critical to achieving good seismic performance. Two scale specimens were tested in the laboratory, and the test results provided a lower bound on the amount of spiral reinforcement needed in the transition region. Analytical models were developed to describe the behavior of the connection. KW - Bridge construction KW - Columns KW - Drilled shafts KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Laboratory tests KW - Precast concrete KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Seismicity KW - Structural connection UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46261/TNW2012-14_Seismic_resistant_connections.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239164 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472516 AU - Gunnarsson, Arni Kristinn AU - Lehman, Dawn AU - Roeder, Charles AU - Kuder, Katherine AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Long-Term and Seismic Performance of Concrete-Filled Steel Tube Columns with Conventional and High-Volume SCM Concrete PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 236p AB - Production of Portland Cement for concrete is a major source of carbon dioxide emission. Concrete can be made more sustainable by replacing a large volume of the cement with Supplementary Cementitous Materials (SCMs) such as fly ash and slag. The amount of cement that can be replaced with SCMs in conventional concrete structures is limited due to slow strength gain, of such concretes. Concrete-Filled Tubes (CFT) are composite structural elements that consist of a steel tube with concrete infill. In CFT sections, neither formwork nor rebar is needed since the steel tube serves as both, which can reduce construction time and cost. In bridge construction, the steel tube itself has strength to support some dead weight of the superstructure prior to casting of the concrete. This can significantly reduce delays for concrete curing and eliminates the need for high early strength of the concrete, making slow-curing concrete, such as SCM concrete a realistic alternative. In this research program, two 20-inch diameter CFT columns were tested for creep and shrinkage behavior under sustained axial loading. Subsequently, the specimens were tested until failure under combined loading consisting of constant axial load and increasing cyclic lateral load to evaluate seismic performance. One tube was filled with conventional self-consolidating concrete (SCC), while self-consolidating SCM concrete was used in the other specimen. The objective was to determine if the performance of CFTs filled with SCM concrete is comparable to the performance of CFTs with conventional concrete. In the SCM concrete, 80% of the cement was replaced with fly ash and slag, which reduces the carbon footprint of the mixture greatly. Sealed and unsealed cylinders were made from both concrete mixtures and tested for creep and shrinkage behavior as a comparison. The results indicate that the long-term performance of CFTs filled with low early-strength concrete, such as SCM concrete, is fully comparable to performance CFTs filled with conventional concrete. Slightly more load was shed to the steel in the SCM specimen, but the concrete core of the SCM specimen was shown to creep considerably less. The results from the long-term tests were compared to four existing models for creep and shrinkage, to determine if these models provided acceptable predictions for the long-term behavior of structural CFT components. Some models captured the behavior quite well in some cases, while other models provided inferior predictions. Results from the seismic performance tests were compared to results from two specimens previously tested for seismic performance. One was identical to the SCC specimen tested in this research program, apart from the embedment depth of the tube, which was slightly smaller. The other specimen was 30 in. in diameter but the steel tube was of the same thickness. The results showed that the seismic performance of the CFT SCM specimen was almost identical to the seismic performance of CFTs filled with conventional concrete. Observed damage, Force-Displacement response, and Moment-Drift ratio were all very similar for all 20 in. specimens compared. KW - Axial loads KW - Concrete-filled steel tube KW - Creep KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Failure analysis KW - Fly ash KW - Performance tests KW - Shrinkage KW - Slag KW - Supplementary cementing materials UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46264/TNW2012-18_Long-Term_and_Seismic_Performance_of_Concrete-Filled_Steel_Tube_Columns.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239159 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472497 AU - Campbell, John L AU - Cluett, Christopher AU - Gopalakrishna, Deepak AU - Lichty, Monica G AU - Battelle Seattle Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Testing and Evaluation of Preliminary Design Guidelines for Disseminating Road Weather Advisory & Control Information PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 72p AB - The tremendous growth in the amount of available weather and road condition information, including devices that gather weather information, models and forecasting tools for predicting weather conditions, and electronic devices used by travelers, has led the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to develop effective and specific guidelines for communicating road weather information in a way that is consistent with what travelers need, want, and will use when making travel decisions. This project builds upon the earlier Human Factors Analysis of Road Weather Advisory and Control Information project which was initiated to assist transportation officials in communicating both pre-trip and enroute road weather information effectively, consistently, and timely to meet the needs of travelers for different weather conditions and travel scenarios. This earlier project resulted in preliminary guidelines. For the current effort, these preliminary guidelines were disseminated to a broad group of transportation and road weather officials for review and use. These reviewers included staff from private agencies and State Department of Transportation (DOT) staff working at Traffic Management Centers (TMCs). Evaluation of the guidelines followed through end user surveys, on-site interviews and discussions, and application of the preliminary guidelines to assess their suitability and effectiveness for traffic operations. Valuable feedback provided by these end users was used to modify the preliminary guidelines and develop the revised guidelines. This report documents the work of the completed project. The revised guidelines are available as Report No. FHWA-JPO-12-046. KW - Guidelines KW - Information dissemination KW - Road weather information systems KW - Surveys KW - Weather conditions KW - Weather forecasting UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46300/46358/FHWA-JPO-12-073_FINAL_PKG.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239165 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470022 AU - Dissanayake, Sunanda AU - Amarasingha, Niranga AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effects of Geometric Design Features on Truck Crashes on Limited-Access Highways PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 59p AB - Freight can be transported between most points in the country quite efficiently using trucks. However, involvement of large trucks in crashes can cause much damage and serious injuries, due to their large sizes and heavy weights. Large truck crashes occurring on limited-access highways may be more severe than crashes occurring on other roadways due to high speed limits, and traffic- and geometric-related characteristics. The purpose of this study is to describe the relationships between large truck crash probability, and traffic and geometric characteristics. Crash data from 2005 to 2010 were obtained from the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), which included 5,378 large truck crashes that occurred on Kansas limited-access highway sections. The traffic- and geometric-related details of highways were obtained from the Control Section Analysis System (CANSYS) database, which is maintained by KDOT as a highway inventory system. Homogeneous road sections in terms of speed limit, Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT), percent of trucks, horizontal curvature, horizontal grade, lane width, shoulder width, median width, and existence of rumble strips were identified. The total number of crashes occurring within each segment from 2005 to 2010 was determined, resulting in 7,273 analysis segments used in the modeling. A Poisson regression model and a negative binomial regression model were developed for identifying the relationships between the occurrence of truck crashes, and traffic and geometric characteristics. According to the models, highway design features such as horizontal curvature, vertical grade, lane width, and shoulder width are factors which can be used to change the occurrence of large truck crashes. Identifying the effect of traffic and geometric characteristics is important to promote safety treatments through engineering improvements. KW - Crash analysis KW - Expressways KW - Geometric design KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Kansas KW - Oversize loads KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucks UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46680/CorrectDissanayake_454_Effects_of_Geometric_Design_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225968 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470012 AU - Appiah, Justice AU - Naik, Bhaven AU - Sorensen, Scott AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Calibration of Microsimulation Models for Multimodal Freight PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 59p AB - This research presents a framework for incorporating the unique operating characteristics of multi-modal freight networks into the calibration process for microscopic traffic simulation models. Because of the nature of heavy freight movements in United States Department of Transportation Region VII (Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas), the focus of the project is on heavy gross vehicles (HGV), or, trucks. In particular, a genetic algorithm (GA) based optimization technique was developed and used to find optimum parameter values for the vehicle performance model used by “Verkehr In Staedten-SIMulationmodell (VISSIM),” a widely used microscopic traffic simulation software. At present, the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), which is the most common reference for analyzing the operational characteristics of highways, only provides guidelines for highway segments where the heavy vehicle percentages are 25 or less. However, significant portions of many highways, such as Interstate 80 (I-80) in Nebraska, have heavy vehicle percentages greater than 25%. Therefore, with the anticipated increase in freight-moving truck traffic, there is a real need to be able to use traffic micro-simulation models to effectively recreate and replicate situations where there is significant heavy vehicle traffic. The procedure developed in this research was successfully applied to the calibration of traffic operations on a section of I-80 in California. For this case study, the calibrated model provided more realistic results than the uncalibrated model (default values) and reaffirmed the importance of calibrating microscopic traffic simulation models to local conditions. KW - Calibration KW - California KW - Case studies KW - Freight traffic KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Highway operations KW - Microsimulation KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Nebraska KW - Trucks KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225863 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470003 AU - Rao, Shreenath AU - Littleton, Paul AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Missouri Demonstration Project: Design-Build Procurement Process for Construction on I-29/35 (kcICON) in Kansas City, MO PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 82p AB - As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE (HfL) program, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) was awarded a $1 million grant to demonstrate the use of innovative technologies for the design-build procurement process. This report documents the contracting method used to encourage contractor innovation and promote fast construction of several bridges, ramps, sound walls, and pavement sections on a 4-mile portion of Interstate 29/35, a six-lane interstate highway in North Kansas City, MO and Kansas City, MO. This project included the construction of the landmark Christopher S. Bond bridge across the Missouri River. This report includes contracting details of the construction project with specifics on steps MoDOT and the contractor took to make timely decisions, minimize project delays, improve safety, and reduce costs, including details on the quality management program, additional applicable standards, and equal or better change proposals. The report also describes the project construction, including safety improvements and steps MoDOT and the contractor took to engage stakeholders. Details of the experiences of MoDOT and the contractor are also included. MoDOT’s overall conclusion was that the project was successful and the agency would use design-build at fixed-cost contracting on future projects when appropriate. Construction costs for the I-29/35 kcICON project would have likely placed traditional delivery and construction methods (baseline) at $23.3 million (low estimate) to $50.5 million (high estimate) more than the as-built case ($232 million). Moreover, delivering the project in only 2.75 years (compared to 8-plus years for traditional methods) saved highway users an estimated $11.4 million in delay costs and $27.5 million in safety costs. Therefore, the estimated total savings from using the innovative HfL project delivery approach range from $62.1 million to $89.4 million. In other words, the innovative approach to this $232 million corridor improvement project had a 27 to 39% cost benefit over traditional methods. Highway users also benefited from the increased capacity 5-plus years earlier than if traditional methods were used. KW - Christopher S. Bond Bridge KW - Construction management KW - Contracting KW - Design build KW - Economic analysis KW - Fixed costs KW - Highways for LIFE KW - Interstate highways KW - Kansas City (Missouri) UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdfs/mo_i29_i35.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1236809 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469969 AU - Khattak, Aemal AU - Gao, Miao AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Truck Safety at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 43p AB - Safety at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGC) is a major concern for different agencies because increasing highway and rail traffic presents a greater risk of crashes at these locations. In 2008, there were 2,391 crashes and 523 fatalities reported at grade crossings across the U.S. Of these, 187 crashes were reported in Nebraska, including 35 involving trucks with trailers and 10 involving trucks only. At gated crossings, gate-related violations by truck drivers are a primary cause of collisions between trains and trucks. The objectives of this research were to report on the frequency and type of gate violations by truck drivers at dual quadrant gated HRGCs in Nebraska, and to empirically identify factors that may be associated with those gate violations. Data on gate violations by truck drivers during train crossing events were collected at two HRGCs in Nebraska. Analysis of the data showed that the most frequent violations by truck drivers were passing under ascending gates, followed by drivers passing under descending gates. Violations increased with greater truck traffic at the HRGCs and with longer times between the onset of flashing lights and train arrivals. Analysis also showed nighttime to be associated with a greater frequency of gate violations by truck drivers. The main recommendation for reducing gate violations is to reduce excessively long time intervals between the onset of flashing lights and train arrivals at HRGCs. Recommendations for future research are provided in the report. KW - Gates KW - Nebraska KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Signal lights KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety KW - Trucks UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46661/Khattak_225_Assessment_of_truck_safety_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225802 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469962 AU - Lee, Hosin "David" AU - Shannon, Cory AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Quality Standards for Inclusion of High Recycled Asphalt Pavement Content in Asphalt Mixtures PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 72p AB - The objective of this research was to examine the effects that different methods of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) stockpile fractionation had on the volumetric mix design properties for high-RAP content surface mixes. The processing of RAP materials resulted in the degradation of the aggregate structure of the original pavement. The increased presence of fine RAP materials in the stockpile could be attributed to the amount of crushing done on the RAP millings. Fractionation methods were designed to separate the stockpile at certain sizes to isolate the fine RAP materials which contained higher amounts of fine aggregate and negatively impacted the volumetric properties of the mix design. These isolated RAP materials were used in reduced proportions or completely eliminated, thereby decreasing the amount of fine aggregate material introduced to the mix. KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Fine aggregates KW - Fractionation KW - Mix design KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Recycled materials KW - Stockpiling UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225864 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469942 AU - Khattak, Aemal AU - Luo, Zheng AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Safety Improvements at Highway-Railroad Crossing for Pedestrians and Bicyclist and the Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Centerline Curbing PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 73p AB - The focus of this research was on assessing the long-term effectiveness of median barriers at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs), the impacts of barrier maintenance in resurrecting safety, and on exploring and assessing ways to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety at HRGCs. Nebraska has about 7,000 HRGCs and each one represents a potential conflict point among trains and highway users, i.e., motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Safety at HRGCs is compromised when highway users resort to unsafe maneuvers, such as passing around closed gates when trains are approaching. Gate-related violations by motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists were studied at three selected HRGCs in Waverly, Fremont, and Lincoln, all cities located in Nebraska. The barrier at the Waverly HRGC was removed after being in place for a long time while the dilapidated barrier at the Fremont HRGC was revived through maintenance. An educational activity focused on pedestrians and bicyclists at the Fremont HRGC was evaluated for reducing gate violations. Removal of the barrier in Waverly contributed to greater frequency of unsafe maneuvers by motorists. Specifically, the frequencies of aggregate unsafe maneuvers (i.e., the sum of motorist gate rush, U-turn and backup), as well as gate rush and U-turn, increased after barrier removal. Safety deteriorated over the long-term at the Fremont HRGC while maintenance resurrected safety by reducing the frequency of passing around fully lowered gates by 30-50%. Regarding the effects of the educational campaign focused on pedestrians and bicyclists at the Fremont HRGC, the drive successfully reduced passing around fully lowered gates by about 39%. The recommendations from this research include emphasis on maintenance of barriers in top condition after installation and educational campaigns focused on pedestrians and bicyclists for safety improvements at HRGCs. KW - Center lines KW - Cyclists KW - Grade crossing protection systems KW - Highway safety KW - Maintenance KW - Median barriers KW - Nebraska KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Safety education UR - http://nlc1.nlc.state.ne.us/epubs/R6000/B016.0189-2012.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46656/P323_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225683 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469933 AU - Neff, Margaret "Rita" AU - Bai, Yong AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Multi-Modal Freight Movement Plan for the Sustainable Growth of Wind Energy Related Industries PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 44p AB - As the demand for wind power increases so too has the popularity of larger and larger turbines. Larger turbines are able to produce more power for the input they receive but they are also much more difficult to transport. This project examines these difficulties with a focus on effective strategies to overcome them. Particular attention was paid to transportation of turbine components through the state of Kansas. KW - Freight traffic KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Kansas KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Oversize loads KW - Route choice KW - Turbines UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46681/Bai_467_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225969 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469918 AU - Hossain, Mustaque AU - Haritha, Musty AU - Sabahfer, Nassim AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Use of High-Volume Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) for Asphalt Pavement Rehabilitation Due to Increased Highway Truck Traffic from Freight Transportation PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 71p AB - A recent rise in asphalt binder prices has led state agencies and contractors to use higher quantities of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP). Besides being economic, sustainable, and environmentally friendly, RAP can be replaced for a portion of aggregates in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) where quality aggregates are scarce. In this project, the effect of increasing RAP percentage and using fractionated RAP (FRAP) in HMA mixture on moisture resistance, rutting, and fatigue cracking were evaluated. Mixtures with five different RAP and FRAP contents (20%, 30%, and 40% RAP, and 30% and 40% FRAP) were studied. The Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device (HWTD) Test (TEX-242-F), Kansas Standard Test Method KT-56 or modified Lottman Test, and Dynamic Modulus Test (AASHTO TP: 62-03) were used to predict moisture damage, rutting potential and fatigue cracking resistance of the mixes. HMA specimens were prepared based on Superpave HMA mix design criteria for 12.5 mm (1/2 inch) Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size (NMAS) and compacted using the Superpave gyratory compactor. Results of these tests showed that although mixture performance in the laboratory tests declined as the percentage of RAP increased in the mix, even mixtures with 40% RAP passed the minimum requirements in commonly used tests. When RAP is compared with FRAP, FRAP does not seem to improve performance of the HMA mixtures. This was largely confirmed by the statistical analysis. Mixtures with RAP performed more or less the same as or better than the mixtures with FRAP. KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Moisture resistance KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Rutting KW - Superpave UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46665/Hossain_452_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225856 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458075 AU - Steciak, Judi AU - Beyerlein, Steve AU - Budwig, Ralph AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Progress in Catalytic Ignition Fabrication and Modeling: Fabrication Part 1 PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 23p AB - Previous engine testing with Catalytic Plasma Torch (CPT) technology at the University of Idaho has shown promising results in the reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. Because this technology is not yet well characterized, past research has indicated that parametric studies of the CPT design should lead to greater control over the combustion event. This report details the process used to design and fabricate a highly adjustable research-grade CPT to be used in a variable compression ratio Cooperative Fuels Research (CFR) engine. CPT construction techniques originally developed by SmartPlugs, Inc. were used as a baseline for the next generation design and fabrication process outlined in this work. The design was improved by making the prechambers interchangeable with the feed-through and catalytic core assembly. The feed-through was simplified by using a compression style cap made by Conax® Technologies. Testing with the CFR engine shows that the redesigned CPT can withstand combustion pressures and facilitate gas phase ignition as effectively as the SmartPlugs design. With the new design and simplified fabrication process, families of CPT assembly combinations can be produced locally and inexpensively. This will allow quick and simple adjustment of many physical parameters believed to affect ignition timing and cycle-to-cycle variability. KW - Catalytic ignition KW - Combustion KW - Engines KW - Fabrication KW - Fuel consumption KW - Internal combustion engines KW - Pollutants UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK762_N12-06A.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46621/KLK762_N12-06A.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225671 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458071 AU - Eacker, Christopher AU - Wos, Samuel AU - Odom, Edwin AU - Beyerlein, Steve AU - Law, Joe AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design, Synthesis, Manufacturing, and Testing of a Competitive FHSAE Vehicle PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 46p AB - The goal of this multi-year project was to create a fully functional University of Idaho entry in the hybrid Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) competition scheduled for 2012. Vehicle integration has been completed as part of a variety of 2010-2011 senior design projects and 2011-2012 senior design projects. This leverages a variety of analytical and empirical studies undertaken in Fiscal Year 2010 that demonstrate feasibility of the electromechanical powertrain, the energy management system, and the chassis layout. This project has engaged a broad population of graduate and undergraduate students in implementing sustainable transportation technology as well as creation of knowledge management systems that will benefit current and future competition teams. Approximately 30% of the allowed 19.5 Mega-Joules (MJ) for the 22 mile endurance event will be supplied in the initial charge state of the battery pack. The remaining 70% is stored in the vehicle’s gas tank. Accomplishments to date include a road load energy model, inertia modeling of the YZ250F, acceleration modeling, performance testing of the electric motor/controller, solid modeling of a reconfigured YZ250F motorcycle engine, suspension modeling, frame design, and an electronic archive designed to serve as a resource for just-in-time learning of hybrid terminology, subsystem descriptions, analysis methods, and performance tests. Specifications are given for all major subsystems and components that comprise a hybrid electronic competition vehicle that is destined for the 2012 Hybrid FSAE Challenge. KW - Chassis KW - Competition KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Performance tests KW - Power trains KW - Race cars KW - Vehicle design UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK764_N12-07.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46623/KLK764_N12-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225673 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458055 AU - Steciak, Judi AU - Beyerlein, Steve AU - Budwig, Ralph AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Progress in Catalytic Ignition Fabrication and Modeling: Modeling Part 2 PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 22p AB - The ignition temperature and heat generation from oxidation of methane on a platinum catalyst were determined experimentally. A 127 micron diameter platinum coiled wire was placed crosswise in a quartz tube of a plug flow reactor. A source meter with a 4-wire measurement capability measured the resistance and current to calculate the average temperature of the surface reaction. Light-off temperatures varied from 730-780K for methane for a fuel-oxygen equivalence ratio of 0.3 to 1.0 at fuel percentages of 2-5% by volume. A model of the experimental system was created using Fluent coupled with Chemkin to combine an advanced chemistry solver with flow simulation. The experimental data was compared to the model results, which includes heat transfer and the surface reaction kinetics of methane on platinum. The heat transfer model obtained values close to experimental data for temperatures between 400K and 700K. At temperatures greater than 700K the model deviated with temperatures greater than the experimental results. KW - Catalytic ignition KW - Combustion KW - Computer models KW - Engines KW - Heat transfer KW - Internal combustion engines KW - Methane KW - Platinum UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK762_N12-06B.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46622/KLK762_N12-06B.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225672 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458048 AU - Miller, Neil AU - Welch, Austin AU - Den Braven, Karen AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - University of Idaho’s Low-Speed Flex Fuel Direct-Injected 797cc Two-Stroke Rear Drive Snowmobile PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 31p AB - The University of Idaho’s entry into the 2012 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Clean Snowmobile Challenge (CSC) uses a Ski-Doo XP chassis with a lowspeed 797 cc direct-injection two-stroke powered snowmobile modified for flex fuel use on blended ethanol fuel. A batteryless direct injection system was used to improve fuel economy and decrease emissions while maintaining a high power to weight ratio. A new tuned exhaust design was used to lower the engine speed while maintaining a peak power output of 79 kW (106 hp). Noise was reduced by running the engine at a lower speed, and by strategically placed sound absorbing materials within the engine compartment. A muffler was designed that reduced exhaust noise and improved engine emissions without greatly reducing power output. A rear drive system was designed to improve drive train efficiency, and the snowmobile entered the 2012 SAE CSC competition weighing 281 kg (620 lbs) wet, achieving 9.35 km/L (22 mpg) running on blended ethanol fuel, with an EPA five-mode emissions test score of 196 on E10, and a predicted J-192 sound magnitude score of 78 dBA. KW - Competition KW - Ethanol KW - Fuel injection KW - Noise KW - Pollutants KW - Snowmobiles KW - Vehicle design UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK767_N12-02.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46624/KLK767_N12-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225674 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01458046 AU - Luo, Guanqun AU - Bakharev, Pavel AU - McDonald, Armando AU - McIlroy, David AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Nanocatalysts for the Synthesis of Biofuels from Biomass Derived Syngas PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 21p AB - The potential silica nanospring (NS) supported cobalt catalyst (Co/SiO2 -NS) for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) was investigated, and the results were compared with those of a conventional silica gel supported cobalt catalyst (Co/SiO2-gel). Co/SiO2-gel and Co/SiO2-NS catalysts were prepared using the incipient wetness impregnation method and a thermal assisted reduction process, respectively, and characterized by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N2 physisorption, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and H2-temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR). The catalysts were evaluated for their conversion of syngas to products in a quartz fix-bed micro-reactor (230 °C, atm pressure). The FTS products were trapped and characterized by GC-MS to determine conversion efficiency. The products (alkanes) for both catalysts ranged from C1 to C21 and would be a suitable substrate for diesel. The results show that the NS approach for a FTS catalyst support shows promise for generating fuels from syngas. Future work will focus on optimizing Co/SiO2-NS catalyst for improved conversion efficiencies. KW - Biomass KW - Biomass fuels KW - Catalysts KW - Fischer-Tropsch Process KW - Synthesis (Chemistry) KW - Synthetic fuels UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK769_N12-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225675 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457370 AU - Abdel-Rahim, Ahmed AU - Khan, Mubassira AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Idaho Transportation Department AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Potential Crash Reduction Benefits of Safety Improvement Projects – Part A: Shoulder Rumble Strips PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 90p AB - This research provides a comprehensive evaluation of the safety benefits of shoulder rumble strips in rural highways in Idaho. The effectiveness of shoulder rumble strips in reducing the number and severity of run-off-the-road (ROR) crashes was examined based on Idaho’s crash experience for 3 different roadway types: 2-lane rural highways, 4-lane rural highways and rural freeways. All ROR, severe ROR crashes, and truck ROR crashes were analyzed as part of this study. The evaluation was done using two different evaluation methods: Comparison Groups (CG) before-and-after analysis and Empirical Bayes (EB) before-and-after analysis. For cases where control section data was limited or not available, naïve before-and-after analysis was used. Based on Idaho’s crash data, the installation of shoulder rumble strips on 2-lane rural highways resulted in a 15 percent reduction in all ROR crashes and a 74 percent reduction in severe ROR crashes. The benefits seem higher in roadway segments that have little to moderate roadway curvature. For rural freeways, the percent reduction in all ROR crashes and severe ROR crashes was 29 percent and 67 percent, respectively. The big difference between the two numbers is because there seems to be a higher percentage of minor (less severe) crashes on the freeway segments tested. The percent reduction in all ROR crashes and severe ROR crashes when shoulder rumple strips were installed in 4-lane rural highways were 60 percent and 45 percent, respectively, which is statistically significant. Truck crashes in all rural highways also decreased after shoulder rumble strips installation by a range of 42 to 62 percent. KW - Bayesian analysis KW - Before and after studies KW - Crash rates KW - Highway safety KW - Idaho KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Road shoulders KW - Rumble strips KW - Rural highways UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK556_RP191Final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46300/46349/RP191Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225522 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457332 AU - Center for Transit-Oriented Development AU - Reconnecting America AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Families and Transit-Oriented Development: Creating Complete Communities for All PY - 2012/06 SP - 28p AB - This planning manual illustrates why planning for transit-oriented development (TOD) that serves families is important for creating complete communities and how such integrated planning can be achieved. The first half of the book lays out the why - families are an important market segment that can receive many benefits from locating in transit-rich locations with a mix of housing, retail, and other uses. Next, the manual describes the ten core connections between TOD and families, and then delves into seven action-oriented steps to support family-friendly complete communities and high-quality education. KW - City planning KW - Education KW - Families KW - Mixed use development KW - Public transit KW - Schools KW - Transit oriented development UR - http://citiesandschools.berkeley.edu/reports/tod205_familiesandTOD_2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225525 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457310 AU - Kim, Yong-Rak AU - Im, Soohyok AU - Ban, Hoki AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Research on Roadway Performance and Distress at Low Temperature PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 68p AB - This research project investigated the performance and damage characteristics of Nebraska roadways at low-temperature conditions. To meet the research objective, laboratory tests were incorporated with mechanistic numerical modeling. The three most common pavement structures in Nebraska were selected and modeled considering local environmental conditions and pavement materials with and without truck loading. Cracking of asphalt overlay was predicted and analyzed by conducting finite element simulations incorporated with cohesive zone fracture. Parametric analyses were also conducted by varying pavement geometries and material properties, which could lead to helping pavement designers understand the mechanical sensitivity of design variables on the overall responses and performance characteristics of pavement structures. This better understanding is expected to provide Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) engineers with more scientific insights into how to select paving materials in a more appropriate way and to advance the current structural pavement design practices. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Low temperature KW - Nebraska KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement performance UR - http://ne-ltap.unl.edu/Documents/NDOR/Research_on%20Roadway_Performance.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46500/46577/Kim_01_Research_on_Roadway_Performance_revisited_AM_11-27_5b1_5d.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225029 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457120 AU - Ley, Tyler AU - Felice, Robert AU - Freeman, John Michael AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Iowa Department of Transportation TI - Concrete Pavement Mixture Design and Analysis (MDA): Assessment of Air Void System Requirements for Durable Concrete PY - 2012/06//Technical Report SP - 32p AB - Concrete will suffer frost damage when saturated and subjected to freezing temperatures. Frost-durable concrete can be produced if a specialized surfactant, also known as an air-entraining admixture (AEA), is added during mixing to stabilize microscopic air voids. Small and well-dispersed air voids are critical to produce frost-resistant concrete. Work completed by Klieger in 1952 found the minimum volume of air required to consistently ensure frost durability in a concrete mixture subjected to rapid freezing and thawing cycles. He suggested that frost durability was provided if 18 percent air was created in the paste. This is the basis of current practice despite the tests being conducted on materials that are no longer available using tests that are different from those in use today. Based on the data presented, it was found that a minimum air content of 3.5 percent in the concrete and 11.0 percent in the paste should yield concrete durable in the ASTM C 666 with modern AEAs and low or no lignosulfonate water reducers (WRs). Limited data suggests that mixtures with a higher dosage of lignosulfonate will need about 1 percent more air in the concrete or 3 percent more air in the paste for the materials and procedures used. A spacing factor of 0.008 in. was still found to be necessary to provide frost durability for the mixtures investigated. KW - Admixtures KW - Air entraining agents KW - Air voids KW - Concrete pavements KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Mix design UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/14951/1/IA_DOT_TPF-5%28205%29_InTrans_mda_air_void.pdf UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/mda_air_void_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1225091 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456904 AU - Eisele, William L AU - Schrank, David L AU - Bittner, Jason AU - Schwartz, Travis AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of an Areawide Estimate of Truck Freight Value in the Urban Mobility Report PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 37p AB - Significant efforts have resulted in improved knowledge about the effects of congestion on the motoring public. The Urban Mobility Report (UMR) has been produced for over 20 years detailing the effects of congestion in the United States. Despite these efforts, and others, less is known about the effect of congestion on urban freight movement. This research set out to produce truck freight values for inclusion in the UMR to inform policy discussion and decisions. Researchers developed a three-part methodology to estimate truck freight value using Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) and FHWA Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) datasets. Researchers found that there was a correlation between commodity value and truck delay, higher commodity values are associated with more people; more people are associated with more traffic congestion. Researchers also developed and tested (in Milwaukee) a transferable method to investigate freight value along specific corridors in an urban area. Policy implications of the freight information are presented. Researchers first implemented the methodology into the 2010 UMR, released in January 2011. The 2011 UMR, released in September 2011, used a similar methodology to present the truck freight values. KW - Commodities KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight traffic measurement KW - Highway Performance Monitoring System KW - Milwaukee (Wisconsin) KW - Mobility KW - Traffic congestion KW - Urban areas KW - Urban Mobility Study UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_04-16_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224990 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456750 AU - Shaheen, Susan A AU - Martin, Elliot W AU - Cohen, Adam P AU - Finson, Richard S AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Public Bikesharing in North America: Early Operator and User Understanding PY - 2012/06 SP - 138p AB - Information technology (IT)-based bikesharing systems typically position bicycles throughout an urban environment, among a network of docking stations, for immediate access. Bikesharing can serve as both a first-and-last mile (connector to other modes) and a many-mile solution. As of January 2012, 15 IT-based, public bikesharing systems were operating in the United States and four in Canada. This study evaluates public bikesharing in North America, reviewing the advances in technology and major events during its rapid expansion. Notable developments during this period include the emergence of a close partnership between vendor and operator and technological advances, such as mobile bike-docking stations that can be moved to different locations and real-time bike/station tracking to facilitate system rebalancing and provide user information. Information on four early IT-based systems: BIXI in Montreal; BIXI in Toronto; Capital Bikeshare in Washington, D.C.; and Nice Ride Minnesota in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and Saint Paul) was obtained via a user survey. The most common trip purpose for bikesharing is commuting to either work or school. Respondents in all cities overwhelmingly indicated that they drive less as a result of bikesharing, indicating that it reduces vehicle miles/kilometers traveled and vehicle emissions. KW - Bicycle commuting KW - Capital Bikeshare KW - Information technology KW - Modal shift KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1029-public-bikesharing-understanding-early-operators-users.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218686 ER - TY - SER AN - 01456749 JO - University of California, Davis. Institute of Transportation Studies. Research report PB - University of California, Davis AU - Miller, Joshua AU - University of California, Davis AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Results of the 2011-12 Campus Travel Survey PY - 2012/06 SP - 105p. AB - The UC Davis campus travel survey, a joint effort by the Transportation and Parking Services and the Institute of Transportation Studies, collects annual data on travel to campus, including mode choice, vehicle occupancy, distances traveled, and carbon emissions. Survey results are used to assess awareness and utilization of campus transportation services and estimate demand for new services designed to promote sustainable commuting. Data also provide researchers with insights about the effects of attitudes and perceptions of mobility options on commute mode choice. Almost half of those physically traveling to campus on a typical day bike to the campus while about one-quarter drive alone. Results indicate that biking is increasing and the amount of carbon dioxide produced by commuters is decreasing. KW - Campus transportation KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Mode choice KW - Surveys KW - University of California, Davis KW - Work trips UR - http://www.its.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/themes/ucdavis/pubs/download_pdf.php?id=1644 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217326 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456748 AU - Guo, Zhan AU - Rivasplata, Charles AU - Lee, Richard J AU - Keyon, David AU - Schloeter, Luis AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Amenity, or Necessity? Street Standards as Parking Policy PY - 2012/06 SP - 50p AB - This paper explores the rationales underlying the use of minimum street width requirements to mandate street parking. A survey of 97 cities reveals that this mandate is not a technical necessity based on safety concerns or an amenity reflecting market demand, two common beliefs held by decision-makers. Many residents are likely unwilling to pay for street parking if it is unbundled from housing. The hidden parking policies should be made transparent and subject to public oversight, the double standard between private and public streets should be eliminated, and parking on residential streets should be optional. KW - On street parking KW - Policy KW - Public opinion KW - Standards KW - Streets KW - Width UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1001-2-street-standards-street-width-parking-policy-investigation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218685 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456640 AU - Connor, Robert J AU - Varma, Amit H AU - Marcu, Sorin AU - Sherman, Ryan J AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Effects of Fire on the I-465 Mainline Bridges - Volume I PY - 2012/06//Final Report AB - On October 22, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, a semi tanker carrying liquefied propane lost control on the underpass from I‐69 southbound to I‐465 eastbound, crashing beneath the east and westbound bridges carrying mainline I‐465 traffic. The tanker rolled, causing the tractor to catch fire and the propane tanker to explode. There were concerns the steel superstructure and the high‐strength (HS) bolts used in the beam splices were affected by the fire. Also, since the bridge deck was built composite with the steel superstructure, there were concerns the composite action might have been lost or diminished causing the bridge to not behave as it was originally designed. Therefore, the study was focused on identifying any short‐term or long‐term effects the bridge may have sustained due to the fire exposure. To address the short‐term effects, immediately after the accident, several core samples and HS bolts were removed and sent to independent testing laboratories. To establish any long‐term effects, field testing was performed over a period of approximately four (4) months. Weldable resistance strain gages were installed at key locations to understand the behavior of the bridge under load and to develop the stress‐range histograms. Both controlled load tests, using test trucks of known weight and geometry, and long-term monitoring of random traffic were performed as part of the study. The results presented in this report show the following: 1) The explosion and subsequent fire did not negatively impact the properties of the steel in the main girders, nor the properties of the HS bolts; 2) The explosion and subsequent fire did not negatively impact the overall load distribution nor adversely alter the behavior of the bridge; 3) Controlled load testing and long‐term monitoring confirmed the steel girders are acting compositely with the concrete deck; 4) Based on the results of the long‐term monitoring, infinite fatigue life is expected at all the monitored locations. KW - Explosions KW - Fire damage KW - Fires KW - Highway bridges KW - Indianapolis (Indiana) KW - Load tests KW - Steel bridges KW - Structural analysis KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3022&context=jtrp UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314975 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46400/46444/fulltext.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46400/46447/Appendix_B.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46400/46448/Appendix_C.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46400/46449/Appendix_D.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224427 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01455841 AU - Hoppe, Edward J AU - Eichenthal, Seth L AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Thermal Response of a Highly Skewed Integral Bridge PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 41p AB - The purpose of this study was to conduct a field evaluation of a highly skewed semi-integral bridge in order to provide feedback regarding some of the assumptions behind the design guidelines developed by the Virginia Department of Transportation. The project was focused on the long-term monitoring of a bridge on Route 18 over the Blue Spring Run in Alleghany County, Virginia. The 110-ft-long, one-span bridge was constructed at a 45° skew and with no approach slabs. It incorporated an elasticized expanded polystyrene material at the back of the integral backwall. Bridge data reflecting thermally induced displacements, loads, earth pressures, and pile strains were acquired at hourly intervals over a period of approximately 5 years. Approach elevations were also monitored. Analysis of data was used to formulate design recommendations for integral bridges in Virginia. Field results indicated that semi-integral bridges can perform satisfactorily at a 45° skew provided some design details are modified. The relatively high skew angle resulted in a pronounced tendency of the semi-integral superstructure to rotate in the horizontal plane. This rotation can generate higher than anticipated horizontal earth pressure acting on the abutment wingwall. Study recommendations include modifying the structural detail of the backwall-wingwall interface to mitigate crack formation and placing the load buttress close to the acute corner of a highly skewed abutment to reduce the abutment horizontal rotation. The use of elastic inclusion at the back of the semi-integral backwall resulted in the reduction of earth pressures and negligible approach settlements. The study recommendations include proposed horizontal earth pressure coefficients for design and a revised approach to calculating the required thickness of the elastic inclusion. While recommending that the existing VDOT guidelines allow an increase in the allowable skew angle from 30° to 45° for semi-integral bridges, the study also proposes a field investigation of the maximum skew angle for fully integral bridges because of the inherently low stiffness associated with a single row of foundation piles. The study indicates that current VDOT guidelines can be relaxed to allow design of a wider range of jointless bridges. The implementation of integral design has been shown to reduce bridge lifetime costs because of the elimination of deck joints, which often create numerous maintenance problems. KW - Bridge design KW - Field tests KW - Jointless bridges KW - Monitoring KW - Skew bridges KW - Thermal stresses UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/12-r10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1224029 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01455327 AU - Bradt, Thomas G AU - Rankin, Brent AU - Connor, Robert AU - Varma, Amit H AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Effects of Fire on the I-465 Mainline Bridges - Volume II PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 62p AB - Currently, when a bridge has been involved in a fire loading, DOT and inspectors are called to determine if the bridge is passable to traffic. Inspectors must close the bridge for an indefinite period of time to take material samples from the bridge and have them tested to find if the strength of the materials meets AASHTO specifications. This procedure can take time and severely impact the economy of surrounding municipalities due to bridge closure. When a bridge is visually distorted, the recommendations of what must be done to repair the bridge may be intuitive; but when no apparent deformations are visible, a way of inspecting the bridge should be uniform and easily performed. The implementation of the findings of this report and the included inspection guide will provide inspectors a general idea of the changes in material properties of the bridge steel, based on the visual appearance of the steel. A method of testing has been developed that allows researchers to take flange and web sections from a bridge girder and test them in real fire scenarios. The test setup allows researchers to examine the differences in outcomes due to a variety of paint coatings on the steel, thickness of steel, temperature and duration of fire exposure. After each different test, material properties may be determined and compared to virgin or unexposed steel and AASHTO specifications to see if the material properties have changed or if the material is below minimum standards. Each specific test is photographed at certain stages that would be seen at a bridge in the field after being involved in a fire. These photographs can then be compared to actual bridge damage and an estimate of surface temperature could be attained. The inspection guide would then give average values for the reduction or increase of tensile strength and toughness for a particular bridge. KW - Deformation KW - Fire damage KW - Fires KW - Guidelines KW - Highway bridges KW - Indiana KW - Inspection KW - Materials tests KW - Steel bridges KW - Test procedures UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314976 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46400/46442/fulltext.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1223379 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454424 AU - Cleveland, Theodore G AU - Thompson, David B AU - Fang, Xing AU - Li, Ming-Han AU - Asquith, William H AU - Texas Tech University, Lubbock AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Establish Effective Lower Bounds of Watershed Slope for Traditional Hydrologic Methods PY - 2012/06//Technical Report SP - 46p AB - Equations to estimate timing parameters for a watershed contain watershed slope as a principal parameter and estimates are usually inversely proportional to topographic slope. Hence as slope vanishes, the estimates approach infinity. The research identified, from literature, data, modeling, and physical experiments, the dimensionless topographic slope where “low-slope” behavior should be assumed. Alternate timing equations based from parametric studies using the Diffusion Hydrodynamic Model (DHM) were developed. A slope-offset approach was explored and is suggested as an adaptation of current technology. The offset value suggested is 0.0005 and an illustrative example is presented in this report. The dimensionless slope suggested for consideration of alternate approaches is 0.003. The researchers found that current streamgaging techniques are not well suited to low-slope hydrologic studies and different measuring methods are suggested. KW - Drainage KW - Hydraulics KW - Hydrodynamics KW - Hydrologic models KW - Slope stability KW - Slopes KW - Watersheds UR - http://www.depts.ttu.edu/techmrtweb/reports/complete_reports/0-6382-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46300/46360/0-6382-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1222906 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454147 AU - Ziehl, Paul H AU - Caicedo, Juan M AU - Rizos, Dimitris AU - Mays, Timothy AU - Larosche, Aaron AU - ElBatanouny, Mohamed K AU - Mustain, Brad AU - University of South Carolina, Columbia AU - South Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Behavior of Pile to Bent Cap Connections Subjected to Seismic Forces PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 293p AB - Currently the South Carolina Department of Transportation employs a detail of a plain pile embedment for the connection between precast prestressed piles and cast-in-place bent caps. This connection has proved beneficial in terms of time and cost associated with construction, and has been previously investigated albeit in a limited capacity. As such an improved understanding of the behavior of the connection is warranted. The University of South Carolina has concluded a research program focusing on the behavior and design of this specific connection detail. South Carolina contains the highest level of seismicity along the east coast of the United States. The state relies heavily on the transportation infrastructure and a high level of confidence in bridge design practices is essential. This research began with a focus on the evaluation and understanding of the current detail employed in the connection between precast prestressed piles and cast-in-place bent caps. The work continues with the investigation of parameters that affect this connection detail and proceeds with potential improvements to the detail. The connections are evaluated in terms of moment capacity, ductility, and damage mechanisms. Findings indicate that when constructed with an appropriate embedment length the connection at interior portions of a bent cap is able to achieve desirable response. Connections at exterior portions of bent caps are also shown to respond desirably given sufficient pile embedment depth along with appropriate detailing of the bent cap. KW - Anchoring KW - Bents KW - Bridge design KW - Connection details (Bridges) KW - Pile caps KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Precast concrete KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Seismicity KW - South Carolina KW - Structural connection UR - http://www.clemson.edu/t3s/scdot/pdf/projects/SPR%20672%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46265/SPR_672_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1222348 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454136 AU - Herricks, Edwin E AU - Woodworth, Elizabeth AU - Patterson, James AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Performance Assessment of a Hybrid Radar and Electro-Optical Foreign Object Debris Detection System PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 46p AB - In 2007, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Technology Branch conducted a performance assessment of the FODetect®, a hybrid radar and electro-optical foreign object debris (FOD) detection system developed by Xsight Systems, Ltd. This assessment included the system’s capability to detect objects of various shapes, sizes, and materials at all locations on the runway surface. The system’s capability to detect FOD during both nighttime and daytime conditions, in periods of sun, rain, mist, fog, and snow, was also assessed. The FODetect system was initially demonstrated in January 2008. Following the demonstration, a more comprehensive performance assessment of the technology was conducted at the Boston Logan International Airport. The performance assessment was initiated in June 2008 with a test schedule that continued until May 2009. Researchers conducted several test sessions to assess the FODetect’s capability to detect selected FOD items. The tests focused on hybrid sensor characteristics, specifically the joint capabilities of radar and electro-optical sensors operating together. The FODetect system was able to detect the objects of various shapes, sizes, and materials on runway surfaces and perform satisfactorily in nighttime, daytime, sun, rain, mist, fog, and snow conditions, as required by FAA Advisory Circular 150/5220-24, “Airport Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Detection Equipment.” KW - Airport runways KW - Airports KW - Debris KW - Foreign objects KW - Logan International Airport KW - Optical detectors KW - Performance KW - Radar KW - Sensors KW - Technology assessment KW - Weather UR - http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/tc12-22.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218538 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454130 AU - Standridge, Charles R AU - Khasnabis, Snehamay AU - Michigan Ohio University Transportation Center AU - Grand Valley State University AU - Wayne State University AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Simulation in Regional Modeling: Application to the Interstate Infrastructure Near the Toledo Sea Port PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 13p AB - A small team of university-based transportation system experts and simulation experts has been assembled to develop, test, and apply an approach to assessing road infrastructure capacity using micro traffic simulation supported by publically available data in partnership with personnel of the Toledo Sea Port, the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, and the Ohio Department of Transportation. Application activities previously focused on the arterial road infrastructure connecting the Toledo Sea Port to the interstate highway system via Interstate 280 and now focus on capacity on Interstate 75 in Toledo near Anthony Wayne Trail and Nebraska Avenue. Data was gathered from the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments and the Ohio Department of Transportation. A micro traffic simulation model was developed using the commercial software product AIMSUN. Simulation experiments were conducted to assess traffic bottlenecks caused by a construction project to add one additional lane in each direction to I-75. The road infrastructure was seen to have sufficient capacity to support the construction activity without traffic delays. KW - Arterial highways KW - Bottlenecks KW - Construction sites KW - Highway capacity KW - Interstate 75 KW - Toledo Sea Port KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://mioh-utc.udmercy.edu/research/ts-41/pdf/MIOH_UTC_TS41p1-2_2012-Final_Rpt_Traffic_Simulation_in_Regional_Modeling.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218636 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454093 AU - Alonge, Mark AU - Alonge, Carol AU - O'Donnell, Joseph AU - Harnish, Anne AU - Matz, Marybeth AU - Decina, Lawrence E AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - North Central Highway Safety Network TI - Avoiding “Tween” Tragedies: Demonstration Project to Increase Seat Belt Use Among 8- to 15-year-old Motor Vehicle Occupants PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 166p AB - The purpose of this project was to increase seat belt use among 8- to 15-year-old motor vehicle occupants (“tweens”) by using a comprehensive approach involving police-driven educational programs, earned and paid media, and enforcement of Pennsylvania’s occupant protection law. Fifteen school districts, comprised of 15 high schools, 15 junior high schools, and 31 elementary schools, participated along with law enforcement officers from 13 municipal police departments and two Pennsylvania State Police barracks. Intervention components included three age appropriate educational programs, innovative enforcement strategies, community outreach, and earned/paid media exposure involving radio, television, and newspapers. Seat belt use significantly improved from the pre- to post-intervention periods in the elementary, junior high, and high schools by 13, 17, and 20 percentage points, respectively. Back seat positioning for elementary school children (12 and under) improved by 23 percentage points. In the post-intervention period, 90% of tweens wore seat belts when their drivers were also belted. Information from knowledge-attitude-behavior surveys indicated positive increases for all school levels in terms of reporting a higher level of steady seat belt use for tweens and their parents/drivers. In addition, elementary school tweens reported a higher level of consistent backseat use. Tweens also reported their knowledge and understanding of seat belt safety and laws in numbers higher than before the study. Recommendations are provided for further outreach to tweens, research needs, enforcement and education. KW - Children KW - Demonstration projects KW - Mass media KW - Pennsylvania KW - Seat belt usage KW - Seat belts KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Tweens KW - Vehicle occupants UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811096.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218644 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454086 AU - Hode, John C AU - SRA International, Incorporated AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Development of a Firefighting Agent Application Test Protocol for Aircraft Fuselage Composites, Phase I - Carbon Fiber PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 44p AB - This project was initiated to develop a live fire test protocol that could determine if the amounts of fire extinguishing agent currently carried on Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting vehicles are sufficient to extinguish fires involving aircraft built with advanced composite material fuselages. Currently two advanced composite materials are used in construction of commercial aircraft fuselages; GLAss-REinforced Fiber Metal Laminate, commonly called GLARE, and carbon fiber composite. The objective of this series of tests was to assess the fire behavior of carbon fiber composites. These tests focused on the following specific fire behaviors: (1) if either self-sustained burning or smoldering exist after fire exposure, (2) the extent of heat propagation through the carbon fiber composite, (3) how long it takes for the carbon fiber composite to naturally cool below 300°F (150°C), and (4) if there are any physical indicators that would help firefighters determine that the carbon fiber composite had cooled sufficiently to prevent reignition. These tests comprise the first phase of a two-phase approach to assess the fire behavior of aircraft fuselage advanced composite materials. The second phase will determine the amount of firefighting agent needed to extinguish and cool the composite. Twenty-three tests were conducted on 0.08-inch-thick, laminate-type carbon fiber composite samples sized 18 by 12 inches. The fiber content of the samples was 60%, which is typical for carbon fiber composite used in aircraft fuselages. The samples were mounted on a small platform at a 45° angle. The Federal Aviation Administration NextGen oil burner was used as the fire source. It generates temperatures just over 1800°F (990°C), which are similar to that of an aviation fuel-fed pool fire. Samples were subjected to different fire exposure times. Temperature measurements and infrared images were collected during the tests. In several instances, the initial weight of the sample was compared to the post exposure weight to determine the amount of resin consumed in the test. The tests showed that flaming combustion, smoldering, and smoking occur in various degrees of severity during and after fire exposure. Given the temperatures that can be achieved in an aviation fuel-fed pool fire, sufficient heat is available to raise the carbon fiber composite temperature to briefly sustain both flaming and smoldering after the pool fire is extinguished. Forward-looking infrared images and thermocouple measurements indicated laminate-type carbon fiber composite absorbs heat unevenly across its surface. Natural cooling of the samples below 300°F (150°C) happened quickly in areas that were open to the air and free to dissipate heat. The fastest time was almost 90 seconds for the uncovered sample center. Smoking was the only reliable visible indicator that could be used by firefighters to identify areas that still require continued application of agent. KW - Aircraft KW - Aircraft rescue and firefighting services KW - Carbon fibers KW - Composite materials KW - Fire extinguishing agents KW - Flammability tests KW - Fuselages KW - Smoke KW - Temperature measurement UR - http://www.tc.faa.gov/its/worldpac/techrpt/tc12-6.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218534 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449702 AU - Sharma, Anuj AU - Appiah, Justice AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing the Structural, Driver and Economic Impacts of Traffic Pole Mounted Wind Power Generator and Solar Panel Hybrid System PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 70p AB - This project evaluates the physical and economic feasibility of using existing traffic infrastructure to mount wind power generators. Some possible places to mount a light weight wind generator and solar panel hybrid system are traffic signal poles and street light poles. Traffic signal poles can themselves have multiple designs depending on type of mount (mast arm vs. span wire) and the width of the intersection (load carried) etc. The close proximity of street light poles and traffic signal poles to the traffic cabinets, which can be used for storing the battery banks, makes them good candidates to mount the hybrid system. This project assesses the structural impacts of the hybrid system on the poles. Lincoln standard plans will be used for identifying the pole and foundation design. Structural analysis involves a first principal for wind load analysis and an explicit finite element analysis using LS-Dyna for evaluating fatigue. Methodologies to conduct economic analysis are developed. Economic impacts of the proposed wind power system were evaluated using a before and after study at a test intersection in Lincoln, Nebraska. A cost and benefit analysis was performed to identify the economic efficiency at the test site. KW - Before and after studies KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Economic analysis KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Finite element method KW - Lincoln (Nebraska) KW - Mounting systems KW - Poles (Supports) KW - Solar panels KW - Street lighting KW - Structural analysis KW - Traffic signals KW - Wind load KW - Wind power generation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45737/Sharma_AssessingImpacts_420_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217360 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449687 AU - Moudon, Anne Vernez AU - Lin, Lin AU - Stewart, Orion AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Census of Schools and School Neighborhoods in Five States PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 29p AB - This project contributes to developing a technical infrastructure to support the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program, specifically to monitor its growth and to evaluate its effectiveness. Since its inception in 2005, the SRTS program mandated by SAFETEA-LU has benefited about 6,489 schools nationally. The goals are to insure the safety of children attending schools and to encourage their walking and biking to school. Programs use the 4 Es—engineering, education, encouragement, and enforcement—to monitor and evaluate their success. The National Center for Safe Routes to School keeps track of these schools by compiling tallies of children walking or biking to school and by collecting parent surveys. Each state works to have a fair and effective distribution of resources to the neediest schools. This proposal adds to an ongoing Pooled Fund project spearheaded by the Washington State Department of Transportation to support information exchanges and research between several participating states, including Florida, Texas, Mississippi, and Wisconsin. Over the past two years, the Principal Investigator (PI) and her team have been working with WSDOT to provide technical support to members of the Pooled Fund. The researchers propose to geocode schools nationwide, in relation to existing transportation facilities. This would enable state SRTS coordinators to quickly evaluate the schools’ proximity to different types of transportation facilities, and to establish their related level of exposure to traffic. Geocoded schools would also allow coordinators to analyze the characteristics of the neighborhoods around the schools, based on spatial data that are readily available from the U.S. Census. KW - Bicycling KW - Census KW - Florida KW - Mississippi KW - Neighborhoods KW - Safe Routes to School (Program) KW - School children KW - Schools KW - Texas KW - Walking KW - Washington State Department of Transportation KW - Wisconsin UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214435 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01449599 AU - Hwang, Ho-Ling AU - Reuscher, Timothy AU - Wilson, Daniel AU - Schmoyer, Richard AU - Oak Ridge National Laboratory AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Developing a Visualization-Based Sketch Planning Tool for Non-Motorized Travel: Final Report for Phase I Study to Characterize the Market Potential for Non-Motorized Travel PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 183p AB - The idea of livable communities suggests that people should have the option to utilize non-motorized travel (NMT), specifically walking and bicycling, to conduct their daily tasks. Forecasting personal travel by walk and bike is necessary as part of regional transportation planning, and requires fine detail not only about individual travel, but also on transportation and neighborhood infrastructure. In an attempt to characterize the “market” potential for NMT, the Office of Planning, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funded the Center for Transportation Analysis (CTA) of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to conduct a study. The objectives of this effort were to identify factors that influence communities to walk and bike and to examine why, or why not, travelers walk and bike in their communities. KW - Bicycling KW - Market assessment KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrians KW - Regional planning KW - Sketch planning KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Walking UR - http://info.ornl.gov/sites/publications/files/Pub36798.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1217134 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448663 AU - Chou, Eddie Y AU - Wang, Shuo AU - University of Toledo AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Benefit Cost Models to Support Pavement Management Decisions PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 126p AB - A critical role of pavement management is to provide decision makers with estimates of the required budget level to achieve specific steady-state network conditions, and to recommend the best allocation of available budget among competing needs for maintenance, rehabilitation, and repair (MR&R) projects or among different networks such as among Districts. This research study developed a model/procedure that uses the current state of the network and a specified future target state, condition deterioration trends (based on the MR&R treatments received) expressed as Markov condition transition matrices, and the unit cost of treatments, to determine the minimum total cost required and the corresponding treatment policy to achieve the desired target state of the network. The model can also determine the best network condition state achievable (and the corresponding treatment policy) with a given budget. The corresponding optimization problems with the objective of either minimizing total cost or maximizing overall network condition are formulated as linear programming problems, so that they can be solved very efficiently. The network level optimization model provides a valuable tool to ODOT decision makers to determine the required network budget and optimal budget allocations. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Budgeting KW - Decision making KW - Markov processes KW - Optimization KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) UR - http://worldcat.org/arcviewer/6/OHI/2012/11/06/H1352227209682/viewer/file1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45619/134363_FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1216155 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01448617 AU - Jackson, Eric AU - Lownes, Nicholas AU - Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering AU - Connecticut Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Alternative Methods for Safety Analysis and Intervention for Contracting Commercial Vehicles and Drivers in Connecticut PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 91p AB - This study evaluated Connecticut’s current system for qualifying contractors for the use of commercial vehicles on state contracts, identifies its impacts, and makes recommendations on how the state should revise the current system. The primary conclusion is that the current contractor qualification system used by Connecticut for the award of state contracts should be revised. Specifically, the use of a contractor’s out-of-service rating and CSA/SMS scores is neither statistically valid nor justified for the purpose of qualifying contractors for the use of commercial vehicles on state contracts. Under the recommended system, the state would qualify contractors based on proof of required insurance coverage and certification by the contractor that: they are enrolled in a drug and alcohol testing program, if applicable; they are not currently suspended from operating commercial vehicles by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA); their drivers are in good standing; they are in compliance with all state/federal regulations/laws; and they have no outstanding fines or fees due to the state. Additionally, state agencies would periodically sample contractor records to verify compliance with contractor qualification requirements throughout a contract period. It is also recommended that subcontractors should be held to the same standards as the primary contractor, as stated above. KW - Commercial drivers KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Compliance KW - Connecticut KW - Contractors KW - Qualifications KW - Subcontractors UR - http://www.ctcase.org/reports/truckstudy_2012.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45937/truckstudy_2012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1215976 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447867 AU - Qiao, Pizhong AU - Chen, Fangliang AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhanced Performance of Recycled Aggregate Concrete with Atomic Polymer Technology PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 79p AB - The atomic polymer technology, in the form of mesoporous inorganic polymer (MIP), can effectively improve material durability and performance of concrete by dramatically increasing inter/intragranular bond strength of concrete at nano-scale. The strategy of MIP is fundamentally different from most additives currently on the market for industrial applications. When MIP is added to a concrete or masonry mix, this atomic-level bonding means that the strength of the cement is defined by the strength of its atomic bonds; these bonds are incredibly strong. Atomic-level bonding also translates the flexibility of the MIP molecule, which is built like a coil, lending strong tensile and flexural strength, thus reducing the vulnerability of concrete to cracking. On the other hand, the recycled concrete aggregates from the demolished structures, when reused in concrete, often exhibit relatively low mechanical performance. It is thus anticipated that the inclusion of MIP in recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) can effectively improve its performance and long-term durability. The objectives of the proposed study are two-fold: (1) to evaluate the performance of RAC with MIP, and (2) to assess improved performance and condition of RAC, using embedded smart piezoelectric sensors/actuators. The findings in RAC with MIP resulting from this study will promote the widespread application of recycled concrete in engineering, improve sustainability of RAC structures, and provide viable long-term health monitoring techniques for RAC. KW - Additives KW - Bond strength (Chemistry) KW - Bonding KW - Concrete KW - Concrete aggregates KW - Durability KW - Inorganic compounds KW - Nanostructured materials KW - Performance measurement KW - Polymers KW - Recycled materials UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46260/TNW2012-11_Enhanced_Performance_of_Recycled_Aggregate_Concrete_with_Atomic_Polymer_Technology.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213877 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447507 AU - Zupan, Jeffrey M AU - Barone, Richard E AU - Whitmore, Jackson AU - Regional Plan Association AU - New York State Energy Research and Development Authority AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mileage-Based User Fees: Prospects and Challenges PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 125p AB - This report reviews the current research regarding mileage-based user fees for vehicle travel (MBUF), possibly as a replacement or supplement to fuel taxes, which is currently the primary source of transportation revenues in New York State and the nation. The report finds that there are significant but not insurmountable issues associated with the implementation of MBUF. The report also traces and projects the current motor vehicle based funding sources for New York State’s transportation capital needs, concludes that there will be a substantial and growing problem, for which MBUF might be able to address. However, there are numerous issues associated with MBUF implementation, primary among these are issues related to the transition from fuel taxes to MBUF, technical matters, privacy concerns, equity among motorists, and higher collection costs. KW - Costs KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Financing KW - Implementation KW - Mileage-based user fees KW - New York (State) KW - Privacy KW - Revenues KW - User charges KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-10-22_FINAL%20REPORT%20-%20062912.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46027/C-10-22_FINAL_REPORT_-_062912.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214774 ER - TY - SER AN - 01447433 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Simpson, David AU - Buttlar, William AU - Dempsey, Barry AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Best Practices for Bicycle Trail Pavement Construction and Maintenance in Illinois PY - 2012/06 IS - 12-009 SP - 95p AB - The main objectives of this report were to provide the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) with guidelines for the structural design of bicycle trail pavement and recommendations for bicycle trail pavement maintenance. A design procedure based on three construction traffic factors and three pavement load levels was developed for Portland cement concrete, hot-mix asphalt, and granular/surface treatment surfaces. The bicycle trail design is determined by the level of construction traffic and the weight characteristics of maintenance vehicles or any other vehicle that regularly operate on the trail. Comparisons were made between the proposed design procedures and the performance of trails surveyed in northern, central, and southern Illinois. The results of the survey indicated that the proposed design procedure should produce a structural trail section that performs well over time. Detailed life cycle cost analyses were conducted for different trail designs and different pavement materials for a design period of 20 years. The analyses showed that relative costs were influenced by surface type and maintenance strategies that were required based on the particular surface type used. KW - Bikeways KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Illinois KW - Life cycle costing KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement performance KW - Paving materials KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Recommendations KW - Surface treatment (Pavements) UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2142/45812 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214600 ER - TY - SER AN - 01447429 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Al-Qadi, Imad L AU - Aurangzeb, Qazi AU - Carpenter, Samuel H AU - Pine, William J AU - Trepanier, James AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Impact of High RAP Contents on Structural and Performance Properties of Asphalt Mixtures PY - 2012/06 IS - 12-002 SP - 108p AB - Currently, highway agencies in Illinois are exploring the feasibility of using higher amounts of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in asphalt mixtures. Concerns about variability in aggregate gradation and higher stiffness of aged RAP binder have limited this use, however. This research project was designed to characterize the performance of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) with high amounts of RAP and to identify any special considerations that must be met to utilize these higher RAP contents. Two material sources from two districts were used to prepare eight 3/4-in nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) N90 binder mix designs. The mix designs included a control mix with 0% RAP and three HMAs with 30%, 40%, and 50% RAP for each district. A base asphalt binder (PG 64-22) was used in the mix design process; a single-bumped binder (PG 58-22) and a double-bumped binder (PG 58-28) were also used to prepare specimens for performance testing. The tests conducted on the HMAs were moisture susceptibility, flow number, complex modulus, beam fatigue, semi-circular bending, and wheel tracking. All tested HMAs with RAP performed equal to or better than the mixtures prepared with virgin aggregate. The study found that HMAs with high RAP content (up to 50%) can be designed with desired volumetrics. RAP fractionation proved to be very effective. Asphalt binder-grade bumping is vital for HMAs with 30% RAP content and above. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Fatigue tests KW - Fracture tests KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Moisture susceptibility KW - Performance tests KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Stiffness tests KW - Volumetric analysis UR - https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/45810/FHWA-ICT-12-002.pdf?sequence=2 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214601 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01447141 AU - Thomas, F Dennis AU - Blomberg, Richard D AU - Korbelak, Kristopher AU - Stutts, Jane AU - Wilkins, Jean AU - Lonero, Larry AU - Clinton, Kathryn AU - Black, Douglas AU - Dunlap and Associates, Incorporated AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Examination of Supplemental Driver Training and Online Basic Driver Education PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 152p AB - This report describes supplemental driver training programs and online basic driver education. It covers supplemental driver training that focuses on knowledge and skills beyond those normally found in traditional driver education delivered in the United States and in other countries. It also reviews online basic driver education programs that are approved or accepted in at least one U.S. State to replace the standard driver education classroom requirement in the driver licensing process. Fifty-six supplemental programs provided information for the United States study, and 59 provided information for the international study. There were many similarities among the supplemental programs with most programs covering the same topics using similar training techniques. Venues of the programs and intended target audience tended to be different. Case studies of representative programs provided in-depth information for all three studies. Program providers universally felt that their efforts were increasing driver safety, although no formal evaluations were identified to support their claims. There was virtually no oversight of the supplemental programs for a variety of reasons. Forty unique online basic driver education providers furnished information about their programs. State personnel in 14 of the 15 States that accepted online driver education provided information from their point of view. Most online programs covered the same topics, but the level of student engagement varied, ranging from none to active interaction with an instructor. Many of the 14 States were unable to provide significant oversight of the programs for various reasons, which may have contributed to the variations in program engagement levels. There is an absence of significant oversight and regulation of the training programs and a need for formal scientific evaluations of the effects of both supplemental and online driver education on young driver safety. KW - Advanced driver training KW - Case studies KW - Driver education KW - Driver training KW - International KW - Literature reviews KW - Online courses KW - Online training KW - Oversight KW - United States UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811609.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45712/811609.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214522 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446985 AU - Kyte, Michael AU - Anderson, John AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Department of Transportation TI - Using Visual Simulation Tools And Learning Outcomes-Based Curriculum To Help Transportation Engineering Students And Practitioners To Better Understand And Design Traffic Signal Control Systems PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 81p AB - The use of visual simulation tools to convey complex concepts has become a useful tool in education as well as in research. This report describes a project that developed curriculum and visualization tools to train transportation engineering students to more deeply understand complex traffic control systems and to have an increased ability to prepare designs to improve these systems. Prototype tools and curriculum developed as part of this project address several traffic signal operations modes including actuated control, coordination, and railroad preemption. KW - Education and training KW - Highway operations KW - Simulation KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal preemption KW - Transportation engineering KW - Visualization UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK718_N12-09.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45944/KLK718_N12-09.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214451 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446983 AU - Lowry, Michael AU - Dixon, Michael AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - GIS Tools to Estimate Average Annual Daily Traffic PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 33p AB - This project presents five tools that were created for a geographical information system to estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic using linear regression. Three of the tools can be used to prepare spatial data for linear regression. One tool can be used to calculate a connectivity importance index for the streets of a city. The main tool can be used to conduct linear regression to estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic. The tools were created for ArcGIS 10 using open-source python scripting. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Geographic information systems KW - Linear regression analysis KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic estimation UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK725_N12-03.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45948/KLK725_N12-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214447 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446982 AU - Wall, Richard W AU - Bauer, Denise H AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Pedestrian Safety at Signalized Intersections PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 29p AB - This research investigated methods and technologies to make signalized intersections safer for pedestrians using the capabilities of accessible pedestrian systems. The research focused on three technologies: acoustic beaconing, passive pedestrian detection, and pedestrian preemption. The effectiveness of proposed enhancements was measured by engineering performance analysis, pedestrian and traffic agency feedback, and an open forum one-day workshop involving constituents of pedestrian advocacy groups. The engineering performance analysis studied both the equipment and user interface from a human factors perspective. The experiments were completed using existing Advanced Accessible Pedestrian Signals (AAPS) hardware. Human factors studies were completed to determine the human response to information presented in both audible and visual format. Audio beaconing is a low cost but highly effective method to direct pedestrians to the destination curb. AAPS hardware modifications are needed to be most effective. Passive pedestrian detection is simple to interface to the existing AAPS equipment but equipment costs are high relative to the AAPS equipment. Information conveyed during preemption must have a low cognitive load and unambiguous interpretation. These changes for improved safety are subject to the consideration of numerous factors before an intersection is equipped with the capability or technology. KW - Accessible pedestrian signals KW - Acoustic signals KW - Advanced pedestrian signals KW - Analysis KW - Audible pedestrian signals KW - Crosswalks KW - Passive detection KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic signal preemption UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK720_N12-04.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45945/KLK720_N12-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214450 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446981 AU - Brown, Shane AU - Dixon, Michael AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Embedded Knowledge in Transportation Engineering: Comparisons Between Engineers and Instructors PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 27p AB - Substantial research in a diversity of fields suggests that being successful in a skilled profession requires ways of thinking that are unique to the context of that profession and present in practitioners of that field. Two critical concepts are sight distance and stopping sight distance as applied to highway geometric design. These concepts play important roles in designing highway horizontal and vertical curves, establishing safe speed limits, and safe traffic signal timing. The purpose of this study is to characterize instructors’ and engineers’ embedded knowledge of highway geometric design sight distance and stopping sight distance and similarly examine course materials. Individual interviews were conducted with 29 transportation engineers and 19 transportation instructors. Course notes from a selection of instructors and three commonly used textbooks were also analyzed. Although instructors and practitioners expressed similar content knowledge, there were significant differences in the context in which it was embedded. Engineering practitioners used and referred to software, manuals, and specific experiences, while instructors primarily spoke in a more abstract context, or referred to textbooks. Also, engineers discussed methods to mitigate minimum design criteria violations; this was not found in course notes or textbooks. This research strongly suggests that context-dependent embedded knowledge exists in transportation engineering and efforts are necessary to integrate this knowledge in the curriculum. KW - Education and training KW - Instructors KW - Interviews KW - Knowledge KW - Sight distance KW - Stopping sight distance KW - Textbooks KW - Transportation engineering KW - Transportation engineers UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK722_N12-11.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45946/KLK722_N12-11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214449 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446980 AU - He, B Brian AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - In situ Transesterification of Microalgal Oil to Produce Algal Biodiesel PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 25p AB - This research focused on processing whole microalgae cells for biodiesel production without first extracting lipids. The ultimate goal was to develop a process for algal biodiesel production directly from microalgae cells in a single step, i.e., in situ transesterification, to lower the processing costs. The authors conducted research on characterizing the selected microalgae strains and screening the influential process parameters. Characterization was performed on microalgae through proximate and ultimate analyses; fatty acid profiles; ash content and mineral components of the microalgae samples; Thermogravimetric analysis; and scanning electron microscopy examination. It was found that green microalgae are suitable for algal biodiesel production due to their relatively high lipid content, while brown microalgae may be good for fermentable sugar production due to their high carbohydrate content. Microalgae tested in this study have relatively high ash content (up to 25%wt), which is somewhat unexpected. Fatty acid profiles varied widely among the microalgae tested and need validation through further investigation. Reaction time affected the microalgal lipid conversion considerably at 300°C, and extending the reaction would lead to satisfactory process efficiency. Findings from this study provide necessary information for the continued systematic investigation on algal biodiesel production. KW - Algae KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Energy conversion KW - Fuel processing KW - Microalgae KW - Transesterification UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK768_N12-10.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45950/KLK768_N12-10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214445 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446979 AU - Munoz, Carlo AU - Gerpen, Jon Van AU - He, Brian AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Production of Renewable Diesel Fuel PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 20p AB - Vegetable oils have been investigated as a way to provide a renewable source for diesel fuel. A successful approach to using vegetable oils in diesel engines has been transesterification of the oils with simple alcohols to produce mono-alkyl esters, or biodiesel. A recent development in the area of alternative diesel fuels is a fuel produced from vegetable oils and animal fats using specially modified hydrogenation processes in a conventional petroleum processing facility. This fuel is usually called renewable diesel. This project has focused on developing an understanding of the processes involved with renewable diesel production from a variety of bio-based feedstocks. The project has determined that Raney nickel is an effective catalyst for hydrogenation and deoxygenation of fatty acids, which is a key step in the production of renewable diesel. The authors have also determined that deoxygenation can take place in a hydrogen-lean environment so that fatty acids can be deoxygenated without having to be completely hydrogenated. This is an important observation because hydrogenation affects the fuel’s cold flow properties by increasing its melting point. Decarboxylation without full hydrogenation continues to be explored as a way to provide renewable diesel with superior low temperature properties. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Fuel processing KW - Hydrogenation KW - Transesterification KW - Vegetable oils UR - http://www.webs1.uidaho.edu/niatt/research/Final_Reports/KLK766_N12-08.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45949/KLK766_N12-08.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214446 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446496 AU - Karsch, H M AU - Hedlund, J H AU - Tison, J AU - Leaf, W A AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Preusser Research Group, Incorporated TI - Review of Studies on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety, 1991-2007 PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 84p AB - This report reviews the pedestrian and bicyclist safety research literature in print as of 2007. It summarizes and synthesizes the key studies, evaluates existing knowledge and identifies research gaps and provides recommendations for future direction. The review includes studies identified through searches of the TRIS, TRANSDOC, IRRD, PubMed, PsychLit, and SafetyLit automated databases and through contacts with research institutions and researchers. It also draws on the background papers and recommendations from the April 2000 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration/Federal Highway Administration Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Planning Research Workshops and from the Bicycle Safety 2000 Conference. Studies are organized into areas highlighting studies on pedestrian safety with emphasis on demographic characteristics, high-risk environments, travel behavior, injury typing and injury profiles and others. Similar grouping is made for studies on bicyclist safety. Topics include: crash and injury causation; laws and enforcement; public information and education; alcohol; conspicuity; and bicycle helmets. KW - Bicycle helmets KW - Cyclists KW - Law enforcement KW - Literature reviews KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrians KW - Public education KW - Research KW - Visibility UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811614.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45710/811614.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1214049 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446293 AU - Wang, Yinhai AU - Corey, Jonathan AU - Lao, Yunteng AU - Xin, Xin AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Criteria for the Selection and Application of Advanced Traffic Signal Control Systems PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 103p AB - The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has recently begun changing their standard traffic signal control systems from the 170 controller running the Wapiti W4IKS firmware to 2070 controllers operating the Northwest Signal Supply Corporation’s Voyage software. Concurrent with this change in standard signal control systems, ODOT has taken the opportunity to install test sites with adaptive signal control systems and evaluate advanced features in the Voyage software. The evaluation of advanced features and adaptive signal control systems has led to a series of questions about how to measure performance, when to apply a given feature and, when should one system be preferred over another. To answer these questions a survey of literature and practicing professionals was conducted to determine the current state of the practice regarding conventional and adaptive signal control systems. The survey of practitioners indicated that practitioners in general were seeking answers regarding when and how to implement adaptive systems. Similar questions were found in literature, with the addition that the Federal Highway Administration's Model Systems Engineering Documents for Adaptive Signal Control Technology added questions regarding whether existing systems had potential performance gains available through feature enablement. This knowledge was used to create an evaluation framework to guide practitioners in evaluating the performance of their current systems. A decision support framework based on decision tree logic and queuing theory models was built on top of the analytical framework to analyze the existing system for features that may improve performance. The decision support framework also provides a means of estimating the performance of different control strategies given the existing conditions. As a means of evaluating the various systems and selected features, the research team created a series of simulation models in VISSIM 5.30. These simulations were controlled via external logic emulating the signal control logic of the various systems and features. In total, 4,536 simulation cases were examined. The results of these simulations were used to calibrate the decision support and queuing model logic. KW - Adaptive control KW - Advance traffic control signs KW - Decision support systems KW - Evaluation KW - Implementation KW - Literature reviews KW - Queuing theory KW - Selection criteria KW - Signalized intersections KW - Surveys KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46263/TNW2012-17_Criteria_for_the_Selection_and_Application_of_Advanced_Traffic_Signal_Control_Systems.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213863 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446285 AU - Goodchild, Anne AU - Gagliano, Andrea AU - Rowell, Maura AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Characterizing Washington State’s Supply Chains PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 52p AB - The University of Washington (UW), Washington State University (WSU), and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) recently developed a multi-modal statewide geographic information system (GIS) model that can help the state prioritize strategies that protect industries most vulnerable to disruptions, supporting economic activity in the state and increasing economic resilience. The proposed research was identified at the conclusion of that project as an important step in improving the model's ability to measure the impact of disruptions. In addition to developing the model, the researchers developed two case studies showing the model's capabilities: the potato growing and processing industry was chosen as a representative agricultural sector, and diesel fuel distribution for its importance to all industry sectors. As origin-destination data for other freight-dependent sectors is added to the model, WSDOT will be able to evaluate the impact of freight system disruptions on each of them. Moving forward, it is not cost effective to develop case studies in the manner used for these case studies, therefore, the state is currently supporting activities at the national level that will provide methods for collecting statewide commodity flow data. However, this commodity flow data will still lack important operational detail necessary to understand the impacts of transportation changes. This research will begin to fill that gap by developing a transportation-based categorization of logistics chains. The goal is not to capture all of the complexity of supply chain logistics, but to identify approximately 15-20 categories within which supply chains behave similarly from a transportation perspective, for example, in their level of scheduling and methods for route selection. Researchers will use existing publicly available data, conduct an operational survey, and analyze GPS data collected for WSDOT's freight performance measures project to identify the categorization. KW - Case studies KW - Commodities KW - Freight Performance Measures KW - Freight traffic KW - Logistics KW - Route choice KW - Scheduling KW - Supply chain management KW - Surveys KW - Traffic models KW - Washington (State) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213868 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446029 AU - Wang, Yinhai AU - Lao, Yunteng AU - Liu, Cathy AU - Xu, Guangning AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Simulation-Based Testbed Development for Analyzing Toll Impacts on Freeway Travel PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 89p AB - Traffic congestion has been a world-wide problem in metropolitan areas all over the world. Toll-based traffic management is one of the most applicable solutions against freeway congestion. This research chooses two toll roads, the SR-167 high occupancy toll (HOT) lane and the SR-520 toll bridge (i.e. Evergreen Point Bridge), as study sites for simulation testbed developments to evaluate the toll impact on freeway operations. The research approach proposed in this study consists of three steps: first, external modules are developed to enable VISSIM models to simulate various traffic operations with complicated tolling schemes; then, a standardized calibration procedure is proposed for freeway traffic simulation to enhance the models’ creditability; and finally, a statistical method is developed to analyze simulation outputs against data autocorrelation problems. Two VISSIM external modules were developed for evaluating toll impacts on freeway operations in this research. For the SR-167 HOT lane site, an external tolling control module using the Component Object Model (COM) interfaces was developed to dynamically adjust the toll rate based on real time traffic conditions. For the SR-520 Evergreen Point Bridge site, an external routing module using Car2X module is developed to dynamically update vehicle routing. These external modules enabled testing customized tolling strategies often needed in toll impact studies. The simulation results from the SR-167 HOT lane study site found that among all the three operational strategies, HOT lane operation with dynamic toll outperforms the other two strategies under various traffic demand conditions. Compared with the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane operation, dynamic toll strategy makes significant improvement on general purpose (GP) lane performance at regular segments, merging areas, on-ramps, and off-ramps. Compared with the time-of-day toll rate strategy, dynamic toll strategy is more flexible under a variety of traffic demands. The simulation results of the SR-520 toll bridge found that with an increase in toll at SR-520, the travel speed on SR-520 tends to increase and the speed on I-90 tends to decrease as more vehicles are diverted to use the non-tolled alternative. However, the change on I-5 and I-405 after tolling is insignificant since the number of vehicles turning from SR-520 to I-90 is much smaller than the existing volumes on I-5 and I-405. The two simulation testbeds developed in this study were applied to the SR-520 Evergreen Point Bridge and the SR-167 HOT lane projects and the results were satisfactory. These testbeds are capable of studying various customized tolling strategies on freeway operations. The methodology developed in this study for external module development and simulation output analysis can be used for other simulation studies of similar kinds. KW - Analysis KW - Dynamic tolls KW - Freeway operations KW - General purpose lanes KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Toll bridges KW - Tolls KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic simulation KW - Traffic speed KW - VISSIM (Computer model) KW - Washington State Route 167 KW - Washington State Route 520 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46262/TNW2012-16_Simulation-Based_Testbed_Development_for_Analyzing_Toll_Impacts_on_Freeway_Travel.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1213590 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446020 AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - LTRC Annual Research Program: Fiscal Year July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013 PY - 2012/06 SP - 224p AB - This report contains budget recaps, administrative line items, research support studies, active studies, and proposed research for Louisiana's State Planning and Research (SPR) funded research program. Information on research projects' budgets, funding source, purpose and scope, fiscal year accomplishments and proposed activities is organized by funding source including: Innovative Bridge Research Deployment (IBRD), Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), State Transportation Program (STP), State Funded, Federal Funded, and Self-Generated Funded. KW - Annual reports KW - Budgeting KW - Financing KW - Louisiana Transportation Research Center KW - Research projects UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2012/final_press_7_30.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45886/final_press_7_30.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212683 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446017 AU - Lichty, Monica G AU - Richard, Christian M AU - Campbell, John L AU - Bacon, L Paige AU - Battelle Seattle Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidelines for Disseminating Road Weather Advisory & Control Information PY - 2012/06 SP - 122p AB - The tremendous growth in the amount of available weather and road condition information, including devices that gather weather information, models and forecasting tools for predicting weather conditions, and electronic devices used by travelers, has led the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to develop effective and specific guidelines for communicating road weather information in a way that is consistent with what travelers need, want, and will use when making travel decisions. This project builds upon the earlier Human Factors Analysis of Road Weather Advisory and Control Information project which was initiated to assist transportation officials in communicating both pre-trip and en route road weather information effectively, consistently, and timely to meet the needs of travelers for different weather conditions and travel scenarios. This earlier project resulted in preliminary guidelines. For the current effort, these preliminary guidelines were disseminated to a broad group of transportation and road weather officials for review and use. These reviewers included staff from private agencies and State Department of Transportation staff working at Traffic Management Centers. Evaluation of the guidelines followed through end user surveys, on-site interviews and discussions, and application of the preliminary guidelines to assess their suitability and effectiveness for traffic operations. Valuable feedback provided by these end users was used to modify the preliminary guidelines and develop the revised guidelines presented here. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Guidelines KW - Information dissemination KW - Messages (Communications) KW - Road weather information systems KW - Surveys UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45623/FinalPackage_JPO-12-046_V1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212684 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01446015 AU - Al-Kaisy, Ahmed AU - Ewan, Levi AU - Veneziano, David AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of a Variable Speed Limit System for Wet and Extreme Weather Conditions: Phase 1 Report PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 158p AB - Weather presents considerable challenges to the highway system, both in terms of safety and operations. From a safety standpoint, weather (i.e. precipitation in the form of rain, snow or ice) reduces pavement friction, thus increasing the potential for crashes when vehicles are traveling too fast for the conditions. Under these circumstances, the posted speed limit at a location may no longer be safe and appropriate. From an operations standpoint, inclement weather could have considerable impacts on the capacity of the highway system and the efficiency of using the system by motorists. Consequently, new approaches are necessary to influence motorists’ behavior in regards to speed selection when inclement weather presents the potential for reduced pavement friction at a given location. Among these approaches is the use of Variable Speed Limit (VSL) systems. This document presents the results of initial work completed in the development of such a system. The work completed included a literature review related to different aspects and types of VSL systems, as well as a review of sensor systems capable of providing roadway grip/friction measurements. The work also developed a Concept of Operations and Requirements for the prospective VSL system, with detailed information provided in the Appendix. Sensor testing was completed on the Vaisala DSC 111 to determine its accuracy and applicability for inclusion in the prospective VSL. Finally, a policy and legal implications review that was completed by Oregon Department of Transportation staff including a summary of Oregon’s recently enacted administrative rules on use of variable speed limits and statutes and rules adopted by other states is presented. KW - Highway operations KW - Laws KW - Literature reviews KW - Policy KW - Speed limits KW - Traffic speed KW - Variable speed limits KW - Weather conditions KW - Wet weather UR - http://cms.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/docs/Reports/2012/SPR743_VSL_System.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45584/SPR743_VSL_System.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212470 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445990 AU - Nihan, Nancy L AU - Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multi-UTC On-line Freight Seminar PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 101p AB - Four University Transportation Centers (UTC)s, (composed, at the time, of twelve universities in total), worked with local and regional partners to develop and deliver a simultaneous multi-university online freight seminar during academic year 2010-11. The goal of the project was to foster collaboration among these various stakeholders, share information, and provide university students and practicing professionals with the tools they need for successful careers in this important transportation area. The pilot project successfully demonstrated that courses, which cover specialty areas such as freight transportation, can be offered by more universities with transportation programs if we effectively exploit UTC resources collectively. The project described in this paper investigated the feasibility of this approach by developing a graduate seminar, which brought together faculty and students from several universities and professional experts from four separate regions in a video-based, real-time format. The project was proposed as a first step toward developing a Multi-UTC program of courses that can be accessed by students at each individual UTC for course credit in their graduate transportation programs KW - Cooperation KW - Curricula KW - Education and training KW - Online courses KW - Students KW - Transportation engineering KW - Universities and colleges KW - University Transportation Centers Program UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45900/45957/TNW2012-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212781 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445988 AU - Partnership for Sustainable Communities TI - Transit as Transformation: The Euclid Corridor in Cleveland PY - 2012/06 SP - 7p AB - Public and private investments catalyzed a striking transformation along Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, generated in part by the construction of a new bus rapid transit (BRT) system known as the HealthLine. Euclid Avenue’s strategic location stretches from Cleveland’s Central Business District (CBD) and continues nine miles past prominent institutions such as Cleveland State University (CSU) and the Cleveland Clinic. The high-profile HealthLine is only one key to the Euclid Avenue Corridor’s rising prospects, but has served as a central anchor to attract further funds from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Further, sustained attention from City of Cleveland and community leaders has been critical to help revitalize the corridor to suit a 21st century economy. Cleveland’s Euclid Avenue demonstrates the positive outcomes that can result from coordinating and leveraging multiple programs and funding to build a common vision. KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Case studies KW - Cleveland (Ohio) KW - Communities KW - Economic development KW - Euclid Avenue (Cleveland, Ohio) KW - Sustainable development KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45740/Cleveland-euclid-corridor.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212583 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445987 AU - Partnership for Sustainable Communities TI - Turning Brownfields into Opportunities for Urban Revitalization: The North End and Park East Corridor in Milwaukee PY - 2012/06 SP - 10p AB - Redevelopment in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, highlights how resources from Federal agencies, combined with State and local resources, build on each other to provide broad economic, environmental, and social benefits. In Milwaukee, Partnership investments played a particularly important role in the clean-up and redevelopment of vacant brownfield sites. These activities have been key to local economic development. The city used an EPA grant to clean up downtown Milwaukee’s largest industrial brownfield, an eight‐acre site, and attract other resources and private investment. These efforts have led to the private sector development of The North End, an 83‐unit mixed‐use apartment building with approximately 12,000 square feet of ground‐level retail space, on the brownfield site. KW - Brownfields KW - City planning KW - Milwaukee (Wisconsin) KW - Mixed use development KW - Redevelopment KW - Socioeconomic development KW - Sustainable development UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45739/Milwaukee_Case_Study.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212585 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01445011 AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2010 Data: Overview PY - 2012/06 SP - 12p AB - Motor vehicle travel is the primary means of transportation in the United States, providing an unprecedented degree of mobility. Yet for all its advantages, injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for age 4 and every age 11 through 27 (based on 2009 data). In 2010, 32,885 people were killed in the estimated 5,419,000 police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes; 2,239,000 people were injured; and 3,847,000 crashes involved property damage only. Compared to 2009, this is a 3-percent decrease in the number of fatalities, and a 2-percent decrease in the number of police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes, 1-percent increase in the number of people injured, and 3-percent decrease in crashes involving property damage. This overview fact sheet contains statistics on motor vehicle fatalities based on data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Crash and injury statistics are based on data from the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System (GES). KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - General Estimates System KW - National Automotive Sampling System KW - Property damage KW - Statistics KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811630.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212333 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444855 AU - Shaheed, Mohammad Saad AU - Gkritza, Konstantina AU - Marshall, Dawn AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Midwest Transportation Consortium AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Motorcycle Conspicuity – What Factors Have the Greatest Impact PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 90p AB - The objective of this project was to determine the effect of headlight configuration (daytime running lights, high beam, modulating) and rider color (bright yellow, blue denim, and black torso and helmet) on the conspicuity of a motorcycle to a driver of a passenger vehicle in a simulated environment. To achieve this, 36 participants completed three drives on a National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS)-2 driving simulator. During two of the drives, participants were presented with six oncoming motorcycles and three leading parked motorcycles, each with a different combination of rider color and headlight configuration. Each of the nine motorcycles was present in either the urban or rural driving environment. Participants indicated when each motorcycle was first visible to them by pressing a button on the steering wheel of the driving simulator. The detection distances from the motorcycles to the participant vehicles were then recorded. Participants were within one of two groups: younger drivers (25 to 55) or older drivers (65 and older). This research applied repeated measures analysis of variance to investigate the impact of headlight configurations and rider color on motorcycle conspicuity in urban and rural environments. The researchers found that oncoming motorcycles with modulating headlights were detected at the greatest distance compared to motorcycles with high beam or daytime running lights. Participant ability to detect an oncoming motorcycle was also significantly influenced by the combination of headlight configurations with black or bright yellow rider colors. Leading motorcycles in urban environments were detected at a greater distance compared to those in rural environments. Leading motorcycles with riders having bright yellow clothing and helmet were detected at the greatest distance, followed by motorcycles with riders having blue denim and black rider colors. A significant interaction effect among the driving environment, rider color, and age group was also found for the detection distance of leading motorcycles. KW - Age groups KW - Clothing KW - Color KW - Daytime running lamps KW - Detection distance KW - Headlamps KW - High beamed headlamps KW - Motorcycles KW - Motorcyclists KW - National Advanced Driving Simulator KW - Rural areas KW - Urban areas KW - Visibility UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/motorcycle_conspicuity_ii_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212412 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444842 AU - Watkins, Nealson AU - Baldauf, Richard AU - Environmental Protection Agency AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Near-road NO2 Monitoring Technical Assistance Document PY - 2012/06 SP - 135p AB - On February 9, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated new minimum monitoring requirements for the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) monitoring network in support of a newly revised 1-hour NO2 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and the retained annual NAAQS. In the new monitoring requirements, state and local air monitoring agencies are required to install near-road NO2 monitoring stations at locations where peak hourly NO2 concentrations are expected to occur within the near-road environment in larger urban areas. State and local air agencies are required to consider traffic volumes, fleet mix, roadway design, traffic congestion patterns, local terrain or topography, and meteorology in determining where a required near-road NO2 monitor should be placed. This document is the June 2012 release of the Near-Road NO2 Monitoring Technical Assistance Document (TAD). The TAD was developed to aid state and local air monitoring agencies in the implementation of required near-road NO2 monitoring stations. The TAD reflects the collaboration between partner state and local air monitoring agencies and associations, partnering state departments of transportation, the Federal Highways Administration, and the EPA. This document also reflects feedback, concepts, and suggestions from two reviews conducted by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) Ambient Monitoring and Methods Subcommittee (AMMS). KW - Air pollution KW - Air quality management KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Implementation KW - Nitrogen dioxide KW - Pollutants KW - Recommendations KW - Roadside KW - Technical assistance UR - http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/files/nearroad/NearRoadTAD.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212411 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444832 AU - Washington, Gregory AU - Merry, Carolyn AU - Van Volkinburg, Kyle AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Opportunity Zones Utilizing Transportation Assets PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 100p AB - Transportation, traditionally, is an afterthought when dealing with company site selection. This way of thinking results in two broad problems: the state’s transportation network is not marketed as an asset and desired infrastructure improvements might not be feasible. The purpose of the study was to develop a framework that, with regard to attracting and retaining companies, enables ODOT to identify ideal job sites around the state. The developed framework considers the needs of a company to optimally locate the company with sufficient existing transportation infrastructure. KW - Asset management KW - Businesses KW - Economic development KW - Job opportunities KW - Location KW - Transportation networks UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/816364177/viewonline UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45759/134559_FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212434 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01444829 AU - Martin, Peter T AU - Zlatkovic, Milan AU - Tasic, Ivana AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Utah Traffic Lab Driving Simulator: User Manual and Flex Lanes Scenario Development PY - 2012/06 SP - 58p AB - This report describes the University of Utah Traffic Lab (UTL) driving simulator, and a scenario development for Flex Lanes driving simulation. The first part describes the driving simulator in details. At the time of installation, the UTL driving simulator was unique and the first to join microsimulation with driving simulation. This type of integration offers major possibilities beyond those of a “classic” driving simulator. The second part is dedicated to the development of the Flex Lanes scenario. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) will implement the first Flex Lanes (reversible lanes) project on 5400 S in the City of Taylorsville, Utah, in summer of 2012. The UTL, in cooperation with the AAI Corporation, has developed a real-world driving simulation scenario of the Flex Lanes corridor. The UTL is planning to use this driving simulation to assess the drivers’ performance and compliance with the posted signalization. KW - Computer program documentation KW - Driving simulators KW - Microsimulation KW - Reversible traffic lanes KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC12-247.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46038/MPC_12-247.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1212373 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01421299 AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving PY - 2012/06 SP - 20p AB - With more than 300 million wireless subscriptions in America today—and a growing number of devices and services designed to keep people constantly connected—technology is playing an increasing role in enhancing our quality of life. Yet using these technologies while you’re behind the wheel can have devastating consequences. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that there are at least 3,000 deaths annually from distraction-affected crashes—crashes in which drivers lost focus on the safe control of their vehicles due to manual, visual, or cognitive distraction. Studies show that texting simultaneously involves manual, visual, and mental distraction and is among the worst of all driver distractions. Observational surveys show that more than 100,000 drivers are texting at any given daylight moment, and more than 600,000 drivers are holding phones to their ears while driving. While distracted driving can take on many forms and affects all road users, young drivers are at particular risk. A nationally representative survey of distracted driving attitudes and behavior published in 2011 shows that a young driver is most likely to have been involved in a crash or near-crash. Drivers under 25 are two to three times more likely than older drivers to send text messages or e-mails while driving. While almost all drivers believe that sending text messages while driving is very unsafe, young passengers are much less likely than older passengers to speak up if the driver is texting behind the wheel. Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent - at 55 mph - of driving the length of an entire football field, blind. This brochure lays out progress to date on addressing distracted driving, and offers suggestions (legal avenues, education, public awareness) for tackling it now and in the future. KW - Age KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash causes KW - Distraction KW - Fatalities KW - High risk drivers KW - Highway safety KW - Text messaging KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/distracted_driving/pdf/811629.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148382 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01421296 AU - Cowell, Timothy D AU - Pyo, Sang Chul AU - Gabr, M A AU - Borden, Roy H AU - North Carolina State University, Raleigh AU - North Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Verification of Undercut Criteria and Alternatives for Subgrade Stabilization – Coastal Plain PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 248p AB - The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is progressing toward developing quantitative and systematic criteria that address the implementation of undercutting as a subgrade stabilization measure. As part of this effort, a laboratory study and numerical analysis were performed from 2008 to 2010 with the results providing proposed criteria for undercutting under various roadway site conditions and the adequacy of stabilization measures typically employed if undercut was deemed necessary. These criteria provide provisions for discerning possible rutting and pumping of the subgrade under construction loading, and provide response and subgrade stiffness under repeated loading of 10,000 cycles. The work in this report is focused on performing full-scale testing in the field on instrumented unpaved roadway sections to collect data for the validation of guidelines developed from the laboratory and modeling study. Four 16 feet wide by 50 feet long stabilized test sections were built on poor subgrade soils encountered in the Coastal Plain region of North Carolina. One test section encompassed undercutting and replacement with select material (Class II), the second and third test sections included reinforcement using a geogrid and geotextile, respectively, in conjunction with undercutting and replacement with ABC (Class IV), and a fourth test section included cement treatment of the soft subgrade soil. Full-scale testing was conducted on the test pad by applying 1000 consecutive truck passes using a fully loaded tandem-axle dump truck over a period of four days. During this time visual observations were noted and measurements were collected regarding rut depth, vertical stress increase at the base/subgrade interface, and subgrade moisture content with truck passes. Once trafficking was completed, the test pad was re-graded and proof roll testing was performed to look for signs of pumping and rutting. Based on the field results, the proposed undercut criteria are evaluated in regards to the ability to discern the need for undercutting as well as predict the performance of the stabilized test sections. Finally, a performance cost analysis is conducted to illustrate the relative cost of each stabilization measure in relation to the measured performance (rutting) such that an informed decision on cost-effective subgrade stabilization can be made. KW - Cement treated soils KW - Coastal plains KW - Field tests KW - Geogrids KW - Geotextiles KW - North Carolina KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Subgrade stability KW - Undercutting UR - http://www.ncdot.gov/doh/preconstruct/tpb/research/download/2008-13finalreport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1164729 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01394340 AU - National Center for Statistics and Analysis TI - Traffic Safety Facts 2010 Data: Large Trucks PY - 2012/06 SP - 6p AB - In 2010, 3,675 people were killed and 80,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks (gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds). In the United States, 276,000 large trucks were involved in traffic crashes during 2010. Fatalities in crashes involving large trucks showed a 9-percent increase from 3,380 in 2009 to 3,675 in 2010. Of the fatalities in crashes involving large trucks during 2010, 76 percent were occupants of other vehicles, 10 percent were nonoccupants, and 14 percent were occupants of large trucks. There was very little change in fatalities in crashes involving large trucks from 2009, when 76 percent were occupants of other vehicles, 10 percent were nonoccupants, and 15 percent were occupants of large trucks. Additional statistics on the involvement of large trucks in crashes in 2010 are provided in this fact sheet. KW - Crash data KW - Crash injuries KW - Fatalities KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Statistics KW - Traffic crashes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucks KW - United States UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811628.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148793 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383588 AU - Mielke, Judy AU - Curella, Tisha AU - James, Jenni AU - Colebank, Wayne AU - Logan Simpson Design AU - Arizona Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Salvage and Replanted Native Plants on ADOT Projects PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 121p AB - Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has transplanted thousands of saguaros during the construction of roadway projects, and although the projects are typically tracked for two years, the long-term survivability of saguaros has never been documented. The purpose of this study is to examine ADOT projects in which saguaros were transplanted as part of the revegetation effort, and to evaluate the factors that contribute to the survival and good health of saguaros. The development of more successful techniques for salvaging saguaros will help ensure the long-term viability of transplanted saguaros and will enable ADOT to spend monies more effectively. Four projects involving saguaro salvage and replanting were selected for evaluation: State Route 86 Covered Wells, State Route 87 Tombstone Hill, State Route 188 Resort Road to Devore Wash, and US Route 93 Kaiser Spring. The projects occurred over a broad geographic area, with elevations ranging from 2,018 to 3,190 ft. An inventory of all saguaros, both alive and dead, was conducted in 2008. Each plant was assigned a number, its location was recorded using global positioning system equipment, a photograph was taken, and information was recorded regarding plant size and health and surrounding environmental conditions. Consistent among the four projects inventoried was the finding that the taller saguaros had a lower survival rate and exhibited poorer health after transplantation. Saguaros up to 12 ft in height typically exhibited good health. A sharp decrease in the percentage of plants in good health was observed in the 12 ft-plus saguaros, and particularly in the 20 ft-plus size. The presence of arms had a negative effect on saguaro survivability and overall health, an observation that held true for all the projects. A third variable affecting saguaro survivability and health was planting depth. A marked decrease in health was observed among saguaros that did not exhibit taper at the base of the plant, an indication that the saguaro was planted too deep. Recommendations are discussed regarding saguaro salvage and replanting techniques. KW - Arizona KW - Native plants KW - Planting KW - Revegetation KW - Roadside flora KW - saguaros KW - Transplanting UR - http://apps.azdot.gov/ADOTLibrary/publications/project_reports/PDF/AZ587.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147950 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383582 AU - Hastings, Aaron AU - Guthy, Catherine AU - Pollard, John K AU - Garay-Vega, Lisandra AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Research on Minimum Sound Specifications for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 90p AB - This report documents research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to identify ways to develop sound specifications for electric and hybrid vehicles. The research was conducted to support activities related to the implementation of the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010. The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act (PSEA) requires NHTSA to conduct a rulemaking to establish a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) requiring an alert sound for pedestrians to be emitted by all types of motor vehicles that are electric or hybrid (EVs and HVs). The goal is to establish performance requirements for an alert sound that allows blind and other pedestrians to reasonably detect a nearby EV or HV. The alert sound must not require activation by the driver or the pedestrian, and must allow pedestrians to reasonably detect an EV or HV in critical operating scenarios such as, but not limited to, constant speed, accelerating, or decelerating. Sound specifications would include criteria for sounds to be detectable and recognizable as the sound of a motor vehicle in operation. Two concepts to identify potential detectability specifications for alert sounds are explored: (a) minimum sound levels based on psychoacoustic modeling and detection distances and (b) minimum sound levels based on the sound of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Potential detectability specifications are discussed in terms of frequency range and minimum sound level for selected one-third octave bands. Also considered is the relative proportion of acoustical energy emitted from a vehicle as a function of direction (directivity). Recognition includes two aspects: recognition that the sound is emanating from a vehicle and recognition of the type of operation that the vehicle is conducting. Potential specifications to aid in recognition are discussed in terms of broadband noise and tones (tone-to-noise ratio) and ways to denote changes in vehicle speed (pitch-shifting as a function of vehicle speed). KW - Audible warning devices in vehicles KW - Electric vehicles KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Pedestrian detectors KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act KW - Sound KW - Specifications KW - Warning devices UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45558/MinimumSoundSpecs.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148385 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383581 AU - Inman, Vaughan W AU - Haas, Robert P AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Evaluation of a Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersection PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 52p AB - Four-lane divided highways are an economical design solution to increase the capacity of rural highways compared to grade-separated limited access facilities. Compared to two-lane undivided rural highways, four-lane divided highways have markedly lower rates of sideswipe, rear-end, and head-on collisions. However, right-angle crash rates are markedly higher on four-lane divided highway intersections than at two-lane undivided highway intersections, largely as a result of left-turn and through movements from minor roads conflicting with far-side vehicles on the divided highway. The restricted crossing U-turn (RCUT) intersection is a promising treatment to mitigate right-angle crashes where two-lane minor roads intersect with rural four-lane divided highways. This report includes a comparison of operations at an RCUT intersection in Maryland with a roughly comparable conventional stop-controlled intersection on the same corridor. It also includes before-after crash analyses for intersections converted from conventional to RCUT designs on two Maryland highway corridors. The operational analysis found that conflicts between vehicles entering or crossing the highway from a minor road were reduced, weaving movements were about the same for the two intersection types, the RCUT design added about 1 min to travel time for vehicles making left-turn or through movements from the minor road. Three approaches were used to estimate the affect of an RCUT conversion on crashes. All three approaches led to the same conclusion: the RCUT design reduces crashes. A simple 3-year before and 3-year after analysis suggested a 30 percent decrease in the average number of crashes per year. An analysis that adjusted the observed crash rate at RCUT locations for the observed crash rate at nearby conventional intersections on the same corridors suggested a 28 percent decrease in the average annual number of crashes. An empirical Bayes analysis that adjusts for, among other things, the expected number of crashes at similar intersections and average annual traffic suggested a 44 percent decrease in crashes. Furthermore, the analyses suggest an overall reduction in crash severity with the RCUT design. KW - Before and after studies KW - Crash rates KW - Crashes KW - Divided highways KW - Four lane highways KW - Highway safety KW - Intersections KW - Maryland KW - Operational analysis KW - Restricted crossing U-turn intersection KW - Rural highways UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/hsis/11067/11067.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148242 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383577 AU - Rasmussen, Robert Otto AU - Sohaney, Richard C AU - Transtec Group, Incorporated AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Tire-Pavement and Environmental Traffic Noise Research Study PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 161p AB - In response to an interest in traffic noise, particularly tire-pavement noise, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) elected to conduct tire pavement noise research. Following a rigid set of testing protocols, data was collected on highway traffic noise characteristics along with safety and durability aspects of the associated pavements. This report completes a comprehensive, long-term study to determine if particular pavement surface types and/or textures can be used as quieter pavements, and possibly be used to help satisfy Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) noise mitigation requirements. The study addressed: the noise generation/reduction characteristics of pavements as functions of pavement type, pavement texture, age, time, traffic loading, and distance away from the pavement; correlations between source measurements using on-board sound intensity (OBSI) and wayside measurements including both statistical pass-by (SPB) and time-averaged measurements; and the collection of data that can be used for validation and verification of the accuracy of the FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM) to use on future Colorado highway projects. There are numerous findings from this study, along with associated implementation activities. The most promising finding is that each of the common pavement types in use by CDOT has the potential for quieter variants. As a result, implementation of this study could include the identification and specification of the specific asphalt mixtures and concrete textures that result in quieter pavements without compromising on safety or durability. KW - Close proximity (CPX) KW - Colorado KW - Noise control KW - On Board Sound Intensity KW - Pavements KW - Rolling contact KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Texture KW - Tire/pavement noise KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model KW - Validation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147959 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383575 AU - Hitchcock, Wilbur A AU - Uddin, Nasim AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia AU - Salama, Talat AU - Kirby, Jason AU - Zhao, Hua AU - Toutanji, Houssam AU - Richardson, Jim AU - University of Alabama, Birmingham AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Bridge Weigh-in-Motion (B-WIM) System Testing and Evaluation PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 75p AB - The expansion in freight shipments on the nation’s highways has led to a substantial increase in road traffic congestion. Of particular concern is the increase in the number, size, and weight of heavy commercial vehicles. Because of the limited resources available to enforcement agencies, an effective program of highway maintenance and safety could benefit substantially from an affordable traffic sampling and enforcement program that is not manpower intensive. A reliable, accurate, and portable dynamic sampling system capable of delivering measurements of moving vehicle type, size, and weight would be attractive. The continued advancement and acceptance in Europe of bridge weigh-in-motion (B-WIM) technology as a tool for highway maintenance, safety, and enforcement has established an interest for field demonstrations of the technology and potential applications in the United States. In this project, a team of researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), University of Alabama (UA), and University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) was initiated to evaluate the potential use of B-WIM systems in Alabama. Over the course of eighteen months, the team consulted with experienced researchers and practitioners in Europe and the United States. A commercial B-WIM system developed in Slovenia was purchased for testing. System installation and calibration was conducted at two remote sites. A short, in-service field test at the second site resulted in accuracy classifications of C(15) for gross vehicle weight and lower accuracy for single axles and group of axles. After work at the two test sites was completed, an international one-day B-WIM workshop was held to discuss practical applications for B-WIM technology in heavy truck freight operations. The report concludes with recommendations for bridge selection, system installation, calibration techniques, and operational methods. KW - Alabama KW - Applications KW - Bridges KW - Calibration KW - Field tests KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Installation KW - Maintenance management KW - Overweight loads KW - Weigh in motion KW - Workshops UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/files/2012/07/07212-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148248 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383571 AU - Glassbrenner, Donna AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - An Analysis of Recent Improvements to Vehicle Safety PY - 2012/06//Technical Report SP - 85p AB - This report seeks to quantify the improved safety of newer vehicles and its contribution to historically low fatality and injury rates experienced in the United States in recent years. The authors develop statistical models of crash avoidance and crash worthiness and apply the results of these models to estimate the likely result of replacing newer vehicles with older vehicles and vice versa, while controlling for human and environmental factors that would otherwise cloud the result. The analysis finds remarkable improvements to vehicle safety. The authors estimate that the likelihood of crashing in 100,000 miles of driving has decreased from 30 percent in a model year 2000 car to 25 percent in a model year 2008 one, when both vehicles are driven “as new”. The likelihood of escaping a crash uninjured has improved from 79 to 82 percent as a result of improvements between the 2000 and 2008 car fleets. Improvements are also found for light trucks and vans, and for the chances of surviving a crash and avoiding incapacitation. The nationwide impact of these advancements is substantial. The authors estimate that improvements made after the model year 2000 fleet prevented the crashes of 700,000 vehicles; prevented or mitigated the injuries of 1 million occupants; and saved 2,000 lives in the 2008 calendar year alone. Of the 9 million passenger vehicles that were in crashes, the crashes of an estimated 200,000 of them were preventable by improvements to the model year 2008 fleet, and the injuries of 300,000 of their 12 million occupants would have been prevented or mitigated, including saving 600 lives. KW - Crash injuries KW - Crashes KW - Crashworthiness KW - Fatalities KW - Traffic crashes KW - United States KW - Vehicle factors in crashes KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811572.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147983 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383563 AU - Porter, Richard J AU - Wood, Jonathan S AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Impacts of Design Exceptions in Utah PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 100p AB - The objective of this research was to compare safety, measured by expected crash frequency and severity, on road segments where design exceptions were approved and constructed to similar road segments where no design exceptions were approved or constructed. Data were collected for design exceptions in Utah in the years 2001 through 2006. Design exception request and approval forms, Google Earth, Google Street View, Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) functional classification maps, and UDOT traffic volume data were used to identify and define road segments with and without design exceptions. Ultimately, a total of 48 segments with design exceptions and 132 segments without design exceptions were used for modeling. Propensity scores were applied in this study to assess the comparison sites (i.e., sites without design exceptions). The relationship between design exception presence and crash frequency was explored using a negative binomial regression modeling approach. The relationship between design exception presence and crash severity was explored in three ways: 1) computing severity distributions at locations with and without design exceptions, 2) estimating separate negative binomial regression models by severity level, and 3) estimating multinomial logit models. Design exception presence was represented in the regression models by an indicator variable (1 = one or more design exceptions; 0 = no design exceptions). Crash data from the years 2006 through 2008 were used for model estimation. Road segments with one or more design exceptions had the same expected frequencies of total crashes (all types and severities), fatal-plus-injury crashes, and property-damage-only crashes as road segments without design exceptions. There were no detectable differences in the severity distributions of crashes occurring on roads with one or more design exceptions when compared to crashes occurring on roads without any design exceptions. KW - Crash rates KW - Crash severity KW - Design exceptions KW - Design standards KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Road segments KW - Utah UR - http://utah.ptfs.com/awweb/awarchive?type=file&item=55720 UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC12-248.pdf UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=724 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45738/UT-12.10.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46000/46039/MPC_12-248.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148268 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01383554 AU - Ideker, Jason H AU - Adams, Matthew P AU - Tanner, Jennifer AU - Jones, Angela AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Durability Assessment of Recycled Concrete Aggregates for use in New Concrete – Phase I Report PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 72p AB - The primary goal of this research project was to investigate the long-term durability of concrete incorporating recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) through accelerated laboratory testing. Overall it was found that modifications to standard aggregate testing and characterization standards were necessary for testing RCA. This included modifications to standard tests including ASTM C 128, C 305 and C 1260. It was found that the potential for alkali silica reactivity did exist for new concrete containing RCA. The characteristics of the RCA also had a profound effect on alkali silica reaction (ASR) related expansion. RCA with a higher content of reactive coarse or fine aggregate (compared to paste fraction) exhibited greater reaction and would therefore require higher levels of mitigation. Based on testing in this research project precision and bias statements in ASTM C 1260 (for virgin aggregate) do not apply to RCA. Recommendations for future work are also included in this report. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Concrete pavements KW - Durability tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - Long term performance KW - Pavement performance KW - Recycled concrete aggregate KW - Recycled materials UR - http://otrec.us/main/document.php?doc_id=1192 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45500/45545/OTREC-RR-11-09_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148246 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380502 AU - Pyeon, Jae-Ho AU - Lee, E B AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Systematic Procedures to Determine Incentive/Disincentive Dollar Amounts for Highway Transportation Construction Projects PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 80p AB - The Federal Highway Administration has encouraged state transportation agencies to implement Incentive/Disincentive (I/D) contracting provisions for early project completion. Although general guidelines to determine the I/D dollar amount for a project are available, there is no systematic and practical tool in use to determine optimum I/D dollar amounts for I/D projects considering road user cost, agency cost, contractor’s acceleration cost, and contractor’s cost savings. Therefore, systematic procedures and models to assist project planners and engineers in determining an appropriate I/D dollar amount are essential to optimizing the use of I/D contracting techniques. This research performed a literature review related to the determination of daily I/D dollar amounts. Caltrans I/D project data were then collected and evaluated. Project performance data were analyzed with regard to project outcomes in two key areas: project time and project cost. Statistical analyses were performed to identify the impact of I/D dollar amount on project time and cost performance. Using Construction Analysis for Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies (CA4PRS) software, Caltrans I/D projects were analyzed to introduce three different levels of CA4PRS implementations for the I/D dollar amounts calculation. Based on the results of the I/D project case studies, the systematic procedures to determine appropriate I/D dollar amounts were developed using the CA4PRS schedule-traffic-cost integration process for the new I-5 rehabilitation project in LA. The proposed procedures were applied to a typical highway pavement rehabilitation project using HMA (hot mix asphalt) materials. Further research is needed to apply the proposed model to other types of highway projects, with adjustment for the type of project. KW - CA4PRS (Computer model) KW - Contracting out KW - Cost estimating KW - Disincentives KW - Incentives KW - Literature reviews KW - Road construction KW - Road user costs UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45100/45188/2908-highway-transportation-construction-incentive-disincentive-amounts.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147528 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380431 AU - Rodier, Caroline AU - Martin, Elliot AU - Spiller, Margot AU - Abraham, John AU - Hunt, Doug AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Economic and Life Cycle Analysis of Regional Land Use and Transportation Plans PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 88p AB - Travel and emissions models are commonly applied to evaluate the change in passenger and commercial travel and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from land use and transportation plans. Analyses conducted by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments predict a decline in such travel and emissions from their land use and transportation plan (the “Preferred Blueprint” or PRB scenario) relative to a “Business-As-Usual” scenario (BAU). However, the lifecycle GHG effects due to changes in production and consumption associated with transportation and land use plans are rarely, if ever, conducted. An earlier study conducted by the authors, applied a spatial economic model (Sacramento PECAS) to the PRB plan and found that lower labor, transport, and rental costs increased producer and consumer surplus and production and consumption relative to the BAU. As a result, lifecycle GHG emissions from these upstream economic activities may increase. At the same time, lifecycle GHG emissions associated with the manufacture of construction materials for housing may decline due to a shift in the plan from larger luxury homes to smaller multi-family homes in the plan. To explore the net impact of these opposing GHG impacts, the current study used the economic production and consumption data from the PRB and BAU scenarios as simulated with the Sacramento PECAS model as inputs to estimate the change in lifecycle GHG emissions. The economic input-output lifecycle assessment model is applied to evaluate effects related to changes in economic production and consumption as well as housing construction. This study also builds on the findings from two previous studies, which suggest potential economic incentives for jurisdictional non-compliance with Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCSs) under Senate Bill 375 (also known as the “anti-sprawl” bill). SB 375 does not require local governments to adopt general plans that are consistent with the land use plans included in SCSs, and thus such incentives could jeopardize implementation of SCSs and achievement of GHG goals. In this study, a set of scenarios is simulated with the Sacramento PECAS model, in which multiple jurisdictions partially pursue the BAU at differing rates. The PRB is treated as a straw or example SCS. The scenarios are evaluated to understand how non-conformity may influence the supply of housing by type, and holding other factors constant, the geographic and income distribution of rents, wages, commute costs, and consumer surplus. KW - Economic analysis KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Land use planning KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Sacramento (California) KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45100/45190/1008-regional-land-use-transportation-plans-economic-lifecycle-analysis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147383 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380423 AU - Veneziano, David AU - Li, Yongxin AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Portable Concrete Barrier Condition and Transition Plan Synthesis PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 97p AB - Precast (or portable) Concrete Barrier (PCB) is a guardrail system that is intended to contain and redirect a vehicle that has left the travel lane. Barrier connections are typically formed using steel wire or bar to form loops which are joined by a steel pin. While the materials used in connection systems are quite strong, exposure to the elements and winter maintenance chemicals can, over time, lead to corrosion and loss of effectiveness. The identification of such corrosion was a concern to the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), which decided that additional research should be done on this issue to determine what, if any, past research has been done regarding PCB in general, PCB connection corrosion, the maintenance of barrier connection systems, and approaches to address corrosion on existing and future installations. The research would also identify approaches that may be taken in developing and implementing a transition plan for replacing PCB if needed. This report presents a synthesis of information from past published research and reports, as well as information from a survey of transportation agencies conducted as part of this project, regarding precast concrete barriers, the corrosion of their connection systems, approaches to rating/ranking this corrosion, and current state department of transportation practices for their maintenance and replacement. Potential strategies for prioritizing barrier replacement are identified and discussed. KW - Corrosion KW - Deterioration KW - Guardrails KW - Maintenance KW - Maintenance practices KW - Median barriers KW - Structural connection UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/cmb/final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147524 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380422 AU - Ashiabor, Senanu AU - Wei, Wenbin AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Advancing High-Speed Rail Policy in the United States PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 88p AB - This report builds on a review of international experience with high-speed rail projects to develop recommendations for a High-speed rail policy framework for the United States (US). The international review looked at the experience of Korea, Taiwan, China, and several countries in Europe. Countries in Asia and Europe have pursued high-speed rail (HSR) to achieve various goals, which include relieving congestion on highway networks, freeing up capacity on rail network for freight train operations, and reducing travel time for travelers. Some of the key rationales do not work well in the US context. As an example, in the US, freight companies own most of the rail network and, hence, do not need government intervention to free up capacity for their operations. The project concluded that the potential to reduce travel times, coupled with improved travel time reliability and safety, will be the strongest selling points for HSR in the US. HSR lines work best in high-density, economically active corridors. Given that there are a limited number of such corridors in the US, this study recommends that the US HSR project funding mix be skewed heavily toward state bonds guaranteed by the federal government. This will ensure that the states that benefit directly from the projects pay most of the costs, making it more palatable to states that may not have HSR projects. For the projects that span multiple states, member states may have to negotiate the level of financial responsibility they will bear, and this will require detailed negotiations and financial setups that are not addressed in this report. Other measures that the federal government needs to put in place include designating a key agency and dedicated funding source, and developing regulations and specifications for HSR design and construction. States that embark on HSR projects should start with formal legislation and put in place structures to ensure sustained political support throughout the planning and construction of the project. The federal government also needs to move quickly to foster educational and training centers to build up the HSR workforce in the country. KW - High speed rail KW - Policy making KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel time KW - Travel time reliability KW - United States KW - Urban transportation policy UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45100/45193/2905-US-hsr-high-speed-rail-policy.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147381 ER - TY - SER AN - 01380297 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Alhassan, Mohammad A AU - Ashur, Suleiman A AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Superiority & Constructability of Fibrous Additives for Bridge Deck Overlays PY - 2012/06 IS - 12-003 SP - 122p AB - Concrete overlays are highly susceptible to cracking due to the large surface area that is exposed to drying, the low water to cement ratio, the environmental exposure and loading conditions, the reflected cracks the underlying bridge deck, and the small thickness of the overlay. This research project investigated the potential benefits of synthetic fibrous additives with regard to the performance of bridge deck concrete overlays. Determining practical dosages and types of synthetic fibers that have the ability to enhance overlay performance, while maintaining convenient constructability without complications during mixing and finishing, was a major mission of this research. The project also outlined critical issues essential for successful and durable overlay applications with minimal cracking and delaminations. Various micro- and macro-fiber combinations were added to the fibrous overlay mixtures, resulting in 13 fibrous mix designs (nine LMC, two MSC, and two FAC). An extensive experimental laboratory program was then conducted to evaluate the major performance characteristics of each overlay mix design in terms of workability and finishability, compressive and flexural strengths, shrinkage, toughness, permeability, and bond strength. For further evaluation of the constructability of fibrous overlay—taking into consideration actual field conditions—demonstration bridges were selected and received fibrous overlays through actual IDOT contracts. Life-cycle cost analyses were also conducted to assess potential savings from incorporating fibrous additives within the concrete overlays. This research is pioneering in terms of using fibrous FAC overlay, which could be a potentially sustainable overlay system for preserving bridge decks with lower cost and minimized adverse environmental impact. KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete overlays KW - Constructability KW - Cracking KW - Fly ash KW - Latex modified concrete KW - Shrinkage KW - Silica fume KW - Synthetic fibers UR - http://www.ict.illinois.edu/publications/report%20files/FHWA-ICT-12-003.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147514 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380292 AU - Khattak, Aemal AU - Luo, Zheng AU - Gao, Miao AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation of Factors Associated with Truck Crash Severity in Nebraska PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 34p AB - The severity of truck crashes is a concern in the state of Nebraska. This study was undertaken to investigate factors associated with the severity of truck crashes. A two-year dataset obtained from the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) was analyzed to determine those factors. Results indicated that the involvement of alcohol was associated with more severe injuries in truck crashes on Nebraska highways. Crashes involving farm equipment were more injurious than other truck crashes. Dawn and dusk were critical periods associated with more severe truck crashes. Further, the absence of medians contributed to truck crash severity. Crashes on adverse pavement conditions such as snow, ice, and slush were less severe in comparison to crashes on pavements of different conditions. Crashes reported on local roads were less severe compared to those reported on other highways. The researchers recommend strengthening the ongoing focus on reducing driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as an in-depth investigation of truck crashes involving farm equipment. The researchers also recommend provision of medians on roadways, where possible. KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash investigation KW - Crash severity KW - Drunk driving KW - Nebraska KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147615 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380279 AU - Nguyen-Hoang, Phuong AU - Duncombe, William AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Syracuse University AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Earmarked Revenues and Spending Volatility: The Case of Highway Finance PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 80p AB - Over the last decade, state governments have experienced two recessions (including the recent ―Great Recession‖) which have resulted in significant disruptions in state budgets and highlighted the volatility of the personal income tax and general sales tax. Since infrastructure maintenance funding may be particularly vulnerable to budget cuts during recessions, it is important to identify more stable revenue sources and budgetary institutions. One of the distinguishing characteristics of highway finance in the United States is the heavy use of earmarked revenues linked to highway users. The authors' key research question is whether an increase in the share of highway funding from earmarked revenues will reduce the volatility of highway budgets. To answer this research question, the authors have collected extensive data on state highways, state finances, and other socio-politico-economic characteristics of state governments over a 30-year period, and developed an empirical model drawing from previous research in state and local public finance. They found that earmarking of revenue in state highway funds is significantly related to highway expenditure; however, the relationship is more nuanced than they originally hypothesized. An increase in the share of highway funding from transportation-related revenue sources or an increase in the share of transportation-related revenue from motor fuel taxes are associated with a decrease in volatility of state highway spending. On the other hand, an increase in the share of transportation-related revenue used for highways is associated with an increase in budget volatility. Since the major alternative use of state transportation-related revenue is to fund local roads, this result indicates the importance of examining state-local intergovernmental finance on highway spending volatility in future research. KW - Budgeting KW - Earmarks KW - Economic and social factors KW - Expenditures KW - Financing KW - Political factors KW - Revenues KW - State highways UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45700/45735/Nguyen_Hoang_476_Earmarked_Revenues_FINAL_COMBINED.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148230 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380247 AU - Stubstad, R AU - Carvalho, R AU - Briggs, R AU - Selezneva, O AU - Applied Research Associates, Inc. AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Simplified Techniques for Evaluation and Interpretation of Pavement Deflections for Network-Level Analysis: Guide for Assessment of Pavement Structural Performance for PMS Applications PY - 2012/06//Guide SP - 38p AB - The objective of this study was to develop an approach for incorporating techniques to interpret and evaluate deflection data for network-level pavement management system (PMS) applications. The first part of this research focused on identifying and evaluating existing techniques, seeking out those that were simple, reliable, and easy to incorporate into current PMS practices, as well as those that produced consistent results. The second part of the research detailed the development of guidelines for the application of recommended techniques and procedures for determining optimum falling weight deflectometer (FWD) test spacing and data collection frequency. While there are many viable techniques available for evaluating the structural capacity of pavements that use FWD for project-level analysis, many of these techniques are time consuming and require an experienced analyst. As a result, using pavement deflection testing for network-level analysis has been limited to date. This guide provides information for the assessment of pavement structural performance for PMS applications. It reflects the general findings presented in the accompanying final report, Simplified Techniques for Evaluation and Interpretation of Pavement Deflections for Network-Level Analysis (FHWA-HRT-12-023). KW - Deflection KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Flexible pavements KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Rigid pavements UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/ltpp/12025/12025.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46100/46186/Simplified_techniques_for_evaluation_and_interpretation_of_pavement_deflections.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147471 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380176 AU - Ozyildirim, H Celik AU - Sharp, Stephen R AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Preparation and Testing of Drilled Shafts with Self-Consolidating Concrete PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 36p AB - In this study, self-consolidating concrete (SCC) was evaluated in drilled shafts and the integrity of drilled shafts was determined using cross-hole sonic logging (CSL), a low-strain nondestructive integrity testing technique. SCC has very high flowability. It was placed in the drilled shafts of the bridge on Route 28 over Broad Run in Bristow in Prince William County, Virginia. There were two bridges at the site; the one carrying the northbound traffic had drilled shafts using conventional concrete with high consistency (i.e., flowability). Half of the shafts of the bridge carrying the southbound traffic were cast with SCC. During placement, properties of the fresh concrete were tested and specimens were prepared to determine the hardened properties. The integrity of the shafts within the reinforcing cage was determined using CSL, with sonic echo/impulse response also used to evaluate several test shafts. The use of acousto-ultrasonic (AU) measurements to determine the cover depth outside the reinforcing cage was also evaluated during laboratory testing. In addition to the Route 28 shafts, three test shafts with conventional and SCC concretes were cast in an area headquarters. These shafts had intentional voids created through the use of sand bags and Styrofoam to investigate further the ability of the nondestructive test equipment. The results indicated that SCC is highly desirable for drilled shafts; it flows easily, filling the hole, and the removal of the temporary casing is facilitated by this highly workable material. CSL is a satisfactory nondestructive method to determine the integrity of shafts. Sonic echo/impulse response also showed promise as a method that complements CSL for determining the integrity of a shaft. KW - Bridge construction KW - Concrete flowability KW - Crosshole sonic logging KW - Drilled shafts KW - Prince William County (Virginia) KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Sonic echo tests KW - Structural integrity UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/12-r15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148317 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380175 AU - Hossain, M Shabbir AU - Ozyildirim, Celik AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Use of Precast Slabs for Pavement Rehabilitation on I-66 PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 84p AB - Highway agencies continuously strive to expedite pavement construction and repairs and to evaluate materials and methods to provide long-lasting pavements. As part of this effort, agencies have used precast concrete slabs for more than 10 years with successive improvements in processes and systems. The Virginia Department of Transportation recently used two precast systems along with conventional cast-in-place repairs on a section of jointed reinforced concrete pavement on I-66 near Washington, D.C. One precast system, precast concrete pavement (PCP), used doweled joints. The other precast system, prestressed precast concrete pavement (PPCP), used transversely prestressed slabs post-tensioned in the longitudinal direction. Both precast systems are performing satisfactorily after 1.5 years of traffic, and the contractor was satisfied with the constructability. In multiple locations, transverse expansion joints in PPCP were observed to be wider than the ½-in. width specified; excessively wide joints often compromise joint sealant performance, and erosion from water flowing through such joints may result in eventual loss of support over time. There were a few cracks in the PPCP section, originating mainly from grouting holes, cracks in the block-out patches, cracks and loss of epoxy at lifting hook holes, and corner breaks. There were some mid-slab cracks in the PCP slabs immediately after opening to traffic, but they are still tight and stable after 1.5 years of traffic. Even though the precast slabs initially cost more than the cast-in-place repairs to construct, the ability to construct the pavement within a short period of lane closure per day and the probability of improved quality control of plant-cast concrete warrant their use. Since this was the first application in Virginia, certain issues occurred and most were overcome, such as matching of slabs and grout leakage. The project was successfully completed and further implementation is recommended. KW - Doweled joints (Pavements) KW - Expansion joints KW - Pavement cracking KW - Posttensioning KW - Precast concrete KW - Prestressing KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Reinforced concrete pavements KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/12-r9.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148316 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380037 AU - Rivasplata, Charles R AU - Guo, Zhan AU - Lee, Richard J AU - Keyon, David AU - Schloeter, Luis AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Residential On-Site Carsharing and Off-Street Parking Policy in the San Francisco Bay Area PY - 2012/06//Final Report SP - 64 p. AB - This study evaluates the performance of on-site carsharing programs in the San Francisco Bay Area by interviewing developers, planners, and carsharing service providers. The principal factors contributing to the success or failure of on-site carsharing are identified as: the unbundling status of off-street parking in residential developments; ties to off-street parking standards; financial constraints; and the level of coordination among stakeholders. The interviews reveal that while on-site carsharing has been accepted by developers, planners, and service providers, there appears to be a gap between such programs and off-street parking standards, and between such programs and carsharing business operations. The authors recommend that a few models for establishing carsharing policy be tested: a model designed to serve high-density cities with traditional carsharing; and another designed to serve moderately-dense communities, with new carsharing options (e.g., peer-to-peer). In the case of the latter, trip reduction can be achieved through the promotion of alternative modes along major corridors. KW - Costs KW - Developers KW - Off street parking KW - Population density KW - San Francisco Bay Area KW - Urban transportation policy KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1001-1-residential-carsharing-offstreet-parking-policy-san-francisco.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1148006 ER -