KW - Alternate fuels KW - Climate change KW - Demographics KW - Energy levels KW - Fuel costs KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2631 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232538 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528646 TI - Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) Decision Making and Economic Modeling Tool AB - Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) uses both new technology and innovative project management techniques to reduce the impact of bridge construction projects on the public and to reduce bridge construction costs. In particular, ABC can lead to substantially lower user delay costs and significantly lower traffic control costs. While the potential advantages of ABC are recognized, transportation personnel do not have an established protocol to quantify the risks and economic benefit of using ABC over conventional construction for specific bridge replacement or rehabilitation projects. This pooled fund effort will develop a project-level tool for engineers and decision-makers to quantitatively assess the utility of ABC in the early project development stage and to determine whether or not ABC is more economically effective than conventional construction for a given bridge replacement or rehabilitation project. KW - Accelerated construction KW - Bridge construction KW - Construction costs KW - Decision making KW - Economic models KW - Modeling tools KW - Project development process UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/449 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313427 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01163055 AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Sicking, Dean L AU - Reid, John D AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Dynamic Evaluation of New York State’s Aluminum Pedestrian Signal Pole System PY - 2009/12/22/Final Report SP - 87p AB - The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) mounts pedestrian “hand/man” signals to aluminum poles and uses frangible transformer bases to allow the system to break away. However, engineers at NYSDOT believed that the material properties of the aluminum poles themselves would allow the pedestrian signal poles to break away without the use of transformer bases. Elimination of the frangible transformer base would result in significant savings. An aluminum pedestrian signal pole system was erected at the Valmont testing facility and tested with the Valmont-MwRSF/UNL pendulum with crushable nose in accordance with NCHRP Report No. 350 test designation no. 3-60. Upon impact the pole broke away from the base plate assembly, and the surrogate vehicle change in velocity was measured to be 13.9 ft/s (4.2 m/s), satisfying the limit of 16.4 ft/s (5.0 m/s). However, the remaining stub height measured 4.5 in. (114 mm), and violated the 4 in. (100 mm) stub height limit. Thus, the test was deemed unsuccessful. The results from the impact test were used in a numerical analysis to predict the change in velocity for the high-speed impact test, test designation no. 3-61. This analysis showed that the aluminum pedestrian signal pole would also satisfy the occupant risk criteria during a high-speed test. Since the pole cleanly broke away in the test and the high-speed impact analysis showed a satisfactory change in velocity, the excessive stub height was the only result that prevented this installation from becoming crashworthy. As such, three separate design modifications were presented for aiding the system to satisfy the stub maximum height limit. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Aluminum KW - Breakaway supports KW - Impact tests KW - NCHRP Report 350 KW - New York (State) KW - Pedestrian phase KW - Pendulum tests KW - Poles (Supports) KW - Signal supports UR - http://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/TRP-03-223-09.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923577 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152839 AU - Zimmerman, Carol AU - Shao, Gang AU - Balke, Kevin AU - Schreffler, Eric AU - Rodier, Caroline AU - Shaheen, Susan AU - Munnich, Lee AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - San Francisco Urban Partnership Agreement: National Evaluation Plan PY - 2009/12/22 SP - 92p AB - This report provides an analytic framework for evaluating the San Francisco Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The San Francisco UPA projects to be evaluated focus on those related to variable parking pricing. Those projects include variable pricing of on-street and off-street parking in the City of San Francisco, enhancements to 511 to include parking information, an integrated payment system for parking and transit, and expansion of telecommuting/TDM outreach activities to support the other projects. The San Francisco UPA national evaluation plan identifies major questions to be answered through the evaluation, the evaluation analyses to be used to address those questions, and the data needed for the analyses. It also outlines the test plans that will be used to collect and analyze the required data. The evaluation plan is based on the National Evaluation Framework (NEF) prepared for the U.S. DOT. Four objective questions that were posed by U.S. DOT serve as a starting point for the NEF and San Francisco evaluation plan. These questions are how much congestion was reduced; what contributed to the reduction and what were the associated impacts; what lessons were learned about non-technical factors for success; and what were the overall cost and benefit of the congestion reduction strategies. The four objective questions were translated into twelve evaluation analyses, which in turn consist of hypotheses and questions, measures of effectiveness (MOEs), and data required for the MOEs. This document presents the plan for evaluating the San Francisco UPA projects. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Parking KW - Partnerships KW - San Francisco (California) KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32600/32616/sanfranupa.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914421 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465792 TI - Florida Wildlife Crossings Project AB - The Florida panther has been listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act since 1972. The number of Florida panthers killed by collisions with vehicles have been on the increase since 2000. Wildlife crossings have been shown to decrease panther mortalities by vehicles. More crossings are needed throughout the panther's range to prevent mortalities from reversing the population gains that have occurred during the past 10 years. To facilitate construction of new crossings, less expensive structures need to be designed and tested. A test project is being proposed to evaluate smaller structures as panther crossings that will lower the vertical profile of the crossing as well as shorten the length of roadway where additional fill is needed to accommodate the structure. A demonstration project of a smaller and cheaper wildlife crossing than the ones currently utilized for Florida Panthers will be designed and two such crossings will be installed along a Florida county road. KW - Animal vehicle collisions KW - Design KW - Endangered species KW - Florida KW - Highway safety KW - Wildlife crossings UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234026 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01479119 TI - Full-Scale Accelerated Performance Testing for Superpave and Structural Validation AB - The purpose of the research is to select, build and study 12 lanes of pavement, with testing conducted using the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Accelerated Loading Facility (ALF) machines. The experiment is focused on developing field performance data on hot-mix asphalt mixtures with modified binders. This is an important step in a larger program to refine the Superpave binder specification for the modified materials. Secondary goals include: 1) early trial of the proposed 2002 Pavement Design Guide; 2) evaluation of crumb-rubber modified asphalt pavements; 3) correlation of field performance with results of laboratory tests (e.g., the Superpave Simple Performance Test). KW - Binders KW - Crumb rubber KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Pavement performance KW - Pavements KW - Prototype tests KW - Superpave UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/11 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1248129 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464120 TI - Research for AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways. Task 280. AASHTO Materials AB - The AASHTO Subcommittee on Materials (SOM) maintains the Standard Specifications for Transportation Materials and Methods of Sampling and Testing (Materials Book) that covers over 400 Testing procedures and materials related specifications. Test methods termed "C" specifications are in a format that makes it difficult for technicians to follow the test, as reference is made to a cover letter that may alter portions of the tests. These "C" specifications need an overall review as it is anticipated that many are in need of revisions and updating to current practice. Also, "C" specifications cannot be provided through the AASHTO Electronic Bookstore due to their current formatting, requiring AASHTO customers to go elsewhere for these specifications. The objective of this research is to review the "C" specifications in the SOM Materials Book, identify needed technical and editorial changes, revise the specifications as required, and present the revised specifications in AASHTO standard format and supporting commentary to the AASHTO SOM for approval. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Materials KW - Materials management KW - Research projects KW - Specifications UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2760 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232348 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465838 TI - Extending the Season for Concrete Construction and Repair, Phase III AB - The primary objective of this proposed effort is to develop tools and guidance to specify dosage levels of admixtures used in antifreeze concrete, corresponding with the varying cold weather conditions experienced at any job location. KW - Admixtures KW - Antifreeze KW - Cold weather construction UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/377 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234073 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154181 AU - Basham, Kim D AU - KB Engineering, LLC AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Treatment Options for ASR-Affected Concrete PY - 2009/12/11/Final Report SP - 151p AB - This research project was undertaken to evaluate the potential of using surface treatments including lithium nitrate, sodium tartarate, siloxanes, silane, and boiled linseed oil to mitigate or slow the rate of concrete deterioration associated with alkali-silica reaction (ASR). Significant amounts of concrete pavements, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, etc. across Wyoming suffer from ASR and related freeze/thaw damage. Any extension of the service life of concrete through remediation can result in significant cost savings to Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT). Also, materials and pavement engineers need methods to evaluate damage and rates of deterioration to help assess the life cycle of ASR-affected concrete. Specific objectives of this investigation were: 1) evaluate the effectiveness of applying various surface treatments to mitigate or slow down the deterioration rate associated with ASR; and 2) evaluate the appropriateness of using the Damage Rating Index (DRI) and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) methods for assessing concrete damage and determining the rate of deterioration caused by ASR. Scope of work included: a condition survey of the ASR deteriorated concrete air service apron at the Riverton Regional Airport; extracting “before” treatment cores for petrographic examination, and determining DRI scores and measuring wave velocities using UPV; apply surface treatments to seven of nine test panels; wait five years and perform a second or “after” treatment survey, and extract “after” treatment cores located adjacent to the “before” cores; perform a second round of petrographic examinations and measure DRI scores and wave velocities. Next, compare the “before” and “after” test results, evaluate the effectiveness of the surface treatments, and determine if the DRI and UPV methods are appropriate for assessing concrete damage and establishing rates of deterioration. Although the study was prematurely terminated after two years, valuable information was obtained: 1) DRI and UPV methods did measure ASR related damage and deterioration; however, correlation of the measured damage and rates of deterioration between these methods was poor; and 2) Test results indicated that surface treatments consisting of lithium nitrate, sodium tartarate and siloxane may reduce the rate of ASR deterioration. However, no firm conclusions were made because of the limited samples tested and conflicting test results from DRI and UPV. This report presents: discussions about ASR, DRI, UPV, test results, comparisons of DRI and UPV test results for “before” and “after” concrete samples representing test panels treated with lithium nitrate, sodium tartarate, siloxanes, silane, and boiled linseed oil. Conclusions and recommendations are also presented. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Aprons (Airports) KW - Before and after studies KW - Concrete pavements KW - Condition surveys KW - Deterioration KW - Linseed oil KW - Lithium nitrate KW - Service life KW - Silane KW - Siloxane KW - Sodium tartarate KW - Surface treating KW - Ultrasonic pulse velocity KW - Wyoming UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32593/Report_FHWA_WY_10_01F_Dec_11_2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915750 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01549581 TI - Research Program Design---Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Development of a Performance Management Roadmap AB - In July and August, 2009, a scan team from the United States visited transportation agencies in four other countries to study how these agencies use performance management practices to demonstrate accountability to elected officials and the public. In particular, the scan team examined how these agencies use goal-setting and performance measures to manage, explain, deliver, and adjust their transportation budgets and internal activities. There currently is a tremendous amount of work being done by government agencies, associations, and others to advance the U. S. state of practice in performance management. The international perspective gained by the scan team highlighted a need to assess this work and develop strategic guidance for how this work may be managed and directed in the future to most effectively implement performance management for U.S. transportation programs. The objectives of this project will be to (1) evaluate current research, recent research results, and the current state of practice in performance management; (2) work with stakeholders to develop vision statement for performance management, essentially answering the question, "Where do we want to be in 10 years?"; and (3) develop a strategic plan that will advance the U.S. transportation industry toward realization of the vision, including research, training, and other activities that may be needed, arranged into a logical order so that they build upon each other and avoid duplication of effort. KW - Management KW - Performance measurement KW - Research projects KW - State government agencies KW - Strategic planning KW - Training KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2889 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339735 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01344905 AU - Howard, Isaac L AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - Mississippi Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Chip and Scrub Seal Field Test Results for Hwy 17 and Hwy 35 PY - 2009/12/09/Final Report SP - 118p AB - This report contains field test results from two pavements located in Mississippi containing chip seals and scrub seals. Limestone aggregate from the same source was used with PASS-CR emulsion. The pavements were tested at three intervals. One or both of the pavements were tested for: aggregate retention, skid resistance, cracking, bleeding/flushing, rutting, roughness, and structural integrity via a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD). Analysis consisted of data interpretation focusing on trends and statistical analysis using existing methods with exception of FWD data. FWD data was analyzed with a method developed for this research that combined key elements from methods of Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas. Test results showed scrub seals to out perform chip seals. Test results also provided information related to construction practices that were compared to best practices recently released in the form of a national synthesis. KW - Aggregate retention KW - Chip seals KW - Cracking KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Field performance KW - Mississippi KW - Pavements KW - Rutting KW - Scrub seal KW - Skid resistance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/37000/37900/37904/FHWA_MS-DOT-RD-09-202_VII__Final_Report__Mar_10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1105252 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01549583 TI - Research Program Design---Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Economic and Employment Benefits of Highway Investments in Response to Economic Downturns: A Scoping Study AB - The objective of this project is to develop an approach for estimating the economic and employment benefits of highway investments during economic downturns and recoveries. The project will entail (a) review of the literature and expert opinion on the economic impact of spending for transportation and other infrastructure projects, (b) consideration of data being reported or that might be collected on employment and other economic consequences of projects developed with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 funds, (c) specification of analysis methodology that may be used to analyze these data and the uncertainties associated with the analysis, and (d) assessment of the degree to which analysis will yield robust and reliable results to inform public policy discussions. KW - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 KW - Economic benefits KW - Economic policy KW - Employment KW - Financial analysis KW - Investments KW - Recession KW - Research projects UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2887 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339737 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01166628 AU - ICF International AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - FHWA/AASHTO Climate Change Adaptation Peer Exchange PY - 2009/12/08 SP - v.p. AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), with the support of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), convened a peer exchange on current climate change adaptation activities and strategic needs in Schaumburg, Illinois, on December 8, 2009. This workshop included senior officials of state departments of transportation (DOTs), FHWA headquarters and division offices and AASHTO. This report summarizes the results of the exchange, and is one of series of FHWA reports documenting the results of national peer exchanges on integrating climate change considerations into the transportation planning process. FHWA developed this report to summarize the peer exchange results for the use and benefit of DOTs and their stakeholders across the country. The report summarizes participant presentations and the key issues that emerged during the event. To help support state DOT and other transportation agency efforts to adapt to climate change impacts, this report identifies suggestions from the peer exchange participants for potential elements of guidance, research and policy at the national level. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Climate change KW - Guidelines KW - Peer exchange KW - Policy KW - Research KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Workshops UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climate/peer_exchange/ UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climate/peer_exchange/peer00.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927282 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01148572 AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Transportation Technology Innovation and Demonstration Program (TTID) PY - 2009/12/08 SP - 23p AB - This report presents the results of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General's (OIG's) audit of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) management and oversight of the $54 million awarded under the Transportation Technology Innovation Demonstration Program (TTID). TTID was conceived as a partnership between the public and private sectors. The private partner would install and operate technology that collected traffic data from public roadways in exchange for the exclusive right to generate revenue from the data, such as by marketing on-air traffic reports. If revenue reached a certain threshold, the private partner would share the proceeds with the public partner. The private partner would also give the data to the public partner to manage traffic congestion—such as locating and responding to traffic crashes and planning infrastructure projects for congested road segments. Congestion costs Americans $78 billion annually, including 4.2 billion hours of excess travel time and 2.9 billion gallons of extra fuel. To implement TTID, FHWA paid the private partner (referred to in this report as the service provider) $2 million per metropolitan area to provide traffic data services through installation and operation of sensors and data transmission equipment in public rights-of-way. The service provider then negotiated agreements with metropolitan areas—addressing terms such as where, when, and how the service provider would install its equipment and how the partners would calculate the service provider’s revenue sharing and use the collected traffic data. OIG reviewed FHWA’s management of TTID, including the process to select private partners after 2005 amendments to the authorizing statute. In discussions with staff, OIG agreed to assess whether FHWA (1) achieved statutory goals and optimized TTID benefits for the public partners and (2) complied with 2005 statutory provisions for a competitive private partner selection process. Briefly, TTID addressed statutory goals, but FHWA did not optimize the program’s benefits for the public partners. Regarding competition for TTID service provision, FHWA took action to comply with the 2005 statutory provisions calling for a competitive private partner selection process. However, FHWA had limited TTID funds remaining and experienced delays during the competitive solicitation process. Congress rescinded the remaining money before FHWA completed the competition. KW - Financing KW - Incident management KW - Management KW - Oversight KW - Public private partnerships KW - Revenues KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic flow KW - Transportation Technology Innovation Demonstration program UR - http://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/dot/files/TTID_12_8_2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/908319 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01518858 AU - Cluett, Chris AU - Gopalakrishna, Deepak AU - Battelle Seattle Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Benefit-Cost Assessment of a Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) Implementation: The City and County of Denver PY - 2009/12/07/Final Report SP - 57p AB - The Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, has established a Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) that seeks to improve the safety, mobility and productivity of the nation’s surface transportation modes by integrating meteorology into transportation operations and maintenance. A central activity of the RWMP has been to develop and encourage the deployment of tools to support decision making by transportation operations and maintenance. One of those tools is the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) that offers road maintenance managers guidance regarding efficient tactical deployment of road crews, equipment and materials with the expectation that the MDSS can save state and local Departments of Transportation money and time while also enhancing the safety and mobility of the traveling public. This report presents the results of a Benefit-Cost Assessment (BCA) of the use of an MDSS by the City and County of Denver, Colorado. The MDSS was used over two consecutive winters (2007-2009) and resulted in budget savings that exceeded costs of the system while maintaining the level of service on the road network. Most of those savings are attributable to more effective tactical crew deployment decisions. The nature of the small sized snow events and the local and arterial road system of the City of Denver resulted in limited ability to test the effects of the MDSS treatment module. Overall, the City and County of Denver management and staff were very satisfied with the utility and performance of the MDSS in supporting their maintenance decisions. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Decision support systems KW - Denver (Colorado) KW - Maintenance management KW - Weather conditions KW - Weather forecasting KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33100/33156/denver_mdss_bca_report_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1302269 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01608041 TI - Improvements to Acceleration Design Response Spectra (ADRS) for Seismic Design of Transportation Structures in South Carolina AB - This report describes a systematic ground response study to determined site coefficients (F) appropriate for South Carolina’s geologic and seismic conditions. The study involves assuming conditions at seven locations in the Atlantic Coastal Plain and four locations in the South Carolina Piedmont. Investigate and recommend SAFs for the Coastal Plain (Lower, Middle, and Upper) and the Piedmont/Blue Ridge geologic regions of South Carolina. Investigate the period shift of ADRS curves in the Lower Coastal Plain and provide screening guidelines of when to expect this shift. Investigate existing site classes to determine applicability for South Carolina and recommend new site classes if required. KW - Coefficients KW - Design KW - Earth movements (Geophysics) KW - Earthquake engineering KW - Seismology KW - Shear modulus KW - Waveform analysis UR - http://www.clemson.edu/t3s/scdot/pdf/projects/SPR686-report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1420983 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01534776 AU - Daniel, Jo Sias AU - Mitchell, Luke AU - Swamy, Aravind Krishna AU - University of New Hampshire, Durham AU - New Hampshire Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Properties of Asphalt Mixtures Containing RAP PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 111p AB - A typical New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) concrete mixture contains at least 15% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP). The increasing cost of virgin asphalt and aggregate has increased the interest in using higher percentages of RAP in HMA mixtures. The purpose of this research project was to gain a better understanding of how the addition of RAP affects the properties of HMA. The effects of RAP on a particular mixture were evaluated by comparing the dynamic modulus, strength, and volumetric properties of a series of specimens with similar mix designs and materials but containing different percentages of RAP. Additionally, the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) software was used to evaluate the predicted performance of the mixtures in a pavement surface course. Two sites were selected for this study. The cores from the first site were taken from the pavement prior to milling and tested to determine the properties of the RAP. Mixtures were designed and tested in the lab with various RAP contents (0%, 15%, 25%, and 40%) using the milled material. A second site was selected where loose plant mix and field cores from the overlay were collected and tested. This provided comparisons of plant mixed – laboratory compacted, and plant mixed – field compacted mixtures at one RAP percentage. Overall, this research project showed that the percentage of RAP affects the overall properties of the mixture with respect to volumetrics, dynamic modulus, and strength. However, a statistically significant difference from the virgin mixture was only seen at the 40% RAP level. Laboratory compacted specimens were found to have a significantly higher dynamic modulus and strength than field compacted specimens. Using the MEPDG analysis, the predicted performance of the RAP mixtures in a surface course was equivalent to, or better than the virgin mixture with respect to longitudinal cracking, alligator cracking, and rutting. KW - Alligator cracking KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Dynamic modulus of elasticity KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Longitudinal cracking KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - New Hampshire KW - Pavement performance KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Rutting KW - Tensile strength KW - Volumetric properties UR - http://www.nh.gov/dot/org/projectdevelopment/materials/research/projects/documents/FHWA-NH-RD-14282B.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320437 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01509710 AU - United States Federal Highway Administration TI - A limited access roadway connecting the proposed SR 21/SR 23 Interchange in Clay County, eastward across the St. Johns River to I-95 in St. Johns County : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/12//Volumes held: Draft, Draft Appendix KW - Environmental impact statements KW - Florida UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1294034 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01507300 AU - United States Federal Highway Administration TI - Aroostook County transportation study, Aroostook County : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/12//Volumes held: D(3v) (v.2 fol), Dsup(3v) (v.2 fol), F(2v) (v.2 fol), Fapp, Transportation existing conditions technical memorandum B1, Existing socioeconomic conditions technical memorandum B2, Environmental existing conditions technical memorandum B3, SDE KW - Environmental impact statements KW - Maine UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1291624 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01507273 AU - United States Federal Highway Administration TI - South Park Bridge project, Seattle : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/12//Volumes held: Draft, Draft Appendix, Final, Final Appendix KW - Environmental impact statements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1291597 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01483474 AU - Bai, Yong AU - Schrock, Steven D AU - Mulinazzi, Thomas E AU - Hou, Wenhua AU - Liu, Chunxiao AU - Firman, Umar AU - University of Kansas, Lawrence AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Estimating Highway Pavement Damage Costs Attributed to Truck Traffic PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 180p AB - Kansas is one of the leaders in meat production in the United States. In the southwest Kansas region, there are more than three hundred feed yards and several of the biggest meat processing plants in the nation. Heavy trucks (e.g., tractor-trailers) have been used primarily for transporting processed meat, meat byproducts, grain, and other related products. With the continuous growth of these industries, there will be more trucks on highways transporting meat and meat-related products in southwest Kansas. These trucks cause noteworthy damage to Kansas highway pavements, which in turn leads to more frequent maintenance actions and ultimately more traffic delays and congestion. The primary objective of this research was to estimate the highway damage costs attributed to the truck traffic associated with the processed meat (beef) and related industries in southwest Kansas. The researchers developed a systematic pavement damage estimation procedure that synthesized several existing methodologies including Highway Economic Requirements System (HERS) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) methods. In this research project, the highway section of US 50/400 between Dodge City and Garden City in Kansas was selected and its pavement data were collected for analysis. Outcomes of this research will be beneficial for the selection of cost-effective transportation modes for the meat processing and related industries in southwest Kansas. It will also help government agents to assess highway maintenance needs and to set up maintenance priorities. Meanwhile, the analysis results will be valuable for the determination of reasonable user costs. Based on findings of this research, recommendations on the selection of transportation modes are provided and promising future research tasks are suggested as well. KW - Cost estimating KW - Costs KW - Freight transportation KW - Highway maintenance KW - Kansas KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - Pavement distress KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Truck traffic KW - User charges UR - http://www.iri.ku.edu/publications/HighwayDamageCosts.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1251974 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01473252 AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - UDOT Research Division Annual Work Program: Fiscal Year 2010 PY - 2009/12 SP - 78p AB - The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Research Division is charged with promoting, executing, and implementing research activities within the Utah Department of Transportation, to further the mission of the Department and increase the Department's use of new products and techniques. Aided by the Federal Highway Administration, the Research Division manages a program funded by federal and state money toward these goals. This Annual Work Program document outlines the goals, objectives, structure and programs of the Research Division, presents the budget for FY2010, lists the projects which will be undertaken during the year, and provides a summary of progress on on-going efforts. This information satisfies the Federal requirement for reporting the allocation and use of Federal funds in a state transportation research program. A certification of compliance with Federal regulation is included in this report. KW - Budgeting KW - Federal aid KW - Financing KW - Research projects KW - State aid KW - Utah Department of Transportation UR - http://utah.ptfs.com/awweb/awarchive?type=file&item=31717 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1243876 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470325 AU - Basma, Fadi AU - Refai, Hazem H AU - University of Oklahoma, Tulsa AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Collision Avoidance System at Intersections PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 114p AB - The number of collisions at urban and rural intersections has been on the rise in spite of technological innovations and advancements for vehicle safety. It has been reported that nearly a third of all reported crashes occur in such areas. Consequently, there is a need for a reliable real time warning system that can alert drivers of a potential collision. Most collision avoidance systems currently being researched are based on road-vehicle or inter-vehicle communication. Such systems are vehicle dependent, thus limiting their applicability to vehicles that are equipped with the proper technologies. In this project, an intersection collision warning (ICW) system based solely on infrastructure communication was developed and tested. ICW utilizes wireless sensor networks (WSN) for detecting and transferring warning information to drivers to prevent accidents. The system is deployed into intersection roadways and supports real time prevention by monitoring approaching traffic and providing a warning system to motorists when there is a high probability of collision. The ICW system has been tested at the University of Oklahoma Tulsa campus. For the purpose of evaluation, different collision scenarios have been emulated in a lab setup while the system performance and detection accuracy are evaluated. Results confirm the ability of the system to provide a warning signal in high probability collision situations. KW - Accuracy KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Intersections KW - Sensors KW - Warning systems KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/hqdiv/p-r-div/spr-rip/library/reports/fhwa-ok0906.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1237848 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01470320 AU - Dong, Yongtao AU - Song, Ruiqiang AU - Dhungana, Janak AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Study of Concrete Maturity Method in Very Cold Weather PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 55p AB - This project developed and tested protocols to determine concrete curing strength during the construction process, so that building under very cold conditions can be performed safely and quickly. Researchers determined the laboratory strength-maturity correlations for concrete mix designs that Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) construction teams commonly use. Field tests were conducted in spring and summer of 2009. This study produced a guide, with procedures and computations designed to help ADOT&PF personnel use the maturity method to better estimate the strength of concrete poured on-site. KW - Admixtures KW - Cold weather KW - Cold weather construction KW - Concrete construction KW - Concrete curing KW - Field tests KW - Maturity (Concrete) KW - Procedures KW - Strength of materials UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2011/09/107052_Dong_AUTC_final-report-Dec-092.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1238022 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469968 AU - Timm, David H AU - National Center for Asphalt Technology AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - I-35 Pavement Instrumentation Phase II PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 12p AB - This report documents work conducted by the National Center of Asphalt Technology (NCAT) in support of the University of Oklahoma’s (OU) research efforts on a live pavement test site in Purcell, Oklahoma. Technical consultations were provided in developing written documentation, in addition to a site visit by NCAT personnel. The site visit provided future direction for the project and roadside installation of a variable resistor array for the purpose of fine tuning strain gauges embedded in the pavement. Finally, laboratory testing was conducted at the NCAT lab. Specifically, asphalt pavement analyzer (APA) and beam fatigue tests were conducted and data were provided to the OU researchers. KW - Asphalt Pavement Analyzer KW - Beams KW - Data collection KW - Fatigue tests KW - Installation KW - Instrumentation KW - National Center for Asphalt Technology KW - Oklahoma Department of Transportation KW - Strain gages KW - Test sections UR - http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/hqdiv/p-r-div/spr-rip/library/reports/fhwa-ok0904.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1237850 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457997 AU - Sinha, Kumares C AU - Labi, Samuel AU - McCullouch, Bobby G AU - Bhargava, Abhishek AU - Bai, Qiang AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Updating and Enhancing the Indiana Bridge Management System (IBMS) PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 203p AB - The Indiana Bridge Management System (IBMS) software package, considered one of the few bridge management system software packages in the United States, possesses several unique features such as multiple criteria analysis but has not been used to its full capabilities because of coding language, outmoded operating system, and other software-related problems. Also, the framework lacked certain considerations such as a preventive maintenance component. In addressing this issue, this study reviewed the existing internal logic of IBMS, and updated some of the cost and deterioration models to include preventive maintenance considerations in the decision tree. Also, the IBMS operating system and programming language were updated, and the entire code was rewritten in a new coding platform. The new software package is provided with a new easy-to-use graphical user interface. In rewriting the code, newly available computer programming techniques were identified and used to enhance the program efficiency. The research product is expected to facilitate identification of alternative actions and predict their impacts and costs, and identify optimal preservation policies. Thus the package offers a rational basis by which defensible policies and programs can be developed, compared and selected within performance and budget constraints. The package will help the Indiana Department of Transportation to perform short-term and long-term forecasting of physical and financial needs at both project level and network level. The package can be used to generate reports on trends of individual and network bridge condition at the current time or at any future time corresponding to the prescribed bridge actions. In effect, the research product is useful to Indiana bridge management engineers as a decision-support tool in their business practices. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Bridge management systems KW - Bridges KW - Computer programming KW - Decision support systems KW - Indiana KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Manuals KW - Software UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314306 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218777 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457939 AU - Zhu, Karen AU - Li, Shuo AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Risk Management and Assessment of Upgrading and Standardizing Guardrail PY - 2009/12//Final Report AB - The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has installed guardrail systems on interstate highways and other highways in accordance with a variety of standards throughout the years. Traffic volume has increased and the posted speeds have been raised on most INDOT’s interstate highways. Consequently, the characteristics of run-off-the-road (ROR) crashes may have changed. In the meantime, material prices have increased considerably and the guardrail maintenance and crash repair costs have increased accordingly. There is no doubt all these changes will not only greatly affect the ROR crash prediction, but also greatly affect the guardrail benefit/cost analysis. This study examined the current use of roadside guardrails on INDOT intestates, State highways, and US highways, roadways, including types and lengths of guardrails, types and numbers of guardrail end treatments, and field guardrail positions. Based on the records of total 4657 ROR crashes occurred in 2004 and 2006, this study investigated the characteristics of ROR crashes, such as frequencies and locations of ROR crashes, crash consequences (number of vehicles involved, injuries and fatalities), and the effects of main factors, in particular roadway geometrics, seasons and traffic volume, on the highways of different classes. Furthermore, this study investigated the features of vehicle-guardrail crashes, including impact positions and corresponding frequencies and consequences. ROR crash predictions were examined in all aspects in this study, including encroachment rates, crash probabilities, and severity probabilities. It was found that the encroachment rates obtained by this study are less than those in the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide. This study evaluated the issues associated with the guardrail crash repair costs, such as parts costs, labor costs, and equipment costs. Guardrail steel parts prices increased dramatically. For guardrail terminal crash repairs, the majority of the repair costs were spent on parts. Hex-Foam Sandwich demonstrated the greatest repair cost per crash and ET 2000 Plus demonstrated the lowest repair cost per crash. The repair costs are overestimated for CAT, ET 2000 Plus, SKT 350 and Impact Barrel, but underestimated for other crash cushions in the INDOT Design Manual. Different from the guardrail terminal repairs, the labor rather than the parts consumed the majority of the repair costs for regular guardrail repairs. The average guardrail repair cost is $722 per crash that is less than the guardrail repair cost the INDOT Design Manual. The annual average guardrail maintenance cost is $0.305 per linear foot. ArcMap was utilized to develop an interface for effectively managing and analyzing guardrails and ROR crash data. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Crash characteristics KW - Guardrails KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Modernization KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Risk assessment KW - Risk management KW - Standardization UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314298 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218764 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457392 AU - McCullouch, Bob G AU - Ng, Kok Kuan AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Implementation of Erosion Control Warranty Specification PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 80p AB - One of the main issues in a warranty specification for erosion control items is how to evaluate performance objectively. This project developed a methodology that uses digital images to measure compliance with defined vegetation cover requirements. It is designed essentially for areas where vegetation (grass) is selected as the erosion control measure. The research was a technical approach to examine the feasibility of using digital photographic analysis. It does not address all issues related to field conditions and as such would require review by interested parties to be complete. For example, how often should sample pictures be taken? Should a random selection process be developed similar to ones currently used to sample asphalt materials? What criteria should be used to elect when the technical process becomes binding to both parties etc. and what wording in the warranty provision should be used? Additional items include who makes the inspection and how do they become trained in the process and become equipped with the necessary camera and light meter. This project provides some technical answers with using this approach. Due to some of the uncertainties discovered with using warranty erosion control on three Indiana Department of Transportation projects it was decided to take a cautious approach to implementing this provision. Therefore the findings are being disseminated to the Erosion Control Committee for further consideration and action. KW - Contracts KW - Digital cameras KW - Erosion control KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Vegetation control KW - Warranty UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314280 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218746 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01386025 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Manual on uniform traffic control devices for streets and highways PY - 2009/12 SP - various files AB - The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, or MUTCD, defines the standards used by road managers in the United States to install and maintain traffic control devices on all streets and highways. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Color KW - Colour KW - Construction management KW - Construction site KW - Curbs KW - Delineation KW - Design KW - Design KW - Emergencies KW - Emergency KW - Entrance KW - Entrances KW - Flashing light KW - Flashing traffic signals KW - Freeway KW - Freeways KW - Kerb KW - Legislation KW - Legislation KW - Level crossing KW - Liability KW - Light rail transit KW - Light rail transport KW - Location KW - Location KW - Low traffic road KW - Low volume roads KW - Maintenance method KW - Navigation KW - Navigation KW - Pavement marking KW - Pedestrian KW - Pedestrians KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Recreation KW - Recreation KW - Responsibility KW - Road markings KW - Road surface properties KW - School KW - Schools KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Tourism KW - Tourism KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic regulations KW - Traffic regulations KW - Traffic sign KW - Traffic signal KW - Traffic signals KW - Traffic signs KW - Warning KW - Warning signals UR - http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno_2009.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1153785 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370067 AU - James, Robert S AU - Cooley, L Allen AU - Ahlrich, R C AU - Burns Cooley Dennis, Incorporated AU - Mississippi Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Chemically Stabilized Soils PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 396p AB - The objective of this study was to conduct laboratory evaluations to quantify the effects of compaction and moisture conditions on the strength of chemically treated soils typically utilized in pavement construction in Mississippi. In order to accomplish these objectives, seven typical virgin soils of Mississippi were selected for evaluation. Strength tests were conducted on these virgin materials in order to develop baseline strength data. Next, selected soils were combined with lime, cement, and/or lime/fly ash to represent typical Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) stabilized materials. Tests conducted within this study included the California bearing ratio (CBR), unconfined compression test and resilient modulus. KW - California bearing ratio KW - Compressive strength KW - Lime fly ash KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Paving KW - Soil compaction KW - Soil stabilization KW - Soil tests KW - Soils by chemical content or action UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44400/44477/State_Study_No._205_Chemically_Stabilized_Soils.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138541 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370029 AU - Willis, Jim AU - Helms, Daniel AU - Battey, Randy AU - Bartis, William AU - Sulbaran, Tulio AU - Marchman, David AU - University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg AU - Mississippi Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effectiveness of Rumble Stripes on Roadway Safety in Mississippi PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 118p AB - Although traffic deaths are caused by an array of factors, in the United States more than half of all roadway fatalities are caused by roadway departures [Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 2006]. In 2003, there were 25,562 roadway departure fatalities, accounting for 55 percent of all roadway fatalities in the United States. Roadway departure includes run-off-the-road (ROR) and head-on fatalities. In 2003, more than 16,700 people died in ROR crashes (39 percent of all roadway fatalities), and head-on crashes represented 12 percent of all fatal crashes [FHWA 2006]. On average, one roadway departure fatality crash occurred every 23 minutes. An average of one roadway departure injury crash occurred every 43 seconds [FHWA 2006]. In short, roadway departures are a significant and serious problem in the United States. Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) through the Traffic Engineering Division is committed to improve Mississippi highway safety. MDOT has invested valuable resources to implement a series of safety improvement programs such as the “Rumble Stripes” program. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of studies documenting the impact of Rumble Stripes on roadway safety. Thus, this study summarizes an effort funded by the MDOT to quantitatively document the safety impact of rumble stripes in Mississippi. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to determine the safety impact. Thirteen road segments were selected to collect and process the data for this research project. The results presented in this paper intend to serve as a sample of the impact of this type of programs. Furthermore, other projects and other departments of transportations might benefit with implementing the analysis presented here as an avenue to quantify the safety impact of rumble stripes an other safety programs. KW - Descriptive statistics KW - Highway safety KW - Mississippi KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Rumble strips KW - Safety programs KW - Statistical inference UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44400/44472/State_Study_196___Effectiveness_of_Rumble_Stripes_on_Roadway_Safety_in_Mississippi.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1138651 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354081 AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - Murphy, Michael R AU - Jaipuria, Sunny AU - Liu, Wenxing AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - 4-Year Pavement Management Plan (With Proposition 12 Projects): Analysis Report PY - 2009/12 SP - 106p AB - Rider 55 of 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 2009-2012 Pavement Management Plan, which was completed last year, provided TxDOT with a mechanism to be able 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, Medium or Heavy Rehabilitation and the impact that those treatments would have on the pavement conditions. This year, the plan has been updated to extend to FY2013 and a similar report generated. KW - Condition surveys KW - Expenditures KW - Financing KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Planning KW - Preventive maintenance KW - Ratings KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Texas UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/5_9035_01_P4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1116074 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01345471 AU - Daniel, Jo Sias AU - Rivera, Felix AU - University of New Hampshire, Durham AU - New Hampshire Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Application of the Bailey Method to New Hampshire Asphalt Mixtures PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 185p AB - The Superpave mix design system provides guidance in selecting the appropriate component materials for asphalt concrete mixtures. However, the selection of the design aggregate structure is left to the experience of the mix designer. This necessarily results in a trial and error process for selecting an aggregate gradation to meet specified volumetric parameters. Also, the mix designer has no means to evaluate how the mix will work in the field during placement or how it will perform. It is important to understand the influence of the aggregate structure on the volumetric properties, construction and performance of the asphalt mixture to achieve the desired properties and performance. The Bailey Method was originally developed by Robert D. Bailey, an Illinois Department of Transportation engineer, as a means to prevent rutting while maintaining durability of mixtures and was based on his experience in the design of asphalt mixtures. Bailey’s methods have been refined by several researchers to provide a systematic approach to blending aggregates to meet the volumetric criteria for any method of mix design, including Superpave, Marshall and Hveem. The Bailey Method is based on the concepts of aggregate interlock and aggregate packing. In addition, the Bailey Method provides tools for evaluating the effect of aggregate structure on mixture properties, constructibility, and performance. The primary objective of this project was to determine if the Bailey Method can be a useful tool to design mixtures with improved performance using New Hampshire aggregate. The mode of improvement given attention in this project is resistance to rutting under loading by the Third Scale Model Mobile Load Simulator (MMLS3) in hot, dry conditions. A secondary objective was to evaluate the use of the MMLS3 as a tool to evaluate rutting. Six mix designs commonly used throughout New Hampshire were chosen for evaluation. Half of the designs used gravel stone with rounded, smooth faces and the other half used fractured rock with rough, angular faces. Two mixtures also contained 15% recycled asphalt pavement. Nominal maximum size aggregate values of 19mm and 12.5mm were chosen as representative of most mixtures place in the state. The MMLS3 laboratory testing resulted in expected trends in relative performance of the various mixtures. Three of the mixtures were then chosen for redesign with the Bailey Method. The Bailey parameters for the original mixtures were calculated and the gradations were redesigned to fall within the recommended ranges. The predictions of changes in voids in the mineral aggregate based on the Bailey parameters were reasonable for the angular aggregate, but not for the smooth aggregate evaluated in this study. The redesigned Bailey mixtures did show an increase in rutting performance. Overall, this research project showed that the Bailey Method could be a useful tool in the evaluation and design of New Hampshire mixtures. The Bailey Method should not be used exclusively, but can be used in combination with knowledge of the aggregate angularity, roughness and engineering judgment to provide guidance during the mix design procedure and improve mixture performance. The study also showed that the MMLS3 is an appropriate method for evaluating the relative rutting performance of different mixtures in the laboratory. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Aggregates KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Bailey method KW - Interlocking aggregates KW - Load tests KW - Mix design KW - Model mobile load simulators KW - New Hampshire KW - Pavement performance KW - Rutting KW - Superpave KW - Testing equipment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1107381 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01334239 AU - ElGawady, Mohamed AU - Cofer, William F AU - Shafiei-Tehrany, Reza AU - Washington State Transportation Center AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Seismic Assessment of WSDOT Bridges with Prestressed Hollow Core Piles – Part II PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 187p AB - This report investigates the seismic performance of a reinforced concrete bridge with prestressed hollow core piles. Both nonlinear static and nonlinear dynamic analyses were carried out. A three-dimensional “spine” model of the bridge was developed using SAP2000, including modeling of the bridge bearings, expansion joints, and soil-structure interaction. The effect of foundation soil flexibility was examined by running analyses on three different soil types and comparing the results. The dynamic nonlinear response of the bridge was investigated by using three ground motions with different return periods. The nonlinear static response of the bridge was investigated using different variants of capacity spectrum methods. Nonlinear static analysis provided poor results compared to nonlinear dynamic analysis, due to higher mode effects. Results of both nonlinear static and dynamic analyses showed that the piles fail in a brittle fashion under seismic loading. Using results from 3D finite element analysis of the piles and pile-crossbeam connection, a more advanced spine model was created. The pile-crossbeam connection improved the strength of the bridge. KW - Bridge bearings KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Expansion joints KW - Finite element method KW - Hollow piles KW - Nonlinear analysis KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - SAP2000 (Computer program) KW - Soil structure interaction KW - Three dimensional models KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/732.2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1097582 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01333052 AU - Gross, Frank AU - Nabors, Dan AU - Gibbs, Margaret AU - Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Federal and Tribal Lands Road Safety Audits: Case Studies PY - 2009/12 SP - 76p AB - Road Safety Audits/Assessments (RSAs) are an effective tool for proactively improving the future safety performance of a road project during the planning and design stages, and for identifying safety issues in existing transportation facilities. To demonstrate the usefulness and effectiveness of RSAs on Federal and tribal lands, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety and Office of Federal Lands Highway sponsored a series of six Federal and tribal lands. Two additional RSAs on Federal Lands were conducted by Western and Eastern Federal Lands Division Offices. The results of the RSAs have been compiled in this case studies document. Each case study includes photographs, a project description, a summary of key findings, and the lessons learned. The aim of this document is to provide Federal Land Management Agencies (FLMAs) and tribal transportation agencies with examples and advice that can assist them in implementing RSAs in their own jurisdictions. KW - Case studies KW - Planning and design KW - Road Safety Audit Program (Federal Highway Administration) KW - Safety audits KW - Traffic safety KW - Tribal government KW - Tribal lands UR - http://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/ttp/safety/ UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35700/35777/trsa-case-studies-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1094091 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01329767 AU - Louch, Hugh AU - Robert, William AU - Gurenich, Dmitry AU - Hoffman, Jocelyn AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Asset Management Implementation Strategy PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 65p AB - The objective of this research effort was to assist the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Office of Capital Investment Strategies (CIS) in developing an asset management decision support model for use in its resource allocation decisions. This effort both integrates with and builds off of NJDOT’s existing asset management program. Best practices in asset management were first reviewed followed by an assessment of asset management systems currently in place at NJDOT. These findings helped the research team formulate an appropriate decision support model that would inform NJDOT’s project prioritization strategy and assist NJDOT in its cross-asset resource allocation decisions. The result of this research effort is an asset management decision support model that calculates the utility for a user-specified project. The model specifies how NJDOT should use asset management data and systems to support integrated high-level resource allocation decisions and also focuses on how to use available data to prioritize identified problems (also termed “candidate projects” or “project alternatives” in this report), as well as planned projects. KW - Asset management KW - Capital investments KW - Decision support systems KW - Implementation KW - New Jersey Department of Transportation KW - Resource allocation UR - http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/research/reports/NJ-2009-005.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1090911 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01172526 AU - McLeroy, Meredith AU - Fowler, David W AU - Won, Moon AU - Whitney, David AU - Rung, Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Implementation of the Use of Higher Micro-Fines in Concrete Pavements Final Report PY - 2009/12//Technical Report SP - 71p AB - The main purpose of this project was to implement previous research performed on concrete utilizing micro-fines in a field test. The project can be divided into three main parts: First, predetermined materials that were local to the field trial site were characterized and used to design three concrete mixtures with increasing percentages of micro-fines. Next, the mixtures were placed on Business 287 in Saginaw, Texas to monitor their workability during construction and their short- and long-term behavior. Lastly, a procedure was developed to design pavement mixtures with higher percentages of micro-fines. KW - Concrete KW - Concrete pavements KW - Field tests KW - Microfines KW - Mix design KW - Paving KW - Saginaw (Texas) KW - Workability UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/5_9029_01_1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34000/34054/5_9029_01_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/933386 ER - TY - SER AN - 01167089 JO - Exploratory Advanced Research Program Fact Sheet PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Kerenyi, Kornel AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mapping the Future of Hydraulics Research: A Strategic Plan to Protect Highway Infrastructure PY - 2009/12 SP - 2p AB - Nearly 60 percent of failed bridges in recent years have succumbed to hydraulic forces. As our highway infrastructure ages and the risk of bridge and culvert failures rises, the need to predict, detect, and prevent water-related damage grows more urgent. To stimulate advanced research in this area, the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program convened the First International Hydraulics Research Forum, gathering researchers and other stakeholders to identify research priorities. KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Highways KW - Hydraulics KW - Research KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/10034/10034.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927292 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01164855 AU - Weissman, Sarah AU - Jafari, Mohsen AU - Szary, Patrick AU - Maher, Ali AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Safety Resource Center (TSRC) 2007 PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 26p AB - The Transportation Safety Resource Center (TSRC) is the vital link in a collaborative partnership created among federal and state transportation agencies, local stakeholders, academic institutions, and the private sector to provide resources and solutions that address issues of safety on New Jersey’s roads. TSRC functions as an extension of the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Division of Traffic Engineering and Safety. Working with federal, state, and local agencies—including the New Jersey office of the Federal Highway Administration—TSRC coordinates with municipalities to help them align their efforts with key safety initiatives already under way at the state, metropolitan planning organization (MPO), and county levels. KW - Coordination KW - County government KW - Federal government agencies KW - Highway safety KW - Initiatives KW - Local government agencies KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - New Jersey KW - State government agencies KW - Transportation Safety Resource Center UR - http://cait.rutgers.edu/files/207-RU6052_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/925759 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162282 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal (DIFT), Wayne and Oakland counties : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/12//Volumes held: Final KW - Environmental impact statements KW - Michigan UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923268 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162142 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - East Columbia, Boone County : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/12//Volumes held: Draft, Final KW - Environmental impact statements KW - Missouri UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923128 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162122 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - I-69 Evansville to Indianapolis, Indiana Project, Section 3, Washington to Crane NSWC : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/12//Volumes held: Draft(2v), Final(2v) KW - Environmental impact statements KW - Indiana UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923107 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01160560 AU - Sun, Charlie AU - Beckham, Tony AU - Hopkins, Tommy AU - Pigman, Jerry G AU - Green, Eric R AU - Agent, Kenneth R AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guardrail Location Rating System Users Manual PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 56p AB - The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Division of Maintenance is responsible for identifying and prioritizing locations in need of guardrail. A procedure used by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet was originally developed by the Kentucky Transportation Center in 1989 and updated in 2002. Based on frequent usage by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet of the guardrail location rating system database, the need was identified to update the existing database and incorporate improved reporting capabilities. The objectives of the research study, as documented herein, were to update and improve the processes for identification of roadway locations that should be considered for installation of guardrail. Primary new features include the following: 1) Revised crash data reflecting the most recent statistics of run-off-road crashes; 2) Incorporating the Critical Rate Calculator as the mechanism for obtaining crash data; and 3) Photographs and descriptive information representative of the Subjective Hazard Rating required for each location being considered for guardrail installations. KW - Computer program documentation KW - Crash data KW - Databases KW - Guardrails KW - Hazard rating KW - Highway safety KW - Location KW - Ran off road crashes UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2012/06/KTC_09_17_SPR_358_08_1F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/921358 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01160003 AU - Haas, R AU - Perry, E AU - Rephlo, J AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Chattanooga SmartBus Project: Phase III Evaluation Report PY - 2009/12 SP - 76p AB - This report presents the results of Phase III of the national evaluation of the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority’s (CARTA) SmartBus Project. The SmartBus Project is a comprehensive transit ITS program for the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It involves deployment of a wide array of transit ITS technologies including: data warehousing and reporting software; new operations management software to support fixed-route scheduling and demand response scheduling and dispatch; ticket vending machines for the Incline Railway; a remote diagnostics maintenance system; various on-board systems (mobile data computers, computer-aided dispatch / automated vehicle location software, a covert alarm, automated passenger counters, and a next stop automated announcement system); and new fareboxes, a revenue management system, and a multi-modal transit/parking SmartCard electronic fare payment system. The goal of the evaluation is to determine the impacts of these technologies in performing daily functions such as operations, scheduling, service planning, and maintenance, and to gather and document any lessons learned by the project team throughout the process of the deployment and operation of the technologies. This report discusses impacts of the technologies that have been deployed. The evaluation involved interviews with CARTA staff, review of operations data, a survey of website users, and a review of systems engineering practices. The results of the evaluation indicate that CARTA has seen many benefits from the deployments. However, the fact that the deployment of one of the key technologies, CAD / AVL integration, is not complete has limited the observed benefits. KW - Advanced public transportation systems KW - Bus transit operations KW - Chattanooga (Tennessee) KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Impact studies KW - Intelligent transportation systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32900/32928/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32900/32928/t61027_ph3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920465 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159489 AU - Agrawal, Anil K AU - Fekete, Andreas AU - Scherrer, Fred AU - VanderGheynst, Bryan AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Water Quality Mitigation Banking PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 128p AB - Current practice in New Jersey for mitigating stormwater impacts caused by transportation infrastructure projects is established by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Stormwater Regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:8). These rules outline specific processes to offset impacts to water quality, groundwater recharge and peak rate of runoff/runoff volume resulting from the addition of impervious surfaces. The rules are written to address impacts of individual projects without specific provisions for addressing cumulative programmatic impacts of multiple projects through “mitigation banking”. The requirement to design and build separate, “on site” mitigation features for each project results in delayed implementation schedules, inefficient and nominally effective results and excessive maintenance demand. Over two decades ago, with reference to wetland resources, the need to achieve greater efficiency and environmental and economic benefits of scale led to the creation of wetland banking, which serves as a useful model for establishing a Stormwater Banking Program in the State of New Jersey. This report describes outcomes of a comprehensive study on the feasibility of water quality banking in the State of New Jersey. Groundwater recharge can be included within the banking system; however peak flow control banking is less likely feasible due to the potential for increased flooding of private properties. A detailed survey of future New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) projects was carried out to assess mitigation needs and to identify a pilot watershed for water quality mitigation banking. The Hackensack River HUC-11 watershed was selected for this purpose. Due to its highly developed context, “on site” project mitigation will likely cause significant hardship and delay future projects. By identifying a feasible “off site” location for water quality treatment, it was shown that an initial bank can be established to meet future needs within the watershed. A framework for tracking mitigation credits using a web-based computer program was also developed for successfully implementing water quality mitigation banking. The approach will provide future opportunities for adding credits to the bank by removing unnecessary impervious surfaces on projects and “over-treatment” at available “on site” best management practices (BMPs). KW - Best practices KW - Environmental mitigation KW - Groundwater recharge KW - Mitigation banking KW - New Jersey KW - Runoff KW - Water quality KW - Watersheds UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2009-022.pdf UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects.php?viewid=133 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920030 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159486 AU - Mehta, Yusuf AU - Gabler, Hampton C AU - Daniello, Allison AU - Swanseen, Kimberly AU - Rowan University AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - New Jersey Motorcycle Fatality Rates PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 122p AB - Motorcycle crashes have been increasing in recent years, more than doubling since 1991. In 2007 there were 84 fatal motorcycle crashes in New Jersey. This report describes the methods and findings of an investigation of motorcycle crashes in New Jersey. An additional analysis of guardrail collisions is reported since these crashes have demonstrated to be more severe for motorcyclists than passengers of other vehicles. Lastly, this report provides specific recommendations for reducing the number and severity of motorcycle crashes in New Jersey. KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash severity KW - Fatalities KW - Guardrails KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - New Jersey UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2010-003.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920044 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159481 AU - Kamga, Camille AU - Washington, David AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Portable Work Zone Barrier- Mobile Barriers: Mobile Barrier Trailer (MBT-1) PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 38p AB - This work has focused on the fabrication and implementation of the Mobile Barrier Trailer (MBT-1), which is a truck mounted, moveable, expandable beam that provides positive work zone protection comparable to a fixed concrete barrier. It is specifically intended to enhance worker safety when carrying out shoulder repair in work zones adjacent to guardrails, inlet repair, bridge rails, bridge deck repair, sound walls and other work where workers are normally exposed to traffic or behind cones in limited work areas for several hours. Usually the shadow vehicle or the truck mounted attenuator provides protection from rear end collisions; the new device provides protection from adjacent lane traffic. The MBT-1 is designed to provide a positive, steel beam protection system for exposed workers who normally work behind temporary cones and barrels in limited work areas. The MBT-1 was developed by Mobile Barriers, LLC. The device is currently implemented by the New Jersey Department of Transportation in East Hanover, NJ. KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - East Hanover (New Jersey) KW - Portable equipment KW - Truck mounted attenuators KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2006-021.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920011 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159195 AU - Freilich, Brian AU - Zornberg, Jorge G AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mechanical Properties of Tire Bales for Highway Applications PY - 2009/12//Technical Report SP - 300p AB - Scrap tire bales are typically treated as discrete elements that consist of approximately one hundred (100) scrap tires compressed into a 4.5 foot by 5 foot by 2.5 foot block. The advantage of baling tires is that a volume reduction of approximately ten is achieved, and handling bales is much simpler, and therefore cheaper, than whole tire or tire shreds. The use of tire bales in highway structures, however, requires that the mechanical properties of the tire bales are known. Determining these properties is vital to the proper design and construction of the tire bale structures. A literature review indicated the lack of material properties that are available for tire bales. A laboratory testing program was designed and implemented to determine the strength and compressibility properties of the bales required for design. Field testing to determine the unit weight and permeability of the tire bale mass was also conducted. Analytical studies and cost benefit analyses highlighting the benefits of using tire bales already assembled were also conducted for a series of tire bale case histories. The following document outlines all the work conducted as part of this, as well as previous, testing programs to determine the properties needed for design of tire bales structures, as well as economical aspects of reusing the tires as opposed to throwing them away. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Compressibility KW - Field tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mechanical properties KW - Permeability KW - Road materials KW - Scrap tires KW - Strength of materials KW - Tire bales KW - Weight UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5517_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919783 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159192 AU - Denney, Richard W AU - Booz Allen Hamilton AU - Iteris, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improving Traffic Signal Management and Operations: A Basic Service Model PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 48p AB - This report provides a guide for achieving a basic service model for traffic signal management and operations. The basic service model is based on simply stated and defensible operational objectives that consider the staffing level, expertise and priorities of the responsible agency. The report includes a Literature Review, which provides a review of the National Traffic Signal Report Card and Self-Assessment, case studies based on agency archetypes that provide an understanding of how agencies deliver traffic signal management services based on their resources and interviews with acknowledged leaders providing support for the basic service concept. A discussion of signal timing versatility in support of the role it plays in providing good basic service is included in the Appendix. KW - Case studies KW - Highway operations KW - Highway traffic control KW - Literature reviews KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Traffic signals UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop09055/fhwa_hop_09_055.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919753 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01158462 AU - Persad, Khali R AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - Murphy, Michael AU - Singh, Prakash AU - Lasdon, Leon AU - Butler, John AU - Harrison, Robert AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Special Studies for TxDOT Administration in FY 2009 PY - 2009/12//Technical Report SP - 133p AB - This research project was established by the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT’s) Research and Technology Implementation Office to address special studies required by the department’s Administration during FY 2009. Five short-term, quick turnaround tasks were completed and are documented. These tasks included the following: Task 1: Relationships between Vehicle Operating Costs and Ride Quality; Task 2: Nationwide DOT Per Unit Production Cost Analysis and Comparison; Task 3: Optimization of Emergency Response Among TxDOT Maintenance Sections; Task 4: The Needs and Funding Options for Texas Mega-Bridge Replacement Projects; and Task 5: Tracking the U.S. Fiscal Stimulus Investments in Texas Transportation Projects Supervised by TxDOT and Developing New Economic Impact Models for Project Selection. KW - Costs KW - Economic models KW - Emergency response KW - Financing KW - Maintenance KW - Motor vehicles KW - Operating costs KW - Project selection KW - Replacement (Bridges) KW - Research KW - Ride quality KW - Texas Department of Transportation UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6581_CT_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919266 ER - TY - SER AN - 01156667 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Tutumluer, Erol AU - Mishra, Debakanta AU - Butt, Abbas A AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Characterization of Illinois Aggregates for Subgrade Replacement and Subbase PY - 2009/12//Research Report IS - 09-060 SP - 179p AB - Construction of a pavement working platform is often needed on soft, unstable soils to provide sufficient stability and adequate immediate support for equipment mobility and paving operations without developing excessive rutting. The aggregate type and quality are important factors for determining the required treatment/replacement thickness. The overall objective in this project has been to characterize strength, stiffness, and deformation behavior of three crushed and uncrushed aggregate materials, i.e., limestone, dolomite and uncrushed gravel, commonly used in Illinois for subgrade replacement and subbase. The goal has been to develop aggregate thickness correlations with aggregate properties to modify and improve the thickness requirement curve in the Illinois Department of Transportation's (IDOT’s) Subgrade Stability Manual based on both laboratory and field performances. The initial laboratory phase of the study presented in this report considered both plastic and non-plastic fines (passing No. 200 sieve or 0.075 mm) blended in the engineered gradations of the limestone, dolomite and uncrushed gravel at 4%, 8%, 12%, and 16% target fines content. From the test results, the most important property at low fines contents (less than 8%) was the aggregate type governed by the angularity, i.e., crushed or uncrushed, and the amount of voids in the aggregate matrix. Especially when plastic fines with a plasticity index or PI of 10 or higher were included, the amount of fines had a drastic effect on aggregate performance. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Aggregates KW - Air voids KW - Angularity KW - Crushed aggregates KW - Dolomite KW - Fines (Materials) KW - Gravel KW - Laboratory tests KW - Limestone aggregates KW - Paving KW - Plasticity index KW - Soft soils KW - Subbase (Pavements) KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Working platforms (Road construction) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917709 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156653 AU - McDowell, Bruce D AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Multi-State Institutions for Implementing Improved Freight Movement in the U.S. PY - 2009/12//Final Paper SP - 41p AB - Recognition is growing that large-scale freight corridors in the U.S. need to operate more reliably and efficiently, and that existing institutions may need to work together in new ways. At various points in the nation’s history, similar needs have brought forth appropriate institutional responses at interstate and multi-state scales, using a wide variety of methods. So, there is much to learn by tracing this history. This report is organized in four parts designed to: (1) examine the nature of the need for new freight corridor enhancements, (2) explore the eight basic types of institutional options that have emerged in several fields of public policy capable of implementing improvements across state boundaries, and describe some examples of each that might serve as models for meeting current needs identified by the freight transportation community, (3) consider criteria for assessing institutional models, and (4) examine the institutional implications of a pending bill in Congress designed to strengthen the nation’s freight program. KW - Freight corridors KW - Freight transportation KW - Improvements KW - Institutional issues KW - Legislation KW - Public policy KW - United States UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/documents/msiwp/msiwp.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917644 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156588 AU - Oliveira, Dionysia F AU - Kilpatrick, David J AU - Connecticut Department of Transportation AU - Connecticut Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Bi-Fueled Vehicles as an Alternative for Work-Trip and Business Commutes PY - 2009/12//Report 2 SP - 41p AB - In 1998 a research project was initiated to gather field data and performance information on alternative fueled vehicles (Electric and Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles) to assist the State and Federal Officials in complying with the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1992. This report focuses on the Connecticut Department of Transportation's (ConnDOT's) experience with a 1998 bi-fueled compressed natural gas (CNG) Chevy Cavalier sedan. The car was part of the state fleet. It was operated under various weather conditions, trip lengths, and fuel types to document the performance, practicality, and limitations of operating this type of vehicle in Connecticut. From November 1998 to May 2003, the Research staff accumulated 27,000 miles on the subject vehicle. Forty percent of the weekly mileage driven was well within the CNG tank capacity range. If the CNG tank was fueled prior to each individual trip, 90% of all trips recorded in the 55-month time frame were within the range of the CNG-tank's capacity. A majority of the trips taken were less than 30 miles in length. Overall CNG fuel economy was 25.6 mpg. The automobile manufacturer made several changes to the standard Chevy Cavalier (reduction in both trunk and fuel tank sizes) to equip this vehicle with the bi-fuel system and improve its fuel efficiency over the years. Production of the bi-fuel Chevy Cavalier was discontinued after the 2004 model year. KW - Chevrolet Cavalier KW - Compressed natural gas KW - Connecticut Department of Transportation KW - Field data KW - Fuel efficiency KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Vehicle fleets KW - Vehicle performance UR - http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/documents/dresearch/CT-2223-2-05-3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917310 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01155721 AU - Wenzlick, John D AU - Brocksmith, James AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of 3M Tape vs. Poly-Carb Striping and Striping Warranty PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 72p AB - The objective of this study was to find the best, most highly visible and long lasting striping for Missouri’s major highways. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) currently has a contract with the 3M Company for the installation of Preformed Pavement Marking Tape for longitudinal striping on divided major roads but the contract will be ending in 2011. Tape has been found to be one of the best wet-reflective pavement markings so far but costs up to $5 per linear foot. The contract being studied was awarded on July 23, 2008 to Poly–Carb Inc. to provide Striping and a Striping Warranty on 235 linear miles of longitudinal striping on various roadways in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas. The way the whole process was done was innovative. It was a performance based warranty contract. Rather than specifying certain materials, the Department went out with a Request for Bids (RFB) that listed the requirements of how the stripe was to perform and let the bidders propose how they would meet those requirements. Asking for a four-year warranty was also something new for MoDOT. While there is a four-year warranty with 3M, this was the first time to ask for a warranty on pavement markings using a bidding process and specifying a payment schedule linked to that warranty. The Striping Warranty will be in effect until June 30, 2013. The contractor put down about 2.9 million feet or 550 line miles of the product. The final cost of the contract was $6.56 million, making the cost per linear foot $2.37 compared to the current $5 per linear foot for Preformed Pavement Marking Tape. Initial inspection results were very good with good color and very high retroreflectivity readings and initial payments were made with no corrections needed to the markings. Performance measures will be watched closely for the next four years. This study will evaluate both the quality of the pavement marking and the effectiveness of the performance based warranty to lower costs. KW - Costs KW - Kansas City (Missouri) KW - Performance based maintenance contracting KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road marking tapes KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) KW - Striping materials KW - Warranty UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/Rd09019/or10012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/916384 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01155715 AU - Ryan, Tom AU - Chilukuri, Venkat AU - Trueblood, Michael AU - Sun, Carlos AU - HDR Engineering, Incorporated AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Arterial Service Patrol Programs PY - 2009/12//Interim Report SP - 180p AB - This evaluation of the Arterial Service Patrol named I-64 Traffic Response (TR) is an interim report covering the first full year of operation. This Arterial Service Patrol was part of a regional traffic management strategy to address mobility issues during the two-year full closure I-64 construction project. Initial results show an estimated conservative annual benefit-cost ratio of 8.3:1 based on the factors of traffic delay, emission impact, secondary crash, and staff savings. This iterim report will be updated and finalized as part of the 2009 Annual Report for I-64 Economic and Regional Mobility Impact Study. The interim report was developed to help assist the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) in their initial evaluation of the Arterial Service Patrol program. TR services can be viewed as vital component of an overall Traffic Incident Management (TIM) strategy. Responders, such as the police, validate this perspective by commenting that TR is better equipped to handle traffic control, which allows the police to take other actions such as investigating the incident. The evaluating team initial recommendations are: 1. TR is valid best practices when a major construction impacts a region’s mobility; and 2. TR should be considered as viable TIM strategies when addressing a major urban region’s safety and traffic congestion concerns. KW - Arterial highways KW - Arterial service patrols KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Best practices KW - Highway traffic control KW - Incident management KW - Incident response KW - Missouri UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports//Rd09004/or10013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/916388 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154952 AU - Manchas, Brad AU - Olson, Dave AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Through, Over, or Under Guardrail Penetration by Guardrail Height PY - 2009/12//Research Report SP - 15p AB - This report evaluates whether a clear correlation between guardrail height and penetration of the guardrail exists in the collision and roadside features inventory datasets available for Washington State. In particular, an examination was made of whether guardrail heights of 27 in. or lower experience more through, over, or under penetrations (TOU) than 28 in. or greater guardrail installations. KW - Crash data KW - Crashes KW - Design KW - Guardrails KW - Height KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/742.1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56180/WSDOT_GUARDRAIL_HEIGHT-2-3-10.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/916009 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154870 AU - Inman, Vaughan W AU - Davis, Gregory W AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Effects of In-Vehicle and Infrastructure-Based Collision Warnings at Signalized Intersections PY - 2009/12 SP - 46p AB - The potential effectiveness of warnings to drivers of the imminent threat of a collision with a red light violator was evaluated in an experiment that used a driving simulator. Three warnings were tested: (1) an infrastructure-based warning that immediately turned the traffic signal red and activated red wig-wag lights, (2) an in-vehicle warning that consisted of a brake pulse, voice annunciation, and activation of a red dashboard light, and (3) simultaneous activation of both of these warnings. In addition to testing three warnings with different groups of drivers, drivers in each group were exposed to one of three traffic conditions: (1) driving with no other vehicles ahead or behind, (2) following closely to another vehicle, or (3) being closely followed by another vehicle. Individual drivers received only one warning on only one trial. The warning to each driver was given at a point while approaching the intersection where the probability that the driver would stop for an amber change interval was less than 10 percent. Before the warning trial, a series of trials were presented in which the time-to-intersection for amber signal onset was manipulated according to the method of limits to determine the point at which the individual driver would stop in response to the change. All three warnings proved to be effective in delaying drivers’ arrival at the intersection. The simultaneous in-vehicle and infrastructure-based warning was significantly more effective than the other warnings and delayed 95 percent of drivers. The infrastructure only and in-vehicle only warnings delayed 67 and 80 percent of drivers, respectively. The presence of leading or following vehicles had no detectable effect on drivers’ probability of stopping. KW - Collision warning systems KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Driving simulators KW - Human subject testing KW - In-vehicle alerting systems KW - Intelligent infrastructure KW - Reaction time KW - Red light running KW - Signalized intersections KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration KW - Yellow interval (Traffic signal cycle) UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09049/09049.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/916007 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154734 AU - Carnegie, Jon A AU - Strawderman, William Edward AU - Li, Wei AU - Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Study of Recidivism Rates among Drivers Administratively Sanctioned by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 66p AB - The purpose of this study was to examine the current state of practice related to driver improvement countermeasures used in the United States and to assess the effectiveness of New Jersey’s negligent driver interventions. As part of the study, the research team conducted a national literature review and a survey of motor vehicle agency policies in other states to document the current state of practice related to driver improvement programs and the current state of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of specific countermeasures. In addition, the research team obtained and analyzed an extensive longitudinal database of driver history records to examine the effectiveness of various countermeasures used in New Jersey to address negligent driver behavior relative to violation and crash recidivism. This study provides important evidence that New Jersey’s program of negligent driver countermeasures is effective at reducing violation and crash recidivism among most negligent driver subgroups in the two-year period after Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) intervention. Of the countermeasures used in New Jersey, the combination of license suspension with one-year probation resulted in the greatest overall reduction in both mean violation and crash rates. New Jersey’s driver re-education classes, which are accompanied by a three-point credit against accumulated demerit points and one-year probation, resulted in the lowest mean violation rate reduction. Point advisory notices, which for experienced drivers are accompanied by a concurrent assessment of negligent driver fees (MVC “insurance surcharges”), appear to be an effective early intervention, producing substantial reductions in both violation and crash recidivism among all driver subgroups except teen drivers who are not assessed negligent driver fees at the time of notice issuance. Several policy recommendations can be derived from this research. First, with regard to teen drivers, consideration should be given to whether or not a “zero-tolerance” policy for motor vehicle violations and at-fault crashes should be applied to teen drivers. It may be appropriate to impose license suspension as an earlier intervention if the reforms already enacted do not result in meaningful change in teen driver safety outcomes. Second, MVC should consider streamlining the suspension program to make it more straightforward and easier to administer. Thirdly, consideration should be given to reviewing and reforming New Jersey’s driver monitoring system and/or plea bargaining practices to ensure that repeat traffic offenders are not able to use zero-point plea bargaining to avoid corrective actions that improve safety outcomes. KW - Countermeasures KW - Driver improvement programs KW - Fees KW - New Jersey KW - Plea bargains KW - Policy KW - Probation KW - Recidivism KW - Repeat offenders KW - State of the practice KW - Suspensions KW - Teenage drivers KW - Traffic violations KW - Traffic violators KW - United States UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2009-019.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915909 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154731 AU - Carnegie, Jon A AU - Ozbay, Kaan AU - Mudigonda, Sandeep AU - Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Study of the Effects of Plea Bargaining Motor Vehicle Offenses PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 56p AB - The objectives of this study were to examine the impact of plea bargaining point-carrying moving violations to zero-point offenses on roadway safety in New Jersey and to assess the impact of plea bargaining on New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) programs and revenues. For this study the research team conducted a national literature review and a scan of current practices used in other states; reviewed New Jersey laws and program guidance related to driver monitoring and control and plea bargaining motor vehicle offenses; conducted a series of interviews with personnel from the MVC and Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC); analyzed data from the AOC Automated Traffic System (ATS) and the MVC driver history database; and, assessed how the practice of plea bargaining may be affecting MVC programs and revenues. The study finds clear evidence that the practice of plea bargaining point-carrying moving violations to zero-point offenses has increased significantly in New Jersey since July 2000. However, the effect of this increase on highway safety is not as clear. The overall number of moving violation convictions has not changed significantly since 2000, nor has the nature of the violations being committed changed significantly. The study also finds evidence that a small minority of habitual offenders appear to be using the system to their advantage and that the number of drivers subjected to MVC negligent driver countermeasures has declined by 36 percent since 1999. This diversion of negligent drivers out of MVC driver monitoring and control programs appears to be particularly problematic in light of research findings from a recently completed study on recidivism among drivers sanctioned by MVC. That study found the countermeasures used by MVC to address negligent driving behavior are effective at reducing violation and crash recidivism among most negligent driver subgroups. The findings of this study combined with the findings and conclusions of the MVC recidivism study suggest a number of policy reforms should be considered to ensure that repeat traffic offenders are not able to circumvent driver monitoring and control programs through plea bargaining. First, MVC should work with the AOC, the Attorney General’s office and other key stakeholders to develop more explicit guidelines regarding the use of plea bargaining to reduce point-carrying moving violations to zero-point offenses. Second, MVC should examine the efficacy of transitioning from a point-based system of driver monitoring and control to an event-based system that relies on the accumulation of “countable” offenses to trigger negligent driver countermeasures. Thirdly, policy makers should consider amending the “unsafe operation” statute to limit the use of plea bargaining by any driver to two times. KW - Highway safety KW - Moving violations KW - New Jersey KW - Plea bargains KW - Policy KW - Recidivism KW - Repeat offenders KW - Traffic violations KW - Traffic violators UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2009-018.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915908 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154729 AU - Meegoda, Jay N AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Non-Contact Skid Resistance Measurement PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 84p AB - In this research, a correlation between the SN40R collected by locked wheel skid tester and the texture data or Mean Profile Depth (MPD) collected by a vehicle mounted laser operating at highway speeds was developed. The proposed correlation between SN40R and MPD is positive for MPD values less than 0.75 mm to reach a peak SN40R value, then it becomes a negative correlation of decreasing SN40R values with increase in MPD values until the MPD values reached 1.15 mm, which was the maximum value measured in this research. However, the slope of the negative correlation becomes smaller with increasing MPD. It was also observed that there is significant data scatter for the MPD value of 0.8mm. The test results showed a similar trend for old asphalt pavements, but with lower SN40R values due to polishing of pavement micro-texture by traffic. Based on the comparison between old and new asphalt pavements, reduction coefficients, which are a function of road treatment time and traffic volume, were developed to account for the traffic polishing effect on micro-texture of pavement. This report also describes two field tests performed to validate the above correlation and development of an interface for the PMS to upload the predicted skid data from texture data obtained from high speed laser. During the field tests, MPD values and SN40R were collected by a vehicle mounted laser and a locked wheel skid trailer, respectively. Then the comparison between predicted SN40R by using the developed correlation between SN40R and MPD and measured SN40R are conducted. For the prediction of SN40R, reduction coefficients, which are a function of traffic volume and pavement age (treated or refurnished age), were used to take into account the polishing effect of traffic on micro-texture of the pavements. The results show that the measured and predicted SN40R values match each other very well with the maximum variance between them less than 5. Based on the validated correlation between MPD and SN40R, an interface for the PMS was developed to extract and process MPD data collected by vehicle mounted laser and report predicted skid number to the new Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) pavement management system. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Correlation analysis KW - Field tests KW - Lasers KW - Measurement KW - Microtexture KW - New Jersey KW - Pavement management systems KW - Polishing (Aggregates) KW - Skid resistance KW - Skid trailers KW - Validation UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2009-020.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915910 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154220 AU - Culp, Michael AU - Reed, Sharlene AU - Biton, Anna AU - Barberio, Gina AU - Barolsky, Rachael AU - Filosa, Gina AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Planning and Environment Linkages Program: A Guide to Measuring Progress in Linking Transportation Planning and Environmental Analysis PY - 2009/12 SP - 31p AB - Transportation agencies use a variety of metrics to document progress toward achieving specific goals and objectives. This guide, developed by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) program, is intended to help State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and local transportation agencies develop individual programs to measure success toward linking transportation planning and environmental analysis. This guide provides a framework for establishing measures that transportation agencies can utilize to develop their own measurement programs. To illustrate implementation of the framework, it provides an overall goal of linking transportation planning and environmental analysis, four sample objectives, and an array of example metrics to track progress toward achieving these goals and objectives. KW - Environmental impact analysis KW - Handbooks KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation departments KW - Transportation planning UR - http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/meas_progress.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35300/35357/PlanEnvLinkProg_2009.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35300/35358/PlanEnvLinkProg_2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915834 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154212 AU - Trejo, David AU - Gardoni, Paolo AU - Kim, Jeong Joo AU - Zidek, Jason AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Long-Term Performance of GFRP Reinforcement: Technical Report PY - 2009/12//Technical Report SP - 140p AB - Significant research has been performed on glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) concrete reinforcement. This research has shown that GFRP reinforcement exhibits high strengths, is lightweight, can decrease time of construction, and is corrosion resistant. Regarding the corrosion resistance, research has shown that the chemical reactions that occur in GFRP bars do not result in expansive products—products that can damage the concrete surrounding the reinforcement. Although not classical steel corrosion, much research that has been performed shows that GFRP reinforcing bars do corrode, reducing the tensile capacity of the GFRP reinforcing bars as a function of time. The American Concrete Institute (ACI) recognized this and places a reduction factor on the allowable design strength of GFRP reinforcing bars. A drawback of the majority of the research is that GFRP reinforcing bars have typically been directly exposed to aggressive solutions, exposure conditions possibly not similar to the exposure they would encounter while embedded in concrete. Limited research has been performed evaluating the tensile capacity reduction of bars embedded in concrete; however, these bars were only exposed for relatively short durations. This research investigated the characteristics of GFRP reinforcing bars embedded in concrete for 7 years and exposed to a mean annual temperature of 69°F (23°C) and an average precipitation of 39.7 in. (1008 mm), fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. Three manufacturers provided #5 and #6 bars for this research. Results indicate that GFRP reinforcing bars do exhibit reduced capacities when embedded in concrete. A model was developed to assess the tensile capacity of bars embedded in concrete. The model was based on a general diffusion model, where diffusion of water or ions penetrate the bar matrix and degrade the glass fibers. The model is dependent on time, diffusion characteristics of the matrix material, and the radius of the GFRP reinforcing bar. The model indicates that GFRP reinforcement bars with larger diameters exhibit lower rates of capacity loss. However, the times required for the tensile capacity of the GFRP bars to drop below the ACI design requirements for #3, #5, and #6 bars were less than 6 years. Further research is needed to determine how this will affect the design of GFRP-reinforced concrete structures; however, consideration of changing the ACI design requirement may be warranted. KW - Corrosion resistance KW - Durability KW - Glass fiber reinforced plastics KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Service life KW - Tensile strength UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-6069-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915801 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154197 AU - Chowdhury, Arif AU - Button, Joe W AU - Lytton, Robert L. AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Tests of HMA Overlays Using Geosynthetics to Reduce Reflection Cracking PY - 2009/12//Technical Report SP - 100p AB - The primary objective of this field phase of the research project was to evaluate geosynthetic products placed under or within hot mix asphalt overlays to reduce the severity or delay the appearance of reflection cracks and to calibrate and validate FPS-19 Design Check. Multiple end-to-end test pavements incorporating geosynthetic products (fabrics, grids, and composites) and including control sections were constructed in three different regions of Texas (Amarillo, Waco, and Pharr Districts) with widely different climates and geological characteristics. Performance of these test pavements has been monitored for five to six years, depending on the date of construction. The oldest test pavements (Pharr) are exhibiting essentially no cracking. The Amarillo and Waco test pavements are exhibiting a fair amount of low severity and a very small amount of medium-severity reflective cracking. Based on measured cracks in the original pavement before overlaying, the percentage of reflective cracking in each test section was calculated and plotted with time of pavement in service. Calibration of FPS-19 Design Check could not be accomplished due to the absence of sufficient amount of cracks with medium-severity level. Instead, using the field data, relative life ratio of test sections was projected. Field specimens obtained from these test pavements were tested using the large overlay tester. Field monitoring revealed that some geosynthetic products are effective in delaying reflective cracking. They were relatively more effective in the Waco test pavement (concrete in mild climate) than the Amarillo test pavement (flexible in harsh climate). KW - Amarillo (Texas) KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Composite materials KW - Fabrics KW - Geogrids KW - Geosynthetics KW - Geotextiles KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Pavement performance KW - Pharr (Texas) KW - Reflection cracking KW - Test sections KW - Waco (Texas) UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-1777-3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915777 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154179 AU - Turner, John P AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Improving Foundation Design in Rock: Load Test at Burma Road Overpass PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 52p AB - This report describes the results of a bi-directional load test on a drilled shaft foundation in weak sandstone. The test was conducted in conjunction with construction of a new bridge at Burma Road Overpass on I-90 in Gillette, Wyoming. The purpose was to provide much needed information on side resistance and base resistance in weak sandstone of the Tertiary Wasatch Formation. Load test results are compared to design equations for both soil and rock. Design equations based on treating the weak sandstone as cohesionless soil provide close agreement with side resistance values measured by the load test. Design equations based on treating the sandstone as rock also provide reasonable agreement with the load test results, but comparisons were limited by the inability to obtain representative intact core samples suitable for measuring the uniaxial compressive strength of the sandstone. Unit base resistance mobilized in the load test exceeds by a significant amount the value of unit base resistance predicted using AASHTO and FHWA design equations. The load-displacement response of the test shaft is analyzed by fitting to an analytical model, providing a practical tool for evaluation of trial designs to satisfy service limit states. Finally, results of the load test are used to illustrate the application of AASHTO LRFD methodology to design of drilled shafts for the bridge at Burma Road Overpass. KW - Bridge foundations KW - Compressive strength KW - Drilled shafts KW - Gillette (Wyoming) KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Load tests KW - Overpasses KW - Sandstones UR - http://www.dot.state.wy.us/files/live/sites/wydot/files/shared/Planning/Research/Report%20FHWA-WY-09-10F.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32594/Report_FHWA-WY-09-10F.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915751 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154163 AU - Higgins, Christopher AU - Howell, Daniel A AU - Smith, Matthew T AU - Senturk, Ahmet Ekin AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Shear Repair Methods for Conventionally Reinforced Concrete Girders and Bent Caps PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 260p AB - Thirteen large-scale girders and two bent caps that replicated as close as possible bridge components from the 1950s were cast and loaded to cause initial cracking similar to that observed in the field. The girders were repaired with epoxy crack injection, internal steel bars, external steel bars, surface bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), and near-surface mount CFRP. The bent caps were repaired with surface-bonded CFRP and post-tensioning. The beams were loaded to failure while sensors recorded how the beams deformed. In addition, two bridges, one with surface-bonded CFRP strengthening and one with internal steel strengthening, were instrumented before and after strengthening to assess changes in behavior. The test results were used in conjunction with previous research to compare the repair methods based on ten attributes such as shear capacity improvement, aesthetics, durability, and installation requirements. Surface bonded CFRP, external stirrups, and internal stirrups were all effective in increasing shear capacity of girders. Epoxy injection had minimal impact on capacity, and there were not enough data to make a conclusion for near-surface mounted CFRP. Considering surface bonded CFRP, external bars, and internal bars, no method was clearly superior, but internal stirrups did offer many advantages across the attributes considered. The surface bonded CFRP and post-tensioning repairs for the bent caps did not provide as much capacity improvement as expected. However, there was only one bent cap specimen for each of the two repair methods tested; therefore, the results from these tests are considered a basis for further investigation. KW - Bents KW - Carbon fibers KW - Epoxy resins KW - Fiber reinforced plastics KW - Girders KW - Posttensioning KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Repairing KW - Shear capacity KW - Shear reinforcement KW - Stirrups KW - Strengthening (Maintenance) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/42000/42200/42206/Cracked_Bridge_Repair_Methods_Appendix.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915608 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154157 AU - Persaud and Lyon, Incorporated AU - Felsburg Holt & Ullevig AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Performance Functions for Intersections PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 63p AB - Road safety management activities include screening the network for sites with a potential for safety improvement (Network Screening), diagnosing safety problems at specific sites, and evaluating the safety effectiveness of implemented countermeasures. It is important that these activities be both efficient and methodologically sound, since resources would otherwise be wasted on unnecessary treatments for safe elements and elements deserving of treatment would be left untreated. The state-of-the-art methodologies for conducting these activities make use of statistical models to predict expected accident frequencies using traffic volumes and other site characteristics as the input to the models (known as Safety Performance Functions or SPFs). The Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT’s) research and safety engineers are in the forefront of national efforts to develop methods using SPFs to screen large networks to find sites with a potential for safety improvement. CDOT has previously developed SPFs to identify freeway and rural roadway segments that have the potential for accident reduction. This report documents the data collection, modeling efforts, and findings of a research project to develop SPFs for ten categories of intersections. The development of SPFs for ten intersection categories was successful. It is recommended that data for additional sites be collected as they may become available. Additionally, as more years of crash and traffic data become available, these data too can be added to the dataset in order to continually add up-to-date information. The models can be recalibrated to apply to these additional years of data. When several additional years of data are available, it may be desirable to calibrate a new set of original SPFs. KW - Colorado Department of Transportation KW - Crash rates KW - Intersections KW - Mathematical models KW - Safety Performance Functions KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2009/spfs.pdf/at_download/file UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2009/spfs.pdf/view UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915613 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154155 AU - Chinowsky, Paul S AU - Hallowell, Matthew AU - University of Colorado, Boulder AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Worker Safety at the Colorado Department of Transportation PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 56p AB - The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is currently investigating approaches to reduce the frequency and severity of work-related injuries. The incident rates for CDOT are significantly higher than those achieved by some private organizations (e.g., Kiewit) and comparable DOTs. One element in determining the current state of safety practices within CDOT is evaluation of Job Safety Analysis Forms (JSAs) and their current use. This study examined the effectiveness of these forms in terms of worker perspectives and the overall organizational strategies associated with the forms. Study results indicate that CDOT has a mixed record for implementing JSAs. There is a very positive attitude towards the JSAs and a strong willingness by workers to enhance the safety record. However, this positive is balanced by an equally strong negative aspect in terms of actual usage of JSAs in relation to the intent of the program. Implementation activities include the following: Organize an Accelerated Safety Improvement Workshop where the intent and usage of JSAs would be a central focus; Ensure that leadership responsibility for JSA implementation and safety awareness at work sites is clearly understood; and Create a feedback process where data collected by Regional Safety Officers (RSOs) can be used by crews to modify behavior. KW - Behavior modification KW - Colorado Department of Transportation KW - Construction and maintenance personnel KW - Forms (Documents) KW - Implementation KW - Labor force KW - Leadership KW - Occupational safety KW - Workshops UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2009/workersafety.pdf/view UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915614 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154154 AU - Owens, Nicholas D AU - Armstrong, April H AU - Mitchell, Carol AU - Brewster, Rebecca AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Federal Highway Administration Focus States Initiative: Traffic Incident Management Performance Measures Final Report PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 28p AB - The Traffic Incident Management Performance Measures Focus States Initiative (TIM PM FSI) involves 11 States that have defined three traffic incident performance measures (PM) and conducted field tests of two of these measures. The following measures were defined in December 2005 and field tested for 18 months: 1. Reduce “roadway clearance” time (defined as the time between awareness of an incident and restoration of lanes to full operational status); and 2. Reduce “incident clearance” time (defined as the time between awareness of an incident and removal of all evidence of the incident, including debris or remaining assets, from shoulders). A third measure was defined at the final project workshop in October 2007 but has not yet been field tested: 3. Reduce the number of secondary incidents—specifically unplanned incidents for which a response or intervention is taken, where a collision occurs either a) within the incident scene or b) within the queue (which could include opposite direction) resulting from the original incident. The FSI represents the first effort by multiple States to measure TIM performance using common performance metrics. The results of the FSI demonstrated that TIM performance measurement is institutionally and technically viable. The participating States also demonstrated that integrating and coordinating TIM operations between multiple agencies can be done seamlessly. The final products of the FSI are an outreach plan and outreach products that can be used by States to promote TIM PM and integrated TIM programs. KW - Clearance time (Traffic incidents) KW - Field tests KW - Incident management KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Outreach KW - Performance measurement KW - States KW - Traffic incidents UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10010/fhwahop10010.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35700/35774/fhwahop10010.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915611 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153609 AU - Pietz, Amanda Joy AU - Sperley, Myra AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - FY 2009 Oregon Transportation Needs and Issues Survey: Summary of Statewide Results PY - 2009/12//Summary Report SP - 63p AB - The Oregon Transportation Needs and Issues Survey was first conducted in 1993 and has been done roughly every two years. The latest survey was completed in the fall of 2008 (State fiscal year (FY) 2009). This report summarizes the results of the FY 2009 survey. For some reoccurring questions, results are also compared to past surveys. KW - Customer satisfaction KW - Expenditures KW - Financing KW - Highway transportation KW - Needs assessment KW - Oregon KW - Oregon Department of Transportation KW - Public opinion KW - Public transit KW - Railroad transportation KW - Surveys KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/FY_2009_Oregon_Transportation_Needs_and_Issues_Survey.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914964 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153603 AU - Hartos, Jessica L AU - Huff, David AU - Carroll, James AU - Montana State University, Havre AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Keep Encouraging Young Driver Safety (KEYS) Pilot Study: Increasing Parental Involvement in Teenage Driving through Driver Education PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 33p AB - The goal of the Keep Encouraging Young Driver Safety (KEYS) Pilot Study was to determine the feasibility of integrating parent-teen homework assignments into the Montana driver education curriculum and family support for their use. Feedback for use of the homework assignments was generated in three phases from (1) driver education instructors in the interdisciplinary team, (2) individual families, and (3) parents and instructors in driver education classes. The overwhelming majority of qualitative feedback from all phases was positive; limited negative comments related to parents not having enough time in their daily lives. The recruitment rate for pilot-testing homework assignments in classes was 81%. Families exposed to the first recruitment strategy (required participation or choose another class) were 24 times more likely to participate than were those exposed to the second strategy (voluntary participation within the class). A minimum of 90% of parents reported at least "medium" willingness to complete all activities across homework assignments, and willingness was highly related to exposure to the tenets of goal-oriented persuasion and parent motivation in schools incorporated within the homework assignments. The findings indicate that the majority of parents are willing to complete homework assignments within their teens' driver education classes. The next step would be to conduct an efficacy trial in a broader audience to determine whether exposure to homework assignments is related to short-term and prospective outcomes related to safe teen driving. KW - Driver education KW - Homework assignments KW - Parents KW - Pilot studies KW - Safe driving KW - Teenage drivers UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/keys/final_report.pdf UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/research/projects/planning/keys.shtml UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45855/final_report77.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914969 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152933 AU - Brydia, Robert E AU - Brackin, Byron E AU - De Roche, Robert F AU - Johnson, Jeremy D AU - Thomas, Gary B AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Video Over IP Design Guidebook PY - 2009/12//Product SP - 168p AB - Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) engineers are responsible for the design, evaluation, and implementation of video solutions across the entire state. These installations occur with vast differences in requirements, expectations, and constraints. Because the systems require extensive interoperability to other systems, agencies, and deployments, a systems engineering process (SEP) is employed to develop a consistent and structured approach to the development of concepts, needs, requirements, design, testing, and ongoing operations. The guidebook contains an accompanying CD which illustrates many aspects of video, which are more easily understood from a visual perspective. The goal of this guidebook is two-fold: (1) to establish a fundamental level of knowledge in video concepts, and (2) to frame the discussion within the concept of systems engineering to provide a logical, consistent, and structured approach to video system development and deployment. KW - Digital video KW - Handbooks KW - Highway operations KW - Internet KW - Systems engineering UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5942-P1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914492 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152884 AU - Pratt, Michael P AU - Miles, Jeffrey D AU - Bonneson, James A AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Workshops on Using the GPS Method to Determine Curve Advisory Speeds PY - 2009/12//Technical Report SP - 22p AB - Curve warning signs are intended to improve curve safety by alerting the driver to a change in geometry that may not be apparent or expected. However, several research projects conducted in the last 20 years have consistently shown that drivers are not responding to curve warning signs or complying with advisory speed plaques. A new engineering study method was developed to improve consistency in curve signing and driver compliance with advisory speeds. This report documents two activities that were conducted to promote implementation of the new method. One activity is the development of a software program to measure curve geometry while driving through the curve. The geometric data are then used to determine an appropriate curve advisory speed and to select effective, curve-related traffic control devices. The second activity for this project was a series of workshops that described use of the new method. The workshop provided a mixture of classroom discussion and hands-on training activities for the participants. The workshop participants generally indicated that they believed the new method would benefit their districts and looked forward to implementing it. Recommendations for future research in this area were identified. KW - Advisory speeds KW - Compliance KW - Global Positioning System KW - Highway curves KW - Software KW - Speed control KW - Speed limits KW - Warning signs KW - Workshops UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/5-5439-01-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914457 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152883 AU - Cooner, Scott A AU - Rathod, Yatin K AU - Alberson, Dean C AU - Bligh, Roger P AU - Ranft, Stephen E AU - Sun, Dazhi AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Guidelines for Cable Median Barrier Systems in Texas PY - 2009/12//Technical Report SP - 88p AB - Since 2003, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has embarked on an aggressive campaign to install median barriers to prevent cross-median crashes on freeway facilities statewide. In the few years prior to 2003, virtually all fatalities on interstate facilities (96 percent) were the result of cross-median crashes. TxDOT used special safety funding to accelerate projects and decided to primarily implement high-tension cable/wire rope median barrier systems in lieu of concrete so that more roadway miles could be protected. This report documents the development of guidelines for use of cable barrier systems in Texas. The research team performed a comprehensive review of currently available guidance on cable barrier systems. The guidelines review included four broad categories: guidance on barrier selection, guidance on barrier design, guidance on barrier placement, and guidance on general system considerations. The development of guidelines for cable median barrier systems in Texas concentrated on existing information in state DOT design manuals and memorandums, manufacturer product manuals, and completed studies – including the results of the in-service performance evaluation in Texas. The development of consistent and practical guidelines for the use of cable barrier systems is necessary so that TxDOT design, operations and maintenance staff can make sound decisions. Since the use of cable barrier systems is still a relatively new practice in Texas, the guidance is timely because many districts continue to look for sites and funding for implementation. This report is written primarily to convey the cable barrier system guidelines. KW - Cable barriers KW - Cross median accidents KW - Design KW - Freeways KW - Guidelines KW - Location KW - Median barriers KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5609-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914459 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152880 AU - Rinehart, Robert V AU - Mooney, Michael A AU - Colorado School of Mines AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Lateral Vehicle Accelerations Due to Longitudinally Tined Portland Cement Concrete Pavement PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 60p AB - The objective of this study was to determine, via field measurements, the vibration characteristics of vehicle squirming (a.k.a. groove wander) – a phenomenon whereby vehicles experience lateral vibrations due to interaction between tire tread grooves and longitudinal pavement grooves. The report documents the details of a literature review of groove wander related studies as well as the results of field testing performed to measure vehicle and vehicle occupant vibrations during wander behavior. Recommendations are made about the development of a wander evaluation system for future Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) studies. Field testing was performed over two days on a 4.8km (3mi) stretch of I-70 between E-470 and SH 36 Airport Road using a 2000 GMC Safari cargo van belonging to CDOT and known to experience wander. Lateral accelerations were measured at several locations including the seat frame, seat cushion, seat back, and the passenger’s head. Wander is measurable as a low-frequency, low-amplitude phenomenon. Typical wander behavior is observed in the frequency band 1-3Hz. The most effective sensor location to capture vibrations due to vehicle wander proved to be the passenger’s head. This location takes advantage of the human body’s amplifying and filtering characteristics. For the testing conducted here with acceleration measured on the passenger’s head, wander was generally associated with acceleration peaks greater than 0.75 m/s² (0.076g); however, vibration magnitudes are dependent on many factors including sensor location, vehicle, tire type, and vehicle occupant characteristics and posture. The standard methods for evaluating human exposure to vehicle vibrations (ISO-2631) did not yield a reliable indication of wander. Given that other sources of lateral vibration (e.g., wind, bumps, steering input) can lead to similar acceleration behavior to that of wander, and the fact that vibration amplitudes are dependent on many factors, it remains important to have human input when performing wander assessment. Given the difficulty in reliably and consistently quantifying wander, CDOT should consider relying solely on human assessment. If the goal is to determine whether or not wander exists for a certain stretch of roadway, human judgment appears accurate and reliable, i.e., the existence or non-existence of wander is clear and obvious to a passenger. If it remains desirable to develop a standard method to measure and quantify wander (e.g., to compare different roadways or tining patterns), the following should be kept in mind: Wander is vehicle-specific, so any efforts to standardize wander measurement need to employ a consistent, specific vehicle; The best location to place an accelerometer to capture vehicle wander is the passenger’s head; Since vibrations are subject and posture dependent, subjects (or possibly an anthropomorphic test dummy) need to be similar in size and filtering characteristics, and given specific instructions regarding posture. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Field tests KW - Lateral acceleration KW - Literature reviews KW - Longitudinal grooving KW - Pavement grooving KW - Rolling contact KW - Vibration UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2009/tining.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914446 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152878 AU - Rao, Chetana AU - Ardani, Ahmad AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Concrete Deck Performance Relative to Air Entrainment PY - 2009/12//Final Report SP - 105p AB - Damage to concrete due to freeze-thaw (F-T) action is a serious concern for agencies in cold regions of the United States. The most effective method to protect concrete from F-T damage is through the addition of an air entraining agent as an admixture that creates a well distributed, closely spaced, small sized air void system in the concrete. Air content measurement in fresh concrete is a routine quality control and acceptance test procedure that helps to ensure good durability characteristics in the concrete structure. Most agencies, including the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), in accordance with industry recommendations, perform the air content measurement at the point of placement in a concrete structure. Between 1993 and 2008, CDOT changed its specifications due to safety considerations of the field personnel. Air content measurements were performed at the point of delivery during this period. While structures built during this period did meet specifications, it is not clear whether the pumping and the placement operations altered the air void distribution. For planning future maintenance activities, CDOT was interested in evaluating the relative condition of bridge decks built under the point of delivery specification and verifying if they indeed possessed good F-T durability. After a thorough review of 600 bridges in CDOT’s database, six bridges in the Denver metro area in districts 1and 4 were selected for study. NBI ratings for the selected bridges ranged from 5 to 7. Three of the bridge decks were constructed before 1993 (using the point of placement specification), and three were constructed between 1993 and 2008 (using the point of delivery specification). Three cores from each structure were extracted, and two cores were tested as part of the forensic evaluation plan set up for this study. The tests included petrographic analysis as per ASTM C 856, air void analyses and total air content determination (including specific surface and spacing factor) as per ASTM C 457, and chloride profile measurement at three different depths as per ASTM 1152. The test results indicate that the bridge decks built under both specifications have an acceptable air void system and that the bridges built under the point of delivery specification have better F-T resistance than the structures built under the point of placement specification. This implies that good materials and construction practices were used and there is no alarming difference in the quality of bridge decks built under the two specifications. This does not suggest, however, that the point of delivery specification should be adopted. The sample size selected for this study is very small, and the results need to be interpreted with care. Concerning implementation, CDOT does not need any additional change of plans with bridge deck maintenance activities. However, CDOT has to take additional steps to ensure that bridge decks built in the future possess the air void distribution required for good durability. Also, the impact of other mix design and construction parameters on the air void system should be considered to achieve desired durability levels. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Admixtures KW - Air content KW - Air entrained concrete KW - Air entraining agents KW - Air voids KW - Bridge decks KW - Chloride content KW - Concrete KW - Construction management KW - Cores (Specimens) KW - Denver (Colorado) KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Petrography KW - Quality control KW - Specifications UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2009/airentrainment.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914444 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152764 AU - Dailey, Daniel J AU - TransNow, Transportation Northwest AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Office of the Secretary of Transportation TI - Self Calibrating Monocular Camera Measurement of Traffic Parameters PY - 2009/12//Final Research Report SP - 28p AB - This proposed project will extend the work of previous projects that have developed algorithms and software to measure traffic speed under adverse conditions using un-calibrated cameras. The present implementation uses the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras mounted along freeway segments and has an interface for automated camera calibration and traffic speed and speed variance measuring and recording. The calibration algorithm is implemented as an operator in a pipelined architecture using the Java Advanced Imaging package. The algorithm uses features found on the freeway, such as fog lines and lane markers, to calibrate the camera. Arterials have different features, such as turn arrows and stop bars, that can be used for calibration. This effort will develop algorithms that calibrates cameras based on common features found on arterials and will implement the algorithm as a Java operator so that it extends the capabilities of the software to arterials. The result will be a portable system that can function on both freeways and arterials with only limited infrastructure investment. The utility of this project is to leverage existing software to make traffic parameter measurements on arterials where there are no loops, and to calibrate traffic measurement and management devices using these measurements. KW - Algorithms KW - Arterial highways KW - Calibration KW - Cameras KW - Closed circuit television KW - Freeways KW - Java (Computer program language) KW - Traffic speed UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32200/32273/TNW2009-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914431 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152763 AU - Wang, Yinhai AU - Corey, Jonathan AU - Lao, Yunteng AU - Wu, Yao-Jan AU - TransNow, Transportation Northwest AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Office of the Secretary of Transportation TI - Development of a Statewide Online System for Traffic Data Quality Control and Sharing PY - 2009/12//Final Research Report SP - 91p AB - The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) operates thousands of Inductive Loop Detectors (ILDs) on the freeways and highways of Washington State. The collection and disbursement of this data is handled at the regional level, which has led to formatting differences and data fragmentation. The Datamart Project is intended to consolidate data from all regions and store it in one location easily searchable and accessible by all authorized users. Therefore a database and a web site have been created in a computer application called Datamart to accomplish these tasks and demonstrate the idea. Additionally, this research project has been also tasked with creating software applications for traffic sensor data acquisition and developing error detection and correction methodologies for data quality control. Error detection is accomplished in a three-step test proposed by this study to identify loop detectors suffering from severe errors. The default conditions used by this test approach are general enough to be applied in other states. Meanwhile, the approach also has its flexibility to use site specific parameters to optimize its performance at a specific location. These severe errors identifiable by this approach include wrong mode setting, cross chatting, extreme under sensitivity, and incorrect sensitivity level, among others. Loop detectors suffering from incorrect sensitivity levels may be adjusted by the proposed correction methodology. The correction methodology is designed to identify the true length of the loop detector’s detection zone. Properly calibrated ILDs are generally assumed to have detection zone sizes determined by the size of the loop coil buried in the roadway. The reality is that when ILD sensitivity levels drift from their correct settings, the detection zone size changes. By using the correct detection zone lengths, loop detector measurements can be corrected. This software-based approach is proven effective and can be retroactively applied to archived data as well. The loop error identification and correction algorithms have been implemented in the prototype Datamart system, which is an online database system backed up by Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and the Google Map technologies. It is highly scalable and has the potential to add new data sources from other transportation agencies and online analysis functions for regional transportation planning, traffic management, and analysis purposes. KW - Data consolidation KW - Data errors correction KW - Data errors detection KW - Data quality KW - Data sharing KW - Loop detectors KW - Quality control KW - Traffic data KW - Washington (State) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32200/32275/TNW2009-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914426 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152694 AU - Wang, Yinhai AU - Zhang, Guohui AU - TransNow, Transportation Northwest AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Office of the Secretary of Transportation TI - A Self-Adaptive Toll Rate Algorithm for High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lane Operations PY - 2009/12//Final Technical Report SP - 85p AB - Dramatically increasing travel demands and insufficient traffic facility supplies have resulted in severe traffic congestion. High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane operations have been proposed as one of the most applicable and cost-effective countermeasures against freeway congestion. By allowing Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs) to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes with a toll, excess capacities of HOV lanes can be utilized. Through balancing pricing and vehicle occupancy constraints, an HOT lane system can optimize traffic allocations between HOT and General Purpose (GP) lanes and hence enhance the overall infrastructure efficiency if a proper tolling strategy is employed. Although there exist several tolling strategies, two major problems with these tolling strategies may significantly degrade the HOT lane system performance. First, the under-sensitive tolling algorithm is incapable of handling the hysteresis properties of traffic systems and may cause severe response delays. Secondly, unfavorable flow fluctuation on both HOT and GP lanes may result from over-sensitive tolling strategies and generate agitating traffic operations. To address these problems, a new self-adaptive dynamic tolling algorithm is developed in this study to optimize HOT lane operations. To reduce the computational complexity, a second-order control scheme is exploited in this algorithm. Based on traffic speed conditions and toll changing patterns, the optimum flow ratio for HOT lane utilization is calculated using feedback control theory. Then the appropriate toll rate is estimated backward using the discrete route choice model. To examine the effectiveness of the proposed tolling algorithm, simulation experiments were conducted. A microscopic traffic simulation software tool, VISSIM, is utilized. The proposed algorithm is implemented and integrated with the VISSIM package through an external module specifically developed for this study. Data from the Washington State Route (SR) 167 HOT lane system is used to build and calibrate the simulation model. The simulation experiment results show that the proposed tolling algorithm is capable of responding to traffic changes promptly and effectively. It performed reasonably well in optimizing overall traffic operations of the HOT lane system under various traffic conditions. This algorithm is logically straightforward and not difficult to implement. KW - Algorithms KW - Congestion pricing KW - Dynamic tolls KW - Feedback control KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - Highway operations KW - Microsimulation KW - Optimization KW - Traffic congestion KW - Vehicle occupancy KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32200/32206/TNW2009-09.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914401 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152674 AU - Ye, Dan AU - Mukhopadhyay, Anal AU - Zollinger, Dan G AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Laboratory and Field Evaluation of Concrete Paving Curing Effectiveness PY - 2009/12//Technical Report SP - 196p AB - Ensuring that sufficient water is available in hydrating concrete is of great importance to produce durable concrete and achieve both short- and long-term performance of concrete pavement. Excessive early-age evaporation from the surface of concrete pavement often results in high porosity delaminated and low strength concrete. Application of curing compounds in concrete paving is widely used to minimize evaporation. However, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) standard specifications for pavement construction (Item 526) only defines the use of the membrane curing in terms of key characteristics such as percent solids, density, viscosity, color, and the application rate, but does not specify curing performance or limits on the rate of evaporation. This research utilized several techniques to evaluate curing effectiveness from both a moisture retention and physical properties standpoint, to develop a laboratory-based curing evaluation protocol that has application to the field. A series of tests were carried out to identify factors controlling curing quality under field conditions. KW - Concrete curing KW - Concrete pavements KW - Curing agents KW - Evaporation KW - Laboratory tests KW - Membrane curing KW - Paving KW - Quality control KW - Specifications KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5106-3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914335 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572681 TI - Advanced Integration of Private Sector Freight Information with Public Sector Traffic Information to Reduce Metropolitan Congestion (Freight Congestion Mitigation Decision Support System) AB - No summary provided. KW - Decision support systems KW - Driver information systems KW - Freight traffic KW - Integrated systems KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Traffic congestion UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/projectdetails.cfm?projectid=FHWA-PROJ-09-0068 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364767 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01549589 TI - Research Program Design---Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Measuring Performance Among State DOTs, Sharing Best Practices--Operations Performance Using Incident Response Time AB - Previous work by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) has demonstrated the value of comparative performance measurement in three areas to date: Project Delivery, Smooth Pavements, and Safety. Each of these projects has involved compilation of detailed performance data for multiple DOTs, calculation of performance measures for each agency, composition of peer groups for comparative analysis, identification of the top tier of agencies with respect to the selected measures, and interviews to determine practices that may be related to exemplary performance. The first comparison of on-time, on-budget capital project delivery performance project successfully demonstrated how the comparative process developed by NCHRP 20-24(37) is gathering user support as well as delivering timely feedback on best practices that have achieved successful results. The next comparative initiative, which was completed in April 2008, successfully demonstrated that states can benefit from comparative measures. This comparative study highlighted five states that have "smooth pavements" and what practical management methods and technical applications they are using to obtain smooth pavements. The third comparative measures effort is just completing on safety performance using the Fatalities Accident Reporting System data. This effort focused on ten state interviews to identify best practices in governance, budgeting, and technical methods that resulted in the reduction of fatalities. This work has been well received by the transportation community and has resulted in the collection of a wealth of data and information to be shared among agencies. These successful endeavors created momentum for further interest in comparative performance measurement. This momentum can be continued to address another key concern of transportation officials: improving operational performance in the management of the nation's highways. DOT experience with increased volumes on our roads over the past two decades indicates that one of the most viable methods of improving mobility is to provide better real-time incident management - the faster an accident or breakdown is cleared, the sooner traffic resumes to normal flow. We intend to use incident response times to identify successful practices in operations activities of a state DOT. This performance indicator can highlight best practices in specific incident response techniques as well as organizational structures, relationships with partner organizations, and budgeting practices. Effective incident response programs can make a significant improvement in the reliability of travel time, which is known to be of great importance to travelers. The operations performance comparative effort would use available state DOT data on incident response performance and provide a time series/cross-sectional analysis of incident response performance, which could be measured based on average, median or maximum incident response time, total incident duration or incident clearance time. Through cross-state comparison (factoring for urban and rural differences) and examination of changes in performance over time, the study would identify practices that can be instrumental in reducing incident durations, with associated benefits to travelers. The objective of this project will be to conduct a comparison of state departments of transportation (DOTs) regarding operations-related performance measures and report on successful techniques employed by the leading agencies. As with earlier work conducted under NCHRP 20-24(37), this comparison will include identification of high-performing organizations with respect to a selected set of key performance indicators and determination of the practices that these organizations have employed to achieve these results. The goal of the study is to enhance the performance of participating peer state DOTs by identifying and sharing good practices. As in the previous comparison studies, the purpose is not to rank the participants, but to highlight top performing strategies. Anonymity is maintained for states providing the comparison data with the exception of the top performing states that are highlighted in the reporting of successful practices. KW - Crash data KW - Data collection KW - Emergency response time KW - Fatalities KW - Incident detection KW - Performance measurement KW - State departments of transportation KW - Traffic incidents KW - Traffic safety UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2751 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339743 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159897 AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement: Surveys, Interviews, and Focus Groups Test Plan PY - 2009/11/19 SP - 122p AB - This report presents the test plan for developing, conducting, and analyzing surveys, interviews, and focus groups for evaluating the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The Minnesota UPA projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of tolling, transit, telecommuting/TDM, and technology, also known as the 4 Ts. Surveys, interviews, and focus groups will be used to identify the potential impacts of the UPA projects, especially on mode change in the I-35W corridor. This report outlines the anticipated surveys, interviews, and focus groups to be conducted to assist in evaluating the Minnesota UPA projects. Information on the stakeholder interviews, MnPASS user surveys, carpooler surveys, telecommuter surveys, on-board ridership surveys, focus groups on the real-time transit and traffic information dynamic message signs, interviews of special groups, and other activities is presented. The purpose and approach, participant recruitment protocol, preliminary questions, analysis methods, and schedule and responsibilities are discussed for the various surveys, interviews, and focus groups. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Focus groups KW - Interviewing KW - Minnesota KW - Partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Surveys KW - Technology KW - Telecommuting KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel demand management KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32527/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32527/surveyupa.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920367 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159889 AU - Shao, Gang AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement National Evaluation: Cost Benefit Analysis Test Plan PY - 2009/11/19 SP - 30p AB - This report presents the cost benefit analysis test plan for the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The Minnesota UPA projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of tolling, transit, telecommuting/TDM, and technology, also known as the 4 Ts. The test plan is based on the analysis presented in the Minnesota UPA National Evaluation Plan. The test plan identifies the data needed to conduct the cost benefit analysis of the Minnesota UPA projects. The data sources and the data availability are discussed. Potential risks associated with the data collection and analysis are discussed. The cost benefit analysis methodology is presented, along with the schedule and responsibilities. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Congestion pricing KW - Minnesota KW - Partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Technology KW - Telecommuting KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel demand management KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32529/costupa.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32529/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920365 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159888 AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement: Exogenous Factors Test Plan PY - 2009/11/19 SP - 36p AB - This report presents the exogenous factors test plan for the national evaluation of the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The Minnesota UPA projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of tolling, transit, telecommuting/TDM, and technology, also known as the 4 Ts. As outlined in the Minnesota UPA National Evaluation Plan, the exogenous factors test plan will be used to monitor elements unrelated to the Minnesota UPA projects that may influence travel in the I-35W corridor, use of the UPA projects, changes in travel modes, and use of telecommuting and alternative work arrangements. These factors include unemployment rates, gasoline prices, parking rates in downtown Minneapolis, parking rates at the University of Minnesota, roadway construction, non-typical weather conditions, major traffic incidents, and major special events. The use of control corridors is also discussed. This report presents the data sources for obtaining information on these elements, the availability of the data, and potential risks associated with data collection activities. The data analysis techniques and the schedule and responsibilities are also described. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Minnesota KW - Partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Technology KW - Telecommuting KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel demand management KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32530/exogenousupa.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32530/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920364 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159898 AU - Balke, Kevin AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement National Evaluation: Traffic System Data Test Plan PY - 2009/11/17 SP - 42p AB - This report presents the traffic system data test plan for the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The Minnesota UPA projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of tolling, transit, telecommuting/TDM, and technology, also known as the 4 Ts. The test plan builds on the Minnesota UPA National Evaluation Plan. The traffic system data test plan identifies the traffic data needed to analyze the congestion reduction impacts of the Minnesota UPA projects. The data sources, data availability, potential risks, data analysis methods, and schedules and responsibilities are described. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Evaluation KW - Minnesota KW - Partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Technology KW - Telecommuting KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel demand management KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32524/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32524/trafficupa.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920378 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159895 AU - Gopalakrishna, Deepak AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Schreffler, Eric AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement National Evaluation: Telecommuting Test Plan PY - 2009/11/17 SP - 30p AB - This report presents the telecommuting test plan for the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The Minnesota UPA projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of tolling, transit, telecommuting/TDM, and technology, also known as the 4 Ts. The test plan builds on the Minnesota UPA National Evaluation Plan. This test plan identifies the data needed to analyze the telecommuting hypotheses and questions. The data sources and the data available are discussed and the potential risks associated with telecommuting data collection and analysis activities are discussed. The methods for analyzing the telecommuting data are presented, along with the schedule and responsibilities. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Evaluation KW - Minnesota KW - Partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Technology KW - Telecommuting KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel demand management KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32526/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32526/telecommutingupa.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920371 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159894 AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement National Evaluation: Content Analysis Test Plan PY - 2009/11/17 SP - 28p AB - This report presents the content analysis test plan for the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The Minnesota UPA projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of tolling, transit, telecommuting/TDM, and technology, also known as the 4 Ts. As outlined in the Minnesota UPA National Evaluation Plan, the content analysis test plan focuses on collecting and analyzing information on outreach activities, media coverage, and reactions of the public, policy makers, and other groups to the UPA projects. The information from the content analysis test plan is used primarily in the non-technical success factors analysis of the Minnesota UPA National Evaluation Plan. This report presents the data sources for obtaining information on the reactions of the various groups to the UPA projects, as well as the outreach activities conducted by the partnership agencies and media coverage of the projects. The availability of needed data, possible risks associated with data collection, data analysis techniques, and the schedule and resources are described. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Minnesota KW - Partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Technology KW - Telecommuting KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel demand management KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32531/contentupa.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32531/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920363 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159893 AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Cain, Alasdair AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement National Evaluation: Transit System Data Test Plan PY - 2009/11/17 SP - 40p AB - This report presents the test plan for collecting and analyzing transit system data for the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) National Evaluation under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The Minnesota UPA projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of tolling, transit, telecommuting/TDM, and technology, also known as the 4 Ts. This test plan is based on the Minnesota UPA National Evaluation Plan. It presents the sources for obtaining the data needed to evaluate the impacts of the Minnesota UPA transit projects, the data availability, and the risks associated with collecting and analyzing the data. The data analysis techniques are described and the schedule and responsibilities are presented. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Minnesota KW - Partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Technology KW - Telecommuting KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel demand management KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32523/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32523/transitupa.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920386 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159890 AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement National Evaluation: Tolling Test Plan PY - 2009/11/17 SP - 30p AB - This report presents the test plan for collecting and analyzing toll data for the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The Minnesota UPA projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of tolling, transit, telecommuting/TDM, and technology, also known as the 4 Ts. The tolling projects in the Minnesota UPA include HOT lanes and a priced dynamic shoulder lane (PDSL) on I-35W South. The Tolling test plan is based on the Minnesota UPA National Evaluation. This test plan describes the tolling data sources, data availability, and possible risks associated with the data. The methods for analyzing the toll data are discussed. The schedule and responsibilities for collecting, analyzing, and reporting the toll analysis are presented. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Evaluation KW - Minnesota KW - Partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Technology KW - Telecommuting KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel demand management KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32525/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32525/tollingupa.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920385 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159887 AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Balke, Kevin AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement National Evaluation: Safety Data Test Plan PY - 2009/11/17 SP - 30p AB - This report provides the safety data test plan for the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The Minnesota UPA projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of tolling, transit, telecommuting/TDM, and technology, also known as the 4 Ts. As outlined in the Minnesota National Evaluation Plan, the safety data test plan focuses on collecting and analyzing safety related data on the Minnesota UPA projects. The information from the safety data test plan will be used primarily in the safety analysis and the cost benefit analysis. This report presents the safety data sources, data availability, and potential risks associated with the data collection and analysis activities. The data analysis techniques, along with the schedule and responsibilities are also presented. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Crash data KW - Highway safety KW - Incident management KW - Minnesota KW - Partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Technology KW - Telecommuting KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel demand management KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32528/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32528/safetyupa.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920382 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01473063 AU - Leonard, Blaine D AU - Stevens, David K AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Annual UTRAC Workshop on Transportation Research Needs: 2009 Proceedings PY - 2009/11/15 SP - 236p AB - An annual workshop (known as the UTRAC Workshop) was held on April 7, 2009 to discuss and prioritize the research needs of the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) in preparation for the 2010 fiscal year. Participants included UDOT managers and employees, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) staff, individuals from other government agencies, researchers from local universities, consultants, contractors, and other interested parties. Problem Statements, describing research needs of the Department, were submitted prior to the workshop and then evaluated, modified, and prioritized by working groups at the workshop. This document describes the UDOT research prioritization process, the UTRAC Workshop, and the resultant list of prioritized Problem Statements. The UTRAC Workshop included a plenary session, with a keynote address by Dr. Rollin Hotchkiss, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Brigham Young University, an update on the status of various ongoing research projects, and the presentation of the Trailblazer Award to Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Company representatives Ralph Wadsworth, founder, and Kip Wadsworth, President and CEO, as well as Guy Wadsworth, president of Wadsworth Brothers Construction, for their valued contributions to UDOT’s efforts in Accelerated Bridge Construction. Much of the workshop was devoted to the evaluation of Problem Statements by groups organized by topic area. The ten topic area groups were: Construction, Maintenance, Materials and Pavements, Environmental, Planning and Asset Management, Traffic Management and Safety, Geotechnical, Structural, Hydraulics, and the newly created Engineering Technology. Each group used a voting process to determine the most important research needs in their discipline, in ranked order. A total of 68 unique Problem Statements were considered, and 42 statements were prioritized. Of those statements, 13 have been listed for potential funding by the Research Division. The workshop was held at the Larry H. Miller Campus of the Salt Lake Community College. A total of 144 people participated. KW - Asset management KW - Construction KW - Environmental impacts KW - Maintenance KW - Materials KW - Pavements KW - Research problem statements KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic safety KW - Utah Department of Transportation UR - http://utah.ptfs.com/awweb/awarchive?type=file&item=31716 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1243774 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01345772 AU - Wang, Jay AU - Verma, Neha AU - Steward, Eric AU - Louisiana Tech University, Ruston AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Estimating Setup of Piles Driven into Louisiana Clayey Soils PY - 2009/11/15/Final Report SP - 172p AB - Two types of mathematical models for pile setup prediction, the Skov-Denver model and the newly developed rate-based model, have been established from all the dynamic and static testing data, including restrikes of the production piles, restrikes, static, and statnamic tests of the test piles at the LA-1 relocation project. Pile testing data from other sites, such as Mo-Pac- Railroad Overpass, Bayou Liberty, and Calcasieu River etc., have been used for model verification. Twenty-one out of the 115 restrike records of the production piles and three load testing records from the nine tested piles were obtained at or longer than two weeks after pile installation. The conventional Skov-Denver model is achieved with the setup parameter A equal to 0.57, and the normalized ultimate shaft capacity from the rate-based model is 1.846 on the basis of the entire restrike and load testing data. Based on the rate-based model with limited amount of long-term production pile restrike data, it is predicted that the ultimate shaft capacities of the piles were about twice the measured shaft capacities at the 24-hour restrike. In general, the piles at the LA-1 relocation project reaches about 90~95 percent of the ultimate shaft capacities within two weeks after installation. Preliminary verification and prediction work has indicated that capacities of those piles at two-week or longer-time restrike or load testing were mostly under predicted if the entire database was used for the model prediction. The setup parameter and the normalized ultimate shaft capacity have turned to 0.65 and 1.985, respectively. Selected piles with restrike or load testing at or more than 200 hours after the end of driving have given the setup parameter of 0.65 and the normalized ultimate shaft capacity of 1.985. Predictions with the new rate-based model are improved. It demonstrates that long-term restrike or long-waiting load testing data have a profound and critically important role in improving reliability and accuracy of the prediction models. An empirical relationship, between the measured pile capacity at 24-hour restrike and the calculated pile capacity based on the Cone Penetration Test (CPT) log, has been established. It will make pile setup prediction operable without the 24-hour restrike data. As the last portion of the research project, a simple Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) calibration of pile setup has been performed. Resistance factors have been achieved corresponding to different target reliability indices and dead load to live load ratios. KW - Clay soils KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Load tests KW - Louisiana KW - Mathematical models KW - Pile driving KW - Pile setup UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2011/fr_463_web.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1107366 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01343472 AU - Wang, Jay AU - Verma, Neha AU - Steward, Eric AU - Louisiana Tech University, Ruston AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Estimating Setup of Driven Piles into Louisiana Clayey Soils PY - 2009/11/15/Final Report SP - 176p AB - Two types of mathematical models for pile setup prediction, the Skov-Denver model and the newly developed rate-based model, have been established from all the dynamic and static testing data, including restrikes of the production piles, restrikes, static, and statnamic tests of the test piles at the LA-1 relocation project. Pile testing data from other sites, such as Mo-Pac Railroad Overpass, Bayou Liberty, and Calcasieu River etc., have been used for model verification. Twenty-one out of the 115 restrike records of the production piles and three load testing records from the nine tested piles were obtained at or longer than two weeks after pile installation. The conventional Skov-Denver model is achieved with the setup parameter A equal to 0.57, and the normalized ultimate shaft capacity from the rate-based model is 1.846 on the basis of the entire restrike and load testing data. Based on the rate-based model with limited amount of long-term production pile restrike data, it is predicted that the ultimate shaft capacities of the piles were about twice the measured shaft capacities at the 24-hour restrike. In general, the piles at the LA-1 relocation project reached about 90~95 percent of their ultimate shaft capacities within two weeks after installation. Preliminary verification and prediction work has indicated that capacities of those piles at two-week or longer-time restrike or load testing were mostly under predicted if the entire database was used for the model prediction. The setup parameter and the normalized ultimate shaft capacity have turned to 0.65 and 1.985, respectively. Selected piles with restrike or load testing at or more than 200 hours after the end of driving have given the setup parameter of 0.65 and the normalized ultimate shaft capacity of 1.985. Predictions with the new rate-based model are improved. It demonstrates that long-term restrike or long-waiting load testing data have a profound and critically important role in improving reliability and accuracy of the prediction models. An empirical relationship, between the measured pile capacity at 24-hour restrike and the calculated pile capacity based on the Cone Penetration Test (CPT) log, has been established. It will make pile setup prediction operable without the 24-hour restrike data. As the last portion of the research project, a simple Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) calibration of pile setup has been performed. Resistance factors have been achieved corresponding to different target reliability indices and dead load to live load ratios. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Clay soils KW - Cone penetrometers KW - Driven piles KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Louisiana KW - Mathematical models KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Pile bearing capacity KW - Pile setup KW - Piles (Supports) UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2011/fr_463_web.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1105451 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159359 AU - ICF International AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Highways and Climate Change: Review and Assessment of State Climate Action Plans PY - 2009/11/13 SP - n.p. AB - ICF International reviewed progress on climate action plans in all 50 states. For this exercise, ICF defined a climate action plan (CAP) as a statewide document that presents distinct strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from multiple sectors. ICF extracted from these plans: (1) State GHG emission forecasts (total GHG emissions, transportation sector emissions, and on-road emissions); and (2) Transportation emission reduction strategies and their estimated emission reductions. All of the information gathered is provided in a separate Excel workbook. This report provides a basic summary and analysis of the data gathered on transportation emission reduction strategies. It also assesses the level of certainty in estimates of strategies' impacts on GHG emissions. KW - Action plans KW - Air quality management KW - Climate change KW - Emissions reduction KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Forecasting KW - Greenhouse gases KW - States KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climate/action_plan/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919903 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01576000 TI - Making Driving Simulators More Useful for Behavioral Research AB - Conduct experiments across multiple high-fidelity driving simulators (with partners) and compare outcomes to existing field data and to each other. The goal is to then develop a set of mathematical transformations that will allow scientists and engineers to better predict the behavior of drivers in real environments based on the results of experiments conducted in driving simulators. KW - Behavior KW - Data analysis KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Field studies KW - Mathematical analysis KW - Virtual reality UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/projectdetails.cfm?projectid=FHWA-PROJ-09-0067 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369400 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464125 TI - Research for AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways, Task 276. Development of Guidelines for Rehabilitation of Existing Highway and Rail Transit Tunnels AB - Existing highway and rail transit tunnels are gradually becoming functionally obsolete and structurally deficient. These structures cause safety concerns. Older tunnels need frequent inspections, higher levels of maintenance, and rehabilitation. There is limited experience in the State Departments of Transportation and other tunnel authorities with respect to rehabilitation of existing tunnels. For these issues, most agencies rely on assistance from bridge engineers or consultants specializing in tunnels. Rock bolting, grouting, Shotcrete and other techniques have often been used in tunnel rehabilitation. Other techniques have been used to improve tunnel safety by increasing vertical and horizontal clearances, drainage, extending tunnel portals for rock fall mitigation, tunnel illumination and ventilation. Section 12 of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications addresses Buried Structures, but very little guidance is provided for tunnel rehabilitation. Additional guidance must be developed in a separate stand-alone document on rehabilitation of existing tunnels. Our nation's tunnels are aging, and the increasing traffic volumes and environmental deterioration they experience results in a reduction in their service lives. Guidance should be provided to the engineer to provide cost-effective preventive rehabilitation strategies to preserve existing tunnel structures. Advancements in our knowledge of materials, details, components, structures, and an increased array of construction materials and methods, make it an opportune time to develop solutions to extend the service life and preventing premature deterioration of existing tunnel structures. This problem statement supports "Extending Service Life" and "Optimizing Structural Systems", as noted in the 2005 version of the AASHTO Grand Challenges for strategic planning. The objective of the proposed research is to develop guidelines for rehabilitation of existing highway and rail transit tunnels. The research focuses on structural aspects of tunnel rehabilitation, drainage, leaking, and safety. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Aging infrastructure KW - Bridge design KW - Grouting KW - Guidelines KW - Railroad tunnels KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Research projects KW - Rock bolting KW - Shotcrete KW - Tunnels KW - Vehicular tunnels UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2756 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232353 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464076 TI - Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on the Environment. Task 66. Best Practices and Lessons Learned on the Preservation and Rehabilitation of Historic Bridges AB - In 2008, the Center for Environmental Excellence by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) established a web-based Historic Bridge Preservation Community of Practice (CoP). The CoP provides an on-line forum for invited participants to identify and discuss emerging needs and issues associated with the identification, evaluation, and management of our nation's historic bridges. Individuals invited to join the Historic Bridges CoP include bridge engineers from the public and private sectors and academia; and historic preservation professionals, from the public and private sector. The goal is to have an interdisciplinary group of professionals so multiple view points and experiences can guide the CoP's efforts. The goals of this NCHRP 25-25 research study are the compilation and dissemination of best practices and lessons learned. This study can also serve as a follow-up to NCRHP 25-25, Task 19. KW - Best practices KW - Bridge maintenance KW - Community of practice KW - Historic bridges KW - Historic preservation KW - Lessons learned KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Research projects UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2849 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232304 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464075 TI - Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on the Environment. Task 67. Optimizing Conservation and Improving Mitigation Cost/Benefit AB - The process of optimizing benefits involves directing resources to the highest ecological needs, as determined by species or ecosystem recovery plans, ecoregion conservation plans, watershed restoration plans, green infrastructure, or State Wildlife Action Plans. However, departments of transportation (DOTs) have struggled with the reality that only 20 or so SWAPs are really "actionable", expressed with geospatially mapped priorities. DOTs and resource agencies report that recovery plans for regulated species have been developed for only about half of the federally listed species they work with on projects. Uncertainty and lack of clarity regarding programmatic goals for species, ecosystems, or water resources often underlie disputes at the project level. DOTs are in need of resource agency products that help in site selection. Where and what are most important to conserve and key opportunities to restore regulated resources? This research will also explore the cost and DOT and resource agency willingness to pay for such prioritized data. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Environmental impacts KW - Research projects KW - Restoration ecology KW - State departments of transportation KW - Watersheds KW - Wildlife KW - Wildlife mitigation KW - Willingness to pay UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2850 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232303 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01570496 TI - Investigation of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement Deterioration at Joints and the Potential Contribution of Deicing Chemicals AB - The objectives of this research project are to: (1) determine the causes of anomalous concrete joint deterioration nationwide; (2) quantify any contributions to joint deterioration due to deicing chemicals and develop estimates of service reduction and life cycle costs; and (3) develop recommendations based on research results for minimizing future joint deterioration on both existing pavements and new construction including possible repair methodologies and specification modifications. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Deterioration KW - Life cycle costing KW - Pavement joints KW - Service life UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/452 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1362137 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579185 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Beyond Traffic Signals: A Paradigm Shift: Intersection Control for Autonomous Vehicles PY - 2009/11 SP - 2p AB - Traffic congestion costs the Nation billions of dollars each year in wasted fuel and lost productivity. Traditional traffic control systems cannot keep pace with this growing problem, but systems that work with self-driving vehicles may afford a more radical approach. “Intersection Control for Autonomous Vehicles,” an Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program project, is pursuing a new way to keep traffic moving. This project, awarded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2008, is being conducted at the University of Texas at Austin. KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Intersections KW - Traffic control UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/10023/10023.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370905 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01577853 AU - Littleton, Paul AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Hoffman, Gary AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Iowa Demonstration Project: Improvements to the 24th Street–I-29/80 Interchange in Council Bluffs PY - 2009/11//Final Report AB - As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE program, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) was awarded a $1 million grant to demonstrate the use of proven, innovative technologies for accelerated bridge construction. This report documents the use of these innovations, such as cost-plus-time (A+B) bidding and prefabricated full-depth bridge panels used to accelerate the construction of the 24th Street–Interstate 29/80 diamond interchange in Council Bluffs in one construction season. This report details the innovation used to reconstruct the 24th Street bridge with precast bridge deck panels, high-performance materials, and innovative construction and contracting techniques. Innovations in this project increased safety, enhanced quality, and allowed the contractor to replace the 24th Street bridge in one construction season instead of two as would have been required for traditional construction methods. Using prefabricated deck panels and high-performance materials increased the initial construction cost by 12 percent over traditional construction. However, a more comprehensive economic analysis including user cost savings shows that the project saved road users about $1 million (or about 8 percent of the $12.7 million project costs). The experience gained on this successful project will help the Iowa DOT implement these innovations more routinely on future projects. KW - Bridge construction KW - Council Bluffs (Iowa) KW - Demonstration projects KW - Economic analysis KW - High performance materials KW - Highways for LIFE KW - Interchanges KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdf_2/IA_Final_November%202009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370475 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01472078 AU - Morcous, George AU - Erdogmus, Ece AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Use of Ground Penetrating Radar for Construction Quality Assurance of Concrete Pavements PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 79p AB - Extracting concrete cores is the most common method for measuring the thickness of concrete pavement for construction quality control. Although this method provides a relatively accurate thickness measurement, it is destructive, labor intensive, and time consuming. Moreover, concrete cores are usually taken approximately every 750 ft, which may be inadequate for estimating the actual thickness profile of a pavement section; however extracting more cores would damage the pavement extensively and increase the labor cost and time excessively. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a well-established technique for subsurface exploration. Recently, GPR has been used for several transportation applications, such as measuring layer thickness in asphalt pavement, locating reinforcing bars and tendons, and detecting deteriorations and anomalies in concrete structures. The main advantages of GPR are speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness when scans are conducted on large areas. The objective of this project is to investigate the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of using GPR for measuring the thickness of concrete pavement for quality assurance purposes. The GPR systems GSSI SIR20 and SIR3000 with a high resolution 1.6 MHz ground coupled antenna were used in measuring the thickness of concrete pavement up to 14 inch thick. Several laboratory and field tests have been carried out to determine the accuracy of the GPR measurement at different concrete ages and when various metal artifacts are used underneath the concrete to improve the reflectivity of the bottom surface. Testing results have indicated that GPR is a cost-effective non-destructive technique for measuring the thickness of concrete pavement, compared to extracting concrete cores, and an accuracy of 1/8 in can be achieved when appropriate reflectors and calibration cores are used. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Measurement KW - Quality assurance KW - Thickness UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1239505 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457977 AU - Jiang, Yi AU - Chen, Huaxin AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Contract Time Optimization Methodologies for Highway Construction Projects PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 113p AB - This study was conducted to develop methodologies for appropriately determining the monetary values of incentive/disincentive (I/D) rates of highway construction projects in Indiana. In this study, a comprehensive literature review was performed to identify possible effective methodologies for work zone effects, construction impacts, and contract time optimization. The highway production rates were developed in a previous study. The production rates were validated and adjusted with the help from Indiana Department of Transportation field engineers. The weigh-in-motion collected traffic data were obtained, processed, and analyzed to provide input data for user cost calculations at highway work zones. Construction data were obtained and processed to develop the relationship between the construction cost and construction time. With the traffic and construction data, the methods for user cost calculations were developed as the basis of determining appropriate I/D rates. User costs resulting from traffic delays at Indiana highway work zones were analyzed. A series of equations for estimating user costs at work zones were developed. User cost calculation sheets using MS Excel were developed based on the traffic data on Indiana highway network. Finally, a method was developed to determine I/D rates based on the relationship between construction cost and construction time in combination with the estimated user costs at given work zones. Guidelines for developing A+B bidding and I/D provisions were provided. KW - Bids KW - Construction projects KW - Contracts KW - Costs KW - Indiana KW - Literature reviews KW - Optimization KW - Road construction UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314297 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218763 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457511 AU - Jung, Chulmin AU - Jung, Sochan AU - Bobet, Antonio AU - Siddiki, Nayyar Zia AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Classification of Marl Soils PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 82p AB - Field and laboratory tests were conducted to investigate the degree of uniformity and quality that is obtained with chemical treatment of the subgrade with lime kiln dust (LKD) using current construction techniques. An Indiana Department of Transportation road project under construction was selected for the research. A 140-m long subgrade section was chemically treated with LKD with a target thickness of 16 inches, which is the current standard practice, while another 140-m long section was treated with a target thickness of 14 inches. Dynamic cone penetration (DCP) tests were done at each section to obtain the stiffness (or strength) of the chemically-treated and natural (untreated) subgrade soil layers. Lightweight deflectometer (LWD) tests were performed at the same locations where the DCP tests were done to estimate the stiffness of the treated subgrade layer. Nuclear gauge and sand cone tests were carried out to obtain the water content and dry density of the chemically treated subgrade. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric (TGA) tests were performed on soil samples collected in the field to identify and quantify the minerals contained in the soil. XRD and TGA laboratory tests show an adequate presence of lime in the subgrade, with somewhat better uniformity for the test site with 14 inches target thickness for the subgrade. Field tests, namely density, DCP and LWD, show consistently better and more uniform results for the 14 inches target thickness site than for the 16 inches target site. As a result of the research, it is recommended: (1) to increase for design the CBR of the subgrade treated with LKD by 25% over that of the natural soil; (2) to implement recommendation for a target thickness of the treated subgrade of 14 inches; (3) to introduce special, one type project where quality control/quality assurance is done by the contractor for design and construction, where full advantage of the subgrade improvement may be taken into consideration to minimize pavement thickness. KW - Calcium oxide KW - Classification KW - Field tests KW - Kiln dust KW - Laboratory tests KW - Marl KW - Pavements KW - Subgrade materials UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314286 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218752 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456754 AU - Jung, Chulmin AU - Jung, Sochan AU - Bobet, Antonio AU - Siddiki, Nayyar Zia AU - Purdue University/Indiana Department of Transportation JHRP AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Investigation of Subgrade Lime Modification PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 78p AB - This is an implementation project for the completed research (INDOT SPR- 3007) Post-Construction Evaluation of Lime-Treated Soils. The objectives of the project are to investigate the degree of uniformity and quality that is obtained with soil modification with lime kiln dust (LKD) using current construction techniques, and also to explore changes in construction methods that may result in a better product. The objectives are accomplished by: (1) selecting an appropriate construction site where LKD is used for soil modification; (2) performing field and laboratory tests to ascertain the magnitude of the engineering properties of the chemically treated soil and the degree of uniformity accomplished with the treatment; (3) analyzing the field and laboratory data to provide recommendations for changes in construction methods; and (4) providing recommendations for considering the modified subgrade as a structural layer for pavement design. An INDOT road construction project, located along SR 641 south of Terre Haute, was chosen for this research. A 280-m long portion of the road was divided into two construction and test sections. The first 140-m long subgrade section was chemically treated with LKD with a target thickness of 16 inches, which is a typical standard practice based on the current design and construction protocol for chemical subgrade treatment. The remaining 140-m long section was treated with a target thickness of 14 inches. Field tests were conducted on the subgrade after seven days curing of the chemical treatment in order to evaluate in-situ engineering properties of the chemically treated subgrade. Laboratory tests were performed to estimate the lime content in the soil. The laboratory tests show an adequate presence of lime in the subgrade, with somewhat better uniformity for the test site with 14 inches target thickness for the subgrade. Field test results show consistently better and more uniform results for the 14 inches target thickness site than for the 16 inches target site. Based on the findings from this study, a decision was made to amend INDOT specifications for the following: 1) increase for design the California bearing ratio (CBR) of the subgrade treated with LKD by 25% over that of the natural soil; 2) implement a recommendation for a target thickness of the treated subgrade of 14 inches; 3) introduce a special, one-type project where quality control/quality assurance is done by the contractor for design and construction and where full advantage of the subgrade improvement may be taken into consideration to minimize pavement thickness. It was also agreed to monitor performance of new pavements where the subgrade is treated with LKD in order to build a database of the quality achieved during construction across the State. This recommendation is based on the potential for increasing the CBR of the subgrade beyond the 25% recommended, thus lowering the cost of the pavement. KW - Calcium oxide KW - Field tests KW - Indiana KW - Kiln dust KW - Laboratory tests KW - Pavement design KW - Properties of materials KW - Quality assurance KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Subgrade materials UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314271 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218737 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454510 AU - Prezzi, Monica AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Implementation of Laterally Loaded Piles in Multi-Layer Soils PY - 2009/11 SP - 66p AB - The objectives of this report are to:(1) analyze the design of laterally loaded piles in multi-layer soil using energy principles; (2) study the response of piles subjected to lateral load through a series of model pile load tests; (3) evaluate the effect of pile installation (driven, jacked and preinstalled) on pile response; and (4) compare the model pile experimental results with results from the analysis for preinstalled model piles. The final report was submitted as a PDF slide deck. KW - Design KW - Implementation KW - Jacking KW - Lateral loads KW - Load tests KW - Pile driving KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Soil layers UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314332 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218771 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454505 AU - Prezzi, Monica AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Construction of Embankments and Fills Using Lightweight Materials PY - 2009/11 SP - 52p AB - Existing pavements at SR-110 and SR-19 needed widening and raising of the pavement level. The use of lightweight fill (expanded shale) was recommended because the existing road was built over a peat deposit. However, expanded shale is expensive and difficult to compact. For SR-110, a tire shred-sand mixture was used between stations 276+00 and 294+69. The project consisted of raising the grade by about three feet at a few locations and widening the existing embankment by approximately five feet. For SR-19, a tire shred-sand mixture was used as the fill material for the shoulders of the pavement. The final report was submitted as a PDF slide deck. KW - Construction KW - Embankments KW - Expanded shale aggregates KW - Fills KW - Lightweight materials KW - Pavements KW - Road shoulders KW - Shredded tires UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314331 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218770 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358944 AU - Sheckler, Ross D AU - Maynus, Lee W AU - Calmar Telematics LLC AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - New York State Energy Research and Development Authority AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Empty Backhaul, an Opportunity to Avoid Fuel Expended on the Road PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 40p AB - Modern logistics and computerized routing algorithms have optimized the operation of commercial vehicles to the point where there is little opportunity to further increase efficiency and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for a given load. As a result, opportunities to reduce VMT in the commercial sector primarily lie in maximizing the utility of each of those miles. An effort was undertaken to determine if vehicle telemetry could provide meaningful data which would serve as an indicator that a commercial vehicle was operating under loaded or unloaded conditions. With a straightforward load status analysis it becomes possible to determine the laden status of a commercial vehicle and makes it possible to identify whether specific regions or routes have a higher tendency to have trucks traveling without a load. A catalog of the regions or routes which have a surplus of empty trucks offers the opportunity for load matching or brokering to utilize these trucks, increasing profitability and decreasing total VMT. The study develops a methodology to determine when a vehicle is operating with a light load or no load. A summary of load status in various routes and regions is compiled for the fleets in the industry sample. Conclusions on load trends are drawn and suggested uses and follow-on activities are discussed. KW - Backhaul KW - Economic efficiency KW - Fleet management KW - Freight handling KW - Freight traffic KW - Fuel consumption KW - Loading and unloading KW - Monitoring KW - Motor fuels KW - New York (State) KW - Resource utilization KW - Telemetry KW - Truck routes KW - Trucking KW - Vehicle fleets KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-08-31%20Empty%20Backhaul%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1124536 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354123 AU - Putman, Bradley J AU - Skidmore, Benjamin W AU - Amirkhanian, Serji N AU - Clemson University AU - South Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Synthesis of Optimal Usage of Available Aggregates in Highway Construction and Maintenance PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 200p AB - The optimization of available aggregates for highway construction and maintenance is vital both from an economic and environmental perspective. By not optimizing the aggregate supply, project costs escalate as a simple response to supply and demand. Just as important is the fact that aggregate is a natural resource and a limited one; it is crucial that it is used as efficiently as possible. This study examined specifically the use of aggregates by the South Carolina Department of Transportation, but can easily be adapted to any state. Through DOT surveys and an examination of aggregate gradation specifications, it was determined what specific sieve sizes were significantly different than other states. These specific sizes were then examined to determine if an adjustment of the specifications could better utilize the available aggregates. It was found that times of high construction greatly affect the balance of aggregates, but also that gradation specifications could be adjusted to better use the available aggregate sizes. In South Carolina, hot mix asphalt pavements are the primary causes of over and under-utilization of certain aggregate sizes. The 3/8-inch and 1/2-inch aggregate sizes have been the most over-utilized, and these sizes have a relatively tighter specification than other states. Based on the findings of this study, several recommendations have been made. It is recommended to further research the performance of possibly wider specification bands that will utilize some of the more available aggregates in the state. In addition, it is recommended to investigate the use of the maximum dust to binder ratio as well as the possibility of a base substitution, which could possibly better utilize the graded aggregate base materials such as crusher run. As long as performance and cost can be maintained, these changes could possibly better optimize the usage of the available aggregates in construction and maintenance. Finally, it is recommended that the SCDOT consider methods to forecast future aggregate needs and communicate this with the suppliers, who can then be better prepared to meet the demand. KW - Aggregates KW - Highway maintenance KW - Optimization KW - Road construction KW - South Carolina UR - http://www.clemson.edu/t3s/scdot/pdf/projects/Final%20Report%20-%20SPR%20674.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1116908 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173164 AU - Alfelor, Roemer M AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Road Weather Management Performance Measures: A Way to Measure and Monitor Achievement PY - 2009/11 SP - 2p AB - The 2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) established a Road Weather Research and Development Program under the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) program with three primary goals: maximize the use of available road weather information and technologies; expand road weather research and development efforts to enhance roadway safety, capacity, and efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts; and promote technology transfer of effective road weather scientific and technological advancements. To gauge performance, the Road Weather Management Program (RWMP) conducted a study to identify meaningful, understandable, and practical measures to evaluate products and activities, including Clarus, the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS), Weather Responsive Traffic Management (WRTM), and others. The study generated input from over 250 public and private stakeholders who reviewed an initial list of candidate output and outcome measures and identified 11 measures to assess RWMP performance. Program impacts can result as a direct consequence of RWMP actions or indirectly through other agencies and activities associated with or influenced by the RWMP. The RWMP catalyzes and encourages the efforts of other Federal agencies, state departments of transportation (DOTs), and private sector providers, which contributes to achieving the SAFETEA-LU goals as well as supporting independent initiatives and efforts. KW - Decision support systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) KW - Monitoring KW - Road weather information systems KW - Road Weather Management Program KW - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users KW - Technology transfer KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33724/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33724/performance_metrics.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/930617 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01173160 AU - Alfelor, Roemer M AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Research Studies on Weather and Traffic Flow: Modeling Traffic Response to Adverse Weather PY - 2009/11 SP - 2p AB - Weather causes a variety of impacts on the transportation system. While severe winter storms, hurricanes, or flooding can result in major stoppages or evacuations and cost millions of dollars, the day-to-day weather events such as rain, fog, snow, and freezing rain can have a serious impact on the mobility and safety of users. The application of IntelliDrive technologies, Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS), and weather/traffic data collection and forecasting technologies, presents new opportunities to improve the safety and mobility of the traveling public through improved knowledge and understanding of how individual drivers behave during adverse weather, and analyzing how their decisions collectively impact traffic fl ow. This information can then be used to support weather-responsive traffic management strategies such as real-time modification of traffic signal and ramp meter timings, automated deicing systems, and variable speed limits. Despite the documented impacts of adverse weather on transportation, understanding the linkages between inclement weather conditions and traffic fl ow remain tenuous. KW - Evacuation KW - Highway traffic control KW - IntelliDrive (Program) KW - Ramp metering KW - Real time information KW - Road weather information systems KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic speed KW - Weather conditions UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33721/TrafficFlow_508_web/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33721/TrafficFlow_508_web/trafficflow_pdf.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927686 ER - TY - SER AN - 01164234 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Medina, Juan C AU - Benekohal, Rahim F AU - Hajbabaie, Ali AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Sensys Wireless Vehicle Detection System: Results from the First Three Months PY - 2009/11//Research Report IS - 09-059 SP - 27p AB - The Sensys Wireless Vehicle Detection System uses wireless magnetometers embedded in the pavement that communicate without wires to an access point connected to a standard detector rack. This research evaluated the detection performance of this system at two locations: a signalized intersection with three approaching lanes (at stop bar and advance zones), and a railroad grade crossing, as a potential backup option for crossing gates applications. Video images and the time of activation/deactivation of the sensors and loop detectors (placed at exactly the same location as the sensors), were collected after the system was installed by Sensys Networks, yielding some initial results (initial setup). Subsequently, Sensys Networks was provided with the initial results (false, missed, stuck-on, and dropped calls) and were allowed to readjust the system (modified setup) so that the best performance could be obtained. Thus, this report includes results from the initial and the modified setups at the two selected locations. At the railroad location, false calls due to adjacent vehicles ranged from 12.1% to 53.7%, missed calls were low (<1%), and stuck-on calls due to trains and cars were rare (but up to 30 min long). At the signalized intersection, false calls were more frequent at the stop bar (13.5% to 19.6%) than at the advance zones (0.7% to 2.4%). Missed calls were low at the stop bar (<0.5%), and ranged between 0.9% and 10% at the advance zones. Stuck-on calls and dropped calls were very rare and only found at stop bar zones. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Loop detectors KW - Magnetometer detectors KW - Performance KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Sensors KW - Signalized intersections KW - Vehicle detectors UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2142/45971 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923610 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01163741 AU - Bomar, Marsha Anderson AU - Becker, Erika P AU - Stollof, Edward R AU - Street Smarts AU - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Urban Freight Case Studies: Washington, DC PY - 2009/11 SP - 22p AB - This report documents notable practices in urban goods movement. Washington, DC is one of four urban areas selected for study. The other areas are Los Angeles, New York City, and Orlando. The case studies provide information on freight-related initiatives that mitigate congestion and improve the safety and efficiency of commercial vehicle travel in urban areas. To develop the most useful case studies, FHWA conducted an extensive review of freight-related projects and strategies that provide practical information and transferable solutions to the challenges that confront urban goods movement. FHWA also conducted site visits and interviews with organizations involved in project implementation, including state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, city governments, and businesses. KW - Case studies KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Freight traffic KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Urban areas KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10018/fhwahop10018.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/924314 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01163739 AU - Bomar, Marsha Anderson AU - Becker, Erika P AU - Stollof, Edward R AU - Street Smarts AU - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Urban Freight Case Studies: Los Angeles PY - 2009/11 SP - 18p AB - This report documents notable practices in urban goods movement. Los Angeles is one of four urban areas selected for study. The other areas are New York City, Orlando, and Washington, DC. The case studies provide information on freight-related initiatives that mitigate congestion and improve the safety and efficiency of commercial vehicle travel in urban areas. To develop the most useful case studies, FHWA conducted an extensive review of freight-related projects and strategies that provide practical information and transferable solutions to the challenges that confront urban goods movement. FHWA also conducted site visits and interviews with organizations involved in project implementation, including state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, city governments, and businesses. KW - Case studies KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Freight traffic KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10020/fhwahop10020.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/924307 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01163738 AU - Bomar, Marsha Anderson AU - Becker, Erika P AU - Stollof, Edward R AU - Street Smarts AU - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Urban Freight Case Studies: Orlando PY - 2009/11 SP - 18p AB - This report documents notable practices in urban goods movement. Orlando is one of four urban areas selected for study. The other areas are Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, DC. The case studies provide information on freight-related initiatives that mitigate congestion and improve the safety and efficiency of commercial vehicle travel in urban areas. To develop the most useful case studies, FHWA conducted an extensive review of freight-related projects and strategies that provide practical information and transferable solutions to the challenges that confront urban goods movement. FHWA also conducted site visits and interviews with organizations involved in project implementation, including state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, city governments, and businesses. KW - Case studies KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Freight traffic KW - Orlando (Florida) KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10021/fhwahop10021.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/924310 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01163734 AU - Bomar, Marsha Anderson AU - Becker, Erika P AU - Stollof, Edward R AU - Street Smarts AU - Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Urban Freight Case Studies: New York PY - 2009/11 SP - 30p AB - This report documents notable practices in urban goods movement. New York is one of four urban areas selected for study. The other areas are Los Angeles, Orlando, and Washington, DC. The case studies provide information on freight-related initiatives that mitigate congestion and improve the safety and efficiency of commercial vehicle travel in urban areas. To develop the most useful case studies, FHWA conducted an extensive review of freight-related projects and strategies that provide practical information and transferable solutions to the challenges that confront urban goods movement. FHWA also conducted site visits and interviews with organizations involved in project implementation, including state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, city governments, and businesses. KW - Case studies KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Freight traffic KW - New York (New York) KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10019/fhwahop10019.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/924308 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162044 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Placer Parkway corridor preservation from State Route 70/99 to State Route 65, Sutter and Placer counties : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/11//Volumes held: Draft(2v), Revised draft, Final KW - California KW - Environmental impact statements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923028 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159896 AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Krechmer, Daniel AU - Cordahi, Gustave AU - Zohdy, Ismail AU - Sadek, Shereef AU - Arafeh, Mazen AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Microscopic Analysis of Traffic Flow in Inclement Weather PY - 2009/11 SP - 119p AB - Weather causes a variety of impacts on the transportation system. An Oak Ridge National Laboratory study estimated the delay experienced by American drivers due to snow, ice, and fog in 1999 at 46 million hours. While severe winter storms, hurricanes, or floodings can result in major stoppages or evacuations of transportation systems and cost millions of dollars, the day-to-day weather events such as rain, fog, snow, and freezing rain can have a serious impact on the mobility and safety of the transportation system users. Despite the documented impacts of adverse weather on transportation, the linkages between inclement weather conditions and traffic flow in existing analysis tools remain tenuous. This is primarily a result of limitations on the data used in research activities. The scope of this research included use of empirical data, where available, to estimate weather impacts on three categories of submodels related to driver behavior, longitudinal vehicle motion models (acceleration, deceleration and car-following models), lane-changing models and gap acceptance models. Empirical data were used to estimate impacts of adverse weather on longitudinal and gap acceptance models but no suitable datasets were identified for lane-changing models. Existing commercial microsimulation software packages were then reviewed to identify whether and how weather-related factors could be utilized in these models. The various submodels used in these packages to estimate longitudinal motion, lane-changing and gap acceptance models were evaluated. The research found that for the most part, weather-related factors could be incorporated into these models, although the techniques vary by package and by type of model. Additional empirical research is needed to provide confidence in weather-related adjustment factors, particularly as relates to ice and snow. This report concludes with some recommendations of future research related to weather and traffic flow. Additional work is proposed related to human factors and microscopic traffic modeling. KW - Human factors KW - Microscopic traffic flow KW - Microsimulation KW - Statistical analysis KW - Traffic models KW - Weather KW - Weather conditions UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32539/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32500/32539/tfiw_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920362 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159892 AU - Haas, R AU - Perry, E AU - Rephlo, J AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Case Study on Applying the Systems Engineering Approach: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from the Chattanooga SmartBus Project PY - 2009/11 SP - 34p AB - This report presents the results of a review of the systems engineering processes used during the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority’s (CARTA) SmartBus Project. The Smartbus Project is a comprehensive transit ITS program for the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee involving deployment of a wide array of transit ITS technologies. This review was part of the national evaluation of the SmartBus Project, a project that is being implemented in part with fiscal year (FY03) ITS Integration Program earmark funding and is being evaluated by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). This review highlights a number of features of CARTA’s approach to systems engineering that helped lead to the success of its ITS deployments. Some of these features were: (a) documenting their long-term vision for ITS, (b) avoiding the temptation to do too much too fast, (c) testing systems thoroughly before introducing them to operation, and (d) being willing to accept schedule delays when needed to help manage deployment risks. In the end, CARTA’s ITS program helped them evolve from an organization relying on manual processes and compartmentalized software systems to one with integrated applications and automated processes. KW - Bus transit KW - Chattanooga (Tennessee) KW - Data warehouses KW - Evaluation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Systems engineering UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32600/32672/61027_se.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32600/32672/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920390 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159349 AU - Martinez, Mark AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Rideability of a Deflected Bridge Approach Slab PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 60p AB - This report presents the findings associated with the development of a new pavement roughness index called the Posted Speed Localized Roughness Index (LRIPS) that can be used to rate the ride quality on bridge approach slabs. Currently established pavement roughness indices, such as ride number (RN), profile index (PI) and international roughness index (IRI) cannot effectively rate approach slabs due to inherent limitations. This study was initiated in support of a Louisiana Quality Initiative (LQI) research effort entitled “Preservation of Bridge Approach Rideability,” which sought to investigate methods of improving ride quality on bridge approach slabs [18]. The LRIPS is derived using the accelerometer outputs which high-speed profilers provide. Based on the data collected through this research, vehicle travel can be considered comfortable if the LRIPS is smaller than 1.2; uncomfortable if it is between 1.2 and 6.0; tolerable if between 6.0 and 30; intolerable if between 30 and 150 and unsafe if greater than 150. KW - Accelerometers KW - Bridge approaches KW - Pavement performance KW - Ride quality KW - Roughness UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2010/fr_457.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/32000/32800/32811/fr_457.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919337 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01159196 AU - Turnbull, Katherine F AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Battelle AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - 13th International HOV/HOT Systems Conference Partnerships for Innovation – Conference Proceedings PY - 2009/11//Technical Report SP - 113p AB - This report documents the proceedings of the "13th International HOV/HOT Systems Conference: Partnerships for Innovation." The Conference was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 7-9, 2008. The proceedings summarize the presentations from the general session and the breakout sessions. The general sessions included presentations on the I-394 MnPASS High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes in Minnesota and the Minnesota Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA). A variety of topics were covered in the breakout sessions. Updates were provided on High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) and HOT projects in metropolitan areas throughout the country, planning studies underway, and the UPA and Congestion Reduction Demonstration projects. U1 - 13th International HOV/HOT Systems Conference: Partnerships for InnovationTransportation Research BoardFederal Highway AdministrationMinneapolis,Minnesota,United States StartDate:20080907 EndDate:20080909 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Federal Highway Administration KW - Conferences KW - Congestion mitigation KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Planning KW - Traffic congestion KW - Urban Partnership Agreements UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10008/fhwahop10008.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919766 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01157111 AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Procedures for Establishing Speed Zones PY - 2009/11 SP - 77p AB - The purpose of this manual is to provide the information and procedures necessary for establishing speed zones and advisory speeds on the state highway system. This manual is intended for use by entities with authority to set speed zones. It is only required to be used by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and cities when establishing speed zones on the state highway system. KW - Advisory speeds KW - Manuals KW - Speed zones KW - Texas Department of Transportation KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic speed UR - http://onlinemanuals.txdot.gov/txdotmanuals/szn/index.htm UR - http://onlinemanuals.txdot.gov/txdotmanuals/szn/szn.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917290 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01157007 AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Littleton, P AU - Hoffman, G AU - Gokhale, Salil AU - Ullman, G L AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - I-85 Interchange Design-Build Project Using Prefabricated Bridge Elements in West Point, GA PY - 2009/11 SP - 48p AB - As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE program, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) was awarded a $1 million grant to demonstrate the use of proven, innovative technologies to deliver an $81 million project in less time than conventional construction. This report documents the design-build project in Troup County to construct a new Interstate 85 interchange, 10 miles (16 kilometers) of four-lane frontage and access roadway, another bridge, and all other items associated with this large economic development project. The interchange includes prefabricated bridge substructure elements, used for the first time in the State. This report discusses the use of the design-build (D-B) contracting method, a first for Georgia, implemented under newly passed State legislation. The project also includes other firsts for Georgia, including requiring the D-B contractor to propose state-of-the-art methods to achieve performance expectations, the use of prefabricated elements to construct the bridge substructure and real-time traffic operations support through speed band monitoring on I-85. GDOT also set traffic incident response time goals for this project. Under conventional construction, the impact of this project on the traveling public was estimated at 30 months, but with the use of the D-B contracting technique and prefabricated bridge elements, the impact was reduced to only 16.5 months. KW - Bridge substructures KW - Highway design KW - Interchanges KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Real time information KW - Traffic engineering KW - Traffic flow KW - Urban areas KW - West Point (Georgia) UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdfs/ga_111509.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917287 ER - TY - SER AN - 01156665 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Beranek, Shannon AU - Carpenter, Samuel H AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Fatigue Failure Testing in Section F PY - 2009/11//Research Report IS - 09-058 SP - 62p AB - Project IHR-R39, titled “Validation of Design Concepts for Extended Life Hot Mix Asphalt Pavements (ELHMAP), was funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to develop data in support of the philosophy of design and performance of the newly proposed concept of Perpetual Pavements (PP). The concept of a PP was to have a rut-resistant surface, a fatigue-resistant asphalt rich lower layer, and sufficient total thickness to eliminate the development of fatigue cracking. The total thickness would produce a tensile strain at the bottom of the asphalt layers that would be below 70 micro strain during the hottest period of the year. A major part of the testing was directed toward developing updated laboratory fatigue algorithms for current IDOT mixtures. The full scale test sections included a six-inch-thick section constructed for testing to fatigue failure. This testing was designed to illustrate the degree of conservatism involved in using the laboratory design fatigue algorithms relative to actual testing in the field. This report describes the testing and results that support the concept of healing, rest periods between wheel loads, in extending the fatigue life in the field relative to the laboratory predictions. The testing reported here supports a life extension ranging from 10 to 20 based on field crack development. KW - Algorithms KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Failure KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Pavement design KW - Perpetual pavements KW - Service life KW - Tension KW - Test sections KW - Thickness UR - https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/45970/FHWA-ICT-09-058.pdf?sequence=2 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917708 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156642 AU - Berg, Ryan R AU - Christopher, Barry R AU - Samtani, Naresh C AU - Ryan R. Berg & Associates, Incorporated AU - National Highway Institute TI - Design of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes – Volume II PY - 2009/11 SP - 404p AB - This manual is the reference text used for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Highway Institute (NHI) courses No. 132042 and 132043 on Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes (RSS) and reflects current practice for the design, construction and monitoring of these structures. This manual was prepared to enable the engineer to identify and evaluate potential applications of MSE walls and RSS as an alternative to other construction methods and as a means to solve construction problems. The scope is sufficiently broad to be of value for specifications specialists, construction personnel and contracting personnel responsible for construction inspection, development of material specifications and contracting methods. With the aid of this text, the engineer should be able to properly select, design, specify, monitor and contract for the construction of MSE walls and RSS embankments. The MSE wall design within this manual is based upon Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) procedures. This manual is a revision (to LRFD) and an update to the FHWA NHI-00-043 manual, which was based upon allowable stress design (ASD) procedures. Volume II contains Chapters 8 through 11 and the appendices. KW - Construction KW - Contracting KW - Design KW - Embankments KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Manuals KW - Mechanically stabilized earth KW - Retaining walls KW - Specifications KW - State of the practice UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917642 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156641 AU - Berg, Ryan R AU - Christopher, Barry R AU - Samtani, Naresh C AU - Ryan R. Berg & Associates, Incorporated AU - National Highway Institute TI - Design of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes – Volume I PY - 2009/11 SP - 332p AB - This manual is the reference text used for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Highway Institute (NHI) courses No. 132042 and 132043 on Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes (RSS) and reflects current practice for the design, construction and monitoring of these structures. This manual was prepared to enable the engineer to identify and evaluate potential applications of MSE walls and RSS as an alternative to other construction methods and as a means to solve construction problems. The scope is sufficiently broad to be of value for specifications specialists, construction personnel and contracting personnel responsible for construction inspection, development of material specifications and contracting methods. With the aid of this text, the engineer should be able to properly select, design, specify, monitor and contract for the construction of MSE walls and RSS embankments. The MSE wall design within this manual is based upon Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) procedures. This manual is a revision (to LRFD) and an update to the FHWA NHI-00-043 manual, which was based upon allowable stress design (ASD) procedures. Volume I contains Chapters 1 through 7. KW - Construction KW - Contracting KW - Design KW - Embankments KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Manuals KW - Mechanically stabilized earth KW - Retaining walls KW - Specifications KW - State of the practice UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/geotech/pubs/nhi10024/nhi10024.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917639 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156595 AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Glover, Leslie Titus AU - Darter, Michael I AU - Von Quintus, Harold L AU - Gotlif, Alex AU - Stanley, Mark AU - Sadasivam, Suri AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidelines for Implementing NCHRP 1-37A M-E Design Procedures in Ohio: Volume 1— Summary of Findings, Implementation Plan, and Next Steps PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 112p AB - Highway agencies across the nation are moving towards implementation of the new AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) for pavement design. The benefits of implementing the MEPDG for routine use in Ohio includes (1) achieving more cost effective and reliable pavement designs, (2) lower initial and life cycle costs to the agency, and (3) reduced highway user impact due to lane closures for maintenance and rehabilitation of pavements. Implementation of the MEPDG is a process that requires time and agency resources (staffing, training, testing facilities including equipment, and so on). A key requirement is validating the MEPDG’s nationally calibrated pavement distress and smoothness prediction models when applied under Ohio conditions and performing local calibration if needed. Feasibility of using the MEPDG’s national models in Ohio was investigated under this study using data from a limited number of Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) projects located in Ohio. Results based on limited data showed inadequate goodness of fit and significant bias in a number of the MEPDG new hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement and jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) performance prediction models. Limited recalibration of these models showed promising results indicating that a full-scale recalibration effort using a more extensive database assembled from projects located throughout the state is feasible. This report, which is Volume 1 of 4, summarizes the findings of the entire Ohio MEPDG implementation effort (literature review, sensitivity analysis, and local validation and calibration of MEPDG models) conducted as part of this study. In addition, this volume presents future steps the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) needs to consider to fully implement the MEPDG in Ohio. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Calibration KW - Concrete pavements KW - Guidelines KW - Implementation KW - Literature reviews KW - Mathematical models KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Ohio KW - Pavement performance KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Validation UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/528837439/viewonline UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917273 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156592 AU - Glover, Leslie Titus AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidelines for Implementing NCHRP 1-37A M-E Design Procedures in Ohio: Volume 4—MEPDG Models Validation & Recalibration PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 99p AB - The development of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) under National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) projects 1-37A and 1-40D has significantly improved the ability of pavement designers to model and simulate the effects of traffic and climate on future pavement damage, distress, and smoothness. With the adoption of the MEPDG as an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Interim Guide for Pavement Design, the next step is to integrate the MEPDG into the mainstream of pavement design procedures of State highway agencies across the U.S. The objective of this project was to implement the MEPDG for the Ohio Department of Transportation. More specifically, this study investigated a key requirement for integrating the MEPDG into current Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) pavement design procedures, that is, evaluating the adequacy of global calibration factors for predicting pavement performance in Ohio and, if needed, developing local calibration factors. Using very limited data from a few Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) projects located at one site in central Ohio, the study found that the prediction capacities of the MEPDG new hot mix asphalt (HMA) rutting and smoothness (IRI) models and the new jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) IRI model needed to be calibrated for Ohio conditions. The HMA alligator cracking model was not evaluated because of lack of adequate data. The results of a limited recalibration of these models are presented in this report, Volume 4 of four volumes. Further evaluation and recalibration is recommended using a more comprehensive database containing both HMA and JPCP projects that reflect Ohio pavement design and construction practices as well as climate and subgrade conditions. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Calibration KW - Concrete pavements KW - Guidelines KW - Implementation KW - Mathematical models KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Ohio KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Recalibration KW - Validation UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/528837439/viewonline UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917286 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156591 AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Glover, Leslie Titus AU - Darter, Michael I AU - Von Quintus, Harold L AU - Gotlif, Alex AU - Stanley, Mark AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidelines for Implementing NCHRP 1-37A M-E Design Procedures in Ohio: Volume 3—Sensitivity Analysis PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 195p AB - The new Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (NCHRP 1-37A and 1-40D) is based on fundamental engineering principles and is far more comprehensive than the current empirical AASHTO Design Guide developed for conditions more than 40 years previous. The implementation process will require a number of years and additional resources for staffing, obtaining inputs (e.g., new equipment), and training. The benefits of implementation are very significant and range from achieving more cost effective and reliable designs, to lower initial and life cycle costs to the agency, to reduced highway user impact due to lane closures for maintenance and rehabilitation of pavements. This report addresses a key aspect of the implementation process that is identification of the most significant inputs based on current Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) design and material specifications and Ohio site conditions (traffic, climate, subgrade). Identification of the most significant inputs was done by performing a comprehensive sensitivity analysis. Practical recommendations are made for each input studied. The results presented in this report, Volume 3 of four volumes, are part of the first phase of a process to implement the new design guide in Ohio. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Concrete overlays KW - Concrete pavements KW - Guidelines KW - Implementation KW - Input data KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Ohio KW - Pavement design KW - Sensitivity analysis UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/528837439/viewonline UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917283 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156585 AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Glover, Leslie Titus AU - Liang, Robert Y AU - Chou, Eddie Y J AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidelines for Implementing NCHRP 1-37A M-E Design Procedures in Ohio: Volume 2—Literature Review PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 123p AB - The development of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) under National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) projects 1-37A and 1-40D has significantly improved the ability of pavement designers to model and simulate the effects of the combination of traffic and climate on future pavement damage, distress, and smoothness. With the adoption of the MEPDG as an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Interim Guide for Pavement Design, the next step is to integrate the MEPDG into the mainstream of pavement design procedures of State highway agencies across the U.S. The objective of this project is to implement the MEPDG for the Ohio Department of Transportation. To successfully accomplish this objective, it was important to review significant literature published on the MEPDG to identify issues related to the implementation of the MEPDG as a design standard and review feedback on how effective the MEPDG is as a pavement design tool among others. Since the completion of the MEPDG in 2004, there have been significant efforts by State highway agencies (SHAs), transportation organizations (e.g., FHWA, NCHRP), and others to evaluate the MEPDG design procedure (e.g., models, algorithms) and implement the MEPDG as a pavement design standard, or to adopt the MEDPG as part of existing or new pavement design, evaluation, and analysis procedure. A detailed overview of some of the key activities undertaken or in the process of being undertaken nationwide and in Ohio is presented in this report, Volume 2 of four volumes. KW - Design standards KW - Guidelines KW - Implementation KW - Literature reviews KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Ohio KW - Pavement design UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/528837439/viewonline UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917280 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01155838 AU - Miller, Richard A AU - Swanson, James A AU - Engel, Richard AU - Nusairat, Jamal AU - Walters, Richard AU - Barnhart, James AU - University of Cincinnati AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Strategic Initiative 9 Pilot Bridge Concepts PY - 2009/11 SP - 99p AB - Ohio DOT created Strategic Initiative 9 to study ways to build bridges faster, smarter and better. This report examines the construction of 6 bridges. For three bridges, one continuous for live load steel stringer, one simple span steel beam with precast deck panels and an adjacent precast slab panel bridge the speed of construction was studied. For three adjacent box beam bridges, the use of lateral post-tensioning as a means of improving performance was studied. The main conclusion of the study was that the success or failure of the project was not caused by technical issues, but by human issues. Specifically, successful project had well done plans and specifications, used pre-bid and pre-construction meetings to get information to the contractor, used partnering, had all parties aligned to the same goals, had good change management and allowed significant latitude to field personnel to make decisions. It was also found that unless incentives/disincentives were very large, they did not make a difference. Finally, lateral post-tensioning was found to be effective at improving the structural behavior the adjacent box girder bridge, even at post-tensioning levels less than required by the AASHTO LRFD Specifications. KW - Bridges KW - Construction KW - Construction management KW - Planning KW - Posttensioning UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/537696762/viewonline UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55800/55854/FHWA-OH-2009-10_EXEC_SUMMARY.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/916454 ER - TY - SER AN - 01155114 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Molino, John AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Simulator Evaluation of Low-Cost Safety Improvements on Rural Two-Lane Undivided Roads: Nighttime Delineation for Curves and Traffic Calming for Small Towns PY - 2009/11 SP - 8p AB - This document is a technical summary of the Federal Highway Administration report, Simulator Evaluation of Low-Cost Safety Improvements on Rural Two-Lane Undivided Roads: Nighttime Delineation for Curves and Traffic Calming for Small Towns, FHWA-HRT-09-061. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) organized 26 States to participate in the FHWA Low Cost Safety Improvements Pooled Fund Study as part of its strategic highway safety plan support effort. The purpose of the pooled fund study is to estimate the safety effectiveness for several of the unproven low-cost safety strategies identified in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 500 Series. One of the strategies chosen to be evaluated for this study is improved curve delineation, which is intended to reduce the frequency of curve-related crashes by providing more conspicuous signing and lane markings. In this study, a driving simulator experiment was conducted to evaluate two sets of alternative low-cost safety improvements for rural areas based on Technical Advisory Committee recommendations from the 2007 Annual Meeting. The first set of improvements was directed toward enhancing the visibility of curves on rural two-lane undivided roads at night. It focused on achieving advanced detection and speed reduction in such curves. The second set of improvements was directed toward slowing traffic on rural two-lane undivided roads in small towns during the day by focusing on traffic calming within the towns. KW - Countermeasures KW - Driving simulators KW - Highway curves KW - Highway safety KW - Night visibility KW - Road markings KW - Rural highways KW - Small towns KW - Traffic calming KW - Traffic crashes KW - Two lane highways KW - Undivided highways UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09062/09062.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915780 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01155049 AU - Maser, Kenneth R AU - Puccinelli, Jason AU - Infrasense, Incorporated AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Analysis: Phase I PY - 2009/11//Phase I Report SP - 105p AB - The objective of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of expanding the Montana Department of Transportation's (MDT's) Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) program to a broader range of pavement evaluation activities. Currently, MDT uses GPR in conjunction with its Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) data collection program to provide layer thickness data for backcalculation. This program has included a review of literature and software dealing with pavement applications of GPR, a survey of state highway agency (SHA) use of GPR for pavement applications, a review of MDT's GPR program, and a review of MDT's pavement structures, environment, and pavement management, and rehabilitation practices. A detailed review of 47 documented studies shows that GPR pavement thickness measurements typically fall within 2-10% of core values for the bound layers. Most of these studies have used a 1.0 GHz horn antenna (vs. the 2.0 GHz antenna currently used by MDT). Accuracy of the unbound material is less precisely documented. The survey of SHA GPR practice supports the application of GPR for pavement thickness measurements—some agencies use GPR on a regular basis, while others use GPR on a project-specific basis. The application of GPR for measuring density of new AC pavement is currently being developed by Texas and Florida DOTs. Montana's pavement network is 97% AC, with mostly aggregate base but some areas with cement-treated base, and maintenance is typically carried out using chip seals. Based on an evaluation of MDT's rehabilitation and reconstruction practices, it appears that the GPR program can be expanded to provide useful information for the following applications: (a) calculation of structural number for pavement reconstruction and rehabilitation design; (b) insuring proper depth control for mill and fill rehabilitation, and cold in-place recycling; (c) improved structural capacity calculation for network level evaluation; and (d) quality assurance of new pavement thickness and density. In order to investigate the feasibility and value of these program expansions, it is recommended that a field evaluation project be designed and implemented to evaluate the accuracy of GPR pavement thickness (and density) data on Montana pavements, and to correlate these findings with the accuracy requirements of the individual applications. KW - Density KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Pavement layers KW - Pavements KW - Quality assurance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Structural number (Pavements) KW - Thickness UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/gpr/final_report.pdf UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/research/projects/pave/gpr.shtml UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45847/final_report69.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/916083 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154733 AU - Greenfeld, Joshua S AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Water Level Determination for Transportation Projects: Mean High Water Manual PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 129p AB - To ensure proficient network management and safe usage of navigable waterways especially in waters that are subject to tides, it is essential that the height of the water at various tidal phases be known. This knowledge is also essential for property ownership determination and for construction projects in areas that are subjected to tidal waters. Construction applications that require the knowledge of various tidal water levels include determination and implementation of bridge clearances, design of caissons, cofferdams, fenders, and weep holes. Bridge clearances are calculated from tide observations, tide predictions and an assessment of the size of vessels expected to travel beneath them. Additional considerations that are to be addressed during bridge construction are minimum underclearances necessary to operate construction equipment, the season of construction and its effect on the water level, regulatory requirements of agencies such as the US Coast Guard, etc. Water levels and clearances are expressed in terms of elevations in a particular height system. To avoid implementation errors, it is essential that proper research, analysis, methods and procedures be exercised prior to construction to ensure that a consistent height system is being used. Insufficient determination of the current water levels and misunderstanding of height systems could become a public safety problem and/or result in property damage or damage to the integrity of the transportation network. The objective of this manual is to establish a uniform New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) procedure for determining water level as applied to safety, construction projects, and bridge clearances determination in tidal areas. It includes an introduction to the phenomena of tides, discussions on tidal and vertical datum, legal issues of tides, and methods for establishing the mean high water (MHW) at a construction site. The manual includes a detailed outline of a MHW study that consists of planning, observation sessions, data reductions, computations, quality assessment of the established MHW and documentation of the established MHW. NJDOT consultants and in house staff should use the manual as a general reference for work in areas subject to tidal waters. KW - Caissons KW - Clearances (Bridges) KW - Cofferdams KW - Construction projects KW - Fenders (Wharves) KW - Inland waterways KW - Manuals KW - Mean high water KW - New Jersey KW - Tides UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2007-014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915903 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153608 AU - Schneider, William H AU - Tsapakis, Ioannis AU - University of Akron AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Review of Traffic Monitoring Factor Groupings and the Determination of Seasonal Adjustment Factors for Cars and Trucks PY - 2009/11//Technical Report SP - 299p AB - One of the most common traffic volume parameters reported by statewide traffic monitoring programs is annual average daily traffic (AADT). Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and other state agencies use a series of continuous vehicle detection devices in association with smaller more mobile short-term counts. Once the short-term counts are recorded a series of adjustment factors (time of day, day of week, month of year, or seasonal) are applied to the short-term counts. The end result is an estimated AADT for a particular segment of roadway. Traditionally, as defined in section two of the Traffic Monitoring Guide (TMG), there are three methodologies, geographic/functional assignment of roads to groups, cluster analysis and the same road application factor. In each case, there are advantages and disadvantages and currently there is not a final peer reviewed nationally suggested method. The benefits associated with this research include an improved method for estimating AADT throughout Ohio. KW - Adjustment factors KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Cluster analysis KW - Ohio KW - Seasonal adjustment factor KW - Traffic counts KW - Traffic surveillance UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/525285919/viewonline UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914934 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153221 AU - Spangler, Bryan AU - Thompson, Paul D AU - Michael Baker Jr., Incorporated AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Risk Management Strategy for Bridges and Structures PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 160p AB - This report is a study of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Risk Assessment program and a search for ways to improve the system. Research was done via literature search of relevant documents and surveys of PennDOT District personnel and selected other states with histories of asset management policies. Input was also received from the Bridge Quality Assurance Division who manages the system. The result is a list of quick strike, median range and long range recommendations for the system. In addition, a study was performed and a software tool provided to evaluate changes to the weights applied to the factors used to calculate the risk scores. KW - Asset management KW - Bridge management systems KW - Bridges KW - Literature reviews KW - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation KW - Risk assessment KW - Software KW - Structures KW - Surveys UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914769 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152879 AU - Shuler, Scott AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Short-Term Crack Sealant Performance and Reducing Bumps and Transverse Cracking in New Hot Mix Asphalt Overlays over Crack Sealants PY - 2009/11//Interim Report SP - 33p AB - This interim report is intended to provide preliminary information regarding the performance of crack sealants produced by three manufacturers during a two-year period in service in three pavements in Colorado. In addition, preliminary conclusions have been developed regarding the propensity of three of these sealants to contribute to bumps in new overlay hot mix asphalt. Results of performance evaluations made, to date, indicate that the crack sealants failed at a surprising rate after only one winter. However, subsequent performance surveys after twelve months and twenty-one months indicate a tendency for the sealants to heal. Routing the cracks prior to filling appears to provide the best performance when the filler is overbanded, and filling the cracks to within ¼ inch of the surface instead of flush with the surface or overbanding produced the poorest performance. Bumps accompanied by transverse cracking occurred over the crack sealants when a new hot mix overlay was placed after the crack sealants had been in service two years. The bumps and transverse cracks were exacerbated by utilizing steel rollers with vibration on breakdown of the hot mix asphalt overlay. The number of passes of the vibrating steel rollers further exacerbated the presence of the bumps and cracks. The same rollers used in static mode reduced the effect, and pneumatic rollers used for breakdown eliminated it. The ambient temperature and temperature of the substrate pavement during construction appears to have had little effect, as the same bumps and cracking occurred during vibratory breakdown after a small rain shower moistened the substrate pavement surface prior to the overlay hot mix asphalt placement. Concerning implementation, the use of vibratory steel rollers during breakdown compaction of hot mix asphalt overlays on asphalt pavements containing crack sealants appears to exacerbate the presence of bumps and transverse cracks in the new asphalt directly over and in front of the cracks. These bumps and cracking may be mitigated by the use of pneumatic rollers on breakdown. KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Bumps KW - Colorado KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pneumatic tire rollers KW - Routing (Cracks) KW - Sealing compounds KW - Steel-drum rollers (Compactors) KW - Transverse cracking KW - Vibratory rollers UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2009/cracksealants/view UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914448 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152813 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Freight Facts and Figures 2009 PY - 2009/11 AB - This report is a snapshot of the volume and value of freight flows in the United States, the physical network over which freight moves, the economic conditions that generate freight movements, the industry that carries freight, and the safety, energy, and environmental implications of freight transportation. This snapshot helps decision makers, planners, and the public understand the magnitude and importance of freight transportation in the economy. All modes of freight transportation are covered. KW - Commodity flow KW - Economic conditions KW - Energy KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Transportation safety UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/docs/09factsfigures/index.htm UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/docs/09factsfigures/pdfs/fff2009_highres.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914105 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152695 AU - Morgan, Rick L AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Centerline (Longitudinal) Joint Adhesive Performance: Two to Three-Year Review PY - 2009/11 SP - 41p AB - This report discusses preliminary evaluations of adhesive use along longitudinal paving joints on hot mix asphalt pavements to help prevent longitudinal cracking. Seven pavements where adhesive was applied to the vertical or sloped face of the first lane paved prior to overlaying the second lane are being evaluated for development of centerline cracking and ravelling. Three pavements were overlaid in 2004 and four pavements were overlaid in 2005. Three adhesive products made by different companies were used at bead widths of 2 inches and 4 inches. The 2-inch bead was used on all pavements while the 4-inch bead was used on two pavements. All but one pavement had a non-adhesive (control) section. This report only evaluated the use of longitudinal joint adhesives on overlays, although the adhesive could be used on the top layer of newly reconstructed pavements. This is a review of the distress found after at least one follow-up visit to all sites. A summary of the literature search is also presented. Conclusions from the limited data available were that longitudinal joint adhesives sections appear to be performing at least as well as or better than non-adhesive sections. Further, using adhesives along centerline paving joints appears to be a practical partial solution to longitudinal joint cracking. Additional site evaluation is required to determine long-term performance and cost effectiveness of the longitudinal joint adhesives. KW - Adhesives KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Longitudinal cracking KW - Longitudinal joints KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement performance KW - Stripping (Pavements) UR - http://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/FinalversSR149.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914403 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152672 AU - Perkins, Steven W AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Synthesis of Warm Mix Asphalt Paving Strategies for Use in Montana Highway Construction PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 212p AB - Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) used as an alternative to conventional Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) has gained national prominence. WMA uses technological advances that reduce the temperature needed to produce and compact asphalt for the construction of pavements, which results in lower costs, improved worker health, increased safety and reduced environmental impacts. Twelve WMA technologies are currently identified. Significant work has been conducted to demonstrate construction practices and to develop mixture design procedures. Twelve states currently have specifications for WMA. This report summarizes work performed to date that is pertinent to the Montana Department of Transportation's desire to move forward with implementation of WMA. Recommendations are given for research and implementation activities that should be followed to more broadly employ WMA technologies as a standard paving practice in Montana. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Implementation KW - Mix design KW - Montana Department of Transportation KW - Paving KW - Recommendations KW - Specifications KW - Technological innovations KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/warmmix/final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914377 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150325 AU - Quiroga, Cesar AU - Le, Jerry AU - Li, Yingfeng AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Utility Installation Review System – 2008 Follow-Up Report PY - 2009/11//Technical Report SP - 38p AB - In December 2007, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) received delivery of a web-based system that automates the submission, review, approval, construction, and archival of utility installation requests at TxDOT. The system, called Utility Installation Review (UIR), enables users to submit and process installation requests online, including supporting documentation such as design and construction drawings. The system also includes an online geographic information system (GIS)-based interface that enables users to locate and query proposed installation requests using an interactive map. The system includes tabular and GIS-based reporting options. This report summarizes the work completed in 2008. The original intent for this year was to conduct research implementation activities in three main areas: (1) maintain UIR software and conduct knowledge transfer based on user feedback and needs, (2) assist TxDOT with the statewide UIR training program, and (3) provide technical support to district and utility company users. As of December 2007, five TxDOT districts were online: Bryan, Fort Worth, Houston, Pharr, and San Antonio. At the beginning of 2008, TxDOT decided to postpone the statewide implementation of UIR until appropriate funding using an interagency agreement could be identified to support that effort. As a result, the researchers' focus in 2008 was to maintain the UIR software, conduct knowledge transfer, and provide technical support to district and utility company users in the five districts where UIR was active. This report summarizes these activities. KW - Computer online services KW - Geographic information systems KW - Permits KW - Public utilities KW - Right of way (Land) KW - Service request KW - Software KW - Texas KW - Underground utility lines KW - Utility cuts KW - Web-based systems UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/5-2110-03-4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/913031 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150233 AU - Kim, Sang-Soo AU - Sargand, Shad M AU - Wargo, Andrew AU - Ohio University, Athens AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Simple Test Procedure for Evaluating Low Temperature Crack Resistance of Asphalt Concrete PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 122p AB - The current means of evaluating the low temperature cracking resistance of hot mix asphalt (HMA) relies on extensive test methods that require assumptions about material behaviors and the use of complicated loading equipment. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a simple test method to directly measure the cracking resistance of HMA under field-like conditions. A ring shape asphalt concrete cracking device (ACCD) was developed. The ACCD utilizes the low thermal expansion coefficient of Invar steel to induce tensile stresses in a HMA sample as temperature is lowered. The results of the tests of the notched ring shaped specimens compacted around an ACCD Invar ring showed good repeatability with less than 1.0°C (1.8°F) standard deviation in cracking temperature. A laboratory validation indicated that ACCD results of five mixes correlate well with thermal stress restrained specimen test (TSRST) results with the coefficient of determination , r² = 0.86. To prepare a sample and complete TSRST measurement, it takes minimum 2-3 days. For ACCD, two samples can be easily prepared and tested in a single day with a small test set-up. The capacity of ACCD can be increased easily with minimal cost to accommodate a larger number of samples. Among factors affecting the low temperature performance of HMA, the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of aggregate has been overlooked for years. A composite model of HMA is proposed to describe the low temperature cracking phenomenon. Due to the orthotropic and composite nature of asphalt pavement contraction during cooling, the effects of aggregate CTE is amplified up to 18 times for a typical HMA. Of 14 Ohio aggregates studied, the maximum and the minimum CTEs are 11.4 and 4.0 x 10 to the -6 power/°C, respectively. During cooling, the contraction of Ohio aggregate with high CTE can double the thermal strain of asphalt binders in the asphalt mix and may cause asphalt pavement thermal cracking at warmer temperature. KW - Aggregates KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Coefficient of thermal expansion KW - Cracking KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Low temperature KW - Specimens KW - Test procedures UR - http://worldcat.org/arcviewer/2/OHI/2010/01/05/H1262703117329/viewer/file1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912626 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01148575 AU - Morcous, George AU - Erdogmus, Ece AU - University of Nebraska, Omaha AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Use of Ground Penetrating Radar for Construction Quality Assurance of Concrete Pavement PY - 2009/11//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Extracting concrete cores is the most common method for measuring the thickness of concrete pavement for construction quality control. Although this method provides a relatively accurate thickness measurement, it is destructive, labor intensive, and time consuming. Moreover, concrete cores are usually taken approximately every 750 ft, which may be inadequate for estimating the actual thickness profile of a pavement section; however extracting more cores would damage the pavement extensively and increase the labor cost and time excessively. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a well-established technique for subsurface exploration. Recently, GPR has been used for several transportation applications, such as measuring layer thickness in asphalt pavement, locating reinforcing bars and tendons, and detecting deteriorations and anomalies in concrete structures. The main advantages of GPR are speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness when scans are conducted on large areas. The objective of this project is to investigate the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of using GPR for measuring the thickness of concrete pavement for quality assurance purposes. The GPR systems GSSI SIR20 and SIR3000 with a high resolution 1.6 MHz ground coupled antenna were used in measuring the thickness of concrete pavement up to 14 inch thick. Several laboratory and field tests have been carried out to determine the accuracy of the GPR measurement at different concrete ages and when various metal artifacts are used underneath the concrete to improve the reflectivity of the bottom surface. Testing results have indicated that GPR is a cost-effective non-destructive technique for measuring the thickness of concrete pavement, compared to extracting concrete cores, and an accuracy of 1/8 in can be achieved when appropriate reflectors and calibration cores are used. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Measurement KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Quality assurance KW - Thickness UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45600/45681/Morcous_P307_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907581 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01147438 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Lane, Meg TI - Rehabbing Maine's I-295 Southbound PY - 2009/11 VL - 73 IS - 3 SP - pp 12-17 AB - Interstate 295 (I-295) between Gardiner and Topsham is a critical section of highway in southern Maine. Constructed in the early 1970s using concrete slabs, I-295 was beginning to show signs of accelerated deterioration due to alkali silica reactivity. In January 2008, the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) proposed shutting down an 18-mile stretch of I-295 southbound -- during the peak of the State's summer tourism season -- to reconstruct the pavement. This article describes how full road closure, robust public outreach, and diverse safety measures helped MaineDOT complete the job on time and on budget. The $28 million project included laying down 181,000 tons of asphalt, rehabilitating five bridges, and installing 7 miles of guardrail. MaineDOT chose full road closure due to time, cost and safety considerations. Sensitive to the potential impact on Mainers, visitors, and the economy, MaineDOT set firm dates for start and completion and offered its contractor a $2 million incentive for early completion. At midnight on June 15, 2008, MaineDOT closed the project section and diverted southbound traffic to two alternate roads. In addition to signage on the highway, motorists learned about the alternate routes through newspaper and radio advertising and posters at rest areas, tollbooths, and tourist destinations. To address concerns about tourism, MaineDOT partnered with a local marketing and communications agency to design and implement a multifaceted communications campaign that would raise awareness, encourage safety, and maintain public support before, during, and after the project. The department also deployed a number of safety devices to increase safety on the rural detour route. With these measures in place, traffic flowed smoothly on the detours throughout the summer. Thanks to 16-hour workdays and 7-day workweeks, MaineDOT reopened the newly reconstructed I-295 southbound to traffic approximately 20 days ahead of schedule. The ambitious plan worked so well that the department used the same approach in summer 2009 to reconstruct the northbound lanes of I-295. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Case studies KW - Construction projects KW - Highway maintenance KW - Interstate highways KW - Maine KW - Project management KW - Public information programs KW - Reconstruction KW - Street closure UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/09novdec/02.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906319 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01147433 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Doctor, Mark AU - Merritt, George AU - Moler, Steve TI - Designing Complex Interchanges PY - 2009/11 VL - 73 IS - 3 SP - pp 2-11 AB - A complex interchange contains many lanes and carries high traffic volumes through a maze of tightly spaced ramps and connectors. Drivers often have to make multiple lane changes, requiring intense attention and rapid decision making. As the Federal Highway Administration and State departments of transportation (DOTs) plan improvements to complex interchanges, they face the challenges of making those facilities more efficient and easier to use while meeting higher traffic demands, adopting modern engineering standards, and improving safety. This paper offers guidance and tips gleaned from the literature and from field experience that could help highway designers deal with challenges in designing complex interchanges. One of the primary design issues is that complex interchanges usually do not have conventional layouts. Instead, each complex interchange is unique, customized by State DOTs to meet the specific transportation needs of that location and region. Adding to the challenge is the uncertainty regarding how motorists will comprehend the completed design and whether they will be able to perform the driving maneuvers safely and appropriately. Four key issues for interchange designers' attention are ramp spacing, guide signing, route continuity, and lane balance. These issues, either individually or combined, can affect the project's design, traffic flow, safety, and cost. The use of design visualization, which uses techniques such as computer graphics, driving simulators, and animation to provide a representation of proposed alternatives and their associated impacts, could improve complex interchange projects. The use of road safety audits also could improve complex interchanges. When designing complex interchanges, taking the entire corridor into consideration, not just the interchange itself, can improve the overall safety and efficiency of the regional transportation system. The Marquette Interchange, which links three interstates in downtown Milwaukee, is highlighted as an example of a successful rebuilding of a complex interchange. KW - Case studies KW - Guide signs KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Interchanges KW - Milwaukee (Wisconsin) KW - Ramps (Interchanges) KW - Routes KW - Safety audits KW - Spacing KW - Traffic lanes KW - Visualization UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/09novdec/01.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906315 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01147432 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Sullivan, John J AU - Martin, Clark TI - The Role of TTAPs in Tribal Transportation PY - 2009/11 VL - 73 IS - 3 SP - pp 18-27 AB - Tribal governments face a distinct set of challenges building, operating, and maintaining safe roadways on tribal lands. These challenges include multijurisdictional authority, limited staffing and resources, and differences among the tribes in terms of factors such as land ownership. In 1991, to help tribal governments improve management of their transportation networks, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) created the Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP). This paper describes the role of the TTAPs and highlights some successes of the program. The TTAPs work with tribes in support of a number of FHWA programs related to road management and safety, including key programs administered by the FHWA program offices, with a particular focus on the Indian Reservation Roads program managed by the Office of Federal Lands Highway. Seven regional TTAP centers provide a variety of training programs, an information clearinghouse, updates on new and existing technology, and personalized technical assistance to tribal governments. Through these core services, the TTAP centers offer help in workforce development, asset management, and solutions to safety, environmental, congestion, capacity, and other issues related to highway mobility and safety. KW - Highway safety KW - Indian reservations KW - Information dissemination KW - Management KW - Mobility KW - Technical assistance KW - Technological innovations KW - Training KW - Tribal government KW - Tribal Technical Assistance Program KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/09novdec/03.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907712 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01147431 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Ghasemi, Hamid AU - Penrod, John AU - Hooks, John M TI - Developing Advanced Methods of Assessing Bridge Performance PY - 2009/11 VL - 73 IS - 3 SP - pp 28-35 AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) strives to improve the performance of the U.S. highway system, where performance is described at the system level in terms of safety, reliability, effectiveness, and sustainability. The challenge is to understand and define the performance of various components of the system in terms of a common set of objective metrics, so that engineers can measure and improve the performance of each asset and critical component, and ultimately the entire system. However, there are no uniform performance metrics or performance indicators for bridges. To fill this knowledge gap, the FHWA Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program has identified several issues where field investigation and analysis of the existing relevant data will provide quantitative measures of bridge performance. Launched in 2008, the LTBP Program is a 20-year research effort addressing a number of objectives, such as achieving a deeper understanding of bridge performance, developing methods to measure it reliably, and using those measurements to improve the Nation's bridge infrastructure. Specific goals include determining how and why bridges deteriorate; determining the effectiveness of management practices and maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation strategies; examining the effectiveness of durability strategies for new bridge construction; and facilitating improvements in management practices through the use of quality data. A strategic action plan, with seven key steps, provides the program's overall direction. The seven steps include: defining bridge performance; identifying data to be collected; developing the data management system; designing the experimental program; pilot study; analyzing and modeling data; and review and refinement. Rather than establishing linear steps, the strategic plan requires ongoing quality control and assurance back to earlier phases as each of the remaining steps is reached. FHWA will use the knowledge gained from the LTBP Program to solve a variety of problems related to bridge condition assessment and management, to develop new measurement tools, and to advance knowledge of bridge design, construction, inspection, maintenance, and preservation. KW - Action plans KW - Bridge management systems KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway bridges KW - Highway safety KW - Long-Term Bridge Performance Program KW - Performance measurement KW - Quality control KW - Reliability KW - Strategic planning KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/09novdec/04.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907713 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147427 AU - Molinas, Albert AU - Mommandi, Amanullah AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Hydrau-Tech, Incorporated AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of New Corrosion/Abrasion Guidelines for Selection of Culvert Pipe Materials PY - 2009/11 SP - 122p AB - In this research effort, literature surveys and reviews of the current methodologies employed by various state departments of transportation (DOTs) were conducted. The literature survey identified the pertinent parameters in estimating the service life of various pipe materials. Following the literature survey, field visits to culvert sites were made to collect data. Selection of culvert sites was jointly made by engineers from Staff Bridge, Staff Hydraulics, and members of the study panel. Field surveying of 21 sites where failed pipe installations were observed was conducted in Colorado along I-70, I-25, and SH 58 to obtain a good cross-section of soil type samples. At these sites, soil and water samples were obtained and soil resistivities were determined using applicable Colorado Procedures, AASHTO test methods, or ASTM test methods. Soil and water samples from these sites were analyzed for sulfate/chloride level concentrations, and pH levels. Relevant culvert inspection data from Staff Bridge inspection programs were obtained and used in the analysis where needed. Data collected from literature searches, the Staff Bridge database, actual field surveys, and other unbiased reliable sources were analyzed. The service life was correlated with various parameters including type of material, pH level, chloride and sulfate level concentrations, specific resistivity, abrasion data (steep pipe slopes, high sediment loads, high flow velocity in pipes, etc.) and other factors that could have influenced premature deterioration or failures. A new service life chart for steel pipes was developed based on the information collected from the field observations and data analysis. Data from Colorado pipe failure cases were used in relating service life of pipes to soil resistivity. Pipe failure criteria were established in accordance with the ongoing culvert evaluation procedure along I-70 and I-25. For the steel pipe failure cases along I- 70 and I-25, the previously published service life predictors for steel pipes deviated from observations by as much as 10 times. Service life multipliers to account for steel pipe thickness effects had been greatly exaggerated. For aluminum pipes, the research identified chloride and sulfate concentrations as factors that reduced the service life of these pipes dramatically. It is anticipated that the results of this study will be adopted by cities, counties, and other states where selection of pipe materials for corrosion/abrasion resistance is required during the design and construction of transportation projects. Training courses provided to the Colorado DOT engineering community and to the general consulting engineering community can be used as an implementation tool. KW - Abrasion KW - Aluminum culverts KW - Chlorides KW - Colorado KW - Concrete pipe KW - Corrosion KW - Data collection KW - Electrical resistivity KW - Failure KW - Field studies KW - Literature reviews KW - Materials KW - Materials selection KW - Metal culverts KW - pH value KW - Pipe culverts KW - Service life KW - Soils KW - Steel pipe KW - Sulfates KW - Thickness UR - http://www.coloradodot.info/programs/research/pdfs/2009/culvetrpipes.pdf/view UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907690 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145986 AU - Eisele, William L AU - Frawley, William E AU - Crawford, Jason A AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Delivery of Workshops on Mobility Monitoring in Small to Medium-Sized Communities PY - 2009/11//Implementation Report SP - 18p AB - This report summarizes the delivery and outcome of a series of workshops conducted in 13 cities across the state of Texas on performing mobility monitoring in small to medium-sized communities. The workshops served as implementation for research project 0-5571, “Congestion Monitoring Measures and Procedures for Small to Medium-Sized Communities.” This report summarizes the workshop locations and attendance, workshop agenda and materials, and workshop evaluations and participant feedback. KW - Medium sized cities KW - Mobility KW - Monitoring KW - Small cities KW - Texas KW - Traffic congestion KW - Workshops UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/5-5571-01-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906655 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145977 AU - Trejo, David AU - Im, Seok Been AU - Pillai, Radhakrishna G AU - Hueste, Mary Beth D AU - Gardoni, Paolo AU - Hurlebaus, Stefan AU - Gamble, Michael AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effect of Voids in Grouted Post-Tensioned Concrete Bridge Construction: Inspection and Repair Manual for External Tendons in Segmental, Post-Tensioned Bridges PY - 2009/11//Technical Report SP - 62p AB - Segmental, post-tensioned (PT) bridges are major structures that carry significant traffic. These bridges are designed and constructed because they are economical for spanning long distances. In Texas, there are several signature PT bridges. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, several state highway agencies identified challenges with the PT structures, mainly corrosion of the PT strands. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) performed some comprehensive inspections of their PT bridges. A consultant’s report recommended that all ducts be re-grouted. However, the environment in Texas is very different than the environments in which the corrosion of the PT strands was observed in the other bridges. Report 0-4588-1 summarized the research findings from a comprehensive study on the corrosion characteristics, reliability, materials, and repair for PT bridges. This document, an inspection and repair manual, was developed from information from this research program. This document provides an efficient approach to inspect and repair PT bridges. However, it should be noted that in this manual, repair does not include filling the voids in the tendons with grout. A recent failure of a tendon in a bridge in Virginia was suspected of being caused by repair grouting of the tendon, possibly due to the formation of a galvanic couple between the new repair grout and the original grout. Although a procedure for pressure-vacuum grouting of tendons is provided in Appendix A of this manual, this method should not be used until the potential issue associated with galvanic corrosion of the strands after repair is resolved. KW - Air voids KW - Chlorides KW - Concrete bridges KW - Corrosion KW - Ducts KW - Failure KW - Grouting KW - Inspection KW - Manuals KW - Posttensioning KW - Repairing KW - Structural reliability KW - Tendons (Materials) KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-4588-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906626 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145971 AU - Morgan, Curtis A AU - Sperry, Benjamin R AU - Warner, Jeffery E AU - Protopapas, Annie A AU - Borowiec, Jeffrey D AU - Higgins, Laura L AU - Carlson, Todd B AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Potential Development of an Intercity Passenger Transit System in Texas – Report on Tasks 1-5 PY - 2009/11//Technical Report SP - 158p AB - This report summarizes the results of Tasks 1 through 5 of Texas Department of Transportation Research Project 0-5930: Potential Development of an Intercity Passenger Transit System in Texas. Rather than focus on any regional commuter or light rail systems within or radiating from individual urban areas, this project aims to determine which longer intercity and interregional corridors are most likely to need additional intercity travel capacity in the coming decades. Using these tools, the state of Texas could determine in which corridors to most appropriately invest its resources to connect different regions of the state to create an interregional, statewide transit system. The underlying analysis is based upon several factors related to: current and future population and demographic projections along 18 intercity corridors in the state; projected future demand based upon forecasts by the Texas State Demographer and other state agencies; and current network capacity and routes for intercity highway, bus, air, and rail travel. The concept plan produced in Task 5 will be further explored in the remaining months of the project to determine potential costs and benefits of implementing the concept plan or individual components. KW - Air transportation KW - Air travel KW - Bus transportation KW - Intercity passenger rail KW - Intercity transportation KW - Intercity travel KW - Public transit KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Railroad travel KW - Texas KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Transit capacity KW - Transportation corridors KW - Travel demand UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5930-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906592 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167078 AU - Sener, Ipek N AU - Ferdous, Nazneen AU - Bhat, Chandra R AU - Reeder, Phillip AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Tour-Based Model Development for TxDOT: Evaluation and Transition Steps PY - 2009/10/30/Technical Report SP - 227p AB - The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), in conjunction with the metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) under its purview, oversees the travel demand model development and implementation for most of the urban areas in Texas. In these urban areas, a package of computer programs labeled as the “Texas Travel Demand Package” or the “Texas Package” is used as the decision making tool to forecast travel demand and support regional planning, project evaluation, and policy analysis efforts. The Texas Package currently adopts the widely used four step trip-based urban travel demand modeling process, which was developed in the 1960s when the focus of transportation planning was to meet long-term mobility needs through the provision of additional transportation infrastructure supply. The trip-based model was intended to provide basic, aggregate-level, long-term travel demand forecasts for long-range regional transportation plans and evaluation of major infrastructure investments. Over the past three decades, however, the supply-oriented focus of transportation planning has expanded to include the objective of evaluating a range of travel demand management strategies and policy measures to address rapidly growing transportation problems, including traffic congestion and air quality concerns. The travel demand management emphasis, combined with federal regulations, has placed additional information demands on the capabilities of travel demand models. As a result, new approaches have been developed to model and forecast travel demand. The new approaches include the tour-based modeling approach, which employs tours instead of trips as the unit of analysis. The tour-based approach enhances the behavioral realism in modeling travel demand and the abilities of travel forecasting models in assessing transportation policies and evaluating alternative transportation investments. Hence, TxDOT is considering the implementation of tour-based modeling procedures. As a first step of a potential advanced model implementation, this proposed project evaluates the feasibility of, and documents the potential benefits from, a tour-based modeling process. It documents the steps to transition toward a tour-based framework, including an evaluation of data needs, software requirements, and software enhancements, ease of implementation and application, and staffing and related resource needs. KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Mobility KW - Public transit KW - Strategic planning KW - Texas KW - Traffic models KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand KW - Travel demand management KW - Urban areas UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33712/0_6210_2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927677 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154684 AU - Thiele, Jeffrey C AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Reid, John D AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Sicking, Dean L AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Limits for 6-in. (152-mm) High Curbs Placed in Advance of the MGS Using MASH Vehicles Part II: Full-Scale Crash Testing PY - 2009/10/30/Final Report SP - 134p AB - A full-scale crash test using Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) Test Level 3 (TL-3) criteria was performed on the Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) offset 8 ft (2.44 m) behind a 6-in. (152-mm) high AASHTO Type B curb with a top mounting height of 31 in. (787 mm) relative to the ground [37 in. (940 mm) relative to the roadway]. In the test, the vehicle was contained by the guardrail, but became unstable and rolled over. Analysis of the test revealed that the right-front tire snagged on a post and detached. The right-rear tire of the pickup traversed over the detached tire, causing the rear of the vehicle to pitch upward. The vehicle subsequently became unstable and rolled over. Thus, the MGS offset 8 ft (2.44 mm) behind a 6-in. (152-mm) high curb with a top mounting height of 31 in. (787 mm) was deemed to be unacceptable according to TL-3 of MASH. KW - Curbs KW - Guardrails KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Performance KW - Rollover crashes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915025 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150717 AU - Khattak, Aemal AU - McKnight, Gregory AU - Schurr, Karen AU - Bishu, Ram AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigation and Mitigation of Driver Confusion at Modern Roundabouts PY - 2009/10/30 SP - 151p AB - Construction of modern roundabouts in place of traditional four-legged intersections is becoming common in the United States. Roundabout negotiation can be confusing for drivers who are not familiar with their use. This research was carried out to identify roundabout elements that play a role in incorrect roundabout negotiation, ascertain driver characteristics prominent in incorrect roundabout negotiation, assess the relative potential for incorrect negotiation amongst different groups of drivers, and suggest measures for improving drivers’ abilities to negotiate roundabouts. Potential for incorrect roundabout negotiation was measured by asking questions in a survey questionnaire related to rules of roundabout negotiation and the purpose of different roundabout elements. Results showed six driver groups that had greater potential for incorrect roundabout negotiation: (1) Unfamiliar roundabout users compared to familiar users (those drivers using roundabouts more than once per month). (2) Passenger vehicle drivers compared to specialty vehicle drivers (police, bus, etc.). (3) Drivers in cities without roundabouts compared to drivers in cities with roundabouts. (4) Older drivers compared to younger drivers (ages less than 60 years). (5) Drivers who dislike roundabouts compared to drivers that like roundabouts. (6) Drivers that are not confident they can drive through a roundabout compared to drivers that are confident they can drive through a roundabout. KW - Attitudes KW - Driver characteristics KW - Drivers KW - Driving KW - Persons and personal characteristics KW - Roundabouts KW - Surveys UR - http://www.nebraskatransportation.org/mat-n-tests/research/Traffic/Final%20Report%20P598.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46900/46950/Investigation_and_Mitigation_of_Driver_Confusion_at_Modern_Roundabouts.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912723 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154676 AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Bielenberg, Robert W AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Reid, John D AU - Rohde, John R AU - Sicking, Dean L AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Holloway, James C AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Termination and Anchorage of Temporary Concrete Barriers PY - 2009/10/29/Final Report SP - 165p AB - Free-standing temporary barrier designs have been used on our nation’s highways for many years. Traditionally, these types of barriers have been designed and tested based solely on impacts in the middle of the barrier system or at the Length-Of-Need (LON). Historically, the assumption has been made that a crashworthy barrier system would perform adequately regardless of where it was impacted along the system length. However, it is believed that impacts closer to the system ends would very likely increase barrier deflections and may result in pocketing, vehicle climb, and/or vehicle instabilities, such as rollovers. This research study developed a termination anchorage for an F-shape temporary concrete barrier system that shortened the beginning of the LON for the system to the first barrier segment. The system was designed for use specifically with the Kansas F-shape temporary concrete barrier. The termination anchorage provided sufficient constraint to redirect vehicles impacting on the first barrier segment in the system, reduced vertical rotation of the end barrier segment to improve vehicle stability, used previously developed anchorage hardware, and could be attached to either end of the temporary barrier segment when placed on the upstream end of the system. The new termination and anchorage system for F-shape temporary concrete barriers was compliance tested according to the Test Level 3 safety requirements set forth in MASH. Full-scale crash test no. TTCB-1 was conducted according to the test no. 3-35 impact conditions as part of these requirements. Test no. TTCB-1 demonstrated a safe and successful redirection of the impacting vehicle, and the test was judged successful based on the MASH safety requirements. The test also showed that the termination anchorage successfully shortened the LON to the first barrier segment in the installation. Conclusions and recommendations regarding the implementation of the design are given in the report. KW - Anchorages KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - Concrete KW - Crashworthiness KW - Highway safety KW - Impact tests KW - Temporary barriers UR - http://engineering.unl.edu/specialty-units/mwrsf/MwRSF-Downloads/TempBarrier/TRB%20Paper%2010-0431.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915026 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573544 TI - Advanced Freeway Merge Assistance: Harnessing the Potential of Connected Vehicles AB - This project will investigate advanced freeway merge assistance strategies that can potentially be enabled by harnessing the potential of Connected Vehicle communication technologies. Strategies will be developed and assessed using simulation models of traffic and communication systems that provide measures of mobility and safety impacts. KW - Driver support systems KW - Freeways KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Merging traffic KW - Simulation KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/projectdetails.cfm?projectid=FHWA-PROJ-09-0066 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366733 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548578 AU - Lagioia, M AU - Oonk, M E AU - TNO Science and Industry AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Feasibility Study Intelligent Highways PY - 2009/10/28 SP - 33p AB - The project “Feasibility Study Intelligent Highways” was performed as part of ENTERPRISE, where the project is looking at the concept of Intelligent or Thinking Highways using miniature, low cost and maintenance free sensors in the road surface for multiple purposes. Within this study the main focus was on using embedded wireless sensor networks for traffic monitoring and detection. The aim of the project is to review and research the implications of such a new state-of-the-art data collection system for effective operational traffic management and to perform a technological feasibility study for short term implementation. The feasibility study consisted of 3 phases: (1) Literature study after the State of the Art of know how and technology; (2) Identification of possible application areas; and (3) Analyses of expectations and maturity of technology aimed at deployment. KW - Data collection KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Literature reviews KW - Sensors KW - Technological innovations UR - http://enterprise.prog.org/Projects/2002_2009/finalreports/MON-RPT-033-DTS-2009-037371.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333231 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547242 TI - An Acoustic Emission-Based Test to Determine Asphalt Binder and Mixture Embrittlement Temperature AB - This project will develop and demonstrate the use of an acoustic emission-based test method for rapid and reliable characterization of asphalt binder embrittlement temperature. The work will be carried out in two stages. Work in Stage 1 will focus on developing an improved prototype of an asphalt embrittlement device and standardizing and validating the binder test method. The prototype will feature an integrated cooling chamber and an acoustic emission measurement system incorporating signal processing and data analysis. The next task will involve standardizing the binder testing method for determining the embrittlement temperature with particular reference to cooling rate, acoustic emission data filtering and data interpretation, sample preconditioning, and physical hardening. Binder samples from the university's material database will be tested along with samples provided by the Asphalt Institute. The embrittlement temperature results will be compared to other low temperature parameters, such as critical cracking temperature from BBR, DTT, and the AASHTO MP1a method. Work in Stage 2 will focus on developing and validating mixture testing methods. Three specimen configurations will be examined: loose mixture (aggregates coated with asphalt), compacted asphalt mixture (compacted with the Superpave gyratory compactor, for instance), and restrained asphalt mixture (such as an asphalt mixture bonded to a rigid substrate). The embrittlement temperature measured in these three mixture 'states' will be compared to the embrittlement temperature measured on the binder to explore relationships between these parameters. To investigate the feasibility of determining the embrittlement temperature on pavements in-situ, pavements in the Urbana-Champaign area and the ATREL's full-scale testing facility will be tested using the prototype device. Binder and mixture samples from the university's material database will also be tested, along with samples provided by the Asphalt Institute to validate the relationship between embrittlement temperature and the field performance of asphalt pavement surfaces. The final report will provide all relevant data, guidelines and specifications for using the new test method, and plans for its implementation by highway agencies. KW - Acoustic emission KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Binders KW - Cracking KW - Embrittlement KW - Superpave KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Test procedures UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2852 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334223 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547241 TI - Shape Memory Alloy Enhanced SMART Bridge Expansion Joints AB - This project will develop, evaluate, and demonstrate the application of a new class of bridge expansion joints based on shape memory alloys (SMAs) to provide superior resistance to fatigue, dynamic loads, and corrosion. The project will be carried out in three stages. Work in Stage 1 will focus on component testing and design of the SMART bridge expansion joint. Tests of SMA components that will form the basis of the SMART expansion joint will be conducted. The device will be tested under a range of loading conditions employing different displacement levels and loading rates. The results from the component tests will be used to design a prototype SMART joint in coordination with the industrial partner (The Watson Bowman Company). Work in the second stage will focus on full-scale tests of the SMART joint system. A full-scale expansion joint will be fabricated and tested under dynamic conditions as part of the experimental program of this study. A base full-scale joint will be procured from the Watson Bowman company and modified with SMA components developed and characterized in Stage 1. A series of tests on the joint system will be performed under a range of loading conditions. Work in the third and final stage will involve analytical modeling and life-cycle cost analysis of the SMART expansion joints. The results of the experimental testing program will be used to develop elements for analytical modeling of the SMA-based expansion joints. The analytical models of the connection element will be calibrated using experimental data to capture such characteristics as hysteretic properties, peak force transfer, effective damping, etc. The models will be implemented in the nonlinear analysis program OpenSEES for further dynamic analyses of typical bridge systems using SMART expansion joints. Fragility modeling and life-cycle cost models will be developed for bridges that include the SMART expansion joints along with a detailed cost-benefit analysis example for the joints. The final report will provide all relevant data and results along with life-cycle cost analysis and specifications and guidelines for the design and implementation of SMART expansion joints in highway bridges. KW - Bridge design KW - Corrosion KW - Dynamic loads KW - Expansion joints KW - Prototype tests KW - Shape memory alloys KW - Smart structures UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2853 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334222 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547240 TI - Use of Energy Absorbing Breakaway Posts for W-Beam Guardrail in Frozen Soil Conditions AB - This project will develop, test, and demonstrate the application of breakaway posts with energy absorbing capability to enhance the safety performance of W-beam guardrail in frozen soil conditions. The project is being carried out in two stages. Work in Stage 1 will focus on developing, evaluating, and identifying candidate breakaway post designs. New designs and concepts will be explored, screened, and ranked using computer simulation, manufacturing cost analysis, and evaluation on the basis of drivability, installation and maintenance. At least three top-ranked conceptual designs will be further evaluated using computer simulation. Prototypes of the selected designs will be fabricated and evaluated with bogie and drivability testing. The most promising prototypes will be further developed and tested in Stage 2 that will involve a full-scale crash test followed by field testing of the post system. The selected design will be first subjected to an on-site full-scale crash test to verify its impact performance. If warranted, further design modifications will be made to alleviate any problems identified during testing. Following crash test and any necessary refinements, field tests will be conducted in the states of Nebraska and Wisconsin to identify any potential problems with installation and to demonstrate the economic viability of the post system with regard to field performance and maintenance. The final report will summarize all data and results along with plans for implementation of the post system by highway agencies. KW - Breakaway supports KW - Energy absorbing poles KW - Frozen soils KW - Guardrails KW - Simulation KW - W beams UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2854 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334221 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547239 TI - Extraction of Layer Properties from Intelligent Compaction Data AB - This project will develop and demonstrate the application of a software tool for assessing physico-mechanical properties of subgrade, subbase, and base and lift layers based on intelligent compaction rollers data during construction. The work will be carried out in two stages. Work in Stage 1 will focus on developing robust models capable of matching intelligent compaction (IC) roller measurements of composite soil stiffness, given individual layer properties and thicknesses. Several different model structures will be pursued, including physical (such as layered mechanics) and non physical-based (such as stochastic) approaches. Field testing will be performed to provide data sets to facilitate model development. The Stage 1 deliverables will include physical and stochastic models to predict IC roller measurements of composite soil stiffness, given individual layer properties and thicknesses. The evaluation metrics for work in this stage will include quantifying the physical and stochastic models' ability to predict observed field behavior. Work in Stage 2 will involve development of an analysis tool based on Stage 1 results to predict layer properties from IC roller measured composite stiffness and thicknesses. Additional field testing will be conducted to evaluate the tool (including ease of implementation) on different types of soil. The deliverables for this stage will include an analysis tool to predict layer properties from IC roller-measured composite stiffness and layer thickness and a final report detailing all the relevant. The evaluation metrics for work in this stage will include quantifying the ability of the analysis tool to predict layer properties from IC roller-measured composite stiffness and layer thickness, the ease with which the tool could be implemented. The final report will detail the development of the analysis tool, its strengths and limitations, and strategies for its implementation by state DOTs. KW - Compaction KW - Composite materials KW - Mechanical properties KW - Pavement layers KW - Rollers KW - Soil stiffness KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Thickness UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2855 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334220 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547238 TI - Advanced Methods for Mobile Retroreflectivity Measurement on Pavement Marking AB - This project will develop and demonstrate the use of a prototype mobile unit for rapid and reliable measurement of pavement marking retroreflectivity. The project is being carried out in two stages. Work in Stage 1 will focus on designing and building a prototype laboratory unit capable of measuring retroreflectivity from sample strips. The unit will consist of a retroreflectivity measurement system, tracking system, geometry measurement system, neural network system, and speed simulator system. The unit will be capable of simulating measurements under various conditions such as vehicle dynamics, road gradient, and temperature variation. The evaluation criteria for the system will include accuracy and repeatability of retroreflectivity measurements on small strips. Work in Stage 2 will involve assembling and testing the mobile retroreflectivity unit mounted on a vehicle. The tasks to be completed will include designing and building the mounting mechanisms, selecting electrical power source and control, obtaining approval for laser safety, and developing calibration procedure. An extensive evaluation of the mobile unit will be performed at the Iowa State University's Center for Transportation Research and Education to establish reliability and accuracy of the system. Measurements using a hand-held LTL-X will be compared with the mobile unit's results. The final unit will include all the necessary features such as operator interface, data reporting, calibration and verification procedures, and incorporation of measurement data to other systems. The final report will provide guidelines and specifications for using the mobile retroreflectivity unit in the field and plans for its implementation by highway agencies. KW - Iowa KW - Neural networks KW - Prototype tests KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road marking materials KW - Road markings KW - Tracking systems UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2856 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334219 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547237 TI - Cleaning Mechanism to Remove Debris and Chemicals for Crack/Joint Sealing AB - This project will develop and demonstrate the use of a low-cost device using pneumatic power and rotary wire brushes to clean debris and chemicals from cracks and joints prior to sealing treatment. The project will be carried out in two stages. Work in the first stage will focus on designing and fabricating a prototype equipment for cleaning chemicals and debris from cracks and joints. A literature review will be conducted to uncover any past findings that could facilitate equipment development, in addition to gathering helpful feedback from industry through interviews and surveys. Additionally, on-site analyses of current crack and joint cleaning equipment and processes will be performed followed by a 3-D CAD modeling and fabrication of the initial prototype. The prototype will be tested in the laboratory and evaluated for mechanical durability, brush wear and effectiveness, air blast effectiveness, ergonomics, and equipment adaptability. Following necessary improvements, the prototype will be tested in the field in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR). Work in the second and final stage will involve further testing, evaluation, and refinement of the equipment as well as plans for commercialization. A business plan for commercialization of the equipment will be developed and interaction with industry will be established. The final report will provide all relevant data, guidelines and specifications for the new cracks/joints cleaning device and plans for its implementation by highway agencies. KW - Blast cleaning KW - Chemicals KW - Cleaning equipment KW - Debris removal KW - Guidelines KW - Joint sealing KW - Literature reviews KW - Prototype tests UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2857 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334218 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547236 TI - Automated Laser Spectrographic Pattern Matching for Aggregate Identification AB - This project will develop and demonstrate the use of a methodology for an automated, continuous, and real-time monitoring of aggregate quality based on pattern matching using a laser spectrographic sensor technology. The project is being carried out in two stages. Work in Stage 1 will focus on establishing the feasibility of the laser spectrographic sensor technology for aggregate quality evaluation. Samples of aggregates in consultation with collaborating state highway agencies will be collected. Each sample will be classified relative to its engineering properties and elemental properties of interest. Laser testing on one of the selected set of aggregates will be undertaken along with chemometric analyses of the spectral output to establish the effectiveness of laser spectral outputs to differentiate patterns or distinctive features. Such features, represented by graphical and mathematical patterns, will be used to assess how well good and poor aggregate materials can be differentiated. Work in the second stage will involve testing and chemometric analyses of additional sets of samples provided by the collaborating highway agencies using the technique developed and refined in Stage 1. Additional necessary adjustments in the analysis methodology will be made. Blank sample testing to determine the effectiveness of the approach to identify problem aggregates will be completed. Engineering and economic analyses of the proposed methodology will be undertaken to develop system requirements for commercialization. The final report will provide all relevant data along with system specifications and guidelines for implementing the technology by state highway agencies. KW - Aggregates KW - Lasers KW - Missouri KW - Monitoring KW - Pattern matching KW - Real time information KW - Sensors KW - Spectometry UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2858 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334217 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01546053 TI - Expediting Future Technologies for Enhancing Transportation System Performance AB - The objective of this project was to develop a process that transportation agencies can use to identify, assess, shape, and adopt new and emerging technologies to achieve long-term system performance objectives. The process reflects relevant trends in technologies and their applications and helps transportation agencies anticipate, adapt to, and shape the future. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Mobility KW - System performance KW - Technological innovations KW - Technology transfer KW - Transportation system management KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2633 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333005 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464187 TI - Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems-Phase IV AB - The TRB Joint Subcommittee on "International Human Factors Guideline for Road Systems," AND10(2), was created to help plan the development of a human factors guideline for road systems that highway designers and traffic engineers could readily use in their work. NCHRP 17-18(8), Comprehensive Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems was initiated in 2001 and provided the framework for the guideline and two chapters. The project was completed on January 31, 2005. NCHRP Project 17-31 began in August 2005 to develop additional chapters and integrate them with the work completed under Project 17-18(8). The Project 17-31 contractor developed a style guide for the Guideline, refined Chapters 1 through 5 from NCHRP Project 17-8(8), and prepared four new chapters: signalized intersections, unsignalized intersections, work zones, and horizontal curves. Project 17-31 was completed in August 2008. The work completed under project 17-31 has been published as NCHRP Reports 600A and 600B. NCHRP Project 17-41 started in March 2008 and is developing 5 additional chapters. The completion date for this project is March 2010. With the completion of Project 17-41 there are 7 chapters remaining to be completed. The Human Factors Guide (HFG) is intended to be a resource document for highway designers, traffic engineers, and other practitioners. The purpose of the HFG is to provide the best factual information and insight on road users' characteristics, in a useful format, to facilitate safe roadway design and operational decisions. The impetus behind this effort was the recognition that current design references have limitations in providing the practitioner with adequate guidance for incorporating road user needs and capabilities when dealing with design and operational issues. The work of this Joint Subcommittee is being coordinated with the development of the Highway Safety Manual being overseen by the TRB Task Force to Develop a Highway Safety Manual (HSM). The first edition of the HSM is expected to be produced after the completion of NCHRP Project 17-36 in January 2009. While the HSM includes one section of a chapter on human factors, it will provide only a broad scope and not include guidelines. The objective of this project is to complete the development of the Human Factors Guide. The following tasks would be conducted: (1) literature review, (2) develop a list of topics under each chapter, (3) prepare annotated outline for each guideline, (4) develop draft guidelines, and (5) develop final guidelines. KW - Guidelines KW - Highway curves KW - Highway design KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Human factors KW - Research projects KW - Signalized intersections KW - Unsignalized intersections KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2726 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232415 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464306 TI - Economic Changes Driving Future Freight Transportation AB - The U.S. transportation system is a key underpinning of American economic activity. Understanding the driving forces that could most significantly affect the transportation system over the next 50 years will allow local, regional, and national transportation to anticipate and invest in transportation system improvements that enable the system to continue to provide key structural support to the U.S. economy. Foreseeing changes over the longer term future and the consequences of such changes is difficult but not entirely impossible. Several driving forces over the last 50 years shaped the current transportation patterns, and many of them were observable in their early phases. Identifying and monitoring these forces to see if they would continue or what trend they might take would have enabled a more forward-looking transportation investment strategy. For example, when the shipping container was introduced just over 50 years ago, monitoring global orders for container ships, road chassis, or container-handling cranes could have been key indicators that this new concept was taking hold and could change transportation patterns. The leadership of state departments of transportation (DOTs) and others responsible for the nation's transportation system must try to understand the driving forces that could shape transportation patterns and their impacts on the nation's transportation system. Research is needed to consider possible economic changes--in the broadest sense of that term--that can inform DOT officials and others responsible for managing the nation's freight transportation system. Management strategies that recognize emerging trends and are flexible, adaptive, and able to respond effectively will help ensure that the transportation system continues to support the growth of the economy and delivery of an increasingly high quality of life for the nation. Many forces may influence freight demand or transportation patterns now and in the future, for example (1) domestic population growth and the location of that growth; (2) average age of the population (and perhaps more importantly, what age ranges will increase relative to other age ranges); (3) water supplies (for drinking and transportation use) and their locations; (4) labor costs; (5) cost of capital and the value of the dollar; (6) GDP expansion; (7) general economic conditions (e.g., growth, recession or depression); (8) barriers to trade; (9) resource availability; (10) government regulations and policies; (11) domestic income per capita; (12) limitations on the availability or use of fossil fuels; and (13) climate change. Research is needed to identify the most significant of these forces and other forces between now and 2050. What are the plausible trend lines (scenarios) for these forces, how might they interact with each other, what indicators should be monitored and what are the potential tipping points that would indicate a systematic shift, and how can the indicators be monitored? The objective of this research is to provide with a critical analysis of the driving forces behind high-impact economic changes and business sourcing patterns that may affect the U.S. freight transportation system. This analysis will better enable informed discussions of national, multistate, state, and regional freight policy and system investment priorities KW - Containers KW - Demographics KW - Economic growth KW - Freight traffic KW - Shipper demand UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2629 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232535 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461767 TI - Mitigation Strategies and Scenario Planning for Reducing Transportation-Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions AB - The purpose of this task order is to conduct research on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from surface transportation and develop scenario planning approaches, through the use of alternatives, which take into consideration greenhouse gas reductions in transportation planning. Resource Systems Group (RSG) will identify the strongest team of prime and subcontractor staff knowledgeable in the subject matter that would be available to assist HEP. KW - Air quality management KW - Environmental impacts KW - Exhaust gases KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Pollutants KW - Research projects KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229987 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145042 AU - Herman, Lloyd AU - McAvoy, Deborah S AU - Richardson, Wallace AU - Ohio University, Athens AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effectiveness of Noise Barriers Installed Adjacent to Transverse Grooved Concrete Pavement PY - 2009/10/16/Technical Report SP - 108p AB - In recent years the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has reconstructed a number of roadways where asphalt pavements were replaced with random transverse grooved concrete pavements. Upon completion, residents living adjacent to the reconstructed roadways have complained of increased noise levels. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Traffic Noise Model (TNM) is used to determine if predicted traffic noise levels warrant abatement and to design the abatement structures. The public perception problem described above suggests that the model does not result in adequate noise barrier abatement designs near random transverse grooved concrete pavements. The overall goal of this project was to provide ODOT with accurate TNM noise predictions when modeling random transverse grooved concrete pavement highways. Three random transverse grooved PCC roadway sites were chosen for study where high quality sound recordings were taken. Sites 1 (Cincinnati I-275) and 2 (Troy I-75) were chosen to represent the noise quality experienced by residents adjacent to the roadway, where the residential areas were separated from the roadway by sound barriers. Site 3 (Madison County I-70) was chosen to study the attenuation of road noise with distance in an easily-characterized environment; an open soybean cropland essentially level on both sides of the roadway with no noise barrier. Through a paired t-test the research findings determined that the sample means of the TNM average pavement and the ODOT random transverse grooved pavement were not equivalent based upon a level of confidence of 95 percent. An examination of the one-third octave band frequency levels indicated that at frequencies greater than 500 Hz, the measured traffic noise levels exceeded both the TNM average pavement type and TNM ODOT random transverse grooved pavement predictions. However, at frequencies less than 500 Hz the predictions tended to exceed the measurements. It is recommended that the experimental version of TNM developed for this project, using the current ODOT random transverse grooved concrete pavement REMEL, should not be used in practice due to its potential to under-predict traffic noise levels. A new surface texture specification should also be developed for concrete pavements to replace the current specification in order to reduce tire/pavement noise levels while maintaining or improving safety and durability characteristics. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Noise barriers KW - Noise control KW - Tire/pavement noise KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/489729171/viewonline UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/905225 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01144476 AU - Donnell, Eric T AU - Rado, Zoltan AU - Scheetz, Barry E AU - Garvey, Philip M AU - Chehab, Ghassan AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Study of Bead Gun Angle when Applying Glass Beads to Waterborne Paint PY - 2009/10/08/Final Report SP - 110p AB - Retroreflectivity of pavement markings is an important measure of their nighttime effectiveness. In Pennsylvania, retroreflectivity is achieved by placement of spherical glass beads in the pavement marking paint using a bead gun attached to a paint truck. The purpose of this project was to investigate the application angle of glass beads on waterborne paint to determine which angle(s) result in optimal nighttime visibility from a paint truck moving at various speeds. A variety of laboratory and field experiments were conducted to evaluate pavement marking performance, including digital image processing, scanning electron microscopy, high-speed video imagery, end detection distance measurements from research participants, and retroreflectivity measurements. The laboratory tests were subjected to accelerated wear and weather exposure. The results indicate that the 12 mph truck application speed and -20 degree bead gun angle provides the optimal nighttime visibility based on the laboratory and field evaluations performed in the present study. KW - Glass beads KW - Night KW - Night visibility KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road marking materials KW - Road markings UR - ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_PDF_FILES/Documents/Research/Complete%20Projects/Reducing%20Fatalities/Study%20of%20Glass%20Bead%20Gun%20Angle.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904334 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01608040 TI - Evaluation of Utility Costs and Best Management Practices AB - In recent years, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has experienced a significant variation in estimated costs for the relocation of utilities on many projects. This has led to cost overruns and caused headaches for the district engineers responsible for the projects. Through meetings with SCDOT personnel and utility provider representatives it was determined that a standardized cost estimate form combined with improved change order management and cost management strategies was needed. Recently submitted estimates were analyzed and rated on multiple criteria to generate a list of “poor”, “good”, and “excellent” estimates. The “excellent” estimates provided insight into the development of the standard estimate form and the deficiencies noted in all of the estimates were addressed in the standard. The standardized cost estimate form should be simple, easy to use, and flexible for use on all types of utility relocation projects. It is recommended that this format be used by all utility companies on all utility relocation cost estimates submitted to the SCDOT. This report presents the standardized estimate format and makes recommendations for improvements to the SCDOT’s cost management database while utilizing cost management best practices. Further recommendations involve incorporating a utility relocation program within the safety office to encourage active participation of utility owners in resolution of severe safety problems, as well as standardizing CAD plan mark-up procedures for early project development to aid in obtaining more accurate estimates. Finally, a pilot unit cost database was developed from Progress Energy and Black River estimates and provides the basis for entry of historical cost data for checking the validity of cost estimates. KW - Construction management KW - Cost control KW - Cost overruns KW - Delays KW - Project management KW - Underground utility lines UR - http://www.scdot.scltap.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/final-report-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1420978 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572656 TI - Nanoscale Approaches for Inhibiting Corrosion: Green Advanced Coatings for Application on Steel Structures and Bridges AB - The object of this project is to develop novel, nanotechnology-based green coatings for corrosion protection of new and existing steel highway infrastructure. Two coating systems will be investigated and compared to traditional steel anti-corrosive coatings. The two proposed coatings will use conductive polymer nanoparticles to provide electrochemical corrosion inhibition, carbon-black additives to improve the scratch resistance and toughness of these coatings, and metallic nanoparticles to improve the dispersion of the additives. The proposed new coatings will be compared to a traditional zinc-enhanced, epoxy-based coating for both mechanical strength and corrosion protection. The advantage of the nanotechnology-based coatings lies in their expected ability, with a very low concentration of additives, to provide significant corrosion protection while improving adhesion strength and scratch resistance. This could lead to significant savings in their life-cycle costs. KW - Coatings KW - Corrosion protection KW - Mechatronics KW - Nanotechnology KW - Steel bridges KW - Steel structures UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/projectdetails.cfm?projectid=FHWA-PROJ-09-0059 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364742 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566165 TI - A Feasibility Study for Arizona's Roadway Safety Management Process Using the Highway Safety Manual and SafetyAnalyst AB - With the increased focus on safety, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has developed new safety analysis tools to help state departments of transportation identify their safety problems in a more scientific manner. Traditional techniques of identifying hot-spot locations lack methodological rigor. SafetyAnalyst is a set of software tools developed as a cooperative effort by FHWA and 27 participating state departments of transportation (DOTs) to improve programming of site-specific highway safety improvements. It provides state-of-the-art analytical tools for use in the decision-making process to identify and manage systemwide safety improvement programs. Deployment of this tool entails a new set of requirements for safety data. In Arizona some data related to roadway inventory and traffic operation are collected. However, this information is scattered, fragmented and unevaluated. There is a need to consolidate the available data and identify the missing information in order to successfully deploy the latest analytical tools for a systemwide safety assessment. Lack of adequate databases inhibits our capability to use such tools, thus limiting our ability to make informed decisions regarding cost effective allocation of scarce safety funds. This project will assess the data needs for a system-wide safety assessment, examine the existing data collection program, and identify the data gaps; develop and format the existing safety data to map it for the SafetyAnalyst software; and propose a comprehensive data collection program in the above context. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Highway operations KW - Resource allocation KW - Safety Analyst KW - Safety improvement KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the art KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357253 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566164 TI - Performance Evaluation of a Highway Retrofit for Wildlife: I-17 Munds Park to Woods Canyon AB - Interstate-17 is the primary route connecting Phoenix to Flagstaff and is the main artery serving northern Arizona and supporting the transport of goods along I-40 to the east and west. Interstate-17 is traveled by millions of tourists each year visiting area national parks (NP) and recreation areas, including the Grand Canyon NP, Petrified Forest NP, Sunset Crater National Monument, Glen Canyon Recreation Area, etc. As Arizona continues to grow, traffic on I-17 will also increase. This stretch of highway is considered one of the highest elk-vehicle collision areas in Arizona; the majority of these collisions (97%) occur between Stoneman Lake Road and Flagstaff. Further, I-17 is considered a very high volume highway, and as such, is predicted to pose a significant barrier to wildlife (Mueller and Berthoud 1997). Wildlife passage structures have shown benefit in promoting passage for a variety of wildlife species, have reduced the incidence of wildlife-vehicle collisions, and yielded substantial economic benefit (Dodd et al. 2007). As such, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has committed funds to support a SAFETEA-LU project that will link existing bridges and transportation interchanges to reduce elk-vehicle collisions and promote permeability across the I-17 corridor. This represents a tremendous commitment on the part of ADOT and warrants thorough evaluation to assess the efficacy of this fencing in promoting permeability, particularly since few retrofit opportunities have been attempted and can lead to future cost-savings and accident reductions for many highways throughout Arizona and the rest of the nation. Research here will also complement that ongoing on SR 260, I-17, US 89, SR 64, and Interstate 40 and provide valuable insights into wildlife-highway interactions for a range of wildlife and approaches to mitigate highway and traffic impacts. This project will assess: (1) Elk movement and highway crossing patterns, including calculating permeability across the highway after fencing is constructed to compare to movement patterns and permeability evaluated during pre fencing research; (2) Movements of wildlife through the bridges and transportation interchanges; and 3. Wildlife-vehicle collision patterns following implementation of fencing. KW - Animal vehicle collisions KW - Arizona KW - Deer-vehicle collisions KW - Elk KW - Environmental impacts KW - Retrofitting KW - Tourists KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic volume KW - Wildlife UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357252 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566163 TI - Development of Application Rate Guidelines for Winter Storm Management Chemical Additives in Use by ADOT through an Ambient Monitoring System AB - The application of anti-icing and deicing chemicals by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has become one of their most effective winter storm management measures. It is widely known that chemical additives related to winter storm management activities can impact water quality and soil salinity. The primary factors in determining environmental impacts resulting from the use of chemical additives are the type and amount of chemicals used. An increase in the amount of chemical additive applied to a transportation corridor equates to an increased potential for additives in pavement runoff and snowmelt. Yet, the total amount of chemicals used will depend largely on the number and severity of winter storms being managed. Unfortunately, the over-application of the chemical additives can often result in environmental impacts. This research will recommend initial application rate guidelines, implement a winter storm management record keeping system of chemical usage and storm events along transportation corridors, and define how best to evaluate that information to minimize potential environmental impacts. The focus of the research will be to identify trends indicating the accumulation of chemicals along transportation corridors and observed or potential impacts to natural resources associated with these accumulations. KW - Arizona KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Environmental impacts KW - Snow KW - Snow removal KW - Transportation corridors KW - Winter KW - Winter maintenance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357251 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566162 TI - Development of a Comprehensive Plan to Enhance ADOT's Pavement Management Forecasting and Decision Making Capability AB - As the Department of Transportation approaches the second decade of this century, it is clear that the implementation of significant improvements in project development and system preservation are mandatory. Historically, improvements to transportation infrastructure have directly correlated with improvements to the Local, State and National economy. To maximize asset management; to facilitate pavement design and pavement preservation; and to precisely target highway infrastructure improvements, it is critical that the Department enhance its Pavement Management cross-functional interconnectivity. The Pavement Management Section lacks the ability to support the Materials Group's new Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide. Designers are unable to access critical information concerning pavement condition, including the extent of traffic exposure, and the type and extent of cracking. In addition, there is no existing provision that facilitates updating and distribution of critical data to the Engineering Districts. This research is expected to recommend and provide some type of software that will provide real time access to pavement condition and design data on a state-wide basis, in a manner that can be readily used by Highway Development and Engineering District personnel. Implementation will result in lower costs to develop highway design strategies. Even more importantly, it will result in lower costs for the construction and maintenance of the State's highways throughout their lifecycle. This project will: (1) Review the Department's current Pavement Management System interdisciplinary data sharing functionality. (2) Identify the critical connectivity nodes and determine the relative strength or weakness of their ability to transfer the appropriate data. (3) Evaluate the performance of extant alternative systems to determine their potential to enhance the Pavement Management Section's link to Arizona Department of Transportation's (ADOT's) maintenance systems, the bridge systems, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide requirements. 4. Implement a functional web based database that is compatible with these research objectives, and will monitor the Pavement Management organization's network optimization and interdisciplinary connectivity. KW - Arizona KW - Condition surveys KW - Decision making KW - Maintenance KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Real time information KW - Service life KW - Transportation infrastructure UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357250 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528649 TI - Performance of Recycled Asphalt Shingles in Hot Mix Asphalt AB - Over the last 10 years the use of recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) in hot-mix asphalt (HMA) applications has grown across the U.S. Although the majority of states use manufacturers' waste shingles, interest has been rapidly growing in the use and applications of tear-off or post consumer RAS in HMA. Previous research allowed for only limited laboratory testing and field surveys. Multiple state demonstration projects would provide adequate laboratory and field test results to more comprehensively answer remaining design, performance and environmental questions and concerns. These concerns include the qualification of tear-off RAS for use in HMA and utilization of tear-off RAS ensuring acceptable long-term HMA performance. For this reason, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has formed a transportation pooled fund (TPF) to study and promote RAS in HMA. The primary goal of this study is to address research needs of state departments of transportation (DOTs) and environmental officials to determine the best practices for RAS in HMA applications. The study will address the following research objectives: (1) Address concerns of quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) in sourcing, processing and incorporating RAS to achieve final product meeting requirements for state HMA applications. (2) Create specifications that include sufficient language to cover QA/QC concerns. (3) Conduct demonstration projects to provide laboratory testing and field surveys to determine the behavior and performance of RAS in HMA at varying percentages, climates and traffic. (4) Create a comprehensive database on the performance of RAS in HMA applications. KW - Asphalt shingles KW - Best practices KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Recycled asphalt pavements KW - Recycled materials UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/441 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313430 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01485572 TI - Innovative Approaches for Next Generation Vehicle Positioning AB - The initial phase will assess the viability, benefits, limitations, and obstacles for different approaches based on technological, business, and deployment characteristics. In particular, the research will focus the phase I research on how public and cooperative vehicle infrastructure can serve as additional augmentation mechanisms to improve vehicle positioning. A second phase will include the testing of several of the viable approaches. KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Next generation design KW - Technological innovations KW - Vehicle detectors KW - Vehicle infrastructure integration KW - Vehicle positioning systems UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/projectdetails.cfm?projectid=FHWA-PROJ-09-0062 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1254336 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464588 TI - Handbook for Pavement Design, Construction, and Management AB - The design, construction, and management of highway pavements is a complex task that involves the consideration of many topics. Among these topics are structural design and analysis, drainage provisions, traffic load spectra, material utilization/conservation, surface characteristics, construction practices, pavement evaluation, pavement type selection, life-cycle cost analysis, and preservation. Some of these topics have been addressed in American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) documents (e.g., Pavement Management Guide; Guide for Pavement Friction; and Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide, Interim Edition: A Manual of Practice) and a great deal of information on the other topics is available in the literature. However, this information has not yet been synthesized or assembled in a format that will facilitate accessibility and use by highway agency professionals. Research is needed to identify current practices; review relevant information; and develop a handbook that discusses the topics pertaining to the design, construction, and management of pavements and incorporates relevant AASHTO documents. Preparing such a handbook in an interactive-electronic, easy-to-edit format with a printer-friendly option will further facilitate its use and update. Such a handbook will provide highway agency professionals with ready-to-use information to help them effectively perform the task of pavement design, construction, and management. The objective of this research is to develop a handbook that addresses design, construction, and management aspects of pavements. The Handbook shall be prepared in an interactive-electronic, easily editable format with a printer-friendly option, suitable for consideration and adoption by AASHTO. KW - Guidelines KW - Handbooks KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Pavements KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1607 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232819 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01462274 TI - Definition and Determination of Remaining Service and Structural Life AB - The objective of this research project is to develop broad definitions for Remaining Service and Structural Life (RSL) that are consistent, unambiguous, and defensible, review current and future data availability in defining the measures and processes for determining RSL and develop procedures for determining RSL at both the project and network level to meet the current and emerging design, contracting, maintenance, and management practices. KW - Best practices KW - Data collection KW - Remaining life analysis KW - Remaining useful life KW - Research projects KW - Service life KW - Structural health monitoring UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1230495 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01473292 AU - Inter-Fluve, Incorporated AU - San Dimas Technology and Development Center AU - Department of Agriculture AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Culvert Scour Assessment PY - 2009/10 SP - 54p AB - The purpose of this study is to quantitatively analyze the geomorphic and structure controls on channel-bed and footing scour at road-stream crossings, and the effectiveness of aquatic organism passage (AOP) at these crossings by comparing channel characteristics within the crossing structure to reference channel conditions not influenced by the structure. From this analysis, one can determine the design, construction, stream, and channel conditions that contributed to the success or failure of the installation for AOP and scour resistance. KW - Aquatic life KW - Culverts KW - Design KW - Fishes KW - Footings KW - Geomorphology KW - Hydraulics KW - Scour KW - Streams UR - http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdf/CulvertScour/CulvertScourLo/%20Culvert_ScourLo.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1243804 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457393 AU - Yildirim, Irem Zeynep AU - Prezzi, Monica AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Use of Steel Slag in Subgrade Applications PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 275p AB - Steel slag is a by-product of steelmaking and refining processes. In 2006, 10-15 million metric ton of steel slag was generated in the U.S. Out of the total steel slag produced in the U.S. every year, about 50-70% is used as aggregate for road and pavement construction and approximately 15-40% is stockpiled in steel plants and eventually landfilled at slag disposal sites. Since current levels of steel slag stockpiling and landfilling are not sustainable, alternative geotechnical engineering applications for steel slag are being explored to alleviate the slag disposal problem and to help save dwindling natural resources. The main objectives of this research were to determine the geotechnical engineering properties of two types of steel slag generated from different steelmaking operations and to assess their potential use in subgrade stabilization and embankment construction. Samples of fresh and aged basic-oxygen-furnace (BOF) slag and of fresh electric-arc-furnace-ladle (EAF(L)) slag were characterized through a series of laboratory tests (specific gravity, grain-size analysis, X-ray diffraction, compaction, maximum and minimum density, large-scale direct shear, consolidated drained triaxial and swelling tests). The effects of gradation on the engineering properties of both fresh and aged steel slag samples were also investigated. Various mixtures of steel slag [BOF and EAF(L)] and Class-C fly ash were also investigated. The mixtures were prepared by adding 5 and 10% Class-C fly ash (by weight) to aged BOF slag and 5, 10 and 20% Class-C fly ash (by weight) to fresh EAF(L) slag. Unconfined compression tests were performed after various curing times to evaluate the strength gain characteristics of the mixtures. Long-term swelling tests were performed for compacted mixtures of both fresh and aged BOF slag and 10% Class-C fly ash (by weight) and for compacted mixtures of fresh EAF(L) slag and 5, 10 and 20% Class-C fly ash (by weight). The effect of adding 10% ground rubber (by weight) to fresh and aged BOF slag on the long-term swelling behavior of the mixtures was also investigated. The optimum moisture content and maximum dry unit weight of BOF slag were in the ranges of 4-8% and 19.5-21.8 kN/m3, respectively. The critical-state friction angle of fresh and aged BOF slags was in the 45.3°- 48.1° range according to large-scale direct shear test results. Based on isotropically consolidated drained triaxial test (CIDTX) results, the peak friction angles of aged BOF slag (with minus 9.5 mm gradation) samples prepared at 90% relative compaction were equal to 47.3°, 45.2° and 43.5° at effective confining stresses of 50, 110 and 200 kPa, respectively. The optimum moisture content and maximum dry unit weight of EAF(L) slag were in the ranges of 10-13% and 16.8-20.0 kN/m3, respectively. The critical-state friction angle of fresh EAF(L) slag was equal to approximately 40.6° according to large-scale direct shear tests results. Compacted mixtures of both Class-C fly ash and BOF slag and of Class-C fly ash and EAF(L) slag showed excellent strength gain properties with time. Results of the long-term swelling tests on steel slag and Class-C fly ash mixtures showed that the addition of 10% Class-C fly ash suppresses the swelling of both BOF and EAF(L) slag samples to negligible levels. KW - Embankments KW - Fly ash KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Properties of materials KW - Slag KW - Soil stabilization KW - Steel KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Subgrade materials UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314275 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218741 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01380375 AU - RSG, Incorporated AU - Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - US 2/North Williston Road Intersection: Initial Scoping Report PY - 2009/10 SP - 33p AB - The US 2/North Williston Road Intersection Scoping Report was commissioned by the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO) to determine feasible improvement alternatives that address apparent traffic and safety concerns at this location, which is located in the historic district of the Village of Williston, Vermont. This report provides a technical evaluation of alternatives designed to address the project’s purpose and need. There was significant public input throughout this project. The findings from this report were presented to the Williston Selectboard and the public at a series of meetings. After considering several alternative designs, the recommendation of the Selectboard was the roundabout alternative. This alternative involves reconfiguring the existing intersection into a single‐lane roundabout. The roundabout alternative has the best anticipated level of service and lowest delays and queuing of all the alternatives considered. However, this alternative is also the most expensive and has the most potential for environmental impacts, due to the larger area of disturbance and the need for improvements to the existing stormwater collection system. There will likely be minor right‐of‐way impacts with the roundabout alternative. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Highway design KW - Intersections KW - Project scoping KW - Public participation KW - Roundabouts KW - Traffic safety KW - Williston (Vermont) UR - http://www.ccmpo.us/library/scoping/US2_NWilliston_Rd_200910.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1147556 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358541 AU - Tremblay, Jason P AU - Fitch, Jennifer M V AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Concrete Bridge Rail Cracking PY - 2009/10//Initial Report SP - 55p AB - Cracking of newly cast concrete bridge rails has been an ongoing problem throughout the State of Vermont, one that has been observed to be severe and rapidly occurring upon curing in some cases. This study reports on the current status with regards to cracking and condition of eleven concrete bridge rails, eight previously cast since 2001 and three which were monitored from casting through their first year of service. Through field observations it was determined that all bridge rails showed signs of cracking. For rails with windows (cut-outs), the crack density was around 0.8 cracks per linear foot, while for solid section rails it was around 0.5 cracks per foot. Through monitoring of the three rails from casting, it is apparent that the cracking develops very quickly and increases rapidly during the first months. Corollary statistics show some general trends with respect to geometric, functional, and materials data. It is apparent that there is a widespread problem, one that needs to be alleviated before resources are poured into a currently inconsistent product. KW - Bridge railings KW - Concrete KW - Cracking KW - Field studies KW - Vermont UR - http://vtransengineering.vermont.gov/sites/aot_program_development/files/documents/materialsandresearch/completedprojects/Evaluation_of_Concrete_Bridge_Rail_Cracking1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1124039 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01358531 AU - Cloutier, Jason AU - Newbury, Gil AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Salt Brine, Salt Brine Blends and Application Technologies During the 2008 – 2009 Winter Maintenance Season PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 18p AB - This report documents the evaluation of Vermont's salt brine technology project. The primary objectives of this research initiative were to construct a salt brine facility, experiment with different combinations of salt brine and other ice melting additives, reduce the use of winter road sand while raising the level of service of state roads, and determine if cost savings can be attributed to the use of salt brine and/or salt brine combinations. The original scope of work included deploying three Stratos spreaders to conduct the experiment on control and experimental test sections on Interstate 89 in Northwest Maintenance Districts 5 and 8. Due to equipment complications, the experiment was modified and included different roadway sections of similar length and characteristics in both districts. Results have shown that the experimental section saved an average of 24% of material usage over the 2008-2009 winter season. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Interstate 89 KW - Interstate highways KW - Salt brine KW - Test sections KW - Vermont KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://vtransplanning.vermont.gov/sites/aot_program_development/files/documents/materialsandresearch/completedprojects/Salt_Brine_Web_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1124023 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354147 AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - Murphy, Michael R AU - Jaipuria, Sunny AU - Liu, Wenxing AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - 4-Year Pavement Management Plan: Analysis Report PY - 2009/10 SP - 100p AB - Rider 55 of 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 2009-2012 Pavement Management Plan, which was completed last year, provided TxDOT with a mechanism to be able 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, Medium or Heavy Rehabilitation and the impact that those treatments would have on the pavement conditions. This year, the plan has been updated to extend to FY2013 and a similar report generated. KW - Condition surveys KW - Expenditures KW - Financing KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Planning KW - Preventive maintenance KW - Ratings KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Texas UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/5_9035_01_P3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1116019 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01353621 AU - Dupigny-Giroux, Mario AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Activated Approach Flasher System, Castleton, VT PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 30p AB - This report documents the evaluation of a flashing beacon system to warn side road motorists stopped at an intersection with limited corner sight distance of oncoming traffic. The system evaluated was installed at the intersection of VT30, South Street, and Rice Willis Road in Castleton in October 2007. A before and after conflicts study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the system. KW - Before and after studies KW - Castleton (Vermont) KW - Flashing beacons KW - Minor roads KW - Oncoming traffic KW - Sight distance KW - Traffic conflicts KW - Unsignalized intersections KW - Warning systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1118433 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01345238 AU - Kim, Y Richard AU - Lee, Jaejun AU - North Carolina State University, Raleigh AU - North Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance-Based Analysis of Polymer-Modified Emulsions in Asphalt Surface Treatments PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 112p AB - Chip seals provide a durable and functional pavement surface and serve as a highly economical highway maintenance option when constructed properly. Data and literature suggest that chip seal sections constructed with polymer-modified emulsions (PMEs) provide better initial and long-term performance and also extend the overall service life of pavements. This project compares the performance of chip seals constructed with PME versus those constructed with unmodified emulsion. The overall performance evaluation is based on aggregate retention performance, bleeding, rutting, and life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA). Three kinds of emulsion (CRS-2, CRS-2P, and CRS-2L) are used to fabricate samples in the laboratory and in the field. Adhesion of the emulsions is examined using the Vialit test with various curing times and temperature conditions in the laboratory. To evaluate the aggregate retention performance of the chip seals, the Vialit test, flip-over test (FOT), and the third-scale Model Mobile Loading Simulator (MMLS3) are employed. Bleeding is measured using a digital image processing method, and rut depth is measured using a profiler at three different testing temperatures (68°F, 104°F, and 129.2°F). The LCCA is estimated using the RealCost program, which is recommended by the FHWA. The results from these tests indicate that the PMEs (CRS-2P and CRS-2L) enhance chip seal performance. In terms of aggregate retention performance, the PMEs significantly improve aggregate retention in the early stages and at low temperatures. This improvement is due specifically to the fast and improved adhesion of PMEs and their ability to enhance the aggregate retention performance at low temperatures. Also, PMEs clearly advance bleeding and rutting resistance based on test results in this project. The LCCA indicates that PMEs are cost-effective if the extended life of PME pavements is two years longer than that of pavements with unmodified emulsions. The performance data obtained from this study, including aggregate loss, bleeding, and rutting, indicate that the use of PMEs can extend the service life of chip seals more than two years, thus justifying the cost effectiveness of using PMEs in chip seals. KW - Adhesion KW - Aggregate retention KW - Asphalt emulsions KW - Bleeding (Pavements) KW - Chip seals KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Life cycle costing KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement performance KW - Polymer modified emulsion KW - Polymers KW - Rutting KW - Service life KW - Surface treatment (Pavements) UR - http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/tpb/research/download/2007-06finalreport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1107449 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01340396 AU - Cooley, L Allen AU - Williams, Kevin L AU - Burns Cooley Dennis, Incorporated AU - Mississippi Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Lift Thickness PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 37p AB - The range of lift thicknesses allowed by the Mississippi Department of Transportation has worked well for many years. However, because of the current availability of gravels of sufficient size to crush, modification to the allowed lift thicknesses may be warranted. Therefore, the objective of this project was to evaluate the influence of lift thickness on the ability to achieve a desirable density with a reasonable compactive effort. The research approach undertaken to achieve the project objective was to conduct a detailed field study. A total of ten field projects were utilized in this study. At each of the field projects, the field compaction process was monitored and field data obtained. Data obtained from the field projects included four different mat temperature measurements over time, mat density after each pass of the roller suing a nuclear gauge, and final density and thickness obtained form cores. Cores cut from the roadway were also brought back to the laboratory for permeability testing. Based upon analyses conducted on the data, several conclusions were drawn. The thickness of the placed layer does affect the amount of time that an HMA layer will remain at compaction temperatures. Thicker lifts will maintain temperature longer. Lift thickness did have an affect on the final in-place density. As lift thickness increased, final in-place density also increased. No impact related to lift thickness was found for density gradients within field compacted layers. Finally, there did not appear to be an influence of thickness on the permeability of HMA layers. Based upon these conclusions, new allowable lift thickness limits were recommended. KW - Compaction KW - Density KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Lift thickness KW - Mississippi KW - Paving KW - Permeability UR - http://mdot.ms.gov/documents/research/Reports/Interim%20and%20Final%20Reports/State%20Study%20193%20-%20Evaluation%20Of%20Hot%20Mix%20Asphalt%20%28HMA%29%20Lift%20Thickness.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1101723 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01337354 AU - Trevino, Manuel AU - Dossey, Terry AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Noise Measurements of Highway Pavements in Texas PY - 2009/10//Technical Report SP - 164p AB - This report presents the results of noise testing performed on Texas pavements between May of 2006 and the summer of 2008. Two field test methodologies were used: roadside noise measurement with sound pressure level (SPL) meters and on-vehicle sound intensity measurement of noise at the tire/pavement interface. Additionally, pavement samples were tested in an impedance tube. Comparisons are made between the levels of vehicular noise at the roadside and directly on the source vehicle. The FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM) computer program was used to predict the noise levels at roadside based on the observed traffic and geometry of the roadway, and subsequently compared to the noise as actually measured with precision test equipment. An important part of the study focused on testing pavements corresponding to the New Generation Open Graded Friction Course type, a permeable asphalt design with air voids in the area of 17 percent, also known as Permeable Friction Course (PFC) in Texas. Findings indicate that roadside noise levels experienced along PFC pavements are significantly lower than predicted by TNM using either the "Average" or "Open Graded" pavement models included in the program. Measurements at the tire/pavement interface confirm the quieter characteristics of these surfaces. The study results also suggest a slight degradation of such quietness with time, but even with this small increase in noise levels the surfaces can still be considered quieter than other pavement types. Furthermore, the increase in loudness is not significant enough to assert that these PFC surfaces cannot retain their acoustic properties over time. As per the results obtained in this study, it can be said that open-graded pavements can be reliably used for noise impact avoidance and abatement. KW - Air voids KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Friction course KW - Measurement KW - Noise control KW - Open graded aggregates KW - Permeable pavements KW - Porous friction course KW - Quiet pavements KW - Texas KW - Tire/pavement noise KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5185_3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1100316 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01333752 AU - Quinley, Rich AU - Transtec Group, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - WIM Field Inspectors' Troubleshooting Guide PY - 2009/10 SP - 71p AB - This guide provides guidance to an agency's WIM field inspector on troubleshooting and problems common to WIM sites, WIM system components, and WIM system support facilities. This document also includes examples, sample reports, and checklists that may be helpful to WIM field inspectors. For more detailed step-by-step procedures pertaining to any specific WIM system, the field inspector is to refer to the manufacturer's guidelines, instructions, and testing procedures applicable to the individual components of such system. KW - Field tests KW - Guidelines KW - Inspection KW - Inspectors KW - Troubleshooting KW - Weigh in motion KW - Weigh in motion scales UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1093998 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01208052 AU - Welter, Dana AU - Ates, Murat AU - Loftus-Otway, Lisa AU - Matthews, Ron AU - Harrison, Robert AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Estimating Texas Motor Vehicle Operating Costs PY - 2009/10//Technical Report SP - 229p AB - A specific Vcost model was developed for Texas conditions based on a sophisticated fuel model for light duty vehicles, several excellent sources of secondary vehicle cost data, and the ability to measure heavy truck fuel consumption through both experimental and survey work. The basic model was designed to address the relatively narrow range of pavement roughness found on the Texas highway network and is free-flow, and does not accurately measure congestion effects. The team developed a vehicle classification scheme that was suitable for Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) planning and revenue forecasting. These resources led to the adoption of eight categories of light-duty vehicles and two heavy truck types. The current Texas fleet composition was determined from 2007 Vehicle Title and Registration (VTR) data and was made a default for model use. Each cost item associated with the representative vehicle was calculated for each year of operation up to 20 years. Six main cost categories are included in the Vcost model: depreciation, financing, insurance, other fixed costs, repair and maintenance, and fuel. These costs fall into two categories: fixed and variable costs. The Vcost model can provide operating cost estimates for each specific representative vehicle as well as fleets of vehicles. The model allows the user to change key parameters so that the cost calculation is specific to any particular situation, and can be updated as the economic or technological landscape changes. The model was designed to provide the user with a program that looked, felt, and operated in a similar fashion to most Windows programs and would be intuitive for the typical TxDOT user. KW - Computer models KW - Forecasting KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Light duty vehicles KW - Motor vehicles KW - Operating costs KW - Revenues KW - Texas UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5974_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/968909 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01207878 AU - Abu-Farsakh, Murad AU - Nazzal, Munir AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of the Base/Subgrade Soil under Repeated Loading: Phase 1 – Laboratory Testing and Numerical Modeling of Geogrid Reinforced Bases in Flexible Pavement PY - 2009/10//Interim Report SP - 139p AB - This report documents the results of a study that was conducted to characterize the behavior of geogrid reinforced base course materials. The research was conducted through experimental testing and numerical modeling programs. The experimental testing program included performing different laboratory tests to evaluate the effect of various factors on the performance geogrid reinforced base course materials. Finite element models were also developed to investigate the benefits of placing geogrids within the base course layer in a flexible pavement structure. The results of the experimental testing demonstrated that the inclusion of the geogrid reinforcement layer(s) improved the compressive strength and stiffness of base course materials under static loading. This improvement was more pronounced at higher strain levels. Furthermore, the results showed that the geogrid significantly reduced the base course material permanent deformation under cyclic loading, but it did not show appreciable effect on their resilient deformation. The finite modeling program showed that the geogrid reinforcement reduced the lateral, vertical, and shear strains within the base course and subgrade layers. Furthermore, the geogrid had an appreciable reduction in permanent deformation for pavement sections built on top of weak subgrade soils with medium to thin base layer thickness, with the thin base layer thickness showing greater values of improvement. However, negligible to modest reinforcement effect on permanent deformation was obtained for sections having a firm subgrade or thick base layer thickness. The geogrid reinforcement had modest to high values of improvement in fatigue life of pavement structure. KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Deformation KW - Flexible pavements KW - Geogrids KW - Laboratory tests KW - Numerical analysis KW - Pavement performance KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Repeated loads KW - Subgrade (Pavements) UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2010/fr_450.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34100/34164/fr_450.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/968085 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167119 AU - Mohan, Pradeep AU - Ritter, Mathias AU - Marzougui, Dhafer AU - Brown, Dan AU - Kan, Cing-Dao AU - Opiela, Kenneth AU - National Crash Analysis Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Modeling, Testing, and Validation of the 2007 Chevy Silverado Finite Element Model PY - 2009/10//Working Paper SP - 14p AB - The National Crash Analysis Center (NCAC) at the George Washington University (GWU) has been developing and maintaining a public domain library of finite element (FE) vehicle models for use in transportation safety research. Using the NCAC’s unique and innovative reverse-engineering process, an FE model of the 2007 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck was developed. This pick-up truck satisfies the requirements for a 2270P test vehicle under the soon to be adopted crashworthiness evaluation criteria specified in the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). Since this FE model will be extensively used to design safer roadside barriers, the representation of the suspension system and its dynamic response becomes a critical factor influencing the performance of the roadside barrier. To improve the FE model fidelity and applicability to the roadside hardware impact scenarios it is important to validate and verify the model to a multitude of component and full-scale tests. A series of highly instrumented, non-destructive, full-scale tests and destructive, component-level suspension tests were conducted to gather data for validating the suspension system of the FE model. This paper provides a description of the vehicle FE model, the various component and full-scale tests that were performed, and the current status of the model validation to these physical tests. KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - Crashworthiness KW - Finite element method KW - Highway safety KW - Model validation KW - Pickup trucks KW - Test vehicles KW - Testing UR - http://www.ncac.gwu.edu/research/reports.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/926091 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167109 AU - Opiela, Kenneth S AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Advanced Crash Analysis Program (ACAP) to Improve Transportation Safety and Security PY - 2009/10//Technical Summary SP - 3p AB - The Advanced Crash Analysis Program (ACAP) has been initiated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety R&D of the Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center. Over recent decades, there have been significant advances in computer and software capabilities to capture, link, process, and display data. ACAP expects to capitalize on these advanced capabilities to enhance transportation safety and security. ACAP will continue FHWA efforts to promote the application of finite element models and crash simulation that have successfully been used to 1) design and analyze various types of roadside hardware (e.g., guardrails, sign supports, and concrete barriers); 2) assess vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-barrier impact compatibility; 3) investigate the causes of various types of crashes including rollovers; 4) formulate improved guidelines for the selection and deployment of roadside safety or security hardware; and 5) develop concepts for new roadside treatments. These efforts are expected to result in treatment options that can be used by DOTs to mitigate current or emerging safety or security problems, confirm or expand the findings of other analyses and testing, and/or improve hardware application effectiveness. The objectives of ACAP are to expand detailed knowledge about crashes, to promote the application of emerging methods, to enhance understanding of crash dynamics, and to improve potential effectiveness of designs or applications for safety and security elements. Under ACAP, FHWA will collaborate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Department of State (DOS) to continue advanced crash analyses and research to improve transportation safety and security. KW - Advanced Crash Analysis Program KW - Crash analysis KW - Finite element method KW - Security KW - Simulation KW - Traffic crashes KW - Transportation safety KW - Vehicle dynamics UR - http://www.ncac.gwu.edu/research/reports.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/926107 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167079 AU - Loftus-Otway, Lisa AU - Hutson, Nathan AU - Cruz-Ross, Alejandra AU - Niven, Rachel Virginia AU - Boske, Leigh B AU - Prozzi, Jolanda P AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - An Evaluation of Mexican Transportation Planning, Finance, Implementation, and Construction Processes PY - 2009/10//Technical Report SP - 180p AB - This research examined the legal, financial, institutional and policy processes that Mexico uses to plan, finance, construct, and implement its transportation network. It documents through twelve case studies the state of the practice in planning, financing, conducting traffic and revenue studies, cost benefit analysis, and environmental assessments and reviews how right-of-way purchase occurs for multimodal transportation infrastructure projects. It was found that Mexico is aggressively targeting infrastructure development as a mechanism to improve countrywide network and modal connectivity and to redress social and economic inequality that had occurred because of the poor transportation network. The 2007 National Infrastructure Plan covers 5 years and multiple modes and will finance approximately 58% of the projects using innovative finance methods and public private partnerships. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Border regions KW - Finance KW - Infrastructure KW - Mexico KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Public private partnerships KW - Right of way (Land) KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33711/0_5985_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927674 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01165281 AU - Saber, Aziz AU - Mothukuri, Ajay K AU - Arasangi, Prashant AU - Louisiana Tech University, Ruston AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Verification for the Effectiveness of Continuity Diaphragms for Skewed Continuous P/C P/S Concrete Girder Bridges PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 167p AB - The research presented herein describes the field verification for the effectiveness of continuity diaphragms for skewed continuous precast, prestressed, concrete girder bridges. The objectives of this research are (1) to perform field load testing on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) overpass and compare measured strains with those determined through the theoretical analyses and (2) to study the effects of continuity diaphragms on stresses and deflections from truck loading on bridge deck slab and bridge girders. The current design concept of continuity diaphragms was examined to determine the effectiveness of the diaphragms in skewed bridges. The bridge parameters that were considered include skew angle, length of the span, beam spacing, the ratio of beam spacing to span (aspect ratio), and the ratio of girder stiffness to that of the slab. A prestressed concrete bridge with continuity diaphragms and a skewed angle of 48° was selected by a team of engineers from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD), the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC), the Federal Highway Agency (FHWA). The BNSF Overpass Bridge is located on US-90 in Jennings, Louisiana. The field verification was performed using a comprehensive instrumentation plan and live load tests as described in this report. The field and theoretical results from this study provided a fundamental understanding of the load transfer mechanism through these diaphragms of skewed, continuous span bridges. The findings in this study on stresses, strains, and deflections in the bridge deck and girders indicated that the effects of the continuity diaphragms on skewed continuous span precast prestressed concrete girder bridges were negligible. The results presented in this report also confirmed the theoretical findings published in LTRC Report 383 titled “Continuity Diaphragm for Skewed Continuous Span Precast Prestressed Concrete Girder Bridges.” Continuity diaphragms used in prestressed concrete girder bridges on skewed bents provided additional redundancy in the bridge but caused difficulties in detailing and construction. As the skew angle increases or the girder spacing decreases, the construction becomes more difficult and the effectiveness of the diaphragms becomes questionable. It is also recommended that the use of continuity diaphragms be evaluated based on the need for the enhanced structural redundancy, the reduced expansion joint installation and maintenance costs, and the associated construction difficulties and costs. The outcome of this research will reduce the construction and maintenance costs of bridges throughout Louisiana and the United States. KW - Axle loads KW - Bridge decks KW - Continuity diaphragms KW - Deformation curve KW - Diaphragms (Engineering) KW - Field tests KW - Girders KW - Load tests KW - Load transfer KW - Precast concrete KW - Prestressed concrete bridges UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2010/fr_440.pdf UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2010/fr_440.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/925072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01164853 AU - Weissman, Sarah AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - New Jersey Crash Record Geocoding PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 12p AB - The New Jersey Crash Record Geocoding Initiative was designed as a provisional measure to address missing crash locations. The purpose of the initiative was twofold. Primarily, students worked to locate crashes that had no location information after enforcement or review of the New Jersey Department of Transportation. Locating these crashes increased the number of crash locations, thereby improving all analyses. As a result, data-driven decision making stemming from location information was also enhanced. Additionally, database improvements were suggested for implementation. Both efforts improved data accuracy and completeness. KW - Crash locations KW - Crash records KW - Data accuracy KW - Databases KW - Geographic information systems KW - Improvements KW - Missing data KW - New Jersey UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/925818 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162857 AU - Bruce, Robert N AU - Roller, John J AU - Russell, Henry G. AU - Tulane University AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Structural Monitoring of Rigolets Pass Bridge PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 80p AB - The overall objective of this research project was to evaluate the structural behavior of prestressed high-performance concrete (HPC) long-span bulb-tee girders utilized in Louisiana bridge construction. To accomplish this objective, one span of the Rigolets Pass Bridge was instrumented and monitored to obtain measured strain and deflection data for a period of one year after completion of construction. Four 131-ft. (40-m) long, BT-78 girders fabricated using HPC were instrumented to measure concrete strains and deflections at midspan. During fabrication of the four instrumented girders, representative samples of the prestressing strand and HPC were obtained and used for material property studies. After fabrication, the four instrumented girders were used to construct Span 43 of the Rigolets Pass Bridge. After erecting the instrumented girders at the bridge site, an HPC deck slab was added. During the deck slab construction for Span 43, instrumentation was added to measure concrete strains at midspan. Samples of the deck slab concrete were also obtained and used for material property studies. Throughout the bridge construction process, instrumentation readings were taken and recorded at selected time- or event-based intervals. After completion of the Rigolets Pass Bridge construction, the strain gauge instrumentation installed in the HPC girders and deck slab of Span 43 were connected to an automated on-site data acquisition system with remote access capabilities. The on-site data acquisition system was used to record concrete temperature and strain data at selected time increments for a period of one year after completion of construction. Manual measurements of midspan deflections were taken for Span 43 at the beginning, middle, and end of the one-year bridge monitoring period. This final report documents results from both instrumentation monitoring and material property studies performed for Span 43 of the Rigolets Pass Bridge. The results obtained from this research provide detailed information related to the long-term behavior of a long-span structure fabricated using HPC. Findings and conclusions drawn from this research can be used by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) to develop specifications and designs for future HPC bridge structures. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bulbtee girders KW - Girders KW - High performance concrete KW - Instrumentation KW - Long span bridges KW - Louisiana KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2009/fr_437.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/921210 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162047 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - US 36 Corridor project, Denver, Colorado metropolitan area : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/10//Volumes held: Draft(2v), Final(3v),Technical reports for the draft B1,Technical reports for the final B2 KW - Colorado KW - Environmental impact statements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923031 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159480 AU - Dresnack, Robert AU - Golub, Eugene AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Economic and Quality of Life Impacts of Route 21 Freeway Construction PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 138p AB - Opened to traffic in December 2000, the “missing section” of the Route 21 Freeway in Clifton and Passaic (Hope Ave. to the Route 46 Interchange) was designed utilizing the “equivalent” to the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) approach at that time and will be used herein for the evaluation of the success of the project in fulfilling its goals. A great deal of planning and design work was done to enhance the quality and appearance of this roadway and to maximize positive impacts on and for the surrounding communities. This research project evaluated over a five year period how effective the CSS approach was in the design of the Route 21 Freeway. The evaluation focused on economic and quality of life issues. The type of economic issues that were reviewed included impacts on neighborhoods, residential and commercial real estate values, the success of commercial enterprises in the area, and traffic and safety in the local area. The type of quality of life issues that were reviewed included aesthetics and viewscape, traffic flow, noise impacts and other factors of concern to the local population. KW - Aesthetics KW - Commercial development KW - Context sensitive design KW - Economic impacts KW - Freeways KW - Land values KW - Neighborhoods KW - Quality of life KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2007-024.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920014 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01158463 AU - Avendano, Alejandro AU - Bayrak, Oguzhan AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Aggregate Distribution Investigation in Box Beams Fabricated with Self Consolidating Concrete PY - 2009/10//Technical Report SP - 67p AB - In 2004, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) initiated Project 0-5197 to investigate the feasibility of increasing the allowable compressive stress limit at prestress transfer. Initially, the live load performance of 36 specimens was evaluated by Birrcher and Bayrak (TxDOT Report 5197-1, 2007). Report 5197-4 presents the subsequent research conducted based on recommendations of Birrcher and Bayrak (2007). In this portion of TxDOT Project 0-5197, 45 Type-C beams and 10 4B28 box beams were tested to experimentally determine their cracking load. The Type-C beams were produced in four different fabrication plants using conventionally consolidated concrete. The 10 4B28 box beams were produced in two fabrication plants using concrete mixture designs of both self consolidating concrete (SCC) as well as conventional concrete (Schnittker and Bayrak, CTR, 2008). After testing the 10 box beams procured in TxDOT Project 0-5197, Schnittker and Bayrak (2008) reported increased amounts of top flange cracking at release, substantially lower modulus of elasticity (along with increased deflections under live loading), slightly higher cambers near 28-days, and lower than expected flexural cracking loads under live loads. The present investigation is carried out in an effort to explain the poor performance of the beams fabricated with SCC as reported in research report 0-5197-4. KW - Allowable stress KW - Box beams KW - Cracking KW - Curvature KW - Deflection KW - Live loads KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Prestress transfer KW - Self compacting concrete UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5197_01_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919214 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01158461 AU - Newhouse, Charles D AU - Bole, Scott A AU - Burkett, W R AU - Nash, Phillip T AU - El-Shami, Mostafa AU - Texas Tech University, Lubbock AU - Texas Tech University, Lubbock AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Study of Elastomeric Bearings for Superelevated U-Beam Bridges PY - 2009/10//Technical Report SP - 262p AB - The primary objective of this research was to determine the best way to consider the effects of transverse superelevation on uniform-height steel-reinforced elastomeric bearing pads for U-Beam bridges. Existing Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) design provisions did not specifically account for the effects of the transverse superelevation. A nationwide survey of state DOTs revealed that the country was nearly evenly split on whether or not superstructure elements such as U-Beams should be placed on a transverse superelevation. Specific modifications to the AASHTO Method “A” design of elastomeric bearing equations were developed to account for the transverse superelevation. The proposed modifications were evaluated over typical U-Beam span/spacing combinations for both the U-40 and U-54 sections. The ability of the proposed modifications to predict actual behavior was evaluated by inspecting existing bridges and performing full-scale laboratory testing. Both the field inspections and the laboratory testing validated the need for the proposed revisions. These proposed revisions have been submitted as suggested revisions to the TxDOT LRFD Bridge Design Manual. The feasibility of electronic monitoring of in-situ bearings that have experienced significant transverse deflections was investigated. The bulging on the sides of the bearings made monitoring unreliable. Instead, a method to manually record pertinent information during the routine bridge inspection is recommended. KW - Bridge design KW - Bridges KW - Elastomeric bearing pads KW - Inspection KW - Laboratory tests KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Revisions KW - Superelevation KW - U beams UR - http://www.depts.ttu.edu/techmrtweb/reports/complete_reports/0-5834-1_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919216 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01158459 AU - Waller, S Travis AU - Ng, ManWo AU - Ferguson, Erin AU - Nezamuddin, N AU - Sun, Dazhi AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas A&M University, Kingsville AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Speed Harmonization and Peak-period Shoulder Use to Manage Urban Freeway Congestion PY - 2009/10//Technical Report SP - 125p AB - Traffic congestion is an increasing problem in the nation’s urban areas, leading to personal inconvenience, increased pollution, hampered economic productivity, and reduced quality of life. While traffic congestion tends to continuously increase, growth in transportation infrastructure is limited by financial and land availability constraints. This has placed an increasing emphasis on using dynamic traffic management strategies, such as speed harmonization and peak-period shoulder use, to efficiently manage congestion using existing freeway capacity. This project implemented various strategies of variable speed limits and shoulder use and assessed their impact on traffic operations and safety of freeways. These strategies were found to homogenize traffic and create safer driving conditions, but did not increase the throughput of the system. The intelligent transportation system (ITS) devices required to implement these strategies, enforcement issues, potential impediments in their implementations, and a framework for cost-benefit analysis to determine the economic viability are also discussed. KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Barriers to implementation KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Freeway management systems KW - Freeway operations KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Peak periods KW - Road shoulders KW - Speed harmonization KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic speed KW - Urban areas KW - Variable speed limits UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5913_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919215 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01158457 AU - Ferdous, Nazneen AU - Sener, Ipek N AU - Bhat, Chandra R AU - Reeder, Phillip AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Tour-Based Model Development for TxDOT: Implementation Steps for the Tour-Based Model Design Option and the Data Needs PY - 2009/10//Technical Report SP - 38p AB - Travel demand modeling, in recent years, has seen a paradigm shift with an emphasis on analyzing travel at the individual level rather than using direct statistical projections of aggregate travel demand as in the trip-based approach. Specifically, several metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in the U.S. are developing and implementing advanced travel demand models that are based on a behaviorally more realistic representation of demand for travel. In addition, a number of planning agencies are considering the transition toward advanced travel demand modeling, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) being one of them. Toward this end, this report provides the details of implementing a tour-based travel demand model system. Specifically, the implementation steps are provided for a tour-based model system (with no recognition of the interactions among tours). This includes discussion on data assembly and data preparation, model estimation and calibration (validation), trip assignment output validation, and software recommendations and budgetary considerations. KW - Data needs KW - Implementation KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Texas Department of Transportation KW - Tour-based models KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_6210_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919265 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01158418 AU - Schoenfelder, Jeremy AU - Mid-Atlantic Innovative Technology Center AU - Arizona Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Options for Reducing Copper Theft PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 52p AB - This research investigated the theft of copper, including scope, impacts, and countermeasures. The researchers completed a literature review to demonstrate a global perspective of the problem. They took a survey of other state departments of transportation, utility companies, and developers to determine both successful and unsuccessful techniques being used to deter copper theft and the impact copper theft had on other geographical regions and other industries. Additionally, the researchers conducted a site survey to gain knowledge of the specific issues impacting the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and what mitigation techniques it was implementing. During the time of the research it was found that (1) ADOT estimates that costs over the last two years have exceeded $500,000 and (2) ADOT has been diligent in implementing and adapting various methods and/or techniques to prevent copper theft and apprehend culprits. Suggested mitigation techniques include: 1. Implement a collaborative effort among ADOT, the contracted private investigation firm, and outside consultant(s) to review and amend efforts on a periodic basis to maximize effectiveness through a think-tank type of approach; 2. Implement a program that would monitor ongoing development of methods used by other organizations; and 3. Make particular use of the Copper Keeper, a device that makes it difficult to pull wire through conduit by locking the wire in place through the tightening of a compression bolt. KW - Arizona Department of Transportation KW - Copper KW - Costs KW - Countermeasures KW - Literature reviews KW - Surveys KW - Theft KW - Vandalism UR - http://apps.azdot.gov/ADOTLibrary/publications/project_reports/PDF/AZ657.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919073 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01156604 AU - Granata, Richard D AU - Hartt, William H AU - Florida Atlantic University, Dania Beach AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Integrity of Infrastructure Materials and Structures PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 85p AB - Corrosion of bridges, both of steel and reinforced concrete construction, constitutes a major maintenance problem for the United States. In the case of reinforced concrete bridges, recent attention has focused on corrosion-resistant reinforcements because of concerns that epoxy coatings, which are presently employed for corrosion protection, may not provide the 75- to 100-year service life that is now required for major structures. A component of this research addressed two aspects of serviceability of 2304 stainless steel (SS) (UNS S32304) as reinforcement in concrete bridges. The first aspect addressed concerns regarding possible susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking in chloride-contaminated pore water, and the second aspect focused on determination of the critical chloride concentration to initiate active corrosion. The latter effort involved both accelerated aqueous tests and longer-term exposure of reinforced concrete slabs. No stress corrosion cracking was detected, and a value was defined which the critical chloride concentration to initiate active corrosion exceeds. In the case of steel bridges, an accelerated corrosion test was developed for weathering steel with a range of exposure conditions that demonstrated sensitivity to chloride environments. The protective oxide layer (patina) of weathering steel was degraded above 0.5 wt percent chloride. Above 1 wt percent chloride, the protective oxide could have been severely degraded. Sensors were able to indicate the corrosion rate of coupon material exposed to the same environment. Sensors allowed direct and immediate observation of the impact environmental changes had on corrosion rate. X-ray diffraction showed that the corrosion products produced in cyclic test chambers were similar to those observed under field conditions. Sensors were capable of monitoring corrosive conditions within suspension bridge cables and other steel bridge geometries that were difficult to access. KW - Chlorides KW - Corrosion KW - Corrosion resistance KW - Corrosion tests KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Sensors KW - Service life KW - Stainless steel KW - Steel bridges KW - Suspension bridges KW - Weathering steel UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/09044/09044.pdf UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/09044/index.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917335 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01155864 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Work Zone Mobility and Safety Self Assessment: 2009 National Report PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 41p AB - To help States evaluate their work zone practices, and to help assess work zone practices nationally, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed the Work Zone Mobility and Safety Self Assessment (WZ SA) tool. The WZ SA tool consists of a set of 46 questions designed to assist those with work zone management responsibilities in assessing their programs, policies, and procedures against many of the good work zone practices in use today. The policies, strategies, processes, and tools identified in the WZ SA were gathered from the best practices currently in place in State departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations, and local municipalities.This report presents an overview and detailed results of the 2009 WZ SA. These results are the combined results for the 51 Divisions/States that provided responses to the 2009 WZ SA. Results from the 2008 WZ SA are also included for comparative purposes. KW - Best practices KW - Highway maintenance KW - Local government KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Self assessments KW - State departments of transportation KW - Surveys KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/decision_support/2009/wzsa_2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/916450 ER - TY - SER AN - 01155107 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Graybeal, Ben AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - High Performance Concrete Bridge Deck Investigation PY - 2009/10 SP - 4p AB - This document is a technical summary of the unpublished Federal Highway Administration report, High Performance Concrete Bridge Deck Investigation, available only through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). NTIS Accession No. of the report covered in this TechBrief: PB2009-115497. This TechBrief provides a summary of an investigation that assessed the performance of high performance concrete (HPC) bridge decks. HPC is a concrete designed to meet a performance specification. Many definitions of HPC have been proposed over the past 15–20 years; one to note is the definition proposed by Goodspeed and later expanded by Russell and Ozyildirim that offers a series of strength and durability-related performance characteristics. It recommends that the desired performance of the concrete should be considered and that the performance characteristics should then be set accordingly. Example performance characteristics toward which concrete properties may be focused include chloride penetration, shrinkage, compressive strength, and freeze/ thaw deterioration resistance. KW - Bridge decks KW - Chlorides KW - Compressive strength KW - Durability KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - High performance concrete KW - Penetration resistance KW - Shrinkage UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/09070/09070.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915825 ER - TY - SER AN - 01155065 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Graybeal, Ben AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Structural Behavior of a Prototype UHPC Pi-Girder PY - 2009/10 SP - 4p AB - This document is a technical summary of the unpublished Federal Highway Administration report, Structural Behavior of a Prototype Ultra-High Performance Concrete Pi-Girder, available only through the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). NTIS Accession No. of the report covered in this TechBrief: PB2009-115495. This TechBrief highlights the results of a research program that evaluated an ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) pi-girder cross section prototype developed for use in short- and medium-span highway bridge applications. UHPC is an advanced cementitious composite material which has been developed in recent decades. When compared to more conventional concrete materials, UHPC tends to exhibit superior properties such as exceptional durability, high compressive strength, usable tensile strength, and long-term stability. This experimental investigation focused on the structural behavior of a newly developed highway bridge girder cross section, the pi-girder. This girder was developed and optimized to exploit the advanced mechanical and durability properties of UHPC. Structural testing was completed on girders to investigate their flexural response, shear response, transverse flexural response, and lateral load distribution capabilities. Through this work, topics related to the design and fabrication of the pi-girder were also addressed. KW - Bridge design KW - Durability KW - Girders KW - High performance concrete KW - Highway bridges KW - Mechanical properties KW - Structural analysis KW - Ultra high performance concrete UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/09068/index.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915824 ER - TY - SER AN - 01154873 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Structural Behavior of a 2nd Generation UHPC Pi-Girder PY - 2009/10 SP - 4p AB - This TechBrief highlights the results of a research program that evaluated a 2nd generation ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) pi-girder cross section developed for use in short- and medium-span highway bridge applications. UHPC is an advanced cementitious composite material which has been developed in recent decades. Compared to more conventional concrete materials, UHPC tends to exhibit superior properties such as exceptional durability, high compressive strength, usable tensile strength, and long-term stability. KW - Compressive strength KW - Durability KW - Girders KW - Highway bridges KW - Medium span bridges KW - PI girders KW - Short span bridges KW - Stability (Mechanics) KW - Tensile strength KW - Ultra high performance concrete UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/09069/09069.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/916006 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01154216 AU - Carlson, David AU - Edmiston, Sharon Chan AU - Zlotoff, Alisa AU - Miller, Alexandra AU - Filosa, Gina AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - State Transportation Liaison Funded Positions Study PY - 2009/10 SP - 83p AB - The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which was signed into law in August 2005, contained several provisions focused on streamlining the environmental review process. One of these provisions, Section 6002, allowed for State Department of Transportation (State DOT) funding of staff, at both Federal and State resource agencies, who are dedicated to working on State DOT projects on environmental streamlining and related planning activities. This report assesses trends in the use of these “funded positions” and provides recommendations to State DOTs and resource agencies to support more effective uses of funded positions. The report is based on a study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Project Development and Environmental Review with assistance from the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center). The study consisted of two parts: (1) a literature review to assess the state of the knowledge about State DOT-funded positions and agreements, and (2) a series of interviews with participants in funded positions programs, including program managers at State DOTs and Federal and State resource agencies and individuals in those positions. KW - Environmental impact analysis KW - Environmental streamlining KW - Interviewing KW - Literature reviews KW - Personnel KW - Resource agencies KW - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/strmlng/fundedPositionsReport/report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/34000/34700/34778/October_2009_StateTranspLiaisonFPStudy.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/915832 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153460 AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Environmental Mitigation in Transportation Planning: Case Studies in Meeting SAFETEA-LU Section 6001 Requirements PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 69p AB - The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) included provisions intended to enhance consideration of environmental issues and impacts within the transportation planning process. The purpose of this case study report is to examine the ways in which metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have responded to SAFETEA-LU new environmental and consultation requirements in transportation planning. By presenting key success factors and lessons learned, common challenges and gaps, and other observations, this report is expected to assist transportation officials across the nation in improving their transportation planning processes and outcomes. KW - Case studies KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental mitigation KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/pubcase_6001.asp UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914893 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152768 AU - Aref, Amjad J AU - Warn, Gordon AU - State University of New York, Buffalo AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Hybrid FRP-Concrete Bridge Deck System: Report II: Long Term Performance of Hybrid FRP-Concrete Bridge Deck System PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 78p AB - This report describes the investigation of the long term structural performance of a hybrid fiber reinforced polymer (FRP)-concrete (HFRPC) bridge deck on steel girders. The study aimed at assessing three long term aspects pertaining to the HFRPC bridge deck: (1) creep characteristics, (2) fatigue performance, and (3) ultimate capacity. KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge design KW - Concrete bridges KW - Creep properties KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Fiber reinforced plastics KW - Hybrid design KW - Long term performance UR - http://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-02-07_Final%20Report%20II_October2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914419 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152765 AU - Aref, Amjad J AU - Alnahhal, Wael I AU - State University of New York, Buffalo AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Hybrid FRP-Concrete Bridge Deck System: Report I: Development and System Performance Validation PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 255p AB - In this study, the concept of the hybrid fiber reinforced polymer (FRP)-concrete structural systems was applied to both bridge superstructure and deck systems. Results from both experimental and computational analysis for both the hybrid bridge superstructure and deck systems confirmed that the hybrid FRP-concrete bridge systems have an excellent performance from a structural engineering point of view. KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Concrete bridges KW - Fiber reinforced plastics KW - Hybrid design KW - Structural engineering KW - Structural performance UR - http://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-02-07_Final%20Report%20I_10-15-2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914418 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152678 AU - Guo, Junke AU - Kerenyi, Kornel AU - Pagan-Ortiz, Jorge E AU - GKY and Associates, Incorporated AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Bridge Pressure Flow Scour for Clear Water Conditions PY - 2009/10//Laboratory Report SP - 59p AB - The equilibrium scour at a bridge caused by pressure flow with critical approach velocity in clear-water simulation conditions was studied both analytically and experimentally. The flume experiments revealed that (1) the measured equilibrium scour profiles under a bridge are more or less consistent across the channel width; (2) all the measured scour profiles can be described by two similarity equations where the horizontal distance is scaled by the deck width and the local scour is scaled by the maximum scour depth; (3) the maximum scour position is located under the bridge and at a location approximately 15.4 percent of the deck width from the downstream edge of the deck; (4) scour begins at approximately one deck width upstream of the bridge, and deposition begins at approximately 2.5 deck widths downstream of the bridge; and (5) the maximum scour depth decreases with increasing median sediment size but increases with higher levels of deck inundation. The analytical analysis shows that (1) bridge scour can be divided into three cases: downstream unsubmerged, partially submerged, and totally submerged; (2) for downstream unsubmerged flows, the maximum scour depth is an open channel problem where the conventional methods in terms of critical velocity or bed shear stress can be applied; and (3) for partially and totally submerged flows, the maximum scour depth can be described by scour and inundation similarity numbers, which has been confirmed by experiments with two sediment sizes (0.039 and 0.078 inches (1 and 2 mm)) and two types of decks with three and six girders, respectively. For application, a design and field evaluation procedure with examples is presented, including the maximum scour depth and scour profile. KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge foundations KW - Depth KW - Experiments KW - Flumes KW - Scour KW - Sediments KW - Size UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/09041/09041.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914369 ER - TY - SER AN - 01152670 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Displaced Left-Turn Intersection PY - 2009/10 IS - FHWA-HRT-09-055 SP - 4p AB - This document is a technical summary of the Federal Highway Administration report, "Alternative Intersections/Interchanges: Information Report (AIIR)" (FHWA-HRT-09-060), which covers four intersection designs and two interchange designs. These designs offer substantial advantages over conventional at-grade intersections and grade-separated diamond interchanges. The AIIR provides information on each alternative treatment and covers salient geometric design features, operational and safety issues, access management, costs, construction sequencing, and applicability. This TechBrief summarizes information on one alternative intersection design—the displaced left-turn (DLT) intersection. The main distinguishing feature of the DLT intersection is the relocation of the left-turn movement upstream of the main intersection. This eliminates the left-turn signal phase for the approach at the main intersection. It also provides additional advantages over conventional designs under a wide spectrum of traffic conditions. KW - Access control (Transportation) KW - Displaced left turn intersections KW - Geometric design KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intersections UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09055/09055.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914368 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152587 AU - Kim, Y Richard AU - Hummer, Joseph E AU - Gabr, Mohammed AU - Johnston, David AU - Underwood, B Shane AU - Findley, Daniel J AU - Cunningham, Christopher M AU - North Carolina State University, Raleigh AU - North Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Asset Management Inventory and Data Collection PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 287p AB - An efficient and accurate inventory of a state highway agency’s assets, along with the means to assess the condition of those assets and model their performance, is critical to enabling an agency to make informed investment decisions in a Transportation Asset Management (TAM) environment. Today, new technologies provide fast and improved ways to gather, process, and analyze data. The key is to identify and gather the most useful, reliable, cost-effective information and use it to make informed decisions for asset management. Four key infrastructure areas have been identified as primary asset components; pavements, bridges, geotechnical features, and roadside appurtenances. Each area contains multiple categories and data elements important for sound decision making. Although some similarities exist in these four primary categories, the nature of data collection may differ, depending on the asset type. The sheer number of data elements and the length of asset networks for pavements and roadside appurtenances render the automated highway speed data collection method a necessity rather than a luxury. However, the discrete nature of bridges and geotechnical features make the automated mobile data collection method on a network level unfeasible with today’s technology. Important issues in the collection process include precision, subjectivity and variability of the process itself, as well as speed, safety of the survey crew, proximity of the public, cost, etc. Although previous research has attempted to address these issues and determine the most appropriate method(s), the question remains as to which roadway data collection system is best for state highway agencies given real world constraints. This research set up a “sealed envelope” experiment wherein the identification, location, description, and quality of the asset data elements are known only to NCSU researchers. Vendors are informed of only the data necessary to perform their evaluation. To support this effort a 95-mile test course near Raleigh, North Carolina was identified, which contained a sampling of pavement, roadside, geotechnical and bridge elements. This document reports on the findings from the study. KW - Asset management KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Bridges KW - Data collection KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Inventory KW - Pavements KW - Roadside UR - http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/tpb/research/download/2008-15FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/913365 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150740 AU - Ziehl, Paul H AU - Rizos, Dimitris C AU - Caicedo, Juan M AU - Barrios, Francisco AU - Howard, Robert B AU - Colmorgan, Alexander S AU - University of South Carolina, Columbia AU - South Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Investigation of the Performance and Benefits of Lightweight SCC Prestressed Concrete Bridge Girders and SCC Materials PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 182p AB - Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC), also known as self-compacting concrete, is a highly flowable concrete that is capable of filling formwork without using conventional vibration techniques while maintaining its cohesiveness. Currently SCC is used in many commercial applications and is gaining acceptance from many state DOTs for use in precast prestressed bridge girders. SCC is advantageous for many reasons including: (i) the number of workers required and the noise produced by mechanical vibration is reduced significantly; (ii) the safety hazards of workers on top of the girders is eliminated; (iii) the surface finish of the concrete can be more smooth than that of conventional concrete; (iv) formwork damage from mechanical vibration is reduced, increasing the life of the forms; (v) reinforcing bar configurations are not damaged; (vi) improved bond of concrete to prestressed strands could reduce strand end-slip and the top bar effect; and (vii) SCC is able to fill complicated shapes and congested reinforcement areas better than vibrated concrete. This research report addresses the design and resulting properties of normal weight mix designs that were developed at the University of South Carolina and the testing of full-scale lightweight concrete AASHTO Type III girders. Both aspects address material testing for properties in the fresh and hardened states. Fresh properties include slump spread, filling ability, passing ability, and air content. Hardened properties include compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, creep, shrinkage, chloride permeability, and freeze-thaw durability. Testing of the girders includes transfer length, end-slip, midspan deflections, midspan strains, and internal curing temperatures. Summaries and conclusions are provided along with recommended guidelines for implementation. KW - Girders KW - High performance concrete KW - Lightweight concrete KW - Prestressed concrete bridges KW - Properties of materials KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Structural tests UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55800/55869/FHWA-SC-09-02.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/913089 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150610 AU - Jennings Consulting Group AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Compilation of State Laws and Regulations Affecting Highway-Rail Grade Crossings PY - 2009/10//5th Edition SP - 321p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration has identified roughly 258,815 public and private highway-rail grade crossings in the United States. Most aspects of jurisdiction over highway-rail grade crossings reside with the states. Within some states, responsibility is divided between several public agencies and the railroad. In other states, jurisdiction over highway-rail grade crossings is assigned to a regulatory agency with various names such as the Public Utility Commission, Public Service Commission, or State Corporation Commission. Still, other states divide the authority among public administrative agencies of the state, county, city, and town, having jurisdiction and responsibility for their respective highway systems. State and local law enforcement agencies have the responsibility for the enforcement of traffic laws at highway-rail grade crossings. In a number of cases, local government bodies are given responsibility for certain operational matters related to crossings; and this is accomplished through various ordinances. KW - At grade intersections KW - Data compilation KW - Highway safety KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Regulations KW - State laws KW - Traffic laws UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/1576 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/913008 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150582 AU - Sunkari, Srinivasa R AU - Charara, Hassan A AU - Johnson, Jeremy D AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Field Manual for the Operation of Advance Warning of End of Green System (AWEGS) PY - 2009/10 SP - 84p AB - The objective of this implementation project was to implement four Advance Warning of End of Green System (AWEGS) across Texas at intersections appropriate for the installation of AWEGS. After a survey across Texas, four sites were chosen in the Atlanta District, Pharr District, Odessa District, and San Antonio District. The AWEGS design plans were prepared for these four sites and submitted to the districts. These design plans were prepared for an intersection with high-speed approaches having the required dilemma zone detection design. The Atlanta District implementation was typical of the earlier implementation and used the TS-2 TS-1 conversion panel. However, the remaining implementations were configured for using enhanced BIUs. AWEGS software was also modified to account for rail preemption as the site in the Odessa District was being preempted by between 15 to 25 trains per day. Finally the implementation in the San Antonio District was redesigned to use radar detection for both dilemma zone and advance detection. AWEGS at the Atlanta, Pharr, San Antonio, and Odessa Districts have been implemented, and an evaluation of the system showed that AWEGS was performing satisfactorily at all sites. KW - Advance warning flashers KW - Advance Warning of End of Green System KW - Dilemma zone KW - High speed ground transportation KW - Intersections KW - Texas KW - Traffic actuated controllers KW - Traffic control UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/5-5113-01-P1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/913016 ER - TY - SER AN - 01149575 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Bared, Joe AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Quadrant Roadway Intersection PY - 2009/10 SP - 4p AB - Today's transportation professionals, with limited resources available to them, are challenged to meet the mobility needs of an increasing population. At many highway junctions, congestion continues to worsen, and drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists experience increasing delays and heightened exposure to risk. Today's traffic volumes and travel demands often lead to safety problems that are too complex for conventional intersection designs to properly handle. Consequently, more engineers are considering various innovative treatments as they seek solutions to these complex problems. The corresponding report, Alternative Intersections/Interchanges: Informational Report (AIIR) (FHWA-HRT-09-060), covers four intersection designs and two interchange designs that offer substantial advantages over conventional at–grade intersections and grade separated diamond interchanges. The AIIR provides information on each alternative treatment covering salient geometric design features, operational and safety issues, access management, costs, construction sequencing, environmental benefits, and applicability. This TechBrief summarizes information on one of these alternative intersection designs–the quadrant roadway (QR) intersection. A QR intersection is a promising design for an intersection of two busy suburban or urban roadways. The intersection works by rerouting all four left–turn movements at a four–legged intersection onto a road that connects the two intersecting roads. KW - Geometric design KW - Highway design KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intersections KW - Quadrant roadway intersections KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09058/index.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/908524 ER - TY - SER AN - 01149570 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Bared, Joe AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Displaced Left-Turn Interchange PY - 2009/10 SP - 4p AB - Today's transportation professionals, with limited resources available to them, are challenged to meet the mobility needs of an increasing population. At many highway junctions, congestion continues to worsen, and drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists experience increasing delays and heightened exposure to risk. Today's traffic volumes and travel demands often lead to safety problems that are too complex for conventional interchange designs to properly handle. Consequently, more engineers are considering various innovative treatments as they seek solutions to these complex problems. The corresponding technical report, Alternative Intersections/Interchanges: Informational Report (AIIR) (FHWA-HRT-09-060), covers four intersection designs and two interchange designs that offer substantial advantages over conventional at-grade intersections and grade-separated diamond interchanges. The AIIR provides information on each alternative treatment covering salient geometric design features, operational and safety issues, access management, costs, construction sequencing, environmental benefits, and applicability. This TechBrief summarizes information on one of these alternative interchange designs-the displaced left-turn (DLT) interchange. The DLT interchange is a new interchange design that has similarities to both the at-grade DLT intersection and the double crossover diamond (DCD) interchange. The main feature of the DLT interchange is that left-turning traffic crosses over the opposing through lanes several hundred feet upstream of the main intersection and then proceeds on a new roadway situated between the opposing through lanes and a roadway that carries right-turning traffic from the ramp. From this new roadway, the left-turn traffic completes its maneuver onto the on-ramp. KW - Displaced left turn interchanges KW - Geometric design KW - Highway design KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Interchanges KW - Left turns KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09056/index.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/908521 ER - TY - SER AN - 01149567 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Bared, Joe AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersection PY - 2009/10 SP - 4p AB - Today's transportation professionals, with limited resources available to them, are challenged to meet the mobility needs of an increasing population. At many highway junctions, congestion continues to worsen, and drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists experience increasing delays and heightened exposure to risk. Today's traffic volumes and travel demands often lead to safety problems that are too complex for conventional junction designs to properly handle. Consequently, more engineers are considering various innovative treatments as they seek solutions to these complex problems. The corresponding report, Alternative Intersections/Interchanges: Informational Report (AIIR) (FHWA-HRT-09-060), covers four intersection designs and two interchange designs. These designs offer substantial advantages over conventional at-grade intersections and grade-separated diamond interchanges. The AIIR provides information on each alternative treatment and covers salient geometric design features, operational and safety issues, access management, costs, construction sequencing, and applicability. This TechBrief summarizes information on one alternative intersection design-the restricted crossing U-turn (RCUT) intersection. The RCUT, also referred to as the superstreet intersection or J-turn intersection, is characterized by the prohibition of left-turn and through movements from side street approaches as permitted in conventional designs. Instead, the RCUT intersection accommodates these movements by requiring drivers to turn right onto the main road and then make a U-turn maneuver at a one-way median opening 400 to 1,000 ft after the intersection. Left turns from the main road approaches are executed in a manner similar to left turns at conventional intersections and are unchanged in this design. Left-turn movements from the major road could also be removed at primarily rural unsignalized RCUT designs. KW - Geometric design KW - Highway design KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intersections KW - Restricted crossing U-turn intersection KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - U turns UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09059/index.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/908522 ER - TY - SER AN - 01149564 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Bared, Joe AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Double Crossover Diamond Interchange PY - 2009/10 SP - 4p AB - Today's transportation professionals, with limited resources available to them, are challenged to meet the mobility needs of an increasing population. At many highway junctions, congestion continues to worsen, and drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists experience increasing delays and heightened exposure to risk. Today's traffic volumes and travel demands often lead to safety problems that are too complex for conventional interchange designs to properly handle. Consequently, more engineers are considering various innovative treatments as they seek solutions to these complex problems. The corresponding technical report, Alternative Intersections/Interchanges: Informational Report (AIIR) (FHWA-HRT-09-060), covers four intersection designs and two interchange designs that offer substantial advantages over conventional at-grade intersections and grade-separated diamond interchanges. The AIIR provides information on each alternative treatment covering salient geometric design features, operational and safety issues, access management, costs, construction sequencing, environmental benefits, and applicability. This TechBrief summarizes information on one alternative interchange design—the double crossover diamond (DCD) interchange. The DCD interchange, also known as a diverging diamond interchange (DDI), is a new interchange design that has much in common with the design of a conventional diamond interchange. The main difference between a DCD interchange and a conventional diamond interchange is in the way left and through movements navigate between the cross street intersections with ramps. The DCD design accommodates left-turning movements onto arterials and limited-access highways while eliminating the need for a left-turn signal phase at signalized ramp terminal intersections. On the cross street, the traffic moves to the left side of the roadway between the signalized ramp intersections. This allows drivers of vehicles on the cross street who want to turn left onto the ramps the chance to continue to the ramps without conflicting with opposing through traffic and without stopping. KW - Diamond interchanges KW - Double crossover diamond interchange KW - Geometric design KW - Highway design KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09054/09054.pdf UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09054/index.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/908520 ER - TY - SER AN - 01149560 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Bared, Joe AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Median U-Turn Intersection PY - 2009/10 SP - 4p AB - Today's transportation professionals, with limited resources available to them, are challenged to meet the mobility needs of an increasing population. At many highway junctions, congestion continues to worsen, and drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists experience increasing delays and heightened exposure to risk. Today's traffic volumes and travel demands often lead to safety problems that are too complex for conventional intersection designs to properly handle. Consequently, more engineers are considering various innovative treatments as they seek solutions to these complex problems. The corresponding technical report, Alternative Intersections/Interchanges: Informational Report (AIIR) (FHWA-HRT-09-060), covers four intersection designs and two interchange designs that offer substantial advantages over conventional at-grade intersections and grade-separated diamond interchanges. The AIIR provides information on each alternative treatment covering salient geometric design features, operational and safety issues, access management, costs, construction sequencing, environmental benefits, and applicability. This TechBrief summarizes information on one of these alternative intersection designs—the median U-turn (MUT) intersection. MUT intersections can be implemented as either full MUTs—where direct left turns from both the major and minor approaches are eliminated from the main intersection—or as partial MUTs—where direct left turns from only the major approaches are eliminated. KW - Geometric design KW - Highway design KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intersections KW - Medians KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - U turns UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09057/index.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/908523 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147857 AU - Koonce, Peter AU - Lee, Kevin AU - Urbanik, Tom AU - Kittelson and Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Regional Traffic Signal Operations Programs: An Overview PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 76p AB - This report provides an overview of practices related to developing and sustaining a Regional Traffic Signal Operations Program. The purpose for a Regional Traffic Signal Operations Program is to provide regional partners a formal framework to collectively manage the signal system performance for efficiency and consistency. A key benefit of a regional program is the development of projects that are of a magnitude that they can be included in a regional or state transportation improvement program (TIP). There are many benefits to the development of a regional traffic signal management and operations program. Agencies and users benefit from regional traffic signal operations programs as planners, engineers, and operators can provide an effective and efficient traffic signal system to the public and also provide higher levels of customer service without increasing costs. Additionally, by sustaining collaboration, regional operators can demonstrate to the public and elected officials that progress is being made on community goals, which then can be leveraged for future funding. Agencies and jurisdictions within a region that use a common framework for developing and establishing expectations, managing resources, and building relationships will result in more successful systems both individually and region-wide. KW - Highway traffic control systems KW - Level of service KW - Regional planning KW - Regional traffic management KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Transportation Improvement Programs KW - Transportation operations KW - Transportation policy UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop09007/fhwahop09007.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35700/35775/fhwahop09007.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/908487 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147289 AU - Tabatabai, Habib AU - Ghorbanpoor, Al AU - Pritzl, Matthew D AU - University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee AU - University of Wisconsin, Madison AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Select Methods of Corrosion Prevention, Corrosion Control, and Repair in Reinforced Concrete Bridges PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 367p AB - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of selected techniques for corrosion prevention, control, and repair of reinforced concrete bridges. Thirty laboratory specimens were subjected to six months of accelerated corrosion testing that consisted of cyclic wet/dry cycles and an applied regulated voltage. The use of galvanic thermal sprayed zinc, galvanic embedded anodes, sealers, coatings, and epoxy repair mortar was evaluated. The long-term effectiveness of some admixtures and sealers was evaluated on nine different bridge decks across Wisconsin through an extensive analysis of chloride ingress. KW - Coatings KW - Corrosion protection KW - Corrosion resistance KW - Maintenance KW - Patching KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Repairing KW - Sealing compounds UR - http://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/53046/06-06%2520Final%2520Report.pdf UR - http://wisdotresearch.wi.gov/wp-content/uploads/06-06corrosionconcretebridges-f1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907080 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145972 AU - Zhou, Fujie AU - Hu, Sheng AU - Hu, Xiaodi AU - Scullion, Tom AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mechanistic-Empirical Asphalt Overlay Thickness Design and Analysis System PY - 2009/10//Technical Report SP - 154p AB - The placement of an asphalt overlay is the most common method used by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to rehabilitate existing asphalt and concrete pavements. The type of overlay and its required thickness are important decisions that TxDOT engineers make on a daily basis. To perform well, an asphalt overlay must have a balance of both good rut and crack resistance. Furthermore, overlay performance is highly influenced by many factors, such as existing pavement conditions, traffic loading, and environmental conditions. It has also recently become common practice to use two different materials in an overlay, the first being a crack resistant level up course and the second being a wearing surface. The properties of both overlay types have a big impact on performance. The main objective of the Research Project 0-5123 was to develop a comprehensive mechanistic-empirical (M-E) asphalt overlay design system to assist TxDOT engineers to make these design decisions. The design system developed incorporates models for both rutting and reflection cracking of the proposed overlay. The Paris’ law-based reflection cracking model was evaluated and recommended for use in this study. This model requires the use of both stress intensity factors (SIF) and fracture properties (A and n) for predicting crack propagation caused by both traffic loading and thermal effects. For practical implementation of the SIF concept, a total of 34 SIF regression equations were developed based on more than 1.6 million finite element computations. The required fracture properties can be easily determined using the Overlay Tester. The proposed reflective cracking model was calibrated using performance data from three HMA overlay field case studies and then verified using the California’s Heavy Vehicle Simulator test results. To predict asphalt overlay rutting, the well-known VESYS layer rutting model was used and later calibrated using the field rutting data from the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) test track 2006. The material properties required for this model are obtained from repeated load tests. The reasonableness and accuracy of the calibrated rutting was further verified by the field rutting data from NCAT test track 2000. Finally, the calibrated reflective cracking and rutting models were integrated into an asphalt overlay thickness design and analysis program. To assist in implementation, default values of material properties have been provided for all the overlay types currently used in Texas. The program provides the designer with a tool to evaluate on a project-level basis the impact of load transfer efficiency (LTE) on predicted life and to determine what level of LTE must be repaired in order to achieve adequate performance. In summary, this study has developed a comprehensive overlay thickness design and analysis system based on solid engineering principles. The software package developed in this study has been provided to TxDOT. Based on the evaluations made in this study its predictions appear rational and reasonable. This system is ready for state-wide pilot implementation. KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Fracture properties KW - Load transfer efficiency KW - Mathematical models KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Reflection cracking KW - Rutting KW - Software packages KW - Stress intensity factors KW - Thickness KW - VESYS (Computer program) UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5123-3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906593 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145969 AU - Trejo, David AU - Halmen, Ceki AU - Reinschmidt, Kenneth F AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Corrosion Performance Tests for Reinforcing Steel in Concrete: Technical Report PY - 2009/10//Technical Report SP - 252p AB - The existing test method used to assess the corrosion performance of reinforcing steel embedded in concrete, mainly ASTM G 109, is labor intensive, time consuming, slow to provide comparative results, and can be expensive. However, with corrosion of reinforcement a major challenge to the durability of infrastructure systems, improvements in the corrosion performance of materials could add significant value. With limited resources, new procedures and test methods are needed to assess corrosion performance of potentially value-adding materials. This research evaluated four accelerated test procedures (rapid macrocell (a.k.a. mini-macrocell), ACT test, CCIA test, and a modified ASTM G109 test) and compared these tests with the standard ASTM G 109 tests. The reasonableness of the test results, test simplicity, test cost, and test duration were all assessed. Results indicate that the rapid macrocell, ACT, and CCIA tests can reduce the time required to perform the tests by approximately 90 percent compared to standard ASTM G 109 test. Not considering the one-time equipment cost, the rapid macrocell, ACT, and CCIA decrease the cost by approximately 75, 58, and 67 percent compared to the standard ASTM G 109 test, respectively. The rapid macrocell test was determined to be relatively simple while the CCIA and ACT tests were considered to be more complex to perform. Based on the research findings, it is proposed that the Texas Department of Transportation use the rapid macrocell test to evaluate the corrosion performance of most materials. To evaluate the performance of dielectric coatings on reinforcement, it is recommended that the MG 109 test be used to evaluate these system types. For specific testing needs, other tests may be appropriate. KW - Accelerated tests KW - Corrosion KW - Protective coatings KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Test procedures UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-4825-1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31300/31357/0-4825-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906587 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145017 AU - Tia, Mang AU - Liu, Yanjun AU - Haranki, Boris AU - Su, Yu-Min AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Modulus of Elasticity, Creep and Shrinkage of Concrete – PHASE II: Part 1– Creep Study PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 224p AB - A laboratory testing program was performed to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of typical Class II, IV, V and VI concrete mixtures made with a Miami Oolite limestone, a Georgia granite, and a lightweight aggregate Stalite, including compressive strength, indirect tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, creep, and shrinkage. A total of 18 different concrete mixes, with water-to-cement (w/c) ratio varying from 0.24 to 0.44, were evaluated. Fly ash and ground blast-furnace slag were also incorporated as mineral additives in these mixes. Creep apparatuses were designed and built for this study. The creep apparatuses and testing procedures used were found to work satisfactorily. The creep apparatus was capable of applying and maintaining a load up to 145,000 lb on the test specimens with an error of less than 2%. Curing condition had a significant effect on the creep behavior of concrete evaluated in this study. The concretes which had been moist-cured for 14 days had substantially lower creep coefficients than those which had been moist-cured for only 7 days. Using the test results from the concretes investigated, relationships were developed between various mechanical properties, including compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and elastic modulus. Relationships were also established between compressive strength of the concrete and the creep coefficient of the concretes. The predicted ultimate shrinkage strains and ultimate creep coefficients were determined for the concretes evaluated. The predicted ultimate creep coefficients of most of the concrete tested appeared to exceed 2.0. KW - Admixtures KW - Compressive strength KW - Creep KW - Creep tests KW - Florida KW - Mechanical properties KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Physical properties KW - Shrinkage KW - Tensile strength KW - Testing equipment UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_SMO/FDOT_BD545_67_rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/905181 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143661 AU - Monsere, Christopher M AU - Diercksen, Lisa AU - Dixon, Karen K AU - Liebler, Michael AU - Portland State University AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Safety Investment Program (SIP) Policies for Oregon PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 180p AB - The Safety Investment Program (SIP) was originally called the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program - Safety Investment Program (STIP-SIP). The concept of the program was first discussed in October 1997 and the program was adopted by the Oregon Transportation Commission in August 1998. The concept for the program grew out of a cost-effective approach to pavement preservation projects that set out to maximize the impact of money spent on highway safety, based on crash reduction factors. Safety projects were to be selected based on high crash locations as identified by the Safety Priority Index System (SPIS) and SIP Category ratings of five-mile sections. This research evaluated the SIP Policy from the perspective of: 1) an overall program for safety improvement projects, 2) a guiding policy when safety improvements are planned as part of other project work, and 3) a component integrated with the highway design procedures for resurfacing, restoration, or rehabilitation (3R) projects. The research included two levels of evaluation; the first evaluation was done as part of the systematic evaluation, while the second was a project-level evaluation. The systematic evaluation revealed that, in general, projects where safety funds were used resulted in a net decrease in total crashes as well as severe and fatal crashes; however, these benefits were not realized for all locations or all work types. The detailed review of the 24 mixed safety-preservation projects highlighted some of the challenges of successfully implementing the SIP Policy. It was clear that the SIP Policy has not been applied consistently to mixed projects. In particular, the variety of design and, to a lesser extent, the funding eligibility scores, highlight the variety of policy interpretations. The project-level evaluation concluded that the most important project element to improve safety performance was the specific identification of a safety problem. Recommendations were made on improved documentation procedures at the project level as well as strategies to improve overall policy compliance. KW - Compliance KW - Crash reduction factors KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - Oregon KW - Policy KW - Safety management KW - Safety programs UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/SIP_Evaluation_FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/903569 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142622 AU - Henry, Karen S AU - Clapp, Joshua AU - Davids, William G AU - Humphrey, Dana N AU - Barna, Lynette A AU - U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Structural Improvements of Flexible Pavements Using Geosynthetics for Base Course Reinforcement PY - 2009/10//Final Report SP - 194p AB - A study was conducted on full-scale pavement test sections to assess geogrid/base reinforcement in flexible pavements representative of major highways. The experimental design, trafficking protocol, results and development of rutting models are reported herein. Accelerated trafficking was conducted with a heavy vehicle simulator on eight pavement test sections. Four test sections were reinforced with geogrid placed at the base/subgrade interface, the other four were matching unreinforced (control) sections. Rut depths in the pavement surface as a function of applied traffic cycles were compared. Except for the thickest base and asphalt combination tested, the grid reinforcement provided benefit compared to unreinforced control sections as indicated by surface rut depth. (Four test sections reached ‘failure’ and four did not—traffic ceased at a set number of load cycles in these cases.) Empirical rutting models presented in NCHRP 1-37A, Guide for Mechanistic-Empirical Design of New and Rehabilitated Pavement Structures (available from http://www.trb.org/mepdg/) were extended to account for the reinforcement. Mechanistic finite element models were calibrated using strains measured throughout the test sections. Predicted rut depths using this mechanistic-empirical approach were in reasonable agreement with measured values. For the pavement configurations of this study, geogrid was predicted to increase the pavement life by 29 to 43%. KW - Accelerated tests KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Finite element method KW - Flexible pavements KW - Geogrids KW - Geosynthetics KW - Heavy vehicle simulators KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Rutting KW - Service life KW - Test sections UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/documents/TPF-5_010/final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902903 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547839 TI - Research for AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways. Task 279. Development of a Work Plan for the 2nd Edition of the Highway Safety Manual AB - The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) is being developed through a series of NCHRP projects and with the guidance of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Task Forces on the HSM. The draft of the first edition was completed in early 2009 and after the balloting process will become an AASHTO publication. The objective of this project is to develop a work plan for the 2nd edition of the Highway Safety manual. The project has been completed. Copies of the final report have been sent to AASHTO's Standing Committee on Highway Traffic Safety. KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Manuals UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2759 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335461 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01481175 AU - Wilbur Smith Associates AU - Arizona Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Public‐Private Partnerships Potential for Arizona‐Mexico Border Infrastructure Projects PY - 2009/09/30/Final Report SP - 132p AB - The purpose of this project is to evaluate and determine the feasibility of using public‐private partnerships to finance Arizona‐Mexico border region infrastructure projects. The potential use of public‐private partnerships is being explored due to traditional funding means being insufficient to finance the needed infrastructure improvements for the movement of people and freight through the Arizona‐Mexico ports. This Final Report is based on four previously completed Technical Memorandums. Technical Memorandum 1, Overview of Border Infrastructure Public‐Private Partnerships, presented a review and summary of current border infrastructure public‐private partnerships. The overview included the findings of a survey of public‐private partnerships in existence at United States land ports of entry and their related connecting infrastructure, as well as those under development. Technical Memorandum 2, Description of Freight Flows, provided detailed information of freight flow data from available sources on the flow of goods and freight that moves across the Arizona‐Mexico border through Arizona’s land ports of entry. Technical Memorandum 3, Identification of Potential Public‐Private Partnership Opportunities, identified potential public‐private partnerships that may exist at each of Arizona’s land ports of entry and related connecting infrastructure. Technical Memorandum 4, Implementation Issues and Potential Finance Techniques for Potential Public‐Private Partnerships, identified issues associated with implementing public‐private partnerships in the state of Arizona for border crossings. KW - Arizona KW - Border regions KW - Financing KW - Freight traffic KW - Infrastructure KW - International borders KW - Ports of entry KW - Public private partnerships KW - State of the practice KW - United States-Mexico Border UR - http://www.borderplanning.fhwa.dot.gov/ADOT_PPPrpt/pdfs/finalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250042 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01469915 AU - Ley, Tyler AU - Kadam, Shardul AU - Frazier, Robert AU - Robertson, Bret AU - Riding, Kyle AU - Oklahoma State University, Stillwater AU - Kansas State University, Manhattan AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development and Implementation of a Mechanistic and Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) for Rigid Pavements: Annual Report for FY 2009 PY - 2009/09/30 SP - 45p AB - This document is an update of the progress of the research on Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) project 2208 �??Development and Implementation of a Mechanistic and Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) for Rigid Pavements�?�. This report summarizes the work that was completed at Oklahoma State University between October 1st, 2008 and September 30th, 2009. The focus of this project is on assisting ODOT in implementing the MEPDG into their rigid pavement design practices. It was decided to best accomplish this goal by completing the following tasks: (1) Review of the inputs to the MEPDG and determine the sensitivity on the final design values. (2) Investigate base material practices for concrete pavements through a literature review and survey of experiences from others. (3) Increase the quantity of weather sites in Oklahoma that provide environmental inputs for the MEPDG. (4) Examine different curing methods for rigid pavement construction and their impact on the early age curling and warping of continuous reinforced concrete pavements. (5) Provide regional material input parameters that can be used in the MEPDG for the design of rigid pavements KW - Concrete curing KW - Concrete pavements KW - Durability KW - Literature reviews KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Oklahoma KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Rigid pavements KW - Surveys UR - http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/hqdiv/p-r-div/spr-rip/library/reports/2208-ffy2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1237851 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167077 AU - Ferguson, Erin AU - Nezamuddin, N AU - Ng, Man Wo AU - Waller, S Travis AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidance for Feasibility Analysis of Candidate Sites: Handbook PY - 2009/09/30 SP - 14p AB - The purpose of this handbook is to provide guidance in determining whether or not speed harmonization and peak period shoulder is feasible for a given site or set of sites. The content of this handbook is based on the analysis conducted for this project. Additional information regarding the topics presented in this handbook can be found in project report 0-5913-1, Speed Harmonization and Peak-Period Shoulder Use to Manage Urban Freeway Congestion. The guidance for conducting feasibility analyses, presented below, primarily integrates the cost benefit analysis framework and the operational and deployment strategy presented in Chapter 8 of the project report. The collective goal is to intelligently apply speed harmonization and peak period shoulder use as a combined traffic control strategy that delays the onset of severe congestion and increases throughput. Guidance for assessing the feasibility of speed harmonization and peak period shoulder use is organized into six analysis components. These are: (1) Identify candidate sites; (2) Construct and run microscopic and mesoscopic simulation; (3) Identify infrastructure improvements; (4) Develop an enforcement strategy and public education plan; (5) Apply cost benefit analysis framework; and (6) Consider potential qualitative impacts. KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Guidelines KW - Peak hour traffic KW - Road shoulders KW - Standardization KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic simulation KW - Traffic speed KW - Urban highways UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33713/0_5913_P1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/927679 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146341 AU - Zhao, Jian AU - Tabatabai, Habib AU - University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Analysis of Permit Vehicle Loads in Wisconsin PY - 2009/09/30/Final Report SP - 199p AB - This study evaluated the impact of the 250-kip Wisconsin Standard Permit Vehicle against the overloaded vehicles operating on Wisconsin roads in recent years. The evaluation was conducted using three sets of data: 1) overloaded vehicle records within weigh-in-motion data collected in 2007; 2) the single-trip permit application records from 2004 to 2007; and 3) overloaded vehicles in neighboring states, including Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Illinois. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted for the collected overloaded vehicle data, and model vehicles that represent heavies 5% of the overloaded vehicles were created. The maximum moment/shear in simply supported, 2-span and 3-span continuous girders by the representative vehicles were calculated and compared with the impact of Wis-SPV. The study indicates Wis-SPV envelopes almost all single-unit trucks with less than 9 axles, which attributes 80% of the total permit records. The analysis of WIM records shows that about 0.035% of total overloaded vehicles (records) may exceed the impact of the 250-kip Wis-SPV. A 5-axle short truck was proposed to supplement Wis-SPV for possible use in the WisDOT Bridge Manual. KW - Analysis KW - Bridges KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Moments (Mechanics) KW - Oversize loads KW - Permits KW - Shear strength KW - Weigh in motion KW - Wisconsin UR - http://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/53052/0092-08-15%2520Final%2520Report.pdf?sequence=1 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/905591 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146331 AU - Dugarte, Margareth AU - Sagues, Alberto A AU - University of South Florida, Tampa AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Galvanic Point Anodes for Extending the Service Life of Patched Areas Upon Reinforced Concrete Bridge Members PY - 2009/09/30/Final Report SP - 121p AB - The polarization performance of two types of commercial galvanic point anodes for protection of rebar around patch repairs was evaluated. Experiments included measurement of the polarization history of the anode under galvanostatic load, in reinforced concrete slabs, and in field installations. The tests revealed, for both types of anodes, a potential-current function (PCF) indicating relatively little anodic polarization from an open circuit potential at low current levels, followed by an abrupt increase in potential as the current approached an apparent terminal value. Aging of the anodes was manifested by a continually decreasing current output in the concrete tests, and by increasingly more positive potentials in the galvanostatic tests. Those changes reflected an evolution of the PCF generally toward more positive open circuit potentials and, more importantly, to the onset of elevated polarized potentials at increasingly lower current levels. There was considerable variability among the performance of replicate units of a given anode type. Modest to poor steel polarization levels were achieved when coupled with point anodes both in laboratory and field tests. Modeling of a generic patch configuration was implemented with a one-dimensional approximation. The model calculated the throwing distance that could be achieved by a given number of anodes per unit perimeter of the patch, concrete thickness, concrete resistivity, amount of steel and amount of polarization needed for cathodic prevention. The model projections and aging information suggest that anode performance in likely application scenarios may seriously degrade after only a few years of operation, even if a relatively optimistic 100 mV corrosion prevention criterion were assumed. Less conservative criteria have been proposed in the literature but are yet to be substantiated. Other investigations suggest a significantly more conservative corrosion prevention may apply instead. The latter case would question the ability of the point anodes to provide adequate corrosion prevention. KW - Anodes KW - Bridge members KW - Cathodic protection KW - Corrosion KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing steel UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_SMO/FDOT_BD544_09_rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/905483 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461765 TI - Support for Impacts of Climate Change and Variability on Transportation Systems and Infrastructure: Gulf Coast Study, Phase 2 AB - The objective of Phase 2 research is to build on the findings of Phase 1 to develop more definitive information about multimodal impacts at the local level. This study will focus on the Gulf Coast and in particular develop precise tools and guides for State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), modal planners and municipalities that can facilitate long-term planning architectures to help communities better adapt to potential climate impacts by conducting a detail analysis in one area within the Gulf Coast region. KW - Climate change KW - Environmental impacts KW - Gulf Coast (United States) KW - Infrastructure KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Research projects KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation KW - Variability index UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229985 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01465795 TI - Air Quality Health Effects and Highway Proximity AB - The Health Effects Institute (HEI) shall conduct research and activities under this grant agreement to further the understanding of the fundamental science and relationship between on-road vehicle emissions and the health of people who live at various distances from roads or who spend differing amounts of time in traffic. HEI will conduct the following: (1) Obtain scientific based, objective research; (2) Develop, maintain and expand the existing information base on the health effects of air pollution, especially as it relates to mobile source air toxics project decision documents and transportation delivery; and (3) Provide accurate and up-to-date information concerning air pollution trends, especially as it relates to alternative fuels and new technologies. KW - Air pollution KW - Air quality KW - Alternate fuels KW - Health hazards KW - Highways KW - Toxicology UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1234029 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461768 TI - Congestion Management Process: A Guidance Document AB - The project objectives will be achieved through a proactive, collaborative process that actively engages representatives of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and associated state agencies, and national transportation advocacy organizations such as Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO), National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and others. Technical assistance for this project will also be provided through collaboration with the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Transportation Safety Planning (TSP) Working Group. KW - Congestion management systems KW - Cooperation KW - Guidelines KW - Handbooks KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Research projects KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229988 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461732 TI - 2009 Transportation and Air Quality Emissions Analysis Cooperative Research AB - During FY 2009, the Office of Natural and Human Environment (HEPN) published a "Transportation and Air Quality Analysis" Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to solicit research proposals in four research focus areas: (1) Testing, Evaluation and Validation of New Emission Models and Methodologies, (2) Research on Conducting Project Level Analysis (3) Air Quality and Transportation Conformity Outreach and Communication, and (4) Fleet Data for On-road Mobile Sources Emissions Inventory. One of the projects awarded under Air Quality and Transportation Conformity Outreach and Communication was titled "Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) Air Quality Work Group". HEPN awarded a contract to AMPO to continue the support of the AMPO Air Quality Work Group that was first created in 2002 with support from FHWA to bring air quality and transportation planners together to exchange information and share practices in areas such as transportation conformity, air quality (State Implementation Plan, SIP) planning and implementation of EPA's final version of the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) emission model. The Air Quality Work Group will assist FHWA and the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) with highly effective outreach and communications to the transportation and air quality communities on issues related to air quality and transportation and with documenting best practices. This project was selected through the Transportation and Air Quality Emissions Analysis Broad Agency Announcement. The objectives of this contract are to hold 4 workgroup meetings through 2011 to discuss critical planning issues and address these challenges as they relate to air quality and transportation conformity outreach and communication. AMPO will document meeting discussions, summarize findings and recommendations and provide follow up on action items. Findings and other pertinent information will be included in AMPO's publications. KW - Air quality management KW - Association of Metropolitan Planning organizations KW - Environmental impacts KW - Exhaust gases KW - Meetings KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Pollutants KW - Research projects UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229952 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01456842 AU - Ferreira-Diaz, Carlos A AU - Torres-Zapata, Alma AU - Nanovic, Christopher A AU - Abraham, Dulcy M AU - Purdue University/Indiana Department of Transportation JHRP AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Worker Injury Prevention Strategies PY - 2009/09/25/Final Report SP - 283p AB - As the trend of increased highway construction and/or rehabilitation continues to grow, the public often demands that delays in work zones be kept to a minimum. Thus, the flow of traffic through the construction zone must be maintained while performing pavement maintenance/ repair/ reconstruction activities. At the same time, the safety of personnel and property in highway construction work zones must be ensured. Three types of risks are encountered by construction and maintenance workers in construction workzones: (a) risks due to underprotection or lack of protection against potential hazards (including lack of hearing protection, eye protection, respiratory protection); (b) effect of speeding through workzones, and (c) impacts due to the lack of/inadequate visibility issues (both workers and motorists).This report presents the findings of three separate, yet interrelated projects that explored the hazards in highway construction and maintenance workzones, and evaluated workzone safety strategies. The evaluation of the safety strategies was performed by analyzing the perceptions of three groups of stakeholders (Indiana Department of Transportation personnel, contractors, and highway construction and maintenance workers). The report also discusses the use of camera and radar systems to prevent workers from being struck by mobile equipment. Finally, it provides some recommendations for more effective implementation of safety strategies and provides suggestions for further research in the domain of highway construction safety. KW - Construction safety KW - Crash reports KW - Maintenance personnel KW - Occupational safety KW - Road construction KW - Road construction workers KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zones UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314291 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218757 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573220 TI - Behavioral Sciences Approach to Testing, Validating, and Establishing Best Practices for Alternative Highway Revenue Collection AB - University of Central Florida's specific vision derives from a belief that one must understand some fundamental behavioral characteristics of individuals in order to properly understand traffic behavior, and to design best practices for highway revenue collection. Thus, their experimental approach involves a significant focus on the rigorous measurement of these characteristics, and the extent to which they vary across different segments of the relevant driving populations. The approach is focused on characterizing drivers in terms of their value of time, risk attitude, accuracy of risk perception, and discount rate. KW - Behavioral science KW - Best practices KW - Revenues KW - Risk assessment KW - Travel behavior KW - Value of time UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1365870 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573215 TI - Improved Methods for Determination of Pavement Remaining Life AB - Develop broad, consistent, and unambiguous definitions for Remaining Service Life (RSL) for the many different objectives that require RSL of inservice and new pavements and procedures for determining them at both the project and network level in light of current and emerging design, contracting, maintenance, and management practices. KW - Contracting KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Service life UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1365865 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572680 TI - Behavioral Sciences Approach to Testing, Validating, and Establishing Best Practices for Alternative Highway Revenue Collection AB - One must understand some fundamental behavioral characteristics of individuals in order to properly understand traffic behavior, and to design best practices for highway revenue collection. Thus the experimental approach involves a significant focus on the rigorous measurement of these characteristics, and the extent to which they vary across different segments of the relevant driving population. The approach is focused on characterizing drivers in terms of their value of time, risk attitude, accuracy of risk perception and discount rate. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Best practices KW - Revenues KW - Risk assessment KW - Travel behavior KW - Validation KW - Value of time UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/projectdetails.cfm?projectid=FHWA-PROJ-09-0054 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364766 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461766 TI - Transportation and Environmental Justice Best Practices Guidebook AB - The objective of this research project is to develop a Transportation and Environmental Justice Best Practices Guidebook that provides practical strategies and applications to highlight commonplace techniques that have been used to promote environmental justice in transportation. Emphasis should be made to assure that current trends such as livability and sustainability are taken into consideration, when developing the guidebook. The case studies should detail both analytical and procedural issues relevant to a diverse community including: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), State departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), transit providers, other partnering government agencies, community organizations, environmental interest and environmental justice advocacy groups, business, academic institutions, and the public. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Environmental justice KW - Guidelines KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Public transit KW - Research projects KW - State departments of transportation KW - Sustainable development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229986 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461761 TI - Highway Traffic Noise Prediction and Analysis FY09 - FY14 Federal Aid to Highway Tasks AB - The Volpe Center will provide continuing support to the Travel Noise Model (TNM) by: (1) Designing and developing current and future versions of the TNM. (2) Providing quality assurance validation and testing of the developed software. (3)Providing user support and maintenance of the software. (3) Reviewing requests for state-specific database use in the TNM. (4) Providing support for the development and review of state-specific programs to introduce quiet pavement as a noise suppression tool. (5) Evaluating and documenting highway noise abatement technologies. (6) Supporting special project analyses. (7) Project management. The following tasks will be performed by the Volpe Center: (A) Software Development. (B) Quality Assurance (QA) Tests. (C)User Support and Software Maintenance. (D) Review State-Specific Database Use in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) TNM and Requests for Demonstrating Other-Model Consistency with the FHWA/TNM. (E) Review and Develop Quiet Pavement Pilot Program/Quiet Pavement and Tire/Pavement Noise Research. (F) Highway Noise Abatement Technology Evaluation and Documentation. (G)Special Project Analyses. (H) Project Management Future versions of the software will involve further bug fixes and enhancements to the user interface; further improvement to the noise computational algorithms; implementation of pavement effects and implementation of a meteorological effects module. KW - Project management KW - Quality assurance KW - Quiet pavements KW - Research projects KW - Software packages KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model KW - Validation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229981 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461775 TI - Deer-Vehicle Crash, Ecological and Economic Impacts of Reduced Roadside Mowing AB - The objectives of this task order are as follows: (1) Review and summarize the research focused on the ecological, economic and safety impacts of reduced roadside mowing policies; (2) Define and document the "typical" roadside vegetation management policies currently applied in the United States; (3) Investigate and quantify the potential Animal-Vehicle Crash (AVC) and/or Deer-Vehicle Crash (DVC) safety-related impacts of reduced roadside mowing policies in comparison to "typical" or more frequent mowing practices; and (4) Produce a report that describes the "best practices" in the area of roadside vegetation management and decision-making guidelines. KW - Animal vehicle collisions KW - Best practices KW - Decision making KW - Deer KW - Deer-vehicle collisions KW - Economic impacts KW - Guidelines KW - Habitat (Ecology) KW - Mowing KW - Research projects KW - Roadside KW - Vegetation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229995 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146758 AU - Lopez de Murphy, Maria AU - Lissenden, Cliff AU - Xiao, Chao AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Technology Evaluation on Characterization of the Air Void System in Concrete PY - 2009/09/17/Final Report SP - 122p AB - The objective of this project was to evaluate current technologies that have the capability of characterizing the air void system in concrete within the first several hours of placement. This objective was met by developing a comprehensive technology assessment and literature review, and conducting a laboratory evaluation of two selected technologies: ultrasound and thermography. The literature review presents a comprehensive assessment of research developments in the area of material characterization and structural health monitoring, focusing on technologies that are currently used to characterize air voids in concrete and those that have the capability of characterizing the air void system in concrete within the first 24 hours of placement. Special focus was placed on determining which technologies and equipment development may have a strong potential of being implemented in the field. The laboratory evaluation of the two selected technologies describes results obtained from experiments aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of ultrasound and thermography technologies in characterizing the air void system of fresh concrete, with an eye toward field implementation. Experimental results showed that both technologies can capture physical features that are significantly affected by the air void system in concrete. KW - Air entrainment KW - Air voids KW - Fresh concrete KW - Technology assessment KW - Thermographs KW - Ultrasound measuring devices UR - ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_PDF_FILES/Documents/Research/Complete%20Projects/Extending%20Pavement%20Life/Tech%20Eval%20of%20Air%20Void%20System%20in%20Concrete.pdf UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2008-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906265 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573575 TI - Asphalt Sustainability Issues: Evaluation of Long-Term Performance of Recycled Additives, Including Recycled Motor Oil, Reclaimed Asphalt Pavements, Reclaimed Asphalt Shingles, and Bioasphalts AB - The computer program for calculating solubility parameters is based on (a) elemental composition and aromaticity and (b) group (chemical functional groups) contributions. Solubility parameters for blended material are needed to generate phase behavior diagrams. KW - Additives KW - Pavement performance KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Recycled materials KW - Shingles KW - Sustainable development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366816 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01549587 TI - Research Program Design---Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Update the 2003 Report Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from U.S. Transportation AB - The future of surface transportation will take place in a context of policies related to global climate change and energy security. The transportation sector's contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S. represents about one-third of the total. The U.S. Government, Congress, many Governors, State Legislatures, cities and counties are working to develop strategies which can achieve the goal of reducing U.S. GHG emissions 80% below current levels by 2050. According to EPA, GHG emissions in 2006 from all on-road vehicles stood at 1.6 billion metric tons. Over the last several decades they have been steadily increasing. To achieve emission reduction goals, instead of seeing on-road vehicle emissions increase, steps first need to be taken to arrest their growth and then steps need to be taken to assure their decline. Legislation on both climate change and the future of the federal highway and transit programs are pending in Congress this year. Each of them has or is expected to outline responsibilities state and local governments will be expected to carry out to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The approach AASHTO is pursuing to help achieve overall transportation sector GHG reductions includes four parts: 1) increase vehicle fuel efficiency; 2) shift to fuels and sources of power which produce lower GHG emissions or zero GHG emissions; 3) reduce the rate of growth in highway vehicle miles traveled (VMT); and 4) improve system efficiency. As federal, state and local governments work to identify the combination of strategies that will enable us to meet GHG reduction goals, it is important to assess what we can realistically expect to achieve from the individual solutions being advocated. One of the last attempts by a credible national organization to conduct a comprehensive analysis of what could be done through various GHG reduction strategies was the report by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change titled "Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from U.S. Transportation," published in May 2003. Its principal investigators were David Greene from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Andreas Schafer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At AASHTO's request the Pew Center on Global Climate Change has expressed a willingness to undertake an update of that 2003 Report. David Greene of Oak Ridge has expressed a willingness to help conduct the analysis needed. The update proposed will examine the overall potential GHG reductions from U.S. transportation, and help clarify the level of reductions obtainable from each component of the sector: vehicles, fuels, distance traveled, and system efficiency. Since 2003, many changes have taken place which clearly justifies an updated analysis. The most prominent of these has been developments in automotive technologies which point to earlier and more rapid implementation of plug-in electric hybrid automotive technologies and hydrogen fueled vehicles. There have been six years of experience with alternative fuels such as corn ethanol and bio-diesel. The record high fuel prices experienced in 2007 and 2008 appear to have increased consumer preference for more fuel efficient vehicles and decreased the market for less fuel efficient vehicles. Highway vehicle miles traveled (VMT) which had been growing steadily in the 1980's and 1990's actually declined from 3 trillion 2007 to 2.9 trillion in early 2009. Once the economy recovers VMT growth is expected to resume but at a slower pace, perhaps at 1% per year rather than previous rates of 2% or more. The consensus around the need to adopt public policies such as higher CAFÉ standards appears to have grown. Finally, one of the realizations that have gained broader understanding is that policies being developed here in the U.S. to reduce GHG emissions must also take into consideration what is happening elsewhere in the world. An example of this is what is expected world wide in terms of the growth in the number of on-road vehicles. According to data compiled by the UN, the IMF and the International Energy Agency, highway vehicles worldwide are expected to more than double over the next twenty-five years, increasing from 751 million in 2003 to 1,660 million by 2030. The objective of this project will be to conduct analyses as needed an update the May 2003 report by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from U.S. Transportation. KW - Climate change KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel conservation KW - Fuel consumption KW - Fuel efficient cars KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Pollutants KW - Research projects KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2753 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339741 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541411 AU - Bacher-Gresock, Bethaney AU - Schwarzer, Julianne Siegel AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Transportation Infrastructure Projects in a Changing Environment PY - 2009/09/13 SP - 18p AB - The development of infrastructure facilities can negatively impact critical habitat and essential ecosystems. Concern for ecosystem protection, along with legislation and policy initiatives aimed at fostering an ecosystem-based approach, led an Interagency Steering Team to collaborate over a three-year period to write Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects. The Steering Team shared a vision of an enhanced and sustainable natural environment combined with the view that necessary infrastructure can be developed in ways that are more sensitive to terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Eco-Logical encourages all partners involved in infrastructure planning, design, review, and construction to use existing flexibility in regulatory processes. The Eco-Logical publication puts forth a conceptual framework for integrating plans across agency boundaries and endorses ecosystem-based mitigation – an innovative method of mitigating infrastructure impacts in today’s changing environment. To test the concepts presented in Eco-Logical, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty initiated a grant program in 2007. Of the 40 applications from across the country, FHWA funded 14 cooperative agreements and 1 interagency agreement, totaling approximately $1.4 million. The purpose of this study is to describe the origins of FHWA‟s Eco-Logical program and explain the progress and lessons learned so far from the FHWA Eco-Logical grant program. The reader will learn about the following subjects: (1) The challenges to providing needed infrastructure in an environmentally sensitive manner and how the Eco-Logical publication offers solutions to these challenges. (2) The ideological and legal precedent for Eco-Logical. Case studies illustrate how the Eco-Logical process can be used by different types of agencies. (3) The impact of the Eco-Logical grant program on both the grant recipients and the agencies that signed Eco-Logical. KW - Case studies KW - Ecosystems KW - Environmental impacts KW - Grant aid KW - Infrastructure KW - Policy, legislation and regulation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/48000/48300/48340/Eco-logical_paper.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324992 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461762 TI - Interstate and Border Planning Strategic Outreach Activities AB - This Interagency Agreement (IAA) covers technical assistance and strategic communications needed to help advance transportation planning. KW - Case studies KW - Geospatial technology KW - International borders KW - Interstate highways KW - Research projects KW - Strategic planning KW - Technological innovations KW - United States-Canada Border KW - United States-Mexico Border KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229982 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573254 TI - Development of New Default Traffic Datasets for the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide Using the Data from Long-Term Pavement Performance Specific Pavement Study Traffic Data Collection Pooled Fund Study, TPF-5(004) AB - The default traffic datasets for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 1-37A Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (the ME PDG) were based on the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) traffic data available in 1998. According to the 1999 interim report, “The Development of the 2002 Guide for the Design of New and Rehabilitated Pavement Structures,” the quantity and quality of these data were less than expected. Since that time, the LTPP Traffic Data Collection Pooled Fund Study, Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF)-5(004), has greatly increased the quality and quantity of traffic data available through LTPP. KW - Data collection KW - Long-Term Pavement Performance Program KW - Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Pavement design KW - Quality assurance KW - Specific Pavement Studies (LTPP) KW - Traffic data UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366335 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573253 TI - Verification, Refinement, and Applicability of Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Classification Scheme AB - The Transportation Research Board (TRB) Expert Task Group (ETG) on Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Traffic Data Collection and Analysis (or Traffic Expert Task Group (Traffic ETG)) identified the inconsistencies in the classification data as problematic. Therefore, under the LTPP Specific Pavement Study (SPS) Traffic Data Collection Pooled-Fund Study, TPF-5(004), the Traffic ETG developed a prototype classification scheme to be used in an effort to bring uniformity to the SPS traffic data collection. It was developed based on the experience of three States. The appropriateness of the application of the LTPP Classification Scheme needs to be done while the SPS data collection is still underway. This is very important research because binned class data cannot be reprocessed into different results. Implementing this national class scheme forms a basis for better data sharing among States. A better understanding of the classification scheme variability will allow pavement designers to account for this in their use of the data. Improved vehicle classification will result in better roadway designs as many States are using classification data in lieu of weight data at many locations. The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide depends upon accurate vehicle classification data. Studies that use traffic data will be impacted by these findings. KW - Data collection KW - Data sharing KW - Highway design KW - Long-Term Pavement Performance Program KW - Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Specific Pavement Studies (LTPP) KW - State departments of transportation KW - Traffic data KW - Vehicle classification UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366332 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01557205 TI - Research for the AASHTO Standing Committee on Planning. Task 96. Selecting and Using Advanced Travel Demand Modeling Tools - A Peer Exchange AB - A peer exchange was conducted on September 12-13, 2009 at the Beckman Center of the National Research Council in Irvine, California as a companion activity to NCHRP 08-36, Task 90 "Practices in the Use of Microsimulation Models". The objective of NCHRP08-36, Task 90 was to analyze how and when selected states and metropolitan planning organizations are using micro simuiation models, the nature of results being obtained, and whether organizations believe that the effort and expense associated with micro simulation models is warranted. The final report for Task 90 includes summary information about the peer exchange; the final report can be found http://statewideplanning.org/_resources/259_NCHRP-08-36-90.pdf. KW - California KW - Microsimulation KW - Peer exchange KW - Simulation KW - Traffic simulation KW - Travel demand KW - Travel demand management UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2820 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346865 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461715 TI - Verification, Refinement, and Applicability of LTPP Classification Scheme AB - Pavement analyses depend upon accurate and consistent load data derived from traffic data. To meet this need, the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program requested that all the states submit data according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 13-category vehicle classification scheme. The practical reality, however, is that the FHWA 13-category vehicle classification scheme is a visual description and the algorithms used to satisfy these criteria vary considerably from state-to-state and vendor-to-vendor. The Transportation Research Board (TRB) Expert Traffic Group (ETG) on LTPP Traffic Data Collection and Analysis (or Traffic ETG) identified the inconsistencies in the classification data as problematic. Therefore, under the LTPP Specific Pavement Study (SPS) Traffic Data Collection Pooled-Fund Study, TPF-5(004), the Traffic ETG developed a prototype classification scheme to be used in an effort to bring uniformity to the SPS traffic data collection. It was developed based on three states' experience. Work is needed to verify the applicability of the LTPP Classification Scheme to the wide variety of traffic data collection locations and diversity of vehicles encountered across the Nation. The appropriateness of the application of the LTPP Classification Scheme needs to be done while the SPS data collection is still underway. This is very important research because binned class data cannot be re-processed into different results. Implementing this National class scheme forms a basis for better data sharing among states. A better understanding of the classification scheme variability will allow pavement designers to account for this in their use of the data. Improved vehicle classification will result in better roadway designs as many states are using classification data in lieu of weight data at many locations. The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide depends upon accurate vehicle classification data. Studies that use traffic data will be impacted by these findings. KW - Data collection KW - Long-Term Pavement Performance Program KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Research projects KW - Specific Pavement Studies (LTPP) KW - Traffic data KW - Vehicle classification UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229935 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461714 TI - Development of New Default Traffic Datasets for the M-E PDG Using the SPS Traffic Data Collection Pooled-Fund Study Data AB - Many pavement construction projects cannot justify the collection of site-specific weigh-in-motion (WIM) data solely for design purposes. Use of WIM data from other sites or default traffic values is therefore not uncommon. The default traffic datasets for NCHRP Project 1-37A - the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (M-E PDG) - were based on the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) traffic data available in 1998. According to the 1999 Interim Report "The Development of the 2002 Guide for the Design of New and Rehabilitated Pavement Structures," the quantity and quality of these data were less than expected. Since that time, the LTPP Traffic Data Collection Pooled-Fund Study, TPF-5(004) has greatly increased the quality and quantity of traffic data available through LTPP. The M-E PDG is sensitive to traffic inputs and the existing default traffic values are inadequate. This project will rectify this situation with the high-quality traffic data now available from LTPP. KW - Data collection KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Research projects KW - Traffic data KW - Weigh in motion UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229934 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461722 TI - Explore ITS Technologies for Work Zones and Impact Areas AB - The objectives of this project are to identify existing work zone Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) applications that are appropriate to Federal land road projects, and to provide guidance to federal land units that are considering or implementing work zone ITS systems. KW - Federal lands KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Research projects KW - Road projects KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.westerntransportationinstitute.org/research/4W2833.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229942 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01152760 AU - Howard, Christopher N AU - Stolle, Cale J AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Reid, John D AU - Sicking, Dean L AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Dynamic Evaluation of a Pinned Anchoring System for New York State’s Temporary Concrete Barriers PY - 2009/09/08/Final Report SP - 101p AB - Temporary concrete barrier (TCB) systems are utilized in many circumstances, including for placement adjacent to vertical dropoffs. Free-standing TCB systems are known to have relatively large deflections when impacted, which may be undesirable when dealing with limited space behind the barrier (as seen on a bridge deck) or limited lane width in front of the barrier system. In order to allow TCB systems to be used in space-restricted locations, a variety of TCB stiffening options have been tested, including beam stiffening and pinning the barriers to the pavement. These pavement-pinning procedures have been considered time-consuming and may pose undue risk to work-zone personnel who are anchoring the barrier on the traffic-side face. Thus, a means of reducing TCB deflections while reducing risk to workers was deemed necessary. The primary research objective was to evaluate the potential for pinning alternate barrier sections on the back-side toe of the New York State’s New Jersey-shape TCBs and evaluate the barrier system according to the Test Level 3 (TL-3) criteria set forth in the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH). The research study included one 2270P full-scale vehicle crash test with a Dodge Quad Cab pickup truck. Four 15½-in. (394-mm) long, vertical steel pins were placed through holes on the back-side toe of alternating barrier sections and inserted into drilled holes within the rigid concrete surface. Following the successful redirection of the pickup truck, the safety performance of the pinned anchoring system was determined to be acceptable according to the TL-3 evaluation criteria specified in MASH using the 2270P vehicle. However, it should be noted that significant barrier deflections were observed during the crash test and may be greater than those desired for work areas with restricted space. KW - Anchoring KW - Concrete barriers KW - Impact tests KW - Pickup trucks KW - Pins KW - Redirection (Impacting vehicle) KW - Safety performance KW - Stiffening KW - Temporary barriers UR - http://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/TRP-03-216-09.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914422 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146801 AU - Semsick, Dennis R AU - O'Brien, Thomas E AU - GAI Consultants, Incorporated AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effective Utility Accommodation PY - 2009/09/08/Final Report SP - 200p AB - The report presents research regarding methods to improve project delivery times and minimize construction delays due to utility coordination by conducting a study of the current best practices used by six (6) similar state transportation departments, selected PennDOT District staff, consulting engineers, and utility agencies/owners. Through this research, logical, practical, and implementable solutions to the utility relocation and coordination process problems are recommended. KW - Civil engineering KW - Construction management KW - Construction projects KW - Coordination KW - Project management KW - Public utilities KW - Subsurface utility engineering UR - ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_PDF_FILES/Documents/Research/Complete%20Projects/Smart%20Transportation%20Solutions/Effective%20Utility%20Accommodation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906267 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457387 AU - Basu, Prasenjit AU - Prezzi, Monica AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Design and Applications of Drilled Displacement (Screw) Piles PY - 2009/09/04/Final Report SP - 112p AB - Drilled displacement (DD) piles (commonly known as screw piles in Europe) are being increasingly used as foundation elements for structures, particularly in projects requiring accelerated construction or involving the rehabilitation of foundations of existing, overstressed structures. Different types of DD piles are available in practice; each type is classified according to the design of the drilling tool and associated installation method. Installation of DD piles causes substantial changes in the state of the soil surrounding the pile. These changes result from the complex loading imposed on the soil by expansion of a cylindrical cavity to make room for the specially designed drilling tool, by torsional and vertical shearing as the drilling tool gradually moves down into the ground, and by the reversed vertical shearing caused by extraction of the drilling tool from the ground. This report consolidates the information available on DD piling technology, reviews and compares the empirical design methods typically used for these piles, and presents a numerical approach to model the shaft resistance of DD piles in sand. The installation of DD piles produces greater radial displacement of soil than that produced by nondisplacement piles (e.g., drilled shafts), particularly in the case of sandy soils which gain additional strength through densification. This radial displacement of soil around the pile shaft contributes to the high capacity obtained for DD piles. Accordingly, the focus has been on analyzing the shaft resistance of DD piles in sand and proposing a design procedure based on the results of the analyses. The analyses were done using the finite element (FE) method and an advanced constitutive model for sand. The constitutive model captures all the key features required for these analyses, and the FE analyses are 1D analyses of shaft resistance that can handle the large deformations and displacements involved in pile installation. Design equations that can be used to calculate the lateral earth pressure coefficient acting on the pile shaft are proposed. KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Finite element method KW - Pile driving KW - Pile foundations KW - Piles (Supports) KW - Sand KW - Structural design UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314278 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218744 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01549584 TI - Research Program Design---Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Measuring Performance Among State DOTs, Sharing Best Practices' Preservation: Comparative Analysis of Bridge Conditions AB - Previous work by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) has demonstrated the value of comparative performance measurement in three areas to date: Project Delivery, Smooth Pavements, and Safety. Each of these projects has involved compilation of detailed performance data for multiple departments of transportation (DOTs), calculation of performance measures for each agency, composition of peer groups for comparative analysis, identification of the top tier of agencies with respect to the selected measures, and interviews to determine practices that may be related to exemplary performance. The first project comparing on-time, on-budget capital project delivery performance successfully demonstrated how the comparative process developed by NCHRP 20-24(37) is gathering user support as well as delivering timely feedback on best practices that have achieved successful results. The next comparative initiative completed in April 2008, successfully demonstrated that states can benefit from comparative measures. This comparative study highlighted five states that have "smooth pavements" and what practical management methods and technical applications they are using to obtain smooth pavements. The third comparative measures effort is finishing and focused on safety performance using the Fatalities Accident Reporting System data. This effort focused on ten state interviews to identify best practices in governance, budgeting, and technical methods that resulted in the reduction of fatalities. This work has been well received by the transportation community and has resulted in the collection of a wealth of data and information to be shared among agencies. These successful endeavors have created momentum for further interest in comparative performance measurement. This momentum can be continued by addressing another key concern of transportation officials: improving and maintaining the condition of the nation's bridges. Because of aging infrastructure and increased traffic volumes over the past two decades, one of the most critical areas of concern is the condition and functionality of bridges. We intend to use the comparative analysis of bridge conditions to identify successful practices for preservation, and maintenance and operations activities of a state DOT. These performance indicators can highlight best practices specific to bridges, as well as organizational structures, relationships with partner organizations, and budgeting practices. Maintaining bridges in good condition and improving the condition of the nation's deficient bridges will significantly affect the safety, reliability, and capacity of the transportation system. The staggering cost per mile of bridge construction and maintenance is of concern to transportation officials. Through cross-state comparison and examination of changes in performance over time the study will identify practices that could be instrumental in managing the entire bridge network. Whereas performance measures aimed at reducing the number of structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges focus management efforts and investment strategies on the small population of assets in poor condition, a more comprehensive performance-based asset management approach to manage the entire population of structures on a network level is required. This approach will include various metrics allowing agencies to preserve their bridge assets in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The objective of this continuation will be to conduct a comparison of state departments of transportation (DOTs) regarding bridge condition-related performance measures and then report on successful techniques employed by the leading agencies. As with earlier work conducted under NCHRP 20-24(37), this comparison will include identification of high-performing organizations with respect to a selected set of key performance indicators and determination of the practices that these organizations have employed to achieve these results. The study will result in a recommendation on developing performance measure(s) suitable for cross-state comparison of the entire bridge population. The goal of the study is to recommend common bridge performance indicators and enhance the performance of participating peer state DOTs by identifying and sharing good practice. KW - Best practices KW - Bridges KW - Pavement performance KW - Performance measurement KW - Project delivery KW - Research projects KW - Smoothness KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2752 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339738 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01549585 TI - Research Program Design---Administration of Highway and Transportation Agencies. Maximizing Highway Operational Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions AB - Climate change scientists and many elected officials have recommended reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. To achieve this level of reduction from the highway transportation sector AASHTO and others are considering several different strategies, including 1. increasing vehicle fuel efficiency; 2. shift to fuels or sources of power which produce lower GHG emissions or zero GHG emissions; 3. reduce the rate of growth inv vehicle miles traveled (VMT); and 4. improve highway operational strategies. A March 2009 report, NCHRP 20-24 (59) provided evidence that highway operational strategies can achieve 10-20% reductions in highway GHG, through a wide variety of different strategies, including both changes in how highways are managed and improved and changes in individual driver behavior. However, new information and experience is becoming available from research and implementation activities in the United States and in Europe, and a more in-depth analysis of operational strategies is needed. The objectives of this research project are to support efforts to maximize operational strategies to reduce highway GHG, by (a) documenting a full range of operational strategies to reduce highway GHG, (b) indicating the circumstances and locales where these strategies could be most effective in reducing GHG, (c) providing quantitative estimates of their GHG reduction potential, both individually and in combination; (d) estimating their costs and cost-effectiveness; (e) identifying collateral benefits and dis-benefits; and (f) identifying policies and actions that could be taken to maximize their GHG reduction effect. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Emission control devices KW - Exhaust gases KW - Fuel efficient cars KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Highway operations KW - Pollutants KW - Research projects KW - Strategic planning KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2755 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339739 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464373 TI - Sensitivity Evaluation of MEPDG Performance Prediction AB - The American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) interim edition of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide Manual of Practice (MEPDG) and related software developed under NCHRP provides methodologies for the analysis and performance prediction of different types of flexible and rigid pavements. The performance predicted by these methodologies (in terms of distresses such as cracking, rutting, faulting, and smoothness) for the anticipated climatic and traffic conditions depends on the values of input parameters that characterize pavement materials, layers, design features, and condition. However, these input parameter values are expected to differ to varying degrees and, therefore, the predicted performance may also vary to some degree depending on the input parameter values. Although studies have been conducted to relate predicted performance to differences in input parameter values, these studies have not addressed this relationship in a systematic manner to identify the relative influence of input parameter values on predicted performance. Also, these studies have not considered the combined effects of variations in two or more input parameter values on predicted performance in a comprehensive manner. Research is needed to determine the degree of sensitivity of the performance predicted by the MEPDG to input parameter values. This information will help identify, for specific climatic region and traffic conditions, the input parameters that appear to substantially influence predicted performance. In this manner, users can focus efforts on those input parameters that will greatly influence the pavement design. The objective of this research is to determine the sensitivity of the performance predicted by the MEPDG to variability of input parameter values. The research will deal with all types of flexible and rigid pavements included in the MEPDG. The research shall be conducted using the MEPDG software version available as of October 1, 2008. KW - Cracking KW - Flexible pavements KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Rigid pavements KW - Rutting KW - Sensitivity analysis UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2487 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232602 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573574 TI - Detailed Exploration of the Locking Point Concept in Mix Design AB - The project will use x-ray computed tomography and mechanical performance tests to evaluate the manner in which aggregate particles pack during mix design to assess whether there is a point where aggregates no longer pack but simply move around. This will be compared to empirical definitions of locking point, which try to define the same thing. Then contemporary performance tests will be used to quantify the performance consequences for alternate mix design practices that attempt to increase binder content and durability without sacrificing permanent deformation (rutting resistance). KW - Aggregates KW - Binder content KW - Durability KW - Mechanics KW - Mix design KW - Rutting KW - Tomography UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366815 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573546 TI - Effects of Automated Transit and Pedestrian/Bicycling Facilities on Urban Travel Patterns AB - The purpose of this Exploratory Advanced Research project is to assess the potential of transformative improvements in neighborhood-serving transit and pedestrian and cycling facilities to shift neighborhood trips and transit access trips from the automobile to other modes. The neighborhood serving transit concepts will include an automated community transit system. To ensure that the modeled changes are of sufficient magnitude to shift modal choice significantly; transportation and land-use attributes of a city rich in pedestrian, transit, and cycling opportunities will be used as a basis for future scenarios. The analysis will be conducted with specialized agent-based and activity-based transportation models, and enabled through a special household travel survey to allow the potential new service concepts to be visualized and assessed by potential consumers. KW - Modal shift KW - Mode choice KW - Public transit KW - Travel patterns KW - Travel surveys KW - Trip purpose KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/projectdetails.cfm?projectid=FHWA-PROJ-09-0037 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366737 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566753 TI - Southeast Transportation Consortium AB - The Southeast Transportation Consortium and is intended to encourage coordination among member states and provide resources and management of collaborative studies. The consortium intends to address high priority transportation research topics of common interest to the Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) II Region states and for which expertise exists within the region. Its purpose is to pool the financial, professional, and academic resources of the region to conduct research and develop improved methods of dealing with common problems in the planning, design, construction, maintenance, management and operation of transportation systems in the participating states. The objective of this project is to address high priority transportation research topics of common interest and for which expertise exists in these states. KW - Consortia KW - Construction KW - Coordination KW - Design KW - Maintenance KW - Management KW - Planning and design KW - Southeastern United States KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/440 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358409 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01464472 TI - Validating an Endurance Limit for HMA Pavements: Laboratory Experiment and Algorithm Development AB - Implementation of a fully characterized endurance limit in the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG) software will enhance the ability to prepare long-life hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement designs that achieve a balance between practical layer thickness and satisfactory fatigue performance. National Cooperative Highway Research Project NCHRP) Project 9-44 prepared a multi-part work plan to (1) validate, through an analysis of laboratory and field data, the existence of an endurance limit for HMA pavements characterized in NCHRP Project 9-38; (2) determine, insofar as possible, the shift factor between the endurance limits for HMA mixes measured in the laboratory and the field; and (3) identify and recommend methodologies for incorporating an endurance limit in the MEPDG and other approaches to HMA mechanistic-empirical pavement design. Based on the results of a workshop with the participation of U.S. and international experts in HMA fatigue cracking, the 9-44 contractor has proposed the incorporation of a variable endurance limit that is likely a function of mixture composition, binder properties, temperature, aging, and duration of rest periods in HMA pavement analysis through the modification of current fatigue relationships in the MEPDG. Thus, the work plan includes a laboratory experiment to quantify the effect of these variables on the rate of damage and damage recovery. The research plan further proposes the use of accelerated pavement testing (APT) to validate certain effects in the high-strain region of the fatigue curve; however, the overall field validation effort is focused on the evaluation of full-scale test roads and in-service pavement sections. The analysis of in-service pavements requires their detailed composition and construction history and the ability to make and document assumptions where such firm data do not exist. This situation argues for an in-depth analysis of a small number of well-documented pavements. Research is needed to (1) carry out the laboratory portion of the research plan developed in NCHRP Project 9-44 within the bounds described in the tasks below and (2) produce an algorithm to implement a fatigue endurance limit in the MEPDG and other selected design methods. A future Project 9-44B is anticipated to conduct field validation of the endurance limit algorithm and further revise the algorithm as determined by the results of the field validation. The objectives of this research are to (1) carry out a laboratory experiment to identify the mixture and pavement layer design features related to an endurance limit for bottom-initiated fatigue cracking of HMA and (2) develop an algorithm to incorporate this endurance limit into the MEPDG and other selected pavement design methods. KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Cracking KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design UR - http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2518 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1232702 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01461724 TI - FWS Traffic Monitoring Assessment and Demo AB - The purpose of this project is to evaluate the current traffic monitoring practices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and make plans for a series of demonstration projects to test alternative techniques for improving visitor estimation. KW - Demonstration projects KW - Research projects KW - Traffic estimation KW - Traffic surveillance KW - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service KW - Visitors UR - http://www.westerntransportationinstitute.org/research/4W2788.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1229944 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01482450 AU - Dukatz, Erv AU - Haddock, John AU - Hall, Kevin AU - Kliewer, Julie AU - Marek, Chuck AU - Musselman, Jim AU - Regimand, Ali AU - West, Randy AU - Sholar, Greg AU - Tran, Nam AU - National Center for Asphalt Technology AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Review of Aggregate and Asphalt Mixture Specific Gravity Measurements and Their Impacts on Asphalt Mix Design Properties and Mix Acceptance PY - 2009/09 SP - 42p AB - A task group under the direction of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Asphalt Mix and Construction Expert Task Group examined the methods currently used to measure specific gravity in hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures. The methods examined include: maximum specific gravity of asphalt mixtures; bulk specific gravity of coarse and fine aggregates; and bulk specific gravity of compacted HMA specimens. The task group looked at the shortcomings of each method, recommended alternative testing methods, and analyzed mix design properties and acceptance methods. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Coarse aggregates KW - Fine aggregates KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Measuring methods KW - Mix design KW - Recommendations KW - Specific gravity UR - http://www.ncat.us/files/reports/2012/rep12-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1250367 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01478243 AU - Rao, Shreenath AU - Mallela, Jagannath AU - Hoffman, Gary AU - Applied Research Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Michigan Demonstration Project: Performance Contracting for Construction on M-115 in Clare County, MI PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 67p AB - As part of a national initiative sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration under the Highways for LIFE program, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) was awarded a $1 million grant to demonstrate the use of innovative technologies for construction contracting using performance contracting for construction (PCfC). This report documents the contracting methods used to encourage and reward contractor innovation on construction of M-115, a two-lane rural highway in Clare County near Mt. Pleasant, MI. This report includes contracting details of the construction project with specifics on the incentives and disincentives MDOT offered to encourage the contractor to meet or exceed MDOT requirements for performance measures such as early opening to traffic, early construction and cleanup completion, pavement performance, ride quality, worker safety during construction, reduced work zone crashes, and reduced motorist delays. The report also describes the project construction and steps the contractor took to earn incentives. Details of the experiences of MDOT and the contractor are also included. MDOT’s overall conclusion was that the project was successful and the agency would use performance-based contracting on future projects when appropriate. The as-constructed roadway added $1,369,072 to the initial cost of the project. The incremental initial costs after considered user-costs was $690,226. However, the warranty resulted in the contractor constructing a roadway with potentially improved long-term performance as compared to that specified in the request for proposal (RFP). The life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) showed that the baseline project will cost MDOT and the users of the roadway $7,801,876 in terms of net present value (NPV) based on a 20-year analysis period. By comparison, the as-constructed project will cost $6,150,201 in terms of NPV, for a total savings of $1,651,675. Through the use of PCfC, the project was completed with minimal disruption to the traveling public, and provided MDOT with a safer, smoother pavement with a 5-year warrant y, and lower life-cycle costs. KW - Construction projects KW - Contracting KW - Disincentives KW - Economic analysis KW - Highways for LIFE KW - Incentives KW - Michigan Department of Transportation KW - Performance contracts KW - Performance measurement KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hfl/summary/pdfs/mi_090209.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1247039 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457943 AU - McCullouch, Bob G AU - Leung, Michelle AU - Kang, Won Jin AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) for Road Condition Reporting PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 55p AB - This project developed an automated vehicle location (AVL) system for Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) that utilized the statewide wireless network, SAFE-T. This option was chosen after doing a cost analysis of commercial AVL systems that use cellular data communications. The system developed provides real time information collected during snow and ice removal. Information includes weather and road conditions, truck speed, amount of chemicals spread, time, location, plow position, and road temperature. This information is displayed on INDOT geographic information system maps available through a browser on the INDOT network. The data is also transferred to the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) that INDOT uses in winter activities. This system experienced significant data transfer problems and consequently was eliminated as a viable AVL alternative. Therefore other commercial AVL systems were evaluated in this study.Other activities included investigating other hardware options for data collection and data transfer. Also, a hotspot method for data transfer was tested to do batch data transfer. A summer AVL application for paint stripping was developed.Two other commercial systems were evaluated, IWAPI and ThomTech. The IWAPI system was evaluated over three winter seasons and Thomtech for the 08-09 season. Both systems experienced data transfer problems which seems to be the biggest issue with AVL systems. Overall most users were satisfied with how the systems operated and with the information being collected and reported.The project exposed issues that exist with all types of AVL systems. There are plusses and minuses, and costs and benefits. These are described in the report. One outcome is that AVL systems are not a panacea, they offer better information and benefits, but are they economically justifiable? An internal INDOT study was performed during the 08-09 season that shows a savings of $10,000,000 in salt costs that can be attributed to some degree the use of AVL and MDSS. KW - Automatic vehicle location KW - Condition surveys KW - Data communications KW - Decision support systems KW - Snow removal KW - Winter maintenance KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314293 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218759 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01457940 AU - Levenberg, Eyal AU - McDaniel, Rebecca S AU - Olek, Jan AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Validation of NCAT Structural Test Track Experiment Using INDOT APT Facility PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 175p AB - The National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) operates a full-scale test road for studying the response and performance of asphalt pavements. During the 2003 - 2005 testing phase, NCAT instrumented eight of their test sections with stress and strain gauges. Two of the test sections were later replicated, along with embedded instrumentation, for subsequent testing in the accelerated pavement testing (APT) facility operated by the Indiana Department of Transportation. The availability of similarly constructed and instrumented pavement systems loaded in different conditions offered a unique opportunity to develop and test the forecastability of pavement models. Exploring this aspect is the topic of the present work, in which an attempt is made to use the APT experiment in conjunction with laboratory test results, and forecast resilient responses obtained at NCAT that were generated under completely different loading and environmental conditions. The modeling and analysis methodologies are outlined in detail and the calculation results are compared with NCAT measurements. Findings are discussed and recommendations for future research are given. KW - Accelerated tests KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Asphalt tests KW - Elasticity (Mechanics) KW - Field tests KW - Indiana Department of Transportation KW - Instrumentation KW - Modulus of resilience KW - National Center for Asphalt Technology KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Test tracks KW - Validity UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314311 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218782 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01454878 AU - Huang, Pao-Tsung AU - Patel, Mital AU - Santagata, Maria Caterina AU - Bobet, Antonio AU - Purdue University AU - Indiana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Classification of Organic Soils PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 180p AB - The presence of organics in soils is generally associated with high compressibility, significant secondary compression, often unsatisfactory strength characteristics, and low unit weight. As a result of the above, many state departments of transportation (DOT) in the United States have strict limits on the maximum value of the organic content (2-7%) that can be present in soils to be used as subgrades and backfills. The loss on ignition test is the most widely used technique for measuring organic content. However, especially for low organic content soils, this method can lead to significantly overestimating the true organic content. As a result, certain soils may be incorrectly classified and erroneously considered unviable for certain applications; in other cases unnecessary costly treatments may be requested, even if not required. These are the issues motivating the research presented in this report, which addressed the classification of organic soils and the quantification of organic matter in soils. The research reviewed existing classification systems for organic soils, the effects of organic matter on the geotechnical properties of soils, and the methods for determination of organic content. In addition to the review of the existing literature, this research also included experimental work conducted on natural soils with varying organic content, as well as on laboratory prepared (“artificial”) organic soils. The experiments performed included loss on ignition tests (LOI), Atterberg limits, colorimetric tests, dry combustion tests, thermal analyses, and X-ray diffraction analyses. This work led to proposing a system for classifying organic soils which is based on the percentage of organic matter present: soils with organic content <3% are termed mineral soils; if the organic content is >3% and < 15%, soils are classified as mineral soils with organics; when the organic content exceeds 15% but is <30%, the term organic soil is employed. Finally, soils with organic content higher than 30% are termed highly organic soils or peats. Given the potential errors associated with measuring organic content using the LOI method, this research proposes an approach based on the combined use of the LOI test, the liquid limit test, and the the colorimetric test. KW - Atterberg limits KW - Classification KW - Colorimetry KW - Geotechnical properties KW - Liquid limits KW - Loss on ignition KW - Organic content KW - Organic soils KW - Soils by organic content UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.5703/1288284314328 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1218799 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01376079 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Longer Combination Vehicles on Exclusive Truck Lanes: Interstate 90 Corridor Case Study PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 67p AB - Separated truck lanes, in conjunction with the use of longer combination vehicles (LCV), present a potential opportunity to boost transportation productivity and reduce emissions and energy consumption per ton mile of freight moved for the nation’s highway commerce while at the same time improving safety through the elimination of conflicts with passenger cars. Recent studies suggest that trucking economics may support the feasibility of truck toll lane development with the provision of opportunities for the trucking industry to realize greater productivity through the expanded utilization of LCVs – double or triple trailers. This would potentially allow LCVs to operate on toll truck ways in states where LCV operations are now allowed, or toll truckways to be built in states where they are not allowed provided Federal legislation supports it, permitting such tolls on appropriate portions of the Interstate and, in some cases, using Interstate right-of-way for expansions to accommodate the toll truck ways. This study investigates the potential feasibility of exclusive truck lanes (ETL) in a multistate corridor that could potentially benefit from new connectivity of LCV networks. In order to identify the potential issues and impacts of implementation of an ETL allowing LCVs, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) directed the study team to identify the basic construction and operating parameters of the facility; and to provide initial estimates of facility utilization, toll revenue, and other performance metrics to enable the FHWA to determine future follow-up studies or pilot testing programs. This is not a policy study, it is a technical study to examine the various impacts of ETLs that have been raised in recent literature. After examining several possible corridors, the FHWA and the study team determined that the Interstate 90 corridor between the Chicago, Boston, and New York City metropolitan areas would serve as a worthy proxy. The “LCV gap” on the study portion of the I-90 corridor occurs between Cleveland, Ohio, and the New York/Pennsylvania State Line. I-80 in Indiana and Ohio allow LCVs and this study tests the impacts of connecting I-80 to the New York Throughway that currently also allows LCVs. KW - Highway corridors KW - Interstate 90 KW - Longer combination vehicles KW - Toll truckways KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Truck facilities KW - Truck lanes KW - Truck traffic KW - Trucks UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/otps/110721/lcv_etl.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1143782 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01370155 AU - Carlson, Paul AU - Picha, Dale AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Sign Retroreflectivity Guidebook for Small Agencies, Federal Land Management Agencies, and Tribal Governments PY - 2009/09 SP - 58p AB - “Retroreflectivity” describes how light is reflected from a surface and returned to its original source (“retro”-reflector). Traffic signs are made with retroreflective sheeting materials to increase their visibility at night. Maintaining traffic sign retroreflectivity is important to promoting nighttime traffic safety. This document was developed to assist small-sized agencies without traffic engineering staff in meeting the new Federal requirements for maintaining traffic sign retroreflectivity on roads open to public travel. By considering the needs and capabilities of small agencies, this document provides the necessary information needed to be in compliance with the new traffic sign retroreflectivity requirements. Two products were produced. One is a stand-alone computer-based package (known as the Traffic Sign Retroreflectivity Toolkit) that includes the new retroreflectivity requirements as well as the necessary information needed to implement a program that will be in compliance with the new requirements. The second product is a hard copy of the computer-based package, without many of the features included in the computer-based package. These documents will help small agencies meet the new traffic sign retroreflectivity requirements while considering their limited resources. KW - Federal Land Management Agencies KW - Guidelines KW - Night visibility KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Traffic signs KW - Tribal government UR - http://rebar.ecn.purdue.edu/ltap1/Resources/Publications/Sign_Retroreflectivity_Guidebook.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1137204 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01354094 AU - Ramseyer, Chris C AU - Gastgeb, Matt AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Creation of an ODOT Specification for Patching or Overlay of Bridge Decks PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 98p AB - Portland cement concrete roadways are quickly deteriorating, thus requiring a patching mix to be developed. Research has been done to create a very early strength concrete mix using Type 1 Portland cement. These mixes, however, have used a liquid accelerator. It was the goal of this research to develop an early strength mix using type I/II type Portland cement, with a dry accelerator. This report outlines the development and testing of an early strength mix using a dry accelerator. The mix developed during this research meets all requirements detailed in the report. It can achieve a compressive strength of 4,000psi in six hours and performs just as well as the mixes with the liquid accelerator. KW - Accelerating agents KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete overlays KW - Patching KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Repairing KW - Very early strength concrete UR - http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/hqdiv/p-r-div/spr-rip/library/reports/fhwa-ok0809.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1117295 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01352916 AU - Gallagher, Susan AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - 2009 Summer Transportation Institute PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 34p AB - The Western Transportation Institute hosted a two-week residential Summer Transportation Institute (STI) for sixteen high school students on the Montana State University campus from June 14 to June 26, 2009. Participants included Montana residents, one student from California, one from New Mexico, and one from Indiana. The students ranged from rising tenth to rising twelfth graders. They participated in a comprehensive academic program that introduced them to various modes of transportation and highlighted transportation safety issues. Team design-build activities encouraged leadership and problem-solving skills. Students learned about college and career opportunities in the transportation field. The STI enhancement program promoted career and college survival skills and encouraged sportsmanship and collegiality among the STI cohort. KW - Education and training KW - High school students KW - Summer Transportation Institute, Montana State University KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation safety UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/summer/final_report09.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45826/final_report09_47.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1117514 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01342235 AU - Ramseyer, Chris AU - Kiamanesh, Roozbeh AU - University of Oklahoma, Norman AU - Oklahoma Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Optimizing Concrete Mix Designs to Produce Cost Effective Paving Mixes PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 122p AB - This research is designed to determine the effect of the mechanically activated fly ash on fresh concrete properties and the ultimate strength of the hardened concrete. Six types of fly ash that are locally available in the state of Oklahoma were used in this research. The activation of the fly ash was performed with a modified ball mill to increase the hydration reaction rate of the fly ash particles. Two primary variables were studied in this research; Grinding duration and the percentage of fly ash as a portion of cementitious material. The fly ash was ground for 30 and 120 minutes. The ground fly ash was used as a cementitious material in the concrete in various proportions; 20, 40, and 60% of the weight. The strength of each mix was compared with plain Portland cement concrete and the concrete samples with un-ground fly ash to determine any changes. The results of this study show that the concrete with higher proportions of fly ash has higher workability, although the strength of the samples decreases in most cases if high volume of fly ash is used. However, the results indicate that grinding the fly ash can mechanically active the particles and not only improve the strength of the samples with high proportions of fly ash, but also increase the strength higher than traditional Portland cement concrete. KW - Concrete KW - Fly ash KW - Grinding KW - Mix design KW - Optimization KW - Paving materials KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Properties of materials KW - Ultimate strength UR - http://www.okladot.state.ok.us/hqdiv/p-r-div/spr-rip/library/reports/fhwa-ok0811.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1103947 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01329753 AU - Quinley, Rich AU - Transtec Group, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - WIM Data Analyst's Manual PY - 2009/09 SP - 182p AB - This manual provides information and recommended procedures to be utilized by an agency’s Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) Office Data Analyst to perform validation and quality control (QC) checks of WIM traffic data. This manual focuses on data generated by WIM systems that have the capability to produce high quality data. Many of the recommended data QC procedures are dependent upon data containing wheel loads (in conformance with the Type I WIM system requirements of ASTM E 1318). However, the more basic QC procedures discussed may be of use to an analyst performing checks on data generated by systems generating only axle load data (conforming to Type II system requirements of ASTM E 1318) and/or systems relying upon autocalibration features deemed necessary to obtain loading data adequate for certain programs KW - Axle loads KW - Data collection KW - Data quality KW - Manuals KW - Quality control KW - Traffic data KW - Weigh in motion KW - Wheel loads UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/wim/pubs/if10018/if10018.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1090863 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01329713 AU - Qiao, Fengxiang AU - Yu, Lei AU - Wang, Hui AU - Ma, Lijin AU - Zhang, Rong AU - Zeng, Yan AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Warrants for Major Traffic Generator Guide Signing PY - 2009/09//Product SP - 51p AB - Major traffic generators (MTGs) are important regional attractions, events, or facilities that attract persons or groups from beyond a local community, city, or metropolitan area. MTGs are significant because of their unique educational, cultural, historical, or recreational experience and public appeal. The Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (TMUTCD) provides the definition of regular traffic generators based on four population types but not for MTGs. Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, and British Columbia in Canada have specific guidelines for MTGs in various forms, but these guidelines cannot be directly applied to Texas. It is imperative to establish MTG warrants that are suitable for the Texas environment. In this product, practices and manuals used in Texas and other states are scanned through a literature review, an engineer survey, and an MTG survey. The opinions of engineers and the needs of MTGs were obtained in terms of the criteria, types of symbols used, and location and size of symbols/signs. Practices in other states and the opinions of responding engineers are synthesized through proposed fuzzy logic–based algorithms. The preliminary recommendations of type of symbol and location and size of symbols/signs are identified based on the study of the literature and survey results, which are then tested in the driving simulator and computer slide show. Through all these efforts, warrants of guide signing for Texas MTGs are proposed. KW - Driving simulators KW - Guide signs KW - Major traffic generators KW - Texas KW - Warrants (Traffic control devices) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35100/35171/0-5800-P1-TSU_1208_2009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1089720 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01167126 AU - Wipf, Terry J AU - Phares, Brent M AU - Sritharan, Sri AU - Degen, Brian E AU - Giesmann, Mark T AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Design and Evaluation of a Single-Span Bridge Using Ultra-High Performance Concrete PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 148p AB - Research presented herein describes an application of a newly developed material called Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) to a single-span bridge. The two primary objectives of this research were to develop a shear design procedure for possible code adoption and to provide a performance evaluation to ensure the viability of the first UHPC bridge in the United States. Two other secondary objectives included defining of material properties and understanding of flexural behavior of a UHPC bridge girder. In order to obtain information in these areas, several tests were carried out including material testing, large-scale laboratory flexure testing, large-scale laboratory shear testing, large-scale laboratory flexure-shear testing, small-scale laboratory shear testing, and field testing of a UHPC bridge. Experimental and analytical results of the described tests are presented. Analytical models to understand the flexure and shear behavior of UHPC members were developed using iterative computer based procedures. Previous research is referenced explaining a simplified flexural design procedure and a simplified pure shear design procedure. This work describes a shear design procedure based on the Modified Compression Field Theory (MCFT) which can be used in the design of UHPC members. Conclusions are provided regarding the viability of the UHPC bridge and recommendations are made for future research. KW - Bridge design KW - Concrete bridges KW - Flexural strength KW - High performance concrete KW - Properties of materials KW - Shear strength KW - Testing KW - Ultra high performance concrete UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/11673 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/926139 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01164278 AU - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - American Council of Engineering Companies TI - Uniform Audit & Accounting Guide For Audits of Architectural and Engineering (A/E) Consulting Firms PY - 2009/09 SP - 197p AB - This audit and accounting guide contains the following major topic headings: adequacy of accounting records; standards for attestations and audits; cost principles; cost accounting; labor charging systems; compensation; selected areas of cost; general audit considerations; guidance for developing audit procedures; audit reports and minimum disclosures; and cognizance and oversight. KW - Accounting KW - Architecture KW - Auditing KW - Consultants KW - Engineering KW - Guidelines KW - Standards UR - http://www.transportation.org/sites/audit/docs/Uniform%20Audit%20&%20Accounting%20Guide%2009-11-09%20%28No%20Markup%29.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923560 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162863 AU - Li, Guoqiang AU - Saber, Aziz AU - Southern University A&M College, Ruston AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Elimination of Deck Joints Using a Corrosion Resistant FRP Approach PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 120p AB - The research presented herein describes the development of durable link slabs for jointless bridge decks based on using a fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) grid for reinforcement. Specifically the ductility of the FRP material was utilized to accommodate bridge deck deformations imposed by girder deflection, concrete shrinkage, and temperature variations. It would also provide a cost-effective solution to a number of deterioration problems associated with bridge deck joints. The structural behavior of two types of FRP grid reinforced concrete slabs was investigated. A total of 11 slabs were prepared and tested. Three slabs were made of plain concrete as controls. Three slabs were reinforced by commercially available FRP grids. Three slabs were reinforced by lab-fabricated FRP grids. The remaining two slabs were the pure grid panel (one from commercial source and the other fabricated in our lab). All the slabs were tested using a three-point bending test configuration. Physical properties such as surface abrasion, shrinkage, and coefficient of thermal expansion were also tested. The design concept of link slabs was then examined to form the basis of design for FRP grid link slabs. Improved design of FRP grid link slab/concrete deck slab interface was confirmed in the numerical analysis. The mechanical properties between the FRP grid and concrete were evaluated. The behavior of the link slab was investigated and confirmed for durability. KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge design KW - Corrosion resistant materials KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Geogrids KW - Jointless bridges KW - Mechanical properties UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2010/fr_443.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33100/33142/fr_443.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/921211 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162241 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Elizabeth Brady Road extension : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/09//Volumes held: Draft KW - Environmental impact statements KW - North Carolina UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923227 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01162111 AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Route 63, south of Route 50 to south of Maries/Phelps County Line, Route 63 road relocation and improvements,Osage, Maries, and Phelps counties : environmental impact statement PY - 2009/09//Volumes held: Draft, Draft Appendix, Final, Final Appendix KW - Environmental impact statements KW - Missouri UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/923096 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159704 AU - Celaya, Manuel AU - Chittoori, Bhaskar AU - Saride, Sireesh AU - Nazarian, Soheil AU - Puppala, Anand J AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - University of Texas, Arlington AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Design Manual and Test Protocols to Accelerate Mix Design of Stabilized Subgrades: Products P1 and P2 PY - 2009/09 SP - 50p AB - This document establishes recommended evaluation criteria to select stabilization type and content, methods of evaluating the effectiveness of stabilization, and methods for moisture conditioning of samples to accelerate the mix design process and to evaluate the effectiveness of stabilization. This revised procedure is an adaptation of the current guidelines for subgrade stabilization, with the addition of chemical analysis of the soil fines to identify clay mineralogy, accelerated curing and moisture conditioning to minimize to time to achieve the mix design and wetting-drying cycles as means of durability indicators. In addition a static compaction method for preparing fine-grained soil specimens is recommended. KW - Accelerated curing KW - Clay KW - Durability KW - Guidelines KW - Manuals KW - Mineralogy KW - Mix design KW - Moisture conditioning KW - Soil stabilization KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Test protocols KW - Wetting and drying tests UR - http://www.docstoc.com/docs/39544812/Design-Manual-and-Test-Protocols-to-Accelerate-Mix-Design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/920246 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01159309 AU - Jaber, Tarif M AU - Jaber Engineering Consulting, Incorporated AU - Arizona Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Testing of HPC on Sunshine Bridge PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 15p AB - The deck of the Sunshine Bridge overpass, located westbound on Interstate 40 (I-40) near Winslow, Arizona, was replaced on August 24, 2005. The original deteriorated concrete deck was replaced using high performance concrete (HPC), reinforced with low-carbon, low-corrosion reinforcing steel. HPC is a new technology in Arizona. This report documents the first survey of the deck's condition and recommends that ADOT embark on a monitoring program to evaluate the performance of HPC. The ADOT monitoring program should consist of visual observation of the deck condition and concrete sampling and testing to measure and document HPC performance. The survey presented in this report was performed on December 18, 2007, which represents the first field survey since concrete deck placement. Visual observation and test results show the following: 1. The concrete has a very low chloride permeability. 2. The concrete has significantly slowed down and/or prevented chloride penetration through the bridge deck. 3. The average air-void parameters of HPC do not meet the industry standards for frost resistant concrete. 4. The deck surface appears to have minimal wear from snow removal equipment and shows no signs of concrete cracking. HPC appears to perform very well during the monitoring period despite the lower than recommended air void system. There were no signs of deterioration or adverse field conditions. It is recommended that bridge deck monitoring and concrete testing be done annually or biennially throughout the bridge's estimated 50-year service life to confirm long-term performance of HPC. It is also recommend that the next monitoring survey be initiated and conducted before the end of the year 2009. KW - Air voids KW - Bridge decks KW - Carbon steel KW - Chloride content KW - Cracking KW - High performance concrete KW - Monitoring KW - Penetration resistance KW - Performance measurement KW - Permeability KW - Reinforcing steel UR - http://apps.azdot.gov/ADOTLibrary/publications/project_reports/PDF/AZ658.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/919786 ER - TY - SER AN - 01158544 JO - NHTS Brief PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - National Household Travel Survey: Changes in the U.S. Household Vehicle Fleet PY - 2009/09 SP - 2p AB - The preliminary 2008 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) shows a number of important changes in the U.S. household-based vehicle fleet. The NHTS collects detailed information on household vehicle ownership, including the type of vehicles, model year, odometer reading, and daily use characteristics. Perhaps reversing a longstanding trend towards the aging of the household vehicle fleet, the preliminary 2008 NHTS shows a leveling off in average vehicle age--in 1977, the average household vehicle was 6.6 years old, by 2001 average age was 8.9 years, but declined slightly to 8.3 years in the 2008 preliminary data. Older vehicles (10 years or older) accounted for 39 percent of the household fleet in 2001, but their share declined slightly to 37 percent in 2008. At the other end of the spectrum, the number of newer vehicles rose, including the addition of nearly 5 million hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles. Maybe more importantly, the mix of household vehicles continues to include fewer passenger cars and more SUVs. SUVs account for over 18 percent of all household vehicles in 2008, an increase from 12 percent in 2001. KW - Households KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Ownership KW - Private passenger vehicles KW - Sport utility vehicles KW - Travel by vehicle type KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://nhts.ornl.gov/briefs/Changes%20in%20the%20Vehicle%20Fleet.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/917963 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01158178 AU - Boisvert, Denis M AU - New Hampshire Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Alternative Pavements for Snowmobile Crossings PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 25p AB - Excessive highway pavement wear from snowmobile traffic is a maintenance problem for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. The snowmobiles and trail grooming equipment scar and erode the pavement surfaces, eventually creating wide ruts across the State’s highways that cause potential safety issues for vehicular traffic. The damage includes breaking off bits of the pavement’s edge until the travel lanes are threatened. The Department performed an evaluation of alternative pavement treatments intended to protect the pavement surface from excessive degradation. Cleanosol is a surface-applied thermoplastic material that has been successfully used to armor snowmobile crossings in Michigan and Wisconsin. Imprint® is a synthetic surface material developed in the United Kingdom that consists of a hot applied resin-based compound with graded sand and granite aggregate, reinforced with two types of fibers. Three pairs of snowmobile crossings, known for heavy snowmobile traffic and excessive pavement wear, were treated with each product. Wear was measured and patterns were observed over three winters. Unit wear rates of the test materials did not indicate a greater durability than conventional hot mix asphalt (HMA). Cleanosol was the easiest and quickest product to install, and was the least expensive as compared with Imprint and HMA repair. The convenience and lower cost of installing Cleanosol make it a good choice for the repair of snowmobile trail damage across the State’s highways. Recommendations include: (1) Adoption of a revised Motorized Recreational Vehicle Trail Crossing detail for use in permitting new trail crossings; (2) Improvement of existing trail crossings to bring them into reasonable compliance with the Motorized Recreational Vehicle Trail Crossing detail; and (3) A statewide program for treating, improving and maintaining snowmobile crossings in collaboration with the recreational vehicle community. KW - Damage (Pavements) KW - Durability KW - Field tests KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Pavement design KW - Recreation KW - Repairing KW - Snowmobiles KW - Surface treatment (Pavements) KW - Thermoplastic materials KW - Trail crossings KW - Wear UR - http://www.nh.gov/dot/org/projectdevelopment/materials/research/projects/14282d.htm UR - http://www.nh.gov/dot/org/projectdevelopment/materials/research/projects/documents/FHWA-NH-RD-14282D.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/918733 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01157123 AU - Qiao, Fengxiang AU - Wang, H AU - Ma, L AU - Zhang, R AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Symbols and Warrants for Major Traffic Generator Guide Signing PY - 2009/09 SP - 162p AB - The Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (TMUTCD) provides the definition of regular traffic generators based on four population types but not for major traffic generators (MTGs). MTG signs have been considered to supplement the overall signing system for highways, and can direct road users to important traffic generators, resulting in improved traffic flow operation and decreasing drivers' frustration caused by missing an exit. These signs would better guide travelers on major highway 'gateways' to crucial cultural, business, and recreational destinations, especially for those who are unfamiliar with the area. Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, and British Columbia in Canada have specific guidelines for MTGs in various forms; however, these guidelines are not applicable for direct use in Texas. It is imperative to establish MTG warrants that are suitable for the Texas environment. In this report, practices and manuals used in Texas and other states are scanned and summarized through a literature review, an engineer survey, and an MTG survey. Engineer opinions and the needs of MTGs were obtained in terms of the criteria, types of symbols used, and location and size of symbols/signs. Practices in other states and the opinions of responding engineers are synthesized through proposed fuzzy logic-based algorithms. Together with driving simulator tests and computer slide show tests, the preliminary recommendations about the types of symbols and location and size of symbols/signs for MTGs are then identified. KW - Driving simulators KW - Guide signs KW - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices KW - Special events KW - Texas KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Travel time KW - Trip purpose KW - Warrants (Traffic control devices) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/916558 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153611 AU - Lagasse, P F AU - Clopper, P E AU - Pagan-Ortiz, J E AU - Zevenbergen, L W AU - Arneson, L A AU - Schall, J D AU - Girard, L G AU - Ayres Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Highway Institute TI - Bridge Scour and Stream Instability Countermeasures: Experience, Selection and Design Guidance. Third Edition. Volume 1 PY - 2009/09//Third Edition - Volume 1 SP - 256p AB - This document identifies and provides design guidelines for bridge scour and stream instability countermeasures that have been implemented by various State departments of transportation (DOTs) in the United States. Countermeasure experience, selection, and design guidance are consolidated from other FHWA publications in this document to support a comprehensive analysis of scour and stream instability problems and provide a range of solutions to those problems. Selected innovative countermeasure concepts and guidance derived from practice outside the United States are introduced. Management strategies and guidance for developing a Plan of Action for scour critical bridges are outlined, and guidance is provided for scour monitoring using portable and fixed instrumentation. The results of recently completed National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) projects are incorporated in the design guidance, including: countermeasures to protect bridge piers and abutments from scour; riprap design criteria, specifications, and quality control; and environmentally sensitive channel and bank protection measures. This additional material required expanding HEC-23 to two volumes. Volume 1 now contains a complete chapter on riprap design, specifications, and quality control as well as an expanded chapter on biotechnical countermeasures. The guidance on scour monitoring instrumentation has been updated and now includes additional installation case studies. Volume 2 contains 19 detailed design guidelines grouped into six categories, including countermeasures for: (1) stream instability, (2) streambank and roadway embankment protection, (3) bridge pier protection, (4) abutment protection, (5) filter design, and (6) special applications. KW - Bank protection KW - Bridge abutments KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge piers KW - Channel stabilization KW - Countermeasures KW - Guidelines KW - Innovation KW - Instrumentation KW - Monitoring KW - Plan of action KW - Riprap KW - Scour KW - Stream stability KW - Technology UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/pubs/09111/09111.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914931 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153605 AU - Lagasse, P F AU - Clopper, P E AU - Pagan-Ortiz, J E AU - Zevenbergen, L W AU - Arneson, L A AU - Schall, J D AU - Girard, L G AU - Ayres Associates, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Highway Institute TI - Bridge Scour and Stream Instability Countermeasures: Experience, Selection and Design Guidance. Third Edition. Volume 2 PY - 2009/09//Third Edition - Volume 2 SP - 376p AB - This document identifies and provides design guidelines for bridge scour and stream instability countermeasures that have been implemented by various State departments of transportation (DOTs) in the United States. Countermeasure experience, selection, and design guidance are consolidated from other FHWA publications in this document to support a comprehensive analysis of scour and stream instability problems and provide a range of solutions to those problems. Selected innovative countermeasure concepts and guidance derived from practice outside the United States are introduced. Management strategies and guidance for developing a Plan of Action for scour critical bridges are outlined, and guidance is provided for scour monitoring using portable and fixed instrumentation. The results of recently completed National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) projects are incorporated in the design guidance, including: countermeasures to protect bridge piers and abutments from scour; riprap design criteria, specifications, and quality control; and environmentally sensitive channel and bank protection measures. This additional material required expanding HEC-23 to two volumes. Volume 1 now contains a complete chapter on riprap design, specifications, and quality control as well as an expanded chapter on biotechnical countermeasures. The guidance on scour monitoring instrumentation has been updated and now includes additional installation case studies. Volume 2 contains 19 detailed design guidelines grouped into six categories, including countermeasures for: (1) stream instability, (2) streambank and roadway embankment protection, (3) bridge pier protection, (4) abutment protection, (5) filter design, and (6) special applications. KW - Bank protection KW - Bridge abutments KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge piers KW - Channel stabilization KW - Countermeasures KW - Guidelines KW - Innovation KW - Instrumentation KW - Monitoring KW - Plan of action KW - Riprap KW - Scour KW - Stream stability KW - Technology UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/pubs/09111/09112.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914932 ER - TY - SER AN - 01153278 JO - TechBrief PB - Federal Highway Administration TI - Determination of Concrete Pavement Thickness Using the Magnetic Imaging Tomography Technique PY - 2009/09 SP - 12p AB - This technical summary discusses the application of a recently introduced technique, based on magnetic imaging tomography, to determine the thickness of freshly placed concrete. This technique may be used for process testing and for acceptance testing during construction of new concrete pavements. The technique is applicable only to plain (nonreinforced) concrete pavements. The results of recent field trials using this technique are presented. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Concrete pavements KW - Field tests KW - Magnetic imaging tomography KW - Measurement KW - Thickness UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/pubs/hif09023/hif09023.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914929 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153222 AU - Kim, Y Richard AU - Guddati, Murthy N AU - Underwood, B Shane AU - Yun, T Y AU - Subramanian, V AU - Savadatti, S AU - North Carolina State University, Raleigh AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of a Multiaxial Viscoelastoplastic Continuum Damage Model for Asphalt Mixtures PY - 2009/09 SP - 268p AB - This report highlights findings from the FHWA DTFH61-05-H-00019 project, which focused on the development of the multiaxial viscoelastoplastic continuum damage model for asphalt concrete in both compression and tension. Asphalt concrete pavement, one of the largest infrastructure components in the United States, is a complex system that involves multiple layers of different materials, various combinations of irregular traffic loading, and various environmental conditions. The performance of this structure is closely related to the performance of asphalt concrete. To predict the performance of asphalt concrete with reasonable accuracy, a better understanding of its deformation behavior under realistic conditions is urgently needed. Over the past decade, the authors have been successful in developing uniaxial material models that can accurately capture various critical phenomena such as microcrack-induced damage that is critical in fatigue modeling, strain-rate temperature interdependence, and viscoplastic flow, which is critical for high temperature modeling. The resulting model is termed the viscoelastoplastic continuum damage model. However, to consider the complicated nature of in-service stress states, a multidimensional model is needed. To predict the performance of the real pavement structures, it is also important to incorporate the material model in a pavement model that considers the vehicle and climatic loads as well as the boundary conditions; the in-house finite element package has been developed for this purpose. KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Continuum damage model KW - Damage mechanics KW - Finite element method KW - Multiaxial stress KW - Pavement performance KW - Viscoelastoplastic model UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/08073/08073.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914770 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01153220 AU - Srinivasan, Raghavan AU - Baek, Jongdae AU - Carter, Daniel AU - Persaud, Bhagwant AU - Lyon, Craig AU - Eccles, Kimberly A AU - Gross, Frank AU - Lefler, Nancy X AU - Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Incorporated AU - Persaud and Lyon, Incorporated AU - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Evaluation of Improved Curve Delineation PY - 2009/09 SP - 56p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) organized a pooled fund study of 26 States to evaluate low-cost safety strategies as part of its strategic highway safety effort. One of the strategies chosen to be evaluated for this study was improving curve delineation. Geometric, traffic, and crash data were obtained at 89 treated curves in Connecticut and 139 treated curves in Washington to determine the safety effectiveness of improved curve delineation. Treatments varied by site and included new chevrons, horizontal arrows, and advance warning signs as well as the improvement of existing signs using fluorescent yellow sheeting. All sites were on two-lane rural roads. To account for potential selection bias and regression-to-the-mean, an Empirical Bayes (EB) before-after analysis was conducted. The aggregate results revealed an 18% reduction in injury and fatal crashes, a 27.5% reduction in crashes during dark conditions, and a 25% reduction in lane departure crashes during dark conditions. The reductions were more prominent at locations with higher traffic volumes and sharper curves (curve radius less than 492 ft) and in locations with more hazardous roadsides (roadside hazard rating (RHR) of 5 or higher) compared to locations with less hazardous roadsides (RHR of 4 or lower). In addition, curves where more signs were either added or replaced (with a more retroreflective material) within the curve experienced larger reductions in crashes. An economic analysis revealed that improving curve delineation with signing improvements is a very cost-effective treatment with the benefit-cost ratio exceeding 8:1. KW - Before and after studies KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Chevrons KW - Connecticut KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Crash injuries KW - Darkness KW - Directional arrows KW - Economic analysis KW - Empirical Bayes method KW - Fatalities KW - Highway curves KW - Highway safety KW - Lane departures KW - Nighttime crashes KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Rural highways KW - Sign sheeting KW - Traffic signs KW - Two lane highways KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/09045/09045.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/914771 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01151284 AU - Ogle, Jennifer AU - Sarasua, W AU - Dillon, J AU - Bendigieri, V AU - Anekar, S AU - Alluri, P AU - Clemson University AU - South Carolina Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Support for the Elimination of Roadside Hazards: Evaluating Roadside Collision Data and Clear Zone Requirements PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 60p AB - Over a three year period (2004‐2006), there were more than 60,000 crashes involving fixed objects (trees, utility poles, culverts, bridge piers, etc.) located within South Carolina roadsides. These fixed object crashes accounted for 20% of all crashes in South Carolina, and nearly 50% of all fatal crashes. In comparison, only 30% of fixed‐object crashes result in fatalities nationally. Responding to the growing concerns of roadside hazard involvement in crashes, SCDOT selected a research project to analyze roadside collision data, evaluate the sufficiency of current clear zones along state roadways, and assess the benefits associated with minimizing consequences of leaving the roadway by providing and maintaining adequate clear zones. Clemson University was selected to perform this work. After using a combination of crash data, SCDOT roadway inventory data, and geographic information system analysis tools to identify 287 sites of interest in 14 counties across the state, Clemson researchers surveyed the sites with an instrumented van to identify exact parameters for roadside slopes and distances to obstacles in the clear zones. Of the 287 sites surveyed, 131 were randomly selected and analyzed for clear zone requirements. Of these, only 12 met the criteria using automated software processing. Taking into consideration, variations in actual operating speeds and the presence of curves at these sites, six more would no longer meet clear zone requirements. The research team also analyzed 58 control sites. Control sites are areas that have no instances of fixed object crashes within the three year study period. For these 58 control sites, 47 met the minimum clear zone requirements, and only 11 did not. Using an odds ratio test for this sample, researchers determined that the odds of a site having a fixed object crash are 42 times higher if the minimum clear zone is not met. Considering the magnitude of the roadside hazard problem, and the deficiency of the clear zones in these areas, it appears that by providing recommended clear zones (or safe recovery areas) for motorists who leave the roadway, South Carolina could realize a notable decrease in roadway fatal and injury crashes. This is particularly significant realizing that many times it is for reasons other than driver error (i.e. blown tire, struck by another vehicle, avoiding an accident, avoiding deer, etc.). KW - Clear zones KW - Countermeasures KW - Highway factors in crashes KW - Highway safety KW - Roadside hazards KW - Single vehicle crashes KW - South Carolina KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.clemson.edu/t3s/scdot/pdf/projects/FHWA-SC-09-01SPR667.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46200/46238/SPR_667.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/913170 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01150729 AU - Herbel, Susan AU - Meyer, Michael D AU - Kleiner, Bernardo AU - Gaines, Danena AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Primer on Safety Performance Measures for the Transportation Planning Process PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 32p AB - This Primer is a tool to help State and local practitioners, transportation planners, and decision-makers identify, select, and use safety performance measures as a part of the transportation planning process. The Primer draws from current literature, professional experience, and State DOT and MPO practice. Key elements of the Primer include: a definition of performance measures; a step-by-step description and flowchart showing how safety performance measures can be identified and integrated into the transportation planning process; characteristics of effective performance measures; a checklist to assess an organization’s current status with respect to the use of safety performance measures in the transportation planning and decision-making process; a list of references; and case studies of noteworthy practice. KW - Case studies KW - Countermeasures KW - Performance measurement KW - Transportation planning KW - Transportation safety UR - http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/tsp/fhwahep09043/ UR - http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/tsp/fhwahep09043/fhwahep09043.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/912747 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01149205 AU - Seneca, Joseph J AU - Ozbay, Kaan AU - Lahr, Michael Lincoln AU - Irving, Will AU - Bartin, Bekir AU - Mantell, Nancy AU - Mudigonda, Sandeep AU - Jahan, Nusrat AU - Rutgers University, New Brunswick AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Transportation: Impact on Economy, Project 2008-05, Volume I and Volume II PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 205p AB - This report estimates both the one-time and the on-going economic and fiscal benefits from transportation investments. The report provides the new Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) with two general software programs to enable both types of benefits to be estimated for specific highway transportation projects. These programs can assist NJDOT in its planning and economic analysis. The report uses past NJDOT highway transportation projects to identify the myriad inputs used in highway projects and the expenditures made on these inputs for 40 project types and locations (e.g., bridge replacement, road widening, intersection improvements, etc. in North and South New Jersey). Using the R/ECON™ Input-Output Model, estimates of the one-time benefits of each project type/location are made and a general-use software program is developed. This Transportation Investment Impact Estimator is applied to NJDOT’s Ten-Year Capital Plan. The analysis indicates that over 95,000 job-years, an additional $7.9 billion in gross domestic product, and an additional $6 billion in compensation (income) will be generated in New Jersey from the estimated $10.7 billion in investment expenditures of the Ten-Year Capital Plan. In addition, a similar analysis is conducted for the $832 million in state and local highway projects that will receive the first-round of support from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects will generate over eight thousand job-years, $627 million in additional gross domestic product, and $480 million in additional income for New Jersey. The report proceeds to analyze the reductions in recurring costs (due to congestion, traffic accidents, environmental damages, vehicle operation, and maintenance) that result from improvements in transportation capacity. The North Jersey Regional Transportation Model is used together with cost functions (CUBE) developed specifically for New Jersey. Cost-benefit analysis is conducted for five past highway projects that increased transportation capacity. The analysis indicates that each of the projects was economically efficient; i.e., the present value of the future stream of economic benefits (reduced costs) generated by the project exceeds (by significant margins) the present value of the investment costs of the project. A software program is developed that allows NJDOT to conduct such cost-benefit analyses for any past, current, or future projects that increase transportation capacity in north New Jersey. KW - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic benefits KW - Economics KW - Highway projects KW - Input output models KW - Investments KW - New Jersey KW - Programming (Planning) KW - Software UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2009-015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/911556 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01149203 AU - Vitillo, Nicholas AU - Gucunski, Nenad AU - Rascoe, Carl AU - Zaghloul, Sameh AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of the Automated Distress Survey Equipment PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 80p AB - This research: Illustrated the abilities and limitations of the Automated Distress Survey Equipment and Software to collect, characterize, and analyze pavement cracking distresses under different lighting conditions; Assessed the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) profiler crew’s evaluation of these same sections; and Used graphical comparisons and statistical analyses to make assessments of repeatability of multiple test runs under different lighting conditions and different degrees of data processing. This research concluded that based on the analysis, the Automated Distress Survey Equipment can be used to collect cracking distress data with quality control checks to ensure that the cracking data collected, characterized, and analyzed is accurate. This research recommends that the NJDOT needs to collaborate with the vendor to refine the data collection and analysis procedures to differentiate the location of cracking (within and outside of the wheel paths) and to provide quality control on the data collection and analysis. KW - Area scan KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Lighting KW - Line scan KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement distress KW - Quality control KW - Repeatability UR - http://www.nj.gov/transportation/refdata/research/reports/FHWA-NJ-2009-007.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/911539 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01148581 AU - Mahmassani, Hani S AU - Dong, Jing AU - Kim, Jiwon AU - Chen, Roger B AU - Park, Byungkyu AU - Science Applications International Corporation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Incorporating Weather Impacts in Traffic Estimation and Prediction Systems PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 110p AB - Dynamic Traffic Simulation-Assignment models are gaining wider acceptance and use to support transportation network planning and traffic operations decision-making. Significant improvements in traffic estimation capabilities and overall utilities of these systems for traffic management can be achieved by upgrading or adjusting them to account for the impacts of weather. This report presents the results of a study to develop weather-sensitive dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) models for Traffic Estimation and Prediction (TrEPS) application, which addresses both supply and demand aspects of the response to adverse weather, including user responses to various weather-specific interventions such as advisory information and control actions. KW - Dynamic traffic assignment KW - Road weather information systems KW - Traffic estimation KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic simulation KW - Weather conditions UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31400/31419/14497.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31400/31419/14497_files/14497 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33723/index.htm UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/33000/33700/33723/treps_pdf.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/908318 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147312 AU - Sargand, Shad M AU - Figueroa, J Ludwig AU - Edwards, William F AU - Al-Rawashdeh, Abdalla S AU - Ohio University, Athens AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Assessment of Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) Pavements PY - 2009/09//Technical Report SP - 138p AB - Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) is a new technology that was introduced in Europe in 1995. WMA offers several advantages over conventional asphalt concrete mixtures, including: reduced energy consumption, reduced emissions, improved or more uniform binder coating of aggregate which should reduce mix surface aging, and extended construction season in temperate climates. Three WMA techniques, Aspha-min, Sasobit, and Evotherm, were used to reduce the viscosity of the asphalt binder at certain temperatures and to dry and fully coat the aggregates at a lower production temperature than conventional hot mix asphalt. The reduction in mixing and compaction temperatures of asphalt mixtures leads to a reduction in both fuel consumption and emissions. This research project had two major components, the outdoor field study on SR541 in Guernsey County and the indoor study in the Accelerated Pavement Load Facility (APLF). Each study included the application of four types of asphalt surface layer, including standard hot mix asphalt as a control and three warm mixes: Evotherm, Aspha-min, and Sasobit. The outdoor study began with testing of the preexisting pavement and subgrade, the results of which indicated that while the pavement and subgrade were not uniform, there were no significant problems or variations that would be expected to lead to differences in performance of the planned test sections. During construction, the outdoor study included collection of emissions samples at the plant and on the construction site as well as thermal readings from the site. Afterwards, the outdoor study included the periodic collection and laboratory analysis of core samples and visual inspections of the road. Roughness (IRI) measurements were made shortly after construction and after a year of service. The indoor study involved the construction of four lanes of perpetual pavement, each topped with one of the test mixes. The lanes were further divided into northern and southern halves, with the northern halves having a full 16 in (40 cm) perpetual pavement, and with the southern halves with thicknesses decreasing in 1 in. (2.5 cm) increments by reducing the intermediate layer. The dense graded aggregate base was increased to compensate for the change in pavement thickness. The southern half of each lane was instrumented to measure temperature, subgrade pressure, deflection relative to top of subgrade and to a point 5 ft (1.5 m) down, and longitudinal and transverse strains at the base of the fatigue resistance layer (FRL). The APLF had the temperature set to 40°F (4.4°C), 70°F (21.1°C), and 104°F (40°C), in that order. At each temperature, rolling wheel loads of 6000 lb (26.7 kN), 9000 lb (40 kN), and 12,000 lb (53.4 kN) were applied at lateral shifts of 3 in. (76 mm), 1 in. (25 mm), -4 in. (-102 mm), and -9 in. (- 229 mm) and the response measured. Then each plane was subjected to 10,000 passes of the rolling wheel load of 9000 lb (40 kN) at about 5 mph (8 km/h). Profiles were measured after 100, 300, 1000, 3000, and 10,000 passes with a profilometer to assess consolidation of each surface. After the 10,000 passes of the rolling wheel load were completed, a second set of measurements was made under rolling wheel loads of 6000 lb (26.7 kN), 9000 lb (40 kN), and 12,000 lb (53.4 kN) at the same lateral shifts as before. Additionally, the response of the pavement instrumentation was recorded during drops of a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD). KW - Aspha-Min KW - Asphalt concrete pavements KW - Evotherm KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Field studies KW - International Roughness Index KW - Ohio Accelerated Pavement Loading Facility KW - Perpetual pavements KW - Sasobit KW - Test sections KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/TransSysDev/Research/reportsandplans/Reports/2009/Pavement/134312_FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907626 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147298 AU - Ryus, Paul AU - Lombard, Pieter Marais AU - Billings, Kip A AU - Jeannotte, Krista AU - Kittelson and Associates, Incorporated AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Applying Analysis Tools in Planning for Operations: Case Study #2–Incorporating Highway Capacity Manual Procedures into Long-Range Transportation Planning PY - 2009/09//Brochure SP - 22p AB - More and more, transportation system operators are seeing the benefits of strengthening links between planning and operations. A critical element in improving transportation decision-making and the effectiveness of transportation systems related to operations and planning is through the use of analysis tools and methods. This brochure is one in a series of five intended to improve the way existing analysis tools are used to advance operational strategies in the planning process. The specific objective of developing this informational brochure series was to provide reference and resource materials that will help planners and operations professionals to use existing transportation planning and operations analysis tools and methods in a more systematic way to better analyze, evaluate, and report the benefits of needed investments in transportation operations. This particular case study focused using Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) procedures in long-range transportation planning for arterial signalization strategies. To better estimate link capacity, this case study developed an automated methodology to 1) transfer demand volumes from a regional model to software implementing the HCM Urban Streets procedure, 2) combine the volumes with known traffic signal timings to calculate a link-specific capacity, and 3) transfer that capacity back to the regional model for the next iteration. In addition, operational treatments that can influence capacity can be accounted for in the HCM-implementing software, thus allowing the effects of these treatments to be reflected in the regional model output. KW - Analysis KW - Arterial highways KW - Case studies KW - Highway Capacity Manual KW - Long range planning KW - Regional transportation KW - Signalization KW - Software KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Transportation operations KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand KW - Urban transportation UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10003/fhwahop10003.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907531 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147297 AU - Zhang, Lin AU - Jeannotte, Krista AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Applying Analysis Tools in Planning for Operations: Case Study #3 – Using Archived Data As a Tool for Operations Planning PY - 2009/09//Brochure SP - 26p AB - More and more, transportation system operators are seeing the benefits of strengthening links between planning and operations. A critical element in improving transportation decision-making and the effectiveness of transportation systems related to operations and planning is through the use of analysis tools and methods. This brochure is one in a series of five intended to improve the way existing analysis tools are used to advance operational strategies in the planning process. The specific objective of developing this informational brochure series was to provide reference and resource materials that will help planners and operations professionals to use existing transportation planning and operations analysis tools and methods in a more systematic way to better analyze, evaluate, and report the benefits of needed investments in transportation operations. This particular case study focused on the application of archived data as a tool for operations planning. This case study summarizes an effort involving the use of archived data for operations planning conducted for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in the San Francisco Bay Area. KW - Analysis KW - Case studies KW - Data banks KW - Performance measurement KW - San Francisco Bay Area KW - Transportation operations KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10004/fhwahop10004.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907532 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147293 AU - Dowling, Richard AU - Huang, Allen AU - Sterner, Kym AU - Jeannotte, Krista AU - Dowling Associates, Incorporated AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Applying Analysis Tools in Planning for Operations: Case Study #4 – Application of Microsimulation in Combination With Travel Demand Models PY - 2009/09//Brochure SP - 20p AB - More and more, transportation system operators are seeing the benefits of strengthening links between planning and operations. A critical element in improving transportation decision-making and the effectiveness of transportation systems related to operations and planning is through the use of analysis tools and methods. This brochure is one in a series of five intended to improve the way existing analysis tools are used to advance operational strategies in the planning process. The specific objective of developing this informational brochure series was to provide reference and resource materials that will help planners and operations professionals to use existing transportation planning and operations analysis tools and methods in a more systematic way to better analyze, evaluate, and report the benefits of needed investments in transportation operations. The main problem of interfacing travel demand models with microsimulation models is that the demands produced by demand models are not as capacity constrained as they need to be for use in microsimulation models. The result is that the microsimulation model produces unrealistic facility performance estimates when it is given unrealistic calibration year and future year demands. The solution is to adjust the travel demand model demands to more realistic levels that reflect the physical limitations of the network. This brochure describes two case studies for applying simulation models in combination with travel demand models: 1) the traditional approach performing these adjustments outside of the travel demand model; and 2) an advanced approach that makes many of the demand adjustments within the demand model. KW - Analysis KW - Case studies KW - Highway capacity KW - Microsimulation KW - Transportation operations KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10005/fhwahop10005.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907533 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147292 AU - Jeannotte, Krista AU - Sallman, Douglas AU - Margiotta, Richard AU - Howard, Mark AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Applying Analysis Tools in Planning for Operations PY - 2009/09//Brochure SP - 22p AB - More and more, transportation system operators are seeing the benefits of strengthening links between planning and operations. A critical element in improving transportation decision-making and the effectiveness of transportation systems related to operations and planning is through the use of analysis tools. The use of the term “Tools” in this context is meant not only to include physical software and devoted analytical applications, but also more basic analysis methods and procedures as well. The intent of this brochure, and four accompanying case study brochures, is to help planners and operations professionals use existing transportation planning and operations analysis tools and methods in a more systematic way to better analyze, evaluate, and report the benefits of needed investments in transportation operations, in order to make the overall transportation system work better. KW - Analysis KW - Decision making KW - Procedures KW - Software KW - Transportation operations KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10001/fhwahop10001.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907529 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01147290 AU - Sallman, Douglas AU - Jeannotte, Krista AU - Morallos, Dorothy AU - Ramaratnam, Shriram AU - Bunch, Jim AU - Lowrance, Cheryl AU - Hatcher, Greg AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Noblis AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Applying Analysis Tools in Planning for Operations: Case Study #1– Operations Strategy Impact Reference and Deployment Guidance PY - 2009/09//Brochure SP - 24p AB - More and more, transportation system operators are seeing the benefits of strengthening links between planning and operations. A critical element in improving transportation decision-making and the effectiveness of transportation systems related to operations and planning is through the use of analysis tools and methods. This brochure is one in a series of five intended to improve the way existing analysis tools are used to advance operational strategies in the planning process. The specific objective of developing this informational brochure series was to provide reference and resource materials that will help planners and operations professionals to use existing transportation planning and operations analysis tools and methods in a more systematic way to better analyze, evaluate, and report the benefits of needed investments in transportation operations. This particular case study focused on compiling information on various operations strategies in order to promote a greater understanding of the impacts including: (1) High-level summaries of the likely impacts of operational strategies on performance measures; (2) Guidance on specific thresholds or rules-of-thumb that have been developed to help practitioners identify conditions that warrant deployment of particular operations strategies. The guidance provided in this case study is intended to bridge a common knowledge gap faced by many deploying agencies and aims to answer the questions: “what situations are most conducive to operational strategy deployments” and “what are the likely impacts of the strategies under consideration.” KW - Analysis KW - Case studies KW - Deployment KW - Performance measurement KW - Procedures KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation operations KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop10002/fhwahop10002.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907530 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146828 AU - Masada, Teruhisa AU - Ohio University, Athens AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Shear Strength of Clay and Silt Embankments PY - 2009/09//Technical Report SP - 319p AB - The highway embankment is one of the most common large-scale geotechnical facilities constructed in Ohio. In the past, the design of these embankments was largely based on soil shear strength properties that had been estimated from previously published empirical correlations and/or crude soil test results. This is because either the actual soil fill material is not available for testing at the time of embankment design or detailed shear strength determination of soil samples in the laboratory tends to be time-consuming and expensive. Structural stability of these embankments is vital to the state economy and public safety. There is a strong need to conduct a study to examine whether the empirical correlations are truly applicable to Ohio soils and to develop comprehensive geotechnical guidelines concerning the shear strength properties of cohesive soils typically used in Ohio. In this study, soil samples from nine highway embankment sites scattered across Ohio were tested both in the field and laboratory to establish comprehensive geotechnical properties of cohesive soil fills, which represent a wide range of geological features existing in the state. The large volume of soil data produced in the study was then analyzed to evaluate reliability of the empirical correlations and derive statistically strong correlations for shear strength properties of cohesive soil fill materials found in Ohio. Based on the outcome of these analyses, multi-level guidelines are proposed by the author for estimating shear strength properties of Ohio cohesive soils more confidently. KW - Cohesive soils KW - Embankments KW - Field tests KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Laboratory tests KW - Ohio KW - Shear strength KW - Slope stability UR - http://worldcat.org/arcviewer/2/OHI/2009/12/22/H1261497839157/viewer/file1.pdf UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/489698919/viewonline UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907082 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146826 AU - Herman, Lloyd A AU - McAvoy, Deborah S AU - Richardson, Wallace AU - Ohio University, Athens AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effectiveness of Noise Barriers Installed Adjacent to Transverse Grooved Concrete Pavements PY - 2009/09//Technical Report SP - 108p AB - In recent years the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has reconstructed a number of roadways where asphalt pavements were replaced with random transverse grooved concrete pavements. Upon completion, residents living adjacent to the reconstructed roadways have complained of increased noise levels. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Traffic Noise Model (TNM) is used to determine if predicted traffic noise levels warrant abatement and to design the abatement structures. The public perception problem described above suggests that the model does not result in adequate noise barrier abatement designs near random transverse grooved concrete pavements. The overall goal of this project was to provide ODOT with accurate TNM noise predictions when modeling random transverse grooved concrete pavement highways. Three random transverse grooved PCC roadway sites were chosen for study where high quality sound recordings were taken. Sites 1 (Cincinnati I-275) and 2 (Troy I-75) were chosen to represent the noise quality experienced by residents adjacent to the roadway, where the residential areas were separated from the roadway by sound barriers. Site 3 (Madison County I-70) was chosen to study the attenuation of road noise with distance in an easily-characterized environment; an open soybean cropland essentially level on both sides of the roadway with no noise barrier. Through a paired t-test the research findings determined that the sample means of the TNM average pavement and the ODOT random transverse grooved pavement were not equivalent based upon a level of confidence of 95 percent. An examination of the one-third octave band frequency levels indicated that at frequencies greater than 500 Hz, the measured traffic noise levels exceeded both the TNM average pavement type and TNM ODOT random transverse grooved pavement predictions. However, at frequencies less than 500 Hz the predictions tended to exceed the measurements. It is recommended that the experimental version of TNM developed for this project, using the current ODOT random transverse grooved concrete pavement REMEL, should not be used in practice due to its potential to under-predict traffic noise levels. A new surface texture specification should also be developed for concrete pavements to replace the current specification in order to reduce tire/pavement noise levels while maintaining or improving safety and durability characteristics. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Noise barriers KW - Pavement grooving KW - Sound level KW - Traffic noise KW - Traffic Noise Model UR - http://worldcat.org/oclc/489729171/viewonline UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907063 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146825 AU - Akin, Michelle AU - Mokwa, Robert AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Montana Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Measurement and Evaluation of Subgrade Soil Parameters: Phase I – Synthesis of Literature PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 69p AB - A key material property used in the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG) is the resilient modulus (M sub r), which either can be obtained from experimental testing or can be backcalculated from other measured soil properties. The determination of a representative M sub r value for a given subgrade, considering seasonal variations and testing intricacies, is not an easy or straightforward task. Over 30 different correlation equations were reviewed in this study. Selected equations were further examined using data from two Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) soil survey reports. Results from the literature review and preliminary data evaluation indicate there is little to no consistency between equations for predicting M sub r from soil index and classification properties. Most of the equations were developed from relatively small sample sets and often for region-specific soil types. Until a more detailed assessment is conducted, the authors discourage the general use of M sub r correlation equations without prior testing and verification of the suitability and reliability of the modulus estimates. The authors suggest that full scale implementation of a repeated load triaxial testing program for the determination of M sub r on a routine project basis may not be the most cost effective approach for MDT. Rather, it is recommended that additional evaluation of MDT soil survey data be conducted to identify potentially useful correlation equations and to identify the soil parameters that may be most denotative of soil stiffness. A subsequent phase of focused repeated load triaxial testing could then be conducted in an efficient manner to measure M sub r for specific soil types and to verify the suitability and applicability of previously identified correlation equations. KW - Equations KW - Literature reviews KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Repeated loads KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Triaxial shear tests UR - http://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/research/external/docs/research_proj/subgrade_soil_eval/final_report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/45000/45800/45822/final_report43.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/907074 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146794 AU - Haghani, Ali AU - Afshar, Abbas AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Supply Chain Management in Disaster Response PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 89p AB - In today's society disasters seem to be striking all corners of the United States and the globe, and the importance of emergency management is undeniable. Much human loss and unnecessary destruction of infrastructure can be avoided with more foresight and specific planning. During emergencies various aid organizations often face significant problems of transporting large amounts of many different commodities including food, clothing, medicine, medical supplies, machines, and personnel from different points of origin to different destinations in the disaster areas. The transportation of supplies and relief personnel must be done quickly and efficiently to maximize the survival rate of the affected population and minimize the cost of such operations. The goal of this research is to develop a comprehensive model that describes the integrated supply chain operations in response to natural disasters. The research will offer a model that not only considers details such as vehicle routing and pick up or delivery schedules; but also considers finding the optimal location for temporary facilities as well as considering the capacity constraints for each facility and the transportation system. Such a model provides the opportunity for a centralized operation plan that can eliminate delays and assign the limited resources in a way that is optimal for the entire system. A mathematical model at the operational level is needed that can be used in the critical hours and days immediately after disaster strikes. This research also aims at developing optimization algorithms and heuristics to solve the proposed model and find applicable solutions to decrease human suffering in the most economically sensible way. Finally, a comprehensive series of numerical analysis is performed to evaluate the proposed model and solution algorithms. The numerical analysis shows the required details for model implementation. Conclusions and directions for further research are also discussed. KW - Algorithms KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disaster relief KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Mathematical models KW - Numerical analysis KW - Optimization KW - Supply chain management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906596 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01146753 AU - Sacco, Maggie AU - CTC & Associates LLC AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Transportation Librarian’s Toolkit, Second Edition PY - 2009/09//Second Edition SP - 66p AB - This report is a product of the Transportation Library Connectivity pooled fund study, TPF-5(105), a collaborative effort by transportation libraries to enhance information accessibility and professional expertise to serve the transportation community. At the time of publication study members included state DOT libraries in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New York State, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin; Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority; University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies; and the Wisconsin Transportation Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Technical Advisory Committee members of the pooled fund study were instrumental in creating this toolkit, which is a product of the collective work of the study. The purposes of this toolkit are to ease the learning curve of those new to librarianship and/or transportation; to pull together the collective wisdom of study members on topics that the study has addressed through its work of connecting and networking transportation libraries; to serve as a living document, updated frequently in print and online; to capture some of the institutional memory that is leaving the DOTs as waves of retirements loom; and to give transportation librarians of varying experience levels and work situations some tools to inspire, enhance and streamline librarians’ work and library operations. KW - Guides to information KW - Information services KW - Libraries KW - Library operations KW - Transportation libraries UR - http://libraryconnectivity.org/archive/librarianresources_files/Toolkit%20Second%20Edition%20-%20Web%20Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906605 ER - TY - SER AN - 01146347 JO - Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series PB - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Jo, Jang-Hyeon AU - Lee, Jong-Sung AU - Ouyang, Yanfeng AU - Li, Zongzhi AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Illinois Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Crash Data Analysis and Engineering Solutions for Local Agencies PY - 2009/09//Research Report SP - 68p AB - This report introduces the development process of an Internet-based, GIS-compatible software tool for Illinois local road crash analysis. This state-of-the-art tool is capable of performing crash information query, trend analysis, statistical analysis, color-coded mapping, and other safety information display within the web-based GIS compatible environment. The Internet-accessible user interface allows users to inquire about detailed information on vehicle crashes associated with road segments and intersections for any geographical regions or jurisdictions in the state of Illinois via query forms or zoom-enabled interactive maps. In addition, users can specify a data aggregation type, time range, and information type to display crash information in formats of tables, charts, or maps. This system helps the state and local transportation agencies in Illinois to screen dangerous highway segments, diagnose safety performance of the selected roads, and identify the most cost-effective countermeasures for safety improvements. This report addresses three major technical issues of the system design: (1) system architecture design and software development technologies, (2) supportive databases and data structure, and (3) user interfaces and system functionality. The report introduces system architecture and background components with used technologies for the full-scale implementation. In addition, descriptions on required datasets, their structures, and data-related issues are presented to explain the characteristics of databases. The system functionality section introduces functional definitions and explains the development purposes of all modules in the system. The report also explains how to utilize each module and provide required inputs for online crash data query and the decision support process based on web-based GIS applications. KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash data KW - Databases KW - Development KW - Illinois KW - Internet KW - Software KW - System architecture KW - System design KW - User interfaces (Computer science) UR - http://hdl.handle.net/2142/13790 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55700/55778/FHWA-ICT-09-057.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/905597 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145978 AU - Trejo, David AU - Hueste, Mary Beth D AU - Gardoni, Paolo AU - Pillai, Radhakrishna G AU - Reinschmidt, Kenneth F AU - Im, Seok Been AU - Kataria, Suresh AU - Hurlebaus, Stefan AU - Gamble, Michael AU - Ngo, Thanh Tat AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effect of Voids in Grouted, Post-Tensioned Concrete Bridge Construction: Volume 1 – Electrochemical Testing and Reliability Assessment PY - 2009/09//Technical Report SP - 366p AB - Post-tensioned (PT) bridges are major structures that carry significant traffic. PT bridges are economical for spanning long distances. In Texas, there are several signature PT bridges. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, several state highway agencies identified challenges with the PT structures, mainly corrosion of the PT strands. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) performed some comprehensive inspections of its PT bridges. A consultant’s report recommended that all ducts be re-grouted. However, the environment in Texas is very different than the environments in which the corrosion of the PT strands were observed. The objective of this research was to evaluate the corrosion activity of strands for PT structures and to correlate this corrosion activity with general environmental and void conditions. To achieve this objective, time-variant probabilistic models were developed to predict the tension capacity of PT strands subjected to different environmental and void conditions. Using these probabilistic models, time-variant structural reliability models were developed. The probability of failure of a simplified PT structure subjected to HS20 and HL93 loading conditions was assessed. Both flexural failure and serviceability were assessed. Results indicate that the presence of water and chlorides can lead to significant corrosion rates and failure is dependent on this corrosion activity and the number of strands exposed to these conditions. Volume 1 of this report presents these results. To assist TxDOT with developing a plan to mitigate this corrosion, studies were performed to assess repair grout materials, inspection methods, and repair methods. In addition, a general methodology is presented on optimizing repairs. These topics are presented in Volume 2 of this report. An Inspection and Repair Manual was also developed from this research and is presented in a separate report. Results indicate that TxDOT should prevent water and chlorides from infiltrating the tendons; this can be achieved in part by repairing drain lines and ducts and protecting anchor heads, as these conditions can lead to early failure of PT bridges. Recommendations on inspections, repairs, and materials are provided; however, further research on the potential formation of galvanic coupling of strands embedded in both existing and new repair grouts needs to be assessed. KW - Air voids KW - Chlorides KW - Concrete bridges KW - Corrosion KW - Ducts KW - Failure KW - Grouting KW - Inspection KW - Posttensioning KW - Repairing KW - Structural reliability KW - Tendons (Materials) KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-4588-1-Vol1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906609 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145975 AU - Trejo, David AU - Halmen, Ceki AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Corrosion Performance Tests for Reinforcing Steel in Concrete: Test Procedures PY - 2009/09//Product SP - 36p AB - The existing test method to assess the corrosion performance of reinforcing steel embedded in concrete, mainly ASTM G109, is labor intensive, time consuming, slow to provide comparative results, and often expensive. However, corrosion of reinforcement is a major challenge to the performance and long-term durability of infrastructure systems. Improvements in the corrosion performance of materials could add significant value to the infrastructure. New procedures and test methods are needed to assess the corrosion performance of potentially value-adding materials. This study evaluated four accelerated test procedures: the mini-macrocell (MM) test, the concrete chloride ion assessment (CCIA) test (also referred to as the concrete corrosion inhibitor association test), the accelerated chloride threshold (ACT) test, and the modified G109 test. Results from the accelerated tests were compared with results from the standard ASTM G109 results. The rapid MM test proved to be relatively simple, and researchers recommend that it be used to assess the relative performance of several material systems. The CCIA and ACT tests are recommended only when the critical chloride threshold of a reinforced system is needed. These tests are more complex and expensive to perform than the MM test. This product provides the procedures for performing these tests. The modified G109 test can continue to be used, but test durations are still relatively long. KW - Accelerated tests KW - Corrosion KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Test procedures UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-4825-P1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906588 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145974 AU - Brydia, Robert E AU - Brackin, Byron E AU - De Roche, Robert F AU - Johnson, Jeremy D AU - Thomas, Gary B AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of a Video over IP Guidebook PY - 2009/09//Technical Report SP - 38p AB - Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) engineers are responsible for the design, evaluation, and implementation of video solutions across the entire state. These installations occur with vast differences in requirements, expectations, and constraints. Because the systems require extensive interoperability to other systems, agencies, and deployments, a systems engineering process (SEP) is employed to develop a consistent and structured approach to the development of concepts, needs, requirements, design, testing, and on-going operations. This report details the development of a guidebook and supplemental CD-ROM for TxDOT engineers to understand, assess, and deploy digital video solutions. KW - Digital video KW - Handbooks KW - Highway operations KW - Interoperability KW - Systems engineering KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5942-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906590 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145970 AU - Trejo, David AU - Hueste, Mary Beth D AU - Gardoni, Paolo AU - Pillai, Radhakrishna G AU - Reinschmidt, Kenneth F AU - Im, Seok Been AU - Kataria, Suresh AU - Hurlebaus, Stefan AU - Gamble, Michael AU - Ngo, Thanh Tat AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effect of Voids in Grouted, Post-Tensioned Concrete Bridge Construction: Volume 2 – Inspection, Repair, Materials, and Risks PY - 2009/09//Technical Report SP - 342p AB - Post-tensioned (PT) bridges are major structures that carry significant traffic. These bridges are designed and constructed because they are economical for spanning long distances. In Texas, there are several signature PT bridges. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, several state highway agencies identified challenges with the PT structures: mainly corrosion of the PT strands. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) performed some comprehensive inspections of their PT bridges. A consultant’s report recommended that all ducts be re-grouted. However, the environment in Texas is very different than the environments in which the corrosion of the PT strands were observed. The objective of this research was to evaluate the corrosion activity of strands for PT structures and to correlate this corrosion activity with general environmental and void conditions. To achieve this objective, time-variant probabilistic models were developed to predict the tension capacity of PT strands subjected to different environmental and void conditions. Using these probabilistic models, time-variant structural reliability models were developed. The probability of failure of a simplified PT structure subjected to HS20 and HL93 loading conditions was assessed. Both flexural failure and serviceability were assessed. Results indicate that the presence of water and chlorides can lead to significant corrosion rates and failure is dependent on this corrosion activity and the number of strands exposed to these conditions. These results are presented in Volume 1 of this report. To assist TxDOT with developing a plan to mitigate this corrosion, studies were performed to assess repair grout materials, inspection methods, and repair methods. In addition, a general methodology is presented on optimizing repairs. These topics are presented in Volume 2 of this report. An Inspection and Repair Manual was also developed from this research and is presented in a separate report. Results indicate that TxDOT should prevent water and chlorides from infiltrating the tendons — this can be achieved in part by repairing drain lines, ducts, and protecting anchor heads as these conditions can lead to early failure of PT bridges. Recommendations on inspections, repairs, and materials are provided, however, further research on the potential formation of galvanic coupling of strands embedded in both existing and new repair grouts need to be assessed. KW - Air voids KW - Chlorides KW - Concrete bridges KW - Corrosion KW - Ducts KW - Failure KW - Grouting KW - Inspection KW - Posttensioning KW - Repairing KW - Structural reliability KW - Tendons (Materials) KW - Texas UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-4588-1-Vol2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906624 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01145968 AU - Carlson, Todd B AU - Sepulveda, Edward D AU - Weissmann, Jose AU - Crawford, Jason AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - An Assessment of a Traffic Monitoring System for a Major Traffic Generator to Improve Regional Planning: Technical Report PY - 2009/09//Technical Report SP - 401p AB - The opening of a major traffic generator in the San Antonio area provided an opportunity to develop and implement an extensive traffic monitoring system to analyze local, area, and regional traffic impacts from the generator. Researchers reviewed the technical literature and the experiences of other areas with major traffic generators. Twenty-nine new traffic data collection sites were installed as part of the monitoring system, including two sites with new radar-based technology. This provided the Texas Department of Transportation with the opportunity to test new traffic data collection equipment. Researchers combined historical traffic data from the study area, travel time runs, commuter surveys, and data from new sites to measure impacts. The major generator created small impacts at or in the vicinity of its location in the study area. Changes recorded in the data from roadways further out from the major generator were found not related to activities from the generator. The process of developing and implementing a monitoring system is transferable to other cities and regions and depends on available resources and agency interest. KW - Data collection KW - Impact studies KW - Major traffic generators KW - Regional planning KW - San Antonio (Texas) KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Trip generation UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5531-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/906591 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01144521 AU - Liang, Robert Y AU - University of Akron AU - Ohio Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Continuing Investigation of Polishing and Friction Characteristics of Limestone Aggregate in Ohio PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 259p AB - Due to increased focus on maintaining highway operating safety and reducing wet weather accidents, the Ohio Department of Transportation has initiated a research study to develop a laboratory scale accelerated polishing device that can mimic the actual abrasion and polishing actions between the vehicle rubber tires and the Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) surface. The intent was to use the developed accelerated polishing device to screen the hot mix design and the aggregates sources to ensure satisfactory field performance in terms of providing adequate friction (skid resistance) during the expected life span of the pavement. Toward this goal, a new laboratory scale accelerated polishing device has been designed, fabricated, and test validated. The device uses the rubber pads as the means to achieve the accelerated polishing action, while offering the desired features such as the use of the Gyratory compacted specimens for testing, short test duration (6 to 8 hours), and minimum labor efforts. The validity of the test device and the accompanied test procedures were ascertained by comparing with the polishing and friction test results of the constituent aggregates using the ASTM standard British Polishing Wheel Test. In addition, the statistical analysis of the accelerated polishing test data affirmed the repeatability of the test procedures. For a correlation study between the accelerated laboratory test results and field performance data, a total of eight pavement test sections (each 500 long) were selected for study. Preliminary correlation relationships were established among the Skid Number measured by the Locked Wheel Skid Trailer, the Friction Number measured from the Dynamic Friction Tester, and the texture measurement from the circular Texture Meter. A continuing long-term testing program is ongoing to collect additional time-dependent data for further correlation studies. KW - Friction KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Limestone aggregates KW - Ohio KW - Polishing (Aggregates) KW - Test procedures KW - Testing equipment UR - http://worldcat.org/arcviewer/2/OHI/2009/12/21/H1261408564328/viewer/file1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904563 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143781 AU - Edara, Praveen K. AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Work Zone Enhancement Software Programs PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 32p AB - The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is looking for software tools that can assist in developing effective plans to manage and communicate work zone activities. QuickZone, CA4PRS, VISSIM, and Spreadsheet models are the tools that MoDOT is particularly interested in. These tools quantify the travel delays and hence can be used to plan, design, and schedule the work activity so as to minimize those delays. In this report, the findings of a research project on evaluating the four identified work zone tools are presented. Based on the results of a literature review, state DOT survey, and case studies conducted in this project, recommendations were made for the most appropriate tool for different work zone configurations. The study recommendations are: 1) For rural interstates, divided roadways, and multilane undivided highways in Missouri the Spreadsheet model developed in this study should be used; 2) For work zones in urban areas where lane closures on a roadway may impact the traffic on neighboring roadways, the use of VISSIM is recommended, and it is also suggested that the driver behavior parameters in VISSIM be selected from the calibration charts developed in this study to obtain field capacity values; and 3) For a two way one lane work zone with flagger operation, QuickZone and VISSIM are recommended. KW - CA4PRS (Computer model) KW - Case studies KW - Literature reviews KW - QuickZone (Computer program) KW - Rural areas KW - Software KW - Spreadsheet (Computer model) KW - State departments of transportation KW - Surveys KW - Urban areas KW - VISSIM (Computer model) KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/Ri07062/or10006.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904209 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143775 AU - Carlson, Todd B AU - Sepulveda, Edward D AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Guidebook for Development of Traffic Monitoring Systems for Major Traffic Generators in the State of Texas PY - 2009/09 SP - 40p AB - The purpose of this guide is to aid the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and other state and local agencies to develop an effective traffic monitoring system for new major traffic generators in their metropolitan region. This guidebook will provide you, the transportation planner and engineer, with a better understanding of the considerations that need to be taken when developing a monitoring system for these types of large generators. When a new large traffic generator is constructed in a region, local and sometimes regional traffic patterns are impacted. Regional planners and engineers need accurate, adequate data in order to understand the location and magnitude of the impact. This project looked at the state-of-the-practice in major traffic generator monitoring systems around the country, while focusing on a single, new major traffic generator in the State of Texas. The City of San Antonio gained a Toyota Motor Corporation automobile manufacturing facility in the southern area of its metropolitan region. The opening of this facility provided an opportunity to analyze the impact on transportation in the immediate area and region wide. Since the new traffic generator is located in an isolated area where traffic volumes are light, researchers could more easily monitor changes in traffic characteristics and apply lessons learned to other future mega-traffic generator sites. The results of this effort provide the foundation for this guidebook. KW - Handbooks KW - Highway traffic control KW - Mega-traffic generators KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Regional planning KW - San Antonio (Texas) KW - State of the practice KW - Texas KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Trip generation UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5531-P3.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31300/31308/0-5531-P3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904205 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143773 AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Impacts of Public Policy on Rail Development in Missouri PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 46p AB - Identifying the State policies that most directly affect or advance railroad development begins with an understanding of how railroads make investment decisions. Railroads are a capital-intensive business, owning all physical assets, locomotives, and many rail cars, and are responsible for each train movement and for the systems that manage traffic on the entire rail network. State policies that enhance the financial return of maintenance or expansion projects can attract investments to a State. The State policies that most directly affect railroad decision-making are: taxation, particularly property taxes; highway-rail grade crossing programs; rail safety enforcement; and economic incentives for railroad investments. KW - Decision making KW - Economic development KW - Impacts KW - Incentives KW - Investments KW - Law enforcement KW - Property taxes KW - Public policy KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroads KW - Return on investment KW - States KW - Taxation UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/Ri07035/or10009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904220 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143766 AU - Cousins, Thomas E AU - Lesko, John J AU - Majumdar, Prasun K AU - Liu, Zihong AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Rapid Replacement of Tangier Island Bridges Including Lightweight and Durable Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Deck Systems PY - 2009/09//Final Contract Report SP - 24p AB - Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite cellular deck systems were used as new bridge decks on two replacement bridges on Tangier Island, Virginia. The most important characteristics of this application were reduced self-weight and increased durability for an FRP deck system over a reinforced concrete bridge deck. Tangier Island is in the Chesapeake Bay and is accessible only by water or air; each bridge is over saltwater. The two bridge deck systems used were from different manufacturers: Strongwell Corp. and Zellcomp, Inc. The deck system from Strongwell was virtually identical to a previous application by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in Covington, Virginia. Because of the extensive testing of this system conducted as part of a prior Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment project, further investigation of its behavior was not warranted. The objectives of the testing of the Zellcomp deck system were four-fold: (1) investigate connection behavior under simulated pseudo-static service load; (2) examine flexural strength and failure mode of connections and deck; (3) explore fatigue behavior during simulated cyclic wheel loading and residual strength after fatigue loading; and (4) investigate viability of transition connection. Two test sections were constructed in the Structures and Materials Laboratory at Virginia Tech. The test sections included sections of the Zellcomp deck attached to supporting steel stringers. The first was flat, 11 ft by 8 ft in plan, and subjected to static and simulated truck loadings. The second included a transition connection and was 17 ft by 8 ft in plan. Of special interest during this testing was the investigation of the static and cyclic behavior of all Zellcomp deck connections (top plate to supporting T-sections, T-section to T-section, and T-section to supporting stringers). The flat Zellcomp deck test specimen had a 1.4 safety factor against sustaining permanent damage and a 2.4 safety factor against failure when subjected to an HL-93 wheel load of 22 kips. There was no measured composite action between the top plate and supporting T-section. Generally, the specimen performed well during the fatigue test. However, there was some indication of deterioration of the lap joint connections at 1 million cycles of load and loss of stiffness at about 2.5 million cycles of load. The bent lap joint connection was difficult to construct. A permanent gap between the top plate and supporting T-sections resulted because of inherent construction tolerances. The slope Zellcomp deck specimen underwent significant deterioration during the first 600,000 cycles of load. Numerous top plate screw connections loosened, with several completely fracturing. The damage to the deck increased for the next 400,000 cycles. The study recommended that VDOT’s Structure and Bridge Division (1) not use the sloped deck transition on any applications of the Zellcomp bridge deck system; (2) consider close inspection of all screw connections on the Zellcomp deck during regularly scheduled bridge inspections; and (3) consider additional more rigorous full-scale testing of the Zellcomp deck system before considering its use on any bridge structure that has truck traffic. The Tangier Island Bridge is subjected to very light truck traffic, and the Zellcomp system proved to be adequate for this specific application only. KW - Bridge decks KW - Composite materials KW - Durability KW - Failure modes KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Fiber reinforced plastics KW - Flexural strength KW - Laboratory tests KW - Lap joints KW - Stiffness KW - Structural connection KW - Tangier Island (Virginia) UR - http://virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/10-cr3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904133 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01143758 AU - Diefenderfer, Brian K AU - Mokarem, David W AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluation of Jointed Reinforced Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation on I-64 in the Richmond and Hampton Roads Districts of Virginia PY - 2009/09//Final Report SP - 46p AB - Beginning in 2004, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) undertook a series of pavement rehabilitation projects to address deficiencies in three sections of the I-64 corridor between Richmond and Newport News. I-64 serves as the primary avenue between the Richmond and Hampton Roads metropolitan areas and carries a combined traffic volume ranging from approximately 20,000 to 90,000 vehicles per day. For nearly 100 mi, this roadway is a four-lane divided facility that was originally built between the late 1960s and early 1970s as either a jointed reinforced or continuously reinforced concrete pavement. The existing concrete pavement was rehabilitated using three rehabilitation procedures: two standard approaches and an experimental approach. The standard rehabilitation procedures included the use of full-depth portland cement concrete (PCC) patches overlaid by a hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlay and full-depth PCC patches followed by grinding of the pavement surface. The experimental rehabilitation procedure consisted of the use of full- and partial-depth HMA patches followed by an HMA overlay. The purpose of this study was to document the initial condition and performance to date of the I-64 project and to summarize similar work performed by state departments of transportation other than VDOT. The pavement rehabilitation cost per lane-mile was nearly 20% less for the section of I-64 for which full-depth PCC patches followed by grinding of the pavement surface was used than for the other two sections. However, the experimental results do not allow for a comparison to determine any differences in the structural capacity or service life between the sections. The study recommends that VDOT’s Materials Division annually monitor the ride quality of the pavement in the three rehabilitated sections of I-64 so that the end of service life can be defined as the pavement roughness increases because of deterioration. Further, the Virginia Transportation Research Council should collaborate with other research organizations to encourage and pursue full-scale or laboratory-scale accelerated pavement testing to determine the optimum repair materials and methods for pre-overlay repair of existing PCC pavements and to develop models to quantify the deterioration of an asphalt overlay placed over an existing concrete pavement because of reflection cracking. KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Grinding KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Interstate highways KW - Patching KW - Pavement performance KW - Recommendations KW - Reflection cracking KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Reinforced concrete pavements KW - Ride quality KW - Service life KW - Virginia UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/10-r3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/904120 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142621 AU - Vachal, Kimberly AU - Malchose, Donald AU - Lofgren, Mark AU - Huseth-Zosel, Andrea AU - Benson, Laurel AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - North Dakota Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Seat Belt Use on ND Rural Roads, 2009 PY - 2009/09 SP - 33p AB - North Dakota’s rural roads are vital social and economic connectors. These roads, however, are associated with relatively high crash injury risk. While a multitude of efforts is underway to reduce crash risk through road improvements and vehicle technology, seat belts offer an immediate and low-cost protection that can reduce occupant crash injury risk by half. To increase knowledge about seat belt use on these roads, a pilot observation study was conducted around the time of the state’s annual seat belt campaign. Observations showed a 44.8% rural roads use rate. Because of the higher relative risk and disparate use rates, it may be more informative to consider the use rates by road environment. Statewide rural seat belt use rates of 55.2% and 35.6% were estimated on highways and in towns, respectively, based on 6,919 driver observations. Results showed higher use among female drivers than male, and that the lowest use rate was among male pickup truck drivers. Evidence from post and ex ante surveys showed promise for increasing seat belt use on rural roads by involving local sheriff and police departments in high visibility enforcement. This pilot project creates a building point for increasing knowledge and strengthening programs through empirical analysis of rural seat belt use rates. The value of this pilot will be determined by future work that reduces crash injury and death by knowledge gained in extending and expanding the empirical analysis initiated by this endeavor. KW - Crash injuries KW - Field studies KW - Gender KW - North Dakota KW - Pickup trucks KW - Rural highways KW - Seat belt use rates KW - Seat belts KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - http://www.ugpti.org/pubs/pdf/DP216.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902922 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01142617 AU - Roberts-Wollmann, Carin L AU - Cousins, Thomas E AU - Carroll, Christopher AU - Virginia Transportation Research Council AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Grade 300 Prestressing Strand and the Effect of Vertical Casting Position PY - 2009/09//Final Contract Report SP - 39p AB - The purpose of this investigation was (1) to compare the differences in the transfer length, development length, and flexural strength among Grade 300 strand, the traditional Grade 270 strand, and the predictions of these properties obtained using current code equations for prestressed concrete members, and (2) to determine the effect of the as-cast vertical location of the strands (top-strand effect) on these properties. The current code provisions by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the American Concrete Institute are based on years of experimental research on the traditional Grade 270 strand. The scope of this project was limited to the fabrication and testing of 20 pretensioned, prestressed beams, 10 of which contained Grade 270 and 10 of which contained Grade 300 strands constructed and tested in the Structures and Materials Laboratory at Virginia Tech. The increase in strand strength was found to influence transfer length, development length, and flexural strength; the as-cast vertical location was found to influence only transfer length and, in turn, development length. Transfer lengths of the Grade 300 strand had an average increase of 10% compared to the transfer lengths of the Grade 270 strand. Development lengths for the Grade 300 strand were also shown to increase compared to the Grade 270 strand. Flexural bond lengths were found to be relatively the same for both strand strengths, indicating the increase to be primarily dependent on the increase in transfer length. Minimum flexural bond lengths that resulted in flexural failures were found to be in the range of 45 to 50 in. for both strand strengths. The influence of strand strength on flexural strength was also evaluated. As expected, members cast with ½ in. diameter, Grade 300 strands had about 11% higher nominal moment capacities than did those cast with ½ in. diameter, Grade 270 strands. Contrary to the historical definition, the top-bar/strand effect was found to be more dependent on the amount of concrete cast above the strand than the amount below it, with transfer lengths showing a steady increase with a decrease in the amount of concrete cast above the strand. The current equations for flexural strength were found to give adequate estimates for flexural strength, although a decrease in ductility was noted. The study recommends the following: 1. VDOT’s Structure and Bridge Division should use the current AASHTO equation for transfer length and development length for flexural members containing Grade 300 strand cast in non-top strand situations; and 2. VDOT’s Structure and Bridge Division should use the current ACI and AASHTO provisions for the calculation of nominal moment capacity for flexural members containing Grade 300 prestressing strands. KW - Bridge members KW - Development length (Reinforcement) KW - Flexural strength KW - Moment capacity KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Prestressing strands KW - Transfer length KW - Vertical casting UR - http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/10-cr2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902916 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01142413 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Jalinoos, Frank TI - NDE Showcase for Bridge Inspectors PY - 2009/09 VL - 73 IS - 2 SP - pp 10-13 AB - A new Federal Highway Administration seminar in nondestructive evaluation (NDE) tests is being offered to help State departments of transportation improve routine and special safety testing of steel and concrete bridge components. The Bridge Inspectors NDE Showcase (BINS) program is an informal, one-day, demonstration-based seminar designed to expose State departments of transportation bridge inspection staff to basic NDE tools. The BINS seminar instructors travel to the host State to make the presentations. Up to 100 people can participate in each workshop. The purpose of the showcase is to familiarize bridge inspectors with various NDE methodologies; provide them with the knowledge of how, when, and where to apply NDE tests during a bridge inspection; and acquaint them with the capabilities and limitations of each methodology. This article describes the seminar and some of the information it covers, including types of bridge inspections, NDE tests for steel bridges and NDE tests for concrete bridge members. The BINS seminar offers a number of benefits, including exposing inspection staff to the latest commercially available NDE tools, enabling them to see the NDE tools in operation, and providing a forum for discussion about which NDE systems may be best suited for use in a given situation and in specific States. KW - Concrete bridges KW - Inspection KW - Metal bridges KW - Nondestructive tests KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Workshops UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/09septoct/02.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902700 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01142408 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Gibson, David R P AU - Lang, Bao AU - Ling, Bo AU - Venkataraman, Uma AU - Yang, James TI - Detecting Pedestrians PY - 2009/09 VL - 73 IS - 2 SP - pp 2-9 AB - Researchers are using cutting-edge cameras and computers to develop systems to detect pedestrians in crosswalks and delay traffic lights if needed to ensure safe passage for pedestrians. This article describes this technology, and discusses the safety and traffic benefits it may offer. Using funding available through the Federal Highway Administration's Small Business Innovation Research program, researchers have developed a new stereo vision-based approach for detecting pedestrians at intersections. The technique involves a prototype of a new infrared, light-emitting diode stereo camera that can detect pedestrians both during the day and at night. The researchers also developed advanced pedestrian detection algorithms that enable them to extract generic three-dimensional features from a stereo disparity map, leaving the human figures behind. The technology can discriminate pedestrians from vehicles because automobiles appear basically flat, while human bodies have concave shapes. A prototype camera system was installed at a busy State highway intersection in the Hadley, Massachusetts, for testing over a 3-week period. The results from this pilot test indicate that the prototype is on track toward being ready for commercial sale and widespread use. Product development of the system is now underway. It is hoped that this system can help improve pedestrian safety. Pedestrian monitoring also should help reduce delays, minimize fuel consumption, and limit vehicle emissions by facilitating traffic control optimization when pedestrians are absent. KW - Cameras KW - Massachusetts KW - Pedestrian detectors KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian vehicle interface KW - Pilot studies KW - Product development KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/09septoct/01.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902699 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01142406 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Kar, Kohinoor AU - Blankenship, Michael R TI - Road Safety Audits for Pedestrian Facilities PY - 2009/09 VL - 73 IS - 2 SP - pp 22-26 AB - One tool that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state and local departments of transportation have found effective in identifying potential safety issues and recommending countermeasures is the road safety audit (RSA). FHWA defines an RSA as a formal examination of the safety performance of an existing or planned road or intersection by an independent audit team. RSAs consider all potential road users, including pedestrians, and account for their capabilities and limitations. When auditing pedestrian facilities, RSA teams should consider the following: the presence, design, and placement of pedestrian features; their quality and condition; their continuity and connectivity; lighting; and visibility. An RSA or pedestrian RSA involves the following eight steps: (1) identify a project or existing road, (2) select a multidisciplinary team, (3) conduct a startup meeting to exchange information, (4) perform field reviews under various conditions, (5) conduct an RSA analysis and prepare a findings report, (6) present findings to the project owner or design team, (7) prepare a formal response, and (8) incorporate findings into the project when appropriate. The benefits of an RSA include the design and reconstruction of facilities that reduce the number and severity of crashes, and the reduction of costs by identifying safety issues and correcting them before projects are built. RSAs also promote awareness of safe design practices, the value of integrating multimodal safety concerns, and consideration of human factors in all facets of design. This article highlights the RSA program implemented by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). Some of the typical pedestrian-safety issues observed while conducting RSAs are presented, highlighting key findings and a few lessons learned. The state's experience indicates that vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, bicyclists, and persons in wheelchairs, are not always accommodated in the design and construction of transportation facilities. KW - Arizona KW - Case studies KW - Countermeasures KW - Design KW - Highway safety KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Safety audits UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/09septoct/04.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902702 ER - TY - JOUR AN - 01142400 JO - Public Roads PB - Federal Highway Administration AU - Gray, Mary TI - Advances in Wildlife Crossing Technologies PY - 2009/09 VL - 73 IS - 2 SP - pp 14-21 AB - Crashes involving wildlife and vehicles are becoming a major safety concern. To combat this problem, researchers are deploying the latest tools to reduce animal-vehicle collisions and save the lives of both motorists and animals. This article highlights some of these advances, which include animal-vehicle detection systems, activated warning signs, and electric fencing and mats. A checklist of steps for agencies seeking to launch programs to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions is presented. Often technologies can be combined at one location to enhance animal detection, alert drivers, and reduce collisions. An application of several of technologies in the Preacher Canyon area of Arizona was successful in reducing the incidence of elk-vehicle collisions by 96%. KW - Animal vehicle collisions KW - Arizona KW - Case studies KW - Detection and identification systems KW - Fences KW - Roadside fauna KW - Technological innovations KW - Warning signs KW - Wildlife KW - Wildlife crossings UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/09septoct/03.cfm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902701 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01141692 AU - Chrysler, Susan T AU - Nelson, Alicia A AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Driver Comprehension of Managed Lane Signing PY - 2009/09//Technical Report SP - 50p AB - A statewide survey of driver comprehension of managed lane signing is reported. Computer-based surveys were conducted using video clips of computer animations as well as still images of signs. The surveys were conducted in four Texas cities with a total of 142 participants. Results showed varying levels of comprehension for signs relating to pricing, occupancy requirements, and destinations. A series of guide sign banner designs was tested, as well as various methods to convey form of payment. Some results suggest that participants may have had difficulties seeing all of the details in the computer animations. Future research using this method should carefully consider the stimulus displays, resolution, and play rate of animations. KW - Comprehension KW - Computer animation KW - Drivers KW - Managed lanes KW - Surveys KW - Texas KW - Traffic signs UR - http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/0-5446-3.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/31000/31100/31172/0-5446-3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/902286 ER -