TY - RPRT AN - 01626530 AU - Safari, Ahmad AU - Maher, Ali AU - Wang, Hao AU - Basily, Basily AU - Roda, Andrés M AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Prototype Development of a Piezo-heating array for deicing application on bridges PY - 2017/01//Final Report SP - 28p AB - A novel piezoelectric transducer was designed and fabricated to demonstrate energy harvesting from traffic-induced loading on pavement. The piezoelectric transducer is based on the “cymbal transducer” design used for underwater acoustic and sonar. A novel surface electrode pattern increases energy density and steel end caps enable mechanical coupling through matched stiffness to the pavement. Multi-physics simulation with finite element modeling was used to optimize the geometric design of transducer considering failure stress criteria and maximum energy output. Sixty-four lead zirconate titanate (PZT) Type 5X (Sinocera, PA) square plates with 32-mm width and 2-mm thickness were fabricated into transducers with alloy steel end caps. Sixty-four piezoelectric transducers were assembled in 4 layers of 16 transducers each, inside of an energy-harvesting array. The prototype energy-harvesting array was tested using a pneumatic system to simulate vehicle loading. The output energy of the prototype module was 0.8 mJ at 60V from a 600 lb load. Under continuous loading of 500 lb at 5Hz, the power output was 2.1 mW. Using a DC-DC step down converter, the output power was used to illuminate a string of LEDs. KW - Bridges KW - Deicing KW - Energy conversion KW - Finite element method KW - Piezoelectric transducers KW - Prototypes KW - Simulation KW - Traffic loads UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-064-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450303 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01625550 AU - Sprung, Michael J AU - Smith, Sonya AU - Liu, Mindy AU - Nguyen, Long AU - Beningo, Steve AU - Chambers, Matthew AU - Ford, Chester AU - Goworowska, Justyna AU - Jahanmir, Sean AU - Department of Transportation TI - Pocket Guide to Transportation 2017 PY - 2017/01//20th Edition SP - 71p AB - The Pocket Guide to Transportation is a quick reference guide to significant U.S. transportation statistics. This 20th Edition includes the following eight sections: Major Trends; Infrastructure; Moving People; Moving Goods; Safety; Performance; Economy; and Environment. A glossary is provided. The Pocket Guide now features an innovative smart phone app. KW - Economics KW - Environment KW - Freight transportation KW - Handbooks KW - Infrastructure KW - On time performance KW - Passenger transportation KW - Statistics KW - Transportation KW - Transportation safety KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - https://www.bts.gov/sites/bts.dot.gov/files/docs/COMPLETE_Pocket%20Guide%202017.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1442268 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01622754 AU - Bureau of Transportation Statistics TI - Port Performance Freight Statistics Program: Annual Report to Congress 2016 PY - 2017 SP - 167p AB - In Section 6018 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, Congress requires the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to establish “a port performance statistics program to provide nationally consistent measures of performance of, at a minimum—the Nation's top 25 ports by tonnage, the Nation's top 25 ports by 20-foot equivalent unit; and the Nation's top 25 ports by dry bulk… [and] submit an annual report to Congress that includes statistics on capacity and throughput at the ports.” The Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group (Working Group), composed of representatives from Federal, labor, port, private sector associations, and other organizations as specified in FAST Act Section 6018, advised BTS during preparation of the first report and transmitted final recommendations to the BTS Director on December 4, 2016. The Working Group’s recommendations will be evaluated for future implementation. With only a year to convene this advisory Working Group and produce the first report, BTS limited its initial efforts to publishing existing, nationally consistent measures of port capacity and throughput. BTS plans to expand and improve the measures in future editions as resources and appropriations permit. This first edition explains the criteria used to define ports and the measures used to determine the top 25 ports in each category; describes the nationally consistent measures of port capacity and throughput that are currently available; and outlines plans for BTS to expand and improve statistics on port capacity and throughput in the future. Section 5 contains selected statistics for each of the top 25 ports including channel depth, dedicated container terminals, number of cranes, vessel calls, cargo tonnage, container volume, and top commodities. KW - Annual reports KW - Commodities KW - Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act KW - Freight traffic KW - Port capacity KW - Port traffic KW - Ports KW - Statistics KW - United States KW - Water traffic UR - https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/PPFS_Annual_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445766 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01615650 AU - Ahearn, Meghan AU - Boeker, Eric AU - Gorshkov, Slava AU - Hansen, Andrew AU - Hwang, Sunje AU - Koopmann, Jonathan AU - Malwitz, Andrew AU - Noel, George AU - Reherman, Clay AU - Senzig, David AU - Solman, Gina Barberio AU - Tosa, Yasunari AU - Wilson, Andrew AU - Zubrow, Alexis AU - DiPardo, Joe AU - Majeed, Mohammed AU - Bernal, Jose AU - Biederman, Andrew AU - Dinges, Eric AU - Rickel, Denise AU - Yaworski, Michael AU - Hall, Clifford AU - Augustine, Stephen AU - Foley, Ryan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) Technical Manual: Version 2c PY - 2016/12/09/Final Report SP - 398p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Environment and Energy (FAA-AEE) has developed the Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) version 2c software system with the support of the following development team: FAA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. DOT Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), ATAC Corporation, Metron Aviation, Wyle Laboratories, CSSI, Inc., Foliage, MIT, and Georgia Tech. AEDT 2c models aircraft performance in space and time to estimate fuel consumption, emissions, noise, and air quality consequences. AEDT is designed to process individual studies ranging in scope from a single flight at an airport to scenarios at the regional, national, and global levels. This Technical Manual describes the technical methodology in AEDT 2c. KW - Air quality KW - Aircraft KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Aircraft noise KW - Aviation Environmental Design Tool KW - Fuel consumption KW - Performance KW - Technical manuals UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59900/59999/AEDT2c_TechManual.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1427771 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627923 AU - Freyne, Seamus F AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Status of Concrete Highway Bridges on Main Freight Routes in Mississippi PY - 2016/12//Final Report SP - 21p AB - Mississippi has 17,057 bridges according to the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA’s) National Bridge Inventory. Some 22.9% were built at least 50 years ago. Simply because of age, many bridges in Mississippi are due to receive significant upgrades or replacement. Concrete is the most widespread bridge construction material and comprises 85.0% of the state’s inventory. Mississippi’s 12.8% structurally deficient share exceeds the national mark of 9.6%. Interstate 20 is projected to experience the largest growth in freight movement in the state, and already 21% of the traffic stream consists of heavy trucks. The new Panama Canal could expand commerce at Gulf Coast ports and swell the movement of freight on Mississippi highways. Robust infrastructure is of vital importance to the nation’s economy, and failure to maintain assets could have dramatically negative impacts. The present infrastructure investment level of 3.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is below the worldwide average. KW - Asset management KW - Concrete bridges KW - Freight traffic KW - Highway bridges KW - Infrastructure KW - Investments KW - Mississippi UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-04FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445722 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627918 AU - Marufuzzaman, Mohammad AU - Usher, John M AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Electric Vehicle Charging Station Expansion Plans Under Uncertainty PY - 2016/12//Final Report SP - 28p AB - With the advancement of battery technologies, more electric vehicles are expected to get introduced in the market. The energy needed to run those batteries is enormous. This calls for developing optimization models that help governments plan for energy expansion and to coordinate the efforts between energy suppliers and charging station investors. To supply this need, in this paper the authors propose a two-stage stochastic mixed-integer programming (MIP) formulation to establish a dynamic multi-period plan that maximizes the expected monetary return from expanding power cells to electric vehicle charging stations over a pre-specified planning horizon. The authors propose a Sample Average Approximation (SAA) algorithm to solve their proposed optimization model. The authors choose Washington, DC as a testing ground to visualize and validate the modeling results. KW - Algorithms KW - Battery charging stations (Electric vehicles) KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Optimization KW - Planning KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-17FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445733 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627912 AU - Jagasivamani, Vadivel AU - Hampton University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Experimental Studies and Theoretical Analysis on Concrete Structures to Evaluate Structural Integrity of Highway Bridge Concrete Columns PY - 2016/12//Final Report SP - 45p AB - Inspection of bridge structures is conducted periodically, to ensure the integrity of the bridges. Presence and propagation of corrosion and fatigue cracks in reinforced concrete structures were investigated using Acoustic Emission (AE) technique and resistivity studies. When more than one type of defect is involved in damaging the structure, it becomes more difficult to identify the damaging activities and apply the most appropriate corrective measures. Experimental studies were conducted on concrete structures to evaluate the integrity of concrete columns using eddy current methods. In these efforts experiments were carried out both on bridge structures and on laboratory test samples to arrive at a reliable methodology in recognizing the type of active defects. Acoustic emission method is very useful in monitoring active crack propagations and active corrosion processes. Acoustic emission is a transient signal, in that the emission of signal occurs during the event of either crack growth or during the corrosion process. Also, ambient disturbances, such as road noise or movement of heavy vehicles, generate similar acoustic signals and it is essential that the technique employed in nondestructive testing method excludes the disturbing noises wisely. During corrosion processes, corrosion products develop high levels of stresses within the concrete columns and induce the development of cracks. Acoustic emission arises owing to the corrosion activities as well as due to fatigue and similar mechanical failures in concrete. It becomes important to identify the nature of defects that causes the acoustic emission. In this work, methods of characterizing the AE signals to identify the source of the signal, as to whether the emission arose from the corrosion process or from other sources, are studied. The spectral content of AE signals provides some information on the sources of signals. Mechanical disturbances and road noises generate low frequency ranges of acoustic emission while emission due to the corrosion processes carry much higher ranges of frequencies, as well, with characteristic waveforms. High frequency components, however, get absorbed in the structure easily and when the sensor is away from the source the signal may be lost among background noises. In this study, it is attempted to characterize the AE signals based on the frequency spectral analyses and some of the measured AE parameters. Laboratory test samples were used to generate accelerated corrosion. Different parameters have been evaluated in their effectiveness to identify the type of activity that generated the emission. A Nondestructive Testing methodology to reduce the ambiguity in evaluating the integrity of bridge structures has been suggested, thus enabling corrective maintenance procedures to be applied at early stages of defects initiation and propagation, thus arresting the propagation of defects in a timely manner. KW - Acoustic emission tests KW - Columns KW - Concrete bridges KW - Corrosion KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Frequency spectra KW - Highway bridges KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Structural integrity UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-13FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445729 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626767 AU - Roda, Andrés AU - Maher, Ali AU - McNeil, Sue AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Life Cycle Cost Reduction Road Map PY - 2016/12//Final Report SP - 43p AB - Rutgers University Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT), in collaboration with research partners within the University Transportation Center (UTC) consortium, seeks to identify knowledge gaps and chart future research & development (R&D) directions that focus on Life Cycle Cost Reductions. On March 24, 2015 CAIT hosted a one-day workshop to identify opportunities for practical and breakthrough research that can reduce life cycle costs and improve decision-making in the transportation industry. The slate of participants included CAIT partners from multiple universities, transportation industry representatives, insurance providers, and national and regional government stakeholders in the transportation sector. The workshop identified pressing challenges in reducing life cycle costs, cutting-edge solutions to develop quantitative life cycle methods and opportunities for future research. KW - Asset management KW - Decision making KW - Infrastructure KW - Life cycle costing KW - Research KW - Service life KW - Stakeholders KW - Transportation planning KW - Workshops UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-066-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450293 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626737 AU - Singhvi, Punit AU - Ozer, Hasan AU - Al-Qadi, Imad L AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Center for Highway Pavement Preservation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Environmental and Functional Benefits and Trade-offs of Hot In-Place Recycling Treatment Techniques PY - 2016/12//Final Project Report SP - 124p AB - Surface recycling is suitable for pavements with minor cracks limited to 25-50 mm in depth. Hot-in-place recycling (HIR) process includes drying and heating the upper layers, scarifying the soft asphalt, mixing the scarified material with a rejuvenator, if required, and finally placing and compacting the recycled material. Additional asphalt concrete (AC) overlay (OL) or other surface treatment may be required. In some cases, additional aggregate and binder may be added. The HIR performance and its environmental impacts were considered in this study. Three test sites, located in Galesburg and Machesney Park, Illinois, and Dyer, Indiana, were HIR treated and evaluated in-situ and in the lab. Physical and rheological properties of binder recovered from each site were obtained. Interaction plots, combining rut depth from the wheel track test (WTT) and flexibility index (FI) from the Illinois Flexibility Index Test (I-FIT), were in agreement with binder test results. Falling weight deflectometer and roughness measurements were conducted before and after HIR. The environmental assessment showed a difference in energy usage and greenhouse gases (GHGs) of 3.9–17.6% and 1.3–19.2%, respectively, between a HIR process with 38 mm AC overlay and a corresponding traditional 50 mm mill and AC OL for different plant locations. Energy savings from using HIR treatments heavily depend on the surface treatment after HIR, thickness of overlay (if overlay is chosen as the surface treatment), and hauling distances for plant-produced materials needed for overlays. This study will help selecting proper treatment guidelines based on type and condition of pavement, timing of rehabilitation, and construction temperature for the decision-making considering performance, cost, energy, and GHG emission. KW - Before and after studies KW - Benefits KW - Energy conservation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Hot in-place recycling KW - Illinois KW - Indiana KW - Laboratory tests KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Roughness UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CHPP-Report-UIUC1-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1447131 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626724 AU - Merrefield, Clark AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - The Future of Transportation: Safety, Opportunity, Innovation PY - 2016/12//Final Report SP - 34p AB - This report summarizes key findings from the Future of Transportation: Safety, Opportunity, and Innovation thought leadership speaker series held at Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center, during the summer and fall of 2016. Speaker topics included: reducing fatalities, vehicle automation, urban transportation, and urban design. KW - Fatalities KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation planning KW - Transportation safety KW - Urban design KW - Urban transportation UR - https://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60570/Future_of_Transportation_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1448659 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626704 AU - Park, Jiyoung AU - Hwang, Ha AU - Kwon, Changhyun AU - Friedman, Kathryn AU - State University of New York, Buffalo AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - The Ties that Bind: Bi-national Trade and its Implications of the US and Canada Using Bi-national Freight Movement Network via Border Crossings PY - 2016/12//Final Report SP - 66p AB - The objectives of this research are to understand the economic importance of border bridges on the U.S.-Canada economies, especially involving the various US States proximate to the Provinces of Ontario, and to simulate various the U.S.-Canada border bridge policy and security scenarios. To this end, the authors combined a novel bi-national highway network data with a freight flow dataset using ports of entry (POE) via highway border crossings. Through several sub-procedures, the US and Canada highway systems are integrated into a single network dataset. This contributes to providing hierarchical economic impacts at the State/Province or lower levels of the two countries. Complex and disaggregated models can lead to a better understanding of how economic impacts resulting from traffic pattern changes on the border bridges can affect the local economies of neighboring States in the United States. Combining models and data from two countries, this project could bring an implication of methodological innovations in border security and freight transportation modeling. This enables us to explore the freight traffic pattern between the US and Canada. Weighted Eigenvector Score is computed using a Social Network Analysis tool. The results demonstrate that major regional bodies are the primary users of major POE between the US and Canada. In addition, border wait time dataset was monitored and analyzed to set the border delay baseline. This study not only offers an improved understanding of the economic implications of US-Canada border crossings, but also contributes to developing a simulation tool, a bi-national Transportation-combined National Interstate Economic Model. Such a tool is expected to extend and apply to other contexts, such as transportation and national and bi-national security, among other applications. Additionally, this study suggests several important considerations for US and Canadian officials charged with devising policy to protect against security threats while facilitating legitimate flows of goods, services and people across the border. KW - Canadian Provinces KW - Economic impacts KW - Economic models KW - Freight traffic KW - Highway bridges KW - International trade KW - National security KW - Policy KW - Ports of entry KW - Simulation KW - States KW - Stopped time delays KW - United States-Canada Border UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-The-Ties-that-Bind-Bi-national-trade-Freight-Movement.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1447192 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626615 AU - McNeil, Sue AU - Trainor, Joseph AU - Greer, Alex AU - Jahan, Israt AU - Mininger, Kelsey AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding the Relationships between Household Decisions and Infrastructure Investment in Disaster Recovery: Cases from Superstorm Sandy PY - 2016/12//Final Report SP - 110p AB - Hurricanes, storms and floods damage roads, bridges, transit lines and other elements of our transportation infrastructure. Restoring the transportation infrastructure is widely recognized as an important element of short-term recovery as the reconstruction of the built environment and other elements of long-term recovery are dependent on a functional transportation system. Legislated requirements for risk-based asset management plans suggest that infrastructure systems should recognize the potential risks of extreme weather events, including mitigation, restoration and emergency services. However, asset management plans also need to understand the demand for transportation services — regrettably, little is understood of these interactions. Based on surveys of residents of Oakwood Beach, New York and Sea Bright, New Jersey, the authors found that the decision to rebuild or relocate after Hurricane Sandy was influenced by the available transportation services. The authors also found that little effort has been made to connect household decisions related to rebuilding to the asset management process. Most importantly, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) and Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act requirements for risk-based asset management underscore the need to integrate the risks of natural hazards and the risks involved in assessing future demand in the context of the hazards. While New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) recognized these elements, much work remains to operationalize them. This project serves as a foundation for future work in this area. KW - Asset management KW - Case studies KW - Decision making KW - Households KW - Hurricane Sandy, 2012 KW - Hurricanes KW - Investments KW - Oakwood Beach (New York) KW - Reconstruction KW - Risk assessment KW - Sea Bright (New Jersey) KW - Surveys KW - Travel demand UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-037-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450302 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626538 AU - Park, Jiyoung AU - Park, ChangKeun AU - Richardson, Harry W AU - State University of New York, Buffalo AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Panama Canal Expansion: The Effect of Imports and Exports Diverted from California Seaports on the Port of New York and New Jersey PY - 2016/12//Final Report SP - 57p AB - In 2006, the Panama Canal Authority decided to expand the Canal by investing more than $5 billion to accommodate bigger vessels than now to traverse the current facility. Along with the Nicaragua Canal construction that is optimally expected to finish 2019 (Miller, 2014), the widening of the Panama Canal will allow larger tankers to be able to go directly to the East or Gulf of Mexico ports and bypass the West Coast ports where so many imports currently change modes to cross-continental trucks or rail. The West Coast ports will become less important while the freight shares of the East Coast and Gulf ports will increase. Hence, the Panama Canal expansion project is expected to impact U.S. water and ground freight transportation systems significantly (including cargo distribution, port development, U.S. supply chains, and logistics). A greater flow of container trade between various Asian countries and the U.S. is expected. Increased trade volumes that arrive at South and East Coast ports are expected, reducing the congestion experienced in West Coast ports because of the high shipping cargo shift. By how much is not easy to predict, but this study attempts to define some of the key parameters: the baseline of cross-country shipments; current and proposed investments by individual ports in capacity expansion; the export-import ratios at different ports (return freight to origins will have a significant impact on estimation decisions); and the rationale for truck and rail operators and business corporations to change their behavior. Estimating the U.S. economic effect of the Panama Canal expansion is complicated. The simplest way to approach the problem is to apply a spatially disaggregate input-output (IO) model. The National Interstate Economic Model (NIEMO), which models all interstate trade relations among the U.S. states, is a useful application model for this purpose. As Park (2008) suggested, imports and exports require a separate IO model application, and NIEMO’s capability to estimate demand- and supply-side impacts is important to this type of study. Larger ships passing through the Canal will redirect sizable water-borne trade among U.S. ports, affecting the use of other freight modes. In this study the authors provide estimates using secondary import and export data available from WISERTrade (www.wisertrade.org). The authors measured the positive effects of reduced seaborne imports and exports to the West Coast Customs Districts (WCCD: Los Angeles Customs District, San Francisco Customs District, Columbia-Snake Customs District, and Seattle Customs District) on the Port of New York and New Jersey. With the Canal expansion, reduced port activities would occur in California, Oregon, and Washington, the states that receive foreign imports and send U.S. exports abroad. However, concurrent positive effects in the South and East Coast states should be considered from increased imports and exports. To measure positive effects of the Port of New York and New Jersey, the authors assumed: all foreign imports and U.S. exports that currently arrive and leave in the WCCD ports to be transported to the South and East Coast states via truck and rail modes would be directly shipped to the Port of New York and New Jersey through the deepened Panama Canal then distributed to the other states in the South and East Coast by the equivalent or smaller vessels. KW - Economic impacts KW - Exports KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Imports KW - Modal split KW - Panama Canal KW - Port Authority of New York and New Jersey KW - Port capacity KW - Ports KW - Traffic diversion UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Panama-Canal-Extension.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1447191 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01622374 AU - Baas, Jessica AU - Galton, Rachel AU - Biton, Anna AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - FHWA Bicycle-Pedestrian Count Technology Pilot Project – Summary Report PY - 2016/12//Final Report SP - 34p AB - This report summarizes the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)’s one-year Bicycle-Pedestrian Count Technology Pilot Project. The purpose of the pilot project was to increase the organizational and technical capacity of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to establish and operate effective bicycle and pedestrian count programs, and to provide lessons learned for peer agencies across the country. FHWA selected ten MPOs from across the country to participate in the pilot, and this report highlights their experiences with identifying count locations; selecting and installing count technology; and collecting and using the count data. The report concludes with the key benefits and lessons learned identified by the MPOs throughout the course of the project. KW - Bicycle counts KW - Cyclists KW - Information processing KW - Location KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Pedestrian counts KW - Pilot studies KW - Traffic counting KW - Traffic counts UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/countpilot/summary_report/fhwahep17012.pdf UR - https://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60800/60862/FHWA-HEP-17-012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1441066 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01620427 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Transportation Empowerment Pilot: LadderStep, 2015-2016 Report PY - 2016/12 SP - 30p AB - The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) launched the Ladders of Opportunity Transportation Empowerment Pilot (LadderSTEP) in 2015 to foster sustainable economic development related to planned transportation projects. The pilot’s goal was to build and restore connections, develop workforce capacity, and catalyze neighborhood revitalization in seven cities—Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Charlotte, North Carolina; Indianapolis, Indiana; Phoenix, Arizona; and Richmond, Virginia. The Volpe Center (Volpe), part of the research arm of DOT based in Cambridge, MA, facilitated communications among staff involved with LadderSTEP to learn about their experiences with the pilot. Volpe collected information through three sources: Community Solutions Trainings, Stakeholder Interviews, and Review of LadderSTEP Resources. This report describes key achievements of each city and summarizes themes related to four topic areas: Results and Impacts, Obstacles, Best Practices, and Recommendations for Future Work. KW - Atlanta (Georgia) KW - Baltimore (Maryland) KW - Baton Rouge (Louisiana) KW - Best practices KW - Charlotte (North Carolina) KW - Economic development KW - Federal aid KW - Indianapolis (Indiana) KW - Phoenix (Arizona) KW - Recommendations KW - Richmond (Virginia) KW - Stakeholders KW - Sustainable development KW - Transportation UR - https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/LadderSTEP_2015-2016_Report_December_2016_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440533 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01620247 AU - Rakoczy, Przemyslaw AU - Carolan, Michael AU - Transportation Technology Center, Incorporated AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Side Impact Test and Analysis of a DOT 112 Tank Car PY - 2016/12//Technical Report SP - 91p AB - As part of a program to improve transportation safety for tank cars, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) has conducted a side impact test on a DOT-112 tank car to evaluate the performance of the DOT-112 under dynamic impact conditions and to provide data for the verification and refinement of a computational model of the tank car. The tank car was filled with water to approximately 96 percent of its volume and sealed but not pressurized. The tank car was impacted at 14.7 mph by a 297.125-pound ram car fitted with a 12- by 12-inch ram head. The ram car impacted the tank center, deforming and cracking the external jacket, but the tank’s shell was not punctured. TTCI used pre-test finite element modeling, which was performed by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, to estimate the overall response of the tank to the impact and the force-displacement response. To bring the model’s results into better agreement with the test results, several changes were made to the model. The post-test model matched the overall force-displacement and pressure-time histories better than the pre-test model. The models and tests demonstrate how the fluid response of an impacted tank car dominates the general force-displacement response, which underscores the importance of modeling fluid-structure interactions with appropriate techniques. KW - Finite element method KW - Fluid-structure interaction KW - Impact tests KW - Mathematical models KW - Railroad safety KW - Side crashes KW - Tank cars UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/16807 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60567/Side_Impact_Test_of_DOT_112_Tank_Car.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440498 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01619021 AU - Jacobsen, Karina AU - Tyrell, David AU - Severson, Kristine AU - Parent, Dan AU - Martinez, Eloy AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Crash Energy Management: One- and Two-Car Passenger Rail Impact Tests Summary of Structural and Occupant Test Results PY - 2016/12//Final Report SP - 192p AB - Two full-scale impact tests were conducted to measure the crashworthiness performance of Crash Energy Management (CEM) equipped passenger rail cars. On December 3, 2003, a single car impacted a fixed barrier at approximately 35 mph and on February 26, 2004, two-coupled passenger cars impacted a fixed barrier at approximately 29 mph. Coach cars retrofitted with CEM end structures, designed to crush in a controlled manner, were used in the tests. These test vehicles were instrumented with accelerometers, string potentiometers, and strain gauges to measure the gross motions of each car body in three dimensions, the deformation of specific structural components, and the force-crush characteristic of the CEM end structure. Five occupant experiments were conducted onboard the test vehicles in the two-car test to measure the secondary impact conditions. Collision dynamics models were developed to predict the gross motions of the test vehicles. Crush estimates as a function of test speed were used to guide test conditions. Using the crash pulse derived from the collision dynamics model, computer models for the occupant tests were developed to determine the severity of the collision environment and predict the motions of the Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) used in two-car tests. This report describes the details of the CEM single-car and two-car tests, and reports the findings of the structural and occupant tests. KW - Crashworthiness KW - Deformation KW - Dummies KW - Dynamic structural analysis KW - Impact tests KW - Occupant dynamics KW - Passenger cars KW - Railroad crashes KW - Vehicle design UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/16797 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60568/CEM_one-car_two-car_passenger_impact_tests.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1436876 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618682 AU - Markiewicz, Alexandra AU - Fisher, Frances AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Jimmy Carter National Historic Site Transportation Assistance Group Report PY - 2016/11/02/Final Report SP - 66p AB - The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site (NHS), a National Park Service (NPS) site, in Plains, Georgia currently comprises four distinct sites associated with former President Jimmy Carter: The Boyhood Farm, where he was raised; the Plains Depot, which was the headquarters of his 1976 Presidential Campaign; the former Plains High School, where he attended grades 1 through 11; and the Carter Compound, the house where the former President currently resides. This last site is closed to the public as the Carters are in residence; the other three sites are open to the public. The four sites are located within 2.5 miles of each other, on separate parcels of land. The disconnected nature of the three publicly accessible sites makes facilitating visitor movement among them challenging. The sites are integrated with commercial and residential areas in Plains and sit on either side of US 280, a US highway running through Georgia and Alabama. Navigation and safety for visitors are therefore major concerns for the Park. This report summarizes the key issues related to navigation and safety and identifies next steps the Park and key stakeholders can take to alleviate these issues. KW - Bicycle travel KW - Jimmy Carter National Historic Site KW - National Park Service KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Signs KW - Tourists KW - Transportation planning KW - Visitor transportation systems KW - Wayfinding UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60412/DOT-VNTSC-NPS-17-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1436167 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626740 AU - Attoh-Okine, Nii AU - Cook, Pamela AU - Martey, Emmanuel AU - Boyce, Truxton AU - Alshali, Ali AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Delaware Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Asphalt Rheology and Strengthening Through Polymer Binders PY - 2016/11//Final Report SP - 27p AB - This term paper investigates the influences of polymer modifications to asphalt rheology as compared to conventional asphalt pavement sections. The addition of 2% to 3% of polymers into the wearing and base courses of asphalt (flexible) pavements have been known to enhance the engineering characteristics of traditional asphalt as a binder which offers longer life expectancy and increased capacity, increased resistance to fatigue cracking, increased resistance to rutting (permanent deformation), improved thermal-stiffness performance at high and low extreme temperatures, increased resistance to tension cracking, increased resistance to stripping, and reduce binder drain down. Polymers are classified in this paper into their major respective categories with the most common types presented and described in detail. Challenges related to the usage, rheology, and practical implementation of polymer modified asphalt are discussed. Standardized and non-standardized tests and experiments related to the physical and rheological characterization of asphalts and polymer-modified are also presented. Recent research has focused on the sustainability concepts for the application of polymer modified asphalt for high-recycled asphalt mixtures to achieve similar or better engineering characteristics as compared to conventional asphalt pavement mixtures. The sustainable benefits of using high-reclaimed asphalt pavement with the addition of polymer and rejuvenator modifications include reduced landfill / stockpile dependence, reduced greenhouse gas emissions from less required virgin binder from oil barrels, and possible economic benefits depending on the true-costs of the project. To achieve comparable or better rheological properties for high-recycled asphalt pavement high-polymer modified asphalt can be used with between 7% and 8% polymer additions. Furthermore, high-polymer modified asphalt is shown to be applicable to applications such as highly traveled highways, when thinner layers of pavement is required and long-life expectancy is critical when combined with increasing traffic intensities and loads. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Binders KW - Laboratory tests KW - Pavement performance KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Recycled materials KW - Rheological properties KW - Service life UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-039-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450301 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01624399 AU - Conway, Alison AU - Wang, Xiaokun AU - Chen, Quanquan AU - Schmid, Joshua AU - City College of New York AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Freight Costs at the Curbside PY - 2016/11//Final Report SP - 60p AB - This research aims to evaluate the different parking conditions that drivers face in critical areas of New York City, to examine the variables that impact their curbside behavior, and to develop recommendations to improve curb management. To accomplish this task, this study includes three major components: (1) an international review of literature and best practices; (2) a case study investigating existing parking availability and parking violation behavior in varying land use areas of Manhattan, New York City using available datasets from the NYC Department of City Planning, NYC Department of Finance and the NYC Department of Transportation; and (3) a case study employing a survival analysis modeling approach to investigate the relationship of parking duration with operator and regulatory factors using field data collected from a related study. Results from these analyses suggest that there are overall, spatial, and temporal mismatches between parking supply available to commercial vehicles in NYC and modern freight demands. The report identifies a number of specific considerations that should be taken into account when determining zoning requirements, curb regulations, and street designs in an urban area with limited curbside space. KW - Behavior KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Commercial drivers KW - Curb side parking KW - Freight traffic KW - Literature reviews KW - New York (New York) KW - Parking KW - Parking regulations KW - Parking violations KW - Recommendations KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Freight-Costs-at-Curbside.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445495 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618935 AU - Segev, Eran AU - Meltzer, Neil AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Carrier Intervention Effectiveness Model (CIEM), Version 1.1 Report for Fiscal Year 2012 Interventions PY - 2016/11//Summary Report SP - 35p AB - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in cooperation with the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe), has developed a quantitative model to measure the effectiveness of motor carrier interventions in terms of estimated crashes prevented, injuries prevented, and lives saved. The model, documented in this report, is known as the Carrier Intervention Effectiveness Model (CIEM). This model provides FMCSA management with information needed to address the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), which requires Federal agencies to measure the effectiveness of their programs as part of the budget cycle process. It also provides FMCSA and State safety program managers with a quantitative basis for improving enforcement processes and optimizing the allocation of safety resources in the field. This report presents CIEM results for fiscal year (FY) 2012. KW - Carrier Intervention Effectiveness Model (CIEM) KW - Compliance KW - Government Performance and Results Act KW - Interventions KW - Motor carriers KW - Safety programs KW - U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60503/16-017-CIEM_Report-FY12-FINAL-508C.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440300 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618933 AU - Meltzer, Neil AU - Beavan, Lauren AU - Canas, Nelson AU - Istfan, Nadeem AU - Phillips, Britt AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Motorcoach and School Bus Fire Safety Analysis PY - 2016/11//Final Report SP - 171p AB - This report documents a motorcoach and school bus fire safety analysis performed by the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This report aims to: 1) identify the causes, frequency, and severity of motorcoach and school bus fires in the United States, and 2) recommend ways to prevent or reduce the severity of these incidents, especially through improving the effectiveness of vehicle inspection practices. This report succeeds Volpe’s 2009 Motorcoach Fire Safety Analysis (henceforth referred to as the 2009 study), and has been expanded to include school bus fires. The 2009 study established a database of spontaneous motorcoach fires collecting information from U.S. Government, industry, and media sources and analyzed the safety risk of motorcoach fires. The study also sought to identify potential measures for risk reduction. The current report updates and expands on the 2009 study to include all motorcoach and school bus fires. KW - Buses KW - Fire causes KW - Fire prevention KW - Fires KW - Inspection KW - Risk analysis KW - School buses KW - United States KW - Vehicle maintenance KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60502/16-016_School_Bus_Fire_Safety_Analysis-FINAL-508C.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440298 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618830 AU - Langfitt, Quinn AU - Haselbach, Liv AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessment of Lube Oil Management and Self-Cleaning Oil Filter Feasibility in WSF Vessels – Final Report PY - 2016/11//Final Report SP - 68p AB - This research examined the feasibility of using self-cleaning oil filtration systems in the Washington State Ferries (WSF) fleet from a three-pronged perspective: (1) filtration effectiveness, (2) environmental impact, and (3) cost impact. A pilot self-cleaning filtration system, which filters oils without using disposable filter cartridges, was installed on one vessel from which to collect data. Filtration effectiveness was analyzed using oil analysis records, by trending the values of oil properties known to be important for lubrication and which indicate oil degradation. Results showed little difference between the standard paper cartridge filtration system currently in wide use and the self-cleaning system. Environmental impact was analyzed with a life cycle assessment methodology which quantifies potential impacts based on expected operation. For the self-cleaning system, there were decreased impacts from oil and filter use, but additional diesel fuel consumed by that system outweighed the benefits in many impact categories. Cost impact was analyzed with life cycle cost analysis, which suggested that the standard system would outperform the self-cleaning system in terms of whole life cost (unless the oil lifetime could be increased by more than three-fold), again mostly due to the additional fuel use of the self-cleaning system. Therefore, if expected costs and environmental impacts are major decision points it appears that a suitable alternative system would need to consume less diesel fuel to be viable. However, the self-cleaning system analyzed in this report would likely decrease risks, such as oil spills during filter handling, and provide operational benefits due to reduced expected maintenance. The pilot system was removed following the data collection period and deployments of self-cleaning filtration systems to other WSF vessels are not expected. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Ferries KW - Fuel consumption KW - Life cycle costing KW - Lubricating oils KW - Oil filters KW - Self-cleaning systems KW - Washington State Ferries UR - https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/859.1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60500/859.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1439982 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618149 AU - Filosa, Gina AU - Poe, Carson AU - Sarna, Maya AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Transit Investment Development: Programmatic Assessment PY - 2016/11 SP - 55p AB - The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to disclose and analyze the environmental effects of their proposed actions. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) currently believes that assessing the effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change for transit projects at a programmatic level is practicable. This programmatic assessment serves to (1) report on whether certain types of proposed transit projects merit detailed analysis of their GHG emissions at the project level and (2) be a source of data and analysis for FTA and its grantees to reference in future environmental documents for projects in which detailed, project-level GHG analysis is not vital. KW - Environmental impact analysis KW - Estimates KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Forecasting KW - Greenhouse gases KW - National Environmental Policy Act KW - Pollutants KW - Public transit UR - https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/FTA_Report_No._0097.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60507/GHG_emissions_from_transit_investment.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1435257 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616876 AU - Fini, Elham (Ellie) H AU - Lamarre, Ahmed AU - Nezhad, Shahrzad Hossein AU - North Carolina A&T State University AU - Center for Highway Pavement Preservation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Test Method to Investigate Water Susceptibility of Joint and Crack Sealants PY - 2016/10/31/Final Project Report SP - 65p AB - Sealants are commonly used to insulate cracks and joints preventing water from entering the underlying structure. However, extended exposure of sealants to water has shown to negatively impact sealants properties causing gradual degradation of sealant performance. While there have been many studies on characterizing sealant performance in dry conditions, there has been no comprehensive experimental tests to evaluate crack sealants water susceptibility based on a fundamental material property. This study introduces five laboratory tests to investigate the effect of water exposure on different crack sealants commonly used in cold, moderate and hot climates. Sealants were acquired in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Experimental plan includes several thermo-mechanical and surface characterization tests. Crack sealants’ rheological properties and relaxation time was measured using a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR). Sealants’ creep compliance was measured using an extended Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR). In addition, a direct adhesion test was incorporated using a Direct Adhesion Test (DAT) machine to determine the load required to bring sealant specimen to adhesion failure. Surface tension was measured using a Goniometer. A higher reduction in surface tension indicates sealant has more susceptibility to water. Chemical structure and formation of any new functional groups was tracked using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The extent of change in aforementioned sealant properties before and after water conditioning was used as indicators of sealant susceptibility to water. The experiments results were compared against sealants’ field performance data obtained through the Pooled-Fund Crack Sealant Consortium led by the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. KW - Adhesion KW - Before and after studies KW - Laboratory tests KW - Moisture content KW - Permeability KW - Relaxation (Mechanics) KW - Sealing compounds KW - Surface tension KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CHPP-Report-NCAT1-2016.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60407/CHPP-Report-NCAT1-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429190 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01619048 AU - Rose, David AU - Isaac, Lauren AU - Shah, Keyur AU - Blake, Tagan AU - Dechambeau, Brian AU - Biton, Anna AU - Parsons Brinckerhoff, Incorporated AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Transit Asset Management Guide: Focusing on the Management of Our Transit Investments PY - 2016/10/30 SP - 272p AB - To advance transit asset management, this guide provides a transit-specific asset management framework for managing assets individually and as a portfolio of assets that comprise an integrated system. The guide provides flexible, yet targeted guidance to advance the practice and implementation of transit asset management. Objectives of the guide: (1) Explain what transit asset management is and what the business benefits to an agency are; (2) Provide an enterprise asset management framework and business model that agencies can refer to as “best practice”; (3) Describe the elements of transit asset management plan; (4) Detail, for each major asset class, the major enabling components of asset management: inventory, condition assessment, performance analysis and modeling, risk management, and lifecycle cost management; and (5) Guide organizations through the migration from their current baseline to high-performance asset management. KW - Asset management KW - Best practices KW - Handbooks KW - Implementation KW - Life cycle costing KW - Performance measurement KW - Public transit KW - Risk management UR - https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/FTA_Report_No._0098.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60542/FTA_Report_No._0098.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1436982 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616107 AU - Mollenhauer, Michael AU - Noble, Alexandria M AU - Doerzaph, Zachary R AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Mobile User Interface Development for the Virginia Connected Corridors PY - 2016/10/15/Final Research Report SP - 33p AB - The purpose of this research and development activity was to build a mobile application with a low-distraction user interface appropriate for use in a connected vehicle (CV) environment. To realize their full potential, future CV applications will involve communicating information to and from drivers during vehicle operation. Mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets may be a reasonable hardware platform to provide this communication. However, there are concerns that a potential increase in driver interaction with CV applications may lead to driver distraction and possible negative impacts on driving safety. The prototype mobile device user interface that was designed and created during this project can be used to test new CV applications, validate their impact on driver safety, and inform future mobile device user interface standards for driving applications. KW - Connected vehicles KW - Distraction KW - Mobile applications KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Prototypes KW - Smartphones KW - Tablet computers KW - Traffic safety KW - User interfaces (Computer science) UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Mollenhauer_Mobile-User-Interface-Development-for-the-Virginia-Connected-Corridors_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428102 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616102 AU - Viray, Reginald AU - Gorman, Thomas AU - Doerzaph, Zac AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Radar-Based Over-the-Air Message Generator for Accelerating Connected Vehicle Deployment PY - 2016/10/15/Final Research Report SP - 38p AB - The market penetration levels needed to realize the full safety, economic, and environmental benefits of connected vehicle (CV) systems will not be met for some time. During the transition, it would be beneficial if data on non-CVs could be measured and included within the real-time CV data stream. Conceptually, a connected vehicle with advanced sensors, such as radar, could measure the dynamics of adjacent vehicles and, in addition to broadcasting its own Basic Safety Message (BSM), broadcast a pseudo BSM representing the non-connected vehicles. This project investigated the use of radar sensors to compute the position, speed, and heading of a non-connected vehicle (non-CV) for packaging into a pseudo BSM. An algorithm was developed to estimate the speed, position, and heading of a nearby non-CV via speed, Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, and radar data from the CV. Field tests were conducted with two vehicles on the Virginia Smart Road and on public roads in the New River Valley of Virginia. The field tests were designed to cover a variety of vehicle formations, traffic densities, velocities, and roadway environments. The final results showed that 67.9% of the position estimates were within 3 m of the measured position along the x-axis (longitudinal) and within 1.5 m of the measured position along the y-axis (lateral). Heading and speed estimates were generally excellent. Although the estimated position accuracy was lower than desired, the data that were collected and analyzed were sufficient to suggest ways to improve the system, such as fusing the radar data with camera-based vision data or using a more accurate GPS. KW - Algorithms KW - Connected vehicles KW - Deployment KW - Field tests KW - Global Positioning System KW - Heading KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Non-connected vehicles KW - Position fixing KW - Radar KW - Speed KW - Virginia KW - Virginia Smart Road UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Viray_Radar-Based-Over-The-Air-Message-Generator-for-Accelerating-Connected-Vehicle-Deployment_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428107 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01619049 AU - Hegarty, Christopher AU - MITRE Corporation AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - GPS/GNSS Antenna Characterization GPS‐ABC Workshop V PY - 2016/10/14 SP - 22p AB - One component of the Department of Transportation’s Global Positioning System (GPS) Adjacent Band Compatibility Study is the characterization of Global Positioning System/Global Navigation Satellite System (GPS/GNSS) receiver antennas. Such characterization is needed to: (1) Compare radiated and conducted (wired) test results; and (2) Apply interference tolerance masks (ITMs) to use cases where adjacent band transmitters are seen by GPS/GNSS receiver antennas at any direction besides zenith (antenna boresight). This presentation held at RTCA, Washington, DC, October 14, 2016, summarizes characterization data obtained thus far including: Gain patterns for 14 external antennas: Right‐hand/left‐hand circular polarization (RHCP/LHCP), vertical (V), and horizontal (H) polarizations and 22 frequencies: 1475, 1490, 1495, 1505, 1520, 1530, 1535, 1540, 1545, 1550, 1555, 1575, 1595, 1615, 1620, 1625, 1630, 1635, 1640, 1645, 1660, and 1675 MHz; Approximate L1 RHCP relative gain patterns for 4 antennas integrated with receivers; Saturation measurements for the 14 external (all active) antennas; and All antennas provided by the USG. KW - Antennas KW - Global Navigation Satellite System KW - Global Positioning System KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60200/60235/4-GPS_ABC_Antenna_Characterization_v10142016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1436220 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618937 AU - Markiewicz, Alexandra AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Regional Cooperation and Performance-Based Planning and Programming in Indiana: A Regional Models of Cooperation Peer Exchange Summary Report PY - 2016/10/14/Final Report SP - 21p AB - This report highlights key themes identified at the “Regional Cooperation and Performance-Based Planning and Programming in Indiana” Peer Exchange held on May 25, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Regional Models of Cooperation Initiative, which is funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), sponsored this event. KW - Indiana KW - Multijurisdictional planning KW - Peer exchange KW - Performance based planning KW - Performance based programming KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60515/peer_report_IN_2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440303 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01616225 TI - Shipments of Oil By Rail: Economic Implications for Safety and Safety-Related Investments AB - Fracking technology has allowed for a significant expansion of oil production in regions with limited past production and oil pipeline capacity, such as the Bakken formation centered in North Dakota. The result has been significant growth in shipments of oil, a flammable substance, by rail. The growth in shipments has implications for both the number and severity of rail accidents and for the economic feasibility of safety investments both at and away from at-grade rail crossings. The proposed research would conduct four tasks, using the example of the Bakken formation. Task 1 would be a forecast for the projected increase in oil by rail shipments in the impacted region through 2040, based on oil production projections from the Energy Information Administration. A baseline scenario will be developed assuming no expansion of oil pipeline capacity in the region and an alternative scenario(s) would be developed based on the development of proposed or probable regional pipeline projects. Task 2 would be an evaluation changes in the number and severity of rail accidents as a result of increased shipping of oil by rail. Based on existing data on rail capacity, usage and the number of accidents, the research team would develop an estimate of the marginal increase in the number of accidents resulting from existing and projected increases in oil by rail shipment. Task 3 would estimate the increase in accident costs due to the marginal expansion in the number and severity of accidents. Task 4 would examine the resulting increase in the benefits from potential rail safety investments projects, with implications for relative project benefits and costs. KW - At grade intersections KW - Crash severity KW - Economic impacts KW - Grade crossing protection systems KW - North Dakota KW - Oil exploration KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad traffic KW - Shipments UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/operations/shipments-of-oil-by-rail/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429402 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01616226 TI - Unifying Railcar Monitoring Sensor Data, Maintenance Records, and Railcar Usage Information through Big Data Processing for Optimizing Railcar Maintenance and Safety AB - This proposed research effort addresses a timely and urgent need in transportation safety: preventing costly and devastating derailments through optimized equipment maintenance using Big Data Analytics. Safety continues to be of primary concern within the North American railroad industry, highlighted by efforts in freight train Wireless Sensor Network monitoring and Positive Train Control (PTC). Despite these efforts, statistics by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Safety Analysis show that from 2010 through 2015 over 1,000 derailments occurred directly linked to rolling stock equipment failure, causing over $240 million in losses. Current methods for equipment maintenance rely on fixed schedules, which either are too frequent and result in unnecessary operational expenses, or are not frequent enough and result in high equipment failure rates. Despite producing detailed records for all maintenance efforts, incidents, etc., this data remains largely under utilized in the optimization of operational processes such as maintenance scheduling, supplier quality ranking, parts optimization based on past component failures, etc. Optimization such as this is made possible through Big Data Analytics. However, the particular nature of the railroad application, combined with the myriad different report formats poses significant challenges to current data analytics approaches. The project team proposes to address the various research challenges that currently prevent Big Data Analytics, including data acquisition from handwritten records or incomplete reports, data normalization for proper significance assignment, forecasting of component failures and for optimized maintenance scheduling, multi-variate hyperdimensional clustering for trend and causality analyses to analyze supplier reliability, the impact of cargo types and routes traveled on failure probabilities, and so much more. The project will research all required methodologies and demonstrate Big Data Analytics capabilities using synthetic or real-world data provided by Union Pacific. The project manger believes that this approach is vital in further enhancing railroad operational safety and prevent derailments and the resulting significant monetary and environmental damages. KW - Crash data KW - Derailments KW - Failure KW - Incident management KW - Maintenance of way KW - North America KW - Positive train control KW - Railroad safety KW - Rolling stock UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/operations/rail-equipment-safety/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429401 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01616221 TI - Best Practices for Modeling Light Rail at Intersections AB - The peak demand on urban light rail facilities coincides with the peak for motorized vehicles and pedestrian traffic, maximizing the potential for conflict between the various modes. If signal timing plans are not properly coordinated between light rail and the motorized vehicles, excessive queuing and delays may occur. High levels of congestion have been linked to aggressive driving behaviors, increasing the likelihood of signal violations by drivers and negative safety outcomes for the light rail facility. This research proposes to provide guidelines for best practices in modeling urban light rail facilities within transportation simulation software packages, improving the understanding of engineers and planners considering light rail facilities, and increasing the safety of those facilities with best-possible signal operations. Two case study locations are proposed, including the square city block defined by Stout St, California St, 18th St, and 19th St in Denver, Colorado, and the corridor along Main St between South Temple and 100 South in Salt Lake City, Utah. On-site video data will be collected and used for validation of simulated facilities within three simulation environments, including VISSIM, Aimsun, and Paramics traffic simulation software. Of particular concern are: modeling the scheduled behavior of the light-rail facility; interactions between the light-rail, motor vehicles, and pedestrians; signal preemption by the rail; and optimization of the actuated signal systems to minimize motor vehicle delay while prioritizing light-rail movements. In addition to the project report outlining best practices for modeling this type of facility, extension components of the research are proposed to present these findings at national conferences, and develop tutorial walkthroughs for inclusion on a file sharing site such as YouTube. KW - Behavior KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Computer models KW - Denver (Colorado) KW - Guidelines KW - Light rail transit KW - Light rail transit grade crossings KW - Motor vehicles KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian vehicle interface KW - Pedestrians KW - Salt Lake City (Utah) KW - Simulation KW - Traffic safety KW - Transit safety UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/operations/modeling-light-rail-intersections/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429399 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01616220 TI - Improving Crash Prediction - A More Relevant Exposure Measure than AADT for Highway-Rail Crossing Safety Models AB - The objective of this research is to improve Highway-Rail Grade Crossing (HRGC) crash prediction by developing a more relevant crash exposure term in place of annual average daily traffic (AADT) for use in HRGC safety models. HRGC safety models have been around in the United States since at least 1940s (e.g., Peabody-Dimmick Formula). Safety models are used for HRGC crash predictions and the results often used for allocation of safety resources ($) amongst HRGCs. A staple of these models is the annual average daily traffic (AADT), which is a measure of yearly motor vehicle roadway usage and serves as a crash exposure term in safety models. Crash exposure accounts for the state of being subjected to the likelihood of a crash; higher exposure implies higher likelihood of crashes. A more relevant measure of exposure at HRGCs is to consider only the portion of AADT that encounters train traffic, called (AADT)Encounter_Train in this research. This is theoretically more suitable because the exposure of motorists to train-involved crashes in the absence of trains is zero and consideration of the non-relevant portion of AADT (i.e., vehicular traffic at the HRGC when no trains are present) in safety models masks the true picture. This research will undertake the following: (1) Develop a taxonomy of different Nebraska HRGCs based on criteria such as presence of gates, flashing lights, number of crossing tracks, etc.; (2) For each group of HRGCs, estimate (AADT)Encounter_Train as well as estimate the roadway AADT; (3) Establish a relationship between (AADT)Encounter_Train and AADT for each group of HRGCs; and (4) Test the validity of using (AADT)Encounter_Train in place of AADT in HRGC safety models and assess differences in crash predictions using (AADT)Encounter_Train and AADT. This research is expected to improve the quality of crash predictions at HRGCs thereby improving public safety and aiding more informed resource allocation for HRGC safety improvements KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Crash exposure KW - Mathematical models KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Nebraska KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Taxonomy UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/operations/improving-crash-predictions-at-hrgc/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429398 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01616219 TI - Heavy Truck and Bus Traversability at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings AB - A research study is proposed to provide recommendations for traversable railway crossing cross-sections for heavy trucks and buses. Heavy trucks and buses have long wheel bases and low ground clearance that make it difficult to traverse at-grade rail crossings with sloped sides. An investigation of existing railway crossing cross-sections and heavy vehicle dimensions and suspension properties will be conducted. TruckSim will be utilized to study heavy vehicles traversing various cross-sections and to provide acceptable cross-sections at railway crossings. Improving the traversability of heavy trucks over at-grade rail crossings will reduce the time vehicles are on the railway and reduce the potential for trains to collide with heavy trucks. KW - Buses KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Size KW - Suspension systems UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/operations/heavy-truck-traversability-at-hrgc/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429394 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01616218 TI - Anti-Icing LED Light Covers for Railroad Safety AB - There is a growing trend to use highly efficient light emitting diode (LED) lights on railroad signals. Although LEDs would save energy, there is the issue of snow and ice build-up on the signals which prevents them from being seen from the streets or railroad tracks. This makes the traffic control signal unreadable and represents a tremendous safety issue for train operators and the public. The build-up of ice results from the LED’s low thermal output which prevents ice and snow on the lens cover from melting. The objective of this proposal is to functionalize the plastic lenses that cover railroad transportation signals to make them anti-icing. The principal investigator (PI) proposes to perform research on using femtosecond laser surface processing (FLSP) to produce antiwetting surfaces on hard materials, such as tungsten carbide (WC), which will be used as a very hard and durable stamp to then imprint a superhydrophobic (anti-icing) surface on the lens of a traffic signal. Task 1 will be to functionalize very hard materials, such as WC, to produce a durable and long-lasting surface. The FLSP process will only alter the top 50-100 microns (a human hair is 100 microns) of the WC surface. Therefore, a large amount of time will be spent investigating the best FLSP surface to act as the stamp. Task 2 will be to use FLSP-functionalized hard materials as a stamp and transfer micron/nanoscale features to the plastic traffic signal material. The first year of research will be conducted on flat plastic samples. Plastic samples containing the imprinted structures will be analyzed for anti-icing properties using procedures and equipment currently used to study anti-icing of 7075 aircraft aluminum for Boeing. In Task 3, drop wettability and anti-icing studies will be conducted on surfaces that have the best superhydrophobic properties. KW - Anti-icing KW - Ice prevention KW - Lenses (Optics) KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Melting KW - Plastics KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad signals KW - Surfaces UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/operations/anti-icing-led-light-covers-for-railroad-safety/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429388 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627920 AU - Uddin, Waheed AU - Najjar, Yacoub AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Technology Transfer Products for NCITEC Projects at University of Mississippi PY - 2016/10//Final Report SP - 42p AB - Transportation infrastructure networks are essential to sustain our economy, society and quality of life. Freight transportation of consumer goods and commercial/industrial products is critical for sustainable and efficient supply chain. Major transportation corridors and intermodal assets include highway network, rail infrastructure, inland river ports, sea ports and airports. The primary objectives of this project are to: (1) summarize key research results of each funded project in technology brief fact sheets for web access, (2) create YouTube videos and SlideShare posts, (3) present key results, and (4) showcase the workforce development and enhancement in courses at the University of Mississippi. During years 2012-2016, the University of Mississippi researchers conducted 13 National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness (NCITEC) research projects, which have been funded on topics related to mobility, freight transportation, revenue/funding aspects, economic viability, energy, safety, structural integrity of bridges, hazardous spills, flood risks, and disaster resiliency of integrating selected segments of infrastructure assets. Key results of the projects include: (1) The projects developed geospatial maps, optimization models, benefit and cost results of proposed modal integration simulation studies; (2) The projects investigated the aspects of multimodal freight related to congestion, intermodal integration, and impacts of fuel savings and carbon dioxide emissions; (3) The projects studied highway bridge structures subject to truck traffic, scouring, and floodwater impacts; (4) The projects on media framing of transportation hazardous materials accidents and spills found that a large number of the most serious spill incidents during transportation received no news coverage; (5) The project on the laboratory study of energy harvesting from vehicle-pavement vibrations showed that nano-coating of piezoelectric sensors enhanced the energy output; (6) The commuter rail and intermodal freight corridor case studies produced “best practice guide” examples for consideration by government transportation agencies, private transport operators, and other global supply chain stakeholders; and (7) Several graduate students completed their degrees and undergraduate students were trained as a part of the workforce development. It is recommended that the research products of these projects be applied by transportation agencies to increase safety, reduce shipping costs, and assess other societal benefits. These societal benefits include reduction in highway congestion and decrease in transportation related emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants. KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness KW - Research projects KW - Technology transfer KW - Transportation infrastructure KW - University of Mississippi UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-07FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445723 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627913 AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - Chao, Ruth AU - Hedman, Briana AU - Mantia, Jessica AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Workforce Development, Recruitment and Retention, and Promotion of Women and Other Underrepresented Groups in the Intermodal Trucking Industry PY - 2016/10//Final Report SP - 41p AB - The present investigation extended previous research on the factors that affect the pursuit of careers in transportation, with particular attention to the recruitment of female candidates. In this work, a sample of 162 high school students and college graduates who had some work experience were gathered from a large West Coast community. A questionnaire was developed based on theories of work values, organizational commitment, social support, and vocational interests. Results from descriptive statistics, comparisons of means, and hierarchical stepwise regression analyses provided data on the relative contribution of occupational values, social support, and self-efficacy as they affect career choice for jobs in transportation. Differences in perceived social support were found for the general sample. Those who were more interested in accepting a position in transportation were also more likely to have access to “mentorship and professional networks” in transportation. In addition, those respondents indicated that they had “role models,” “family,” “friends,” or “relatives” who were positive about the industry. Lastly, they indicated that their “family was supportive” and that a “mentor contributed to my success” in transportation. Female accepters had a “friend” or “family member” who made the difference by “recommending” or suggesting transportation as a career or profession. Differences in self-efficacy measures revealed that persons who had a high degree of self-confidence that their “skills” would be of value and that they would be “successful” in the transportation industry were more likely to accept a position. In addition, a belief that the “mission and values” were worth supporting was also a differentiator among accepters. Individuals who believed that they would find “friends” and people with “similar” interests or “supportive” people were also more likely to accept. Lastly, those who also noted that they would be able to engage in the “lifestyle” and “income” they sought were also more likely to lean towards accepting. Differences in occupational values were nonsignificant in differentiating persons in the general sample. Women who were less interested in flexible “work hours,” “significant financial rewards,” or good “labor management relations” but who did prefer a “competitive salary,” were more likely to accept a position in transportation. A model emerged with six predictor variables that accounted for 66% of the variance in acceptance of transportation jobs. Practical implications of these findings revealed a profile and a set of screening items capable of differentiating persons willing to accept a position in transportation. The findings also indicate a candidate’s likely probability of acceptance by as much as 7 to 1, when answers to proposed interview questions are in the scorable direction. Similarly the probability of acceptance of position offers was nearly 2 to 1 when answers are in the scorable direction. The value of this research is that it enables transportation organizations to focus scarce and shrinking public funding for recruitment and retention on the admittedly small segment of the population that is willing to consider positions in transportation and to identify and focus on individuals more likely to pursue and accept those positions. KW - College graduates KW - Confidence (Psychology) KW - Females KW - High school students KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Intermodal workforce KW - Mentors KW - Personnel retention KW - Recruiting KW - Salaries KW - Surveys KW - Transportation careers KW - Trucking KW - Workforce development UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-12FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445728 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626708 AU - King, Daniel AU - Roesler, Jeffery AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Center for Highway Pavement Preservation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Surface and Microstructural Properties of Photocatalytic Cements for Pavement Applications PY - 2016/10 SP - 129p AB - Thin concrete inlays incorporating flowable fibrous concrete (FFC) mix designs as well as titanium dioxide (TiO2)-containing photocatalytic cements are a promising pavement preservation solution. These multi-functional inlays offer enhanced constructability and structural properties while also benefiting the environment by reacting with harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx) and removing them from the near-road environment. Photocatalytic FFC mixes were prepared in the laboratory to verify feasibility of field application and to characterize how mixture and microstructural properties and environmental factors affect photocatalytic performance. Testing of fresh and hardened concrete confirmed the ease of application of photocatalytic FFC and its benefits to the pavement’s structural properties, particularly to residual strength ratio and fracture toughness. Laboratory photoreactor testing of mortar samples established that photocatalytic FFC is an effective tool to mitigate NOx pollution in the urban environment. Carbonation of the sample surface was shown to have the potential to significantly reduce NOx removal ability, but this effect could be curtailed by replacing some of the cement with fly ash or increasing TiO2 content by mass of cement. Spectrophotometer testing showed that reflectance of the mortar samples also factored into photocatalytic performance. More reflective specimens demonstrated greater NOx removal ability, which was most apparent when comparing the performance of white cement specimens to gray cement specimens. Finally, analysis of cement paste specimens using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and related techniques suggested the importance of porosity to photocatalytic ability. These findings will be useful in helping design and optimize photocatalytic concrete mix designs for applications in pavements and other structures. Based on the results of the mixes and materials tested, a white cement photocatalytic concrete with 15% fly ash replacement would offer the most optimal balance between high photocatalytic efficiency and resilience to carbonation. KW - Admixtures KW - Carbonation KW - Cement KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - Fly ash KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - Nitrogen oxides KW - Photolysis KW - Pollution control KW - Structural analysis UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CHPP-Report-UIUC2A-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1447132 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626692 AU - Roesler, Jeffery AU - Sen, Sushobhan AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - Center for Highway Pavement Preservation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Pavements on the Urban Heat Island PY - 2016/10//Final Project Report SP - 112p AB - Increasing urbanization has led to the development of Urban Heat Islands (UHIs), with serious implications for the environment. Pavements play a role in this by absorbing and storing more heat than the natural surfaces that they replace. To quantify this effect, a method based on radiation view factors was developed to measure the surface albedo of pavement mixes. Furthermore, the aging behavior of both asphalt and concrete was also investigated. These inputs were then used in a 1D pavement thermal model, ILLI-THERM, and several criteria were developed to study the UHI impact of the pavement. The radiative forcing (RF) metric showed that albedo was the most significant thermal property affecting pavement UHI. However, considering the energetics through the pavement during an average seasonal day revealed that RF does not take into account lags in the temperature field that have the potential to mitigate UHI during certain hours of the day. Finally, a demonstration of how concrete inlays may be used to mitigate UHI through multi-functional materials and mix designs was conducted. KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Albedo KW - Environmental impacts KW - Heat KW - Mix design KW - Pavements KW - Reflection KW - Thermal analysis KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CHPP-Report-UIUC2B-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1447133 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01625799 TI - Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Fracking-Related Crashes AB - The goal of this study is to identify and analyze CMV crash trends in the energy-producing regions of the country (e.g., the Dakotas, Texas and Louisiana, New York south into Alabama, Michigan, and Indiana) that are using hydraulic fracking mining methods. Some of the challenges related to commercial motor vehicle (CMV) travel to and from fracking regions and the transportation of fracking materials are: the increase in truck traffic surrounding areas that are not typically exposed to the conditions, and the availability of hours-of-service (HOS) exceptions for oilfield operations. There have also been concerns raised about the consistency of enforcement of HOS rules among the States. For example, there is a 24-hour restart exemption for operators (with “highly specialized training”) of equipment constructed for oilfield operations. These operators are not required to count detention time at well sites as on-duty time. This exemption is sometimes applied to drivers of CMVs who are transporting fracking materials; however, CMV drivers who are simply transporting fracking materials do not have the “highly specialized training” that oilfield equipment operators have, thus they fall outside of the applicable status for use of the exception. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Energy resources KW - Hours of Service Act KW - Hydraulic fracturing KW - Mining and extractive industries KW - Oil exploration KW - Rest periods KW - Truck crashes KW - Truck traffic UR - https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/research-and-analysis/commercial-motor-vehicle-cmv-fracking-related-crashes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1455234 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01625798 TI - Compliance and Safety Impact of Household Goods (HHG) Motor Carriers AB - This study will examine the compliance and safety rates of the HHG motor carrier population, consisting of both carriers and brokers, with the goal of improving enforcement targeting. Information can be gathered using roadside inspection and crash data, data from Moving Fraud Task Force operations, hostage shipment compliant data from the National Consumer Compliant Database (NCCDB), data from the Top 100 HHG Carriers List, and data from other applicable sources. KW - Commercial vehicle operations KW - Compliance KW - Hydraulic fracturing KW - Interagency relations KW - Motor carriers KW - Safety KW - Truck crashes UR - https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/enforcement/compliance-and-safety-impact-household-goods-hhg-motor-carriers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1455226 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616255 AU - Stevens, Scott AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Driver Acceptance of Collision Warning Applications Based on Heavy-Truck V2V Technology PY - 2016/10//Research Report SP - 70p AB - Battelle conducted a series of driver acceptance clinics (DACs) with heavy-truck drivers to gauge their acceptance of collision-warning applications using vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology. This report describes the results from Volpe’s independent analysis of DAC data, in particular data generated from intersection collision warnings (intersection movement assist, or IMA), forward collision warnings (FCW), blind spot/lane change warnings (BSW/LCW), and emergency electronic brake light (EEBL) warnings of hard braking by one or more vehicles ahead. A total of 112 subjects drove trucks towing 53-foot semitrailers through scripted maneuvers on closed courses and rated their impressions in surveys. The results indicated high acceptance in each of five criteria used to define driver acceptance; usability, perceived safety benefits, understandability, desirability, and security and privacy. The majority of subjects viewed the system as no more distracting to use than a car radio, but nonetheless thought it would result in drivers paying somewhat less attention to the road. There was no effect of age on acceptance. Warnings had both auditory and visual components and the combination of the two was preferred to either the visual or auditory components alone (although, for the visual component, some subjects felt uneasy with having to take their eyes off the road to see the screen). KW - Acceptance KW - Collision warning systems KW - Driver support systems KW - Driver vehicle interfaces KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Trailers KW - Truck drivers KW - Vehicle safety KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov//DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash Avoidance/Technical Publications/2016/812336_HeavyTruckDriverClinicAnalysis.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60413/812336_HeavyTruckDriverClinicAnalysis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429536 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616901 AU - Hancock, Kathleen AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Applications of Connected Vehicle Infrastructure Technologies to Enhance Transit Service Efficiency and Safety PY - 2016/09/30/Final Research Report SP - 41p AB - Implementing Connected Vehicle Infrastructure (CVI) applications for handheld devices into public transportation transit systems would provide transit agencies and their users with two-directional information flow from traveler-to-agencies, agencies-to-traveler, traveler-to-vehicle, and vehicle-to-traveler. This information flow could improve the efficiency of services provided by the agency and enhance the safety of travelers and drivers. This project developed an architectural framework for two CVI applications: (1) an application for dynamic demand-response transit (DRT) services and (2) an enhanced traveler safety application that allows individuals to notify a transit vehicle that they are within a specified distance of the vehicle’s current stop location. A limited simulation was performed to evaluate the potential of using this location information with respect to a transit vehicle to provide flexibility for that vehicle to remain at a stop for a limited time, minimizing passenger wait time and exposure to potential safety issues, specifically during night operations. An annotated bibliography of resources used for this study is also provided. KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Evaluation KW - Mobile applications KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Periods of the day KW - Public transit KW - Simulation KW - Transit safety KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Waiting time UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hancock_Applications-of-Connected-Vehicle-Infrastructure-Technologies-to-Enhance-Transit-Service-Efficiency-and-Safety_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1427386 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616900 AU - Shin, Hyeon-Shic AU - Callow, Michael AU - Farkas, Z Andrew AU - Lee, Young-Jae AU - Dadvar, Seyedehsan AU - Morgan State University AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Measuring User Acceptance of and Willingness-to-Pay for CVI Technology PY - 2016/09/30/Final Research Report SP - 122p AB - The increased prevalence of Connected Vehicles (CVs) is expected to provide significant safety benefits to roadway users. Estimates indicate that the use of CVs will reduce non-impaired driver crashes by 80 percent. To ensure that the full benefits of CVs are realized, it is critical for transportation professionals to develop effective deployment strategies. However, the large number of unknowns currently makes this difficult. For instance, there are (1) no clear-cut deployment strategies due to a methodological void; (2) overly optimistic adoption estimates; and (3) no unified roadmaps to which state and local governments must conform. Current studies suggest that understanding drivers’ perceptions, needs, and acceptance of CVs will provide rich information for solving these unknowns. As price is a serious barrier to CV technology proliferation, the primary goal of the current study is to use an adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis to estimate drivers’ acceptance of and willingness to pay (WTP) for CVs through a simulation of participants’ purchasing decisions. Results show that, with regard to the acceptance of safety features, acceptance of “collision warning packages” was the highest. Comparisons of WTP considering several socioeconomic variables found that drivers between the ages of 40 and 49 years, African-Americans, those with less than a bachelor’s degree, and those with a higher budget for vehicle purchase were positively related to WTP. Results also indicate that, at every age, women are more concerned about safety than are men. While the study did not find statistical differences in WTP between men and women, women’s budgets for vehicle purchases were lower than men’s, and women reported significantly less prior knowledge of CVs. Also, women 50 and older appear less interested in CV technologies. As a result of these findings, the research team suggests that government agencies showcase CV technologies’ safety benefits via media catering to mature women and at family-oriented public events. KW - Acceptance KW - Attitudes KW - Consumer preferences KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Drivers KW - Gender KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Simulation KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Willingness to pay UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Shin_Measuring-User-Acceptance-and-Willingness-To-Pay-for-CVI-Technology_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1427385 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616899 AU - Lee, Young-Jae AU - Thomas, Clayton AU - Dadvar, Seyedehsan AU - Morgan State University AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Applications of Connected Vehicle Infrastructure Technologies to Enhance Transit Service Efficiency and Safety PY - 2016/09/30/Final Research Report SP - 190p AB - Many transit agencies provide real-time operational information and trip-planning tools through phone, Web, and smartphone applications. These services utilize a one-way information flow from transit agencies to transit users. Current smartphone technology and connected vehicle infrastructure (CVI), however, can allow a two-directional information flow from users to transit agencies and back. This report provides a literature review on the state of current transit apps; proposes a system architecture for a smartphone app that allows for dynamic flexible routing and increased transit user safety; and presents the results of a survey conducted on the perception and acceptability of the model app. Survey results were analyzed in terms of safety, efficiency, and privacy for different demographic, travel behavior, and geographic characteristics. Results showed that users did not significantly consider the privacy issues (7.1 on a scale from 1 [least acceptable] to 10 [most acceptable]) but believed that it could improve nighttime safety (7.3/10.0). Users believed that the app could improve nighttime pedestrian safety if it were connected to the police department (7.8/10.0). This app was also expected to improve transit efficiency and increase ridership, and is eventually recommendable (7.3/10.0). The least expected improvement was daytime safety (6.4/10.0), which is reasonable and expectable. KW - Acceptance KW - Literature reviews KW - Mobile applications KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Periods of the day KW - Public transit KW - State of the practice KW - Surveys KW - Transit safety UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lee_Applications-of-Connected-Vehicle-Infrastructure-Technologies-to-Enhance-Transit-Service-Efficiency-and-Safety_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428798 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01622663 AU - Chandra, Divya C AU - Markunas, Rebecca AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Line Pilot Perspectives on Complexity of Terminal Instrument Flight Procedures PY - 2016/09/25 SP - 10p AB - Many new Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Instrument Flight Procedures (IFPs) are being developed as the United States transforms its airspace to improve safety and efficiency. Despite significant efforts to prepare for operational implementation of new IFPs, the process does not always go smoothly. The primary goal of this study was to understand what makes IFPs difficult from the perspective of line pilots. The authors spoke to 45 professional pilots in small groups. The pilots reviewed, briefed, and discussed six IFPs in an office setting. The authors extracted a comprehensive list of subjective complexity factors by observing pilot briefings and gathering pilot feedback. Then the authors organized the list into a framework that captures a variety of types of complexity. The authors define a subjective complexity factor as one that requires an extra mental or physical step by the pilot. IFP design parameters (e.g., the number of transitions and flight path constraints) are a main driver for subjective complexity for line pilots. Unusual IFP designs can result in novel chart depictions that are unfamiliar and more difficult to use. In turn, novel chart formats may have inconsistencies that increase subjective complexity. Participants also mentioned factors that are outside the control of IFP designers, such as weather, fatigue, and aircraft performance or equipment. The authors separate out these as operational complexity factors. The broad nature of the pilot interviews also provided insights into how pilots use charts today, in the context of the modern flight deck. A full report on the study is in preparation. U1 - 35th Digital Avionics Systems ConferenceIEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society (AESS)AIAAA Digital Avionics Technical CommitteeSacramento,California,United States StartDate:20160925 EndDate:20160930 Sponsors:IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society (AESS), AIAAA Digital Avionics Technical Committee KW - Aeronautical charts KW - Air pilots KW - Aircraft pilotage KW - Flight paths KW - Human factors KW - United States UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60125/Line_pilot_perspectives_on_complexity_of_terminal_flight_procedures.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428256 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613829 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Truck Side Guard Specifications: Recommended Standard PY - 2016/09/23 SP - 2p AB - This document is intended to be used by (1) public or private medium/heavy-duty truck fleets considering adding side guards; (2) jurisdictions or customers that require side guards through policy or procurement; (3) manufacturers of side guards; and (4) truck manufacturers and dealers. The specifications are based on previously published Volpe recommendations (Reports DOT-VNTSCDCAS-14-01 and DOT-VNTSC-SFMTA-16-01) and may be referred to as the “Volpe side guard standard” or “Volpe side guard specifications.” This standard can be used as a basis for design, production, testing, review, and procurement of side guards and side-guard-equipped vehicles. KW - Side crashes KW - Specifications KW - Trucking safety KW - Trucks KW - Underride guards KW - Vehicle design KW - Vehicle sides UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60000/60063/Truck_Side_Guard_Specifications.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60000/60063/Volpe_USDOT_side_guard_specification_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424912 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616165 AU - Li, Zongzhi AU - Du, Lili AU - Liu, Yi AU - Illinois Institute of Technology AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimal Signal Timing Design for Urban Street Networks Under User Equilibrium Based Traffic Conditions PY - 2016/09/20/Final Report SP - 102p AB - In the ever-growing travel demand, traffic congestion on freeways and expressways recurs more frequently at a higher number of locations and for longer durations with added severity. This becomes especially true in large metropolitan areas. Particular to the urban areas, excessive crowdedness caused by inefficient traffic control also results in urban street networks operating in near or over-saturated conditions, leading to unpleasant travel experience due to long delays at intersections. As a consequence, the recurrent traffic congestion on roadway segments and vehicle delays at intersections inevitably compromise energy efficiency, traffic mobility improvement, safety enhancement, and environmental impacts mitigation. All too often, neither restraining travel demand nor expanding system capacity is desirable and practical. Conversely, effectively utilizing the capacity of the existing transportation system has been increasingly thought of as the solution to congestion relief. With respect to the urban street networks, developing effective means for urban intersection signal optimization becomes essential to reduce intersection delays. Conventional signal timing optimization methods use historical traffic data and assume that traffic flows will remains unchanged after the implementation of new signal timing plans. Traffic flows are assumed to be constant, but in fact, when signal timing plans change, travel times for some travel routes will alter, which requires drivers in the network to adjust their choice of travel routes to arrive at the destinations, and result in redistribution of traffic in the network. Therefore, the effects of interactions between signal timing plans and traffic flows need to be explicitly taken into consideration. This study introduces a new methodology that jointly considers signal timing optimization and traffic assignment in an overall analytical framework that contains model formulations under assumptions consistent with real world situations. Such a framework is well suited for applications in real world cases. Specifically, the overall optimization framework is formulated as a bi-level optimization problem. In the proposed basic model, at the upper level, a traffic signal timing optimization problem for urban network is introduced to minimize system total travel time by optimizing signal green splits. At the lower level, a static user equilibrium problem is formulated for networkwide traffic assignment. In the vehicle delay estimation, the time-dependent stochastic delay model in the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM 2010) is employed and formulated as Variational Inequality constraints, what allow the state-of-the-art MPEC solver, GAMS/NLPEC, to solve the problem for a local optimal effectively and efficiently. The bi-level optimization model is first tested using a small network (the test network) and a computational experiment using a subarea network in the Chicago central district is conducted to assess the practicality of the model formulation in real world applications. In order to import more reality to the basic model and also consider the potential system benefit that comes from different signal phasing design, an enhanced model is developed based on the basic model by employing integer and binary variables. Formulating the problem with binary variables allows for the selection of proper phasing design. Heuristic solution methods are proposed and tested using the test network. KW - Bilevel optimization KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Heuristic methods KW - Highway Capacity Manual 2010 KW - Optimization KW - Traffic assignment KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Urban areas KW - User equilibrium UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/new/135IITY2.1%20Signal%20Timing%20Optimization%20for%20Large%20Scale%20Urban%20Networks%20under%20Dynamic%20Traffic_Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428240 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627914 AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - Uddin, Waheed AU - Eksioglu, Burak AU - Cobb, Seth AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Examination of Economic Competitiveness of Passenger Rail Service for Sustainable and Economically Efficient Intermodal Corridor Integration PY - 2016/09/15/Final Report SP - 52p AB - According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the issue of increased congestion in the United States transportation system poses a substantial threat to the U.S. economy and to the quality of life of millions of Americans. Highway congestion occurs when traffic demand approaches or exceeds the capacity of the highway system. Increasing use of rail can contribute to increased mobility as well as decreased congestion as well as decreased emissions and fuel consumption. In addition, the economic viability of many communities is dependent upon the flow of traffic and the easy exchange of commerce throughout the U.S. The effectiveness of the transportation system to permit the flow of goods to various communities is essential to the maintenance of higher levels of economic activity. Currently, Southern Colorado suffers from a lack of ready access to sufficient ground transportation especially rail, which may limit its economic competitiveness over the next twenty years as new nodes of transport such as Miami, Gulfport and Jacksonville become more developed as a result of the widening of the Panama Canal. Many factors will affect this including population, level of economic activity and the like. However, several factors may be coming into play which could suggest a need for expanded freight and passenger traffic through Colorado. The present report investigates the factors affecting the expansion of passenger rail into Colorado and the Economic Competitiveness of Passenger Rail Service for Sustainable and Economically Efficient Intermodal Corridor Integration. Data examined in this study review point to the fact that Colorado as a whole and to a lesser extent the southern and southeastern regions of Colorado will continue to experience both population and economic growth over the next decade and into 2040. Data from passenger ridership and proposed new passenger initiatives were found to be supported by ridership projection estimates. The political environment for an expansion into passenger rail has been demonstrated with the existing communities have contributed cash and raised additional grant monies to support the upkeep and upgrading of nearly 100 miles of existing track to support Amtrak service which requires a higher standard of infrastructure than traditional freight movements. Examination of the existing commodity flows into the state suggest that about 20% to 30% might be transferred from highway to rail which would require additional and ongoing upkeep of the rail lines over which passenger service might also travel. Analyses by two separate groups provided data which suggest that the economic cost benefits of the expansion of passenger and commuter rail into Colorado from Eastern states could be sustainable. There would be a sufficient increase in passengers to operate the equipment and a resulting increase in economic impact in the neighborhood of $3 million annually. Additional study is needed however, by the freight lines, which own and operate the existing infrastructure to determine the capital needed to fully upgrade the proposed rail lines for full passenger use. KW - Amtrak KW - Colorado KW - Commodity flow KW - Economic growth KW - Economic impacts KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Passenger transportation KW - Population growth KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Railroad transportation KW - Sustainable transportation UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-38FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445703 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613845 AU - Palframan, Kelly Donoghue AU - Alden, Andrew S AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Reducing School Bus/Light-Vehicle Conflicts Through Connected Vehicle Communications PY - 2016/09/15/Final Research Report SP - 49p AB - This project aimed to develop and test a concept for improving the safety of school bus transportation using connected vehicle technology. The project consisted of three key steps that led to a final road study: 1) conducting focus groups with light vehicle drivers and school bus drivers to determine what type of in-vehicle school-bus related information they would like to receive/send; 2) developing a concept of operations to accommodate driver desires; and 3) evaluating the effect of an in-vehicle message that warns of a stopped school bus ahead. In the road study, researchers evaluated each driver’s response through analysis of vehicle kinematics (speed, longitudinal acceleration, and jerk) when a bus was staged either beyond a “School Bus Stop Ahead” roadside sign or beyond the point at which a similar in-vehicle message was presented. Driver responses for each condition were compared to a baseline condition that described their driving behavior when no bus was present on the roadway. The results showed a nearly immediate response to in-vehicle messages, whereas the corresponding roadside sign messages provided little evidence of modifying driver behavior prior to visually observing a stopped school bus in the roadway. KW - Behavior KW - Driver information systems KW - Drivers KW - Evaluation KW - Kinematics KW - Light vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - School buses KW - Traffic safety KW - Warning signs UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Palframan_School-Bus-Vehicle-Conflicts_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1425868 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616154 AU - Miller, Rawlings AU - Arthur, David AU - Barami, Bahar AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Costa, Stephen AU - Lewis, Kristin AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Morrison, Emma AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Hampton Roads Climate Impact Quantification Initiative: Baseline Assessment of the Transportation Assets & Overview of Economic Analyses Useful in Quantifying Impacts PY - 2016/09/13/Technical Baseline Report SP - 173p AB - The Hampton Roads Climate Impact Quantification Initiative (HRCIQI) is a multi-part study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Climate Change Center with the goals that include developing a cost tool that provides methods for voluntary grantee consideration of financial impacts in infrastructure planning due to climate change and severe weather. This Baseline Study, conducted in collaboration with several DOT modes, and based on extensive consultation with regional governmental, military and industry stakeholders, summarizes available data, methodologies, and tools to inform a robust analysis of the economic impacts of climate change and severe weather-related disruptions on the region’s transportation infrastructure. DOT chose to study the Hampton Roads region based on its unique attributes, including its: extreme vulnerability to sea level rise impacts, that is beginning to threaten transportation system and military operations; strategic significance as home to the nation’s largest concentration of federal facilities, including the world’s largest naval station; and the partnership opportunities afforded through the Intergovernmental Pilot Program and its partner’s deep expertise in analyzing and addressing these impacts. DOT is intending to conduct follow-on work building on this Baseline Study. KW - Asset management KW - Climate change KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic impacts KW - Floods KW - Hampton Roads (Virginia) KW - Impact studies KW - Infrastructure KW - Military facilities KW - Sea level KW - Transportation planning KW - Weather conditions UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60161/Hampton_Roads_Climate_Impact_Initative.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428258 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01613006 TI - Reducing Stormwater Runoff Volumes with Biochar Addition to Highway Soils AB - Through funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the project recently constructed and instrumented a section of highway roadway soils at the intersection of state route 896 and Bethel Church Road in Summit Bridge, DE. One stretch of roadway soils was amended with biochar, while an adjacent control section was not. In-ground sampling trenches upgradient and downgradient from the test sections are used to quantify the stormwater runoff from each section and the nutrients in the runoff: thus, we are documenting the direct effect of biochar on reducing stormwater runoff and reducing concentrations of nutrients (nitrogen compounds) in the runoff. This field site will be operated for the next 1-1.5 years, quantifying the effect of biochar-amended highway soils on reducing stormwater runoff and improving runoff quality. In this Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) at University of Delaware (UD) project, a disc infiltrometer will be used at monthly intervals to track the time-varying soil infiltration capacity, which the project will increase with time as biochar alters microbial communities. Concurrently, soil samples will be extracted and microbiological tools used to assess changes in microbial communities, and soil aggregation will also be quantified in these samples using standard soil analysis methods. Reductions in stormwater runoff data from the NFWF project will be paired with water infiltration, microbial assay, and soil aggregation data collected from this project. Combined, these data will allow us to understand the mechanism(s) by which biochar reduces stormwater volume, which is critical for extrapolating the results from this field test to longer time periods and other highway soils. KW - Drainage KW - Infiltration KW - Nitrogen compounds KW - Runoff KW - Subgrade materials KW - Test sections UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/reducing-stormwater-runoff-volumes-biochar-addition-highway-soils UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1425894 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612168 AU - Martinelli, David R AU - Unnikrishnan, Avinash AU - West Virginia University, Morgantown AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Preston Educational Engineering Resources (PEER) PY - 2016/09/01/Final Report SP - 11p AB - The goal of the Preston Educational Engineering Resources (PEER) program has been to promote awareness of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) opportunities related to transportation and engineering and the educational background needed among high school and middle school students in rural areas. The PEER program was implemented in schools in rural Preston County, West Virginia, with two primary features. (1) Lessons and exercises were presented in Preston County classrooms by West Virginia University engineering students who were just a few years older than the target students, and thereby employing a peer dynamic to STEM learning. (2) The lessons and exercises were pre-certified to meet the required learning objectives of the intended math and/or science classes, which served as the context for the program. Therefore, teachers were not impeded in the progress of their learning outcome obligations, but were actually accelerated by the program. The Preston County Schools technology integration specialists and the EdVenture Group teamed with West Virginia University (WVU) engineering students (mentors) and faculty to develop lectures and exercises for middle and high school students that focus on teaching important STEM concepts in a transportation context. The engineering student mentors visited Preston County Schools and conducted hands-on and engaging presentations that were enhanced by the dynamic created by the closeness in age and life experience. KW - College students KW - Education KW - Engineering students KW - High school students KW - Mentors KW - Middle school students KW - Preston County (West Virginia) KW - Preston Educational Engineering Resources (PEER) KW - Rural areas KW - Science, Techology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering KW - West Virginia University UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/WVU-2013-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424202 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01611989 TI - National University Transportation Consortium: a Speaker Recognition Based Damage Detection AB - This project has to be seen as a part of a major research project that the principal investigator (PI) has been trying to put together over the past couple of years, with researchers at Harbin Institute of Technology (China) and at Rutgers University. The focal idea is the use of dense arrays of small miniature sensors in assessing the damage of highway concrete/steel bridges. Small solar-powered smart sensors that can be placed inside refractors in the road pavement have been developed at Harbin Institute of Technology. These sensors can be easily mounted on a bridge deck and record large amount of vibration data, e.g. accelerations, during the regular operation of the bridge. Because of their small dimensions, it is possible to install tens of those sensors on a normal highway bridge deck and this will allow us to collect time histories of the bridge response at locations that are very close to each other. Using the results of the previous University Transportation Centers (UTC) project, characteristic features will be extracted from these time-histories and various types of correlation will be extracted from them. Studying the pattern of such correlation and their variation with structural damage will allow assess the presence of certain levels of damage in the bridge and provide indication for immediate action and repair, if needed. Once the different methodologies have been studied and tested, the ultimate step will be to develop a prototype that can be tested in the BEAST facility at Rutgers University: here, it is expected to install the small sensor dense array on one of the bridge deck specimens and conduct extensive tests considering different environmental conditions and damage levels. KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete bridges KW - Environmental impacts KW - Harbin (China) KW - Pavements KW - Rutgers University KW - Sensors KW - Vibration UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/national-university-transportation-consortium-speaker-recognition-based-damage-detecti UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424384 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01611990 TI - COLLABORATIVE PROPOSAL: The Connection between State of Good Repair and Resilience: Measures for Pavements and Bridges AB - Resilience: “The ability to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events” Disaster Resilience: A National Imperative While there are many definitions of resilience and almost as many measures of resilience, operationalizing the concept to be useful in decision making is particularly challenging. These challenges include: (1) The diverse hazards that impact transportation infrastructure including climate change, particularly sea level rise, extreme weather events (wind, storm surge, flooding, erosion and deposition), land subsidence, seismic events, and tornadoes, as well as exposure to biological and technological hazards, and terrorist activities. (2) The changes that occur over time as well as from location to location. (3) The different perspectives including the owner, the operating agency, and the user (both passenger and freight). (4)The interdependencies with other infrastructure systems such as electricity, communications, water and wastewater, as well as network connectivity. To address these challenges the authors are proposing to connect the concepts of resilience and performance measures related to decision making related to pavements and bridges. The proposed research builds on work in three areas. First, the proposed research builds on the growing body of literature to connect the concepts of resilience and performance measures related to state of good repair to meet the needs of state departments of transportation (DOTs). Second, recent work on integrating risk into the decision making process and asset management provides access to appropriate tools (see for example, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/asset/pubs.cfm?thisarea=risk and http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop15025/fhwahop15025.pdf ). Third, familiarity with the widely available data on State of Good Repair related data for pavements and bridges will provide a base from which to test the applicability of the concepts including their effectiveness in capturing the concept of resilience and changes over time, and the relevance to the needs of state agencies. The research approach will begin with a critical review of the literature on resilience measures in the context of its relevance to pavement related decisions and the use of State of Good Repair related measures to connect to resilience performance measures. Related measures such as robustness, and vulnerability will also be considered as alternatives. The critical review requires an understanding of the appropriate criteria and attributes that can be used to benchmark different measures and tools both in the literature and practice. This will be followed by a critical assessment of the tools available and the tools needed to assess resilience as a measure to support state of good repair. Drawing on these reviews and assessment, the project will then propose measures of resilience and assess these measures for states to understand: 1) Does existing data related to State of Good Repair adequately support the concept of resilience? 2) Do the measures of resilience support risk based pavement/asset management? This will be accomplished through meetings with relevant stakeholders. As needed the measures may be revised and reassessed. Case studies applying the resilience measures will be developed. The authors anticipate conducting three to five case studies. Case studies will include a section of pavement in Delaware subject to frequent flooding compared with the local network that in general is subject to degradation over time, the role of the resilience measures in the closure of the I-495 bridge in Delaware, and a hypothetical event causing closure of an interstate. The results illustrate the application of resilience at different spatial and temporal scales - a segment subject to specific flooding events, a network with progressive degradation, and a sudden onset event on a critical link. For example, the concepts of robustness, redundancy, resourcefulness and rapidity (Bruneau, and Reinhorn, 2007) may be more applicable at the project level, where functionality over time (Bocchini and Frangopol, 2012) may be appropriate at the network level. The case study results provide insights into the impacts of different strategies for ensuring the functioning of the pavements prior to, during and immediately following an event. Drawing on these results we will develop an outline for a guide for selecting resilience measures for use by state DOTS. The results of the project will be assembled into a report documenting the process, outcomes and recommendations. KW - Asset management KW - Bridges KW - Decision making KW - Goodness of fit KW - Pavements KW - Performance measurement KW - Resilience (Materials) KW - Risk assessment UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/collaborative-proposalthe-connection-between-state-good-repair-and-resilience-measures UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424382 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01611991 TI - Sustainable Geotextiles for Transportation Applications from Recycled Textiles AB - The goal of this research is to develop useful geotextiles from a sustainable, cheap input source -- waste stream apparel and textiles. The anticipated outcomes of this research are identification of transit applications for geotextiles that have lower installation and removal costs and hence reduced life cycle costs for highway and bridge construction, repair, and maintenance operations. Previous research with Goodwill of Delaware and Delaware County (Goodwill) has shown that their unsold textiles come in a variety of material types and volumes -- cotton, polyester, wool, and mixed blends of fibers for example. For this research project we will cooperate with Goodwill to gain access to discarded textiles. Discarded textiles will be sorted by material type. The textiles will be processed using several methods (1) joining existing textiles into a single fabric through a variety of seaming techniques, (2) shredding the textiles to make "shoddy" a fiber product, and (3) using shredded textiles as an input to manufacture nonwovens. A literature review of the existing performance and cost of geotextiles and geosynthetics (including fibers) will be made for transit applications. This will be written up in a report for owners and eventually shared in a webinar at the end of the project. The developed textiles from recycled inputs (joined, shoddy, and inputs for nonwovens) will be tested for their performance depending upon their transit application end use. The textiles with the best performance will be evaluated to assess their ability to scale up into manufacturing processes including identifying processing limitations and costs. KW - Delaware KW - Geosynthetics KW - Geotextiles KW - Life cycle costing KW - Maintenance KW - Recycling KW - Sustainable development UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/sustainable-geotextiles-transportation-applications-recycled-textiles UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424381 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627925 AU - Uddin, Waheed AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - Eksioglu, Burak AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intermodal Optimization for Economically Viable Integration of Surface and Waterborne Freight Transport PY - 2016/09//Final Report SP - 135p AB - The U.S. economy is reenergizing its domestic manufacturing infrastructure besides sustainable growth in agricultural commodities and other products destined for export. The efficient delivery of goods and services is a key factor in economically competitive markets and quality of life in the U.S. and around the globe. The development of larger cargo ships and expansion of the Panama Canal are other factors impacting the ability of major U.S. ports to serve these new container ships. The primary objectives of this project are to: (1) identify major freight transportation corridors involving shipping ports (marine and inland waterways), highway network, and rail infrastructure assets, (2) model transport demand, visualize routing scenarios, and optimize locations of integrated intermodal terminals, and (3) evaluate the economic competitiveness considering travel time efficiency, safety, disaster resiliency, emissions, and economic development opportunities. Global supply chain and inventory management system stakeholders, such as Walmart, and freight logistics companies depend on a smooth, seamless flow of freight through interconnecting shipping ports, airports, rails, and highways. These modes operate independently in the U.S. with lack of adequate operational integration, except some limited to rail and road intermodal transport terminals. Key results of the project include: (1) This project developed geospatial maps, optimization models, benefit/cost results of proposed modal integration simulation studies, and life cycle economic model results of economic and environmental impacts. (2) Intermodal integration study showed by diverting 30% of freight trucks from the port of Gulfport to the integrated Mississippi River and I-55 corridor, lower operating cost was calculated. Comparing the base case scenario where 100% of the commodity was transported by trucks compared to intermodal integration scenario with 30% of the freight moved by barge, 18.0% saving in cost per ton-mile was calculated. Additionally, the travel time is reduced by 19.0%, which resulted in lower fuel costs and 11.7% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. (3) Computer simulations of selected port(s) and sustainability analysis are used to show the importance of the intermodal integration approach for enhancing the economic competitiveness, safety, security and disaster resilience of freight transport. (4) The intermodal freight corridor case studies are used to develop a “best practice guide” for consideration by government transportation agencies, private transport operators, and other global supply chain stakeholders. It is recommended that the developed approach of freight corridor studies be applied by transportation agencies to assess other societal benefits, which include reduction in traffic congestion and decrease in transportation related emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Competition KW - Economics KW - Freight corridors KW - Freight demand modeling KW - Global markets KW - Highway transportation KW - Intermodal terminals KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Location KW - Optimization KW - Railroad transportation KW - Routing KW - United States KW - Water transportation UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-32FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445640 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627915 AU - Sun, Xiaoduan AU - Rahman, M Ashifur AU - University of Louisiana, Lafayette AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Identify High Crash Risk Locations for Rural Roadways: A Systemic Approach to Reduce Severe and Fatal Traffic Crashes in Louisiana and Mississippi PY - 2016/09//Final Report SP - 41p AB - Louisiana is among the top crash and fatality overrepresented states with much higher than the national average crash and fatality rates. Traditional approach on high risk crash location identification does not work effectively on locations with low traffic volumes, such as rural and local roadways where there are low design standards. Systemic approach is a proactive way for critical crash location identification based on the roadway geometry and characteristics of locations. Rural two-lane roadways have much higher fatal crash rates than any other roadways. On Louisiana state-maintained rural two-lane roadways, the most predominant crash type, “non-collision” single vehicle crashes (79%), is more prevalent on curves than on tangent sections and intersections. By using geographic information system (GIS) and logistic regression model, this study investigates the relationship between roadway geometric and driver characteristics and crash risk on rural two-lane curves. The analysis results reveal that the key crash contributing factors are alcohol involvement, surface condition, annual average daily traffic (AADT), and radius of the curve. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Crash rates KW - Curve radius KW - Drunk driving KW - Fatalities KW - High risk locations KW - Highway curves KW - Louisiana KW - Mississippi KW - Rural highways KW - Single vehicle crashes KW - Surface condition KW - Two lane highways UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-10FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445726 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627911 AU - Khaykin, Vitaly AU - Hampton University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Steel Girder Supporting Bridges: An Experimental Study and Theoretical Analysis to Evaluate Structural Integrity of Steel Girders PY - 2016/09//Final Report SP - 13p AB - Safety and integrity of the national transportation infrastructure are of paramount importance and highway bridges are critical components of the highway system network. This network provides an immense contribution to the industry productivity and economic competitiveness. The infrastructure maintenance efforts must ensure a safe, timely, and reliable means of determining possible structural failures without undue disruptions to the traffic flow. As part of the National Center for Intermodal Transportation and Economic Competitiveness, with the assistance of the Virginia Department of Transportation, the application of the acoustic emission nondestructive testing methods is investigated for detecting and assessing structural conditions of the steel girder highway bridges. Acoustic emission can be used to identify suspected areas of the structure and helps to evaluate whether any further testing and analysis is warranted. A follow up acoustic emission data research was conducted at the interstate I-664 bridge crossing in Newport News, VA. KW - Acoustic emission tests KW - Girder bridges KW - Highway bridges KW - Newport News (Virginia) KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Steel girders KW - Structural analysis KW - Structural integrity UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-15FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445731 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627906 AU - Cooper, Samuel AU - Gopu, Vijaya AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - RIDE & TRAC Modules to Bolster STEM Skills of K-12 Students to Solve Problems in Transportation Engineering PY - 2016/09//Final Report SP - 15p AB - Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC) undertook an important outreach program by acquiring several TRAC (Transportation and Civil Engineering) & RIDES (Roadways Into Developing Elementary Students) training modules developed by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The modules are designed for use in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) classes in grades K-12. The hands on activities introduce students to the world of transportation and civil engineering and inspire them to consider careers in these fields. LTRC worked with several schools in six parishes with the state of Louisiana by providing the training modules to the schools and the training needed to K-12 teachers at the selected schools to effectively utilize the modules in a class room. A diverse group of students will be served by the teachers at the schools selected in the six parishes. AASHTO’s TRAC and RIDES program personnel supported LTRC in this outreach activity. KW - Education and training KW - Elementary school students KW - High school students KW - Louisiana KW - Science, Techology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-09FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445725 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01625812 AU - Goetz, Andrew R AU - Jonas, Andrew E G AU - Brady, Sylvia AU - University of Denver AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Innovative Approaches to Improved Intermodal Transportation Infrastructure Funding and Financing through Public-Private Partnerships: A Denver Case Study PY - 2016/09 SP - 70p AB - For many years, cities and states in the U.S. have been facing a shortage of funding for transportation infrastructure. Increasingly, public entities are turning to the private sector for help with building, financing, or operating major transportation projects. Until recently, most of the transportation public-private partnerships (PPPs or P3s) in the U.S. have been toll roads or bridge projects. The purpose of this research is to examine the recent use of transit public-private partnerships (PPPs or P3s) in the Denver Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) FasTracks program, a 2004 voter-approved $4.7 billion transit expansion program. After a shortfall in funding, RTD partnered with several private consortia to enable the FasTracks program to move forward. The authors identified five transit PPPs in the FasTracks program with varying levels of private sector participation: Eagle P-3 commuter rail; Denver Union Station redevelopment; U.S. 36 bus rapid transit; I-225 light rail; and North Metro commuter rail. Using in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and policymakers in the Denver region, the authors seek to identify the degree to which the P3s in Denver have been successful and could serve as a model for transit infrastructure expansion in other metropolitan regions in the U.S. KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Case studies KW - Denver (Colorado) KW - Denver Union Station KW - FasTracks (Denver, Colorado) KW - Financing KW - Light rail transit KW - Public private partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Railroad commuter service UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-19FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445634 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618816 AU - Wang, Kejin AU - Wen, Zhiyou AU - Choi, Sungyu AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of an Eco-Friendly, Cost-Effective Biogrout for Concrete Crack Repair PY - 2016/09//Final Report SP - 59p AB - Typical concrete crack repair uses chemical sealants or surface treatment agents, which are often expensive and harmful to the environment. The goal of this study was to develop an eco-friendly, cost-effective biogrout for concrete crack repair. A biocement was developed using microbiologically induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology. A biomass of urease-producing bacteria (UPB) (e.g., bacillus sphaericus), urea, and a soluble calcium solution were used for the MICP process. The study included two major parts. The first part was to develop a new soluble calcium solution for MICP by dissolving a limestone powder, a by-product from a limestone quarry, into an acetic acid-rich stage fraction 5 (SF5) solution derived from biomass pyrolysis and a fractionation system. The second part was to study mortar crack repair using MICP technology. The results indicated that the properties of the new soluble calcium solution for MICP could be optimized from the study of different limestone powder-to-SF5 ratios, potential of hydrogen (pH) values of the obtained solutions, and procedures for applying the UPB and media (urea/calcium solutions) for calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) precipitation (i.e., MICP treatment). Using such a soluble calcium solution as a replacement for calcium chloride (CaCl₂) in the MICP process produced desirable CaCO₃ precipitation. The properties of the sand samples cemented using the limestone-SF5 calcium solution were comparable to those of the sand samples reported in previous studies, where CaCl₂ was commonly used as a soluble calcium solution. Cracks in mortar samples repaired using the MICP technology gradually healed with an increasing number of MICP treatment cycles. The samples treated with MICP had a significant reduction in water permeability. While water-treated samples were too weak to test, the MICP-treated samples had splitting tensile strength (TS) ranging from 32 to 386 kPa after 21 treatment cycles. For the samples having an initial average crack width of >0.52 mm, the TS clearly increased with the CaCO₃ content resulting from the MICP treatment. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) study suggested that there were two different forms of CaCO₃ on the crack surface of cracked mortar samples: one was vaterite and the other calcite. The CaCO₃ crystals had a size ranging from 5 to 20 μm, and they formed a porous matrix that filled in the mortar cracks. KW - Bacteria KW - Biogrouts KW - Calcium carbonate KW - Concrete KW - Cracking KW - Repairing UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/eco-friendly_cost-effective_biogrout_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1437031 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618152 AU - Raustad, Richard AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cost Analysis of Workplace Charging for Electric Vehicles PY - 2016/09 SP - 17p AB - This report examines the life-cycle costs associated with the operation of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and the impact that plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging may have on commercial building electricity cost. This study assumed that a utility electric meter was attached to each charging station and that 10 kWh of energy was required to replenish the energy consumed during a typical 35-mile daily work commute. Residential electricity costs were assumed to be $0.128/kWh. Commercial electric utility rates for a non-demand rate class were assume to be $0.10/kWh while costs for a commercial demand rate class are $0.06/kWh plus a monthly peak demand cost of $11/kW. Through a life-cycle assessment of typical EVSE equipment, including first cost and maintenance and operating costs, it was found that AC Level 1 or 2 workplace charging can be similar to or lower in cost than charging at home. KW - Commuters KW - Costs KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Electricity KW - Life cycle costing KW - Workplaces UR - http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-2030-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1435198 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616157 AU - Senzig, David A AU - Liu, Sandy AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Rotorcraft performance data for AEDT: Methods of using the NASA Design and Analysis of Rotorcraft tool for developing data for AEDT’s Rotorcraft Performance Model PY - 2016/09//Final Report SP - 33p AB - This report documents use of the NASA Design and Analysis of Rotorcraft (NDARC) helicopter performance software tool in developing data for the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA’s) Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT). These data support the Rotorcraft Performance Model (RPM) developed for AEDT. The methods are primarily intended to support helicopters which do not have sufficient information in their flight manuals to develop data using the methods documented in DOT-VNTSC-FAA-16-03. The process of developing performance data for RPM using NDARC is detailed for a piston engine training helicopter. KW - Aviation Environmental Design Tool KW - Helicopters KW - Performance KW - Rotorcraft UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60119/Rotorcraft_performance_data_for_AEDT_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428257 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01614940 AU - Bridgelall, Raj AU - Rafert, James B AU - Tolliver, Denver D AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Remote Sensing of Multimodal Transportation Systems PY - 2016/09 SP - 51p AB - Hyperspectral remote sensing is an emerging field with many potential applications in the observation, management, and maintenance of the global transportation infrastructure. This report describes the development of an affordable framework to capture hyperspectral images and models to classify the images. The framework and models enable new approaches to plan, analyze, and assess the performance of multimodal transportation systems. Every hyperspectral image frame contains information in wavelengths that extend well beyond those that humans are capable of seeing or perceiving. The rapid size and cost reduction of both unmanned aircraft systems and hyperspectral image sensors enable easy scaling of the framework. Scaling is achieved simply by conducting multiple parallel missions to achieve broad area coverage at affordable prices. The authors showcase the general utility of the framework to enhance models used for roadway congestion forecasting, railway condition monitoring, and pipeline risk management. The authors offer additional insights by demonstrating a specific utility of the framework and models for the rapid detection of hazardous spills. Practitioners who utilize the framework and models to implement hyperspectral remote sensing platforms will benefit from greater situational awareness to make informed decisions in transportation systems development, operations, and maintenance. KW - Condition surveys KW - Detection and identification systems KW - Drone aircraft KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Remote sensing KW - Risk management KW - Spills (Pollution) UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc16-313.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60300/60363/mpc16-313.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60300/60364/mpc16-313-brief.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1426341 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01614858 AU - Chu, Xuehao AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Florida Department of Transportation TI - Guidebooks for Estimating Total Transit Usage through Extrapolating Incomplete Counts PY - 2016/09//Final Report SP - 103p AB - This report provides guidance for transit agencies to estimate transit usage for reporting to the National Transit Database (NTD) when their counting procedure that is designed to perform full counts misses some trips. Transit usage refers to unlinked passenger trips (UPT), passenger miles traveled (PMT), and average passenger trip length (APTL) in terms of annual totals and annual average daily by schedule type for annual reporting and monthly total UPT for monthly reporting. The guidance is provided in two self-contained guidebooks for bus and rail, respectively. Bus service includes all four fixed-route bus modes defined in the NTD: motor bus (MB), commuter bus (CB), bus rapid transit (RB), and trolleybus (TB). Rail includes light rail (LR), streetcar rail (SR), and hybrid rail (YR). For both mode types, the guidance focuses on data from automatic passenger counters (APC). The guidance details a methodology for determining transit usage for each mode type through stratified extrapolation of incomplete counts rather than intentional sampling with APCs. The guidance views the total transit usage determined from the methodologies as estimates rather than 100% counts. It also views each methodology as an alternative sampling technique. The guidance identifies the conditions under which transit agencies may estimate annual total transit usage with this methodology as a pre-certified alternative sampling technique. For example, agencies must pass an equivalence test by demonstrating that their APC data are statistically equivalent to paired manual data within ±7.5% at the 95% confidence level. The guidance provides detailed steps for agencies to conduct the equivalence test in an Excel environment. When agencies meet the identified conditions and follow the guidance, they may use Appendix A in each guidebook as the document of certification by a qualified statistician for the alternative sampling technique. For the NTD program, the guidance fills a gap in current NTD guidance and will result in more accurate UPT and PMT data. For agencies, it prevents under-reporting and saves the need to hire a qualified statistician for certifying the methodology as an alternative sampling technique. KW - Bus transit KW - Estimating KW - Extrapolation KW - Handbooks KW - Methodology KW - National Transit Database KW - Passenger counting KW - Passenger miles KW - Rail transit KW - Ridership KW - Statistical sampling KW - Trip length UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Guidebooks-for-Estimating-Total-Transit-Usage-FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1425882 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01622258 AU - Wallischeck, Eric AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration TI - GPS Dependencies in Transportation: An Inventory of Global Positioning System Dependencies in the Transportation Sector, Best Practices for Improved Robustness of GPS Devices, and Potential Alternative Solutions for Positioning, Navigation and Timing PY - 2016/08/31/Research Report SP - 68p AB - The John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) was asked by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Space Commercialization to analyze dependencies on Global Positioning System (GPS) positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services within the U.S. National Transportation System (NTS). The Volpe Center identified over 50 different systems and applications (including general groupings of systems or applications) that depend upon accurate, reliable and continuous availability of GPS PNT signals. In addition, the Volpe Center identified a number of best practices that can be utilized by government and civil users of GPS receivers, to improve the robustness and resilience of those devices. Finally, the Volpe Center mapped existing and emerging technologies that can be used as alternative sources of positioning, navigation and/or timing signals, in the event the GPS service is lost or degraded. KW - Air transportation KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Best practices KW - Disaster resilience KW - Freight transportation KW - Global Navigation Satellite System KW - Global Positioning System KW - Ground transportation KW - Highway transportation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Pipelines KW - Public transit KW - Railroad transportation KW - System robustness KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications KW - Water transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60433/DOT_VNTSC_NOAA_16_01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440695 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01611988 AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Bichiou, Youssef AU - Hassan, Abdallah AU - Zohdy, Ismail AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intersection Management Using In-Vehicle Speed Advisory/Adaptation PY - 2016/08/30/Final Report SP - 57p AB - In recent years, connected vehicles (CVs) and automated vehicles (AVs) have emerged as a realistic and viable transportation option. Research centers and companies have dedicated substantial efforts to the technology, motivated largely by the potential safety benefits that can be realized through the elimination of human error, the enhancement of mobility via reduction of congestion and optimization of trips, and the associated positive environmental impacts. Both sensors and control mechanisms are needed for this technology to succeed. The goal of this study is to make use of vehicle connectivity via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) (i.e., exchanging information between vehicles) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) (i.e., exchanging information with the infrastructure, including intersection controllers) features, leveraging both connected and automated capabilities, to develop control algorithms/systems that deliver solutions/recommendations for connected automated vehicles (CAVs) as they proceed through intersections. The algorithms developed in this report deliver optimal and/or near-optimal solutions, which required extensive simulations and field experiments for validation. In the work described in this report, the research group combined mathematical modeling, optimal control theory, and optimization into a simulation framework that allows vehicles to cross an intersection safely, while incurring the least amount of delay. These models feature kinematic, dynamic and static constraints. Different versions of the model were developed, ranging from exact solutions that cannot be implemented in real-time to heuristic solutions that are computationally efficient. The results of the final proposed model were compared to other control techniques already implemented in the field, and demonstrated that a reduction of at least 50% in delay was achievable. An interesting byproduct of this model was the reduction in fuel consumption, and thus emissions, by more than 10%. KW - Algorithms KW - Autonomous intelligent cruise control KW - Field tests KW - Fuel consumption KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Intersections KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Optimization KW - Pollutants KW - Simulation KW - Traffic delays UR - http://cvi-utc.org/intersection-management-using-in-vehicle-speed-advisoryadaptation/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423326 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627910 AU - Bondanza, Allison M AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Workforce Productivity: Schedules, Fatigue, & Health of Female Intermodal Transportation Workers PY - 2016/08/15/Final Report SP - 115p AB - The present study was designed to determine the magnitude of the relationship between productivity and the amount, frequency, and length of shift work completed by female transportation employees and the number, degree, and extent of problems related to physical and psychological health including depression. It was hypothesized that long-term productivity impacts may be affected by transportation professionals engaged in shift work on a regular basis who will have placed themselves at higher risk for developing health or psychosocial related effects. These health related outcomes can have a profound impact on an employee’s job performance, daily functioning, and personal life. The present study sought to understand the potential relationship between working shift work and higher disturbances to the bodies’ natural functioning. It was hoped that the study would identify factors that could lead to decreased risk for those doing shift work by adding to the overall understanding of this multifaceted relationship. The overall purpose of the study was to gain a better understanding of the effects on productivity of shift work of females working within the transportation industry. This study has implications for explaining that the effects of disturbances to the circadian rhythm as a result of certain shift work schedules can result in related ill-health effects. This study sought to explain the health implications specifically for female workers as fewer studies have been conducted with gender as a main effect in the analysis. The present study suggests that due to the circadian rhythm controlling hormone secretion within the body, disturbances to its natural rhythm can have additional effects on female cycles such as menstruation. Overall, this study offers implications for further research on females working shift work and highlights the continued importance for further exploration into recent developments. These implications have the potential to further our current understanding of the relationship between shift work and ill-health effects, particularly the factors that women face. KW - Circadian rhythms KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Females KW - Health KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Labor force KW - Labor productivity KW - Shiftwork schedules KW - Transportation KW - Work schedules (Personnel) UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-37FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445646 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610876 AU - Murray-Tuite, Pamela AU - Phoowarawutthipanich, Aphisit AU - Islam, Rauful AU - Hdieb, Naser AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Emergency Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication PY - 2016/08/15/Final Report SP - 65p AB - Emergency response vehicles (ERVs) frequently navigate congested traffic conditions to reach their destinations as quickly as possible. In this report, several efforts performed by the research group are described, including micro-simulation, field-testing, and optimization, to determine mechanisms for facilitating safe and efficient ERV travel. Micro-simulation of a network based on the Northern Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed examined the effect of a variety of factors on ERV travel time, including the presence of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, traffic volumes, cycle length, ERV speed distributions, non-ERV speed distributions, and traffic signal preemption. The results indicated that V2V communication could reduce travel time for an ERV in congested traffic conditions. The research group developed a V2V communication prototype to alert non-ERVs of an approaching ERV by triggering a flash of the infotainment system, followed by audible instructions to move to the left, move to the right, or stay put. Twelve drivers, aged 25 to 50, tested the V2V prototype on the Northern Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed during off-peak periods. Data from this field test and associated questionnaires were used to investigate reaction time to the instructions. The estimated reaction times using the developed model varied from 1.4 to 5.8 seconds. A mixed-integer nonlinear program (MINLP) optimization model was formulated to maximize the forward progress of ERVs by sending information to ERVs and non-ERVs within a given road segment. A single set of instructions was sent to each non-ERV, assigning them to a location out of the ERVs path. Numerical case analysis for a small, uniform section of roadway with a limited number of non-ERVs revealed the model is capable of optimizing the behavior of non-ERVs to maximize the speed of the ERV. KW - Emergency vehicles KW - Field tests KW - Microsimulation KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Optimization KW - Reaction time KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Murray-Tuite_Emergency-Vehicle-to-Vehicle-Communication_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422714 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613747 AU - Markiewicz, Alexandra AU - Nash, Logan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Forest Service TI - Small Unmanned Aircraft and the U.S. Forest Service: Benefits, Costs, and Recommendations for Using Small Unmanned Aircraft in Forest Service Operations PY - 2016/08/03/Final Report SP - 35p AB - This paper provides information to Forest Service leadership about how the agency could use unmanned aircraft across different programs, especially in program areas where aircraft use is currently limited. It draws from published uses of unmanned aircraft as well as conversations with peer federal agencies that have established unmanned aircraft programs, including the Department of the Interior (DOI) headquarters and two of its bureaus; the National Park Service (NPS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). KW - Benefits KW - Bureau of Land Management KW - Costs KW - Drone aircraft KW - National Park Service KW - Recommendations KW - State of the practice KW - U.S. Department of the Interior KW - U.S. Forest Service UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59800/59804/Small_Unmanned_Aircraft_in_the_FS.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424911 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01604678 TI - Development of a Robust Framework for Assessing Bridge Performance using a Multiple Model Approach AB - While there is consensus among stakeholders (Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), State department of Transportation's (DOT's), Academia, Industry) that better data on bridge performance is required, there is limited infrastructure in place to make the best possible use of the data. This is a considerable threat to the success and existence of the shift towards data-driven approaches. Data without a plan for extracting value quickly becomes a burden. One technique commonly used for deterioration modeling is to use non physics-based models to predict performance based on existing data. Each empirical model form (e.g., Markov chain, Artificial Neural Networks, etc.) comes with a particular set of strengths, weaknesses, biases and assumptions. Unfortunately, there is a lack of consensus on the best applications of model forms, or even a framework to select and use models. Beyond that, the complexity of influences on bridge performance make it very difficult to identify causal relationships between observable behavior and driving factors. The primary goal of this research is to establish a robust, flexible framework for integrating quantitative data collected from operating structures to provide reliable performance assessments and forecast remaining service life (i.e., descriptive relationships) for structures. This research will address the problem of model selection for bridge performance data through a multiple model framework that accounts for various model approaches, as opposed to excluding them. Over time, the proposed framework may be a viable approach for identifying causal relationships of bridge attributes and inputs to bridge performance. The proposed research will achieve the stated goal through investigating varying parameter sets within a given model form, as well as multiple model forms, and looking at the ability of the model(s) to predict bridge performance. This will help to address the gap between what is observable (i.e., condition, nondestructive evaluation, member actions, global movements, etc) and what is desired (i.e., capacity, remaining service life, etc). Each model or set of models will be updated based on the observations using a Bayesian model updating approach. For multiple model forms, a set of mathematical rules must be implemented to move between model forms. The process will implicitly weigh model forms and parameter sets that are better predictors of the observed responses. From this population of multiple models, unobservable characteristics (like estimates of remaining service life) can be predicted in a probabilistic sense. KW - Bridge design KW - Deterioration KW - Markov chains KW - Monte Carlo method KW - Neural networks KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Service life UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/development-robust-framework-assessing-bridge-performance-using-multiple-model-approac UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416282 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602573 TI - Distributed Simulation to Support Driving Safety Research AB - Over half of all crashes involve two or more vehicles. While driving simulation provides an effective way to study many crash scenarios in a well-controlled environment, it cannot capture the complex dynamics between two human drivers in the seconds leading up to a multi-car crash or safety-critical event. Examples of multi-driver simulation extend back to the 1980s in military applications, but only in the last five years have several groups begun to be active in this area to study connected and automated vehicles. The project proposes to develop a distributed simulation capability for the NADS-1, NADS-2 and MiniSim simulators. This capability will benefit all MiniSim customers who are interested in performing multi-driver experiments. A small study will be designed and conducted to demonstrate the differences in driver behavior and perception when responding to a human driver rather than a computer-controlled driver. A 50% academic appointment for a graduate student will be supported by the project. KW - Automation KW - Behavior KW - Crashes KW - Drivers KW - Safety KW - Simulation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406967 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627924 AU - Goetz, Andrew R AU - Ratner, Keith AU - Cidell, Julie AU - Minn, Michael AU - Brady, Sylvia AU - University of Denver AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Passenger Rail and Freight Rail Partnerships: Case Studies in Boston, Chicago, and Denver PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 94p AB - With population and traffic congestion growing in urban areas throughout the United States, the demand for passenger rail service is also growing. The opportunity exists to minimize environmental and social impacts of expanding rail transit by sharing existing corridors with freight rail operators. The purpose of this study is to evaluate existing agreements between freight and passenger rail services and identify issues, challenges, and best practices of shared-use corridors. This research includes an analysis of the existing literature, in-depth interviews with national experts, and in-depth interviews with local area experts in three case study cities with substantial experience in shared-use rail corridors: Boston, Chicago, and Denver. KW - Best practices KW - Boston (Massachusetts) KW - Case studies KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Denver (Colorado) KW - Freight transportation KW - Interviewing KW - Literature reviews KW - Partnerships KW - Passenger transportation KW - Railroad transportation KW - Shared use corridors UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-35FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445643 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627922 AU - Uddin, Waheed AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - Eksioglu, Burak AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Restoration of Gulf Coast Passenger Rail Service for Sustainable and Economically Efficient Intermodal Corridor Integration PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 130p AB - Transportation infrastructure network assets are essential to sustain public mobility, economy, society and quality of life. The Amtrak sunset service served the Mississippi Gulf Coast on its route from Miami to Los Angeles through New Orleans. Operated triweekly during nighttime hours, the Amtrak sunset service was first interrupted in 1993 after the worst rail disaster in Amtrak history. Later it was suspended during the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster due to destruction of the rail infrastructure. Currently, Amtrak coastal rail is not operational through Alabama and Mississippi, therefore taking away a valuable public transportation mode for the underserved and/or vacationers to casinos and beaches. The overall goal of this project is to evaluate economic impacts of the restoration of passenger rail service and offer intercity rail solutions. The integration of passenger/commuter rail with the auto traffic in major Mississippi Gulf Coast highway and rail corridors can ease auto travel demand on the existing highway corridors, offer economically competitive and safer travel, and reduce CO₂ emissions and air pollution. The primary objective of this project is to conduct technical feasibility and economic competitiveness evaluations of selected passenger and commuter transit alternatives to serve cities and rural communities along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This project scope includes passenger mobility in the region with emphasis on the needs of Gulf Coast cities, rural communities, and government and private employers. The Mississippi DOT’s strategic planning reports indicate: (a) Most of Interstate-10 corridor has average speeds (in both directions) at or below 55 mph and (b) In the Jackson-Hattiesburg-Gulfport Corridor the majority of freight is moved by truck (91 percent) and through traffic (61 percent), which is expected to grow. The high commercial traffic volume increases general congestion on highways and safety risks to other auto commuter traffic. About nine percent of all highway fatalities in 2009 involved large trucks. Fatality rate per 100 million vehicle-mile-traveled is higher for large truck related fatality than other vehicles. Major widening of Mississippi’s I-10 and improvement along with other highway corridors are being pursued by the Mississippi DOT but there is lack of initiative to integrate with passenger rail service. Currently, the Amtrak sunset service from Miami to Los Angeles through New Orleans is not operational. It served the Gulf Coast triweekly before it was suspended during 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster. The results of this project shows possible alternatives to integrate passenger/commuter rail with the auto traffic which can ease auto travel demand on the existing road corridors, offer economically competitive and safer travel, and reduce air pollution. It is recommended that the developed approach of commuter rail study be applied by transportation agencies to assess other societal benefits, which include reduction in highway congestion and decrease in transportation related emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants. KW - Amtrak KW - Economic impacts KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Mississippi Gulf Coast KW - Passenger rail services KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Service restoration KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-33FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445641 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627919 AU - Swain, Kristen Alley AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Toxic Transportation Spills: Invisible or Ignored? PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 34p AB - The current study, a national survey of journalists and transportation officials, explores why the most serious commercial transportation spills are rarely communicated to the public, identifies communication gaps in the cleanup/mitigation process, and solicits stakeholder recommendations for improving the transportation industry and public safety. These confidential surveys explored whether, why and how serious transportation spills are communicated to the public. One version of the survey was sent to journalists, and the other version of the survey was sent to at least one transportation official from each of the 50 state department of transportation (DOT) offices. The journalists survey invited reporters who wrote about 51 serious spill accidents that did receive media coverage over a decade, as well as environmental and science reporters from across the U.S. The survey questions examined key findings of a previous media analysis project that included a systematic national content analysis of stories covering 5,555 serious freight spills, as well as an analysis of the social media presence of freight companies. The earlier study found that 97% of serious freight spills over a decade received no media attention. Thus, the underlying question of the follow-up study, the two national surveys, was: Why do most serious freight spills never receive media coverage? The surveys identified gaps and challenges in public communication about serious freight spills and informed recommendations for both the transportation and media industries. The findings highlighted challenges in news routines and reporting strategies used in coverage of serious freight accidents, as well as significant gaps in official communications about these spills. Both journalists and officials agreed that the media generally does a poor job of covering spill preparedness, and nearly all of the officials felt that most journalists lack adequate knowledge about freight spills. Even so, the officials viewed overall media coverage of freight spills more favorably than the journalists did. Both groups admitted that reporters are often forced to file Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in order to gather details about spills. Surprisingly, the transportation officials reported that their agencies use social media more heavily than the journalists’ media organizations. The officials also were more optimistic than journalists about how easily reporters can obtain timely information about freight spills. For instance, reporters were nearly twice as likely as officials to say that reporters are blocked from getting eyewitness interviews or that radio stations broadcast information about hazardous spills. Journalists were more likely than officials to argue that freight transport should travel through rural, remote areas away from population centers. Officials were more likely to prefer that freight trucks and trains travel in or near urban areas where more communication channels are available to alert people about hazards and where hazmat responders can respond more quickly. KW - Chemical spills KW - Communication gaps KW - Freedom of Information Act KW - Freight transportation KW - Hazardous materials KW - Information access KW - Journalists KW - Mass communication KW - Mass media KW - Oil spills KW - Publicity KW - Safety KW - Spills (Pollution) KW - State departments of transportation KW - Surveys UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-08FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445724 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627917 AU - Ishak, Sherif AU - Osman, Osama A AU - Ashly, Grace AU - Theriot, Matthew AU - Ye, Mengqiu AU - Bakhit, Peter R AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Exploring Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) Data and Roadway Information Database (RID) for Emerging Applications in Traffic Safety PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Recently, several transportation-related databases were introduced and archived in order to analyze the behavior of the different components of the transportation system. The Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS), which provides data on drivers’ behavior during their typical commutes, and the Roadway Information Database (RID), which includes information about the geometric characteristics of the roads where the NDS participants drove, are two of the main data sources that have recently grabbed researchers’ attention. These two databases provide an ample amount of data that has the potential for transportation research in the area of traffic safety and human factors. While many researchers studied drivers’ behavior using the NDS data, few studies were performed on the link between drivers’ behavior and the characteristics of roadways. Thus, in this study, the research team thoroughly explored the RID dataset and identified its ability to link to NDS. Specifically, analysis was conducted to map RID and NDS data using ArcGIS. In addition, researchers provided several potential research topics integrating the combined RID and NDS database. A short list of potential applications includes quantifying the effect of warning and regulatory signs on driver compliance, measuring the effectiveness of safety campaigns with driver compliance, examining statistically significant clusters of crash and near crash events taking into account roadway conditions, and others. KW - ArcGIS KW - Data linkage KW - Data mapping KW - Human factors KW - Naturalistic Driving Study Database KW - Roadway Information Database KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-11FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445727 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627909 AU - Maheshwari, Sharad K AU - D’Souza, Kelwyn A AU - Hampton University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Longitudinal Study of the Effect of Simulator Experience on the Behavior Modification of Adult Drivers PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 29p AB - Cell-phone and other hand-held electronic devices use has been increasing in society. The past research studies show that a vast majority of young and adult drivers are using cell phones while driving. Adult drivers are increasingly using more electronic devices while driving including “Texting While Driving," despite many states and localities banning/restricting such practices. This activity causes distraction from the basic task of driving and results in hundreds of thousands of accidents including thousands of fatalities. Many governmental and non-governmental agencies are making educational efforts to teach drivers of danger of distraction caused by cell phone use while driving. Previous research conducted by the same team shows that simulator based education positively impacted the risk perception of adult drivers towards danger of “cell phone usage in driving.” However, in that study there was no time gap between education and assessment of drivers’ perception of risk (Maheshwari, 2016). This research assesses the long-term impact of the issues in educational efforts. The main objective of the research was to measure long-term change in the risk perception of adult drivers. Previous field experiment extended to 93 subjects of the previous study. Post education survey was administered again on these previous subjects. The results were used to assess the change in the risk perception over time. There was 24-26 months time difference between both studies. Only 30 previous subjects were available to answer the survey. The results show that improvements in the drivers’ perception of safety remain statistically high two plus years after the driving simulator experience. However, this improvement in the safety perception was less than recorded right after the simulator experience. The sample was very small (27 valid responses) to conduct other statistical tests for demographic, risk and other environmental factors. It should also be acknowledged that this study did not have a control group hence internal validity of the results was weak due to history, maturation, etc. Selection bias may have also influenced the outcome. KW - Behavior modification KW - Cellular telephones KW - Distraction KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Longitudinal studies KW - Risk perception KW - Text messaging UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-14FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445730 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627907 AU - Mulholland, Rachel A AU - Zucker, Keaton AU - Bondanza, Allison AU - Hedman, Briana AU - Pinarowicz, Jill AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Increasing the Recruitment and Retention of Women in the Transportation Industry PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 32p AB - This report summarizes two projects that were based on the notion that an in-depth exploration of women’s experience in the transportation industry might enlighten industry professionals about what approaches are best for recruiting and retaining women in the transportation industry. Project #1 consisted of focus groups with women currently in transportation positions. Two broad questions were developed in order to focus attention on gathering data that would lead to a contextual description and a structural description of the qualitative experiences of the participants: What is your experience as a woman in the transportation industry? And what contexts or situations have influenced or affected your experience as a woman in the transportation industry? Results suggest that women take entry-level positions due to wanting stable employment and have found this within the transportation industry. Both managerial and non-managerial level women reported finding barriers to promotion and they found it helpful to have a mentor, and that matching one’s skills and values to that of the industry were positively correlated with job satisfaction, liking one's job, and career satisfaction. Perceived barriers for recruiting and retaining women in transportation included good pay and benefits, earning respect from knowing your job, job security, and opportunities for growth. Personality traits that were related to success in the transportation industry include being assertive, confident, reliable, ability to see the “big picture,” and having a “thick skin.” The purpose of Project #2 was to identify predictors of career choice and stability in the transportation industry in order to create a profile that could be used to recruit and retain female transportation employees. Following on the results of the information obtained from the focus groups in Project #1, a survey based on Super’s (1973) work values theory, Organizational Commitment (Meyer & Allen, 1997), Supervisor Support, Job Satisfaction, Holland’s (1973) six occupational types (RIASEC), and a set of general questions was developed and distributed to female students and professionals at various settings and gatherings including transportation. A total of 187 usable questionnaires were obtained and analyzed. Results from descriptive statistics, comparisons of means and hierarchical stepwise regression analyses provided data on the relative contribution of values, interests, organizational commitment, supervision, job preference, and job satisfaction as they affect career choice and change in transportation professionals and the general population. Results of this study revealed three main predictors of career change: feeling like your values are being met at current job, your organization’s values and mission are worth supporting, and reliance on your immediate supervisor when things get tough at work. The results also yielded statistically significant models of career choice that accounted for 64.5% of the variance in pursuit and 77% of the variance in acceptance of transportation jobs. The models indicated that women interested in practical hands on work tasks, and in a predictable and somewhat routine environment are more likely to want to accept a position in transportation. Women who are interested in leadership, work challenges involving problem solving and variety in tasks are also more likely to pursue a career in transportation. Women who have an interest in a more social and interactive work environment, and an environment that is artistic are less likely to pursue a career in transportation. Being confident of success and being an effective employee along with an awareness of the possibility that these are male dominated jobs is predictive of a greater likelihood of pursuing a job in transportation. KW - Females KW - Focus groups KW - Personnel retention KW - Recruiting KW - Surveys KW - Transportation KW - Transportation careers UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-36FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445644 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626699 AU - Herning, Gordana AU - Maher, Ali AU - McNeil, Sue AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Collaborative Proposal: Resilience: Definitions, Measurement, Tools and Research Opportunities PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 48p AB - Rutgers University Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT), in collaboration with research partners within the University Transportation Center (UTC) consortium, seeks to identify knowledge gaps and chart future research & development (R&D) directions that focus on resilience of and interactions between the critical infrastructure sectors. In particular, lifeline sectors including transportation, energy, communication, water and wastewater, and emergency services are of interest. On December 4, 2015, CAIT hosted a one-day workshop with an aim to develop a roadmap for research priorities based on the emerging infrastructure risks and on the distinct capabilities of the Center partners. Invited participants from public agencies, industry, and universities engaged in facilitated discussions to identify top priorities for building 1) pre-event resilience, 2) characterizing hazard events, and 3) accelerating post-event resilience. Workshop conclusions and a review of published literature indicate key challenges and research opportunities including an improved understanding of interdependencies across critical sectors; establishing robust, implementable resilience metrics, more precise characterization of system vulnerabilities, and prioritization of funding for infrastructure interventions. KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disaster resilience KW - Financing KW - Infrastructure KW - Literature reviews KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Research KW - Risk assessment KW - Strategic planning KW - Workshops UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-068-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450292 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01625814 AU - Uddin, Waheed AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - Eksioglu, Burak AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Intermodal Transportation Corridors for Economically Viable and Safe Global Supply Chain PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 211p AB - Transportation infrastructure networks are essential to sustain our economy, society and quality of life. Freight transportation of consumer goods and commercial/industrial products is critical for sustainable and efficient supply chain. The primary objectives of this project are to identify major transportation corridors involving inland river ports, highway network and rail infrastructure; and to evaluate the revenue/funding aspects, economic viability, safety, and disaster resiliency of integrating selected segments of the candidate corridors. The scope of this project is limited to North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) trading partner countries of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The project investigated the aspects of multimodal freight related to congestion, intermodal integration, and impacts of fuel savings and carbon dioxide emissions. Key results of the study include: (1) This project developed geospatial maps, optimization models, benefit/cost results of proposed modal integration simulation studies, life cycle economic model results of economic and environmental impacts, and intermodal infrastructure bank proposal. (2) Theoretical consideration and associated field studies improved understanding of transportation professionals for tire/pavement interaction during braking and crash incidents. Guidelines are recommended for implementation to improve road safety. (3) Computer simulations of commodity flow through selected port(s) and freight corridor(s) with economic and sustainability analysis are used to show the importance of the intermodal integration approach for enhancing the economic competitiveness, safety, security and disaster resilience of freight transport. (4) The intermodal freight corridor case studies are used to develop a “best practice guide” for consideration by government transportation agencies, private transport operators, and other global supply chain stakeholders. (5) The developed approach of freight corridor integration studies demonstrate the assessment of economic and other societal benefits, which include reduction of wastage of hours of travel time and traffic congestion, cost avoidance of fuel wastage on highway corridors, and decrease in transportation related emissions of carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants. It is recommended that the developed approach of multimodal freight corridor studies be applied by transportation agencies to assess economic and other societal benefits, which include reduction in highway congestion and decrease in transportation related harmful emissions. KW - Air pollution KW - Canada KW - Commodity flow KW - Disaster resilience KW - Economic impacts KW - Freight transportation KW - Global supply chain KW - Highways KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mexico KW - North American Free Trade Agreement KW - Railroads KW - River ports KW - Transportation corridors KW - United States UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-27FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445637 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01619965 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - FHWA Research and Technology Evaluation Program Summary Report Spring 2016 PY - 2016/08//Summary Report SP - 56p AB - This report summarizes the 16 evaluations being conducted by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA’s) Research and Technology Program. The FHWA R&T Program furthers the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center’s goal of ensuring transparency, accessibility, and responsiveness of R&T for all stakeholders. The 16 evaluations can be grouped into two waves. The first wave consists of six retrospective and four prospective evaluations, while the second wave comprises six prospective evaluations. Five evaluation teams have finished data collection and written final reports. One team has delivered a final phase I report and is preparing its phase II report. Three evaluation teams have submitted final evaluation plans while five other teams have written draft evaluation plans. Of the remaining two, one team has submitted a preliminary evaluation plan and the other is initiating planning activities KW - Evaluation KW - Research KW - Research and Technology Program (FHWA) KW - Technology KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/randt/evaluations/16071/16071.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440497 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616238 AU - Khazanovich, Lev AU - Freeseman, Katelyn AU - Salles, Lucio AU - Asadollahi, Aziz AU - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities AU - Center for Highway Pavement Preservation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Damage Detection Techniques for Concrete Applications PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 157p AB - New technological advances in nondestructive testing technology have created the opportunity to better utilize ultrasonic waves to aid in damage detection applications for concrete. This research utilizes an ultrasonic array device for nondestructive damage detection purposes. The ultrasonic shear velocity array system used for this research is particularly advantageous because it can obtain measurements on virtually any concrete specimen, from columns and beams to concrete pavements, and provides a wealth of data from a single measurement. Novel signal interpretation methods were developed for several important concrete applications. Detection of load-induced damage in a full-scale reinforced concrete column, as well as standard life-cycle damage in concrete pavements caused by freeze thaw or alkali-silica reaction degradation were considered. In addition, cracking in continuously reinforced concrete pavements was considered. These investigations culminated in the development of successful and efficient quantitative damage detection methods. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Beams KW - Columns KW - Concrete bridges KW - Concrete pavements KW - Cracking KW - Damage detection KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Ultrasonic waves UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CHPP-Report-UMN1-2016.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60410/CHPP-Report-UMN1-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429186 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616150 AU - Swanson, Elizabeth D AU - Yanagisawa, Mikio AU - Najm, Wassim AU - Foderaro, Frank AU - Azeredo, Philip AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Crash Avoidance Needs and Countermeasure Profiles for Safety Applications Based on Light-Vehicle-to-Pedestrian Communications PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 155p AB - This research supports establishing an updated understanding of the pedestrian crash problem and defining a way to connect the crash problem with vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication crash avoidance technology. It describes 5 priority pre-crash scenarios that might be addressed by V2P communications. Priority scenarios are: 1. Vehicle going straight and pedestrian crossing the road; 2. Vehicle going straight and pedestrian in the road; 3. Vehicle going straight and the pedestrian adjacent to the road; 4. Vehicle turning left and the pedestrian crossing the road; and 5. Vehicle turning right and the pedestrian crossing the road. The focus is on vehicle-pedestrian crashes involving light vehicles (passenger car, van, minivan, sport utility vehicle, or light pickup truck) with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less. The 2011-2012 General Estimates System (GES) and Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) crash databases were used to quantify the societal cost and describe the driving environment, driver- and pedestrian-characteristics, and crash contributing factors. These priority scenarios account for 79 percent of all target pedestrian crashes and 91 percent of the fatal target pedestrian crashes. Target pedestrian crashes include a light vehicle striking a pedestrian in the first event of the crash. The highest frequencies of pedestrian crashes (GES) occur in scenarios where the pedestrian is crossing the road. The majority of fatalities (FARS) involved vehicles that were going straight (i.e., not turning or making a maneuver). Kinematic depictions for the time-to-collision and avoidance maneuvers are presented to identify information needs for the crash countermeasures based on V2P technology. This information serves the development of functional requirements, performance specifications, test procedures, and benefits estimation for potential V2P-based safety applications. The document is intended for the use of various groups currently researching and prototyping different V2P-based safety systems to help determine which ones are most useful in preventing or mitigating pedestrian-vehicle crashes. KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Fatality Analysis Reporting System KW - General Estimates System KW - Light vehicles KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Vehicle to pedestrian communications UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60121/V2PPedestrianReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428259 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613849 AU - Hiltunen, Danielle AU - Chase, Stephanie G AU - Kendra, Andrew AU - Jo, Young Jin AU - Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies, Incorporated AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) and Airport Moving Map Industry Survey PY - 2016/08//Final Report SP - 199p AB - This document provides an overview of Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) products as of May 2016, including those with airport moving map functionality, and airport moving map applications without traffic depiction. This document updates and replaces the Volpe Center’s 2009 airport moving map industry survey. The information for this report was gathered through industry contacts, websites, and online product brochures. This report was conducted in support of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but the information is intended to be of use to anyone interested in CDTI and airport moving map products. Nineteen manufacturers and two research organizations participated in this industry survey. Each provided a description of software and hardware components (when applicable), including display characteristics, depiction of traffic, airport moving map information elements, and other functions and capabilities. Participating manufacturers were classified into three categories based on their products: CDTI Installed, CDTI Portable, and Airport Moving Map Only (without traffic depiction). Note that although some manufacturers provide a portable CDTI function, a CDTI is NOT considered an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) function per Advisory Circular (AC) 120-76C, and can not be authorized for use for Part 121, 125, 135, 91F and 91K operations via the AC. KW - Airborne navigational aids KW - Cockpit display of traffic information KW - Cockpits KW - Computers KW - Digital maps KW - Industries KW - Information display systems KW - Software KW - Surveys UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59800/59835/CDTI-AMM_Industry_Survey_2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424910 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613839 AU - Young, Jaime AU - Daddio, David AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Natchez Trace Parkway Bicycle Planning Study PY - 2016/07/21/Final Report SP - 54p AB - The Natchez Trace Parkway stretches through varied terrain for 444 miles from Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi. The National Parkway receives approximately fifteen million visitors each year, about six million of which are recreational visitors. Anecdotally, the number of bicyclists who use the Parkway is rising, in tourism, recreation, and commuting. In recent years there have been a number of crashes on the Parkway involving bicycles, four of which resulted in fatality. The Park staff has partnered with advocacy organizations in implementing safety interventions with bicycle-related signage and shared use lane markings. The Volpe Center conducted a study to evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of these interventions and make recommendations for the Park to continue their work in improving safety for bicyclists and other roadway users. This study looks primarily at the roadway corridor within the larger context of a safety campaign being conducted by staff and partners of Natchez Trace Parkway. KW - Alabama KW - Bicycle crashes KW - Bicycle lanes KW - Evaluation KW - Nashville (Tennessee) KW - Natchez (Mississippi) KW - Natchez Trace Parkway KW - National parks KW - Recommendations KW - Safety campaigns KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic signs KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59600/59600/Natchez_Trace_Bicycle_Planning_Study.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59600/59600/Natchez_Trace_Bicycle_Planning_Study_2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1425496 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627916 AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Managerial Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness PY - 2016/07/15/Final Report SP - 42p AB - Major transportation companies invest millions of dollars in an attempt to improve the competencies and overall job performance of managers and company leaders in an effort to enhance economic competitiveness and to provide a greater return on investment (ROI) to shareholders and stakeholders. The present research investigated a managerial development training program designed to improve managerial effectiveness. Following a review of the literature it was determined that there are a number of different approaches that are in use today to enhance managerial effectiveness. However, few if any metrics or assessment tools exist to measure and ultimately quantify the impact of these interventions on overall job performance and ultimately ROI. A performance measure and assessment tool calibrated with increasing levels of managerial effectiveness was also developed for industry wide use. The assessment tool was developed with the intention of being able to be used in various organizations to assess managerial effectiveness. Scores of the measure could also be used as a metric for estimating performance effectiveness and performance. The measurement tool for assessment of managerial effectiveness and competency was devised for and implemented with a sample of directors for a large transportation company. Based on analysis of the data it was determined that a corresponding indicator of job performance, annual salary, was appropriate as a metric to establish job performance and ROI outcome data. Analytics for human resource utility analyses of job performance were approximated and calibrated and a standardized metric derived. Subsequent analyses revealed performance improvement of nearly half a million dollars in annual salary. Thus the ROI was estimated at 17% improved performance. The study design and analytical techniques utilized demonstrate an effective method for estimating the ROI for managerial effectiveness training using appropriate metrics, measurement tools and analytical algorithms. KW - Competency KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Managerial personnel KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Personnel development KW - Return on investment KW - Salaries KW - Training KW - Transportation UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-34FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445642 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01616224 TI - Highway-Rail Crossing Safety Improvement by Diverting Motorists to Alternate Routes AB - The research will develop a system that detects the presence of a train in proximity of a crossing, estimate its length and speed and then calculate the expected crossing occupancy time of the train. This information is then shared with motorists upstream of the crossing via variable message signs. Some drivers may divert to alternate routes to avoid delay at the crossing, thereby resulting in fewer motor vehicles when a train the crossing.The system will be field-tested at an appropriate location in Lincoln, Nebraska. Motorists will be recorded via video for diversion before and after implementation of the system. Based on the field test results guidelines will be developed for improving safety at highway-rail crossings by diverting motor vehicle traffic away from the crossing when trains are on their way toward or occupying a crossing. KW - Delays KW - Detectors KW - Field tests KW - Grade crossing protection systems KW - Guidelines KW - Lincoln (Nebraska) KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad traffic KW - Variable message signs UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/operations/highway-rail-crossing-safety-diverting-motorists/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429403 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610898 AU - Gibbons, Ron AU - Palmer, Matthew AU - Jahangiri, Arash AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Applications for Adaptive Overhead Lighting (On-demand Lighting) PY - 2016/07/01/Final Research Report SP - 67p AB - The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) has developed an on-demand roadway lighting system and has tested the system’s effect on driver visual performance. On-demand roadway lighting can dramatically reduce energy usage while maintaining or increasing vehicle and pedestrian safety. The system developed by VTTI uses connected vehicle technology (CVT), wireless lighting controls, light emitting diode (LED) luminaires, and a stand-alone processor on the Virginia Smart Road to sense vehicles and turn on roadway lighting only when needed. During this research project, the use of on-demand, or just-in-time, lighting was investigated with respect to assessing driver distraction, and to human factors, including a driver’s ability to visually detect and recognize on-road objects and pedestrians. The developed on-demand lighting system described above utilized dedicated short range communication (DSRC), connected vehicle infrastructure (CVI), and centralized wireless lighting controls, and was used with VTTIdeveloped in-vehicle instrumentation and custom software. The software allowed the study of forward preview time in terms of forward lighting distance needed for drivers to detect roadside pedestrians and hazards. Visual performance testing revealed a relationship between speed and the amount of forward lighting needed to detect pedestrians and hazards on the side of the roadway, and a small, but statistically insignificant, practical difference in visual performance between on-demand lighting and continuously-on lighting conditions. A survey of participant reactions indicated that the public generally accepts on-demand lighting and does not find it distracting as long as a minimum lighting condition is met. The survey also found that participants felt the system provided a safe driving environment. The main application for an on-demand lighting system would be on roadways with little traffic at night and higher accident rates, or higher conflict areas such as intersections, pedestrian crossings, and merge areas. KW - Adaptive control KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Distraction KW - Drivers KW - Highway safety KW - Human factors KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Street lighting KW - Surveys KW - Visual perception UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Gibbons_Connected-Vehicle-Applications-for-Adaptive-Overhead-Lighting.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1420979 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627921 AU - Truax, Dennis D AU - White, Vemitra AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 2016 Mississippi State Summer Transportation Institute PY - 2016/07//Final Report SP - 37p AB - Each year since 2007, the Mississippi State University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has hosted a National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI). During 2016, this was one of three NSTI programs in the state of Mississippi. The 2016 Mississippi State Summer Transportation Institute (MSTI) was a two-week residence program for rising ninth and tenth grade high school students. With funding from the National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness (NCITEC), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), 25 students from all reaches of the state were supported to participate in the program. The grant from NCITEC allowed enrollment to increase by 25 percent because the FHWA and MDOT funding covered all the fixed costs. Hence, these funds principally supported food and lodging for the additional students. It also helped defray the cost of transportation to take the students on field trips and provided supplies needed for the various laboratory Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) projects conducted. The 2016 MSTI was held the last two weeks of June 2016. During this period, participants: Visited two Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) design, research and development facilities; Toured a concrete batching facility; Saw the air traffic control center and flight line of an Air Force base; Toured an asphalt research, development and design laboratory; Walked through a Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway lock and dam and boated through an operational port and experienced a lockage on a department research vessel; Visited an MDOT Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) command center; Did a scavenger hunt through the Mississippi Agricultural (and Transportation) Museum to learn about air, rail, waterway and roadway impacts on state economics; and Experienced a first flight in general aviation aircraft through the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Young Eagles program. KW - Field trips KW - High school students KW - National Summer Transportation Institute KW - Science, Techology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) KW - Summer Transportation Institute, Mississippi State University KW - Transportation careers UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-16FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445732 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616923 AU - Kearney, Joseph K AU - Plumert, Jodie M AU - Safety Research Using Simulation University Transportation Center (SaferSim) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Using Connected Vehicle Technology to Deliver Timely Warnings to Pedestrians PY - 2016/07 SP - 39p AB - Pedestrian injuries and deaths caused by collisions with motor vehicles are on the rise in the U.S. One factor that may increase the risk of such collisions is pedestrian mobile device use. Both field observations and controlled experiments indicate that pedestrian road-crossing behavior is impaired by texting or talking on a mobile device. Despite the importance of the problem, relatively little is known about effective interventions to reduce the harmful effects of mobile device use on pedestrian road-crossing behavior. The goal of this project was to use connected vehicles technology to deliver warnings to pedestrians via their mobile devices. To safely and systematically study this problem, the authors conducted an experiment in a large-screen immersive virtual environment to evaluate how texting pedestrians respond to permissive traffic alerts delivered via their cell phone. The authors developed a cell phone app that delivered information to texting pedestrians about when traffic conditions permit safe crossing. The authors compared gap selection and movement timing in three groups of pedestrians: texting, texting with alerts, and no texting (control). Participants in the control and alert groups chose larger gaps and were more discriminating in their gap choices than participants in the texting group. Both the control and alert groups had more time to spare than the texting group when they exited the roadway even though the alert group timed their entry relative to the lead car less tightly than the control and texting groups. By choosing larger gaps, participants in the alert group were able to compensate for their poorer timing of entry, resulting in a margin of safety that did not differ from those who were not texting. However, they also relied heavily on the alert system and paid less attention to the roadway. The project demonstrates both the potential and the potential pitfalls of assistive technologies based on Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) communications technology for mitigating pedestrian–motor vehicle crashes. KW - Assistive technology KW - Cellular telephones KW - Gap acceptance KW - Mobile applications KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrians KW - Text messaging UR - http://safersim.nads-sc.uiowa.edu/final_reports/UI-2-Y1_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429008 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613853 AU - Macfarlane, Kate AU - Regan, Terry AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Transit-Oriented Development in Southern Nevada: A TPCB Peer Exchange PY - 2016/07//Final Report SP - 33p AB - This report highlights key recommendations and noteworthy practices identified at “Transit-Oriented Development in Southern Nevada” Peer Exchange held on December 2-3, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This event was sponsored by the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Peer Program, which is jointly funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The peer exchange was hosted by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. Peer agencies included Metro Transit of the Twin Cities, Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Utah Transit Authority. Topics included land use planning, implementation, modes and level of service, housing choice, and financial planning. KW - Implementation KW - Land use planning KW - Level of service KW - Metro Transit (Minnesota) KW - Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization KW - Nevada KW - Peer exchange KW - Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada KW - Stakeholders KW - Transit oriented development KW - Transportation planning KW - Utah Transit Authority UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59800/59880/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-21.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424916 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608693 AU - Marshall, Wesley E AU - McAndrews, Carolyn A AU - University of Colorado, Denver AU - University of Colorado, Denver AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Does the Livability of a Residential Street Depend on the Characteristics of the Neighboring Street Network? PY - 2016/07 SP - 173p AB - Shortly after the advent of cars, a conflict arose between moving traffic and residential livability. The typical response was to push traffic off residential streets and onto nearby major roads. This line of thinking evolved into a more hierarchical approach to street network design and what are known as arterial roads designed to carry the vast majority of vehicle traffic. With many researchers – notably Donald Appleyard with his influential Livable Streets research strand – identifying traffic on residential streets as an underlying issue behind poor livability, this solution makes perfect sense. However, is the relationship between residential livability and traffic moderated by the character of the nearby arterial road? In other words, would living near a big, bad arterial road offset the livability benefits of living on a light traffic street? Alternatively, would residing near a more “livable” arterial neutralize some of the problems associated with living on a heavy traffic street? This first part of this project sought to answer these research questions via a residential study of 10 Denver, Colorado, neighborhoods where the researchers first selected 10 urban arterials that could be partitioned along two dimensions: high/low traffic and high/low design quality. Within each of the 10 surrounding neighborhoods, the researchers selected comparable residential roads to fit Appleyard’s heavy, moderate, and light traffic descriptions where the researchers then surveyed 721 respondents living along these 30 residential streets. The results suggest that the surrounding street network – and in particular the character of the nearby arterial road – influences residential livability across a number of livability measures. When controlling for income, high levels of traffic as well as low levels of urban design on the arterial both detract from the livability of those living in the surrounding neighborhoods. Some results even suggest that residential streets with heavy traffic near a low traffic/high design arterial are just as livable, if not more so, than residential streets with light traffic near a high traffic/low design arterial. By no means should this be taken as a call to increase traffic on residential streets; rather, planners and engineers looking to promote residential livability need to begin taking a broader, network perspective to understanding livability. Livable residential streets can only be part of the solution; more livable arterial roads are also needed. The second part of the project examined: i) how residents perceive and use arterial roads, and ii) what specific characteristics of arterial roads associate with residential satisfaction. Using factor analysis and ordinal logistic regression, the results suggest that arterials perceived as being vibrant are associated with increased residential satisfaction – above and beyond other features of the residential environment – whereas arterials with perceived illicit activity and trash are associated with lower residential satisfaction. Our study includes three different measures of residential satisfaction, and the specific influence of the arterial road depends on whether one focuses more narrowly on satisfaction with the neighborhood street, satisfaction with the neighborhood, or overall sense of happiness living there. The results of this study point to land use policies, enforcement of social norms, and the design of pedestrian and transit environments as measures to maximize the contributions of commercial arterials to neighborhood livability. The appendices include additional details on the survey and survey methodology as well as examples of how these issues were integrated into assignments for graduate level civil engineering and urban planning classes. KW - Arterial highways KW - Denver (Colorado) KW - Factor analysis KW - Land use planning KW - Neighborhoods KW - Quality of life KW - Regression analysis KW - Residential streets KW - Surveys KW - Traffic flow KW - Urban design UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc16-309.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60200/60262/mpc16-309.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60200/60263/mpc16-309-brief.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1419058 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605749 AU - Thompson, Alison AU - Kennedy, Bernard J AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Engineering Design for Pedestrian Safety at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings PY - 2016/07//Final Report SP - 61p AB - A number of pedestrian treatments at railroad grade crossings have been developed and are used throughout the United States. The decision of when to use these treatments is generally a matter of best practices, using a decision tree, or conducting a site assessment. There has been little research on the efficacy of particular treatments. More important, because pedestrian treatments are seldom, if ever, used in isolation, there is no known research on what particular configurations of available pedestrian treatments provide the highest level of safety. A US Department of Transportation (USDOT) 2010 policy statement encourages transportation agencies to improve opportunities for pedestrian and bicyclists. The United States Access Board, in turn, has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to establish guidelines to address public right of way issues for people with disabilities. In anticipation of more non-motorized users of varying abilities making use of pedestrian grade-crossing facilities, it is important that the efficacy of pedestrian treatments at grade crossings be fully understood. KW - Design KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Traffic control devices KW - United States KW - Warning devices for persons with disabilities UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/16553 UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/16553 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59391/Engg_for_Ped_Safety_At_Crossings.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415633 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612146 AU - Solaimanian, Mansour AU - Stoffels, Shelley AU - Milander, Scott AU - Morian, Dennis AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Thin Hot Mix Asphalt Overlay PY - 2016/06/20/Final Report SP - 26p AB - Preserving the road surface and maintaining it at a proper functional level is essential to safe transportation. Among alternatives for pavement surface treatment, thin asphalt overlays have been utilized and promoted by several states to serve this need. To evaluate the performance of such overlays and develop relevant specifications, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) initiated a four-year research program with Pennsylvania State University. The project carried several major objectives. One was to assess best practices for design and construction of such mixes through field application of three pilot projects and conducting necessary laboratory testing. Second was to evaluate the performance of such mixes placed in these pilot projects through visual survey and pavement condition measurements. Third was the use of existing advanced technology such as thermal imaging and ground-penetrating radar to determine the uniformity of such mixes during placement in regard to temperature and density. Finally, it was the intention of the project to develop relevant specifications and guidelines for thin asphalt overlays. Field evaluations, in general, indicated satisfactory performance of these roads. Considerable improvement has been achieved in terms of ride quality and skid resistance after placement of thin asphalt. The exception is SR 0220, for which the skid numbers were already high and skid resistance improvements were not as significant as for the other two projects. Field measurements have indicated minimal rutting, fatigue cracking, and raveling at all three sites. Reflective cracking has been the dominant distress at all three projects. Overall, it can be assessed that both construction and performance of the three pilot projects has been successful based on observations within this limited period of time. The results of the study were reflected in newly developed construction specifications for 6.3-mm mixes as well as construction guidelines and a manual of best practices. KW - Best practices KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Paving KW - Pennsylvania KW - Pilot projects KW - Reflection cracking KW - Ride quality KW - Skid resistance KW - Specifications KW - Thermal imaging UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2014-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424236 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01627908 AU - Zang, Li AU - Truax, Dennis AU - White, Thomas D AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - Mississippi Department of Transportation AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Exploring Innovational Solutions in Multimodal OD Data PY - 2016/06/15/Final Report SP - 47p AB - Origin destination (O/D) data are critically important in transportation planning. Real time O/D data can contribute to improving traffic operations and performance measures as well; however, these data are difficult to obtain. In the transportation planning process, the data are usually estimated through an expensive survey with only a small response percentage. While Bluetooth O/D equipment can provide some percentages of O/D data, it is not able to provide the comprehensive O/D data needed for transportation planning and operations. In addition, real time O/D data could be useful at diamond interchanges which consist of two signalized intersections. These traffic signals provide safety and mobility benefits; however, they are currently treated as an individual intersection on the arterial and the O/D traffic flow patterns are not considered to establish the traffic signal timing plan. Real time O/D data estimation at interchanges such as diverging diamond interchanges (DDI) is important for traffic signal optimization which could alleviate congestion and remove the typical DDI bottleneck, but O/D data are difficult to collect and even estimate in the field. This report presents two models to improve O/D estimates for both of these scenarios. The first model provides a means to determine an accurate O/D estimate from available O/D data (less than 100%) and traditional loop detector data, while the second model presents a method of determining real time O/D including congestion effects through a linear system at a diamond interchange. These two models are then verified through simulation and, with the assistance of the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), field data were collected and used to validate the model estimations and simulation results. KW - Diamond interchanges KW - Diverging diamond interchanges KW - Field data KW - Highway operations KW - Mississippi KW - Optimization KW - Origin and destination KW - Simulation KW - Traffic estimation KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Transportation planning KW - Validation UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-02FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445721 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608649 AU - Elhenawy, Mohammed AU - Jahangirl, Arash AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bicycle Naturalistic Data Collection PY - 2016/06/15/Final Research Report SP - 40p AB - Recently, bicycling has drawn more attention as a sustainable and eco-friendly mode of transportation. Between 2000 and 2011, bicycle commuting rates in the United States rose by 80% in large bicycle friendly cities (BFCs), by 32% in non-BFCs, and overall by 47%. On the other hand, about 700 cyclists are killed and nearly 50,000 are injured annually in bicycle–motor vehicle crashes in recent years in the United States. More than 30% of cyclist fatalities in the United States from 2008 to 2012 occurred at intersections, and up to 16% of bicycle-related crashes were due to cyclists’ violations at intersections. In light of these statistics, this project focused on investigating factors that affect cyclist behavior and predicting cyclist violations at intersections. Naturalistic cycling data were used to assess the feasibility of developing cyclist violation prediction models. Mixed-effects generalized regression model is used to analyze the data and identify the significant factor affecting the probability of violations by cyclists. At signalized intersections, right turn, side traffic and opposing traffic are statistically significant factors affecting the probability of red light violation. At stop-controlled intersections, the presence of other road users, left turn, right turn and warm weather are statistically significant factors affecting the probability of violations. Violation prediction models were developed for stop-controlled intersections based on kinetic data measured as cyclists approached the intersection. Prediction error rates were 0% to 10%, depending on how far from the intersection the prediction task was conducted. An error rate of 6% was obtained when the violating cyclist was at a time-to-intersection of about 2 seconds, which is sufficient for most motor vehicle drivers to respond. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Cyclists KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Intersections KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Probability KW - Regression analysis KW - Traffic violations KW - United States UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Elhenawy_Bicycle-Naturalistic-Data-Collection_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418057 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610856 AU - Koopmann, Jonathan AU - Zubrow, Alexis AU - Hansen, Andrew AU - Hwang, Sunje AU - Ahearn, Meghan AU - Solman, Gina AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) 2b User Guide PY - 2016/06/09 SP - 245p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Environment and Energy (FAA-AEE) has developed the Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) version 2b software system with the support of the following development team: FAA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), ATAC Corporation, Metron Aviation, CSSI, Inc., Foliage, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Georgia Tech. AEDT 2b is a software system that is designed to model aviation related operations in space and time to compute, noise, emissions, and fuel consumption. This User Guide provides information on setting up and running analyses with AEDT 2b. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Aircraft operations KW - Aviation Environmental Design Tool KW - Computer program documentation KW - Fuel consumption KW - Pollutants KW - Software UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59400/59493/AEDT2b_UserGuide.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422141 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602577 TI - A Driving Simulator Evaluation of Red Arrows and Flashing Yellow Arrows in Right Turn Applications AB - Permissive left-turn and right-turn intervals have historically been communicated to drivers using nearly every traffic signal indication available, including the circular green (CG), flashing circular red (FCR), flashing red arrow (FRA), flashing circular yellow (FCY), and flashing yellow arrow (FYA) indications. The National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and other research demonstrated that, by most measures, the FYA indication is the most effective for communicating permissive left-turns. Therefore, the FYA indication was included in the 2009 edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). More recently, agencies across the United States have increased the usage of FYA for use in right turns. While communicating the permissive nature of the right turn maneuver, the FYA has the added benefit of alerting drivers to the possible presence of conflicting pedestrians. The use of the MUTCD recommended display for this application is a four-section vertical with all arrow indications; however, this in turs results in a potentially confusing right turn on red condition for drivers facing a right red arrow. As the nationwide usage for FYA in right turn applications, there is specific need for research that addresses to critical elements: 1. What is driver comprehension of the FYA in right turn applications; and 2. What is driver comprehension of right turn on red requirements (RTOR) when facing a right red arrow. KW - Driving simulators KW - Evaluation KW - Flashing traffic signals KW - Left turns KW - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices KW - National Cooperative Highway Research Program KW - Right turn on red KW - Right turns KW - Traffic UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412967 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602587 TI - Examining Distracted Drivers’ Underestimation of Time and Overestimation of Speed AB - First, it is the case that humans are not all that good at estimating the length of a given interval of time even under the best of circumstances (Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999). Interval length estimation is defined as a subjective evaluation of the duration of a given interval of time. Most research that has focused on time perception either uses: (1) the retrospective paradigm or (2) the prospective paradigm (Sucala, Scheckner & David, 2010). With the retrospective paradigm, study participants are unaware that they will be asked to estimate the length of an interval. With the prospective paradigm, study participants are aware that they will be asked to estimate the duration of an interval while they are exposed to specific experimental stimuli or events. The results from the various studies point to cognitive load as the key factor impacting interval duration estimates for both retrospective and prospective paradigms. In the retrospective paradigm, participants overestimate the temporal interval with increasing task difficulty. Block and Reed (1978) use memory models to explain why this relation exists. Specifically, contextual changes encoded from one interval are used to make inferences about the time that has elapsed during the said interval. Since there are generally more contextual changes during high cognitive load tasks than low cognitive load tasks, the retrospective interval estimations are longer during the high cognitive load tasks. However, the results obtained in the prospective paradigm were just the opposite of those obtained in the retrospective paradigm. Now the participants were found to underestimate the temporal intervals with increasing task difficulty. Researchers explained these results using attentional models. The models assumed that with increasing task difficulty, cognitive resources were being preferentially allocated for task related information processing thereby leaving less room for temporal processing. Of the two paradigms, the prospective paradigm is arguably the one more closely related to the tasks that drivers face when performing in-vehicle tasks. And, disturbingly, it is the one in which the participants underestimate the duration of an interval, especially during high workload tasks. Speed being inversely proportional to time, any underestimation in time translates into an overestimation of speed. Why is this critical? A driver who underestimates time (thinks he/she has only 1.5 seconds when they actually have 2 seconds to complete a maneuver) will necessarily overestimate speed (travel faster relative to if they realized they had 2 seconds available) resulting in maneuvers that can be unsafe (e.g. rear end collisions) With respect to the speed selection process, the drivers’ perception of time is known to affect their choice of speed. Example, Consider an urban environment with a four-way, signal-controlled intersection. Consider the yellow phase. A driver can choose to go or stop. The drivers’ perception of time (to stop in time for the red light) quantified by their subjective estimation is a predictor of whether the driver will stop or go. As described above, the average drivers’ ability to estimate the length of an interval is not good at all thereby biasing his/her decision making in such a situation, what is typically a ‘dilemma zone’. Alternatively, consider a driver approaching a midblock crosswalk with a pedestrian approaching from the left side. Will the driver yield? Or will the driver proceed? Again, his/her perception of time affects their decision and this brings us to the first aim in specific. Aim 1 is to understand when the driver is engaged in the primary activity of driving and is also concurrently engaged in a secondary in-vehicle task (different tasks with varying levels of cognitive load), to what extent is his/her ability to perceive time and therefore appropriately select speed compromised (e.g. an extended texting task, a short text messaging task and/or a mock cellphone task)? Do spillover tasks cause drivers to further underestimate the duration of aninterval, thereby leading to riskier maneuvers characterized by poor speed selection, as compared to other similar in-vehicle tasks with mere switching effects? Samuel and Fisher (2015) show that spillover tasks adversely affect reacquisition of situation awareness on the forward roadway when engaged in a task that requires alternation of glances between the inside of the vehicle and the forward roadway. Further, there is what has been referred to as the Zeigarnik effect described as the tendency to feel frustrated if a task is not completed. In the context of driving, taking five short glances to finish a 10 s task will be more frustrating than taking two long glances. Griest-Bousquet and Schiffman (1992) found that participants overestimated the length of the time it took to complete ten tasks in a retrospective paradigm by some considerable amount when they were given twenty tasks, interrupted after completing ten, and asked to estimate the time it took to complete the ten tasks as opposed to being given ten tasks, allowed to complete then tenth task, and then asked to estimate the time it took to complete the ten tasks. Based on the wider set of results from studies of retrospective and prospective estimates of interval length, one would expect the Zeigarnik effect in a prospective task to lead to large underestimations of the duration of a given interval. And this in turn translates to large overestimations in speed choice. Aim 2: And then, the related secondary question is how do secondary in-vehicle tasks that require several short glances performed in conjunction with the primary activity of driving affect a drivers’ speed selection as opposed to ones that require few long glances (e.g. Navigation vs Texting). KW - Cognition KW - Distraction KW - Driver performance KW - Perception KW - Rear end crashes KW - Risk taking KW - Signalized intersections KW - Smartphones KW - Text messaging KW - Time UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412966 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602586 TI - Speeding on Curves and Potential Countermeasures: A Driving Simulator Assessment AB - Curves are typically associated with an increased safety risk with over 25 percent of all fatal crashes attributed to curves. Single-vehicle run of the road crashes account for approximately 70 percent of all curve-related fatal crashes (Srinivasan, 2009). Extensive research pinpoints that the causative behavioral factors (Charlton, 2007) that cause such crashes, e.g. inappropriate speed monitoring, poor lane positioning etc. often relate to the geometric properties of curves (Khan, Bill, Chitturi & Noyce, 2013). Curves at two-lane rural highways are known to present the most risk (Comte & Jamson, 2000). Several treatments have been proposed including dynamic warning signs, speed advisory signs, chevron delineators, pavement markings (e.g. directional arrows, centerline/shoulder rumble strips etc.) in order to induce speed reduction on curves (Charlton, 2007; Comte & Jamson, 2000; FHWA, 2009). Pavement markings qualify as perceptual countermeasures implying that they regulate driving behavior by manipulating the visual driving scene (typically; however, other auditory/tactile mechanisms exist – see Godley, 1999). The sensory feedback cues from the pavement markings create illusionary effects such as mirage of increased motion or lane narrowing/tunneling effects aimed at providing drivers with optimal speed and lateral control abilities. These illusions are known to benefit speed reduction and lateral control. While studies exist that demonstrate the effectiveness of pavement markings such as a transverse rumble strip or a forward/backwards pointing herringbone pattern in the presence of intersections or work zones (Godley, 1999; Jamson, Lai & Jamson, 2010), no such clear evidence exists for curves (Godley, 1999; McGee & Hanscom, 2006). The question here is multifold. Are there perceptual countermeasures that can regulate the speed of drivers at the entry and apex of a curve? Are these countermeasures equally effective for curves of different radii? While certain treatments are effective on long tangents, we are interested in understanding the effectiveness of these measures on shorter tangents as well. Since these are perceptual countermeasures that we are assessing, there is a need to ensure that the ability of a driver to anticipate latent hazards (a predictor of crashes) is not detrimentally impacted. KW - Countermeasures KW - Fatalities KW - Highway curves KW - Road markings KW - Rumble strips KW - Single vehicle crashes KW - Traffic crashes KW - Warning signs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412965 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602585 TI - Perception of Time Influences on Driver Speed Selection AB - In the United States, traffic crashes claim the lives of 30,000 people every year and is the leading cause of death for 5-24 year olds. Speed selection is a crucial task for human drivers and is one of the most important factors in traffic safety. As speed increases, the risk of a crash increases greatly in both rural and urban areas. Speed selection has been thoroughly investigated as it relates to roadway design, but there remains a gap in understanding as to how a driver’s “perception of time” impacts their speed selection. In 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted a nationwide survey of 6,144 households to ask people the reasons why they sped. “I’m Late” was most common response with 35% of responses and “In a hurry” was further down the list with 7% of responses. This project proposes to utilize a driving simulator study along with a small naturalistic driving study in order to validate the findings from this survey by investigating how a driver’s “perception of time” impacts their speed selection. Initially, a small group of participants will be equipped with Ubipix, a smartphone app that captures speed and position every second and combines that with video captured from the smartphone. The participants will record their daily commute for two weeks using the app. These data will be supplemented by a journal that participants will use each day to log their desired arrival time to/from work. The journal will provide insight as to the driver’s perception of time. This form of data collection will also allow us to investigate how extra delay from traffic signals, or slow drivers, impacts a driver’s speed selection. The second component to this project is a driving simulator study. Various scenarios will be designed to manipulate driver’s perception of time. Driver's hypothesize that if the NHTSA survey is to be believed, then drivers who are “running late” will select speeds higher than drivers who are “In a hurry” or the control scenario. Other metrics which will be used to evaluate the participants’ desire to minimize travel time include: the number of passing maneuvers, willingness to run a yellow light, and willingness to stop for a pedestrian at a crosswalk. The improved understanding of how “perception of time” impacts driver performance could immediately contribute to driver education programs. In the future, such knowledge could translate to in-vehicle warning systems which could personally tailor excessive speed warnings based on knowledge of the specific driver’s schedule. KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Fatalities KW - Perception KW - Time KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic speed KW - Travel surveys UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412964 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602583 TI - A Field and Simulator Evaluation of All-Red Clearance Intervals for use in Left Turn Applications AB - Permissive left-turn and right-turn intervals have historically been communicated to drivers using nearly every traffic signal indication available, including the circular green (CG), flashing circular red (FCR), flashing red arrow (FRA), flashing circular yellow (FCY), and flashing yellow arrow (FYA) indications. National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and other research demonstrated that, by most measures, the FYA indication is the most effective for communicating permissive left-turns (1, 2). Therefore, the FYA indication was included in the 2009 edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) (3). Since that time, most agencies have embraced use of the FYA and, to some extent, flashing red arrow (FRA) indications. The permissive left turn movement communicated by the FYA indication requires drivers to yield to oncoming traffic, while the FRA indication requires them to stop before proceeding to make the left-turn. How traffic signals transition from a protected left-turn indication to the FYA and FRA is not well defined and varies across the country. Specifically, there is no clear national guidance on the need for and the extent of clearance and change intervals when transitioning from a protected left-turn phase to a permissive left-turn [FYA/FRA] phase. Furthermore, there is a specific need for guidance on the duration of any associated change/clearance intervals given their impact on safety. The primary objective of this research is to develop recommendations for the use and duration of solid yellow arrow change and solid red arrow clearance intervals after a leading left-turn solid green arrow transitioning to a permissive left-turn FYA or FRA. The evaluation will be based on safety (human factors) and operational efficiency considerations. The recommendations developed in this research will help agencies choose the most appropriate transition from a protected left-turn phase to a permissive left-turn phase. KW - Flashing traffic signals KW - Left turn phase KW - Left turns KW - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices KW - Permissive phasing KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic signal phases UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412963 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602582 TI - Safety Evaluation of Urban Freight Deliveries using Microsimulation and Surrogate Safety Measures AB - The movement and delivery of goods is a necessary part of the transportation system. In urban areas, the freight deliveries to businesses and residences are often associated with a truck that double parks in front of the delivery location. Double parked trucks block a lane of traffic and force other vehicles in the traffic stream to change lanes in order to maneuver around them. In addition to causing congestion, this disruption to traffic flow affects safety, because there is an increase in the number of interactions that are forced to occur between vehicles. The proposed research seeks to quantify the effect of double parked freight delivery vehicles on traffic safety using surrogate safety measures associated with vehicle interactions. KW - Delivery vehicles KW - Freight traffic KW - Microsimulation KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic safety KW - Trucks KW - Urban goods movement UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412960 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602581 TI - Global Road Safety, Online Course Development AB - This course introduces students to the status, research, and prevention efforts related to global road safety, including fatal and non-fatal injuries. As one of the fastest growing causes of death around the world, with disproportionate risk in low income countries, this is a topic of increasing global health priority. The course includes modules on road safety trends and culture, road safety research, human factors, and environment, with a focus on many modes of transportation. The road safety research module includes sections on epidemiological methods, simulation research, and naturalistic approaches. The course is designed for upper-level undergraduates and above. The intended audience is students in areas such as: public health, nursing, medicine, geography, international studies, urban and regional planning, engineering, social work, psychology, sociology, global health studies, health promotion, health studies, and leisure studies. This is a student-inquiry based course, which uses interactive and discovery-based teaching methods rather than lecture formats. KW - Crash injuries KW - Developing countries KW - Fatalities KW - Globalization KW - Highway safety KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Prevention KW - Public health KW - Training programs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412959 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602579 TI - Advanced Vehicle Technology Simulation and Research Outreach to STEM Programs AB - Vehicle safety technology is rapidly changing and evolving overnight. Many drivers find themselves behind the wheel of vehicles that have advanced safety technologies that not only provide support during a crash, but have the ability to prevent the crash from ever occurring. However, studies show that drivers have limited or uncertain knowledge about how the vehicle technologies work (McDonald, McGehee, et al., 2015). Additionally, the Principal Investigators are faced with a younger population that is becoming less and less interested in becoming drivers or being engaged in the driving task at all. It is critical that not only experienced drivers, but also young and novice drivers have a firm understanding of how to effectively interact with vehicle technologies, so they are adequately prepared behind the wheel. Effective and appropriate use of vehicle technologies will make roads safer and continue to save lives and prevent injuries. The University of Iowa (UI) Public Policy Center (PPC) and the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS) have a dedicated museum exhibit in the UI’s Mobile Museum. The PPC and NADS exhibit will showcase human factors, transportation and simulation research completed at the University. Additionally, the main feature of the exhibit includes a miniSIM experience that allows visitors to experience advanced vehicle technologies such as blind spot warning, forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control in a realistic environment. The exhibit is meant to not only motivate consumers to understand how advanced vehicle safety technologies work most effectively, but also introduce young students to the importance of vehicle safety technology and human factors research. The PPC and NADS are hopeful that an interactive and lucrative presentation space will encourage young adults and young students to explore the world of vehicle and transportation research. KW - Adaptive control KW - Advanced driver information systems KW - Blind spots KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Driver support systems KW - Driving simulators KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - National Advanced Driving Simulator KW - Outreach KW - Technological innovations KW - University of Iowa KW - Vehicle safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412958 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602574 TI - Do Prohibitive Warnings Improve Road-Crossing Safety for Texting and Non-Texting Pedestrians? AB - Pedestrian injuries and deaths caused by collisions with motor vehicles are a major health problem in the United States (NHTSA, 2015). In 2013 alone, 4,735 pedestrians were killed and 66,000 were injured in traffic crashes. Both field observations and controlled experiments indicate that distraction from mobile device use is a significant risk factor for pedestrian injuries. Despite the importance of the problem, relatively little is known about effective interventions to reduce the harmful effects mobile device use on pedestrian road-crossing behavior. The overarching goal of this project is to investigate how mobile devices can be used to assist pedestrians in making safe road crossings. The project will develop a cell phone app that warns pedestrians when they initiate unsafe road crossings and test the app in state-of-the-art pedestrian simulator. The project builds on first Safer-Sim grant that investigated permissive alerts (ones that indicate when it is safe to cross). The project found that texting pedestrians who were given permissive alerts took safer gaps than those without these alerts. However, they also paid much less attention to the traffic, relying on the alert system to identify when it was safe to cross. This project will develop and test prohibitive alerts (ones that indicate when it is unsafe to cross). The project hypothesize that prohibitive alerts will lead to safer gap choices for texting pedestrians without the decrease in visual attention to traffic that we found with permissive alerts. The results will inform the design of Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) communication systems based on Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) technologies being incorporated into vehicles. This project will promote multidisciplinary training by providing collaborative research experiences to a diverse set of undergraduate and graduate students in psychological science and computer science. KW - Behavior KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Distraction KW - Pedestrians KW - Safety KW - Simulation KW - State of the art KW - Text messaging UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407536 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01625816 AU - Maheshwari, Sharad K AU - Hampton University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing the Impact of Driving Simulator Experience on the Reduction of Cell-Phone Distraction Among Adult Drivers PY - 2016/06 SP - 70p AB - Use of electronic devices, especially cell phones while driving, is causing havoc on U.S. highways. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) reports over 5000 fatalities due to driver inattention; a vast majority of inattention is due to cell phone use. Research shows that one specific use of cell phone, "Texting While Driving," causes longer inattention and is thus more dangerous. Young and adult drivers alike are increasingly using cell phones for various activities while driving. The majority of states and localities in the U.S. have enacted rules which have some kind of restrictions on Texting While Driving. Besides law enforcement, educational and/or public service efforts are also being made to curb Texting While Driving and other cell phone usage. This research addresses one of the issues in educational efforts. Main objectives of the research were (1) to measure impact of driving simulation experience on attitude of adult drivers towards cell phone usage during driving and (2) to measure the differences in change in safety perception of cell phone use after education based on drivers’ and other characteristics. A field experiment was designed to investigate these two objectives. This experiment was conducted in a medium size City in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 100 randomly selected adult drivers participated in the study. The experiment was conducted using an in-vehicle driving simulator. During the experiment, simulated driving, drivers were asked to use the cell phone as they would normally use it while driving their own vehicle. During simulation, participants saw reduction/changes in the driving performance on the simulator screen while they were engaged in the cell phone related activities. These changes included slowing down, crossing over a lane, jumping red lights, crashing vehicle, etc. Two different survey instruments were administered to drivers, one before and one after their experience in the driving simulator. The drivers were expected to modify her/his perception towards cell phone usage after visualizing impairment/reduction in driving performance caused by the cell phone usages during driving. About 91% of drivers reported using the cell phone for various activities including texting, emailing, searching for directions, etc. The majority of drivers also reported using the cell phone often while driving. 70% or more drivers reported that they follow traffic rules, follow speed limits and generally consider themselves a safe driver. After the simulator experience there was significant improvement in the driver’s perception of danger of “texting-while-driving.” More than 81% of drivers rated the cell phone more dangerous after simulator experience. On average there was a 0.66 improvement of perception of danger of texting while driving measured on the 5-point Likert scale. Some demographic and other driver characteristics showed significant relationship to the improvement in perception of danger of texting while driving. KW - Attitudes KW - Behavior modification KW - Cellular telephones KW - Distraction KW - Driving simulators KW - Risk perception KW - Text messaging UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-01FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445638 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01625815 AU - Hill, Travis W AU - Saunders, Chase AU - Walden, Clay AU - Mississippi State University, Canton AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Supply Chain and Inventory Management Through Intermodal Logistics Analysis PY - 2016/06 SP - 33p AB - More collaboration is needed between transportation (trucking and rail) and industry. Often transportation requests are last minute decisions made by manufacturers many times with the expectation that trucks and/or trains are always available. The problem is made worse because the manufacturer has usually known weeks in advance of the need. As a result, this leads to increased logistics costs, reduction in efficiency, and can cause avoidable delays. Logistic costs increase due to the last minute requirement of finding drivers. Experienced, professional truck drivers are a vanishing breed. Efficiency is impacted because the options (all truck or truck and rail combinations) to meet the customer’s needs are greatly reduced and if the logistic company cannot allocate the necessary resources, delivery delays are certain. In addition, customer inventory management policy also has an impact on supplier operations. For example, if a customer only checks the levels of certain raw materials once a month. The customer adversely causes a demand spike for their supplier and the supplier must man their system to handle these instances. This project develops a web-based system (software and hardware) to help reduce costs through collaboration between trucking, rail and industry for domestic transportation. To achieve this, the concept of Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) will be applied to the liquid and dry bulk freight industry. A software system called eVMI is developed to help decision makers alleviate the aforementioned issues with labor by reducing the number of long haul drivers required, reducing logistics cost by providing the logistic companies with data in a timely manner, improving safety by relying on rail for long distance transfers as opposed to using trucks, and helping to smooth both logistic requirements and supplier demand patterns. The project also provides a case study that illustrates how the toolset can be applied in a real setting. KW - Case studies KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Inventory control KW - Logistics KW - Supply chain management KW - Vendor managed inventory KW - Web-based systems UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-19FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445639 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01609807 AU - Ioannou, Petros AU - Zhang, Yihang AU - Zhao, Yanbo AU - National Center for Sustainable Transportation AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Flow Models and Impact of Combined Lane Change and Speed Limit Control on Environment in Case of High Truck Traffic Volumes: A National Center for Sustainable Transportation Research Report PY - 2016/06 SP - 33p AB - This report presents the work performed in collaboration with University of California, Riverside (UCR) as part of a project to University of California, Davis funded by the California Energy Commission (CEC). The aim of the project is to research intelligent traffic control strategies, which will have positive impact on the environment by reducing fuel consumption and pollution levels in areas where the truck volume is relatively high, using as an example for demonstration a network adjacent to the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The work is divided into two parts. The first part involves the development of a microscopic traffic simulation network in a selected area around the Ports of Long Beach/Los Angeles in collaboration with UCR to be used for simulation studies of different Intelligent Transportation Technologies for traffic flow control. The second part deals with the evaluation of the impact of combined variable speed limit (VSL) and lane change control on the environment during highway incidents where the volume of trucks is relatively high. The authors use the simulation model developed in the first part to carry out microscopic Monte-Carlo traffic flow simulations of traffic in order to evaluate the benefits of combined VSL and lane change control during incidents on I-710 that involve closure of lanes and capacity drops. The authors demonstrated that this combined control strategy is able to generate consistent improvements with respect to travel time, safety, and environmental impact under different traffic conditions and incident scenarios. KW - Lane changing KW - Los Angeles Metropolitan Area KW - Monte Carlo method KW - Speed limits KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic models KW - Truck traffic KW - Variable speed limits UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/06-08-2016-Ioannou_FinalReport_NCST-format.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5cv95fq/1/producer%2FNCST-201606.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416849 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608688 AU - Taylor, Catherine L AU - Hyde, David J AU - Barr, Lawrence C AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Aeronautics and Space Administration TI - Hyperloop Commercial Feasibility Analysis: High Level Overview PY - 2016/06//Final Report SP - 47p AB - Hyperloop is a concept for very high-speed, fixed-guideway, intercity surface transportation, using capsule-like vehicles that operate in sealed partial-vacuum tubes. This report provide a high-level evaluation of hyperloop in terms of its commercial potential, environmental impact, costs, safety issues, and regulatory issues and to identify hurdles to its commercial and/or operational feasibility. KW - Commercial transportation KW - Costs KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation KW - Feasibility analysis KW - High speed ground transportation KW - Intercity transportation KW - Regulations KW - Safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59393/DOT-VNTSC-NASA-16-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1417887 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01607607 AU - Agrawal, Asha Weinstein AU - Nixon, Hilary AU - San Jose State University AU - Metropolitan Transportation Commission AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - What Do Americans Think About Federal Tax Options to Support Public Transit, Highways, and Local Streets and Roads? Results from Year Seven of a National Survey PY - 2016/06//Final Report SP - 131p AB - This report summarizes the results of year seven of a national random-digit-dial public opinion poll asking 1,503 respondents if they would support various tax options for raising federal transportation revenues, with a special focus on understanding support for increasing revenues for public transit. Ten specific tax options tested were variations on raising the federal gas tax rate, creating a new mileage tax, and creating a new federal sales tax. Other questions probed perceptions related to public transit, including knowledge and opinions about federal taxes to support transit. In addition, the survey collected data on standard sociodemographic factors, travel behavior (public transit usage, annual miles driven, and vehicle fuel efficiency), respondents’ views on the quality of their local transportation system, their priorities for government spending on transportation in their state, and environmental concerns. All of this information is used to assess support levels for the tax options among different population subgroups. The survey results show that a majority of Americans would support higher taxes for transportation – under certain conditions. For example, a gas tax increase of 10¢ per gallon to improve road maintenance was supported by 75% of respondents, whereas support levels dropped to just 31% if the revenues were to be used more generally to maintain and improve the transportation system. For tax options in which the revenues were to be spent for undefined transportation purposes, support levels varied considerably by what kind of tax would be imposed, with a sales tax much more popular than either a gas tax increase or a new mileage tax. With respect to public transit, the survey results show that most people want good public transit service in their state. In addition, two-thirds of respondents supported spending gas tax revenues on transit. However, questions exploring different methods to raise new revenues found relatively low levels of support for raising gas tax or transit fare rates. Also, not all respondents were well informed about how transit is funded, with only half knowing that fares do not cover the full cost of transit. KW - Demographics KW - Financing KW - Highways KW - Mileage-based user fees KW - Public opinion KW - Public transit KW - Surveys KW - Taxes UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1528-road-and-transit-taxes-public-opinion-survey-2016.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm57m4wm3/1/producer%2FCA-MTI-16-1528.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412419 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604944 AU - Maheshwari, Sharad K AU - Hampton University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing Impact of Driving Simulator Experience on Reduction of Cell-phone Distraction among Adult Drivers PY - 2016/06 SP - 70p AB - Use of electronic devices, especially cell phones while driving, is causing havoc on U.S. highways. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports over 5000 fatalities due to driver inattention; a vast majority of inattention is due to cell phone use. Research shows that one specific use of cell phone, Texting While Driving, causes longer inattention and is thus more dangerous. Young and adult drivers alike are increasingly using cell phones for various activities while driving. The majority of states and localities in the U.S. have enacted rules which put some kind of restrictions on Texting While Driving. Besides law enforcement, educational and/or public service efforts are also being made to curb Texting While Driving and other cell phone usage. This research addresses one of the issues in educational efforts. Main objectives of the research were (1) to measure impact of driving simulation experience on attitude of adult drivers towards cell phone usage during driving and (2) to measure the differences in change in safety perception of cell phone use after education based on drivers’ and other characteristics. A field experiment was designed to investigate these two objectives. This experiment was conducted in a medium size city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 100 randomly selected adult drivers participated in the study. The experiment was conducted using an in-vehicle driving simulator. During the experiment, simulated driving, drivers were asked to use the cell phone as they would normally use it while driving their own vehicle. During simulation, participants saw reduction/changes in the driving performance on the simulator screen while they were engaged in the cell phone related activities. These changes included slowing down, crossing over a lane, jumping red lights, crashing vehicle, etc. Two different survey instruments were administered to drivers, one before and one after their experience in the driving simulator. The drivers were expected to modify her/his perception towards cell phone usage after visualizing impairment/reduction in driving performance caused by the cell phone usages during driving. About 91% of drivers reported using the cell phone for various activities including texting, emailing, searching for directions, etc. The majority of drivers also reported using the cell phone often while driving. 70% or more drivers reported that they follow traffic rules, follow speed limits and generally consider themselves a safe driver. After the simulator experience there was significant improvement in a driver’s perception of the danger of Texting While Driving. More than 81% of drivers rated the cell phone more dangerous after their simulator experience. On an average there was a 0.66 improvement on perception of danger of Texting While Driving measured on the 5-point Likert scale. Some demographic and other driver characteristics showed significant relationship to the improvement in perception of danger of Texting While Driving. KW - Attitudes KW - Before and after studies KW - Cellular telephones KW - Distraction KW - Driver education KW - Driver performance KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Text messaging UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-01FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416951 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604934 AU - Zhang, Li AU - Fulcher, William Case AU - Zhang, Lei AU - Green, John K AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intermodal Transportation Systems Risk Analysis and Resilience in New Madrid Seismic Zone: the Impact to Mississippi PY - 2016/06 SP - 46p AB - Being one of the nation’s top intermodal hubs, the Memphis area is vulnerable to large scale disasters, especially a large earthquake. This research presents two results. One a framework that visualizes transportation system risk profiles, with a particular focus on earthquakes, and another a model that uses this information to optimize recovery strategies. The first uses data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to create a risk probability map that is used to create individual risk profiles that are combined to form a cumulative risk profile. The second is the combination of a constructor, ordering algorithm, and traffic simulator that optimizes recovery strategies. The presented framework and model can be utilized together for simulation purposes, or separately where the first can be used to easily visualize failure probabilities to assist with planning and where the second can be used to determine effective recovery strategies in the aftermath of any disaster, not exclusively a seismic event. This framework and model provide valuable information that can be used to improve the Memphis area infrastructure system by improving infrastructure resilience and emergency recovery strategies and have the ability to be calibrated to any area of concern with minimal effort. KW - Disaster recovery KW - Disasters KW - Earthquakes KW - Framework (Planning) KW - Infrastructure KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mississippi KW - New Madrid Seismic Zone KW - Risk analysis KW - Simulation KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-17FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416950 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604933 AU - Zhang, Li AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real-Time Transit Vehicle Routing Optimization in Intermodal Emergency Evacuations PY - 2016/06 SP - 105p AB - Since Hurricane Katrina, extensive studies have been conducted aiming to optimize transit vehicle routing in an emergency evacuation. However, the vast majority of the studies focus on solving the deterministic vehicle routing problem, in which all evacuation data are known in advance. These studies are generally not practical in dealing with real-world problems that involve considerable uncertainty in the evacuation data set. In this project, a SmartEvac system is developed for dynamic vehicle routing optimization in an emergency evacuation. The SmartEvac system is capable of processing dynamic evacuation data—such as random pickup requests, travel time change, and network interruptions—in real time. The objective is to minimize the total travel time for all transit vehicles. A column generation based online optimization model is integrated into the SmartEvac system. The optimization model is based on two structures: a master problem model and a sub-problem model. The master problem model is used for route selection from a restricted routes set, while the sub-problem model is developed to progressively add new routes into the restricted routes set. The sub-problem is formulated as a shortest path problem with capacity constraints and is solved using a cycle elimination algorithm. When the evacuation data are updated, the SmartEvac system will reformulate the optimization model and generate new routes set based on the existing routes set. The computational results on benchmark problems are compared to the results from other studies in the literature. The SmartEvac system outperforms the other approaches on most of the benchmark problems in terms of computation time and solution quality. CORSIM simulation is used as a test bed for the SmartEvac system. CORSIM RunTime-Extension is developed for communications between the simulation and the SmartEvac system. A case study of the Hurricane Gustav emergency evacuation is conducted, where different scenarios corresponding to the different situations that happened in the Hurricane Gustav emergency evacuation are proposed to evaluate the performance of the SmartEvac system in response to real-time data. The average processing time is 28.9 seconds, and the maximum processing time is 171 seconds, which demonstrates the SmartEvac system’s capability of real-time vehicle routing optimization on an Intel Core I5 Laptop. The dynamic vehicle routing optimization model is deployed and implemented to a web-based online service system to allow transit agencies or drivers to exchange necessary data. KW - Case studies KW - CORSIM (Traffic simulation model) KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Evacuation KW - Hurricane Gustav, 2008 KW - Minimization KW - Optimization KW - Real time data processing KW - Routing KW - Transit vehicle operations KW - Travel time UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-15FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416949 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604930 AU - Swann, Charles AU - Mullen, Chris AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Predicting Erosion Impact on Highway and Railway Bridge Substructures PY - 2016/06 SP - 62p AB - Detailed finite element analysis is performed to characterize the dynamic characteristics of two bridges identified in the study area. The two bridges lie in different geologic formations such that one was designed with a deep foundation system and the other with a shallow one. Fixed base models highlight the significant difference in fundamental frequencies for the two structural systems even when the different foundations are not considered. Soil-structure interaction models are developed to incorporate the soil and foundation elements and account for scour conditions. The deep foundation or flexible system is used to characterize the effect of soil-structure interaction and the influence of scour, first on the dynamic characteristics and then on the response to a simulated earthquake event. Changes in dynamic characteristics are evaluated for a symmetric scour scenario in which the stream bed depends to a depth justified by current conditions observed in the field projected to a depth likely in the operational life of the bridge. Vibration modes involving horizontal movement of the deck mass exhibit a noticeable reduction in frequency which would make them more excitable under significant excitations. An earthquake scenario of the type used in emergency management plans for the study region is used to assess the effect of scour on vulnerability to ground motion. An asymmetric scour scenario is used in which the footings of one of the two piers closest to the stream is left completely exposed. Simulated time history response is computed for the flexible system with and without scour. Acceleration response time histories are presented that show a significant increase in the transverse acceleration which tends to increase the instability of the system. The supporting erosion/scour studies identified substantial erosion resulting from the negative consequences of channelization, easily erodible geologic materials, and inadequate erosion mitigation measures. Past practices have ignored the “under-bridge” stream which is the primary agent of erosion. Stream geometry should be recorded on design plans and monitored as part of standard bridge inspection practices. KW - Bridge foundations KW - Bridge substructures KW - Earthquakes KW - Erosion KW - Finite element method KW - Highway bridges KW - Railroad bridges KW - Scour KW - Soil structure interaction UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-25FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416957 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604580 AU - Geyer, Michael AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Earth-Referenced Aircraft Navigation and Surveillance Analysis PY - 2016/06//Project Memorandum SP - 274p AB - This document addresses a basic function of aircraft (and other vehicle) surveillance and navigation systems analyses — quantifying the geometric relationship of two or more locations relative to each other and to the earth. Here, geometry means distances and angles, including their projections in a defined coordinate frame. Applications that fit well with these methods include (a) planning a vehicle’s route; (b) determining the coverage region of a radar or radio installation; and (c) calculating a vehicle’s latitude and longitude from measurements (e.g., of slant- and spherical-ranges or range differences, azimuth and elevation angles, and altitudes). The approach advocated is that the three-dimensional problems inherent in navigation/surveillance analyses should, to the extent possible, be re-cast as a sequence of sub-problems: Vertical-Plane Formulation; Spherical-Surface Formulation; Three-Dimensional Vector Formulation; and Non-Linear Least-Squares (NLLS) Formulation. These techniques are applied, in the context of a spherical earth, to a series of increasingly complex situations, starting with two problem-specific points (e.g., a route’s origin and destination) and extending to three or more points (e.g., an aircraft and multiple surveillance/navigation stations). Closed-form solutions are presented for measurements involving virtually every combination of ranges, pseudo ranges, azimuth/elevation angles and altitude. The Gauss-Newton NLLS methodology is employed to address the most complex situations. These include circumstances where there are more measurements than unknowns and/or the measurement ‘equations’ cannot be inverted analytically (including those for an ellipsoidal-shaped earth) and/or are not analytic expressions (e.g., involve empirical data). KW - Aircraft pilotage KW - Aircraft routing KW - Georeferencing (Flight plans) KW - Latitude KW - Longitude KW - Radar air traffic control KW - Radio navigation KW - Surveillance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59358/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-16-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414856 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604578 AU - Van Eikema Hommes, Qi D AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Assessment of Safety Standards for Automotive Electronic Control Systems PY - 2016/06 SP - 49p AB - This report summarizes the results of a study that assessed and compared six industry and government safety standards relevant to the safety and reliability of automotive electronic control systems. These standards include ISO 26262 (Road Vehicles - Functional Safety), MIL-STD-882E (Department of Defense Standard Practice, System Safety), DO-178C (Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification), Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, AUTOSAR (Automotive Open System Architecture), and MISRA C (Guidelines for the Use of the C Language in Critical Systems). The assessment was carried out along the following 11 dimensions: (1) type of standard, (2) definition of safety and hazard, (3) identification of safety requirements, (4) hazard and safety analysis methods, (5) management of safety requirements, (6) risk assessment approach, (7) design for safety approach, (8) software safety, (9) system life cycle consideration, (10) human factors consideration, and (11) approach for review, audit, and certification. The observed strengths and limitations of the standards studied in this report could support the future development of a robust functional safety approach for automotive electronic control systems. KW - Automobiles KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards KW - Safety standards KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59359/812285_ElectronicsReliabilityReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414863 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603614 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - State Summaries: 2012 Commodity Flow Survey PY - 2016/06 SP - 157p AB - The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) is conducted as part of the Census Bureau’s Economic Census, occurring every five years. It is the primary source of national and state-level data on domestic freight shipments in the United States. The survey sampled approximately 100,000 business establishments quarterly in 2012. The CFS measures domestic freight flows from establishments in mining, manufacturing, wholesale, and selected retail industries, as well as shipments from auxiliary establishments. The 2012 CFS was undertaken through a partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) and Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Census Bureau. This report summarizes and highlights freight shipments for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. It provides tables for each state’s value and weight of shipments, major commodities shipped, mode of transportation used, distance shipped, state of origin, state of destination, and industry. KW - Commodity flow KW - Distance KW - Freight transportation KW - Industries KW - Origin and destination KW - Shipments KW - States KW - Surveys KW - Ton miles KW - Transportation modes KW - United States KW - Weight UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/2012 CFS State Summary Report_5-26-16_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412908 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01602595 AU - Barami, Bahar AU - Merrefield, Clark AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Beyond Traffic 2045 Reimagining Transportation: Technology, Disruptive Innovation, and the Future of Transportation PY - 2016/06//Final Report SP - 25p AB - This report summarizes key findings from the "Beyond Traffic 2045 Reimagining Transportation" thought leadership speaker series held at the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in the fall and winter of 2015. The contents are presented under the following headings: Imagining Our Transportation Future; Advancing the Conversation Beyond Traffic; Innovation and Decision Making; Safety and Mobility; Sustainability; and How Volpe's Thought Leadership Engages Stakeholders. KW - Decision making KW - Future KW - Innovation KW - Leadership KW - Mobility KW - Stakeholders KW - Sustainable development KW - Transportation KW - Transportation safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59268/Beyond_Traffic_2045_Reimagining_Transportation_June_2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412904 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604940 AU - Howard, Isaac L AU - Cost, V Tim AU - Timpson, Chris AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Beneficial Reuse of Dredged Soil – Transferring Portland-Limestone Cement and Geosynthetics Technology Toward Sustainable Solutions to Dredged Material Management PY - 2016/05/31/Final Report SP - 198p AB - This report summarizes a technology transfer event held on May 24, 2016 on Mississippi State University’s campus. LafargeHolcim and TenCate™ supported this event and provided technical presentations from subject matter experts. This report contains the presentation slides used by presenters with very slight non-technical modifications to facilitate presentation in this report. Also, an executive summary of the event from the perspective of the presenters is also provided. KW - Dredged materials KW - Geosynthetics KW - Geotextiles KW - Geotubes KW - Materials management KW - Portland limestone cement KW - Ports KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-03FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416964 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613811 AU - Senzig, David A AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - TigerShark Noise Flight Test at Griffiss Airport PY - 2016/05/27 SP - 2p AB - This memorandum documents preliminary results of the noise flight test conducted on the Navmar TigerShark UAS at Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York on May 17, 2016. This memorandum is intended to provide a preliminary summary of the data collected during the test. A full report will be provided after additional data processing. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Flight tests KW - Griffiss International Airport UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59600/59656/Marsan_letter_report_signed.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1425527 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603500 AU - Songchitruksa, Praprut AU - Bibeka, Apoorba AU - Lin, Lu (Irene) AU - Zhang, Yunlong AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Incorporating Driver Behaviors into Connected and Automated Vehicle Simulation PY - 2016/05/24 SP - 104p AB - The adoption of connected vehicle (CV) technology is anticipated at various levels of development and deployment over the next decade. One primary challenge with these new technologies is the lack of platform to enable a robust and reliable evaluation of their benefits given the complexity of interactions among wireless communications, algorithms, and human behaviors. Underlying driver behavior models in microscopic simulation are not always well-suited for modern applications using CV and automated vehicle (AV) technology. This study proposed a framework for incorporating realistic driver behaviors into a microscopic traffic simulation for AV/CV applications using VISSIM microscopic simulation software. The framework consists of three levels of driver behavior adjustment: event-based, continuous, and semiautomated/automated driver behavior adjustment. The framework provides several examples and details on how various applications can be properly modeled in a traffic simulation environment. To demonstrate the framework, researchers conducted a case study of a simulation evaluation of cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC). CACC enables the vehicles to follow each other in a very tight spacing (also known as platooning) using wireless connectivity and automated longitudinal control. The case study shows that a modified driver model can be successfully used in the simulation to evaluate the benefits of AV/CV applications such as CACC with respect to their mobility, safety, and environmental performance. KW - Autonomous intelligent cruise control KW - Behavior KW - Case studies KW - Drivers KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic simulation KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ATLAS-Research-Report-Songchitruksa-ATLAS-2016-13.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412076 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603494 AU - Baas, Jessica AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Yowell, Ryan AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Transportation System Existing Conditions PY - 2016/05/20/Final Report SP - 34p AB - Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore ("the Lakeshore") is a significant regional destination along southern Lake Michigan. The Lakeshore manages scenic, fragile dunes and other ecosystems within its jurisdiction. The Lakeshore's transportation system supports access to not only its resources but also a number of gateway communities. This summary of existing transportation-related conditions provides an overview of multimodal access to and within the Lakeshore. The issues and concerns explored at the end of this document provide a framework for potential projects that can be implemented in the short term to address transportation issues. Key concerns at the Lakeshore include: (1) congestion and traffic safety; (2) parking lot capacity; (3) trail connections; (4) bicycle and pedestrian connections from rail to lake; and (5) underutilization of alternative modes. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore KW - Multimodal transportation KW - National parks KW - Parking KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic safety KW - Trails KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59219/INDU_Existing_Conditions.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409718 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01625813 AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - Colarossi, David AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effects of Safety Culture & Leadership on Accident Rates Among Transportation Workers PY - 2016/05/15 SP - 51p AB - Workplace accidents have a devastating effect on the transportation industry. Corporate safety culture has inspired interest because it is thought to influence the performance of employees. However, the implementation and measurement of safety culture interventions are challenged by a lack of theoretically supported measures. The purpose of this project is to discuss the design and validation of the Safety Culture Scale (SCS) and its utility in improving roadway safety through community involvement and assessment. The SCS was developed by creating it consistent with the three themes (values, meaning, and behavioral expectations). The survey instrument was administered to a large sample of employees of a large public transportation agency (N=1909). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) compared the fit of likely models. One-way between groups analysis of variance and post hoc tests provided initial evidence of the validity and reliability of the SCS as a measure for the transportation industry in that the scale was able to significantly differentiate (p<.05) between persons who had been involved in more accidents and safety violations, thus demonstrating the relationship between safety culture and accident rates.. Implications of these findings are that the safety culture survey could be used to assess safety awareness and safety culture of trucking or transport companies, small communities, and other organizations involved in transport. By carefully monitoring scores on the SCS, efforts could be made in various communities and organizations to improve attitudes towards safety and ultimately to reduce accidents and improve road safety. KW - Attitudes KW - Corporate culture KW - Employees KW - Labor force KW - Leadership KW - Safety culture KW - Safety Culture Scale (SCS) KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transportation safety KW - Trucking UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-22FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445636 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01625811 AU - Hedman, Briana AU - Garriott, Patton AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Factors Affecting Recruitment Retention of Intermodal Transportation Workforce: Inclusion, Advancement, Vocational Interests & Selection PY - 2016/05/15 SP - 69p AB - This report summarizes two projects that were intended to explore the factors related to retaining and recruiting transportation workers, specifically through perceptions of workplace climate and likelihood of choosing a career in transportation. Project #1 was designed to develop the Inclusiveness Inventory, a measure of inclusiveness that was based on the integration of prior research and theory. Test construction consisted of conceptual item development, expert review, and editing by members of the participating organization to improve clarity. Survey items were administered to employees at a large, mid-western transit agency as part of a larger study on workplace climate. This paper explored the structure of the Inclusiveness Inventory by factor analysis. The hypothesized factors of the Inclusiveness Inventory included the dimensions of diversity climate, fairness, belongingness, uniqueness, and discrimination. Secondly, this study evaluated the reliability and relationship of the Inclusiveness Inventory to employee job satisfaction and intention to quit. The results suggested a three-factor model and higher scores were related to greater job satisfaction and lower intention to quit. The results were considered in relationship to the implications and suggested directions for future research. The purpose of Project #2 was to examine predictors of transportation career intentions across a sample of potential applications. A sample (N = 263) of students completed measures of: evaluative attitudes, social norms, anticipated sexism, perceived dissimilarity to individuals in the transportation field, and transportation career intentions. Results showed that males reported higher levels of perceived social norms and intentions for entering a transportation career compared to females. Conversely, females reported higher levels of anticipated sexism in transportation careers. A hierarchical regression analysis indicated that evaluative attitudes, social norms, and perceived dissimilarity to individuals in transportation predicted transportation career intentions. Mediation analyses revealed that social norms explained the relationship between gender and transportation career intentions. Results are discussed in terms of increasing and diversifying the transportation workforce pipeline. KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Labor force KW - Personnel retention KW - Recruiting KW - Transportation careers UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-21FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445635 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01625810 AU - Sherry, Patrick AU - Bondanza, Allison AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Safe and Competent Intermodal Transportation Workers: The Interaction of Shift Work and Worker Resilience on Health & Safety of Intermodal Transportation Workers PY - 2016/05/15 SP - 42p AB - Workplace accidents have a devastating effect on the transportation industry. Recently, the United States Department of Transportation acknowledged that over 80% of transportation accidents are human factors caused. In an effort to develop a pre-employment screening tool for selecting individuals who will have a lower risk of being involved in an accident or incident, investigators administered a survey instrument to 459 intermodal shift workers in a large midwestern rail company. The survey instrument assessed attitudes, personality characteristics, work habits and practices, etc. related to safe and effective shift work. Data from work histories were then correlated with survey results to establish concurrent validity of the assessment instruments for predicting workplace safety. Results of analyses indicated that Spatial Reasoning, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism were significantly correlated with the number of personal injuries sustained by persons in the sample. A number of significant correlations were obtained between scales on the Denver Lifestyle Inventory (DSI) and personal injuries. In addition, Derailments were significantly correlated with behavior and attitudinal predictors reflecting physical and mental distractibility and activity, possibly indicating a possible pattern or individual characteristic of distractibility or lack of concentration. Distractibility was also significantly correlated with Reaction Time and Digit Span Trials Correct from the Web Neuro Battery. Lastly, Absenteeism was significantly correlated with items related to comfort and satisfaction with shift work schedules. The data gathered in the study provide validity consistent with that of the Uniform Personnel Selection Guidelines (EEOC, 1964, 1978). Implications of these results suggest a higher probability for selecting and maintaining a work force with a low accident injury rate by using the pre-employment selection tools. KW - Absenteeism KW - Attitudes KW - Behavior KW - Distraction KW - Employees KW - Habits KW - Human factors KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Personality KW - Pre-employment testing KW - Shift workers KW - Surveys KW - Transportation safety UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-18FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1445633 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610796 AU - Ahearn, Meghan AU - Boeker, Eric AU - Gorshkov, Slava AU - Hansen, Andrew AU - Hwang, Sunje AU - Koopmann, Jonathan AU - Malwitz, Andrew AU - Noel, George AU - Reherman, Clay AU - Senzig, David AU - Solman, Gina Barberio AU - Tosa, Yasunari AU - Wilson, Andrew AU - Zubrow, Alexis AU - Didyk, Nicole AU - DiPardo, Joe AU - Grandi, Fabio AU - Majeed, Mohammed AU - Bernal, Jose AU - Dinges, Eric AU - Rickel, Denise AU - Yaworski, Michael AU - Hall, Clifford AU - Augustine, Stephen AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) Technical Manual Version 2b Service Pack 3 PY - 2016/05/03/Final Report SP - 382p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Environment and Energy (FAA-AEE) has developed the Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) version 2b software system with the support of the following development team: FAA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), ATAC Corporation, Metron Aviation, Wyle Laboratories, CSSI, Inc., Foliage, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Georgia Tech. AEDT 2b models aircraft performance in space and time to estimate fuel consumption, emissions, noise, and air quality consequences. AEDT is designed to process individual studies ranging in scope from a single flight at an airport to scenarios at the regional, national, and global levels. This Technical Manual describes the technical methodology in AEDT 2b Service Pack 3. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Aircraft operations KW - Aviation Environmental Design Tool KW - Computer program documentation KW - Fuel consumption KW - Pollutants KW - Software UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59400/59497/AEDT2b_TechManual.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422140 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604577 AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Ingles, Amy AU - Lyons, William AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - STIP State of the Practice Review: Development and Use of StatewideTransportation Improvement Programs PY - 2016/05/03/Final Report SP - 53p AB - This report examines the state of the practice in the development and use of statewide transportation improvement programs (STIPs) by state departments of transportation (State DOTs). It includes the results of a scan of all 52 publicly-available STIPs as of January 2014, a more detailed analysis of 14 STIPs which were selected as a group representing varying styles and techniques, and a discussion of three general descriptive models for understanding how ways in which State DOTs develop and use STIPs in the statewide transportation planning process both to meet regulatory requirements and to support broad agency goals such as communicating information to the public and performance-based planning and programming. The report features numerous illustrative examples of STIP practices from the 14 STIPs selected for more detailed analysis and summarizes potential future advancements in STIPs as “food for thought” in a theoretical “Enhanced STIP” model. KW - Programming (Planning) KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the practice KW - State Transportation Improvement Program KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59275/STIPs_Whitepaper.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414861 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604576 AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Andrew, James AU - Lyons, William AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - RIDESHARING, TECHNOLOGY, AND TDM IN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS SETTINGS: Lessons for State, Regional, and Local Agencies PY - 2016/05/03/Final Report SP - 84p AB - This report examines how university campus transportation departments are using new technologies and supportive polices to advance ridesharing and transportation demand management (TDM) as alternatives to driving alone to campus. It looks at university campuses as “ridesharing and TDM laboratories” where innovations may be first attempted in a relatively more controlled environment, from which elements could potentially be transferred to broader, more complex metropolitan transportation planning contexts. The report features case studies of successful ridesharing and TDM practices at six U.S. universities which have dramatically lowered drive-alone rates. In addition to the case studies, the report summarizes how ridesharing and TDM programs have factored into university transportation programs in the past, identifies and generalizes innovative practices from the case studies, and discusses how those practices may be applied in local, regional, or statewide transportation planning contexts. KW - Campuses KW - Case studies KW - Innovation KW - Mobility management KW - Parking management KW - Ridesharing KW - Social marketing KW - Travel demand management KW - United States KW - Universities and colleges UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59274/Rideshare3_University_Transportation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414860 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610841 AU - Viray, Reginald AU - Sarkar, Abhijit AU - Doerzaph, Zac AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed System Performance (V2I System Performance) PY - 2016/05/01/Final Report SP - 194p AB - This project identified vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication system limitations on the Northern Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed. Real-world historical data were analyzed to determine wireless Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) coverage gaps and overlaps. In addition, a simulated scalability test was run to determine the effects of network congestion on the system. The results from the real-world historical data showed that significant loss of signal occurred due to obstructions commonly found in complex highway systems, including overpasses and underpasses, elevated concrete roadways, and foliage. Consequently, care must be taken to minimize loss of signal when selecting an installation site for roadside equipment (RSEs). The deployment of multiple RSEs or repeaters may be necessary to maximize coverage in localized dead zones. The results from the scalability test showed that the current network architecture is not able to handle a large deployment of connected vehicles (CV). If a large scale of CV were to be deployed, an assessment of the current network design needs to be investigated to account for the number of vehicles and subsequent flow of data expected in the operational area. KW - Infrastructure KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Simulation KW - Systems analysis KW - Traffic congestion KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Virginia UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Viray_Virginia-Connected-Vehicle-Test-Bed-System-Performance_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422650 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602578 TI - Community-Based Education and Public Awareness for All-Terrain Vehicle and Side-by-Side Safety to Reduce Roadway Deaths and Injuries AB - For decades, United States (U.S.) deaths and injuries from all-terrain vehicle (ATV) crashes have been a significant public health and safety concern. More recently, there has been a marked increase in sales of off-road vehicles generically called side-by-sides (SxSs) and consequently, a growing number of SxS-related deaths and injuries. Despite manufacturer and expert warnings, over half of all fatal crashes each year occur on the road. More disturbingly, there is a growing trend for states, counties and cities to pass laws/ordinances that increase roadway access for ATVs and SxSs. Abundant evidence illustrates the lack of a safety culture around these off-road vehicles. This evidence includes epidemiologic data showing that riders in both fatal and non-fatal ATV and SxS crashes commonly engage in multiple risky behaviors, like riding on the road, operation of adult models by youth, carrying passengers on single-person ATVs, and lack of helmet (ATVs and SxSs) and seatbelt use (SxSs). Survey studies of ATV users support epidemiologic studies, namely, large majorities of riders report engaging in one or more of these unsafe riding practices. The high prevalence of unsafe behaviors is likely due to many factors, including widespread lack of ATV safety knowledge among users. In addition, ATV safety laws vary considerably from state to state and when surveyed, many users do not know these laws. As mentioned above, over the last decade, there has been a growing trend of elected bodies at the local and state levels passing anti-safety laws and ordinances to allow off-road vehicles on the road for recreational purposes. These public policy makers for the most part are not familiar with or choose to under-estimate the dangers of riding ATVs and SxSs on the road. It is also not clear whether law enforcement knows of existing laws related to off-road vehicles and enforcement of these laws may be limited. Overall, it is this significant lack of knowledge and understanding of ATV and SxS safety that provides the rationale for the educational and outreach efforts described in this proposal. KW - All terrain vehicles KW - Awareness KW - Behavior KW - Crash injuries KW - Crashes KW - Fatalities KW - Outreach KW - Risk analysis KW - Safety KW - Training programs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412957 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601767 TI - Multi-Scale Fatigue Damage Life Assessment of Railroad Wheels AB - This study will focus on the presence of a crack in the railway wheel’s subsurface and how it affects the wheel’s fatigue life. A three-dimensional finite element model (3-D FE-model) will be constructed to simulate the stress/strain fields that take place under the rolling contact of railway wheels on rails. To achieve computational efficiency and accuracy a sub-modeling technique will be employed. Different locations of the crack from the wheel surface will be considered to detect the influence of a crack/defect on stress distribution of wheel/rail contact, as well as to possibly investigate the crack propagation rate and direction as a function of the crack’s distance to the wheel thread. Moreover, by changing the crack plane angle in each specific increment of loading, it may be possible to observe mixed mode crack growth behavior based on the crack’s orientation with respect to the wheel’s surface. The outcome of this work gives valuable insights into fatigue induced cracking in railroad wheels in order to have a better understanding of the root causes of failures such as both shattered rims and vertical split rims (VSR) as a means of reducing the probability of derailment. KW - Cracking KW - Defects KW - Derailments KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Railroad tracks KW - Service life KW - Wheelsets (Railroads) UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/infrastructure/wheel-fatigue-damage-life-assessment/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410820 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601768 TI - Method for Predicting Thermal Buckling in Rails AB - A method is proposed herein for predicting the onset of thermal buckling in rails in such a way as to provide a means of avoiding this type of potentially devastating failure. The method consists of the development of a thermomechanical model of rail buckling, together with the construction of an on-the-fly experimental apparatus that is capable of concomitantly foretelling the onset of thermally induced rail buckling. As such, the combination of these two components is intended to provide a tool that can be employed as a means of determining when intervention is necessary in order to ensure that rails will not fail due to thermal buckling. KW - Buckling KW - Derailments KW - Failure KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad tracks KW - Thermal analysis UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/infrastructure/thermal-buckling-in-rails/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410818 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601769 TI - Fatigue and Service Analysis of Railroad Eyebar Members AB - Insufficient knowledge of the fatigue behavior of railroad eyebars exists. As rail traffic increases with respect to both number of cars and their weights, the probability of fatigue damage and significant fatigue crack propagation increases. The proposed research will investigate the fatigue behavior of railroad eyebars through full-scale laboratory fatigue testing. The results of the research will provide a more accurate estimation of the fatigue strength of railroad eyebars and a better prediction of their remaining fatigue lives. KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Laboratory tests KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad tracks KW - Railroad traffic KW - Weight UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/infrastructure/service-analysis-of-eyebar-members/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410817 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601812 TI - A Mechanistic Investigation of Concrete Tie Degradation in the Rail Seat AB - Concrete rail ties often degrade prematurely at the rail seat. Such deterioration has been investigated by other researchers, but such studies have generally associated deterioration with a single environmental or mechanical source. In contrast, it is hypothesized here that rail seat degradation is due to a complex coupling of environmental and mechanical sources. Based on this unique perspective, the proposed research is aimed at developing an advanced poroelastic model and a novel, lab-scale model rail seat experiment in order to elucidate the role of enviro-mechanical coupling. Furthermore, based on the model predictions – validated by the experiments – new concrete mixture design and curing protocols that reduce the risk of damage to the rail seat will be crafted. KW - Concrete curing KW - Concrete ties KW - Deterioration KW - Mechanical analysis KW - Mix design KW - Railroad ties KW - Risk assessment UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/infrastructure/investigation-concrete-tie-degradation/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410815 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601813 TI - Strength and Fracture Toughness of Railroad Eyebar Members AB - The decommissioning of two truss railroad bridges has presented an opportunity to better understand and document the strength and fracture toughness of eyebar members. The eyebar members from these bridges have been in service for over one hundred years. A companion research project will fatigue test approximately half the available eyebars, the remaining eyebars are available for further study. The strength of the eyebars (both yield and tensile) will be determined through small-scale tensile tests. Fracture toughness will be evaluated using CVN specimens. Both the main body of the eyebar as well as the eyebar heads will be investigated. Additionally, the effects of heat-shortening on the mechanical properties of eyebars will be investigated. KW - Bridge members KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Fracture properties KW - Railroad bridges KW - Tensile strength KW - Truss bridges UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/infrastructure/fracture-of-eyebar-members/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410814 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601814 TI - Dynamic Live Load Effects of Railroads on Retaining Walls and Temporary Shoring AB - Analysis of causes of major train derailment and their effect on accident rates shows that the second major reason of train derailment is change of track geometry. Shored excavations near railway alignments can introduce significant potential for changes in the track geometry; thus, a thorough understanding of the mechanisms of wall and soil mass movements is essential to limiting changes of track geometry to acceptable levels, thereby making a significant contribution to railroad safety. Recently, an instrumented test wall site comprising a sheet pile wall segment and a soldier pile/timber lagging wall segment was installed adjacent to a Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) site in south College Station, Texas. This project is designed to measure both instantaneous and long-term permanent displacements and strains in the wall. Additionally, periodic surveys will be performed to measure changes in track geometry, and correlate these measurements to wall movements. High quality measurements from this test site can be used to validate numerical models of wall response. Such numerical models provide a means for extrapolating the findings from the test site to other soil types, wall types and wall geometries. An instrumented test wall adjacent to an active railway is a very unique asset, so this test site presents a rare opportunity to improve the current level of understanding of wall systems subjected to repeated live railroad loads. KW - Derailments KW - Geometric design KW - Live loads KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad tracks KW - Retaining walls KW - Shoring KW - Union Pacific Railroad UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/infrastructure/dynamic-live-load-effects-of-railroads-on-retaining-walls/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410804 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601837 TI - Bumps in High Speed Rails: What is Tolerable? AB - California is planning a high speed train (HST) to link Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento. Texas is planning a high speed train to link Houston to Dallas. In both cases, the embankments and bridges over which the train will travel are likely to develop bumps arising from subgrade soil movements. What is a tolerable bump for a train travelling at 400 km/hr.? That is the question. This project will advance knowledge in this area and provide guidance as to what bump is tolerable at what speed. This project is building upon previous studies of bumps at the end of railway bridges, but extends the work to much higher speeds associated with high speed trains. KW - California KW - High speed rail KW - Railroad bridges KW - Soils KW - Speed KW - Subgrade materials KW - Texas UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/infrastructure/bumps-in-high-speed-rails/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410803 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601739 TI - Estimating Bridge Span Deflections using Data Streams from Rolling Stock AB - The research being conducted is Phase II of a process that is envisioned as a complementary enhancement to visual evaluation methods by providing system-wide trending data for human decision makers. The objective is to measure the motions of the bridge and the railcar as it passes over the span. Neural networks, a type of pattern recognition technology, will be used to determine a relationship between the bridge and vehicle behaviors. Once a relationship is established, a new railcar motion can be presented to the network and the corresponding bridge behavior can be predicted using this technology. KW - Deflection KW - Live loads KW - Motion KW - Neural networks KW - Railroad bridges KW - Rolling stock UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/infrastructure/bridge-span-deflection-estimation/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410781 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600748 AU - Zhang, Zhenhua AU - Ni, Ming AU - He, Qing AU - Gao, Jing AU - Transportation Informatics University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Mining Transportation Information from Social Media for Planned and Unplanned Events PY - 2016/05/01/Final Report SP - 68p AB - The objective of this project is on mining social media data to deduce useful traveler’s information with a special emphasis under events, including both planned events (such as sporting games), and unplanned events (such as traffic accidents). Specifically, the project proposes to develop effective and efficient techniques to collect, extract and mine social media data to support advanced traveler information systems and traffic operators. By mining social media based semantics, especially text semantics, this project aims to achieve the following aims: 1) Forecast transit ridership under large sporting games; 2) Identify causality between abnormal traffic flow pattern and social media data; 2) Detect traffic accident using online social media data and traffic loop-detector data. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Data collection KW - Data mining KW - Forecasting KW - Ridership KW - Social media KW - Special events KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic incidents UR - http://www.buffalo.edu/content/www/transinfo/Research/socialmediaminingforevents/_jcr_content/par/download/file.res/MiningSocialMediaEvents_FinalReport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59279/MiningSocialMediaEvents_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408865 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616248 AU - Kutay, M Emin AU - Ozdemir, Ugurcan AU - Michigan State University, East Lansing AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Center for Highway Pavement Preservation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Acceptance Test for Chip Seal Projects Based on Image Analysis PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 117p AB - Chip seal is one of the most popular preventive maintenance techniques performed by many departments of transportation (DOTs), county road departments and cities. One of the most important parameters affecting performance of a chip seal is the percent aggregate embedment depth into the binder. Depending on the percent embedment of aggregates in chip seals, they may be susceptible to distresses such as aggregate chip loss and bleeding. In this study, a standard test procedure was developed to directly calculate aggregate embedment depth via digital image processing techniques. Two image-based algorithms were developed to calculate embedment depth, and another algorithm was developed to compute the percentage of the aggregate surface coverage area with binder. The statistical analysis results indicated that there is a good correlation between embedment depth obtained from image-based algorithms and sand patch test results. Analyses of chip seal samples collected from limited number of ‘good-performing’ field chip seal sections revealed that the aggregate percent embedment ranged from 50% to 70%, which is the typical desired range to minimize bleeding and chip loss. However, more research is needed to investigate the ‘poor-performing’ field sections. Various laboratory chip seal samples were also prepared to investigate the variation of percent embedment in chip seals made with the minimum and maximum binder and aggregate application rates specified in Michigan DOT’s special provisions. The results revealed that the average percent embedment ranged from 55% to 70%. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Aggregates KW - Algorithms KW - Chip seals KW - Digital images KW - Embedment depth KW - Image processing KW - Preventive maintenance UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CHPP-Report-MSU2-2016.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60408/CHPP-Report-MSU2-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429189 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613750 AU - Epstein, Alexander K AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Cooper, Coralie AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - City of San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency TI - Vision Zero San Francisco Truck Side Guard Initiative: Technical Assessment and Recommendations PY - 2016/05 SP - 40p AB - This report summarizes Volpe’s research and recommendations supporting San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) efforts to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety through truck-based strategies. Specifically, this initial report focuses on side guards, which are vehicle-based safety devices designed to prevent pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists from being run over by a large truck’s rear wheels in a side-impact collision. In this report, section 1 describes the nature and magnitude of truck safety challenges; identifies overarching and side guard-relevant factors and trends for fatal crashes; and describes the three pillars of urban truck safety, situating side guards within that context; section 2 provides background on side guards, including existing precedents, a review of data on their safety benefits, and a discussion of practical concerns and solutions, e.g., procurement, installation, maintenance, and operational needs; and section 3 provides recommendations for San Francisco City Fleet vehicles. KW - Cyclists KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Recommendations KW - San Francisco (California) KW - Side crashes KW - Trucking safety KW - Trucks KW - Underride guards KW - Vehicle sides UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59900/59997/DOT-VNTSC-SFMTA-16-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424913 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612151 AU - Martinelli, David R AU - Unnikrishnan, Avinash AU - Martinelli, Diana AU - Palley, David W AU - West Virginia University, Morgantown AU - West Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Speed Monitoring Displays for School Travel Safety Improvement PY - 2016/05 SP - 85p AB - School travel safety has been a concern for transportation and government officials for a long time. Traffic incidents are among the leading causes of child mortality, and many of these incidents can be related to school travel. While the school travel landscape has changed drastically over the past several decades, little has changed with regards to school zone traffic regulation, particularly in West Virginia. Speed trailers were installed at a rural high school located along a West Virginia highway to assess the effectiveness of these types of devices in lowering vehicle speeds near urban schools along high-speed roads. A student survey was also conducted at three schools to determine school travel mode choice trends and gauge student perceptions of safety in their school travel. While significant reductions in average speeds in the presence of speed trailers were observed, compliance with the school zone speed limit was decidedly low. Student survey responses indicated that attitudes and perceptions of school zone safety varied between types of locations. Under the right circumstances, the implementation of speed monitoring displays can be a valuable measure to reduce school zone speeds, particularly when schools are located on or near high-speed roadways. KW - Compliance KW - High speed roads KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Mode choice KW - Schools KW - Speed limits KW - Speed monitoring displays KW - Speed trailers KW - Speed zones KW - Students KW - Surveys KW - West Virginia UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/WVU-2014-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424263 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604942 AU - Swain, Kristen Alley AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Risk Framing of U.S. Intermodal Transportation Hazardous Spills in News and Social Media PY - 2016/05 SP - 29p AB - This study explores how freight companies publicly responded to serious hazardous spills through the systematic analysis of: the social media presence and online influence of all 2,782 carrier companies and all U.S. newspaper coverage of 5,555 serious spills between 2001 and 2012. The study examined the social media (SM) presence/influence of the 2,782 transportation companies involved in the serious spills, using Klout influence, TweetReach exposure, and HowSociable magnitude scores. U.S. newspaper coverage of the accidents was coded if stories appeared within five days of each “serious” accident between 2001 and 2012. These data were compared with descriptive secondary data for the same accidents in the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration database. Three coders analyzed the entire universe, which consisted of 267 stories in 87 newspapers, covering 54 accidents. This means 95.2% of the 5,555 most serious spills in a decade received no news coverage. Story variables included transportation mode, publication, geographic location, spill impacts, spill damage, accident causes, source types, source attribution, crisis responses, news coverage over time, story play (placement, length, graphics), what was spilled, health effects, risk to public and workers, public safety advice, and blame. Most freight companies had no SM presence. Few companies communicated regularly about anything, through any SM channels. Companies with fewer accidents were more likely to have SM accounts, while those with the most accidents typically had no SM presence. No companies communicated directly about any of the 5,555 spills. This pattern contradicts conventional public relations practice of “getting out in front” of a crisis. Only 22% had a Klout score over 25, 16% had a Twitter account, less than 1% had a Facebook page, only 0.1% had a LinkedIn page, and none had a Youtube account. The companies with higher SM scores had the most damaging and expensive accidents. Train companies typically had higher Klout scores, while trucking companies typically had midrange Klout scores. Companies with mass explosion hazards or high-threat cargo spills – including radioactive materials and flammable gas – had a very low or non-existent SM presence. Companies with the strongest SM presence were significantly more likely to have accidents involving fatalities, gas dispersion, evacuations, fires, hazardous waste, and closure of major roads. Some companies with dangerous track records had no SM account or did not use them to inform the public about spills. Companies with higher Klout scores were significantly more likely to have accidents involving fatalities and injuries. Companies with higher TweetReach scores were more likely to have accidents involving a fire, explosion, or hazmat fatality. U.S. newspaper coverage of serious transportation spills was almost non-existent. Spills were more likely to be covered when journalists had access to authoritative sources, when the perceived risk to citizens was higher, when someone was blamed, or when the spill involved an unusual chemical or situation. Although the spills posed serious threats including potentially fatal outcomes, invisible risks such as a gas leak, and involuntary exposure, most spills involving fatalities, injuries, toxic inhalation, gas dispersion, fires, explosions, water contamination and environmental damage received little coverage. Spills involving extremely dangerous materials including radioactive materials, poisonous gas, or mass explosion hazards were not more likely to receive coverage. Spills with a stronger visual element such as derailment or objective severity/threat were less likely to receive attention. Access to police, fire/EMS reports did not promote news coverage. High-impact events such as spills causing injuries, evacuations, toxic gas leaks and road closings were not more likely to receive attention. Social amplification of risk appeared to have little, if any, effect on the news coverage. This study raises additional questions about whether the dearth of public communication about freight spills has caused damage beyond the cost of the spills, and how transportation companies should weigh the risk of reputational harm vs. societal benefits of improved communication about spills. KW - Freight transportation KW - Hazardous materials KW - Information dissemination KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mass communication KW - News KW - Newspapers KW - Risk KW - Safety KW - Social media KW - Spills (Pollution) UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-29FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416959 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604941 AU - Sanders, Jenna AU - Puryear, Steve AU - Walden, Clayton T AU - Mississippi State University, Canton AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Grenada Railway Intermodal Alternatives Assessment PY - 2016/05 SP - 30p AB - This study focused on identifying and evaluating Mississippi manufacturing companies to determine potential for establishing business partnerships with the Grenada Railway. Grenada Railway transportation services evaluated during this study included direct-to-rail connections, storage-on-rail opportunities, and intermodal transport prospects. These companies were identified using Mississippi World Trade Center data and assigned numerical values based on a scoring matrix established by the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Extension personnel conducting the study. Criteria and weight of each criterion were evaluated and presented to Iowa Pacific representatives for approval. Once approved, Mississippi manufacturers were scored and the companies identified with the best potential for establishing symbiotic relationships with Grenada Railway were reported in this study. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Freight transportation KW - Grenada (Mississippi) KW - Industries KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Partnerships KW - Railroads UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-05FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416965 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604937 AU - Fuller, Sara AU - Puryear, Steve AU - Walden, Clayton T AU - Mississippi State University, Canton AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Port Utilization Measurement of Mississippi’s Intermodal Ports PY - 2016/05 SP - 21p AB - This project focused on enhancing the transportation efficiency within Mississippi’s intermodal transportation industry. This was accomplished by developing a port assessment tool that identified current methods and data used at each port in Mississippi to record its operating statistics. The assessment tool was tested on two ports in order to gauge its adequacy in measuring port capacity and utilization of operation. Port participants were asked a series of quantitative questions dealing with port activities and current measures being used. The ultimate goal was to enhance the region’s economic competitiveness through greater efficiency across transportation modes. The project targeted over $25,000 in tangible economic impact annually, which will fully return the federal award. The need for a set of common measures for port activities was recognized during a previous Mississippi State University project funded by the Mississippi Economic Council. Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) concurred with the need, but was unable to undertake the project at that time. This project determined what reporting is done currently, what information is being reported (or gathered), and what information is deemed most needed by the ports and MDOT in its role as overseer of the Mississippi ports. The project resulted in a reporting tool that may be utilized at all of Mississippi’s intermodal sites in future projects. Mississippi State University (CAVS – Extension) personnel conducted this research. KW - Economic impacts KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mississippi KW - Port capacity KW - Port operations KW - Ports KW - Reporting KW - Statistics UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016-06FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416966 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604935 AU - Maheshwari, Sharad K AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Hampton University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Macro-level Intermodal Capacity Modeling PY - 2016/05 SP - 71p AB - This report is presented in two parts: modeling and testing. In part 1, a summary of existing capacity models and speed/volume functions is presented. An effort is made to organize it in a systematic and consistent way for easy reading and understanding. A critique of certain existing capacity models and relationship functions, where further development is possible, is also presented. This report aims to demonstrate the comprehensive model that was discussed in the previous tasks to estimate the capacity of intermodal freight transportation. The estimation of capacities is conducted according to the previous proposed formulas for different transportation modes for freight transportation. Moreover, the model is going to be demonstrated in the case study of freight transportation analysis in the Hampton Roads Area. The optimization of freight assignment and routing in this region should reflect the validity of the model. The model identifies the bottlenecks in an intermodal network, as well as strategies to increase system-wide capacity for increased freight movement demand. Besides the current state analysis, this model is applied to forecast the necessity of expansion and improvement for specific choke points in order to face increased traffic volume after the expansion of the Panama Canal. Finally, this study uses what-if analysis for the condition that a few central links were disrupted in the transportation. The robustness of transportation system is evaluated for the Hampton Roads Area in part 2. KW - Bottlenecks KW - Capacity models KW - Case studies KW - Forecasting KW - Freight capacity KW - Freight transportation KW - Hampton Roads (Virginia) KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Service disruption KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic volume KW - Transportation disruptions KW - Transportation system capacity UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-02FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416952 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604931 AU - Mullen, Chris AU - Ervin, Elizabeth AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Detecting Weakened Highway and Railroad Bridge Substructures at Deck Level PY - 2016/05 SP - 57p AB - The ability to detect damage in substructures of highway and railway bridges using modal vibration techniques performed at the superstructure deck level is investigated as a means to improve nondestructive testing evaluation in cases where visual inspection is difficult or impossible. Methodology initiated in a 2012 NCITEC project is extended here first through a limited experimental study of lab scale models of substructure subsystems in a variety of configurations. Tests are conducted on a shake table to assess variations in frequency and temporal dynamic response characteristics for the different configurations, and frequencies are compared with those obtained by simplified finite element analysis of the subsystems. Detailed finite element analysis is then performed to characterize the dynamic characteristics of two full scale three-span highway bridges accessible to the project team. The two bridges have similar superstructures consisting of composite steel girder decks but lie in different geologic formations such that one was designed with a deep foundation system and the other with a shallow one. Fixed base models highlight the significant difference in fundamental frequencies for the two structural systems even when the different foundations are not considered. Soil-structure interaction models are developed to incorporate the soil and foundation elements and account for scour conditions that are the subject of a recently completed 2013 project. The deep foundation or flexible system is used to characterize the effect of soil-structure interaction and the influence of damage scenarios on the dynamic characteristics. Damage scenarios are considered that consist of material deterioration in the form of softening modeled as reductions of the elastic modulus in various substructure elements of one of two central piers. By virtue of the companion study, a damage scenario is also considered in which symmetric scour of a stream bed occurs between the two central piers. The material deterioration scenarios do not produce noticeable changes in the modal frequencies of the flexible system whereas the scour scenario produces changes in modes involving horizontal movement of the deck mass that are potentially significant enough to be detectable by measurements made at deck level. KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge foundations KW - Bridge substructures KW - Finite element method KW - Highway bridges KW - Horizontal displacement (Structures) KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Railroad bridges KW - Scale models KW - Scour KW - Shaking table tests KW - Soil structure interaction UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-26FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416958 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604582 AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - US Forest Service TI - White River National Forest Hanging Lake Capacity Study PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 22p AB - Due to overcrowding at Hanging Lake, the Volpe Center performed a capacity study for the White River National Forest. This capacity study examines the visitation and environmental constraints of Hanging Lake parking lot, trail, and site to develop three scenarios which the U.S. Forest Service staff will use to determine the appropriate level of use at the site. Using data gathered from various data sources, the capacity study compares actual conditions during the 95th percentile week to reductions in visitation using a proposed capacity management system. The analysis includes a series of videos that demonstrate the flow of visitors to the site. KW - Crowds KW - Environmental protection KW - Glenwood Canyon (Colorado) KW - Hanging Lake Rest Area (Glenwood Canyon, Colorado) KW - Parking KW - Shuttle service KW - Trails KW - Transportation management KW - Visitors KW - White River National Forest UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59238/USFS_Hanging_Lake_Capacity_Study.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414862 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603604 AU - Edara, Praveen AU - Sun, Carlos AU - Claros, Boris AU - Zhu, Zhongyuan AU - Brown, Henry AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - System-wide Safety Treatments and Design Guidance for J-Turns. PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 76p AB - In an effort Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) initiated this research project to develop guidance on treatments that can reduce crashes and fatalities. The project first synthesized the literature and state of practice on system-wide safety treatments and documented their effectiveness. In particular, the objective was to examine those treatments that have not been already implemented in Missouri. The safety effectiveness, implementation guidelines, limitations, costs, and concerns of the treatments were documented. The identified safety treatments work in conjunction with the ‘Necessary Nine’ strategies identified in Missouri’s Blueprint. Accordingly, the synthesis covered three areas: 1) Horizontal curves, 2) Intersections, and 3) Wrong way crashes. The reviewed treatments included signing, geometric and access management, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), pavement markings, and signal control enhancements to improve safety. In the last few years, MoDOT has replaced several high crash intersections on rural highways in the state with J-turns. Given their safety effectiveness and low cost the J-turn has become a preferred alternative to replace high crash two-way stop-controlled intersections on high speed highways. Unfortunately, national guidance on the design of J-turns is very limited. This project addresses this gap in practice by developing guidance on spacing and acceleration lanes. A thorough examination of crashes that occurred at twelve existing J-turn sites in Missouri was conducted. The crash review revealed the proportions of five crash types occurring at J-turn sites: 1) major road sideswipe (31.6%), 2) major road rear-end (28.1%), 3) minor road rear-end (15.8%), 4) loss of control (14%), and 5) merging from U-turn (10.5%). The crash rates decreased with the increase in the spacing to the U-turn, for both sideswipe and rear-end crashes; J-turns with a spacing of 1500 feet or greater experienced the lowest crash rates. A calibrated simulation model was used to study various volume scenarios and design variables. For all scenarios, the presence of acceleration lane resulted in significantly fewer conflicts. Thus, acceleration lanes were recommended for all J-turn designs, including lower volume sites. Second, while spacing between 1000 feet and 2000 feet was found to be sufficient for low volume combinations, spacing of 2000 feet was recommended for medium to high volume conditions. KW - Acceleration lanes KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash rates KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - J turns KW - Missouri KW - Rural highways KW - Simulation KW - Spacing KW - Traffic volume KW - Turning traffic KW - U turns UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/system-wide_safety_treatments_and_j-turns_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201510/cmr16-013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410245 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603531 AU - Steve, Kenneth AU - Parker, Julie AU - Reschovsky, Clara AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 2014 Highlights of Ferry Operations in the United States PY - 2016/05//Special Report SP - 9p AB - Based on information provided by operators who responded to the 2014 National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO), the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) conservatively estimates that ferries in the United States carried just over 115 million passengers and over 30 million vehicles in 2013. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) (Public Law 114-94, section 1112) set aside $80 million for each fiscal year from 2016 to 2020 for the maintenance and improvement of the Nation’s ferry system. It also required the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to use BTS’ NCFO data as input for the formula for allocating Federal ferry funds. This report highlights the findings of the 2014 NCFO, which collected the operational characteristics of ferry operations in calendar year 2013. Data includes: Passenger and Vehicle Boarding Estimates by Census Region; Terminals by Census Region; Route Miles by Census Region; Passengers, Vehicles and Route Miles by State; and Route, Fleet, and Terminal Characteristics. KW - Ferries KW - Ferry service KW - Ferry terminals KW - National Census of Ferry Operators KW - Passenger traffic KW - States KW - Statistics KW - United States UR - https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/Special%20Report%20NCFO%202016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411564 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600773 AU - Turkan, Yelda AU - Laflamme, Simon AU - Tan, Liangyu AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Terrestrial Laser Scanning-Based Bridge Structural Condition Assessment PY - 2016/05//Final Report SP - 37p AB - Objective, accurate, and fast assessment of a bridge’s structural condition is critical to the timely assessment of safety risks. Current practices for bridge condition assessment rely on visual observations and manual interpretation of reports and sketches prepared by inspectors in the field. Visual observation, manual reporting, and interpretation have several drawbacks, such as being labor intensive, subject to personal judgment and experience, and prone to error. Terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) are promising sensors for automatically identifying structural condition indicators, such as cracks, displacements, and deflected shapes, because they are able to provide high coverage and accuracy at long ranges. However, limited research has been conducted on employing laser scanners to detect cracks for bridge condition assessment, and the research has mainly focused on manual detection and measurement of cracks, displacements, or shape deflections from the laser scan point clouds. This research project proposed to measure the performance of TLS for the automatic detection of cracks for bridge structural condition assessment. Laser scanning is an advanced imaging technology that is used to rapidly measure the three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of densely scanned points within a scene. The data gathered by a laser scanner are provided in the form of point clouds, with color and intensity data often associated with each point within the cloud. Point cloud data can be analyzed using computer vision algorithms to detect cracks for the condition assessment of reinforced concrete structures. In this research project, adaptive wavelet neural network (WNN) algorithms for detecting cracks from laser scan point clouds were developed based on the state-of-the-art condition assessment codes and standards. Using the proposed method for crack detection would enable automatic and remote assessment of a bridge’s condition. This would, in turn, result in reducing the costs associated with infrastructure management and improving the overall quality of infrastructure by enhancing maintenance operations. KW - Algorithms KW - Bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Cracking KW - Flaw detection KW - Lasers KW - Performance measurement KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/199 UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/TLS-based_bridge_assessment_w_cvr.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59239/viewcontent2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409218 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590508 AU - Lee, Sunghoon AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real Option Analysis to Value Managed Lanes Using Big Data PY - 2016/05 SP - 205p AB - Managed lanes (MLs) provide a backup option for travelers even when they do not use MLs. For example, travelers have the option to use MLs when they encounter unexpected congestion. The option value of MLs refers to travelers’ willingness to pay for having the ML option for possible use in the future. Despite the potential benefit of MLs, earlier studies have only considered the actual use benefits of MLs, such as travel time savings. This research used detailed travel data from both MLs and general purpose lanes (GPLs) of the Katy Freeway (I-10) in Houston. From these data, revealed preferences between MLs and GPLs of all travelers with a transponder in 2012 were identified. This research examined two potential definitions of travelers who valued MLs as a travel option. These definitions included 1) travelers who used MLs at least once in 2012 and 2) all travelers with transponders (even those who never used MLs). This research found that the travelers who never used the MLs in 2012 were extremely unlikely to use the MLs in all of 2013. Thus, this research recommends ML option users to be defined as only those travelers who used MLs at least once in 2012. This research used the Small-Rosen log sum method (1981) and the Black-Scholes option pricing method (1973) to estimate the option value of MLs. The log sum method estimates the option value by measuring change in consumer surplus between the situation where both MLs and GPLs are available and the situation where only GPLs are available. The Black-Scholes method was originally developed to price options in stock markets and was modified to estimate the option value of MLs in this research. This research found that the log sum method frequently provided a poor estimate of the option value. Thus, this research recommends the Black-Scholes method to estimate the option value of MLs. The option value of the MLs was found to be similar to the value of travel time savings from the MLs for the ML option users. Thus, the option value of MLs is an important component of the total value of MLs. KW - General purpose lanes KW - Katy Freeway (Houston, Texas) KW - Managed lanes KW - Revealed preferences KW - Travel time KW - Valuation KW - Value of time UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00036-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397176 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613823 AU - Timmel, Christopher AU - Regan, Terry AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Statewide and Metropolitan Transportation Planning Processes: A TPCB Peer Exchange PY - 2016/04/20/Final Report SP - 34p AB - This report highlights key recommendations and noteworthy practices identified at “Statewide and Metropolitan Transportation Planning Processes” Peer Exchange held on September 9-10, 2015 in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. This event was sponsored by the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Peer Program, which is jointly funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The peer exchange was hosted by the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT). Peer agencies included Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD), Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). KW - Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department KW - Best practices KW - Maryland Department of Transportation KW - Peer exchange KW - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation KW - Recommendations KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - West Virginia Department of Transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59800/59881/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-22.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424915 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598925 AU - Nash, Logan AU - Timmel, Christopher AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Forest Service TI - Road 151, Santa Fe National Forest: Observations, Considerations, and Recommendations from the Interagency Transportation Assistance Group (TAG) PY - 2016/04/18/Final Report SP - 28p AB - This report for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) documents the observations and findings of a transportation assistance group (TAG) study of Forest Road 151 on the Santa Fe National Forest near Abiquiu, New Mexico. Over the course of a three day site visit, TAG participants from the USFS, U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center, and the Federal Highway Administration Central Federal Lands Division observed conditions and engaged with stakeholders to take a comprehensive look at the entire 13.5 mile road in order to collaboratively think through and prioritize potential management options to address issues and challenges, such as ensuring public safety, improving road conditions, and balancing maintenance needs with the environmental and cultural significance of the corridor. The report concludes with recommended phases and funding options to implement actions. KW - Abiquiu (New Mexico) KW - Condition surveys KW - Cultural resources KW - Environmental protection KW - Financing KW - Forest roads KW - Highway maintenance KW - Maintenance management KW - Recommendations KW - Safety KW - Santa Fe National Forest UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59126/DOT-VNTSC-USDA-16-03.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59126/DOT-VNTSC-USDA-16-03.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=April%202016%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405322 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597294 AU - Block, David AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Semi-annual Program Progress Performance Report for University Transportation Center PY - 2016/04/18 SP - 20p AB - The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic goal of planning for near-term integration of alternative fuel vehicles as a means to build a sustainable transportation system. The project objectives are to evaluate technologies, standards, planning and policies to ensure seamless integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into a complex transportation network and electricity grid. The EVTC bridges the gap between deployment of electric vehicles and the traditional transportation system. This reporting period the EVTC authored 17 publications and 9 presentations, attended 8 workshops and conferences, held or participated in 23 STEM events, and published 2 newsletters. Researchers in Hawaii also applied for a provisional patent. The EVTC Research and Development (R&D) agenda identified 22 projects and respective teams have been conducting detailed research. A summary of results for each project are presented in this report. KW - Education and training KW - Electric power KW - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center KW - Electric vehicles KW - Research projects KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Technology transfer UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/EVTCPPPR5.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403990 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608578 AU - Rakha, Hesham A AU - Chen, Hao AU - Almannaa, Mohammed AU - Kamalanathsharma, Raj Kishore AU - El-Shawarby, Ihab AU - Loulizi, Amara AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field Testing of Eco-Speed Control Using V2I Communication PY - 2016/04/15/Final Research Report SP - 45p AB - This research focused on the development of an Eco-Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (Eco-CACC) System and addressed the implementation issues associated with applying it in the field. The Eco-CACC system computes and recommends a fuel-efficient speed based on Signal Phasing and Timing (SPaT) data received from the traffic signal controller via vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. The computed speed profile can either be broadcast as an audio alert to the driver to manually control the vehicle, or, implemented in an automated vehicle (AV) to automatically control the vehicle. The proposed system addresses all possible scenarios, algorithmically, that a driver may encounter when approaching a signalized intersection. Additionally, from an implementation standpoint, the research addresses the challenges associated with communication latency, data errors, real-time computation, and ride smoothness. The system was tested on the Virginia Smart Road Connected Vehicle Test Bed in Blacksburg, VA. Four scenarios were tested for each participant: a base driving scenario, where no speed profile data was communicated; a scenario in which the driver was provided with a “time to red light” countdown; a manual Eco-CACC scenario where the driver was instructed to follow a recommended speed profile given via audio alert; and finally, an automated Eco-CACC scenario where the AV system controlled the vehicle’s longitudinal motion. The field test included 32 participants, and each participant completed 64 trips to pass through a signalized intersection for different combinations of signal timing and road grades. The analyzed results demonstrate the benefits of the Eco-CACC system in assisting vehicles to drive smoothly in the vicinity of intersections, thereby reducing fuel consumption levels and travel times. Compared to an uninformed baseline drive, the longitudinally automated Eco-CACC system controlled vehicle drive resulted in savings in fuel consumption levels and travel times of approximately 37.8% and 9.3%, respectively. KW - Autonomous intelligent cruise control KW - Field tests KW - Fuel consumption KW - Implementation KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic signal phases KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Rakha_Field-Testing-of-Eco-Speed-Control-Using-V2I-Communication_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418192 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598929 AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Timmel, Christopher AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Forest Service TI - Pikes Peak Conceptual Shuttle Study: Visitation Trends and Scenario Planning PY - 2016/04/15/Final Report SP - 18p AB - This study for the U.S. Forest Service provides a preliminary analysis and set of recommendations to support the agency’s work moving forward to implement a shuttle system at Colorado’s popular Pikes Peak in Pike and San Isabel National Forests. The purpose of this project is to manage visitation when the Summit House and parking area are closed for reconstruction in the next few years. This report provides an analysis on recent visitation trends, followed by a presentation of two proposed shuttle scenarios: a mandatory service during construction, and a voluntary service after construction. Proposed scenarios includes a vehicle recommendation, description of possible staging areas, and preliminary cost estimates. The report concludes with an initial timeline for implementation and recommended next steps. KW - Cost estimating KW - Pikes Peak Region (Colorado) KW - Shuttle buses KW - Shuttle service KW - Staging areas KW - Tourism KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59125/DOT-VNTSC-USDA-16-02.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59125/DOT-VNTSC-USDA-16-02.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=April%202016%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405321 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01611981 AU - Wilson, Bruce AU - Tyrell, David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Reducing the Harm in Rail Crashes: Analysis of Injury Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies PY - 2016/04/12 SP - 11p AB - Twenty-three commuter and inter-city passenger train accidents, which occurred over the past twenty years, have been analyzed. Three types of accidents were analyzed: train-to-train collisions, derailments, and grade-crossing collisions. The analysis has assessed the potential effectiveness of various injury mitigation strategies. Four categories of mitigation strategies were considered: train crashworthiness, wayside structure crashworthiness, fire safety, and emergency preparedness. The strategies with the greatest potential to increase passenger safety are interior occupant protection, coupler integrity, end structure integrity, side structure integrity, and glazing system integrity. The researchers recommend that these strategies be researched further. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash injuries KW - Crashworthiness KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Passenger trains KW - Railroad crashes UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59400/59464/JRC2016_-_Injury_Mechanisms.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422142 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01610882 AU - Tyrell, David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Liquefied Natural Gas Tender Crashworthiness in Train-to-Train Collisions PY - 2016/04/12 SP - 10p AB - Research to facilitate industry efforts to safely use natural gas as a locomotive fuel is being directed by the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA’s) Office of Research, Development, and Technology. This research is being conducted cooperatively with the Association of American Railroads (AAR). The research results are being shared with the AAR’s Natural Gas Fuel Tender Technical Advisory Group (NGFT TAG), which includes AAR, Member Railroads, and FRA, with support from ARA and Volpe Center. The NGFT TAG is developing industry requirements, including crashworthiness requirements, for revenue-service natural gas fuel tenders. Five accident scenarios have been drafted by the NGFT TAG: a train-to-train collision, a grade-crossing collision, rollover, shell impact, and head impact. Each scenario includes a description of the equipment, the impact conditions, and the prescribed outcome. The focus of the NGFT TAG discussions has expanded to include alternative static requirements. This paper focuses on technical information to help support development of alternative static requirements for the train-to-train collision scenario. The goal of the static requirements is to provide the same level of crashworthiness as the dynamic requirements under discussion by the NGFT TAG. Tender features capable of providing the desired level of performance are proposed. These features have been selected such that a tender with these features would be crashworthy-compatible with a wide range of new and existing locomotive structural designs. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Crashworthiness KW - Design standards KW - Liquefied natural gas KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad trains KW - Train components UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59400/59463/JRC2016-5752_-_LNG.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422143 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01604635 TI - Evaluating Electrical Resistivity as a Performance based Test for Utah Bridge Deck Concrete AB - Concrete surface resistivity, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Spec (AASHTO Spec) and bulk resistivity, are easy to implement, non-destructive tests which can identify several important parameters, including concrete permeability and can potentially be correlated to applied tension loads, pore size distribution, alkali silica reaction, sulfate attack, internal relative humidity accurately detect setting time. This project seeks to synthesize national literature and past projects, focusing on performance metrics. Concrete mixtures and specimens from around the state of Utah, will be investigated to identify relevant phenomena using several variations of concrete constituents, including multiple aggregate types, common supplementary cemetitious materials, w/c ratios and curing styles. All mixtures will be mixed by ready mix companies and precasters within the state of Utah. Mechanical and durability properties will be investigated, including (but not limited to) strength, elastic modulus, chloride ion permeability, freeze thaw, surface resistivity and bulk resistivity. Relationships between measured variables will be identifified and variability associated with the resistnace measurement techniques. This project will seek to estimate acceptable levels of performance metrics (i.e., concrete permeability) including the synthesized literature and past Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) projects quantifying bride deck performance metrics. KW - Admixtures KW - Bridge decks KW - Cement KW - Concrete bridges KW - Electrical resistivity KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Permeability KW - Utah KW - Water cement ratio UR - http://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/evaluating-electrical-resistivity-performance-based-test-utah-bridge-deck-concrete UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415916 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01599016 TI - Ultra-Compact and Rugged Electrochemical Sensor for Monitoring Toxic Metals in Natural Waters Sources AB - The project proposes to develop a rugged in-situ battery-powered electronic sensing platform for continuous monitoring of key toxic compounds in natural water sources with high temporal and spatial density (> 1 measurement per 5 minutes and > 1 measurement per 5 meters) over long periods of time (>48 hours). This continuous enviornmental monitoring approach works by detecting toxic compounds in label-free multiplexed format using an electrochemical sensor, consisting of an ultra-compact graphene sensor capable of label-free detection of the following panel of compounds: lead, Arsenic, Mercury, Dioxin, Chlordane, and DDT. The project will also build miniaturized readout instrumentation enabling handheld analysis and recording of the data. The proposed platform will also be global positioning system (GPS) enabled, making it the first environmental monitoring tool, to the best of our knowledge, capable of geospatially mapping the panel of compounds. The project will demonstrate detection of Arsenic in purified buffer using nanofabricated reduced graphene oxide electrodes. The project will utilize reduced graphene oxide thin films mounted on screen printed electrodes in conjunction with a Gamry potentiostat to detect and quantify the varying concentrations of Arsenic in purified buffer. The project aims to achieve a detection limit of part per billion. Demonstrate detection of Arsenic in “real” environmental samples: Upon fully characterizing the performance, detection limit, dynamic range, and accuracy of the nanoelectronic sensor, we will focus on validating the platform technology in pre-characterized environmental samples provided by the laboratory of Dr. Robert Miskowitz. The samples will be pre-characterized using gold-standard laboratory techniques (chromatography, etc..). Upon completion of aim 2, the project will utilize the proposed platform for detection of alternative compounds in the panel of interest. KW - Electrochemical corrosion KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Global Positioning System KW - Metals KW - Sensors KW - Toxicity KW - Water areas UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/ultra-compact-and-rugged-electrochemical-sensor-monitoring-toxic-metals-natural-waters UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407478 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598884 AU - Puckett, Sean AU - Bucci, Greg AU - Raut, Alex AU - Biernbaum, Lee AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Impact Assessment of Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations Evaluation Plan and Addendum PY - 2016/04/01 SP - 160p AB - This document details the process that the Volpe Center intended to follow in evaluating the impacts of the Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) prototype demonstration in Columbus, Ohio and Central Florida. The document also includes the addendum to the original plan, which reflects the changes that occurred based on the changes to the demonstrations. The set of IDTO impacts was evaluated based upon a series of hypothesis tests governing travel behavior and strategies enacted by participating organizations. These tests related to usage of the IDTO technological bundle, changes in travel demand, changes in travel time, changes in operational costs, and changes in inter-organizational cooperation. Each of the hypotheses were tested based upon information provided by the prototype developer and participating organizations, as well as analysis conducted by the Impacts Assessment team. In the final step of the analysis, the estimated impacts of the demonstration and analysis formed the basis of a projection of monetized benefits. KW - Central Florida KW - Columbus (Ohio) KW - Cooperation KW - Demonstration projects KW - Impact studies KW - Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) KW - Interorganizational relations KW - Prototypes KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Travel time UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59000/59016/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-12.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=April%202016%20newsletter UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60200/60242/FHWA-JPO-15-143.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405320 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616250 AU - Chatti, Karim AU - Haider, Syed W AU - Eisma, Joseph H AU - Michigan State University, East Lansing AU - Center for Highway Pavement Preservation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Mechanistic-Empirical Approach for Evaluating the Effect of Diamond Grinding and Thin Overlay on Predicted Pavement Performance PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 140p AB - Advancements in pavement management practice require evaluating the performance of pavement preservation treatments using performance-related characteristics. However, state highway agencies face the challenge of developing performance-based relationships between quality characteristics of pavement preservation treatments and expected pavement performance. The objective of this study is to develop and evaluate a mechanistic-empirical procedure which can be used to relate the performance of surface smoothing pavement preservation treatments to a roughness-related, profile-based index. The profiles for pavement sections treated with diamond grinding and thin overlay treatments were obtained and the impact of these treatments on roughness was evaluated using the International Roughness Index (IRI) and the Dynamic Load Index (DLI). The effects of these treatments on the pavement profile, the dynamic loads experienced by the pavement, and predicted pavement performance were also observed. Using the proposed mechanistic-empirical procedure, the results of this study demonstrate that is possible to relate changes in IRI and DLI, as a result of surface smoothing treatments, to the expected pavement performance. The performance-based relationships obtained from this procedure can be used in the development of performance-related specifications. KW - Diamond grinding KW - Dynamic loads KW - International Roughness Index KW - Mechanistic-empirical evaluation KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement performance KW - Pavement preservation KW - Surface smoothing KW - Thin overlays UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CHPP-Report-MSU1-2016.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60409/CHPP-Report-MSU1-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429188 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613748 AU - Strauss, Rachel AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council Scenario Planning Workshop PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 32p AB - This report summarizes noteworthy practices and key recommendations shared during a scenario planning workshop, hosted by the Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council, on April 19-20, 2016, in Buffalo, New York. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored this event as part of its Scenario Planning Program and in connection with the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program jointly run by FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration. KW - Best practices KW - Buffalo-Niagara Metropolitan Area KW - Forecasting KW - Recommendations KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59800/59875/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-19.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424914 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612148 AU - Wilson, Frederick K AU - Owolabi, Oludare AU - Willoughby, Arthur AU - Whitney, James AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Validation of Source Approval of HMA Surface Mix Aggregate Using Spectrometer PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 127p AB - The main focus of this research project was to develop methodologies for the validation of source approval of hot mix asphalt surface mix aggregate. In order to further enhance the validation process, a secondary focus was also to create a spectral library. Two methodologies were developed as part of this project: Chemometrics, using GRAM/IQ software and Neural Network (NN). Spectra of aggregate samples from 19 quarries were extracted, using the portable ASD FieldSpec 4 spectroradiometer (FS4). Because the aggregate samples when placed in a petri dish form heterogeneous surfaces, it was necessary to utilize specialized equipment (ASD FS4 Turntable) which converts the surface of the aggregate samples in the petri dish to a homogeneous surface and enhances the spectra extraction process. Ten spectra were extracted from each aggregate sample and then averaged to produce one spectrum. In all, three spectra were extracted per aggregate sample, which ensures representativeness of the aggregate samples. All the spectra were collected in reflectance unit and the data were exported into ASCII for further analyses. Results for both methodologies were encouraging. The Chemometrics was also able to discriminate limestone based on the quarry locations. It also correctly classified 100% of aggregate samples that were not from the aggregate sample population and explained the frictional and physical variability of aggregates within a given quarry over a period of time, making it useful as a diagnostic tool to validate aggregate source. The NN, which relies heavily on the variance of the training set, was able to provide outstanding parameter estimations. Thus the NN is a viable solution for providing quick parameter estimations, based solely on the optical spectrographic measurement of the aggregate sample. KW - Aggregate sources KW - Aggregates KW - Chemometrics KW - Electromagnetic spectrum KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Neural networks KW - Quarries UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MSU-2014-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424174 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610887 AU - Agrawal, Anil AU - Xu, Xiaochen AU - City College of New York AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Finite Element Simulation of Truck Impacts on Highway Bridge Piers PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 47p AB - Recent studies show that the dynamic forces because of truck impacts may be significantly higher than the 600kips force recommended by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Hence, there is a need to carry out detailed investigations on vehicular-bridge collision for a reliable evaluation of an existing bridge subject to impact by trucks and design of new bridges with more redundancy for vehicular impacts. In this research, an extensive investigation on the impact of a three-span steel girder bridge with reinforced concrete piers by a medium weight truck running at different speeds has been carried out using finite element models of bridge and the truck in LS-DYNA. The performance of the critical highway bridge components during vehicle collision and the factors causing damage/failure of the typical bridge components have been identified. KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge piers KW - Failure KW - Finite element method KW - Girder bridges KW - Impact loads KW - LS-DYNA (Computer program) KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Simulation KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucks UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Finite-Element-Simulation-Truck-Impacts-on-Highway-Bridge-Piers.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1422219 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604938 AU - Ishak, Sherif AU - Codjoe, Julius AU - Mousa, Saleh AU - Jenkins, Syndney AU - Bonnette, Jennifer AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Counting Using Existing Video Detection Cameras PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 126p AB - The purpose of this study is to evaluate the video detection technologies currently adopted by the city of Baton Rouge and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. The main objective is to review the performance of Econolite Autoscope cameras in terms of their ability to detect data, ease of use, accessibility to data, security issues and cost. The final goal of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of this video detection technology in traffic data collection at signalized intersections in Baton Rouge and to judge the reliability of integrating the traffic count data from the Autoscopes into a database that could be used to supplement traffic count information at any time. In order to accomplish these tasks, a sample of intersections was selected for analysis from an inventory detailing each site’s traffic volume, lighting conditions, turning movements, camera mounting type, technology used, and geometric characteristics. Volume counts from the video detection technology (camera counts) were statistically compared against ground truth data (manual counts) by means of Multiple Logistic Regression and t-tests. Using these data, the capabilities of the existing video detection system was assessed to determine the quality of the data collected under various settings. The results of this research indicate that the performance of the Solo Terra Autoscopes was not consistent across the sample. Of the 20 intersections sampled, eight locations (40%) proved to show significant statistical differences between the camera and manual counts. The results of the regression analysis showed only lane configuration, time of day, and actual traffic volumes were statistically affecting the performance of the Autoscopes. According to supplemental t-test analysis on the time of day, the least accurate counts were recorded during the morning and afternoon peak hours and late at night. When testing based on traffic volume, the camera performance worsened as the traffic volume increased; when considering lane configuration, there were statistical differences for the through lanes, right lanes, and shared right/through lanes. Due to the fact that 60% of the sampled intersections (the remaining 12 out of the 20) provided reliable performance under high traffic volumes and during the same study period and weather conditions, the research team attributed the poor performance of some of the cameras to poor calibration and maintenance of the system. It was concluded that the recalibration of the Econolite Autoscopes can significantly enhance the performance of the video detection system, and it can therefore be considered a reliable means for traffic counting. KW - AUTOSCOPE (Video vehicle detection system) KW - Baton Rouge (Louisiana) KW - Data quality KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Louisiana KW - Signalized intersections KW - T test KW - Traffic counting KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-44FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416963 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603602 AU - Markiewicz, Alexandra AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Cooperative Freight Mobility Planning in the Greater Charlotte Region: A Regional Models of Cooperation Peer Exchange Summary Report PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 25p AB - This report summarizes the presentations, key themes, and recommendations identified at a Regional Models of Cooperation ( “Planes, Trains, & Semis: Keeping a Dynamic Economy on the Move: Greater Charlotte Regional Freight Mobility Plan”) peer exchange on November 13, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. With support from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Planning, the Centralina Council of Governments (CCOG) hosted peers from the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) in Cincinnati and the Broward County Metropolitan Planning Organization (Broward MPO) in South Florida. The purpose of the peer exchange was to share best practices in cooperative regional freight planning in order to inform the development of the Greater Charlotte Freight Mobility Plan. Regional Models of Cooperation is a program of the FHWA Every Day Counts 3 (EDC-3) initiative, co-led by the FHWA Office of Planning and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Office of Planning. KW - Best practices KW - Charlotte (North Carolina) KW - Cooperation KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Mobility KW - Peer exchange KW - Recommendations KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59174/RMOC_PeerExchange_Charlotte.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409716 ER - TY - SER AN - 01603592 JO - Technical Brief PB - Bureau of Transportation Statistics AU - Firestine, Theresa TI - Bike-Share Stations in the United States PY - 2016/04 SP - 5p AB - A total of 3,378 bike-share stations operate in 104 U.S cities. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS’) Intermodal Passenger Connectivity Database (IPCD) provides the locations of U.S. bike-share stations and their connectivity levels to scheduled public passenger transportation modes. Of the 3,378 bike-share stations, 77.0 percent (2,600) connect to another scheduled public transportation mode within 1 block. These connections extend the transportation network by offering a means for reaching places with scheduled public transportation and a means for reaching destinations not served by scheduled public transportation. Transit bus is the most typical connection, with 74.9 percent (2531) of bike-share stations located a block or less from a transit bus stop. This document also looks at bike-share stations' connectivity to commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, and transit ferry. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Intermodal Passenger Connectivity Database KW - Location KW - Passenger transportation KW - Public transit KW - United States KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/Bike-Share%20Data_1.PDF UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412907 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599880 AU - Chien, Steven AU - Zhao, Liuhui AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluating the Effectiveness of Traffic Diversion and Managed Lanes on Highway Work Zones PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 49p AB - Temporary work zones (TWZs) have become the second largest contributor to the non-recurring delay of U.S. highways, causing nearly 24 % of all non-recurring delay and 10 % of overall delay. Efficient traffic management in vicinity of a TWZ may greatly reduce the total cost attributed to this delay, including user and agency costs. Therefore, it is desirable to develop an accurate model to assist in evaluating the impact of traffic diversion and managed lanes (i.e. the use of road shoulders) and alternatives for mitigating congestion. The objective of this study is to develop a mathematical model that can be used to quantify impacts of planned traffic diversion and managed lanes for TWZs on multi-lane highways, considering prevailing road capacity, and time-varying traffic volumes. The findings of this study would be useful in developing decision support guidance on alternative strategy selection to mitigate traffic congestion caused by a work zone. KW - Congestion management systems KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway capacity KW - Managed lanes KW - Mathematical models KW - Multilane highways KW - Traffic diversion KW - Traffic volume KW - Work zone traffic control UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-051-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407828 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599272 AU - Vachal, Kimberly AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis of Risk Factors in Severity of Rural Truck Crashes PY - 2016/04 SP - 38p AB - Trucks are a vital part of the logistics system in North Dakota. Recent energy developments have generated exponential growth in the demand for truck services. With increased density of trucks in the traffic mix, it is reasonable to expect some increase in the number of crashes. Analysis shows however, that the crash-injury risk associated with trucks cannot be explained solely with the traffic growth. Recent crash data has been analyzed to better understand characteristics and contributing factors in truck-involved crash events. Comparisons of truck-involved crashes to those not involving trucks show aspects of the crashes differ. In addition, multivariate models of three driver groups were defined, including truck drivers in multiple-vehicle crashes, other vehicle drivers in multiple-vehicle crashes, and truck drivers in single-vehicle crashes. Results reveal several predictors significantly associated with an increased likelihood for severe driver injury outcomes. Seat belt use was a significant predictor for severe injury likelihood in all models. Failure to stop or yield, rollover event, multiple truck involvement, curves and intersections were associated with increased likelihood for severe injury to truck drivers. Severe injury to other drivers in truck-involved crashes was associated with alcohol or drug involvement, head-on and sideswipe collisions, rollover event, weather and distracted driving. Findings largely were consistent with previous findings indicating some differences among driver group injury predictors. Understanding factors associated with increased likelihood for severe injury by driver group can encourage targeted interventions and countermeasures, which will them improve safety by reducing incidence of severe injury crashes involving trucks. Insight into truck crashes may allow drivers and businesses to identify areas for safety performance improvement. KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash data KW - Crash severity KW - Data analysis KW - Drivers KW - Injury severity KW - Multiple vehicle crashes KW - North Dakota KW - Rural areas KW - Single vehicle crashes KW - Truck crashes UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc16-308.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59354/mpc16-308.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407335 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599191 AU - Silvestri-Dobrovolny, Chiara AU - Prodduturu, Harika Reddy AU - Arrington, Dusty AU - Schulz, Nathan D AU - Rupp, Jonathan AU - Hu, Jingwen AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Project Investigation on Correlation between Roadside Safety Hardware and Vehicle Safety Standards Evaluation Criteria PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 148p AB - Roadside safety devices are designed to protect vehicle occupants from injuries. As the purpose of roadside safety hardware is to be functional while minimizing the risk of occupant injury, the occupant risk criteria are vital to the assessment of these devices. The Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) specifies guidelines for crash tests and gives evaluation criteria for safety devices. Per MASH, the risk of injury to the occupant is assessed based on the concept of flail space model. The occupant impact velocity and occupant ridedown acceleration are used for assessing the injury criteria of an occupant. It is assumed that the model is an unrestrained point mass that can move as a free missile. There is growing use of restraints such as seatbelts and airbags. Hence, attempts are made in this study to assess real-world occupant injury risk associated with current MASH criteria using crash tests performed with instrumented anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) and comparing them with injury criteria provided by U.S. New Car Assessment Program (US-NCAP) regulations. Finite element models for a passenger car, passive restraint systems (seatbelt and airbags), and ATDs were calibrated against a full-scale frontal crash test. The crash test was conducted with a passenger car impacting a rigid wall at a 90-degree angle and with 35 mph impact speed. The vehicle was instrumented according to MASH requirements, and an instrumented ATD was included as required by US-NCAP standards. The full-scale crash test was designed to replicate to the maximum extent possible testing criteria from MASH and US-NCAP testing standards. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Barriers (Roads) KW - Crash injury research KW - Dummies KW - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards KW - Finite element method KW - Impact tests KW - New Car Assessment Program KW - Occupant protection devices UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ATLAS-Center-Final-Research-Report-Silvestri-ATLAS-2016-12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1406531 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597286 AU - Ong, Say Kee AU - Wang, Kejin AU - Ling, Yifeng AU - Shi, Guyu AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Pervious Concrete Physical Characteristics and Effectiveness in Stormwater Pollution Reduction PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 60p AB - The objective of this research was to investigate the physical/chemical and water flow characteristics of various pervious concrete mixes made of different concrete materials and their effectiveness in attenuating water pollution. Four pervious concrete mixes were prepared with Portland cement and with 15% cementitious materials (slag, limestone powder, and fly ash) as a Portland cement replacement. All four pervious concrete mixtures had acceptable workability. The unit weight of the fresh pervious concrete mixtures ranged from 115.9 lb/yd³ to 119.6 lb/yd³ , while the 28 day compressive strength of the pervious concrete mixes ranged from 1858 psi (mix with 15% slag) to 2285 psi (pure cement mix). The compressive strength generally increased with unit weight and decreased with total porosity (air void ratio). The permeability of the four mixes generally decreased with unit weight and increased with total porosity. The permeability coefficients ranged from 340 in./hr for the pure cement mix to 642 in./hr for the mix with 15% slag. The total porosities of the four pervious concrete mixes ranged from 24.00% (mix with 15% slag) to 31.41% (pure cement mix) as measured by the flatbed scanner test method, while the porosities ranged from 18.93% (mix with 15% slag) to 24.15% (pure cement mix) as measured by the RapidAir method. The total porosities of the four pervious concrete mixes measured by the flatbed scanner method were higher than those measured by the Rapid Air method, but the specific surface areas measured by the flatbed scanner method were all lower than those measured by the Rapid Air method. For the pollution abatement experiments, mixes with fly ash and limestone powder removed about 30% of the input naphthalene concentration, while the mix with slag only removed 0.5% of the influent naphthalene concentration. The water volume balance showed that less than 1% of the water added was retained in the experimental column setup. KW - Admixtures KW - Compressive strength KW - Permeability KW - Pollution control KW - Porosity KW - Porous pavements KW - Portland cement KW - Runoff KW - Waste products KW - Workability UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/197/ UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/pervious_concrete_in_stormwater_pollution_reduction_w_cvr.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59228/viewcontent1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404917 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596002 AU - Nodine, Emily AU - Lam, Andy AU - Yanagisawa, Mikio AU - Najm, Wassim AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Naturalistic Study of Truck Following Behavior PY - 2016/04//Final Report SP - 91p AB - Volpe conducted the Naturalistic study of truck following behavior to gain a better understanding of how trucks follow other vehicles in the real world, with the ultimate goal of supporting the Federal Highway Administration in the development of automated truck platooning applications. Using two naturalistic heavy truck data sets collected from previous related research, Volpe quantified heavy truck following behavior in the following categories: how closely trucks follow other vehicles on freeways, how following behavior varies by road condition, weather and visibility, following distances at which cut-in events occur, and the safety impact of different headways. Key results from this 2015 study showed tractor trailer trucks follow passenger cars at shorter distances and headways than they follow heavy trucks at distances under 60 mph, but follow other heavy vehicles at shorter distances and headways at speeds greater than 60 mph; truck drivers generally follow other vehicles at much shorter headways (around 2 seconds) than are recommended in Commercial Driver License (CDL) driver handbooks; vehicles rarely cut-in between two trucks who are following at a distance of 40 m or less; and crash risk increases considerably when trucks follow other vehicles at headways of less than 1 s. KW - Behavior KW - Car following KW - Following distance KW - Headways KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Highway safety KW - Naturalistic studies KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Traffic platooning KW - Truck drivers KW - Truck following UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56891/Truck_Platooning_Final_Report_Publication_Update.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400024 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610518 AU - Wadoo, Sabiha AU - New York Institute of Technology AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Prediction Using Wireless Cellular Networks PY - 2016/03/31/Final Report SP - 30p AB - The major objective of this project is to obtain traffic information from existing wireless infrastructure. In this project freeway traffic is identified and modeled using data obtained from existing wireless cellular networks. Most of the previous research on freeway traffic control assumes the availability of traffic parameters like vehicle velocity and density. Such data are available only at a few locations on major highways where sensor nodes have been pre-deployed. In practical terms, to build a comprehensive network of sensors for this purpose is prohibitive in terms of the cost involved. However, an existing cellular network of a large wireless provider can be used for collecting traffic parameter information. As mobile devices have become very common, these devices can not only provide traffic parameter data but can also be used to receive real time traffic information using mobile applications. This project uses information obtained from mobile networks to formulate traffic density models. KW - Cellular communications KW - Data collection KW - Freeways KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Traffic models KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Traffic-Prediction-Using-Wireless-Cellular-Networks.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423087 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603572 AU - Choi, Saerona AU - Park, Byungkyu Brian AU - Lee, Joyoung AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field Implementation Feasibility Study of Cumulative Travel-Time Responsive Intersection Control Algorithm under Connected Vehicle Technology PY - 2016/03/31/Final Research Report SP - 62p AB - This project utilized the Connected Vehicle (CV) environment, which provides two-way wireless communications between vehicles and infrastructure, to (1) improve the Cumulative Travel-time Responsive (CTR) Intersection Control Algorithm under low CV market penetration by utilizing Bluetooth technology, and (2) assess potential benefits of the CTR algorithm by examining mobility, energy, and greenhouse emissions measures. The project team developed and evaluated a hardware-in-the-loop simulation to ensure that the developed CTR algorithm will work with an existing traffic controller on the Northern Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed. The team enhanced the CTR algorithm and evaluated its impact to verify the feasibility of field implementation. Two prediction techniques, a standard Kalman filter (SKF) and an adaptive Kalman filter (AKF), were applied to estimate cumulative travel time for each phase in the CTR algorithm. In addition, traffic demand, the market penetration rate (MPR), and the types of available data were also considered in evaluating CTR algorithm performance. The Lee Highway and Nutley Street intersection on the Northern Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed was selected for a case study and simulated within VISSIM. The results showed that the CTR algorithm’s performance depends on the MPR, as the information collected from CVs is a key CTR algorithm-enabling factor. However, this study found that the MPR could be relaxed (1) when the data were collected from both CV and infrastructure sensors, and (2) when an AKF was adopted in the CTR algorithm. The minimum MPRs required to outperform the current actuated traffic signal control were empirically found for each prediction technique and types of available data—data from both Connected Vehicle and infrastructure sensors, or Connected Vehicle’s data only. Even without the infrastructure sensors, the CTR algorithm could be considered for implementation at an intersection with high traffic demand and a 50% to 60% MPR. As the MPR for this field evaluation was around 14%, much lower than the minimum 20% required with an AKF incorporated, the project team could not implement the proposed algorithm. Instead, the team developed an implementation plan that can be easily adopted by traffic engineers once the MPR reaches 20% or higher. KW - Algorithms KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Fuel consumption KW - Implementation KW - Kalman filtering KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pollutants KW - Simulation KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Travel time UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Choi_Field-Implementation-Feasibility-Study-of-Cumulative-Travel-Time-Responsive-Intersection-Control-Algorithm-under-Connected-Vehicle-Technology.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411138 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596726 AU - Etyemezian, Vicken AU - Nikolich, George AU - Givens, Chris AU - Sudderth, Alex AU - Desert Research Institute AU - SOLARIS University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of an Early Warning Sensor and Network for Brown-out Conditions PY - 2016/03/31/Final Report SP - 20p AB - Brownout conditions on motorways are caused by windblown dust and sand from upwind areas where soils are susceptible to wind erosion. This project focused on developing a ground based early warning system. This report covers the first year of research on this subject. The work effort during this first year included modifying a prototype platform for sending sand movement to be better suited for automated operation upwind of roads that are predisposed to brownouts, inclusion of a sensor for the measurement of airborne dust (separate from ground level sand movement), and preliminary testing of a low-power wireless communication network. KW - Dust KW - Highway safety KW - Prototypes KW - Sand KW - Sensors KW - Warning systems KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.unr.edu/Documents/engineering/solaris/Etyemezian%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403108 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604575 AU - Cardosi, Kim AU - Lennertz, Tracy AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Progression of Human Factors Considerations for the In-Trail Procedure PY - 2016/03/16 SP - 20p AB - The In-Trail Procedure (ITP) is one of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) applications in the NextGen program. The Federal Aviation Administration, in partnership with United Airlines, is conducting an operational evaluation of the ADS-B ITP on revenue flights between the West Coast of the United States and various Pacific destinations. Part of this evaluation is a human factors assessment of the equipment and procedures from the users’ perspective. Here, the authors provide an update to the human factors issues identified in 2013 and show that pilots’ and controllers’ acceptance of the ITP maneuver has improved. Pilots see the ADS-B traffic display as a valuable tool for situation awareness and use it to increase flight efficiency/safety. While more interactive ITP training was suggested, pilots are comfortable interacting with the display and provided insights as to why ITP requests are so infrequent. Controllers are no longer confusing ADS-B ITP with the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract Climb/Descend Procedure and are no longer reluctant to approve a valid ITP request. Controllers’ concerns have been largely addressed with training and/or will be addressed with changes to the automation platform. KW - Air traffic control KW - Aircraft pilotage KW - Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast KW - Aviation safety KW - Human factors KW - In-Trail Procedure (ITP) KW - NextGen (United States) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59357/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-16-08.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414857 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608534 AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Yang, Hao AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Freeway Speed Harmonization Systems PY - 2016/03/15/Final Report SP - 28p AB - The capacity drop phenomenon, which reduces the maximum bottleneck discharge rate following the onset of congestion, is a critical restriction in transportation networks that causes additional traffic congestion. Consequently, preventing or reducing the occurrence of the capacity drop not only mitigates traffic congestion, but can also produce environmental and traffic safety benefits. To address this issue, this project developed and evaluated a speed harmonization (SH) algorithm based on a bi-level feedback control system with the assistance of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications. The algorithm computes advisory speed limits for individual vehicles to prevent the breakdown of downstream bottleneck discharge by regulating traffic flow approaching the bottleneck, which in turn reduces traffic stream delay, emissions and fuel consumption levels. To assess the benefits of the algorithm, a section of Interstate 66 in Northern Virginia was simulated with the INTEGRATION microscopic traffic simulation model, and five trailers were installed on the road to collect real-time traffic data for each vehicle equipped with V2I communications to implement the SH algorithm. The simulations demonstrated that the algorithm significantly mitigated road congestion when a capacity drop occurred at a bottleneck. Also, the study results showed that higher market penetration rates (MPRs) of vehicles equipped with the SH algorithm led to higher SH algorithm benefits. In particular, at 100% MPR, the bottleneck discharge flow rate increased by up to 1.5%, and the vehicular delay decreased by about 22%. Moreover, with the SH algorithm, CO2 and fuel consumption levels were reduced by up to 3.5%. A 100% MPR is the best-case scenario. However, the results also demonstrated that an MPR of even 10% is sufficient to produce overall emission and fuel consumption savings. KW - Algorithms KW - Bottlenecks KW - Freeways KW - Fuel consumption KW - Highway capacity KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pollutants KW - Speed limits KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic simulation KW - Traffic speed KW - Virginia UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Rakha_Connected-Vehicle-Freeway-Speed-Harmonization-Systems_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418038 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603619 AU - Park, Hyungjun AU - Babiceanu, Simona AU - Kluger, Robert AU - Smith, Brian AU - Recht, David AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Connected Vehicle–Enabled Virtual Dynamic Message Sign System Demonstration and Evaluation on the Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed PY - 2016/03/15/Final Research Report SP - 60p AB - Dynamic message signs (DMSs) are widely used to deliver traveler information. While these have proven to be effective, key limitations exist: (1) the locations of DMSs are fixed, (2) reading a DMS message is distracting to drivers, and (3) installation and maintenance of DMSs is expensive. To address these limitations, a smartphone-based virtual DMS (VDMS) application was developed in the first round of Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center (CVIUTC) projects. This application used smartphones to provide audible “reading” of DMS messages to drivers. This project built upon previous work to develop a more advanced, second generation of the VDMS system, that is fully integrated in the Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) environment of the Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed. The highlights of the enhanced VDMS system include (1) use of four of 40+ DSRC-based roadside equipment units (RSEs) on the Virginia Connected Vehicle Test Bed, and (2) software (VDMS Manager) that has the capability to virtually “build” new DMSs and to create modified and new messages for those DMSs. To evaluate the VDMS system as an information dissemination tool to support advanced traffic management, operational testing (including three surveys, entrance, post-incident, and exit) was carried out with actual operators at the McConnell Public Safety and Traffic Operations Center. It was observed that operators preferred the VDMS system due to its capability of providing more detailed and customized messages at more appropriate locations for motorists. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Evaluation KW - Information dissemination KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Smartphones KW - Surveys KW - Variable message signs UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Park_VDMS-Demonstration-and-Evaluation_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410368 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608538 AU - Fijalkowski, Jared AU - Thomas, Anthony AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Health in Transportation Working Group 2015 Annual Report PY - 2016/03/14/Final Report SP - 16p AB - The Health in Transportation Working Group 2015 Annual Report provides an overview of the Working Group’s activities and accomplishments in 2015, summarizes other U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) health-related accomplishments, and documents its progress toward the recommendations laid out in the 2014 Annual Report. The report also offers recommendations based on the Working Group’s self-assessment KW - Annual reports KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Health KW - Health in Transportation Working Group KW - Recommendations KW - Transportation planning KW - U.S. Department of Transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59387/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-17.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1417888 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599282 AU - Stark, Timothy D AU - Wilk, Stephen T AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - Moorhead, William AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bridge Transition Trackbed Behavior Modifications Using Hand Tamping Techniques PY - 2016/03/10/Final Report SP - 22p AB - A common maintenance technique to correct track geometry at bridge transitions is hand tamping. This report presents a non-invasive track monitoring system involving high-speed video cameras that evaluate the change in track behavior before and after hand or pneumatic tamping at a bridge transition zone experiencing reoccurring track geometry deviations. The track monitoring shows significant permanent vertical displacement (settlement) in the transition zone during the first few wheel passes after tamping (~0.6 inches) and a return to the pre-tamping transient behavior after about four train passes. This implies that significant differential settlement occurs between the transition zone and bridge abutment immediately after the first passing train which can result in increased dynamic loads in the transition zone and further deteriorate the transition zone geometry. Methods to reduce the initial settlement are discussed. KW - Before and after studies KW - Bridge approaches KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Maintenance of way KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad tracks KW - Tamping KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2016-UKY-R11-combined_final_report1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59314/NURail2016-UKY-R11-combined_final_report1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405207 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599259 AU - Stark, Timothy D AU - Wilk, Stephen T AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Well-Performing Railway Bridge Transitions - Design and Performance PY - 2016/03/10/Final Report SP - 26p AB - This report presents a review of railroad track transition behavior, causes of undesirable transition performance, and designs that exhibit desirable transition performance based on field measurements. The first focus of the report is reviewing common factors that lead to transition geometry deviations. This involves the inherent problem of a train passing from an earthen and ballasted approach to a nearly rigid bridge structure. The differential movement between the earthen approach and bridge usually results in increased dynamic loads. To avoid these increased dynamic loads, all transient and permanent displacements between the approach and bridge deck should be balanced by reducing ballast and subgrade settlements in the approach and decreasing the stiffness of the bridge. Two well-performing bridge transitions were monitored using non-invasive accelerometers to illustrate design techniques that can balance transition differential movements and thus reduce dynamic loads. Other design techniques and ballast remedial measures are discussed because of their relevance to reducing ballast settlement in the approach. KW - Accelerometers KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Bridge approaches KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Dynamic loads KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad tracks UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2016-UKY-R11-combined_final_report1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405208 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599170 AU - Wilk, Stephen T AU - Stark, Timothy D AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Vertical Transient Track Displacement Measurements Using Non-Invasive Techniques PY - 2016/03/10/Final Report SP - 22p AB - This report describes a non-invasive monitoring system that measures rail and tie displacements using high-speed video cameras and double-integration of acceleration time histories. The purpose of selecting these instruments is to develop a non-invasive instrumentation system that can monitor track performance under a range of environmental conditions. High-speed video camera have many advantages such as tracking multiple rail and tie locations with a single camera, not needing to be base-isolated, and providing a visual account of the loaded track. Three cameras are used to illustrate rapid changes in rail displacement along short sections of track. Accelerometers are capable of measuring tie displacements and have many advantages such as being able to function if the optical view is blocked, e.g., rain, snow covering, or center of tie, and to measure lateral displacements. KW - Accelerometers KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Instrumentation KW - Measuring methods KW - Rail (Railroads) KW - Railroad ties KW - Time series KW - Train track dynamics KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2016-UKY-R11-combined_final_report1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405210 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612154 AU - Chavis, Celeste AU - Gayah, Vikash V AU - Kim, Myungseob AU - Chen, Linxi AU - Miller-Hooks, Elise AU - Schonfeld, Paul AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integration of Multimodal Transportation Services PY - 2016/03/08/Final Report SP - 95p AB - Flexible route paratransit services may complement as well as compete with conventional public transportation services (that have fixed routes and schedules). Flexible routes are especially suitable for service areas or time periods with low demand densities (and especially rural areas) and may be used to concentrate the low demand for conventional bus and rail services. Excess drivers and vehicles from conventional services can be leveraged to provide higher quality door-to-door services during off-peak periods. In the proposed project, practical methods will be developed for planning and operating integrated multimodal public transportation services. In particular, these methods focus on (a) formulating demand relations for integrated multimodal transportation services, (b) improving the efficiency of algorithms for managing ridesharing and taxi services, (c) improving the coordination of transfers among vehicles from various routes and modes, and (d) exploring the potential benefits of managing demand through service options, pricing and other incentives. KW - Flexible routes KW - Integrated transportation systems KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Off peak periods KW - Paratransit services KW - Ridesharing KW - Rural areas KW - Taxi services KW - Transfers KW - Travel demand management UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MAUTC-2013-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424166 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603611 AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Nash, Logan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Forest Service TI - Apache Trail, Tonto National Forest: Observations, Considerations, and Recommendations from the Interagency Transportation Assistance Group (TAG) PY - 2016/03/03/Final Report SP - 38p AB - This report summarizes the observations and findings of an interagency transportation assistance group (TAG) convened June 15 to June 17, 2015, to discuss the long-term future of Arizona State Route 88, also known as the “Apache Trail,” a historic road on the Tonto National Forest. The TAG included staff from the Volpe Center, the U.S. Forest Service, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Arizona Department of Transportation. Based on a June 2015 site visit to the Apache Trail and subsequent discussions, the Volpe Center outlined a number of potential management actions and scenarios for the road. This report described the background of the road, issues and goals noted in the site visit, as well as the management options and scenarios discussed by the TAG. It concludes by describing the TAG’s recommended scenario for the Apache Trail and potential next steps. KW - Arizona State Route 88 KW - Long range planning KW - Recommendations KW - Scenic highways KW - Tonto National Forest UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59163/Apache_Trail_TAG_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409717 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596745 AU - Stich, Bethany AU - Amdal, James R AU - Webb, Peter AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - LNG Bunkering for Marine Vessels at the Port of New Orleans: Sitting and Facility Components PY - 2016/03/03/Final Research Report SP - 25p AB - This paper represents the efforts by the Merritt C. Becker, Jr. University of New Orleans Transportation Institute (UNOTI) to assist the Port of New Orleans (PONO) in evaluating the feasibility of equipping the PONO for the storage and shore-side infrastructure needed for fueling vessels powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The report gives the current status of various projects that have been built according to site-specific applications of best practices in the industry and related regulatory agencies. This project was initiated in the summer of 2014 when the Port of New Orleans tasked UNOTI with investigating the feasibility of an LNG bunkering facility within their jurisdiction. Since that time, crude oil prices have been falling significantly. At their peak they were in excess of $115 per barrel. Today, the price per barrel is roughly $37. This is a decrease of $80 over a very short period of time. Consequently, as indicated by an 18 month literature review, key person interviews and discussions with a knowledgeable group of regional stakeholders, the extended duration of depressed oil prices (which continues downward) has the marine fuel component of the maritime industry in a holding pattern regarding the widespread adoption of LNG for marine vessels. KW - Best practices KW - Bunkering KW - Crude oil KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Fuel storage KW - Liquefied natural gas KW - Literature reviews KW - Port of New Orleans KW - Ports KW - Ships UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/reports/uno_lng.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402340 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599229 AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Clarke, David B AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Macro Scale Models for Freight Railroad Terminals PY - 2016/03/02/Final Report SP - 30p AB - This project has developed a yard capacity model for macro-level analysis. The authors developed optimization models to investigate three sequencing decisions at the areas inspection, hump, and assembly. The optimization considers multiple engines and inspection groups. The model can be solved by existing commercial optimization solvers for one typical planning horizon, such as 24 hour. Numerical experiments and case study based on historical data from a U.S. Class I railroad demonstrate that the proposed solution method yields better sequences and schedules, as measured by the total dwell time, compared with the practice of static sequencing. Furthermore, the results indicate that the handling capacity should be balanced among different classification steps to maximize the overall yard capacity. Furthermore, the research considers dynamic railcar planning in railroad classification yards. The plan decides the assignment of railcars from inbound trains to outbound trains under various size limitations of outbound trains and allows dynamic sequencing of inbound train classification and outbound train assembly. A mixed-integer program is presented for the problem along with a heuristic algorithm based on the harmony search strategy. Generic simulation models have been built for classification yards to understand the macro-level relationship between volumes and dwell times at yards and define yard capacity. The simulation model has been verified by the historical data from about 10 classification yards with various parameters, such as the number of tracks in each area, humps, hump engines and pull engines. The simulation mode is then used to create a large dataset to fit a general capacity model with the minimum mean square errors. KW - Algorithms KW - Case studies KW - Dwell time KW - Freight terminals KW - Freight traffic KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Optimization KW - Railroad yards KW - Scheduling KW - Sequencing KW - Simulation KW - Yard operations UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UTK/NURail2012-UTK-R04_Jin_final_report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59304/NURail2012-UTK-R04_Jin_final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405115 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598876 AU - Puckett, Sean AU - Bucci, Greg AU - Biernbaum, Lee AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Impact Assessment of Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations Final Report PY - 2016/03/02/Final Report SP - 81p AB - This document details the impact assessment conducted by the Volpe Center for the Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) prototype demonstrations in Columbus, Ohio and Central Florida. The prototype is one result of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Dynamic Mobility Applications (DMA) program which seeks to enhance and transform future surface transportation systems management. The set of IDTO impacts were evaluated based upon a series of hypothesis tests governing travel behavior and strategies enacted by participating organizations. These tests related to usage of the IDTO technological bundle, changes in travel demand, changes in travel time, changes in operational costs, and changes in inter-organizational cooperation. Each of the hypotheses was tested based upon information provided by the prototype developer and participating organizations as well as analysis conducted by the Impacts Assessment (IA) team. KW - Central Florida KW - Columbus (Ohio) KW - Cooperation KW - Demonstration projects KW - Impact studies KW - Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) KW - Interorganizational relations KW - Prototypes KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Travel time UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59000/59015/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405319 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602580 TI - A Driving Simulator Investigation of Road Safety Risk Mitigation under Reduced Visibility AB - In Florida, low visibility roadway environment due to fog is one of the major traffic safety concerns. It is known that in low visibility conditions, such as fog and smoke, crashes tend to be more severe than under normal clear conditions. Thus, there is a drastic need to test and develop countermeasures to improve driver safety and performance under reduced visibility conditions. The research team will study the human factors issues relevant to implementing a visibility system on Florida’s highways. Specifically, design driver simulator experiments to evaluate how drivers respond to low visibility warning strategies such as effective messaging plans using VMS (Variable Message Sign), different combinations of warning types (e.g., messages, sound, vibration, etc.) using in-vehicle warning device, and implementation of engineering countermeasures. The research team will investigate the effectiveness of warning strategies on low visibility conditions utilizing driving simulator. Various low visibility warning systems will be tested for different combinations of scenarios to assistant drivers’ decisions or avoid certain type of crashes. Based on the tested results of driver behaviors, can examine which warning types are the most safety effective among the various types such as messages (e.g., sentence, pictogram, etc.), sound, and vibration. Furthermore, identify additional countermeasures (e.g., LED RPM (Raised Pavement Marker), etc.) to improve driver safety under reduced visibility conditions from Worldwide experience (e.g., Korea, Japan, European countries, etc.) and investigate the effects, if it is needed. Hence, the research team will propose the best strategy to enhance roadway safety under low visibility conditions. Moreover, the results from this research can be used in micro-simulation (e.g., VISSIM) and enable to estimate corridor-level safety effectiveness and benefits of the proposed low-visibility warning system under different roadway conditions such as connected vehicle (CV), managed lane, etc. KW - Countermeasures KW - Crashes KW - Driving simulators KW - Florida KW - Fog KW - Japan KW - Korea KW - Safety KW - Variable message signs KW - Visibility KW - VISSIM (Computer model) KW - Warning devices UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412999 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602584 TI - Agent-Based Simulation for Investigating the Safety Concerns of Electric Vehicles in the United States AB - An important concern of the transportation sector is that it depends heavily on fossil fuels and responsible for large amounts of environmental emissions. Therefore, many alternative fuel types have been tested for all on-road vehicle types. Pure electric powertrain vehicles are one of these alternatives and draw significant amount of attention from users, vehicle manufacturers, and government organizations since it could reshape the transportation industry with zero on-site emissions, specific infrastructure (charging station) requirements, and eliminating government’s share from fuels. The market penetration of electric vehicles (EVs) is expected to increase rapidly for future years with fossil fuel price increase projections (Noori and Tatari 2016; Noori et al. 2015; Onat et al. 2014). Although National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet rated some of the proposed or already released EV models, some rated EV models present significantly high safety rates (i.e. Tesla Model S- overall 5-star, Chevy Volt-overall 5-star, Nissan-Leaf, overall 4-star) (NHTSA 2016). These safety test rates also indicate that EVs adopt advanced safety technologies. There is no additional safety regulation for EVs since they use similar body, weight, seating, etc. specifications with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. However, there are safety concerns on EVs that silent engine pose treat for pedestrian and cyclist and even more for blind people. NHTSA’s study concluded that hybrid-electric vehicle involve more crashes than ICE vehicle with pedestrians and cyclists (Hanna 2009). The most prevalent safety concern declared by the experts and researchers is that the EVs may suffer from frequent battery depletion, which may cause them to stop suddenly in the middle of the traffic. As opposed to safety concerns on EVs, some statistical observation studies in literature indicate that hybrid or EV drivers intend to be more careful or in other words less risk takers in traffic (Horswill and Coster 2002). Hence, it is critical to study the interactions and behaviors of EVs, drivers, pedestrians, and other agents simultaneously. This research proposes an agent-based simulation approach to create a virtual environment to model the interactions between different agents. Agent-based simulation approach is an ideal methodology to approach such a problem of safety where many agents, including ICE vehicle driver, EV driver, pedestrian, cyclist, blind pedestrian, government regulations, and vehicle manufacturers, simultaneously interact with each other. Historically collected crash data and driver characteristics with vehicle choices will be utilized for the foundation of this simulation. The developed simulation model will allow us to project crash rates, with the consideration of increasing number of EVs on the roads. KW - Crash data KW - Crash rates KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Fuels KW - Pedestrians KW - Safety KW - Simulation KW - United States UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412998 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602576 TI - Enhancing Non-Motorized Safety by Simulating Non-Motorized Exposiure using a Transportation Planning Approach AB - Urban regions in North America are encouraging the adoption of active modes of transportation by proactively developing infrastructure for these modes. According to data from the 2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), about 37.6% of the trips by private vehicles in the United States (US) are less than 2 miles long. Even if a small proportion of the shorter private vehicle trips (around dense urban cores) are substituted with active transportation trips, it offers substantial benefits to individuals, cities and the environment. However, a strong impediment to the increasing adoption of active modes of transportation is the risk associated with these modes. The safety risk posed to active transportation users in Florida is exacerbated compared to active transportation users in the US. While the national average for pedestrian (bicyclist) fatalities per 100,000 population is 1.50 (2.35), the corresponding number for the state of Florida is 2.56 (6.80), which clearly present a clear picture of the challenge faced in Florida. An important tool to determine the critical factors affecting the occurrence of pedestrian and bicycle crashes and identifying vulnerable locations is the application of planning level crash prediction models. Traditionally, in developing these models safety researchers have employed land use and urban form variables as surrogate for exposure information (pedestrian and bicyclist volumes and vehicular traffic). The quality of these crash prediction models is affected by the lack of “true” non-motorized exposure data. The current research effort is focused on developing transportation planning simulation framework to generate exposure information for crash prediction models. KW - Crash phase KW - Crashes KW - Fatalities KW - Florida KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Simulation KW - Transportation planning KW - Vulnerable road users UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412977 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602575 TI - Driving After Distal Radius Fractures AB - Distal radius fractures are a common orthopaedic injury, and patients with this injury often ask their physicians when they can safely return to driving. There is no current consensus in the literature on when it is safe to return to driving after a distal radius fracture. This study aims to address the question of return to driving after distal radius fracture utilizing a driving simulation protocol evaluating patients at 2, 6 and 12 weeks after operative fixation of a distal radius fracture. General driving performance and crash avoidance will be evaluated and compared to both normative data and clinical data including range of motion and splint usage. Survey data regarding subject perception of driving efficacy will also be obtained. The data collected will help guide physician recommendations regarding return to driving and provide information on driving performance after an upper extremity injury. KW - Crash analysis KW - Data collection KW - Driving KW - Extremities KW - Fractures (Anatomy) KW - Injuries KW - Simulation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412953 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616938 AU - Strauss, Rachel AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Gulf Regional Planning Commission Scenario Planning Workshop PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 28p AB - This report summarizes noteworthy practices shared during a scenario planning workshop, hosted by the Gulf Regional Planning Commission (GRPC), on March 15-16, 2016, in Biloxi, Mississippi. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored this event as part of its Scenario Planning Program and in connection with the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program jointly run by FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration. The workshop introduced the topic of scenario planning to GRPC partners and representatives from local, State, and Federal agencies, and provided an opportunity for GRPC to collect feedback on next steps for using scenario planning to better inform its planning process and leverage existing scenario planning resources and applications. Peer experts participated in the workshop from the Florida Department of Transportation, Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, and Wilmington Area Planning Council. KW - Best practices KW - Florida Department of Transportation KW - Forecasting KW - Gulf Regional Planning Commission KW - Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning KW - Wilmington Area Planning Council KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60126/Gulf_regional_planning_commission.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428260 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610516 AU - Aboutaha, Riyad AU - Zhang, Haotian AU - Syracuse University AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Economy of Preventive Maintenance of Concrete Bridges PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 212p AB - The most economical approach to maintain existing concrete bridges is by adopting an active preventive maintenance approach. An in-depth investigation of the combined deterioration effects of various deterioration mechanisms is needed to establish sound thresholds for harmful chemicals in concrete bridge elements. Such established thresholds are critical for cost-effective maintenance of concrete bridges. This study investigated the economy of preventive maintenance for concrete bridges. This report presents an in-depth chemical evaluation and preventive maintenance of existing highway concrete bridges. In addition, it presents implementation of the proposed preventive maintenance approach that is based on quantitative assessment of the material chemical condition of the bridge. This research project involved the following activities: (1) Review of the current bridge inspection manuals for concrete bridges evaluation, (2) Identification of various deterioration mechanisms, (3) Extensive presentation of chemical nondestructive tests (NDTs), (4) Establishment of chloride diffusion coefficient, (4) Required preventive maintenance measures for different levels of harmful compounds found in concrete bridges, (5) cost of various activities presented in items 1-4, (6) Comparison of concrete bridge maintenance costs using the current practice and the proposed preventive maintenance approach. Based on the finding of this study, preventive maintenance may require slightly higher initial cost, however, it leads to long-term cost saving over the service life of bridges. KW - Chloride diffusion KW - Concrete bridges KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Deterioration KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Preventive maintenance UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Economy-of-Preventive-Maintenance.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423189 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604943 AU - Kelle, Peter AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - University of Tennessee, Knoxville AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Simulation Model for Intermodal Freight Transportation in Louisiana PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 72p AB - With increased emphasis on intermodal freight transportation, the issues of how to evaluate an existing intermodal transportation system and how to evaluate the changes in the system have been receiving intensive attention. Because of the high complexity and high variability involved in intermodal transportation, simulation tools need to be applied. The authors built a system-level intermodal simulation model for Louisiana that includes highways, railways, and waterways and also incorporates the connections between the different modes. The research: (1) summarized the existing intermodal freight transportation simulation results; (2) developed a simulation framework based on the ARENA simulation software; (3) developed the simulation model and calculated the mobility, reliability, safety, and environmental performance measures for the existing intermodal freight system of Louisiana; (4) validated the simulation model based on traffic counters at certain locations from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, energy data, safety dataset, etc; and (5) analyzed three different scenarios. In Scenario 1 the potential effects of the Panama Canal expansion have been calculated, in Scenario 2, the effects of traffic disruptions while in Scenario 3, the effects of a potential improvement in highway safety have been calculated. KW - Arena (Computer program) KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Louisiana KW - Simulation UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-42FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416961 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604939 AU - Li, Xiaopeng AU - University of South Florida, Tampa AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intermodal Logistic System Network Design with Expedited Transportation Services PY - 2016/03 SP - 39p AB - A comprehensive network design planning framework is critical to the capacity, efficiency and reliability of a global supply chain system. Most studies on logistics network planning are based on simple and deterministic assumptions of day-to-day supply chain operations. However, the performance of a network logistic system is in fact largely affected by uncertainties in demand rate and transportation lead times. This study proposes a mathematical model for the design of a two-echelon supply chain where a set of suppliers serve a set of terminal facilities that receive uncertain customer demands. This model integrates a number of system decisions in both the planning and operational stages, including facility location, multilevel service assignments, multi-modal transportation configuration, and inventory management, to minimize the expected system cost under uncertainties from both suppliers and demands. The author also considers probabilistic supplier disruptions that may halt product supply from certain suppliers from time to time. The author developed a customized solution approach based on Lagrangian relaxation that can solve these models efficiently and accurately. Numerical examples are conducted to test the proposed model and draw managerial insights into how the key parameters affect the optimal system design. Finally, a user friendly web-based interface is developed for biofuel supply chain network design with graphic interactions. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Demand KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Lagrangian relaxation approach KW - Logistics KW - Mathematical models KW - Network design KW - Suppliers KW - Supply chain management UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-22FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416956 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604584 AU - Epstein, Alexander K AU - Segev, Eran AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - City of Cambridge TI - Cambridge Safer Truck Initiative Vehicle-based Strategies to Protect Pedestrians and Bicyclists PY - 2016/03 SP - 88p AB - This report summarizes Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center’s (Volpe’s) research and recommendations for the City of Cambridge for implementing a number of proven vehicle safety strategies, including truck side guards, blind spot mirrors, and other vehicle-based safety enhancements on the city-owned truck fleet. The City intends to install these technologies on heavy-duty vehicles to increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists traveling in Cambridge, leading by example in Massachusetts and encouraging private entities to follow suit. Volpe has reviewed international best practices and safety data and has considered both operational and human factors issues in developing the recommendations in this report for: Installing side guards on large trucks to protect bicyclists and pedestrians from being swept underneath a vehicle in a side-impact crash; Installing additional blind spot mirrors, lenses, or cameras intended to increase truck drivers’ field of view and situational awareness of bicyclists and pedestrians; Posting educational messaging inside and/or outside of large trucks intended to increase awareness of all road users about avoiding blind spots and other specific hazards; and Integrating the recommended safety countermeasures into the vehicle bodies and operations of the city’s truck fleet, on up to 50 identified vehicles starting in the fall of 2015. KW - Bicycle safety KW - Blind spots KW - Cambridge (Massachusetts) KW - Cameras KW - Education KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Mirrors KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Recommendations KW - Side underguards KW - Trucks UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59356/Cambridge-Volpe_Safer_Truck_2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414858 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603571 AU - McDonald, Noreen AU - Steiner, Ruth AU - Palmer, W Mathew AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - School Transportation: Development of an Education Module and Workshops on Multi-modal Costs PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 25p AB - This research project presents a conceptual overview of the policy issue of school siting via an education module and introduces a practitioner tool to support the school siting decision making process. As previous research outlines, school siting, or the physical location of a school, can impact school travel rates and costs. This module and decision support tools enables practitioners to identify and compare the tradeoffs in up-front land costs with ongoing transport costs. The education module, hosted online, was developed for use in graduate courses in urban planning, engineering, and education and continuing education workshops in school siting and pupil transportation. KW - Costs KW - Decision support systems KW - Education and training methods KW - Location KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Schools KW - Workshops UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_2013-32S_Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411933 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603516 AU - Washburn, Scott S AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Signalized Intersection Simulation Program for Education PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 29p AB - In the “Introduction to Transportation Engineering” class, two of the most difficult topics for students to learn are often queuing theory and signal operation and analysis. It is well documented in that the current generation of students are largely ‘visual’ learners and that ‘active learning’ exercises are likely to be a more effective teaching method than the traditional lecture. This learning paradigm for students lends itself well to the use of computer software, particularly traffic simulation programs, to significantly enhance student education in transportation engineering. Software programs can be valuable learning tools, if the program is designed with the focus on education. With a well-designed signalized intersection simulation program that is focused on education and considers pedagogical issues, student interaction with the program through active-learning exercises will allow them to easily visualize the relationship between the various inputs and performance measures, which should lead to more efficient and effective student learning. The result of this Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) project is a signalized intersection microscopic simulation program that can lead to more efficient and effective learning of signalized intersection operation and analysis than traditional commercial simulation programs. KW - Computer program documentation KW - Education and training methods KW - Signalized intersections KW - Software KW - Traffic simulation KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_Signal_Education_Final_Report_ias.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411566 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01600775 AU - Yanez-Rojas, Jaime AU - Yu, Jin AU - Oliva, Michael AU - Adams, Teresa AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Wisconsin Study on the Impact of OSOW Vehicles on Complex Bridges PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 170p AB - Special purpose freight vehicles, which may weigh six times the normal legal limit, request special government permits for travel along selected highway routes. It is difficult for transportation agencies to determine the effects of these vehicles on some unique complex bridge structures. Errors in issuing travel permits may impact public safety or impede commerce through long detours. The goal of this study was to identify how complex bridges, unlike normal girder span bridges, respond to normal and oversize truck loading and then to develop methods that might be used for simply evaluating the impact of overweight trucks on bridges as part of the permit issuing process. Some of these results may also be useful in the bridge rating processes. Three long span arch bridges, one rigid frame bridge and two short span opening bascule bridges were examined in detail analytically to investigate their behavior; three of the bridges were also load tested to provide proof of the accuracy of the analytic methods used. KW - Bridges KW - Evaluation KW - Load tests KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - Permits KW - Structural analysis KW - Trucks KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_0803_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408434 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599265 AU - Medina, Juan C AU - Shen, Shiyu AU - Benekohal, Rahim F AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Micro and Macro Level Safety Analysis at Railroad Grade Crossings PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 70p AB - To assess the safety and risk of railroad grade crossings, one may utilize macroscopic models derived from regression analysis using data from an entire state or country. Macroscopic analysis is mainly used to study the correlation between crossing characteristics (i.e. conflicting volumes and their physical characteristics) and the past accident frequency, to generate predictions about accidents in the future. A common macroscopic model currently used is the US Department of Transportation (DOT) Accident Prediction Formula, which predicts the annual number of crashes at a given crossing. While this model provides useful information for ranking grade crossings for resource allocation, it was developed in the late 1970s and thus it has potential for improvement. The analysis of macroscopic models is one of the two main topics from this study, where a series of alternative models are explored and compared to the US DOT formula. Through these comparisons, it is possible to understand strengths and weaknesses of the current state-of-practice and also to identify models for future improvements. In addition to macroscopic analysis, the second main topic discussed here is the analysis of accidents from a microscopic perspective, where individual characteristics of accidents at a given location are investigated to determine potential contributing factors. The proposed microscopic analysis is used to discover local trends that could not be identified at a macro scale and may help in assessing the risk at a crossing. Examples for the use of the micro analysis are provided to show the benefits of such a combined methodology and its potential use as a tool for on-site inspection. KW - Analysis KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Risk assessment KW - State of the practice UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIUC/NURail2012-UIUC-R02_Final_Report_Benkohal.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59294/NURail2012-UIUC-R02_Final_Report_Benkohal.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405113 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01599157 JO - Transportation Research Circular PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Hancock, Kathleen TI - Commodity Flow Survey Workshop, October 29, 2015, Washington D.C. PY - 2016/03 IS - E-C205 SP - 56p AB - The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) is the core data source for many freight planning activities. The TRB Freight Transportation Data Committee collaborated with the U.S Department of Transportation (DOT) Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to initiate a workshop to provide input to the next application of the survey. Convened after the release of the most recent detailed CFS data and coinciding with plans for the 2017 CFS, the workshop offered an interactive format for a diverse set of users to engage in productive dialogue. The aim of this workshop was twofold. First, the workshop was convened to provide an opportunity for direct feedback from the community of CFS data users to discuss potential near-term improvements and methodological changes for the 2017 CFS. Second, the event also served as a forum for discussing broader emerging technologies and logistics trends that may have near- and long-term implications for the design, implementation, and use of the CFS. This report summarizes the sessions from the workshop. U1 - Commodity Flow Survey Workshop 2015Transportation Research BoardDepartment of TransportationDepartment of TransportationWashington,District of Columbia,United States StartDate:20151029 EndDate:20151029 Sponsors:Transportation Research Board, Department of Transportation, Department of Transportation KW - Commodity flow KW - Commodity Flow Survey KW - Data collection KW - Freight transportation KW - Methodology KW - Surveys KW - Workshops UR - http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/174081.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407811 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598406 AU - Schmidt, Richard J AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Structural Health Monitoring of Highway Bridges Subjected to Overweight Trucks, Phase I – Instrumentation Development and Validation PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 59p AB - State departments of transportation (DOTs) in the west have been under increasing pressure to permit and route overweight trucks transporting machinery and equipment for the energy sector through their state and interstate highway systems. DOT engineers are called upon daily to rate their bridges for overweight trucks to determine appropriate truck routing and to assess the impacts of the trucks on bridge safety and durability. Many of these overweight trucks have nonstandard configurations, which further complicates the rating and permitting process. Hence, it is critical that bridge engineers in the DOTs develop confidence that their bridge analysis and rating software accurately predicts the response of bridges to overweight trucks, especially for bridges on the most frequently traveled routes. The long-term objectives of this project were to develop and validate an instrumentation package for structural health monitoring (SHM) of bridges subjected to overweight trucks and to develop plans for field deployment of the instrumentation on a pilot scale. Ultimately, the objective is to accurately correlate long-term field performance data to the behavior of the bridges predicted by analysis and rating software. The field instrumentation package incorporates use of optical fiber sensors, specifically fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), to monitor strains at critical locations in bridges that are considered most vulnerable to overweight truck loads and are most difficult to effectively rate with currently used software. KW - Data collection KW - Highway bridges KW - Instrumentation KW - Optical fibers KW - Overweight loads KW - Sensors KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Validation UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc16-307.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405214 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596832 AU - Kim, Anita AU - Perlman, David AU - Bogard, Dan AU - Harrington, Ryan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Review of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for Automated Vehicles: Identifying potential barriers and challenges for the certification of automated vehicles using existing FMVSS PY - 2016/03//Preliminary Report SP - 148p AB - The purpose of this work is to identify instances where the existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) may pose challenges to the introduction of automated vehicles. It identifies standards requiring further review - both to ensure that existing regulations do not unduly stifle innovation and to help ensure that automated vehicles perform their functions safely. The Volpe team conducted two reviews of the FMVSS: a driver reference scan to identify which standards include an explicit or implicit reference to a human driver and an automated vehicle concepts scan to identify which standards could pose a challenge for a wide range of automated vehicle capabilities and concepts. In summary, the review revealed that there are few barriers for automated vehicles to comply with FMVSS, as long as the vehicle does not significantly diverge from a conventional vehicle design. Yet, automated vehicles that begin to push the boundaries of conventional design (e.g., alternative cabin layouts, omission of manual controls) would be constrained by the current FMVSS or may not fully meet the objectives of the FMVSS. Many standards, as currently written, are based on assumptions of conventional vehicle designs and thus pose challenges for certain design concepts, particularly for ‘driverless’ concepts where human occupants have no way of driving the vehicle. Some constraints, of course, may be warranted; this work does not assess the merits of potential future requirements for such vehicles. KW - Drivers KW - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Regulations KW - Standards KW - Technological innovations KW - Vehicle design KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57100/57104/Review_FMVSS_AV_Scan.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402515 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596821 AU - Cooper, Coralie AU - Arthur, David AU - Epstein, Alex AU - Poe, Carson AU - Mangar, Abygail AU - Brecher, Aviva AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Forni, Sara AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Achieving Airport Carbon Neutrality PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 92p AB - This report is a guide for airports that wish to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from existing buildings and operations. Reaching carbon neutrality typically requires the use of multiple mechanisms to first minimize energy consumption and then maximize renewable energy use. This report provides a flexible, step-by-step outline for planning and achieving airport carbon emissions reduction or neutrality. The steps include: (1) Conducting background research and inventorying airport GHG emissions; (2) Determining the scope of the carbon neutral airport project; (3) Contracting with an energy services company (ESC); (4) Implementing renewable energy; and (5) Communicating project results. KW - Airports KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Energy consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Implementation KW - Pollutants KW - Renewable energy sources UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56886/Achieving_Airport_Carbon_Neutrality.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56886/Appendices_for_Achieving_Airport_Carbon_Neutrality.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402510 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596784 AU - Machek, Elizabeth AU - Frazier, Jonathan AU - Ingles, Amy AU - Morton, Tom AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Wearable Sensors in Transportation—Exploratory Advanced Research Program Initial Stage Investigation PY - 2016/03 SP - 52p AB - This report summarizes an initial stage investigation into wearable sensors for transportation research applications. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has observed significant activity in this area and seeks to obtain an understanding of the breadth of uses that researchers and practitioners envision for this technology, both now and in the future. Staff from the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center prepared this report on behalf of FHWA’s Exploratory Advanced Research Program. The authors of this report discuss research into air quality, physiological, and activity sensors, which have specific transportation applications and are fairly well-developed. The authors include a summary of observations made by the project team regarding the use of wearable sensors for public sector transportation research. KW - Activity choices KW - Air quality KW - Data collection KW - Physiology KW - Research KW - Sensors KW - Technology assessment UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/16034/16034.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59144/16034.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403110 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596713 AU - Smith, Scott B AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - AMPO Travel Modeling Working Group Meeting on Dynamic Traffic Assignment PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 18p AB - On December 17-18, 2015, the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) convened a travel modeling working group meeting for the purpose of discussing Dynamic Traffic Assignment (DTA). Participants discussed the uses of DTA, challenges in using DTA and research needs. Challenges that were discussed included the modeling of transportation supply (the network, including traffic controls), making the appropriate translations from trip-based transportation demand, convergence, calibration and validation. KW - Association of Metropolitan Planning organizations KW - Calibration KW - Dynamic traffic assignment KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Research KW - Travel demand KW - Validation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57000/57077/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402513 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596705 AU - Alhasan, Ahmad AU - White, David J AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Caterpillar, Incorporated AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Earthwork Haul-Truck Cycle-Time Monitoring – A Case Study PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 58p AB - Recent developments in autonomous technologies have motivated practitioners to adopt new technologies in highway and earthwork construction projects. This project set out to (1) identify new and emerging autonomous earthwork technologies and (2) set up a field study to monitor site-level equipment operations at an earthmoving project. The results of the first part of this study are described in a separate report (2015 Conference on Autonomous and Robotic Construction of Infrastructure [CARCI]). The information reported herein presents the results of the site-level monitoring of an earthwork project, where the objective was to quantify haul truck cycle time. The site selected for monitoring was located in Johnston, Iowa, and required grading to build up a residential development. The project involved about 200,000 cubic yards of excavation and placement. Installing a storm sewer and digging a pond were also required for the project. The soils on site were of glacial origin and were generally classified as silty clays. Position tracking devices were installed on the equipment to monitor the time and position of the equipment for several days. Based on statistical analysis (non-parametric) of the haul cycle times for three haul trucks, the results are presented in terms of frequency distributions and accompanying statistical parameters. Recommendations are provided to build on this study so that additional earthwork sites can be evaluated to more broadly quantify the many factors affecting earthwork productivity. KW - Automatic vehicle location KW - Automatic vehicle monitoring KW - Case studies KW - Earthwork KW - Excavating equipment KW - Field studies KW - Global Positioning System KW - Iowa KW - Statistical analysis KW - Time duration UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/196/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403673 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596699 AU - Cooper, Coralie AU - Arthur, David AU - Epstein, Alex AU - Poe, Carson AU - Brecher, Aviva AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - U.S. Airport Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories: State of the Practice and Recommendations for Airports PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 41p AB - This document presents highlights from five research reports on airport greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories. It presents the most salient findings for policy makers and U.S. airports seeking to better understand and inventory airport GHG emissions. The emphasis in this summary is to provide recommendations on reasonably accurate and low cost methods to inventory airport GHGs.  The first step in reducing GHG emissions is the development of a baseline inventory. Inventorying GHG emissions at airports can help airport officials better understand emissions trends; identify the sources and activities where there are opportunities for GHG reduction; set GHG reductions targets; and track progress toward meeting targets. Information on the usability, affordability, and reliability of various inventory methods is provided to help airports make the most of limited resources. KW - Airports KW - Data collection KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Methodology KW - Pollutants KW - Recommendations KW - State of the practice UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/58000/58000/58012/Airport_GHG_Inventories.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402509 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596679 AU - Bock, David L AU - Kettles, Doug AU - Harrison, John AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Automated, Autonomous and Connected Vehicle Technology Assessment PY - 2016/03 SP - 17p AB - The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and almost every state DOT are showing extreme interest in the application of automated and connected vehicles (ACV). This combined application can significantly reduce crashes, energy consumption, pollution and the costs of congestion which in turn will offer a fundamental change to the U.S. transportation network and system. The objective of this technology assessment project is to evaluate the vehicle technologies, actions, laws and policies that are now in place and to assess their future usage. The assessment also evaluates the highest level of automated vehicles called autonomous or self-driving vehicles. In fact, autonomous vehicles are the area that is receiving the most interest from both the general public and government agencies. The project will also evaluate how electric vehicles (EVs) will participate in this future ACV transportation system. KW - Autonomous vehicle guidance KW - Electric vehicles KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Policy, legislation and regulation KW - Technology assessment KW - United States UR - http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-2020-16.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401980 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594685 AU - Cuddy, Matthew AU - LaFrance-Linden, Dawn AU - Berthaume, Andrew AU - Navarro, Santiago AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Building a Foundation for Effective Technology Transfer through Integration with the Research Process: A Primer PY - 2016/03 SP - 20p AB - This primer aims to increase the effectiveness of technology transfer (T2) activity in transportation by describing how T2 practices can be successfully integrated into the research process to capture the potential real-world benefits of the community’s research investment. This primer’s agenda can be summarized as follows: Purpose: To help the transportation research community facilitate effective technology transfer by providing an overview of the activities that are required to transfer most kinds of research results. Audience: Research program directors and others at the executive level in research organizations, research project managers and their supervisors, researchers, and others in the research community. Scope: T2 activities centered on a particular research and development (R&D) project, often defined by a single statement of work or objectives, as opposed to program-level activities that support multiple projects. The emphasis is on applied R&D, though the principles and concepts apply to basic R&D as well. In pursuing this agenda, the primer draws heavily on three recent Transportation Research Board (TRB) publications: Accelerating Implementation of Transportation Research Results, National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 461; Guide to Accelerating New Technology Adoption through Directed Technology Transfer, NCHRP Report 768; and Transport Research Implementation: Application of Research Outcomes, Summary of the Second EU-U.S. Transportation Research Symposium, TRB Conference Proceedings 51. KW - Data sharing KW - Implementation KW - Project management KW - Research management KW - Technology transfer UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57400/57403/Transportation_TechTransfer_Primer.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401813 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593936 AU - Horton, Suzanne AU - Foderaro, Frank AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Law Enforcement Strategies for Preventing Rail Trespassing Risk Factors PY - 2016/03//Final Report SP - 31p AB - The Volpe Center has investigated law enforcement methods that have successfully prevented trespassing along the railroad right of way. The types of law enforcement strategies currently being used and procedures followed in the field are documented, along with any findings on the effectiveness of these approaches. The end result of this effort is to produce a compilation of available procedures, best practices, data sources and findings to inform effective law enforcement rail trespass prevention programs. KW - Best practices KW - Law enforcement KW - Prevention KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroads KW - Right of way (Land) KW - State of the practice KW - Trespassers UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15647 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57000/57047/Law_Enforcement_Strategies.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400245 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599226 AU - Wilk, Stephen T AU - Stark, Timothy D AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating the Effects of Variable Tie Support at Railway Bridge Transitions PY - 2016/02/29/Final Report SP - 32p AB - This report compares the behavior of three different railway bridge transition zones to illustrate how poor tie support affects track performance. The three bridge transitions consist of a high-speed passenger line, a freight line, and a spur track. All bridge transitions were instrumented with accelerometers that allow tie support and track performance to be non-invasively evaluated by analyzing the measured acceleration magnitude and vibration frequencies in the frequency domain. Instrumenting and comparing both well- and poorly supported bridge approaches resulted in the development of a criterion for how railway bridge transition zones ideally should perform and allow evaluation of other track transitions. The desired outcome of this and future investigations is to improve the understanding of the movements and forces generated in poorly-supported track and identify effective track design and remedial measures. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Accelerometers KW - Bridge approaches KW - Evaluation KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad ties KW - Railroad tracks KW - Vibration UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2015-UKY-R09-combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405206 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599204 AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - Stark, Timothy D AU - Wilk, Stephen T AU - Purcell, Macy L AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Monitoring of Well-Performing Bridge Transition Trackbeds Using Accelerometers PY - 2016/02/29/Final Report SP - 25p AB - This report presents a review of railroad trackbed transition designs that have performed well, e.g., ballasted bridge decks, hot-mixed asphalt (HMA) sublayer, and concrete wing walls parallel to the track, to guide future design and maintenance of bridge trackbed transitions. Non-invasive techniques, e.g., miniature accelerometers attached to ties, were used to measure and evaluate the response of well-performing trackbed transitions under revenue traffic at two railroad bridges. The results of the tests were related to the composition and design of the trackbed support within the transition areas. KW - Accelerometers KW - Bridge approaches KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad ties KW - Railroad tracks UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2015-UKY-R09-combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405205 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594588 AU - Xu, Hao AU - Tian, Zong AU - SOLARIS University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Usage Guidelines of SHRP 2 Naturalistic Driving Study Data for Nevada PY - 2016/02/29/Final Report SP - 84p AB - The second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) has sponsored a naturalistic driving study (NDS) with its central goal of addressing driver performance and behavior in traffic safety. With the concern of protecting the personal identification information (PII) of the study volunteers, the NDS data are not a public dataset that can be downloaded for free. Data users need to submit a data request with a clear description of when, where and what data is needed. This project reviewed documentations and reports related to the SHRP 2 NDS data to summarize guidelines of selecting and requesting the dataset. Examples of applying NDS data for traffic safety and other applications were also provided to demonstrate how the NDS data can be used. The guidelines were also based on actual data request and applications of the project research team – the Center of Advanced Transportation Education and Research (CATER), University of Nevada Reno (UNR). The major innovation effort is development of a decision procedure, a decision matrix and ranking tables to compare selected attributes of the six NDS sites and a study region, which will lead to recommendation of the best-matching NDS site for the study area. Therefore, the appropriate NDS data can be selected and requested. Although the guidance is developed as a reference for Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), it can also be used by other states or regions for NDS data selection and request. This project report may also be used as a reference for future driver behavior data collection in Nevada. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Data analysis KW - Data files KW - Decision support systems KW - Driver performance KW - Guidelines KW - Information retrieval KW - Nevada UR - http://www.unr.edu/Documents/engineering/solaris/Hao%202015%20UTC-USAGE%20GUIDELINES%20OF%20SHRP%202%20NATURALISTIC%20DRIVING%20STUDY%20DATA.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401350 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594600 AU - Hajj, Elie Y AU - Sebaaly, Peter E AU - Habbouche, Jhony AU - University of Nevada, Reno AU - SOLARIS University Transportation Center AU - Nevada Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Laboratory Evaluation of Thin Asphalt Concrete Overlays for Pavement Preservation PY - 2016/02/26/Final Report SP - 63p AB - A significant percentage of the existing lane miles of roadways in the United States, and in particular in Nevada, consists of rural roads. Thus, using a cost-effective pavement surface treatment becomes critical and essential in reducing maintenance and preservation costs on rural and low volume roads. The overall objective of this study was to assess the use of locally available materials in Nevada for the development of a durable fine-graded thin hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlay mixture for pavement preservation. Accordingly, a comprehensive laboratory evaluation was conducted. The investigation considered establishing two mix designs using typical local materials for the northern and southern part of the state. For each mixture, the determined optimal binder content based on volumetric properties was varied within the allowable tolerances to simulate the potential variation in asphalt binder content during plant production. The performance of the two thin HMA mixtures were then evaluated at the various asphalt binder contents in terms of their resistance to moisture damage, resistance to surface raveling and abrasion, dynamic modulus property, resistance to rutting, and resistance to reflective cracking. Furthermore, the workability of the designed thin HMA overlay mixtures using the locking point concept in addition to the developed interlayer bond strength using the Louisiana Interlayer Shear Strength Tester were evaluated. Overall, both designed fine-graded mixtures showed a very good performance and are expected to perform well when used as a thin HMA overlay in Nevada. In particular, good stability, very good resistance to surface raveling and abrasion, and excellent resistance to reflective cracking were observed for both thin HMA overlay mixtures at all evaluated asphalt binder contents. A cost analysis was also conducted between the thin HMA overlay and a typically used pavement surface treatment. Based on the findings from this study, it was recommended to construct field test sections in various parts of the state to evaluate the field performance of the developed thin HMA overlay mixtures in Nevada. KW - Binder content KW - Costs KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Laboratory studies KW - Mix design KW - Nevada KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement performance KW - Rural highways KW - Workability UR - http://www.unr.edu/Documents/engineering/solaris/Hajj_Thin%20Overlay_Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400948 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599176 AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Clarke, David B AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Network Capacity Analysis for Freight Railroads PY - 2016/02/23/Final Report SP - 19p AB - Rail network capacity analysis should consider all network infrastructures in an integrated way, with the challenges of the nonlinear relationships at each network element, a link or a node, and complexity of the interaction between various network elements. Empirical models have been developed to represent capacities and the relationship between flows and dwell-times at classification yards based on yard features through both simulation and theoretical analysis. In the past, the researchers have also developed several rail freight assignment tools based on links capacity, represented by linear or piece-wise linear functions. There is a need to incorporate the new yard capacity submodel into network analysis tools to identify network bottlenecks. The tools are expected to be able to make capacity expansion recommendations based on systematic benefit-cost analysis under various traffic demand scenarios and help to study which part of the network is a bottleneck. This research mainly uses optimization models and algorithms. Computational burden is a big challenge because of the large network size and nonlinearity of capacity submodels, both at yards and links. This research investigates the trade-off between the simplicity and practicability of models and algorithms and focus on the system integration and developed network flows-based algorithms to address the computational challenge. Furthermore, numerical studies were conducted to identify the yards and links that have large impact on the network capacity. KW - Algorithms KW - Dwell time KW - Freight transportation KW - Infrastructure KW - Links (Networks) KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - Optimization KW - Railroad yards KW - Railroads KW - Routing KW - Traffic flow UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UTK/NURail2013-UTK-R05_final_Report_Jin1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59311/NURail2013-UTK-R05_final_Report_Jin1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405093 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01604832 TI - Pilot Test Smart Phone/Tablet App for Paratransit Demand-Response Passenger Pick-up Alerts to Assist Passenger with Disabilities and Reduce No-Shows and Vehicle Dwell Times AB - The project will expand the scope of a current University Transportation Research Center (UTRC2) project titled "Smart Bus System under Connected Vehicles Environment," Project # 49198-27-27. The expanded scope will include the development of a second application. The app will be specially designed for and tested by a trained Rutgers student/staff to work with and ride-along with New Jersey Transit (NJT) paratransit vehicle operators to alert passengers 5 minutes prior to real-time pick-up. The application will be pilot tested on 3 to 5 individuals for approximately 25 to 30 different alerts. Since this pilot test will be a small-scale, location based study data can be collected both before and during the app implementation. Additionally, feedback will be collected from the passenger, the vehicle operator, the Rutgers student/staff and the transit agencies. KW - Dwell time KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - New Jersey Transit KW - Paratransit services KW - Pilot studies KW - Smartphones KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons KW - Travel demand UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/pilot-test-smart-phonetablet-app-paratransit-demand-response-passenger-pick-alerts-ass UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416948 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599251 AU - Dick, C Tyler AU - Atanassov, Ivan AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Spacing and Length of Passing Sidings and the Incremental Capacity of Single Track PY - 2016/02/18/Final Report SP - 7p AB - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of initial siding spacing and distribution of siding length on the incremental capacity of infrastructure investments on single-track railway lines. Previous research showed a linear reduction in train delay as sections of a single-track line with uniform initial siding spacing and length are converted to double track. This first phase of this project determined if this same relationship was observed on lines with different initial uniform siding spacing. Both homogeneous heterogeneous traffic mixtures were considered. The second phase of this project examined single-track lines that exhibited a more realistic non-uniform distribution of siding spacing. The study of non-uniform siding spacing determined if the linear trend observed previously could be used to infer the incremental capacity of investment in double-track siding connections of different lengths. The third phase of this research investigated the relationship between siding length, train length and capacity of single-track lines. This project investigated the relationship between the proportion of long sidings on a route and the number of long trains it can support (as a fraction of total traffic) for a given level of service. Statistical analysis of RTC simulation software results were used for all phases of this research. KW - Delays KW - Length KW - Railroad trains KW - Sidings (Railroads) KW - Simulation KW - Spacing KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIUC/NURail2013-UIUC-R13_Final_Report_2016_02_18-TD1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59310/NURail2013-UIUC-R13_Final_Report_2016_02_18-TD1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405092 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599301 AU - Dick, C Tyler AU - DiDomenico, Giovanni AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Factors Affecting Commuter Rail Energy Efficiency PY - 2016/02/17/Final Report SP - 7p AB - This report investigates factors affecting commuter rail energy efficiency and its comparison with competing passenger travel modes. To accomplish this, data from the National Transit Database were analyzed to demonstrate various methods of quantifying the energy efficiency of commuter rail systems and to identify trends in commuter rail system energy efficiency in the US. In parallel, statistical analyses of simulation results from Rail Traffic Controller show the effects of several operational and infrastructure parameters on passenger rail energy efficiency. The Multimodal Passenger Simulation (MMPASSIM) tool was used to simulate the movements and energy efficiency of several commuter rail case studies to investigate the influence of alternative patterns of train station stops. This tool was also used to investigate the effects of energy-saving technologies and strategies on the commuter rail case study services, and to compare the results to competing passenger travel modes including automobile and bus. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Energy consumption KW - Passenger transportation KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Simulation KW - Statistical analysis KW - Transportation modes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIUC/NURail2013-UIUC-R12_Final_Report-2016-02-18-TD1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59308/NURail2013-UIUC-R12_Final_Report-2016-02-18-TD1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405091 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608537 AU - Sykes, Kayla AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Human Factors Evaluation of an In-Vehicle Active Traffic and Demand Management (ATDM) System PY - 2016/02/15/Final Research Report SP - 138p AB - This research study focused on the development and subsequent evaluation of an in-vehicle Active Traffic and Demand Management (ATDM) system deployed on Interstate 66 in Northern Virginia. The ATDM elements inside the vehicle allowed drivers to remain consistently aware of traffic conditions and roadway requirements even if external signage was inaccessible. Forty participants were accompanied by a member of the research team and experienced the following in-vehicle device (IVD) features: 1) dynamic speed limits, 2) dynamic lane use/shoulder control, 3) High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) restrictions, and 4) variable message signs (VMS). This ATDM system was equipped with auditory and visual alerts to notify the driver when relevant information was updated. The research questions addressed distraction, desirability, and driver behavior associated with the system. Participant data was collected from the instrumented vehicle, various surveys, and researcher observation. Several key findings were uncovered related to each research category: 1) the IVD would not be classified as a distraction according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) distraction guidelines, 2) 73% of participants would want the in-vehicle technology in their next vehicle, and 3) the speed limit alert motivated participantsto alter their speed (based on both survey results and actual participant speed data). KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Behavior KW - Distraction KW - Driver information systems KW - Drivers KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Human factors KW - Speed limits KW - Variable message signs KW - Virginia UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Sykes_Human-Factors-Evaluation-of-an-In-Vehicle-ATDM-System_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418039 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616161 AU - Tyner, Wallace E AU - Sarica, Kemal AU - Purdue University AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis of Policies Aimed at Increasing Use of Natural Gas in the Transportation System PY - 2016/02/02/Final Report SP - 23p AB - In this paper the authors examine the implications of leveling the vehicle fuel choice playing field between plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles in the US. Currently, US policy provides a subsidy of $7,500 for most PHEV vehicles but nothing for CNG vehicles. The authors use a modified version of the MARKAL-Macro model to evaluate the impacts on the transportation system, the general economy, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of maintaining only the PHEV subsidy or applying an equivalent subsidy to CNG vehicles. Some very interesting conclusions emerge from the analysis. In 2050 there are 36% more CNG internal combustion vehicles in the fleet if the CNG Light Duty Vehicles (LDV) subsidy is in effect compared with only the PHEV subsidy. On the other hand, if only the PHEV subsidy is in effect, there are 15% more of those vehicles compared to the case with the CNG LDV subsidy as well. Interestingly, the CNG subsidy also results in a reduction in GHG emissions relative to the case with only the PHEV subsidy. Oil imports also decrease with the CNG subsidy. Thus, the authors have documented that if a CNG subsidy were provided as is the case for PHEV. it would have important impacts on the transportation system. KW - Compressed natural gas KW - Crude oil KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Imports KW - Light duty vehicles KW - MARKAL-MACRO (Computer model) KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Subsidies KW - Transportation policy KW - United States UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/new/108PUY2.1%20Analysis%20of%20Policies%20Aimed%20at%20Increasing%20Use%20of%20Natural%20Gas%20in%20the%20Transportation%20System_Final%20Report%20Tyner.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428239 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596015 AU - Petrella, Margaret AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Burkman, Eric AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - NPS Transit System Passenger Boardings Study: Converting Ticket Sales to Passenger Boardings PY - 2016/02/02/Final Report SP - 38p AB - This report examines the reporting of passenger boardings (unlinked passenger trips) by National Park Service (NPS) transit systems that use a ticket sales conversion methodology. By studying and validating the park units' passenger boarding methodology from converting ticket sales, the Volpe Center found that most small systems are applying the correct multiplier, however, large, more complex systems have a more difficult time estimating their multiplier. Through one on-site visit and four qualitative interviews, the Volpe Center summarizes its qualitative and quantitative findings in this report. KW - Data collection KW - National Park Service KW - Public transit KW - Tickets KW - Unlinked passenger trips UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56892/NPS_Ticket_Sales_Estimation_Methodology.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400025 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626686 AU - Wang, Hao AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Environmental Assessment of Airport Pavement Design and Construction Alternatives PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 29p AB - The objective of this study is to quantify energy and environmental sustainability of asphalt and concrete runway pavements using Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA). The design alternatives include runway rehabilitation/reconstruction designs considered in the constructability study at the John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport and new runway pavement designs conducted using the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pavement design methodology. Life-cycle inventory data were compiled from literature and field surveys to contractors. The data variations in the material-related energy and emission rates were considered for sensitivity analysis. The impact assessment focused on the cumulative energy demand (CED) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in the material, construction, and maintenance phases of pavement life-cycle. Both direct energy consumption and GHG emission and their corresponding upstream components related to process fuels were considered in the impact assessment. The results indicate that the expected pavement service life and maintenance treatments significantly affect the comparison between hot-mix asphalt (HMA) and Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavements. The consideration of energy and emissions associated with the production of process fuels and electricity in the upstream process cannot be neglected in the LCA. Although there are no general conclusions on pavement type selection, the comparison of energy consumption and GHG emission due to upstream, construction and maintenance stages brings awareness to the airport engineer on the differences between HMA and PCC pavements. The project-level analysis should be conducted for selecting the sustainable design alternatives in the airport planning process. KW - Airport runways KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - John F. Kennedy International Airport KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Paving KW - Pollutants KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Service life UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-052-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450297 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01619068 AU - Díaz, Didier M Valdés AU - Ríos, Benjamín Colucci AU - González, Johnathan Ruiz AU - Cruz, Bryan Ruiz AU - Rosario, Ricardo García AU - Torres, Enid Colón AU - University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez AU - Safety Research Using Simulation University Transportation Center (SaferSim) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Operational and Safety-Based Analyses of Varied Toll Lanes PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 100p AB - Recent toll plaza designs have changed drastically due to the implementation of new technologies such as Electronic Toll Collection (ETC). Although these emerging features are developed to improve toll plaza operations, it has altered driver behavior and increased crash frequency as a result of driver confusion and difficult merging scenarios that occur when approaching toll plazas with alternative payment methods. This research presents the first mobile driving simulator in Puerto Rico used to address safety issues related to driver behavior and toll plaza design, which is located in the Transportation Laboratory of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez (UPRM). The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of two different signage configurations of Caguas Sur Toll Plaza using a virtual simulation environment. The first configuration contained roadside signage that corresponded to the existing sign conditions, while the second configuration consisted of the proposed overhead signage. Both signage configurations provided information regarding the speed limits and lane purpose before approaching the toll plaza. A sample of subject drivers was selected to drive through different scenarios to evaluate the effectiveness of both signage configurations. The variables used for analysis were standard deviation of roadway position (SDRP), average speed and acceleration noise, which were calculated in different locator references prior to the toll plaza. The outcome of the research indicated that the configuration with the proposed conditions had a statistically significant reduction of acceleration noise, which was used as a surrogate measure of safety. This was a result of the reduction in lane-changing patterns. It was found that subject drivers of scenarios containing overhead signage changed lanes smoothly and reduced vehicle velocity with anticipation when approaching the toll plaza. Significant difference was found between the signage configurations when analyzing acceleration noise in the Toll Plaza Locator Reference. In conclusion, this study provides strong evidence that driving simulators can be used as an effective and low-cost technology to identify alternative signage configurations at toll plazas without exposing drivers to dangerous situations. These results are expected to contribute both to the understanding of driving behavior and the safety of new features used in the operation of toll facilities around the world. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Behavior KW - Driving simulators KW - Highway safety KW - Lane changing KW - Puerto Rico KW - Toll plazas KW - Toll roads KW - Traffic signs UR - http://safersim.nads-sc.uiowa.edu/final_reports/UPR-1-Y1_FinalReport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60554/UPR-1-Y1_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440002 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616105 AU - Adams, Teresa M AU - Juni, Emil AU - University of Wisconsin, Madison AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Comparative Efficiency Analysis to Optimize Transportation Infrastructure Maintenance Investment Strategy PY - 2016/02 SP - 44p AB - The primary goal of this study was to present an alternative way to analyze the process of maintenance for transportation infrastructure asset management, and to provide maintenance administrators with valuable information that could help them make better decisions in their maintenance strategy that are consistent with the spirit of performance-based decision-making. This was done by identifying the most significant parameters that affect the efficiency of the maintenance process, analyzing how these parameters effect efficiency, and then discussing how to use the results to guide improvements to maintenance investment strategies. It was shown that running a Charnes, Cooper, Rhodes (CCR)-based Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model on specific Decision Making Units (DMUs) provides the information needed regarding the parameters that matter the most in the efficiency of the system and the maintenance procedures being performed in these DMUs. KW - Asset management KW - Data envelopment analysis KW - Decision making KW - Infrastructure KW - Investments KW - Maintenance KW - Optimization KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/new/132UWY2.1%20Use%20of%20Comparative%20Efficiency%20Analysis%20to%20Optimize%20Transportation%20Infrastructure_Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428238 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612170 AU - Hancock, Kathleen L AU - Islam, Md Rauful AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - USE OF WIDE-AREA MOTION IMAGERY (WAMI) FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND OPERATIONS PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 73p AB - Wide-area motion imagery (WAMI), in combination with PVLabs’ integrated Tactical Content Management System spatio-temporal capability, automatically identifies and captures every vehicle in the video view frame, storing each vehicle with a discrete ID, track ID, and time-stamped location. This unique data capture provides comprehensive vehicle trajectory information for an extended period of time, approximately three continuous hours, over a relatively large area, approximately four square miles. This report presents the results of an initial exploration of the use of these data to support transportation planning and operation activities. A subset of the data was extracted, cleaned, validated, and processed for use in calibrating car-following submodels for use in microscopic simulations. A flexible multi-dimensional filtering method was developed to evaluate and filter the data provided by PVLabs to extract valid vehicle tracks. A 10-minute sample of tracks was validated using imagery frames from the video. Resulting tracks were map-matched to roads and individual lanes to support macro and microscopic traffic characteristic extraction. A spatio-temporal trajectory data model was developed to efficiently store vehicle tracks along with the traffic model attributes required for modeling car following behavior. The final processed dataset includes all vehicles and their trajectories for an area of approximately 4-square miles that includes a dense and complex urban network of roads over a three-hour period. Several car-following and lane-changing models were reviewed in detail as were calibration and validation of these models. Both a global deterministic and stochastic calibration process were applied to a 15-minute period for the portions of tracks that occurred on two principle one-way arterials. The preliminary results indicated that the global deterministic calibration produced results similar to previous work. Results of the stochastic calibration showed a significant reduction in the variance from the initially assumed value indicating that the parameters are converging to an expected distribution and have the potential to improve model performance for the test conditions. KW - Calibration KW - Car following KW - Data filtering KW - Lane changing KW - Macroscopic traffic flow KW - Microscopic traffic flow KW - Spatiotemporal data KW - Tactical Content Management System KW - Traffic models KW - Validation KW - Vehicle trajectories KW - Wide-area motion imagery UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2013-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424200 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612167 AU - Lee, Changju AU - Miller, John S AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multimodal Enhancements to Public Private Partnerships PY - 2016/02//Research Report SP - 60p AB - Public-Private Partnership (PPP or P3) projects have received attention as they can increase private sector participation in transportation projects. However, P3s are not a panacea. Worldwide, almost 40% of P3 projects initiated during the 1990s required that the contractual agreement be renegotiated, implying some type of project failure. Because some (not all) types of P3 projects require a toll, one viewpoint is that P3 projects can be proposed only if tolls will render them financially self-sustaining. For passenger transportation, this generally means encouraging modes that can be more easily tolled—usually auto travel—and not necessarily modes that are subsidized—such as transit travel. However, it has been argued that multimodal projects can yield societal benefits, such as better jobs-housing balance. The emphasis on modes which will generate user fees may naturally reduce the likelihood of a P3 investment that will enhance multiple transportation modes. However, if it were possible to translate the socially beneficial impacts of multimodal investments into revenue sources, it might be possible to increase private sector participation in multimodal P3 projects. This research examined how a multimodal P3 project influences land development, specifically the relationship between jobs and housing. There are four objectives: (1) to identify lessons learned from previous use of toll facilities (necessary because Virginia stakeholders are concerned that insights from more distant eras may be overlooked); (2) to develop a way to quantify jobs-housing balance that is sensitive to transportation investments across multiple modes; (3) to develop a taxonomy for classifying the degree of multimodality for P3 projects (necessary because such projects are not completely “multimodal” nor completely “unimodal); and (4) to explore how implementation of a multimodal P3 affects the degree of multimodality and jobs-housing balance. This research uses real data sets from P3s in Virginia, Florida, Colorado, and Rhode Island. While some data had to be requested from public agencies, the data elements required for the research contained herein are available in the public domain. No synthetic data were used, thus, the methodology used herein should be replicable in other locations. As an initial research effort to consider land development impacts in multimodal P3s, this research suggests four key contributions: (1) lessons learned from the use of toll facilities in the U.S.; (2) a methodology to scale multimodality; (3) a way to relate jobs-housing balance (given observed travel patterns) to the aforementioned multimodality scale; and (4) empirical evidence of the multimodality and jobs-housing balance impacts by multimodal P3 projects. Ultimately these contributions may inform guidelines for increasing multimodal components in P3s. KW - Colorado KW - Data files KW - Florida KW - Housing KW - Investments KW - Jobs KW - Jobs-housing balance KW - Lessons learned KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Multimodality KW - Public private partnerships KW - Rhode Island KW - Toll facilities KW - Virginia UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UVA-2013-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424186 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610526 AU - Batta, Rajan AU - Kwon, Changhyun AU - Baveja, Alok AU - State University of New York, Buffalo AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effective and Equitable Supply of Gasoline to Impacted Areas in the Aftermath of a Natural Disaster PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 29p AB - The focus of this project was on supplying gasoline after a natural disaster. There were two aspects for this work: determination of which gas stations should be provided with generators (among those that do not have electric power) and determination of a delivery scheme that accounts for increased demand due to lack of public transportation and considerations such as equity. A Mixed -Integer Mathematical formulation was developed for this situation. Two case studies based on Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey are developed and solved in CPLEX. This project utilized the limited supply of back -up generators and optimized the generators assignment and truck deliveries to the gas stations to achieve maximum gasoline delivery, while ensuring equity factor across the different regions. The model works effectively to locate generators to gas stations and assigns delivery trucks to gas stations. Via the New Jersey 2-county case study the authors' study shows that different combinations of two types of trucks can affect the performance significantly. Different input parameters, e.g. available resource, number of generators, equity parameter, affect the deliverable results. From the large case study the authors conclude that their model is quite efficient and useful to manage gasoline delivery in the aftermath of a natural disaster. KW - Case studies KW - Demand KW - Disasters KW - Electric generators KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Fuel delivery KW - Gasoline KW - Gasoline stations KW - Gasoline supply KW - Hurricane Sandy, 2012 KW - Mathematical models KW - Mixed integer programming KW - New Jersey KW - Supply UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Effective-and-Equitable-Supply.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423195 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603510 AU - Simoni, Michele AU - Eldad, Ofer AU - Alexander, Andrew AU - Claudel, Christian AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Boundary Conditions Estimation on a Road Network Using Compressed Sensing PY - 2016/02 SP - 29p AB - This report presents a new boundary condition estimation framework for transportation networks in which the state is modeled by a first order scalar conservation law. Using an equivalent formulation based on a Hamilton-Jacobi equation, the authors pose the problem of estimating the boundary conditions of the system on a network, as a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP). The authors show that this framework can handle various types of traffic flow measurements, including floating car data or flow measurements. To regularize the solutions, the authors propose a compressed sensing approach in which the objective is to minimize the variations over time (in the L₁ norm sense) of the boundary flows of the network. The authors show that this additional requirement can be integrated in the original MILP formulation, and can be solved efficiently for small to medium scale problems. KW - Floating car data KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Networks KW - Optimization KW - Traffic density KW - Traffic flow theory UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00090-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409657 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603495 AU - Serigos, Pedro A AU - Buddhavarapu, Prasad AU - Gorman, Grant M AU - Hong, Feng AU - Prozzi, Jorge A AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Contribution of Micro- and Macro-texture to the Skid Resistance of Flexible Pavement PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 50p AB - Skid resistance is an important characteristic of the pavement surface to reduce the number of road accidents. The mechanisms involved in the activation of the frictional force required for a safe braking of the vehicle depend on both the macro- and the micro-texture of the pavement surface. The state-of-the-practice methodologies commonly used for measuring pavement texture at highway speeds only account for the macro-texture, which alone might not be sufficient to effectively characterize skid resistance. This study explored different ways to characterize the micro-texture of pavement surfaces with the main objective of quantifying the effect of accounting for both the micro and the macro components of the texture, rather than just the macro-texture, on the prediction of skid resistance. The friction and texture data analyzed in this study were collected from an experiment conducted on in-service flexible pavement surfaces. Surface friction was measured using a British Pendulum Tester whereas texture data was collected using a Circular Track Meter and a Laser Texture Scanner. The surface micro-texture was characterized by different texture parameters calculated in both the spectral and the spatial domain. The impact of incorporating the micro-texture on the prediction of skid resistance was evaluated by analyzing a series of models specified by each of the proposed parameters. The results of the analyses show a significant improvement in predicting the surface friction when accounting for both components of the surface texture, as opposed to only the macro-texture. Furthermore, the parameters calculated on the frequency domain led to a better prediction power. KW - Data analysis KW - Flexible pavements KW - Macrotexture KW - Measuring methods KW - Microtexture KW - Skid resistance KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Texture UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00085-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409659 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599875 AU - DeCoursey, William AU - Rothwell, Jeremy AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Defining and Quantifying State of Good Repair (SGR) for the Pedestrian Network PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 95p AB - State of Good Repair (SOGR) is difficult to quantify in a pedestrian context. Dozens and dozens of variables can affect the utility of the pedestrian network, and these variables change depending upon the environmental context (urban, suburban, rural). Moreover, pedestrian infrastructure, in general, is subject to far less rigorous assessment and monitoring in relation to its maintenance and overall condition… certainly when compared with bridges, railroads, or roads. This paper attempts to posit a definition for SOGR for pedestrian facilities and put forth a scoring mechanism transportation agencies and municipalities can use to monitor the pedestrian network’s state of repair in a variety of contexts. KW - Condition surveys KW - Definitions KW - Evaluation KW - Level of service KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Walkability UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-041-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407825 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599166 AU - Hellman, Adrian D AU - Lamplugh, Aaron AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Evaluation of LED Sign Technology at a Passive Highway-Rail Grade Crossing PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 64p AB - The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), under the direction of DOT’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research, Development, and Technology (ORD), conducted a research study that evaluated the effectiveness of light-emitting diode (LED) regulatory signs at a passive highway-rail grade crossing. In this study, a grade crossing in Swanton, Vermont had its existing Grade Crossing Crossbuck (R15-1) signs and Advance Warning signs (AWSs) (W10-1) replaced with flashing LED-equipped signs. Vehicle speed profiles were measured at four locations on the northbound approach lane of the crossing in three phases: with the original signs prior to any changes at the crossing, after the LED enhanced Crossbuck signs were installed, and after the LED enhanced AWSs were installed. Daytime and night-time data samples were analyzed separately. After the LED enhanced Crossbuck signs were installed, test results showed: 1) a statistically significant decrease of 2.9-3.3 mph in mean vehicle speed at night at the four measurement locations and 2) improvements of 1.5%-2.5% in the rate of mean vehicle speed decrease for both the daytime and nighttime data sets. KW - Before and after studies KW - Evaluation KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Periods of the day KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Regulatory signs KW - Speed KW - Swanton (Vermont) KW - Warning signs UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59164/Evaluation_of_LED_Sign_Technology.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404757 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598878 AU - Macfarlane, Kate AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Summary of the Border Infrastructure Finance Workshop, January 20-21, 2016 PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 8p AB - On January 20-21, 2016, the U.S.-Mexico Joint Working Committee for Transportation Planning (JWC), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) sponsored a workshop on Border Infrastructure Finance. The workshop was hosted at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 11 office in San Diego, California. This report summarizes the presentations given at the workshop. KW - Crowdfunding KW - Financing KW - Infrastructure KW - International borders KW - Public private partnerships KW - United States-Mexico Border KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59128/BIFW_Summary_Report_2016.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59128/BIFW_Summary_Report_2016.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=April%202016%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405317 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596819 AU - Sparko, Andrea L AU - Chase, Stephanie G AU - Yeh, Michelle AU - McGray, Bruce AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Low Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (LVO/SMGCS) Chart Symbology PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 64p AB - This study examined which symbol shapes are considered to be representative of information shown on Low Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (LVO/SMGCS) charts, and how useful pilots perceive that information to be. The information in this report is intended to provide data to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to identify best practices for LVO/SMGCS charts. One-hundred forty-four air transport pilots with category-III qualification and/or LVO/SMGCS training were shown symbol shapes that included symbols currently in use on LVO/SMGCS charts, symbols recommended for LVO/SMGCS charts by the International Civil Aviation Organization, and “foil” (fake) symbol shapes that are not in use. For each symbol shape, pilots responded “Yes” or “No” to whether they considered the symbol shape to be representative of a particular information type. Symbol shapes were presented alone as well as at increasing levels of context to examine whether additional airport-layout chart information helped pilots identify representative symbol shapes. Once pilots identified representative shapes, they rated the usefulness of various types of information depicted on LVO/SMGCS charts. Pilots identified real symbols as representative for geographic position markings (GPM), instrument landing system (ILS) hold lines, and the combination of runway guard lights (RGL) and stop bar lights. The majority of pilots rated the following information types to be very useful: GPM, clearance bar, ILS hold line, approach hold line position marking, stop bar lights, RGL, and the combination of RGL and stop bar lights. It is important to note that these ratings were made without operational context. Regardless of pilot ratings, all the information types in the study play a unique role in supporting LVO/SMGCS operations. KW - Air pilots KW - Best practices KW - Charts KW - Geometric configurations and shapes KW - Surface Movement Guidance and Control System KW - Symbols UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/58000/58900/58972/LVOSMGCS_Symbology_Study_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402508 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594445 AU - Sebaaly, Peter E AU - Hajj, Elie Y AU - Weitzel, Dean AU - Belancio, Greg AU - University of Nevada, Reno AU - SOLARIS University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effectiveness of Cape Seal Pavement Preservation Technique in Northern Nevada PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 93p AB - This report presents the results of a research study funded by SOLARIS University Transportation Center. The research evaluated the long-term performance of cape seals with micro-surfacing and slurry seal in the Truckee Meadows and Incline Village areas of Northern Nevada. The analysis of the data generated from this research led to the following findings and recommendations: (1) Among the six factors that were evaluated (Construction, Materials, Traffic, Structure, Environment, and Pre-Pavement Condition Index (PCI)) only the pre-PCI (PCI prior to application of cape seal) value had a significant impact on the long-termperformance of the cape seals. (2) Micro-surfacing cape seals exhibited very consistent long-term performance regardless of the conditions of the existing pavement as expressed by the pre-PCI level. This is shown by the narrow range of the final PCI values of all micro-surfacing cape seals of 70 – 80. (3) The effective performance life of micro-surfacing cape seals is 7 years in the Truckee Meadows and 5 years in Incline Village. The effective performance life of slurry seal cape seals is 3.5 years in the Truckee Meadows and 3 years in Incline Village. (4) The life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) indicates that the micro-surfacing cape seal is more cost effective than the slurry seal cape seal at both locations of Truckee Meadows and Incline Village. (5) Based on the excellent long-term performance and the significantly higher benefit cost ratio of the micro-surfacing cape seals as compared to the slurry seal cape seals, road agencies should continue to use the micro-surfacing cape seal as a preventive maintenance treatment. KW - Analysis KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Chip seals KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Nevada KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement performance KW - Recommendations KW - Slurry seals UR - http://www.unr.edu/Documents/engineering/solaris/Sebaaly-Cape-Seal-Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400949 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594436 AU - Tian, Zong AU - Gholami, Ali AU - University of Nevada, Reno AU - SOLARIS University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Safe and Efficient Pedestrian Accomodation at Coordinated Signalized Intersections PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 69p AB - The purpose of this research is to study how pedestrian crossing timing should be considered in coordinated signal operations. A practical guideline needs to be developed to determine when accommodation (A) of pedestrian timing into coordination is preferable over non-accommodating (NA). With this guideline, practitioners input cycle length (C), volume (v), required pedestrian timing (RPT), and other signal parameters. The guideline will lead to a recommendation on whether A or NA should be used based on arterial vehicle delay. As part of the guideline development, a mathematical model was developed and validated by simulating 3,456 scenarios in VISSIM traffic simulation. Then, a software tool was created based on the mathematical model, named PeTASC (Pedestrian Timing Accommodation into Signal Coordination). A link is provided to download this free software. PeTASC can be used as a reference for an appropriate pedestrian timing design. This software can help practitioners design a better coordination plan and as a result, reduce arterial delay. KW - Mathematical models KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian phase KW - Signalized intersections KW - Software KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://www.unr.edu/Documents/engineering/solaris/Tian-Signal%20Coordination%5b1%5d.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400950 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594311 AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Fish and Wildlife Service TI - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Alternative Transportation Evaluation: Region 8 PY - 2016/02 SP - 65p AB - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Federal Lands Highway, and the U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center have conducted regional alternative transportation evaluations (RATEs) in most of FWS’s eight regions. RATEs help ensure effective consideration and integration of alternative transportation systems (ATS) into the goals and recommendations of the region’s long-range transportation plans (LRTPs). A RATE was conducted in Region 8, comprising California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon, in the summer of 2014. The RATE provided lessons on and opportunities for how ATS may be instituted more broadly across Region 8. KW - Accessibility KW - California KW - Case studies KW - Financing KW - Mode choice KW - Nevada KW - Oregon KW - Public land KW - Regional transportation KW - Transportation options KW - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service KW - Wildlife UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57000/57026/DOT-VNTSC-FWS-16-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400140 ER - TY - SER AN - 01594295 JO - Analysis Brief PB - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration AU - Horton, Suzanne AU - Segev, Eran AU - Meltzer, Neil AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Roadside Intervention Effectiveness Model, Fiscal Year 2012 PY - 2016/02//Draft Report SP - 38p AB - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in cooperation with the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, has developed an analytic model to measure the effectiveness of roadside inspections and traffic enforcement in terms of crashes prevented, injuries prevented, and lives saved. Traffic enforcement and roadside inspections are considered interventions and this analytic model is known as the Roadside Intervention Effectiveness Model. This model provides FMCSA management with information to address the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, which requires Federal agencies to measure the effectiveness of their programs as part of the budget cycle process. It also provides FMCSA and State safety program managers with a quantitative basis for optimizing the allocation of safety resources in the field. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Inspection KW - Measures of effectiveness KW - Safety programs KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56900/56979/15-013-RIEM_FY2012_508C_-_V1_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400132 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594100 AU - Gudishala, Ravindra AU - Wilmot, Chester AU - Mokkapati, Aditya AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Travel Time Estimation Using Bluetooth PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 90p AB - The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using a Bluetooth Probe Detection System (BPDS) to estimate travel time in an urban area. Specifically, the study investigated the possibility of measuring overall congestion, the trend in congestion, the location of congestion “hotspots,” and finally measurement of the level of congestion at the hotspots using a BPDS. A secondary objective was to assess the possibility of obtaining travel time from other quicker and cheaper methods such as simply purchasing it from a commercial vendor. The findings of the study indicate that a BPDS can reliably be used to measure travel time and estimate congestion in terms of indices such as travel delay, planning time index, and travel time index. However, the acquisition of a BPDS includes certain overheads such as installation costs, maintenance costs and monitoring costs. Purchase of travel time from a commercial vendor might be a viable option if the travel time data is not needed on a day-to-day basis and over an extended period of time. However, one of the disadvantages of purchasing travel time data is limited flexibility in using the data because of contractual issues. The study recommends using BPDS for collecting travel time if real-time data are needed on a constant basis and over a period of one or more years. If the data are not needed in real time and are needed for limited purposes and for less than a year, then it would be preferable to acquire the data through a commercial vendor. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Costs KW - Data collection KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Real time information KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel time KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-43FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400765 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593748 AU - Schafer, Sarah AU - Martinko, Richard S AU - Lindquist, Peter S AU - Sundaraghavan, P AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Collaborating Toward the IT Highway: Linking Public and Private Investments in Intelligent Transportation Systems to Freight Flows and Supply Chain Performance PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 30p AB - This work will examine the collaborative effort of public and private investments in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and how these investments impact freight flow system performance. Previous research has suggested benefits of implementing ITS, however few studies have developed metrics for the evaluation of system performance. In this study, metrics will be developed for system performance. Primary data will be collected from both public and private enterprises to examine performance outcome improvements gained by investing in ITS technology for freight. These outcomes will be analyzed to identify key success factors to leverage public and private investments in ITS for freight to further develop the system. It is envisioned that reporting quantified benefits from this work will support the collaboration of stakeholders in regions not currently using ITS to promote future investments in the system. KW - Cooperation KW - Financing KW - Freight traffic KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Investments KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Performance measurement KW - Public private partnerships UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_0911_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398938 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592037 AU - Golias, Mihalis AU - Mishra, Sabya AU - Psarros, Ioannis AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Guidebook for Best Practices on Integrated Land Use and Travel Demand Modeling PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 164p AB - Land use and transportation systems are closely interrelated and models used to support transportation planning need to be integrated with land use models to capture these effects. Currently 11 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in Tennessee (TN) use their respective analytical tools to estimate land use and transportation. However, there is limited coherence between MPOs in terms of integrated land use and transportation models (ILUTM) because of geographic boundaries. This project will seek to develop a guidebook that will assist practitioners as they integrate both their land use and transportation models. KW - Best practices KW - Handbooks KW - Land use models KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Tennessee KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_0906_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398494 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592027 AU - Mishra, Sabya AU - Golias, Mihalis AU - Sarker, Afrid AU - Naimi, Alireza AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effect of Primary and Secondary Crashes: Identification, Visualization, and Prediction PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 86p AB - The authors propose to develop individual models for incident duration, secondary crash occurrence, associated delays, and queue length and apply those to one or two urban cities in Tennessee. The authors will also propose a framework for the development of an online Hot Spot Visual Tool (HSVT) to identify most hazardous locations or hot spots and a crash identification toolbox (CIT) to obtain specifics of primary and secondary crashes from archived crash data. In combination, the proposed three models can help in predicting short-term primary and secondary crash durations, the probable occurrence of secondary crashes, delay and associated queue length. The scope of the project will also include identification of hot spots and provide strategies to improve truck operations against accidents. KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash data KW - High risk locations KW - Queuing KW - Tennessee KW - Time duration KW - Traffic delays UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_0905_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398493 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592006 AU - Sarder, M D AU - Miller, Chad AU - Sulbaran, Tulio AU - Holt, David AU - Golias, Mihalis AU - Anderson, Mike AU - Mohammadian, Kouros AU - Stewart, Richard AU - Islam, Samantha AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Realigning Multimodal Freight Networks in Response to International Capacity Expansion PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 225p AB - The widely discussed Panama Canal expansion project is expected to be completed by 2014. Following that expansion, container flows for imports and exports will likely shift to eastern and Gulf coast ports and the increased freight volumes may strain the already congested intermodal transportation system. This project will examine how expansion of the Panama Canal may redistribute trade volumes across the intermodal system, including ports, waterways, railroads, and highways. This research will assess potential effects of the Canal’s expansion on the freight networks in the South and Midwest and identify rational strategies for the nation’s multimodal network in response to this international capacity expansion. A promising opportunity for gaining economic competitiveness is the freight village concept. Freight villages and global logistics parks are planned distribution, logistics, and warehousing communities built around intermodal hubs with the expectation of exogenous and endogenous growth. However, partners at the University of Memphis and the University of Southern Mississippi have shown that not all intermodal facilities are significant job creators and that the reasons for different economic impacts need to be better understood. KW - Container traffic KW - Economic impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Highways KW - Intermodal facilities KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Logistics KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Panama Canal KW - Port capacity KW - Ports KW - Railroads KW - Waterways UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_RI06_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398456 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592003 AU - Peters, Robert W AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia P AU - Amekudzi-Kennedy, Adjo A AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Educational & Professional Training Modules on Green/Sustainability Design & Rating Systems for Neighborhood Development & Transportation PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 38p AB - While the importance of sustainability is well recognized by practicing and academic professionals alike, Civil Engineering curricula do not typically offer courses covering or addressing sustainability design principles and assessment methodologies. To bridge this gap, this report discusses the development and pilot testing of a course on “Sustainability Design and Rating Systems” for upper level undergraduate and master level civil engineering graduate students, which was taught at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The course development was the result of close and productive collaboration between one transportation and one environmental engineering faculty member who team-taught the course pilot in the fall semester 2014. This approach can set an example of the benefits of multidisciplinary course instruction that can foster interaction among traditional civil engineering disciplines for the benefit of students. The pilot course focused on sustainable transportation and livable streets, transportation planning and site design for sustainable transportation, sustainability rating systems for neighborhoods and infrastructure, brownfield/greyfield redevelopment options, and sustainability and ethics. The objective was to educate the future engineering workforce about the basic principles of sustainable design and evaluation methods, in an effort to raise awareness and develop expertise on sustainable design options and their associated benefits. KW - Civil engineering KW - Education and training KW - Ratings KW - Sustainable development KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Educational_Modules_on_Green-Sustainability_Design_Rating_Systems_for_Neighborhood_Development_and_Transportation_STRIDE_2012-051S.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398241 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01591984 AU - Adams, Teresa AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Compass 2013 Data Analysis and Reporting PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 91p AB - The Compass Annual Report is issued each year to communicate the condition of Wisconsin’s state highway network and to demonstrate accountability for maintenance expenditures. The primary audience for this report includes Maintenance Supervisors and Operations Managers at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and partner organizations including the 72 counties. Compass reports are used to understand trends and conditions, prioritize resources, and set future target condition levels for the state highway system. The condition data is also used to estimate the costs to reduce maintenance backlogs to varying levels of service. This report includes data on traveled ways (paved traffic lanes), shoulders, drainage, roadsides, selected traffic devices, specific aspects of winter maintenance activities, and bridges. The report does not include measures for preventive maintenance, operational services (like traveler information and incident management), or electrified traffic assets (like signals and lighting). KW - Annual reports KW - Condition surveys KW - Data analysis KW - Expenditures KW - Highway maintenance KW - State highways KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_0901_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398491 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01591965 AU - Mishra, Sabya AU - Golias, Mihalis AU - Dulebnets, Maxim AU - Flaskou, Mania AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Guidebook for Freight Transportation Planning Using Truck GPS Data PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 115p AB - The proposed guidebook will investigate (and develop case studies) of how and if the available global positioning system (GPS) data can be used to: (1) Develop performance measures for transportation facilities; (2) Provide key performance indicators for intermodal terminals in Tennessee; (3) Develop truck trip generation rates for different intermodal and trans-modal terminals; (4) Analyze TN truck corridors with a focus on travel time and flow; (5) Analyze inter- and intra-city travel patterns; and (6) Provide data to support development, calibration and validation of TN's State and Metropolitan Planning Organization's (MPO's) travel demand models (both for the freight and passenger component). KW - Case studies KW - Freight transportation KW - Global Positioning System KW - Handbooks KW - Intermodal terminals KW - Performance measurement KW - Tennessee KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand KW - Travel patterns KW - Trip generation KW - Truck traffic UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_0904_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398492 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590535 AU - Hendricks, Sara AU - Catalá, Martin AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Methodology for Linking Greenways and Trails with Public Transportation in Florida PY - 2016/02//Final Report SP - 165p AB - The purpose of this research was to provide a methodology to evaluate how intermodal connections between public transportation and public trails can improve livability in Florida communities. This research explored other available methodologies for evaluating intermodal connectivity, developed three case studies of communities outside Florida to compare different approaches, and developed an alternative methodology as applied to the trails and transit systems of Pinellas County and Hillsborough County, Florida. The research team used data sets and analysis tools that are widely available. The evaluation began by selecting a transportation goal of importance to the community, as defined by a particular travel market and purpose. The home locations of the target traveler market were mapped using a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) spatial analysis with the Environmental Protection Agency Smart Location Database (EPA SLD) and other information sources. The purpose of the mapping exercise was to discern areas within the counties where larger concentrations of the target traveler market are located. Locations of greater concentrations of the desired trip destination type were determined. Examples of destinations include employment centers, recreation centers, and post-secondary education campuses. The locations of bus routes and bus stops, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and public trails also were mapped. Study subareas were selected for each county, based upon their location between trip origins and trip destinations. A trail/transit crossing inventory template was developed and used to conduct audits of the conditions present at selected transit/trail junctures found within the subareas. Recommendations were developed for improvements for each of these transit/trail junctures to make the connections stronger so that someone using nonmotorized transportation could use both public transit and a public trail to complete a multimodal trip to the destination. KW - Case studies KW - Florida KW - Geographic information systems KW - Greenways KW - Intermodal transfer KW - Mapping KW - Methodology KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Origin and destination KW - Public transit KW - Recommendations KW - Spatial analysis KW - Trails UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT-BDV26-977-03-rpt.pdf UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/FDOT-BDV26-977-03-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397672 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603560 AU - Hu, Jia AU - Lee, Young-Jae AU - Park, Byungkyu Brian AU - Dadvar, Seyedehsan AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Next Generation Transit Signal Priority with Connected Vehicle Technology PY - 2016/01/30/Final Research Report SP - 127p AB - This project utilized connected vehicle (CV) technology allowing two-way communication among vehicles and infrastructure to develop a next-generation Transit Signal Priority (TSP) system that does not have to rely on conventional TSP sensors. The research team extended a previously proposed TSP system based on CV technology (TSPCV) to handle conflicting requests and to coordinate passage between intersections in a travel corridor. The proposed TSP mechanisms minimize installation and maintenance costs by eliminating the need for local agencies to perform a level of service (LOS) study and/or volume/capacity (v/c) ratio for potential TSP intersections before installation. Simulation-based evaluation results showed that, compared to conventional TSP mechanisms, the proposed TSP logic reduces bus delays between 5% and 48% (TSPCVM) and decreases the delay of a bus progressing along a corridor between 35% and 68% (TSPCV-C). The range of improvement corresponds to the four different v/c ratios tested, which were 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 and 1.0. In most cases, the proposed TSP logic caused no negative effects. A field experiment conducted on the Connected Vehicle test bed on the Virginia Smart Road, located at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) in Blacksburg, Virginia, validated the performance of the proposed TSPCV system. The TSPCV algorithm provided green traffic signal timing to buses with different arrival times with a 100% success rate. It also reduced delays for a bus with a speed of 45 mph and a traffic signal with a 90-second cycle length and 30 seconds of green time by as much as between 32% and 75%. Moreover, the field experiment showed that two Global Positioning System (GPS) devices (regular and differential) performed almost identically and, in an aggregate sense, the difference in their performance was not statistically significant. This finding facilitates the large-scale implementation of TSP, since regular GPS devices are much cheaper than differential GPS devices and operated just as well for TSPCV. KW - Data collection KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Global Positioning System KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Simulation KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic signal priority KW - Traffic signal timing UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Hu_Next-Generation-TSPCV-with-Connected-Vehicle-Technology.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1411137 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599283 AU - Kawamura, Kazuya AU - Fu, Elizabeth AU - McNally, Alexandra AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Economic Benefits of Productivity Increases through Truck-to-Rail Mode Shift in Freight Transport PY - 2016/01/29/Final Report SP - 50p AB - Although the study of economic benefits of improving (or not improving) the efficiency of freight movement has been recognized as one of the critical research topic by the decision makers and researchers alike, there remains a dearth of transparent and theoretically sound methods to actually estimate the impacts. While there are many factors, the lack of reliable tools to simulate how the efficiency changes affect the flow of goods and also the absence of the framework to translate the output into an economic impact measure are two major obstacles. This study applies a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model for the Chicago region to analyze the impacts of productivity increase in the trucking sector. KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Economic benefits KW - Economic impacts KW - Equilibrium (Economics) KW - Freight traffic KW - Modal shift KW - Productivity KW - Railroad transportation KW - Trucking UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R09_Truck_Rail_NURail_Final_Report_Kawamura_v21.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59292/NURail2012-UIC-R09_Truck_Rail_NURail_Final_Report_Kawamura_v21.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405073 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593528 AU - Gonzalez, Marta C AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Model in the Boston Metropolitan Area from Origin Destination Matrices Generated with Big Data PY - 2016/01/26/Final Report SP - 4p AB - As millions of people migrate to cities each year, it is critical that we put new data sources to work improving them. The density of cities brings economic productivity, provides cultural amenities, and facilitates sustainability, but is also the root of problems related to congestion, health, and safety. This project has presented new perspectives and applications of massive, passively collected data sources to understand human mobility and its relation to these outcomes. It has detailed a number of new methods and applications for extracting meaningful insights from these data to make cities better places to live. Above all, though, this work highlights the need for interdisciplinary approaches. We have seen combinations of methods from data mining and machine learning, network theory, and spatial statistics, with deep domain knowledge from urban planning, economics, and transportation. For decades, planners and sociologists such as Jane Jacobs have recognized cities as systems of organized complexity where the interactions between millions of residents combine to produce emergent phenomena. The promise of "big data" is to measure these interactions and enable us to study their consequences at a massive scale. KW - Boston Metropolitan Area KW - Cities KW - Data collection KW - Interdisciplinary approach KW - Mobility KW - Origin and destination KW - Travel demand KW - Trip matrices UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-5%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397308 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593527 AU - D’Ambrosio, Lisa AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing Alternative Transportation Options for Older Users PY - 2016/01/25/Final Report SP - 3p AB - While the aging of the population represents the triumph of advances in medicine, technology, education and public health, this unprecedented demographic shift has resulted in new kinds of challenges around how to help older adults navigate their new longevity. This study explored questions and challenges around keeping an aging population mobile. In the US, driving one’s personal vehicle is the majority of people’s preferred means of getting around. For many older adults, however, the driving mode is not just a means to an end, but an end in and of itself: the act of driving is central to their senses of identity and autonomy (Donorfio et al. 2008a). Driving gives the individual the ability to make choices about the timing of trips and the order of stops and the overall sense of control over one’s life. A great deal of work on older adults and transportation has focused specifically on driving, much of it around driving self-regulation: older adults’ voluntary reduction of when and where they drive in order to stay safe (e.g., Donorfio et al. 2008b; Molnar et al. 2010; Owsley, Stalvey and Phillips 2003; Ross et al. 2009). Less work has explored how older adults think about their transportation alternatives, and more precisely, how the fastest growing segment of the population – the oldest old, those ages 85 and older – think about their transportation. Many studies focus on the younger old – those who are still active and may have on average 15 or more years of life ahead of them. In contrast, someone reaching the age of 85 today has on average another 6.7 years to live, and he or she is likely in a more frail condition than he or she was 10 or 15 years earlier. Yet transportation is just as vital to the oldest old as it is to the younger old. This study used a qualitative approach to explore older adults’ assessments of their transportation options and alternatives, including transit and personal vehicles. KW - Aged KW - Aged drivers KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Automobile travel KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Mobility KW - Mode choice KW - Public transit KW - Transportation UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-3%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397306 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596788 AU - Viray, Reginald AU - Noble, Alexandria M AU - Doerzaph, Zac AU - Mclaughlin, Shane AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connected Motorcycle System Performance PY - 2016/01/15/Final Research Report SP - 112p AB - This project characterized the performance of Connected Vehicle Systems (CVS) on motorcycles based on two key components: global positioning and wireless communication systems. Considering that Global Positioning System (GPS) and 5.9 GHz Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) may be affected by motorcycle rider occlusion, antenna mounting configurations were investigated. In order to assess the performance of these systems, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s (VTTI) Data Acquisition System (DAS) was utilized to record key GPS and DSRC variables from the vehicle’s CVS Vehicle Awareness Device (VAD). In this project, a total of four vehicles were used where one motorcycle had a forward mounted antenna, another motorcycle had a rear mounted antenna, and two automobiles had center-mounted antennas. These instrumented vehicles were then subject to several static and dynamic test scenarios on closed test track and public roadways to characterize performance against each other. Further, these test scenarios took into account motorcycle rider occlusion, relative ranges, and diverse topographical roadway environments. From the results, both rider occlusion and approach ranges were shown to have an impact on communications performance. In situations where the antenna on the motorcycle had direct line of sight with another vehicle’s antenna, a noticeable increase in performance can be seen in comparison to situations where the line of sight is occluded. Further, the forward-mounted antenna configuration provided a wider span of communication ranges in open-sky. In comparison, the rear-mounted antenna configuration experienced a narrower communication range. In terms of position performance, environments where objects occluded the sky, such as deep urban and mountain regions, relatively degraded performance when compared to open sky environments were observed. KW - Antennas KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Global Positioning System KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Motorcycles KW - Performance KW - Topography UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Viray_Connected-Motorcycle-System-Performance.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402933 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596728 AU - Song, Miao AU - Mclaughlin, Shane AU - Doerzaph, Zachary AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connected Motorcycle Crash Warning Interfaces PY - 2016/01/15/Final Research Report SP - 95p AB - Crash warning systems have been deployed in the high-end vehicle market segment for some time and are trickling down to additional motor vehicle industry segments each year. The motorcycle segment, however, has no deployed crash warning system to date. With the active development of next generation crash warning systems based on connected vehicle technologies, this study explored possible interface designs for motorcycle crash warning systems and evaluated their rider acceptance and effectiveness in a connected vehicle context. Four prototype warning interface displays covering three warning mode alternatives (auditory, visual, and haptic) were designed and developed for motorcycles. They were tested on-road with three connected vehicle safety applications - intersection movement assist, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning - which were selected according to the most impactful crash types identified for motorcycles. It showed that a combination of warning modalities was preferred to a single display by 87.2% of participants and combined auditory and haptic displays showed considerable promise for implementation. Auditory display is easily implemented given the adoption rate of in-helmet auditory systems. Its weakness of presenting directional information in this study may be remedied by using simple speech or with the help of haptic design, which performed well at providing such information and was also found to be attractive to riders. The findings revealed both opportunities and challenges of visual displays for motorcycle crash warning systems. More importantly, differences among riders of three major motorcycle types (cruiser, sport, and touring) in terms of riders’ acceptance of a crash warning interface were revealed. Based on the results, recommendations were provided for an appropriate crash warning interface design for motorcycles and riders in a connected vehicle environment. KW - Driver vehicle interfaces KW - Instrument displays KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Motorcycle crashes KW - Motorcycles KW - Motorcyclists KW - Prototypes KW - Recommendations KW - User interfaces (Computer science) KW - Warning devices UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Song_Connected-Motorcycle-Crash-Warning-Interfaces.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402934 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594410 AU - Shoag, Daniel AU - Muehlegger, Erich AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cell Phones and Motor Vehicle Fatalities Final Report PY - 2016/01/15/Final Report SP - 3p AB - The research objective of this project was to explore how the use of mobile devices affects driver safety. With almost all American adults owning a cell phone and other mobile devices currently, cell phone use while driving is thought to be extremely common. There have been significant concerns raised about distracted driving; however, relatively little consensus has been reached on the impact of distracted driving on safety. The results of this research are the first direct evidence linking call patterns and accidents in a non-experimental setting. As expected, the observational data strongly confirm the link between traffic injuries and death and mobile phone use. KW - Cellular telephones KW - Crash injuries KW - Distraction KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/HVDR24-14%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397319 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594421 AU - Konduri, Karthik C AU - Lownes, Nicholas E AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Crowdsourcing Real-Time Traveler Information Services: Issues, Challenges and Recommendations PY - 2016/01/11/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Traditional solutions to traveler information services rely on fixed sensor networks (in the form of loop detectors, and traffic detection cameras), augmented with reports about planned and unplanned network perturbations to provide real-time traveler information services (RTIS). The information provided by RTIS is often limited in its coverage because of high cost of installing sensors across entire networks. Further, data are often delayed owing to limitations of communication and transmission technologies, and sensor network unreliability leads to a lack of information provision. Additionally, physical sensor networks are prohibitively expensive to maintain and operate. Recent advances, however, in information and communication technologies – in the form of smartphones and portable handheld devices – combined with participatory paradigms of information sharing, such as crowdsourcing, offer the ability to overcome challenges associated with traditional information provision solutions that rely on physical sensor networks. In this new wave of traveler information services, consumers with location-aware and data-enabled devices serve as a network of mobile sensors providing information about prevailing network conditions. This approach of traveler information has potentially wider coverage, almost real-time currency, and redundancy in data collection due to the participatory paradigm of information sharing. Additionally, since the end users serve as sensors, there is little investment involved in deploying the sensor network and minimal cost is incurred in maintaining and operating the information services. Despite the potential of crowdsourced based RTIS solutions, a number of issues abound about its feasibility and applicability to provide complete traveler information about entire transportation networks across all modal alternatives. To this end, researchers have developed a prototype of a RTIS solution called RETTINA to assess and evaluate the feasibility of providing real-time traveler information based on crowdsourced data. In the next section, an overview of the RETTINA prototype is presented. In the last section, some ongoing and future work is described. KW - Crowdsourcing KW - Handheld devices KW - Prototypes KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Traveler information and communication systems UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UCNR24-31A%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397345 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594407 AU - Konduri, Karthik C AU - Lownes, Nicholas E AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation System Modeling in the Information Era PY - 2016/01/11/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Enabled by advances in technology, Real-time Information Systems (RTIS) are increasingly being deployed as a solution to address the congestion issues we face today. RTIS solutions aim to provide roadway users with up to date information on travel times along roadway corridors allowing users to make informed decisions about routes, destinations, modes, and/or activity scheduling and sequencing. RTIS promise the ability to provide up-to-the-minute network-wide traffic conditions to people through a variety of technological solutions including smart phones, global positioning systems, and in-vehicle technologies. The potential of RTIS for improving the efficiency of different aspects of the activity and travel choices is undisputed. However, individuals may access and use the information to different extents and in different ways, with due consideration to their unique contextual situations characterized by time-space constraints, household obligations and interactions, modal availability and accessibility, and built environment attributes. The net impact of a RTIS strategy on activity-travel patterns of individuals, and on the transportation network as a whole, is complicated to assess. Therefore, there is a need for a comprehensive model system that can be utilized to systematically assess the direct and cascading impacts of real-time services such as RTIS. The focus of this research effort was twofold, namely, 1) develop a conceptual modeling framework for the activity-travel generation problem to accurately represent the behavioral dynamics that result from information provision and usage and 2) implement the conceptual framework using existing microsimulation models of travel demand and dynamic traffic assignment to build an integrated model prototype. In the next section an overview of the conceptual modeling framework is presented. In the following section, the prototype of the integrated model system is described. In the last section, ongoing and future research on the topic are described. KW - Activity choices KW - Driver information systems KW - Dynamic traffic assignment KW - Global Positioning System KW - In-vehicle technologies KW - Microsimulation KW - Prototypes KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Traffic conditions KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Travel patterns KW - Travel time UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UCNR24-31%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397344 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594416 AU - Osorio, Carolina AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Simulation-Based Energy-Efficient Transit Signal Priority Strategies PY - 2016/01/10/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Consider a subnetwork within a larger urban network (e.g., an arterial within a city, a city within a region) where local changes to the supply of the subnetwork are being considered (e.g., changes in the network design or in the traffic control). This project proposed a simulation-based optimization (SO) framework that allows for the combined use of multiple simulation models. It aims to achieve a suitable trade-off between obtaining accurate local performance estimates and the associated computational costs. The SO method is suitable to address continuous and generally constrained transportation problems, where the objective function is estimated via simulation, whereas the constraints are available in closed-form and are differentiable. KW - Optimization KW - Public transit KW - Simulation KW - Traffic signal priority UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-7%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397310 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594417 AU - Salvucci, Frederick AU - Murga, Mikel AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a "Universal" Residential Public Transportation Pass, as Part of a Comprehensive Multi-Modal Approach to Urban Parking PY - 2016/01/04/Final Report SP - 7p AB - This project has been accomplished with the completion of Masters theses by Winnie C. Chang and Cara Elizabeth Ferrentino on “Whose Parking Space Is It? Managing Residential Parking in the Context of Urban Growth: Case Study of Cambridge, MA” and “Cambridge in Transition: Regulating Parking in a Growing City”, respectively. The abstracts of the said theses are attached. KW - Cambridge (Massachusetts) KW - Parking regulations KW - Passes (Transportation) KW - Residential areas KW - Urban growth KW - Urban transit UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-9%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397313 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594420 AU - Lownes, Nicholas E AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - t-HUB: Connecticut Public Transport Data Hub PY - 2016/01/01/Final Report SP - 3p AB - This project supported expansion of a centralized public transport data center (dubbed “t-HUB” hereafter) for the state of Connecticut. t-HUB is a central data storage point, access point, management point and analysis point for transit operators and planners, hosted at the University of Connecticut. This data and analytical resource has many practical uses, among these being the statewide evaluation of system connectivity, identification of prime integration and connection points or corridors ripe for new/upgraded transit service or analysis of an integrated fare structure. The tool will enable the analyst to: 1) Glean aggregate equity metrics (system, corridor, census designation) at a glance and 2) Develop estimates of service change impacts on equity through a dynamic user interface. KW - Connecticut KW - Data centers KW - Public transit KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UCNR24-32%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397346 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594419 AU - Lownes, Nicholas E AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Spring 2014 Pilot Project Competition PY - 2016/01/01/Final Report SP - 3p AB - This project is a small pilot research project competition administered in Fall 2014 and executed in full by May 2015. Proposals were solicited from University of Connecticut researchers working in fields related to transportation. Proposed projects were able to request a maximum of $10,000. Five projects were selected for funding, spanning these topics: (1) Training the Next Generation of Transportation Professionals: Multi-media Communication Training for Transportation Sustainability; (2) Interdisciplinary Seminar Series in Livable Transportation Systems and Urban Planning; (3) The Double Dividend: Capturing Environmental and Economic Benefits from Connecticut's Deep Water Ports; (4) The Suburbanization of American Cities Post World War II: Documenting, Visualizing and Analyzing the Impacts using Hartford, Connecticut as a Case Study; and (5) Climate Adaptation in New London Harbor: Whoever Moves First Wins? KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - City planning KW - Connecticut KW - Economic benefits KW - Livable communities KW - Multimedia KW - Pilot projects KW - Ports KW - Research KW - Suburbs KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Urban growth UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UCNR24-32A%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397349 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594414 AU - Trancik, Jessika E AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Time Dependent Environmental Impacts of Transportation PY - 2016/01/01/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Energy technologies emitting differing proportions of methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) vary in their relative climate impacts over time, due to the distinct atmospheric lifetimes and radiative efficiencies of the two gases. Standard technology comparisons using the global warming potential (GWP) with a fixed time horizon do not account for the timing of emissions in relation to climate policy goals. In this project the author developed an alternative approach for policy makers, engineers, and private investors to use in evaluating the time-dependent greenhouse gas emissions impacts of energy technologies, and in optimizing energy technology portfolios. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Environmental impacts KW - Global warming KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Methane KW - Technology KW - Time dependence KW - Transportation KW - Transportation policy UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-11A.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397316 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594411 AU - Christofa, Eleni AU - Collura, John AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Person-based Comparison of Transit Preferential Treatments on Signalized Arterial Corridors PY - 2016/01/01/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Transit preferential treatments (TPTs) are promising strategies for reducing delays for transit vehicles and improving person mobility, leading to more sustainable and economically competitive multimodal transportation systems. However, the exact impact of such strategies, individually or combined, on the person carrying capacity and person delay of signalized arterial corridors are yet to be determined. This project focused on the development of analytical models to explicitly assess the impact of TPTs on the person carrying capacity and person delay of signalized intersections that are part of a larger signalized arterial (i.e., autos arrive in platoons). In addition, domains of application that dedicated bus lanes (DBL) and pre-signals with or without green extension and red truncation, should be used to minimize total person delay for a generic isolated intersection and undersaturated conditions were also determined. These models allow for a comprehensive comparison of various TPTs without the need for time-consuming simulations. KW - Arterial highways KW - Bus lanes KW - Isolated intersections KW - Mathematical models KW - Mobility KW - Person capacity KW - Pre-signals KW - Public transit KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic signal priority UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-15%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397323 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594409 AU - Christofa, Eleni AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Signal Timing Optimization for Improved Person Mobility and Air Quality PY - 2016/01/01/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Continuous transportation demand growth in recent years has led to many traffic issues in urban areas. Among the most challenging ones are traffic congestion and the associated vehicular emissions. Efficient design of traffic signal control systems can be a promising approach to address these problems. A thorough review of the literature suggests that although there are some developed modal emission estimation models, there is no real-time signal timing optimization algorithm to minimize emissions or a combination of emission and person delay that have been estimated based on these models. The initial objective was to develop a real-time signal control system that simultaneously minimizes person delay and emissions for both cars and buses in bi-modal transportation networks. However, after the initial literature review, it made more sense to start by developing a real-time signal control strategy to minimize emissions at an isolated intersection before combining the two objectives. Therefore, this research project first developed a real-time signal control system to minimize total car and bus emissions at an isolated intersection that operates in undersaturated traffic conditions while research efforts to combine the two objectives are still in progress. The developed signal control optimization can assist transportation agencies in utilizing traffic signals to minimize emissions in critically polluted areas. KW - Air quality KW - Exhaust gases KW - Isolated intersections KW - Mobility KW - Optimization KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal timing UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-14B%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397321 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593928 AU - Smith, Brian AU - Park, Hyungjun AU - Hayat, Md Tanveer AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Enabled Freeway Merge Management – Field Test PY - 2016/01/01/Final Research Report SP - 46p AB - Freeway congestion is a major problem of the transportation system, resulting in major economic loss in terms of traffic delays and fuel costs. With connected vehicle (CV) technologies, more proactive traffic management strategies are possible. The Freeway Merge Assistance System (FMAS) can implement innovative ramp management strategies by providing personalized advisories to individual drivers to ensure smoother merging. The benefits anticipated from these strategies will completely depend on the advisory compliance of the drivers; this, in turn, will be influenced by situational as well as individual behavioral factors. The purpose of this research was to investigate drivers’ responses to this new generation of personalized in-vehicle advisory messages. A field test was conducted with naïve human subjects to collect driver behavior data about different types of advisory messages under different traffic scenarios in a controlled environment. The data gathered from the field test indicated that the compliance rate was higher when a large- or medium-size gap was available for a lane change. The lowest compliance rate was observed for a small-gap scenario. In addition, it was discovered that more drivers would follow a direct advisory message that advised a lane change rather than an indirect message which was meant to stimulate a lane change through speed control. KW - Behavior KW - Driver information systems KW - Drivers KW - Field tests KW - Gap acceptance KW - Lane changing KW - Merging control KW - Merging traffic KW - Mobile communication systems UR - http://cvi-utc.org/awarded-projects/connected-vehicle-enabled-freeway-merge-management-field-test/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400738 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593526 AU - Ben-Akiva, Moshe AU - Abou-Zeid, Maya AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Capturing the Relationship between Motility, Mobility and Well-Being Using Smart Phones PY - 2016/01/01/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Understanding and modeling subjective well-being has been an expanding area of research among transportation researchers during the last decade. It has been well argued that mobility is the result of people’s desire to conduct activities in order to satisfy several needs so as to maintain or enhance well-being. In recent years, several efforts have been made to quantify travelers’ subjective well-being using self-reported state of happiness while participating in various activities or travel patterns. The limitations of these conventional survey methods to collect uninterrupted and comprehensive information have restricted the number of such studies. In this study, the authors adapted a smartphone-based sensing platform to collect mobility information and measure happiness. KW - Mobility KW - Self evaluation KW - Smartphones KW - Surveys KW - Travelers KW - Well-being UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-1%20FP%20Appendix.pdf UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-1%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397305 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626824 AU - Cerrasco, Cesar J AU - Nazarian, Soheil AU - Aguirre, Nancy AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Modeling of Interaction Between Steel and Concrete in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 19p AB - Continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) contains continuous longitudinal reinforcement with no transverse expansion within the early life of the pavement and can continue to develop cracks in the long-term. The accurate modeling of CRCPs main features is of primary importance in a mechanistic-empirical pavement design procedure. Design tool such as CRCP-9 and CRCP-10 have the capability to analyze continuous pavements under traffic, environmental, and thermal loads and have the capability to predict crack spacing. CRCP-9 and 10 were developed using 2-D and 3-D finite element theory to calculate stresses in concrete and steel bars due to environmental loads. In order to develop a reliable model that better represents the behavior of CRCP, a clear understanding of the interaction between the concrete and steel is essential. Therefore, a parametric analysis was developed, using the 3-D finite element model of the CRCP computer programs in ABAQUS, to investigate the concrete stress distribution while varying the slab thickness. KW - Continuously reinforced concrete pavements KW - Cracking KW - Deformation curve KW - Finite element method KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Parametric analysis KW - Pavement distress KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Slabs KW - Thickness UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-065-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450294 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626803 AU - Escajeda, Alejandra AU - Teutli, David AU - Abdallah, Imad AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance Life of HMA Mixes PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 20p AB - A number of hot mix asphalt (HMA) types, such as permeable friction course (PFC), stone mastic asphalts (SMA), performance design mixes and conventional dense graded mixes are currently used to construct or overlay roads. One of the important inputs into current pavement design programs is the performance lives of HMA mixes since they significantly impact the life cycle cost analyses of the pavement structures and the ultimate selection of the HMA type. Knowing performance lives is also key information when developing pavement maintenance programs. Currently, the estimated performance life of different HMA mixes (including the frequency of overlay) by the designers is highly subjective. KW - Databases KW - Decision making KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Life cycle costing KW - Pavement performance KW - Service life UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-049-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450298 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626593 AU - Tamrakar, Prajwol AU - Nazarian, Soheil AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Impact of Gradation and Moisture Content on Stiffness Parameters of Base Materials PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 57p AB - The performance of flexible pavement depends on the mechanical characteristics of its base layer. The mechanical characteristics such as stiffness and deformation resistance depend on many factors such as the material gradation fines content, moisture content, physical properties of coarse aggregate and more. The gradation of material could change due to improper material handling, migration of fines from subgrade and the other reasons. Similarly, the moisture content of base materials may alter during pavement construction and operation by exposure to excessive water and percolation of rainwater from pavement surface. In this research, the roles of gradation, fines content and moisture content were evaluated to understand the effects on the mechanical characteristics of base. Twelve different tests sequences were performed with a combination of moisture contents from dry to wet of optimum moisture content and fine contents. The increase in moisture content typically had detrimental effect on the mechanical characteristics of the base material. However, the increase in fines (change in gradation) showed mixed results on the mechanical characteristics. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Fines (Materials) KW - Flexible pavements KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mechanical properties KW - Moisture content KW - Pavement performance KW - Stiffness UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-054-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450296 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616945 AU - Strauss, Rachel AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - New York Metropolitan Transportation Council Scenario Planning Workshop PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 38p AB - This report summarizes noteworthy practices and key recommendations shared during a scenario planning workshop, hosted by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC), on July 14-15, 2015, in New York, New York. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored this event as part of its Scenario Planning Program and in connection with the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program jointly run by FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration. The workshop introduced the topic of financial scenario planning to NYMTC staff and representatives from local, State, and Federal agencies. Peer experts from Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, and Metropolitan Transportation Commission participated in the workshop to share their agencies’ experiences and perspectives in using financial scenario planning. KW - Best practices KW - Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning KW - Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission KW - Financing KW - Forecasting KW - Metropolitan Transportation Commission (California) KW - New York Metropolitan Transportation Council KW - Recommendations KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60127/nymtcscenario.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428262 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610521 AU - Brennan, Thomas M AU - College of New Jersey AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance Measures To Characterize Directional Corridor Travel Time Delay Based On Probe Vehicle Data PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 39p AB - Anonymous probe vehicle data are currently being collected on roadways throughout the United States. These data are being incorporated into local and statewide mobility reports to measure the performance of freeways and arterial systems. Predefined spatially located segments, known as Traffic Message Channels (TMCs), are spatially and temporally joined with probe vehicle speed data. Through the analysis of these data, transportation agencies have been developing agency wide travel time performance measures. One widely accepted performance measure is travel time reliability, which is calculated along a series of TMCs. Travel time reliability is usually measured as a percentile of base travel time or speed. When reliable travel times are not achieved because of incidents and recurring congestion, it is desirable to understand the time and location of these occurrences to proactively manage the corridor. This research emphasizes a visually intuitive methodology that aggregates a series of TMC segments based on a cursory review of congestion hot spots within a corridor. Instead of a fixed congestion speed threshold, each TMC link is assigned a congestion threshold based on the 70th percentile of the 15-minute average speeds between 2AM and 6AM. An analysis of approximately 90-million speed records collected in 2013 along I-80 in northern New Jersey was performed for this project. Travel Time Inflation, the time exceeding the expected travel time at 70% of measured free flow speed, was used to evaluate each of the 166 directional TMC segments along 70 miles of I-80. This performance measure accounts for speed variability caused by roadway geometry, heavy traffic flows, and other Highway Capacity Manual speed-reducing friction-factors associated with each TMC. A t-stat analysis based on unequal means was conducted to compare each of the TMC segments to determine statistical similarities of adjacent TMCs. An example analysis of 5 Million records in 2013 during the AM Peak eastbound direction of I-80 in northern New Jersey was performed for this research. The results determined that of the 83 segments in the eastbound direction there were 25 statistically similar groups. KW - Data collection KW - Floating car data KW - New Jersey KW - Probe vehicles KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic Message Channel KW - Travel time KW - Travel time reliability UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Performance-Measures-Probe-Vehicle-Data.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423192 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604581 AU - Guglielmi, John AU - Wilson, Bruce AU - Stevens, Scott AU - Lam, Andy AU - Nodine, Emily AU - Jackson, Chris AU - Najm, Wassim G AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Independent Evaluation of Heavy-Truck Safety Applications Based on Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Communications Used in the Safety Pilot Model Deployment PY - 2016/01//Research Report SP - 102p AB - This report presents the methodology and results of the independent evaluation of heavy trucks (HTs) in the Safety Pilot Model Deployment (SPMD); part of the United States Department of Transportation’s Intelligent Transportation Systems research program. In 2012 the SPMD deployed approximately 2,800 vehicles equipped with designated short-range-communication-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology in a real-world driving environment. The goals of the independent evaluation were to characterize capability, assess unintended consequences, and gauge driver acceptance of the V2V and V2I safety applications. The evaluation is based on naturalistic driving by 33 participants who drove HTs equipped with integrated and retrofit safety devices (RSDs). The V2V and V2I devices in the 3 integrated trucks and 16 trucks equipped with RSDs contained a suite of safety applications that issued alerts to participants in potential crash scenarios. The results of the analysis suggest that V2V safety applications work in real-world environment and issue useful alerts in driving conflicts, but improvements in their accuracy are needed. Results from the SPMD will help shape future research direction. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Field tests KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Highway safety KW - Safety Pilot Model Deployment KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/812224-heavytruckv2vreport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59247/812224-HeavyTruckV2VReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414864 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603544 AU - Banerjee, Ambarish AU - Burton, Maria AU - Prozzi, Jorge AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Quantification of Infrastructure Consumption under Different Axle Configurations and Wheel Loads PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 56p AB - Recent developments in the energy sector in Texas, in particular oil, gas and wind energy, have resulted in increased volumes of traffic generated in areas such as the Barnett Shale, Eagle Ford Shale, Permian Basin, the Texas Panhandle, and others. In the case of oil and gas, the development and operation of a well site requires significant number of truck movements (including oversize/overweight loads) that accelerate the deterioration of the surface transportation network of the state faster that what was designed for. This unanticipated and accelerated deterioration of the road network imposes additional burden on already insufficient maintenance and rehabilitation budgets that affect most state highway agencies in the United States. The energy sector contributes immensely to the economic competitiveness of the State of Texas and the Southwest Region of the United States, but, under the present situation, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) does not have the necessary resources to keep up with reconstruction, rehabilitation or maintenance of the system to keep it safe for the general public. A solution has to be worked out to address this immediate problem. KW - Axle loads KW - Cracking KW - Deterioration KW - Methodology KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - Pavement distress KW - Rutting KW - Texas KW - Trucking UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00071-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409656 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603536 AU - Zhang, Zhao AU - Wolshon, Brian AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis of Evacuation Clearance Time under Megaregion Disaster Threats PY - 2016/01 SP - 44p AB - The significance and continuous growth of urbanized areas throughout the world has led to the emergence of the global phenomenon of megaregions. Megaregions often share common historical, cultural, environmental, and topographic/geologic systems as well as close economic ties, facilitated by transportation linkages that connect the movement of people and freight. Another characteristic that megaregions also often share are threats from naturally-occurring and manmade disasters. This paper describes a project to better understand, prepare for, and respond to catastrophic disasters in megaregions In the research, a mass evacuation of the United States Gulf Coast megaregion was modeled based on past hurricane scenarios in the area. The results of the analyses revealed how operational characteristics of the megaregion road network vary and how strategies such as temporally-phased evacuations and regional contraflow operations are able increase overall system effectiveness. The results of the simulations also showed numerous limitations of the network as well as existing modeling and computational processing capabilities to create such simulations. KW - Analysis KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Evacuation KW - Gulf Coast KW - Hurricanes KW - Megaregions KW - Traffic simulation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409655 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01598870 AU - Lautala, Pasi T AU - Pouryousef, Hamed AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating the Use of Operational Management Techniques for Capacity Improvements on Shared-use Rail Corridors PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 73p AB - The majority of intercity passenger and commuter rail services in the United States (U.S.) operate on the shared-use corridors with freight rail services. These types of operations tend to be challenging for efficient capacity utilization and reliability due to the high heterogeneity of trains (diversity of trains' operations). In addition, the projected growth in demand for rail transportation is likely to exacerbate the situation, making efficient use of capacity a necessity for freight and passenger traffic alike. There are two main approaches to improve the capacity levels, either by applying new capital investment or by improving operational characteristics and parameters of the rail services (such as improving the trains' timetables). To date, the U.S. has concentrated more on the first approach while the second approach is commonly used in European practices. It would be beneficial to evaluate the main challenges and advantages of using operational management techniques to improve the capacity utilization along shared use corridors in the U.S. KW - Freight and passenger traffic KW - Freight trains KW - Intercity passenger rail KW - Management KW - Railroad capacity KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Railroad corridors KW - Railroad operations KW - Shared use corridors UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_0910_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405067 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594413 AU - Mayne, Quinton AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Politics of Transport Policy in the Greater Copenhagen Region PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 3p AB - This project was focused on understanding the political conditions and factors that led to the emergence and development of a sustainable transportation regime during the postwar period in the Greater Copenhagen Region. KW - Copenhagen (Denmark) KW - Political factors KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation policy UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/HVDR24-13A%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397318 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594412 AU - Shoag, Dan AU - Muehlegger, Erich AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Land-Use Regulations and Commuting Patterns PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 3p AB - Land-use regulations are a primary way in which state and local governments influence the urban landscape, affecting where people live, how much they commute and the impact they have on the environment. This research project examined two questions related to a specific way by which land use regulation in the U.S. affects individuals. First, do individuals spend more time commuting in locations with strict land use regulation, and second, does the correlation between land use regulation and commuting times vary with demographics? The research grant resulted in a working paper that was presented by one of the co-Principal Investigators at the peer-reviewed Humanitarian Technology: Science, System and Global Impact 2015 conference and published in a journal as part of the conference proceedings. KW - Commuting KW - Demographics KW - Land use KW - Policy KW - Regulations KW - Travel time KW - United States UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/HVDR24-14A%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397320 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593702 AU - Ceylan, Halil AU - Steffes, Robert F AU - Gopalakrishnan, Kasthurirangan AU - Kim, Sunghwan AU - Yang, Shuo AU - Zhuang, Kailin AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development and Evaluation of a Portable Device for Measuring Curling and Warping in Concrete Pavements PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 86p AB - Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement undergoes repeated environmental load-related deflection resulting from temperature and moisture variations across pavement depth. This has been recognized as resulting in PCC pavement curling and warping since the mid-1920s. Slab curvature can be further magnified under repeated traffic loads and may ultimately lead to fatigue failures, including top-down and bottom-up transverse, longitudinal, and corner cracking. It is therefore significant to measure the “true” degree of curling and warping in PCC pavements, not only for quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) purposes, but also for better understanding of its relationship to long-term pavement performance. Although several approaches and devices—including linear variable differential transducers (LVDTs), digital indicators, and some profilers—have been proposed for measuring curling and warping, their application in the field is subject to cost, inconvenience, and complexity of operation. This research therefore explores developing an economical and simple device for measuring curling and warping in concrete pavements with accuracy comparable to or better than existing methodologies. Technical requirements were identified to establish assessment criteria for development, and field tests were conducted to modify the device to further enhancement. The finalized device is about 12 inches in height and 18 pounds in weight, and its manufacturing cost is just $320. Detailed development procedures and evaluation results for the new curling and warping measuring device are presented and discussed, with a focus on achieving reliable curling and warping measurements in a cost-effective manner. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Curling KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Measuring instruments KW - Pavement performance KW - Portable equipment KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Warpage UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1094&context=intrans_techtransfer UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/MTC_portable_curling_and_warping_device_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398803 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592046 AU - Ferris, Thomas K AU - Suh, Youngbo AU - Miles, Jeffrey D AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigating the Roles of Touchscreen and Physical Control Interface Characteristics on Driver Distraction and Multitasking Performance PY - 2016/01 SP - 39p AB - This study aimed to assess the potential of driver distraction, task performance, orientation of attention, and perceived workload in a multitasking situation involving interaction with touchscreen interface, compared to physical interface. Authors conducted a real-driving experiment focusing on qualities of synthetic feedback produced from the interfaces mounted on the center console, when a driver engages in an input task with the interfaces while maintaining visual attention and awareness on the road and the roadside. Participants drove a vehicle along a straight double-lane route prescribed on the closed-course track in Texas A&M University–Riverside Campus. The results revealed that the lack of both auditory and vibro-tactile feedback in touchscreen interaction led to significant degradation in input task performance, compared to a natural haptic feedback from the physical interface. The insufficiency also significantly deteriorated drivers’ ability in detecting and promptly responding to objects designed to suddenly appear on the roadside, as opposed to the physical interface or touchscreen interface with synthetic feedback. Perceived workload appeared to be not significantly affected by the difference in the interface characteristics. The findings emphasized the impact of synthetic feedback on multitasking performance as previous studies did, and highlighted its potential on regulating visual attention resource on which awareness is based. Designers of user interface or policy makers concerning with driving safety will benefit from the findings. KW - Attention KW - Distraction KW - Driver performance KW - Driver vehicle interfaces KW - Drivers KW - Multitasking KW - Touchscreens UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ATLAS-Center-Final-Research-Report-Tom-Ferris.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59210/ATLAS_Center_Final_Research_Report_-_Ferris_-_ATLAS_2015-08.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397926 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592019 AU - Lord, Dominique AU - Geedipally, Srinivas AU - Shirazi, Mohammadali AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improved Guidelines for Estimating the Highway Safety Manual Calibration Factors PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 71p AB - Crash prediction models can be used to predict the number of crashes and evaluate roadway safety. Part C of the first edition of the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) provides safety performance functions (SPFs). The HSM addendum that includes freeway and ramp chapters consist of severity distribution functions (SDFs) to estimate the crash severity as a function of geometric and traffic characteristics. In order to account for the differences in factors that were not considered or cannot be considered in the development of SPFs and SDFs, it is essential to calibrate them when they are applied to a new jurisdiction. The HSM recommends a one‐size‐fits-all sample size for calibration procedures that require crash data collected from randomly selected sites. However, the recommended sample size is not fully supported by documented studies, and several agencies have initiated SPF calibration efforts. In addition, there are no clear guidelines on when an agency should update their calibration factors (C-factors) and how they should make a decision on the need of region-specific calibration factors. The objectives of this research are to (1) review and document issues with the existing calibrating method in the HSM, (2) identify factors that influence the selection of the sample size for the SPFs calibration (or recalibration), (3) determine how frequently or when an agency should update their calibration factors, (4) determine whether or not having region-specific C-factors are justified and when they are needed, and (5) identify factors that influence the selection of the sample size for the SDFs calibration (or recalibration). The study objectives were accomplished using simulated and observed data. The guidelines included a discussion on (1) the sample size that is required to calibrate SPFs; (2) when the models should be recalibrated; (3) when the region-specific C-factors are recommended; and (4) the sample size that is required to calibrate SDFs. KW - Calibration KW - Crash severity KW - Guidelines KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Methodology KW - Safety Performance Functions UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ATLAS-Final-Research-Report-Lord-ATLAS-2015-10.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59211/ATLAS_Center_Final_Research_Report_-_Lord_-_ATLAS-2015-10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397925 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01591986 AU - Cantor, David E AU - Tekippe, Matthew AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Owner-Operator versus Company-Driver Safety Performance Analysis PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 28p AB - The safety performance of motor carriers is a serious concern in the trucking industry and is a top priority for the U.S. Department of Transportation. This study explored the extent to which a carrier’s use of owner-operators and/or company drivers affects safety performance. Two primary research questions were addressed: how does motor carrier firm size relate to organizational flexibility, or the use of owner-operators versus company drivers, and does organizational flexibility affect safety performance? The study also examined whether safety performance varies by industry segment. A dataset based on data obtained for a previous study was created that includes equipment ownership profile information for approximately 108,780 motor carriers. An analysis of the data indicated that the larger the firm, the lower the use of company drivers; contrary to expectations, the use of company drivers results in poorer safety performance; and safety performance varies by industry segment. KW - Motor carriers KW - Organization KW - Owner operators KW - Truck drivers KW - Trucking safety UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1091&context=intrans_techtransfer UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/intrans_reports/173/ UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/owner-operator_vs_company-driver_safety_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398201 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590491 AU - Wang, Teng AU - Gopalakrishnan, Kasthurirangan AU - Somani, Arun AU - Smadi, Omar AU - Ceylan, Halil AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Machine-Vision-Based Roadway Health Monitoring and Assessment: Development of a Shape-Based Pavement-Crack-Detection Approach PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 48p AB - State highway agencies (SHAs) routinely employ semi-automated and automated image-based methods for network-level pavement-cracking data collection, and there are different types of pavement-cracking data collected by SHAs for reporting and management purposes. The main objective of this proof-of-concept research was to develop a shape-based pavement-crack-detection approach for the reliable detection and classification of cracks from acquired two-dimensional (2D) concrete and asphalt pavement surface images. The developed pavement-crack-detection algorithm consists of four stages: local filtering, maximum component extraction, polynomial fitting of possible crack pixels, and shape metric computation and filtering. After completing the crack-detection process, the width of each crack segment is computed to classify the cracks. In order to verify the developed crack-detection approach, a series of experiments was conducted on real pavement images without and with cracks at different severities. The developed shape-based pavement crack detection algorithm was able to detect cracks at different severities from both asphalt and concrete pavement images. Further, the developed algorithm was able to compute crack widths from the images for crack classification and reporting purposes. Additional research is needed to improve the robustness and accuracy of the developed approach in the presence of anomalies and other surface irregularities. KW - Algorithms KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Concrete pavements KW - Data collection KW - Flaw detection KW - Image analysis KW - Machine vision KW - Pavement cracking KW - Shape KW - Width UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1101&context=intrans_techtransfer UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1188&context=intrans_reports UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396112 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590469 AU - Sheppard, Eric AU - Jagasivamani, Vadivel AU - Khaykin, Vitaly AU - Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Acoustic Emission Non-Destructive Integrity Assessment of Intermodal Transportation Infrastructure Asset Interactions PY - 2016/01//Final Report SP - 23p AB - It is imperative to conduct research and utilize technologies that enhance highway bridge safety by predicting and thus preventing bridge failures. In this work, the technology of acoustic emission (AE) is applied to study the integrity of a highway bridge, the Interstate I-64 bridge crossing over Kempsville Road in Norfolk, Virginia. The bridge that comprises the westbound lanes of this crossing utilizes three steel girder spans. One of the girders in the middle span is suspected to carry a defect and the AE monitoring technology is a promising technique in such applications. The AE tests carried out on that girder indicated that the crack is not active and does not pose any threat to the integrity of the structure. The northern span of this bridge has ten steel girders to support the highway. These ten girders are subjected to fatigue loading due to the traffic and it is required to periodically examine their integrity against fatigue cracks. It is expected that the middle girders may undergo heavier load conditions and the measurements did show such a trend. However, the AE measurements also indicated that one girder showed distinctly higher AE activity which was not expected. Thus it is deduced that this girder may have an active crack site, which needs further detailed examinations. It is therefore advised to carry out further non-destructive testing (NDT) tests to check for the integrity of the girder. Visual examinations, dye penetrant tests, and ultrasonic tests can be carried out to locate the source of the defect, if any. KW - Acoustic emission KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Girder bridges KW - Highway bridges KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Norfolk (Virginia) KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.mticutc.org/assets/pdf/Final_Report_Hampton.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397575 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587757 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Pocket Guide to Transportation 2016 PY - 2016/01 SP - 71p AB - The Pocket Guide to Transportation is a compilation of statistics that provides key information on the U.S. transportation system and highlights major trends. The statistics are arranged in seven categories: infrastructure, moving people, moving goods, performance, economy, safety, and environment. Data covers such topics as: airport runway pavement condition, structurally deficient bridges, transit ridership, airport on-time performance, incoming truck border crossings, U.S. transportation spending, transportation injuries by mode, and hybrid vehicle sales. KW - Air travel KW - Economics KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight transportation KW - Highways KW - Infrastructure KW - Passenger transportation KW - Ports KW - Railroads KW - Safety KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/Pocket Guide 2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1392178 ER - TY - SER AN - 01587146 JO - ACRP Research Results Digest PB - Transportation Research Board AU - Wyle Laboratories, Incorporated AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Netherlands Aerospace Centre AU - KB Environmental Sciences, Incorporated TI - Recommended Community Noise Model Enhancements to Improve Prediction of Helicopter Activity Impacts SN - 9780309374965 PY - 2016/01 IS - 24 SP - 5p AB - Predicting noise impacts from aircraft activity typically involves a complex modeling process, and accounting for helicopter and tiltrotor aircraft remains a particularly challenging aspect of aircraft noise modeling. This digest provides an overview of research conducted to identify improvements to the most common methods for predicting helicopter community noise, including the research tasks, findings, final conclusions, and next steps. While the research did not attempt to identify which noise metric best predicts annoyance, it offers a computational methodology from which suggested metrics may be accurately determined.The research revealed that the primary focus for improving the FAA Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) capabilities with regard to predicting helicopter noise impacts should be on source modeling, including spectral content, lateral directivity, and operational sensitivity. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Helicopters KW - Methodology KW - Sound level KW - Tiltrotor aircraft UR - http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/173719.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395343 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626669 AU - Department of Transportation TI - Transportation Statistics Annual Report 2016 PY - 2016 SP - 242p AB - The Transportation Statistics Annual Report describes the Nation’s transportation system, the system’s performance, its contributions to the economy, and its effects on people and the environment. This 21st edition of the report is based on information collected or compiled by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a principle Federal statistical agency at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Chapters include: Extent and Physical Condition of the U.S. Transportation System; Moving People; Moving Goods; Transportation System Performance; Transportation Economics; Transportation Safety; Transportation Energy Use and Environmental Impacts; and The State of Transportation Statistics. KW - Condition surveys KW - Economics KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight and passenger traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Highways KW - Passenger transportation KW - Pipelines KW - Statistics KW - Transportation modes KW - Transportation safety KW - Travel behavior KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/transportation_statistics_annual_report/2016/index.html UR - https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/TSAR_2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1454021 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01625557 AU - White, Karen E AU - Brumbaugh, Stephen AU - Notis, Kenneth AU - Crichton, Edward Ross AU - Crutcher, Bernetta AU - Firestine, Theresa AU - Smallen, David AU - Smith, Sonya AU - Tang, Connie AU - Department of Transportation TI - Transportation Economic Trends PY - 2016 SP - 102p AB - This report is the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS's) first stand-alone volume on transportation and the economy, and uses a variety of data series to highlight relevant trends and explain related measurement concepts. The report has eight chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the Transportation Services Index, a monthly summary of freight and passenger movement. Chapter 2 explains what transportation contributes to the American economy. Chapter 3 examines the costs that households and businesses pay for transportation. Chapter 4 analyzes transportation-related employment. Chapter 5 explains and examines trends in transportation productivity. Chapter 6 analyzes household spending on transportation goods and services. Chapter 7 examines government transportation spending and revenue. Chapter 8 discusses the value of transportation. Each chapter uses the latest data available at the time of publication. KW - Economics KW - Employment KW - Expenditures KW - Federal government KW - Freight transportation KW - Households KW - Local government KW - National economy KW - Passenger transportation KW - Productivity KW - Revenues KW - State government KW - Transportation costs KW - Transportation modes KW - Transportation Services Index KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Value UR - https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/Transportation_Economic_Trends_2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1442267 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01617701 AU - Briaud, Jean-Louis AU - Texas A&M University, College Station AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - University Transportation Center for Railway Safety AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - High Speed Train Geotechnics PY - 2016 SP - 6p AB - California is planning a high speed train (HST) to link Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento. The project is estimated at 68.4 billion dollars for 1300 kilometers of rail or about 53M$ per kilometer. The first design-build contract for this project has been awarded. This is a proposal for Texas A&M University and the Center for Railroad Safety to help the project team by sponsoring a graduate student for one year to investigate issues relevant to the safety concerns. The research approach will consist of three parts. One part will be an attempt to simulate the HST passing the Rayleigh wave barrier by using LSDYNA. This is a major challenge. The second part is to help quantify the stiffness of the subgrade soil using pressure meter testing, BCD testing, and simple plate testing. The third part is to simulate the intended solution for minimizing the problem of the bump at the end of the bridge. Part 1 will indicate how the pressure meter modulus compares with other soil moduli measured in the test pads. This will lead to guidance on how to best use the pressure meter, the BCD, and the simple plate test in the future for HST embankments. Part 2, if successful, will show what happens when the HST passes the Rayleigh wave barrier. Part 3 will give information on the impact of the depth and extent of the soil cement wedge on the bump at the end of the bridge. KW - California KW - Embankments KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - High speed rail KW - LS-DYNA (Computer program) KW - Rayleigh waves KW - Simulation KW - Stiffness UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/_files/documents/research/infrastructure/high-speed-train-geotecnics.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429566 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616948 AU - Firestine, Theresa AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Industry Snapshots: Uses of Transportation PY - 2016 SP - 107p AB - The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) estimates that transportation directly created $659.1 billion of economic activity by moving goods in 2012. BTS measures this contribution to the gross domestic product in the Transportation Satellite Accounts (TSAs). The most current TSAs are for 2012. BTS produces the TSAs, which provide a comprehensive measure of transportation activity (e.g., trucking carried out by grocers to move goods from distribution centers to stores and depreciation from households driving personal motor vehicles) in the United States. BTS builds on the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s (BEA’s) input-output (I-O) accounts. This report uses information from the TSAs to highlight the role of for-hire and business-related in-house transportation in the production process for all of the nontransportation sectors listed in the U.S. I-O accounts: natural resources and mining, manufacturing, construction, utilities, wholesale and retail trade, and services. For each sector, information is presented, using the latest available data on: (1) the sector’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) – nationally and by State in 2014, (2) the sector’s use of transportation by mode in 2012, (3) the amount of transportation the sector requires to produce one dollar of output in 2012, (4) the number of transportation (e.g., airline and commercial pilots, bus drivers, etc.) and material moving (e.g., cleaners of vehicles, dredge operators, etc.) workers employed by the sector in 2014, (5) the median annual wage for selected transportation occupations in the sector in 2014, (6) the number of trucks and number of truck miles accumulated by the sector in 2002, and (7) shipment characteristics (for selected sectors) in 2012. KW - Employees KW - For hire carriers KW - Gross domestic product KW - Industries KW - Input output models KW - Transportation modes KW - Travel and shipment characteristics KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Trucks KW - United States KW - Wages UR - http://dotrita.prod.acquia-sites.com/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/industry_profilesnew.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428265 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612165 AU - Buehler, Ralph AU - Lukacs, Kyle AU - Zimmerman, Mariia AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Alexandria AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Regional Coordination in Public Transportation: Lessons from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland PY - 2016///Final Report SP - 62p AB - This report analyzes history, demand, supply, organizational structure, and policies of regional coordination of public transport in large metropolitan regions in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the U.S. with a focus on the time period between 1990 and 2012. The goal is to distill lessons for regional coordination of public transport in countries with federal systems of government and high levels of car ownership. The first part of the report focuses on case studies of regional public transport associations (called Verkehrsverbünde or in this report VBs) in Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich, the three largest cities in Germany, as well as Zurich and Vienna, the largest city in Switzerland and Austria respectively. The second part of the report provides an overview of regional coordination of public transport in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Washington National Capital regions. The report finds that between 1990 and 2012, the five VBs successfully attracted more riders and increased revenues—both in total and per capita. VBs involve collaboration among governments, among public transport providers, and between governments and public transport agencies. The original creation of VBs often involved one stakeholder taking the lead in enticing other stakeholders to participate—often at the (monetary) expense of the ‘lead’ stakeholder who absorbed potential financial risk for other collaborators. Moreover, the creation of VBs often occurred during a time of major transport infrastructure investment. In general, VBs are small agencies with between 30 and 150 employees that focus on an easy to use, convenient, and customer oriented public transport system (“One Network, One Timetable, One Ticket”). Typical main tasks of VBs are (1) ticketing, including steeply discounted monthly, annual and tickets for special groups (e.g. students), (2) marketing, branding and consistent messaging, (3) customer information and service, (4) drawing up and overseeing service contracts with public transport agencies, (5) quality control and tracking of quality standards, (6) planning of coordinated public transport services, and (7) coordination and distribution of fare revenue. Compared to the VBs, regional public transport in the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington National Capital region is more fragmented between operators and jurisdictions, offers less transit service with smaller geographic coverage, and has much lower farebox recovery ratios and total per capita demand. Regional transit coordination in the US systems is largely focused around capital investments and long-range transportation planning, with metropolitan planning organizations playing a critical role in facilitating collaboration between public agencies, transit providers, and other stakeholders KW - Austria KW - Case studies KW - Cooperation KW - Coordination KW - Germany KW - Government agencies KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Public transit KW - Stakeholders KW - Switzerland KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transportation management associations KW - United States UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2013-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424237 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612157 AU - Martinelli, David R AU - Unnikrishnan, Avinash AU - Martinelli, Diana AU - Poszich, Andrew AU - West Virginia University, Morgantown AU - West Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Perception of Young Drivers and Their Understanding of Graduated Drivers Licensing PY - 2016 SP - 131p AB - New, young drivers are over three times more susceptible to crashes in their first 1,000 miles of on road driving. In order to reduce the number incident rate for teenage drivers, Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) programs have been implemented across the country. West Virginia, along with all other states, aims to further improve the effectiveness of this program. Currently, GDL effectiveness is steeply limited by the willingness of teenager drivers and their parents to comply with the laws in place. Across the country, programs are being implemented that help raise awareness of GDL and supplement some of the information already provided by the state. One key aspect where GDL is limited is the effect it has on the behavior and attitude of the teenagers passing through its process. Understanding why teenagers engage in certain high risk activities that go against the restrictions outlined by GDL is crucial to developing educational programs. A survey of high schools representing urban, suburban, and rural demographics has been designed to flush out elements that may affect students’ perception of what risky driving habits are and what they would consider to be acceptable behavior. Using the insight developed from these surveys, programs will be recommended to better cater to the needs of the students of West Virginia; the most notable of which is “Teens in the Driver Seat” which promotes peer-led safe driving campaigns. KW - Attitudes KW - Behavior KW - Graduated licensing KW - High school students KW - Risk taking KW - Surveys KW - Teenage drivers KW - West Virginia UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/WVU-2014-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424204 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01610905 AU - Marquis, Brian AU - Greif, Robert AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Dynamic Wheel-Rail Forces on Mismatched Joints with Ramps PY - 2016 SP - 7p AB - The discontinuity between rail ends at a joint creates dynamic wheel-rail forces (i.e. high impact forces and wheel unloading) that can result in a range of problems including wear, deterioration, and early failure of the track structure, its components, and passing equipment. Under certain circumstances, railroads are introducing ramps (by grinding or welding) to reduce the mismatch discontinuity and produce a smoother transition in order to mitigate these dynamic wheel-rail forces. In this paper, analyses are conducted to estimate dynamic wheel-rail forces at joints having ramps and mismatches of various sizes using simplified models along with detailed NUCARS models for comparative purposes. Parametric studies are conducted to examine the effects of ramp length, direction of travel, mismatch height, and equipment speed (track class). Plots of primary shock-response-spectrum (maximum impact force on the ramp), residual shock-response-spectrum (maximum impact force after the ramp), and minimum wheel force (i.e. wheel unloading) are developed to provide guidelines on ramp length (H-rule) in order to control the maximum force by track class. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Design KW - Dynamic loads KW - Parametric analysis KW - Rail joints KW - Railroad tracks KW - Ramps KW - Rolling contact UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59169/JRC2016-5734.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415768 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01610897 AU - Yu, Hailing AU - Jeong, David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Finite Element Bond Modeling for Indented Wires in Pretensioned Concrete Crossties PY - 2016 SP - 10p AB - Indented wires have been increasingly employed by concrete crosstie manufacturers to improve the bond between prestressing steel reinforcements and concrete, as bond can affect several critical performance measures, including transfer length, splitting propensity and flexural moment capacity of concrete ties. While extensive experimental testing has been conducted at Kansas State University (KSU) to obtain bond characteristics of about a dozen commonly used prestressing wires, this paper develops macro-scale or phenomenological finite element bond models for three typical wires with spiral or chevron indent patterns. The steel wire-concrete interface is homogenized and represented with a thin layer of cohesive elements sandwiched between steel and concrete elements. The cohesive elements are assigned traction-displacement constitutive or bond relations that are defined in terms of normal and shear stresses versus interfacial dilatation and slip within the elasto-plastic framework. A yield function expressed in quadratic form of shear stress and linear form of normal stress is adopted. The yield function takes into account the adhesive mechanism and hardens in the post-adhesive stage. The plastic flow rule is defined such that the plastic dilatation evolves with the plastic slip. The mathematical forms of the yield and plastic flow functions are the same for all three wire types, but the bond parameters are specific for each wire. The adhesive, hardening and dilatational bond parameters are determined for each wire type based on untensioned pullout tests and pretensioned prism tests conducted at KSU. Simulation results using these bond models are further verified with surface strain data measured on actual concrete crossties made with the three respective prestressing wires at a tie manufacturing plant. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Bonding KW - Finite element method KW - Prestressed concrete ties KW - Railroad ties KW - Simulation KW - Stresses KW - Wire UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59170/JRC2016-5782.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415770 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01610867 AU - Jeong, David Y AU - Carolan, Michael E AU - Perlman, Benjamin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - On Railroad Tank Car Puncture Performance: Part II - Estimating Metrics PY - 2016 SP - 11p AB - This paper is the second in a two-part series on the puncture performance of railroad tank cars carrying hazardous materials in the event of an accident. Various metrics are often mentioned in the open literature to characterize the structural performance of tank cars under accident loading conditions. One of the consequences in terms of structural damage to the tank during accidents is puncture. This two-part series of papers focuses on four metrics to quantify the performance of tank cars against the threat of puncture: (1) speed, (2) force, (3) energy, and (4) conditional probability of release. In Part I, generalized tank car impact scenarios were illustrated. Particular focus is given to the generalized shell impact scenario because performance-based requirements for shell puncture resistance are being considered by the regulatory agencies in United States and Canada. Definitions for the four performance metrics were given. Physical and mathematical relationships among these metrics were outlined. Strengths and limitations of these performance metrics were discussed. In this paper (Part II), the multi-disciplinary approach to develop engineering tools to estimate the performance metrics is described. The complementary connection between testing and modeling is emphasized. Puncture performance metrics, which were estimated from other sources, are compared for different tank car designs. These comparisons are presented to interpret the metrics from a probabilistic point of view. In addition, sensitivity of the metrics to the operational and design factors is examined qualitatively. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Estimating KW - Hazardous materials KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Puncture resistance KW - Railroad safety KW - Tank cars KW - Vehicle design UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59168/JRC2016-5713.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415772 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01610855 AU - Jeong, David Y AU - Perlman, Benjamin AU - Alexy, Karl AU - González, Francisco AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - On Railroad Tank Car Puncture Performance: Part I - Considering Metrics PY - 2016 SP - 9p AB - This paper is the first in a two-part series on the puncture performance of railroad tank cars carrying hazardous materials in the event of an accident. Various metrics are often mentioned in the open literature to characterize the structural performance of tank cars under accident loading conditions. One of the consequences in terms of structural damage to the tank during accidents is puncture. This two-part series of papers focuses on four metrics to quantify the performance of tank cars against the threat of puncture: (1) speed, (2) force, (3) energy, and (4) conditional probability of release. In this paper (Part I), generalized tank car impact scenarios are illustrated. Particular focus is given to the generalized shell impact scenario because performance-based requirements for shell puncture resistance are being considered by the regulatory agencies in United States and Canada. Definitions for the four performance metrics are given. Physical and mathematical relationships among these metrics are outlined. Strengths and limitations of these performance metrics are discussed. In Part II, the multi-disciplinary approach to develop engineering tools to estimate the performance metrics will be described. The complementary connection between testing and modeling will be emphasized. Puncture performance metrics, which were estimated from other sources, will be compared for different tank car designs. These comparisons will be presented to interpret the metrics from a probabilistic point of view. In addition, sensitivity of the metrics to the operational and design factors will be examined qualitatively. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Hazardous materials KW - Impact KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Puncture resistance KW - Railroad safety KW - Shells (Structural forms) KW - Tank cars UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59167/JRC2016-5712.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415771 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610848 AU - Goworowska, Justyna AU - Smith, Sonya AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Passenger Travel Facts and Figures 2016 PY - 2016 SP - 102p AB - Passenger Travel Facts and Figures is a snapshot of the characteristics and trends of personal travel in the United States; the network over which passenger travel takes place; and the related economic, safety, and environmental aspects of passenger travel. Chapter 1 summarizes the basic demographic and economic characteristics of the United States that contribute to the demand for passenger travel. Chapter 2 examines travel patterns by household characteristics, trip purpose, and transportation mode. Chapter 3 provides information on the passenger transportation system and its performance. Chapter 4 discusses the economic characteristics of passenger travel and tourism. Chapter 5 describes the safety, energy, and environmental impacts of passenger travel. KW - Demographics KW - Economic factors KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fatalities KW - Households KW - Passenger traffic KW - Passenger transportation KW - Transportation modes KW - Travel patterns KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Trip purpose KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/PTFF 2016_full.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423005 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01610815 AU - Frison, Benjamin AU - Jeong, David Y AU - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Rail Integrity Experience on the Washington Metro System PY - 2016 SP - 9p AB - The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) provides passenger rail service to the nation’s capital. Although the rail system carries only passenger trains, the rail integrity issues that WMATA must manage are similar to those that freight railroads also face. These issues include occurrences of broken rail from internal rail head defects, detection of such defects, and repair of the rail to restore service. Another example is the development of damage on the running surface of the rail, called rolling contact fatigue (RCF). Such surface damage is known to adversely affect the detection of internal rail head defects beneath RCF conditions. While WMATA’s rail integrity issues may be similar to those that freight railroads also encounter, the management of such issues are different, which are also discussed in this paper. This paper describes the recent experience of broken rails on the WMATA rail system. In addition, results from engineering fracture mechanics analyses are presented to help understand how operational, environmental, design, and maintenance factors influence rail failure. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Failure KW - Fracture mechanics KW - Maintenance of way KW - Passenger trains KW - Rail (Railroads) KW - Rolling contact KW - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59166/JRC2016-5710.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415773 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01610812 AU - Yu, Hailing AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Estimating Deterioration in the Concrete Tie-Ballast Interface Based on Vertical Tie Deflection Profile: A Numerical Study PY - 2016 SP - 9p AB - In ballasted concrete tie track, the tie-ballast interface can deteriorate resulting in concrete tie bottom abrasion, ballast pulverization and/or voids in tie-ballast interfaces. Tie-ballast voids toward tie ends can lead to unfavorable center binding support conditions that can result in premature concrete tie failure and possible train derailment. Direct detection of these conditions is difficult. There is a strong interest in assessing the concrete tie-ballast interface conditions indirectly using measured vertical deflections. This paper seeks to establish a link between the vertical deflection profile of a concrete tie top surface and the tie-ballast interface condition using the finite element analysis (FEA) method. The work presented in this paper demonstrates the potential of using the vertical deflection profile of concrete tie top surfaces to assess deteriorations in the tie-ballast interface. The simulation results further help to clarify minimum technical requirements on inspection technologies that measure concrete tie vertical deflection profiles. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Deflection KW - Deterioration KW - Finite element method KW - Interfaces KW - Numerical analysis KW - Railroad ties KW - Simulation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59171/JRC2016-5783.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415769 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01610784 AU - Tunna, John AU - Jeong, David AU - Gordon, Jeff AU - Patrick, Carlo AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Controls to Eliminate Broken Rails in Service PY - 2016 SP - 9p AB - Broken rails in freight and passenger revenue service occur due to single, or combinations of, faults or failures of various kinds. These may occur due to limitations inherent in the rail defect inspection process, track maintenance and renewal practices, and may also arise due to changes in operating conditions. The Government and the industry have developed regulations, standards and procedures to control these issues and reduce broken rail occurrences. This paper presents a broken rail fault tree as a way of visualizing the problem. It describes current controls and shows how they map onto the fault tree. Examples of recent broken rail derailments are used to illustrate the fault tree. Lessons learned are used to identify areas where further tightening of controls or the imposition of new controls may be required to further reduce the number of, and potentially eliminate, broken rails in service. U1 - 2016 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2016)American Society of Mechanical EngineersTransportation Research BoardColumbia,South Carolina,United States StartDate:20160412 EndDate:20160415 Sponsors:American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Transportation Research Board KW - Best practices KW - Defects KW - Derailments KW - Fault tree analysis KW - Maintenance of way KW - Rail (Railroads) KW - Railroad safety KW - Regulations UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59165/JRC2016-5705.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415767 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01605779 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multimodal Transportation Indicators PY - 2016 AB - This report provides a broad range of quarterly, monthly, and weekly statistics for the transportation community. It was developed by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and is updated every two months on the BTS website. The indicators fall under two general categories: those that provide context about the economy and society in which transportation functions, and those that convey information about an aspect of transportation. These latter indicators are either transportation-wide in scope or apply to a specific aspect of the transportation system. For indicators that are highly seasonal, the current value of that indicator is compared to the same time period in the previous year (e.g., October 2012 compared to October 2011). Otherwise, the tables show a comparison of the current value to a comparable preceding period of time (e.g., the data for the month of October 2012 compared to that of September 2012). Statistics includes: fatalities, the Transportation Services Index, personal spending on transportation, transportation employment, trade with Canada and Mexico, fuel prices, air fares, freight rail yields, passengers, ridership, freight usage, on-time performance, and construction spending. KW - Economic indicators KW - Employment KW - Fares KW - Fatalities KW - International trade KW - Multimodal transportation KW - On time performance KW - Passengers KW - Ridership KW - Transportation Service Index KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/multimodal_transportation_indicators/index.html UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1415635 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603677 AU - Tomasic, Anthony AU - Giampapa, Joseph AU - Gardiner, Steven AU - Deng, Sophia AU - Steinfeld, Aaron AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Tiramisu: Information from Live Data Streams PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 8p AB - The primary source of information for rider safety with respect to dynamic events such as canceled buses, detours, traffic conditions and other factors is the transit system website. Although technological enhancements, such as real-time tracking, rider alert RSS feeds, and Twitter feeds, are available for transit users, such information sources do not always report updates reliably. The project goal is to access transit service live update data feeds, identify the routes and stops on which their updates will have an impact, and provide an integrated display of that information in the user’s Tiramisu smart phone app. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Mobile applications KW - Public transit KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Transit riders KW - Twitter UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Tomasic1_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60117/Tomasic1_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409436 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603650 AU - Mertz, Christoph AU - Kozar, John AU - Wang, Jinhang AU - Doyle, Joseph AU - Kaffine, Christopher AU - Kelkar, Anuja AU - Poddatur, Nikitha AU - Chan, Lam AU - Amladi, Kedar AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Smartphone Based Traffic Sign Inventory and Assessment PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 8p AB - Government agencies are tasked with maintaining good signage and part of it is regular inspections to detect problems. Current methods involve manual inspections, specialized vehicles, or citizen reports. They are tedious, expensive, or not always reliable. In this project the authors developed a traffic sign inventory and assessment system that built on a smartphone based road inspection system. The system was tested in Cranberry Township, Pittsburgh, with the help of their maintenance department. They collected the road data with the collection system. The authors analyzed the data to find all the stop signs and determine any problems with it. The result was compared with a stop-sign inventory established independently from the system. KW - Data collection KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Inspection KW - Inventory KW - Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) KW - Smartphones KW - Traffic signs UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Mertz_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409427 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603643 AU - Moura, José M F AU - Toropov, Evgeny AU - Deri, Joya AU - Kottur, Satwik AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Pulse of Allegheny County and Pittsburgh PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 5p AB - Cities are increasingly equipped with low-resolution cameras. Video from some of these cameras is publicly accessible in real time. In this project, the authors addressed the problem of building a traffic model for parts of the roads visible from publicly accessible cameras. In particular, the end goal is to build a model capable of detecting different types of vehicles in images in various weather conditions and times of the day except night. Models learn different appearance of vehicles as seen from different viewpoints. A major difficulty with any type of analysis like this is the need for large amounts of training data. In our case, it is easy to collect unlabeled data from publicly available low-resolution low-framerate cameras in Pittsburgh or NYC. KW - Automatic vehicle detection and identification systems KW - Data collection KW - New York (New York) KW - Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) KW - Traffic models KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Moura_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409428 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603634 AU - Kim, SeungJun AU - Dey, Anind K AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sensor-Based Assessment of the In-Situ Quality of Human Computer Interaction in the Cars PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 9p AB - Human attention is a finite resource. When interrupted while performing a task, this resource is split between two interactive tasks. People have to decide whether the benefits from the interruptive interaction will be enough to offset the loss of attention from the ongoing task. The issue of dealing with self-interruptions and external interruptions is particularly critical in driving situations. In general, interruptions result in a time lag before users resume their primary task, increase mental workload, and thus decrease primary task performance. Therefore, being able to identify when a driver is interruptible is critical for building systems that can mediate these interruptions. In order to identify situations in which drivers enter either low or high cognitive load states during naturalistic driving (i.e., opportune moments for driver interruption – e.g., more interruptible states vs. less interruptible states), the authors have examined a broad range of sensor data streams to understand real-time driver/driving states (e.g., motion capture, peripheral interaction monitoring, psycho-physiological responses, etc.), and presented a model-based driver/driving assessment by using machine learning technology. KW - Attention KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Cognition KW - Drivers KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Human machine systems KW - Sensors UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Kim_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409425 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603627 AU - Pires, Bernardo R AU - Gong, Jian AU - Kaffine, Chris AU - Kocamaz, Mehmet Kemal AU - Kozar, John AU - Nunnagoppula, Ganesh Kumar AU - Saksena, Dhruv AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Automatic Counting of Pedestrians and Cyclists PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 11p AB - Although the health and environmental benefits of a non-automobile commute are well known, it is still difficult to understand how to get more people to take up active transportation. Infrastructure can have a dramatic effect on cycling and walking adoption, but represents a significant outlay of government resources. Thus, concrete usage statistics are paramount for assessing and optimizing such spending. The goal of this project is to provide actionable data for government officials and advocates that promote bicycling and walking. The project created a vision-based cyclist and pedestrian counting system that allows for automatic and human-assisted data collection and analysis. The pedestrian and cyclist counting project was a result of a real-world need from the City of Pittsburgh to determine the usage of newly-created dedicated bike lanes throughout the city. Due to the relatively large area of bike paths for which it would be desirable to obtain information, a portable data collection system was deemed the most effective solution. The developed data collection device consists of a ruggedized Windows tablet, an extensible pole, and a miniature bullet camera. In order to collect data, the bullet camera is mounted at the top of the pole, which is extended to a suitable height. The whole system is fastened to a lamp post or other sturdy city fixture. The tabled is used to verify that the camera is pointed accurately at the bike lane and to control the data collection. The system is battery powered and allows for the collection of up to 12 hours of data on a full charge. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Bicycle lanes KW - Cyclists KW - Data analysis KW - Pedestrian counts KW - Pedestrians KW - Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) KW - Portable equipment KW - Traffic counting UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Pires_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409429 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603609 AU - Bielak, Jacobo AU - Noh, Hae Young AU - Lederman, George AU - Chen, Siheng AU - Garrett, James AU - Kovačevic, Jelena AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Infrastructure Monitoring from an In-Service Light Rail Vehicle PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 40p AB - Presently, rail inspection is performed either visually or with dedicated track geometry cars. The authors examine a more economical approach where rail inspection is performed by analyzing vibration data collected from an operational passenger train. With the financial and logistical support of the Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center, a test-system was deployed on a light-rail vehicle and has been collecting data for the past two years. The collected data underscores two of the main challenges that arise in train-based track monitoring: the speed of the train at a given location varies from pass to pass and the position of the train is not known precisely. The authors explore which feature representations of the data best characterize the state of the tracks despite these sources of uncertainty (i.e., in the spatial domain or frequency domain), and the authors examine how consistently change detection approaches can identify track changes from the data. The authors show the accuracy of these different representations, or features, and different change detection approaches on two types of track changes, track replacement and tamping (a maintenance procedure to improve track geometry), and two types of data, simulated data and operational data from the test-system. KW - Data collection KW - Flaw detection KW - Inspection KW - Light rail vehicles KW - Maintenance of way KW - Passenger trains KW - Railroad tracks KW - Simulation KW - Uncertainty UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Beilak_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409422 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603608 AU - Hendrickson, Chris AU - Harper, Corey AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Safety and Cost Assessment of Connected and Automated Vehicles PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 10p AB - As the automobile industry transitions to partial vehicle automation, newer crash avoidance technologies are beginning to appear more frequently in non-luxury vehicles such as the Honda Accord and Mazda CX-9. The availability of Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) technologies could reach 95% of the registered vehicle fleet anywhere between the years 2032 and 2048 (HLDI, 2014a). This paper estimates the costs and benefits of large-scale deployment of BSM, LDW, and FCW crash avoidance systems within the light-duty vehicle fleet. Two estimates are made to provide insight on current trends and technology potential. First, an upper bound of relevant crashes that potentially could be avoided or made less severe by the three technologies is estimated, assuming 100% technology effectiveness. Next, a lower bound in crash reduction is estimated using current changes in observed insurance collision claim frequency and severity (average loss payment per claim) in motor vehicles with these technologies. After these estimates are made, an annualized cost to equip each vehicle with the technologies enables a cost benefit analysis for the lower bound and upper bound estimates. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Highway safety KW - Insurance claims KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Hendrickson_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409424 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603605 AU - Dias, M Bernardine AU - Teves, Ermine AU - Hochendoner, Eric AU - Sistla, Praneetha AU - Min, Byung-Cheol AU - Steinfeld, Aaron AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhancing the Safety of Visually Impaired Travellers in and around Transit Stations PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 17p AB - The TechBridge World research group at Carnegie Mellon University has been exploring specific needs and constraints encountered by blind or visually impaired (B/VI) adults when using transit stations. Through this work, the findings indicated a strong need for a tool that allows these travelers to annotate routes with their own notes of useful information, and to easily obtain and use relevant information from trusted sources. The authors initially prototyped an accessible Android smartphone tool that has significant potential to enhance the safety of these travelers. The authors developed two interfaces for this prototype tool: 1) for B/VI trusted sources, and 2) for sighted trusted individuals. Based on feedback received from the initial prototype, the research team focused on re-designing the NavPal app to enhance its robustness and user interface, and to allow for seamless integration of both indoor and outdoor navigation. This document describes the NavPal prototype app as well as the findings from a user study to determine the components' effectiveness and solicit feedback for improvement. KW - Assistive technology KW - Blind persons KW - Mobile applications KW - Rail transit stations KW - Smartphones KW - User interfaces (Computer science) KW - Visually impaired persons UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Dias_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409421 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603603 AU - Ryerson, Megan AU - Tereshchenko, Ivan AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Personal Attitudes on Propensity to Use Autonomous Vehicles for Intercity Travel PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 12p AB - The autonomous vehicles are about to become a reality. One of the primary objectives of this study was to create a model of traveler behavior for intercity travel that takes the information about personal attitudes and norms into account. A large body of literature show that such models should include socio-demographic variables, such as age, gender and income, as well as personal attitudes towards travel and life, such as feeling of dependence on cars, concerns about safety and flexibility of schedules. The researchers use the general framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to account for these variables. The main idea behind this theory is that the behavior can be explained by the personal intentions, which in turn can be explained by a set of attitudes, subjective norms and behavioral controls. By studying the attitudes, norms and controls, accurate models of intentions and future behavior can be created. The main research problem of this study is to analyze the factors that influence the propensity to use autonomous vehicles in the future. The study aims at incorporating the information about personal attitudes into the model of future travel behavior. This is one of the first studies that applies TPB to modelling the intercity travel behavior. KW - Attitudes KW - Demographics KW - Forecasting KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Intercity travel KW - Travel behavior UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Ryerson_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60113/Ryerson_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409432 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603574 AU - Tomasic, Anthony AU - Steinfeld, Aaron AU - Zimmerman, John AU - Doryab, Afsaneh AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling Transit Patterns Via Mobile App Logs PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 8p AB - Transit planners need detailed information of the trips people take using public transit in order to design more optimal routes, address new construction projects, and address the constantly changing needs of a city and metro region. Unfortunately, good rider origin-destination (O-D) information is almost universally unavailable. The goal of this project is to develop machine-learning models that can infer O-D for a transit service based on the request logs of individual users of mobile transit apps. This project builds on already deployed and extensively used Tiramisu app. The project attempts to generate a generic model that takes Tiramisu mobile app data as input and outputs a highly accurate and generic travel model for the transit community using the app. The approach adopted in this project combines raw Tiramisu data with common sense assumptions to address questions about commuter behavior. The authors build statistical models and provide visualization of commuter behavior, which helps identify common behavioral patterns, inefficient routes, under served routes and predict the likely destination. KW - Commuters KW - Mobile applications KW - Origin and destination KW - Public transit KW - Smartphones KW - Statistical analysis KW - Transit riders KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Tomasic2_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60118/Tomasic2_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409437 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603567 AU - Qian, Sean AU - Pi, Xidong AU - Hu, Zhangning AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Mobility Data Analytics Center PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 4p AB - Mobility Data Analytics Center aims at building a centralized data engine to efficiently manipulate large-scale data for smart decision making. The ultimate goal of understanding massive data is to accurately estimate the historical usage of the transportation infrastructure and to forecast its future performance. Through MAC the authors propose to develop a centralized data engine supported by a web application to manage and analyze multi-jurisdictional multi-modal data for safety, mobility and sustainability, using the City of Pittsburgh and the City of Philadelphia as case studies. Unlike the traditional single computer stand-alone software or tools for data preparation and system design, the data engine relies on web-based data sharing and browser-based human-computer interaction for it to be accessed by users. KW - Case studies KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Forecasting KW - Mobility KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) KW - Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) KW - Safety KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Travel demand KW - Web applications UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Qian2_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409431 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603553 AU - Lee, Insup AU - Bezzo, Nicola AU - Chang, Jian AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Vehicle Trust Management for Connected Vehicles PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 5p AB - Thanks to the large availability and quality of modern sensors and the high CPU computation power, modern vehicles are becoming more and more autonomous increasing the overall driving comfort. However these vehicles are not built with security in mind. In fact hackers could compromise vehicle safety by spoofing sensors or by injecting malicious/malformed data through their network system. In this work the authors investigate techniques to detect and defend against malicious cyber attacks on modern vehicles. KW - Computer security KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Lee_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409426 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603547 AU - Qian, Sean AU - Yang, Shuguan AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - What do autonomous vehicles mean to traffic congestion and crash? Network traffic flow modeling and simulation for autonomous vehicles PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 6p AB - Transportation infrastructure is quickly moving towards revolutionary changes to accommodate the deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs). On the other hand, the transition to new vehicle technologies will be shaped in large part by changes in performance of roadway infrastructure. This research aims at understanding the relationship between AV technology and infrastructure performance, which leads to revolutionary change in transportation infrastructure design in the both short and long term. To assess the vehicular technology impact to the traffic flow, two of the most important questions the project team attempts to tackle in this research are: 1) How would vehicle automation/communication, with different sensing and control specifications, change the vehicle speed and headway under various traffic conditions, and therefore change traffic congestion and crash patterns in the network? and 2) How would the vehicular technology change the flow capacity of the roadway infrastructure network, under different crash rates that are expected to be achieved by different vehicular control strategies? How does the change vary at different levels of AV penetration rates? This project primarily addresses the mobility concerns of AVs, while establishing a modeling framework that allows future extensions to assess both mobility and safety. In particular, this research proposes a multi-class traffic flow model that captures the car-following behavior of both regular vehicles and AVs. KW - Car following KW - Crash rates KW - Headways KW - Highway capacity KW - Infrastructure KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Speed KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Qian1_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409430 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603546 AU - Dong, Chiyu AU - Dolan, John AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sensory Augmentation for Increased Awareness of Driving Environment PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 19p AB - The goal of this project was to develop a lateral localization framework for autonomous driving in urban areas. Vehicle location is significant information for the controller, planner and behaviors systems. Lateral location is extremely important for safe and reliable self-driving, due to dense traffic, small lane width and varying road geometry. Though RTK global positioning system (GPS) has centimeter-level accuracy output in open areas, it can have half-meter lateral error in urban areas, which is extremely dangerous for urban driving. It is therefore desirable to precisely identify the lateral position by combining with other sensors. KW - Automated vehicle control for ground vehicles KW - Global Positioning System KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Lateral placement KW - Location KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Dolon_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409423 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603526 AU - Mersky, Avi C AU - Samaras, Constantine AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Municipal Fleet Vehicle Electrification and Photovoltaic Power In the City of Pittsburgh PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 27p AB - This report summarizes the results of an environmental systems assessment and cost benefit analysis of the electrification of the City of Pittsburgh's municipal vehicle fleet and also installing photovoltaic (PV) systems on the City's parking facilities. Currently the city of Pittsburgh has a civilian passenger vehicle fleet of 118 vehicles traveling 718,000 miles a year. The research team found that conventional vehicles would likely cost less to operate over 15 years than electric vehicles (EVs). This is due to the increased capital costs involved in purchasing the vehicles and charging stations, as well as the amount of miles these vehicles travel per year. For greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the research team found that EVs in Pittsburgh save GHGs compared to conventional gasoline vehicles in 3 of their 4 current electricity grid assumptions. As the GHG-intensity of the grid improves over the next 15 years, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have clear greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) advantages over conventional gasoline vehicles in Pittsburgh. SO₂ was the highest cost pollutant for vehicle externalities and is not emitted in significant amount from gasoline combustion. Because of the SO₂ emissions, vehicle electrification was also found to be likely to have higher total social emissions costs than gasoline options under most cases. A faster reduction in power plant air emissions improves the outlook for electrification. One way of offsetting these emissions is to ensure that a portion of the needed electricity is generated from renewable or low-emission sources. Photovoltaic (PV) generation is one possible renewable source to consider for distributed generation in an urban region. One potential location for PV cells would be on city-owned parking facilities. Currently the Pittsburgh Parking Authority maintains 10 downtown parking garages, with parking on the roofs, and 1 unshaded downtown surface level lot. The research team estimated a peak capacity of about 6,000 kW of PV is possible on these facilities. The amount of electricity potentially generated from these PV systems could power between 24 and 27 million miles of electric vehicle travel per year, which is more than 30 times the yearly travel of the city’s civilian passenger vehicle fleet. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Electric vehicles KW - Environmental impacts KW - Parking facilities KW - Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) KW - Pollutants KW - Solar power generation KW - Urban areas KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Samaras_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60114/Samaras_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409433 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603514 AU - Taylor, C J AU - Yang, Yuting AU - Kennedy, Ryan AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Automated Video-Based Traffic Count Analysis PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 5p AB - In this research, the authors propose a method to extract traffic information from videos of road intersections using a vehicle detection, tracking, and 3D reconstruction system. The video is taken from a low-resolution camera fixed at a relatively low position, about 2 to 7m above ground. First, minimum eigenvalue feature points are detected and tracked with the Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi tracker to obtain feature point movements. These points are then segmented into groups corresponding to vehicles according to features such as position, movement and color. With the information of vehicle's grouping, the 3D position of each feature point can be calculated so that the vehicle's size, accurate position on road, time of entry and exit can be determined. The proposed method is robust to vehicles with varying movement and large perspective deformations. KW - Data collection KW - Detection and identification systems KW - Intersections KW - Traffic counting KW - Video cameras UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Taylor_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60116/Taylor_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409435 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603505 AU - Smith, Stephen F AU - Barlow, Gregory J AU - Hu, Hsu-Chieh AU - Hua, Ju-Hsuan AU - Technologies for Safe and Efficient Transportation University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Pedestrian Friendly Traffic Signal Control PY - 2016///Final Research Report SP - 17p AB - This project continues research aimed at real-time detection and use of pedestrian traffic flow information to enhance adaptive traffic signal control in urban areas where pedestrian traffic is substantial and must be given appropriate attention and priority. The hypothesis investigated in this work is that lower resolution vehicle detection camera technology can be used to provide a relaxed form of pedestrian count data that is sufficient for incorporating pedestrian flow information into real-time intersection scheduling. Specifically, the authors study the possibility of extracting an approximate but usable measure of pedestrian “density” from the video stream of a commercial traffic camera. The target functionality is the ability to qualitatively discriminate between “no”, “few” or “many” waiting pedestrians. KW - Cameras KW - Detection and identification systems KW - Pedestrian counts KW - Pedestrian flow KW - Pedestrian traffic KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utc.ices.cmu.edu/utc/tier-one-reports/Smith_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60115/Smith_TSETFinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409434 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610524 AU - Daziano, Ricardo AU - Cornell University AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analyzing the Willingness to Improve the Resiliency of New York City’s Transportation System PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 67p AB - The goal of this project is to provide statistical inference for the community’s willingness to pay for improvements in the resiliency to extreme events of the transportation system in New York City. This objective seeks to provide better tools for better informing planning investments to improve both resilience and security of transportation infrastructure and services. A fundamental, specific goal is to collect microdata using a choice-experiment specifically designed for this project. The population of interest for this study is those coastal communities in the NYC area facing increased risks of flood damage. KW - Choice experiments KW - Disasters KW - Improvements KW - Infrastructure KW - Microdata KW - New York (New York) KW - Willingness to pay UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Analyzing-Willingness-to-Improve-Resiliency.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423196 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610512 AU - Lawson, Catherine T AU - Ravi, S S AU - Hwang, Jeong-Hyon AU - Chen, Feng AU - State University of New York, Albany AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Techniques for Information Extraction from Compressed GPS Traces PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 26p AB - Developing techniques for extracting information requires a good understanding of methods used to compress the traces. Many techniques for compressing trace data consisting of position (i.e., latitude/longitude) and time values have been developed. Since current vehicles are equipped with many on-board instruments, traces generated by such vehicles contain many attributes in addition to position and time. The problem of compressing such multi--attribute traces is currently being studied by a number of researchers. The authors consider the Multiple Attribute Trajectory Compression program with defined error bounds on attributes. Their focus is on solving this problem using attribute partition methods. Such methods partition attributes into groups with the aim of reducing the total storage cost after compression methods are applied to each group individually. The authors present a comprehensive overview of various trajectory compression algorithms, concentrating on the most recent works since SQUISH-E. New accuracy metrics for measuring the difference between a trajectory and its compressed representation are also explained. Lastly, the authors present some preliminary experimental results on two real trajectory data sets with multiple attributes using two known compression algorithms, namely PROXIMUS and CompreX. KW - Algorithms KW - Data compression KW - Data extraction KW - Global Positioning System KW - Multiple attributes KW - Vehicle trajectories UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Techniques-Info-Extraction-GPS-Traces.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423190 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599872 AU - Imhoff, Paul T AU - Chiu, Pei C AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Biochar as a Rechargeable Geobattery to Promote Nitrogen Removal in Stormwater from Roadways PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 11p AB - Stormwater runoff from roadways is a major source of pollution. State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) must comply with Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) regulations for nutrients such as nitrate-nitrogen, which is a major cause of water quality impairment. Existing stormwater treatment technologies, such as bioretention cells, do not remove nitrate adequately to meet water quality standards. New technologies are needed that can reduce nitrate more effectively and thus decrease the footprint required for stormwater treatment. Such technologies will not only improve water quality but also result in significant cost savings for state DOTs. The authors propose that biochar can serve as a rechargeable electron storage medium which, when added to a bioretention cell, can support/promote microbial reductive removal of nitrate in stormwater, and thereby enhance nitrate removal efficiency without increasing treatment footprint. Through batch experiments using a commercial wood-based biochar and the bacterium Geobacter metallireducens (GS-15), the authors showed that air-oxidized biochar served as an electron acceptor to enable acetate oxidation, and that either chemically or microbiologically reduced biochar served as an electron donor for nitrate reduction. The bioavailable electron storage capacity (ESC) of the biochar, estimated based on acetate oxidation and nitrate reduction, was 0.85 and 0.87 mmol e– /g, respectively. The authors propose that biochar should be regarded as a rechargeable reservoir of bioavailable electrons in anaerobic environments, and that biochar may be applied to bioretention cells and other engineered systems to promote microbial degradation of nitrate and other pollutants. KW - Bacteria KW - biochar KW - Biodeterioration KW - Nitrogen KW - Runoff KW - Water quality management UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-061-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407817 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594415 AU - Reimer, Bryan AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Technology Adoption and Use Across the Lifespan PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 3p AB - This project assessed a select set of hypotheses on aspects of typeface design and their impacts on driver behavior. The initial focus considered the amount of visual-attention (eye tracking) required to complete a simple menu selection task in a driving simulator. The task was presented in two typefaces that closely resembled those used by several automotive manufacturers as part of their interior user interfaces. The results of two experiments are summarized in Reimer et al., 2014. The process of assessing differences in typographical characteristics in a driving simulation environment using eye movement is time consuming and complex. Therefore, the exploration of the vast number of intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics that may impact the legibility of a typeface may be limited in this context. To assess the degree to which simpler laboratory based psychophysical technique (lexical decision) could be utilized to assess legibility differences that were observed in an automotive context, a second set of experiments (Dobres et al., 2016) was conducted. The work firmly suggests that the simple laboratory based testing of legibility differences can be readily used in theoretical research and an applied evaluation context for optimizing interface characteristics. One key take away from the effort appears to be that older observers are more strongly affected by suboptimal designs (small type and negative polarity displays). KW - Aged drivers KW - Data displays KW - Driving simulators KW - Font size KW - In-vehicle technology KW - Legibility KW - User interfaces (Computer science) KW - Visual in-vehicle task UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-8%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397311 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594408 AU - Zarrillo, Marguerite AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Security & Privacy Breaches in ETPS: Problem Survey & Case Study of I-90 PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 3p AB - This study gathered news reports of security and privacy breach violations in electronic transportation payment systems, ETPS, over a sixteen-year period from the year 1997 until 2012. This research also constructed a computer simulation using VISSIM traffic software of a 12-mile stretch of the I-90 Massachusetts Turnpike ticketing tolling system. Working closely with MassDOT, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, April 2013 data were acquired that facilitated the simulation construction. This facilitated the analyses of the impacts of adopting protective measures on transponders. KW - Automated toll collection KW - Case studies KW - Massachusetts Turnpike KW - Privacy KW - Security KW - Simulation KW - Transponders KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-27%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397339 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593529 AU - Glass, James AU - Mehler, Bruce AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Spoken Dialog Planning to Reduce User Distraction in Mobile Environments PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 3p AB - As speech technology becomes a significant modality in the vehicle environment, it is essential to develop and assess mechanisms that can reduce driver distraction. Although speech-based interfaces are natural candidates for hands-busy, eyes-busy environments such as the vehicle, they also present a potential safety hazard. Since language is inherently a cognitive process, the more attention that is required by the speech interface, the less that is available for the task of driving. Due to inevitability of vehicle-based speech interfaces, the question becomes how to design and modulate the human-computer communication flow so as to minimize the extra cognitive burden on the vehicle occupants. Similar observations can also be applied to pedestrians using smartphone-based applications, where distracted pedestrians pay less attention to where they are going. This project explored both basic and applied aspects of voice based human-machine interface interaction with the goal of providing insight regarding variables and strategies that are significant for minimizing user distraction in driving or pedestrian scenarios. The results are timely as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is considering Phase III distraction guidelines to address demands associated with voice-activated in-vehicle controls. As detailed in the reports listed in this document, many modern voice initiated in-vehicle systems may best be considered as auditory-vocal-visual-manual-cognitive interactions (e.g. mixed mode tasks) and a comprehensive demand assessment mechanism may need to consider the time course of tasks of this nature. KW - Auditory tasks KW - Distraction KW - Highway safety KW - Human machine interface KW - In-vehicle technology KW - Pedestrians KW - Smartphones KW - Voice communication KW - Voice-activated in-vehicle controls UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-4%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397307 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590533 AU - Ni, Daiheng AU - Gao, Lixin AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Making More Value out of Transportation Data PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Over the past decades, tremendous investments have been made to advance technologies in computing, sensing, and communication to collect, process, and disseminate transportation related data. As such, transportation system operators and users have timely information to make educated decisions to improve safety and mitigate congestion. These investments can become more productive if the following problems can be properly addressed: (1) effective algorithms to process huge volume of transportation data, (2) creative approaches to merge a variety of transportation data, (3) advanced tools to increase the velocity of information retrieving, processing, and delivering. This research aspires to explore solutions to these problems and the effort will be facilitated by the Regional Traveler Information Center (RTIC) at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst. As a starting point, this research will focus on two basic problems: (1) variety: developing effective algorithms to convert traffic data in different forms so that these data can be merged to provide complementary perspectives on the real system, and (2) velocity: developing applications to disseminate transportation information in a timely fashion to enable better decision-making by road users, system operators, and emergency responders. KW - Algorithms KW - Data collection KW - Information dissemination KW - Information processing KW - Traffic data UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-23%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397335 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590531 AU - Ni, Daiheng AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Efficient Methodology for Traffic Flow Model Calibration PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Proactive traffic management and control relies on sound traffic flow models that are central to traffic prediction and analysis. One of the challenges faced by such models is the calibration of these models to prevailing local conditions. As such, an efficient methodology is called for to fine tune model parameters so that they reflect local traffic characteristics. Many calibration procedures have been developed in the past with varying transferability, complexity, and accuracy. For example, some procedures are customized for certain models and are not easy to be adapted to other models; some procedures may involve optimization of multiple levels, so calibrating a model becomes a time-consuming job; some procedures optimize only one side of the model at the cost of the other inherently related side. The objective of this research is to develop a methodology for calibrating equilibrium traffic flow models that is accurate in nature, independent on models, efficient in computation, robust to calibration data. The result of this research can help traffic analysts and transportation agencies to better understand traffic flow characteristics, predict traffic evolution, mitigate traffic congestion, and deploy resources to anticipate incidents. KW - Calibration KW - Methodology KW - Traffic equilibrium KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic models UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-22A%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397334 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590530 AU - Ni, Daiheng AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling Drivers' Lateral Motion Control PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Vehicle lateral motion including lane change, merging, and turning is a major contributor to traffic accidents. Realistic modeling of drivers’ lateral motion control can not only improve understanding of the mechanisms that trigger these accidents but also permit the design of advanced systems that are capable of warning drivers of potential hazard during lateral movements. Departing from conventional, descriptive approach to modeling vehicle lateral motion which fits statistical models to field data, this research takes an explanatory approach by capturing the mechanism that underlies drivers’ lateral motion control. A clear understanding of what factors are involved in driver lateral control and how these factors function in driver decision-making will lead to the formulation of Lateral Control Model. This model incorporates lane changing and gap acceptance decisions into a single model and applies to both highways and intersections. This research responds to the Grant Theme of Safety. In particular the research focused on not only human factors research as it relates to elderly drivers but also technology-related research which leads to better traffic simulators and on-board lateral collision warning systems. KW - Aged drivers KW - Decision making KW - Drivers KW - Gap acceptance KW - Lane changing KW - Traffic crashes KW - Vehicle dynamics UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-24%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397337 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590522 AU - Knodler, Michael A AU - Fisher, Donald AU - Romoser, Matthew AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Observational Evaluation of Safety and Operations Resulting from Driver Distraction PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Although laws have been passed in many states that prohibit distracted driving behaviors, people disregard these restrictions and continue to use various devices while driving. By observing random drivers who may or may not be distracted, this research attempted to find commonalities among drivers and further understand driver behavior while distracted, at a critical juncture (i.e., while actively engaged in the driving task). Data collection in this area to date has primarily been concentrated at intersections where observations are easier to capture; however, observations made while drivers are engaged in the driving task are more critical in nature as it is this point in time when the distraction related behavior is most concerning. To this end, the research team employed a probe vehicle strategy on various roadway types, and as other vehicles were passed or passing direct observations were made and recorded for the driver distraction type (for both distracted and non-distracted behaviors) and associated information about the driver and vehicle. This type of mobile observation had the ability to shed light on natural driving behaviors without driver manipulation. KW - Behavior KW - Distraction KW - Drivers KW - Evaluation KW - Probe vehicles UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-21B%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397332 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590507 AU - Gonzales, Eric J AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Data-based Model for Regional Freight Demand PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 3p AB - This project addresses problems associated with the movement of freight using trucks in urban areas. Initially the project started as a demand modeling effort, but it became apparent that there are many pressing issues related to the impacts of the specific vehicle stops and deliveries themselves. The work in this project consisted of two parts: 1) development of models for demand responsive transportation systems in order to model network-level characteristics of the logistics system of urban goods delivery, and 2) development of traffic models to quantify the impact of urban freight deliveries on street capacity and delays. This second effort addresses a gap in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), which contains guidelines for estimating capacity and delays on streets under a variety of operating conditions but does not account for blockages associated with freight deliveries. Together, these research efforts shed light on the operations of urban freight systems and the impacts that these deliveries have on other users of the street network in a city. Ultimately, the research on demand responsive models was restricted by available trucking data, so the main research effort for this project has focused on modeling traffic interactions associated with vehicle stops for urban freight delivery. KW - Delivery service KW - Freight traffic KW - Highway capacity KW - Highway Capacity Manual KW - Stopping KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic models KW - Travel demand KW - Trucking KW - Urban areas UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-21A%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397331 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590467 AU - Ganz, Aura AU - Collura, John AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Hybrid NFC and Vision Based Navigation System in Subways for the Blind and Visually Impaired PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 3p AB - This research introduces an indoor navigation system for blind and visually impaired users. The authors deploy visual tags in the environment at specific landmarks and introduce a visual tag detection algorithm using a sampling probe and cascading approach. Guidelines are provided to determine the visual tag size which is a function of various environmental and usage scenarios, which differ in lighting, dimensions of the indoor environment and angle of usage. The authors also developed a Smartphone based user interface for the visually impaired users that uses Android accessibility features. KW - Algorithms KW - Assistive technology KW - Blind persons KW - Indoor environments KW - Navigational aids KW - Pedestrians KW - Smartphones KW - Subways KW - Visually impaired persons UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-18%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397325 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590448 AU - Knodler, Michael A AU - Fisher, Donald AU - Romoser, Matthew AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating the Effects of Integrated Training on Minimizing Driver Distraction PY - 2015/12/31/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Recent driving simulator studies which record driver and vehicle behaviors have focused on examining and developing specific training programs for improving driver performance across three cognitive skills that are critical to driver safety, hazard anticipation (HA), hazard mitigation (HM), and attention maintenance (AM). Of current interest is the evaluation of an integrated training program, SAFE-T, developed by Hamid (2013) that has been shown to reduce the effect among nurses (all experienced drivers) that fatigue has on each of the above three critical driving skills. The current study addresses whether the integrated training program will prove as effective among novice drivers. The authors also compare the effect size of SAFE-T with the effect size of one of the training programs, RAPT, to determine whether the decrease in exposure and potential for interference decrease the size of the effect of SAFE-T on hazard anticipation (the same skills that RAPT is designed to train). Forty-eight students between 16 and 18 years old participated in the study. All participants completed a single driving simulator evaluation of their HA, HM, and AM skills, immediately after a training program (SAFE-T, RAPT, or placebo). The SAFE-T training program led to significant improvements in the three higher cognitive skills, HA, HM & AM. The effects were similar to those found in other similar training programs (RAPT, ACT, and FOCAL). The results clearly show that the program holds great promise for improving young drivers’ safety-critical skills in a much shorter span and to a level akin to that of existing programs. KW - Cognition KW - Distraction KW - Driver training KW - Driving simulators KW - Evaluation KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Recently qualified drivers KW - Teenage drivers UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-22%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397333 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610511 AU - Zimmerman, Rae AU - Restrepo, Carlos E AU - Kates, Hannah B AU - Joseph, Robert AU - New York University, New York AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Suburban Poverty, Public Transit, Economic Opportunities, and Social Mobility PY - 2015/12/30/Final Report SP - 41p AB - Recent demographic trends suggest an increasing suburbanization of poor populations. Given that poor households are often unable to afford increasing housing prices in many urban areas they are increasingly moving to the suburbs. At the same time, suburbs often do not support the public transit needs of poor populations and access to jobs often with increasing commute time. Insufficient transit can also exacerbate recovery times after extreme weather events for vulnerable populations. Three areas within New York State with transit facilities and areas of poverty were evaluated with respect to the proximity of transit (distance to bus stops), use of transit, and commuting time. Some of the results indicated that certain poor populations in low density areas use transit less and have longer commutes. Historic and projected weather extremes and climate changes could also pose substantial threats to transportation and its users, particularly the poor. KW - Bus stops KW - Commuting KW - Job access KW - Low income groups KW - New York (State) KW - Public transit KW - Suburbs KW - Travel time KW - Vulnerability KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Surburban-Poverty-Public-Trans-Eco-Opportunities.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423191 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590495 AU - Gao, Song AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Optimal Adaptive Routing Algorithm for Large-Scale Stochastic Time-Dependent Networks PY - 2015/12/30/Final Report SP - 3p AB - The objective of this project is to develop an efficient algorithm and its computer implementation for the optimal adaptive routing problem that is practical in large-scale real-life networks, where a traveler could revise the route choice based upon en route traffic information. Existing adaptive routing algorithms are for explorative purpose and can only be applied to hypothetical and simplified networks. In this project, important changes will be made to make the algorithm practical in real-life networks, in three major areas: memory, running time, and realistic features. The algorithm will be implemented and tested on both randomly generated networks and a number of real-life large networks, including those from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) of Massachusetts, and Stockholm, Sweden. The developed algorithm is an important building block for the route choice module of an advanced traffic prediction model, and is also the intelligent core of a route guidance system. KW - Algorithms KW - Real time information KW - Route choice KW - Routes and routing KW - Stochastic processes KW - Time dependence UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-19A%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397328 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590479 AU - Ivan, John N AU - Ravishanker, Nalini AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effectiveness of Interventions at Midblock Crossings for Improving Senior and Other Pedestrian Safety PY - 2015/12/30/Final Report SP - 3p AB - This project evaluated the effectiveness of designed interventions on pedestrian crash experience at midblock crossings, focusing on seniors, children and other pedestrians. From the large crash database, the authors studied crashes involving pedestrians in situations with and without the interventions, and merged this data against a database containing the road and roadside characteristics. The authors fit a suitable regression and identify important covariates. Conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles subject to the interventions were observed using a variation of the Swedish Traffic Conflicts Technique, and classified by estimated age of the pedestrian and the severity of the conflict. Observations were made at locations specifically targeted for having characteristics found to be associated with senior pedestrian crash severity relative to nonseniors. The authors carried out a statistical test of association between conflict severity and crash severity based on data obtained through field observation and sampled from the crash database. KW - Age KW - Aged KW - Crash data KW - Crash severity KW - Midblock crossings KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Regression analysis KW - Traffic conflicts KW - Traffic control devices UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UCNR%2024-30A%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397343 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590473 AU - Garrick, Norman AU - Atkinson-Palombo, Carol AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Impact of Parking Policies on the Long-term Vitality of American Cities PY - 2015/12/30/Final Report SP - 5p AB - The primary question in this study is one of causality: do citywide changes in parking actually cause automobile use to increase, or are minimum parking requirements an appropriate response to already rising automobile use? The purpose of this study is to consolidate the available knowledge, contribute original data, and apply a robust, scientifically accepted framework for inferring whether causality exists. In addition to prior research, the authors rely on data related to parking provision and automobile use for nine U.S. cities in the years 1960, 1980 and 2000, which allow the authors to track and analyze considerable changes over time. It is found that at the city scale an increase in parking provision from 0.1 to 0.5 parking spaces per resident and employee is associated with an increase in commuter automobile mode share of roughly 30 percentage points. KW - Automobile travel KW - Cities KW - Commuters KW - Modal split KW - Parking KW - Parking facilities KW - Policy KW - Travel behavior KW - United States UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UCNR24-28%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397340 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590443 AU - Murga, Mikel AU - Salvucci, Frederick AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Kendall Square: Lessons Drawn from Its Past Development to Guide Its Future PY - 2015/12/30/Final Report SP - 6p AB - This research is part of an interconnected series of research products about the complexity of economic development, land use densification, and mode share change in the Cambridge area which is undergoing rapid transformation and growth in a context of capacity constraints in affordable housing, transit capacity, roadway capacity, and parking availability. The series of research projects is called the Massachusetts Avenue Living Laboratory. This research project has resulted in added insights into the unique high tech development cluster now underway in Kendall Square Cambridge, and the Seaport Innovation District in Boston, as well as the Inner Belt development district in Somerville, providing input into the ongoing revision of zoning requirements in the cities involved. KW - Cambridge (Massachusetts) KW - Economic development KW - High technology industries KW - Land use KW - Modal split KW - Zoning UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-6%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397309 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590502 AU - Howitt, Arnold M AU - Giles, David AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Disaster Recovery for Transportation: China's Wenchuan Earthquake of 2008 and Japan's Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011 PY - 2015/12/29/Final Report SP - 3p AB - This project examined issues related to the recovery of transportation infrastructure and services in two countries following catastrophic disasters: the People’s Republic of China, after the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake in Sichuan Province, and Japan, in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and subsequent nuclear crisis. Both disasters severely disrupted surface transportation networks, infrastructure, and services in their respective countries. This project examined decision-making and implementation of policies to restore transportation in the wake of these two disasters. It gave particular attention to the tension between simply replicating infrastructure/services that previously existed and using the opportunity of the disaster to rethink the nature of the transportation network and operations in order to make choices appropriate for current and future needs in the region. In doing so, the project considered the politics of transportation decision making, including contention over a vision of the region’s future, among different stakeholders and between local and central government policy makers; the economics and budget issues in restoring infrastructure; and the operational and management challenges of transportation recovery. KW - China KW - Decision making KW - Disasters KW - Earthquakes KW - Great Wenchuan Earthquake (China) KW - Implementation KW - Infrastructure KW - Japan KW - Policy KW - Stakeholders KW - Tohoku Earthquake (Japan), March 11, 2011 KW - Tsunamis UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/HVDR24-12%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397317 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590466 AU - Sussman, Joseph M AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Determining Performance Measures to Evaluate the Effect of High Speed Rail on Communities' Livability PY - 2015/12/21/Final Report SP - 6p AB - This project takes a broad look at the concept of livability--broadly defined--and the role of intercity passenger rail systems in creating viable sustainable communities. The geographic venues the authors have considered include California and the Northeast Corridor of the United States. The research considers many issues. These include: the use of shared infrastructure to create a viable and affordable rail network; the effective measurement of performance (e.g. schedule adherence) and its role in creating demand for intercity high-speed rail systems; the concept of capacity pricing and allocation in creating an economically balanced rail network; the multi-scale considerations in developing intercity rail systems that effectively interface with regional and urban transportation systems. This research, taken collectively, includes methodological advances. This includes adding modules to the CLIOS Process (to study Complex Large-Scale Integrated Open Sociotechnical Systems) to consider such concepts as advanced stakeholder analysis, multi-criteria, multi-stakeholder decision making under uncertainty, and creating strategy vectors that properly weigh different performance criteria. KW - California KW - Decision making KW - High speed rail KW - Intercity transportation KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Performance measurement KW - Quality of life KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Stakeholders KW - Sustainable development UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/MITR24-11%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397315 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587732 AU - Rami, Keyvan Zare AU - Kim, Yong-Rak AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Nebraska Data Collection PY - 2015/12/20/Final Report SP - 44p AB - Automated pavement performance data collection is a method that uses advanced technology to collect detailed road surface distress information at traffic speed. Agencies are driven to use automated survey techniques to enhance or replace their current manual distress survey because of the advantages of objective measurements, safety benefits, and reduced measurement time. As agencies move toward the transition to fully automated data collection methods, there are common concerns regarding how the output of the new method will match the current manual survey ratings and how they will be adopted into the existing Pavement Management System (PMS). This study evaluates the newly implemented automated distress survey technique and its implementation into the Nebraska Pavement Management System (NPMS). To meet the objectives, a user-friendly program was developed to convert the automated distress ratings into the current manual distress ratings format. Then, a data set that includes more than 7,000 miles of distress data collected by the automated method was converted to the manual data format and compared to the most recent manual rating data of those sections to assess the agreement between the two data formats after the conversion process. The results show that the automated pavement survey slightly overrates bituminous pavement distresses with only a few distress types that could not be properly detected. Finally, a regression analysis of a core pavement performance indicator, Nebraska Serviceability Index (NSI), was conducted to examine how the new automated performance measurement system will ultimately affect NPMS decisions if implemented into Nebraska’s pavement management system. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Condition surveys KW - Data quality KW - Evaluation KW - Implementation KW - Nebraska KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Regression analysis UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/research/Other/FinalReportM017.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378630 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590478 AU - Rubin, Jonathan AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Regional Credit Trading: Economic and GHG Impacts of a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard PY - 2015/12/17/Final Report SP - 3p AB - This research looks at the costs and impacts of implementing a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) given the major existing regulations of corporate average fuel economy (CAFE), Renewable Fuel Standard 2 (RFS2) and California LCFS that impact the on-road transportation sector. Rather than treat the nation as a whole, the authors implement the national policy at the level of the 9 census districts. The authors find significantly different costs of compliance by region. At the same time, flexibility mechanisms such as credit trading and banking can lower costs substantially. It is concluded that a national LCFS implemented at the regional level may be a promising way to reform RFS2 to allow for greater greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and provide for greater regulatory flexibility. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Costs KW - Credit KW - Economic impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Low Carbon Fuel Standard KW - Pollutants KW - Regulations UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMER24-34%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397351 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594573 AU - Garder, Per AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Elderly Pedestrian Safety and Driver Distractions PY - 2015/12/16/Final Report SP - 3p AB - About two-thirds of pedestrian fatalities in Maine involve people crossing urban streets or rural roads. Therefore, providing safe sidewalks is not a cure-all even if that is what many pedestrians ask for. We also need to improve safety at crosswalks and other places where people cross. One objective of this study has been to look at how pedestrian safety for elderly people in particular can be improved in spite of motor-vehicle drivers having more and more ‘distracters’ in their vehicles. A focus of this study has been to look at how pedestrians interact—with respect to safety margins, misunderstandings, short post-encroachment times, conflicts, etcetera—with motorists who are being distracted to different degrees and in different ways, for example by using cellular phones. Pedestrian distractions, such as the pedestrian talking on a mobile phone, was also studied through field observations. KW - Aged KW - Cellular telephones KW - Crosswalks KW - Distracted drivers KW - Distraction KW - Maine KW - Pedestrian safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56900/56948/UMER24-33_FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397350 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556944 TI - Development of Low-Cost Wireless Sensors for Real-Time Lifeline Condition Assessment AB - This research proposes to develop a low-cost wireless sensor to assess the condition of the lifeline bridges following a natural hazard. The primary goal of the sensor will be to minimize cost and increase the ease of installation. Off-the-shelf hardware will be adopted to meet the design criteria, emphasizing multiple year autonomous operation. The sensors will be configured to measure individual member demands, calculated locally at the node, eliminating the challenge of time-synchronization. Structural models will be developed to predict the loss of the structure based on these measurements. The sensors will be paired with a wide-area network, allowing real-time analysis of the entire transportation system following an event. Therefore, this project will deliver a low-cost sensor that can be widely deployed throughout the Pacific Northwest transportation network to provide first responders with an overview of the current state, and route appropriately. KW - Bridge members KW - Bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Real time information KW - Sensors KW - Service life KW - Wireless communication systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346271 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594313 AU - Smith, Brian L AU - Kluger, Robert AU - Park, Hyungjun AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Morgan State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Infrastructure Safety Assessment in a Connected Vehicle Environment PY - 2015/12/15/Final Report SP - 36p AB - The goal of the Infrastructure Safety Assessment in a Connected Vehicle (CV) Environment project was to develop a method to identify infrastructure safety “hot spots” using CV data. Using these basic safety messages to detect hot spots may allow for quicker discovery than traditional methods, such as police-reported crashes. The basic safety message may be able to detect events that police normally cannot obtain, including unreported crashes and near-crashes. The project successfully explored some models and algorithms to detect crashes and near-crashes and also designed a methodology to apply to hot spot identification. With the data available, conclusive results were not achieved; however, the models showed some potential. Three techniques were tested to predict crashes using vehicles’ kinematic data. To predict where a crash was occurring, multivariate adaptive regression splines, classification and regression trees, and a novel pattern matching approach were all tested. The models were able to identify the majority of 13 known crashes with different amounts of false positives. The pattern matching approach outperformed a simple acceleration threshold by identifying nearly 70% of crashes in a crash-only test set and 74% of near-crashes in a near-crash only test set. On the training set, it was able to identify more crashes than the thresholds without increasing the number of false positives observed. Based on the work described in this report, the CVI-UTC is fully prepared to apply the methodology to data collected on the field test bed. KW - Ann Arbor (Michigan) KW - Classification KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Detection and identification systems KW - High risk locations KW - Mathematical models KW - Methodology KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pattern matching KW - Regression analysis KW - Safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56779/Smith_Infrastrucure_Safety_Assessment_in_a_Connected_Vehicle_Environment_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400149 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583546 AU - Smith, Brian L AU - Kluger, Robert AU - Park, Hyungjun AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Infrastrucure Safety Assessment in a Connected Vehicle Environment PY - 2015/12/15 SP - 36p AB - The goal of the Infrastructure Safety Assessment in a Connected Vehicle (CV) Environment project was to develop a method to identify infrastructure safety “hot spots” using CV data. Using these basic safety messages to detect hot spots may allow for quicker discovery than traditional methods, such as police-reported crashes. The basic safety message may be able to detect events that police normally cannot obtain, including unreported crashes and near-crashes. The project successfully explored some models and algorithms to detect crashes and near-crashes and also designed a methodology to apply to hot spot identification. With the data available, conclusive results were not achieved; however, the models showed some potential. Three techniques were tested to predict crashes using vehicles’ kinematic data. To predict where a crash was occurring, multivariate adaptive regression splines, classification and regression trees, and a novel pattern matching approach were all tested. The models were able to identify the majority of 13 known crashes with different amounts of false positives. The pattern matching approach outperformed a simple acceleration threshold by identifying nearly 70% of crashes in a crash-only test set and 74% of near-crashes in a near-crash only test set. On the training set, it was able to identify more crashes than the thresholds without increasing the number of false positives observed. Based on the work described in this report, the Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center (CVI-UTC) is fully prepared to apply the methodology to data collected on the field test bed. KW - Algorithms KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - Infrastructure KW - Methodology KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Regression analysis UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Smith_Infrastrucure-Safety-Assessment-in-a-Connected-Vehicle-Environment_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377479 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583502 AU - Smith, Brian L AU - Ma, Jiaqi AU - Park, Hyungjun AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Prototyping and Evaluating a Smartphone Dynamic Message Sign (DMS) Application PY - 2015/12/15/Final Research Report SP - 57p AB - Traveler Information Systems are designed and operated by transportation agencies to provide travelers with real-time traffic information, enabling them to make better travel decisions. One of the most commonly used ways to provide real-time, en route traveler information to motorists is through Dynamic Message Signs (DMSs). Despite their effectiveness, they are costly and limited in terms of the amount of information they can deliver. The wide availability of smart mobile devices can provide traveler information through in-vehicle devices (without incurring huge infrastructure costs) and (in a more flexible manner) to selected individuals and locations without geographical constraints. Research was conducted to comprehensively develop and evaluate this concept and a summary of tasks and findings is presented below. First, this research proposed the concept of a Virtual Dynamic Message Sign (VDMS) system utilizing a smartphone-based application to demonstrate and summarize user experience for future deployment. The user survey revealed a positive attitude among participants toward a VDMS system in terms of both usefulness and satisfaction; the average ratings were −0.90 and −0.81 respectively on a −2 to 2 (Totally agree to Totally disagree) five-point Likert scale. The survey also indicated that most drivers (81.0%) perceived VDMS as a safer way to receive information. Many drivers (66.7%) also felt more comfortable receiving an audible message from a VDMS system rather than a text message on a DMS. The results indicate great user acceptability and the potential for such systems to be deployed by public agencies in the future. This research also aimed to address the question of whether a VDMS conveys information at least as effectively as existing DMSs. A mixed, repeated-measure experiment was designed using a driver simulator to examine (1) the impacts of driver age, (2) information transmission mode, (3) amount of information, and (4) driving complexity on message comprehension, distraction, and perceived difficulty. Forty-two people were recruited and each of them participated in a test under different combinations. Participant performance was measured in terms of message comprehension, distraction, and self-reported message difficulty level. Results revealed that VDMS generally performs better than DMS across different amounts of information, under different driving conditions, and regardless of driver age. VDMS proved significantly better than DMS in message comprehension under relatively complex conditions. It reduced reaction time to unexpected stimuli (as measured with a reduced time-to-brake of 0.39 seconds), and made the same messages easier to process and retain for drivers than DMS. Based on these results, it is recommended that transportation agencies give careful consideration to VDMS as a future strategy for delivering public traffic information in a connected vehicle environment. KW - Age KW - Distraction KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Evaluation KW - Information dissemination KW - Mobile applications KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Surveys KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Variable message signs UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Smith_Prototyping-and-Evaluating-a-Smartphone-Dynamic-Message-Sign-Application_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377571 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599245 AU - Metaxatos, Paul AU - Sriraj, P S AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Pedestrian/Bicyclist Warning Devices and Signs at CTA Rail-Highway Grade Crossings PY - 2015/12/14/Final Report SP - 64p AB - In contrast to the declining number of fatalities due to train-vehicle collisions at highway-rail grade crossings, the number of non-motorist fatalities at crossings remains relatively unchanged. The objective of this study was to contribute to the still limited research on pedestrian safety at rail grade crossings by expanding the scope of a previous study (Metaxatos and Sriraj, 2013) to include rail grade crossings in the city of Chicago with rail operations by the Chicago Transit Authority. The study was divided into three components: a literature review, identification of seven hot spots used for survey locations, and a survey of non-motorized users and analysis of pedestrian attitudes. KW - Attitudes KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Chicago Transit Authority KW - Cyclists KW - Grade crossing protection systems KW - Literature reviews KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrians KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Surveys KW - Warning signs UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R07_Rail_Grade_Crossing_NURail_Final_Report_Sriraj_Metaxatos1.pdf UR - https://utc.uic.edu/wp-content/uploads/Ped-Bike-CTA-NURail-Final-Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59291/NURail2012-UIC-R07_Rail_Grade_Crossing_NURail_Final_Report_Sriraj_Metaxatos1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405112 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599215 AU - Issa, Mohsen A AU - Lotfy, Ibrahim AU - Farhat, Maen AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effect of Pre-drilling, Loading Rate and Temperature Variation on the Behavior of Railroad Spikes used for High Density Polyethylene Crossties PY - 2015/12/10/Final Report SP - 32p AB - The University of Illinois at Chicago conducted a series of studies to assess the feasibility of implementing High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) crossties in both conventional and high speed rail applications. In this report, an investigation aiming to understand and assess the performance of typical railroad spikes used with recycled HDPE crossties is presented. The objectives of this report were to: (1) Understand the behavior of rail spikes under pure pullout forces and their interactions with the HDPE crosstie; (2) Assess the effect of temperature, rate of loading and type of spike on the spike pullout behavior; (3) Investigate the behavior of rail spikes when subjected to lateral forces; and (4) Develop accurate finite element modeling techniques, which accurately portray the behavior of the fastening system using the experimental data. KW - Composite materials KW - Drilling KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Finite element method KW - Load factor KW - Plastics KW - Railroad ties KW - Spikes KW - Thermal properties UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R02-Combined_reduced1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405199 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01590432 TI - Modeling the Impacts of Changes in Freight Demand, Infrastructure Improvements and Policy Measures on a Metropolitan Region AB - The objective of the proposed study is to develop a modeling framework that would be able to ascertain the magnitude of impacts that an infrastructure improvement or a policy in conjunction with the changes in truck traffic might have on a regional and local level as well. The analysis using regional models will specifically focus on identifying the impacts of change in freight truck demand on highway system reliability, environmental reliability, safety, social cost etc. The framework will specifically analyze the relationship between a change in truck volume to and from the Port Newark/New York area and the roadway network performance, maintenance cost and user benefits. The research will quantify system capacity improvements, highway maintenance savings, user cost benefits, and environmental and safety benefits resulted from the infrastructure and/or policy implementations. The Port of New York and New Jersey (PONYNJ) is connected with the highly evolved, intricate networks of highway, rail, marine port, and air cargo facilities, and the most densely populated area in the nation. As such, the impact that PONYNJ could have on a region is a perfect test-bed location for evaluating the impacts of policy measures and infrastructure improvements on a region. The North Jersey Regional Transportation Model (NJRTM-E) will be used to reach the objectives of this research. The NJRTM-E encompasses freight volume designated for the PONYNJ. The NJRTM-E is capable to fully incorporate the multi-modal nature of the transportation issues facing northern New Jersey. The model includes all of New York City and Long Island, portions of southern New Jersey, portions of southern New York State, and portions of eastern Pennsylvania. The model contains socioeconomic data and estimates based on the latest available forecasts and detailed highway network. For these reasons NJRTM-E will be used in ascertaining the impact of change in freight truck traffic on a regions mobility, safety and environment. Most importantly, the model enables users to analyze “what-if” scenarios that quantify the changes in the regional highway network due to infrastructure investments, policy implementations and changes in truck demand. The primary function of the NJRTM-E is to simulate the movement of freight trucks. Several scenarios within the Cube model will be developed to reflect the change in truck volumes during the day and during vessel arrivals. The cost-benefit analysis based on an economic theory model will be developed to ascertain the change in truck volume and infrastructure movements or policies. The NJRTM-E model, based on developed forecasts, has an ability to simulate regional traffic conditions until Year 2035 that enables long term analysis of implemented polices or infrastructure improvements. The approach proposed by US Department of Transportation (USDOT), and implemented in the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Deployment Analysis System (IDAS) will be used to quantify mobility, safety, and environmental impacts. The framework will incorporate the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) methodology to estimate the impact of truck traffic on pavement and the economic and societal impact of motor vehicle crashes and its associated cost. The New Jersey Statewide Transportation Improvement Program provides a listing of statewide contains local and state highway projects as well as the regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) projects and funds allocated to each project. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Demand KW - Economic impacts KW - Environmental impacts KW - Externalities KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Improvements KW - Infrastructure KW - Long Island (New York) KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Mobility KW - New Jersey KW - New York (New York) KW - New York (State) KW - Pennsylvania KW - Policy KW - Port of New York and New Jersey KW - Safety KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic volume KW - Truck traffic KW - Trucking UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/modeling-impacts-changes-freight-demand-infrastructure-improvements-and-policy-measure UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398304 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626714 AU - Glisic, Branko AU - Princeton University AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of uncertainty in determination of neutral axis and deformed shape of beam structures PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 44p AB - With aging infrastructure, it becomes crucial to make informed decisions about maintenance and preservation actions, as well as renewal of civil structures. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) can be an important aid in this decision process, but in spite of its great potential, SHM is not applied in a widespread or generic manner, which is essentially due to the lack of reliable and affordable monitoring solutions. Consequently, there is a demand for monitoring methods that are not specific to individual structures, are reliable and robust on-site, and applicable to typical bridges. The overall objective of PI’s research group is to research and develop universal SHM methods based on strain monitoring using series of parallel long-gauge fiber-optic sensors (so called parallel topologies). In particular, two basic parameters are studied in detail: 1) the location of the neutral axis based on dynamic strain measurements and a probabilistic data analysis, and 2) the deformed shape of individual girders based on static and dynamic strain measurements. Information about these parameters assessed at several locations of the bridge can then be used to assess global structural behavior and health condition. Changes in these parameters over time can indicate variation in structural behavior due to change in operational conditions or damage. However, setting the thresholds necessitates thorough uncertainty analysis in determination of the above parameters. Thus, the objectives of this project are to explore, understand and quantify (deterministically or statistically) the uncertainties in determination of the position of neutral axis and the deformed shape, where the latter are determined based on series of parallel long-gauge sensors. To achieve this aim, numerical modelling, experimental analysis, and field validation on real bridges were performed. KW - Algorithms KW - Beams KW - Bridges KW - Deformation KW - Evaluation KW - Fiber optics KW - Girders KW - Laboratory tests KW - Sensors KW - Strain measurement KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Uncertainty KW - Validation UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-048-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450299 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01620258 AU - Nodine, Emily AU - Stevens, Scott AU - Lam, Andy AU - Jackson, Chris AU - Najm, Wassim G AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Independent Evaluation of Light-Vehicle Safety Applications Based on Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications Used in the 2012-2013 Safety Pilot Model Deployment PY - 2015/12//Research Report SP - 129p AB - This report presents the methodology and results of the independent evaluation of safety applications for passenger vehicles in the 2012-2013 Safety Pilot Model Deployment, part of the United States Department of Transportation’s Intelligent Transportation Systems research program. In 2012, the pilot model deployed approximately 2,800 vehicles equipped with designated short-range-communication-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure technology in a real-world driving environment. The goals of the independent evaluation were to characterize the capability, assess unintended consequences, and gauge driver acceptance of the V2V safety applications. The evaluation is based on naturalistic driving by 127 participants who drove passenger vehicles with fully integrated V2V communication systems for 6 months each. Additionally, 293 participants drove passenger cars with aftermarket communication systems for 12 months each. The 127 integrated-vehicle and 293 aftermarket-device participant’s vehicles were equipped with a suite of V2V safety applications that issued alerts to participants in potential crash scenarios. The results of the analysis suggest that V2V safety applications work in a real-world environment and issue valid alerts in driving conflicts, but improvements in their ability to correctly differentiate imminent threats from various normal driving situations are needed so as to reduce nuisance warnings. Results from the model deployment will help shape future research direction. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Evaluation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Passenger vehicles KW - Safety Pilot Model Deployment KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60548/812222-EvalLightVehicleSafetyAppsBasedV2V.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440554 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01617702 AU - Khattak, Aemal AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - University Transportation Center for Railway Safety AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Safety at Rural Highway-Rail Grade Crossings by Utilizing Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) Technology PY - 2015/12 SP - 9p AB - The objective of this research is to test and validate the feasibility of a computer-based tool that safety analysts can use to quickly assess rural highway-rail grade crossings for large truck traffic in case of an emergency or route closure situation. The suitability of many rural highway-rail grade crossings for use by large trucks with trailers is a concern because of the possibility of trucks getting stuck on the rail tracks when excessive grade difference exists between the rails and approach surface of the crossing highway. While trucks usually ply on designated routes, emergencies and highway closures may necessitate re-routing of trucks to rural highways with grade crossings that may not have the safe geometry needed for large trucks with trailers. Therefore, it would be useful to have a computer-based tool and relevant data by which analysts could quickly assess crossing suitability without the need for field visits. The availability of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for most of Nebraska makes the possibility of developing a computer-based tool that allows analysts to assess the suitability of highway-rail crossings for large vehicles a possibility. LiDAR data are usually collected using an appropriately-equipped airplane that flies and collects the locations of millions of points on the Earth’s surface. Using geographic information systems (GIS) software, the point cloud can be converted into a terrain model replicating the surface profile. LiDAR data are available for most of Nebraska and in many cases free of cost. This research will develop a computer-based tool utilizing LiDAR data that will allow users to assess the suitability of rural highway-rail grade crossings for use by large trucks. Field validation of the results from the tool will be carried out as part of this research. KW - Clearances (Navigation) KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Geographic information systems KW - Laser radar KW - Nebraska KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Rural highways KW - Street closure KW - Traffic safety KW - Trucks UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/_files/documents/research/operations/improving-safety-at-hrgc-by-using-lidar-technology.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429565 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616958 AU - Markiewicz, Alexandra AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Regional Cooperation and Environmental Justice in Transportation Planning in Ohio: A Regional Models of Cooperation Peer Exchange Summary Report PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 26p AB - This report highlights key themes identified at the “Regional Cooperation and Environmental Justice in Transportation Planning in Ohio” Peer Exchange held on December 15, 2015 in Columbus, Ohio. The Regional Models of Cooperation Initiative, which is funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), sponsored this event. The purpose of the peer exchange was to share best practices in incorporating environmental justice into transportation planning and to determine how models of regional cooperation can inform this process. Peer agencies included: Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC), FHWA Washington Division Office, and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). KW - Baltimore Metropolitan Council KW - Best practices KW - Cooperation KW - Environmental justice KW - Florida Department of Transportation KW - Ohio KW - Peer exchange KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60130/columbus_environmental_justice.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428263 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612169 AU - Shin, Hyeon-Shic AU - Lee, Young-Jae AU - Park, Byungkyu "Brian" AU - Morgan State University AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Research Product Transfer for Local Calibration Factors of the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) and Integrated Surrogate Safety Assessment Framework PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 22p AB - This technology transfer workshop presented transportation planners in the public and private sectors with two successful and closely related studies, conducted respectively by Morgan State University and the University of Virginia. The first module of the workshop is based on the two studies recently completed by a team of researchers at Morgan State University. The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) funded the studies. The first study developed local calibration factors for the State of Maryland by adjusting the predicted crash frequencies on state-maintained roadway facilities using the predictive methods of the first edition of the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) (Association of American State Highway Transportation Officials, 2010). While the HSM is the first comprehensive and systematic approach to transportation research, prototype models must be readjusted for each state in order to account for, to name a few, different traffic characteristics, roadway geometrics, socioeconomic characteristics, weather, and geology specific to a study region. The factor for adjusting predicted crash frequencies is called the local calibration factor (LCF). The second study assessed the safety conditions of base and future traffic scenarios for an interchange on I-495. This study used the new chapters of the HSM for Interstate highways. The second module presented the surrogate safety assessment model (SSAM) in assessing safety conducted by researchers at the University of Virginia. The SSAM can be applied to conditions such as when historical crash data are not available or new technology is under consideration. KW - Calibration KW - Crash rates KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Interchanges KW - Interstate highways KW - Local conditions KW - Maryland KW - Surrogate Safety Assessment Model KW - Technology transfer UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MAUTC-2013-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424168 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612156 AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Chen, Hao AU - Haghani, Ali AU - Zhang, Xuechi AU - Hamedi, Masoud AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Probe Data for Arterial Roadway Travel Time Estimation and Freeway Medium-term Travel Time Prediction PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 86p AB - Urban traffic congestion is a problem that plagues many cities in the United States. One approach to alleviating this congestion is to provide drivers with better travel time information so that they can make better departure time and routing decisions. This research project focuses on two efforts: (1) validating the use of probe data to estimate arterial travel times and (2) validating and developing techniques to predict freeway travel times over a 2 to 4 hour window. With regards to the arterial travel time estimation the objectives are two-fold. The first goal is a comprehensive validation of INRIX arterial data. In the validation the variability and reliability of arterial data in different corridors equipped with permanent and portable traffic sensors will be studied under different traffic conditions. The second goal is to develop a methodology for augmenting INRIX data with other data sources in order to improve the data quality. With regards to freeway travel time prediction the objectives are also two-fold. The first objective is to validate the INRIX travel time prediction algorithms along a number of corridors in the state of Virginia. The second objective is to enhance the prediction accuracy using various pattern recognition and machine learning techniques. KW - Algorithms KW - Arterial highways KW - Data quality KW - Estimating KW - Floating car data KW - Freeways KW - INRIX KW - Learning (Artificial intelligence) KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Pattern recognition systems KW - Probe vehicles KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Travel time UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MAUTC-2013-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424167 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610513 AU - Chien, Steven AU - Mouskos, Kyriacos AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimizing Work Zones for Highway Maintenance with Floating Car Data (FCD) PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 57p AB - One of the main tools that the Department of Transportation (DOT) of each state in the United States should have to support their work zone activities is a sound model that produces adequate work zone schedules for roadway maintenance and construction projects; this should be able to produce reliable estimates of the impacts on traffic flow characteristics due to work zone activity. Existing analytical models used by DOTs have been developed based on traditional volume/capacity formulas with deterministic traffic queuing theory. However, the shortcomings of these models often result in inaccurate estimates of traffic flow delay, speed and associated costs. The objective of this report is to develop a methodology that accomplishes the following: 1) Estimates the traffic flow characteristics in work zones using Floating Car Data (FCD) also known as vehicle-probe data; 2) Minimizes the impact of work zones on traffic flow characteristics; and 3) Minimizes the total work zone impact cost (including maintenance cost, idling cost, vehicle emissions, and user cost) yielded by the optimized work zone lengths and the associated schedule. The developed methodology takes advantage of the fact that the majority of freeways throughout the United States are now monitored through vehicle probe data that are based on the following technologies: 1) The proliferation of a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) in vehicles and cellular phones that provide vehicle location and speed data every second; and 2) The proliferation of Bluetooth Technology (BT), in which vehicle location and speed/travel time are estimated using BT installed at the side of the roadway – while BT is currently under more limited coverage, which is expanding rapidly. These FCD technologies provide an added dimension to the estimation of traffic flow characteristics in work zones, namely travel time, speed, and associated delay. To test this methodology, two case studies were conducted using a real work zone on a segment of Interstate I-287 in New Jersey. KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Case studies KW - Cellular telephones KW - Floating car data KW - Global Navigation Satellite System KW - Highway maintenance KW - Interstate highways KW - New Jersey KW - Optimization KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic speed KW - Travel time KW - Work zones UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Report-Optimizing-Work-Zones-for-Highway-Maintenance_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423193 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608570 AU - Unnasch, Stefan AU - Riffel, Brent AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Life Cycle Associates, LLC AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Review of Jet Fuel Life Cycle Assessment Methods and Sustainability Metrics PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 123p AB - The primary aim of this study is to help aviation jet fuel purchasers (primarily commercial airlines and the U.S. military) to understand the sustainability implications of their jet fuel purchases and provide guidelines for procuring sustainable fuels. This study reviews literature on life cycle analysis and sustainability and identifies the regulatory requirements and third party standards for sustainable fuel use in different regions of the world. It also provides guidance in understanding the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions impacts of jet fuels, and defining guidelines for estimating the sustainability implications of criteria other than life cycle GHG emissions such as water use, land use, criteria pollutants, air toxics, biodiversity and a number of other issues as noted throughout this report. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Jet engine fuels KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Literature reviews KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Pollutants KW - Procurement KW - Regulations KW - Standards KW - Sustainable transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59262/LCAJetFuelSustainabilityReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1418800 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604574 AU - Hastings, Aaron AU - Ahearn, Meghan AU - Guthy-McInnis, Catherine AU - Garrott, Riley AU - Garay-Vega, Lisandra AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Acoustic Data for Hybrid and Electric Heavy-Duty Vehicles and Electric Motorcycles PY - 2015/12 SP - 31p AB - The Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act (PSEA) of 2010 requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to conduct a rulemaking to establish a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requiring an alert sound for pedestrians to be emitted by all types of motor vehicles that are electric or hybrid. NHTSA completed acoustic measurements for hybrid and electric heavy-duty vehicles (gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 lb) and for electric motorcycles. This acoustic data analysis was conducted to support activities related to the PSEA. The measurements protocol used follows general procedures in SAE J 2889/1, Measurement of Minimum Noise Emitted by Road Vehicles, May 2012. Two electric motorcycles were tested at the Transportation Research Center in Columbus, Ohio. The test surface conforms to ISO 10844:2011 specifications. One electric vehicle delivery truck was tested at Navistar’s Fort Wayne, Indiana, proving grounds. The test surface conforms to an ISO 10844:1994 surface that is suitable for heavy vehicles. In addition, screening data for four hybrid and electric heavy-duty vehicles were collected. The purpose of the screening test was to obtain raw descriptions of the sound characteristics for a subset of heavy-duty vehicles. The measurements protocol used for the screening tests follows general procedures in SAE J 2889/1, Measurement of Minimum Noise Emitted by Road Vehicles. However, the measurement protocol used for screening tests does not fulfill all the parameters stated in SAE J 2889/1. Several aspects are different, including the acoustic environment, operating conditions, test surface, number of microphones, and microphone position. Therefore the results obtained may deviate appreciably from the results obtained using specified conditions. KW - Electric motorcycles KW - Electric vehicles KW - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards KW - Heavy duty vehicles KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Measurement KW - Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act KW - Screening tests KW - Sound UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59248/812225-ElecHybridNoiseReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414855 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603664 AU - Renne, John AU - Listokin, David AU - Tolford, Tara AU - Mosby, Kim AU - Amdal, James AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Opportunities and Tensions of Historic Preservation and Transit Oriented Development PY - 2015/12 SP - 118p AB - In recent years, there has been much research on Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in the United States and abroad. There has been decades of study of historic preservation, both in the United States and internationally. Yet the intersection of TOD and historic preservation has received scant attention. This project cross-references data on TOD and historic preservation, examines case studies of where TOD and historic preservation intersect and recommends policy and tools for preservation in TODs. KW - Case studies KW - Data analysis KW - Geographic information systems KW - Historic preservation KW - Literature reviews KW - Policy KW - Transit oriented development KW - United States UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00116-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409651 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603610 AU - Lewis, Carol Abel AU - Clark, Latissha AU - Southern, Velyjha AU - Center for Transportation Training and Research AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Synthesis Report of Purpose and Need: Assessment of Event Egress for Houston’s Reliant Stadium PY - 2015/12 SP - 32p AB - Attendance at large arena events is increasing, as the seats are added, and ground level activities such as tailgating attract visitors not attending the game. Access is somewhat staggered as people choose their arrival times differently. However, the egress is far more concentrated with visitors largely attempting to leave simultaneously. The prevailing approach is to place police officers, who communicate via radio, at proximate exit locations. Further complicating the egress are those who arrive by public transportation and are transported by scheduled train cycles or queued buses. Once filled, users wait for the next cycle. Given advances in technology from the perspective of handheld devices and traffic management software, it is timely to reexamine protocol and strategies to determine whether an opportunity exists to facilitate or streamline egress, specifically looking at NRG Stadium in Houston. This work convened stakeholders familiar with NRG stadium in Houston, Texas to detail concepts to potentially improve egress, particularly in consideration of Super Bowl XLIX to be held at NRG in 2017. KW - Building exits KW - Egress KW - Houston (Texas) KW - NRG Stadium KW - Public transit KW - Schedules KW - Special events KW - Stadiums KW - Stakeholders KW - Traffic volume KW - Transit riders UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00049-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409653 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603561 AU - Zhang, Zhao AU - Wolshon, Brian AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Gulf Coast Megaregion Evacuation Traffic Simulation Modeling and Analysis PY - 2015/12 SP - 34p AB - This paper describes a project to develop a micro-level traffic simulation for a megaregion. To accomplish this, a mass evacuation event was modeled using a traffic demand generation process that created a spatial and temporal distribution of departure times, origins, and destinations based on past hurricane scenarios. A megaregion-scale simulation was required to assess this event because only at this level can traffic from multiple cities, over several days, with route assignments in multiple and overlapping directions be analyzed. Among the findings of the research was that it is possible to scale-up and adapt existing models to reflect a simultaneous multi-city evacuation covering a megaregion. The movements generated by the demand and operational models were both logical and meaningful and they were able to capture the key elements of the system, including the traffic progression over vast spaces and long time durations. They were also adequate to demonstrate benefits of proactive traffic management strategies and the effect of increased and decreased advanced warning times. The project also revealed numerous limitations of existing modeling and computational processing capabilities. The knowledge and results gained from this research can be adaptable and transferable for the evaluation of other locations with different road networks, populations, transportation resources, and hazard threats. Models such as this can be modified to represent anticipated growth and development within large regions and can be used to evaluate the interrelationships between behavioral response and regional transportation management strategies. KW - Evacuation KW - Evaluation KW - Gulf Coast KW - Hurricanes KW - Megaregions KW - Microsimulation KW - Traffic simulation KW - Travel demand UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00101-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1409650 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599871 AU - Chang, Carlos M AU - Vavrova, Marketa AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Multi-Objective Sustainable Model for Transportation Asset Management Practices PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 93p AB - Transportation Asset Management (TAM) practices has gained popularity in the United States and worldwide with the aim to provide the required level of service for the transportation infrastructure network in the most cost-effective manner. However, TAM is a complex decision-making process since many objectives and different perspectives, often producing conflicting goals, must be considered. The report presents a Multi-Objective Sustainable (MOS) model to integrate economic, social, and environmental sustainable objectives into TAM decision-making. A comprehensive literature review of sustainable performance measures for TAM are described to address concerns on road vehicle emissions, safety, and livability. The Quality Deployment Matrix (QFD) is proposed for selection of the performance measures. MOS can be used by transportation agencies to evaluate different scenarios in the context of Target-Driven or Budget-Driven decisions. An application of the MOS model is demonstrated in a case study for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. The implementation of the MOS-TAM can help agencies to prioritize projects for funding in a sustainable manner addressing the needs of motorized users and pedestrians. MOS enhances the traditional TAM methods and improves the communication to stakeholders by providing helpful insights of the environmental and social consequences of TAM decisions. KW - Asset management KW - Case studies KW - Decision making KW - Literature reviews KW - Performance measurement KW - Pollutants KW - Quality of life KW - Safety KW - San Francisco (California) KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable development UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-046-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407824 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599870 AU - Cheu, Ruey Long AU - Mondragon, Oscar A AU - Villanueva-Rosales, Natalia AU - Nazarian, Soheil AU - Carrasco, Cesar J AU - Cabrera, Sergio D AU - Ferrugut, Carlos M AU - Gates, Ann Q AU - Jimenez, Heidi A Taboada AU - Balal, Esmaeil AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Research Challenges toward the Implementation of Smart Cities in the United States PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 67p AB - A smart city is characterized by its ability to integrate people, technology and information to create an efficient, sustainable and resilient infrastructure that provides high quality services while improving the quality of life of its residents. This report focuses on the three infrastructures: smart classroom buildings, smart bridges and smart bus systems, with the aim of making them smarter in the context of smart cities. The objective is to develop Concepts of Operations (ConOps), from user’s perspective, for smart buildings, smart bridges and smart bus systems, respectively, for smart cities. A smart classroom building is one which makes used of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) to link different systems within a building to deliver useful information to different end users so as to improve the quality of teaching, learning and working experiences. A smart bridge has wireless sensors that automatically monitor the structural and geotechnical health, exchanges real-time data with traffic management center and incorporate traffic and emission impacts in the bridge maintenance decision making process. A smart bus system provides passengers a high quality service by implementing several bus rapid transit features and by the use of ICT to integrate and deliver service information to passengers. This report provides a description of each of the infrastructure systems from the system engineering perspective. Several techniques (Stakeholder Influence Diagram, Context Diagram, and Use Case Diagram) are used to identify relevant stakeholders, define the scope of the system and its external entities, and to identify the smart services provided by the smart classroom buildings, smart bridges and smart bus systems. By applying these systems engineering techniques, the challenges and research opportunities of transforming existing classroom buildings, bridges and regular bus systems into smart classroom buildings, smart bridges, and smart bus systems are identified. KW - Bridges KW - Bus transit operations KW - Cities KW - Data collection KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Smart growth KW - Stakeholders KW - Sustainable development KW - Systems engineering KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - United States UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-060-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407819 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599869 AU - Zolghadri, Navid AU - Halling, Marvin W AU - Barr, Paul J AU - Foust, Nick AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effects of Temperature on Bridge Dynamic Properties PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 90p AB - Structural health monitoring (SHM) using ambient vibration has become a valuable tool in evaluating and assessing the condition of civil structures. For bridge structures, a vibration-based SHM system uses the dynamic response of a bridge to measure modal parameters. A change in a structure’s modal parameters can indicate a physical change in the system, such as damage or a boundary condition change. These same modal parameters are sensitive to environmental factors, mainly temperature. Statistical models have been utilized to filter out modal parameter changes influenced by temperature and those caused by physical changes. Statistical models also help describe the relationship between modal parameters and environmental conditions. For this research, a lab specimen, I-girder, concrete box-girder, and steel plate girder bridges were studied. A SHM system was installed on these structures and vibration and temperature data were collected. This data was used to understand how the bridge’s natural frequencies typically change due to temperature. KW - Dynamic tests KW - Girder bridges KW - Modal analysis KW - Natural frequency KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Temperature KW - Vibration UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-050-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407822 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599295 AU - Machek, Elizabeth AU - Lewis, Kristin AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Berthaume, Andrew AU - Colton, Paige AU - Morton, Tom AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Novel Modes Workshop Summary Report PY - 2015/12 SP - 56p AB - On December 2-3, 2014, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Exploratory Advanced Research Program, with support from the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, convened the 2-day workshop "Novel Modes." It was held concurrently at FHWA's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia; Federal Transit Administration's Region 9 Offices in San Francisco, California; and via Web conferencing. The purpose of the workshop was to assess and document the state of technology for new modal systems, thereby providing FHWA, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other government agencies with (1) and educated understanding of potential technological trends that could affect the current highway, transit, and rail systems; (2) a foundation for considering the appropriate government policy and research roles for novel modal systems; and (3) an opportunity to provide ongoing fair and open access to innovators in the business and academic sectors. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highways KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Policy KW - Public transit KW - Railroads KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation modes KW - Workshops UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/sites/default/files/NovelModesWkshop-web.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60400/60401/DOT-VNTSC-OSTR-2015-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407801 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597299 AU - Bullough, John D AU - Skinner, Nicholas P AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Demonstrating Urban Outdoor Lighting for Pedestrian Safety and Security PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 21p AB - Pedestrian safety is a critical element of urban transportation. A review of published literature, as well as real-world demonstration activities, indicate that bollard-level crosswalk lighting has excellent potential for enhancing pedestrian visibility and improving safety at crosswalks, particularly where the presence of a crosswalk might not be expected by approaching drivers. Such locations include midblock crossings, roundabouts and locations near schools and other public venues that might experience high levels of pedestrian traffic at sporadic or unexpected times. The light levels produced by the system and measured during a nighttime demonstration installation were sufficient to achieve high levels of visual performance. The push button control used by the prototype bollard system allowed the luminaires to produce a relatively low, glare-free light level when not in use, while still making them highly visible to pedestrians and drivers. The temporary cycling between low and high light levels that occurred when the button was pressed could act as a visual alert to warn drivers that a pedestrian is present and waiting to cross the street, and the higher light level of at least 10 vertical lux in the crosswalk resulted in high levels of visibility. KW - Brightness KW - Crosswalks KW - Drivers KW - Lighting KW - Literature reviews KW - Luminaires KW - Night visibility KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrians KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Demonstrating-Urban-Outdoor-Lighting-Pedestrian-Safety.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404183 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596862 AU - Machek, Elizabeth AU - Lewis, Kristin AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Berthaume, Andrew AU - Colton, Paige AU - Morton, Tom AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Novel Surface Transportation Modes PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 54p AB - This report summarizes an initial stage investigation into current research and development of alternative modal concepts. The project goals were to gain a better understanding of novel surface transportation concepts that fall outside of the Federal Highway Administration's Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program's regular technology scans; to facilitate interaction and information-sharing among the U.S. Department of Transportation, State and local governments, and private sector innovators; and to explore the role of the public sector in advancing transportation innovation. This report discusses the current state of novel surface transportation modal concepts, identifies opportunities and challenges for these concepts, and presents a set of potential future research needs. The authors of this report have summarized the information from both research on novel modes and the viewpoints shared at the novel modes workshop. KW - Ground transportation KW - Research projects KW - State of the practice KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation modes KW - Workshops UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/sites/default/files/NovelSurfTranspModes-web.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59100/59146/NovelSurfTranspModes-web.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402108 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596777 AU - Mundy, Ray A AU - Bao, Ken AU - Wood, Abby AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cost-Benefit Analysis: Substituting Ground Transportation for Subsidized Essential Air Services PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 76p AB - Since the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has been subsidizing air service to small rural communities through the Essential Air Service (EAS) program. The original intent of the program was to maintain some level of air service to rural communities that would otherwise not have any. The Rural Survival Act of 1996 established the permanence of the EAS program; the act was fueled by the idea that reliable air services are vital to local rural economies. This idea has been somewhat challenged in recent studies that found little to no economic impacts of air traffic. This project entertained the theory that intercity traffic volume, and not air traffic volume alone, is what affects the economic outcomes of certain geographical areas. A cost-benefit analysis of substituting subsidized air service with a subsidized ground service is presented and concludes that an intercity ground service network can create substantial cost savings on both a per round trip basis and a round trip-seat basis. KW - Air travel KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Bus travel KW - Economic impacts KW - Essential Air Service program KW - Intercity travel KW - Rural areas KW - Rural travel KW - Savings KW - Shuttle service KW - Subsidies UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1186&context=intrans_reports UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403235 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596012 AU - Strauss, Rachel AU - Macfarlane, Kate AU - Mittelman, Anjuliee AU - Peckett, Haley AU - Wainer, Jordan AU - Nash, Logan AU - Schwarzer, Julianne AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Federal Highway Administration 2014/2015 Implementing Eco-Logical Program Annual Report PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 78p AB - The Eco-Logical approach offers an ecosystem-based framework for integrated infrastructure and natural resource planning, project development, and delivery. The 2014/2015 Implementing Eco-Logical Program Annual Report provides updates on the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Eco-Logical Program, in particular the Implementing Eco-Logical initiative funded through the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) in coordination with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Transportation Research Board (TRB). The report discusses program accomplishments of Implementing Eco-Logical as well as from Implementing Eco-Logical Implementation Assistance Program recipients. The report provides findings and updates on recipients' projects and shares recommendations for next steps for the FHWA Eco-Logical Program. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Annual reports KW - Ecosystems KW - FHWA Eco-Logical Program KW - Highway planning KW - Implementation KW - Project delivery KW - Strategic Highway Research Program 2 KW - Transportation Research Board KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/ecological/AnnualReport2014-15/2014-2015_Eco-Logical_Annual_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56887/2014-2015_Eco-Logical_Annual_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400023 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596005 AU - Tiernan, Tim AU - Toma, Samuel AU - Najm, Wassim AU - Altan, Osman AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Characterization Test Procedures for Intersection Collision Avoidance Systems Based on Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications PY - 2015/12 SP - 57p AB - Characterization test procedures have been developed to quantify the performance of intersection collision avoidance (ICA) systems based on vehicle-to-vehicle communications. These systems warn the driver of an imminent crossing-path collision at a road junction, and apply automatic braking if the driver does not respond in a timely manner to prevent the collision. This report describes test procedures for most common crossing-path pre-crash scenarios that involve light vehicles (passenger cars, vans, minivans, SUVs, or light pickup trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings less than 10,000 pounds). The test procedures include crash-imminent test scenarios to collect information on the ranges and time-to-collisions of crossing-path collision alerts and automatic braking onsets in prototype systems. In addition, the test procedures incorporate dynamic scenarios where countermeasure action is not needed so as to assess the capability of ICA systems to distinguish between crash-imminent and benign driving scenarios. KW - Automatic braking KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Intersections KW - Prototypes KW - Test procedures KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56846/DOT-VNTSC-NHTSA-12-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400026 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594696 AU - Pokharel, Sanjay AU - Shinstine, Debbie S AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Livability Program for Indian Reservations: A Methodology and Case Study PY - 2015/12 SP - 77p AB - Livability is a fairly new concept well understood in urban areas, but less so in rural areas and Indian reservations. A methodology was developed to identify the important livability issues for Tribal communities and consists of data collection, analysis, and development of the program. The methodology was implemented on the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR). Data was collected from a needs determination survey known as the WINDS III, and also from stakeholder and resident surveys. Common livability themes from the different sources of information were discovered. A definition was formulated, which focuses on a community having well-maintained roads with safe pedestrian/bicycle facilities that benefit people by providing access to jobs, health care, and recreational activities and by preserving the culture and sovereignty. The final step in the methodology was to develop a livability program that includes the existing programs and projects. It also will include other programs for future consideration, which address identified issues. Coordination and collaboration is important to the success of a practical livability program and includes engaging the community for feedback and review. This methodology can be implemented on other Indian reservations across the United States and will require coordination with other states, tribal governments, Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), and Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) centers. The commonalities from a broader implementation will provide comparisons and analysis of important issues of livability on Indian reservations, which will help guide tribes to make decisions and better allocate resources for transportation, economic development, and improved quality of life. KW - Case studies KW - Data collection KW - Indian reservations KW - Methodology KW - Quality of life KW - Rural areas KW - Stakeholders KW - Surveys KW - Sustainable development KW - Wind River Indian Reservation UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-293.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401489 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594693 AU - Kim, Yail Jimmy AU - University of Colorado, Denver AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Fire Performance of Bridge Members Retrofitted with Near-surface-mounted Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites PY - 2015/12 SP - 68p AB - This report presents a two-phase research program studying: (1) the interfacial response of near-surface-mounted (NSM) carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips embedded along a concrete substrate at elevated temperatures, and (2) the behavior of NSM CFRP strips for strengthening concrete members subjected to thermomechanical distress (thermal and mechanical loads are applied simultaneously). In the first phase, two types of bonding agents are used: ordinary and high-temperature epoxies. Residual behavior of the interface, including the characteristics of individual constitutive materials, is examined when subjected to a temperature range varying from 25°C [77°F] to 200°C [392°F]. Test results reveal that residual strength of the concrete and CFRP is not influenced by thermal exposure; however, residual strength of the adhesive is affected. The performance of the interface bonded with ordinary epoxy is better than that of the high-temperature one without thermal distress. The latter becomes superior to the former with an increase in temperature. Interaction between the adhesive and concrete controls interfacial capacity and corresponding failure mode, rather than the individual strength of the materials. Probability-based simulation that complements limitation of the experimental investigation, in terms of sample numbers, was conducted to develop design factors. In the second phase, the focus of the research lies in examining temperature-dependent interfacial responses that control the performance of such a CFRP-strengthening system. An experimental investigation was conducted to study various technical aspects associated with the thermal relaxation, heat conduction, load-carrying capacity, failure mode, and damage characterization of the NSM CFRP-concrete interface. Analytical approaches were entailed to generate practical information that can promote use of CFRP-strengthening technologies, based on the two-parameter Weibull function and probability-based capacity simulation. The thermal relaxation of a polymeric bonding agent influenced the transfer of interfacial stresses, including the stress-decrease response time of the interface with temperature. Transient heat flow was apparent across the interface until the strengthening system failed due to the thermomechanical load. The failure plane of the interface was controlled by progression of heat energy in conjunction with the phase transition of the adhesive. The slip of the interface articulated a thermal hysteresis mechanism, when loaded cyclically. The characteristic parameters proposed aided the design of NSM CFRP systems exposed to elevated temperatures. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Bridge members KW - Carbon fibers KW - Epoxides KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Fire resistance KW - Interfaces KW - Mechanical loads KW - Residual strength KW - Retrofitting KW - Simulation KW - Thermal analysis UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-303.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401519 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594609 AU - Johnson, Robert I AU - Atadero, Rebecca A AU - Colorado State University AU - Colorado Department of Transportation AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Innovative and Economical Steel Bridge Design Alternatives for Colorado PY - 2015/12 SP - 180p AB - Simple-made-continuous (SMC) steel bridges are a relatively new innovation in steel bridge design. The SMC concept is a viable solution for steel bridges to recover market share of the bridges constructed in the United States. The majority of SMC bridges currently in use are constructed with concrete diaphragms. This work presents the results analysis and testing of this SMC connection scheme using steel diaphragms. A bridge of this type was constructed by the Colorado Department of Transportation in 2005 and its connections serve as the basis for the research presented herein. Preliminary numerical analysis was performed by hand; this analysis discovered potential design flaws in the current bridge connection. Subsequent numerical analysis using Abaqus finite element analysis software provided results that were indecisive in regard to the flaws found in the hand analysis. The finite element analysis did provide valuable insight into some of the connection behavior. Physical testing was subsequently performed on a full size model of the connection, which verified that there were design flaws in the original design. The results of analysis and physical testing provided information necessary to correct the design flaws and data required for the development of a design methodology for the connection type. KW - Bridge design KW - Colorado KW - Diaphragms (Engineering) KW - Finite element method KW - Laboratory tests KW - Numerical analysis KW - Steel bridges KW - Structural connection UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-298.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1401325 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594129 AU - Tanner, Jennifer AU - Fiore, Bryce AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Risk of Alkali-Silica Reaction When Using Recycled Concrete Aggregate in New Concrete PY - 2015/12 SP - 67p AB - Two interlaboratory studies were performed utilizing recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) in accordance with ASTM C1260 Accelerated Mortar Bar Test (AMBT) in addition to the previous study documented in Adams et al. 2013. The first round of testing utilized a non-laboratory created RCA and the second evaluated two Wyoming concretes prepared with Black Rock and Knife River aggregates respectively. It was discovered that concrete made with RCA exhibits lower expansions due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR) than the original concrete made with natural aggregates. Furthermore, RCA as it applies to ASTM C1260, has been observed to exceed the repeatability and reproducibility limits set by ASTM C1260. The authors suggest that the precision statement within ASTM C1260 be modified in order to include RCA and account for this increased variability. Precision statements for both studies were conducted utilizing a minimum of nine laboratories. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - ASTM C 1260 KW - Concrete aggregates KW - Laboratory tests KW - Natural aggregates KW - Recycled materials KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-302.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400876 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594128 AU - Qin, Xiao AU - He, Zhaoxiang AU - Samra, Haifa AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) through Transportation System Enhancements Phase II PY - 2015/12 SP - 56p AB - Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is crucial in rural environments where hospitals are not close by and are difficult to access. Establishing performance measures is critical in improving a rural community’s access to these services and eliminating systemic inequalities. However, an absence of quantitative performance measures challenges the development of attainable objectives. This study used the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) South Dakota data to develop data-driven performance metrics for EMS. Researchers used the data for three tasks: geospatial analysis of EMS events, optimization of station locations, and service performance evaluation. The measures– timely service and service coverage – are both dependent on mobility and the accessibility of the transportation network. Service coverage is measured by the ratio of the number of emergency calls within the 8-minute travel time zone to the total number of emergency calls responded to by the EMS agency. Timely service is gauged by the percentage of emergency calls that were actually responded to in less than 8 minutes within the 8-minute zone. The results help to identify the specific areas for needed resources and training. If the service provided at the current capacity is not adequate, the EMS stations can either be relocated or augmented to increase coverage and quality. The bi-objective of maximizing ambulance coverage area and minimizing en route time has been established and solved by the genetic algorithm. Case studies were performed for counties under different constraints. Moreover, the factors contributing to en route time were thoroughly reviewed. Thirteen key variables were identified and their coefficients were estimated by the geographically weighted regression model. KW - Case studies KW - Emergency medical services KW - Emergency response time KW - Geospatial analysis KW - Location KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Optimization KW - Performance measurement KW - Regression analysis KW - Rural areas KW - South Dakota UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-301.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400774 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594079 AU - McCarty, Tyrus A AU - Sharma, Jagdish P AU - Palikhel, Dinesh AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Harvesting Vibrational Energy Due to Intermodal Systems Via Nano Coated Piezo Electric Devices PY - 2015/12 SP - 35p AB - Vibrational energy resulting from intermodal transport systems can be recovered through the use of energy harvesting system consisting of lead zirconium titanate (PZT) piezo electric material as the primary energy harvesting component. The ability of traditional PZT piezo electric materials can be enhanced to generate substantially more power by using special coatings made of nano-coating mixtures. It can be demonstrated that the enhanced system can be utilized to power intermodal transport safety lighting systems from roadway vibrations. The objectives of the project was achieved by performing three tasks; design and construction of the special nano coated piezo electric energy harvester, testing and enhancement of the newly designed and constructed system in the lab and implementation of the energy harvesting system to power a lighting system. Nano-coated PZT energy harvesting system showed substantial and explicit improvement as compared to non-coated PZT energy harvesting system. Also, in the experimental analysis of this project work, rectangular cantilever system performed substantially better than trapezoidal and triangular cantilever systems in terms of power harvesting capability. To incorporate this power harvesting system for the application to power LED bulbs, more number of PZTs was integrated into the system. The new multi nano-coated PZT composite cantilever system with six PZT composites was designed and constructed. This power output charged totally discharged 3.6 Volts NiMH Battery to 3.054 Volts in two hours. The charged battery easily lighted the LED bulb in the laboratory. KW - Coatings KW - Electric power generation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Laboratory tests KW - Lighting systems KW - Nanotechnology KW - Piezoelectric materials KW - Vibration UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-31FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400764 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593939 AU - Chi, Guangqing AU - Kasu, Bishal AU - Hagedorn, Annelise AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Economic Demography of Passenger Intermodal Transportation: Opportunities and Challenges PY - 2015/12 SP - 127p AB - The research on intermodal transportation is vast. However, most efforts have focused on freight transportation. There is much less research on intermodal passenger transportation—largely due to lack of a comprehensive dataset for effectively studying it [1]. It is essential to understand passenger uses of the intermodal transportation system because passengers are the biggest users of transportation systems, and passenger benefits are one of the important factors, if not the most important factor, in transportation planning and decision-making. This research examines the geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic variations of passenger intermodal transportation usage by analyzing the 2009 National Household Travel Survey data. This study presents descriptive statistics of long and short trips, mode types, and trip purposes, and explores the relationship between different intermodal measures and geographic, demographic and socioeconomic factors. Results indicate significant differences in passenger intermodal transportation usage by age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, employment, income, and metro status. Decision-makers, transportation planners, and the public can use these insights to better understand and promote efficient passenger intermodal transportation systems. KW - Demographics KW - Geography KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mode choice KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Passenger transportation KW - Passengers KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Transportation modes KW - Travel surveys KW - Trip length KW - Trip purpose UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-07FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400760 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593927 AU - Chi, Guangqing AU - Kasu, Bishal AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - South Dakota State University, Brookings AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Economic and Demographic Impacts of Passenger Rail Systems: The Impact of Intercity Passenger Rails on Population and Employment Change in the United States, 2000–2010 PY - 2015/12 SP - 40p AB - This research examines the impact of intercity passenger rails on change in population and employment at the county level in the continental United States from 2000 to 2010. This research adopts an integrated spatial regression approach that incorporates both spatial lag and spatial error dependence. The data come from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the National Land Developability Index, and the National Atlas of the United States. Population and employment change are regressed on intercity passenger rails, controlling for 14 socioeconomic variables. Intercity passenger rails are measured by the number of intercity passenger rail terminals in each county. The results suggest that the impacts of intercity passenger rails on population and employment change are both direct and indirect. Intercity passenger rails have a negative and direct effect on population and employment change from 2000 to 2010. Intercity passenger rails facilitate moving residents and workers out of the county. The economic recession during this period may have compelled people to move out of their home county in search of jobs. Having intercity passenger rails helped this process. The results also indicate that intercity passenger rails have a positive and indirect effect on population and employment change. Population and employment change in one county influences those in the adjacent counties. This indirect effect does not come from within the county; rather, it is a spread effect from its neighbors. This research suggests that intercity passenger rails play an important role in facilitating the spread of change and the integration of local communities into a larger regional economy. KW - Counties KW - Economic impacts KW - Employment KW - Intercity transportation KW - Passenger transportation KW - Population KW - Rail transit KW - Railroad transportation KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Spatial analysis KW - United States UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-08FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400761 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593703 AU - Albeiruti, Nasser T AU - Ozbek, Mehmet E AU - Atadero, Rebecca A AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Public Perceptions of Different Options to Fund the Highway System PY - 2015/12 SP - 181p AB - The purpose of this research was to generate an understanding of the public perceptions of different revenue generation systems that are already in use or that have the potential to be used in the future, and to educate the public on the different revenue generation systems. In addition, this study tested a number of hypotheses that were focused on finding relationships (correlations) between the choice of funding options to support the highway system in the United States and the demographic information. A survey method was used to explore this topic. The survey instrument was sent to 15,945 people representing five states: Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming (Mountain-Plains Consortium states) via mail. Only 1,190 surveys were received, 27 were eliminated due to various issues, and 1,163 were posted as completed surveys, resulting in a response rate of 7.30%. Data analysis of the results consisted of performing descriptive and inferential statistics and running chi-square tests for correlation analysis. The results of this survey indicate that the public in the states of Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming selected “increasing the federal gas tax that is collected at the time of purchase” as its first choice of funding option. The support for the use of highway tolling to fund the highway system was somewhat moderate among the population across the five states. The collection of additional sales taxes on all goods to fund the highway system was an unpopular funding mechanism among the population in the five states. Similarly, the support for the use of mileage-based user fees was disliked among the population in the five states. This research is significant, as few studies have been done on understanding the public perceptions of different options to fund highway systems. Furthermore, the findings of this survey could be used by the lawmakers in the five states under study to make better decisions with respect to the alternative options of funding the highway system in their state based on the general public’s perceptions in the state. Future research could be aimed to study the impact of the utilized option on each state with regard to its social, economic, and behavioral issues that could result from its implementation. KW - Colorado KW - Demographics KW - Financing KW - Fuel taxes KW - Highway user taxation KW - Mileage-based user fees KW - North Dakota KW - Public opinion KW - Sales tax KW - South Dakota KW - Surveys KW - Tolls KW - Utah KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-300.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400180 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592008 AU - Hammit, Britton AU - Young, Rhonda AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connected Vehicle Weather Data for Operation of Rural Variable Speed Limit Corridors PY - 2015/12 SP - 185p AB - Each year thousands of people are killed and injured due to weather-related crashes. While outcomes of many incidents could not be changed, many accidents could be avoided through implementation of intelligent transportation systems. Road Weather Information Systems (RWIS) have been adopted by transportation agencies to provide better information about the impact of current weather conditions on the roadway. However, RWIS can only provide data for a specific location, and there is a need for continuous road weather condition reporting. In response, the Connected Vehicle Initiative proposed using vehicles to communicate current roadway conditions, especially in inclement weather events. The advanced road condition data would allow travelers to better prepare for road conditions. This report illustrates efforts from the University of Wyoming to collect and analyze vehicle CAN-Bus vehicle data to extrapolate road conditions and determine usefulness of this data in providing real-time, weather information acceptable as input to Variable Speed Limit (VSL) algorithms. The results of this research indicate that standardization of vehicle data between vehicle makes and models is required. In addition, current vehicle data manipulation programs are not adequate for providing segmented road weather condition data need for implementation into VSL algorithms. KW - Algorithms KW - Data collection KW - Information dissemination KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Road weather information systems KW - Rural areas KW - Variable speed limits KW - Weather conditions KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-299.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398358 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590539 AU - van de Lindt, John W AU - Nazari, Negar AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Seismic Risk Assessment for the I-25/I-70 Corridor in the Mountain Plains Region of the U.S. PY - 2015/12 SP - 25p AB - When one thinks of earthquakes the Mountain Plains Region does not come to mind first; rather, the West Coast, South America, Japan, and, most recently, Italy and Nepal can easily be pictured. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) the largest earthquake on record for Colorado occurred in 1882: The earthquake of November 7, 1882, the first ever to cause damage at Denver, probably centered in the Front Range near Rocky Mountain National Park, and is the largest historical earthquake in the state. The magnitude was estimated to be about 6.2 on the Richter scale. In Boulder County the walls of the depot cracked, and plaster fell from walls at the university at Boulder. The quake was felt as far away as Salina, Kansas and Salt Lake City, Utah. Seismic hazard assessment in Colorado has demonstrated there is the potential for another event of this magnitude. Most structures in Colorado are designed with a focus on wind, which puts them at significant risk if an earthquake of M6 or greater were to occur, primarily because of a lack of seismic detailing which enables a structure to dissipate the energy input from load reversals. The seismic hazard situation in Colorado aligns with that of other parts of the United States and has been termed low-occurrence high-consequence. This hazard situation has created a challenge in terms of public perception, i.e. there is a perceived lack of need to consider this type of hazard. According to the 2005 Regional Transportation Plan for the Intermountain Transportation Planning Region (2007), up to 38,000 vehicles travel I-70 each day and that traffic count is likely much higher now (2015). Consider what would happen if this traffic corridor was disrupted for some period of time, and perhaps if I-25, which intersects I-70, was also disrupted because of one or more bridge or overpass failures. This project examined a range of scenario events to gain a better understanding of the potential level of traffic disruption that might occur at the intersection of two main arterial freeways, namely Interstates 25 and 70. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Arterial highways KW - Colorado KW - Earthquakes KW - Forecasting KW - Overpasses KW - Risk assessment KW - Seismicity UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-296.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397923 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590527 AU - Cai, Steve C S AU - Ishak, Sherif AU - Hu, Jiexuan AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessment of Vehicle Performance in Harsh Environments Using LSU Driving Simulator and Numerical Simulations PY - 2015/12 SP - 68p AB - With the economic booming development of coastal areas, the importance of the traffic planning becomes obvious not only in a hurricane evacuation but also in the daily transportation. Vehicle performance on the freeway during harsh environments is critical to the success of the planning process. The present study aims to study the effect of harsh environments on the driving behavior and vehicle performance. The driving simulator installed in Louisiana State University was used to investigate the driver’s behavior and vehicle performance in different adverse conditions such as strong crosswinds, wet road surface, and curving. Modified parameters of the driving simulator were determined to reproduce the real wind loadings according to the vehicle velocity and wind velocity, through the manipulation of appropriate software. While the vehicle performance was recorded in terms of lane offset, vehicle velocity, and heading error, the driver’s reaction was measured in the form of the reaction time, steering angle, and the time of pressing on brake and gas pedal, respectively. The results illustrate that a higher wind speed leads to more variance of lane offset and heading error. The rainy weather/wet road surface does have an effect on the vehicle velocity in a strong wind environment. The findings of this study demonstrate the valuable use of a driving simulator to represent different hazardous driving conditions and to develop a statistic model to predict and estimate the driver’s behavior and vehicle performance. KW - Driver performance KW - Driving simulators KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Vehicle performance KW - Weather conditions KW - Wind UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00112-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00112-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397591 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590526 AU - Tiaprasert, Kamonthep AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Queue Length Estimation and Platoon Recognition using Connected Vehicle Technology for Adaptive Signal Control PY - 2015/12 SP - 114p AB - This dissertation presents mathematical and analytical models for real-time queue length estimation and platoon recognition using the connected vehicle technology (CVT). Information on queue length and platoon is a crucial part of traffic signal control and is difficult to obtain accurately with traditional technologies such as loop detectors. The past studies are either limited to fixed-time signal control or lacked verification on the applicable range or evaluation of the performance of algorithms. The proposed algorithms focused on estimating the queue length for adaptive signal control and platoon characteristics for signal coordination and adaptive signal control. For queue length detection, an algorithm was developed to determine the estimated value between the last stopped vehicle and the first moving vehicle for different market penetration ratios. Discrete wavelet transform is applied to the estimated queue lengths to improve accuracy and consistency. The platoon recognition model is developed based on time headway so that the arrival times can be computed directly from the estimated platoon data. First, the detected platoon is identified by a modified critical time-headway. Then, platoon size and starting and ending times are estimated. Lastly, a filtering process for “qualified” detection platoon is proposed to optimize detectability. The results show that the proposed algorithms can estimate well in various traffic conditions and under both fixed-time and actuated signal control without relying on inputs that are hard to obtain in practice. Furthermore, an analytical model to estimate the platoon detection rate is proposed and shown to be close to the numerical results. Therefore, traffic engineers can use the analytical model to estimate the required market penetration ratio for the application without field experiments or microscopic simulation. Accordingly, the proposed algorithms can be an important part of adaptive signal control focusing on real-time coordination. KW - Adaptive control KW - Algorithms KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Queuing KW - Traffic platooning KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Vehicle detectors UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00038-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397173 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590516 AU - Machek, Elizabeth AU - Stanford, Joseph AU - Fischer, Stephanie AU - Canty, Kara AU - Dechambeau, Brian AU - Ritter, Gary AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - 2015 OST-R Transportation Technology Scan: A Look Ahead PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 39p AB - This report identifies emerging technologies and innovative applications that may begin to have significant impact on U.S. transportation systems within three to five years. They represent several industries and disciplines and could affect all major modes of transportation. The report is intended to stimulate discussion across the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) and inform thought leadership on promising areas of innovation and where public research investments should be focused. Identifying these innovations will also enable leaders and policymakers to anticipate important opportunities, as well as potential challenges. There are large areas of overlap among the technologies featured and many of them are intimately interrelated—with a few major overlapping themes, including: the growing role of data and connectivity, changes to the workforce, and uncertain impacts on travel behavior. This report was developed by leveraging the resources and knowledge of the U.S. DOT; it was prepared by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, in consultation with modal agency members of the U.S. DOT Research, Development and Technology planning team. In selecting technologies for this scan, the project team referenced trends identified in U.S. DOT’s report Beyond Traffic 2045, conducted a technical literature review, and consulted with research leaders at the U.S. DOT modal administrations. KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Drone aircraft KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Technological forecasting KW - Technological innovations KW - United States UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56785/2015_OST-R_Transportation_Technology_Scan.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56785/2015_OST-R_Transportation_Technology_Scan.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=January%202016%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396314 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590504 AU - Nsengiyumva, Gabriel AU - Kim, Yong-Rak AU - You, Taesun AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Semicircular Bend (SCB) Test Method for Performance Testing of Nebraska Asphalt Mixtures PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 71p AB - Granted that most distresses in asphalt (flexible) concrete (AC) pavements are directly related to fracture, it becomes clear that identifying and characterizing fracture properties of AC mixtures is a critical step towards a better pavement design. This report examines the testing variables of a reliable and practical semicircular bending (SCB) test for evaluating the fracture characteristics of asphalt concrete mixtures at intermediate service temperature conditions. The first part of this report investigates the repeatability of the SCB fracture test method by integrating a statistical-experimental approach to identify testing variables of the SCB test that result in repeatable test results. Toward this end, five testing variables (the number of testing specimens, specimen thickness, notch length, loading rate, and testing temperature) of the SCB test were investigated due to their significant effects on mixture fracture characteristics. After statistical analysis of 18 specimens tested with a typical testing variables, approximately, five to six specimens/replicates were found to be a reasonable sample size that could properly represent asphalt concrete fracture behavior using the SCB test method. The coefficient of variation (COV) of the mixture fracture energy was used to evaluate the effect of each variable on the repeatability of test results. A range of 1 mm/min. to 5 mm/min. for the loading rate, a notch length from 5 mm to 25 mm, and a specimen thickness of 40 mm to 60 mm and a testing temperature of 15-40°C showed a good repeatability of fracture energy with small COVs (≤15 %). The second part of this work is to investigate the sensitivity of the SCB test using the previously determined testing variables. Fourteen different asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures collected from 12 field construction projects in Nebraska were used in this task. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) test showed statistically significant differences between mixtures at a 95% confidence level. Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD) multiple-comparison analysis found similarities within mixtures of same types and differences between mixture types. In addition, the fracture energy of bituminous mixtures increased with increasing amount of virgin asphalt content in mixture. Overall, the SCB test method developed herein proved to be repeatable and sensitive to changes in mixtures, and thus a promising tool for evaluating the fatigue fracture resistance of AC mixtures. KW - Analysis of variance KW - Asphalt concrete pavements KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Bend tests KW - Fracture mechanics KW - Nebraska KW - Statistical analysis KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/research/ACC/FinalReportM022.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396174 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590499 AU - Flower, Joseph P AU - Cramer, Patricia C AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Could Cattle Guards Augmented with Electrified Pavement Prevent Mule Deer and Elk Access to Highways? PY - 2015/12 SP - 43p AB - Motorists and wildlife are at risk when wild animals enter highways at access roads that bisect wildlife exclusion fencing. Cattle guards are common at access roads, but are ineffective wildlife barriers. Electrified pavement is an emerging technology previously untested as an ungulate deterrent. The objective with this study was to evaluate whether a standard cattle guard augmented with a strip of electrified pavement could reduce mule deer and elk intrusions through fence openings at rates comparable to specialized barriers, but at reduced cost. To determine the efficacy of the augmented guards as a barrier to wildlife movement, a two-part approach was used that included (1) a feeding exclosure trial using augmented guards deployed at entrances to baited wildlife exclosures at the Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area in Northern Utah, and (2) a road trial in situ on an access road to Interstate 15 in Southern Utah. The goal was to provide a rigorous assessment of a cost-effective retrofit to standard cattle guards that could reduce wildlife intrusions to roadways and other protected areas at rates comparable to specialized guards. KW - Deer KW - Electricity KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Pavement design KW - Retrofitting KW - Utah KW - Wildlife KW - Wildlife crossings UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-297.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397924 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590496 AU - Stich, Bethany AU - Griffith, Kyle AU - Webb, Peter AU - Waggener, Brittany AU - Amdal, James AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing the Potential for Gulf Coast NAFTA Maritime Trade Corridors PY - 2015/12 SP - 52p AB - The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was enacted in 1994 with the expressed intent of reducing barriers to trade. Since that time, however, transborder congestion and delays between the United States (US) and Mexico threaten achievement of this goal. As a partial mitigation strategy, maritime shipping offers a modal alternative for NAFTA trade with the potential for not only strengthening the resiliency of the North American transportation system, but also alleviating congestion for traditional overland modes. To that end, Gulf Coast economies are preparing for increased shipping activity in both vessel size and commodity volumes upon completion of the Panama Canal expansion by 2016. This study assesses the potential for maritime shipping corridors in the Gulf of Mexico between the US, Mexico, and Cuba. The authors document current trade patterns and infrastructure, analyze potential opportunities for trade expansion, and analyze the policy barriers that need to be addressed to strengthen these maritime trade corridors. The prospect of reduced transborder congestion, increased system resilience, and expanded economic cooperation with Cuba has opened a policy window for more deliberate coordination between national and state governments to make the necessary infrastructure investments and policy changes to bolster maritime shipping capacity. KW - Cuba KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Freight traffic KW - Gulf of Mexico KW - International trade KW - Mexico KW - North American Free Trade Agreement KW - Ocean shipping KW - Policy KW - Trade routes KW - Transportation corridors KW - United States UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00118-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00118-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397180 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590483 AU - Kasperick, Taylor AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Calibration of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide for Local Paved Roads in Wyoming PY - 2015/12 SP - 145p AB - Since release of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) in 2004, many national and state agencies have been working toward implementation of the new pavement design guide through calibration and validation. In order to aide Wyoming’s Department of Transportation in its push toward total implementation, this study developed a set of traffic distributions and calibration coefficients for use within the MEPDG on designs of local paved roads that experience heavy truck traffic associated with the energy industry. A sensitivity analysis was also performed during this study to determine the effect of varying layer thicknesses on the prediction capabilities of the MEPDG. Findings of this report can be implemented on local paved roads that experience heavy truck traffic associated with the oil and gas industry. KW - Calibration KW - Implementation KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement layers KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Thickness KW - Truck traffic KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-294.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396137 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590482 AU - Haas, Peter AU - Scrivener, Allie AU - Mineta Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Department of Transportation TI - High-Speed Rail and Equine Issues PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Community concerns have been raised about the possible negative impacts of high-speed rail (HSR) service on equestrian areas. Although much is known about the impact of aircraft noise on wild and domestic animals, relatively little information is available on the potential impact of HSR service on equine populations. This study will explore possible conflicts between HSR construction and operations in areas used for equestrian ranching, recreation, and related activities, and identify geographic areas where such conflicts could occur. KW - California KW - High speed rail KW - Horses KW - Maps UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1427-high-speed-rail-and-equine-issues.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396114 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590470 AU - Milliken, Eric AU - Young, Rhonda AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Travel Time, Travel Time Reliability, and Winter Condition Index Information for Improved Operation of Rural Interstates PY - 2015/12 SP - 92p AB - Using intelligent transportation systems to help report traveling conditions has been reserved for urban areas. The goal of this research was to help develop a new methodology for incorporating travel times calculated from intelligent transportation system (ITS) technology into Wyoming’s road and weather condition reporting system. Bluetooth sensors and speed sensors were used to measure travel times on I-80 between Cheyenne and Laramie, as well as WY-28 between Farson and Lander in Wyoming. From previous research, the distribution of travel times on I-80 show two distinct modes. Travel times from the WY-28 corridor were then calculated to determine if this trend was common with other rural highways. The next step in this research was to determine the best way to measure travel times on a rural corridor. Bluetooth sensor travel time data were compared to speed sensor travel time data. Then a travel time index was created for I- 80 from one year of speed sensor data. This travel time index was then modeled with weather variables downloaded from road weather information system (RWIS) stations. Finally, a methodology for implementing and evaluating this new travel time reporting procedure was developed. The results of this research will help to improve the current condition reporting system by incorporating both physical conditions (slick in spots, high wind speed, etc.) with travel times. This will help all types of travelers to more accurately quantify the severity of traveling conditions. KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Road weather information systems KW - Rural highways KW - Sensors KW - Statistical analysis KW - Travel time KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-295.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396399 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590464 AU - Wang, Wen AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Link Travel Time Estimation Based on Network Entry/Exit Time Stamps of Trips PY - 2015/12 SP - 132p AB - This dissertation studies the travel time estimation at roadway link level using entry/exit time stamps of trips on a steady-state transportation network. The authors propose two inference methods based on the likelihood principle, assuming each link associates with a random travel time. The first method considers independent and Gaussian distributed link travel times, using the additive property that trip time has a closed-form distribution as the summation of link travel times. The authors particularly analyze the mean estimates when the variances of trip time estimates are known with a high degree of precision and examine the uniqueness of solutions. Two cases are discussed in detail: one with known paths of all trips and the other with unknown paths of some trips. The authors apply the Gaussian mixture model and the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm to deal with the latter. The second method splits trip time proportionally among links traversed to deal with more general link travel time distributions such as log-normal. This approach builds upon an expected log-likelihood function which naturally leads to an iterative procedure analogous to the EM algorithm for solutions. Simulation tests on a simple nine-link network and on the Sioux Falls network respectively indicate that the two methods both perform well. The second method (i.e., trip splitting approximation) generally runs faster but with larger errors of estimated standard deviations of link travel times. KW - Algorithms KW - Distributions (Statistics) KW - Links (Networks) KW - Simulation KW - Sioux Falls (South Dakota) KW - Travel time UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00033-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397175 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590456 AU - Lewis, Carol Abel AU - Hassell, Vincent AU - Green, Veronica AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Methodology for Projecting Intercity Commuting PY - 2015/12 SP - 28p AB - Texas agencies are investigating passenger rail options in several corridors connecting people between the state’s major cities. Popular thinking is that there is commuter travel between a number of these markets. In specific, Austin to Houston and Dallas to Houston rank as highly desirable connections to be made by passenger rail. There has been significant study of corridors linking Austin, Dallas and San Antonio; but little research considers the State Highway 290 corridor that would link Houston to Austin. A tool to project the commuter travel between these cities would be beneficial for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and local transit authorities. This research seeks to assess existing methodologies, and then modify, develop and recommend for testing a methodology to determine the volume and frequency of commuter travel between these markets. KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Commuters KW - Commuting KW - Forecasting KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Intercity travel KW - Methodology KW - Railroad commuter service UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/search/SearchResults_ClearCriteria.aspx?q=(catalog.ID=(33880)) UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00043-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00043-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397178 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01588719 AU - Shahabi, Cyrus AU - Demiryurek, Ugur AU - University of Southern California, Los Angeles AU - METRANS Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis and Prediction of Spatiotemporal Impact of Traffic Incidents for Better Mobility and Safety in Transportation Systems PY - 2015/12//Final Report SP - 39p AB - The goal of this research is to develop a machine learning framework to predict the spatiotemporal impact of traffic accidents on the upstream traffic and surrounding region. The main objective of the framework is, given a road accident, to forecast when and how the travel-time delay will occur on transportation network. Towards this end, the authors have developed a Dynamic Topology-aware Temporal (DTT) machine learning algorithm that learns the behavior of traffic in both normal conditions and during accidents from the historical traffic sensor datasets. This research exploits four years of real-world Los Angeles traffic sensor data and California Highway Patrol (CHP) accidents logs collected from Regional Integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems (RIITS) under Archived Traffic Data Management System (ADMS) project. KW - Algorithms KW - Analysis KW - Crash data KW - Forecasting KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Police reports KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic incidents KW - Traffic models UR - https://www.metrans.org/sites/default/files/research-project/METRANS-14-04-Final%20Report-Shahabi-Demiryurek.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395977 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587717 AU - Werbelow, Wesley S AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing A Methodology to Inspect and Assess Conditions of Short Span Structures on County Roads in Wyoming PY - 2015/12 SP - 173p AB - Ever since the introduction of the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) in 1971, there has been a tremendous amount of effort put into bridge rehabilitation programs and safety inspections. The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) inspects these bridges in accordance with the NBIS on regular intervals, but there is currently no formal inspection procedure in place to assess the condition of short span structures, especially culverts. Culvert responsibility then falls subject to the agency that owns them. As a result, culverts can become neglected and fall into a state of disrepair and problems or deficiencies are not noticed until a much larger problem arises. In order to aid county governments in Wyoming to assess the conditions of their culverts and to better allocate limited funding, a comprehensive inspection methodology was developed. Since information on short span bridges is very limited, a preliminary inspection procedure was developed for inspecting short span bridges. Counties throughout the state can utilize the developed inspection procedures to aid in efficiently allocating limited funds to their deficient structures. Also, by having a comprehensive knowledge of the conditions of these structures, county governments can justify pursuing additional funding. KW - Bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Culverts KW - Data collection KW - Inspection KW - Methodology KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-290.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394955 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587638 AU - Sobieck, Tyler AU - Atadero, Rebecca AU - Mahmoud, Hussam AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Predicting Fatigue Service Life Extension of RC Bridges with Externally Bonded CFRP Repairs PY - 2015/12 SP - 68p AB - This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the fatigue performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with different externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) systems. Seven specimens were fabricated; three had no CFRP; the remaining four had one of two CFRP systems. The objective of this study was to determine the effect the CFRP repair had on the growth rate of a fatigue crack initiating from a notch in the tensile rebars. The results of the experimental study showed an extended fatigue life and a slowed crack growth rate in specimens repaired with both CFRP systems. The crack growth rates were used to determine material constants for the Paris Law, which describes growth of a stable fatigue crack. These results were then used to propose recommendations for design of FRP repair systems for a specific fatigue life. KW - Carbon fibers KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Recommendations KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Repairing KW - Service life UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-292.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1392201 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583536 AU - Schleith, Kevin AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) TI - Implications of Electric Vehicles on Gasoline Tax Revenues PY - 2015/12 SP - 13p AB - This report summarizes the results of research conducted to determine if current and near future EV sales will have an impact on gasoline (gas) tax revenues as part of the Federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF). Gasoline taxes account for $31.1 billion or about 87% of the HTF. The project results were accomplished through a review of existing industry and government reports that detail fuel tax revenues and through analysis of EV sales from 2010 to 2015. Results for electric vehicle (EV) market penetration have shown increasing sales, but EVs have resulted in very little impact on gas tax revenues. As of August 2015, the lost gas tax revenue from EV sales of 365,000 vehicles is shown to be $71.9 million or a loss of 0.23% Current assessment is that in 15 to 25 years EVs could make an impact on revenue. The report also examines the implications and needs in HTF funding. According to numerous references, the HTF has experienced a continuing shortfall that is attributed to three major factors; more fuel efficient internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, the fact that federal gas rates has not risen since 1993 and the increased cost in highway construction and repairs. For the future, if the gas tax is to remain the major source of highway funding, then both federal and state level policy officials most likely will need to create and implement transportation revenue generation strategies that may not rely entirely on the gasoline tax. The report covers some of the revenue generation options in place and under consideration as well as the pros and cons of each. KW - Electric vehicles KW - Financing KW - Fuel taxes KW - Highway Trust Fund KW - Revenues KW - States UR - http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-2011-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377354 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01580872 TI - Understanding and Using New Data Sources to Address Urban and Metropolitan Freight Challenges AB - The rapid explosion of new freight data sources is creating significant opportunities for more effective and well-targeted planning and operation of roadways, particularly in urban and metropolitan areas. Changes in consumer behavior are impacting goods movement everywhere, especially in densely populated areas, where freight distribution is already challenged. For example, e-commerce is reducing passenger trips while increasing delivery vehicle trips. Growing populations are putting pressure on existing road capacity. Nonetheless, few cities or states have funding or space to build additional capacity into urban roads and highways. One consequence is that firms redesign their supply chains, resulting in land-use pattern changes that may add significant long-term costs to both the private and public sectors. Research is needed to explore how new sources of freight data, including those from smart cities initiatives, crowd-sourcing (e.g., via smartphones, vehicle fleet tracking), sensors (e.g., vehicle-to-infrastructure, vehicle-to-vehicle), and cameras are being or could be used to inform and implement freight demand management strategies. The use of private sector data from businesses, shippers, and carriers should also be examined. The term "big data" is being applied to some of these new data sources. The objective of this research is to develop guidance that: (1) provides an understanding of the rapidly emerging data being collected or processed by the private sector for truck freight movement practices in urban and metropolitan areas; (2) outlines approaches, methods, and analytical techniques that enable local agencies, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and state departments of transportation (DOTs) to better carry out their planning, programming, and operations responsibilities; and (3) identifies and categorizes the use of current and emerging freight data sources for urban and metropolitan freight management strategies. The guidance should be scalable to agencies based on their range of resources and capabilities. KW - Data collection KW - Freight traffic measurement KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Sensors KW - State departments of transportation KW - Urban areas KW - Vehicle fleets KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3593 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375483 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593740 AU - Nelson, Arthur C AU - Ganning, Joanna AU - Buchert, Martin AU - Kim, Keuntae AU - Eskic, Dejan AU - Beaudoin, Mercedes AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - National Institute for Transportation and Communities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - National Study of BRT Development Outcomes PY - 2015/11/19/Final Report SP - 126p AB - Bus rapid transit (BRT) is poised to become the “next big thing” in public transit. From virtually no systems a generation ago, there are now 19 lines operating with at least seven under construction and more than 20 in the planning stages. BRT is gaining popularity because of its combination of low capital cost and potential for high levels of benefits. But are BRT systems effective in attracting development? To answer this and many more trending BRT questions, the Metropolitan Research Center (MRC) reviewed multiple studies using data from the United States Census Bureau, Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics, and CoStar data in a quasi-experimental, compare-and-contrast research design to compare jobs, population and households, and housing units before and after BRT station construction relative to control stations and the stations’ metropolitan context. Our units of analysis will be 2010 census blocks and their assemblages as data allow within 0.25 mile buffers. The final products of the MRC’s research include case studies of each BRT and meta-assessments of whether and to what extent BRT systems attract development. Some of the studies answer the following questions: What are the effects of BRT on sectoral employment change in the United States? How does BRT affect housing location affordability? What is the relationship between BRT and its surrounding area’s wage-related job change? These answers can provide MPOs with information to aid in the decision-making process in terms of economic development and transportation planning options. KW - Before and after studies KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Case studies KW - Economic development KW - Employment KW - Households KW - Housing KW - Jobs KW - Population UR - http://t4america.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/NATIONAL-STUDY-OF-BRT-DEVELOPMENT-OUTCOMES-11-30-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398677 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587706 AU - Karaa, Fadi A AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Requirements, Model and Prototype for a Multi-Utility Locational and Security Information Hub - Project PY - 2015/11/12/Final Report SP - 74p AB - This project lays the foundation for building an exchange hub for locational and security data and risk assessment of potential excavation work. It acts primarily at 2 stages: upstream of the mark-out process, as a decision support tool to help streamline, improve and guide the mark-out process, and downstream of the mark-out to gain and preserve information gained from such field verified data, and added intelligence to each utility asset management system related to the potential proximity of other utilities, and possible criticality of proposed construction activity in a given site that puts at risk key assets. Open to State Departments of Transportation, utility operators, One-Call System and regulators for planning infrastructure work and mark-out, this new information hub can also help guide emergency excavation work to be performed without the luxury of a detailed mark-out process. It can also provide critical sub-surface engineering (SUE) data required for planning and executing the highly uncertain and volatile utility relocation component of transportation infrastructure projects. Using interviews, systems analysis and other analytical methods, the project key deliverables include: (1) Functional Requirements Document, based on user needs. (2) Development of System Upstream and Downstream Functionality. (3) Development of Integrated Data Model and Interface Categories for integration of multiple sources of data. (4) Definition of Communication Protocols for Preservation of Intra-Utility and Inter-Utility Exchange Capabilities. (5) Development of Prototype for Information Exchange Hub, using representative lifeline Utilities. This project directly and indirectly meets the following USDOT Strategic Goals: Safety of Transportation system and the general population; State of Good repair, as it supports the repair and reconstruction of transportation infrastructure, including underground utilities; and Economic Competitiveness, based on the orderly expansion of infrastructure systems. KW - Asset management KW - Data collection KW - Decision support systems KW - Excavation KW - Information dissemination KW - Information processing KW - Risk assessment KW - Underground utility lines UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Requirements-Model-and-Prototype.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394938 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608548 AU - Mannheim, Daniel AU - Richardson, Heather AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Mammoth Cave National Park: Green River Ferry Service Life Analysis PY - 2015/11/09/Final Report SP - 45p AB - The purpose of this study is to assess whether Mammoth Cave National park should rehabilitate the existing Green River ferry to extend its service life or replace it with a new vessel. The ferry is used to transport cars and light duty equipment across the Green River, which bisects the Green River Ferry Road. The study includes the following components: existing conditions and use, options development and analysis, total cost of ownership, and recommendations. KW - Analysis KW - Costs KW - Equipment replacement KW - Ferries KW - Mammoth Cave National Park KW - National parks KW - Recommendations KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Service life UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59400/59403/MACA_ferry_service_life_analysis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1417889 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626657 AU - Betti, Raimondo AU - Columbia University AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Addressing the Issue of Insufficient Information in Data-Based Bridge Health Monitoring PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 84p AB - One of the most efficient ways to solve the damage detection problem using the statistical pattern recognition approach is that of exploiting the methods of outlier analysis. Cast within the pattern recognition framework, damage detection assesses whether the patterns of the damage sensitive features extracted from the response of the system under unknown conditions depart from those drawn by the features extracted from the response of the system in a healthy state. The metric dominantly used to measure the testing feature’s departure from the trained model is the Mahalanobis Squared Distance (MSD). Evaluation of MSD requires the use of the inverse of the training population’s covariance matrix. It is known that when the feature dimensions are comparable to the number of observations, the covariance matrix is ill-conditioned and numerically problematic to invert. When the number of observations is smaller than the feature dimensions, the covariance matrix is not even invertible. In this work, four alternatives to the canonical damage detection procedure were investigated to address the issue: data compression through Discrete Cosine Transform, use of pseudo-inverse of the covariance matrix, use of shrinkage estimate of the covariance matrix, and a combination of the three techniques. The performance of the four methods was first studied for solving the damage identification problem on simulated data from a four DOFs shear-type system, and on experimental data recorded on a four story steel frame excited at the base by means of the shaking table facility available at the Carleton Laboratory at Columbia University. Finally, the proposed techniques were also investigated in the context of damage location applications on simulated data from a bridge deck model. KW - Algorithms KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Bridge decks KW - Information processing KW - Methodology KW - Pattern recognition systems KW - Structural health monitoring UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-042-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450300 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616425 AU - Lee, Doug AU - Futcher, Emily AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Supporting Economic Development with Highway Investment PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 64p AB - Federal transportation regulations and law direct State and local transportation agencies to account for economic development plans in transportation planning processes. While Federal law is not prescriptive about how State and local agencies account for economic development, there exists a need for better understanding of how highway projects can support economic development and the economic competitiveness of local and regional economies. This document is a primer on economic development, and includes a glossary of relevant terms, discussion of available economic analysis methods and tools, and descriptions of current practice in estimating economic development impacts by agencies of different sizes. The primer focuses on economic development concepts and economic development impacts generally, in the context of discussing the role of highway investment within a package of economic development actions and policies. KW - Case studies KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic development KW - Highway planning KW - Highways KW - Investments KW - State of the practice KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/economic_development/highway_investment/fhwahep16043.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60566/HighwayInvestment.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1434920 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599865 AU - Villegas, Arturo AU - Ray, Anagha AU - Prasad, Jubilee AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Aerodynamic flow deflector to increase large scale wind turbine power generation by 10% PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 27p AB - The innovation proposed in this paper has the potential to address both the efficiency demands of wind farm owners as well as to provide a disruptive design innovation to turbine manufacturers. The aerodynamic deflector technology was created to improve the efficiency of any current wind turbine around the world and to be included with new blade designs. To prove the feasibility of the deflectors, two tests have been done during this project for two different wind turbines. The first test was performed at the wind tunnel facility at Rutgers University. Two identical wind turbines were 3D printed, one with deflectors on its blades and the other one without deflectors. An average power coefficient (Cp) improvement of 10% was observed during this test. The second test was performed for the Whisper 100 turbine at the Wind Application Center at Appalachian State University. The turbine performance was measured without deflectors for 2 weeks. Then, the turbine was retrofitted with deflectors and its power performance was measured for another 2 weeks. An average Cp improvement of 7.7% was observed during this test. The estimated Annual Energy Production (AEP) increase was between 8.7 to 11.4 %, depending on the site annual average wind speed. All tests show important improvements in power performance and AEP. This technology could represent the biggest wind turbine aerodynamic improvement in the last decade and a game changer to the wind energy industry since even 2% AEP improvement allows wind farm profits to raise by 8%. KW - Aerodynamic force KW - Deflectors KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Technological innovations KW - Turbines KW - Wind KW - Wind power generation KW - Wind tunnels UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-058-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407820 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596840 AU - Nix, Emma AU - Mundy, Ray A AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Airport Drop-Off and Pick-Up Charges in Great Britain: Will They Come to the United States? PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 39p AB - As transportation network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft drive a change in modern transport behaviors, fewer passengers pay for services such as parking or commercial vehicle drop-off at airports, meaning that what once was a primary revenue source for airports now has a tenuous future. Therefore, airports must find a way to counterbalance the revenue losses created by these changes. One such solution has been on the rise in Great Britain. With airport drop-off and pick-up charges, private vehicles must pay for the convenience of loading or unloading passengers at the airport entrance. Not only does this practice have the potential to generate millions of dollars in annual revenue, but it also offers a remedy for other maladies such as congestion and safety issues on airport roads. This report examines the effects that drop-off and pick-up charges have had in Great Britain and explores what US airports might expect should they too adopt the practice. KW - Airport access KW - Airport parking KW - Airports KW - Fees KW - Loading and unloading KW - Revenues KW - Traffic congestion KW - United Kingdom KW - United States UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1193&context=intrans_reports UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403227 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596800 AU - Smith, L Douglas AU - Xu, Liang AU - Wang, Ziyi AU - Pan, Deng AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Lambert-St.Louis International Airport AU - Department of Transportation AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling Airside Operations at Major Airports for Strategic Decision Support PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 43p AB - Tens of billions of dollars are spent each year worldwide on airport infrastructure to promote safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly operations. Airport layouts, allocations of gates to carriers, and the manner of deploying ground equipment or personnel can dramatically affect passenger delays, fuel consumption, and air and noise pollution. Airport planners require reliable information about how different spheres of airport activity interact and how system performance would change with alterations to physical infrastructure or operating practices. The authors developed a discrete-event simulation model that can be used for strategic decisions regarding the provision and effective utilization of infrastructure needed for airside operations at major airports. The authors calibrated the model with detailed activity data for an entire year, verified its ability to represent essential spheres of activity, and illustrated its application to study system performance under several operating scenarios. KW - Airport planning KW - Airports KW - Airside operations KW - Calibration KW - Decision support systems KW - Infrastructure KW - Simulation UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1194&context=intrans_reports UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403231 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596688 AU - Nix, Emma J AU - Mundy, Ray A AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Economic Benefits of Additional Rail Bridge Capacity: A Case Study on the Benefits of Replacing the Merchants Bridge Main Spans at Saint Louis PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 64p AB - The Merchants Memorial Mississippi Rail Bridge and MacArthur Bridge over the Mississippi River make up the most heavily used Mississippi River rail crossing in the country. A large contributor to the popularity of the Merchants Bridge is its accessibility to all railroads. However, the bridge is 126 years old and in significant need of repair. Without improvements, the bridge will close in 2034 and all current traffic will be rerouted to longer routes, resulting in hundreds of extra miles traveled and more time spent. Repairing the bridge will cost approximately $250 million for construction, which includes the additional costs of closing the bridge during the repairs. However, the project is set to generate billions of dollars in cost savings in the coming decades. At a discount rate of 7%, improving the Merchants Bridge will lead to nearly $4.7 billion in net benefits over the next 20 years and approximately $6.6 billion in the next 30 years. These benefits will not only be realized by the transportation industry, they will help the entire region. Therefore, reconstructing the Merchants Bridge will generate economic benefits that will protect the most heavily used Mississippi River rail crossing and provide sizeable benefits to the public, at large. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Case studies KW - Economic benefits KW - Freight traffic KW - Railroad bridges KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1192&context=intrans_reports UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403229 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592042 AU - Barmpoutis, Angelos AU - Zhang, Lei AU - Zao, Liangke AU - Kondyli, Alexandra AU - Patil, Shivraj S AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia P AU - Islam, Md Mozahidul AU - Hosuri, Shaghayegh Rostami AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigating the Effect of Drivers’ Body Motion on Traffic Safety PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 67p AB - Although significant advances have been done with respect to vehicle technology and roadway construction, driver behaviour remains the number one contributing factor of traffic crashes worldwide. Studies show that one of the major causes of crashes is driver inattention. Driver inattention may occur when drivers are involved with secondary activities (e.g., texting, talking on the phone, or eating), and when they fail to follow the cues of the surrounding environment while driving. The latter is particularly important when drivers are negotiating maneuvres and are required to interact with other vehicles as in the case of changing lanes or merging onto the freeway. The main objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between driver behavior and safety, by looking at the actual body movements and posture, as well as the eye fixation of the drivers when they are performing lane changing and merging maneuvers under different traffic conditions. To accomplish this objective, a total of 35 drivers were recruited to participate in an instrumented vehicle field study, where each participant drove for approximately two hours along a pre-selected route. Participants’ 3D body posture was recorded with the use of a low-cost infrared depth sensor (Microsoft Kinect). In addition, participants’ eye gaze throughout the entire data collection effort was recorded with the help of eye-tracking equipment. Lastly, the vehicle was equipped with two cameras that faced the front and the rear which allowed for information about the traffic conditions during the data collection period to be obtained. A rich dataset of driver behavior was developed and analyzed as part of this research. The analysis findings relate the 3D sequence of driver motion and posture with the actual eye and head movement of drivers. Based on the analysis, head movements were the predominant type of movement when driving. The average duration of head movements was 4 seconds and 3.75 seconds for freeway merging and lane changing maneuvers respectively, and 2.3 seconds for arterial lane changing. Analysis of the magnitude of movements while driving showed that the right arm was more active than the left arm for the majority of the drivers, and differences between different driver groups were observed. However, given the small sample available in this study, the findings should be treated with caution. This report presents the research approach, summarizes findings, and provides recommendations accordingly. The research approach is useful for establishing guidelines for monitoring driver behavior as part of advanced driver assistance systems. The proposed framework has also potential in developing appropriate alert mechanisms for increasing driver alertness by monitoring driver body posture. KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Eye fixations KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Lane changing KW - Merging traffic KW - Posture KW - Sensors KW - Traffic safety UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_2015-051S_-_Final_Report_Barmpoutis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398074 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590534 AU - Parr, Scott AU - Wolshon, Brian AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Manual Traffic Control for Planned Special Events and Emergencies PY - 2015/11 SP - 120p AB - Manual traffic control is a common intersection control strategy in which trained personnel, typically police law enforcement officers, allocate intersection right-of-way to approaching vehicles. Manual intersection control is a key part of managing traffic during emergencies and planned special events. Despite the long history of manual traffic control throughout the world and its assumed effectiveness, there have been no quantitative, systematic studies of when, where, and how it should be used or compared to traditional traffic control devices. The goal of this research was to quantify the effect of manual traffic control on intersection operations and to develop a quantitative model to describe the decision-making of police officers directing traffic for special events and emergencies. This was accomplished by collecting video data of police officers directing traffic at several special events in Baton Rouge, LA and Miami Gardens, FL. These data were used to develop a discrete choice model (logit model) capable of estimating police officer’s choice probabilities on a second-by-second basis. This model was able to be programmed into a microscopic traffic simulation software system to serve as the signal controller for the study intersections, effectively simulating the primary control decision activities of the police officer directing traffic. The research findings suggested police officers irrespective of their location, tended to direct traffic in a similar fashion; extending green time for high demand directions while avoiding gaps in the traffic stream. KW - Baton Rouge (Louisiana) KW - Choice models KW - Decision making KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Highway operations KW - Manual control KW - Miami Gardens (Florida) KW - Police traffic direction KW - Special events KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic simulation KW - Video UR - http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/search/SearchResults_ClearCriteria.aspx?q=(catalog.ID=(33879)) UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00113-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00113-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397179 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587699 AU - Condon, Joseph AU - Pickrell, Don AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Production Process for Financial Data Tables in FHWA’s Highway Statistics Series PY - 2015/11//Technical Report SP - 40p AB - This report captures the production process and programs and steps used to produce the finance tables and charts published in the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Highway Statistics Series publication site made available to Congress and the public. Specific to States' income and revenue, this report characterizes the automated online systems and manual methods used by FHWA to collect State-delivered forms; details types of revenue sources, and how FHWA analyzes statistical data derived from these various classifications of highway expenditures. Information presented in this report is intended for users as a source of material that is user-friendly and accessible. KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Expenditures KW - Financial analysis KW - Highway Statistics (Publication) KW - Revenues KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/pubs/financial_data_processing.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56787/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-16-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378465 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583634 AU - Bellman, Miles AU - Pagano, Thomas AU - Shah, Vaibhav AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of the Navy AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Interim Update to the AN/UPX-41(C) Spectrum Certification Conditions (SPS-18778/1) PY - 2015/11 SP - 81p AB - In 2012, the Navy requested spectrum certification for the shipboard AN/UPX-41(C) Digital Interrogator System, Software Version 5.5 with Mode 5. Current operating conditions for the Navy’s AN/UPX-41(C) are the same as restrictions imposed on the AN/UPX-37 digital Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator. A proposed AN/UPX-41(C) Stage 4 certification was developed to allow the Navy to operate under less restrictive parameters but required that the Navy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) validate those proposed restrictions. In October 2015, the report, DOT-VNTSC-NAVSEA-15-01, was released and detailed the results of the validation effort. Using the information from the validation effort, a more appropriate set of restrictions were developed to specify limits on AN/UPX-41(C) shipborne interrogator activity within 100 nmi of the coastline of the United States and its Posessions (US&P). This document details the rationale behind the new restrictions and gives the new shipborne interrogator geometry relative to the coastline in both a generic and operational manner. KW - Air traffic control KW - Aircraft KW - Coasts KW - Electromagnetic spectrum KW - Radio transmitters KW - Ships KW - Surveillance KW - United States UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56706/DOT-VNTSC-NAVSEA-15-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377563 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583575 AU - Senzig, David A AU - Boeker, Eric R AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Rotorcraft Performance Model (RPM) for use in AEDT PY - 2015/11//Final Report SP - 68p AB - This report documents a rotorcraft performance model for use in the FAA’s Aviation Environmental Design Tool. The new rotorcraft performance model is physics-based. This new model replaces the existing helicopter trajectory modeling methods in the Aviation Environmental Design Tool which were mode-based. The new methods enable fuel consumption and emissions modeling based on the performance data derived from information found in the helicopters’ flight manuals. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Aviation Environmental Design Tool KW - Fuel consumption KW - Helicopters KW - Performance KW - Pollutants UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56284/Rotorcraft_Performance_Model.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376332 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583552 AU - Shinstine, Debbie S AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Wyoming Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Indian Reservation Safety Improvement Program: A Methodology and Case Study PY - 2015/11 SP - 244p AB - Improving roadway safety on Indian reservations requires a comprehensive approach. Limited resources, lack of crash data, and few cross-jurisdictions coordination has made it difficult for Native American communities to address their roadway safety concerns. A methodology to improve roadway safety has been developed and successfully implemented on the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR). Key to the success of such a process is collaboration among safety stakeholders. Strategic highway safety plans are used to assist agencies to determine effective safety improvements to their roadways. The WRIR has successfully developed a strategic plan utilizing the available crash data, identified ways to improve reporting, and incorporated their safety improvement program into the strategic plan. Statistical models have been used to help researchers determine related factors and identify countermeasures to improve roadway safety. This study analyzes crash severity for rural highway systems in Wyoming using a multiple logistic regression model. In order to improve transportation safety and other transportation issues in tribal communities, they need programs that meet their specific needs and culture. This report presents several programs that address livability and sustainability. Roadway safety is a primary goal among Native Americans in their efforts to improve the quality of life among their people. KW - Case studies KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash rates KW - Crash severity KW - Highway safety KW - Indian reservations KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Methodology KW - Rural highways KW - Stakeholders KW - Strategic planning KW - Wind River Indian Reservation UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-291.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56742/mpc15-291.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377415 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604936 AU - Vahedifard, Farshid AU - Howard, Isaac L AU - Bazne, Mohammed AU - Smith, Braden T AU - Barksdale, Melanie A AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sustainably Enhancing Intermodal Freight Operation of Ports using Geotextile Tubes PY - 2015/10/31/Final Report SP - 133p AB - The primary objective of this report was to study use of geotextile tubes filled with cementitiously stabilized very high moisture content fine grained dredged soils for beneficial reuse. The purpose of doing so was to sustainably enhance intermodal freight operation of ports. A material of key emphasis in this report was lightly cemented very high moisture content fine grained soil (LC-VHMS), which by definition in this report contained 5% or less cement by slurry mass (soil plus water). A cement of key interest in this study was portland-limestone cement (PLC), which is a more sustainable alternative to ordinary portland cement. The project’s research and educational plan had four components summarized as follows: 1) evaluate engineering properties of geotextile tubes filled with LC-VHMS; 2) develop methodologies to help ports include geotextile tubes more readily; 3) study sustainability and economic competitiveness of LC-VHMS filled geotextile tubes; 4) educate students and the engineering community on the potential benefits of LC-VHMS filled geotextile tubes. The overall conclusion of this report is that LC-VHMS should be considered as geotextile tube fill for some applications and LC-VHMS could have some value absent geotextile tubes in other applications in and around ports and harbors. Engineering With Nature (EWN) applications could make use of lightly cemented materials as they have the potential to improve properties to levels suitable for low strength applications. KW - Dredged materials KW - Fine grained soils KW - Freight transportation KW - Geotextiles KW - Geotubes KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Moisture content KW - Portland limestone cement KW - Ports KW - Properties of materials KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-05FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416953 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612164 AU - Ahn, Kyoungho AU - Park, Sangjun AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Real-Time Energy and Environmental Monitoring System PY - 2015/10/30/Final Report SP - 26p AB - The objective of the research is to develop a framework for real-time emission modeling to improve eco-friendly intelligent transportation system (ITS) applications. The proposed framework can be utilized for real-time ITS applications such as eco-routing and applications for the environment: real-time information synthesis program. To develop a more efficient framework, a new interface to the motor vehicle emission simulator (MOVES) model is developed to enhance the computational performance. Additionally, a methodology using a probe vehicle equipped with onboard equipment is suggested for collecting operating mode distribution through the network to generate input for the MOVES model. Through virtual implementation using a simulation environment developed with the Python scripting language, this study demonstrates that the proposed framework generally works as designed. The study also investigates the effects of probe vehicle sampling size on estimation accuracy. KW - Computational efficiency KW - Emissions modeling KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Pollutants KW - Probe vehicles KW - Real time information UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2012-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424195 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604945 AU - Ishak, Sherif AU - Osman, Osama AU - Mousa, Saleh AU - Karblaieali, Sogand AU - Bakhit, Peter AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of an Optimal Ramp Metering Control Strategy for I-12 PY - 2015/10/30/Final Report SP - 109p AB - This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of various adaptive ramp metering strategies in order to identify the optimum algorithm that can help improve traffic conditions on I-12, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The evaluated ramp metering strategies included the ALINEA local ramp metering control and mixed strategies case which included HERO coordinated and the local ALINEA control. The coordination was performed between three sets of two on-ramps, one on the eastbound and two on the westbound, while the other on-ramps were operating as ALINEA. The different strategies were compared to the current ramp metering strategy that was fixed-time. Geometric and traffic data were collected to build and calibrate a simulation model to be used to test the different ramp metering strategies. Comparative evaluation was then performed on the simulation results of the three strategies using three performance measures: travel time, speed, and vehicle hours traveled (VHT). The three measures were aggregated for the entire corridor and averaged for different sections on the corridor while each section was representing a ramp metering location. The evaluation was conducted separately for the eastbound and westbound directions. For the eastbound direction, the average travel time reduction was 2 seconds for ALINEA and 6 seconds for the mixed strategy case. For the travel speed, the average increase in speed was 0.2 mph for the ALINEA control and 0.4 mph for the mixed strategy. For the VHT, the average reduction was 2.5 veh.hrs for the ALINEA control and 6.5 veh.hrs for the mixed strategy case. On the other hand, for the westbound direction, the results showed more significant improvements. The average travel time reduction increased to 20 seconds for ALINEA control and 40 seconds for the mixed strategy case. For the travel speed, the average increase in speed was one mph for the ALINEA control and 2 mph for the mixed strategy. For the VHT, the average reduction was 195 veh.hrs for the ALINEA control and went up to 197 veh.hrs for the mixed strategy case. The statistical analysis on these results showed that while the improvements were not significant for the eastbound, they were significant for the westbound direction. Yet, most of the results were not considered practically significant. Therefore, more detailed section-by-section analysis was performed using the calculated performance measures for each section on the corridor. The section-by-section analysis showed that none of the eastbound sections experienced any significant improvements. Whereas, on the westbound direction, three sections experienced significant improvements in the different performance measures: Range-O’neal, O’neal-Millerville, and Millerville Sherwood. The travel time reductions on these sections were as high as 45 seconds and 30 seconds for ALINEA and the mixed strategies, respectively. The increase in speed was 9 mph and 13 mph for ALINEA and the mixed strategies, respectively. For the VHT, both strategies achieved reductions that reached 100 veh.hrs for the three sections. When the ALINEA and mixed strategies where compared to one another, the mixed strategy showed more significant improvements. In summary, the eastbound did not experience any significant improvements in the traffic conditions. This is expected since this direction is operating at free flow conditions with the fixed-time strategy. On the other hand, for the westbound directions, the mixed strategy improved the traffic conditions significantly compared to the other control strategies. Yet, the achieved improvements were not as significant as expected. This was caused by the spillbacks at the off-ramps resulting from the vehicles waiting at the red traffic signals on the surface streets. Therefore, the study recommended investigating the integrated corridor management between the ramp meters and the traffic signals on the surface streets. KW - Active traffic management KW - Algorithms KW - ALINEA (Computer program) KW - Baton Rouge (Louisiana) KW - On ramps KW - Ramp metering KW - Statistical analysis KW - Traffic speed KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle hours of travel UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-41FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416960 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580250 AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Semi-annual Program Progress Performance Report for University Transportation Systems PY - 2015/10/30 SP - 20p AB - The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic goal of planning for near-term integration of alternative fuel vehicles as a means to build a sustainable transportation system. The project objectives are to evaluate technologies, standards, planning and policies to ensure seamless integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into a complex transportation network and electricity grid. Major activities in the research area included: the collection and analysis of data from the Nissan funded DC fast charger at Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), the development of a student and faculty battery laboratory at Tuskegee University, the opening of a new University of Hawaii battery test lab, a computer model to optimize electrical costs for Tallahassee StarMetro buses, and the installation and beginning of data collection from the FSEC wireless charging laboratory. Detailed industry interactions for the period included Nissan, NovaCharge, General Motors, Florida Power & Light and Alabama and Florida Departments of Transportation. In the education and STEM area, twelve courses were offered or are under development and twelve STEM and K-12 education events were held. KW - Education and training KW - Electric power KW - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center KW - Electric vehicles KW - Research projects KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Technology transfer UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/EVTCPPPR4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373084 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612166 AU - Tang, Lijie AU - Flintsch, Gerardo AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field Assessment of Splash & Spray PY - 2015/10/22/Final Report SP - 15p AB - The effects of vehicle splash and spray are well known to motorists who have undertaken journeys in wet weather conditions. Research suggests that splash and spray contributes to a small, but measurable, proportion of road traffic accidents and provides considerable nuisance to motorists. Furthermore, splash and spray from highway pavements can carry a number of pollutants and contaminants that can be poisonous to plant life and cause the accelerated corrosion of street furniture. Vehicle and highway engineers are working on several types of solutions to reduce splash and spray, examples of which include splash and spray reducing devices and/or a permeable surface layer on pavement. A robust splash and spray measurement device could be used to assess the effectiveness of those solutions. Furthermore, fluid mechanics computational models are used to simulate the process by which splash and spray is generated. To calibrate and validate these models, it is necessary to measure the physical properties of the droplet cloud generated, including the droplet’s size and space density. This project proposed a methodology to measure splash and spray on in-service pavements and developed a proof-of-concept system to quantify splash and spray on in-service roads using this methodology. This effort included developing the system, which involved integrating a light source (beam laser) and a camera, preparing the image processing software, and subsequent laboratory and road tests to validate the proof-of-concept. KW - Field tests KW - Highway safety KW - Image processing KW - Imaging systems KW - Measurement KW - Proof of concept KW - Software KW - Splash and spray KW - Splashing KW - Wet weather UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2012-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424189 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580233 AU - Nachtmann, Heather AU - Boudhoum, Othman AU - Oztanriseven, Furkan AU - Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC) AU - Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center AU - Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Regional Economic Impact Study for the McClellan Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System PY - 2015/10/15/Final Research Report SP - 51p AB - The McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS), located in Oklahoma and Arkansas, contains 440 miles of waterway and is a crucial part of the United States’ transportation system. The MKARNS strategically connects the heartland of the United States with the rest of the world via the Mississippi River and Port of New Orleans. The authors investigate the regional economic impacts of the MKARNS in order to inform waterway stakeholders of the system’s value. The study considers regional economic impacts from hydropower energy generation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) operations and maintenance (O&M) expenditures, private sector investment expenditures, port activities, shippers’ activities, transportation cost savings, and recreation benefits related to the MKARNS. The findings show the MKARNS contributes total impacts of $8.5 billion in sales, $4.3 billion in gross domestic product (GDP), and 55,872 jobs to the national economy. The findings of this study will inform future MKARNS investment decisions which can result in sustainable growth in the regional and national economy. KW - Arkansas KW - Economic impacts KW - Expenditures KW - Hydroelectric power generation KW - Jobs KW - McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System KW - Oklahoma KW - Port operations KW - Regional economics KW - Sales KW - Shipping KW - Stakeholders KW - Waterways UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/reports/regional-economic-impact-study-for-the-mcclellan-kerr-arkansas-river-navigation-system.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373085 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580072 AU - Forsyth, Jason AU - Hines, Kristen P AU - Coupey, Eloise AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Innovative Intelligent Awareness System for Roadway Workers Using Dedicated Short-Range Communications PY - 2015/10/15/Final Research Report SP - 21p AB - Roadside workers and emergency responders, such as police and emergency medical technicians, are at significant risk of being struck by vehicular traffic while performing their duties. While recent work has examined active and passive systems to reduce pedestrian collisions, current approaches require line of sight using either laser-, infrared-, or vision-based systems. The authors addressed this problem by developing a Global Positioning System (GPS)-based solution that equips roadside workers and vehicles with GPS units to estimate the trajectory of oncoming traffic, and to estimate whether worker strike is imminent. The results of this study show that the approach is 91% accurate in alerting the worker and vehicle of collisions and near misses. Furthermore, accurate warnings can be provided 5 to 6 seconds before any potential collision, allowing time for mitigating solutions. KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Global Positioning System KW - Law enforcement personnel KW - Occupational safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Road construction workers KW - Roadside KW - Vehicle trajectories KW - Warning devices UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56244/Bowman_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372955 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579159 AU - Mehta, Yusuf A AU - Ali, Ayman W AU - Rowan University AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Impact of Polymer Modification on Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of Binders and Hot Mix Asphalt PY - 2015/10/07/Final Report SP - 23p AB - This study was initiated with the aim of evaluating the relative impact of different cross-linking agents on the rheological and morphological properties of polymer modified asphalt binders (PMAs). To complete this objective, two cross-linking agents (an aromatic oil and silicon oxide) were selected for evaluations. The cross-linking agents were then added to a styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymer modified binder (virgin PG 70-22) at different dosages. The selected cross-linking dosages were 2 and 4% by weight of virgin binder. The SBS, virgin binder, and cross-linking agents were mixed together for 90 minutes using a high shear mixer. The morphology of the modified binder was then tested using a florescent microscope and the rheological properties were evaluated using the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) to determine the dynamic shear modulus values at different temperatures (i.e., 70oC and 76oC) and the multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) properties of these binders. Based on the results obtained, it was found out that the addition of the Aromatic Oil agent might result in increasing the potential for rutting, decreasing the potential for low temperature cracking, and helps in improving the interlocking between the polymer modifier and the neat binder. It can also be concluded that the addition of the silicon oxide cross-linking agent to PMAs might have positive impact on rutting resistance without any adverse effects on low temperature cracking. Also, the addition of silicon oxide did not affect the morphology of PMAs. Furthermore, the collected results showed that the MSCR testing procedure is more capable at characterizing the properties of PMAs than can the traditional DSR test. KW - Bituminous binders KW - Cracking KW - Evaluation KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Mechanical properties KW - Mix design KW - Multiple Stress Creep Recovery KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Rutting KW - Shear modulus KW - Viscoelasticity UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Polymer-Modification-Viscoelastic-Properties.pdf?utm_source=10-13-15+Final+Reports&utm_campaign=07-06-14+PR-Final+Reports&utm_medium=email UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371708 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612155 AU - Flintsch, Gerardo AU - de Leon, Edgar AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Training on Pavement Surface Characteristics PY - 2015/10/01/Final Report SP - 115p AB - Pavement (and bridge) surface characteristics are key elements in the assessment of the performance of our roads and highways. Smoothness or road quality has been considered since the AASHO road test one of the key performance indicators, but other pavement surface characteristics are becoming more and more significant as agencies start to manage their performance using a wider spectrum of performance indicators under MAP-21. However, these properties are not always fully understood by practitioner pavement and road safety engineers and managers. For example, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has recently recognized friction as one of the key contributors to roadway safety, but tire-pavement friction and other related surface properties are not yet perceived as an integral part of roadway safety improvement programs in the U.S. The project developed an effective education training program for roadway agency engineers and managers (at the federal, state and local level), that introduces the participants to the state of the art in pavement surface characteristics measurement and management and explains their impact on the performance of our transportation infrastructure systems. KW - Education and training KW - Engineers KW - Friction KW - Managerial personnel KW - Pavements KW - Performance indicators KW - Rolling contact KW - Roughness KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Texture UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2013-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424197 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599277 AU - Téllez, Andrés Felipe Archila AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intercity Passenger Rail Productivity in the Northeast Corridor: Implications for the Future of High-Speed Rail PY - 2015/10/01/Final Report SP - 178p AB - The ongoing discussion about the future implementation of high-speed rail (HSR) in the Northeast Corridor (NEC) is full of questions on the feasibility of HSR and the ability of Amtrak to implement it. Indeed, the introduction of the Acela Express in the past decade was not free from operating problems, but even with trains running below their full potential, the Amtrak NEC had substantial market growth. Thus, it is not clear if a true HSR service is feasible in the NEC, and if the current prospects are potentially effective. To evaluate the performance of the NEC and its main services in FY 2002-2012, and make inferences about HSR in the NEC for the next 30 years, the authors use productivity analysis. The authors employ a non-parametric single factor productivity (SFP) Törnqvist trans-log index approach with several metrics. The authors set ridership, revenue, revenue passenger-miles (RPM), and available seat-miles (ASM) as outputs, and operating costs as input. In this way, the authors provided guidelines and a robust structure of analysis that can be useful for subsequent passenger rail productivity studies. KW - Amtrak KW - Feasibility analysis KW - High speed rail KW - Intercity transportation KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Passenger transportation KW - Productivity UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MIT/NURail2012-MIT-R02-Final_Report_%28Archila%291.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59257/NURail2012-MIT-R02-Final_Report__Archila_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405069 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599239 AU - Ogunbekun, Tolulope A AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Impact of Amtrack Performance in the Northeast Corridor PY - 2015/10/01/Final Report SP - 233p AB - The primary goal of this research is to study the impact of Amtrak’s performance in the Northeast Corridor (NEC). This report focuses on Amtrak’s Acela and Regional passengers, as well as the travel time performance of these services in the last ten years (2005 to 2014). It evaluates different factors that lead to variability in ridership and service performance, as well as the impact of service performance on ridership. Another objective of the thesis is to hypothesize about how service performance affects future demand on the Acela and Regional services. This research lays the foundation for future work on the impact of Amtrak's performance, and measures needed to strengthen and improve intercity passenger rail in the Northeast Corridor. This report is essentially empirical, using Amtrak data to ascertain current performance on the NEC, with particular emphasis on on-time performance, delays and variability in travel time along the corridor. Methods include standard statistical techniques with time series analysis playing an important role. KW - Amtrak KW - Northeast Corridor KW - On time performance KW - Performance KW - Quality of service KW - Ridership KW - Time series analysis KW - Travel demand KW - Travel time UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MIT/NURail2012-MIT-R01-Combined1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59244/NURail2012-MIT-R01-Combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405068 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599174 AU - Pena-Alcaraz, Maite (Maria Teresa) AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis of Capacity Pricing and Allocation Mechanisms in Shared Railway Systems PY - 2015/10/01/Final Report SP - 206p AB - The objective of this thesis is to contribute to the field of shared railway systems coordination by (1) developing a framework to analyze the performance of shared railway systems under alternative capacity pricing and allocation mechanisms and (2) using this framework to understand the implications of representative capacity pricing and allocation mechanisms in representative shared railway systems. This research uses quantitative techniques from the fields of operations research and economics to solve the capacity allocation and pricing problem from the viewpoint of (1) the train operators and (2) the infrastructure manager and then seeks to find the appropriate balance between them from a public policy viewpoint. Two case studies are performed. The first deals with the Northeast Corridor of the U.S. where competition for track capacity among intercity, commuter and freight traffic is intense. The second deals with Tanzania where the competition is less intense but the question of how to operate the rail system in the public interest is front and center. KW - Analysis KW - Case studies KW - Competition KW - Coordination KW - Freight trains KW - Infrastructure KW - Intercity transportation KW - Northeast Corridor KW - Pricing KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Tanzania UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MIT/NURail2012-MIT-R01-Combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405564 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593718 AU - Rosenbaugh, Scott K AU - Faller, Ronald K AU - Lechtenberg, Karla A AU - Holloway, James C AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Midwest Roadside Safety Facility AU - Nebraska Department of Roads AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development and Evaluation of Weak-Post W-Beam Guardrail in Mow Strips PY - 2015/10/01/Final Report SP - 251p AB - The objective of this study was to adapt and evaluate a weak-post, W-beam guardrail system for use within mow strips and other pavements. The weak-post guardrail system was originally designed as the Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) bridge rail and has also been adapted for use on culverts. It was envisioned that the weak-post design would absorb the impact forces and prevent damage to the mow strips, thereby minimizing maintenance and repair costs. Evaluation of the weak posts in mow strips began with three rounds of dynamic bogie testing. Round 1 of bogie testing showed that 4-in. (102-mm) thick concrete would sustain only minor spalling from impacts to the posts. However, the posts would push through 4-in. and 6-in. (102-mm and 152-mm) thick asphalt mow strips. During Round 2, 24-in. (610-mm) long, 4-in. x 4-in. (102-mm x 102-mm) sockets with 10-in. x 9-in (254-mm x 229-mm) shear plates were utilized to better distribute the impact load to the asphalt pavement and prevent damage. However, Round 3 of bogie testing consisted of dual-post impacts, and the asphalt suffered from shear block fracture between the two 24-in. (610-mm) sockets and the back edge of the mow strip. A dual-post test within a 4-in. (102-mm) thick concrete pad showed only minor spalling. A full-scale Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) 3-11 test was conducted on the weak-post guardrail system installed within an asphalt mow strip. Due to the Round 3 testing results, the asphalt thickness was increased to 6 in. (152-mm), and the socket depth was increased to 30 in. (762-mm). The 2270P pickup was contained and safely redirected, and all MASH safety criteria were satisfied. Unfortunately, the asphalt fractured, and a 2½-in. (64-mm) wide crack ran from socket to socket throughout the impact region of the system. Therefore, the weak-post guardrail system was crashworthy, but would require repairs in its current configuration. The system could also be installed in a concrete mow strip to prevent pavement damage. KW - AASHTO Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware KW - Cracking KW - Crashworthiness KW - Evaluation KW - Guardrails KW - Impact tests KW - Midwest Guardrail System KW - Mow strips KW - Pavement distress KW - Posts KW - Spalling UR - http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/mat-n-tests/pdfs-docs/ARLinks/FinalReportSuppl57.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1399924 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603497 AU - Yin, Yafeng AU - Lawphongpanich, Siriphong AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Workshop for Managed Lanes on Arterials PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 32p AB - Managed lanes have been successfully implemented on freeways across the United States. In Project BDV32 977-01 for Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the authors explored the possibility of extending the concept of managed lanes to arterials in order to further improve the efficiency of busy Florida roads. The main objective of this workshop is to promulgate the research findings from FDOT Project BDV32 977-01. The workshop was held twice, once on October 19, 2015 in the auditorium of Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 6 in Miami, Florida and the other on October 20, 2015 in Mike Rippe Auditorium of FDOT District 1 in Bartow, Florida. The workshop (a) disseminated results from the study on extending the managed-lane concept to arterials, (b) solicited opinion regarding managed lanes on arterials from FDOT personnel and those from metropolitan planning organizations, and (c) obtained suggestions for a proof-of-concept study location. KW - Arterial highways KW - Florida KW - Florida Department of Transportation KW - Managed lanes KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Workshops UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Arterial_Managed_Lanes_STRIDE_2015-001.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412573 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596692 AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Fijalkowski, Jared AU - McKenna, Brooke AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - PEL Benefits: Measuring the Benefits of Planning and Environmental Linkages PY - 2015/10 SP - 35p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) commissioned this report to explore and document the benefits stemming from the incorporation of Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) strategies into State, regional, and local planning and project development processes. This report includes five case studies from across the country that detail five different implementations of PEL strategies and their attendant benefits. The case studies investigated two common PEL strategies: PEL studies and electronic screening tools. The most common benefits included facilitation of the environmental review process, cost and time savings, and a flexible evaluation of alternatives. KW - Benefits KW - Case studies KW - Environmental impacts KW - Implementation KW - National Environmental Policy Act KW - Transportation planning UR - https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/PEL_Benefits_report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/58000/58000/58011/PEL_Benefits_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402227 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593730 AU - Department of Transportation AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - U.S. Department of Transportation Pedestrian and Bicyclist Road Safety Assessments PY - 2015/10//Summary Report SP - 56p AB - Beginning in the fall of 2014, the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) field offices began organizing pedestrian and bicycle safety assessments, on-the-ground examinations of transportation facilities conducted by a multidisciplinary, multi-agency team. By June of 2015, field offices from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) had hosted or participated in 52 assessments, one in every State, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. More than 1,500 people, including elected officials, field office leaders, and representatives from local, regional, State, Federal, and nongovernmental agencies took part, helping advance Secretary Foxx’s Safer People, Safer Streets Initiative for pedestrian and bicycle safety. The purpose of the assessments was for teams to consider site-specific recommendations as well as to envision broader systemic changes needed to improve safe walking and bicycling. While simply conducting an assessment does not immediately fix problems, the act of bringing together many partners to focus their attention on these issues lays the groundwork for effective interagency collaboration going forward. This report highlights some of the varied and creative methods used to conduct the assessments. It discusses examples of both infrastructure and non-infrastructure barriers identified through the assessments; how specific communities used the assessments to discuss and address barriers; and resources (existing and under development) to support communities in ensuring safe and convenient access to walking and bicycling. KW - Cooperation KW - Cyclists KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Policy KW - Recommendations KW - Stakeholders KW - States KW - Transportation safety UR - https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/Bike-Ped-Assessments-Report_508_10_29_15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398678 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593729 AU - Xu, Yanzhi "Ann" AU - Grossman, Alice AU - Shaw, Atiyya AU - Pratyaksa, Parbha AU - Greenwood, Aaron AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Engaging in Engineering Initiative with Centennial Place Academy PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 31p AB - Transportation engineering researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology developed an active learning outreach program for Centennial Place Academy, a metro Atlanta public school that serves a racially and economically diverse student population with the majority of students falling into lower income brackets and minority populations. Georgia Tech researchers visited the school to conduct an initial session with the entire fifth grade class; this was followed by two full day sessions with a smaller subset of the same students after they had moved into the sixth grade. The program was designed to utilize cutting-edge technology to implement Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education with elementary and middle school students through guided inquiry. The purpose of the program was to show students that engineering is an accessible discipline that utilizes many skillsets and encompasses multiple aspects of their lives. The program resulted in a wealth of ready-to-use materials that can be implemented in future engineering outreach initiatives. KW - Atlanta (Georgia) KW - Elementary school students KW - Middle school students KW - Outreach KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_gt_k12_FinalReport_Engaging_in_Engineering_Initiative_Centennial.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400041 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590447 AU - Stich, Bethany AU - Griffith, Kyle AU - Webb, Peter AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Gulf Coast Megaregion: In Search of a New Scale to Understand Freight Transportation and Economic Development PY - 2015/10 SP - 65p AB - Jane Jacobs famously wrote, “The economic foundation of cities is trade.” Increased global connectivity and expanding domestic markets around major city hubs have led to a spatial reorganization of regional economies towards a higher level of scale referred to as the megaregion. These trade networks rely on a complex mix of freight and telecommunications infrastructure, low trade barriers, as well as international business and social networks. Policymakers have a responsibility to recognize the vital relationship between economies and freight, and it is imperative that national policies reflect the domestic and global environments in which megaregions must now compete. The United States (US) lacks a national freight strategy and most metropolitan areas fail to implement comprehensive trade strategies, indicating disconnect between policy and practice. In this research, the authors determine the status of freight planning strategies at the megaregion scale of an economically integrated section of the United States Gulf Coast. KW - Economic development KW - Freight transportation KW - Gulf Coast KW - Megaregions KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00108-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00108-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397177 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01588716 AU - Kolpakov, Alexander AU - Reich, Stephen L AU - University of South Florida, Tampa AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Synthesis of Research on the Use of Idle Reduction Technologies in Transit PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 80p AB - There are several potential ways to reduce vehicle tailpipe emissions, including reducing sulfur in fuel, replacing older engines, tightening emission standards, installing pollution control equipment on heavy-duty vehicles, and others, but the most direct method to reduce harmful emissions is to limit unnecessary vehicle idling. Technologies that can be installed on-board vehicles to reduce the amount of idling without sacrificing vehicle energy needs or driver utility include direct-fire heaters, auxiliary power units (APU), thermal storage systems, on-board batteries, automatic engine shut-off devices, and other equipment. Additionally, parking space electrification also allows the reduction of excessive stationary idling of heavy-duty vehicles by providing them with an outside power source to run vehicle accessories without running the main engine. Reduction in idling can be achieved not only by installing specialized equipment on vehicles, but also through a change in operational procedures. Idle reduction policies may include limiting engine warm-up, shutting down the engine after a certain time of idling, improving vehicle scheduling and dispatching, minimizing vehicle queuing, and other procedures. Federal, state, and local incentive programs can help with covering some of the incremental costs of idle reduction equipment acquisition and installation. In the U.S., there are 106 laws, regulations programs, and incentives dealing with idle reduction at the federal, state, and local levels. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Engine idling KW - Exhaust gases KW - Fleet management KW - Public transit KW - Technological innovations KW - Transit buses KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/NCTR-7905R0-2-Idling-Reduction-508.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395976 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587754 AU - Rouhani, Omid M AU - Gao, H Oliver AU - Geddes, R Richard AU - Cornell University AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluating the Role of Private Investment in Infrastructure Assets PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 36p AB - Public Private Partnership (P3) projects are likely to fundamentally impact entire transportation systems. However, most studies are focused on system modeling rather than policy analysis, and few studies have examined the impacts of P3s on real-size transportation networks. Policy guidance for devising and administering P3 contracts to improve transportation system performance while maintaining profitability is lacking. Using the transportation network of Fresno, a middle-sized city in California as an example, this study considers alternative P3 approaches for profit maximization and system cost minimization at full urban transportation network scales. Based on system modeling results, the authors offer the following recommendations for policy makers to design and promote successful P3 projects in urban environments: (1) to promote a profitable and a socially beneficial system, toll rates should be set between profit-maximizing and system-optimal rates; (2) even though tolls (i.e., higher travel costs) on a few roads helps reduce travel demand they may, counter-intuitively, lead to higher total travel cost for the transportation system as a whole; (3) lower limit(s), in addition to upper limit(s), for tolls may be required to enforce system-optimal tolling and avoid undercutting; (4) a variable tolling scheme (i.e., temporally and spatially varying tolls) significantly reduces congestion and increases profits relative to flat tolls; and (5) public officials should provide a comprehensive plan regarding past, current, and future P3 projects along with detailed system-wide impact analysis of project implementation in order to promote a more sustainable transportation system. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Costs KW - Financing KW - Fresno (California) KW - Policy KW - Public private partnerships KW - Sustainable development KW - Tolls KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Evaluating-Role-of-Private-Investment.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394946 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583614 AU - Bellman, Miles AU - Gandhi, Pratik AU - Mackey, Allen AU - Pagano, Thomas AU - Shah, Vaibhav AU - Van Dongen, John AU - Wapelhorst, Leo AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of the Navy AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - AN/UPX-41(C) Digital Interrogator System Compatibility with the National Airspace System PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 287p AB - In 2012, the Navy requested spectrum certification for the shipboard AN/UPX-41(C) Digital Interrogator System, Software Version 5.5 with Mode 5. Current operating conditions for the Navy’s AN/UPX-41(C) are the same as restrictions imposed on the AN/UPX-37 digital Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator. A proposed AN/UPX-41(C) Stage 4 certification was developed to allow the Navy to operate under less restrictive parameters but required that the Navy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) validate those proposed restrictions. This report provides the results of the validation effort. The effort conducted by the Volpe Center used modeling, simulation, and live testing to evaluate the AN/UPX-41(C) system’s compatibility. The live testing, which occurred August 18-21, 2014 was conducted in its entirety using four AN/UPX-41(C) digital IFF interrogators at land-based test sites (LBTS). Prior to, and following the test, modeling, simulation, and analysis was performed to assess the impact of the proposed Stage 4 certification configuration on National Airspace System (NAS) Aeronautical Surveillance and Collision Avoidance Systems (ASCAS). KW - Aircraft KW - Certification KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Detection and identification systems KW - Electromagnetic spectrum KW - Field tests KW - National Airspace System KW - Ships KW - Simulation KW - Validation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56183/DOT-VNTSC-NAVSEA-15-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376120 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583562 AU - Hiltunen, Danielle AU - Chase, Stephanie G AU - Kendra, Andrew AU - Jo, Young Jin AU - Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies, Incorporated AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) 2015 Industry Survey PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 132p AB - This document provides an overview of Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) hardware and software capabilities, including portable electronic devices (PEDs) used as EFBs, as of July 2015. This document updates and replaces the Volpe Center’s previous EFB industry surveys. The information for this report was gathered through industry contacts, websites, and online product brochures. This report was conducted in support of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but the information is intended to be of use to anyone interested in EFBs/PEDs. Nineteen manufacturers participated in this industry survey. Each provided a description of hardware components, supported software, functions and capabilities, as applicable. Participating Manufacturers were classified into three categories based on their products. Hardware manufacturers (without software) are those that provide an EFB/PED display platform and/or hardware components. Hardware/Software manufacturers (EFB software and hardware) are those manufacturers who develop physical hardware in addition to providing EFB software. Integrated and customizable software manufacturers (without hardware) are those who provide custom software that performs a specific function or integrates and/or manages EFB applications from other software providers. A list of 46 commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software manufacturers offering COTS, standalone software is also provided in order to provide a snapshot of the types of standalone, COTS software applications currently available. These manufacturers provide specific applications that have not been integrated or customized. References include EFB regulatory and guidance material, Flight Standardization Board (FSB) reports, and other research reports. KW - Aircraft operations KW - Computers KW - Electronic flight bags KW - Flight decks KW - Industries KW - Portable equipment KW - Software KW - Surveys UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56199/EFB_Industry_Survey_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377240 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583537 AU - Lin, Pei-Sung AU - Kourtellis, Achilleas AU - Wang, Zhenyu AU - Guo, Rui AU - University of South Florida, Tampa AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Interactions between Drivers and Pedestrian Features at Signalized Intersections PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 76p AB - Florida experienced serious pedestrian safety problems and had the highest pedestrian fatality rate in the U.S. from 2008–2011. Pedestrian safety at signalized intersections is the most serious concern due to frequent and severe conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians. Pedestrian features directly related to pedestrian safety are used to increase driver compliance behaviors and reduce vehicle-pedestrian conflicts. This project aimed to explore driver behaviors at signalized intersections with four identified pedestrian features—“STOP HERE ON RED,” “NO TURN ON RED,” “TURNING VEHICLES YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS,” and “RIGHT ON RED ARROW AFTER STOP” signs—by using an innovative safety data source, the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP 2) Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) data. To improve data processing efficiency, two software tools were developed to assist researchers in data reduction in an automatic and/or semi-automatic manner: (1) the NDS Automatic Video Processing Tool, which automatically detects and tracks pedestrians and traffic signal indications in NDS videos, and (2) the NDS Data Reduction and Analysis Tool, which assists researchers in reviewing and analyzing NDS videos and sensor data. A cross-sectional analysis was used to assess the safety effectiveness of the selected pedestrian features by comparing the observed compliant driver behaviors between two groups: a feature group (with the pedestrian feature) and a control group (without the pedestrian feature). Chi-square tests were used to determine whether the proportional difference of compliant driver behaviors between the two groups was significant. The major findings were the following: (1) The “NO TURN ON RED” sign had the highest rate of compliance (70%), followed by “RIGHT ON RED ARROW AFTER STOP” (67%), “TURNING VEHICLES YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS” (67%), and “STOP HERE ON RED” (55%). (2) Three features—“STOP HERE ON RED,” “NO TURN ON RED,” and “RIGHT ON RED ARROW AFTER STOP” signs—increased the likelihood of compliant behaviors compared to control groups. (3) Drivers had a much higher compliance percentage at the feature sites than at the control sites (67% vs. 29%) when pedestrians were not present at intersections; the difference was statistically significant. (4) Drivers generally were sensitive to pedestrian presence at both the feature sites and the control sites; the compliance percentages for both groups were higher when pedestrians were present than those when pedestrians were absent. (5) Drivers were more likely to comply with the feature at feature sites when pedestrians were present than at control sites (77% vs. 50%); however, there was no evidence to show the difference was statistically significant due to a small sample size. (6) Based on self-evaluation, female drivers were significantly more likely to believe they are easily distracted when driving compared to male drivers; older drivers (age 60+) believe they take significantly fewer risks and are less distracted than other drivers. (7) Female drivers tended to comply more consistently with the feature than male drivers. (8) Mid-age drivers tended to comply more consistently with the feature than others. KW - Age groups KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Florida KW - Gender KW - Information processing KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian signs KW - Pedestrians KW - Signalized intersections UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_OP/FDOT-BDV25-977-16-rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56679/FDOT-BDV25-977-16-rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56680/FDOT-BDV25-977-16-sum.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376328 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582437 AU - Green, Paul AU - Kang, Te-Ping AU - Lin, Brian AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Touch Screen Task Element Times for Improving SAE Recommended Practice J2365: First Proposal PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 113p AB - This report describes the identification of task elements and the estimation of their times for in-vehicle tasks such as dialing a phone number or finding a song using a touch screen. These elements were derived from an experiment in which 24 drivers distributed across three age groups completed 40 trials involving various in-vehicle tasks. These data will be used to develop a new version of Society of Automotive Engineers Recommended Practice J2365, which is used to predict task times when the driver interface is at the wireframe stage, well before hardware and software are available to collect driver-performance data. The predicted, static (non-driving) task times are used to predict which tasks are most likely to be unacceptably distracting and unsafe to do while driving. Based on those data, the following elements were identified along with initial estimates for young drivers (age = 24). Estimates for other ages can be obtained by multiplying the times that follow by age-correction factors described in the report. Elements and their times include cursor other (read page content, 2.4 s), cursor 1 (cursor down an first ordered page, 2.7 s), cursor 2 (cursor down on a subsequent page, 0.8 s), drag (3.5 s), function button 1 (for initial screen, 2.9 s), function button 2 (2.4 s for following screens), press and hold (a button, 1.6 s), letter 1 (entering a letter on a new screen, 1.9 s), letter 2 (entering a subsequent letter, 1.0 s), number 1 (entering a number on a new screen, 1.4 s), number 2 (entering a number on a subsequent screen (0.7 s), slider s (after a new screen, 5.0 s), and slider 2 (after the first, 2.5 s). KW - Age groups KW - Distraction KW - Driver vehicle interfaces KW - Drivers KW - SAE J2365 KW - Society of Automotive Engineers KW - Time duration KW - Touchscreens KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ATLAS-Center-Final-Research-Report-Paul-Green.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56666/ATLAS_Center_Final_Research_Report_-_Paul_Green.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375962 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582427 AU - Hudson, Joan G AU - Zhong, Haotian AU - Moran, Maarit AU - Iragavarapu, Vichika AU - Vincent, Vickie AU - Dai, Boya AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Best Practices for Addressing Pedestrian Crashes on High Speed Roadways PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 37p AB - Texas ranks as the worst state in the nation for interstate pedestrian fatalities. Almost 600 pedestrians died on interstate roadways during the 5-year period between 2007 and 2011. Texas is the fourth-highest state in terms of interstate pedestrian fatalities per 100 million interstate vehicle miles traveled. Few studies have been conducted to investigate the causes and factors that contribute to pedestrian fatalities on very high-speed roadways. For this study, the research team conducted a survey of 20 states to find out what they are doing or have done in terms of engineering, education, enforcement, and evaluation to address pedestrian safety on controlled or limited access urban interstate, freeway, and expressway main lanes where posted speed limits are 55 mph or higher. The design of the survey was based on a literature review that identified factors that correlated with pedestrian fatality rates, motivations for pedestrians entering high-speed roadways, and countermeasures that had been implemented to reduce fatalities or protect pedestrians. Survey respondents reported being aware of pedestrian safety concerns on the main lanes of high-speed, controlled-access highways. Eighty percent responded that there is a law or policy that prohibits pedestrian access on the controlled-access highways in their states. Policies and practices aimed at unintended pedestrians were more frequently cited than those addressing intentional pedestrians. The survey respondents highlighted existing practices such as the construction of overpasses/underpasses, installation of fences along rights of way or medians, and use of roadside assistance programs. In the end, researchers discussed best practices, opportunities for future research, and recommendations for increasing pedestrian safety on high-speed, controlled-access roadways. KW - Best practices KW - Countermeasures KW - Fatalities KW - Interstate highways KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Recommendations KW - States KW - Surveys KW - Texas UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ATLAS-2015-09-Final-Research-Report-Hudson.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56669/ATLAS-2015-09_-_Final_Research_Report_-_Hudson.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375965 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580985 AU - Stanchak, Kathryn AU - Foderaro, Frank AU - DaSilva, Marco AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - High-Security Fencing for Rail Right-of-way Applications: Current Use and Best Practices PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 33p AB - The Volpe Center investigated how high-security fencing is used to prevent right-of-way (ROW) trespassing at several urban transit and commuter rail agencies in the United States. Interviews, operations documentation, and site visits were used to gather information for this research, and it was found that the best high-security fencing installations do the following: 1) prevent trespassing in all directions, i.e., over, under, and around; 2) are strategically placed in locations determined through rigorous hazard analysis and have community support; and 3) are part of a comprehensive railroad fencing program. KW - Best practices KW - Fences KW - Rail transit KW - Right of way (Land) KW - Trespassers KW - United States KW - Urban areas UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15476 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56286/High_Security_Fencing_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374004 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580975 AU - Kubas, Andrew AU - Vachal, Kimberly AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Energy Sector Growth on Perceived Transportation Safety in the 17-County Oil Region of Western North Dakota: A Three-Year Case Study PY - 2015/10 SP - 52p AB - The sharp increase in travel volumes, shift in traffic mix, and large increases in crashes have transformed the traffic environment in the oil region of western North Dakota. Roads once used for local access and agricultural purposes now regularly serve the energy sector. Oil companies, workers, commercial trucks, and industrial equipment associated with oil extraction use these roads to access drilling and production sites. This has led to a larger number of overweight and oversized vehicles sharing the roadway with other traffic. A survey questionnaire was sent to drivers to better understand perceptions and behaviors of road users in this region. County-level crash data were gathered to analyze changes in driving conditions during the latest oil boom – specifically between 2004 and 2014. This study addresses two goals for improving regional traffic safety: first, to examine public perceptions of traffic safety issues and priorities; and, second, to address crash trends and intervention strategies. Survey results indicate residents believe driving conditions in the region are dangerous, but ratings have improved as oil activity has decreased. Crash data reveal that crashes parallel oil production: as the number of active oil wells grew exponentially, so too did crashes – even when factoring for changes in vehicle miles traveled and population growth. Economic factors, such as the price of a barrel of oil, may be linked to the prevalence of crashes, especially those involving large trucks. KW - Behavior KW - Case studies KW - Crash data KW - Drivers KW - North Dakota KW - Oversize loads KW - Petroleum industry KW - Rural areas KW - Surveys KW - Traffic safety KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle mix UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-289.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56740/mpc15-289.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374379 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580962 AU - Godavarthy, Ranjit AU - Mattson, Jeremy AU - Nichols, Patrick AU - Peterson, Del AU - Hough, Jill AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Method for Assessing National Demand-Response Transit Level of Service PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Demand-response transit service is a major source of mobility for older adults and people with disabilities in urban and rural areas. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant programs under sections 5307, 5310, and 5311 all have components designed to increase the availability of paratransit or demand-response service. However, there is little information in the National Transit Database (NTD) or elsewhere about the extent of demand-response coverage across the country. Therefore, it is challenging to know the gaps in service coverage and to understand unmet needs. The primary objective of the study is to fill the gaps in the data available from the NTD database to determine the demand-response transit level of service. Also, this study aims to develop a standard method for determining the demand-response service level of coverage so that geographic areas/locations that do not have sufficient demand-response transit service can be identified. A survey questionnaire was developed to gather important information such as service span, service area, service type, and service eligibility from demand-response operators to determine the demand-response transit level of service. The survey was tested in two states, North Dakota and Florida, for its applicability in the rest of the country, and recommendations were provided for gathering additional service details for determining the national demand-response transit level of service. Based on the results from the study, recommendations were provided regarding data needs, an appropriate method for collecting those data, and a framework for understanding the communities/locations where demand-response service improvements are needed. The recommended framework will provide useful information to transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and state departments of transportation for identifying deficiencies in service while minimizing the reporting burden for transit providers. KW - Data collection KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Florida KW - Level of service KW - Methodology KW - National Transit Database KW - North Dakota KW - Paratransit services KW - Recommendations KW - Surveys UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/21177060-NCTR-NDSU06.pdf UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/2015-10-assessing-level-of-service.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374070 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580918 AU - Severson, Kristine AU - Parent, Dan AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Accident Report of Chicago Metra Derailment on September 17, 2005 PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 39p AB - On Saturday, September 17, 2005, Metra commuter train 504 was heading north from Joliet to Chicago on the Rock Island District Line operated by the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation, which is the commuter rail system that serves northeast Illinois. The train traversed a 10-mph switch at 69 mph, causing it to derail just south of the West 47th Street Bridge. This accident was investigated by the US Department of Transportation’s Rail Accident Forensic Team to support the Passenger Equipment Safety Research Program of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The Forensic Team’s primary objective in investigating rail vehicle accidents is to estimate the complete underlying sequence of events and determine the specific causal mechanisms of injuries and fatalities. This report includes a detailed reconstruction of events, which is based on data collected at the scene and passenger interviews. The principal causal mechanism for the fatalities and serious injuries that occurred in the accident was the impact between the 4th car and the bridge girder, resulting in significant vertical forces on the rail car and structural damage to the car interior. KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Crash causes KW - Crash injuries KW - Crash investigation KW - Crash reconstruction KW - Derailments KW - Fatalities KW - Metra KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Railroad crashes UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15457 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56287/Accident_Report_Chicago_Metra_Derailment_09-17-2005.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56732/Accident_Report_Chicago_Metra_Derailment_09-17-2005_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373772 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580884 AU - Mundy, Ray A AU - Rust, Daniel L AU - Phillips, Sareema Koirala AU - Nasser, Sidra AU - Páez, María Gabriela Rodríguez AU - Snowden, Elizabeth AU - University of Missouri, St. Louis AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Mass Transit Sustainability in the Saint Louis Region PY - 2015/10//Final Report SP - 65p AB - It has been often suggested that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. Unfortunately a dispassionate evaluation of the current state of public transit in the United States would easily fit this definition. Public transportation funding continues to require federal, state, and local tax reserves in an attempt to address the needs and adapt to the trends of growing urban communities and support sustainable mass transit solutions. Fifty years of increased funding for domestic mass transit infrastructure and services has been met with overall ridership decline (as a percentage of urban population). Caught between looming deficits and a failure to attract consumers is a mangled web of inefficient operations, financially unsustainable funding commitments, and an inability to adequately modernize transit systems. Despite good intentions, investments are now contributing to an unsustainable trend. Successful and scalable examples of ways to improve sustainability are already in place around the globe and are promoting an era of shared responsibility for mass transit between public and private sectors. Latin America, being the earliest adopter of modern and sustainable mass transit systems, operations, and infrastructure, has seen great economic and consumer success. Now other regions— China, India, South Africa, North America, and Eastern Europe—are committing to innovative and rewarding approaches to leveraging and restructuring mass transit systems. Although still a work in progress for some cities, the partnering between government infrastructure and private investors supports a future of flexibility, accountability, and profitability for mass transit in areas with growing urban populations and is a viable solution for the transportation challenges and environmental concerns associated with large populations. This report explores alternatives implemented in various countries and the factors that contributed to their successes and failures. Most successes tend to result from the collaboration itself and lead to each sector’s common triumph: government stability through a reduced dependency on public subsidies and increased private innovation. These innovative solutions for improving mass transit are sustainable and scalable and require no additional government funding or subsidies. They may be the only viable options available for creating sustainable mass transit systems. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Bi-State Development Agency KW - Case studies KW - Countries KW - Financial analysis KW - Public private partnerships KW - Public transit KW - Regional Transportation Authority (Illinois) KW - Ridership KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/st_louis_mass_tranist_sustainability_w_cvr.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56727/st_louis_mass_tranist_sustainability_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1374072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579643 AU - Chambers, Matthew AU - Schmitt, Rolf AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Diesel-powered Passenger Cars and Light Trucks PY - 2015/10//Fact Sheet SP - 4p AB - Diesel-powered automobiles are in the news following emission concerns raised by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This fact sheet contains background information on diesel-powered motor vehicles and diesel fuel including fleet share, vehicle miles of travel, sales, fuel consumption, fuel prices, and emissions. KW - Costs KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Diesel fuels KW - Fuel consumption KW - Light trucks KW - Motor vehicles KW - Sales KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/DieselFactSheet.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371945 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599274 AU - Foster, Craig AU - Motamedi, Mohammad Hosein AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling of Rail Track Substructure Soil Plasticity Modeling PY - 2015/09/30/Final Report SP - 42p AB - Elastic modeling of soil is unable to capture permanent deformation and settlement in soil that may come from rail applications. In addition, elastic models may not correctly predict dynamic deformation of soil. The authors modify a soil model an elasto-viscoplastic soil model to account for better performance at low mean stresses and improve its numerical implementation. The authors modify the Sandia Geomodel, a three-invariant, cap plasticity model with isotropic and kinematic hardening, with a tension cap for more realistic behavior in the tensile regime. The authors rewrite the yield function in terms of homogenous function of order one to prevent spurious solutions that troubled previous implementations. Finally, the authors create an algorithm to determine from the trial state whether they are on the shear or cap surface, enhancing robustness. These are implemented in a fully implicit, unconditionally stable return-mapping algorithm. KW - Algorithms KW - Compression tests KW - Elastoplasticity KW - Plastic deformation KW - Railroad tracks KW - Shear tests KW - Soil mechanics KW - Tension tests KW - Viscoplasticity UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R01-combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405194 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599263 AU - Foster, Craig AU - El-Ghandour, Ahmed AU - Hamper, Martin B AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling of Rail Track Substructure Linear Elastic Coupling PY - 2015/09/30/Final Report SP - 24p AB - Most analyses of rail dynamics neglect contribution of the soil, or treat it in a very simple manner such as using spring elements. This can cause accuracy issues in examining dynamics for passenger comfort, derailment, substructure analysis, or other reasons. The authors examine how the treatment of the soil in a continuum fashion influences rail simulations. The authors use the finite element method to build a continuum model of the track structure and soil, including rails, fasteners, crossties (sleepers), ballast, subballast, and subgrade. The authors export the modal stiffness of the track structure to a multibody code to simulate the wheel/rail contact of a train over the track. From the modal displacements, the nodal displacements can be reconstructed in the finite element model. Contact forces and other quantities of interest can be determined. KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Finite element method KW - Railroad tracks KW - Rolling contact KW - Simulation KW - Soil mechanics KW - Subballast KW - Subgrade (Railroads) KW - Substructures KW - Train track dynamics UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R01-combined1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59261/NURail2012-UIC-R01-combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405193 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599202 AU - Levy, Samuel J AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Capacity Challenge on the California High-Speed Rail Shared Corridors: How Local Decisions Have Statewide Impacts PY - 2015/09/30 SP - 174p AB - In 2012, as a cost-control measure and in response to local opposition in the San Francisco Bay Area, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) adopted a "blended system" at the north and south bookends of the planned first phase of its high-speed rail line. In this blended operation, the high-speed rail line will share track and other infrastructure with commuter rail, intercity rail, and freight on the 50-mile Peninsula Corridor in Northern California and on 50 miles of right-of-way between Burbank, Los Angeles, and Anaheim in Southern California. This thesis provides a critical review of the blended system and discusses the level of cooperation and coordination necessary between host railroads and the high-speed rail tenant operator. KW - California KW - Cooperation KW - Coordination KW - Freight transportation KW - High speed rail KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Railroad tracks UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MIT/NURail2012-MIT-R01-Combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405563 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01597291 AU - Carlson, S Joel AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Government and Railroad Strategy for Crude Oil Transportation in North America PY - 2015/09/30 SP - 238p AB - On July 6, 2013, an oil-laden unit train derailed and exploded in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Canada, killing 47 people, shocking and saddening many, and leading to significantly increased public scrutiny of crude oil transported by rail. Simultaneously, there has been intense scrutiny of proposed pipelines from the oil/tar sands in Alberta, most notably the TransCanada Keystone XL. Not only is there concern about the potential environmental impacts of the pipelines themselves, such as a potential spill of diluted bitumen, but there is also concern about the consequences of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the energy-intensiveness of bitumen production and refining. Proponents argue that a denial of pipeline permits by governments in Canada and the United States would lead to more crude by rail, an outcome that pipeline supporters believe would not only be less cost-effective, less safe, and less environmentally-friendly, but would also ultimately lead to the same amount of greenhouse gas being emitted from the production and refining of oil sands bitumen. Railroads, with much of the required infrastructure already in place to transport crude, usually do not need to undergo the same environmental assessments as pipelines for modest capacity expansions. As a result, when pipelines are evaluated through political and regulatory processes in Canada and the US, much of the focus is on what railroads might do if a pipeline permit is not approved, rather than what they should do. This research emphasizes the latter. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Crude oil KW - Greenhouse gases KW - North America KW - Pipeline safety KW - Pipelines KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad transportation KW - Regulations KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MIT/NURail2012-MIT-R03_Transportation_of_Energy-Related_Material_-_Carlson_final_report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59246/NURail2012-MIT-R03_Transportation_of_Energy-Related_Material_-_Carlson_final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1404915 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580244 AU - Katicha, Samer AU - Zeng, Huanghui AU - Park, Hyungjun AU - Smith, Brian AU - Flintsch, Gerardo AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Infrastructure Pavement Assessment & Management Applications Enabled by the Connected Vehicles Environment – Proof-of-Concept PY - 2015/09/30/Final Research Report SP - 20p AB - The objective of this project was to develop prototypes and conduct a field test of system level applications of a connected vehicle pavement condition measurement system. This allowed the research team to: (1) investigate different approaches to a connected vehicle pavement measurement system; and (2) determine the optimum procedures for collecting, processing, aggregating, and storing the data to support engineering and management decisions. The study found that roughness measures obtained from probe vehicles are comparable to roughness measures obtained from the profile, when the appropriate parameters that affect roughness were taken into account. A sensitivity analysis suggested that data sampling and quarter-car parameters were the most critical parameters. Finally, the results of the network-level simulations showed that the probe vehicle vertical acceleration measurements (collected from a mobile smart phone application) have the potential to be used for network-level prescreening of deficient pavement sections. KW - Condition surveys KW - Data collection KW - Field tests KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pavement distress KW - Probe vehicles KW - Roughness KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Simulation UR - http://cvi-utc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Flintsch_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372956 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579638 AU - Stuedlein, Armin W AU - Li, Qiang AU - Arduino, Pedro AU - Ganji, Abbas AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Washington State Department of Transportation TI - Behavior of Drilled Shafts with High-Strength Reinforcement and Casing PY - 2015/09/30/Final Project Report SP - 1378p AB - Drilled shafts provide significant geotechnical resistance for support of highway bridges, and are used throughout the States of Oregon and Washington to meet their structural foundation requirements. Due to changes in construction methods and poor near-surface soils, the use of permanent steel casing for drilled shaft installation has increased. However, geotechnical design models for axial and lateral resistance of drilled shafts are largely based on soil-concrete interfaces, not soil-steel interfaces associated with large diameter steel casing. Owing to the increased understanding of the regional seismic hazards, the amount of steel reinforcement used in drilled shaft construction has increased over the past several decades, creating a new construction concern for engineers: the increased steel area results in a reduced clearance between adjacent reinforcement bars in the steel cage, such that concrete has an increased difficulty in penetrating the cage, increasing the likelihood for voids and defects within the shaft, which can lead to poor structural and geotechnical performance. The use of high-strength reinforcement steel can lead to increased clearance within the steel cage, mitigating concreting issues. The use of steel casing and the amount of steel area control the axial and lateral resistance of the shaft. However, depending on the method of construction, the steel casing may result in reduced axial load transfer to the surrounding soil. Thus existing analytical approaches need to be evaluated for modern construction methods, and new approaches developed if necessary to ensure desired performance criteria are met. KW - Bridge construction KW - Casings KW - Drilled shafts KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Load transfer KW - Oregon KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Resistance (Mechanics) KW - Shafts (Machinery) KW - Washington (State) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/PacTrans-24-OSU-Stuedlein.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372576 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599275 AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - McHenry, Mike AU - Greenwell, Travis AU - Peng, Xu AU - Brown, Michael AU - LoPresti, Joseph AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Tie-Ballast Interaction PY - 2015/09/28/Final Report SP - 163p AB - Improvements in railroad efficiency in the future may likely require higher passenger train speeds and heavier freight axle loads. As the demand for more efficient rail transportation grows, so does the need for higher performance and lower maintenance track. To attain higher performing track, a better understanding of the track’s behavior and the interaction of its components are required. An important component of the conventional railroad track structure is the magnitudes and distribution of interfacial pressures between the ballast and ties. This interface impacts many functions of both the tie and the ballast including initiating pressure distribution into the ballast layer, allowing for track geometry adjustment through tamping, and providing vertical, lateral, and longitudinal track stability. Common track issues such as ballast degradation, tie degradation, tie center-binding, and differential track settlement are greatly impacted by the ballast-tie interface pressure levels. Actually the ballast-tie interface is characterized by high pressures due to low effective contact areas between the tie and the rough, angular ballast particles. These high pressures may contribute to ballast particle breakage, tie surface degradation, and ballast degradation. A better understanding of the fundamental properties, such as the ballast-tie load environment, could lead to increased understanding of the impact on tie bending input loads, track geometry, and tie and ballast degradation modeling. Along the continuum, properties and relationships serve as input to track maintenance planning, ultimately leading to enhanced maintenance strategies and policies. KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Calibration KW - Pressure KW - Railroad ties KW - Railroad tracks KW - Sensors UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURAIL2012-UKY-R05_and_2013-UKY-R07_Final_Report_Tie-Ballast1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59301/NURAIL2012-UKY-R05_and_2013-UKY-R07_Final_Report_Tie-Ballast1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405088 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599195 AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - Wang, Teng AU - Lau, Dan AU - Peng, Xu AU - Aboubakr, Ahmed AU - Randerson, Edward AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 3D Methodology for Evaluating Rail Crossing Roughness: Vehicle Dynamic Modeling PY - 2015/09/28/Final Report SP - 39p AB - Annually, over 2000 rail highway crossing crashes in the U.S.result in nearly 300 fatalities. Crossing roughness is a concern for the motoring public from a comfort and vehicle maintenance perspective, and to highway authorities from a maintenance perspective. Roughness may even increase the risk of crossing crashes. However, with 216,000 rail highway grade crossings in the US, maintenance management is a large undertaking. Crossings deteriorate over time, sometimes rapidly, and life cycle costs increase without preventive maintenance. However, while methods are available to quantify highway roughness, no method currently exists to quantitatively assess the condition of rail crossings. Because conventional inspection relies on qualitative judgment based on an inspector’s perception of the crossing, effect on different vehicles and perception by other drivers is unknown. Further, roughness may be due to as-built geometry, crossing deterioration, or a combination of both. A quantifiable and extensible procedure is thus desired. In this report, vertical vehicle acceleration is proposed as a way to quantify rail highway crossing roughness. To facilitate the development of acceleration ratings for crossings, a vehicle dynamic model was developed to simulate vehicle accelerations using only a crossing terrain model and vehicle parameters as inputs. Accelerometers were used to field calibrate and validate the model. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Accelerometers KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Methodology KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Roughness KW - Simulation KW - Vehicle dynamics UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2014-UKY-R08_Final_Report_dynamic_model1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59313/NURail2014-UKY-R08_Final_Report_dynamic_model1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405094 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599172 AU - Brock, Timothy J AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A National Survey of Commuter Rail Policy PY - 2015/09/22/Final Report SP - 74p AB - This research situates commuter rail systems in the context of rail systems at-large, compiles a complete and definitive list of U.S. commuter rail systems, profiles each system and establishes a 'new start' and 'legacy' classification system for commuter rail. Examining new start commuter rail, specifically the acquisition of right-of-way on shared-corridors and the relationship between system design and urban form, provides a means of tracing the policy mobility and system development of contemporary commuter rail. The authors highlight the current state of commuter rail, the historical acquisition of legacy commuter rail systems by public transit agencies and the establishment of contemporary new start commuter rail projects. This overview includes profiles of all 26 operational US commuter rail systems. These profiles examine the vital statistics and demographics of each system. KW - Best practices KW - Classification KW - History KW - Policy KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Transportation corridors KW - United States UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2012-UKY-R02_Final_Report_Commuter_Rail_with_appendices1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405085 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599164 AU - Blandford, Benjamin L AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Lock and Dam Closures on Rail System PY - 2015/09/22/Final Report SP - 13p AB - In this paper, a model simulates the changing patterns of coal distribution resulting from disruptions on the waterway network at specified Ohio River locks. The paper portrays the extensive geographic and intermodal connectivity of coal shipments in the U.S., and demonstrates how disruptions at even a single node on the network can manifest in dramatic changes throughout the nationwide network. The network model is built using ESRI ArcMap 10.1, and utilizes the program’s Network Analyst toolset. The Network Analyst toolset enables users to model data flows, in this case coal, across a network. The network is comprised of a set of lines, representing the highway, railway, and waterway segments, as well as a collection of points, representing intermodal access points, such as river ports and intermodal facilities. KW - Coal KW - Dams KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Locks (Waterways) KW - Modal shift KW - Ohio River KW - Railroad transportation KW - Service disruption KW - Simulation UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2012-UKY-R01_Final_Report_-_Lock_and_Dam1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405084 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599196 AU - Rose, Jerry G AU - Saladin, Luke AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Systematic Life-Cycle Analysis and Performance of Enhanced Trackbed Support PY - 2015/09/21/Final Report SP - 350p AB - Over the past 30 years, the use of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) underlayment in railroad track structures has steadily increased. While the benefits of HMA underlayment has been well documented in special trackworks applications – particularly in areas with poor subgrade and heavy tonnages – little documentation is recorded regarding the benefits of HMA relative to traditional all-granular structures when used on mainline open track. This report compares the relative performance of HMA underlayment versus traditional granular track structures on the Panhandle Subdivision, located along the BNSF Railway’s Transcon line. A total of 23 sections of double main track – one main predominately using HMA underlayment with concrete ties and the other main consisting of a traditional all-granular track structure with wood ties – were analyzed using the Surface Quality Index (SQI), which is a track quality measurement developed by BNSF to determine the extent of geometric defects in track over a period of time. KW - BNSF Railway KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Performance KW - Railroad ties KW - Railroad tracks UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2012-UKY-R04_Final_Report_Lifecycle1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59300/NURail2012-UKY-R04_Final_Report_Lifecycle1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405087 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587716 AU - Chambers, Matthew AU - Goworowska, Justyna AU - Smith, Sonya AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Passenger Travel Facts and Figures 2015 PY - 2015/09/18 SP - 102p AB - Passenger Travel Facts and Figures is a snapshot of the characteristics and trends of personal travel in the United States; the network over which passenger travel takes place; and the related economic, safety, and environmental aspects of passenger travel. Chapter 1 summarizes the basic demographic and economic characteristics of the United States that contribute to the demand for passenger travel. Chapter 2 examines travel patterns by household characteristics, trip purpose, and transportation mode. Chapter 3 provides information on the passenger transportation system and its performance. Chapter 4 discusses the economic characteristics of passenger travel and tourism. Chapter 5 describes the safety, energy, and environmental impacts of passenger travel. KW - Demographics KW - Economic factors KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fatalities KW - Households KW - Passenger traffic KW - Passenger transportation KW - Transportation modes KW - Travel patterns KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Trip purpose KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/PTFF_Complete.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1378484 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575989 TI - Support ASA Workgroup on Dose-Response (NPS) AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Noise control UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369311 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575986 TI - SAE/Noise Research Testing Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Research KW - Testing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369289 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575975 TI - Project 43 - Policy Analysis: Mission Specifications AB - No summary provided. KW - Air transportation policy KW - Aircraft KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Specifications UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369239 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580246 AU - Daddio, David AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Baas, Jessica AU - Burkman, Eric AU - Richardson, Heather AU - Timmel, Chris AU - Lian, Scott AU - Linthicum, Alex AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2014 PY - 2015/09/16/Final Report SP - 50p AB - This document summarizes key highlights and performance measures from the National Park Service (NPS) 2014 National Transit Inventory, and presents data for NPS transit systems system-wide. The document discusses statistics related to ridership, business models, fleet characteristics, funding sources, emissions, and service life. Key findings include: 121 transit systems operated in 63 of the 408 NPS units, 36.5 million total passenger boardings in 2014, 64% of NPS transit systems operate under concession contracts, and 59% of NPS-owned vehicles operate on alternative fuel. The inventory is and will continue to be repeated annually. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Financing KW - National parks KW - Performance measurement KW - Pollutants KW - Public transit KW - Ridership KW - Service life KW - Statistics KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55500/55568/NPS_WASO_2014_National_Transit_Inventory.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373046 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579258 AU - Wang, Feng AU - Bu, Lei AU - Jackson State University AU - Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Large‐Scale Traffic Simulation Model for Hurricane Evacuation of Mississippi Coastal Region PY - 2015/09/16/Final Research Report SP - 34p AB - The project demonstrates the effectiveness of using a gate control strategy for traffic management in an emergency evacuation when people within a localized Protective Action Zone (PAZ) must be evacuated with a short notice. Selected nodes on the PAZ boundary with access and volume capacities could be treated as gates for evacuation traffic to be guided through with a higher priority over traffic using the non‐gate nodes. In the study, an optimization process is sought to minimize the total travel cost of the evacuation trips with a gate control strategy while traffic constraints and network equilibriums are considered. The effectiveness of the model is first tested by the computation results drawn from an assumed evacuation network. The computation results show that the gate control strategy could improve the performance of an evacuation by reducing the numbers of conflicts in trip routes and traffic movements. Then, the model is tested in a case study of a real evacuation network in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region with nodes and links in several counties, respectively. The experimental study results show that the gate control strategy could achieve an effective evacuation operation and improve the performance of the evacuation by reducing average travel time in trip routes and conflicting traffic movements compared with a non‐gate situation where evacuation trips are conducted based on “shortest paths” without a gate control strategy.   KW - Case studies KW - Evacuation KW - Hurricanes KW - Mississippi Gulf Coast KW - Optimization KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic simulation KW - Travel costs KW - Travel time UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/reports/martrec_final_report_development.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370752 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575941 TI - Project 30 - CO₂ Standard AB - No summary provided. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants KW - Standards UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368950 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575939 TI - Project 25 - Aviation Noise Performance Research - Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Pollutants KW - Research UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368948 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575928 TI - Policy Development- HEPA/Environmental Analysis AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Environmental impact analysis KW - Particulates KW - Policy making UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368933 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575926 TI - Noise-Propagation AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Noise control UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368931 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575925 TI - Noise-Focusing Research AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Noise control UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368930 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575921 TI - Noise-Certification Advancement AB - No summary provided. KW - Certification KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Noise sources KW - Sound transmission UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368865 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575920 TI - Noise, Emissions, & Fuel Burn Inventories AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Inventory KW - Noise KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368864 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575919 TI - Noise Certification AB - No summary provided. KW - Certification KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise KW - Noise sources KW - Sound transmission UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368851 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575918 TI - Noise - Stage 3 Phase-out Study AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise control UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368847 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575917 TI - Noise - Ray Tracing Research Support AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental control KW - Environmental impacts UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368846 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575916 TI - Noise - Launch and Sonic Boom Analysis AB - No summary provided. KW - Analysis KW - Environmental impacts KW - Launching KW - Noise KW - Sonic boom UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368844 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575915 TI - Noise - Improve Helicopter Performance in Tools AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Helicopters KW - Performance KW - Tools UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368843 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575801 TI - NextGenEA/EIS Database Tracking AB - No summary provided. KW - Databases KW - Environmental impact statements KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Tracking systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368629 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575780 TI - NEPA/FAA 1050 Update AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental protection KW - National Environmental Policy Act UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368504 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575779 TI - National Ambient Map (NPS) AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Ambient noise KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368503 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575778 TI - NAS Fuel Efficiency Metric Analysis AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Fuel conservation KW - National Airspace System KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368502 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575777 TI - Global Market Based Measure (MBM) Emissions Allocation and Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification System AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental control KW - Environmental impacts KW - Monitoring KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368501 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575776 TI - GATBA AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368500 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575775 TI - Fuel Burn - Inventories and Time Series Analysis AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Aviation fuels KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Time series analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368499 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575773 TI - FAA EMS Development AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368498 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575772 TI - FAA 1050 Order Update AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Policy making KW - Regulations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368496 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575771 TI - Environment Assessment NSIP AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental control KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Infrastructure KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368495 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575774 TI - FAA EMS Support/Greening Initiatives AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368494 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575769 TI - EMS Communication, Data Management, & Stakeholder Collaboration/EMS Pilot Study AB - No summary provided. KW - Communications KW - Cooperation KW - Data management KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Pilot studies UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368491 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575768 TI - EMS Benefits, and Capabilities Analysis/GATBA AB - No summary provided. KW - Analysis KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368490 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575767 TI - EMS Annual Implementation/Sustainability Analysis and Coordination AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Coordination KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental Management Systems (EMS) KW - Implementation KW - Sustainable development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368489 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575766 TI - Emissions Primer Update AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368488 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575765 TI - Emissions Market Based Measure Analysis AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368487 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575764 TI - Emissions - CO₂ Standards AB - No summary provided. KW - Aircraft exhaust gases KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants KW - Standards UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368469 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575763 TI - Development of Distributed Approach to System to SLUQ AB - No summary provided. KW - Air traffic control KW - Aircraft operations KW - Airport operations KW - Approach KW - Civil aviation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368468 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575723 TI - CICERO - Analysis of Regional Impacts of Aviation AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Climate change KW - Environmental impacts KW - Regional analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368453 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575655 TI - Aviation Portfolio Management Tool - Enhancements to Economic Domestic/Regional NAS AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Domestic transportation KW - Economic development KW - Management KW - Regional airlines KW - Regional development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368311 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575652 TI - Alternative Fuels and Technology & NAS Assessment AB - No summary provided. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Energy conservation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368306 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575648 TI - AFTOT Development AB - No summary provided. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Optimization UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368291 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575646 TI - AEDT Update to Top 20 Airport Flight Decks AB - No summary provided. KW - Airport operations KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Flight decks UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368289 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575645 TI - AEDT Support to ASCENT AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Supporting KW - Technical assistance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368288 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575642 TI - AEDT Prototypes and Legacy Development/Inventories AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Inventory KW - Prototypes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368285 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575585 TI - AEDT Prototypes and Legacy Development/Carbon Dioxide AB - No summary provided. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Civil aviation KW - Development KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Prototypes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368218 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575584 TI - AEDT Prototypes and Legacy Development AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Development KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impact statements KW - Prototypes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368215 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575581 TI - AEDT Inventory/APMT-E Inventory - CAEP AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Environmental protection KW - Inventory KW - Program management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368210 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575580 TI - AEDT Integration AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Program management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368209 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575575 TI - AEDT Input Processor - Deck-build shadow analysis with AEDT Pre-Processor AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental Defense Fund KW - Environmental impacts UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368195 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575574 TI - AEDT Input Processor AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368192 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575573 TI - AEDT Emissions and Dispersion Modeling System AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368191 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575572 TI - AEDT 2B Guidance AB - No summary provided. KW - Environmental design KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368190 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575533 TI - AEDT 2B Development Guidance AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Environmental design KW - Guidance systems (Aircraft) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367940 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575532 TI - AEDT 2B Development -Enhancements to Cover Study of Local NAS AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Environmental design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367939 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575531 TI - AEDT 2B Development AB - No summary provided. KW - Development KW - Environmental design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367938 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612161 AU - Garvey, Philip AU - Klena, M Jennifer AU - Eie, Wei-Yin AU - Pietrucha, Martin T AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - United States Sign Council Foundation, Incorporated AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Development of On-premise Electronic Message Center (EMC) Lighting Levels and Measurement Techniques PY - 2015/09/01/Final Report SP - 57p AB - Research previously conducted by Penn State’s Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute (Larson Institute) for the United States Sign Council Foundation (USSCF) found no consensus on lighting measurement techniques or optimal lighting levels for on-premise electronic message centers (EMCs) in either the research literature or commercial EMC industry practices, nor were any national standards for EMC lighting levels identified. The objective of the present research was to begin addressing this situation by developing, through original test track human factors research that heretofore had not been performed, EMC lighting levels that optimize nighttime sign lighting from the perspective of a motorist on a roadway who is viewing the EMC, and to develop a standard light level testing procedure. KW - Electronic message signs KW - Illuminated commercial signs KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Lighting KW - Luminance KW - Night visibility KW - On-premises signs KW - Optimization KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2013-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424176 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575720 TI - Modeling of Interaction Between Steel and Concrete in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements AB - The performance of rigid pavements depends on the stresses and deflections imposed by repeated traffic and environmental loads. During the initial stages, cracks within continuously reinforced concrete pavements (CRCP) develop due to temperature and moisture variations. After the pavement is subjected to traffic, cracks develop due to wheel loads. Crack spacing together with poor support conditions have shown a strong correlation with a high frequency of punchout distress. A reliable prediction of pavement responses is essential in a mechanistic-empirical design procedure to evaluate the effect of environmental and traffic loads and to estimate the frequency of distresses. The structural model used for those predictions should (1) adequately describe the pavement structure; (2) account for discontinuities in the pavement structures (cracks and joints); (3) analyze multi-wheel loading with non-uniform tire print distribution; and (4) analyze environmental loading (such as temperature curling and moisture warping). The ultimate objective of the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP) researchers is to take advantage of the existing capabilities in NYSLAB and upgrade it to be able to address issues mentioned above. To accomplish this goal the work proposed here first seeks to analyze and develop numerical modeling tools that will allow us to better understand the interaction between the reinforcing steel and the concrete slab. KW - Continuously reinforced concrete pavements KW - Cracking of concrete pavements KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - NYSLAB (Computer program) KW - Pavement distress KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Traffic loads KW - Wheel loads UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/modeling-interaction-between-steel-and-concrete-continuously-reinforced-concrete-pavem UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368415 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575722 TI - Long-Term Monitoring of a Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Integrated Bridge System (GRS-IBS) AB - The proposed project will perform structural health monitoring of a constructed Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Integrated Bridge System (GRS-IBS) in Delaware (DE). The GRS-IBS structure that will be monitored was previously constructed as a replacement for an existing bridge (Br. 1-366) in New Castle County, DE, on Chesapeake City Road over Guthrie Run, which was nearing the end of its design life. The new GRS-IBS construction had the same general footprint area as the previous bridge, carrying two lanes of traffic. Many of the dimensions of the constructed GRS-IBS are a product of project geometric requirements. The maximum height of the GRS abutment is approximately 6 m from the bottom of the Reinforced Soil Foundation to the road pavement, the width of the abutment is 14.6 m, and the bridge clear span length between the GRS abutments is 8.7 m. The overall width of the bridge superstructure is 12.2 m, which includes 2 lanes and two shoulders. The total length of the bridge superstructure is 11.3 m, which includes the width of the beam seat area and facing elements from each abutment in addition to the clear span length. This bridge was built with a precast concrete superstructure, and its GRS abutments were constructed using locally available materials (No. 8 stone). The width of the beam seat bearing area on each abutment (1.3 m) was determined using the design procedure that is described in FHWA's Interim Implementation Guide for GRS-IBS technology. 1) The first objective of this project is to perform structural health monitoring of the aforementioned heavily-instrumented GRS-IBS structure for at least one year. This GRS-IBS contains over 100 sensors, including in-place inclinometers, piezometers, pressure cells, strain gauges, thermistors, volumetric water content sensors, and surveying points. Over the duration of this project, frequent data readings will be collected at the project site across all sensors simultaneously, using an automated datalogging system with a relatively high rate of data acquisition. 2) The second objective of this project is to analyze data from the sensors described in Objective 1 to develop an improved understanding of GRS-IBS behavior. To achieve this goal, the data collected in Step 1 will be downloaded, sorted, filtered, and analyzed at frequent intervals to assess the on-going performance of the GRS-IBS. A variety of statistical tools (i.e., large scale correlation analysis, multivariate regression, and perhaps Bayesian updating) will be used to develop and refine appropriate sensor corrections that can be used to account for ambient effects such as changes in the groundwater location or daily/seasonal fluctuations in temperature. 3) The third objective of this project is to couple conventional geotechnical and structural engineering design tools such as limit equilibrium analysis and finite element analysis with the recorded sensor data to improve the design process for GRS-IBS structures. In particular, once the performance data for the structure that is analyzed in Step 2 is well understood, it will be used to calibrate numerical models of in-service GRS-IBS behavior. From there, calibrated models of in-service behavior will be extrapolated to assess a variety of possible failure mechanisms that could be encountered during the life of a conventional GRS-IBS. These analyses will be used to refine and/or validate current GRS-IBS design methodologies, as appropriate. KW - Bridge design KW - Data analysis KW - Finite element method KW - Geosynthetics KW - Instrumentation KW - New Castle County (Delaware) KW - Roads KW - Structural health monitoring UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/long-term-monitoring-geosynthetic-reinforced-soil-integrated-bridge-system-grs-ibs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368406 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01569476 TI - Research Challenges Toward the Implementation of Smart Cities in the United States AB - The objective of this research is to identify technological issues and formulate a research agenda for a smart city research program. Given the research strength of the faculty members associated with Center for Transportation Infrastructure Systems (CTIS) at the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP), this project will focus on the areas of smart bridges, smart mobility and smart building, with a view of submitting a proposal to the Center for Advanced Infrastructure & Transportation's (CAIT's) University Transportation Center in the near future. Among the questions this research will try to answer are: (1) What are the definitions of smart bridges, smart mobility and smart building? (2) What data, sensors, communication, processing and analysis are necessary to make the bridges, highways and buildings smart? (3) What are challenges and the potential research that can facilitate the implementation of smart bridges, smart mobility and smart buildings, as parts of a smart city? KW - Bridges KW - Data collection KW - Implementation KW - Mobility KW - Small cities KW - Smart structures KW - Technological innovations KW - United States UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/research-challenges-toward-implementation-smart-cities-united-states UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360872 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556939 TI - Neural Correlates of Older Driver Performance AB - This collaborative project brings together researchers from the Departments of Neuroscience/Radiology, Kinesiology, Biostatistics, Computer Science, and Engineering. The current proposal will examine the biological basis of unsafe driving behavior and examine the accuracy of brain based measures in predicting unsafe versus safe driving behavior in older drivers. The innovative approach combines neurobiological and neuropsychological metrics together with performance in a full scale driving simulator. The study proposes that three groups of individuals (adult, older adult with no crashes, and older adult with crashes) participate in perceptual-cognitive-psychomotor tests, navigate through various traffic configurations in a full scale high fidelity driving simulator and undergo fMRI scans. Neuroimaging may enable us to develop or identify neuropsychological tests that are more specific and sensitive than the current tests for identifying unsafe older drivers. Laying the foundation towards this long-term goal, the current proposal will examine the biological basis of unsafe driving behavior and examine the accuracy of brain based measures in predicting unsafe versus safe driving behavior. KW - Aged drivers KW - Aging (Biology) KW - Behavior KW - Brain KW - Cognition KW - Driver performance KW - Driving simulators KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Psychometrics UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346266 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556937 TI - Driving Simulator Evaluation of Countermeasures to Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety AB - Existing countermeasures to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety will be evaluated using a full scale driving simulator. Scenario development processes developed by the research team will be used to create driving simulator scenarios that replicate geometric conditions of a site with implemented countermeasures. Furthermore, the scenario will be designed in such a way that subjects will need to react to guidance, warning, and regulatory signs as well as interact with vulnerable road users such as bicyclists and pedestrians. Driver behavior and response to countermeasures will be measured using various performance measures such as speed, navigation performance, lane position, steering characteristics, among others. Eye tracking equipment will be used to supplement the aforementioned performance measures and to better understand how the countermeasures can impact the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. KW - Behavior KW - Countermeasures KW - Driver performance KW - Driving simulators KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Performance measurement KW - Vulnerable road users UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346264 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01608529 AU - Gay, Kevin AU - Kniss, Valarie AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety Pilot Model Deployment: Lessons Learned and Recommendations for Future Connected Vehicle Activities PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 111p AB - The Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot was a research program that demonstrated the readiness of Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC)-based connected vehicle safety applications for nationwide deployment. The vision of the Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot Program was to test connected vehicle safety applications, based on vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications systems using DSRC technology, in real-world driving scenarios in order to determine their effectiveness at reducing crashes and to ensure that the devices were safe and did not unnecessarily distract motorists or cause unintended consequences. The Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot was part of a major scientific research program run jointly by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and its research and development partners in private industry. This research initiative was a multi-modal effort led by the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (ITS JPO) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with research support from several agencies, including Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). This one-year, real-world deployment was launched in August 2012 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The deployment utilized connected vehicle technology in over 2,800 vehicles and at 29 infrastructure sites at a total cost of over $50 million dollars in order to test the effectiveness of the connected vehicle crash avoidance systems. Overall, the Safety Pilot Program was a major success and has led the USDOT to initiate rulemaking that would propose to create a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) to require V2V communication capability for all light vehicles and to create minimum performance requirements for V2V devices and messages. Given the magnitude of this program and the positive outcomes generated, the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center conducted a study sponsored by the ITS JPO to gather observations and insights from the Safety Pilot Model Deployment. This report represents an analysis of activities across all stages of the Safety Pilot Model Deployment including scoping, acquisitions, planning, execution, and evaluation. The analysis aimed to identify specific accomplishments, effective activities and strategies, activities or areas needing additional effort, unintended outcomes, and any limitations and obstacles encountered throughout the Model Deployment. It also assessed the roles of organizations and the interactions among these organizations in the project. Findings were used to develop recommendations for use in future deployments of connected vehicle technology. Information for this analysis was gathered from a combination of over 70 participant interviews and a review of program documentation. It is anticipated that findings from this study will be valuable to future USDOT research programs and early adopters of connected vehicle technology. KW - Analysis KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Implementation KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Organizations KW - Pilot studies KW - Recommendations KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59361/FHWA-JPO-16-363.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1417890 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593925 AU - Khaykin, Vitaly AU - Jagasivamani, Vadivel AU - Hampton University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Acoustic Emission Safety Monitoring of Intermodal Transportation Infrastructure PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 24p AB - Safety and integrity of the national transportation infrastructure are of paramount importance and highway bridges are critical components of the highway system network. This network provides an immense contribution to the industry productivity and economic competitiveness. The infrastructure maintenance efforts must ensure a safe, timely, and reliable means of determining possible structural failures without undue disruptions to the traffic flow. As part of the National Center for Intermodal Transportation and Economic Competitiveness, with the assistance of the Virginia Department of Transportation, the application of the acoustic emission non-destructive testing methods is investigated for detecting and assessing structural conditions of the steel girder highway bridges. Acoustic emission can be used to identify suspected areas of the structure and helps to evaluate whether any further testing and analysis is warranted. A candidate bridge site, the interstate I-664 bridge crossing in Newport News, VA, was selected for this research. KW - Acoustic emission KW - Girder bridges KW - Infrastructure KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Newport News (Virginia) KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Steel bridges KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-03FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400759 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593918 AU - Hu, Mengqi AU - Wu, Yao-Jan AU - Chen, Yang AU - Yang, Shu AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - University of Arizona, Tucson AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Real-Time Online Decision Support System for Intermodal Passenger Travel PY - 2015/09 SP - 41p AB - The transportation system in the United States is disjointed and inefficient as a result of the different transportation modes in use and their respective industries which have developed independently. In addition, public transportation is not well used in passenger trips compared to other developed countries. For example, public transportation accounts for 20% of passenger trips in large U.S. cities compared to 50% in Europe. Also, development of the passenger intermodal transportation system has lagged behind development of the freight transportation system. To improve utilization of intermodal transit and efficiency in the U.S, the authors developed an intelligent decision support system for passenger travel decisions using real-time general transit feed specifications (GTFS) data. In this system, an automatic data collection strategy was created to collect GTFS and flight data across different platforms, and an “all-in-one” database was designed to store the data. The database was used to: 1) construct intermodal transit networks using a “node-link” scheme, and 2) estimate travel time and travel time reliability for links and transit routes. Using this real-time data, a data-driven travel decision model was developed to determine the best route based on passenger preferences. Several chance constraints were added in the decision model to guarantee the reliability of the travel route under uncertainties. Additionally, a user-friendly interface was developed in Python to allow travelers to plan their trips, and a geographic information system (GIS), Google Earth, was employed to allow users to visualize the optimized route options. The proposed system was validated using real-time GTFS data collected in Tucson, Arizona, and Boston, Massachusetts. This validation demonstrated that the system can determine optimal travel routes for passengers. In addition, three sets of sensitivity analysis experiments were developed to investigate three model considerations: 1) the effect of chance constraints on path choice, 2) the effect of confidence levels on path choice, and 3) the difference between weekend and weekday travel planning. The results suggested that the optimal anticipated travel time increases with an increasing on-time arrival confidence level, and walking is preferred by passengers instead of transferring buses during peak hours. As an example, approximately 30% additional time serves as a reference for allocating travel buffer time to ensure a higher on-time arrival confidence level for transit trips to the Tucson International Airport. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Boston (Massachusetts) KW - Consumer preferences KW - Decision support systems KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Passenger transportation KW - Public transit KW - Real time information KW - Route choice KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Travel time KW - Tucson (Arizona) KW - United States UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-13FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400762 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593733 AU - Washburn, Scott AU - Frey, H Christopher AU - Rouphail, Nagui AU - Hulsberg, Jack AU - Watson, Donald AU - Hu, Jiangchuan AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - North Carolina State University, Raleigh AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Emissions Modeling and Implementation into CORSIM PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 156p AB - The objective of this project was to develop a micro-scale model for the energy use and emissions of light duty gasoline vehicles, based on in-use measurements, and incorporate the resulting fuel and emissions model into the CORSIM traffic simulation program. Portable Emission Measurement Systems (PEMS) were used to measure the exhaust emissions of 10 passenger cars and 5 passenger trucks during driving on routes in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina region, supplemented with data collected in Asheville, NC and Gainesville, Florida. Fuel use and emissions during cold starts were also measured using PEMS. The PEMS data were used to quantify fuel use and emission rates for 14 Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) modes. VSP is an indicator of engine power demand based on speed, acceleration, and road grade. Cold start increments for fuel use and emissions were quantified. The VSP-based approach was implemented into CORSIM. To demonstrate a method for evaluating emissions estimates from the revised CORSIM, a pilot study was conducted for the I-4 corridor near Orlando. VSP modal emission rates for a test vehicle were used to calibrate CORSIM, and CORSIM was used to predict the emissions for the same road segments traveled by the vehicle. The project successfully demonstrated that real-world vehicle emissions data can be incorporated into a traffic simulation model, and that the revised model can predict trends in vehicle emissions consistent with real-world data. KW - Calibration KW - Cold starts (Driving) KW - CORSIM (Traffic simulation model) KW - Florida KW - Fuel consumption KW - Light duty vehicles KW - North Carolina KW - Pilot studies KW - Pollutants KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_Emissions_Final_Report_2012-014S.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400027 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592045 AU - Feeley, Cecilia AU - Deka, Devajyoti AU - Lubin, Andrea AU - McGackin, Melanie AU - Rutgers University, New Brunswick AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Detour to the Right Place: A Study with Recommendations for Addressing the Transportation Needs and Barriers of Adults on the Autism Spectrum in New Jersey PY - 2015/09//Technical Report SP - 56p AB - Although advances have been made in many fields related to quality of life improvements for persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), efforts have been more limited in the realm of transportation planning and policy. Most organizations involved in transportation planning and policy collect travel data for broad population groups—such as persons with disabilities—instead of specific population groups like persons with ASD. As a result, very little is known about the travel patterns, needs, and barriers of persons with ASD. The primary focus of the research described herein was to gain insights about the transportation barriers experienced by the New Jersey adult ASD population. This research study included four broad components: (a) a review of pertinent literature; (b) interviews with 25 key stakeholders; (c) a survey of 703 adults with ASD and/or their family members regarding transportation barriers; and (d) six focus groups – four with adults with ASD, and two with parents/guardians of this population. KW - Autism KW - Families KW - Focus groups KW - Literature reviews KW - Needs assessment KW - New Jersey KW - Parents KW - Persons with disabilities KW - Recommendations KW - Stakeholders KW - Surveys KW - Travel patterns UR - http://cait.rutgers.edu/system/files/u18/y_Technical_Report_singlepage_for_web_102215.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398235 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01591997 AU - Likos, William J AU - Clark, Gene R AU - Knight, David L AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Strategy for Beneficial use of Dredged Materials in Great Lakes Commercial Ports PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 45p AB - This report describes efforts to facilitate beneficial use of dredged materials (DM) from Great Lakes ports and harbors as an alternative construction material in transportation-related earthwork applications. Activities described here constitute Phase II of a Phase I effort previously described in National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) Final Report 07-06 “Beneficial Use of Dredged Materials in Great Lakes Commercial Ports for Transportation Projects.” The overall objective is to link together the following components: 1) identify applications for use of DM in transportation-related projects, 2) summarize required geotechnical properties in specific transportation applications, 3) identify available geotechnical test methods to determine those properties, 4) identify specific values of required geotechnical material properties for specific uses, and 5) identify locations within the Great Lakes region where dredged materials meeting these specifications may be sourced. This report summarizes results from a suite of laboratory tests designed to characterize dredged materials obtained from select confined disposal facilities (CDF) in Wisconsin, efforts to enhance web-based tools for dredged material management, and efforts to disseminate this information to a targeted audience of stakeholders in the region. The index and engineering properties of raw dredged material (RDM) and RDM stabilized with self-cementing Class C fly ash (FA) were evaluated systematically. RDM samples were obtained by near-surface grab sampling of material placed in a confined disposal facility located at the south end of Milwaukee (MKE) Harbor in Wisconsin. RDM was blended with 10%, 20%, and 30% FA and cured for 2 hours, 7 days, and 28 days. Results showed that blending RDM with FA reduced the plasticity and improved its engineering properties. Increasing FA content increased the maximum dry unit weight and reduced the optimum water content of the stabilized dredged material (SDM). For any curing time, the undrained shear strength of SDM increased linearly with increasing FA content. The improvement in strength increased significantly as the curing time increased. Freeze-thaw cycles only slightly reduced the strength of the SDM specimens (by 4% on average), indicating that SDMs are durable to freeze-thaw processes likely encountered in field beneficial use applications. California bearing ratio (CBR) values for SDM cured beyond seven days varied between 10-20, and were comparable to those of compacted silty sand or sand. Results from CBR testing indicate that the SDM rates as “fair” to “good” for subgrade construction applications. The resilient modulus values for all SDMs increased significantly with increasing FA content. Resilient modulus values for SDM specimens after seven days of curing varied between 35-83 MPa. These values are comparable to those of gravel and crushed stone, and places the SDM in “good” to “excellent” rating categories for subgrade applications. Results of this study indicate that dredged materials stabilized with Class C fly ash show mechanical characteristics viable for beneficial use as subgrade or embankment fill. KW - California bearing ratio KW - Dredged materials KW - Fly ash KW - Freeze thaw tests KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Great Lakes Region KW - Modulus of resilience KW - Properties of materials KW - Shear strength KW - Test procedures KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE-09-12-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398495 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587674 AU - Wojtowicz, Jeffrey AU - Wallace, William (Al) AU - Ban, Jeff AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Role of Social Media in Improving the Safety and Efficiency of Traffic Operations during Non-Routine Events such as Incidents and Planned Special Events PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 123p AB - Social media has become an integral part of modern communication. There is however no clear consensus among transportation managers on how social media could or should be used to collect or disseminate actionable information. To provide guidance on the potential use of social media in transportation, a better understanding is needed of the message content as well as the path taken from the sender to the potential user of actionable information during crises and other non-routine events in the transportation system. This report assesses how social media is used to support traffic management operations during planned special events such as concerts and sporting events, and unplanned disruptive events, such as accidents and weather events. This report also examines best practices for traffic operations among various agencies, and presents practices used to disseminate real-time, actionable information to motorists in a useful and engaging format via social media. KW - Best practices KW - Highway operations KW - Information dissemination KW - Real time information KW - Social media KW - Special events KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic incidents KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-The-Role-Of-Social-Media-In-Traffic-Operations_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394937 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587643 AU - Noland, Robert B AU - Adediji, Yemi AU - Rutgers University, New Brunswick AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Omitted Variable Bias in Crash Reduction Factors PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 34p AB - Transportation planners and traffic engineers are increasingly turning to crash reduction factors to evaluate changes in road geometric and design features in order to reduce crashes. Crash reduction factors are typically estimated based on segmenting a highway and associating crashes with geometric features; this allows statistical methods to be applied to the data. Concurrently there is a stream of research that relies on spatial units of analysis to examine crashes; these typically use broad features of the road network combined with socio-economic and demographic factors that are associated with crashes. In this paper, the authors examine whether omission of these spatial factors in a link-based geometric model results in omitted variable bias. The results suggest that there is no change in coefficient signs, but that there is a reduction in the magnitude of estimates. The sign of spatial variables, however, is quite different when combined into a link-based model. The authors also find substantial variability in coefficient estimates, and discuss the implications of these results for the use of crash reduction factors. KW - Bias (Statistics) KW - Crash data KW - Geometric design KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Omitted-Variable-Bias.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394943 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583642 AU - Lennertz, Tracy AU - Cardosi, Kim AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Flightcrew Procedures for Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 29p AB - It is imperative that flightcrew procedures be developed and implemented to capitalize on the strengths of Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) while minimizing the possibility of error. This paper presents a sample of air carrier Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the processing of air traffic control (ATC) instructions transmitted via CPDLC. With CPDLC, it is recommended both crewmembers silently and independently read each CPDLC clearance, and confer before maneuvering the aircraft based on that clearance. This procedure allows the same independent interpretation that voice affords. A review of SOPs across seven carriers found that only one carrier instructed their flightcrews to follow this “silent read” procedure. Two carriers suggested that the message should be read out loud on the flight deck; four carriers did not specify a procedure. The methods for training on CPDLC procedures and specific topics covered also varied by air carrier. Based on the review of these materials “best practice” recommendations are provided. KW - Air pilots KW - Air traffic control KW - Airlines KW - Data communications KW - Human information processing KW - Messages (Communications) KW - Recommendations KW - State of the practice KW - Training UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56660/DOTVNTSCFAA1512.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377562 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583617 AU - Darrow, Margaret M AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Monitoring and Analysis of Frozen Debris Lobes, Phase IB PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 16p AB - Frozen debris lobes (FDLs) are slow-moving landslides in permafrost, many of which are present within the Dalton Highway corridor in the Brooks Range of Alaska. During this phase of the research, the authors continued their investigations of FDL-A (the closest to the Dalton Highway), and extended the research to include monitoring of seven additional FDLs. The investigated FDLs move at a variety of rates from less than a meter per year to 20 m per year. All of the FDLs investigated during this phase of research have characteristics of increasing instability. As analysis of subsurface data from FDL-A indicates, the movement of FDLs is temperature-dependent, which suggests the need for ongoing monitoring as temperature and precipitation in the area change in the future. Many FDLs are located uphill of important infrastructure within the State of Alaska. Changes within these permafrost features may yield insight into how frozen slopes throughout the State respond to changing climate. The authors recommend continued annual measurements of the surfaces of the eight investigated FDLs, additional drilling and geophysical surveys of FDL-A for better subsurface characterization, and development of a slope stability model that incorporates temperature effects. KW - Alaska KW - Dalton Highway KW - Debris flows KW - Geological surveying KW - Permafrost KW - Recommendations KW - Slope stability KW - Temperature UR - http://tundra.ine.uaf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Darrow_FDL_Ph1B_2015.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56702/Darrow_FDL_Ph1B_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376932 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583540 AU - Schaefer, Ron AU - Newton, Diane AU - Cassady, Jim AU - Black, Chuckerin AU - Roth, Robert AU - Stock, Dan AU - Leidos AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - Smart Roadside Initiative – Final Report PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 88p AB - This is the Final Report for the Smart Roadside Initiative (SRI) prototype system deployment project. The SRI prototype was implemented at weigh stations in Grass Lake, Michigan and West Friendship, Maryland. The prototype was developed to integrate with existing technologies already available at the weigh stations to provide one common system user interface for law enforcement officers to use. The Final Report summarizes what was deployed at each weigh station, in the commercial vehicle via a smartphone, and the ability to view the SRI user interface at any location using a smartphone. The report provides the results of the unit and acceptance testing and the lessons learned for future deployments. KW - Automated highways KW - Commercial drivers KW - Data sharing KW - Grass Lake (Michigan) KW - Implementation KW - Law enforcement KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Prototypes KW - Stakeholders KW - User interfaces (Computer science) KW - Weigh stations KW - West Friendship (Maryland) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56201/FHWA-JPO-16-258.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1377219 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01583531 AU - Lewis, Kristin C AU - Baker, Gary M AU - Pearlson, Matthew N AU - Gillham, Olivia AU - Smith, Scott AU - Costa, Stephen AU - Herzig, Peter AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Alternative Fuel Transportation Optimization Tool: Description, Methodology, and Demonstration Scenarios PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 96p AB - This report describes an Alternative Fuel Transportation Optimization Tool (AFTOT), developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) in support of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The purpose of AFTOT is to help FAA better understand the transportation needs and constraints associated with biofuel feedstock collection, processing, and fuel distribution, specifically alternative jet fuel produced from feedstocks. AFTOT uses scenarios describing potentially available feedstock production and existing transportation infrastructure to generate: locations of potentially supportable biorefineries; optimal transportation routes for moving biofuels from the point of feedstock production/pre-processing to refinement and then to fuel aggregation and storage; allocation of feedstock and fuels among biorefineries and destinations based on demand and efficient transport patterns; and transportation costs, carbon dioxide emissions, fuel burn, and vehicle trips and miles traveled as a result of the transportation of feedstock and fuels. This report describes how AFTOT was developed and the functionality of the tool; it also demonstrates the tool’s capability through the analysis of six scenarios. KW - Aircraft fuels KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biomass fuels KW - Biorefineries KW - Costs KW - Fuel processing KW - Methodology KW - Optimization KW - Pollutants KW - Routes KW - Transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56200/Alt_Fuel_Trn_Optimization_Tool.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1376122 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582428 AU - Pradhan, Anuj K AU - Buckley, Lisa AU - Hu, Xiao-Su (Frank) AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Risk-Taking Behaviors and Prefrontal Cortex Activity of Male Adolescents in the Presence of Peer Passengers during Simulated Driving: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Study PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 36p AB - Crash statistics show that adolescent drivers are more likely to be involved in motor-vehicle crashes than adults and that the presence of peer passengers pose an additional risk factor for crashes. Experimental and observational studies show that risky driving behaviors of male teenagers increase in the presence of male peer passengers. There could be several mechanisms of the influence of peer passengers on teen drivers, however it is evident that the male teenage driver with a male peer passenger makes riskier decisions than when driving alone, when driving with an adult, or when compared with an adult driver. It has been posited that the developing teenage brain’s activity is different from that of adults during decision making, especially in regions associated with impulse control, response inhibition, and risk taking. In order to study risk-taking behavior in simulated driving by male teenagers in the presence of male peer passengers, the authors leveraged an innovative experimental approach to investigate the brain activity of male teenage and adult drivers while driving alone and in the presence of peer passengers. This study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology, a noninvasive optical brain-imaging method that allows in vivo measurements of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in cortical tissue, to study regions in the prefrontal cortex of drivers performing an ecologically valid driving-simulation task. Driving-related risk-taking behaviors were simultaneously measured. In addition, participants undertook a well-validated computerized measure of risk taking (Balloon Analogue Risk Task) as an additional assessment of risk-taking behavior. The results indicate that for certain risky-driving scenarios, adult participants showed increased activation in regions of the left and right medial prefrontal cortex when driving with a passenger as compared with driving alone, whereas these activations were not evident in teenaged drivers in similar situations. KW - Adolescents KW - Adults KW - Behavior KW - Brain KW - Driving simulators KW - Infrared spectroscopy KW - Males KW - Passengers KW - Risk taking KW - Teenage drivers KW - Vehicle occupants UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ATLAS-Final-Research-Excellence-Report-Pradhan-Buckley.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375961 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01582423 AU - Tan, Yaoyan Vincent AU - Elliott, Michael AU - Flannagan, Carol AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Statistical Method for Predicting Human Driver Decisions PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 17p AB - As autonomous vehicles enter the fleet, there will be a long period when these vehicles will have to interact with human drivers. One of the challenges for autonomous vehicles is that human drivers do not communicate their decisions well. However, the kinematic behavior of a human-driven vehicle may be a good predictor of driver intent within a short time frame. The authors analyzed the kinematic time-series data (e.g., speed) for a set of drivers making left turns at intersections to predict whether the driver would stop before executing the turn or not. The authors used principal components analysis (PCA) to generate independent dimensions that explain the variation in vehicle speed before a turn. These dimensions remained relatively consistent throughout the maneuver, allowing the authors to compute independent scores on these dimensions for different time windows throughout the approach to the intersection. The authors then linked these PCA scores to whether a driver would stop before executing a left turn using the Bayesian additive regression trees (BART). The model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of more than 0.90 by -25m away from the center of an intersection. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Decision making KW - Drivers KW - Intersections KW - Kinematics KW - Left turns KW - Mathematical prediction UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/ATLAS-2015-06-Final-Research-Analysis-Report-Flannagan.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56668/ATLAS-2015-06_-_Final_Research_Analysis_Report_-_Flannagan.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375963 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580248 AU - Cybulski, Jon AU - Lewis, Kristin AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Rasmussen, Ben AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Climate Change Adaptation Support for Transportation Practitioners: 2013 Volpe Center Innovation Challenge Project PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 37p AB - The nature of the U.S. transportation system requires that actions to adapt to climate change impacts occur primarily at the State and local levels. Federal agencies support State, regional, and local agencies and they work hard to provide frameworks, data, tools, and research and to fund pilot projects as well. Experience has shown that advanced planning to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to the impacts of climate change has the potential to save money and prevent economic disruptions. However, even proactive State and local governments that have begun evaluating climate- and extreme weather-related risks to their resources have not yet fully integrated consideration of changing conditions into existing planning and operational practices, and others are in the early stages of identifying the climate risks and vulnerabilities they face. In December 2013, the Volpe Center’s Innovation Challenge judges selected as the winning idea a project focused on helping transportation practitioners at all levels better understand, access, and use Federal climate change adaptation resources. This report summarizes the project and presents the resulting “Expert System” concept. KW - Case studies KW - Climate change KW - Expert systems KW - Information dissemination KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation departments KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56192/IC2013_Adaptation_Support_Practitioners.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373062 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580236 AU - Boeker, Eric AU - Cumper, Jordan AU - Rapoza, Amanda AU - Cutler, Chris AU - Schulz, Noah AU - Rosenbaum, Joyce AU - Samiljan, Robert AU - Roof, Christopher AU - Shepherd, Kevin AU - Klos, Jacob AU - He, Hua AU - Harper, Brandon AU - Nwokeji, Pamela AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - DISCOVER-AQ Acoustics: Measurement and Data Report PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 276p AB - This report documents the acoustic measurements that supplemented the September 2013 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality (DISCOVER-AQ) flight tests in Houston, Texas and the corresponding data set developed from those measurements. These data include aircraft performance and position, meteorological and acoustic data of various aircraft events flown by two test aircraft at a range of altitudes. These data are supplemented by aircraft source data, measurement site location data, observations, and onboard acoustic data. The intended use of this data set is to validate the accuracy of aircraft acoustic modeling methods. KW - Acoustics KW - Aircraft KW - Aircraft noise KW - Data collection KW - Flight tests KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Meteorology KW - U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration KW - Vehicle performance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55700/55707/DISCOVER-AQ-noise-meas-report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373065 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580068 AU - McInnis, Catherine AU - Morton, Tom AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Breakthroughs in Vision and Visibility for Highway Safety: Workshop Summary Report, August 13-14, 2014 PY - 2015/09 SP - 40p AB - On August 13–14, 2014, at the Turner–Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia, the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Office of Safety Research and Development and the Office of Safety, with support from the Exploratory Advanced Research Program, convened a 2-day workshop, “Breakthroughs in Vision and Visibility for Highway Safety.” Investigators have previously conducted research in a variety of areas surrounding visibility issues, including efforts exploring retroreflectivity and pavement-marking signs, and legibility of fonts; however, much of this work has been tapering off. The objective of this workshop was to identify gaps in highway visibility research, explore innovative tools and techniques to fill those gaps, and determine the role for FHWA. KW - Highway safety KW - Research KW - Retroreflectivity KW - Road markings KW - Street lighting KW - Technological innovations KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Vehicle lighting KW - Visibility KW - Workshops UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/15067/15067.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372771 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579624 AU - Georggi, Nevine Labib AU - Jarrell, Casey AU - Goodwill, Jay AU - Volinski, Joel AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged TI - Technology Application among Florida Community Transportation Coordinators PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 111p AB - Efficiently providing transit service to individuals who are considered to be, “transportation disadvantaged,” including people who are older, have disabilities, or are low-income, is a goal of the Federal Transit Administration, the Florida Department of Transportation, and the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged. As demand for paratransit services continues to increase in many communities, transit agencies must find innovative, creative, and cost-efficient ways to meet increasing demand, even when resources are not increasing at the same pace. This report will help agencies apply effective practices that have been successful in solving challenges with the application of new innovative technologies that are available to the industry. An online survey of paratransit providers in Florida and visits to seven sites were conducted to gather case examples and lessons learned from the deployment of reservation, scheduling, and dispatching software; mobile data computers or terminals; global positioning systems; automatic vehicle location; advanced telephone systems; and vehicle security cameras. Practical lessons learned can inform agencies seeking to deploy similar technologies in the areas of vendor selection, system selection, and transitioning. The study recommends a follow-up survey because a majority of agencies deployed these technologies only a few months prior to the survey and interviews, rendering assessment of the return on investment premature. KW - Automatic vehicle location KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Dispatching KW - Florida KW - Global Positioning System KW - Mobile computing KW - Paratransit services KW - Scheduling KW - Surveys KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_TD/FDOT-BDV26-977-06-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371876 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579266 AU - Shah, Vivek AU - Heiligman, Rachel AU - Miller, Alexandra AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Ride New Orleans TI - Achieving Regional Fare Integration in New Orleans: Innovative Cost Sharing Arrangements and Technologies PY - 2015/09 SP - 40p AB - Many regions across the country have more than one transit agency providing vital public transportation services. While a transit agency may see their role limited by a jurisdictional boundary, transit riders’ commutes know no such political boundaries. For those riders whose commutes are reliant on one or more transit agencies, a fractured fare system among the various transit agencies they ride means higher user costs. This study will examine the history of regional fare integration in the New Orleans metropolitan region, and the challenges and successes of varying approaches taken by transit agencies in various metropolitan regions, to reveal options for achieving regional fare integration in New Orleans today. KW - Cost sharing KW - Fares KW - Metropolitan areas KW - New Orleans (Louisiana) KW - Public transit KW - Technological innovations KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00117-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00117-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371741 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579209 AU - Clifton, Kelly J AU - Singleton, Patrick A AU - Muhs, Christopher D AU - Schneider, Robert J AU - Portland State University AU - National Institute for Transportation and Communities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a Pedestrian Demand Estimation Tool PY - 2015/09//Final Report SP - 35p AB - Most research on walking behavior has focused on mode choice or walk-trip frequency. In contrast, this study is one of the first to analyze the destination choice behaviors of pedestrians. Using about 4,500 walk trips from a 2011 household travel survey in the Portland, Oregon, region, the authors estimated multinomial logit pedestrian destination choice models for six trip purposes. Independent variables included terms for impedance (walk-trip distance); size (employment by type, households); supportive pedestrian environments (parks, a pedestrian index of the environment variable called PIE); barriers to walking (terrain, industrial-type employment); and traveler characteristics. Unique to this study was the use of small-scale destination zone alternatives. Distance was a significant deterrent to pedestrian destination choice, and people in carless or childless households were less sensitive to distance for some purposes. Employment (especially retail) was a strong attractor: doubling the number of jobs nearly doubled the odds of choosing a destination for home-based shopping walk trips. More attractive pedestrian environments were also positively associated with pedestrian destination choice after controlling for other factors. These results shed light on determinants of pedestrian destination choice behavior, and sensitivities in the models highlight potential policy-levers to increase walking activity. In addition, the destination choice models can be used in regional travel demand models or as pedestrian planning tools to evaluate land use and transportation policy and investment scenarios. KW - Behavior KW - Choice models KW - Households KW - Multinomial logits KW - Pedestrians KW - Portland (Oregon) KW - Travel demand KW - Travel surveys KW - Trip purpose KW - Walking distance UR - http://ppms.otrec.us/media/project_files/NITC-RR-677_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372285 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579173 AU - Tolford, Tara AU - Fields, Billy AU - Longoria, Tom AU - University of New Orleans Transportation Institute AU - Texas State University, San Marcos AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Complete Streets Policy Implementation by Metropolitan Planning Organizations PY - 2015/09 SP - 59p AB - Over the last ten years, communities around the country have begun to implement comprehensive reforms designed to ensure that roadway users of all ages and abilities can safely utilize the transportation system. This complete streets policy framework has emerged as an important tool for communities to improve opportunities for active living with over 500 policies adopted nationwide. Complete streets policy diffusion has been rapid, but uneven, and the extent to which policy adoption is making a difference in the implementation of projects at the local and regional level is unclear. This research project seeks to address this need through a national survey of the 385 metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) around the country, evaluating the extent to which complete streets policies are being adopted and implemented at the MPO level, what opportunities and barriers to complete streets exist, and implications for future policy diffusion and innovation efforts. KW - Complete streets KW - Evaluation KW - Implementation KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Policy KW - Surveys KW - United States UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00119-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00119-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371742 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01577099 AU - Coffman, Makena AU - Bernstein, Paul AU - Wee, Sherilyn AU - University of Hawaii, Manoa AU - University of Central Florida, Cocoa AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Electric Vehicle Lifecycle Cost Assessment for Hawaii PY - 2015/09 SP - 23p AB - This study builds on the model presented by Raustad and Fairey (2014) for “Electric Vehicle Life Cycle Cost Assessment” and tailors findings for the case of Hawaii. Raustad and Fairey (2014) developed an excel spreadsheet model calculating total lifetime ownership costs for vehicles, which includes purchase/finance, insurance, maintenance, and fuel costs as well as resale value. The time frames considered are 5, 10 and 15 years of ownership. It also has a module to assess the impact of vehicle owners having access to residential solar photovoltaic (PV) power to reduce electric vehicle (EV) ownership costs. In this work, extensions are made to assess decisions regarding vehicle leasing as well as to analyze Hawaii’s largest utility’s pilot and proposed “time-of-use” (TOU) rates for households with EVs. KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Hawaii KW - Life cycle costing UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/HNEI-07-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370357 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599319 AU - Leigh, Jason AU - Govilkar, Vaibhav AU - Nishimoto, Arthur AU - Lee, Sangyoon AU - Long, Lance AU - Renambot, Luc AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Immersive Visualization of Rail Simulation Data PY - 2015/08/31/Final Report SP - 11p AB - The prime objective of this project was to create scientific, immersive visualizations of a Rail-simulation. This project is a part of a larger initiative that consists of three distinct parts. The first step consists of performing a finite element analysis to determine modal stiffness values and mode shapes of a particular railway track and substructure geometry. The second step involves running a simulation using this information to analyze the effects of a locomotive passive over this sub-structure. The third step involves creating an 'Immersive Visualization of the Rail Simulation Data' using the CAVE2], the central scope of this project. KW - Finite element method KW - Information processing KW - Railroad tracks KW - Railroad trains KW - Simulation KW - Substructures KW - Visualization UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R04_report%281%29-Andy.compatibility_craig_edit1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59266/NURail2012-UIC-R04_report_1_-Andy.compatibility_craig_edit1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405071 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593715 AU - Sharifi, Mohammad Sadra AU - Christensen, Keith AU - Chen, Anthony AU - Utah State University AU - Transportation Research Center for Livable Communities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Capacity analysis of pedestrian facilities involving individuals with disabilities PY - 2015/08/31/Final Report SP - 72p AB - Walking facilities are important infrastructures that must be designed to accommodate the behavior of pedestrians in order to be effective. Heterogeneity in pedestrian composition is one important factor generally overlooked in walking facility design guidelines. Particularly, individuals with disabilities are often ignored due to lack of available data on their pedestrian behaviors. A controlled, large-scaled walking experiment involving individuals with disabilities was conducted at Utah State University to observe individual pedestrian behaviors in various walking facilities; these facilities include passageway and bottleneck formations. The purpose of this report is twofold: (1) to model time headway between different individual types using a mixed distribution model, and (2) to estimate passageway and bottleneck capacities and to identify the impacts of involving individuals with disabilities on capacity estimations. Results showed that the proposed model had good performance for pedestrian time headway modeling. Analysis also revealed that visual impaired individuals and individuals using motorized wheelchairs had the minimum and maximum capacity reduction effect on passageways and bottlenecks. The findings are expected to improve the facility capacity estimations required and to meet a preferred level-of-service for heterogeneous populations. KW - Behavior KW - Bottlenecks KW - Design capacity KW - Headways KW - Heterogeneity KW - Level of service KW - Passageways KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Persons with disabilities KW - Visually impaired persons KW - Walking KW - Wheelchairs UR - http://www.wmich.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/u428/2015/TRCLC_RR_14_12.pdf UR - https://www.wmich.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/u428/2015/TRCLC_RR_14_12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1399155 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579635 AU - Hurvitz, Philip M AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - University of Washington, Seattle TI - Smartphone-Based System for Automated Detection of Walking – year 2 (2013- 14) PY - 2015/08/31/Final Project Report SP - 46p AB - Walking is the most effective mode of travel to access transit: transit hubs with higher residential and employment densities have higher ridership levels because they serve areas where a large population is within a short walk of transit service. Walking has additional benefits: it is well-known as a low impact mode of travel for short trips to and from, as well as within, commercial areas; and it is the most popular form of physical activity. However, current data on walking are notoriously poor. Travel surveys and diaries underestimate walking activity and lack information on walking paths taken, thereby undermining transportation policies that can encourage sustainable travel. Objective data on how often, how long and where people walk are essential to support environmentally friendly and safe transportation systems. KW - Data collection KW - Detection and identification technologies KW - Smartphones KW - Walking UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-51-UW-Hurvitz3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372575 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579632 AU - Hurwitz, David S AU - Olsen, Michael AU - Neill, Justin AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Travel Oregon TI - Alternative Information Signs: An Evaluation of Driver Comprehension and Visual Attention PY - 2015/08/31 SP - 84p AB - The effectiveness of a traffic sign is collectively influenced by the sign’s understandability, legibility distance, glance legibility, and learnability; however, understandability has been repeatedly identified as a one of the most important measures of effectiveness. This study contributes to best practices for evaluating traffic sign understandability by using a variety of online survey questions and driving simulation tasks to assess the understandability of alternative Tourist Information signs in Oregon. To achieve this goal, the understandability of five alternative Tourist Information signs were first tested in an online survey with 142 participants, resulting in the identification of the four best-performing alternatives. The understandability of these alternatives was then tested in the Oregon State University (OSU) Driving Simulator with 42 participants. The “INFO” Sign was found to be correctly understood by 95.7% of the driving simulator subjects. The two “i” Sign alternatives had the second and third highest comprehension rates for driving simulator subjects with 72.8% for signs without a circular border and 75.4% for signs with a circular border. There was a statistical difference, at the 95% level, between the comprehension results of the online survey and the driving simulator test of the “?” Sign. However, it is likely that comprehension rates for the “i" Sign will continue to increase in the future due to its prolific usage in a wide variety of contexts. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Best practices KW - Comprehension KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Evaluation KW - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices KW - Oregon KW - Surveys KW - Symbols KW - Traffic signs UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-29-OSU-Hurwitz-et-al1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372570 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579626 AU - Cunningham, Keith W AU - Olsen, Michael AU - Wartman, Joseph AU - Dunham, Lisa AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities TI - A Platform for Proactive Risk-Based Slope Asset Management – Phase II PY - 2015/08/31/Final Project Report SP - 74p AB - The lidar (light detection and ranging) visualization technique developed by this project enables highway managers to understand changes in slope characteristics along highways. This change detection and analysis can be the basis of informed decisions for slope inspection and remediation. Mitigating unstable slopes and their associated hazards reduce threats to safety and regional commerce while better allocating resources. KW - Asset management KW - Highway safety KW - Laser radar KW - Risk analysis KW - Slope stability KW - Slopes UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-42-UAF-Cunningham.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372574 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579625 AU - Liu, Jenny AU - McHattie, Robert AU - Zhang, Xiong AU - Netardus, John AU - University of Alaska, Fairbanks AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities TI - Evaluation of Precut Transverse Cracks for an Asphalt Concrete Pavement in Interior Alaska (Moose Creek –Richardson Highway) PY - 2015/08/31/Final Project Report SP - 75p AB - Road-width thermal cracks (major transverse cracks) are perhaps the most noticeable form of crack-related damage on asphalt concrete (AC) pavements throughout colder areas of Alaska. The main objective of this study is to recommend design strategies and construction practices aimed at controlling thermal cracking in AC pavements. In this report, literature review summarizes selected items of the engineering literature directly relevant to precutting of pavement-type structures and control of thermal cracking in general. Crack surveys and data collection were conducted at the test sections in an Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (AKDOT&PF) resurfacing project to compare various precut strategies (variations of cut spacing and depth), with the locations of natural major transverse cracks both before and after construction. Laboratory testing and numerical analysis were also presented to provide basic data about the physical properties of the AC and help explain some of the observed characteristics associated with natural thermal cracking KW - Alaska KW - Asphalt concrete pavements KW - Before and after studies KW - Cutting KW - Evaluation KW - Laboratory tests KW - Literature reviews KW - Numerical analysis KW - Paving KW - Test sections KW - Thermal degradation KW - Transverse cracking UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/PacTrans-39-UAF-Liu.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372572 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579619 AU - Vergara, Hector A AU - Ghane-Ezabadi, Mohammad AU - Rahanjam, Mehrdad AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium TI - Assessing the Capacity of the Pacific Northwest as an Intermodal Freight Transportation Hub PY - 2015/08/31/Final Project Report SP - 91p AB - This project synthesizes information from multiple sources about the capacity of the Pacific Northwest region to handle intermodal freight transportation demand. The findings from this research are intended to be used as a framework to start a research program focusing on the planning decision making needs of stakeholders in the region. The major sources of information about intermodal capacity were published reports from different stakeholders, online resources, and information obtained through conversations with a small set of stakeholders. Information about the current and future demand for intermodal freight transportation in the region was obtained from the Freight Analysis Framework (FAF³) database of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and complemented by information available in published reports. The analysis of the current and future gap between capacity and demand for intermodal freight transportationwas completed using the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) approach to develop a more complete understanding of the factors affecting the development and expansion of intermodal freight transportation in the region. Although the accuracy of the quantitative data cannot be considered very high, general trends can be analyzed. Most of the intermodal freight flow in the region is containerized cargo that visits the main marine ports: Port of Seattle, Port of Tacoma, and at a smaller scale Port of Portland. Other port terminals that are able to handle intermodal freight flow exist in the region but represent a small portion of the total flow. Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway and Union Pacific (UP) Railroad have dedicated intermodal terminals in the region providing service for truck-road intermodal transportation, and rail connectivity to marine ports is also available. An analysis of the difference between intermodal capacity and demand at an aggregate level indicates that the current infrastructure is able to handle the existing demand for containerized international freight flow in the region. However, different scenarios of demand growth show that if capacity expansion does not occur, the existing capacity will not be sufficient to satisfy the demand in the future. Main factors affecting the perception of stakeholders about the level of service and future expansion of intermodal freight transportation in the region include highway congestion in the major metropolitan areas, lack of other generators and receivers of intermodal freight flow, coordination between different stakeholders, and limited availability of ocean carriers providing service to the Port of Portland. KW - Container traffic KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight transportation KW - Hubs KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Level of service KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Ports KW - Railroads KW - Shipper demand KW - Stakeholders UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-36-OSU-Vergara1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372571 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579610 AU - Wang, Haizhong AU - Vogt, Rachel AU - Palm, Matthew AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Geospatial Analysis of Bicycle Network “Level of Traffic Stress”, Bicycle Mode Choice Behavior, and Bicycle Crashes for Risk Factor Identification PY - 2015/08/31/Final Project Report SP - 46p AB - Small and medium-sized cities need publicly acceptable criteria for bicycle infrastructure improvements. This report explores the effectiveness of one proposed system of bicycle infrastructure criteria using data from a state-of-the-art travel survey, the Oregon Household Activity Survey (OHAS), and census journey-to-work data for the Salem-Keizer metropolitan area. In addition, this report also attempts to explore the geospatial correlation between bicycle level of traffic stress and where bicycle crashes happen. Results show that commuters ( i.e., employees and students) with low-stress connectivity to work and school are more likely to commute by bicycle, but also show that some demographic variables like race and income correlate with households’ low stress connectivity. The count model of household bicycle trip production in the Salem-Keizer region produced in this report illustrates that the size of a household’s adjacent “island” of low-stress bicycle connectivity correlates positively with bicycle trip production. In contrast, modeling with census data fails to show any correlation between bicycle commute mode share at the “is -land” scale and low-stress network connectivity. The mixed results suggest the range of a commuters’ low-stress bicycle network alone may not be a primary factor in the decision to bike. In combination with existing literature, the authors consider how the effect of low-stress connectivity on cycling to destinations relies on travelers’ awareness of low stress connections between origins and destinations. Further research should identify level of service criteria that can predict cycling rates yet remain cost effective for small communities to map. KW - Bicycle crashes KW - Bicycle travel KW - Commuters KW - Crash rates KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Demographics KW - Geospatial analysis KW - Keizer (Oregon) KW - Level of service KW - Modal split KW - Mode choice KW - Oregon Household Activity Survey KW - Salem (Oregon) KW - Travel surveys UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-35-OSU-Wang1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372573 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579252 AU - Larson, Timothy AU - Cai, Mengyu AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Testing of Cavity Attenuation Phase Shift Technology for Siting Near-road NO₂ Monitors PY - 2015/08/31/Final Project Report SP - 23p AB - Recent research has identified the public health importance of air pollution exposures near busy roadways. As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) significantly revised its nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) air quality standard in 2010. The current regulatory focus has shifted from assessment of longer-term (annual average) NO₂ concentrations measured at locations away from busy roads to shorter-term (1-hour average) concentrations measured at locations near busy roads. A near-road monitoring network is being deployed by EPA in major metropolitan areas, and is about a year old at the time of this report, with additional sites coming online. The guidelines for siting such monitors do not directly address the representativeness of such monitors with respect to short-term exposures to NO₂ within the population, especially to exposures during commuting. The goal with this study was to explore the feasibility of deploying the Cavity Attenuation Phase Shift (CAPS) monitor on a mobile platform to obtain information about NO₂ concentrations in an urban area, specifically both on and near a major urban freeway. The authors deployed the NO₂ monitor on a movable platform in November and December of 2013 as a way to assess NO₂ concentrations both near and on a busy freeway located in a complex urban environment. These short-term mobile platform measurements were made in conjunction with existing NO₂ measurements from a fixed-site regulatory monitor that is by design located some distance away from the roadway. The authors also deployed this same platform in a stationary mode near the freeway and compared these near-road measurements to traditional roadway dispersion models. KW - Air quality KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Freeways KW - Measuring methods KW - Nitrogen dioxide KW - Urban areas UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-53-UW-Larson.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370892 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579154 AU - Schroeder, Jeremy AU - Klein, Rachel AU - Smith, Theodore AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Balke, Kevin AU - Burris, Mark AU - Songchitruksa, Praprut AU - Pessaro, Brian AU - Saunoi-Sandgren, Emily AU - Schreffler, Eric AU - Joy, Barbara AU - Battelle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Los Angeles Congestion Reduction Demonstration ExpressLanes Program: National Evaluation Report PY - 2015/08/31/Final Report SP - 346p AB - This document presents the final report on the national evaluation of the Los Angeles Congestion Reduction Demonstration (LA CRD) ExpressLanes Program under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) CRD Program. The LA CRD projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of Tolling, Transit, Telecommuting/Travel Demand Management (TDM), and Technology, also known as the 4Ts. Tolling (pricing) strategies include converting high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on the two freeway corridors to variably-priced high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, adding a second HOT lane to portions of one corridor, and implementation of a downtown L.A. intelligent parking management system featuring demand-based pricing and real-time parking availability information. Transit improvements include increased bus service, transit station security improvements, expansion of two transit stations, creation of an El Monte Busway/Union Station connector, and the expansion of downtown L.A. transit signal priority. TDM strategies aim to establish 100 new registered vanpools. The national evaluation of the LA CRD projects was guided by the National Evaluation Framework, the LA CRD National Evaluation Plan, and individual test plans for various components. This report provides information on the use of the new LA CRD projects. Changes in travel speeds, travel times, trip-time reliability, and transit ridership are described. The air quality, energy, and safety impacts of the LA CRD projects are examined. Information on changes in unemployment rates and gasoline prices is also summarized. KW - Congestion management systems KW - Evaluation KW - Express lanes KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Parking fees KW - Public transit KW - Real time information KW - Ridership KW - Travel demand management KW - Travel time KW - Urban areas KW - Urban Partnership Agreement KW - Vanpools KW - Variable tolls UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55600/55669/FHWA-JPO-14-126-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371366 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575031 TI - Safety Related Operating Rules AB - A safety culture initiative that improves safety through a carrier and labor cooperative process of rewriting safety rules. Labor and management cooperation begins a dialogue that also improves safety culture and communication. KW - Cooperation KW - Labor force KW - Management KW - Operations KW - Railroad safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52160/Railroad_Use_of_Electronic_Devices_20140620_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367338 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599262 AU - Shabana, Ahmed A AU - O'Shea, James J AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Dynamic Modeling of Rail Vehicles and Infrastructure: Wheel Climb at a Large Angle of Attack PY - 2015/08/28/Final Report SP - 6p AB - There are two common derailment scenarios which have been investigated in the railroad vehicle dynamics literature: flange wheel climb and wheel lift. Flange climb derailments are more frequent and can occur at low velocity. It is believed that the flange wheel climb, which is often associated with a large angle of attack (AOA), is the result of a tangential force that produces a contact force that acts upward at the wheel/rail contact point. The wheel lift, on the other hand, can be the result of hunting-produced high lateral velocity and large impact forces that can cause derailments. In this derailment scenario, the tangential force at one wheel can be downward as the result of the wheel life at the other wheel. This project is concerned with flange wheel climb derailments that occur at a large wheelset angle of attack. A fully nonlinear unconstrained multibody system (MBS) wheel climb derailment model is developed to analyze the forces that govern the wheel climb motion when oriented at a large scale AOA. The results of the MBS model in the vicinity of the climb initiation are verified using a semi-analytical model that makes use of simplifying assumptions derived from the current interpretation of wheel climb. KW - Car wheels (Railroads) KW - Derailments KW - Flanges KW - Rolling contact KW - Train track dynamics KW - Vehicle dynamics UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R05-combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405204 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599227 AU - Shabana, Ahmed A AU - Hamper, Martin B AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Dynamic Modeling of Rail Vehicles and Infrastructure: Modeling Switch Geometry PY - 2015/08/28/Final Report SP - 6p AB - Many procedures have been proposed to solve the wheel/rail contact problem, most of which belong to one of two categories: off-line and on-line contact search methods. This investigation is focused on the development of a contact surface model for the wheel/rail contact problem in the case where an on-line three-dimensional non-conformal contact evaluation procedure, such as the elastic contact formulation - algebraic equations (ECF-A), is adopted. The goal is to demonstrate that the contact surface must have continuity in the second order spatial derivatives when used in conjunction with ECF-A. Many of the existing rail surface models rely on direct linear interpolation of profile curves which leads to first order spatial derivative discontinuities. This, in turn, leads to erroneous spikes in the prediction of contact forces. The main contribution of the work presented in this area is the development of a new finite element based procedure for representing the rail surface geometry in railroad vehicle contact problems. KW - Algebraic operations KW - Finite element method KW - Geometry KW - Rail (Railroads) KW - Rolling contact KW - Switches (Railroads) UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R05-combined1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59267/NURail2012-UIC-R05-combined1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405203 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599187 AU - LaBelle, James AU - Frève, Sheena AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Off-Peak Delivery: A Pilot Project for the Chicago Region PY - 2015/08/25/Final Report SP - 73p AB - Off-peak delivery (OPD) is a simple concept, but it can be challenging to implement because the benefits and costs are not always evenly distributed. Carriers generally like the idea because it can save them time and money, but receiving businesses often resist it because it can add costs. An OPD program needs to be designed in a manner that balances the benefits and costs to make it practical for carriers, receivers, shippers, customers and the community. With that in mind, the Supply Chain Innovation Network of Chicago (SINC) and the Urban Transportation Center (UTC) at the University of Illinois-Chicago are partnering to design a pilot program to incentivize off-peak deliveries in the Chicago area. The approach to this project began with a research and data analysis phase followed by a design phase. Research included a literature review, case studies of off-peak delivery projects in various locations, examination of work complementary to off-peak delivery that has taken place in metropolitan Chicago, and a review of current local laws and regulations that may impact off-peak delivery. Data analysis included an evaluation of business by industry and employment, a review of area congestion, and exploration of businesses in particular zipcodes. The design phase began with meetings with a variety of partners who are working together towards implementation of off-peak delivery. A second step will include a survey of freight carriers and receivers. KW - Case studies KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Delivery service KW - Freight traffic KW - Incentives KW - Literature reviews KW - Off peak periods KW - Policy, legislation and regulation KW - Regulations KW - Supply chain management UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2013-UIC-R13_Off_Peak_NURail_Report_LaBelle1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59305/NURail2013-UIC-R13_Off_Peak_NURail_Report_LaBelle1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405116 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590521 AU - Gao, Song AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Spatial Learning Model for the Micro-Simulation of Travel Dynamics PY - 2015/08/24/Final Report SP - 3p AB - The objective of this project is to develop and calibrate a computational process model of spatial learning, for the micro-simulation of travel dynamics where individual travelers’ decision-making is simulated. Travel decisions are usually made in large spatial environment, and therefore spatial knowledge is an important moderator in the decision-making process. Priori research in environmental psychology, geography and artificial intelligence has shown that spatial knowledge is usually incomplete, distorted, and idiosyncratic depending on personal experience. The assumption of complete and precise spatial knowledge in all current travel micro-simulation models is thus problematic. This project aims at closing the gap between theory and practice by enhancing a computational process model of spatial learning using tracking data over a multi-month period. The model, once incorporated in an overall travel micro-simulation framework, can potentially improve the realism and policy sensitivity of the simulation. KW - Calibration KW - Computer models KW - Decision making KW - Learning KW - Microsimulation KW - Route choice UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-19%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397326 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590463 AU - Gao, Song AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cognitive Maps for Route Choice Modeling PY - 2015/08/24/Final Report SP - 3p AB - The objective of this project is to investigate the utility of cognitive maps in modeling route choice behavior. Cognitive map is the knowledge of spatial objectives and relations stored in human beings’ long-term memory, which is the basis for spatial reasoning (e.g., where one is) and decision-making (e.g., where to conduct a given activity, and how to go from one place to another). It is a long-researched area in environmental psychology, geography and artificial intelligence, and has been shown to be incomplete, distorted, and idiosyncratic (depending on travel history and personal traits). The current travel behavior and traffic network modeling literature however almost unanimously assumes complete and homogeneous perceptions of transportation networks and traffic information for individual travelers. This research contributes to the state-of-the-art by developing a methodology to account for heterogeneous network perceptions through user-class specific consideration sets (choice sets) in an econometric route choice model. KW - Choice models KW - Cognition KW - Econometric models KW - Methodology KW - Perception KW - Route choice KW - Travel behavior UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-20%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397329 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573376 TI - Accident Investigations AB - No abstract provided. KW - Crash investigation KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366671 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573375 TI - Develop Improved Crashworthiness Strategies AB - No abstract provided. KW - Crashworthiness KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad trains UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/48000/48300/48366/TR_Alternative_OVI_Testing_Report_edited_20131024_FINAL_1_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366669 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613843 AU - Ozbulut, Osman E AU - Hamilton, Reginald F AU - University of Virginia AU - Pennsylvania State University AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Smart Concrete Bridge Girders Using Shape Memory Alloys PY - 2015/08/15/Final Report SP - 58p AB - With the increasing demands for high structural performance, the use of “smart material” have been considered in different engineering disciplines due to the appealing characteristics of these materials such as efficiency, self-actuation, adaptability, self-monitoring and self-healing, and decision making. Recently, shape memory alloys (SMAs) have received considerable attention as a class of smart materials that can be employed in bridge engineering applications. SMAs have the ability to regain their original shape after being deformed up to 6-8% strain. This shape recovery is a result of an underlying reversible solid-solid phase transformation, which can be induced by either a stress or a temperature change. Several researchers have investigated the use of heat-induced SMAs to prestress concrete. However, the previous studies have been focused on thermally activating nickel titanium (NiTi) SMA tendons by electrical heating and have been mostly at the theoretical and laboratory study levels. This study investigates the feasibility of self-post-tensioned concrete elements by activating the SME of nickel-titanium-niobium alloys (NiTiNb), a class of wide-hysteresis SMAs, using the heat of hydration of grout. First, the microstructure characterization of the NiTiNb wide-hysteresis shape memory alloys is discussed. Then, the tensile stress-induced martensitic transformations in NiTiNb SMA tendons are studied. Next, the temperature increase due to the heat of hydration of four commercially available grouts is investigated. Pull-out tests are also conducted to investigate the bond between the grout and SMA bar. Results show that the increase in temperature due to hydration heat can provide significant strain recovery during a free recovery experiment, while the same temperature increase only partially activates the SMAs during a constrained recovery. KW - Alloys KW - Concrete bridges KW - Deformation KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Girders KW - Grout KW - Heat of hydration KW - Posttensioning KW - Smart materials KW - Tension UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MAUTC-2013-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424165 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572362 TI - Application of a Regional Multi-Modal Transportation System Performance Monitoring Framework AB - The purpose of this research is to examine the characteristics and explanatory factors associated with intra-metropolitan variation in highway and arterial system performance. Better understanding of performance variation will support more effective transportation system management. Analyzing both highway and arterial performance contributes to the goal of integrated system management. Integration of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) across modes and agencies provides new opportunities for urban transportation planning, operations and management. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) sponsored RIITS (Regional Integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems) network is a unique initiative that supports real-time information exchange between highway, arterial, transit and emergency service agencies across the Los Angeles region. The network facilitates real-time system management and traveler information services. The project has designed and implemented a scalable, queryable comprehensive historical archive (ADMS, or Archived Data Management System) of real-time data (starting from October 2011) from the RIITS system, and demonstrated the benefits of the archive for integrated corridor monitoring and management, [sub]regional system performance monitoring and analysis, and impact assessment of new investments and policies. The project was a collaboration of computer science and urban planning at University of Southern California (USC), funded by LA Metro. As part of the project, the investigator developed a flexible method for monitoring regional system performance across different time periods and locations, and across the highway and arterial systems. The project also tested baseline performance measures using one month (November 2012) of data. This research applies the regional monitoring framework for examining characteristics and determinants of intra-metropolitan variation in highway and arterial system performance across highly granular units of space and time. The project uses Los Angeles County as the study region, 2013 as the test year, and traffic speed, flow and buffer index (a measure of unpredictability of traffic conditions) as test performance measures. The project investigates whether significant performance variation exists across functionality comparable roadway sections, across various times of day/days of week/time periods of the year. The project also performs a series of statistical tests to analyze and identify location and network factors that determine systematic or idiosyncratic variations. Finally, the project considers how the results could be used to improve system performance across modes, locations, and times. The project expects that the research will lead to recommendation of practical cost-effective strategies that system managers can adopt to improve traffic conditions in Los Angeles and beyond. KW - City planning KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Los Angeles County (California) KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Performance measurement KW - Real time information KW - Regional transportation UR - https://www.metrans.org/research/application-regional-multi-modal-transportation-system-performance-monitoring-framework UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364301 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616959 AU - Macfarlane, Kate AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - New Orleans Regional Planning Commission Scenario Planning Workshop PY - 2015/08/12 SP - 40p AB - This report summarizes noteworthy practices and key recommendations shared during a scenario planning workshop, hosted by the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission (NORPC), on August 12-13, 2015, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored this event as part of its Scenario Planning Program and in connection with the Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program jointly run by FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration. The workshop introduced the topic of scenario planning to NORPC staff and representatives of Louisiana’s seven other metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). Peer experts from the Baltimore Metropolitan Council and Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization for Transportation participated in the workshop to share their agencies’ experiences and perspectives in using scenario planning. KW - Baltimore Metropolitan Council KW - Best practices KW - Forecasting KW - Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization for Transportation KW - Louisiana KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - New Orleans Regional Planning Commission KW - Recommendations KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60100/60129/NOLA_scenario_workshop.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1428261 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572291 TI - Green Building Initiative and Compliance Activities AB - No summary provided. KW - Compliance KW - Construction management KW - Environmental impacts KW - Greenhouse effect KW - Initiatives UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363911 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572290 TI - NextGen Goals and Targets Analysis AB - No summary provided. KW - Civil aviation KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Strategic planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363910 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590500 AU - Ivan, John N AU - Ravishanker, Nalini AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation of Road and Roadside Design Elements Associated with Elderly Pedestrian Safety PY - 2015/08/03/Final Report SP - 3p AB - This project consisted of two studies of pedestrian safety and operations at signalized intersections: (1) Safety Effects of Exclusive and Concurrent Signal Phasing for Pedestrian Crossing and (2) A Study of Pedestrian Compliance with Traffic Signals for Exclusive and Concurrent Phasing. Two published documents were generated. The focus of the project was on evaluating the effect of an operational characteristic – pedestrian signal phasing design. The authors evaluated the safety effects of two different types of pedestrian signal phasing in the context of several roadway and roadside characteristics. KW - Aged KW - Highway design KW - Pedestrian clearance interval (Traffic signals) KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic signal phases KW - Traffic signals UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UCNR24-30%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397342 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01574343 TI - Prototype Development of a Piezo-heating Array for Deicing Applications on Bridges AB - The proof-of-concept prototype will be a scaled model of a bridge and its approach slab. The model will have a scaled version of an axle tandem loading the approach slab. On the approach slab, the team will install the prototype technology - a piezo-electric array linked (in series?) and tied to a battery. As the axle tandem rolls on the model bridge approach, electricity will be generated and stored. The prototype will serve as an example of how modern bridge approach slabs could be constructed to harness the energy produced by truck traffic to mitigate winter conditions. The team envisions triggering a heat element to raise the temperature of the mock road-surface up to sufficient temperature to surpass the needed energy to melt an inch of snow or moderate amount of ice. The prototype will be constructed to conform to a technical memorandum documenting performance metrics for a successful competitor to deicing chemicals. National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 449 offers several conditions that contribute to deicing performance: (1) In a case study, the shift from using rock salt to brine for deicing led to roughly 50% materials savings, as the standard application rate of rock salt and salt brine was 250 pounds and 50 gallons per lane mile, respectively, and 1 ton of rock salt makes about 1,000 gallons of brine (Dave Frame, CalTrans, personal communication, Apr. 5, 2012). (2) "When the pavement temperature drops below −12.2ºC (10ºF), salt is no longer cost-effective, and agencies thus utilize other chemicals either alone or as pre-wetting agent to enhance the performance of salt (Ohio DOT 2011) or apply abrasives to provide a traction layer on pavement." Other resources to consider in the development of this performance metric will be the following: (1) Manual of Practice for an Effective Anti-icing Program (FHWA, Ketcham 1996). (2) NCHRP Report 577 "Guidelines for the Selection of Snow and Ice Control Materials to Mitigate Environmental Impacts". (3) Burtwell, M., Transportation Research Circular Number E-C063: Deicing Trails on UK Roads: Performance of Prewetted Salt Spreading and Dry Salt Spreading, Sixth International Symposium on Snow Removal and Ice Control Technology (04-063). (4) CTC & Associates, LLC, Anti-icing in Winter Maintenance Operations: Examination of Research and Survey of State Practice, Transportation Research Synthesis 0902, Minnesota Local Road Research Board, May 2009. (5) Luker, C., B. Rokosh, and T. Leggett, Transportation Research Circular E-C063: Laboratory Melting Performance Comparison: Rock Salt With and Without Prewetting, Sixth International Symposium on Snow Removal and Ice Control. Technology (04-032). KW - Bridge approaches KW - Bridge decks KW - Brines KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Environmental impacts KW - Prototypes KW - Snow and ice control KW - Winter maintenance UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/prototype-development-piezo-heating-array-deicing-applications-bridges UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366952 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01569405 TI - Near Miss Information Visualization Application for BIM AB - The primary objective of this research is to create a tool functional within Building Information Modeling (BIM) to visualize and analyze near miss information. Sub objectives of this research will include creating algorithms and user-interfaces for safety managers to navigate and analyze reported near miss data. Based on the findings, the research team will also identify and assemble a set of best practices for visualizing safety information for construction projects. An implementation guide for integrating safety information into BIM will also be developed based on research findings. The proposed research contributes to improving the capabilities of safety information visualization for decisions made by management personnel. By enabling construction safety managers to input, review and analyze safety information (specifically near misses) into an existing project BIM, hazardous situations and set of conditions can be identified and mitigated before an injury, illness or fatality occurs. KW - Best practices KW - Building information modeling KW - Construction management KW - Construction safety KW - Fatalities KW - Injuries KW - Near misses KW - Occupational safety KW - Road construction KW - Visualization UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/research/projects/?id=15405 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360643 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604932 AU - Puryear, Stephen M AU - Walden, Clayton T AU - Mississippi State University, Canton AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effective Utilization of Innovation Techniques within Mississippi’s Intermodal Professional Workforce PY - 2015/08 SP - 25p AB - This project focused on enhancing the professional workforce within Mississippi's intermodal transportation industry. This was accomplished through a series of "Intermodal Transportation Innovation Summits" that brought together transportation professionals representing organizations throughout the extended supply chain (e.g., manufacturers, truck, rail, water, and ports). These Summits were held across the state - centering on the North, Central, and Southern regions. Summit participants were introduced to the concepts - termed Innovation Engineering, which generated strong results in the manufacturing sector. These innovation sessions generated a set of actionable projects that the program hopes to engage during a future funding opportunity. The ultimate goal was to enhance the region's economic competitiveness through greater cooperation across transportation modes. The program impacted 75 transportation professionals from 30 different organizations. The program achieved over $125,000 in tangible economic impact annually, which fully returned the federal award. Also, the program resulted in two conference presentations, so that lessons learned were broadly disseminated. This program was conducted through a broad partnership involving Mississippi State University (CAVS Extension), University of Southern Mississippi (Center for Logistics, Trade, and Transportation), and Innovate Mississippi. KW - Conferences KW - Cooperation KW - Economics KW - Freight transportation KW - Innovation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Mississippi KW - Professional personnel UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-18FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1416954 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593723 AU - Poros, John AU - Morton, Brian J AU - Huegy, Joseph AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Regional Land Use-Transportation Decision Support Tool for Mississippi PY - 2015/08//Final Report SP - 117p AB - The Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area was historically known for agriculture and furniture manufacture, but now a high-tech, transportation-based economy is emerging. Toyota recently opened a vehicle factory that will employ 2,000 people in a village west of Tupelo. Another quite different development is simultaneously occurring. The 43-mile Tanglefoot Trail was recently opened, built on the GM&O Railroad line linking Houston to New Albany. The current development pattern is a fascinating juxtaposition of historical small towns and a 21st-century boom driven by the automobile/aerospace economy. Two starkly different futures may be easily imagined. In one, Tupelo continues to expand at a rapid pace and New Albany also expands, but they eclipse the region’s smaller and declining towns. An alternative development pattern would spread growth among Houston, Pontotoc, New Albany, and Tupelo. The project conducted build-out analyses, prepared renderings of different development visions, and developed an integrated land use – travel demand model to assess the household travel behavior that could be induced by two hypothetical development scenarios. In one scenario, growth in population and commercial establishments is concentrated in New Albany and Tupelo. In the other, growth occurs in New Albany and Tupelo as well as Houston and Pontotoc. KW - Decision support systems KW - Economic growth KW - Forecasting KW - Land use KW - Mississippi KW - Population growth KW - Regional planning KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_2012-003S_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400037 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587665 AU - Ban, Xuegang (Jeff) AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Network System Effects of Mileage Fee PY - 2015/08//Final Report SP - 41p AB - This project presents a comprehensive investigation about the network effects of mileage fee (MF) to facilitate the developments of proper MF policies. After a practice scan and a review of the recent literature on MF, a multi-class mathematical programming with equilibrium constraint (MC-MPEC) is proposed to capture the optimal MF charging problem from a network perspective. The MC-MPEC problem is then solved and tested on two illustrative networks to show the MF network effect. Two important implications for practical implementations arising in the investigation are to model the target revenue as a constraint and to model the upper bound of the unit flat fee. The model is general, which can capture the three fee policies and model different objectives commonly used for MF. Different scenarios are tested and analyzed using two hypothetical traffic networks. KW - Literature reviews KW - Mileage-based user fees KW - Policy KW - Programming (Mathematics) KW - Revenues UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Network-System-Effects.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394944 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579633 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multimodal Transportation Indicators August 2015 PY - 2015/08 SP - 30p AB - This document presents economic indicators from 2004 through 2015 for multimodal transportation. Data includes: fatalities, the Transportation Services Index, personal spending on transportation, transportation employment, trade with Canada and Mexico, fuel prices, air fares, freight rail yields, passengers, ridership, freight usage, on-time performance, and construction spending. KW - Economic indicators KW - Employment KW - Fares KW - Fatalities KW - Multimodal transportation KW - On time performance KW - Passengers KW - Ridership KW - Transportation Service Index KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/mti08_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371946 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579620 AU - Hadi, Mohammed AU - Elefteriadou, Lily AU - Xiao, Yan AU - Kondyli, Alexandra AU - Darroudi, Ali AU - Letter, Clark AU - Florida International University, Miami AU - University of Florida Transportation Institute AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Florida Department of Transportation TI - Investigation of ATDM Strategies to Reduce the Probability of Breakdown PY - 2015/08//Final Report SP - 201p AB - Advanced Traffic and Demand Management (ATDM) strategies are increasingly being considered to reduce the probability and impacts of traffic flow breakdown. The goal of this project is to explore and assess methods to improve the operations at critical bottlenecks utilizing ramp metering and variable speed limit (VSL) algorithms that consider the probability of breakdown at recurrent bottleneck locations. The assessment of these ATDM strategies is based on microscopic simulation modeling. Existing simulation model calibration procedures and guidelines are first examined and enhancements are proposed in this study to account for the breakdown characteristics at bottleneck locations in the calibration process. Various modifications are proposed to the existing fuzzy logic ramp metering system with the consideration of the probability of breakdown. The impacts of these modifications are evaluated using the calibrated simulation model. The results indicate that the probability of breakdown modifications may be able to provide some limited operational improvement at specific bottlenecks and/or along the entire network. However, there is no clear pattern regarding when these improvements can be observed and how different traffic demand levels may affect the impact of these modifications. Using an activation threshold to turn on ramp meters seems to be a viable alternative to time of day operation. This would allow less operator involvement and allow the activation process to become demand sensitive. In addition, this study developed a shockwave-based VSL system which uses a heuristic switching logic based controller with specified thresholds of prevailing traffic flow condition locations. This VSL strategy aims to improve operations and mobility at critical bottlenecks. The performance of the proposed method was tested in simulation assuming that the data required by the method is collected first using traffic detectors and then using Connected Vehicles. The results show that the considered VSL strategy can considerably decrease the maximum back of queue and the duration of breakdown KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Algorithms KW - Bottlenecks KW - Ramp metering KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic simulation KW - Travel demand management KW - Variable speed limits UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/ATDM_FinalReport_Hadi.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372411 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01577521 AU - Smith, Scott AU - Bellone, Jeffrey AU - Bransfield, Stephen AU - Ingles, Amy AU - Noel, George AU - Reed, Erin AU - Yanagisawa, Mikio AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Benefits Estimation Framework for Automated Vehicle Operations PY - 2015/08//Final Report SP - 94p AB - Automated vehicles have the potential to bring about transformative safety, mobility, energy, and environmental benefits to the surface transportation system. They are also being introduced into a complex transportation system, where second-order impacts, such as the possibility of increased vehicle-miles traveled, are of significant concern. Given the complexity of the impacts, a modeling framework is needed to ensure that they are adequately captured. This report presents a framework for estimating the potential benefits and dis-benefits of technologies contributing to the automation of the Nation’s surface transportation system. Components of the framework include (1) Safety: exposure to near-crash situations, crash prevention, and crash severity reduction; (2) Vehicle mobility: vehicle throughput, both in car following situations and at intersections; (3) Energy / environment: fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions; (4) Accessibility: personal mobility, for motorists and nonmotorists; (5) Transportation system usage: response of travelers to changes in mobility and accessibility, as well as potential new modes of transportation such as increased car sharing; (6) Land use: effects of automation on land use, and (7) Economic analysis: the macro-economic impacts of all of the above changes. KW - Benefits KW - Economic analysis KW - Fuel consumption KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Land use KW - Methodology KW - Mobility KW - Pollutants KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55400/55443/AVBenefitFrameworkFinalReport082615_Cover1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370427 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01577116 AU - Martin, James B AU - Bailey, Nancy R AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - LEGO Robot Vehicle Afterschool Workshops: Transportation Engineering Problem Solving (Year 1 & 2) PY - 2015/08//Final Report SP - 21p AB - “LEGO® Robot Vehicle Lesson Plans for Secondary Education – A Recruitment Tool for Transportation Engineering” was a workforce development project that was used to introduce students at the middle school level to congestion mitigation solution research, describing the importance of modeling and assessment of advanced technologies and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) with respect to congestion mitigation; and improvements of traffic signal systems to reduce delays in urban corridors. Students used computers, basic computer programming, mathematics, and robots as tools. They were introduced to transportation engineering as a career and were shown how science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects apply to the field. Through the material presented in the lesson plans, the students developed an understanding of the work involved in transportation engineering. The lesson plans were used to show the students how transportation affects society as a whole and teach them how the use of advanced technology is integral to solving current and future transportation problems. Students were able to relate what they were learning about technology and engineering through hands-on exercises that employed elements of math and science. This workforce development project was funded for two years (2012 and 2013). KW - Education KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Middle school students KW - Robotics KW - Technology KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering KW - Workshops UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_LEGO_Robot_FinalReport_Martin_2912-FINAL.pdf UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_LEGO_Robot_FinalReport_Martin_Year_1_and_2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370088 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01577107 AU - Giannini, Eric R AU - Lindly, Jay AU - Dunn, J Riley AU - University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa AU - University Transportation Center for Alabama AU - Alabama Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Comparative Evaluation of Concrete Bridge Deck Sealers PY - 2015/08 SP - 103p AB - The main objective of this research was to compare the performance of five bridge deck sealer products using a synthesis of two testing methods: National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 244 Series II tests and standards developed by the Alberta Ministry of Transportation (BT Series). This research also sought to develop an improved method for future evaluation of bridge deck sealer products for the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). The sealer products were evaluated for their resistance to moisture and chloride ingress, performance after simulated traffic wear, and depth of sealer penetration into the concrete. The products tested included four epoxy-based sealer products and one sodium silicate sealer product. The sealers were evaluated on three different concrete mix designs representing the range of bridge deck concrete in service with ALDOT. Concrete cube specimens were fabricated, sealed, conditioned, and subjected to different tests. One test evaluated the waterproofing performance of sealers before and after abrasive conditioning (representing traffic wear). Another test determined the products’ ability to resist chloride penetration and their waterproofing performance in a saltwater solution. The chloride content was measured by potentiometric titration with silver nitrate and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). Sealer penetration depth was determined by a dye method and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Initial (pre-abrasion) waterproofing performance results generally showed a good correlation to chloride resistance. XRF and titration analyses provided nearly identical results for measuring chlorides in concrete; however, XRF is a preferred method for determination of chloride content because it is much faster than titration. Two epoxy sealers outperformed all products for all evaluation criteria. A third epoxy sealer had good overall performance, but many specimens sealed with this product developed cracks that warranted further investigation. The sodium silicate sealer performed poorly compared to all four epoxy-based sealers. The epoxy-based sealers did not exhibit any measurable sealer penetration into the concrete and the sodium silicate sealer penetrated less than 100 µm into the concrete. KW - Alabama KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Before and after studies KW - Bridge decks KW - Chlorides KW - Concrete bridges KW - Corrosion resistance KW - Electron microscopy KW - Sealing compounds KW - Spectroscopy KW - Waterproofing UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/files/2015/09/14401-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370023 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576236 AU - Hesse, Alex AU - Atadero, Rebecca AU - Ozbek, Mehmet AU - Colorado State University AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Using Expert Opinion to Quantify Accuracy and Reliability of Nondestructive Evaluation on Bridges PY - 2015/08 SP - 93p AB - Bridge inspection is an important phase in bridge management. In 2009, a joint American Society of Civil Engineers Structural Engineering Institute and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Ad-Hoc group was created to identify the issues in bridge safety and to study current bridge practices. This group recommended: “A more rational, risk-based approach to determining the appropriate inspection intervals for bridges is needed, as opposed to a set twenty-four month cycle for all bridges.” The committee also recommended a wider use of Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) methods. The difficulty in increasing the use of these NDE methods is the increased costs and time spent. One way to deal with this is to implement risk-based planning. Although to do this, the accuracy, reliability, bias, and cost of each test must be quantified. This study attempts to quantify these parameters for common bridge NDE methods. This was done through two methods. First, a literature review was performed to determine common NDE methods and data were found for these methods. Second, a Delphi method survey was conducted to develop a broader range of data that matches real life practices. All of the data were then analyzed and conclusions were drawn to quantify the various parameters for these NDE methods. KW - Accuracy KW - Costs KW - Delphi method KW - Evaluation KW - Highway bridges KW - Inspection KW - Literature reviews KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Reliability KW - Surveys UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-288.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368254 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576108 AU - Middleton, Scott AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Establishing and Integrating Performance Measures: A TPCB Peer Exchange PY - 2015/08//Final Report SP - 42p AB - This report highlights key recommendations and noteworthy practices identified at “Establishing and Integrating Performance Measures” Peer Exchange held on April 27-28, 2015 in Dimondale, Michigan and via video teleconference. This event was sponsored by the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Peer Program, which is jointly funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Peer Agencies included: Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), and Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). Specifically, the event helped MDOT and its partner agencies prepare for three key requirements of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21): (1) The development of performance measures and targets; (2) The integration of performance measures into the planning process; and (3) The development of performance-based plans for safety, asset management, and congestion. KW - Asset management KW - Best practices KW - Michigan Department of Transportation KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Peer exchange KW - Performance measurement KW - Recommendations KW - Safety KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55400/55455/Peer_Exchange_Report_Establishing_and_Integrating_Performance_Measures_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369011 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576094 AU - Piesch, Lara AU - Lee, EunSu AU - North Dakota State University, Fargo AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - North Dakota Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Quality Assurance of Emergency Management Operation Processes through Statistical Process Control PY - 2015/08 SP - 31p AB - Ambulance services continually strive for improvement of their emergency response operations to provide better service to the community. The difference of a couple minutes can be a crucial factor in the survival of a patient. Therefore, it is of great importance for ambulance services to have reliable and stable response times. The study applies three phases of statistical process control to assess the process and determine the current performance. By implementing an exploratory analysis, process behavior analysis, and predictive analysis patterns, trends and process stability are analyzed. The research showed a process with very high variability while having a stable low average response time. With a percentage of 9.96% of response time operations being above the limit of nine minutes established by the North Dakota Legislature, the process calls for further improvement. To this end, several factors and characteristics, which can be considered in future management decisions, were detected. KW - Ambulances KW - Emergency management KW - Emergency response time KW - North Dakota KW - Quality assurance KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/dp-283.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367526 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01575525 AU - Medina-Cetina, Zenon AU - Varela, Patricia AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute, College Station AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Forecasting the Impacts of Shale Gas Developments on Public Health and Transportation Systems on Both Sides of the Mexico–U.S. Border PY - 2015/08 SP - 33p AB - The activities completed for this project include the literature research on the Eagle Ford formation, the review of public-health and transportation related variables to shale gas developments, and the definition of the project collaborative site at Prof. Medina-Cetina’s Stochastic Geomechanics Laboratory SGL server https://stochasticgeomechanics.civil.tamu.edu/wiki/projects/bngis/BN__GIS.html. Also, a collection of spatial data from the Eagle Ford Shale, including transportation infrastructure, geology, hydrology, demography, and well production was gathered. In this project, researchers developed an improvement of the proposed Bayesian Network for the regional assessment of environmental and social risk (i.e., transportation infrastructure and public health) by enhancing the BN+GIS Model for Environmental Sensibility assessment including a Surface Water variable. This required the improvement and optimization of the code producing BN+GIS results to reduce computational time. Afterward, researchers attained results on the implementation of enhanced BN+GIS model in the Barnett Shale Play. Consequently, researchers completed a paper to be submitted in the ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems named “Bayesian Networks and Geographical Information Systems for Environmental Risk Assessment for Oil and Gas Site Developments.” Following up this activity, researchers defined the objectives, hypothesis, and methodology for a parametric sensitivity analysis on the BN+GIS Model used for Risk Assessment on the Barnett Shale. Additionally, researchers developed an investigation about commercially available simulators (software) used for estimating production in unconventional reservoirs. KW - Barnett Shale KW - Bayesian networks KW - Eagle Ford Shale KW - Environmental impacts KW - Forecasting KW - Geographic information systems KW - Mexico KW - Public health KW - Risk assessment KW - Shale gas KW - Texas UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00027-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367017 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01575522 AU - Wolshon, Brian AU - Parr, Scott A AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Identifying High-Risk Roadways for Infrastructure Investment Using Naturalistic Driving Data PY - 2015/08//Final Report SP - 20p AB - The state-of-the-practice for most municipal traffic agencies seeking to identify high-risk road segments has been to use prior crash history. While historic traffic crash data are recognized to be valuable in improving roadway safety, it relies on prior observation rather than future crash likelihood. Recently, however, researchers are developing predictive crash methods based on “abnormal driving events.” These include abrupt and atypical vehicle movements thought to be indicative of crash avoidance maneuvers and/or near-crashes. Because these types of near-crash events occur far more frequently than actual crashes, it is hypothesized that they can be used as an indicator of high-risk locations and, even more valuably, to identify where crashes are likely to occur in the future. This paper describes the results of research that used naturalistic driving data collected from global positioning system (GPS) sensors to locate high concentrations of abrupt and atypical vehicle movements in Baton Rouge, Louisiana based on vehicle acceleration and vehicle rate of change of acceleration (jerk). Statistical analyses revealed that clusters of high magnitude jerk events while decelerating were significantly correlated to long-term crash rates at these same locations. These significant and consistent relationships between jerks and crashes suggest that these events can be used as surrogate measures of safety and as a way of predicting safety problems before even a single crash has occurred. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Baton Rouge (Louisiana) KW - Collision avoidance maneuvers KW - Detection and identification KW - Global Positioning System KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - Near miss collisions (Ground transportation) UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/reports/identifying-high-risk-roadways.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367035 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574023 AU - Head, Monique AU - Ashby-Bey, Ebony AU - Edmonds, Kyle AU - Efe, Steve AU - Grose, Siafa AU - Mason, Isaac AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Stainless Steel Prestressing Strands and Bars for Use in Prestressed Concrete Girders and Slabs PY - 2015/08//Final Report SP - 121p AB - Corrosion decay on structures has continued to be a challenge in the scientific and engineering communities, where significant federal and state funds have been spent towards replacement or rehabilitation of bridges that were damaged by corrosion deterioration. In Maryland, a great portion of its yearly bridge funding allocation is spent on performing repairs and rehabilitations on its aging bridge inventory. In an effort to reverse this trend, the State Highway Administration (SHA) has monitored problematic design practices and adjusted present designs to avoid future maintenance issues. One area that has been particularly problematic for SHA is the deterioration of prestressed steel strands in prestressed concrete beams and girders. In fact, in recent years, SHA has performed emergency span replacements on two different bridges because the strands had deteriorated to such an extent that serious safety concerns were exposed. One tactic SHA has used to remedy this issue has been to increase the concrete cover requirements beyond code requirements to help prevent the onset of deterioration. This will help, but comes at a price. The strands are less effective and more strands are often required. Therefore, this research consisted of gathering and synthesizing information on how others have addressed this issue, as it relates to the deployment of other materials that can be used to provide durable corrosion protection and prevention of premature spalling or corrosion-induced cracking. To assess the use of stainless steel and other materials, a survey was conducted and disseminated to contractors, personnel at various departments of transportation, and construction industry personnel. This study presents a summary of various projects that have used corrosion-resistant rebar (CRR), a summary of what other states are doing to address this issue, and results from the survey of how various states are addressing the issue of corrosion decay on structures. KW - Best practices KW - Bridge decks KW - Corrosion resistance KW - Girders KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Maryland KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Stainless steel KW - States KW - Surveys UR - http://www.roads.maryland.gov/OPR_Research/MD-13_SP309B4G_Stainless-Steel-Prestressing-Strands_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364656 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574002 AU - Baillargeon, Jay AU - Jeong, David AU - Akhtar, Muhammad AU - Mademann, Curt AU - Davis, David AU - Transportation Technology Center, Incorporated AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Load Environment of Rail Joint Bars – Phase III: Assessment of the Effects of Installation and Maintenance Practices PY - 2015/08//Final Report SP - 60p AB - A series of tests, aimed at assessing the structural integrity of joint bars under differing service conditions, were conducted to address concerns regarding joint bar failures in the revenue service environment. Data collected through the course of this study revealed that bending stress invoked by normal track surfacing operations is not a likely cause for cracks that initiate at the top center of joint bars. Instead, cracking at this location is probably the result of fatigue at the top center of the joint bar due to rail-joint contact. Surface hardening at the area of rail-joint contact was largely ineffective, resulting in metal flow developing adjacent to the easement at the top of the joint bar. Additional data gathered in this study suggests little correlation between the surface hardness of the joint bar and the depth of metal flow. Bending stresses and wheel/rail forces were also measured on joint bars used in rail end gaps and rail height mismatches, which revealed minimal effects on overall joint bar performance for the installation conditions and range of speeds evaluated. KW - Bending stress KW - Cracking KW - Finite element method KW - Rail joints KW - Structural analysis KW - Tie bars UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/15160 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55385/Load_environment_rail_joint-bars_III.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1365281 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579261 AU - Bham, Ghulam H AU - Minturn, Jacob AU - Hafele, Brendan AU - Abaza, Osama AU - University of Alaska, Fairbanks AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance of Depressed Medians on Divided Highways in Alaska PY - 2015/07/31/Preliminary Project Report AB - The population of Alaska especially the city of Anchorage is steadily increasing. As a result, traffic volumes are higher and demands to add lanes to existing highways is increasing in order to relieve congestion. In Alaska, an expressway or freeway is a high-speed (≥ 50 mph), multilane, divided highway with partial access control. These divided highways typically utilize wide medians. These medians are considered an option to be replace with narrow medians in order to provide additional through lanes to cater to the needs of higher traffic volume and keep traffic congestion to a minimum. During the Alaska winter where snow accumulates in medians from October to April, drivers can lose control of their vehicles in slippery road conditions; however, these wide medians with heavy snow serve as a refuge to absorb the impact of a crash. The damage to a vehicle and its occupants can be minimal as a result. If the existing wide medians are used to construct additional lanes, these wide medians will no longer be available to act as safety cushions. On the contrary, a narrow median will mainly act as a barrier to separate vehicles traveling in the opposite direction. Without a depressed median (a vee ditch), single vehicle run-off-road crashes could evolve into multi-vehicle crashes among vehicles traveling in the same direction. These depressed wide medians also act as snow storage areas, allowing snow to be plowed on both sides of the road. Eliminating these medians will reduce the available snow storage space and require plowing all of the snow to the right and increase the snow load to one side of the road. A study is proposed that will examine the operational and safety benefits of 1) keep existing wide medians, and 2) replace existing medians with a) concrete barriers, b) high tensioned cable barriers, and c) another feasible alternative. Modern protective devices, such as cable barriers, offer protection with a lower risk of vehicle damage and personal injury than do traditional concrete barriers and guardrails. The study will evaluate the benefits of travel way that is safer to use. Further, the study will examine the benefits of higher traffic volume with minimal congestion to the cost of construction of additional lanes and property damage to vehicles as a result of collision with different types of barriers. KW - Alaska KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Divided highways KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Median barriers KW - Medians KW - Snow KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic volume KW - Width UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-33-UAF-Bham.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370902 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579248 AU - Hurwitz, David S AU - Boyle, Linda AU - Abdel-Rahim, Ahmed AU - Bham, Ghulam H AU - Cofer, William AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Educating Younger Drivers in the Pacific Northwest Regarding the Dangers of Distracted Driving PY - 2015/07/31/Final Project Report SP - 40p AB - The goal of this outreach project was to examine driver distraction among high school and college students in the Pacific Northwest. Specifically, to identify secondary tasks they consider distracting and determine their self-reported engagement in those same secondary tasks while driving. An interactive presentation was developed and administered to 2,500 younger drivers (approximately 600 participants in each of the four states Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington). Younger Drivers were recruited from high schools and universities in each state. Of those participants, 2,378 younger drivers responded to a pre- and post-survey administered immediately before and two weeks after the presentation. The purpose of the survey was to measure the degree to which the interactive presentation improved younger driver perspectives regarding the hazards of distracted driving. Results indicated that the interactive presentation positively influenced younger driver perspectives, meaning that after the interactive presentation, younger drivers were more likely to correctly identify different types of distracted driving. KW - Before and after studies KW - College students KW - Distraction KW - Driver education KW - High school students KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Surveys KW - Teenage drivers UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-28-OSU-Hurwitz-et-al.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370899 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579247 AU - Frazier, Tim G AU - Nichols, Lisa AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhancing the Resilience of Idaho’s Transportation Network to Natural Hazards and Climate Change PY - 2015/07/31/Final Project Report AB - This research compiled information on past landslides, including date-referencing and geo-locating events; analyzed and mapped variables contributing to slide susceptibility; demonstrated the conditions of the future climate models that may increase landslide hazards; and designated the transportation routes most vulnerable to weather-triggered landslides. The study area was reduced to the northern and central counties, as primary and secondary transportation routes in the remainder of Idaho rarely cross areas of high topographic relief. The slide events located in this pilot study generally occur in areas of high susceptibility based on aspect, slope, and geology. The transportation routes most at risk given projections of climate change are in the northern-most counties of Idaho: Interstate 90 and northern sections of U.S. Highway 95. Luckily, these areas generally have dense canopy cover, an indicator of slope stability. However, land use changes, forestry management policy changes, and the threat of large-scale wildfires could each impact slope stability. With a larger, detailed record of landslide events, predictive models for homogeneous “landslide” regions could be combined with historical and projected climate data to isolate specific sections of highways most vulnerable to extreme weather-triggered slope failures. LiDAR could greatly reduce the time and cost of compiling a landslide inventory for Idaho. KW - Climate change KW - Forecasting KW - Idaho KW - Landslides KW - Risk assessment KW - Routes KW - Slope failure UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-52-UI-Frazier-et-al.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370896 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579224 AU - Bauer, Denise H AU - Frenzel, James AU - Wall, Richard W AU - Frazier, Tim G AU - University of Idaho, Moscow AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Framework for Improved Safety and Accessibility through Pedestrian Guidance and Navigation PY - 2015/07/31/Final Project Report SP - 28p AB - With the changes in America's demographics comes a need to provide improved accommodation of individuals with reduced capabilities. To date, research has focused upon assistive pedestrian signal technologies for pedestrians with impaired vision. Such individuals must learn to cross complex intersections safely using a range of sensory inputs, including auditory cues from traffic surge and beaconing systems. Unfortunately, reduced vehicle noise, particularly for hybrid or electric vehicles, combined with increases in background sound levels, reduces the effectiveness of this approach. Furthermore, once the signal changes and the pedestrian starts to cross, there is very little communication with the pedestrian other than the possibility of active beaconing. The traffic controller has no way of knowing how far pedestrians have progressed and whether they are still in the crosswalk. This project is proposing the integration of commercial technologies commonly found in smartphones and other mobile electronics into a framework that will provide for pedestrian tracking and navigation. Such capability would allow the pedestrian signal device to take corrective action, such as providing navigational corrections or extending the walk signal (in extreme circumstances). With a "technology-neutral" framework (using a device other than a smartphone), this pedestrian support can be expanded to other avenues, such as railway crossings, bus terminals, and airports. KW - Accessibility KW - Crosswalks KW - Detection and identification KW - Pedestrian detectors KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Persons with disabilities KW - Smartphones KW - Technological innovations UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans30-UI-Bauer.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370900 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579195 AU - Chang, Kevin AU - Brown, Shane AU - Perkins, Robert AU - Boyle, Linda AU - Cofer, William AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Refinement and Dissemination of a Digital Platform for Sharing Transportation Education Materials PY - 2015/07/31/Final Project Report SP - 54p AB - National agencies have called for more widespread adoption of best practices in engineering education. To facilitate this sharing of practices a web-based system framework used by transportation engineering educators to share curricular materials and methods was developed. A research-based, action-oriented approach was taken where iteration occurred between the usability and adoptability of the system and the material-sharing and decision-making process of its content providers. The results of this study suggest that managing the size and content of the materials provided in the repository and establishing an effective and efficient means to access the material are of critical importance to the long-term success and sustainability of the system. KW - Best practices KW - Curricula KW - Education KW - Information dissemination KW - Transportation engineering KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-41-UI-Chang.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370894 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579184 AU - Lee, Hyun Woo AU - Harapanahalli, Bharat A AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigating the Feasibility of Using Quick Response Codes in Highway Construction for Document Control PY - 2015/07/31/Final Project Report SP - 58p AB - Highway construction takes place in remote locations, making document control challenging. Frequent changes in a project can cause errors, reworks, and schedule delays due to the time taken to disseminate these changes to the field or due to using outdated documents. With the advancement of mobile devices, Quick Response (QR) codes can now provide project teams rapid and reliable access to information and documents required for field operations. The use of QR codes can also allow for checking document versions, reduce the need for travelling or meeting for document revisions, and reduce the amount of hardcopy documents and storage spaces. Despite the potential for significant benefits, there have been little to no studies aimed at assessing the feasibility of using QR codes in highway construction. In response, this study aimed at investigating the benefits of and barriers of using QR codes in highway construction for document control. First, an online survey was conducted to determine the status quo of highway construction in terms of document control and mobile information technology (IT). The survey results indicated that hardcopy documentation is still the most prevalent form of document control in highway construction, and hence there is an opportunity for implementing QR codes in conjunction with mobile IT. Further, a time study using a real-world infrastructure project was conducted based on three activities: detail look up, specification check, and version check. A statistical analysis of the time study data showed that using QR codes can significantly save time, indicating a benefit cost ratio of 1.70. In conclusion, the report presents a guideline that state transportation agencies can use to implement QR codes in their document control practices. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Documents KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Information dissemination KW - Labeling KW - QR codes KW - Road construction KW - Statistical analysis KW - Surveys UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-37-OSU-Lee.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370898 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579177 AU - Belz, Nathan P AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Roundabout Design Training for Alaska's Engineers PY - 2015/07/31/Final Project Report SP - 17p AB - Roundabout are an emerging type of intersection design, are a relatively new addition to the transportation system in the United States. As a result, guidelines for roundabout design and construction are very broad and leave much room for subjectivity. This can result in roundabout designs with performance and safety well below the level that was anticipated. Further, the application and design of roundabouts is still evolving. As such, it is critically important that planners and engineers are kept up-to-date with the “state-of-the-art” and “best practices” for roundabout design so that these intersections will positively contribute to the transportation system. Education and outreach materials were developed and offered to designers and planners through a six-part webinar series that covered best practices for planning, design, analysis, construction, and post-implementation techniques that can be applied to roundabouts in Alaska. KW - Alaska KW - Best practices KW - Education KW - Highway design KW - Roundabouts KW - State of the practice KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-49-UAF-Belz.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370895 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574106 AU - Dingus, Thomas AU - Noble, Alexandria M AU - Connected Vehicle/Infrastructure University Transportation Center AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Morgan State University AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Safety, Operational, and Energy Impacts of In-vehicle Adaptive Stop Displays Using Connected Vehicle Technology PY - 2015/07/30/Final Research Report SP - 113p AB - Un-signalized intersections create multiple opportunities for missed or misunderstood information. Stop sign-controlled intersections have also been shown to be a source of delay and emissions due to their frequent, often inappropriate use. By using connected vehicle technology, it is possible to place electronic stop signs at more conspicuous locations that can communicate with the in-vehicle systems. Then, if a conflict is imminent at an intersection, the vehicle’s system alerts the driver, thus reducing the probability of missed information, as well as decreasing the amount of unnecessary delay, fuel consumption, and emissions by only prompting a stop when a conflict is present. Before implementing any new technology, it is important to assess it from both a transportation engineering and human factors standpoint to determine the value of such a system. The objective of this study was to assess perceived benefits of an adaptive in-vehicle stop display and to determine if there were any negative safety implications with the use of this system. This was accomplished through a test track experiment with 49 participants. These drivers were presented with a standard R1-1 stop sign on the in-vehicle display, as well as an experimental sign, which informed them to proceed through the intersection with caution. Results indicate the implementation of this technology reduces delay, decreases fuel consumption, and does not instigate any safety decrements. KW - Driver information systems KW - Drivers KW - Fuel consumption KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pollutants KW - Stop signs KW - Technological innovations KW - Test tracks KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic safety KW - Unsignalized intersections UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55378/Noble_SOE_Impacts_of_In-Vehicle_Adaptive_Stop_Displays_Using_CV_Technology_Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364411 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571980 TI - Aviation Portfolio Management Tool - PMT-E CAEP Inventory AB - No summary provided. KW - Aviation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Management KW - Organizational portfolio analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363586 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576173 AU - Andrew, James AU - Simmons, Erica AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Integration Plan for the Mid-Region Council of Governments: Central New Mexico Climate Change Scenario Planning Project PY - 2015/07/27 SP - 40p AB - This Integration Plan for the Central New Mexico Climate Change Scenario Planning Project (CCSP) provides useful information on strategies that the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) and its partners can pursue over the next five years to adapt regional policies, programs, and data collection procedures to further the goals of environmental protection, climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, and resiliency. These strategies will help MRCOG further integrate these goals into its next metropolitan transportation plan (MTP). This Integration Plan explores potential implementation strategies for the following policy focus areas.: (1) Transportation Climate Change Adaptation Assessment; (2) Mitigating Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Electricity Generation; (3) Incentivizing Transit-Oriented Activity Centers; (4) Open Space Preservation Programs and Policies; and (5) Green Infrastructure Investments. KW - Air quality management KW - Climate change KW - Data collection KW - Environmental policy KW - Land use planning KW - New Mexico KW - Regional planning KW - Sustainable development KW - Transit oriented development KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel demand management UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55338/MRCOG_IntegrationPlan.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369012 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01575523 AU - Donovan, Neila J AU - Savage, Meghan C AU - Varnado, Chantelle AU - Brown, Caitlin AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Road Sign Recognition during Computer Testing versus Driving Simulator Performance for Stroke and Stroke+Aphasia Groups PY - 2015/07/25/Final Report SP - 20p AB - Driving is essential to maintaining independence. For most Americans preserving personal mobility is a key element to retaining jobs, friends, activities and the basic necessities to maintain a household. This is particularly true for older people. However, as the general age of the US increases, more and more people are becoming at greater risk for neurologic diseases such as stroke. Brain damage from stroke can affect physical mobility, sensorimotor, cognition, communication, visual perception, and visual processing which are all critical processes needed for driving. Currently, there is no consistent way to determine when a person can return to driving poststroke. Most driving studies exclude people with poststroke aphasia (PWA). However, aphasia may result in the inability to recognize and interpret the words, symbols, and gestures on road signs, which will impact safe driving. This paper presents the results of a recent study that tested road sign interpretation tasks among groups of healthy and poststroke older drivers to assess the effects of poststroke aphasia on driving. The results showed that aphasia significantly impacted accuracy and response time of road sign interpretation. More importantly, however, as language and symbol complexity increased on road signs, the aphasia-affected drivers performed with less accuracy and required more time. Although poststroke aphasia has not been taken into account in most stroke-related driving research, these findings suggest further research is warranted and may have implications for the design of road signs and for healthcare professionals who make decisions about when a PWA may safely return to driving. KW - Aged drivers KW - Aphasia (Medical condition) KW - Highway safety KW - Human factors KW - Stroke (Medical condition) KW - Traffic sign recognition KW - Traffic signs UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/reports/road-sign-recognition-during-computer-testing.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367036 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590485 AU - Collura, John AU - Burleson, Wayne AU - Gao, Song AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Decision Support System to Assess Disruptive Impacts of Alternative Transportation Financing Approaches PY - 2015/07/23/Final Report SP - 3p AB - The objective of this project was to initiate the development of a decision support system (DSS) to assist State Departments of Transportation in the evaluation of the impacts related to placing tolls on interstate highways. Anticipated impacts include capital and operating costs to implement the required toll collection strategies and technologies; expected changes in existing demand along the interstate and alternate routes; potential toll revenue; and privacy and equity implications. With the aid of this DSS, a decision-maker would be able to specify different toll system characteristics, add options such as desired levels of privacy and equity, and in a matter of minutes estimate capital and operating costs, forecast revenues, perform net present value and payback period analyses for alternative toll collection systems. The project also included the development of an illustrative example to demonstrate the application of the DSS to assess the impacts of alternative toll approaches along a segment of Interstate 93 through Boston. The expectation is that this DSS will be expanded to evaluate other financing approaches including congestion pricing strategies, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) based fees, and innovative fuel tax schemes indexed to inflation. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Boston (Massachusetts) KW - Costs KW - Decision support systems KW - Evaluation KW - Financing KW - Interstate highways KW - Revenues KW - State departments of transportation KW - Tolls KW - Travel demand UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-16%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397324 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613836 AU - Sangster, John AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Operational Analysis of Alternative Intersections PY - 2015/07/21/Final Report SP - 139p AB - Alternative intersections and interchanges, such as the diverging diamond interchange (DDI), the restricted crossing u-turn (RCUT), and the displaced left-turn intersection (DLT), have the potential to both improve safety and reduce delay. However, partially due to lingering questions about analysis methods and service measures for these designs, their rate of implementation remains low. This research attempts to answer three key questions. Can alternative intersections and interchanges be incorporated into the existing level of service and service measure schema, or is a new service measure with an updated level of service model required? Is the behavior of drivers at alternative intersections fundamentally similar to those at conventional intersections, such that traffic microsimulation applications can accurately model the behaviors observed in the field? Finally, is the planning level tool made available through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) an accurate predictor of the relative performance of various alternatives, or is an updated tool necessary? Discussion and case study analysis are used to explore the existing level of service and service measure schema. The existing control delay measure is recommended to be replaced with a proposed junction delay measure that incorporates geometric delay, with the existing level of service schema based on control type recommended to be replaced by a proposed schema using demand volume. A case study validation of micro- and macroscopic analysis methods is conducted, finding the two microscopic methods investigated to match field observed vehicle delays within 3 to 7 seconds for all designs tested, and macroscopic Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) method matching within 3 seconds for the DDI, 35 seconds for the RCUT, and 130 seconds for the DLT design. Taking the critical lane analysis method to be a valid measure of operations, the demand-volume limitations of each alternative design is explored using eighteen geometric configurations and approximately three thousand volume scenarios, with the DLT design predicted to accommodate the highest demand volumes before failure is reached. Finally, six geometries are examined using both the planning-level tool and the validated microsimulation tool, finding that the curve of the capacity-to-delay relationship varies for each alternative design, invalidating the use of critical lane analysis as a comparative tool. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Analysis KW - Behavior KW - Case studies KW - Drivers KW - Geometric configurations and shapes KW - Highway capacity KW - Highway Capacity Manual KW - Highway design KW - Interchanges and intersections KW - Level of service KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic models UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2012-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424191 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594133 AU - Schneider, Helmut AU - Pfetzer, Emily AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Drugged Driving in Louisiana: Quantification of its Impact on Public Health and Implications for Legislation, Enforcement and Prosecution PY - 2015/07/20/Final Report SP - 155p AB - Drugged driving, i.e., driving under the influence of drugs, is considered a rising public health issue in the US and the rest of the world, yet due to underreporting and limitations of existing data, not much is known about the frequency of drugged driving and how it affects public safety is not yet clear. While the federal government has encouraged states to enact zero-tolerance drugged driving laws, the lack of clarity surrounding the effects of drugs on driving abilities as well a lack of empirical evidence about the efficacy of such laws indicate more research is necessary. Using Louisiana as a case study, this report provides important insight into the state of knowledge about drugged driving, the limitations to current data collection practices and how to proceed from here. There are two main goals: first, evaluate laws and policies about drugged driving and through a series of interviews with prosecutors, defense attorneys, police, and the public, identify obstacles to zero-tolerance legislation in Louisiana; and second, analyze the frequency of drugged driving in Louisiana and other states where data is publicly available to identify ways to improve data collection. Analysis of data from the Louisiana State Crime Lab as well as other available sources provide a preliminary baseline estimate about the frequency and nature of drug-impaired driving in Louisiana. Findings indicate substantial disparities exist among parishes in terms of the number of drug-impaired driving arrests and the quality of evidence submitted for testing, which reflects a lack of standardized procedures and an uneven distribution of resources. This study compares the prior DWI arrests, speeding violations and crashes of drivers who tested positive for various drugs to all other drivers. While there are substantial limitations to the analysis, particularly in sample size and selection, the findings suggest the drivers arrested for drugged driving have higher rates of prior unsafe driving incidents than all other drivers. Survey interviews with the target populations reveal an overall lack of training, resources, and testing capacities in Louisiana, as well as a wide range of concerns about per se laws. This study contributes a clearer understanding of existing data limitations and challenges with which states must contend, and presents a series of recommendations for developing a comprehensive approach to dealing with drug-impaired driving in Louisiana and other states moving forward. KW - Analysis KW - Case studies KW - Data collection KW - Drugged drivers KW - Law enforcement KW - Laws and legislation KW - Louisiana KW - Prosecution KW - Public health KW - Recommendations KW - Surveys KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-45FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400766 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594234 AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Burt, Matthew AU - Chachich, Alan AU - Harrington, Ryan AU - Hassol, Joshua AU - Kim, Anita AU - Lamoureux, Katie AU - LaFrance-Linden, Dawn AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Perlman, David AU - Ritter, Gary AU - Sloan, Suzanne M AU - Wallischeck, Eric AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Status of the Dedicated Short-Range Communications Technology and Applications: Report to Congress PY - 2015/07/16/Report to Congress SP - 214p AB - DSRC is a Wi-Fi derivative technology developed to meet specialized needs for secure, low latency, wireless mobile data communications. DSRC has proven the ability to provide all of the critical attributes needed to support Connected Vehicle safety applications. This report provides an assessment of the status of DSRC technology and applications, including known and potential gaps; describes a recommended implementation path; and discusses opportunities to use commercially available communications for Connected Vehicle applications under specific circumstances. The assessment is predominantly derived from U.S Department of Transportation research, analysis, and deployment planning that has been performed in partnership with stakeholders and industry experts over the last decade. KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Implementation KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Privacy KW - Traffic safety KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56889/FHWA-JPO-15-218.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400143 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01577540 AU - Lennertz, Tracy AU - Sparko, Andrea L AU - Mattson, Amanda AU - Bürki-Cohen, Judith AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - NextGen Flight Deck Data Comm: Auxiliary Synthetic Speech Phase II PY - 2015/07/15/Final Report SP - 286p AB - Data Comm—a text-based controller-pilot communication system—is expected to yield several Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) safety and efficiency benefits. With Data Comm, communication becomes a visual task, and may potentially increase head-down time on the flight deck as crews interact with the display. This study examined the feasibility of supplementing Data Comm with synthetic speech in commercial, en-route operations. To this end, 32 air-transport pilots (16 flightcrews) flew two experimental conditions in a Boeing 737-800 fixed-base simulator. In one condition, Data Comm was implemented with a text-only display, and, in the other it was implemented with a text display and synthetic speech that annunciated each message (text+speech). Results indicated that the text+speech display aided the performance of flightcrews compared to text only, without introducing additional complications. Relative to the text-only display, the text+speech display yielded less head-down time. Flightcrews did not delay opening or acknowledging a text+speech message when the party line was active. The majority of pilots reported that the text+speech display was easy to use, helpful, and not distracting; however, this acceptance was attenuated in major-airline pilots. Taken together, these results provide preliminary guidance for aircraft certification regarding the use and implementation of synthetic speech on the flight deck. KW - Air pilots KW - Air traffic control KW - Communication systems KW - Data communications KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Flight crews KW - Flight simulators KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Speech synthesis KW - Visual display units (Computers) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55383/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-14-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370430 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613752 AU - Murray-Tuite, Pamela AU - Yin, Weihao AU - El-Metwally, Maha AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Comparison of Transportation Disruptive Events in the Washington, D.C. Area and Traffic and Demand Management Strategies PY - 2015/07/14/Final Report SP - 41p AB - Preparing for every possible disruption scenario is impossible. The overall goal of this study was to begin to better understand the similarities and differences between extraordinary disruptive events and more common incidents so that agencies can identify traffic management strategies and resources that can be applied in multiple settings as well as the limits of those strategies in the different settings. A 2009 MetroRail train collision, an earthquake (2011), and a tipped-over boom truck (2012) in the Washington, DC area provide the context for this study. This study compares and contrasts the impacts of these three major events with the more common vehicle collisions in terms of demand changes, network performance, and the applicability of traffic mitigation strategies. The data for the comparison come from rail and bus ridership, freeway detectors, and probe vehicles. Mesoscopic simulation is used to simulate the events that yield congestion and test strategies. KW - Earthquakes KW - Highway traffic control KW - Service disruption KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic incidents KW - Traffic simulation KW - Travel demand management KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2012-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424193 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574114 AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Hassol, Josh AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Sheridan, Amy AU - Sloan, Suzanne AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Dynamic Mobility Application Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Response, Emergency Staging and Communications, Uniform Management, and Evacuation (R.E.S.C.U.M.E.) PY - 2015/07/08/Final Report SP - 30p AB - This report documents policy considerations for Response, Emergency Staging and Communications, Uniform Management, and Evacuation (R.E.S.C.U.M.E.). R.E.S.C.U.M.E. comprises a "bundle" of mobility applications that use existing and new connected vehicle data sets and other data to provide first-responders, emergency management centers, and road crews with enhanced information, allowing them to respond faster and more effectively to incidents and emergencies than they can today. The policy team has documented four potential policy issues for R.E.S.C.U.M.E.: (1) Multi-Agency Coordination for Information Broker Function: Because the Information Broker functions in R.E.S.C.U.M.E. will, in many cases, be distributed among multiple entities it will be important for participating agencies to determine roles and responsibilities when implementing R.E.S.C.U.M.E. (2) Compliance with HIPAA Privacy Requirements: R.E.S.C.U.M.E. applications - in particular, Emergency Communications and Evacuation (EVAC) - may handle personal health information (PHI), and must be certain to be consistent with the privacy requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). (3) Data and Message Standards for Emergency Communication: The Incident Scene Pre-Arrival Staging Guidance for Emergency Responders (RESP-STG) application must be able to integrate data from multiple sources and immediately disseminate appropriate messages and warnings to multiple agencies. The EVAC application will need to integrate medical records and other data from a variety of sources. Consequently, the need for data and messaging standards to facilitate inter-agency and inter-jurisdictional emergency information sharing is apparent. (4) Incident Scene Work Zone Alerts for Drivers and Workers (INC-ZONE) Implementation: The INC-ZONE application will require small but important changes to the procedures that response crews follow when they arrive at incident scenes, and also may have implications for incident/work zone signage design standards. Recommendations for addressing these policy issues include development of guidance materials for state and local agencies, and completion of planned cost-benefit studies and privacy impact assessments. KW - Emergency management KW - Evacuation KW - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act KW - Implementation KW - Information dissemination KW - Interagency relations KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Policy KW - Privacy KW - Recommendations UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55305/FHWA-JPO-14-137_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366053 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01575241 AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Hassol, Josh AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Sheridan, Amy AU - Sloan, Suzanne AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Dynamic Mobility Applications Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) PY - 2015/07/07/Final Report SP - 29p AB - This report documents policy considerations for Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO). IDTO applications provide individualized trip planning, transfer protection, and ridesharing options. The analysis identified the following potential policy issues: (1) Data Privacy: Certain personally identifiable information (PII) appears necessary for the operations of some IDTO apps. Like all of the dynamic mobility application bundles, IDTO will undergo additional analysis related to privacy issues and risks. In addition, each IDTO deployment should carefully consider privacy issues during design, implementation, and operations. (2) Data Sharing: Participating agencies will need to establish formal data-sharing agreements specifying which data elements are going to be shared, under what circumstances, and for what purposes. Data sharing between different agencies will require advanced planning. (3) Multi-Agency Coordination: Differing agendas among agencies, and even among modes within agencies, may make multi-modal coordination more difficult. The necessary cross-agency agreements can be difficult to negotiate and implement. (4) Data Interoperability: Regional IDTO deployments will need interoperability of operational data and the systems handling it will. Achieving interoperability will be largely a technical challenge, but it will involve significant policy hurdles as well. For example, participating agencies will need to agree on common data formats, and establish data sharing protocols. (5) Regulatory Status of Rideshare: The legal/regulatory status of transportation network companies is rapidly evolving. These concerns are not immediately applicable to IDTO, but, such regulations are likely to be widely variable. USDOT needs to remain attuned to the implications of state regulations of transportation network companies and the potential impact to the use of D-RIDE by transit agencies. (6) Social Equity: Social equity is a potential concern with IDTO, but is considered low since it is not yet clear if the system will be preferential to some users, or will instead improve travel times for all travelers regardless of their access to the applications. (7) D-RIDE Passenger Safety: This is considered a low priority since the entities interfacing with the D-RIDE providers' systems will only be sharing dynamic transportation service options available and will not be involved in the acceptance or rejection of any given ride, and online reviews of dynamic transportation services will help eliminate bad actors. (8) Increased Travel Times and Route Complexity: Dynamic routing and protected transfers have the potential to increase transit route service times. It is expected that transit agencies will develop business rules to specify schedule and route conditions under which protected transfers are and are not acceptable to the system. Other than addressing known security and privacy concerns, the policy team does not foresee a need for any new policies to be enacted or foresee any major issues that will stand in the way of successful deployment and use by agencies. Ultimately, guidance on installation, integration, operations, and maintenance will be produced by the technical teams when completing their technology transfer to the public sector. KW - Data interoperability KW - Data privacy KW - Data sharing KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Institutional issues KW - Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) KW - Interagency coordination KW - Passenger safety KW - Policy KW - Regulations KW - Ridesharing KW - Transfers KW - Travel time KW - Trip planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55306/FHWA-JPO-14-134_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366760 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574001 AU - Kropat, Elisa AU - Lian, Scott AU - Peckett, Haley AU - Yowell, Ryan AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge: Transit Planning Study PY - 2015/07/07/Final Report SP - 200p AB - This study for the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) identifies and analyzes options for enhancing existing transit service at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (the Refuge), a regional destination in Florida’s Space Coast which serves approximately 1 million visitors annually. The Refuge, a popular destination for birders and tourists, experiences seasonal congestion at high-use visitor sites. Additionally, the Refuge acknowledges the opportunity to expand access to new user groups and serve visitors in a more sustainable manner through transit. The study team researched existing conditions on the Refuge and the surrounding community, safety, staff capacity, financial resources, and other considerations to develop a number of short- and long-term transit scenarios. The study presents specific considerations for FWS and its partners as they move to enhance transit service on the Refuge. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Financial analysis KW - Florida KW - Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge KW - Public transit KW - Recommendations KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transit safety KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55228/MINWR_Transit_Planning_Study.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364673 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579178 AU - Isgor, O Burkan AU - Morales, Monica AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Improved Corrosion Inspection Procedures for Reinforced Concrete Bridges: Electrical Resistivity of Concrete PY - 2015/07/03/Final Project Report SP - 75p AB - The effects of steel reinforcement and chloride-induced corrosion initiation on the electrical resistivity measurements using the Wenner probe technique were studied experimentally on custom-designed reinforced concrete slabs. Investigation parameters included (1) probe configurations with respect to rebar mesh, (2) rebar density, (3) epoxy coating on the rebar, (4) concrete cover thickness over embedded reinforcement, (5) chloride ingress, and (6) corrosion of rebar. The concrete moisture condition and cover thickness influenced the effect of rebar mesh. It was theorized that bound chlorides increased electrical resistivity measurements and counteracted the effect of free chlorides. It was observed that epoxy coated rebar did not significantly affect measurements. Uncoated rebar affected resistivity measurements, particularly for saturated and semi-saturated concrete. Corrosion initiation was observed to have no significant effect on measurements. Larger concrete cover thicknesses provided for more discrepancy between half-cell potential and electrical resistivity measurements. Recommendations to increase electrical resistivity measurement accuracy on reinforced concrete slab surfaces are made. KW - Corrosion KW - Electrical resistivity KW - Recommendations KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Reinforcing bars UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-50-OSU-Isgor.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370897 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01575721 TI - Cookbook for Rheological Models -- Asphalt Binders AB - This guidebook on rheological models of binders will present various mathematical (rheological) models and will address the advantages/disadvantages of each model. The book will also discuss how loading, and environmental conditions can influence the selection of appropriate models. The work will based on reports and published papers, and the results of two previous projects completed under Center for Advanced Infrastructure & Transportation (CAIT) grants. The authors will also perform sensitivity analysis on the models to investigate (what if) analysis of these models. KW - Asphalt KW - Binders KW - Pavement design KW - Rheological properties KW - Sensitivity analysis UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/cookbook-rheological-models-asphalt-binders UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1368414 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574095 AU - El-adaway, Islam AU - Truax, Dennis D AU - University of Tennessee, Knoxville AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing Sustainability Effect of Infrastructure Transportation Projects Using Systems-Based Analytic Framework PY - 2015/07/01/Final Report SP - 47p AB - Sustainability means providing for the necessities of today without endangering the necessities of tomorrow within the technical, environmental, economic, social/cultural, and individual contexts. However, the assessment tools available to study the sustainability of the transportation infrastructure are limited in their approach and lacking in their content due to several reasons: (1) differences amongst the actors within the industry; (2) fragmentation as represented by lack of communication and understanding between the industry and those whom it serves; and (3) regionalism as represented by the disconnection between the transportation construction projects and their host community systems. The narrow focus of the currently available assessment methods does not collectively address the technical, environmental, economic, social/cultural, and individual sustainability indicators as well various aspects of sustainability. To this end, this research develops three innovative system-based concepts to assess sustainability of the transportation infrastructure projects: (1) work, (2) nature, and (3) flow. The “work benchmark” defines the socio-behavioral relationships amongst the products and the actors of the built environment. It also attempts to delineate how the end-product is affected by how well the producers are connected to the product. The “nature benchmark” focuses on the effects of the infrastructure system on the environment through studying the interaction between the transportation projects actors, their associated processes, and the end-products within their host systems. The “flow benchmark” identifies the overall system changes within the host systems and the effects of these changes on the natural environment and the socio-economic setting. For testing and evaluation of “nature” and “work” on five different transportation and civil infrastructure projects, which are in a relation to a transportation project, the authors utilized a three-step methodology comprising: (1) structured survey; (2) data collection; and (3) analysis. This process provided an improved understanding of the environmental, social, and economic effects of these projects from a systems perspective. For future work, the concept of “flow” will be further explored using macro-level system dynamics modeling, micro-level agent-based simulation, and multi-objective optimization to measure the overall system change. KW - Assessments KW - Construction projects KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Environmental impacts KW - Infrastructure KW - Land use KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Surveys KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-11FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363648 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574084 AU - Pino, Vanessa AU - Nanni, Antonio AU - University of Miami, Coral Gables AU - Research on Concrete Applications for Sustainable Transportation (RE-CAST) AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - FRCM and FRP Composites for the Repair of Damaged PC Girders PY - 2015/07/01/Final Report SP - 100p AB - Fabric-reinforced-cementitious-matrix (FRCM) and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have emerged as novel strengthening technologies. FRCM is a composite material consisting of a sequence of one or more layers of cement-based matrix reinforced with dry-fiber fabric(s). Conversely, FRP consists of a sequence of one or more plies of unidirectional fibers embedded in organic resin. The primary objective of this project was an extensive material characterization of two pre-selected FRCM and FRP systems in order to investigate their basic constitutive behavior and durability. Material characterization is performed in compliance with established Acceptance Criteria (AC434 and AC125). Results from the characterization yield material properties that are considered in determining experimental, theoretical, and design ultimate capacities of strengthened members. FRCM and FRP were used for the strengthening of intentionally damaged American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Type III prestressed concrete girders taken from I-81 overpass near Arcadia, Virginia. Experimental and theoretical analyses were performed to demonstrate the ability of these two repair methods to restore moment capacity compromised by the loss of four and eight 9.5-mm (3/8-in.) diameter prestressing tendons. All experimental work was conducted at Virginia Tech and reported in details elsewhere. This document presents some of the experimental findings and shows additional and original analytical considerations on the performance of the repaired girders. In particular, it offers a comparison between theoretical results according to AASHTO Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Bridge Design Specifications (2010) and experimental tests. Finally, design methodology including ACI 318 (2011), ACI 549.4R (2013) and ACI 440.2R (2008) are used to calculate design values that are compared to experimental values. KW - Composite materials KW - Durability KW - Fabrics KW - Fiber composites KW - Girders KW - Properties of materials KW - Repairing UR - http://recast.mst.edu/media/research/recast/documents/finalreports/FRCMandFRPCompositesfortheRepairofDamagedPCGirders.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55373/FRCMandFRPCompositesfortheRepairofDamagedPCGirders.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363945 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573189 TI - Supplement to Phase 1 of the Alabama SHSP Update AB - In response to the latest federal transportation authorization, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (Map-21), the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is updating its Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). Purpose of the SHSP is to serve as the comprehensive safety program for all public roads in the State. It is produced in coordination with other State safety agencies, is consistent with other State safety plans, and provides the framework for reducing fatalities and serious injuries on the State's roadway network. It is proposed that a team comprising the University of Alabama (UA) and Cambridge Systematics (CS) conduct Phase 1 of Alabama SHSP update. The University Transportation Center for Alabama (UTCA) will lead the project with support from the Center for Advanced Public Safety (CAPS) at UA. Cambridge Systematics will provide technical support and strategic guidance over the course of Phase 1. The proposed project will add the Birmingham and Southwest Alabama Regions to Phase I of SHSP. By including the additional regions, the team will be able to develop a comprehensive understanding of the different demographic, socio-economic, topographical and road safety issues throughout the State. The objective of the proposed project is to produce two additional SHSPs for the new regions added herein. KW - Alabama KW - Alabama Department of Transportation KW - Demographics KW - Highway safety KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Strategic planning KW - Topography UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/research/projects/?id=15408 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1365434 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572360 TI - Optimum Routing of Freight in Urban Environments under Normal Operations and Disruptions using a Co-simulation Optimization Control Approach AB - The complexity and dynamics of the road and rail networks that are also shared by passengers together with the unpredictability of the effect of incidents, disruptions and demand, in temporal and spacial coordinates makes the scheduling and optimum routing of freight a very challenging task despite recent advances in information technologies. Estimating travel times in an urban road network environment is a real challenge especially during incidents and other disruptive events. Current practices rely on historical data and limited available real time information in order to make routing decisions that minimize a certain cost objective which in the case of road network is usually travel time. Incidents, disruptions, changes in demand, planned and unpredictable events may change the historical patterns of traffic, rendering decisions ineffective leading to imbalances in capacity across time and space coordinates. The purpose of this project is to exploit the availability of powerful computational and software tools together with advances in optimization and feedback control for dynamical systems in order to come up with a methodology that can lead to more efficient decisions in freight scheduling and routing. The method relies on the use of real time simulation models, for predicting travel times, traffic flows, fuel consumption and pollution by going beyond to what can be achieved today based on historical and limited real time data. The simulation models are used in a feedback loop with an optimization model and a load-balancing controller. The simulation models receive historical and streaming data and are able to automatically reconfigure themselves to simulate the subsequent effects of incidents and disruptions. They can be used to estimate costs (travel time, fuel consumption, pollution etc.) along different links in the network by fast-forwarding. In addition they can be used to test different decision scenarios before reaching a final decision. The predicted states of the network can be used to generate cost estimates along possible routes, which in turn can be used by an optimizer to calculate the optimum route with respect to space and time. In many cases however routing decisions and expected future demand may easily disturb the states of the network and change the initially estimated costs leading to an unbalanced network load in space and/or time. A load balancing controller exercises the simulation model and tests different load distributions along the possible routes. The approach leads to an iterative feedback process with the objective of reducing the value of the cost index further till a stopping criterion is met in which case the final decision is applied to the real system. The objective of this project is focused on the effectiveness of the methodology as a tool for freight scheduling and routing in a complex urban environment. The project will investigate whether the use of simulation models operating in real time with optimization and automated control techniques can provide much better decisions than existing approaches that rely on past data and limited real time information. Issues such as speed of computations, scalability, convergence, ability for fast reconfiguration during incidents and disruptions are important research problems. While most of the work will concentrate on developing and analyzing the main components of the proposed co-simulation optimization control approach all simulations, testing and evaluations will be carried out by using a validated microscopic simulation model of part of the rail and road network in the Los Angeles and Long Beach area that includes the two major ports. The deliverables of the project will include the demonstration of the co-simulation optimization control approach and its benefits in upgrading current practices to a new level that takes full advantage of available technologies that include computations and automation of decisions in addition to information technologies. Our experience with traffic models indicates that even though duplicating the real world is an impossible task, simulation models provide much better information than static or equilibrium models and therefore their use in managing freight flows and traffic in general offer a strong potential for dramatic improvements if properly used in combination with optimization and control techniques. This project is aimed to demonstrate this potential as a main deliverable. KW - Freight traffic KW - Incident management KW - Optimization KW - Real time information KW - Routing KW - Service disruption KW - Simulation KW - Urban areas UR - https://www.metrans.org/research/optimum-routing-freight-urban-environments-under-normal-operations-and-disruptions-using-co UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364299 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572358 TI - Quantifying the Impact of Next-Generation Modes of Delivery AB - In the last two years, a new delivery paradigm has emerged for transporting goods on the so-called last mile to households, pioneered by such services as Google Shopping Express, Amazon Prime, Instacart, and Walmart To Go, among many others. Such services reduce the need for households to travel because one can simply order products online and have them delivered quickly to one's doorstep. However, it is not yet understood (or, more specifically, quantified) to what degree such services result in social benefits vis-a-vis congestion and carbon emissions. A major complication in studying problems of this kind is the difficulty of creating a model that is mathematically tractable enough to give useful insights as well as faithful to the original phenomenon being modelled. For example, one complicating factor in modelling household behavior is the existence of multi-stop trips made by households: on a given day, a person will often visit multiple locations on one outing (such as running errands on the way to or from one's place of work), and each of these locations will usually have alternatives (e.g. there are usually multiple choices of which grocer or post office to use). Thus, the calculation of the cost of a multi-stop trip is more complicated than a mere direct trip to and from the various destinations and the household. In the current literature, this complication is handled by either simplifying the problem at hand or by introducing additional assumptions into the problem structure. The objective of this project is to apply tools from geospatial analysis, geometric probability theory, and mathematical optimization to develop an integrated model that predicts the changes in congestion and carbon footprint that result when households in a geographic region adopt (or reject) such delivery services. KW - Behavior KW - Delivery service KW - Electronic commerce KW - Home shopping KW - Households KW - Social benefits KW - Traffic congestion UR - https://www.metrans.org/research/quantifying-impact-next-generation-modes-delivery UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364297 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570285 AU - Gayah, Vikash V AU - Nagle, Andrew S AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Du, Jianhe AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Using Mobile Probes to Inform and Measure the Effectiveness of Traffic Control Strategies on Urban Networks PY - 2015/07/01/Final Report SP - 123p AB - Urban traffic congestion is a problem that plagues many cities in the United States. Testing strategies to alleviate this congestion is especially challenging due to the difficulty of modeling complex urban traffic networks. However, recent work has shown that these complicated systems can be modeled in relatively simple ways by leveraging consistent relationships that exist between network-wide averages of pertinent traffic properties, such as average network flow, network density and the rate at which trips are completed. Using these “macroscopic” traffic models, various control strategies can be developed to mitigate congestion and improve network performance. However, the effectiveness of many of these strategies depends on the ability to estimate traffic conditions on the network in real-time. This jointly proposed research between Penn State and Virginia Tech investigated how real-time mobile vehicle probes can be combined with macroscopic urban traffic models to inform more efficient network-wide traffic control strategies. Additionally, this work will examine how the effectiveness of these strategies can be directly measured in the field using only mobile vehicle probe data. These two efforts can lead to more efficient control of downtown traffic networks and a reduction in vehicular delay during rush hour periods. KW - Peak hour traffic KW - Performance measurement KW - Probe vehicles KW - Real time information KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic models KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MAUTC%202012-02.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55250/MAUTC_2012-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360041 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556649 TI - Using Naturalistic Driving Data to Develop Simulator Scenarios AB - A variety of techniques have been utilized to understand driver behavior as a means toward identifying the factors that contribute to crashes and driver safety. Such approaches include driving simulation and large-scale observational studies of naturalistic driving behavior (e.g., SHRP-2). Driving simulators offer the benefit of experimental control and the ability to draw cause-effect conclusions. However, the extent to which simulator results translate to on-road performance remains a question. Observational studies of naturalistic driving behavior, on the other hand, benefit from studying behavior in the context of real driving, and allow for estimation of crash risk. However, naturalistic studies provide only a single "snapshot" of a given driving event (e.g., a crash), which hinders the ability to draw conclusions about causality or to determine the impact of certain factors on crash risk. Thus, an important question is how naturalistic data can be used to inform the design of simulator scenarios to be used to investigate the role of driver and roadway factors in crashes. The goal of the proposed study is to use the SHRP-2 naturalistic driving data set to develop simulator scenarios based on real-world roadways where real crashes occur. Then, using these simulator scenarios, the project will experimentally investigate the impact of several factors (i.e., distraction, drowsiness) and driver characteristics (e.g., age) on driver behavior in these roadway locations. Finally, the project will code videos of driver behavior during the simulation and compare this against previously completed SHRP-2 coding to establish the correspondence between naturalistic and simulator data. KW - Age KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Distraction KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Drowsiness UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345915 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556647 TI - Transfer from Highly Automated to Manual Control Performance Trust AB - Automated vehicles are an active area of research and development. The projected benefits of automated vehicles are many and varied, but so are the concerns over their perceived limitations and challenges. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently interested in learning more about automated driving technologies; and human factors challenges have been identified as a key component of the automated vehicle picture. A driving simulator study is proposed to study transfers of control from high levels of automation to manual control. An independent variable of automation failure is used to study the degree of trust that a driver has, and potentially loses, in the automation. A high fidelity motion base simulator, the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS-1), is used to capture the 'feel' of riding in an automated vehicle while potentially disengaged completely from the driving and monitoring tasks. KW - Driving simulators KW - Human factors KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Manual control KW - National Advanced Driving Simulator KW - Trust (Psychology) KW - U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345913 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556646 TI - Using Driver Simulators to Assess Instructional Format Efficacy on Older and Younger Drivers' Understanding of Adaptive Cruise Control AB - Drivers have poor conceptual understanding of new adaptive driver safety systems (ADAS) such as adaptive cruise control (ACC). When using advanced safety systems, older drivers tend to be more open to learning through reading manuals, but also tend to struggle with learning the uses and limitations of a safety system. Different instructional formats can have different training effects for older learners. These can run counter to the intuitive expectation that older drivers will be more comfortable with, and therefore learn more from, traditional instructional formats such as books or manuals. The proposed project will investigate the comparative efficacy of different forms of instruction (informational text, text-based scenarios, interactive game-scenarios) for older and younger drivers learning about ACC systems. The project will examine the impact of these different instructional forms on drivers' mental models and simulation-based driving performance. This project will build on the investigators' current project to develop scenario-based instruction (interactive and text) to enhance drivers' mental models of ACC systems. This project proposes a study in which younger and older drivers learn about ACC using three different instructional formats. The project will compare the impact of different types of instruction on participants' mental models of ACC, as well as on their driving performance in a driving simulator. The study will use a repeated measures design to look at drivers' mental models before and after instruction and after simulated driving experience. This design will allow the project to identify any interactions between age and instructional type, examining both their understanding of ACC, as well as their performance in the driving simulator using ACC. KW - Age groups KW - Autonomous intelligent cruise control KW - Before and after studies KW - Driver performance KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Education and training methods UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345912 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01626521 AU - Kim, JinYoung AU - Duong, Trung AU - Dinh, Kien AU - Gucunski, Nenad AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology TI - Nondestructive Evaluation of Four Sister Bridges in Virginia Using Manual NDE Technologies and Robotic Platform RABIT PY - 2015/07//Final Report SP - 26p AB - Understanding the factors that influence the performance of a bridge is a very important topic and due to the complexity of bridges, this is rather a hard task because there are multiple factors, which can influence the performance of a bridge. These factors can include design practices, construction quality, environmental factors, and truckload. Sister bridges are parallel bridges that generally have identical design and construction quality. The main difference between these structures is often the load factor; therefore, there is a great opportunity for studying these structures. Within this research project, condition assessment of two sets of sister bridges in Virginia will be conducted using manual nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies as well as the robotic platform RABIT™. The following NDE methods will be used in both the automated and manual testing: Impact Echo, Ultrasonic Surface Waves, Ground Penetrating Radar and Electrical Resistivity method. The data collected from all the technologies will be analyzed and the results presented in terms of condition maps and calculated condition indices. KW - Bridge decks KW - Condition surveys KW - Corrosion tests KW - Delamination KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Robots KW - Virginia UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-059-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1450304 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593721 AU - Mudrinich, Shane AU - Guensler, Randall AU - Grossman, Alice AU - Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Atlanta’s Hotel District: ADA Transition Plan PY - 2015/07//Final Report SP - 89p AB - ADA transition plans document the condition of facilities and programs (such as transportation infrastructure) and identify changes that are necessary to make the facilities fully accessible and in compliance with the Americans Disability Act (ADA) of 1990. This report examines the pedestrian infrastructure in and around the Atlanta downtown convention hotels. The report follows the format of a generic ADA transition plan, outlining: the areas examined, accessibility issues evaluated, tools and methodologies used in evaluation, findings and documentation, suggested mitigation measures and timelines, and potential funding needs. The researchers used Dragon Con as the annual baseline convention event for the area. The research team examined how convention attendees would use and travel between the buildings and transportation options in the area, and conducted accessibility evaluations in those areas. Findings of the report show that the buildings are nearly completely compliant to ADA standards, and have high levels of accessibility for people with all levels of physical ability. However, the sidewalks, crosswalks, and curb ramps in the areas between and around the buildings are in need of significant repairs and redesign to comply with ADA standards. Problems such as crumbling curb ramps, obstructions and narrow sidewalks, crosswalk potholes, and steep grades and cross slopes make some routes inaccessible to many users. Each of the problems found by the research team is documented with photos, text, field measurements, and each includes a proposed fix and associated cost. KW - Accessibility KW - Americans with Disabilities Act KW - Atlanta (Georgia) KW - Barrier free design KW - Condition surveys KW - Crosswalks KW - Curbs KW - Evaluation KW - Recommendations KW - Sidewalks KW - Structures UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Atlanta_Hotel_District_ADA_Transition_Plan_Guensler.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400040 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590461 AU - Robertson, James AU - Hawkins, H Gene AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Decision Support Tool for Selecting Traffic Control Devices PY - 2015/07 SP - 169p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and transportation profession continue updating and publishing the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). However, it is beyond the scope of the MUTCD to provide the breadth of knowledge necessary for evaluating traffic control devices (TCDs) as part of the larger transportation system. In this report, researchers use existing theory and a survey of transportation professionals to develop a decision support tool for use in selecting TCDs. To accomplish this, researchers first use a survey of transportation professionals to evaluate the relative importance of safety, mobility, environmental sustainability, and economic activity when selecting TCDs. This investigation leads researchers to conclude that the best solution meets local needs and desires, conforms to engineering principles and practice, and provides an engineering benefit. Additionally, this investigation finds that safety and mobility are the engineering benefits driving the selection of TCDs. Next, researchers use a portion of the same survey of transportation professionals to evaluate the importance of crashes, driver compliance, and mobility when ranking transportation alternatives. This investigation finds that compliance is a reasonable surrogate measure of safety in the absence of crash data. Additionally, within this evaluation, researchers identify performance measures for use in selecting traffic control devices. Finally, researchers use the relative importance of agency objectives evaluation and the identified performance measures to develop a decision support tool for use in selecting TCDs. Researchers demonstrate the use of this decision support tool with a case study. KW - Case studies KW - Decision support systems KW - Performance measurement KW - Surveys KW - Traffic control devices UR - http://static.tti.tamu.edu/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00008-1.pdf UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00008-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397174 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579161 AU - Schrank, David AU - Eisele, Bill AU - Lomax, Tim AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 2014 Urban Mobility Report : Powered by INRIX Traffic Data PY - 2015/07 SP - 27p AB - The 2014 Urban Mobility Report is the 4th prepared in partnership with INRIX. The data behind the 2014 Urban Mobility Report are hundreds of speed data points on almost every mile of major road in urban America for almost every 15-minute period of the average day of the week. The data from 1982 to 2013 show that, short of major economic problems, congestion will continue to increase if projects, programs and policies are not expanded. The problem is very large. In 2013, congestion caused urban Americans to travel 6.8 billion hours more and to purchase an extra 3.1 billion gallons of fuel for a congestion cost of $153 billion. The extra time American motorists endure is about 4 percent above its pre-recession peak in 2007. Employment was up by more than 400,000 jobs from 2012 to 2013; if transportation investment continues to lag, congestion will get worse. This document includes congestion estimates for each of the 471 U.S. urban areas, an overview of congestion relief strategies, truck congestion data, and a congestion forecast for 2020. KW - Forecasting KW - Fuel consumption KW - Mobility KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel time KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Urban areas UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161302-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371740 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576136 AU - Zakery, Fara AU - Eisel, Joyce M AU - Harris-Stowe State University AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Department of Transportation TI - Economic Sustainability of Inner City Streets: A Collaborative Sustainable Asset Management Transportation System Model PY - 2015/07//Final Report SP - 22p AB - The research team developed and created a sustainable asset management transportation system model, focusing on inner-city road conditions related to municipal asset allocation within three St. Louis, Missouri wards. To facilitate the research objectives, the team collaborated with Missouri constituents including the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), the City of St. Louis Street Department, local government officials, universities, and stakeholders. Selection criteria for roadways included roads, traffic, location, safety, utility, and demographics. A 45-block area was divided into six sections and roads were surveyed, photographed, and evaluated using The Transportation Engineers Association of Missouri’s Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating (PASER). Necessary street repairs and costs of each repair were calculated using global mapping technology and historical cost data. Since aldermen decide street asset allocations, costs were allocated to each city ward district. These assessments, which were based on a technology-driven model, should assist in the construction of future financial models based on a need projection to dollars spent ratio per fiscal year. It is expected that this economic model will be implemented in the St. Louis Metropolitan Region and replicated by similar municipalities. KW - Asset management KW - Cities KW - Costs KW - Maintenance KW - Pavement distress KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) KW - Streets UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/asset_mgmt_transportation_system_model_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369971 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574105 AU - Harris, Devin K AU - Gheitasi, Amir AU - Saliba, Mark AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Performance-Based Evaluation Framework for Maintenance/Preservation of In-service Highway Bridges Based on Damage-Integrated System-Level Behavior PY - 2015/07 SP - 31p AB - The safety and condition of the national transportation infrastructure has been at the forefront of national debates in recent times due to catastrophic bridge failures occurring in the United States, but the issue has been a longstanding challenge for transportation agencies for many years as resources continue to diminish. The American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE’s) 2013 report card for America’s Infrastructure assigned in-service bridges a score of C+ , which reflects the extent of deteriorating conditions and deficiency of the national aging infrastructure network. Currently, transportation officials rely heavily on experienced-based practices to make decisions regarding maintenance and preservation of the bridge inventory. Several inspection methods and monitoring techniques have been developed and used by the bridge owners to monitor the in-service behavior and detect deteriorating conditions. Despite successful implementation of these methods, the lack of a rational understanding of the system-level behavior of in-service structures, especially in the presence of damage and deterioration, makes resolving this problem even more complicated. This constraint, coupled with limited resources and the vast network of existing structures in service, highlights the need to develop systematic strategies to help engineers better understand the system performance and estimate the remaining service life of these structures, while facilitating and supporting maintenance/preservation decision making process. This research project aims to present a performance-based numerical modeling framework that can be used to evaluate the behavior and identify the failure characteristics of in-service bridge superstructures under the impact of common deteriorating mechanisms. Representative numerical models, ranging from basic levels of intact bridge components to more complicated levels of bridge systems with both intact and damaged configurations, were generated based on available experimental data in literature. Critical to this investigation is the strategy to leverage simulation techniques and appropriately integrate the effects of existing deteriorating conditions into the measure of system performance. Upon validation of the proposed simulation approach, the methodology was implemented to study the performance parameters, including ultimate capacity, redundancy, and operational safety, of representative in-service composite steel girder and prestressed concrete girder bridges under various damage conditions. It is expected that the developed framework will provide a first step for establishing a critical linkage between design, maintenance, and rehabilitation of highway bridges, which are uncoupled in current practices. KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Decision making KW - Deterioration KW - Evaluation KW - Girder bridges KW - Maintenance KW - Performance based specifications KW - Service life KW - Simulation KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UVA-2012-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366485 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574054 AU - Yazdani, Frank AU - North Dakota State University, Fargo AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Damage Assessment, Characterization, and Modeling for Enhanced Design of Concrete Bridge Decks in Cold Regions PY - 2015/07 SP - 78p AB - Concrete has been used in dams, bridges, and highway pavements in which freeze-thaw process and cyclic loading are considered as important factors affecting its mechanical behavior during its service life. Damage caused by frost expansion is a primary concern when designing concrete structures in cold weather regions. It is known that the onset of damage within concrete can be accelerated when a freeze-thaw cycle occurs while a structure is subjected to an external loading. Also, concrete under fatigue loading gradually loses its strength with an increase in the number of load cycles regardless of the loading path (uniaxial or biaxial) and fails under loading significantly less than its strength. The strength reduction and more compliant behavior in concrete are due to widespread micro-cracks that form during freeze-thaw cycles as well as fatigue loading. Under such processes, the mechanical properties such as strength, stiffness, and ultimate strain are affected. In this report, changes in the mechanical properties for concrete and under fatigue loading and freeze-thaw cycles are investigated. Modern theories of damage mechanics with rate independent approach are extended to cover fatigue loading and freeze-thaw cycles. Different softening functions are proposed to predict the mechanical properties of concrete as the number of cyclic loading as well as freeze-thaw cycles increases. The results of the model are compared to the experimental data available in the literature that show a good correlation. KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge design KW - Concrete KW - Fatigue strength KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Frigid regions KW - Literature reviews KW - Mechanical properties UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-286.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366657 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574031 AU - Niemeier, Deb AU - University of California, Davis AU - University of California, Davis AU - National Center for Sustainable Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Funding Compromise Can Set Transportation on Path Toward Sustainability: A White Paper from the National Center for Sustainable Transportation PY - 2015/07 SP - 19p AB - Against the backdrop of continuing uncertainty around Congressional passage of a new federal transportation bill, a number of proposals have been circulated in the past year to address aspects of securing or reforming state and federal transportation funding. This white paper assembles the most prominent of these proposals and reviews them in the context of sustainable transportation, in particular, these three dimensions: funding sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social justice. The result of this review is a set of funding recommendations that borrow individual features from many of the publicly disseminated proposals. The funding recommendations include a one-time use of corporate taxes, the federal gas tax, greenhouse gas reduction targets, state initiated vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax, state pricing and tolling authority, state responsibility for roads, and an earned income transportation tax credit. KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Financing KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Highways KW - Recommendations KW - Road pricing KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Taxes UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/07-14-2015-NCST-Transportation-Funding-Niemeier-FINALv2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363896 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01572097 AU - Dobrovolny, Chiara Silvestri AU - Schulz, Nathan D AU - Blower, Daniel AU - Benedetti, Marco AU - University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Identifying the Potential of Improved Heavy-Truck Crashworthiness to Reduce Death and Injury for Truck Drivers PY - 2015/07//Final Research Report SP - 318p AB - Advanced crash avoidance technologies (ACATs) for trucks have been developed in recent years and are beginning to be deployed. Prior to the development of standards for heavy truck crashworthiness and occupant protection, additional characterization of the crash-injury problem, current medium/heavy truck crashworthiness, and the potential benefits of crashworthy structures in heavy straight trucks and in truck cabs and trailers is needed. The goal of the project is to determine the nature of truck crashes that would remain after full deployment of ACATs, and to assess them in terms of truck driver injury and prevention. Then, using finite element (FE) analysis and computer simulation, exemplar tractor-semitrailer crashes were simulated to identify opportunities to improve occupant protection. Rollover and frontal collisions account for most truck driver fatalities and serious injuries. It was estimated that full deployment of ACATs would reduce truck crashes by 10%, and up to 30% of riskiest crash types. However, rollover and frontal impacts would remain as the primary crash types to be addressed. A full truck cabin model was developed and employed in the FE computer simulations to analyze occupant behavior and injury risk during frontal and rollover crashes. An integral part of this truck cabin model was the development of the occupant compartment components as no publicly available heavy truck models exist that contains interior components in the cabin. Additionally, researchers provided a methodology that can be employed and /or adapted to conduct future research within heavy truck occupant safety with use of computational analysis. Analysis of restraint systems during frontal and rollover crashes revealed unacceptable results according to current injury criteria standards and future work needs to be conducted to develop more effective restraint systems to increase occupant safety. KW - Cabs (Vehicle compartments) KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Crash injuries KW - Crashworthiness KW - Finite element method KW - Frontal crashes KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Rollover crashes KW - Simulation KW - Truck crashes KW - Truck drivers UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Blower-Silvestri-Final-Research-Report-ATLAS-2015-4.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363584 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570273 AU - McDonald, Noreen AU - Steiner, Ruth AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia AU - Palmer, W Mathew AU - Lytle, Benjamin AU - Tsai, Jeff AU - Cook, Thomas AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Quantifying the Costs of School Transportation PY - 2015/07//Final Report SP - 42p AB - While there has been attention to the costs of school busing, there has been little analysis of the multi-modal costs of school transportation and how those costs vary with the local environment. This study identifies the individual capital and operations cost items for each primary mode of transportation—automobile, school bus, bike, and walking—to allow for the consistent collection of data between states and school districts. Nine public elementary schools were selected from Florida representing areas with high, medium and low densities of student populations. The same criteria were used to select 11 schools in North Carolina representing medium and low density environments. School districts, published reports, and professionals associated with the design and planning of the study schools were consulted to gather cost and other relevant information. A school site visit was conducted to determine the travel mode split at each study school. Based on these results, the researchers have documented cases that suggest that school travel modes and costs are related to built environment characteristics surrounding a school site – the greater pedestrian accessible residential density around a school site, the higher the rates of walking, bicycling and driving to school and the lower rates of bus ridership. Correspondingly, dense accessible school sites exhibit lower public costs. KW - Built environment KW - Costs KW - Florida KW - Modal split KW - North Carolina KW - Population density KW - Schools KW - Transportation modes UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_QSTC_FinalReport2015_AppI.pdf UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_QSTC_FinalReport2015_AppII.pdf UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_QSTC_FinalReport2015_AppIII.pdf UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_QSTC_FinalReport2015_Main.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360392 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570258 AU - Safar, Hadar AU - Multer, Jordan AU - Roth, Emilie AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - An Investigation of Passing Stop Signals at a Passenger Railroad PY - 2015/07//Final Report SP - 90p AB - This report documents the findings and recommendations from an investigation into stop signal violations at an American passenger railroad. The investigation was requested by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the passenger railroad, and sponsored by FRA’s Office of Research & Development (ORD). This investigation assisted the passenger railroad in understanding why stop signal violations occurred in the terminal and helped it develop effective corrective actions to prevent or mitigate their occurrence in the future. In addition to making recommendations for the railroad, this report discusses opportunities for the FRA to improve the risk management of passing a stop signal (PASS) across railroads. These improvements include recommending more systematic collection and analysis of PASS data; changing FRA compliance and enforcement practices to encourage more open and complete reporting of PASS incidents; and performing additional field and simulator-based research to strengthen the empirical foundation for linking systemic factors to PASS. KW - Railroad signals KW - Railroad terminals KW - Railroads KW - Recommendations KW - Risk management KW - Stopping KW - United States UR - https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14864 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55241/An_Investigation_of_Passed_Stop_Signals.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360022 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613779 AU - Guo, Feng AU - Zhang, Dengfeng AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Virginia Tech Transportation Institute AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bayesian Travel Time Reliability Models PY - 2015/06/30/Final Report SP - 66p AB - Travel time reliability is a stochastic process affected by multiple factors, with traffic volume being the most important one. This study built up and advanced the multi-state models by proposing regressions on the proportions and distribution parameters for underlying traffic states. The Bayesian analysis provides valid credible intervals for each parameter without asymptotic assumption. Two alternative approaches were proposed and evaluated. The first approach is a Bayesian multi-state travel time regression model which provides a regression for key model parameters to traffic volume; the second approach is a hidden Markov regression which not only provides a link between key model parameters and traffic volume, but also incorporates the dependency structure among traffic volume in adjacent time windows. Both approaches provide advanced methodology for modeling traffic time reliability under complex stochastic scenarios. KW - Bayes' theorem KW - Methodology KW - Regression analysis KW - Reliability (Statistics) KW - Traffic simulation KW - Traffic volume KW - Travel time UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2012-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424190 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599203 AU - Ai, Ning AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Environmental Impact Assessment of Rail Infrastructure PY - 2015/06/30/Final Report SP - 78p AB - Launched in 2009, the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program aims to provide 80% of Americans access to an improved national rail network within the next 25 years (White House, 2011). Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), all proposed rail projects are subject to an environmental evaluation process. While the NEPA process is designed to protect the environment and promote community involvement, it can be lengthy and expensive (Sampson, 2013). A recent audit by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Inspector General (OIG) also concluded that existing NEPA procedures at the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) are “outdated and limited” and thus recommended an update of its NEPA procedures to reflect current environmental laws and guidance (OIG, 2013). This study aims to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental impact assessment of rail infrastructure by developing an online one-stop database for sustainable rail planning. KW - Databases KW - Environmental impacts KW - Infrastructure KW - National Environmental Policy Act KW - Railroad transportation KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - Web applications UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R06_Environment_GIS_NURail_Final_Report_NING_AI1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59290/NURail2012-UIC-R06_Environment_GIS_NURail_Final_Report_NING_AI1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590506 AU - Gartner, Nathan H AU - Stamatiadis, Chronis AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Robust Performance of Transportation Networks Using Quantile Metrics PY - 2015/06/30/Final Report SP - 3p AB - The state of the art in transport network modeling is founded on the estimation of travel demands between origins and destinations (O-D matrices) by various techniques. Assuming the estimate matches the true O-D matrix, the analysis culminates with a network assignment procedure that generates the volumes and costs associated with those volumes on the links and paths of the network. However, there are always variations from the truth in such estimates. In this study the authors develop new metrics for network assessment by taking explicit account of such demand variability and uncertainty. The metrics consist of the calculation of quantile network costs. This assessment methodology leads to improved decision-making in transport planning and operations and can be used to develop management and control strategies that result in more robust network performance. The following results were obtained in this study: (1) Characterization of O-D demand variability from field data; (2) Development of p-quantile metrics for network performance; (3) Computational procedures to assess performance using p-quantile metrics; and (4) Calculation of robust controls following accepted norms of behavior. KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Networks KW - Origin and destination KW - Performance measurement KW - Travel demand UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-21%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397330 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590458 AU - Stamatiadis, Chronis AU - Gartner, Nathan AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - ITS Equipment Placement for Safety and Mobility PY - 2015/06/30/Final Report SP - 4p AB - This study develops a Decision Support Model (DSM) for the optimal placement of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) equipment, such as Variable Message Signs (VMS) and Closed Circuit Video Equipment (CCVE), on a state highway network. Development of the model is motivated by the need of Traffic Management Centers (TMCs) to install or replace traveler information systems in the network under their jurisdiction. A mathematical programming model is formulated to maximize the net benefit of the installation subject to budget constraints. Benefits and costs are calculated on an annual basis and the model can be utilized as part of the annual element in the state transportation planning process (STIP). KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Decision support systems KW - Highway safety KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Location KW - Mathematical models KW - Mobility KW - Traffic control devices UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UMAR24-26%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397338 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590494 AU - Gokhale, Swapna S AU - Lownes, Nicholas AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Automated Congestion Prediction with Smart Phones PY - 2015/06/29/Final Report SP - 3p AB - Accurate collection of traffic data is essential for tactical efficient highway operations and strategic planning. Currently, the collection of such traffic data relies on physical sensors, which gather limited measurements of vehicle speeds and times as observed from fixed locations. These sensors cannot systematically acquire data on the mobility dynamics of individual vehicles and collective interactions among them, preventing the formulation of detailed models of vehicle flow within a transportation network. Finally, deployment and maintenance of physical sensors is expensive and time consuming. To overcome these issues, this project demonstrated the feasibility of using location-aware smartphone technology as a simple, inexpensive alternative to facilitate the collection of dynamic vehicle behaviors. A privacy-preserving smartphone application was developed, deployed, and tested on the transportation network surrounding the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs. KW - Data collection KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Mobile applications KW - Smartphones KW - Storrs (Connecticut) KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow UR - http://utc.mit.edu/system/files/UCNR24-29%20FP.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397341 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570395 AU - Neely, Sean AU - Lee, Brian H Y AU - Sentoff, Karen AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intercity Travel in Northeastern Rural Regions of the U.S. PY - 2015/06/28 SP - 109p AB - Much research exists on intercity travel behavior between large metropolitan centers. There is an opportunity for more research on travel from less populated areas to large metropolitan ones. When planning a trip from Northern New England to major cities in the Northeast, there are often several transportation options to consider. The report explores relationships between access to information and attitudes about traveling from Northern New England to major cities in the Northeast United States by automobile, intercity bus and passenger rail, taking into account gender, education level, and age group. The objective of this research is to examine the intersections between access to information, personal technology use, and intercity travel where public ground transportation is a viable option. A primary component of the research described in this report is the Intercity Travel, Information, and Technology Survey Questionnaire. This report presents the preliminary analysis of the survey data. KW - Age KW - Attitudes KW - Automobile travel KW - Bus transportation KW - Data collection KW - Education KW - Gender KW - Intercity travel KW - Mode choice KW - Northeastern United States KW - Railroad transportation KW - Rural areas KW - Surveys KW - Travel behavior UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-15-007(WithAppendices).pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360028 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570517 AU - Smichenko, Susan AU - Maffeo, Michelle AU - Yowell, Ryan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Maryland: Traffic Safety Plan PY - 2015/06/22/Final Report SP - 36p AB - Over the past decade, a number of studies have documented the traffic safety issues on the National Park Service's (NPS's) portion of the Baltimore-Washington (B-W) Parkway. The Baltimore-Washington Parkway Traffic Safety Plan provides an action plan to implement improvements related to the proven strategies that employ the "4Es" of transportation safety: engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency services. Both NPS and external stakeholders participated in the development of this plan. Recommendations to improve safety were taken from previous studies of the B-W Parkway and developed by stakeholders in a collaborative brainstorming effort focused on the 4E approach. KW - Baltimore-Washington Parkway KW - Highway safety KW - Maryland KW - Parkways KW - Recommendations KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55100/55171/Baltimore-Washington_Safety_Plan.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1361251 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570349 AU - Nam, Richard AU - Dowds, Jonathan AU - Lee, Brian H Y AU - Aultman-Hall, Lisa AU - Johnson, Alyssa AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling Travel Choices to Assess Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions PY - 2015/06/20 SP - 70p AB - This report summarizes a set of projects that examine different aspects of travel behavior that influence fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Two of these projects, described in Sections 2 and 3, examined how households choose to allocate vehicles among drivers and the potential for alternative vehicle allocations among household members to reduce fuel consumption. These two projects drew on data from the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) to estimate the potential fuel savings from intra-household vehicle reallocations that ensure that the relative usage of each vehicle in the household corresponds to that vehicle’s relative fuel efficiency among all vehicles in the household. In Section 2, this analysis assumes that all vehicles can be substituted for one another regardless of their passenger and cargo capacities. Section 3 builds on this analysis by limiting potential reallocation to vehicles with similar passenger and cargo capacities. Section 4 of this report describes the execution the Northeast Travel Choice Survey (NTCS), which asked respondents a range of questions related to travel behavior, demographics, vehicle ownership, as well as about commute, home and work location characteristics. The results of the NTCS provided the basis for the final two projects summarized in this report. One of these projects, described in Section 5, examined the commuters’ willingness to use ridesharing, one method for reducing overall vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Section 6 describes an analysis of the impact of workplace and commute-corridor accessibility on annual VMT. KW - Commuters KW - Commuting KW - Demographics KW - Fuel consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Mode choice KW - National Household Transportation Survey (U.S.) KW - Pollutants KW - Ridesharing KW - Surveys KW - Travel behavior KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-13-001.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360270 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574064 AU - Stephens, Denny AU - Timcho, Thomas AU - Smith, Theodore AU - Balke, Kevin AU - Charara, Hassan AU - Sunkari, Srinivasa AU - Battelle AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Technical Report on Prototype Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) Dynamic Speed Harmonization and Queue Warning PY - 2015/06/19/Final Report SP - 125p AB - This Technical Report on Prototype Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) Dynamic Speed Harmonization and Queue Warning is the final report for the project. It describes the prototyping, acceptance testing and small-scale demonstration of the INFLO Prototype Speed Harmonization (SPD-HARM) and Queue Warning (Q-WARN) applications. This report also describes the programmatic and technical accomplishments of the program wherein the Small-Scale Demonstration fully confirmed the functionality of the INFLO Prototype System in an operational highway traffic environment. The system was proven to reliably (1) Capture current location and telematics data from connected vehicles and vehicle speed data from infrastructure; (2) Analyze the data to detect congestion and determine the beginning and end of congestion queues; (3) Formulate speed harmonization recommendations; and (4) Communicate queue location and speed harmonization recommendations to drivers. The demonstration proved connected vehicle data capture and dissemination functionality using both cellular communications and DSRC communications. Furthermore, the Small-Scale Demonstration confirmed that the INFLO Prototype System has the latency and processing speed to support INFLO application functionality in an operational traffic environment. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Driver information systems KW - Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Optimization KW - Prototype tests KW - Queuing KW - Speed data KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic speed UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55304/100030614-601_Technical_Report_on_Prototype_Intelligent_Network_Flow_Optimization_Final_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364671 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574003 AU - Stoffels, Shelley M AU - Solaimanian, Mansour AU - Barzegari, Saman AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Potential Use and Applications for Reclaimed Millings: Report of Findings and Recommendations for Other Applications for Reclaimed Millings PY - 2015/06/11/Task 5.2 SP - 50p AB - The purpose of this project was to provide support to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 1-0 in the effective use of milled asphalt material. Specifically, District 1-0 has a shortage of high-quality available coarse aggregate and has developed the innovative procedure of breaking down and sorting recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) to recover the older high-quality aggregate for use on higher-volume roadways. The focus of this project was on the usage of the remaining asphalt and fines. This report documents Task 5. The objective of Task 5 was the laboratory exploration of two promising applications for the reclaimed fine millings. The two applications investigated were use of the reclaimed millings in thin cold-mix overlays, and the possibility of using a cold mix of the reclaimed millings with virgin-grade C aggregates to replace the scalped #8 aggregates for binder course or low-volume secondary roads. KW - Binder course KW - Cold mix paving mixtures KW - Fines (Materials) KW - Laboratory studies KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pennsylvania KW - Recommendations KW - Recycled materials UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2013-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366488 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567364 AU - Anderson, Ian AU - Walsh, Dylan AU - Oka, Lalita AU - Dewoolkar, Mandar M AU - Limberg, Susan AU - Sevi, Adam AU - Schmeckpeper, Edwin AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Laboratory Performance of Pervious Concrete Subjected to Deicing Salts and Freeze-Thaw PY - 2015/06/10 SP - 36p AB - Significant research and development have occurred for pervious concrete, but its acceptance in cold climates is still limited. Vulnerability to freeze-thaw and salt exposure has led to uncertainty about its long-term performance. Additionally, the current standardized freeze-thaw testing procedure is not recommended for pervious concrete, as it is not representative of field conditions. This study employed testing processes that are more representative of field conditions to determine the effects of the inclusion of sand as a fine aggregate; fly ash, slag and silica fume as cementitious alternatives, and construction practices on freeze-thaw durability and deicing salts exposure of pervious concrete. The use of pervious concrete itself is considered a best management practice in stormwater management; possibility of substituting cement with a waste product such as fly ash, slag and silica fume promotes sustainability even further. KW - Concrete construction KW - Concrete pavements KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Fly ash KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Frigid regions KW - Laboratory tests KW - Porous pavements KW - Sand KW - Silica fume KW - Slag KW - Sustainable development KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-15-006.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357873 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567333 AU - Anderson, Ian AU - Dewoolkar, Mandar M AU - Rizzo, Donna M AU - Huston, Dryver R AU - Frolik, Jeff AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Scour Damage to Vermont Bridges and Scour Monitoring PY - 2015/06/10 SP - 52p AB - Scour is by far the primary cause of bridge failures in the United States. Regionally, the vulnerability of bridges to flood damage became evident from the damage seen to Vermont bridges in the 2011 Tropical Storm Irene. Successfully mitigating scour-related problems associated with bridges depends on the ability to reliably estimate scour potential, design effective scour prevention and countermeasures, design safe and economical foundation elements accounting for scour potential, and design reliable and economically feasible monitoring systems. This report presents research on two particular aspects related to bridge scour – 1) System-level analysis of damage observed at Vermont bridges from Tropical Storm Irene. Example case studies are presented including description of the bridge damage, as well as the pre-storm condition of the bridges. Statistical comparison to non-damaged bridges is included to identify significant factors that determine bridge vulnerability to storm damage; and 2) Development of a low-cost scour sensor suitable for monitoring scour and redeposition continuously and communicating the readings wirelessly in real time to stake holders. KW - Bridges KW - Case studies KW - Countermeasures KW - Hurricane Irene, 2011 KW - Scour KW - Sensors KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-15-002.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357875 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01575491 AU - Habtemichael, Filmon AU - Paleti, Rajesh AU - Cetin, Mecit AU - Old Dominion University AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance Measures for Freight & General Traffic: Investigating Similarities and Differences Using Alternate Data Sources PY - 2015/06/05/Final Report SP - 49p AB - Recent advances in probe vehicle data collection systems have enabled monitoring traffic conditions at finer temporal and spatial resolution. The primary objective of the current study is to leverage these probe data sources to understand if there are any significant differences between freight and general traffic characteristics. To this end, different types of performance measures (PMs) including speed, travel time, and reliability were estimated from three different data sources- INRIX, HERE, and ATRI. The analyses conducted for the Hampton Roads network suggest that while in most cases general traffic PMs serve as a good proxy for characterizing freight traffic, in some cases, there can be significant differences either in average speeds/travel times or reliability (i.e., variation about mean). So, in the absence of freight-specific data, researchers planning to use general traffic data as a surrogate must exercise caution. KW - Data collection KW - Data reliability KW - Data sources KW - Freight traffic KW - Hampton Roads (Virginia) KW - Highway traffic KW - Probe vehicles KW - Traffic speed KW - Travel time UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55226/Freight-Performance-Measures-_-June-20151.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366773 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567469 AU - Harvey, Chester AU - Aultman-Hall, Lisa AU - LaMondia, Jeffrey AU - Sullivan, James AU - Greene, Elizabeth AU - Ritter, Chloe AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Conducting a Longitudinal Survey of Overnight Travel: Methods and Preliminary Findings PY - 2015/06/01 SP - 29p AB - The majority of transportation planning research and data collection focuses on daily activity patterns, usually within one's home region. Consequently, the non-routine long-distance activity patterns (describing the bulk of tourism and some types of business travel as well as trips of interest in air travel and rail studies) are understudied and are often treated as external trips in regional forecasting models. This report summarizes the implementation and initial results of the Longitudinal Study of Overnight Travel (LSOT), conducted monthly between February 2013 and February 2014 using an online survey instrument developed by researchers at the University of Vermont and Auburn University and implemented by Resource Systems Group Inc. (RSG). Respondents were residents of the United States and Canada, predominantly in Vermont, Alabama, and California. The overall goal of the study was to pilot the innovative survey method while collecting sufficient observations to analyze attributes of planned and executed overnight trips for all purposes by individuals aged 25 years and older over a 12-month period. The deliberate focus on overnight travel was intended to evaluate this definition as a potential improvement for data collection. Existing household travel surveys typically use a one-day collection window and focus on daily travel regardless of distance. Such survey methods under-represent overnight travel, which overlaps substantially with long distance travel. KW - Activity choices KW - Alabama KW - California KW - Data collection KW - Implementation KW - Longitudinal studies KW - Methodology KW - Overnight travel KW - Time intervals KW - Travel surveys KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-15-003.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357874 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567123 TI - Improving Cross‐Frame Design to Reduce the Effects of Skew in Steel I‐Girder Bridges AB - Skew of the supports in steel I-girder bridges cause undesirable torsional effects, increased cross-frame forces, and generally increase the difficulty of designing and constructing a bridge. The girders experience differential deflections due to the skew supports, and the undesirable effects arise when the girders are linked transversely. Before the placement of the deck, the main method of linking the girders transversely is through the use of cross-frames. The cross-frames are designed to provide stability during construction and distribute transverse loads through the bridge girders; this is their primary role. Cross-frames also help control differential displacement during deck placement and distribute vertical loads in the bridge's elastic and inelastic ranges. The cross-frames are not specifically designed for these tasks; these are the secondary role of the cross-frames. Alternative cross-frame designs, such as lean-on bracing, have been proposed to reduce the effects of skew due to the cross-frames. While having been shown to improve skew effects, the alternative cross-frame designs have not been evaluated on the effect they have on the cross-frames secondary roles. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge design KW - Girder bridges KW - I-girders KW - Skewed structures UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/improving-cross%E2%80%90frame-design UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359039 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566129 TI - Implementation of "Smart Equipment" in Field Construction AB - The l-95 urban corridor in the mid-Atlantic region experiences extreme congestion. The Washington D.C. region is among the most congested in the nation, and traffic problems in Philadelphia and Baltimore are also quite common. A major source of this congestion is delays caused by traffic disturbance and disruption that are associated with new roadway construction, lane widening, or roadway repair and retro&#64257;t projects. Moving forward, to minimize these impacts, we need our road and bridge construction projects to happen "better, faster, and cheaper". A potentially disruptive approach to roadway construction is currently emerging that utilizes "smart" construction equipment that is enhanced with sensors to monitor the location of construction equipment as well as the process of construction in real time. As one example. "Continuous Compaction Control" (CCC) and "Intelligent Compaction" (IC) technology has the potential to revolutionize the ways in which soil and asphalt compaction are performed, allowing for an improved quality roadway construction that happens more efficiently with respect to time and the personnel that are involved in the construction process. Consequently, research into these technologies has been sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and this technology has been promoted at the state level through the FHWA's "Every Day Counts" (EDC) initiative. Additionally, many states throughout the country are currently exploring the use of CCC/IC technologies through various collaborative pooled-fund studies. There is also signi&#64257;cant potential for integration of three-dimensional (3D) modeling for construction means and methods into the construction process. which has the potential to yield signi&#64257;cant gains in construction efficiency. In particular, as noted in another recent FHWA EDC initiative statement: "Three dimensional (3D) modeling technology has been widely used by contractors on non-highway projects, and the potential for highway applications is just now being realized. An overall benefit of the technology is an increase in productivity and efficiency of construction operations. As an example, global positioning system (GPS)-enabled construction equipment, when combined with the 3D terrain model can run all day nad night while achieving accurate grades on the first pass. These technologies together can increase productivity by up to 50 percent for some operations." There is a logical intersection between using smart equipment for construction monitoring, and the enhanced use of 3D mapping and modeling tools for construction planning. means and methods, and quality assurance / quality control of the construction process. To date, research efforts in these areas have been largely focused on achieving a very speci&#64257;c outcome to solve a particular problem. However the future in this area is extremely bright, and will necessitate enhanced integration across various data collection, information management, and implementation platforms. ln pursuit of this vision, a Mid-Atlantic Transportation Sustainability Center University Transportation Center (MATS UTC) research team, led by the University of Delaware (UD), proposes to advance the state of the art and the state of practice in this exciting emerging area. The work that will be conducted will begin with an extensive literature review on the "state of the an" and "state of practice" in this area. The research team will then perform detailed statistical analysis of an existing CCC data set. which should allow for improved understanding of the types of data that can be gathered with currently available equipment, and how this data can be used to improve the construction process. The research team will also attempt to build relationships with state departments of transportation (DOTs) in the Mid-Atlantic region that are interested in the use of emerging smart equipment technologies. Once interested parties are identi&#64257;ed. the MATS team will attempt to organize field-scale studies that utilize smart equipment to collect new data sets that advance the use of this technology. These studies will illustrate the bene&#64257;t of this equipment to the various state agencies and contractors that are involved with the process. will allow for identi&#64257;cation of the various strengths and weaknesses that are associated with currently available technologies, and will allow for development of new useful test approaches and technologies that will advance the state of the art. Researchers from the University of Delaware (UD) and Virginia Tech (VT) will conduct research from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Prof. Meehan has extensive experience with the use of "smart machines" on active construction projects (i.e.. his previous work with continuous compaction control equipment), and will bring the perspectives of geotechnical engineering and civil engineering to the project. Prof Meehan's work will focus on analysis of existing data sets. as well as design of new experiments and collection of data for any future projects that are identified throughout the course of the research project. Prof Batra has extensive experience with machine learning and artificial intelligence. and will bring the perspectives of computer science and advanced data analysis to the project. He will provide a supporting role for the project in the proper use of advanced statistical techniques and machine learning algorithms, and will also provide guidance into the proper design of future experiments. Necessary project funds will be provided by separate application of each Pl to their respective MATS University Transportation Centers, as needed to support associated project activities. The funds that will be associated with the current proposal will be the primary source of support for researchers located at the University of Delaware. It is expected that there will be both informal and formal co-advisement of students located at the different universities. The eventual outcome of research in this area will be hugely transformative for the construction industry. Where is this all going? Automated machine construction utilizing fully integrated robotic equipment. This type of equipment will allow for construction of transportation projects day and night, in a fashion that is not dependent on human labor, physical operator limitations, and errors in human judgment. The enhanced use of robotics will free up human labor to allow for further enhancements in transportation system design, and will allow for a greater focus on improving efficiency and reducing transportation system construction costs. Over time. higher quality projects will be built, at less cost, and with fewer delays and disruptions imposed on the transportation network. In the short-term. utilization of "smart equipment" in &#64257;eld construction will allow for improved monitoring of projects as they are being constructed, which should yield improved quality projects in less time. Results from project research will be published in peer reviewed journals and will be presented at large national conferences. Researchers will work collaboratively with the Delaware Department of Transportation to implement project outcomes into new DOT speci&#64257;cations. as appropriate. Wherever possible. new &#64257;eld projects will be conducted as "Demonstration Projects", which will be open to a variety of researchers and other employees from various DOTS throughout the MATS consortium area. KW - Civil engineering KW - Compaction KW - Continuous compaction control KW - Data collection KW - Global Positioning System KW - Highway maintenance KW - Middle Atlantic States KW - Quality control KW - Road construction KW - State departments of transportation KW - Traffic congestion UR - http://www.matsutc.org/implementation-of-smart-equipment-in-field-construction/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357217 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566128 TI - Microbial Biomarkers for ASR-Damaged Concrete AB - Reinforced concrete is used worldwide for roads, bridges, buildings, and hazardous material storage - structures meant to last 50 years or more. As the concrete ages, chloride attack, alkali-silica reaction (ASR), and freeze-thaw cycles cause cracking, which weakens the structure and makes the concrete and reinforcing steel vulnerable to further damage. In Delaware, ASR damage is widespread in roadways. ASR occurs when the aggregates have high concentrations of reactive silica, which is a common feature of aggregates sourced in the Mid-Atlantic states. If, during the design phase, the aggregates are known to cause ASR, the concrete mixture can be adjusted to prevent future problems. However, in existing structures, ASR effects are only identified when visible cracks develop, after extensive chemical changes and internal damage have already occurred. ASR is a chemical reaction between the alkaline cementitious materials and reactive silica present in certain aggregates. When there are available cations in the concrete pore solution, reactive silica in the aggregate, and sufficient moisture, a gel-like material forms in the concrete, absorbs water and expands, exerting tensile forces within the concrete matrix and causing cracking. External water easily penetrates the cracked concrete, exacerbating ASR and increasing the potential for other kinds of damage, further deteriorating the concrete. Because the chemistry of ASR-affected concrete differs from that of undamaged concrete, the principal investigators hypothesize that its microbial population will also be different. In water quality, food safety and soil sciences, microbes are used as bio-indicators for system health. The investigators propose to identify microbial species found only in alkali-silica reaction (ASR)-damaged concrete, for use as a bio-indicator for this type of damage. Developing a bio-indicator for ASR-related damage would enable production of a rapid, simple test that could be used to identify ASR-induced damage before visible cracking has occurred. This work will contribute to the Mid-Atlantic Transportation Sustainability Center- University Transportation Center (MATS-UTC) focus area of coastal infrastructure resiliency by enabling earlier diagnosis of a problem that is especially common in this area. During the past 2 years, Maresca's laboratory at the University of Delaware (UD) has developed a method for extraction of DNA from concrete and cultivated more than 15 bacterial species from the same samples. The investigators have shown that the bacterial communities in and on concrete, as identified by DNA analysis, include more than 200 species and are unique to the concrete environment. Many of the species in these samples have tough membranes and are related to bacteria found in deserts and soda lakes - other dry, alkaline environments. The cultivated bacteria are a limited but representative subset of those identified by DNA analysis. The MATS UTC research team, led by UD, proposes to identify microbial biomarkers of ASR dam-age by applying these new techniques to both laboratory-made concrete samples and core samples obtained from ASR-damaged roadways in Delaware and Virginia. In 2013, we prepared ASR-prone con-crete cylinders using materials from the Delaware Department of Transportation (DeIDOT). We prepared a parallel set of test cylinders that included fly ash, DeIDOT's standard protocol for prevention of ASR. These cylinders were placed on the green roof, and one of each set has been harvested every 6 weeks since then. By analyzing microbial communities in ASR-prone and mitigated test cylinders left outside to weather over the course of 2 years, the investigators will identify microbial species present in undamaged samples and those that thrive best as the chemistry of ASR-prone concrete changes. The investigators will also use these samples to develop methods that require less sample material, and to develop and test assays for specific bacteria. To confirm that any bio-indicators - either of damage or of "normal" concrete - identified in our laboratory samples are relevant in field assessments, the investigators will compare these results with the microbes identified in ASR-damaged road samples. Maresca and Harris have contacts with DeIDOT and the Virginia Department of Transportation, respectively, and will obtain core samples from ASR-affected roadways, as well as samples from nearby, undamaged roadways. This &#64257;eld component will be crucial both to demonstrate the efficacy of the developed tests and to determine whether our results are specific to materials used in Delaware or can be applied throughout the mid-Atlantic. Although microbes have long been known to degrade concrete and have more recently been employed to repair it. the study of concrete as a unique environment hosting a variety of microbes capable of different effects on their milieu has been neglected. The methods developed as part of this research will contribute both to improved diagnosis of ASR-type damage to concrete, and to a better fundamental understanding of the natural populations acting in and on concrete as it weathers. Researchers from UD and the University of Virginia (UVA) will conduct research from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Maresca, a microbiologist in UD's Civil and Environmental Engineering department. will lead the analysis of microbial communities in concrete. Harris, an expert in civil infrastructure, has a mobile laboratory for rapid evaluation of transportation infrastructure (MOBLab), which is well suited for field studies. The investigator also has a number of ongoing collaborations with the Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research, the research arm of the Virginia Department of Transportation. His contribution will primarily focus on obtaining &#64257;eld samples of ASR-damaged concrete from different localities and undamaged samples from the same general areas. As the investigators develop easier tests for ASR-associated microbes, we propose to supply the MOBLab with the equipment and reagents necessary to deploy these tests in the &#64257;eld. To extend roadway lifetimes, potential problems must be identi&#64257;ed early enough that repair, rather than replacement, is feasible. Early bio-indicators of damage would allow DOTS to implement chemical remediation for ASR before visible cracking and structural damage have occurred. A bio-indicator is a rapid, simple, and inexpensive tool that would provide data to support early identi&#64257;cation and remediation of roadways susceptible to speci&#64257;c types of damage. Because this approach could extend roadway lifetimes, state and local DOTS could stretch limited funds. Earlier diagnosis of a problem that is especially common in the Mid-Atlantic Coast region will contribute to the MATS-UTC focus area of coastal infrastructure structure resiliency. In addition, characterization of microbes native to concrete environments will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of life in dry, salty, alkaline conditions, and to the development of future tools in bio-repair of concrete. Results from project research will be published in peer reviewed journals and will be presented at large national conferences. Researchers will work collaboratively with the Delaware Department of Transportation to implement project outcomes into new DOT speci&#64257;cations. as appropriate. Wherever possible, new &#64257;eld projects will be conducted as "Demonstration Projects"., which will be open to a variety of researchers and other employees from various DOTS throughout the MATS consortium area. KW - Admixtures KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Biodeterioration KW - Chlorides KW - Corrosion KW - Cracking KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Reinforced concrete UR - http://www.matsutc.org/microbial-biomarkers-for-asr-damaged-concrete/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357216 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01563858 TI - Using Mobile Computers to Automate the Change Order Decision Making Process and Improve Total Time and Cost Predictions on Highway Construction Projects AB - Currently the university is working on a mobile computing application for automating the collection process of field inspection data using iPads or Android Tablets. The application contains standard forms of the specifications that appear in the Standard Specification of Road and Bridge Construction book. With these forms the application intends to provide a method of uniform inspection that assures the quality of highway projects. At the same time, the application will be able to automatically send deficiency reports to the parts affected when a certain item doesn't comply with the specification. KW - Data collection KW - Deficiencies KW - Inspection KW - Mobile computing KW - Quality control KW - Specifications KW - Tablet computers KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/using-mobile-computers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354964 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562962 TI - Smart Bus System under Connected Vehicles Environment AB - This research proposes Smart Bus System (SBS) powered by bus-to-devices wireless communications technology including, but not limited to, 3G, 4G/LTE, Wi-Fi, Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC), and Bluetooth. SBS is an innovative urban bus operation system integrated with Information Technology (IT) to enhance the efficiency of bus operation, to encourage bus ridership, and to improve the mobility and sustainability of urban transportation. SBS enables 1) a bus to take a shorter path to catch up the schedule when it is behind the schedule and no passengers need to get off or get on and 2) passengers to send a hold request so that the next transfer bus, if at all possible, waits for the transfer passenger. The proposed project will be initially conducted within a simulation environment realizing actual hardware devices such as traffic signal controller, mobile devices (e.g., smartphone, tablet PC), and virtual transit management center. The goal of this project is to demonstrate that the proposed innovative Smart Bus System can improve transit system reliability and increases ridership. The increased bus ridership likely decreases the number of passenger cars on roadway, thereby resulting in the improvement on mobility and air quality and fuel consumption. Thus, the potential benefits of the smart bus system will be gained from the aspects of both mobility and environment. KW - Air quality KW - Fuel consumption KW - Information technology KW - Mobility KW - Reliability KW - Ridership KW - Sustainable development KW - Traffic signal controllers KW - Urban transportation KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/smart-bus-system UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1353743 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562961 TI - Do Consumer Expenditures Affect the Demand for Driving? AB - This project assembles long-run historical data of American vehicle ownership, travel behavior, and attitudes about travel, in order to cast light on the recent downturn in American driving. The project will make three contributions to the understanding of travel behavior. First, assembling heretofore neglected historical data will provide an unprecedented view of how American travel has evolved over the last 80-100 years. Second, using panel data that begins in the 1960s, the project will test the idea that people who come of age when driving is more expensive will drive less even after the economy has recovered. Third, by incorporating long-run data on consumer sentiments about both vehicles and the broader economy, the project will shed light on an important contemporary question: to what extent are attitudes about vehicles and driving formed independently of attitudes about broader economic conditions, and economic conditions themselves? KW - Aged KW - Attitudes KW - Automobile ownership KW - Data collection KW - Economic factors KW - History KW - Travel behavior KW - United States UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/do-consumer-expenditures-affect-demand-driving UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1353742 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562960 TI - Intelligent Wireless Charging for Electric Buses in Smart City AB - According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 28% of all 2011 greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) for the US are from transportation related sources. These are the second largest sources of GHGs in the US after electricity. The US is also the second highest CO&#8322; emitter after China. These emissions are primarily from burning fossil fuels for transportation usage. While vehicles have become more environmentally friendly with lower emissions, there has still been a steady rise in GHGs from these modes of transportation. The EPA estimates that there has been an increase of ~18% since 1990 for transportation related GHGs, which is most likely due to more vehicles on the road! KW - Automated highways KW - Cities KW - Electric buses KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Intelligent control systems KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/intelligent-wireless-charging UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1353741 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562706 TI - Empirical Analysis of Consumer Aspects of Autonomous Cars AB - Evidence is rapidly accumulating that attaining the full set of benefits from Automated Vehicles (AVs) will require that they do not merely mimic human-driving behavior. For instance, in recently-completed early-stage research, Le Vine and colleagues demonstrated three prospective novel traffic-operations regimes associated with AVs, each of which have the potential to deliver a unique stream of benefits: (1) Vehicular kinematics (trajectories) to balance, in novel ways, between comfort and capacity; (2) A dynamic, voluntary and de-centralized (peer-to-peer) congestion pricing mechanism; and (3) Alternative vehicle-speed regimes (in some circumstances slower, while faster in others) The findings of this previous phase of research were purely theoretical, and what is therefore now required are empirical results through which AV-occupants' preference structures for these prospective behavioral regimes can be established. KW - Behavior KW - Congestion pricing KW - Driving KW - Highway operations KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Speed KW - Vehicle trajectories UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/empirical-analysis-consumer-aspects UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352480 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562705 TI - Developing a Macroscopic Decision Making Tool for Emergency Evacuation Planning AB - Man-made or natural disasters, either noticed or un-noticed, could result in severe life losses and property damages. Hurricane Sandy, for example, made landfall in a heavily populated urban area (New Jersey and New York City) in late 2012, causing 117 deaths in the US and 69 more in Canada and the Caribbean, and leaving millions of people homeless and billions of dollars of damages. Emergency evacuation, a mass movement of people and their properties from disaster-impacted areas to safer ones, has been studied and practiced for decades as one means of countermeasures to mitigate these calamitous consequences. Numerous evacuation planning models have been developed in the past. Many of them are either too time consuming and hard to calibrate (e.g., for micro- or mesoscopic models) or too simple in terms of traffic flow dynamics (e.g., for macroscopic models) to produce accurate results. KW - Countermeasures KW - Decision making KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters KW - Evacuation KW - Hurricane Sandy, 2012 KW - New Jersey KW - New York (New York) KW - Planning KW - Traffic flow UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/developing-macroscopic-decision-making-tool UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352479 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562671 TI - Self-Heated Pavements AB - Lose of vehicle's control in New York (NY) State during winter time increases transportation-related fatalities and injuries. In fact, fatalities and injuries due to icy roads are more than four times those from natural disasters at the national level. In addition to their high safety hazards, icy roads limit the growth of the economy in New York State - and other northern states - since they reduce the capacity of major highways due to slow traffic, accidents, or road closures. Further, road closures in extreme snowstorms constrain the mobility and accessibility of people, public transit, and emergency vehicles which increases the social hazards. Aiming to overcome all hazards associated with icy-roads, New York State implements various techniques for highway deicing such as (1) spreading roads with deicing salts which deteriorate pavement materials and increase the salinity of ground water streams, (2) using the extremely expensive porous asphalts for better vehicle control and faster snow and ice clearing compared to conventional pavements. Without the environmentally hazardous deicing salts or the expensive asphalt mixes, this project presents another technique to ensure ice-free surfaces in winter time. KW - Deicing KW - Deterioration by environmental action KW - Environmental impacts KW - Heat KW - New York (State) KW - Pavements KW - Snowstorms KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/self-heated-pavements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352362 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562670 TI - A Probability-Based Approach for Assessment of Roadway Safety Hardware AB - The proposed exploratory research aims to investigate a novel probability-based analysis method for understanding and assessing the performance of roadway safety hardware (RSH) and roadway facilities under vehicle crashes. The failures of RSH systems such as median barriers, guardrails, bridge rails, terminals, and crash cushions subjected to vehicle crashes will be investigated, and the focus of this study is on concrete barriers. This proposed study will lead to the development of a much needed analytical model on the vulnerability (i.e., vehicle impact magnitudes vs. failure probability) of RSH using a performance-based method and computational techniques. If successful, the proposed research will provide owners, researchers and engineers a new probability-based methodology for assessing the performance and failures of RSH systems, to replace a traditional pass/fail method widely used in the U.S. and around the world. The results of the proposed research will lead to optimum engineering solutions and decision-making for the cost-effective installation and retrofit of various RSH systems. KW - Bridge railings KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Crash cushions KW - Crashes KW - Decision making KW - Guardrails KW - Impact tests KW - Median barriers KW - Retrofitting KW - Roadside safety hardware KW - Roadway safety hardware management systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/probability-based-assessment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352361 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01560523 TI - Innovative Techniques for Maintenance, Repair and Reconstruction (MRR) of Asphalt Roadways AB - The users of the roadway systems in the United States have been suffering from the poor condition levels of these systems for approximately the last two decades. When the Infrastructure Report Cards published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) are examined, it can be seen that the overall condition of the roads has been fluctuating between a grade of "D-" and a "D+" since 1998 (ASCE 1998, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013). In fact, according to the latest report card, approximately one-third (32%) of the major roads in the U.S. are in poor or mediocre conditions (ASCE 2013). The condition level of roadways in the State of New York is reported to be worse than the national average, as 60% of the roads are in the State of New York are in poor or mediocre conditions. It is further added that 42% of the major urban highways in the U.S. are congested, resulting in large amounts of wasted fuel, emissions, delays, and lost time. Congestion of highways has two major impacts on the management of roadways: 1) Deterioration rate of the roadways in congested areas are expected to be higher as a result of increased usage; 2) User costs are higher in congested areas as a result of maintenance, repair, and reconstruction activities. Consequently, utilization of innovative maintenance, repair, and reconstruction activities, which have the potential to improve the overall condition level of the roadways in consideration of their economic, social, and environmental impacts, is gaining significance. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Economic impacts KW - Environmental impacts KW - Highway maintenance KW - Innovation KW - New York (New York) KW - Reconstruction KW - Social impacts UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/innovative-techniques-maintenance-repair UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1350540 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01560071 TI - Heterogeneous Regional Traffic Signal Control AB - One critical task in regional traffic signal operations is how to establish different objectives and policies for varying arterial or sub network types. A typical urban network usually consists of different sub network types, such as central business district (CBD), suburban areas, and rural areas. The heterogeneous objective naturally arises for traffic signal operations on such different sub networks. Very few literatures can be found to explicitly address the signal control problem in heterogeneous sub networks. A majority of previous work focuses on multi-objective control in the entire network, single objective (e.g. network delay) across different regions, or across different traffic modes. The objective of this project is to develop a mathematical framework to model heterogeneous objective traffic signal control for different subnetworks, assuming a data rich environment is already established. The project will consider the proposed multi-objective signal optimization model as a problem of Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO), which has been widely implemented in automobile and aircraft design, involve interactions among several disciplines. The project will also leverage most recent research findings in urban area traffic control with Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram (MFD), which provides a general rule to control traffic within the capacity of network flow. KW - Central business districts KW - Networks KW - Nodes (Networks) KW - Optimization KW - Rural areas KW - Suburbs KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/heterogeneous-regional-traffic-signal-control UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349721 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01560020 TI - Secure and Private Sensing for Driver Authentication and Transportation Safety AB - Recent technology trends have allowed affordable and efficient collection of driver data. This has enabled a variety of potential applications, including more accurate pricing determinations for insurance and finer grained traffic planning for improved public safety. Although this technological growth provides for a wealth of new opportunities, given the safety implications of driving, there are many security and privacy issues that must be considered for their deployment. For instance, some applications require access to a vehicle's engine via a debug interface, known as On-Board Diagnostics (OBD-II), which may provide a vector for attack. Other systems may involve global positioning system (GPS) tracking, which can potentially violate a driver's privacy. This research seeks to find solutions to these shortcomings by using local sensing and monitoring to support the development of new driver devices and applications while preserving vehicular security and privacy. The significance of the proposed research cannot be overstated. A report released in October of 2013 estimated that 1.6 million drivers have signed on to use Progressive's Snapshot since 2008, and since that time the company has collected driving data over more than 8 billion miles. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Automobile insurance KW - Drivers KW - Global Positioning System KW - In vehicle sensors KW - Privacy KW - Technological innovations KW - Tracking systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/secure-and-private-sensing-driver-authentication UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349632 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556672 TI - An Investigation of Peer Influences on Risky Child and Adolescent Pedestrian Road Crossing AB - Pedestrian injuries and fatalities involving children and adolescents are a significant public health concern in the U.S. In 2012 alone, there were 500 fatalities and 20,000 injuries in pedestrians between the ages of 5 and 20 (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2014). One factor that may increase the risk of such collisions is peer influence. Although it is well known that having multiple peers in the car dramatically increases risky behavior among teen drivers, little is known about how child and adolescent pedestrians cross roads with peers, and whether joint road crossing with peers puts youth pedestrians at heightened risk for collisions with motor vehicles. This multi-disciplinary research project has two major components, both involving a large-screen, immersive pedestrian simulator. The behavioral component will examine social influences on road-crossing behavior by comparing how youth of different ages cross with a friend vs. alone, and how the experience of crossing with a friend influences children's later solo road-crossing behavior. This work will provide much-needed information about how children and adolescents interact with peers in performing common, yet potentially risky actions like road crossing. The computational component will use data gathered from the behavioral experiments to develop age- and gender-matched computer-generated avatars that will serve as crossing partners. Avatar behavior will mimic the behaviors observed with real partners, including conversation, gaze, and gestures. The project will then compare how youth cross roads with "risky" vs. "safe" computer-generated avatars to assess the validity of interactions with virtual avatars. The proposed project will significantly advance understanding of social risk factors for car-pedestrian collisions and inform the development of technology needed to gain a more fine-grained understanding of these dynamics. KW - Adolescents KW - Behavior KW - Children KW - Fatalities KW - Injuries KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Peer groups KW - Risk taking KW - Social factors KW - United States UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345951 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01610817 AU - Burden, Lindsay Ivey AU - Morris, Frank AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Study of a Pipe-Scanning Robot for use in Post-Construction Evaluation during Horizontal Directional Drilling PY - 2015/06//Final Report SP - 49p AB - Trenchless Technology has become an increasingly popular underground utility construction method, beginning in the early 1900s with pipe jacking beneath railroad lines. One method, horizontal directional drilling (HDD), became more common in the 1990s and into the current day. The utilization of HDD is associated with the potential risk for ground subsidence, soil heaving, sinkholes and settlement after construction. This can damage existing infrastructure and cause safety hazards. Trenchless methods, requiring an annual overcut – such as HDD, disturb soil around the outer diameter of the utility being installed. While the annular overcut is necessary for feeding pipes through the borehole, when used in conjunction with a liquid lubricant, the likelihood for developing voids increases. The annular overcut is also a cause for concern because the consistency and void ratio of the overburden soil change after boring. Inconsistent and void-ridden soil can cause void propagation through the overlying soil until it reaches the surface, where it will become a sinkhole or crack. This paper addresses post-construction evaluation methods, especially pertaining to the annular space and void propagation region above and around a freshly installed utility in Southern Virginia. Two non-destructive evaluation methods are used to scan the surrounding soil: Ground penetrating-radar (GPR) and FutureScan. FutureScan, a radar device developed by Louisiana Tech University, is capable of being attached to pipe inspection robots and uses a means of penetrating radar to detect voids and inconsistencies in three dimensions. This study examines the difference between GPR and FutureScan, regarding the imaging techniques used and the measured void ratios. Relative elevations were recorded before, during, and after drilling, to measure surface movement caused by drilling efforts. The relative elevation was also recorded several months after utility installation, for comparison on a long-term scale. After the analysis was conducted using both FutureScan and GPR, representative soil samples of the test site were retrieved and transported to a geotechnical laboratory for further testing. Based on the GPR and FutureScan findings, the utility of the two post-construction evaluation methods was determined. KW - Air voids KW - Drilling KW - Evaluation KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Pipe KW - Pipelines KW - Radar images KW - Robots KW - Trenchless technology KW - Underground utility lines KW - Virginia UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UVA-2013-05.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55268/UVA_2013-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1421415 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599266 AU - Huang, Baoshan AU - Shu, Xiang AU - Rutherford, Tyler E AU - Clarke, David B AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of New Damping Materials for Trackbed and their Behavior under Mixed Traffic PY - 2015/06//Final Report SP - 80p AB - Damping is a critical factor for the safe operation of passenger and freight shared track railway. Currently, three types of material are commonly used to provide the damping: (1) asphalt trackbed; (2) crumb rubber modified asphalt; (3) cement emulsified asphalt mortar (CEAM). CEAM possesses higher strength and modulus than asphalt materials but lower than those of concrete, which makes it more suited for ballastless railway construction than other materials. In Japan, China,and Europe, CEAM has been widely used in high-speed rail (HSR). However,little research has been conducted on CEAM in the U.S. Two laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of CEAM. In the first round of testing the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), indirect tensile (IDT) strength, dynamic modulus and phase angle, shrinkage, and cement hydration heat were tested for type II (high modulus) CEAM with different asphalt/cement (A/C) ratios. The second round of testing built on the results of the previous work and investigated the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of both type I (low modulus) and type II ( high modulus) CEAM. KW - Ballastless track KW - Cement mortars KW - Damping (Physics) KW - Emulsified asphalt KW - Freight trains KW - Laboratory studies KW - Mechanical properties KW - Passenger trains KW - Railroad tracks KW - Viscoelasticity UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UTK/NURail2012-UTK-R03_Final_Report_Huang_CEAM1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405089 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596684 AU - Mattson, Jeremy AU - Small Urban and Rural Livability Center AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Rural Transit Fact Book 2015 PY - 2015/06 SP - 40p AB - This Fact Book provides information on transit service availability and cost to help the transit industry in the United States provide efficient and effective service to meet rural community mobility needs. Financial and operating statistics can be used by agency managers, local decision makers, state directors, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and lawmakers to assist in policy making, planning, managing operations, and evaluating performance. This publication includes rural demographic and travel behavior data as well as financial and operating statistics for agencies receiving section 5311 funding. In addition to national level data, statistics are presented by state, FTA region, tribe, and mode, as well as other agency characteristics. The rural transit data presented in this report were obtained from the Rural National Transit Database (NTD). This 2015 edition includes 2013 data from the Rural NTD as well as additional data from the American Community Survey, American Housing Survey, and National Household Travel Survey. KW - Demographics KW - Financing KW - Operating costs KW - Public transit KW - Ridership KW - Rural areas KW - Rural National Transit Database KW - Rural transit KW - Travel behavior KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://www.surtc.org/transitfactbook/downloads/2015-rural-transit-fact-book.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403014 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590520 AU - Peckett, Haley AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Transit Feasibility Analysis and Recommendations: Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest Transportation System Alternatives Study PY - 2015/06//Final Report SP - 65p AB - The purpose of the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest Transportation System Alternatives Study is to identify and evaluate the feasibility of potential alternative transportation solutions to improve recreation and resource management at three of the most popular recreation sites in the national forest: Brainard Lake Recreation Area (BLRA), Guanella Pass (GP), and Mount Evans Recreation Area (MERA). This study identifies, verifies, and documents transportation, visitor, and resource concerns; assesses user capacity levels where appropriate; and identifies feasible short-term and long-term alternative transportation and congestion management solutions for these three sites. KW - Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest KW - Congestion management systems KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Public transit KW - Recommendations KW - Shuttle buses KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56731/Transit_Feasibility_Analysis_ARNF.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56731/Transit_Feasibility_Analysis_ARNF.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=January%202016%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1396343 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579226 AU - Bullough, John D AU - Skinner, Nicholas P AU - Brons, Jennifer A AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Analysis of Energy Efficient Highway Lighting Retrofits PY - 2015/06//Final Report SP - 42p AB - Solid state lighting technology is advancing rapidly to a point where light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems can be viable replacements for existing lighting systems using high pressure sodium (HPS). The present report summarizes analyses conducted to document existing lighting conditions along a parkway (Southern State Parkway, Long Island) and an arterial roadway (Central Avenue, Albany County). Several LED alternative lighting systems were compared using photometric analyses to identify ones that meet light level criteria for each roadway type; several options were available that resulted in energy savings compared to the existing HPS lighting systems. Energy economic analyses confirmed that the initial investment could be paid back in terms of reduced operating costs, and that energy savings were larger for LED systems when compared to HPS systems that produced similar levels to those from the LED alternatives. Further energy cost savings would be expected with the use of adaptive lighting controls specified to take advantage of temporal nighttime traffic patterns on the roadways investigated. The report concludes with considerations for incorporating LED performance characteristics, such as ensuring they do not produce interference with radio equipment, into specifications for LED retrofit alternatives. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Arterial highways KW - Costs KW - Economic analysis KW - Energy consumption KW - Light emitting diodes KW - New York (State) KW - Parkways KW - Photometry KW - Retrofitting KW - Street lighting UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Energy-Efficient-Highway-Lighting-Retrofits.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371709 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576152 AU - Peterson, Del AU - Ndembe, Elvis AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Impact of North Dakota's Oil Boom on Transit Livability PY - 2015/06 SP - 37p AB - Population growth in western North Dakota from those seeking employment in the oil industry has led to substantial increases in personal income and transit ridership. Local survey findings noted that population growth has impacted the quality of life by increasing pressure on infrastructure and increasing feelings of insecurity that stem from demographic shifts and not knowing who is living in local communities. The housing market has also struggled to keep pace. For example, the housing market in the Minot-Williston region is severely tight owing to net in-migration and a dearth in housing for sale. Transit livability index measures showed an increase in recent years. The combinations of increased ridership and household income have been the two main catalysts for this change. More workers utilizing transit has also led to fewer workers commuting alone to work. However, an increasing mobility needs index and a lack of transit vehicles to meet demand are becoming evident as many of the transit livability indexes are showing smaller increases during the past one to three years compared to earlier gains. A major finding of this research shows that if the oil boom continues similar to its current pace during the next five years, transit agencies, along with policy makers, should consider expanding services to provide more hours of service along with a larger coverage area to meet new demand. Another major finding is the need for more transit vehicles in the region as well as updating vehicles in current fleets that are beyond their useful life. Increased funding is needed so that transit agencies can improve service levels and meet increasing demand. KW - Forecasting KW - Housing KW - North Dakota KW - Population growth KW - Public transit KW - Quality of life KW - Ridership KW - Surveys KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/surlc15-002.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369342 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01571975 AU - Godazi, Khosro AU - Miller, Alexandra AU - Goodwin, Ronald E AU - Texas Southern University AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Impact of the Conversion of Incandescent Bulbs to the LED Light Source in Traffic Signals in Houston: A Step toward Sustainable Control Devices PY - 2015/06 SP - 30p AB - With the slowing of the American economy since 2008, it has become imperative that municipalities identify areas in which costs can be reduced while still providing needed services to its constituents. The use of traffic signals equipped with light emitting diodes (LED) provides opportunities for urban municipalities to conserve both tax dollars and energy. With other advantages, such as the reduced maintenance, a longer life span, and more illumination than the standard incandescent light bulb, LED’s have become a viable option in cities around the globe as a first step in reducing municipal costs. Furthermore, LED traffic signals could be retrofitted to solar energy in the future thereby enhancing the move towards “green” technologies. The City of Houston is the focus of this case study evaluating the use of LED traffic signals at selected intersections in and near the urban core. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Case studies KW - Costs KW - Energy consumption KW - Evaluation KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Incandescent lamps KW - Light emitting diodes KW - Traffic signals KW - Urban areas UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00041-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363155 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01571970 AU - Torcat, Adriana AU - McCray, Talia AU - Durden, Teri AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Changing Perceptions of Cycling in the African American Community to Encourage Participation in a Sport that Promotes Health in Adults PY - 2015/06//Final Report SP - 50p AB - This study introduces two interventions designed to influence perceptions of cycling among African Americans. Results from the 2001 National Household Transportation Survey reveal that African Americans cycle at two-thirds the rate of White and Hispanic Americans (Pucher and Renne, 2003). Moreover, African Americans are less likely to possess alternative transportation modes like a bicycle (Royal and Miller-Steiger, 2008). Researchers suggest that cycling disparities are linked to negative perceptions among inexperienced cyclists and non-cyclists –including African Americans (McCray et al, 2010). An important consideration in analyzing why African Americans generally do not cycle is that of perception. The purpose of this study is to address negative perceptions of cycling that inhibit bicycle use, including a lack of experience, knowledge, and safety. Few studies exist that explore race or ethnic-specific reasons for low levels of physical activity and this information is needed to increase physical activity among minority groups (Rogers, et al. 2007). By examining perceptions of cycling among African Americans, this study builds on existing literature and fills a significant void in addressing the lack of bicycle ridership in the African-American community. KW - Activity choices KW - African Americans KW - Attitudes KW - Bicycling KW - Ethnic groups KW - National Household Transportation Survey (U.S.) KW - Perception UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00084-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363156 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01571960 AU - Harrison, Robert AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) on Freight Flows in the Texas-Louisiana Megaregion PY - 2015/06 SP - 53p AB - This report addresses the benefits of maintaining the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) both in totality (5 States) and specifically between Texas and Louisiana since their coastal regions have been identified as a potential U.S megaregion. The chapters include a historical background and current conditions, the opportunities for raising barge productivity and safety, the challenges of increasing GIWW funding, the introduction of articulated tug barges (ATBs) which may have diverted some GIWW traffic, and finally summarizes both findings and recommendations. It argues for sharply focused improvements and protecting system integrity for future technologies and barge designs. KW - Barges KW - Financing KW - Freight traffic KW - Gulf Intracoastal Waterway KW - Louisiana KW - Megaregions KW - Recommendations KW - Texas UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00080-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363158 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570621 AU - Morris, C Craig AU - Bureau of Transportation Statistics TI - Motor Vehicle Occupant Fatality Risk Based on Person-Time Exposed: Age, Sex, and Period of Week PY - 2015/06//Technical Report SP - 15p AB - During the 5 years from 2008 through 2012, motor vehicle crashes killed 34,091 people each year in the United States, on average, 23,783 (69.8) percent of whom were motor vehicle occupants. This study analyzes motor vehicle occupant fatality risk in terms of person-time exposed as a function of age, sex, period of week, and interactions of these factors. Results reveal strong circadian periodicities of occupant fatalities and fatality risk, with greater risk during late evening-early morning hours every day of the week and the greatest risk during Friday–Saturday and Saturday–Sunday evening-to-morning hours. But these circadian trends interact with age and sex whereby young male occupants exhibit the most fatalities and risk. The circadian variation in occupant fatality risk—across demographic age-sex populations, days of the week, and drunk- and nondrunk-driver-related fatal crashes – suggests a drowsiness component acting alone, and sometimes synergistically with alcohol, to impair the judgment and performance of motor vehicle occupants. KW - Age KW - Days KW - Drowsiness KW - Fatalities KW - Gender KW - Periods of the day KW - Risk assessment KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Vehicle occupants UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/motor_vehicle_occupant_fatality_risk.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1362628 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570518 AU - Brecher, Aviva AU - Epstein, Aexander K AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Review and Analysis of Potential Safety Impacts of and Regulatory Barriers to Fuel Efficiency Technologies and Alternative Fuels in Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles PY - 2015/06//Technical Report SP - 193p AB - This report summarizes a safety analysis of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MD/HDVs) equipped with fuel efficiency (FE) technologies and/or using alternative fuels (natural gas-CNG and LNG, propane, biodiesel and power train electrification). The study included a comprehensive literature review, complemented with inputs from subject matter experts (SMEs), and a scenario-based hazard analysis. Specific FE technologies examined include: Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and telematics, speed limiters, idle reduction devices, tire technologies (single-wide tires, tire pressure monitoring systems-TPMS and Automated Tire Inflation Systems-ATIS), aerodynamic components, long combination vehicles (LCVs) and lightweighting materials. Federal and State safety regulations, and voluntary technical standards affecting MD/HDV fleet adoption of FE technologies and alternative fuels were discussed, and potential regulatory barriers identified. The findings suggest that the potential safety hazards identified can be prevented or mitigated by complying with safety regulations and voluntary standards and industry best practices. The study did not identify any major regulatory barriers to rapid adoption of FE technologies and alternative fuels by the MD/HDV fleet. KW - Aerodynamic features (Vehicle body components) KW - Alternate fuels KW - Buses KW - Compliance KW - Fuel efficiency KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Heavy duty vehicles KW - Idle reduction KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Lightweight materials KW - Literature reviews KW - Longer combination vehicles KW - Medium trucks KW - Safety analysis KW - Safety regulations KW - Speed limiters KW - Telematics KW - Tires KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55100/55162/812159-RevSafetyImpactsRegulatoryFuelEfficiencyTechMDHD.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1361255 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570515 AU - Horton, Suzanne AU - Segev, Eran AU - Meltzer, Neil AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Roadside Intervention Effectiveness Model, Fiscal Year 2011 PY - 2015/06//Final Report SP - 36p AB - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in cooperation with the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, has developed an analytic model to measure the effectiveness of roadside inspections and traffic enforcements in terms of the number of crashes avoided, injuries prevented, and lives saved. Traffic enforcements and roadside inspections are considered interventions; this analytic model is known as the Roadside Intervention Effectiveness Model (RIEM). This model provides FMCSA management with the information needed to address the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, which requires Federal agencies to measure the effectiveness of their programs as part of the budget cycle process. It also provides FMCSA and State safety program managers with a quantitative basis for optimizing the allocation of safety resources in the field. This report discusses the results of the RIEM for fiscal year (FY) 2011. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Government Performance and Results Act KW - Inspection KW - Roadside KW - Roadside Intervention Effectiveness Model (RIEM) KW - Traffic law enforcement UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55100/55113/RIEM_FY2011_FINAL_June_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1361254 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570396 AU - Schwebel, David C AU - Rodriguez, Daniel AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia AU - Combs, Tabitha AU - Severson, Joan AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - University of Alabama, Birmingham AU - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill AU - Alabama Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Community-Based Pedestrian Safety Training in Virtual Reality: A Pragmatic Trial PY - 2015/06//Final Report SP - 28p AB - Child pedestrian injuries are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity across the United States and the world. Repeated practice at the cognitive-perceptual task of crossing a street may lead to safer pedestrian behavior. Virtual reality offers a unique opportunity for repeated practice without the risk of actual injury. This study conducted a pragmatic pre-post within-subjects trial of training children in pedestrian safety using a semi-mobile, semi-immersive virtual pedestrian environment placed at schools and community centers. Pedestrian safety skills among a group of 44 seven- and eight-year-old children were assessed in a laboratory, and then children completed six 15-minutes training sessions in the virtual pedestrian environment at their school or community center over the course of three weeks. Following training, pedestrian safety skills were re-assessed. Results indicate improvement in delay entering traffic following training. Safe crossings did not demonstrate change. Attention to traffic and time to contact with oncoming vehicles both decreased somewhat, perhaps an indication that training was incomplete and children were in the process of actively learning to be safer pedestrians. The findings suggest virtual reality environments placed in community centers hold promise for teaching children to be safer pedestrians, but future research is needed to determine the optimal training dosage. KW - Children KW - Crosswalks KW - Education and training KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Virtual reality UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_final_report_2013-004S_Schwebel.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55331/STRIDE_final_report_2013-004S_Schwebel.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360192 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570320 AU - Liu, Lee AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Exploration of Walking Behavior in Vermont Using Spatial Regression PY - 2015/06 AB - This report focuses on the relationship between walking and its contributing factors by applying spatial regression methods. Using the Vermont data from the New England Transportation Survey (NETS), walking variables as well as 170 independent variables are derived including some through spatial analysis with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Among those independent variables, people’s lifestyle and perception of the built environment variables are included. A linear regression model is first established to serve as a base model for comparisons with spatial regression models. The results reveal that people’s lifestyle and perception of the built environment are significant variables explaining Vermonters’ walking behavior. Methodologically, the results reveal that no spatial effect is found and that there are no significant differences between the linear and spatial regression models. Therefore, the study concludes that it may be appropriate to apply traditional non-spatial statistical tools to analyze the relationship between walking and its contributing factors. However, the study suggests that researchers examine whether spatial effect exists in these inherently spatial behaviors before using only traditional statistics. This caution is particularly relevant as methods to estimate spatial models become more commonplace and easily available. The two spatial methods used in this report both reveal small but different challenges. KW - Behavior KW - Geographic information systems KW - Linear regression analysis KW - Spatial analysis KW - Vermont KW - Walking UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-14-011.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55281/UVM-TRC-14-011.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360030 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570310 AU - Laval, Jorge A AU - Yin, Yafeng AU - Lou, Yingyan AU - Cho, Hyun W AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Comparative Analysis of Dynamic Pricing Strategies for Managed Lanes PY - 2015/06//Final Report SP - 81p AB - The objective of this research is to investigate and compare the performances of different dynamic pricing strategies for managed lanes facilities. These pricing strategies include real-time traffic responsive methods, as well as refund options and tradable credit schemes. Analytical expressions for the assignment, revenue and total delay in each alternative are derived as a function of the pricing strategy. It is found that minimum total system delay can be achieved with many different pricing strategies. This gives flexibility to operators to allocate congestion to either alternative according to their specific objective while maintaining the same minimum total system delay. Given a specific objective, the optimal pricing strategy can be determined by finding a single parameter value in the case of high-occupancy/toll (HOT) lanes. Performances of pricing strategies are compared by simulation experiments. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Managed lanes KW - Revenues KW - Road pricing KW - Simulation KW - Traffic delays UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/2012_089S_STRIDE_FINAL_REPORT_Laval_final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55330/2012_089S_STRIDE_FINAL_REPORT_Laval_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360024 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570277 AU - Watkins, Kari AU - La Mondia, Jeffrey AU - Brakewood, Candace AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a New Course for Public Transportation Education PY - 2015/06//Final Report SP - 30p AB - Safe, efficient, and accessible public transportation is a key component of livable and sustainable transportation systems. It is therefore critical that both undergraduate and graduate-level Civil Engineering students have a better understanding of the planning, design, and operation of public transportation systems so they can improve or support these systems when they enter the workforce. Unfortunately, this material is not readily available in most university curriculums. Therefore, the main goal of this project is to develop a set of public transportation course modules for both the Introduction to Transportation (an undergraduate senior course) and a stand-alone Transit Planning and Operations course (a specialized graduate course) that will be shared and evaluated at different universities. The modules were designed to be easily applied by instructors with limited experience in the transit industry and in conducting transit systems research. The process for designing the modules included researching applicable literature, reaching out and collaborating with educators and practitioners, and mind mapping the core concepts needed for transportation practice. The modules were implemented, assessed and revised based on student learning outcomes. KW - Civil engineering KW - Curricula KW - Education KW - Public transit KW - Sustainable transportation UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_Report_Final_2012-029S_Watkins.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55328/STRIDE_Report_Final_2012-029S_Watkins.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360023 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01568657 AU - Wilmot, Chester G AU - Li, Wan AU - Glascock, Stephen AU - Graham, Glen AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Freight Crash Incident Management PY - 2015/06//Final Report SP - 79p AB - The objective of this study was to determine the most effective way to mitigate the effect of freight crash incidents on Louisiana freeways. Candidate incident management strategies were reviewed from practice in other states and from those published in the literature. Current legislation in the state was also reviewed. A procedure to estimate the cost of delay caused by an incident was developed and used to provide a rough estimate of the cost efficiency of an Instant Tow Dispatch Program and an Expedited Towing Program. Both were estimated to be highly cost-efficient with the estimated cost of delay far exceeding the estimated cost of the programs. Implementation of an Instant Tow Dispatch program and an Authority Removal Law was recommended. KW - Costs KW - Freight transportation KW - Incident management KW - Laws and legislation KW - Literature reviews KW - Louisiana KW - State of the practice KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2015/FR_542.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359230 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567464 AU - Manning, Robert AU - Reigner, Nathan AU - Wimpey, Jeremy AU - Valliere, William AU - Xiao, Xiao AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Adaptation and Application of Micro-Simulation Modeling to Recreational Use of Parks and Public Lands PY - 2015/05/27 SP - 44p AB - The University of Vermont’s (UVM) Park Studies Laboratory (PSL) and Applied Trails Research (ATR) undertook a program of cooperative research with the purpose of building foundational transportation research expertise using advanced technologies for integrated transportation and land use modeling to examine the complex systems linking and supporting the sustainability of transportation, tourism travel, and recreation in parks and on public lands. The development of this expertise will allow UVM to help satisfy the large and growing needs of transportation and recreation researchers and managers for state of the art simulation modeling. Building foundational expertise in transportation and recreation simulation modeling require researchers from the PSL and ATR to work closely in all phases of the work from planning, through execution, to communication of findings and lessons learned. Simulation modeling efforts undertaken as part of this collaboration identified, tested, and optimized indicators of quality for both transportation and recreation systems and opportunities. That is, simulation models were designed and operated to examine both the functional and experiential qualities of transportation and recreation facilities and operations representative of parks and public lands. KW - Land use models KW - Level of service KW - Microsimulation KW - National parks KW - Public land KW - Recreation KW - Sustainable development KW - Tourism KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-15-008.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357872 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01569606 TI - Nondestructive Evaluation of Four Sister Bridges in Virginia Using Manual NDE Technologies and Robotic Platform RABIT AB - Within this research project, condition assessment of the four bridges in Virginia will be conducted using manual nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies as well as the robotic platform RABIT™. The following NDE methods will be used in both the automated and manual testing: Impact Echo, Ultrasonic Surface Waves, Ground Penetrating Radar and Electrical Resistivity method. The data collected from all the technologies will be analyzed and the results presented in terms of condition maps and calculated condition indices. Similarly, data related to the speed and cost of data collection using the two approaches will be recorded and analyzed. A report of detailing the comparisons will be generated. In addition, conclusions will be drawn on different aspect of performance of these bridges, as well as the deployed NDE technologies. KW - Bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Impact echo tests KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Resistivity method KW - Robotics Assisted Bridge Inspection Tool (RABiT) KW - Ultrasonic Surface Wave KW - Virginia UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/nondestructive-evaluation-four-sister-bridges-virginia-using-manual-nde-technologies-a UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1361325 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01563571 TI - Aerodynamic Flow Deflector to Increase Large Scale Wind Turbine Power Generation by 10% AB - The goal of the proposed aerodynamic deflectors is the generation of an additional 10% power when installed in any new and current turbine compared to the same turbine without the deflectors. In turn, the price of this energy could be critically reduced. Just one single 1MW turbine comprising the deflectors could provide enough energy to power 30 additional houses per year. A worldwide implementation of this technology would exceed the billion dollar profit for turbine companies and wind farms. For instance, a single 1MW turbine without deflectors is expected to generate $90,000 yearly. The same turbine with installed deflectors would generate $126,000 yearly, this is 40% extra profit. This would allow wind farms to be more profitable and reduce the price of this energy. The initial experimental results showed 8-12% power increase for turbines tested in a water channel for different channel speeds. This initial proof-of-concept supports the preliminary theoretical results and establishes a strong case for which the investigators are certain that the proposed project will be successful. The final goal of the proposed project is to show a 10% power increase for a large wind turbine in a wind tunnel facility. Successful performance of these experiments would lead to a commercially relevant and attractive product for wind and tidal energy companies and wind farms worldwide. KW - Aerodynamics KW - Deflectors KW - Energy KW - Offshore wind farms KW - Profitability KW - Technological innovations KW - Turbines KW - Wind power generation KW - Wind tunnels UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/aerodynamic-flow-deflector-increase-large-scale-wind-turbine-power-generation-10 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354218 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01581020 AU - Stephens, Denny AU - Timcho, Thomas AU - Schroeder, Jeremy AU - Brown, James AU - Bacon, Paige AU - Smith, Theodore AU - Balke, Kevin AU - Charara, Hassan AU - Sunkari, Srinivasa AU - Battelle AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) Prototype Seattle Small-Scale Demonstration Report PY - 2015/05/15/Final Report SP - 109p AB - This report describes the performance and results of the Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) Prototype Small-Scale Demonstration. The purpose of the Small-Scale Demonstration was to deploy the INFLO Prototype System to demonstrate its functionality and performance in an operational traffic environment and to capture data that can help assess hypotheses pertaining to system functionality, system performance, algorithm performance and driver feedback. In this Small-Scale Demonstration, Battelle and Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) worked with Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to deploy connected vehicle systems in 21 vehicles in a scripted driving scenario circuiting a corridor on I-5 from Tukwila to Edmonds through downtown Seattle, during morning rush hour the week of January 12, 2015. The INFLO Prototype System collected vehicle speed data from both the WSDOT infrastructure-based speed detectors and the connected vehicles during the driving scenario. The System processed the data in real time and delivered queue warning and speed harmonization messages to drivers. The Team captured performance data as well as driver feedback. The Small-Scale Demonstration fully confirmed the functionality of the INFLO Prototype System using both cellular communications and dedicated short-range communications (DSRC). The Demonstration confirmed that the System has the latency, processing speed and communications bandwidth to support INFLO application functionality in an operational traffic environment. KW - Demonstration projects KW - Driver information systems KW - Drivers KW - Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Operating speed KW - Performance KW - Real time data processing KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Systems analysis KW - Traffic queuing UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56240/FHWA-JPO-15-223.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373248 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580935 AU - Stephens, Denny AU - Gibbs, Williams AU - Timcho, Thomas AU - Balke, Kevin AU - Charara, Hassan AU - Sunkari, Srinivasa AU - Smith, Theodore AU - Batelle Memorial Institute AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) Prototype Acceptance Test Summary PY - 2015/05/15/Final Report SP - 133p AB - This document summarizes the Prototype System Acceptance Test for the Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) application bundle, with a focus on the Queue Warning (Q-WARN) and Speed Harmonization (SPD-HARM) with Weather Responsive Traffic Management (WRTM) applications. These two applications together comprise a tightly integrated bundle that is a key research activity within the Dynamic Mobility Applications (DMA) portion of the Connected Vehicle Program. This document summarizes the component, system integration and prototype pilot acceptance testing conducted to verify that the system meets its functional and performance requirements. These objectives and results are organized as Test Cases, and trace back to the System Requirements. The results of the acceptance tests summarized here may be used by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to determine whether a small-scale demonstration of the Prototype will be conducted. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Driver information systems KW - Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Optimization KW - Prototype tests KW - Queuing KW - System design KW - Traffic speed UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56234/FHWA-JPO-15-209.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373250 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574091 AU - Branch, Victor AU - Mississippi State University, Canton AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Student Technology Exchange Program (STEP) for Engineering/Robotics in Middle School Students PY - 2015/05/05/Final Report SP - 21p AB - This project's objective was to deliver a yearlong project that included a 3 day professional development for teachers and 5 day workshop for 25 students from 4 schools. It also included approximately 40 hours of teacher mentoring over the 9 month school year to implement activities and concepts that will help to improve math and engineering principles with test scores. This program interacted with children on robotics, basic engineering principles, transportation logistics, teamwork and critical thinking skills, in order to heighten their interest in math and science while providing teachers with professional development and mentoring to bolster confidence. The targeted focus was on engineering and robotics application related to intermodal transportation. This project targeted economically disadvantaged underserved populations in the central Mississippi area. KW - Education and training methods KW - Engineering KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Middle school students KW - Mississippi KW - Robotics KW - Teachers UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-21FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363649 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01568648 AU - Richardson, Heather AU - Frazier, Jonathan AU - Rasmussen, Ben AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Mississippi National River and Recreation Area AU - DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TI - Mississippi National River and Recreation Area: Shuttle Market Analysis PY - 2015/05/05/Final Report SP - 28p AB - This report summarizes the results of marketing interviews conducted with National Park Service units operating shuttle services similar to what is being considered for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The focus of the interviews was marketing, but the Volpe Center and peers also discussed initial start-up, funding, and other issues. The report includes lessons learned, best practices, and estimated ridership. The four market study parks were: Adams National Historical Park (Adams NHP) in Quincy, Massachusetts; The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site (HOFR) in Hyde Park, New York; New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park (NEBE) in New Bedford, MA; and Presidio Trust, which is within the Golden Gate National Recreational Area (GGNRA) in San Francisco, California, but operates independently. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Financing KW - Marketing KW - Mississippi National River and Recreation Area KW - National parks KW - Ridership KW - Shuttle service UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55000/55025/MNRAA_Confluence_Shuttle_Market_Analysis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358911 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596067 AU - Herman, David AU - Brohard, Andrew AU - Burns, Matthew AU - Zink, Gregory AU - Timcho, Thomas AU - Battelle AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - System Design and Architecture for the IDTO Prototype – Phase II Demonstration Site (Central Florida) PY - 2015/05/01/Final Report SP - 107p AB - This report documents the System Design and Architecture for the Phase II implementation of the Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) Prototype bundle within the Dynamic Mobility Applications (DMA) portion of the Connected Vehicle Program. This version updates the previous submission to document the revised design elements that were implemented in the demonstration of IDTO using providers in the central Florida / Orlando region. It also includes design elements for features that were designed but not fully implemented due to changes in the deployment schedule of participating partners. Finally, this report includes design elements for a D-RIDE rideshare partner that was ultimately demonstrated separate from the specific Phase II demonstration, but integrated with the complete IDTO system. KW - Central Florida KW - Demonstration projects KW - Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO) KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Orlando (Florida) KW - Prototypes KW - Ridesharing KW - System architecture KW - System design UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/57000/57000/57030/FHWA-JPO-16-274.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400951 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573276 TI - Evaluating Coastal and River Valley Communities Evacuation Network Performance Using Macroscopic Productivity AB - The ever-increasing processing speed and computational power of computers and simulation systems has led to correspondingly larger, more sophisticated representations of evacuation traffic processes. Today, micro-level analyses can be conducted for megaregion-level hurricane evacuations spanning multiple states over several days and include the intermodal exchange of evacuees, millions of vehicles, and thousands of miles of roadway. However, the effort required to build such models and the volume of output data they produce also present difficulties for analysts; as they code networks, generate demand, model control elements and then calibrate results and interpret output. The goal of this research is to quantify and describe the operational conditions of evacuation traffic "network productivity." The concepts suggest that maximum production and therefore trip completion, is realized when the network achieves the highest rate of vehicles-miles traveled in a time interval. Here, a megaregion evacuation model of a coastal community is used to quantify the average network velocity, demand and network length necessary to estimate the network productivity. This research is likely to find that the network productivity exhibits a peaking characteristic. This would suggest network productivity can be maximized on a macroscopic scale as a function of demand. Research Objective(s): To better understand evacuation productivity of coastal and River Valley communities to assist in the planning, mitigation, response, and recovery of these areas from disasters. KW - Coastal zone management KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Evacuation KW - Hurricanes KW - Megaregions KW - Traffic flow KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366457 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573275 TI - Vulnerability of Fuel Distribution Systems to Hazards in Coastal Communities AB - Coastal communities are vulnerable to disruptions in fuel availability for their transportation networks due to their susceptibility to flooding and storm surge events. Fueling station design criteria do not change in coastal communities and supply chains rely on road networks that lack the redundancy present in more inland areas. This study will examine fuel distribution disruptions from past storms and the time for restoration of fuel availability after coastal hazard events. Causes and mitigation of damaged fuel networks will be determined and new designs and methods proposed to minimize disruption during coastal hazards. KW - Coasts KW - Floods KW - Fuels KW - Service disruption KW - Storm surges KW - Supply chain management UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366456 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562703 TI - Disaster Relief Vehicle Routing AB - Vehicle routing problems (VRPs) have been studied extensively and, therefore, there are many algorithms and techniques already developed for the VRPs. In VRPs, the common objective is to minimize the distance travelled or time spent for the travel. That is, the objective is to achieve profitability and/or quality by minimizing the total travel time and/or distance. In disaster relief vehicle routing problems, the objective is quite different; loss of life and human suffering need to be minimized, which may weaken most algorithms and techniques developed for the VRPs. When the disaster area is modeled as a transportation network, a node can be used to represent a geographic locus and links (also called arcs) can be used to represent roads connecting nodes (regions). The task is to deliver critical supplies from depot at node A to beneficiaries at nodes B, C, and D. The VRP solution takes the route of A&#8594;B&#8594;C&#8594;D&#8594;A (or an opposite direction), taking 20 hours to complete. If the vehicle departs at midnight, the arrival times are 2 a.m. (B), 10 a.m. (C), and 6 p.m. (D). If the arrival times are to be minimized, rather than the total time spent, then the optimal solution is the route of A (midnight) &#8594;B (2 a.m.) &#8594; D (6 a.m.) &#8594; C (2 p.m.) &#8594; A, taking 22 hours. The impact of such change in routing can be extremely significant when it comes to humanitarian relief problems as early delivery of critical supplies can reduce the impact of aftershocks substantially. Campbell et al. (2008) study the impact of different objectives in the VRPs in the context of relief efforts and propose solution approaches. KW - Algorithms KW - Disaster relief KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Fatalities KW - Routing KW - Travel time KW - Trip length KW - Vehicle routing problem UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/disaster-relief-vehicle-routing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352477 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613834 AU - Parkany, A Emily AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Webinars To Disseminate Information and Results From University of Virginia and Virginia Polytechnic Institute Mid-Atlantic University Transportation Center Research Projects PY - 2015/05//Final Report SP - 15p AB - This report serves as documentation for the MAUTC project: “Webinars to Disseminate Information and Results from UVA and VPI MAUTC Research Project.” The intention of the project is to enable the technical transfer of results from Mid-Atlantic University Transportation Center (MAUTC)-funded research projects conducted at the University of Virginia (UVA) and Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI). A series of six webinars was organized with UVA researchers presenting in July, September, and November of 2014 and VPI researchers presenting in August, October, and December of 2014. The webinars featured 19 speakers and had over 200 total attendees. A record of the webinars along with the presentations and recorded versions of four of the six webinars are found at: http://www.cts.virginia.edu/mautc/ . KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Information dissemination KW - Research projects KW - Research reports KW - Webinars UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/mautc-2013-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424169 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592640 TI - Vehicle-Based Low Clearance Detector AB - The objective of this project was to demonstrate commercially available vehicle-based technologies for 1) detecting a low-clearance overpass in the path of a commercial vehicle, and 2) warning the commercial driver about the low clearance prior to striking the low-clearance overpass. Fatalities have occurred with motorcoaches striking bridges. Bridge strikes by trucks ranged from 5,971–6,171 across the Nation between 2005 and 2008. In a press conference on September 24, 2012, New York Senator Schumer raised the issue, and in a public letter asked former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to address the problem. The technology considered in this study is vehicle-based as opposed to infrastructure-based. For example, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is looking at reducing bridge strikes using technologies that are installed on the infrastructure. Infrastructure-based technologies are not a complete solution to the problem of avoiding bridge strikes because they are expensive and there is no requirement for the local or State governments that own the bridges to install the technologies. Global positioning systems for trucks are also not a complete solution because there are many low-clearance overpasses that are not documented, and thus not in a navigation database for trucks. There is also no requirement for a local or State government to document all low-clearance overpasses. The final outcome was a final report. KW - Bridge approaches KW - Clearances (Navigation) KW - Highways KW - Safety KW - Safety equipment KW - Technology KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle accessories UR - www.fmcsa.dot.gov UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400250 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580993 AU - Shin, Hyeon-Shic AU - Bapna, Sanjay AU - Farkas, Andrew AU - Bonaparte, Isaac AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - National Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Measuring the Economic Contribution of the Freight Industry to the Maryland Economy PY - 2015/05//Final Report SP - 73p AB - Economic impacts of freight movement to Maryland’s economy were estimated by input-output analysis using the 2010 IMPLAN data. A freight economic output (FECO) index was also developed based on the historical payroll data and gross domestic product (GDP) between 2002 and 2010. This effort was motivated by the absence of defendable performance measures for the economic contribution of freight transportation services. It was found that the freight industry generates sizable ripple effects. While the trucking sector is the largest in terms of an absolute employment size, the spillovers of the freight water and port services are about seven times its employment size. The impact of government spending is also significant. The aggregate FECO index parallels the Maryland GDP and the national freight service index. Interestingly, the evidence of modal competition between truck and freight rail is observed. Their trends and the magnitude of the changes are generally moving in opposite directions. The findings and methodologies of the study will help decision makers understand the role that each freight mode plays in order to make more informed decisions. The economic indicators used in this study – jobs, income, and GDP – can be used for public outreach to mitigate the negative perception of freight movement. While travel time reduction and increased business productivity used in past impact studies are useful performance measures, jobs and income measures appeal to citizens. KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic impacts KW - Employment KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Government funding KW - Gross domestic product KW - Income KW - Input output models KW - Maryland KW - Transportation modes UR - http://www.roads.maryland.gov/OPR_Research/MD-15-SHA-MSU-3-5_Measuring-the-Economic-Contribution-of-the-Freight-Industry_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56200/56250/MD-15-SHA-MSU-3-5_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373318 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580981 AU - Spasovic, Lazar N AU - Besenski, Dejan AU - He, Yang AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Quantifying Impact of Port Truck Traffic on Highway Operations Using GPS-Based Speed Data PY - 2015/05//Final Report SP - 29p AB - The introduction of mega-ships (i.e. post-Panamax vessels) presented an opportunity for ports to be even more competitive and cost-effective. For example, the construction and investment commitment of over $ 3.45 billion between 2013 and 2018 into Port Newark/Elizabeth are being made with a goal of maintaining and improving navigation transportation infrastructure and developing new terminal capacity. In late 2013, The Port Authority of New York-New Jersey (PONYNJ) established a task force to identify challenges to port efficiency and service reliability, and recommend potential solutions. For this reason it is necessary to understand and quantify the effect of the increasing introduction of the mega-ships and related changes in port operations on highway system. Better understanding of these effects will help planners identify the solutions and evaluate their effectiveness in preventing serious disruptions. The developed simulation model is used to analyze “what-if” scenarios that depict the change in truck demand on terminal gate operation. Three developed scenario illustrated the impact of change in truck demand on Port access roadway network. The analysis compared the truck queues and delays at the gate as results of change in truck demand. Two policies, commonly used to control the truck arrival patterns at the gate, the extended gate hours and the gate appointment system, were examined to address the gate operation. Their impact on truck delays and queues at the gate is observed and noted. In addition, analysis investigates the critical truck demand that will cause a queue spillover on a surrounding highway network. The sensitivity analysis identified network deficiencies and truck demand at which queue will reach highway access point. KW - Global Positioning System KW - Highway operations KW - Impact studies KW - Port operations KW - Ports KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Simulation KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic queuing KW - Truck traffic UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-023-final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55334/CAIT-UTC-023-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375162 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576171 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service TI - National Alternative Transportation Evaluation (NATE): Overview of Data and Trends for Alternative Transportation in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service PY - 2015/05 SP - 12p AB - Between 2010 and 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Volpe Center, and the Office of Federal Lands Highway conducted eight Regional Alternative Transportation Evaluations (RATEs) across all of the FWS regions. The National Alternative Transportation Evaluation (NATE) is an overview of what FWS learned and how it will help to plan for transportation in the future. Sections include: national and regional travel trends; visitor's transportation choices and preferences; alternative transportation system (ATS) snapshot; access by underserved populations; ATS needs; and FWS accomplishments in transit and trails. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Mode choice KW - National Wildlife Refuge System KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Public transit KW - Transportation planning KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55400/55454/DOT-VNTSC-FWS-15-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369013 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574115 AU - Uddin, Waheed AU - Altinakar, Mustafa AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Disaster Protection of Transport Infrastructure and Mobility Using Flood Risk Modeling and Geospatial Visualization PY - 2015/05//Final Report SP - 161p AB - This project addresses the goal of using flood simulations to assess the flood risk and impacts on the built infrastructure. The primary objectives of this project are to: select a test site in Mississippi on the downstream of a river, extract river centerline and infrastructure features on a geospatial map, simulate extreme flood scenarios, and evaluate the structural integrity of bridges. Traditionally, flood simulation and risk mapping relied on one-dimensional flood models. In this project, two-dimensional flood propagation modeling is simulated over large areas using the DSS-WISE software, developed by the National Center for Computational Hydroscience and Engineering. It combines a state-of-the-art two-dimensional numerical model, CCHE2D-FLOOD, with a digital elevation model (DEM) of the study area and geospatial visualization. The numerical model solves full dynamic shallow water equations over the DEM of natural topography that can handle mixed flow regimes, wetting/drying, and disconnected flow domains. The extreme flood simulation results for the pilot study Sardis site considering 10-m square computation cells of the bare ground indicate a total area of 31 mi² (80 km²) inundated. The floodwater reached up to 39 ft (12 m) above the ground level and 13–16 ft (4 – 4.9 m) over the top of the two highways and rail infrastructure bridges. The local scour around the 10 ft-diameter bridge piers in the main channel is estimated as 17.30 ft (5.3 m), which is severe. A detailed structural integrity analysis of the US-51 bridge model shows the most critical condition as the factor of safety approaches 1.0. This happens when the floodwater level is at the top of the concrete girders, which destabilizes the girder-bearing areas. Field evidence and failure analysis of post-flood images show the washing away and destruction of bridges over streams and other bodies of water when the floodwater reaches the deck level, as observed for bridge destruction cases during both 2005 Katrina and 2011 Irene hurricane disasters. This important finding of optimum clearance of bridge superstructure above the channel bed is recommended to implement in state bridge management systems for flagging such vulnerable bridges and prioritizing for mitigation. KW - Bridge management systems KW - Bridges KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Floods KW - Geospatial analysis KW - Infrastructure KW - Mississippi KW - Risk analysis KW - Simulation KW - Structural analysis KW - Visualization UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-25FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363642 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570399 AU - Sun, Xiaoduan AU - University of Louisiana, Lafayette AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center TI - Development of a Highway Safety Fundamental Course PY - 2015/05//Final Report SP - 495p AB - Although the need for road safety education was first recognized in the 1960s, it has become an increasingly urgent issue in recent years. To fulfill the hefty goal set up by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Highway Safety Strategy and by state departments of transportation (DOTs), it is critical to have a workforce that fully understands the fundamentals of highway safety. One way to ensure such an adequate workforce is to develop a college level course to educate students. Although the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 17-40, “Model Curriculum for Highway Safety Core Competencies,” has produced training materials on highway safety, it targets a broad audience “that consists of road safety professionals at all levels of government, as well as representatives of the private sector and non-profits, from the fields of: traffic engineering, highway safety, public health, psychology, statistics, law enforcement, economics, planning, public policy, and education.” The course title “Road Safety 101” clearly shows that it is not intended for a systematic safety education in the field of engineering. This project developed a teaching package for safety fundamentals for undergraduate students and graduate students in civil engineering. The course covers seven topics: introduction to highway safety, basic safety concepts, safety related data, fundamental statistics, development of safety models, safety predictive models in the Highway Safety Manual (HSM), and safety evaluation. Accordingly, seven lecture notes were developed along with homework assignments, quizzes, and exams. The developed course materials can also be used in the engineering continuing education on the topic of roadway safety and in roadway safety training workshops for a broad audience who are involved in highway safety from not just engineering, but also education and enforcement. KW - Civil engineering KW - Curricula KW - Education and training KW - Highway safety KW - Safety education UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2015/FR_524.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359698 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567435 AU - Ryu, Seungkyu AU - Su, Jacqueline AU - Chen, Anthony AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Bicycle Network Analysis Tool for Planning Applications in Small Communities PY - 2015/05 SP - 39p AB - This research presents network analysis tools for estimating bicycle demand and bicycle volumes on a transportation network. There are three main procedures used in the development of the network analysis tools: an initial bicycle origin-destination (O-D) demand generation procedure, a bicycle traffic assignment procedure, and a bicycle O-D matrix adjustment procedure. The initial bicycle O-D generation procedure adopts a doubly constrained gravity model to estimate an initial bicycle O-D matrix. Then, a two-stage bicycle traffic assignment model allocates the initial bicycle O-D matrix to the bicycle network to obtain the bicycle traffic flow pattern. Lastly, the initial bicycle O-D matrix goes through a readjustment process with a path flow estimator so that the final bicycle O-D matrix can reproduce better matches with the observed bicycle counts when performing the bicycle traffic assignment procedure. The paper concludes with a case study using the Utah State University (USU) campus to demonstrate the applicability and feasibility of the network analysis tools developed in this research. KW - Bicycle travel KW - Case studies KW - Network analysis (Planning) KW - Origin and destination KW - Traffic assignment KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic volume KW - Travel demand KW - Utah UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-285.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356981 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567424 AU - Williamson, Michael AU - Kersh, Erin AU - Fayez, Sam AU - Zavagnini, Fabio AU - Hallenbeck, Mark AU - Cambridge Systematics, Incorporated AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - South Florida Freight Advanced Traveler Information System: Architecture and Implementation As Built Documentation Report PY - 2015/05//Final Report SP - 36p AB - The primary purpose of the As Built Documentation is to provide a description of any modifications made to the original architecture along with justification as to why the architecture was changed. In addition, this documentation provides the following: software and hardware included in the South Florida Freight Advanced Traveler Information System (FRATIS) system (including versions, models); system usage (how was the system used); level of effort required to develop the system (staff hour estimates for design, development, etc.); system cost information (upfront costs and recurring costs); and scalability of the system (how can the system be expanded). KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Costs KW - Freight transportation KW - Implementation KW - Software KW - South Florida KW - System architecture UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55100/55114/sf_asblt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358317 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567264 AU - Middleton, Scott AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Cross-Modal Project Prioritization: A TPCB Peer Exchange PY - 2015/05//Final Report SP - 36p AB - This report highlights key recommendations and best practices identified at the peer exchange on Cross-Modal Project Prioritization, held on December 16 and 17, 2014, in Raleigh, North Carolina. This event was sponsored by the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Peer Program, which is jointly funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). As the host agency, North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) requested this peer assistance in response to the Strategic Transportation Investment (STI) Law (House Bill 817) enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2012. The legislation requires that capital expenditures across all modes of transportation compete for State transportation funding. In implementing this legislation, NCDOT’s challenge is to develop an unbiased mechanism for comparing projects from different modes using quantitative data and a common set of criteria. In hosting the peer exchange, NCDOT’s goal was to gain knowledge of national best practices that could be incorporated into NCDOT’s Strategic Prioritization Process. KW - Best practices KW - Capital expenditures KW - Construction projects KW - Legislation KW - North Carolina Department of Transportation KW - Peer exchange KW - Strategic planning KW - Transportation modes KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.planning.dot.gov/Peer/NorthCarolina/NCDOT_cross-modal_12-16-14.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55000/55082/NCDOT_cross-modal_12-16-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356185 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01565357 AU - Hellman, Adrian AU - Lopez-Bernal, Gabriel AU - TranSystems Corporation AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Highway-Rail Intersection Crash Taxonomy for Connected Vehicle Safety Research PY - 2015/05//Final Report SP - 60p AB - This report characterizes the frequency, severity, and costs of highway-rail intersection (HRI) collisions, and the estimated potential reductions in these metrics resulting from the implementation of Connected Vehicle HRI safety applications. Multiple data sources were accessed with a focus on United States Department of Transportation (US DOT) online databases, which included the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Safety Analysis, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) National Transit Database (NTD). FRA data from the 2008-2012 study period showed that annual combined rail infrastructure and equipment costs due to HRI accidents were between $20 million and $35 million. An alternative method developed by the US DOT National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) provides for the economic losses associated with medical and legal costs, lost productivity, and travel delay. Using this alternative method, the annual costs to society were estimated at $650 million. KW - Costs KW - Crash data KW - Externalities KW - Highway safety KW - Mobile communication systems KW - National Automotive Sampling System KW - National Transit Database KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - U.S. Federal Railroad Administration KW - U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14543 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55000/55079/Crash_Taxonomy_Report_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355561 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01563677 AU - Simmons, Erica AU - Colton, Paige AU - Epstein, Alexander AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Bureau of Land Management TI - Potential Climate Change Impacts and the BLM Rio Puerco Field Office's Transportation System : A Technical Report PY - 2015/05//Final Report SP - 84p AB - This report provides information about potential climate change impacts in central New Mexico and their possible implications for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rio Puerco Field Office (RPFO) transportation network. The report considers existing global and regional climate change projections and analyzes the results of locally downscaled climate change projections corresponding to different RPFO ecoregions; identifies BLM’s options for adapting the transportation system to climate change impacts, as well as how RPFO can incorporate climate change adaptation and resilience into its Travel and Transportation Management Plan (TTMP); and considers opportunities for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction, or climate change mitigation, at Rio Puerco. KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - Bureau of Land Management KW - Climate change KW - Climate change mitigation KW - Ecoregions KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Rio Puerco (New Mexico) KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54763/RioPuercoClimateChange.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352967 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01563635 AU - Ranney, Joyce M AU - Davey, Melinda AU - Morell, Jonathan AU - Raslear, Thomas AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C³RS) Lessons Learned Baseline Phased Report PY - 2015/05//Technical Report SP - 81p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has established a program called the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C³RS), which allows events to be reported anonymously and dealt with non-punitively and without fear or reprisal through structured collaboration between representatives of railroad management, labor unions, and FRA who work together in Peer Review Teams (PRTs). Close calls or near misses are occurrences that could have led to or resulted in an accident or casualty, but did not. Close call programs have been shown to contribute to improved safety in other industries, but their effectiveness in the railroad industry has not yet been systematically evaluated. To address this question, FRA implemented a rigorous evaluation that is taking place over the entire course of the C³RS life cycle. The C³RS evaluation is designed to answer three major questions: (1) What conditions are necessary to implement C³RS successfully? (2) What is the impact of C³RS on safety and safety culture? (3) What factors help to sustain C³RS over time? Data are being collected for three time periods: from the beginning of C³RS through an implementation period (baseline), at about the middle of the test period (midterm), and at the end of the test period (final). This report provides baseline findings from the evaluation at four demonstration sites. KW - Crash reports KW - Evaluation KW - Implementation KW - Near miss collisions (Ground transportation) KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad transportation UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14515 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55000/55080/C3RS_LL_Baseline_Rep_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1353378 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599330 AU - Harris, Devin AU - Civitillo, John AU - Gheitasi, Amir AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cross-Infrastructure Learnings for Alternative Bridge System Designs - A Case Study on the Hybrid Composite Bridge System PY - 2015/04/30/Final Report SP - 42p AB - The hybrid composite beam (HCB) technology has been presented as a system for short and medium span beam bridges as an alternative to traditional materials such as concrete and steel. A HCB consists of a concrete tied arch encased in a fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) shell. When compared to traditional materials, the HCB system is lighter in weight, which allows for multiple members to be transported on a single truck and smaller cranes to be used during construction, and even reuse of existing substructures. In addition, the protective nature of the FRP outer shell provides additional resistance to corrosion for the reinforcement internal to the system, potentially offering an extended lifespan over conventional girders. Similar to other beam-type bridges for highways, the HCB system is made composite with a conventionally reinforced concrete deck. The investigation presented herein was limited to the evaluation of the in-service performance of a HCB bridge constructed in Virginia by the Virginia Department of Transportation. This bridge was evaluated for highway applications, but provided critical information related to the overall system performance that is also relevant to railroad and transit applications. These performance characteristics include lateral load distribution, dynamic load allowance and internal load sharing mechanisms inherent to the HCB design. Results from a live load testing program are synthesized in this report along with considerations for future railroad applications. KW - Beams KW - Bridge design KW - Case studies KW - Composite materials KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Highway bridges KW - Load tests KW - Railroad bridges KW - Virginia UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/MTU/NURail2012-MTU-R04_Final_Report_Harris.compressed1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59260/NURail2012-MTU-R04_Final_Report_Harris.compressed1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405070 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599334 AU - Issa, Mohsen A AU - Lotfy, Ibrahim AU - Farhat, Maen AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Temperature Effect on the Performance of Glass Fiber Reinforced High Density Polyethylene Composite Railroad Crossties PY - 2015/04/29/Final Report SP - 25p AB - The authors investigated the flexural performance of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) composite railroad crossties reinforced with discontinuous randomly distributed glass fibers. In this report, the effect of temperature on this performance is presented. Each vital property of the crossties was evaluated and temperature-scaling models were established for exposure conditions within the studied temperature range. The temperature investigated ranged from 10°F (-12.22°C) to 125°F (51.67°C) which represents typical operating service temperature range. The objectives of this report were to: (1) Understand the temperature effect on the vital properties of HDPE crossties; (2) Establish temperature-scaling relationships for use in further investigations and applications; (3) Identify potentially susceptible performance criteria under certain exposure conditions; (4) Recommend potential solutions based on the findings; and (5) Identify potential criteria requiring further evaluation and testing. KW - Composite materials KW - Flexural strength KW - Glass fiber reinforced plastics KW - Performance KW - Railroad ties KW - Recommendations KW - Thermal properties UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R02-Combined_reduced1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405197 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570326 AU - Ghasemi-Fare, Omid AU - Bowers, G Allen AU - Kramer, Cory A AU - Ozudogru, Tolga Y AU - Basu, Prasenjit AU - Olgun, C Guney AU - Bulbul, Tanyel AU - Sutman, Melis AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Feasibility Study of Bridge Deck Deicing using Geothermal Energy PY - 2015/04/28/Final Report SP - 120p AB - In this study, the authors investigated the feasibility of a ground-coupled system that utilizes heat energy harvested from the ground for deicing of bridge decks. Heat exchange is performed using circulation loops integrated into the deep foundations supporting the bridge or embedded within the approach embankment. The warm fluid extracted from the ground is circulated through a tubing system embedded within reinforced concrete bridge deck to keep the deck temperature above the freezing point. A circulation pump that requires a minimal amount of power is used for fluid circulation. This is different from ground-source heat pump systems used for heating and cooling of buildings. In this study, a proof-of-concept testing is developed to investigate the operational principles and key design parameters. Experiments were performed on a model-scale instrumented bridge deck and model heat-exchanger piles to investigate heat transfer within different components of the ground-coupled bridge deck system. Heat transfer within ground and concrete bridge deck is quantified through numerical simulations under a variety of design and operational conditions. Experimental and numerical studies performed both at Penn State and Virginia Tech campuses demonstrate that this technology has a significant potential in reducing the use of salts and deicing chemicals. The knowledge and experience gained from this research will guide future research on real-life implementation of the proposed alternative bridge deck deicing method and will eventually help the concept to grow as a ready-to-use technology. Consequently, it will be possible to reduce bridge deck deterioration and offset the detrimental effects and environmental hazards caused by these chemicals. KW - Bridge decks KW - Deicing KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Finite element method KW - Geothermal resources KW - Heat exchange KW - Laboratory tests KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Reinforced concrete UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MAUTC%202013-02.pdf UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MAUTC-2013-02.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55251/MAUTC_2013-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360042 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567358 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Truck Side Guard Technical Overview: Safety and Operational Considerations PY - 2015/04/23 SP - 2p AB - Truck side guards are devices designed to keep pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists—known as vulnerable road users (VRUs)—from being run over by a large truck’s rear wheels in a side-impact collision. This technology works by physically covering the cavity between the front and rear wheels of a truck. There has been limited but growing side guard adoption in the United States. At the same time, aerodynamic truck side skirts (or underbody fairings), which are primarily designed to save fuel for trucks by decreasing air drag but may also protect VRUs in side-impact collisions, have been voluntarily installed over the last decade on many North American tractor trailers and some straight trucks. A dual-purpose side guard/skirt may therefore potentially offer both VRU safety and fuel return on investment (ROI). KW - Fuel consumption KW - Side crashes KW - Trucking safety KW - Trucks KW - United States KW - Vehicle design KW - Vulnerable road users UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54900/54986/Truck_Side_Guard_Technical_Overview_2015-04-23.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356194 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579164 AU - Zheng, Yan AU - Flanagan, Sara V AU - Morabia, Alfredo AU - Queens College of the City University of New York AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Empowering Individuals to Make Environmentally Sustainable and Healthy Transportation Choices in Mega-Cities through a Smartphone App PY - 2015/04/17/Final Report SP - 32p AB - A paradox of industrialized society is the overreliance on unsustainable fossil fuel energy for transportation and insufficient use of sustainable bodily energy for more physically active modes of transport. Different modes of transportation require varying levels of physical activity, with cars being the most sedentary, followed by public transportation, and active transportation (walking and biking). Preference (individual and societal) for sedentary travel modes such as car driving over available physically active travel modes has contributed to air pollution and the epidemic of obesity. Low-carbon transport systems have the potential to improve the health of citizens and to mitigate climate change simultaneously. Among the potential solutions for low-carbon transport systems, innovations in technology and demand reduction have received much attention, with less consideration toward behavioral options that are also critical to a decarbonized transport sector. Currently, behavioral change options are rarely considered in the decision-making process of transportation projects because their efficacy is largely unknown. An example of behavioral option for decarbonizing transport is a non-price-based policy to trigger individual behavioral change using “nudges”, defined as any aspect of a choice set that alters behavior without foreclosing alternatives or significantly changing economic incentives. The intervention should be easy and cheap to implement; for example, a nudge could disclose information. Evidence has emerged that the American public has a knowledge perception bias for energy consumption and efficiency that tends to underestimate carbon emission of day-to-day activities. This study investigates whether insufficient and inaccurate perceptions of carbon emission and bodily energy expenditure in day-to-day travel may be barriers for adopting more physically active and environmentally sustainable travel modes. The authors conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess impacts of a behavioral nudge intervention consisting of a new smartphone app onTrac. The app was developed to report personalized knowledge of carbon emission and calories burned associated with user specified travel modes, with walking and bicycling automatically detected through accelerometer. Undergraduate students of Queens College, City University of New York were recruited to participate in baseline surveys (N=85) designed to evaluate factors that may influence their travel mode preferences and behavior. Although both car and public transit commuters are found to be pro-environment, they are significantly different in that public transit commuters displayed less affection towards driving and were more comfortable using public transit (attitude factors), were more encouraged by their families to use public transit and had more friends who use public transit (norm factors). Transit commuters also had less situational constraints such as owning an automobile for work and managing their schedule than car commuters. Repeat surveys following a three week trial of the onTrac app found significant increases in self-reported consideration for the environmental impact of transportation choice among students who used the app (N=24), compared to the control group (N=26) who did not. Significantly more favorable attitudes towards carpooling post-trial were noted only among the car drivers (N=12) in the app group. Further studies, with larger sample sizes and an improved app that can detect all travel modes automatically using the smartphone's built in sensors are warranted to explore how this elevated environmental cognition may interact with attitude and situational factors, perhaps moderated by perceived control, to influence actual travel choice behavior. KW - Attitudes KW - Behavior KW - College students KW - Commuters KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Mobile applications KW - Mode choice KW - New York (New York) KW - Pollutants KW - Smartphones KW - Surveys KW - Transportation modes UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Smart-Transportation-Choices-Mega-Cities-Smartphone-App.pdf?utm_source=10-13-15+Final+Reports&utm_campaign=07-06-14+PR-Final+Reports&utm_medium=email UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371710 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560990 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - University of Central Florida, Orlando TI - Semi-annual Program Progress Performance Report for Electric Vehicle Transportation Center PY - 2015/04/15 SP - 20p AB - The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic goal of planning for near-term integration of alternative fuel vehicles as a means to build a sustainable transportation system. The project objectives are to evaluate technologies, standards and policies to ensure seamless integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into a complex transportation network and electricity grid. This document summarizes accomplishments in the following areas: Research and Development, Industry Collaboration, Education and Workforce Development, Technology Transfer and Diversity. KW - Education and training KW - Electric power KW - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center KW - Electric vehicles KW - Research projects KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Technology transfer UR - http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-1999-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1350694 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570309 AU - Murray-Tuite, Pamela AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Winter Weather Demand Considerations: A Statistical Analysis PY - 2015/04/14/Final Report SP - 38p AB - Winter weather has varied effects on travel behavior. Using 418 survey responses from the Northern Virginia commuting area of Washington, D.C. and binary logit models, this study examines travel related changes under different types of winter weather and the factors influencing the likelihood of making a given change. In particular, the types of weather and related conditions include snow, freezing rain, heavy rain, below freezing temperatures, and icy roads. Two cases for these conditions are considered: beginning while the respondent is at work and while the respondent is at home. The travel related changes investigated include (1) cancelling trips, (2) delaying trips, (3) departing early, (4) adding trips, (5) changing destinations, (6) changing routes, (7) using more highways/freeways, and (8) changing modes of transportation. The statistically significant factors are different for the different decisions and weather conditions, emphasizing the complexity of predicting demand for winter weather. KW - Commuting KW - Decision making KW - Departure time KW - Mode choice KW - Northern Virginia KW - Route choice KW - Statistical analysis KW - Surveys KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand KW - Weather conditions KW - Winter UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT%202012-07.pdf UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2012-07.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55270/VT_2012-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360158 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01564450 AU - Fisher, Frances AU - Mannheim, Dan AU - Pray, Bob AU - Lamoureux, Katie AU - Carter, Peter AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Isle Royale National Park Transportation Study PY - 2015/04/02/Final Report SP - 225p AB - Isle Royale National Park is a remote archipelago located in western Lake Superior, fourteen miles from the closest mainland and 60 miles from the park’s headquarters in Houghton, Michigan. While visitors treasure the parks pristine environment and solitude, transporting visitors to and operating a park in such a remote location is costly. Isle Royale has the highest cost per visitor ($170) of any unit in the National Park System. In this transportation study, Volpe defines what transportation activities are necessary to maintain operation of the park and determine what alternatives may feasibly replace the current manner of doing business. At the time of writing, the 55-year old Ranger III provides the primary means of transporting visitors, cargo and some fuel to the island. Other vessels with the Park’s fleet are used on a limited basis. Upgrading and replacing Ranger III is considered as well as outsourcing specific actives and changing the operations of some activities such as waste disposal. The park has already begun to add solar energy systems to reduce the need to transport fuel for electricity. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Isle Royale National Park KW - National parks KW - Ships KW - Transportation planning KW - Water transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54800/54847/NPS_ISRO_2015_Transportation_Study.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354940 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01569607 TI - Development of an Online Platform for Streamlining Highway LIDAR Data Collection, Sharing, and Processing AB - The goal of this project is to develop an online platform for sharing, visualizing, and analyzing lidar data to support typical Department of Transportation (DOT) data needs. The project is based on existing data collection capabilities that have been developed at Rutgers University. These capabilities include static terrestrial laser scanning and mobile terrestrial laser scanning. Specific objectives are: (1) Evaluate lidar data characteristics and data analysis needs; (2) Identify ways and mechanisms to share and analyze lidar data; (3) Develop an open-source online platform for lidar data sharing and analysis; and (4) Demonstrate lidar data collection, sharing, and analysis with the developed platform using several user cases. The product of this research will be a software tool for lidar data sharing, streaming, visualization, and analysis. The tool will be tailored to DOT needs. KW - Data collection KW - Data sharing KW - Information processing KW - Laser radar KW - State departments of transportation KW - Streamlining UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/development-online-platform-streamlining-highway-lidar-data-collection-sharing-and-pro UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1361326 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01563573 TI - Traffic Safety Measures Using Multiple Stream Real Time Data AB - The main objective of this project is to build advanced analytics to estimate a composite traffic safety risk measure that change temporally and spatially, and take into account driver behavior, roadway quality conditions and historical safety characteristics of roadways. The projects vision is that with smart cars and smart roadways, a travel plan for a given driver will be associated with a safety risk profile composed of these risk estimates that are sampled in time and change whenever one or more of the underlying data streams change. This project will focus more on the development of such a methodology and less on how it should be implemented and calibrated for different applications. The study will use preliminary models and tools that the team has already built, including: (1) Advanced predictive measures using historical accident data and (2) Preliminary risk predictive models built using publically available 100-car Naturalistic Driver Behavior (NDB) Data. The project intends to validate and further enhance the driver behavior model using SHARP2 database. The project will pursue the following objectives: (1) Development of appropriate data models and a database using the above multiple data streams; (2) Development of a safety risk predictive model using the above fused database; (3) Preliminary architecture for an on-board driver alert system. The following outcomes are expected: (1) One technical article that will be submitted for publication in a prestigious journal in the field. This article will describe the analytics and results and (2) A smart phone APP. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Crash data KW - Drivers KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Real time data processing KW - Smartphones KW - Traffic safety KW - Vehicle electronics UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/traffic-safety-measures-using-multiple-stream-real-time-data UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354220 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01563572 TI - Laboratory for Energy Smart Systems (LESS) AB - This project will provide seed funding for the newly established Laboratory for Smart Energy Systems (LESS) at Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) to partially support its ongoing research activities and to develop a roadmap that will help to achieve the following long-term goals and objectives: (1) Partnership with energy related industry for the purpose of identifying technology barriers and challenges of DER and DSM, to jointly develop solutions to adopt these new technologies and to ensure that legacy power grid is maintained in Good State of Repair. (2) Collaboration with public agencies to develop tools and analytics to identify policy and regulation barriers of DER and DSM, and to support policies that incentivize the adoption of these technologies by communities and industry. The focus of this work will be mainly on alternative fuel transportation and built environment. (3) In partnership with other units at CAIT and industry partners, LESS will create a collaborative research program on DER and DSM analytics and enabling technologies, new asset management techniques for legacy and emerging power systems, and energy hubs. (a) On DER LESS will focus on automation and control of distributed resources and investment strategies for communities and industrial complexes. This will include load and production forecasting; design configuration, capacity planning, integration to grid, day-ahead scheduling and the same day control, and financials. (b) For DSM research LESS will focus on built environment (commercial, residential and industrial) and transportation. In the former application area, the focus will be to bring advances in control and automation to building energy management and to allow for buildings to participate in energy market to take advantage of price dynamics and quantity risks to optimize their own consumption and reduce their energy bills. In transportation, the emphasis will be given to taking advantage of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and connected vehicles technology to reduce fuel consumption. Fueling infrastructure for electric and hydrogen fueled vehicles will be also at the core of LESS research. (c) Asset management for legacy grid and emerging distributed resources will also be at the forefront of LESS's long-term research goals. LESS will be active on health condition monitoring of these assets using advanced tools, such as Unmanned Areal Vehicles (UAV), LIDAR technology, and large scale distributed sensors. LESS will also work on developing of reliability and maintenance models that take advantage of Big Data. (d) Energy hubs and interaction between power and natural gas and other natural resources will be emphasized and investigated. (4) A forum to raise public awareness on energy efficiency and the need for public and private investment in DER and DSM solutions. This will be also a forum to train professionals on related new and advanced techniques. The deliverables for this project will be geared toward the long-term plans of LESS and will include the following: (1) Two proposals and/or concept papers, preferably prepared jointly with industry; (2) Preliminary corporate partnership program with one or more participating companies; (3) Preliminary outreach program to townships and cities in New Jersey and plans to extend it to other states; (4) One or research papers with plans for dissemination through conference and journal publications; (5) A workshop with participation from industry, academia and government agencies; (6) A roadmap to long term R&D plans of LESS, including funding sources and partnerships. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Asset management KW - Automation KW - Electric vehicles KW - Fuel consumption KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Laboratory for Smart Energy Systems (LESS) KW - Laser radar KW - Mobile communication systems KW - New Jersey KW - Sensors UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/laboratory-energy-smart-systems-less UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354219 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562707 TI - Computational Synthesis of High-Performance Non-Pneumatic Tires AB - Tires are the only element connecting the vehicle to the ground, transmitting the torques from the engine and carrying the loads of the vehicle. Recent development in automotive, defense and aerospace industries require tires to have superior combination of low energy loss, light weight, low contact pressure, balanced dampimg and stiffness, high durability and easy maintenance. Non-Pneumatic Tires (NPTs), also called airless tires, have recently emerged as an alternative of traditional pneumatic tires. The research objective of this proposal is to develop a transformative computational design methodology for innovative high performance robust and reliable multifunctional NPTs by integrating computational topology optimization methodology with advanced predictive physics models, mathematical programming, and additive technology. KW - Loads KW - Performance tests KW - Programming (Mathematics) KW - Technological innovations KW - Tires KW - Vehicle design UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/computational-non-pneumatic-tires UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352481 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01559762 TI - A Study on 3D Printing and its Effects on the Future of Transportation AB - This study is an initial forecast into the potential impact that three dimensional (3D) printing will have, and as such, it will mainly consist of an extensive literature review and business survey. The literature review will examine: (1) Variety of the applications of 3D printing that currently are underway, and (2) The various users such as: (i) personal users, (ii) small businesses, and (iii) large businesses. During the literature review, suitable topics for further investigation will be chosen to develop a small study of the effect that 3D printing may have on the selected subjects. Additionally, appropriate businesses in relation to the selected subjects will be surveyed to determine the effects 3D printing technology will have on their business models. Taken together, an conceptual analysis of the literature review and business survey will provide an initial forecast into the potential effects that 3D printing technology will have in the future. KW - Businesses KW - Forecasting KW - Literature reviews KW - Surveys KW - Technological innovations KW - Three dimensional displays KW - Three-dimensional printing UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/study-3d-printing-and-its-effects-future-transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348670 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556941 TI - Visually Impaired Pedestrian Safety at Roundabout and Midblock Crossings AB - Pedestrians and in particular disabled pedestrians are the most vulnerable users of transportation systems. Safety concerns increase at crosswalks of alternative intersection types (e.g., roundabouts) or midblock crosswalks, which are more complicated environments for visually impaired pedestrians. Existing research has focused on investigating pedestrian (both sighted and visually impaired) gap acceptance behavior near roundabouts, or has investigated the impact of signalization treatments for pedestrians on roundabout operations. No study has investigated the compliance level of drivers at roundabout or midblock crossings under various signage types. The objective of this research is to investigate driver compliance to various types of signage for roundabout and midblock crossings. The particular focus is on signs targeted to improve safety of visually impaired pedestrians. The study will investigate the correlation between different sings and levels of driver compliance as it pertains to yielding to visually impaired pedestrians that are waiting at roundabout crossings. This research is not limited to visually impaired pedestrians but it could be extended to include any type of disabled users. The proposed study consists of two parts. First, the research team will perform a thorough review of existing signage and other control devices that have been proposed for roundabout and midblock crossings and other alternative intersection designs. The focus of this research will be on both static signs and signs that can be activated by a visually impaired pedestrian, through an activation button, infrared technology, or smart phone application. In addition to existing signs, the research team will propose new signs that can be tested as of their effectiveness in improving driver compliance of yielding to visually impaired pedestrians at crossings. A static evaluation will be performed to choose the signage types that are expected to be more effective in inferring the yielding behavior from drivers for both roundabout and midblock crossings. The second part of this study will test the chosen from the static evaluation sign designs and will evaluate their effectiveness in improving driver compliance at pedestrian crossings with the use of the driving simulator that is available at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Multiple scenarios will be developed with different types of signs both user-activated and static at both midblock and roundabout crossings that will allow for an evaluation of driver compliance under various conditions. Several subjects will be recruited to test the scenarios that will differ on the level of pedestrian demands, types of pedestrians (i.e., only visually impaired, only sighted pedestrians, etc.) as well as level of traffic demand that could influence circulating speeds for roundabouts and traveling speeds for midblock crossings. The outcomes of these tests will be sign designs that achieve the highest level of driver compliance for different situations. The proposed research is expected to provide insights for developing and testing pedestrian-activated signs to warn drivers for the presence of visually impaired pedestrians at 2 roundabout and midblock crossings. The outcomes of this research will inform which sign designs are more effective in warning drivers about the presence of visually impaired pedestrians and therefore, improving driver compliance. The ultimate vision is to utilize this information to develop smart phone applications that can be used by visually impaired pedestrians to activate such signs for safer pedestrian crossings. Future work will develop and test such applications through field tests. The proposed research is in accordance with the Safer-Sim theme of using simulation techniques to address safety issues and specifically with the Safety of Vulnerable Road Users theme. The project also fulfills all the project requirements by addressing a safety theme, using driving simulation, involving students at both the undergraduate and graduate level, having a faculty member as a principal investigator (PI) and providing 50% of matching funds from non-Federal sources. KW - Crosswalks KW - Drivers KW - Midblock crossings KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Roundabouts KW - Traffic signs KW - Visually impaired persons KW - Vulnerable road users UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346268 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556940 TI - A Driving Simulator Evaluation of Cross-Sectional Design Elements and the Resulting Driver Behaviors AB - Traditionally, traffic calming techniques have been employed to reduce and/or manage vehicle speeds and increase safety for not only the driver, but also for the other roadway users. More recently, practices related to complete streets have translated into a revised approach to managing roadway speeds that are necessitated for accommodating multiple modes within a single space. Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of various devices that when implemented, individually or in treatment combinations, can effectively decrease roadway injury related crashes and fatalities. Nevertheless, there is a gap in the existing knowledge with regards to the specific roadway design elements and their direct impact on the resulting driver behaviors. This research proposes to explore the relationship between cross-sectional design elements on selected driver attributes, including vehicle speed profiles and, lateral positioning. Additional performance measures such as perceived sense of safety, eye tracking and scanning, and hazard anticipation will also be evaluated. An advanced driver simulator will be used to model a base roadway condition with typical travel lanes and shoulder on a collector type roadway. For added validity, speed measurements from the real world roadway from which the simulator scenarios will be modeled, are going to be recorded. The base model next be reconfigured using five different geometrically designed cross sections: Design elements included in the various scenarios will include the following elements: reduced travel lane and increased shoulder widths, added bike lanes, a center median, and a curvilinear roadway profile. In addition, roadside vegetation will be manipulated to explore its impact on driver performance. Note the impact of roadside vegetation on driver performance is under investigation as part of a Safer Sim Phase 1 research project. Across scenarios, the same performance measures will be evaluated to isolate elements of each roadside environment provided and their resulting impacts on driving behavior. The results of this study promise to provide insight related to roadway design elements and driver behavior, and have the potential to improve design practices and roadway safety moving forward. KW - Behavior KW - Complete streets KW - Crash injuries KW - Driver performance KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Fatalities KW - Highway design KW - Traffic calming KW - Traffic speed UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346267 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556880 TI - Analysis of Driver Behavior and Operations Intersection Short Lanes AB - The proposed research will address the driver performance and corresponding operations resulting from an added short lane at signalized intersections. This research will involve the following tasks: (1) a capacity analysis of intersections in the surrounding area; (2) calibrated and validated microsimulation model for intersections with added short lanes based upon lane utilization (i.e., a comparison of predicted versus actual); and (3) a driving simulator experiment will be initiated. This experiment will test the reactions of drivers in various simulated short lane merge scenarios across a series of independent variables. KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Highway capacity KW - Intersections KW - Merging traffic KW - Reaction time KW - Traffic lanes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346128 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556671 TI - The Impact of Vehicle Automation on the Safety of Vulnerable Road Users (Pedestrians and Bicyclists) AB - Autonomous systems are capable of transforming society with their ability to reduce risks and costs and improve efficiency. However, there are several challenges associated with the deployment of such autonomous systems largely stemming from the unknown parameters. This project is specifically interested in addressing vehicle automation. Semi-automation or partial automation has been existent for years starting with the installation of intelligent transportation systems (such as lane assist systems, collision warning systems and braking stability control systems) in vehicles. Literature notes the benefits of partial automation as well as indicates the costs associated with such automation primarily arising from lapses on the side of the human operator (driver), indicating subtle limits on the smooth transfer of control (TOC) between the human and the automation. Considering that full and extensive vehicle automation is almost a reality, it is critical to address the potential safety trickle down effects springing from automation (or levels of automation) on the safety of vulnerable road users like pedestrians and bicyclists. A pre-emptive look at how the TOC parameters associated with the engagement and disengagement of such systems affects the drivers' ability to detect and respond to vulnerable road users is warranted. As a precursor, this project is currently engaged in the process of evaluating and identifying the critical duration that governs seamless transfer of control. Specifically, the primary parameter being identified is the minimum TOC alerting time which is the minimum time beyond which the user has to take over manual control or re-engage. In the proposed project, there is interest in understanding the limits on TOC under varying levels/conditions of autonomy when the latent hazard is a potential vulnerable road user (pedestrian/bicyclist). Interest lies in not only determining how the driver responds to a vulnerable user threat under conditions of automation, additionally the project also seeks to understand whether the observed differences in scanning and yielding behavior is a function of the level of automation. It would be crucial to initially determine the optimal latent hazard headway time which is the time between the issue of command that TOC will take place in 'x' seconds and the location of the threat (vulnerable road user). The latent hazard headway time may vary as a function of the type of processing, the level of automation in the environment and the time the operator has been outside the loop. It would also appear that the yielding and scanning behavior of drivers (which is critical to vulnerable user safety) would be impacted by the optimal latent hazard headway time, level of automation and the time the operator has been outside the loop. It would be intuitive to hypothesize that the vulnerability of a pedestrian or bicyclist increases, as the latent hazard headway time decreases and the level of automation increases. However, it remains to be seen if when absolved of the continuous effort of maintaining lane position and velocity, can the driver pay enough attention to the roadway to successfully take over control in a pedestrian or bicyclist impedance event that occurs 'y' seconds after the TOC command has been issued 'x' seconds in advance, where 'y' > 'x' to ensure that the hazard headway time is not lesser 2 than the alerting time ('x' > 'y' leads to a potential situation where TOC from automation to user will not occur as it is deemed unsafe). The proposed study will be conducted on a driving simulator making it possible to measure eye behaviors like glance fixations and vehicle responses (velocity, lateral lane deviation) occurring in a standard simulator environment under a range of conditions. The overall objective and contribution of this research is threefold: (1) to identify the optimal latent hazard headway time in an autonomous system when the automation is engaged; (2) given the optimal latent hazard headway time, to evaluate drivers' scanning and yielding behavior towards vulnerable road users in a driving simulator environment; and (3) to document and disseminate the research findings in conferences and journals. KW - Cyclists KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Eye movements KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Manual control KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Traffic safety KW - Transfer of control KW - Vulnerable road users UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345950 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618689 AU - Morse, Lindsey AU - Cotton, Benjamin AU - Filosa, Gina AU - Frazier, Jonathan AU - Daddio, David AU - Nash, Logan AU - Monty, Jay AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest TI - Mount Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest Alternative Transportation Feasibility Study. Phase III: Denny Creek Area Parking Impact Assessment PY - 2015/04//Final Report SP - 20p AB - The Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is located near the Puget Sound metro area and is facing a number of transportation issues, such as increasing congestion and lack of access, which were identified in the Volpe Center’s Phase I report. The Phase III report focuses on parking management in the forest along the I-90 corridor. It is a focused follow-on to Phase II, which identified the unlimited supply of overflow parking along road shoulders as a major disincentive for visitors to take transit. The Phase III report describes existing parking enforcement and design at the forest, and describes changes that would limit parking to designated parking areas. These policy changes would have a variety of environmental, fiscal, and transportation impacts to the forest and its visitors which are detailed in the report. The Volpe team finished this analysis in April 2015. KW - Access KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Impact studies KW - Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest KW - Parking KW - Public transit KW - Transportation planning KW - Washington (State) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60200/60297/MBS_ATFS_PhaseIII_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1436170 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574112 AU - Lau, Michael C AU - Roof, Christopher J AU - Fleming, Gregg G AU - Rapoza, Amanda S AU - Boeker, Eric R AU - McCurdy, David A AU - Shepherd, Kevin P AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Aeronautics and Space Administration TI - Behind Start of Take-off Roll Aircraft Sound Level Directivity Study – Revision 1 PY - 2015/04//Final Report SP - 89p AB - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Langley Research Center (LaRC) and the Environmental Measurement and Modeling Division of the United States Department of Transportation’s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) conducted a noise measurement study to examine the sound level directivity pattern behind aircraft start-of-takeoff roll. This report discusses the procedures and methodologies used to measure and quantify data acquired from the Study. This is a revision to the December 2012 that addresses a rounding error in equation 4 (Section 5.4) and the supporting text in Section 5 and Appendix F. KW - Aircraft KW - Aircraft noise KW - Airport noise KW - Data analysis KW - Directivity pattern KW - Methodology KW - Sound level KW - Takeoff UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/46000/46600/46667/DOT-VNTSC-NASA-12-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363777 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567446 AU - Deng, Jun AU - Castro, Marisol AU - Bhat, Chandra R AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Novel Approach to Modeling and Predicting Crash Frequency at Rural Intersections by Crash Type and Injury Severity Level PY - 2015/04 SP - 58p AB - Safety at intersections is of significant interest to transportation professionals due to the large number of possible conflicts that occur at those locations. In particular, rural intersections have been recognized as one of the most hazardous locations on roads. However, most models of crash frequency at rural intersections, and road segments in general, do not differentiate between crash type (such as angle, rear-end or sideswipe) and injury severity (such as fatal injury, non-fatal injury, possible injury or property damage only). Thus, there is a need to be able to identify the differential impacts of intersection-specific and other variables on crash types and severity levels. This report builds upon the work of Bhat et al. (2014) to formulate and apply a novel approach for the joint modeling of crash frequency and combinations of crash type and injury severity. The proposed framework explicitly links a count data model (to model crash frequency) with a discrete choice model (to model combinations of crash type and injury severity), and uses a multinomial probit kernel for the discrete choice model and introduces unobserved heterogeneity in both the crash frequency model and the discrete choice model. The results show that the type of traffic control and the number of entering roads are the most important determinants of crash counts and crash type/injury severity, and the results from the analysis underscore the value of the proposed model for data fit purposes as well as to accurately estimate variable effects. KW - Choice models KW - Crash rates KW - Crash types KW - Forecasting KW - Injury severity KW - Intersections KW - Rural highways UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00077-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356033 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01565358 AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin K AU - Andrew, James AU - Simmons, Erica AU - Epstein, Alex AU - Colton, Paige AU - Daddio, David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service AU - Bureau of Land Management TI - Integrating Climate Change in Transportation and Land Use Scenario Planning: An Example from Central New Mexico PY - 2015/04//Final Report SP - 81p AB - The Central New Mexico Climate Change Scenario Planning Project, an Interagency Transportation, Land Use, and Climate Change Initiative, utilized a scenario planning process to develop a multiagency transportation- and land use-focused development strategy for the Albuquerque region of New Mexico to achieve a reduction in future greenhouse gas emissions and to prepare for the potential impacts of climate change on the region. The outcomes of this scenario planning process informed and supported the region’s long-range transportation planning and other related efforts as well as the planning efforts of local, State, and Federal agencies. Project members collaborated to document steps and offer observations and recommendations that will inform future applications of the project’s methodology. This information is presented in this report, and the appendices provide supporting documentation. Lead project sponsor was the Federal Highway Administration, with cosponsors the Bureau of Land Management, the Fish & Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service. KW - Albuquerque (New Mexico) KW - Climate change KW - Forecasting KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Land use planning KW - Recommendations KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54900/54982/CCSP_Project_Report_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355718 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01565331 AU - Ashlock, Jeramy C AU - Phares, Brent AU - Lu, Ji AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Air-Coupled Impact-Echo Test Method PY - 2015/04//Final Report SP - 99p AB - This report presents an experimental and computational study on the recently-developed air-coupled impact-echo (IE) nondestructive testing (NDT) method, in which microphones replace the traditional physically-coupled IE sensors. To develop an optimum testing system and verify the new method, two concrete plates were tested in the laboratory, one of which was a solid concrete slab, and the other was a mock-up reinforced concrete bridge deck with artificial defects. An IE testing system was developed using a custom program written in LabVIEW. The accuracy and feasibility of the air-coupled test method to determine the solid thickness of concrete structures and to detect defects or flaws, such as delaminations or voids, were verified by comparing test results obtained via the air-coupled and physically-coupled sensors. When using the air-coupled IE method in practice, ambient noise generated by wind, traffic, and machinery will be sensed by the microphones and therefore reduce the signal to noise ratio of the data. Additionally, a portion of the acoustic energy generated by the impacts during testing will be lost due to the mismatch in acoustic impedance between concrete and air. To address these problems, a parabolic reflector and a sound isolation enclosure were studied and found to improve the quality of recorded signals compared to using a microphone alone. Finite element method (FEM) based numerical simulations were conducted using COMSOL Multi-physics software to understand the mechanics of the air-coupled IE test, determine the optimum geometry for the parabolic reflector, and investigate the effects of the microphone height. Signal filtering techniques including band-pass, high-pass, and adaptive filters were implemented in MATLAB for post-processing the test data. High-pass filters were found useful for minimizing measured ambient traffic and wind noise, which was determined to be primarily below 2 kHz. Two-dimensional (2D) IE scanning tests were conducted on the bridge deck with artificial defects to locate the defect positions by the air-coupled and physically coupled test methods. Results obtained by these two methods are in good agreement, demonstrating the accuracy and feasibility of the aircoupled IE test method. KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Finite element method KW - Impact echo tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - Microphones KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Sensors KW - Simulation KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/air-coupled_impact-echo-test_method_eval_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355567 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01563489 AU - Elwart, Tessa AU - Green, Paul AU - Lin, Brian AU - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Texas Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Predicting Driver Distraction Using Computed Occlusion Task Times: Estimation of Task Element Times and Distributions PY - 2015/04 SP - 99p AB - To determine conformance with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA’s) visual-manual interface distraction guidelines and to reduce the associated number of crashes, NHTSA recommends a visual-occlusion test procedure. As an alternative to testing subjects following that procedure, this report provides experimentally based estimated times for in-vehicle task elements (e.g., flick, press button). Those estimated times can be summed and then adjusted using Pettitt’s method (which assumes that visual tasks progress only when the test goggles are open) to estimate total task occlusion time. The estimated times were determined from a frame-by-frame analysis of data from an occlusion experiment evaluating a next-generation Hyundai navigation radio. That analysis revealed the mean element time for middle-aged subjects (45-55) was only about 16% longer than young (25-35) subjects, whereas the mean task time was 44% greater, primarily because there were 32% more occurrences of elements to complete tasks. The elements and their mean times were flick (0.50 s), flick/scroll return (0.38 s), press button (0.64 s), quick flick (0.35 s), reach for button (0.42 s), reach for center console (0.75 s), read instructions (0.53 s), scroll (0.66 s), search (0.54 s), stop screen (0.24 s), turn knob (0.43 s), reposition hand on knob (0.33 s), wait-loading (0.90 s), wait after loading (0.92 s), wait for goggles-known location (1.34 s), and wait for goggles-unknown location (0.92 s). Most element distributions were lognormal. Interestingly, 45% of all element occurrences were when the goggles were closed or in open-closed or closed-open periods. Given this, the assumptions of Pettitt’s method need further thought. KW - Age KW - Distraction KW - Driver performance KW - Driver vehicle interfaces KW - Estimating KW - Eye movements KW - Task analysis KW - U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Green-ATLAS-2015-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352290 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560676 AU - Coffman, Makena AU - Bernstein, Paul AU - Wee, Sherilyn AU - University of Hawaii, Manoa AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - University of Central Florida, Cocoa AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Factors Affecting EV Adoption: A Literature Review and EV Forecast for Hawaii PY - 2015/04 SP - 36p AB - Electric Vehicles (EVs) reduce or entirely negate gasoline or diesel use in the vehicle itself through integration with the electric grid. Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) can draw from a battery as well as liquid fuel. Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are solely powered through electricity. Both provide the opportunity for power-sharing with the electric grid and can potentially ease the integration of sources of intermittent renewable energy. EVs are also a potentially important technology to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, local air pollution, and vehicular noise. In recognition of these benefits, the U.S. in 2009 set a goal of putting one million electric vehicles (EVs) on the road by 2015. As of the end of 2014, approximately 290,000 EVs have been purchased in the U.S. About 3,000 of those are in Hawaii which makes it one of the highest, along with California, in shares of new BEV sales in the country. This paper provides a review of studies on the factors that affect EV adoption. These factors are organized as internal and external factors, meaning characteristics of the EV vehicle itself and those that are out of the direct control of EV car manufacturers. Internal factors include battery costs, purchase price, driving range, and charging time. External factors include fuel prices, policy incentives, consumer characteristics, availability of charging stations, travel distance, public visibility, and vehicle diversity. Policy mechanisms available to support EV adoption are also reviewed, including subsidies and other incentives, supporting infrastructure build-up and raising awareness. This report also discusses literature findings regarding the role these factors play in EV adoption – with an emphasis on impacts in Hawaii. Studies that develop forecasts of EV adoption over time are also reviewed and harmonized in this report. Focusing on the literature for diffusion models, a set of forecasts that represent low, reference, and high EV adoption were selected. Diffusion models estimate rates of technology acceptance based on technology cost decline, marketing and other social factors. Applying these literature-based forecasts to Hawaii-specific EV and car sales data, a preliminary forecast of potential EV adoption in Hawaii is provided. Estimates are that there will be 140,000 EVs on the road in Hawaii by the year 2040 in the reference scenario. In the low scenario, the estimate is 110,000 and, in the high scenario, 280,000. Future research will be conducted to better understand the uniqueness of Hawaii’s economy and geography and how it affects EV ownership cost and likely EV adoption over time. KW - Electric vehicles KW - Forecasting KW - Hawaii KW - Literature reviews KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Sales UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/HNEI-04-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1350625 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560602 AU - Markos, Stephanie H AU - Pollard, John K AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Passenger Train Emergency Systems: Single-Level Commuter Rail Car Egress Experiments PY - 2015/04//Final Report SP - 135p AB - Under Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) sponsorship, a series of three experimental egress trials was conducted in 2005 and 2006 to obtain human factors data relating to the amount of time necessary for individuals to exit from a passenger rail car. This final report describes the results of all these emergency egress experiment trials. To FRA’s knowledge, the 2005 commuter rail car egress experiment was the first time that U.S. passenger rail car egress time trials were conducted with commuter rail passengers as test participants. Controlled variables included egress from the commuter rail car using side door(s) to a high-platform, low-platform, or right-of-way location, or using an end door to an adjacent car; as well as lighting conditions. Participant egress times varied significantly by the number of passenger rail car exits used and the exit route taken. The collected exit-time data are intended for use in establishing passenger rail car egress time estimates/norms and evaluating various aspects of car design that may promote or impede prompt occupant egress. The experiment data will also be used as input for the development of a passenger rail car emergency egress simulation computer model that can predict emergency evacuation time for a variety of passenger rail car configurations. KW - Egress time KW - Emergency exits KW - Evacuation KW - Experiments KW - Human factors KW - Passenger cars KW - Passenger trains KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Vehicle design UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14446 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54800/54896/Single-Level_Commuter_20130515_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1350375 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560472 AU - Lowry, Michael AU - Chang, Kevin AU - Cook, Ryan AU - Seely, Brett AU - TranLIVE AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Daily Travel Feedback to Encourage Eco-Routing PY - 2015/04//Final Report SP - 33p AB - The purpose of this study was to explore how individuals responded to a robust and interactive daily travel feedback program. Fifty individuals from the Moscow, Idaho area participated in a before-and-after study using an android-based device that continuously logged their physical movement. All participants subsequently received an e-mail each day linking them to a website that showed one to five trips, predicted their mode of travel and trip purpose, and asked specific questions related to their daily travel. Based on the cumulative results of this study, participants reacted favorably to the ease of use, visual feedback, and information related to travel time, associated costs, and energy usage. However, the travel feedback program did not influence a dramatic change in travel behavior or mode during this particular two week study. It is anticipated that the lessons learned with regard to methodology and implementation will provide researchers and practitioners with valuable insight for future travel feedback or user nudging studies. KW - Before and after studies KW - Mode choice KW - Moscow (Idaho) KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel feedback programs UR - http://tranliveutc.org/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/UI_TranLIVE_FinalReport_Daily%20Travel%20Feedback UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1350343 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570377 AU - Du, Jianhe AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Guo, Feng AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigate Attractiveness of Toll Roads PY - 2015/03/31/Final Report SP - 24p AB - High Occupancy Toll (HOT) facilities are used as a solution for congestion mitigation instead of constructing or expanding the capacity of existing roadways. Although toll roads modeling has been researched for a long time, HOT modeling is relatively new. Due to its feature of dynamic rates and multiple access points along the route where drivers can buy in and buy out of the HOT facility easily, the drivers’ reaction to the toll rate changes varies from that on a traditional toll road and is more complicated. The percentage of single occupancy vehicle (SOV) drivers who choose to pay for HOT lane usage is not a monotonously decreasing curve related to toll rate because the dynamically updated toll rate on a HOT lane is directly related to the traffic volume and corresponding congestion level. In this study, the data from SR-167 in the state of Washington are analyzed to study driver responses in response to the toll rate. The percentage of SOVs, who need to pay for using the HOT facility, is analyzed against variables including toll rate, volume, speed, and speed reliability in both the HOT lane and General Purpose (GP) lane. Two sets of logistic models are fitted for the data from the years of 2008 and 2010. The results show that the significant variables include: speed in the GP lanes, speed reliability in the GP lanes, and the traffic volumes in the GP lanes. The toll rate is only significant for the year of 2010. There is a significant ramp-up effect from 2008, the opening year, to 2010, two years after the facility opened to traffic. KW - Drivers KW - General purpose lanes KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Rates, fares and tolls KW - Single occupant vehicles KW - Traffic speed KW - Traffic volume KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT%202012-05.pdf UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/vt-2012-05.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55269/VT_2012-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360152 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01575243 AU - Shea, Patrick AU - Sacks, Patty AU - Lian, Scott AU - Richardson, Heather AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Gateway Arch Circulator Conceptual Feasibility Study: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial PY - 2015/03/30/Final Report SP - 66p AB - The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (JEFF) is undergoing major design changes as part of the City Arch River 2015 project (CAR) that will impact access for park visitors. The park and stakeholders are considering a circulator system to facilitate access between downtown, the park and the Mississippi River. The purpose of this study is to review the feasibility of a circulator service at a conceptual level and recommend whether the park and CAR stakeholders should move forward with transportation service planning. The conceptual feasibility study included data collection and analysis, vehicle options analysis, and a stakeholder workshop. The result is a recommendation to continue with transportation service planning and potential operation of a pilot project to demonstrate demand. KW - Access KW - Bus transit KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Jefferson National Expansion Memorial KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55337/NPS_JEFF_Final_Circulator_Feasibility_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366765 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01563453 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Federal Highway Administration Health in Transportation Working Group: 2014 Annual Report PY - 2015/03/13/Final Report SP - 13p AB - The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Health in Transportation Working Group examines the agency’s policies and programs and their impacts on health-related issues such as air quality, active transportation, environmental review, noise, safety, livable communities, and access to health-related facilities. Working Group members lead and participate in many initiatives that aim to encourage the consideration of health in all aspects of transportation. This report provides an overview of the Working Group’s activities and accomplishments in 2014, summarizes other DOT health-related accomplishments, documents its progress toward the recommendations included in the 2013 Annual Report, and offers recommendations for 2015 based on several themes that the Working Group discussed in 2014. KW - Air quality KW - Annual reports KW - Environmental impacts KW - Health care facilities KW - Noise KW - Public health KW - Recommendations KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/health_in_transportation/workgroup/2014_annual_report/fhwahep15037.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1353231 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557303 AU - Janssen, Donald J AU - Grimshaw, Lily B AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field Validation of Recycled Concrete Fines Usage PY - 2015/03/12/Final Project Report SP - 46p AB - The amount of recycled concrete fines permitted in concrete mixing water is limited by ASTM C 1602 to 5.0 percent of the mixing water, by mass, in order to avoid detrimental effects on concrete properties. Depending upon the exact nature of the recycles concrete fines, researchers have reported no detrimental effects at significantly higher fines contents in some cases, and unacceptably-lowered strengths at fines contents below the allowed limits in other cases. In practically all instances, concrete producers control the quantity of recycled concrete fines by measuring the specific gravity of the mix water containing the fines. This measurement, while providing an indication of the total amount of fines in the water, is unable to distinguish between dissolved and suspended solids. In addition, the effect of pH – significant in terms of the rate of cement hydration, is ignored. Recent work has looked at characterizing the fines in terms of both the conductivity of the mix water containing the fines and the pH of the mix water. Correlations relating performance of mortar mixtures and the conductivity and pH of the mix water have been developed. Performance characteristics included set time as well as compressive strength at 3 and 28 days. This report documents results of using revised performance correlations on concrete produced at a ready-mix concrete plant. An instrumentation assembly with conductivity and pH probes was placed into the tank used to weigh the mix water. Mixtures with either no recycled fines or two different levels of recycled fines content were then prepared in full-truck batches and compression specimens were prepared from concrete obtained from the trucks. This was repeated for a total of four separate sampling days, in order to achieve some variation in the exact nature of the recycled fines. Compression results indicated that all of the mixtures achieved at least 90 percent of the control 3-day strength and the only mixture to not achieve 90 percent of the control 28-day strength was correctly predicted. The occurrence of some false-negative predictions for mixtures with higher pH mixing water indicates that additional work is needed in order to refine the predictive equations so they are reliable for a larger range of recycled concrete-fines mixing water parameters. KW - Admixtures KW - Compression tests KW - Electrical conductivity KW - Fines (Materials) KW - pH value KW - Ready mixed concrete KW - Recycled materials UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-32-626671-Janssen-Donald-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346367 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576195 AU - Lyons, William M AU - Duffy, Catherine AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Review of State DOT Approaches to Distribute Federal Metropolitan Planning (PL) Funds to MPOs PY - 2015/03/10 SP - 31p AB - Metropolitan Planning Funds (PL funds) are provided from the Federal Highway Trust Fund and distributed by State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to conduct the planning activities required by Title 23 of the U.S. Code 134. Each MPO is responsible for planning to meet the transportation needs within its metropolitan planning area. PL funds are distributed to States based on a ratio of urbanized-area population in individual States to the total nationwide urbanized-area population. State DOTs then distribute this funding to the MPOs in their State based on a formula, agreed to by the MPOs, and approved by their Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Division Office. This report describes a range of different approaches to distribution formulas, and provides observations drawn from the DOT and MPO contacts and the study team’s analysis of the merits of the different approaches. FHWA is providing this information as a resource for DOTs and MPOs nationwide to use in self-assessment of current distribution approaches and to consider alternative approaches. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Case studies KW - Government funding KW - Highway Trust Fund KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - State departments of transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55384/fhwahep15024.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369009 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576099 AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Hassol, Josh AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Sheridan, Amy AU - Sloan, Suzanne AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Dynamic Mobility Applications Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Multi-Modal Intelligent Traffic Signal System (MMITSS) PY - 2015/03/06/Final Report SP - 31p AB - The Connected Vehicle Mobility Policy team developed this report to document policy considerations for the Multi-Modal Intelligent Traffic Signal System, or MMITSS. MMITSS comprises a “bundle” of dynamic mobility applications (DMA) that leverage existing and new connected vehicle data sets to optimize traffic signal timing for safety, emergency response, and improved mobility. The analysis is based on the policy team’s review of a wide range of materials that include: (1) The MMITSS program’s Concept of Operations (ConOps), Stakeholder Input Report, and System Design and Requirements documents. (2) The Connected Vehicle Reference Implementation Architecture (CVRIA) diagrams for MMITSS. (3) Discussions with the technical team overseeing development of the prototype applications within the MMITSS bundle and a review of the prototype documents. (4) Industry best practices and standards in information technology, security and privacy, and data exchange. KW - Best practices KW - Data collection KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Mobility KW - Privacy KW - Stakeholders KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Transportation policy KW - Transportation safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54800/54850/FHWA-JPO-14-136_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369008 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01594324 AU - Battelle Memorial Institute AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Capital Wireless Information Net AU - Battelle AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Prototype Development and Demonstration for Response, Emergency Staging, Communications, Uniform Management, and Evacuation (R.E.S.C.U.M.E.) – Information Broker Framework PY - 2015/03/05 SP - 83p AB - The Dynamic Mobility Applications (DMA) program is designed to enhance deployment of emerging technologies and applications and promote collaboration in research and development of the mobility applications of future surface transportation systems. Response, Emergency, Staging, Communications, Uniform Management, and Evacuation (R.E.S.C.U.M.E.), is one component of the DMA program. Emergency Communications for Evacuation (EVAC) is one of three complementary applications that composes R.E.S.C.U.M.E. This document provides an analysis of the Regional Integrated Transportation Information Systems’ (RITIS) and CapWIN’s ability to serve as an Information Broker that is conceptualized to support various functions of R.E.S.C.U.M.E., in particular the EVAC application. In addition, it provides guidance on minimum functions that are required to enable the Information Broker and EVAC application in other regions nationally. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Emergency communication systems KW - Emergency management KW - Evacuation KW - Information systems KW - Mobility KW - Prototypes UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56900/56965/Rewrite_Final_1.13.16_FHWA-JPO-15-233.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400138 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01568653 AU - Lee, Stephanie AU - Tremble, Mike AU - Vaivai, Justine AU - Rowangould, Gregory AU - Tayarani, Mohammad AU - Poorfakhraei, Amir AU - Ecosystem Management, Incorporated AU - University of New Mexico AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Middle Rio Grande Council of Governments TI - Central New Mexico Climate Change Scenario Planning Project PY - 2015/03/04/Final Report SP - 111p AB - From 2013 to 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) partnered with the Mid Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) to evaluate how the central New Mexico region could develop in a way that minimizes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increases resiliency to climate change. MRCOG, in consultation with stakeholders within the metropolitan planning area and through a series of public meetings, developed land-use and transportation planning scenarios for the region as well as a list of performance measures to comparatively evaluate each scenario. Facilitated by the Volpe Center, a group of representatives from several federal, state, and local agencies provided input and guidance over the course of the project. With the assistance of the University of New Mexico (UNM) and Ecosystem Management, Inc. (EMI) consultant team, MRCOG evaluated these scenarios for their effect on several of the performance measures including regional mobility, accessibility, GHG emissions, and resiliency to climate change. This report describes the development of the scenarios, modeling system, and other evaluation methods as they evolved through the course of the project. The report also summarizes the conclusions reached from the evaluation of the final set of scenarios. KW - Accessibility KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Climate change KW - Forecasting KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Land use planning KW - Mobility KW - New Mexico KW - Performance measurement KW - Stakeholders KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55000/55072/Central_NM_Climate_Change_Scenario_Planning.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358904 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599288 AU - Souleyrette, Reginald R AU - Wang, Teng AU - Lau, Dan AU - Peng, Xu AU - Aboubakr, Ahmed AU - Randerson, Edward AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 3D Methodology for Evaluating Rail Crossing Roughness PY - 2015/03/02/Final Report SP - 27p AB - Quality of surface is an important aspect affecting both the safety and the performance of at-grade rail-highway crossings. Roughness may increase the risk of crashes for both trains and automobiles. The goal of this research is to test and develop low-cost sensors and methods for measuring rail crossing surfaces and a method for evaluating the crossings to support both safety and maintenance programs. This report covers work done to develop and test a 3D methodology to assess the ride-ability of rail highway grade crossings. It is comprised of introductory and background material that motivates the need for such a methodology and previous work related to the same. Two conference papers are attached as appendices. These papers cover the development of a low-cost 3D sensor and the potential use of accelerometers to evaluate crossing roughness. KW - Accelerometers KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway safety KW - Methodology KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Roughness KW - Sensors UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UKY/NURail2012-UKY-R03_and_2013-UKY-R06_Final_Report_3D_Methodology1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59299/NURail2012-UKY-R03_and_2013-UKY-R06_Final_Report_3D_Methodology1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405086 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590525 AU - Sheffi, Yossi AU - Goentzel, Jarrod AU - New England University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Big Data During Crisis: Lessons from Hurricane Irene PY - 2015/03/02/Final Report SP - 3p AB - The approach taken in this project was to conduct a case study on transportation outages in Hurricane Irene. In this case study, natural language processing (NLP) techniques were used to analyze social media data for transportation outage information. The results of that analysis are then compared with data collected by state transportation agencies using traditional methods to identify whether these outages were identified on social media. The intent of the case study was to characterize the potential of big data from sensor networks to compliment existing sensor networks to create actionable information in a disaster, and to further develop methodologies to analyze these sources of data. Transportation data for Hurricane Irene were collected from the four states of New York, New Jersey, Vermont and New Hampshire, and Twitter data were collected. KW - Case studies KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Hurricane Irene, 2011 KW - Information dissemination KW - New Hampshire KW - New Jersey KW - New York (State) KW - Sensors KW - Service disruption KW - Social media KW - Twitter KW - Vermont UR - http://agelab.mit.edu/files/24_descriptions/MITR24_10_FINAL_REPORT.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397314 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603552 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Department of Commerce TI - 2012 Economic Census. Transportation. 2012 Commodity Flow Survey. Exports PY - 2015/03 SP - 71p AB - The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) is a joint effort by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce. The survey is the primary source of national and state-level data on domestic freight shipments by establishments in mining, manufacturing, wholesale, auxiliaries, and selected retail and services trade industries located in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. An export in the CFS is defined as shipment to a foreign country from the 50 states and Washington, DC. Shipments to U.S. possessions and territories are also treated as exports. Respondents to the CFS were asked to report the foreign city, country of destination, and mode of transport by which the shipment left the country. The respondents were also asked to report the U.S. port, airport, or border crossing of exit and report the “domestic mode” of transport used to reach the U.S. destination. Shipment characteristics including value, tons, and ton-miles are presented in summary form in this report. KW - Commodity flow KW - Exports KW - Freight transportation KW - Industries KW - Origin and destination KW - Shipments KW - Surveys KW - Ton miles KW - Transportation modes KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/ec12tcf-us-ex.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412910 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574055 AU - Medal, Hugh AU - Li, Xiaopeng AU - Parsafard, Mohsen AU - Rashidi, Eghbal AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Mobility and Safety of Walk-and-Ride Systems PY - 2015/03//Final Report SP - 35p AB - In this project the authors investigate the effect of traffic calming measures, such as crosswalks and sidewalks on the overall cost and safety of a multimodal transportation network system design. The design problem includes auto, transit, and walking as modes of transportation. The authors propose a new method for multimodal user equilibrium (UE) traffic assignment with network reconstruction, which allows for mode switching. The authors propose a bi-level mathematical programming model that integrates multimodal user equilibrium traffic assignment in the lower level and the network design in the upper level. The model tries to optimally implement and locate sidewalks and crosswalks considering limited financial resources to provide city planners with a comprehensive tool for planning. Due to the complexity of the problem, it requires a large amount of computational resources and therefore cannot be solved efficiently for large scale problems using state of the art solvers; hence the authors develop a greedy heuristic and a simulated annealing algorithm to solve large problems. The algorithms use a nonlinear complimentary algorithm to solve the UE traffic assignment. The computational results show that implementing sidewalks and crosswalks both reduces the overall transportation cost and improves pedestrians’ safety. KW - Algorithms KW - Costs KW - Crosswalks KW - Mobility KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Optimization KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Sidewalks KW - Traffic assignment KW - Traffic calming KW - Traffic equilibrium KW - Walking UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-09FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363646 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574043 AU - Wu, Yao-Jan AU - Yang, Shu AU - Yin, Zhaozheng AU - Jiang, Wenchao AU - University of Arizona, Tucson AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Freeway Travel Time Estimation Using Existing Fixed Traffic Sensors – Phase 2 PY - 2015/03//Final Report SP - 96p AB - Travel time, one of the most important freeway performance metrics, can be easily estimated using the data collected from fixed traffic sensors, avoiding the need to install additional travel time data collectors. This project is aimed at fully utilizing the data gathered by existing fixed sensors to estimate point-to-point freeway network travel time in the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) St. Louis District. The objectives of the project were achieved by accomplishing three major tasks: 1) A new travel time estimation model was developed and its ability to outperformed two traditional models, the instantaneous and time-slice models, demonstrated using real-world data. 2) The verification of the proposed model relies on the ground truth travel time. Collecting ground truth travel time is both time-consuming and challenging, so a novel Vehicle Re-identification (VRI) method was developed to facilitate the ground truth data collection process with satisfactory results. 3) A point-to-point network travel time estimation prototype system was also developed. In addition to the primary module of travel time estimation, both data assurance report production and traffic volume report production were modularized. The prototype system was then applied to four case studies measuring: freeway corridor performance (both with and without a turning junction), the impact of severe weather events on traffic volume, and travel time reliability. The prototype system clearly demonstrated its capability and efficiency through these case studies. Because of its high design flexibility, the system is confidently expected to support additional case studies with minimal system revision and tune-up. KW - Automatic vehicle detection and identification systems KW - Case studies KW - Data collection KW - Estimating KW - Freeways KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) KW - Sensors KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic volume KW - Travel time UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201407/cmr16-002.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55368/cmr16-002.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363901 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570360 AU - Roberts-Wollmann, Carin AU - Cousins, Tommy AU - Halbe, Kedar AU - Field, Carrie AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improved Connection Details for Adjacent Prestressed Bridge Beams PY - 2015/03//Final Report SP - 71p AB - Bridges with adjacent box beams and voided slabs are simply and rapidly constructed, and are well suited to short to medium spans. The traditional connection between the adjacent members is a shear key filled with a conventional non-shrink grout. With time and traffic, many of the joints show signs of cracking and leaking, and eventually, corrosion of the reinforcing and prestressing steel within the beams. The overarching goal of this project was to develop an improved detail for the connection between adjacent members using Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) or Very High Performance Concrete (VHPC). The specific objective of the research presented in this report was to determine the appropriate splice length for No. 4 and No. 6 uncoated reinforcing bars used in a UHPC or VHPC connection. A total of 15 beams were tested to determine the appropriate splice lengths for uncoated No. 4 and No. 6 bars in UHPC and VHPC. The 12 in tall by 10 in wide by 8.5 ft beams were precast with conventional concrete, with a block-out pocket to accommodate a splice. The tension bars were spliced in the pocket, which was then filled with either VHPC or UHPC. The beams were tested to place the splice location in a region of constant moment, and were loaded monotonically to failure. It was found that for an uncoated No. 4 bar in UHPC or VHPC a splice length of 4 in is adequate to develop the yield strength of the bar, but a length of 5 in is recommended to insure ductility. For a No. 6 bar in UHPC a splice length of 5 in is adequate to develop the yield strength, but 6 in is recommended to insure ductility. KW - Beams KW - Ductility KW - High performance concrete KW - Prestressed concrete bridges KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Splicing KW - Structural connection KW - Ultra high performance concrete KW - Yield strength UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-001-final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55234/CAIT-UTC-001-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359780 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570255 AU - Chu, Jian AU - Wen, Zhiyou AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Proof of Concept: Biocement for Road Repair PY - 2015/03//Final Report SP - 18p AB - Road repair is an expensive operation every year. This cost can be greatly reduced if waste materials from the mining and biofuel industries can be used to substitute conventional materials for road repair or construction. The objective of this project is to develop methods to produce a new construction material, biocement, using waste products and apply the new material for road repair and construction. Two types of waste were used in this study. One is limestone fines produced from a limestone mine in Iowa. Another is organic acids, a byproduct produced from a pyrolysis-based biofuel manufacturing process. The limestone fines and organic acids can be used to produce biocement under ambient temperature in an inexpensive way. The cost-effective biocement can be used as a substitute for expensive cement for road repairs and construction. Biocement grout, or biogrout, can be injected directly into cavities or cracks in pavement for road repair. As the viscosity of biogrout is low, biogrout can penetrate better into the road pavement than cement grout. Biocement-mixed aggregate can be used for road base or subbase construction. Biocement solutions can also be applied directly on shoulders as a stabilizer or on unpaved roads as a dust control agent. The focus of this project is on the development of cost-effective biocement products and their effectiveness for road repair. Once the methods for biocement production and applications are established in laboratory scale, field experiments can be carried out as a follow-up study. KW - Acids KW - Cement KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Grout KW - Highway maintenance KW - Limestone KW - Waste products UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1128&context=intrans_reports UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55299/Proof_of_Concept-_Biocement_for_Road_Repair.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360897 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01568650 AU - Fijalkowski, Jared AU - Frazier, Jonathan AU - Rasmussen, Ben AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Mississippi National River and Recreation Area AU - DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TI - Mississippi National River and Recreation Area: Confluence Area Shuttle Plan PY - 2015/03//Final Report SP - 23p AB - This report describes a proposed passenger shuttle for the Confluence Area of the National Park Service’s Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The report includes a proposed route, description of the stops, proposed schedules, and cost estimates for operating the shuttle service. KW - Costs KW - Mississippi National River and Recreation Area KW - National parks KW - Routes KW - Schedules KW - Shuttle buses KW - Shuttle service UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55000/55020/MISS_Confluence_Area_Shuttle_Plan.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55000/55022/MISS_Confluence_Area_Shuttle_Plan.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358910 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567488 AU - Fields, Billy AU - Texas State University, San Marcos AU - University of New Orleans AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Accessing the Mega-Region: Evaluating the Role of Livable Community Patterns in Gulf Coast Mega-Region Planning PY - 2015/03 SP - 31p AB - This research analyzes both the need and mechanisms for integrating livability components such as transit and active transportation into a broader mega-regions transportation framework. The research builds a conceptual framework for understanding how transportation livability concepts fit within the larger mega-regions literature. This framework based around the study of regional green infrastructure greenbelt systems is then used to analyze key strategies that could be integrated into the larger Gulf Coast/Texas mega-region transportation planning framework through analysis of three case studies in greater Houston, Austin/San Antonio, and New Orleans/Baton Rouge regions. Major existing and emerging opportunities to tie infrastructure into a mega-region transportation system are identified in these three case studies. KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Baton Rouge (Louisiana) KW - Case studies KW - Gulf Coast (United States) KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Megaregions KW - Quality of life KW - Regional planning KW - San Antonio (Texas) KW - Sustainable development KW - Texas KW - Transportation planning UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00109-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356631 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01567328 AU - Elseifi, Mostafa AU - Dhakal, Nirmal AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Infrared Thermography to Detect Thermal Segregation in Asphalt Overlay and Reflective Cracking Potential PY - 2015/03 SP - 44p AB - The objectives of this study were to assess whether temperature differentials measured using Infrared Thermography (IRT) occur in an overlay built on top of discontinuities such as joints and cracks and to study the horizontal and vertical thermal profiles in the asphalt overlay using a validated Finite Element (FE) modeling approach. To achieve this objective, an infrared camera was used to monitor the temperature profiles in the asphalt mat in a number of field projects from the time it was placed to after completion of the compaction process. The temperature profiles were monitored on top and away of severe discontinuities and joints in the existing pavement. Results showed that thermal measurements on top of the joints were consistently lower than away from it, which may indicate that temperature loss may occur at the joints. Further, a validated FE model predicted a slightly higher rate of thermal loss at the bottom of the overlay above the joint than away from it due to convection losses at the joint. While this difference may not be large enough to be identified as thermal segregation, it can influence the bulk properties of the overlay at the joints and promote early cracking. Thermal differences were also observed in the vertical direction as lower temperatures were predicted at the top and the bottom of the overlay during construction due to convection losses with the ambient atmosphere and conduction between the hot overlay and the existing pavement. KW - Bituminous overlays KW - Differential thermal analysis KW - Finite element method KW - Infrared imagery KW - Pavement joints KW - Reflection cracking KW - Thermographs UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00111-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356632 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01564445 AU - Simmons, Erica AU - Colton, Paige AU - Epstein, Alexander AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Bureau of Land Management TI - Potential Climate Change Impacts and the Bureau of Land Management Rio Puerco Field Office’s Transportation System: A Technical Report PY - 2015/03//Final Report SP - 84p AB - This report provides information about potential climate change impacts in central New Mexico and their possible implications for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rio Puerco Field Office (RPFO) transportation network. The report considers existing global and regional climate change projections and analyzes the results of locally downscaled climate change projections corresponding to different RPFO ecoregions; identifies BLM’s options for adapting the transportation system to climate change impacts, as well as how RPFO can incorporate climate change adaptation and resilience into its Travel and Transportation Management Plan (TTMP); and considers opportunities for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction, or climate change mitigation, at Rio Puerco. KW - Bureau of Land Management KW - Climate change KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Rio Puerco (New Mexico) KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54763/RioPuercoClimateChange.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354951 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01564441 AU - McKenzie, Katherine AU - University of Hawaii, Manoa AU - University of Central Florida, Cocoa AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The State of Electric Vehicles In Hawaii PY - 2015/03 SP - 38p AB - This report provides a synopsis of the dynamic and rapidly changing landscape of Electric Vehicle (EV) integration in Hawaii, at the nexus between electricity and transportation. Focus is placed on the interaction of passenger EVs with the electricity grid, including EVs that rely entirely or partially on electricity for fuel. Similarities and differences to national trends are highlighted, along with progress in Hawaii with other alternative vehicle technologies and fuels including hydrogen, fuel cells and biofuels. Related research and demonstration projects are also summarized. Findings include negative impacts on total cost of EV ownership and life cycle emissions due to Hawaii’s electricity costs and heavy reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation. Conversely, Hawaii provides an ideal test bed to accelerate the use of electrified transportation in order to increase renewable power generation and integration, leading to reduced fossil fuel use, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and increased energy independence. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Costs KW - Electric power generation and transmission KW - Electric vehicles KW - Hawaii KW - Pollutants KW - Research projects KW - Technological innovations UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/HNEI-05-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354404 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01563672 AU - Simmons, Erica AU - Kay, Michael AU - Ingles, Amy AU - Khurana, Monisha AU - Sulmont, Margueritte AU - Lyons, William AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Evaluating the Economic Benefits of Nonmotorized Transportation: Case Studies and Methods for the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program Communities PY - 2015/03//White Paper SP - 34p AB - This report examines potential methods for evaluating the economic benefits from nonmotorized transportation investments. The variety of potential economic benefits of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and programming investments discussed include commute cost savings for bicyclists and pedestrians, direct benefits to bicycle and tourism-related businesses, indirect economic benefits due to changing consumer behavior, and individual and societal cost savings associated with health and environmental benefits. This report reviews potential methods for analyzing these different economic benefits at the project, neighborhood, and larger community scale, highlighting case studies from Minneapolis, Toronto, New York City, and the State of Vermont. A review of previous economic evaluations of nonmotorized transportation investments and available analysis tools suggests that researchers should choose evaluation methods and scales of analysis appropriate to the project or program they intend to evaluate. Researchers should also consider the availability of baseline data and control data when designing an evaluation approach. KW - Bicycles KW - Case studies KW - Economic benefits KW - Economic impacts KW - Investments KW - Minneapolis (Minnesota) KW - New York (New York) KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrians KW - Toronto (Canada) KW - Vermont KW - Walking UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54765/NTPP_Economic_Benefits_White_Paper.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352970 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01561703 AU - Silver, Steven AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Managerial Segmentation of Service Offerings in Work Commuting PY - 2015/03//Final Report SP - 42p AB - Methodology to efficiently segment markets for public transportation offerings has been introduced and exemplified in an application to an urban travel corridor in which high tech companies predominate. The principal objective has been to introduce and apply multivariate methodology to efficiently identify segments of work commuters and their demographic identifiers. A set of attributes in terms of which service offerings could be defined was derived from background studies and focus groups of work commuters in the county. Adaptive choice conjoint analysis was used to derive the importance weights of these attributes in available service offering to these commuters. A two-stage clustering procedure was then used to explore the grouping of individual’s subsets into homogeneous sub-groups of the sample. These subsets are commonly a basis for differentiation in service offerings that can increase total ridership in public transportation while approximating cost neutrality in service delivery. Recursive partitioning identified interactions between demographic predictors that significantly contributed to the discrimination of segments in demographics. Implementation of the results is discussed. KW - Choice models KW - Commuters KW - Demographics KW - Market segmented groups KW - Methodology KW - Multivariate analysis KW - Passenger service KW - Public transit UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1232-managerial-service-offerings-in-work-commuting.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5sx8gz6/1/producer%2F906066431.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347217 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01561007 AU - Biswas, Bidisha AU - Gerdes, Ryan AU - Heaslip, Kevin AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Position Verification Systems for an Automated Highway System PY - 2015/03 SP - 101p AB - Automated vehicles promote road safety, fuel efficiency, and reduced travel time by decreasing traffic congestion and driver workload. In a vehicle platoon (grouping vehicles to increase road capacity by managing distance between vehicles using electrical and mechanical coupling) of such automated vehicles, as in automated highway systems (AHS), tracking of inter-vehicular spacing is one of the significant factors under consideration. Because of close spacing, computer-controlled platoons with inter-vehicular communication—the concept of adaptive cruise control (ACC)—become open to cybersecurity attacks. Cyber physical (CP) and cyber attacks on smart grid electrical systems have been a significant focus of researchers. However, CP attacks on autonomous vehicle platoons have not been examined. This research surveys a number of models of longitudinal vehicle motion and analysis of a special class of CP attacks called false data injection (FDI) on vehicle platoons. In this kind of attack, the configuration of any CP system is exploited to introduce arbitrary errors to gain control over the system. Here, an n-vehicle platoon is considered and a linearized vehicle model is used as a test-bed to study vehicle dynamics and control, after false information is fed into the system. KW - Advanced vehicle control systems KW - Automated highway systems KW - Computer security KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Traffic platooning KW - Transportation safety KW - Vehicle dynamics KW - Vehicle spacing UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC15-284.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349915 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560977 AU - Ng, Kam AU - Ettema, Robert AU - Kempema, Edward AU - Chakradhar, Ram AU - Fuller, Joshua AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Geotechnical Limit to Scour at Spill-through Bridge Abutments: Laboratory Investigation PY - 2015/03 SP - 90p AB - Scour of spill-through abutments occurs due to the combined influence of geotechnical and hydraulic processes. The present study is among the first to address the geotechnical process associated with the failure of the compacted earth, spill-through abutments, and the effects of the geotechnical strength of spill-slope soil on abutment scour. Laboratory experiments were completed to determine how soil shear strength affects abutment scour. The experiments, which primarily involved sand compacted to varying strengths, and some clayey soils, led to new and useful insights. A major new finding is that abutment failure begins at the water line of the spill-slope's upstream corner, where flow constriction around an abutment exposes and erodes spill-slope soil to the highest values of flow velocity and turbulence. Once initiated, erosion continues toward the middle portion of the spill-slope face, and then progresses downstream. Spill-slope erosion is marked by the formation of undercut, exposed vertical blocks of embankment soil whose failure occurred relatively quickly once the spill-slope face began eroding. Abutments formed of stronger soils took longer to erode, had bigger blocks of failed soil, and produced deeper scour of the channel around the abutment. Rapid failure of an abutment resulted in shallow scour depths. KW - Bridge abutments KW - Embankments KW - Erosion KW - Laboratory tests KW - Scour KW - Shear strength KW - Slope stability KW - Soil mechanics UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC15-280.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349710 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560915 AU - Yang, Mijia AU - North Dakota State University, Fargo AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Integrated Real-Time Health Monitoring and Impact/Collision Detection System for Bridges in Cold Remote Regions PY - 2015/03 SP - 73p AB - This report presents a research examining the feasibility of creating an integrated structural health monitoring and impact/collision detection system for bridges in remote cold regions, where in-person inspection becomes formidable. The research report includes a theoretical analysis of the impact event identification in Chapter II, laboratory experiment verification in Chapter III, and a field testing and an integrated Structural health monitoring system in Chapter IV. Based on the systematical research outcomes, the impact/collision event and the real-time bridge structural health status have been successfully identified and recorded, which could be used for bridge management and resources allocation in future. KW - Bridge management systems KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Field tests KW - Frigid regions KW - Incident detection KW - Laboratory studies KW - Real time information KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC15-282.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349906 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560894 AU - Chantem, Tam AU - Desiraju, Divya AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real-Time Traffic Management to Maximize Throughput of Automated Vehicles PY - 2015/03 SP - 31p AB - In intelligent transportation systems, most of the research work has focused on lane change assistant systems. No existing work considers minimizing the disruption of traffic flow by maximizing the number of lane changes while eliminating the collisions. In this thesis, the authors develop qualitative and quantitative approaches for minimizing the disruption of traffic flow for three lane scenarios and show that this approach can be extended to an arbitrary number of lanes. The proposed algorithm is able to achieve the maximum number of lane changes. Simulation results show that this approach provides much better performance when compared with different lane change algorithms without incurring large overhead, and is hence suitable for online use. KW - Algorithms KW - Highway traffic control systems KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Lane changing KW - Simulation KW - Traffic flow UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC15-283.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1350691 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560881 AU - Block, David AU - Harrison, John AU - Brooker, Paul AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Electric Vehicle Sales for 2014 and Future Projections PY - 2015/03 SP - 12p AB - The object of this research is to assess the current status and to predict the future penetration of electric vehicles (EVs) within the U.S. market. The prediction method is based on EV yearly sales giving the cumulative vehicles on the road for 2010 through 2014 and the growth rates for these five years. Using these growth values, the future ten year values are calculated. The EV sales results for 2014 in the U.S. show that 118,773 vehicles were sold as compared to 96,700 vehicles in 2013. This gives a one year sales growth rate of 23%. The total cumulative number of EVs sold over the five year sales period is now at 286,390 vehicles. If a conservative 20% growth rate is used, then the U.S. sales in 2024 will be 740,000 EVs per year with cumulative number of vehicles at 4.0 million. The second part of the prediction analysis was to predict the EV sales and cumulative sales values of EVs for the states of interest. These predictions were done for Florida, Hawaii, Alabama, and for comparison purposes for Georgia, California and New York. Results are also presented on state actions and incentives to overcome the cost barriers and on the technical barrier achievements as compared to U.S. Department of Energy goals. KW - Alabama KW - California KW - Electric vehicles KW - Florida KW - Forecasting KW - Georgia KW - Hawaii KW - Market assessment KW - New York (State) KW - Sales KW - United States UR - http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-1998-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348924 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560873 AU - Raslear, Thomas G AU - Multer, Jordan AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Railroad Signal Color and Orientation: Effects of Color Blindness and Criteria for Color Vision Field Tests PY - 2015/03//Final Report SP - 33p AB - This report concerns two issues: 1) whether color vision is necessary for locomotive crews who work on railroads where the signal system is either completely redundant with regard to signal color and signal orientation or the signal system only uses signal orientation; 2) what criteria should the railroad industry use for a valid, reliable, and fair field test of color vision. These two sets of issues are discussed together because they both relate to Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA’s) Medical Standards Guidelines for locomotive engineers (49 CFR 240, Appendix F) and conductors (49 CFR 242, Appendix D) and to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations (NTSB 2013-18 and 2013-19) that FRA establish a field test for color vision for railroad employees who fail standard tests of color vision such as pseudoisochromatic plate tests. In the event that FRA considers reviewing its regulations regarding color vision, this information will be relevant and useful. KW - Color KW - Color blind persons KW - Color vision KW - Guidelines KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad signals KW - Train crews KW - U.S. Federal Railroad Administration KW - U.S. National Transportation Safety Board KW - Vision tests UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14393 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54800/54840/TR_Signal_Color_and_Position.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347697 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01558323 AU - Savan, Christopher M AU - Ng, Kam Weng AU - Ksaibati, Khaled AU - University of Wyoming, Laramie AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Implementation of Intelligent Compaction Technologies for Road Constructions in Wyoming PY - 2015/03 SP - 80p AB - Conventional test methods for roadway compaction cover less than 1% of roadway; whereas, intelligent compaction (IC) offers a method to measure 100% of a roadway. IC offers the ability to increase compaction uniformity of soils and asphalt pavements, which leads to decreased maintenance costs and an extended service life. This report examines IC technology, how IC quality control and assurance specifications can encourage IC adoption, knowledge and use of IC through survey responses, and benefits and costs of IC. The surveys reveal that a majority of respondents from state departments of transportation have conducted IC demonstration projects, but questions about cost and willingness of policymakers to adopt IC remain a barrier to implementation. The benefit-cost analysis demonstrates that use of IC reduces compaction costs by as much as 54% and results in a $15,385 annual savings per lane mile throughout the roadway’s life. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Compaction KW - Intelligent compaction KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Service life KW - State departments of transportation KW - Surveys KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC15-281.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347304 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557028 AU - Marshall, Wesley E AU - Henao, Alejandro AU - Bronson, Rachael AU - University of Colorado, Denver AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Building a Framework for Transportation Resiliency and Evaluating the Resiliency Benefits of Light Rail Transit in Denver, Colorado PY - 2015/03 SP - 78p AB - This report presents a three-part research program examining transportation resiliency and the ability for a transportation system to maintain or return to a previous level of service after a disruptive, black swan type event. With transportation as the second highest household expenditure, it is vital to understand the disproportionate impact that a drastic increase in gas price might have on a major city and region. We seek to increase our understanding of resiliency, vulnerability, and transportation affordability issues by asking what would happen if the cost of driving suddenly doubled or tripled. Who is better off and why? How much difference does being near downtown or jobs make? What matters in terms of transit infrastructure? How much of a role do current travel behaviors play? The first part of the report examines a regional impact of a drastic fuel price increase. Using a multinomial logistic regression mode choice model developed with major travel surveys conducted for the Denver Metropolitan region in 1997 and 2008 – a time period over which gas prices more than tripled – the authors derive resiliency scenarios of driving cost increases of 1.5X, 2X, and 3X. The second part of the report focuses on city-scale resiliency by accounting for active transportation infrastructure in a detailed manner not feasible at the regional scale. The third part of this report develops a Transportation Economic Resilience (TER) rating system to help researchers, planners, and policy makers better understand resiliency and vulnerability across different geographical areas. The results of this report illustrate that transportation choice helps create network redundancy and facilitates adaptability under extreme conditions. KW - Commuting KW - Costs KW - Denver (Colorado) KW - Gasoline KW - Light rail transit KW - Logistic regression analysis KW - Mode choice KW - Prices KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel surveys KW - Work trips UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC15-279.pdf UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/mpc15-279-brief.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345513 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566525 TI - On-Going Evaluation of Alternatively Fueled Buses AB - Florida transit agencies and funding entities continue to be under pressure to reduce operating costs and to run a more sustainable and environmentally friendly fleet in the urban environment. Funding made available through the federal economic stimulus effort known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has aided growth in the acquisition of alternative fuel transit vehicles. Some Florida agencies are receiving funding through the Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) grant program (part of ARRA), while others are using regular transit capital funds. Typically, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) funds 50 percent of the non-federal share of bus capital acquisition. Pressure on agencies to procure and on FDOT to fund alternatively fueled buses has escalated with the enormous push toward compressed natural gas as a domestically produced urban fleet fuel. However, higher reliance on alternative fuels and propulsion technologies by some Florida agencies has increased both capital and operating costs for some fixed route operators, and has created challenges for the widespread adoption of advanced transit technologies. Additionally, with the wide variety of advanced transit technologies that is currently available as an alternative to regular diesel, transit agencies find it hard to choose the technology that will best fit their needs. Both transit agencies and FDOT can benefit from current data on the performance of alternative fuel transit vehicles, allowing the evaluation of advantages and limitations of different alternative propulsion technologies. FDOT is interested in collecting and analyzing up-to-date data on alternative fuel vehicles' performance to assist the department with evaluating the benefits and investment costs associated with advanced transit technologies. The Department engaged the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida (USF) in 2009, 2012, and again in 2013 to establish a reporting system for the collection of transit fleet performance and cost data. FDOT is interested in continuing regular data collection, monitoring, and evaluating field data on the performance and operating costs of alternative fuel transit vehicles that are currently in use in Florida and nationwide. These data are intended to assist decision-makers considering investment in alternative fuel transit technologies. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Buses KW - Florida KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Natural gas buses KW - Operating costs KW - Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) KW - Transit vehicle operations UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/2015/06/on-going-evaluation-of-alternatively-fueled-buses/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357760 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566130 TI - Performance Measures for Freight Transport and General Traffic: Investigating Similarities and Differences Using Alternative Data Sources AB - Efficient and reliable movement of freight is an essential and critical requirement for a vibrant economy. A significant percentage of freight (both in terms of volume and value) is moved on trucks along the national highway system. So, it is important to monitor the transportation network conditions to identify bottlenecks and take adequate measures to alleviate traffic congestion along the major freight corridors. Furthermore, it would be useful to examine if there are any significant differences between the spatial and temporal profiles of bottlenecks of the freight and general passenger traffic. Such comparisons are also important for understanding whether a congestion relief program for a given bottleneck or corridor would benefit both freight and general-purpose traffic. In this regard, the main objectives of this project are: (1) Generate freight-specific and general-traffic performance measures (PMs) for select freight corridors in Hampton Roads region using three probe data sources -INRIX, HERE, and American Transportation Research Institute's (ATRI's) global positioning system (GPS) data. (2) Develop appropriate statistical methods to investigate the correlation between the freight and general traffic PMs based on probe-vehicle data. (3) Compare and identify similarities and differences between the characteristics of general and freight traffic. The statistical methods and the research findings of the project will be summarized in a detailed technical report. The study area of this project is the Hampton Roads region that has several freight-significant transportation corridors (for example, I-64, US 13, and US17). Moreover, Hampton Roads is also a major freight hub with more than 80% of the entire freight traffic being either inbound or outbound (instead of pass-through) due to three major port terminals in the region. Research findings regarding spatial and temporal profile of bottlenecks will be communicated to regional planning agencies including Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO), Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and City of Norfolk. The project will be using three different probe data sources - INRIX, HERE, and ATRI GPS data to undertake the analysis in this project. So, this research will help identify if there is merit in obtaining freight specific data streams from these private vendors. If the differences between passenger and freight travel times are not significant on certain corridors, there is no immediate need to obtain freight-specific data because general traffic is representative of the traffic conditions along these corridors. Alternatively, if passenger and freight travel times vary considerably on specific corridors, then there is a need to explore the reasons for these differences in greater detail. So, the study findings will aid efficient allocation of departments of transportation (DOTs') resources and can potentially result in significant cost savings. KW - Bottlenecks KW - Freight traffic KW - Global Positioning System KW - Hampton Roads (Virginia) KW - Performance measurement KW - Probe vehicles KW - Traffic data KW - Transportation corridors KW - Travel time KW - Truck traffic UR - http://www.matsutc.org/performance-measures-for-freight-transport-and-general-traffic-investigating-similarities-and-differences-using-alternative-data-sources/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357218 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01566734 AU - Sullivan, Jim AU - Lu, George AU - Troy, Austin AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Spatial Analysis of Intersection Bicycle and Pedestrian Counts PY - 2015/02/05 SP - 27p AB - Encouraging travelers to walk and bike in lieu of motorized modes of travel benefits both the traveler and the community at large. Maximizing these system benefits is critically important for the state and municipalities, especially when funding for transportation is scarce. In order to make better funding decisions for non-motorized transportation infrastructure, it is first necessary to understand comprehensively the current walking and biking behavior of a region’s inhabitants. This study investigates the linkage between non-motorized traffic volumes and the built environment by focusing on a larger set of road intersection-based counts of the PM-peak hours. The dearth of effective methods to address the spatial dependencies present in these comprehensive data sets motivated this geospatial study to determine (a) whether spatial dependency exists for non-motorized traffic volumes, and (b) whether a significant spatial relationship could be identified between non-motorized traffic volumes and specific built-environment characteristics once the spatial dependency was accounted for. Addressing this nonrandom factor in spatial based counts is an essential step to attaining a robust understanding of bicycle and pedestrian travel throughout a region. KW - Bicycle counts KW - Bicycle travel KW - Bicycling KW - Built environment KW - Geospatial analysis KW - Infrastructure KW - Intersections KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Peak hour traffic KW - Pedestrian counts KW - Pedestrian traffic KW - Vermont KW - Walking UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-13-013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356472 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01566732 AU - Sullivan, Jim AU - Dowds, Jonathan AU - Aultman-Hall, Lisa AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Regional Models of Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel in Chittenden County, Vermont PY - 2015/02/05 SP - 55p AB - Encouraging travelers to walk and bicycle in lieu of motorized modes of travel benefits both the traveler and the community at large. In order to make better funding decisions for non-motorized transportation infrastructure, it is first necessary to understand comprehensively the walking and bicycling behavior of a region’s inhabitants. A comprehensive understanding of non-motorized travel behavior requires an understanding of its relationship to the built environment. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has identified the systematic, methodologically consistent collection of non-motorized travel data, including estimation of annual average daily bicycle and pedestrian volume (AADBPV) and total bicycle and pedestrian miles of travel (BPMT), as a priority for improving infrastructure and safety analysis (BTS, 2000). The overall objective of this project is to advance these non-motorized travel data methods and procedures focusing on a study area in Chittenden County (Burlington) Vermont. The first results of this study examined the hourly distributions of non-motorized traffic data along shared-use paths in Chittenden County, Vermont and investigated the probable linkage between daily totals, hourly distribution signatures, and surrounding land use. The goal was to pursue more robust data collection and methods to generate county-wide shared-use path BPMT. Subsequent analysis focused on estimating county-wide BPMT with the existing shared-use path counts as well as new count data on roads. The authors proceeded to fill data gaps using video data collection which is described in detail and to test a variety of link-classification methods and temporal-aggregation methods for calculating total BPMTs based on sources of data collected from throughout the study area. The outcome of the project is 16 separate annualized BPMT estimates for Chittenden County, Vermont calculated using the Traffic Monitoring Guide standard AADT calculation methodology (FHWA, 2001). These count-based BPMT estimates are compared to a survey-based BPMT estimate calculated from the 2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) (FHWA, 2009). The total BPMT in Chittenden County from the NHTS was calculated to be 31.3 million miles per year. KW - Bicycle counts KW - Bicycle travel KW - Bicycling KW - Built environment KW - Chittenden County (Vermont) KW - Data collection KW - Infrastructure KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrian counts KW - Pedestrian traffic KW - Regional analysis KW - Walking UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-13-014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356473 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01557197 TI - Connector Transitway White Paper AB - This project aims to complete preliminary analysis of a potential central area streetcar network in Chicago. Over the course of six months the project team will conduct route and alignment analysis, preliminary financial analysis, ridership projections and will also hold meetings with area stakeholders in order to solicit comment and validate initial results. Furthermore, questions of political and financial feasibility will be addressed in the report. The project will highlight and evaluate previous proposals of a similar nature and, using ridership, corridor, and financial analyses will make a recommendation on the most feasible routes, modes and characteristics for future transit developments in Chicago's central area. KW - Alignment KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Financial analysis KW - Forecasting KW - Planning and design KW - Ridership KW - Routes KW - Stakeholders KW - Streetcars UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346857 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613764 AU - Garvey, Philip AU - Klena, M Jennifer AU - Eie, Wei-Yin AU - Meeker, Donald AU - Pietrucha, Martin T AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Maryland Department of Transportation AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Legibility of the Clearview Typeface System versus Standard Highway Alphabets on Negative- and Positive-Contract Signs PY - 2015/02/01/Final Report SP - 66p AB - The main objective of this research was to compare the legibility distance of the negative-contrast (i.e., darker letters on a lighter background) Clearview Typeface System with that of comparable Standard Highway Alphabets on black-on-white signs in the daytime and nighttime for older and younger motorists. Mixed-case Clearview was compared to both mixed and all-uppercase Standard Highway Alphabets Series C, D, and E. (Mixed-case words have an initial capital letter followed by all lower-case letters. All uppercase words are the standard condition of regulatory, warning, and work zone signs.) These typefaces were selected for study, as they are the most commonly used typefaces in negative-contrast applications. In addition, the researchers at the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute at Penn State evaluated the effects of inter-letter spacing and letter height on the legibility distance of mixed-case Clearview 2-B, 3-B, and 4-B. A small set of white-on-green (positive contrast) signs were displayed as well, comparing Clearview Typefaces 2-W, 3-W, and 4-W with Standard Highway Alphabet Series C, D, and E, all in mixed-case. This research was planned as Part 1 of a three-part study effort into the readability of negative-contrast highway signs. Part 1 would identify the relative legibility of various typefaces and mixed versus all uppercase words. Part 2 would address recognition, or the understanding of messages, using various typefaces in both uppercase and mixed case. Part 3 would address figure/field and format to learn how display variables may enhance sign readability. KW - Age groups KW - Contrast KW - Drivers KW - Evaluation KW - Legibility KW - Lettering KW - Periods of the day KW - Traffic signs UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2013-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424179 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557282 AU - Garvey, Philip AU - Klena, M Jennifer AU - Eie, Wei-Yin AU - Meeker, Donald AU - Pietrucha, Martin T AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Maryland Department of Transportation AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Legibility of the Clearview Typeface System versus Standard Highway Alphabets on Negative- and Positive-Contrast Signs PY - 2015/02/01/Final Report SP - 66p AB - The main objective of this research was to compare the legibility distance of the negative-contrast (i.e., darker letters on a lighter background) Clearview Typeface System with that of comparable Standard Highway Alphabets on black-on-white signs in the daytime and nighttime for older and younger motorists. Mixed-case Clearview was compared to both mixed and all-uppercase Standard Highway Alphabets Series C, D, and E. (Mixed-case words have an initial capital letter followed by all lower-case letters. All uppercase words are the standard condition of regulatory, warning, and work zone signs.) These typefaces were selected for study, as they are the most commonly used typefaces in negative-contrast applications. In addition, the researchers at the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute at Penn State evaluated the effects of inter-letter spacing and letter height on the legibility distance of mixed-case Clearview 2-B, 3-B, and 4-B. A small set of white-on-green (positive contrast) signs were displayed as well, comparing Clearview Typefaces 2-W, 3-W, and 4-W with Standard Highway Alphabet Series C, D, and E, all in mixed-case. This research was planned as Part 1 of a three-part study effort into the readability of negative-contrast highway signs. Part 1 would identify the relative legibility of various typefaces and mixed versus all uppercase words. Part 2 would address recognition, or the understanding of messages, using various typefaces in both uppercase and mixed case. Part 3 would address figure/field and format to learn how display variables may enhance sign readability. KW - Age groups KW - Clearview KW - Contrast KW - Drivers KW - Legibility KW - Lettering KW - Periods of the day KW - Traffic signs UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2013-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346369 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556638 TI - Phase II: Operational and Safety-Based Analyses of Varied Toll Lane Configurations AB - This project is proposing the second phase of the Collaborative Project for the University of Central Florida, University of Massachusetts - Amherst (UMass) and University of Puerto Rico as proposed to the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the SAFER-SIM proposal under Theme Areas: 2. Traffic Operations and Safety Evaluations. The increased demand for toll and managed lanes on freeway facilities is resulting from a shortage in revenue to meet transportation needs. The increased prevalence of electronic tolling has translated into changes in toll plaza design and driver behavior models at toll plazas. Driver confusion at the toll plaza, difficult merging scenarios, and the resulting unexpected behaviors of drivers have actually increased certain crash patterns at toll plazas in some electronic tolling facilities. At the same time, an increasing number of state departments of transportation (DOTs) are assessing the need to add High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes on their facilities without compromising their existing capacities. This project aims at using driving and traffic simulation to study the specific conditions and to identify measures to improve safety, signage and operation at toll facilities. In the first phase of the project, which is underway and ending in Summer 2015, the project is evaluating the operation and safety of toll plazas in Florida, Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. Each of the partner universities has selected a typical plaza in their respective state, and driving simulator experiments are being designed for more in depth testing and improvements identification. The proposed second phase of the project will extend the effort to simulate other plaza designs, HOT and dynamic toll lanes. Micro Simulation will also be utilized for Dynamic Toll Lanes (DTL) evaluation. Contacts will start with International partners (e.g., Tongji and Beijing JiaoTong Universities in China and Hasselt University in Europe) for conducting similar experiments and comparisons, all with considerable simulation capabilities. The project also expects recommendations of research for toll signage to be suggested to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). KW - Automated toll collection KW - Behavior KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - Simulation KW - State departments of transportation KW - Toll facilities KW - Traffic safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345904 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556637 TI - Utilizing Micro Simulation to Evaluate the Safety and Efficiency of the Expressway System AB - The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) has introduced the Microwave Vehicle Detection System (MVDS) in the past few years. Together with the existing Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) system, Dynamic Message Signs (DMS), Electronic Toll Collections (ETC), Active Traffic Management (ATM) system, etc. on their expressways, the system is equipped with comprehensive Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) facilities. These instruments have the capability to monitor the traffic conditions and communicate with motorists in real-time. Given the advantages brought by each ITS system, one question arises: how to achieve better system performance based on these systems? The performance of urban expressway system could be viewed from multiple perspectives. Congestion, travel time reliability, safety and emergency response are all regarded as crucial performance indicators. Therefore to improve each of them based on the existing ITS facilities relies on clear understanding of the strength of each individual system and creative methods to combine them into an integrated system. The main objectives of this proposed research is to explore the use of different ITS systems for expressway performance improvement. Evaluations of congestion and safety have been conducted in a previous project with CFX. Hence this proposal focuses on the congestion and safety improvement through simulation and travel time estimation. KW - Automated toll collection KW - Automatic vehicle identification KW - Central Florida KW - Expressways KW - Highway traffic control KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Microsimulation KW - Variable message signs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345903 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01553708 TI - Intercity and High Speed Rail Passenger Distribution AB - The Texas Central Railway company is in the process of developing a high speed rail line from Dallas to Houston, Texas. Plans are for 8 car trains that accommodate 200 people per vehicle scheduled every 30 minutes. In addition, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and officials in Austin, Houston and San Antonio are investigating intercity rail to provide frequent rail service linking those cities. After arriving, passengers will need disbursement throughout the cities from the rail terminal station. The menu of options includes passenger pick-up, taxi/limousine, rental car or public transportation. This research will investigate the distribution patterns of northeastern cities with a history of intercity ground transportation as well as distribution patterns from a Houston area airport to estimate anticipated mode split of passengers disembarking from intercity rail systems in Texas. KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Dallas (Texas) KW - Ground transportation KW - High speed rail KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Intercity travel KW - Modal split KW - Public transit KW - Railroad terminals KW - Rental cars KW - San Antonio (Texas) KW - Taxi services UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/research/new-research/600451-00050/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344125 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01551015 TI - Development of a Risk Assessment Tool for Rail Transport of Flammable Energy Resources AB - This research will develop a risk assessment model to evaluate the safety of rail transport flammable energy resources (petroleum crude oil, natural gases), accounting for infrastructure conditions, rolling stock characteristics, population densities along rail lines as well as tank car safety design features. The preliminary model implementation will be based on the information in New Jersey, which hosts a number of petrochemical facilities receiving a large volume of chemical materials annually. KW - Chemicals KW - Energy resources KW - Flammability KW - Hazardous materials KW - Railroad traffic KW - Risk assessment KW - Rolling stock UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/development-risk-assessment-tool-rail-transport-flammable-energy-resources UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341954 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01613815 AU - Head, Monique AU - Ashby-Bey, Ebony AU - Edmonds, Kyle AU - Efe, Steve AU - Grose, Siafa AU - Mason, Isaac AU - Morgan State University AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Stainless Steel Prestressing Strands and Bars for Use in Prestressed Concrete Girders and Slabs PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 53p AB - Corrosion decay on structures has continued to be a challenge in the scientific and engineering communities, where significant federal and state funds have been spent towards replacement or rehabilitation of bridges that were damaged by corrosion deterioration. In Maryland, a great portion of its yearly bridge funding allocation is spent on performing repairs and rehabilitations on its aging bridge inventory. In an effort to turn this trend around, the State Highway Administration (SHA) has tried to monitor problematic design practices and adjust present designs to avoid future maintenance issues. One area that has been particularly problematic for SHA is the deterioration of prestressed steel strands in prestressed concrete beams and girders. In fact, in recent years, SHA has had to perform emergency span replacements on two different bridges because the strands had deteriorated to such an extent that these spans posed serious safety concerns. One tactic SHA has used to remedy this issue has been to increase the concrete cover requirements beyond code requirements to help prevent the onset of deterioration. This will help, but comes at a price. The strands are less effective and more strands are often required. Therefore, this research consists of gathering and synthesizing information on how others have addressed this issue, especially as it relates to the deployment of other materials such as stainless steel prestressing strands that can be used in prestressed concrete girders and slabs given their inherent properties to provide durable corrosion protection and prevention of premature spalling or corrosion-induced cracking. To assess the use of stainless steel and other materials, a survey was conducted and disseminated to contractors, personnel at various departments of transportation, and construction industry personnel. This study presents a summary of various projects that have used corrosion- resistant rebar (CRR), a summary of what other states are doing to address this issue, and results from the survey to address how various states are addressing the issue of corrosion decay on structures. KW - Best practices KW - Bridge decks KW - Corrosion resistance KW - Girders KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Maryland KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Stainless steel KW - States KW - Surveys UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MSU-2013-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424170 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603654 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Department of Commerce TI - 2012 Economic Census. Transportation. 2012 Commodity Flow Survey. Hazardous Materials PY - 2015/02 SP - 119p AB - The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) is a joint effort by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce. The survey is the primary source of national and state-level data on domestic freight shipments by establishments in mining, manufacturing, wholesale, auxiliaries, and selected retail and services trade industries located in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data are provided on the type, origin and destination, value, weight, modes of transportation, distance shipped, and ton-miles of commodities shipped. The U.S. Department of Transportation defines hazardous materials as belonging to one of nine hazard classes: Class 1—Explosives, Class 2—Gases, Class 3—Flammable Liquids, Class 4—Flammable Solids, Class 5—Oxidizing Substances and Organic Peroxides, Class 6—Toxic Substances and Infectious Substances, Class 7—Radioactive Materials, Class 8—Corrosive Substances, Class 9—Miscellaneous Hazardous Materials. As part of the shipment characteristics collected in the 2012 CFS, respondents were asked to provide the four-digit United Nations (UN) or North American (NA) identification number. For the 2012 CFS data, the UN/NA codes were used to: (1) identify the shipment as hazardous material, and (2) assign the shipment to one of the nine hazardous material classes for purposes of producing summary tabulations. KW - Commodity flow KW - Distance KW - Freight transportation KW - Hazardous materials KW - Industries KW - Origin and destination KW - Shipments KW - Surveys KW - Ton miles KW - Transportation modes KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/ec12tcf-us-hm.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412911 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603649 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Department of Commerce TI - 2012 Economic Census. Transportation. 2012 Commodity Flow Survey PY - 2015/02 SP - 327p AB - The Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) is a joint effort by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce. The survey is the primary source of national and state-level data on domestic freight shipments by establishments in mining, manufacturing, wholesale, auxiliaries, and selected retail and services trade industries located in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data are provided on the type, origin and destination, value, weight, modes of transportation, distance shipped, and ton-miles of commodities shipped. The CFS is conducted every 5 years as part of the economic census. It provides a modal picture of national freight flows and represents the only publicly available source of commodity flow data for the highway mode. The CFS was conducted in 1993, 1997, 2002, 2007, and most recently in 2012. The CFS assesses the demand for transportation facilities and services, energy use, and safety risk and environmental concerns. CFS data are used by policy makers and transportation planners in various federal, state, and local agencies. Additionally, business owners, private researchers, and analysts use the CFS data for analyzing trends in the movement of goods, mapping spatial patterns of commodity and vehicle flows, forecasting demands for the movement of goods, and determining needs for associated infrastructure and equipment. KW - Commodity flow KW - Distance KW - Freight transportation KW - Industries KW - Origin and destination KW - Shipments KW - Surveys KW - Ton miles KW - Transportation modes KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/ec12tcf-us.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412909 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01603582 AU - Hanna, Awad AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - WisDOT Geotechnical Manual Development PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 17p AB - The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) currently has a Soils Manual and a Geotechnical Bulletin that provides some guidance to Regional staff and consulting engineering firms on departmental policy and procedures. However, these two publications are outdated and need to be completely rewritten. There have been countless changes in technology, analytical procedures, and exploration guidelines since the drafting of the existing documents and they currently have little, if any value in their present form. Geotechnical engineering is one of the most complex fields of civil engineering and it is critical that an up to date manual be available to provide direction and technical guidance to new staff. In addition, increasing amounts of geotechnical work is being performed by engineering consulting firms. A reliable, up to date Geotechnical Manual (GM) is needed to ensure consistency and uniformity in the geotechnical work being performed statewide by non-WisDOT engineers. Such a manual is not intended to be a text book or a substitution for sound geotechnical engineering training, but rather an accumulation of current WisDOT policies, practices and procedures. Its purpose and content is to be very similar to the other essential WisDOT manuals, (e.g. the Facilities Development Manual, Construction and Materials Manual and Bridge Manual), and the GM needs to be coordinated and crossed-referenced with them. KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Guidelines KW - Manuals KW - Research reports KW - Wisconsin Department of Transportation UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_0322_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410173 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01592028 AU - Lipinski, Martin AU - Anderson, Mike AU - Stewart, Richard AU - Miller, Chad AU - Sulbaran, Tulio AU - Richard, Brian AU - Golias, Mihalis AU - Deligiannis, Nikolaos AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhancing Rail Connectivity to Underserved Rural Communities PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 126p AB - This research will identify the actions, practices, and policies needed to attract, continue or expand adequate short-line and or Class I and regional rail service to rural communities. Factors to be considered will include identification of the infrastructure needs for retaining or expanding viable rail operations, potential markets and market development approaches to support rail connectivity, beneficial operational characteristics, institutional, policy, program, and incentives that have been successfully used to attract and retain rail service. A number of factors (safety, shipping costs, roadway maintenance, pollution and congestion, business sustainability) will also be identified that offer benefits to the local communities and support livability, safety, sustainability and economic development opportunities from efficient operations of short-line railroads. KW - Connectivity KW - Economic development KW - Infrastructure KW - Market assessment KW - Needs assessment KW - Regional railroads KW - Rural areas KW - Short line railroads KW - Surveys UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_RI-7.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1398457 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01580957 AU - Bellman, Miles AU - Gandhi, Pratik AU - Shah, Vaibhav AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of the Navy AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - AN/UPX-41(C) Test Data Analysis of Impacts to Secondary Surveillance Radars PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 883p AB - In 2012, the Navy requested spectrum certification for the shipboard AN/UPX-41(C) Digital Interrogator System, Software Version 5.5 with Mode 5. Current operating conditions for the Navy’s AN/UPX-41(C) are the same as restrictions imposed on the AN/UPX-37 digital Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator. A proposed AN/UPX-41(C) Stage 4 certification was developed to allow the Navy to operate under less restrictive parameters but required that the Navy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) validate those proposed restrictions. This report provides the results of the validation effort on the impact to secondary surveillance radars (SSRs). The live testing, which occurred August 18-21, 2014 was conducted in its entirety using four AN/UPX-41(C) digital IFF interrogators at land-based test sites (LBTS). KW - Aircraft KW - Certification KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Data analysis KW - Electromagnetic spectrum KW - Radar KW - Ships KW - Surveillance KW - Validation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56185/DOT-VNTSC-NAVSEA-15-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373194 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01575527 AU - Robicheaux, Bridget AU - Wolshon, Brian AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Calibration of the Louisiana Highway Safety Manual PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 59p AB - The application of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Highway Safety Manual (HSM) to Louisiana roads is a key component to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s (DOTD's) plan to improve safety on state highways and reach the goal of "Destination Zero Deaths." The goal of this project was to develop Louisiana state-specific HSM calibration factors for eight facility types. During the completion of the project, the data-intensive computational process undertaken to compute the calibration factors revealed numerous issues associated with the input data required by the HSM. These included, most notably, coding errors and missing required data elements in the Louisiana roadway and crash databases. Some of the resulting factors were unexpected, in particular, those for urban three lane and urban five lane highways which were lower than anticipated. These factors may warrant further analysis beyond which was required for this project, including detailed assessments of each crash report to ensure data accuracy. The remaining calibration factors for rural two lane, rural multilane undivided and divided, urban/suburban two lane, and urban/suburban four lane divided and undivided highways, ranged from a low of 0.62 for rural multilane undivided highways to a high of 2.54 for urban/suburban four lane divided highways. It is expected that with an understanding of the conditions under which these factors were developed, that they will be acceptable for use by analysts seeking to conduct highway safety analyses for roads in Louisiana. KW - Calibration KW - Crash data KW - Crash modification factors KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Louisiana KW - Safety performance functions UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00102-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367014 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01575524 AU - Zhang, Ming AU - Zhang, Wenjia AU - Pang, Hao AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Identifying the Local and Regional Travel Effects of Activity Centers in the Austin, Texas Area PY - 2015/02 SP - 83p AB - Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) have become increasingly interested in incorporating innovated land use planning and design into transportation plan-making. Many design ideas are recommended under the umbrella of the New Urbanism; yet in practice they hardly get fully implemented in the standard transportation planning procedures. The project includes two parts. Part one refines the analysis of trip generation as it relates to mixed use development (MXD), with a focus on trip-chaining behavior, an approach taken by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO). Part two looks into the potential of and challenges facing land use intervention as an emission reduction tool. Through the Austin case study, it investigates the regional and local distributional effects of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and Green House Gas (GHG) emission changes pertaining to recommended land use and design innovations. KW - Activity centers KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (Texas) KW - Case studies KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Land use planning KW - Mixed use development KW - Transportation planning KW - Trip chaining KW - Trip generation KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00088-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1367015 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574085 AU - Nodine, Emily AU - Stevens, Scott AU - Najm, Wassim G AU - Jackson, Chris AU - Lam, Andy AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Independent Evaluation of the Transit Retrofit Package Safety Applications PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 157p AB - This report presents the methodology and results of the independent evaluation of retrofit safety packages installed on transit vehicles in the Safety Pilot Model Deployment—part of the United States Department of Transportation’s Intelligent Transportation Systems research program. The Model Deployment included approximately 2,800 vehicles, equipped with designated short-range-communication-based vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure technology in a real-world driving environment. The goals of the independent evaluation were to assess system performance, safety impact, and driver acceptance of the vehicle-to-vehicle safety applications based on the naturalistic driving of 75 drivers who drove the equipped transit buses during the Model Deployment. The results of the analysis suggest that the TRP safety applications have the potential to improve driver behavior and increase driver safety, but improvements in accuracy are needed. Results from the Model Deployment will help shape future research direction. KW - Attitudes KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Drivers KW - Evaluation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Methodology KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pilot studies KW - Retrofitting KW - Transit buses KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54800/54839/FHWA-JPO-14-175_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363632 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574025 AU - Bucci, Gregory AU - Rainville, Lydia AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Benefits and Costs of Programmatic Agreements PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 33p AB - The performing organization, on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty, conducted a benefit-cost assessment of programmatic agreements and approaches. The assessment consisted of a case study approach that evaluated three agreement types within seven States. The results of the analysis indicate that programmatic agreements and approaches are advantageous methods for streamlining process and generating time and cost savings for stakeholders. The case studies focused on: (1) the Endangered Species Act of 1973; (2) the Clean Water Act/National Environmental Policy Act Merger Process; and (3) the National Historic Preservation Act Section 106. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Case studies KW - Clean Water Act Section 404 KW - Endangered Species Act KW - Environmental protection KW - Interagency relations KW - National Environmental Policy Act KW - National Historic Preservation Act KW - Program management KW - Programming (Planning) KW - Stakeholders KW - States UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55000/55024/DOT-VNTSC-FHWA-15-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363631 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570601 AU - Dubarry, Matthew AU - Devie, Arnaud AU - University of Hawaii, Manoa AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Initial Conditioning Characterization Test and Other Preliminary Testing PY - 2015/02 SP - 29p AB - This report summarizes results of the first stage of the testing plan implemented by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) to evaluate Electric Vehicle (EV) battery durability and reliability under electric utility grid operations. Commercial EV battery cells are tested in order to assess the impact of vehicle to grid and grid to vehicle applications on cell degradation. In this report the focus is on the description of the initial conditioning and characterization test (ICCT), showcasing the intrinsic cell-to-cell variations. This report also introduces a slight modification to the previously reported test plan and provides a status update on the ongoing testing. KW - Durability KW - Electric batteries KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Grids (Transmission lines) KW - Vehicle to grid UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/HNEI-06-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1361889 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570311 AU - Burden, Lindsay Ivey AU - Todd, Alex AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Virginia Center for Transportation Innovation and Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Method of Mapping Sinkhole Susceptibility Using a Geographic Information System: A Case Study for Interstates in the Karst Counties of Virginia PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 35p AB - This study proposes the use of a geographic information system (GIS) to create a susceptibility map, pinpointing regions in the karst counties of Virginia, in particular, along interstates, most susceptible to future sinkhole development, determined by five factors that have previously been shown to play a role in the acceleration of sinkhole formation in Virginia: bedrock type, proximity to fault lines, drainage class, slope of incised river banks, and minimum soil depth to bedrock. The analysis compares a 1:24,000 scale map of existing sinkholes developed by Virginia Department of Mines Minerals and Energy (DMME) geologist, David Hubbard, with a series of risk maps representing differing combinations of each of the five risk factors to determine which weighted combination is most appropriate to use for a final representative risk map. The layers representing each risk factor are created using publicly available tabular and spatial data taken from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Map, the USGS Mineral Resources Online Data, and the National Weather Service. The final combination choice will provide an idea of the corresponding factor’s influence on predicting sinkhole risk regions. This investigation identified the following results for karst terrain in Virginia: (1) bedrock type has the most significant impact on predicting sinkhole risk, (2) proximity to faults plays a minimal, yet present, role in determining sinkhole risk, (3) drainage class is the second most influential factor in sinkhole formation behind bedrock type, (4) slope of incised river bank plays no role in the formation of sinkholes in Virginia, and (5) depth of overlying soil to bedrock has an existent yet insignificant effect on sinkhole development. The results display how this new inexpensive and efficient method of predicting sinkhole susceptibility can highlight the influence of natural features that trigger sinkhole and provide a map that can be used by local transportation departments as a general guideline to visualize regions along heavily trafficked interstates most and least at risk for sinkhole collapse. A benefit to this methodology is that the new technique can be adjusted to accommodate for sinkhole susceptibility in regions across the world, by simply adjusting the input risk layers to consider sinkhole risk potential based on the specific geology of a particular region. KW - Case studies KW - Geographic information systems KW - Geological surveying KW - Interstate highways KW - Karst KW - Mapping KW - Methodology KW - Risk analysis KW - Sinkholes KW - Virginia UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UVA%202013-04.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55267/UVA_2013-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360049 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570299 AU - Head, Monique AU - Efe, Steve AU - Grose, Siafa AU - Drumgoole, Jerrell AU - Lajubutu, Oladapo AU - Wright, Ryan AU - Hansboro, Tyrone AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Durability Assessment of Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 48p AB - This study aims to address some of the concerns related to implementation of prefabricated bridge elements and systems (PBES) and accelerated bridge construction (ABC) in Maryland, where some barriers included assessment of the quality and durability (long-term performance). While many states are considering the use of PBES/ABC projects to shorten onsite construction time, work zone and safety factors, and user costs, the quality and durability of PBES units produced for long-term benefit is of concern to the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA). Incomplete and noncompliant inspection processes and nonexistent waste management procedures not only affect the quality and durability of PBES units produced but can also drive costs and waste time. As such, this project focuses on the evaluation of quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) processes during pre-production, fabrication, evaluation and transportation and storage of the PBES units. To aid in the evaluation process, work flow diagrams and decision framework were developed based on inspection checklists and incorporated into a database to guide precast plants during pre-production, fabrication, evaluation and transportation and storage phases of the PBES. The database, created in Microsoft Excel, can be used as a tool to automate the documentation process needed to ensure quality and durable products. Specific data entries such as camber measurements and crack widths/lengths are included to aid in quality processing of critical data on products, and provide a consistent means for data collection and tracking of SHA projects to help yield high quality PBES products. A link to the user-friendly, interactive database is provided within this report. KW - Bridge construction KW - Durability KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Industrial plants KW - Inspection KW - Maryland KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MSU%202013-01.pdf UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MSU-2013-01.pdf UR - http://www.roads.maryland.gov/OPR_Research/MD-13_SP309B4E_Durability-Assessment-of-Prefabricated-Bridge-Elements-and-Systems_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55253/MSU_2013-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360044 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570270 AU - Yan, Guirong (Grace) AU - Zhou, Linren AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Highly Efficient Model Updating for Structural Condition Assessment of Large-Scale Bridges PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 33p AB - For efficiently updating models of large-scale structures, the response surface (RS) method based on radial basis functions (RBFs) is proposed to model the input-output relationship of structures. The key issues for applying the proposed method are discussed, such as selecting the optimal shape parameters of RBFs, generating samples by using design of experiments (DOE) and evaluating the RS model. The RS methods based on RBFs of Gaussian (GA), inverse quadratic (IQ), multiquadric (MQ) and inverse multiquadric (IMQ) are investigated. Results have demonstrated that RS methods based on RBFs can achieve a high approximation accuracy and better performance than the RS method based on polynomial function. The proposal method has been validated numerically and experimentally on a cable-stayed bridge model. KW - Algorithms KW - Bridges KW - Cable stayed bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Quadratic equations KW - Structural analysis UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-016-final_0.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55236/CAIT-UTC-016-final_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359778 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570252 AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia P AU - University of Alabama, Birmingham AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Alabama Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - K-12 Workforce Development Activities PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 21p AB - The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in collaboration with the UAB Institute of Transportation Engineers (UAB ITE) student chapter and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) organized several workforce development events in 2014 aiming at introducing transportation engineering to K-12 students in the state of Alabama. This report summarizes two UAB K-12 workforce development initiatives sponsored by the Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) and the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) that exposed elementary school students to transportation engineering and encouraged middle school girls to consider science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related careers. These initiatives are (1) the UAB Kids in Engineering Day, a Family Engineering event targeting 4th through 6th graders, and (2) the UAB Girls in Science and Engineering Day, an all-female event promoting STEM careers with hands on workshops for introducing middle school girls to engineering. Both initiatives provided a variety of experiential learning opportunities that engaged students in planning, design, and problem solving, promoted student creativity and teamwork, and provided a fun and positive experience. The events were very successful and the feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive.The activities undertaken in this project can serve as a model that other Universities can replicate to empower young students in becoming engineers and pursuing transportation engineering as a career choice. KW - Alabama KW - Females KW - Students KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_K-12_-_Final_Report_Year_2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360193 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01568773 AU - Al-Rahmani, Ahmed H AU - Rasheed, Hayder A AU - Kansas State University Transportation Center AU - Kansas Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Confinement of Square and Slightly Rectangular Concrete Columns Originally Confined with Steel Ties PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 127p AB - Recently, the need to increase the strength of reinforced concrete structures has become the dilemma that all civil engineers are eager to overcome. Of the many proposed solutions, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) material has attracted attention due to its superb properties, such as high strength-to-weight ratio, high energy absorption, and excellent corrosion resistance. FRP wrapping of concrete columns is done to enhance the ultimate strength of the structure due to the confinement effect, which is normally induced by steel ties. The existence of the two confinement systems changes the nature of the problem, thus necessitating specialized nonlinear analysis to obtain the column’s ultimate capacity. In this research, a model to estimate the combined behavior of the two systems in rectangular columns is proposed. The calculation of the effective lateral pressure is based on the Lam and Teng (2003) model and the Mander, Priestley, and Park (1988) model for FRP wraps and steel ties, respectively. The proposed model introduces load eccentricity as a parameter that affects the compression zone, and in turn the level of confinement engagement. Full confinement corresponds to zero eccentricity, while unconfined behavior corresponds to infinite eccentricity. The model then generates curves for eccentricities within these boundaries. Generalization of the moment of area approach is utilized based on proportional loading, finite layer procedure, and the secant stiffness approach in order to generate interaction diagrams for the analyzed column accounting for the combined confinement effect. KW - Columns KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Jacketing (Strengthening) KW - Mathematical models KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) UR - http://idmweb.ksdot.org/PublicLib/publicDoc.asp?ID=003837365 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359133 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560986 AU - Schwarzer, Volker AU - Ghorbani, Reza AU - University of Hawaii, Manoa AU - University of Hawaii, Manoa AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transient Over-Voltage Mitigation and its Prevention in Secondary Distribution Networks with High PV-to-Load Ratio PY - 2015/02 SP - 11p AB - Recent report of utility providers have shown that under certain conditions the integration of renewable energy sources might cause damaging transient over-voltages (TOVs) in the power grid. TOVs are short, rapid rises in voltage along the electric lines of the grid that can occur when the generated power of a distribution circuit exceeds its load while the circuit is isolated. The described scenario can cause permanent damage to utility equipment or personal electric household devices. This report introduces various methodologies that can mitigate TOVs in distribution networks, or reduce the probability of their occurrence. KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Overvoltage KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Transmission lines KW - Voltage regulation UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/HNEI-02-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348922 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560968 AU - Dubarry, Matthieu AU - University of Hawaii, Manoa AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Test Plan to Assess Electric Vehicle Cell Degradation under Electric Utility Grid Operations PY - 2015/02 SP - 14p AB - This report details the testing plan that will be used by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) to evaluate Electric Vehicle (EV) battery durability and reliability under electric utility grid operations. Commercial EV battery cells will be tested in order to assess the impact of vehicle to grid and grid to vehicle applications on cell degradation. The plan also includes testing other usages associated with EVs under grid operations such as the impact of charging level and charging habits. The choice of duty cycles, real driving cycles as well as constant power for the vehicle to grid charges and discharges will be detailed and justified. This report also introduces the application of design of experiments techniques for both the cycling and the calendar aging study. They will allow the authors to derive the maximum amount of information and ensure experiment consistency. KW - Durability KW - Electric batteries KW - Electric utility facilities KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Test procedures UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/HNEI-03-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348923 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560961 AU - Dong, Jing AU - Makaiwi, Micah AU - Shafieirad, Navid AU - Huang, Yundi AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Iowa State University, Ames TI - Modeling Multimodal Freight Transportation Network Performance under Disruptions PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 48p AB - To facilitate a region’s freight transportation systems planning and operations and minimize the risk associated with increasing multimodal freight movements, this study presents a modeling framework for evaluating and optimizing freight flows on a multimodal transportation network under disruption. Unexpected events such as earthquakes, floods, and other manmade or natural disasters would cause significant economic losses. When parts of the transportation network are closed or operated at a reduced capacity, the delay of commodity movements would further increase such losses. Shifting to an alternative route or mode might help to mitigate the negative impacts. In this study, a multimodal freight transportation network was developed to simulate commodity movements, evaluate the impacts of disruptions, and develop effective emergency operation plans. A fluid-based dynamic queuing approximation was used to estimate the delays at classification yards and locks caused by disruption. Using the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Freight Analysis Framework version 3 (FAF3) database, a case study was constructed to model the transportation of cereal grains from Iowa to other states. Three hypothetical disruption scenarios were tested: a reduced service level at locks along the Mississippi River, a bridge outage on I-80 at the Missouri River, and severe weather in central Iowa closing the Union Pacific tracks in the area. The impacts of these disruptions were quantified and analyzed using the presented freight network model. KW - Case studies KW - Commodity flow KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight transportation KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Optimization KW - Simulation KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic incidents KW - Traffic queuing UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/multimodal_freight_disruption_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349609 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560352 AU - Jeong, H David AU - Gransberg, Douglas D AU - Shrestha, K Joseph AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Framework for Advanced Daily Work Report System PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 152p AB - A significant amount of time and effort is invested to collect and document various field activity data of a highway project in Daily Work Report (DWR). Although there are many potential benefits of DWR data, the current use of the data is very limited. The objective of this study is to develop an ideal framework for an advanced DWR system to improve the DWR data collection and utilization practices. A literature review and two surveys were conducted to investigate the current practices of collecting DWR data, utilization of the data, and challenges associated with advanced collection and utilization of DWR data. The study found that there is a huge gap between the current and potential level of benefits of DWR data. The challenges for better collection and utilization of DWR data were identified and classified. An ideal framework for an advanced DWR system was developed to overcome those challenges. The ideal framework consists of seven major components: a) data attributes and its relations, b) integration with existing systems, c) visualization of data, d) advanced data collection systems, e) automation of DWR data analysis and reporting, f) human factors, and g) other technical aspects. The framework can be used by state DOTs to improve an existing DWR system or to develop a new system. The implementation of the framework is expected to improve the level of DWR data collection and utilization practices in state DOTs. KW - Construction management KW - Construction projects KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Databases KW - Recordkeeping KW - Reports KW - State departments of transportation KW - Technology assessment UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/framework_for_advanced_daily_work_report_system_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348905 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557583 AU - Schwarzer, Volker AU - Ghorbani, Reza AU - University of Hawaii, Manoa AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - University of Central Florida, Cocoa AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Current State-of-the-Art of EV Chargers PY - 2015/02 SP - 19p AB - Recent reports of utility providers have shown that under certain circumstances the integration of renewable energy sources might cause damaging Transient Over-Voltages (TOV) in the power grid. With the rising availability of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in residential neighborhoods, the potential of EV batteries for TOV reduction is being examined. This report analyses the current state-of-the-art EV charger technology with respect to utilized charging technologies and their capabilities to mitigate overvoltages. Furthermore, power ratings of charging systems, including maximum power influx control and communication strategies, are analyzed. Corresponding time constraints, as well as system response times are also determined. KW - Electric batteries KW - Electric utility facilities KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - State of the art KW - Voltage UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/publications/documents/Project%2012_Hawaii_ev-charger-report_%203%202%2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346848 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557577 AU - Kettles, Doug AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - University of Central Florida, Cocoa AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Electric Vehicle Charging Technology Analysis and Standards PY - 2015/02 SP - 41p AB - This report assesses the technologies and standards associated with Electric Vehicles (EVs), Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) and the related infrastructure. A review of infrastructure, highway and vehicle safety standards are included in the paper. The report also evaluates the barriers and challenges of deploying an expanded network of EV charging stations and makes recommendations to help standardize and expedite EVSE infrastructure deployment to support the accelerating growth of EVs. The study focuses on EVSE and the infrastructure for Battery-Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs); collectively known as Plug-In Electric Vehicles (PEVs). The results are restricted to the standards, regulations and deployment of EVSE in the United States. KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Highway safety KW - Infrastructure KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Recommendations KW - Regulations KW - Standards KW - Technology assessment KW - United States KW - Vehicle safety UR - http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-1996-15.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346847 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557477 AU - Hans, Zachary AU - Albrecht, Chris AU - Johnson, Patrick AU - Nlenanya, Inya AU - Center for Transportation Research and Education AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Railroad Highway Grade Crossing Consolidation Rating Formula PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 80p AB - The goal of this project was to provide an objective methodology to support public agencies and railroads in making decisions related to consolidation of at-grade rail-highway crossings. The project team developed a weighted-index method and accompanying Microsoft Excel spreadsheet based tool to help evaluate and prioritize all public highway-rail grade crossings systematically from a possible consolidation impact perspective. Factors identified by stakeholders as critical were traffic volume, heavy-truck traffic volume, proximity to emergency medical services, proximity to schools, road system, and out-of-distance travel. Given the inherent differences between urban and rural locations, factors were considered, and weighted, differently, based on crossing location. Application of a weighted-index method allowed for all factors of interest to be included and for these factors to be ranked independently, as well as weighted according to stakeholder priorities, to create a single index. If priorities change, this approach also allows for factors and weights to be adjusted. The prioritization generated by this approach may be used to convey the need and opportunity for crossing consolidation to decision makers and stakeholders. It may also be used to quickly investigate the feasibility of a possible consolidation. Independently computed crossing risk and relative impact of consolidation may be integrated and compared to develop the most appropriate treatment strategies or alternatives for a highway-rail grade crossing. A crossing with limited- or low-consolidation impact but a high safety risk may be a prime candidate for consolidation. Similarly, a crossing with potentially high-consolidation impact as well as high risk may be an excellent candidate for crossing improvements or grade separation. The results of the highway-rail grade crossing prioritization represent a consistent and quantitative, yet preliminary, assessment. The results may serve as the foundation for more rigorous or detailed analysis and feasibility studies. Other pertinent site-specific factors, such as safety, maintenance costs, economic impacts, and location-specific access and characteristics should be considered KW - Formulas KW - Methodology KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/RR_%20hwy_grade_xing_closure_rating_formula_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345873 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557305 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multimodal Transportation Indicators PY - 2015/02 SP - 35p AB - This document presents economic indicators for multimodal transportation. Data includes: fatalities, the transportation services index, personal spending on transportation, employment, fuel prices, air fares, freight rail yields, passengers, ridership, freight usage, on-time performance, and capital expenditures. KW - Capital expenditures KW - Economic indicators KW - Employment KW - Fares KW - Fatalities KW - Multimodal transportation KW - On time performance KW - Passengers KW - Ridership KW - Transportation Service Index KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/entire_2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346215 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01556735 AU - Fan, Chunlei AU - Clark, Kelton L AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - National Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation Of Waste Concrete Road Materials For Use In Oyster Aquaculture – Field Test PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 39p AB - The overall objective of this study was to determine the suitability of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) from road projects as bottom conditioning material for on-bottom oyster aquaculture in the Chesapeake Bay. During this Phase of the study, the research team placed RCA on test plots in the Chesapeake Bay to evaluate the impact on the benthic community. Miniature oyster reefs were also built to determine potential impacts or disruptions of RCA on the use of traditional harvesting gear. The results of this project showed that (1) There was no significant difference between substrate type (RCA, oyster shell) on benthic community structure, oyster recruitment, and the abundance and size distribution of key faunal species, demonstrating that RCA, as an alternative material, was generally similar to natural oyster shell with regard to ecosystem services provided, and (2) RCA makes a suitable substrate for supporting oysters for aquaculture operations but would require a veneer of old shell to be placed on top so as not to introduce additional weight to the catch when using shaft tongs. KW - Aquatic life KW - Chesapeake Bay KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Recycled materials KW - Substrates (Waterways) UR - http://www.roads.maryland.gov/OPR_Research/MD-15-SHA-MSU-3-12_Waste-Concrete-for-Oyster-Aquaculture-Phase-II_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54757/MD-15-SHA-MSU-3-12Final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345499 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555763 AU - Turkan, Yelda AU - Laflamme, Simon AU - Al-Shalabi, Firas AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Digital Documentation of Element Condition for Bridge Evaluation PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 156p AB - Bridge condition inspection data provide critical and rich information for assessing structural condition. Currently, the majority of bridge inspection methods use printed checklists, and their interpretation is labor intensive, subject to personal judgment, and prone to error. To realize the full benefits of bridge inspections, there is a need to automate the data management process. This research project implemented Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM) technology for bridge inspections and compared it to the conventional approach of paper checklists. This environment combines a 3D representation of the infrastructure, and allows the integration of inspection data, such as the presence of damages, types of damages, severity, localization and previous maintenance decisions. In this report, BrIM acronym is used to refer to the database that integrates a 3D bridge model and bridge element condition data. In order to validate this approach, 2D drawings and previous inspection and maintenance data of two bridges located in Ames, Iowa were obtained and modeled using Revit software. Both models were then synced using cloud based solutions so that they could be accessed from tablet computers on-site. Then, the BrIM based inspection methodology was tested with Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) engineers and bridge inspectors, who confirmed that BrIM would be beneficial to automatically query, sort, evaluate and send information to decision makers. Furthermore, a web-based survey with several DOT engineers and bridge inspectors was conducted regarding possible expected benefits of using 3D BrIM based solutions for inspections. It is concluded that this methodology has the potential to substantially improve bridge assessment and maintenance operations, which would result in time and cost savings associated with bridge inspection and assessment, as well as improved structural resiliency as a result of more effective and comprehensive bridge management means. KW - Ames (Iowa) KW - Bridge management systems KW - Bridges KW - Cloud computing KW - Condition surveys KW - Data collection KW - Databases KW - Inspection KW - Structural analysis KW - Surveys UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/digital_doc_of_bridge_element_condition_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344390 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555307 AU - Brown, Jeffrey AU - Nixon, Hilary AU - Ramos, Enrique AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Purpose, Function, and Performance of Streetcar Transit in the Modern U.S. City: A Multiple-Case-Study Investigation PY - 2015/02//Final Report SP - 421p AB - Despite the proliferation of streetcar projects in the United States in recent years, there is little research on the streetcar’s role as a transportation service. This study examines the experiences of the modern-era streetcars operated in Little Rock, Memphis, Portland, Seattle, and Tampa. The authors discovered that in these cities, the primary purpose of the streetcar was to serve as a development tool (all cities), a second objective was to serve as a tourism-promoting amenity (Little Rock, Tampa), and transportation objectives were largely afterthoughts with the notable exception of Portland, and to a lesser degree, Seattle. Based on this study, the authors suggest that planners and policymakers in other cities think carefully about the fundamental purpose of any proposed streetcar in their communities and to proceed in all their decision making with that fundamental purpose clearly in mind. The authors also urge planners and policymakers in other cities to regard the example of Portland with much more caution: Portland’s experience is the result of a unique combination of external factors and local decisions that may or may not be applicable elsewhere. Appendices contain detailed case studies of each of the five cities examined in the report. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Case studies KW - City planning KW - Economic development KW - Land use KW - Little Rock (Arkansas) KW - Memphis (Tennessee) KW - Portland (Oregon) KW - Rail transit KW - Ridership KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Streetcars KW - Tampa (Florida) KW - Tourism UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1201-streetcar-transit-in-modern-US-cities.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm50v9t5k/1/producer%2F903650288.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343899 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599254 AU - Andrawes, Bassem O AU - Edwards, J Riley AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of a 3D FEM Model for Concrete Tie and Fastening Systems PY - 2015/01/31/Final Report SP - 26p AB - This project conducted detailed finite element (FE) modeling of the concrete crosstie and fastening system to better understand the mechanisms through which loads transfer within various track components in the lateral direction. This was completed by quantifying the following important design and performance parameters: (1) What are the loading demands that originate at the wheel-rail interface? (2) How is the load transferred to the individual track superstructure components? (3) What is the lateral load path within the track system? In the initial stage of this project, critical input and output parameters that serve as guidelines for FE analysis were determined based on existing literature and experience from within the railroad industry. Laboratory and field instrumentation techniques were designed to extract measurements of the critical outputs in the laboratory and field environment, and the FE model was employed to predict responses of the track system. After the collection of test data, the FE modeling predictions were compared with the experimental data to verify the assumptions and simplifications included in the model. To improve the credibility of the FE models, the model validation was conducted in a hierarchical fashion based on experiments at different levels. After the validation of models, parametric studies based on the critical inputs and outputs were conducted. In this process the correlation between inputs and outputs were evaluated, and possible alternatives to the current design of concrete crossties and fastening systems were compared. The results of the parametric analyses serve as the basis for the proposed mechanistic design approach. KW - Fastenings KW - Finite element method KW - Load transfer KW - Mathematical models KW - Parametric analysis KW - Railroad ties KW - Rolling contact KW - Track components UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIUC/NURail2012-UIUC-R04_NURail_Final_Report1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59296/NURail2012-UIUC-R04_NURail_Final_Report1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405075 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560085 AU - Lyons, William AU - Andrew, James AU - Nash, Logan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance-Based Planning for Small Metropolitan Areas PY - 2015/01/31/Final Report SP - 52p AB - This report provides insights on effective practices in performance based planning by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) that plan for Urbanized Areas with populations less than 200,000. It references existing best practices research on performance based planning for MPOs in general, and presents key themes from interviews with small MPOs and Department of Transportation (DOT) partners across the country that are engaged with metropolitan performance based planning in varying ways. Finally, the report includes two case studies of small MPOs that are currently leaders in implementing performance based planning. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Charlottesville (Virginia) KW - Chittenden County (Vermont) KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Performance based planning KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54500/54586/fhwahep15015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344666 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01558266 AU - Chimka, Justin R AU - Maritime Transportation Research and Education Center (MarTREC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multimodal Transport and TransLoad Facilities in Arkansas PY - 2015/01/30/Final Research Report SP - 14p AB - National Priorities consist of “building a clean and efficient 21st century transportation sector,” and Multimodal Transportation is one of five Transportation System Efficiency strategies at the US Department of Energy. However, additional Multimodal Transport may require added TransLoad Facilities where freight is moved from truck to railcar or vice versa. Greater than 550 short line and regional railroads operating in 49 states account for almost 30% of the US rail network. These small businesses compete and cooperate with trucking interests to cost-efficiently connect local economies with the larger Class I railroad system. With three Class I railroads and 24 short lines in Arkansas it may be poised to ease State highway congestion, safeguard the environment, and support local economies by adding TransLoad Facilities. KW - Arkansas KW - Intermodal facilities KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/reports/multimodal-transport-and-transload-facilities-in-arkansas.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347060 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560886 AU - Mishalani, Rabi G AU - Goel, Prem AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Public Transportation Market Share and other Transportation and Environmental Policy Variables on Sustainable Transportation PY - 2015/01/21/Final Report SP - 16p AB - Policies that encourage reduced travel, such as traveling shorter distances, and increased use of more efficient transportation modes, such as public transportation and high-occupancy private automobiles, are often considered one of several possible tools aimed at improving the sustainability of transportation. This study develops a statistical model that provides an important step towards quantifying the possible benefits that could be derived from such policies in terms of potential reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The contributions of this study are fourfold. First, an aggregate model of urban passenger travel related CO₂ emissions in US urbanized areas that includes a rich set of explanatory variables is developed. Second, in doing so, the roles of policies aimed at improving the environment or could enhance the attitudes of travelers towards making environmentally favorable choices is captured through the use of a proxy variable. Third, the possible presence of selectivity bias resulting from the hypothesized effects of such environment enhancing policies is accounted for in the model estimation. Fourth, as a result, an improved quantification of the explanatory effects of transportation demand and supply, population density, and policy variables is arrived at. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Environmental policy KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Market share KW - Mode choice KW - Passenger transportation KW - Pollutants KW - Statistical analysis KW - Sustainable transportation KW - United States KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/091OY04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348927 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570332 AU - Jeihani, Mansoureh AU - Ardeshiri, Anam AU - Du, Jianhe AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Morgan State University AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Drivers’ Willingness to Pay Progressive Rate for Street Parking PY - 2015/01/20/Final Report SP - 60p AB - This study finds willingness to pay and price elasticity for on-street parking demand using stated preference data obtained from 238 respondents. Descriptive, statistical and economic analyses including regression, generalized linear model, and factor analysis are performed on the data. The average willingness to pay for on-street parking among participants is found to be $2.65. The majority of respondents preferred to pay for street parking upon departure versus upon arrival, with a fixed-rate parking fee. KW - Attitudes KW - Economic analysis KW - On street parking KW - Parking demand KW - Parking fees KW - Stated preferences KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MAUTC-2013-04.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55252/MAUTC-2013-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360043 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560934 AU - Mishalani, Rabi G AU - Akar, Gulsah AU - McCord, Mark AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigating the Potential of Employer-Based "Real Time" Ridesharing PY - 2015/01/20/Final Report SP - 12p AB - The reemergence of ridesharing as a desirable means of travel is partly attributed to the role mobile phone and social networking technologies could play in enabling the “real-time” (or “dynamic”) matching of passengers and drivers producing shared rides. In the past few years, several workshops and conference sessions have been dedicated to real-time ridesharing with a focus on the technological, behavioral, economic, social, and institutional aspects of this form of travel. The objective of this proposed study is to investigate the viability and potential for real-time ridesharing to and from the Ohio State University (OSU) campus under a variety of incentive and travel behavior scenarios. To understand the potential for a ridesharing program, the proximities of individuals with OSU affiliation to others in their neighborhood with OSU affiliation were analyzed. To gauge the levels of the various variables that would realistically render ridesharing feasible and desirable among the OSU community, a web-based travel survey focused on ridesharing was designed and administered. KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Ohio State University KW - Real time information KW - Ridesharing KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel surveys UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Final_Report_0900Y04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348926 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557014 AU - Grossardt, Theodore AU - Ripy, John AU - Blandford, Benjamin AU - Shouse, Michael AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Freight Network Model: A GIS-Based Platform for Transportation Analyses PY - 2015/01/20 SP - 32p AB - The models currently used to examine the behavior transportation systems are usually mode-specific. That is, they focus on a single mode (i.e. railways, highways, or waterways). The lack of integration limits the usefulness of models to analyze the intermodal movement of freight. This project developed a geographic information system (GIS)-based model of the three primary surface modes as well as intermodal connections. The resulting Integrated Freight Network Model (IFNM) accommodates highly detailed information about shipping costs, transfer costs, traffic volumes (including non-freight auto traffic), and network interconnectivity properties. As a proof of concept, the research team conducted an exploratory analysis that asked what the potential impact would be to Kentucky highways if approximately half of the freight currently transported by barges on the Ohio River were shifted onto trucks. Coal-haul roads in the northeastern and western part of Kentucky would be particularly hard hit by a broad scale modal shift. The IFNM highlighted that roads emanating from the Western Coalfields would experience explosive growth in freight transport, with the proportion of trucks relative to overall traffic significantly increasing. Applying the IFNM to a range of freight-related transportation questions could greatly enhance system efficiencies and positively impact local economies and environments. KW - Costs KW - Freight traffic KW - Geographic information systems KW - Ground transportation KW - Intermodal terminals KW - Kentucky KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic volume UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2015/02/KTC_15_01_MTIC5_14_1F_.pdf UR - http://www.mticutc.org/assets/pdf/151230_Integrated_Freight_Network_Model_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344681 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01560070 TI - Safety Data Management and Analysis: Addressing the Continuing Education Needs for the Pacific Northwest AB - Safety data collection, management, integration, improvement, and analysis activities are integral to developing a robust data program that leads to more informed decision making, better targeted safety investments, and overall improved safety outcomes. Safety data includes crash, roadway, traffic, licensing, and vehicle data. With the increased complexity of the safety data management and analysis activities, and with the limited resources most transportation agencies have, there is a critical need to provide the transportation workforce in the Pacific Northwest with the resources needed to effectively manage and analyze safety data. The objectives of this multi-institution project are to: 1) develop a comprehensive understanding of needs and priorities with regard to safety data management and analysis, 2) develop a set of core skills and knowledge required for safety data management and analysis, 3) provide a comprehensive set of safety data workforce development resources that can easily be accessed for use and distribution, and 4) identify and utilize proven delivery pipelines to supplement program outreach efforts and activities in the safety data area. KW - Crash data KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Data management KW - Decision making KW - Education and training KW - Highway safety KW - Pacific Northwest UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349720 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01560069 TI - Mitigation of Lane Departure Crashes in the Pacific Northwest through Coordinated Outreach AB - Approximately 60 percent of fatalities on the nation's roadways are the result of lane departure crashes. In some cases, the vehicle crossed the centerline and was involved in a head-on crash or opposite direction sideswipe. In others, the vehicle left the roadway to roll over or impact one or more natural or man-made objects, such as trees, utility poles, bridge walls, embankments, or guardrails. A variety of transportation engineering solutions have been proposed to mitigate the occurrence of lane departure crashes including but not limited to: the safety edge, nighttime visibility, rumble strips, retroreflectivity, and pavement lane markings. While these strategies have shown varying degrees of promise in particular contexts, they do no immediately address all of the causal factors inherent in road users (motor vehicle and all-terrain vehicle operators) such as fatigue, operating under the influence, distraction driving, etc. There is a critical need to raise the awareness of the traveling public in the Pacific Northwest about the risks regarding lane departure crashes and how behaviors can mitigate their occurrence. The economic impact of these crashes needs attention so as to help prioritize alternative investments in such transportation engineering solutions. Essentially, users need to understand the benefits and costs of alternative programs. KW - Behavior KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Countermeasures KW - Distraction KW - Drivers KW - Economic impacts KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Frontal crashes KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Rollover crashes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349719 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556949 TI - Evaluation of the Social Cost of Modal Diversion: A Multi-Modal Safety Analysis AB - Infrastructure investment by public agencies routinely has a multi-faceted objective. Often, considerable components of these objectives may be viewed as attributable to the goal of increasing the social welfare of the residents of the region and users of the transportation system. Transportation factors related to social welfare or social costs may typically be viewed in terms of pollution, congestion, and safety. The realization of social cost savings or benefits (performance) is largely dependent upon the response functions (how the user responds to a change in the transportation system) of users. Response functions are largely an insight to the economic conditions experienced by the user. This project will develop a reliable and implementable performance evaluation of safety projects that is readily implementable by effected jurisdictions. To achieve this evaluation, the project will draw from literature and implement tactics from several research lines, primarily that of the transportation infrastructure investment, social cost, and modal choice literatures. Specifically, this research will enable concerns like those over oil transport on rail to possess a reliable tool by which proposed safety projects and actions may be evaluated for the larger impacts to freight transportation in the region. It is not the focus of this project to evaluate the efficacy of energy movement by rail, but to determine the impacts of increased oil/coal movement, and the safety actions concerned with this movement, on the overall transportation system and its users. Increased utilization of rail by oil and its transportation system wide effects on capacity possess three direct safety risks for the communities and economies of the Pacific Northwest. (1) Capacity Induced Diversion: Increased rail demand under capacity constraints diverts hauls back to the roadways, necessarily implying that there will be increased trucks on the roadway at a time when many states are seeking to divert more trucks to rail. (2) Derailment Abatement: Oil car derailment poses direct threats to the safety and security of all communities it passes through. Consideration of rail safety based legislation is underway throughout the region. These actions pose a significant likelihood of slowing down rail or altering movement, making it less attractive to shippers and shrinking available capacity. Thus, these safety actions have the potential to compound the effects of capacity constraints and further induce diversion to the roadways. (3) At-Grade: Oil export terminals in the Pacific Northwest are established within some of the most populated cities of the region. These increased exports pose significant safety concerns as the necessary number of at-grade crossing delays dramatically increases as train volume increases. Similarly, smaller towns are also faced with congestion and traffic impacts. KW - Derailments KW - Externalities KW - Infrastructure KW - Investments KW - Mode choice KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Railroad grade crossings UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346276 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556948 TI - Modeling Passing Behavior on Two-Lane Rural Highways: Evaluating Crash Risk under Different Geometric Conditions - Year 3 AB - The primary goal of this project is to provide a better understanding of a driver's passing behavior and model their decision-making on two-lane rural highways under different geometric configurations. This project will specifically examine passing behavior on horizontal curves on two-lane rural highways and explore how the different degrees of curvature influence driver behavior. The outcome of the project will provide state departments of transportation (DOTs) with guidelines that allow them to improve the safety and efficiency of traffic operations along this particular type of highway setting. KW - Behavior KW - High risk locations KW - Highway curves KW - Highway safety KW - Passing KW - Rural areas KW - Two lane highways UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346275 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556947 TI - Determination of Creep Compliance and Indirect Tensile Strength for Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide AB - Pavement condition greatly affects the safety of driver. For instance, the rutting in wheelpath creates hydroplaning which can leads to loss of control of vehicles. The roughness, e.g. potholes, can pose safety hazards to the driver. Therefore, improving the pavement condition by designing cost-effective long-lasting pavement is of paramount importance. The adoption of Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) align well with this goal, when compared to traditional empirical pavement design. Dynamic modulus, indirect tensile (IDT) creep compliance and strength are the three primary mechanistic properties of asphalt mix for the asphalt pavement in the MEPDG. Thermal cracking is one of dominant distresses in Northern States in the U.S. Based the NCHRP 01-40, the thermal cracking prediction by the Pavement ME is very sensitive (highest category) to the IDT creep compliance and IDT strength. The MEPDG is a significant improvement over empirical design method and the models in MEPDG were developed based on national database of material properties and are not applicable to local materials. Therefore, there needs a local calibration of models and establishment of catalog of typical material properties, including IDT creep compliance and strength at low temperature, for local material. Without catalog of material properties in a state, the calibration of models would not be valid. The objective of this proposed research is to develop catalogs of IDT creep compliance and IDT strength for thermal cracking for materials in Idaho. KW - Condition surveys KW - Creep KW - Idaho KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Potholes (Pavements) KW - Rutting KW - Tensile strength KW - Thermal degradation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346274 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556946 TI - Evaluation of Ultra-wideband Radio for Improved Pedestrian Safety at Signalized Intersections AB - The goal of this project is to increase the safety of signalized intersections for pedestrians with special needs due to limited mobility or vision. This aligns directly with the strategic goal of "Safety" and addresses the topic of "Technological Impacts on Safety." The research outcomes and technology developed under this proposal can be applied to existing intersections throughout the United States without significant changes to the infrastructure other than additional electronics. KW - Mobility KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Signalized intersections KW - Technological innovations KW - United States KW - Visually impaired persons KW - Wideband communication systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346273 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556945 TI - 3D Virtual Sight Distance Analysis using Mobile LIDAR data AB - This research explores the feasibility, benefits and challenges of a safety analysis for sight distances based on department of transportation (DOT) Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) data. This research will also develop a systematic MLS data analysis framework to evaluate sight distances in different practical scenarios. The use of high density MLS data for sight distance analysis provides a data driven solution to aid decision making for safe transportation, directly aligning with the PacTrans FY2014-2015 theme. Further, it fits directly within Topic Area #3 Technological Impacts on Safety. KW - Benefits KW - Decision making KW - Laser radar KW - Safety KW - Sight distance KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346272 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556943 TI - Cost-effective Bridge Safety Inspections Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) AB - The objective of this research is to evaluate how well unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology can be used to perform visual bridge inspections. Since the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requires biennial bridge inspections, evaluating this exciting and emerging technology will provide helpful information to every region in the United States. To accomplish this objective, necessary goals are to: (1) investigate existing UAV technology, including available platforms, sensors, flight controllers, and mission planning tools; (2) review FHWA requirements for performing bridge inspections per 23 CFR Part 650; 3), acquire UAV-based imagery and video for 1-3 representative bridges; (4) develop recommendations for how to properly plan flights for bridge inspections; (5) analyze resulting images and video to determine which FHWA bridge requirements are satisfied (and which ones are not satisfied); and (6), transfer to the departments of transportation (DOTs) recommendations on how to properly implement UAVs for performing bridge inspections. KW - Bridges KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Drone aircraft KW - Flight control systems KW - Inspection KW - Sensors KW - Service life KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346270 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556942 TI - Fault Tree Analysis for Accident Prevention in Transportation Infrastructure Projects AB - The study will combine literature review and content analysis to develop a list of risk factors that lead to contribute to major accident types in transportation infrastructure projects. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries will be the main source of data for the content analysis. OSHA requires construction companies to report any type of work-related accidents resulting in the hospitalization of three or more workers. Thus, this summary database contains valuable information regarding safety-related performance, which can be used as a basis for identification of accident types and risk factors. The data collection in this study will target: (1) accident related to the Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction Sector (NAICS 237300); and (2) projects performed in the Northwest Region of the US (Region 10 according to the OSHA categorization). KW - Bridge construction KW - Data collection KW - Fault tree analysis KW - Industrial accidents KW - Infrastructure KW - Northwestern United States KW - Occupational safety KW - Risk KW - Road construction UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346269 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01553421 TI - Safe Main Street Highways (SMSH) AB - Increases in non-motorized travel also raise important safety issues, as pedestrians and bicyclists constitute the most vulnerable road users. Therefore, tools to identify locations with a high risk of collisions between motor-vehicles and pedestrians or bicyclists are essential to insure that gains in mobility, air quality, and health are not accompanied by higher rates of injuries and fatalities in vulnerable road users. The overall goal of this project is to assist in complying with Washington State Strategic Highway Safety Plan of zero fatality and serious injury by 2030, and in reducing the number of pedestrian and bicyclists involved in motor-vehicle collisions on state highways. KW - Crash injuries KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fatalities KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Washington (State) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343616 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01553420 TI - An Evaluation of Safety Impacts of Seattle's Commercial Delivery Parking Pricing Project AB - The City of Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) conducts the Commercial Vehicle Pricing Project in order to improve commercial vehicle load zone access and efficiency in downtown Seattle and more, yet the project does not provide an understanding of the extent to which commercial vehicles circle while looking for available load zones or use parking areas outside of designated load zones. The proposed study will identify the correlations between collision rates and commercial vehicle on-street parking activity. In doing so, it will inform SDOTs revised strategies for Commercial Vehicle Load Zone location, pricing, and design, supporting the design of a safe and commercially accessible urban core. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Crash rates KW - Delivery vehicles KW - Highway safety KW - Loading and unloading KW - On street parking KW - Parking KW - Pricing KW - Seattle (Washington) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343615 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01553419 TI - Relationships among Worker Gender, Communication Patterns, and Safety Performance in Work Zones AB - Safety communication, including safety training, is an important and cost effective tool for achieving excellent safety performance during construction (Hallowell 2010). However, recent work has identified that worker demographics has an impact on how safety knowledge is shared. Thus, the proposed research intends to study how worker gender impacts patterns of work crew safety communication on roadway construction in the Pacific Northwest. This project hypothesizes that work crews with both male and female members (or, gender diverse work crews) show different communication patterns and worse safety performance than crews without gender diversity and investigate this hypothesis by various methods in the project. KW - Communication systems KW - Demographics KW - Gender KW - Highway safety KW - Labor force KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Road construction KW - Work zone safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343614 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01553136 TI - Bicycle Safety Analysis: Crowdsourcing Bicycle Travel Data to Estimate Risk Exposure and Create Safety Performance AB - Engineers and planners face challenges like insufficient data and lacking of proper tools when conducting safety analysis for bicyclists. This project will create tools, guidelines, and repeatable processes that engineers and planners can use to analyze crowdsourced bicycle data, calculate bicycle exposure to dangerous situations, and create and analyze safety performance functions for bicyclists. State departments of transportation (DOTs) and local communities will be able to use the new tools from this project to make evidenced-based decisions when allocating limited transportation funds to prioritize bicycle safety improvement projects. The developed bicycle crowdsourcing data analysis tool, geographic information systems (GIS) tool for bicycle risk exposure analysis and bicycle safety performance function will help engineers or planners to make more informed decisions for safety analysis for a particular location. KW - Bicycle travel KW - Crash exposure KW - Cyclists KW - Geographic information systems KW - Risk analysis KW - Safety KW - Safety Performance Functions KW - State departments of transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343324 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01553134 TI - Mixed Use Safety on Rural Facilities in the Pacific Northwest AB - In the United States, formalized facilities and roadway crossings for non-traditional and non-motorized modes do not exist which jeopardizes the safety of these users in many cases. These factors create a pervasive and systemic nationwide safety issue. This research will address the issues associated with providing safe accommodation, limiting the improper use of public rights-of-way, and maintaining mobility, and provide future guidelines for design, education, and enforcement for mixed-use rural facilities. The goal of this project is to: improve safety and minimize the dangers for all transportation mode types while traveling in mixed-use environments on rural facilities through the development and use of engineering and education safety measures. KW - Highway safety KW - Mixed use development KW - Mobility KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Right of way (Land) KW - Rural areas UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343322 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01553133 TI - Regional Map Based Analytical Platform for State-Wide Highway Safety Performance Assessment AB - Most traffic crash modeling and safety performance analysis cannot capture impacts of dynamic factors that are often critical for understanding the occurrence mechanism of crashes and are very labor intensive. To address these deficiencies, this proposed research takes advantage of the ongoing DRIVE Net research at the University of Washington to build large-scale safety analysis functions on the data-rich eScience transportation platform. The proposed research has the following objectives: Improve current crash modeling methods; Develop a Safety Performance Index (SPI); Monitor the safety performance of the state highway network on regional map using SPI; Develop a Potential Safety Improvement Index (PSII); Develop safety improvement analysis methods for accident hotspots based on the overlapped SPI and PSII. KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash causes KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - Regional planning KW - Safety Performance Index KW - Traffic crashes UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343321 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599179 AU - Issa, Mohsen A AU - Lotfy, Ibrahim AU - Farhat, Maen AU - Al-Obaidi, Mustafa AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Flexural Behavior of High Density Polyethylene Railroad Crossties PY - 2015/01/12/Final Report SP - 28p AB - This report presents the findings of an experimental research program addressing the flexural behavior of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) railroad crossties and their mechanical properties. The objectives of this report were to: (1) Understand and assess the flexural behavior of HDPE crossties; (2) Evaluate the performance of the crossties with the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) manual, past applications, and the available literature; (3) Construct a calibrated material model for use in finite element analysis; and (4) Develop an accurate finite element modeling technique, which accurately portrays the behavior of the crossties using the calibrated material model. In order to investigate the flexural behavior of HDPE composite crossties, two tests from the AREMA manual were conducted; the center bending test and rail seat bending. KW - American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association KW - Bend tests KW - Calibration KW - Composite materials KW - Finite element method KW - Flexural strength KW - Literature reviews KW - Mechanical properties KW - Plastics KW - Railroad ties UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R02-Combined_reduced1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59200/59265/NURail2012-UIC-R02-Combined_reduced1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405196 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551401 AU - Brooker, Paul AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Fuel Cells as Electric Vehicle Range Extenders PY - 2015/01/09 SP - 11p AB - Fuel cells were modeled as range extenders for electric vehicles. In this application, the fuel cell would supplement a medium sized (16kWh) battery in order to increase the range of the electric vehicle. The fuel cell range extender is compared to an internal combustion engine (ICE) based range extender in terms of vehicle fuel economy and cost per mile driven. Since the fuel cell is about 40% more efficient than the ICE, the fuel economy of a fuel cell range extender was estimated to be 68 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe), while the economy of an ICE range extender was estimated as 42 MPGe. The use of a fuel cell also increased the fuel economy during battery-only operation by 4%, since the fuel cell range extender is slightly lighter than the ICE. The cost per mile driven of a range extended electric vehicle changes with trip length, and energy source costs. However, at $4/kg hydrogen, the fuel cell range extended vehicle cost per mile is about 30% lower than that of the ICE-based range extended vehicle at $2.90/gal regular-grade gasoline. KW - Costs KW - Electric vehicles KW - Fuel cells KW - Fuel consumption KW - Internal combustion engines KW - Range (Vehicles) KW - Trip length UR - http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-1995-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1340569 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599214 AU - Mitchell, Cody Aaron AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design and Construction of a Full-Scale Lateral Impact Testing Facility PY - 2015/01/05/Final Report SP - 55p AB - The goal of this project is to design and construct a fully functioning full scale lateral impact testing facility for railroad bridge girders. The test facility is needed to produce simulated impact from collision with an over-height highway vehicle passing under the bridge. The facility will support further evaluation of the behavior of various girder types. Thus, the facility must be capable of testing a variety of specimens without damage or degradation. Several test rig concepts were evaluated in the initial phases of the project. An impact cart with an elevated track was selected over drop weight and pendulum tests because it is more cost-effective, safer, and requires less construction time. The selected facility includes an impact cart, a track that supports the cart while it rolls down the slope, a support system, and a backstop that prevents the specimen from sliding during impact. KW - Crashes KW - Girders KW - Impact tests KW - Overheight vehicles KW - Railroad bridges KW - Test facilities KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UTK/NURail2012-UTK-02_Mitchell_Final_Report1.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/59000/59300/59302/NURail2012-UTK-02_Mitchell_Final_Report1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405114 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01616216 TI - Demonstration of Magnetostrictive Materials for Self-Powered Monitoring of Rail Vehicle Suspension Components AB - The purpose of the proposed project is to demonstrate the use of magneto-strictive materials for self-powered sensors in railroad suspension components. Results obtained in a previously funded University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) project have shown that Terfenol-D has the capability to harvest significant amounts of energy (on the order of 100 mW/cm3) under conditions typical of those found in railcar bearing adapters, and is also capable of acting as a real time load sensor. Both applications use the same mounting fixture and static magnetic field bias, indicating that a single Terfenol-D core could simultaneously provide load sensing as well as sufficient power generation to supply its own support electronics, multiple additional sensors, and a low-power radio frequency (RF) transceiver for wireless monitoring. The primary deliverable for this project will be an integrated, self-powered prototype comprising (a) a magnetostrictive core biased and packaged appropriately for mounting in or on a railroad bearing adapter, (b) support electronics simultaneously extracting power and providing calibrated load measurement, and (c) a basic wireless transceiver. The prototype will be tested in the UTCRS laboratory on a railroad bearing tester that closely simulates field service operating conditions. KW - Bearings KW - Electric power generation KW - Magnetic properties KW - Monitoring KW - Prototypes KW - Railroad cars KW - Sensors KW - Suspension systems KW - Transceivers KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/mechanical/2015/energy-harvesting-applications/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1429387 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01602382 TI - Analysis and Prediction of Spatiotemporal Impact of Traffic Incidents for Better Mobility and Safety in Transportation Systems AB - In this proposal, the authors propose to study a machine learning approach to predict the spatiotemporal impact of traffic accidents on the upstream traffic and the surrounding region. The main objective of the authors' research is to forecast how and when the travel-time delays - caused by road accidents - will occur on the transportation network in both time and space. Towards this end, the authors will conduct fundamental research in mining and correlation of traffic incidents and sensor datasets that they have been collecting and archiving in the last past three years. Furthermore, to demonstrate the benefits of their research, the authors will develop a novel proof-of-concept mobile application and extend their existing web based application to enable monitoring and querying of the incident impacts on real-time and historical datasets. This research will exploit the real-world Los Angeles traffic sensor data and California Highway Patrol (CHP) accident logs collected from Regional Integration of Intelligent Transportation Systems (RIITS) under Archived Traffic Data Management System (ADMS) project. The mobile application developed as a result of this proposal will be released for public use. KW - California Highway Patrol KW - Data mining KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Learning (Artificial intelligence) KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Mobile applications KW - Sensors KW - Spatiotemporal analysis KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic delays KW - Traffic incidents KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.metrans.org/research/analysis-and-prediction-spatiotemporal-impact-traffic-incidents-better-mobility-and-safety UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1412434 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601740 TI - Radiative Heat Transfer Analysis of Railroad Bearings Using a Single Bearing Test Rig for Wayside Thermal Detector Optimization AB - Testing of tapered-roller bearings for freight railcars is an area of active research at The University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA). Current efforts are aimed at bearing health monitoring utilizing emerging temperature and vibration sensor technologies. UTPA currently possesses two four-bearing test rigs that are used to perform laboratory experiments required to support the ongoing development of rolling stock condition monitoring research projects. Recently two bearing testers were built that allow for vertical, lateral, and impact loading capabilities in a dynamic single railroad bearing configuration. The newest single bearing test rig, built through a University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) funded project, provides a testing environment that more closely simulates the conditions experienced by railroad bearings in field service. The test rig will enable detailed laboratory testing that correlates realistic field service loading with railroad bearing temperature profiles. A better understanding of the correlation between loading conditions, including loads caused by defects, and temperature profiles at the bearing surface allow for greater predictive capabilities using wayside thermal detector data (e.g. data collected by Hot Box Detectors – HBDs). The data and correlations derived from the proposed in-depth thermal analysis will help identify key target areas for hot box detectors and greater understanding about the causes of particular thermal signatures detected. The impact on railway safety will be fewer temperature related failures that could potentially cause catastrophic derailments and fewer bearings pulled that do not pose a significant safety concern. KW - Bearings KW - Data collection KW - Freight trains KW - Heat transfer KW - Impact loads KW - Rollers KW - Rolling stock KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/mechanical/2015/radiative-heat-transfer-analysis-of-railroad-bearings/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410826 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601741 TI - Development of Predictive Models for Spall Growth in Railroad Bearing Rolling Elements AB - The mechanics of spall growth in a railroad rolling element bearing will be studied using a number of bearings with spalls of various sizes. Bearings undergoing simulated service life testing will be monitored and the developing spalls will be periodically measured. From this data, a model for spall growth as a function of bearing loading, speed, and mileage will be developed. The thermal signature and vibration response of bearings with the spalls will also be obtained during testing. This signal information will permit the eventual coupling of a model of spall growth to spall detection technology to permit economical scheduling of bearing replacement after spall detection without a reduction of safety margin. Given advancements in monitoring technologies which are likely to emerge in the near future, operators will be able to identify the initiation of a spall on a bearing in service. However, a bearing with a spall is not necessarily in danger of imminent failure. To minimize disruption to operations while providing the same level of accident prevention that early detection provides, it will be necessary to understand the growth process and the associated signals generated by various size spalls to permit timely and economical replacement of failing components. KW - Bearings KW - Rolling contact KW - Service disruption KW - Service life KW - Spalling KW - Thermal analysis UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/mechanical/2015/predictive-models-for-spall-growth-in-railroad-bearings/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410825 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01601742 TI - The Effect of Heat Generation in the Railroad Bearing Thermoplastic Elastomer Suspension Element on the Thermal Behavior of Railroad Bearing Assembly AB - The main purpose of the proposed study is to investigate the effect of heat generation in the railroad thermoplastic elastomer suspension element to develop an experimentally informed and validated finite element thermal model which can be used to attain temperature distribution maps of railroad bearing assemblies under a variety of normal and abnormal service conditions. Among other things, these maps will be useful for sensor data interpretation and identifying ideal locations for sensor placement for continuous temperature tracking of railroad bearings (e.g. IONX motes). Specifically, the main objectives of this project are: 1) to explore and quantify the heat generation in the railroad bearing elastomer suspension element with different material systems and under different loads, frequencies, and temperature scenarios; and 2) to determine the effect of this heat generation on the thermal behavior of railroad bearing assembly under different operating conditions. To that end, the contribution of the elastomer pad to the system energy balance will be modeled using data from dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of common materials in use for that part. DMA will provide a full characterization of the elastic deformation (energy storage) and viscous dissipation (energy dissipation) behavior of the material as a function of load, frequency, and temperature. In parallel, computer aided design (CAD) models of the railroad bearing assembly will be developed using Solidworks commercial software to be used in constructing finite element models utilizing the ALGOR commercial software. The finite element (FE) model will be used to conduct thermal finite element analyses using some of the expected operational boundary conditions and loads including the heat generation in the elastomer suspension system. The FE models will then be validated with some physical laboratory experiments. Finally, based on the simulations and experimental results, bearing assembly recommendations will be suggested to further ensure the safe operation of railroad bearings. KW - Bearings KW - Computer aided design KW - Dissipation KW - Elastomers KW - Energy storage systems KW - Finite element method KW - Sensors KW - Thermoplastic materials UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/research/mechanical/2015/heat-generation-in-the-railroad-bearing-suspension-element/index.htm UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1410824 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01595748 TI - The Saturation, Economic, and Energy Effects of Maturing Urban Roadway Networks AB - In the U.S., most urban roadway networks have been fully deployed. While outward growth still occurs, for the most part, the urban core roadway systems are no longer changing. This implies that there is a "maturing" of infrastructure. Yet at the same time, cities across the country are experiencing more and more congestion and many states and regions are unable to keep up with the long-term financing for rehabilitation to maintain high quality infrastructure. A saturated and deteriorating urban roadway system has the potential to compromise passenger and goods movement services thereby creating economic impacts for the city. New knowledge is needed to better understand i) how passenger and freight travel is effected by a roadway network that is becoming increasing saturated and ii) how this saturation may affect vehicle travel thereby impacting economic activity and changing transportation energy use. This project will develop a model of the historical growth of roadways from the beginning of Los Angeles (approximately 1900) to today by combining a statistical assessment of building ages in building assessor databases with geographic information system (GIS) analysis of roadway networks. To do this, to start with, a geospatial analysis will be developed that overlays the current building assessor databases at parcel scale, roadway network atlases, and travel analysis zones. Figure 1 shows the growth of each city based on building assessor databases. For each travel analysis zone, the modern day distribution of building ages will be determined. It is estimated that there will be roughly 20-50 buildings per travel analysis zone. Following, the oldest building vintages will be assigned to roadway links within the travel analysis zone under the assumption that buildings and roadways were deployed around the same time. For example, if for a particular zone it is found that the oldest buildings are from the 1930s era, that vintage will be assigned to the roadway links that service those buildings. Freeways and interstates will be assessed separately since they were likely constructed more systematically. The result will be a spatially explicit model of the growth of the roadway network over time. The model will be validated through the review of historical satellite photos. The infrastructure growth model will be joined with an assessment of changes in vehicle miles of travel (VMT). The project will start by using county-scale data for Los Angeles and historical travel demand model output at the travel analysis zone scale that has already been acquired from the Southern California Association of Governments. The analysis will start with Los Angeles because travel in that region has peaked (Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 2012) and the infrastructure is mature. The VMT estimates will be compared to VMT projections that were developed in the past 10-20 years to assess how much travel was anticipated but did not occur. Elasticity estimates of fuel price, income, fuel economy, population, lane miles, and other factors will then be used to assess the potential supply and demand drivers of VMT changes for both passenger and freight. It is anticipated that there will be many elasticity estimates available and there will be a focus on region-specific past research. The project will also focus on developing an uncertainty assessment around the plethora of elasticity factors available to characterize in the best or worst case, how much those variables explain the changes in VMT. The results of the project can be used as a foundation for twenty-first century transportation infrastructure investment that balances environmental conditions with environmental impacts at a time when mobility dominated by personal vehicle travel may be changing. Improving the understanding of how passenger and freight activities have responded to the growth of cities will better position a recommendation to cities as to how they should invest in next generation infrastructure to better facilitate the growth that is expected in many major US metropolitan regions in the coming century. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Geographic information systems KW - Geospatial analysis KW - History KW - Infrastructure KW - Investments KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Networks KW - Roads KW - Travel demand KW - Urban growth KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://ntc.umd.edu/node/130 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403209 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573278 TI - Rapid and Non-destructive Assessment of Levees for Strength and Liquefaction Resistance AB - In 2013, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the levee system in the United States an overall rating of D-. This rating is based in part on information from the National Levee Database (NLD) which is comprised of approximately 14,700 miles of levees operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). These levees are more than 55 years old on average and were originally designed to protect farmland from flooding; however, due to urban sprawl and changes in land use, over 14 million people now live or work behind these structures. Unfortunately, only 8% of these levees are found to be in acceptable condition, while about 69% are minimally acceptable, and 22% are rated as unacceptable. In the coming decades, continued deterioration, urban development, and an increase in extreme weather events will test these structures to and beyond their capacity, leading to a significant increase in risk. To prevent failures in these structures, ASCE estimates more than $100 billion is needed to repair and rehabilitate the levee system. However, only a small portion of that money is currently allocated by the federal government. Therefore, the available money must to be used to repair the most critical levees first. Typically, levees are evaluated based on a simple visual inspection program to identify critical or weak spots in the levee system. KW - Aging infrastructure KW - Defects KW - Flood protection KW - Geophysical prospecting KW - Land use planning KW - Levees KW - Liquefaction KW - Nondestructive tests UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366459 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567205 TI - Measures for Environmental Sustainability Outcomes of Transportation Agencies AB - In recent years, the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has identified less traditional goals for transportation performance centered on environmental sustainability. This project will assess the adoption of non-traditional measures of transportation success that the federal government has identified as a strategic goal. To what extent is the goal of environmental sustainability measured at the federal level? Has the federal government provided reporting requirements to the states in regards to environmental sustainability? How is it measured? Are there some measures that could provide models for states to follow? What are the sources of resistance to these alternative measures of transportation? The USDOT is an anticipated user of the results from this proposed project. In recent years, the USDOT has identified less traditional measures of transportation performance centered on livable communities and environmental sustainability. To what extent are these goals measured at the state level? How are they measured? Are there some measures that could provide models for states to follow? What are the sources of resistance to these alternative measures of transportation? Answers to these questions would inform the USDOT as to the success of its efforts in shifting state transportation departments to direct attention to its more novel measures of transportation performance. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Federal government KW - Performance measurement KW - Quality of life KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable development KW - U.S. Department of Transportation UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/research/research_in_progress.php UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359176 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567204 TI - Region V Transportation Workforce Assessment and Summit AB - Nationwide, as the Baby Boom generation moves to retirement, the transportation workforce will lose many well-trained and experienced people. Furthermore the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed in the remaining and new transportation workers will be much broader, reflecting changes in technologies, processes and the expectations of the public. At the same time these challenges are unfolding, the demographics of the region and the nation are also undergoing change. The future workforce will be made up more heavily of members of minority groups that traditionally have had much lower rates of educational attainment and of non-traditional workers seeking second careers or more flexible working environments. In April of 2012, a number of national agencies and groups came together to hold a National Transportation Workforce Summit. The product of the summit was fourteen specific recommendations for actions on the part of educators, transportation agencies and employers. Those recommendations can be found in the National Transportation Workforce Summit Reportout. The purpose of this project is to lay the groundwork for addressing the transportation workforce challenges in the region either by taking steps toward implementing the national recommendations regionally or by identifying the challenges and developing the solutions that may be unique to this region. This project involves two phases - Phase I is a regional assessment of the transportation workforce demand and supply. Phase II is a summit of transportation workforce stakeholders within the region. KW - Baby boom generation KW - Demographics KW - Education KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Labor force KW - Retirement KW - Technology UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/research/research_in_progress.php UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359175 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567122 TI - Synthesis of Best Practices for Agency-wide Freight Data and Information Management AB - While states have data and information systems for managing spatially related data to support decision making, those systems are not populated to support freight-related planning and operations decisions. For example, at least one agency has constructed roundabouts on designated truck routes and then endured the extreme dismay of trucking companies. To address coordination issues, some agencies establish new offices for freight but the comprehensive scope of business activities and issues do not fit neatly into the organizational structures of typical transportation agencies. Another approach is to enhance access to the agency-wide data and information necessary to support development of transportation infrastructure that balances the needs of both passenger and freight users. This research will build on the investigators' expertise in asset management and relationships with the Department of Transportation's (DOTs) in the Mid America Freight Coalition. This project will review existing data sources, identify new data sources and create a catalog of business processes, data and information items necessary to support consistency, and quality in decision making and asset management of freight infrastructure and operations. The results will support implementation of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) requirements for freight performance. This project deals with strategies for managing and integrating spatially related freight transportation data both intra- and inter-agency from the perspective of a state transportation agency. The scope of data is freight data, defined as data about freight for making decisions regarding the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of transportation infrastructure. Some of the freight data items include truck routes, equivalent single axle load (ESAL) charts, truck traffic, variable speed limits, intermodal connectors, spring-thaw restrictions, bridge clearances, posted bridges, steep grades, rail crossings, port entries, foreign trade zones, longer combination vehicles rules, over-size/over-weight (OS/OW) routes, weight stations, and road uses agreements. KW - Asset management KW - Decision making KW - Equivalent single axle loads KW - Information management KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - State departments of transportation KW - Truck routes KW - Truck traffic KW - Variable speed limits UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/research/research_in_progress.php UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359038 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567079 TI - New Hybrid Multi-modal Spatial Prototypes Towards Resource and Social Sustainability AB - This work aims to address a key research gap: There has been extensive scholarship devoted to identifying, classifying and quantifying the conditions by which existing transportation infrastructures and system operation produce uneven access to services and needs relative to socioeconomic status and its spatialization. However, there has been little design-research undertaken to examine ways in which intervention within existing transportation infrastructures might strategically alter and/or improve the conditions of uneven access. Based on interviews with thought leaders globally and in the U.S., recent Rockefeller Foundation-supported work by SMART (Zielinski, Anand) has offered preliminary observations relating to how transport needs and conditions of the underserved (low income, growing seniors population, disabled) could be, and are being, more widely addressed by emerging multi-modal systems enhanced by new service models and information technologies. To date these emerging or "disruptive" systems, regionally customized and generally implemented through public-private innovation, have been associated with the shifting needs, preferences, and cultures of the growing urban population at all income levels, including specifically the millennial demographic. However it now appears these disruptive systems-based solutions may have wider application across a broader demographic including the vulnerable and undeserved. Yet very little concerted physical design research and prototyping has been carried out to a) confirm these initial observations, b) support decision makers and practitioners and c) inform policy. The research question that this work will aim to address is: "what may be the ways and processes by which the physical and spatial assets of transportation systems themselves might be retrofitted, coupled, or hybridized with other systems not only to address the National Transportation Goals of Livable Communities, Environmental Sustainability and Economic Competitiveness, but also to positively impact Quality of Life for all users". KW - Competition KW - Information technology KW - Innovation KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Prototypes KW - Quality of life KW - Socioeconomic development KW - Spatial analysis KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/research/research_in_progress.php UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358863 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566720 TI - Effects of Heterogeneous Information Characteristics and Sources on Evacuation Behavior AB - Under disasters and emergency situations, a successful implementation of the evacuation plans depends on the provision of reliable information in a timely manner, especially so in the context of short- and no-notice evacuation. With the increasing usage of portable personal devices (e.g., smart phones) as sources of information dissemination and acquisition, there is a need to understand the role of heterogeneity of information characteristics across different dissemination sources on the travel evacuation behavior of individuals. This study proposes a systematic framework to address the potential effects of heterogeneity in information in a travel evacuation context. The study will seek to understand the characteristics of information propagation from different dissemination sources and the impact of heterogeneous information on the evacuee behavior in terms of travel-related decision-making. The study will also analyze how heterogeneous decisions affect the system performance under evacuation. It will aid multiple nodal agencies associated with disaster response in developing evacuation plans, and coordinate information dissemination through multiple sources by factoring the potential for asymmetric (non-uniform) distribution of information across individuals. Thereby, the proposed study seeks to understand the role and significance of emerging social media in evacuation situations. KW - Decision making KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Evacuation KW - Heterogeneity KW - Information dissemination KW - Social media KW - Travel behavior UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/research/research_in_progress.php UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358366 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566719 TI - Intermodal Infrastructure Investment Decisions and Linkage to Economic Competitiveness AB - Individual firm supply chains metrics of competitiveness include time, cost (as measured by transport cost, in transit and buffer inventory) and environmental impact. These factors impact their choice of competitive global logistics paths. In such contexts, stable transit times with larger capacities may, in cases, be more competitive than unpredictable mode choices with random delays. Several product manufacturers and retailers have committed to tracking their environmental impact (green scorecards), with sourcing preference given to suppliers who offer competitive prices while improving their environmental performance. Thus, multimodal/intermodal facilities that consciously consider their impact on firms' choices can use their impacts on time, cost and the environment to serve as competitive alternatives for firms. In this study, the project propose a firm level and an aggregate level analysis to understand the economics of emerging logistics opportunities facilitated by multimodal or intermodal terminals. By considering new multimodal or intermodal offerings as being required to compete with existing choices by firms, plans for such facilities will be more realistic because they would have anticipated market impact. Thereby, the proposed research would provide a mechanism to link intermodal infrastructure investment decisions to economic competitiveness. KW - Competition KW - Decision making KW - Economic impacts KW - Environmental impacts KW - Intermodal terminals KW - Investments KW - Mode choice UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/research/research_in_progress.php UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358365 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566661 TI - A Novel Decision-Support Tool to Develop Link-Driving Schedules for MOVES AB - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) is a modal-based emissions estimator that accounts for vehicle operating modes defined by factors like speed, acceleration, road grade, curvature, and so on. MOVES has the ability to include alternative types of fuel and different type of vehicles as well. Analyses at different scales including regional, state, and project level (e.g., small road network at county level) can be done with MOVES. Integration of MOVES with a microscopic traffic simulator can be outlined as an input-output process. The second-by-second vehicular activities from traffic simulation serves as input for MOVES and the emissions inventory for a transportation network can be estimated. The input from traffic simulators can be any of the following formats: (a) average speeds for the links in the network, (b) Link Driving Schedule (LDS) for each link of the network. LDS is time dependent speed profile of a link (generally done for a representative vehicle typically by sampling), and (c) Operating mode distribution of vehicles on the link. While average speed is commonly used in practice, operating mode distribution and LDS can take the advantages regarding vehicular activity data and dynamic capability of MOVES to report time dependent emissions. This project proposes a novel decision-support tool to find the representative vehicle trajectories and accordingly the LDS for links on transportation networks. The technique will use the similarity measure such as the dynamic time warping distance and/or longest-common-subsequence measures in clustering that are more appropriate for curve alignment as compared with the Euclidean distances and its variants. KW - Decision support systems KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Environmental impacts KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Pollutants KW - Speed KW - Traffic simulation KW - Vehicle trajectories UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358299 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566660 TI - Estimation of Stochastic Network Vehicular Origin-Destination Demands Using Multi-Sensor Information Fusion Approaches - Phase II AB - The main objective of this Phase II study is to estimate a set of stochastic network origin-destination (O-D) demands using a multi-sensor information fusion method. Taking advantage of multi-sensor information, the information fusion model to be developed will formulate the O-D demand estimation problem as a stochastic mathematical program using the concept of fuzzy logic to track network uncertainties. The study will comprehensively explore the issues of network uncertainties and multi-sensor information on the estimation of network O-D demands. The corresponding solution algorithms will be developed and tested using a real road network in Taiwan to generate insights and policy implications for the developed model framework. Finally, sensitivity analysis on the budget constraint and network topology issues will be systematically evaluated for a cost-effective implementation in the field. KW - Algorithms KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Data fusion KW - Fuzzy logic KW - Origin and destination KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Taiwan UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358298 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566659 TI - Information and Transportation Choice, Long- and Short-Term, that Link Sustainability and Livability - Phase II AB - Travelers' decisions regarding transportation can be conceived of along a long-term to short-term spectrum. Decisions of residential locations, vehicle ownership, and work destination are usually established over the scale of years. Over a shorter time period of perhaps months, people make decisions regarding parking purchase and non-work destinations. Despite this broad range of time frames, current strategies for the dissemination of transportation information concentrate at the short-term end of the spectrum. To foster more sustainable transportation choice behavior, an effective information strategy should be ideally designed to work along the full time-scale range, particularly since longer-term decisions frequently constrain the shorter-term options. However, the insights on the sensitivity of choices at varying time scales to information interventions, or the impact of long-term choices on those made over the shorter terms are limited. This project will develop practical approaches to the delivery of accessibility related information and new decision-making models in the full time-scale range that are informed by multiple disciplines including cognitive science, behavioral economics, marketing, transportation, and urban planning. It will design information interventions intended for the full range of transportation-relevant decisions and test their impacts on people moving to the Greater Lafayette area, Indiana. The research is designed to test the sensitivity of: (i) long-term decision of residential location choice to information, and (ii) the sensitivity of short-term travel characteristics to long-term residential location choice. KW - Automobile ownership KW - Behavior KW - Decision making KW - Information dissemination KW - Mode choice KW - Residential location KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Sustainable development KW - Workplaces UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/research/research_in_progress.php UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1358297 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566588 TI - Guaranteed LiDAR-aided Multi-object Tracking at Road Intersections AB - A Traffic Scanner (TScan) is being developed to enable collecting accurate microscopic traffic data at road intersections with an innovative use of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) three-dimensional (3D) laser scanning technology. LiDAR sensing promises to overcome certain limitations of video cameras because it yields 3D point clouds that have a one-one correspondence with the environment being sensed. The current effort is focused on developing elements of the LiDAR's tracking algorithm with self-calibration and adjustment for the sensor's motion. The results of the current project show that LiDAR calibration and tracking with clear statistical guarantees are possible. The guarantees are functions of the characteristics of the sensor itself: its resolution, and precision. The project expects that the sensing system will work in a variety of environments and will produce results of a uniform quality. The second phase will be focused on developing algorithms for object identification, classification, and tracking. KW - Algorithms KW - Calibration KW - Classification KW - Detection and identification systems KW - Intersections KW - Laser radar KW - Radar tracking KW - Scanners KW - Sensors KW - Traffic data UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/research/research_in_progress.php UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357862 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566523 TI - Driving Simulator Based Interactive Experiments: Understanding Driver Behavior, Cognition and Technology Uptake under Information and Communication Technologies AB - The proposed Phase II will involve conducting the experiments and data analysis. About 500 participants will spend up to 3 hours each on the driving simulator. In addition to providing information with different characteristics (amount, one or more sources, content, etc.), a range of relevant attributes will be analyzed (such as familiarity with network, trip purpose, incident situations, etc.). Each participant will be tested under 4-5 different scenarios. In addition, bio sensors such as eye tracker and Electroencephalography (EEG) will be used to understand driver cognitive workload and visual information processing for real-time travel/traffic information provision and the underlying decision-making physiological characteristics related to understanding the benefits of the real-time information provided. The driving simulator experiments at Purdue will be supplemented through experiments at the full-sized advanced simulator at Tongji University in China, which provides 8 degrees of movement and 250 horizontal degrees of view. Further, the expertise of the study's Tongji partners in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) interactions will be leveraged to address safety aspects involved in the real-time information provision context. The use of the same software suite at both universities will synergistically aid in the analysis of the data. KW - Behavior KW - Cognition KW - Data analysis KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Electroencephalography KW - Experiments KW - Eye movements KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Physiological aspects KW - Real time information UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/research/research_in_progress.php UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357758 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566138 TI - Alternative Fuels Usage in Maritime Transportation System AB - The project will consist of two major components: An engineering analysis of vessel characteristics (University of Delaware), and A market assessment of the potential technology, infrastructure and regulatory conditions (Marshall University). The engineering analysis will provide the basis for understanding demand considerations such as volume of fuel, capital investments required for conversion, and necessary savings for feasibility of alternative fuel use. The market analysis will further inform conditions either inhibiting or facilitating market development for alternative fuels, and will employ a survey of key stakeholders, a scan of relevant state and federal policies and regulations, and appropriate case studies from Europe where liguified natural gas/compressed natural gas (LNG/CNG) adoption has taken place. The goals of the project are to: (1) characterize the demand for alternative fuels in maritime shipping (University of Delaware), which includes assessing fleet volume, technological and engineering requirements for vehicle conversion, and environmental impacts of vessel conversation such as emissions; and (2) characterize the market structure for alternative fuels (Marshall University), including infrastructure for transport, storage and fueling and regulatory and policy considerations. Potential Implementation includes fleet conversion to alternative fuel usage. Expected benefits and impacts include the project informing the feasibility of implementing alternative fuels within Region III for maritime shipping, highlighting barriers to adoption and potential solutions. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Compressed natural gas KW - Energy conversion KW - Liquefied natural gas KW - Shipping KW - Ships KW - Water transportation UR - http://www.matsutc.org/alternative-fuels-usage-in-maritime-transportation-system/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357226 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566137 TI - Multimodal Freight Distribution to Support Increased Port Operations AB - It is projected that more containers will pass through the major ports of the mid-Atlantic region with the completion of the Panama Canal expansion, and as shippers and carriers find it more efficient to move cargo on larger container vessels. As a result, not only is it expected that a larger number of containers will be unloaded/loaded every time a New-Panamax vessel docks at a port, it is also widely anticipated that these larger ships will concentrate among a small of number ports, particularly those that have deeper channel depths, such as the Port of Virginia. It is going to be vital to the regional economies and to the surrounding areas to be prepared to handle the anticipated increase in container traffic with energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly technologies and transport options. In particular, efficiency in handling high-volume of containers at the ports and in transporting containers beyond the ports is critical. This study will bring together researchers from multiple universities to investigate strategies to optimize container handling inside the terminals, to more heavily utilize inland waterways and rail systems, and to optimize logistics to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions while maintaining mobility needs. In particular, the team from Old Dominion University (ODU) will investigate port operations strategies where both rail and truck traffic in and out of the port is considered. Interactions between these transport modes, and staging and handling of containers within the port will be investigated. Motivated by the rail connectivity available at the Port of Virginia, ODU will lead the research effort that will explore the use of rail to more efficiently move cargo out of the port. The team will explore optimization and simulation methods to study various complex interactions and factors influencing the flow of containers over multiple modes. These methods will help identify more cost and energy efficient strategies to handle large volume of container traffic inside the terminals. New models will be developed to understand the feasibility and potential benefits of such strategies. The team from VT will support research in the area of optimization of freight movement within the context of fuel consumption and emission modeling which requires the development of fuel consumption and emission models for the various types of freight modes. Virginia Tech's team will focus on developing the fuel consumption and emission models for various ground transportation modes including trucks and trains. The focus will be on developing models that can be easily calibrated using publically available data. In addition, the VT team will consider developing smart systems to reduce the energy consumption of freight transport (e.g. eco-cruise control systems, eco-adaptive cruise control systems, etc.). While optimizations for network-wide freight logistics have been focused on either flow maximization or total system travel time minimization, little research has focused on the greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumptions in the context of multimodal freight logistics. The team from UVA will work on formulating and developing an optimization approach for multimodal freight networks to minimize greenhouse gas emissions or fuel consumption. Implementation Potential implementation of project outcomes During this research, the team members will work closely with the Port of Virginia, rail lines (e.g. Norfolk Southern), and the private industry. The developed tools, techniques, and solutions will be shared with them for potential implementation. Various components and algorithms for eco-cruise control systems, eco-adaptive cruise control systems, and eco-routing systems will be developed for more energy-efficient transportation of freight. Impacts Expected benefits and impacts A new suite of modeling and simulation tools and methodologies is envisioned to result from this research that can be used throughout the nation to combat congestion at the ports in a post panama canal expansion era. Development of fuel consumption and emission models for various ground transportation modes including trucks and trains. Impacts of various modes of transporting containers on greenhouse gas emission KW - Cargo handling KW - Container handling KW - Container terminals KW - Freight traffic KW - Inland waterways traffic KW - Middle Atlantic States KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Panama Canal KW - Port operations KW - Truck tractors KW - Trucks UR - http://www.matsutc.org/multimodal-freight-distribution-to-support-increased-port-operations/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357225 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01563574 TI - Impact of Gradation and Moisture Content on Stiffness Parameters of Base Materials AB - The main goal of this study is to evaluate the behavior of the base materials with different gradations (percentages of fines) and moisture contents for the construction of pavements. In order to understand the effects of variation of gradation on the performance of the pavement systems, and hence, to achieve the main goal, this research project has the following objectives to: (1) determine the stiffness parameters of base materials with various fines contents; (2) understand the response of the base materials on the engineering properties due to changes in the moisture content; (3) develop a relationship between the stiffness parameters and percentage of fines; (4) develop a relationship between the stiffness parameters and moisture content; and (5) correlate stiffness parameter obtained from laboratory and field methods. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Fines (Materials) KW - Moisture content KW - Pavements KW - Properties of materials KW - Stiffness UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/impact-gradation-and-moisture-content-stiffness-parameters-base-materials UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354221 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01557902 TI - LiDAR for Air Quality Measurement AB - This project proposes to investigate a unique light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology for ambient air quality measurement of particulate matter (PM) using a state-of-the-art elastic LiDAR from NASA Langley Research Center. The special system measures vertically, horizontally, long range and at a very high resolution. This unique advantage of obtaining continuous measurements of PM in the atmosphere and at a long range simultaneously is not available today with the alternative PM measurement technologies. By adopting this system, large datasets of PM measurements will be collected very cost-effectively for an urban area in areas such as ports or tunnel entrances, which will then allow the project to analyze the variation in particulate matter distribution over time and space, and in relation to the variation in traffic levels. Simultaneously, the project will operate the LiDAR system at the selected hot-spots (e.g. port with high volume of diesel truck traffic) and perform similarity analysis between the different measurements acquired during different day and weather conditions. The project will classify the percentage of the PM particles that are related to diesel engines exhaust and derive their distributions during various environmental and traffic conditions. When combined with land use and traffic flow activity, significant results about sustainable land usage practice can be obtained. Finally, the project plans to obtain the variation in pollution levels in relation to traffic patterns at different locations in the Hampton Roads area. KW - Air quality management KW - Diesel engines KW - Land use planning KW - Laser radar KW - Ports KW - State of the art KW - Sustainable development KW - Truck traffic KW - Tunnels UR - http://www.matsutc.org/lidar-for-air-quality-measurement/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347453 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01557901 TI - Connected Vehicle Technologies for Energy Efficient Urban Transportation AB - The University of Delaware (UD) has been conducting a very successful Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus Program since 2005 to research, build and demonstrate fuel cell powered buses and hydrogen refueling stations in Delaware. The buses have been shown to be reliable, safe, and efficient while producing zero emissions. Several tangible benefits from the UD Fuel Cell Bus Program can be leveraged for the proposed work. First, the project has developed a powerful Matlab/Simulink based simulation tool called LFM to simulate the performance of the buses on a variety of driving schedules looking at key outputs such as hydrogen consumption, battery state-of-charge, and fuel economy. Second, the project has already developed a one-way cellular link between the buses and a server in the lab for real-time analysis and fault-detection, which the project proposes to convert to a two-way communication to optimize both the transportation system and the vehicle's control system in real-time. The project will use this fleet of fuel cell hybrid buses and the LFM simulation tool to analyze and solve many problems related to urban traffic congestion. The project will also conduct simulations with other hybrid vehicle types and recruit voluntary drivers with such vehicles for validation studies. A traffic model will be set up to simulate and find the optimal route for individual vehicles based on historical and real time traffic data which can reduce congestion and save fuel. Then, a two way communication system between sever and bus will be developed to exchange vehicle data and navigation suggestions. Finally, optimization model will be developed to generate the optimal power control strategy for the hybrid bus to improve fuel economy and fuel cell durability under a variety of traffic and weather conditions. KW - Buses KW - Delaware KW - Energy consumption KW - Fuel cell vehicles KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - Matlab/SIMULINK (Computer program) KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Real time information KW - Simulation KW - Traffic data UR - http://www.matsutc.org/connected-vehicle-technologies-for-energy-efficient-urban-transportation/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347452 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01557900 TI - Simultaneous Removal of Nitrogen and Phosphorus from Stormwater by Zero-Valent Iron and Biochar in Bioretention Cells AB - The transportation sector is frequently identified as a significant, if not primary, source of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) to receiving waters. To achieve increasingly stringent regulatory requirements with existing technologies requires purchase of more real estate for stormwater treatment at considerable expense. To ameliorate this problem, the project will evaluate two waste products, biochar and zero-valent iron (ZVI), as amendments to soil media in bioretention systems. Previous laboratory studies have shown that each amendment alone is capable of removing or transforming nitrogen or phosphorus compounds. The project postulates that treatment efficiency can be enhanced considerably by combining biochar and ZVI, which would result in smaller land requirement to achieve a prescribed level of treatment. Laboratory experiments will be conducted at the University of Delaware to quantify the ability of biochar and ZVI to remove nitrate and phosphorus. A field study will be conducted by the University of Virginia in conjunction with the City of Charlottesville, VA, where biochar and ZVI will be used as amendments in a bioinfiltration facility. Soils and stormwater characteristics selected for the laboratory study will match those for the field site. Data from the biochar/ZVI treatment system will be compared with a field study using biochar alone supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Federation in Delaware, and a pilot-scale system employing biochar separate from ZVI, supported by the Delaware Department of Transportation. Results will be shared with managers in transportation agencies, e.g., Delaware Department of Transportation and Maryland Transit Administration, whom the principal investigators (PIs) have established relationships with through ongoing projects. KW - Bioretention KW - Detention basins KW - Drainage KW - Field studies KW - Infiltration KW - Laboratory tests KW - Nitrogen KW - Phosphorus KW - Soils KW - Waste products UR - http://www.matsutc.org/simultaneous-removal-of-nitrogen-and-phosphorus-from-stormwater-by-zero-valent-iron-and-biochar-in-bioretention-cells/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347451 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01557899 TI - Impact of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise on Stormwater Design and Reoccurring Flooding Problems in the Hampton Roads Region AB - This project addresses challenges posed by seal level rise and climate change on transportation planning and design. Through partnerships with local on-federal agencies within the region, the research is expected to result in outcomes that have a direct impact on transportation planning and design within the region. There are two research objectives in the project. The first research objective is to quantify rainfall distributions, intensity, and frequency relationships that are used for transportation design through the analysis of climate change scenarios. This will be achieved by analyzing recent precipitation records and projected precipitation records at the existing spatial and temporal resolutions for the region to better understand changes in storm intensities, durations, and frequencies for the region. The second research objective is to improve metrics for reoccurring flood vulnerability due to seal level rise used in transportation planning and project prioritization. This will be achieved by using recently acquired high resolution terrain data collected using LiDAR within a Geographic Information System (GIS) that includes other key stormwater and transportation infrastructure systems to assess the potential for areas within Hampton Roads to experience recurring flooding. The research plan includes engagement with stakeholders and decisions makers within the region through advisory panel meetings, and for transferring technical outcomes through webinars and stakeholder meetings. KW - Climate change KW - Drainage KW - Floods KW - Geographic information systems KW - Hampton Roads (Virginia) KW - Laser radar KW - Rainfall KW - Runoff KW - Sea level UR - http://www.matsutc.org/impact-of-climate-change-and-sea-level-rise-on-stormwater-design-and-reoccurring-flooding-problems-in-the-hampton-roads-region/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347450 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01557898 TI - Designing Bicycle and Pedestrian Traffic Count Program to Estimate Performance Measures on Streets and Sidewalks in Blacksburg, VA AB - This project proposes a bicycle and pedestrian count campaign that will be systematically designed to describe non-motorized traffic patterns for the entire transportation network in Blacksburg, VA. The approach involves a two stage process: 1) sitting a long-term reference network of automated counters and performing short-duration counts (~1 week) to estimate annual average daily traffic (AADT) on ~10% of the street segments in Blacksburg and 2) developing regression models based on land use and characteristics of the street network to estimate AADT at locations where counts were not collected. Previous research has found that methods developed for scaling short-duration counts of motor vehicles to long-term averages can be adjusted to provide reliable estimates of AADT for bicycles and pedestrians (Hankey et al. 2014, Nordback et al., 2013, Nosal et a. 2014); a limitation of these studies is that they focused on limited networks (i.e. off-street trails) or specific transportation corridors. The proposed work would be the first to implement this method for an entire transportation network for bicycles and pedestrians. Identifying spatial and temporal trends of bicycle and pedestrian traffic is crucial for evaluating exposure to hazard and assessing the impact of investment in future infrastructure. The project has designed the count campaign to fit seamlessly into existing best practices for motor vehicles; for example, the project will calculate analogous performance measures (i.e. AADT) and structure the counts (i.e. a combination of short-duration and references sites) in ways that could easily integrate into existing state and federal Department of Transportation (DOT) databases. The proposed study would serve as a proof-of-concept for the approach in a rural, University town. The project envisions later expanding the approach to places where land use and traffic patterns may differ; for example, locations where other members of the research team are located (Charlottesville and Alexandria, VA); communities that have demonstrated interest (e.g. Roanoke, VA; see Letters of Support) or satellite locations of the institutions (e.g. Richmond, VA). The project expects that the method could be implemented in any location throughout the country and data readily assimilated into existing databases currently maintained by state DOTs. KW - Annual average daily traffic KW - Bicycles KW - Blacksburg (Virginia) KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrians KW - Regression analysis KW - Streets KW - Traffic counts UR - http://www.matsutc.org/designing-bicycle-and-pedestrian-traffic-count-program-to-estimate-performance-measures-on-streets-and-sidewalks-in-blacksburg-va/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347449 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556648 TI - Identifying Postural Control and Thresholds of Instability Utilizing a Motion-Based ATV Simulator AB - The high risk of all terrain vehicle (ATV) crashes is directly related to vehicle design, including a high center of gravity, low-pressure tires and lack of a rear differential. These characteristics require "active riding", i.e. rapidly shifting weight and adjusting grip and footing to prevent loss of control. There are two major operator-dependent determinants of stability/instability. One is postural control. This includes effectively shifting body weight in response to vibration and sudden shocks from the rough terrain or to prevent rollovers on inclined and irregular surfaces. A second operator-dependent contributor to instability is a mismatch between the strength and anthropometric characteristics of the rider and the forces, especially point of contact forces and inertial forces, needed to counteract shifts in the vehicle's center of mass in order to stabilize the ATV. Can operator postural control and the thresholds of instability be identified using a motion-based ATV simulator? The simulator will include force sensors on the handle grips, seat and footrests, motion tracking sensors on the rider and vehicle, and a computer-controlled platform designed to simulate vibration, sudden shocks and critical angle changes that could lead to loss of control events. Studies will involve seven (7) adult male subjects, 18-45 years of age, who are experienced ATV operators (>100 hours of operation). The project will measure changes in posture, grip, seating and footing in response to vibration, sudden shocks and angle changes simulating riding on flat, uphill, downhill, and side-hill terrains. Using motion and force measurements, the project will determine threshold values for postural changes, point of contact forces, and inertial forces that would lead to loss of vehicle control. KW - All terrain vehicles KW - Driving simulators KW - In vehicle sensors KW - Loss of control KW - Males KW - Rollover crashes KW - Vehicle design KW - Vibration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345914 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556645 TI - Exploring the Science of Driving AB - The federal government has identified a critical need for additional STEM workers as the nation moves forward. In April 2012, a report issued by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee Chairman's Staff identified that improving access to STEM education is required to strengthen the U.S. workforce to compete in the world economy. In many cases, it remains a challenge to get school aged children excited about STEM classes which can often be more challenging. There is a critical need for outreach to teachers and students to make this content more relevant and approachable. School aged children aged 13-16 are often very interested in and motivated by driving as they approach getting their license. This creates and opportunity to introduce STEM concepts to these teens through an interactive driving simulation environment. KW - Adolescents KW - Driving simulators KW - Education KW - Engineering KW - Mathematics KW - School children KW - Science KW - Technology UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345911 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556365 TI - Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting in Airport Pavement AB - Harvesting energy from pavements by piezoelectricity is a new research field with opportunities and challenges. Although the harvested energy could be at small-scale, it can be used for a wide range of applications in transportation system such as lighting, snow melting, and traffic signal control in addition to direct energy storage. This research will focus on developing new design of piezoelectric transducer for improved energy harvesting efficiency in airfield pavements. New configuration of sensor geometry using ceramic/polymer composite will be investigated using laboratory testing and theoretical analysis. The energy conversion efficiency, fatigue life, and integrity with pavement material will be considered in sensor development. The effect of pavement characteristics (layer material and stiffness) on energy harvesting potential will be evaluated. Numerical models for simulating energy harvesting performance in pavements under dynamic multi-wheel loading will be developed. The simulation results will be used for optimizing placement of sensor arrays in pavements to maximize the amount of total energy harvested. The research outcome will lead to development of smart pavements with multifunction and eventually generate renewable electrical energy from waste energy. KW - Airport runways KW - Energy conversion KW - Energy harvesting KW - Energy storage systems KW - Piezoelectricity KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Service life UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/piezoelectric-energy-harvesting-airport-pavement UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345677 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556301 TI - Development of Concrete Mix Proportions for Minimizing/Eliminating Shrinkage Cracks in Slabs and High Performance Grouts AB - The primary objectives are two develop two formulations, one suitable for casting slabs with least amount of creep and shrinkage and eliminate cracking due to restrained time-dependent strains and the second for specialized uses in grouting and gluing for pre-cast construction. The first part of the research will utilize common constituent materials currently used in concrete including optimized mineral and chemical admixtures. Standard protocols will be used for mixing, placing and finishing of concrete. The second part of the research will focus on the development of high performance compositions that will set fast, dimensionally stable and have high strength, stiffens and toughness. It is expected a fiber reinforced formulation with Portland cement and other cementing agents will be used. Since the volume of material used for these applications is small, the cost is not as critical as for applications involving large volume use. KW - Admixtures KW - Cement grouts KW - Cracking KW - High performance concrete KW - Precast concrete KW - Shrinkage KW - Slabs UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/development-concrete-mix-proportions-minimizingeliminating-shrinkage-cracks-slabs-and- UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345562 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01554032 TI - Influence of Casting Conditions on Durability and Structural Performance of HPC-AR AB - The main objective of this project is to extend the understanding of dynamic segregation of self-consolidating concrete (SCC). Dynamic segregation is the separation of coarse aggregates from the mortar during flow, which can negatively affect the performance of concrete. By means of a modified version of the tilting box test, the dynamic segregation of SCC can be monitored over different cycles at different cycle times. A workability box for good stability has been proposed in literature. The proposed project aims to extend this workability box principle for different flow distances (number of cycles) and different concrete compositions. From previous studies, the paste volume (or mortar volume) in concrete appeared a critical factor. The laboratory research will be continued in an industrial setting. The testing parameters in the tilting box (number of cycles and duration of cycles) will be coupled to the flow distance and flow velocity in real formworks. Furthermore, the dynamic segregation index will be related to a reduction in concrete performance, in terms of mechanical properties and durability of the concrete, and bond strength with the rebars or prestress strands. Based on the outcome of the research, performance specifications, in terms of fresh concrete properties, will be developed and the robustness to small variations in constituent elements of a typical, well-performing SCC mixture will be investigated. KW - Coarse aggregates KW - Durability KW - High performance concrete KW - Mechanical properties KW - Mortar KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Workability UR - http://recast.mst.edu/projects/influenceofcastingconditionsonperformance/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344593 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01551016 TI - Optimal Highway Durability in Cold Regions AB - In cold regions highways are built with great durability in order to reduce road wear not only caused by traffic loadings, but also caused by weather related factors and anti-icing operations during the winter months. Durability of highways can be increased by different ways including thicker pavements, better pavement materials and drainage, and less-corrosive deicing chemicals. The costs of increasing durability are compensated by the reduction in maintenance costs during the life-time of the highway infrastructure. Facing such a trade-off, optimal policy making requires answers to the question: What is the optimal highway durability in cold regions? This project will conduct an economic analysis to the durability problem. The economic analysis will quantify the economic costs of highway durability. The quantitative results will be useful for designing optimal highway pavement and winter maintenance strategies. KW - Corrosion protection KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Durability KW - Economic analysis KW - Service life KW - Traffic loads KW - Winter maintenance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341955 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01550217 TI - Development of a Methodological Framework for Optimal Truck Highway Parking Location and Capacity Expansion AB - This research will synthesize and integrate the prior related work into a quantitative (or semi-quantitative) framework. Two major approaches will be adopted and developed. 1) Cost-benefit analysis (CBA): quantitative analysis and evaluation of the dominating economic, social and environmental factors in terms of costs and benefits associated with a range of existing and potential locations. CBA is a common economic approach widely adopted by government agencies and private sectors in their capital investment decisions. CBA is easy to interpret and communicate, and simultaneously accounts for a range of factors associated with positive and negative impacts of a decision. Therefore, this analysis starts from CBA and may attempt to try other proper methods in accordance with project progress and need. 2) Freight network modeling and decision analysis: mathematical modeling and optimization techniques to prioritize the best new and existing locations for parking expansion. Various factors and constraints will be incorporated, including spatial demand, federal hours of service requirements, travel time and traffic impacts, land cost, employment and tax revenue, and budget available, etc. The preliminary version of this study will be based on the data from New Jersey. Initial sources of data include transportation network, existing and potential parking locations, parking and traffic demand, land use restriction and cost, etc. It can potentially assist state and regional agencies in making better-informed decisions to optimally allocate limited public resources. The methodology can be further developed to be integrated with intelligent parking information and management systems for long-term network performance enhancement. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Economic factors KW - Land use planning KW - New Jersey KW - On street parking KW - Optimization KW - Parking facilities KW - Truck traffic UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/development-methodological-framework-optimal-truck-highway-parking-location-and-capaci UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1340954 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01550215 TI - Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Resiliency Initiative AB - The purpose of this project is to assist in better identifying risks and sources of disruption to the New York and New Jersey Port Authority (The Port Authority). The scope is to empirically investigate what the Port Authority's primary customers and suppliers perceive to be the vulnerabilities to the value chain of services and goods offered by the port authority. The project will collect, analyze, and report on first hand data collected a select group of primary customers and suppliers. The services of the research team shall generally consist of providing expertise and planning services to: (1) develop an emergency preparedness, response, and recovery strategy to be informed by international best practices \& standards for risk management; and (2) develop emergency operations subject matter information enabling a common operating picture of the goods movement system with respect to targeted Port Authority customers and suppliers to include risk map(s) depicting infrastructure dependencies and potential sources of systemic risk in the Port Authority's external relationships with customers, suppliers, and associated entities which may have an impact, affect, or interaction in the regional goods movement network. KW - Customers KW - Data collection KW - Freight traffic KW - Port Authority of New York and New Jersey KW - Port operations KW - Risk assessment KW - Service disruption KW - Supply chain management UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/port-authority-new-york-and-new-jersey-resiliency-initiative UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1340952 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543445 TI - Identifying Dust Emission "Hot Spots" in the Southern Plains Region of NM, OK and TX: Effect of Blowing Dust on Highway Safety AB - Windblown dust poses a significant hazard to highway safety. Projected global changes, including changes in climate, land use, and land cover, will likely bring more frequent and extreme dust emissions to the southwestern United States, posing a serious threat to transportation safety in the coming decades. Dust contributes to chain-reaction traffic accidents and property damage, however, no known studies have specifically investigated this issue in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Spatial and temporal patterns of dust emission hot spots and their relation to the occurrence of blowing dust and highways are poorly understood. The lack of this critical information hinders highway managers in making informed and timely management decisions when wind events strike. This study will identify and quantitatively assess the spatial and temporal patterns of wind erosion hot spots that contribute blowing dust to the highways of New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. It will focus on interstate highways, where investment in surveillance and warning devices is greatest, and where high traffic volumes and speeds make the threat of blowing dust most hazardous. The project will use remotely sensed and in situ observations of land use, soil, and vegetation data to develop an integrated modeling and monitoring system to assist in highway safety management and mitigate the hazardous impacts of dust. The study will (1) classify geomorphic and land cover characteristics and identify current dust source area along main highways; (2) use remote sensing data to retrieve soil and vegetation characteristics to identify potential dust source areas; (3) conduct field measurement of soil and vegetation properties at the wind erosion hot spots for dust emission modeling, and (4) model dust emission from the hot spots under land use disturbance and extreme wind events. Implementation will allow land and highway managers to make informed management decisions and address impacts related to climate change. KW - Climate change KW - Dust KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - New Mexico KW - Oklahoma KW - Remote sensing KW - Texas KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic volume KW - Wind KW - Wind erosion UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330901 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541715 TI - Development of Micro Wireless Sensor Platforms for Collecting Data of Passenger-Freight Interactions AB - Traditionally, pavement inductive loop sensors are used to collect real time traffic data for passenger-freight movement in roadways. This method, however, is expensive to install and maintain. It requires significant cutting into the road for the inductive loop and also requires an electronic control unit that is connected to the induction loop. In the last decade, significant improvements have been achieved in michroelectromechanical sensors (MEMS) domain with respect to size, cost and accuracy. Moreover, extreme miniaturization of radio frequency (RF) Transceivers and low power micro-controllers motivated the development of small and low power sensors and radio equipped modules, which are now replacing traditional wired sensor systems. These modules which are often called "sensor mote" (size of a quarter) can communicate with other sensor nodes and build an intelligent sensing network. Because of the miniaturization and low power consumption, these sensor motes can remain functional year after year with low power budget. Motivated by these novel advances, the authors proposed a wireless MEMS sensor based passenger-freight interactions detection framework for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The authors' proposed system is mainly composed of two sub parts. Firstly, the sensor motes with possible energy scavenging privilege which contain Magneto-Resistive (MR) sensors to detect passenger-freight vehicles. Secondly, an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) which collects traffic data from sensor motes to calculate speed, length, volume and traffic congestion. The ECU contains RF transceiver to communicate with sensor motes and a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) shield to send aggregated traffic data to the county or regional traffic data collection center. The authors' proposed solution will be significantly cost effective in comparison to traditional induction loop approach and it is scalable to cover millions miles of roadways all over the US. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Data collection KW - Energy consumption KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Sensors KW - Traffic data KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.metrans.org/research/development-micro-wireless-sensor-platforms-collecting-data-passenger-freight-interactions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328573 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541714 TI - A Dynamical Framework for Integrated Corridor Management AB - In this application for the Research Initiation Award, the authors propose to develop dynamic traffic signal control and ramp metering strategies for Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) with provable performance guarantees. There are several novel contributions of their proposed approach. First, the authors perform control synthesis within a dynamical framework that allows dynamic route choice and dynamic mode choice by drivers, and as such is different than typical approaches that use very specific models. Second, the authors make connections between their dynamical framework and compartmental dynamical systems in order to leverage powerful stability analysis tools for control design. Third, the authors propose to extend metrics for system efficiency beyond total travel time, to also include resilience, and relate these metrics to network parameters. Finally, the authors propose to use stability analysis tools to design traffic signal and ramp metering control, that require minimal information about dynamic driver decisions, and hence are well-suited for incidence response scenarios in the context of ICM. The authors' proposed approach relies on a combination of tools from traffic engineering, dynamical systems and network flows. The authors will supplement their analysis and algorithm development with case studies relevant to the Los Angeles area, using commercial transportation software. KW - Advanced traffic management systems KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Mode choice KW - Ramp metering KW - Route choice KW - Signalization UR - http://www.metrans.org/research/dynamical-framework-integrated-corridor-management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328572 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541713 TI - Vehicle-­to Vehicle Communications in Mixed Passenger-Freight Convoys AB - Vehicle convoys (platoons) hold a promise for significant efficiency improvements of freight and passenger transportation through better system integration. Through the use of advanced driver assistance, vehicles in a convoy can keep shorter distances from each other, thus decreasing energy consumption and traffic jams. However, reliable and low-latency communications are a vital prerequisite for such systems. The standard for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) wireless communications is Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11p, and its performance for communication between passenger cars has been wisely explored. However, there are hardly an results about the performance of such systems when both trucks and passenger cars are present. To remedy this situation, the authors propose in this project to first perform extensive measurements of the propagation channel (pathloss and dispersion) between cars and trucks, and between cars whose connection is blocked by trucks. The authors then will use these data as the input of a system simulator, which will tell us not only the probability of successful communication between vehicles, but also analyze robust methods such as multi-hop to resolve the situations where direct communications are not successful. KW - Driver support systems KW - Private passenger vehicles KW - Simulation KW - Traffic platooning KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle mix KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - https://www.metrans.org/research/14-11-vehicle-%C2%ADto-vehicle-communications-mixed-passenger-freight-convoys UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328571 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541712 TI - Smart Truck Driver Assistant: A Cost Effective Solution for Real Time Management of Container Delivery to Trucks AB - Truck turn times have a significant impact on the tactical and operational planning for a transportation network. In particular, the longest cycle time (in contrast to commonly presumed average cycle time) plays a critical role in successful planning of the events in the network. For example, if average turn time is the only parameter used in planning while truck turn time variance is large, then the schedules need to be revised repeatedly. Hence, determining accurate turn times is an essential factor in efficient, productive and cost-effective supply chain operations. There have been several attempts to measure and study truck turn times at the Los Angeles and Long Beach Port terminals. However, most studies so far relied either on installing expensive equipment on a few select trucks to track them or on using inaccurate and error-prone methods of data collection. Lack of proper and precise data measurements is an obstacle in developing and implementing appropriate policies with respect to port productivity. In this project proposes to obtain accurate truck and port monitoring data at no additional equipment cost. The system will utilize the rich sensors of ubiquitous smartphones to track all movements of trucks outside and inside terminals. It will allow the measurement of truck turn times more accurately than before by using global positioning system (GPS), network antenna and inertial sensors of truck drivers' smartphones. The algorithms will then analyze collected data to derive real time and detailed models of cargo traffic flow in and around terminals. The mobile phone application additionally will provide information to drivers as well as port and terminal authorities. This will ensure the use of the application by port stakeholders and hence in turn allow us to collect the needed data. This cost-effective and efficiently collected data can be employed to build a comprehensive database of port transportation. The proposed project has significant potential to be further extended. Future work on the mobile platform could facilitate easier communication between truck drivers and terminals. This will likely reduce the number of trouble tickets issued and hence lead to additional productivity. The proposed system will ultimately act as a digital hub for truck drivers who access the ports. It will allow for large scale and accurate truck data collection as well as information dissemination to drivers at no extra cost to stakeholders. KW - Container terminals KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Data collection KW - Driver support systems KW - Monitoring KW - Port operations KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Truck drivers KW - Truck traffic UR - http://www.metrans.org/research/smart-truck-driver-assistant-cost-effective-solution-real-time-management-container UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328570 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01537879 TI - Bridge Retrofit or Replacement Decisions: Tools to Assess Sustainability and Aid Decision-making AB - Several sustainability rating, scorecard, and quantitative and/or qualitative performance metrics tools exist to assist in the assessment of sustainability of bridge projects, e.g. the Sustainable Transportation Analysis and Rating System (STARS) and INVEST. These tools are mostly applied after a project is completed or late in the decision when most of the retrofit details have been decided. What is needed are tools to help in the early stages of decision-making about whether to repair or reconstruct bridges when there are more choices open and hence a greater ability to radically reduce environmental and societal impacts. What is missing is the life cycle inventory data to allow comparison of construction and maintenance techniques for sustainability objectives, such as worker safety and increased ozone emission from slowed and stopped car traffic, in addition to cost. This research will set up the framework for a life cycle inventory database for bridge repair and construction techniques including social and environmental sustainability concerns. Bridge experts and practitioners will be recruited to upload their information about the service life of bridges and sustainability impacts to this database. This research will also modify existing early-state commercial product design decision-making tools to create an applicable tool for bridge retrofit decisions utilizing sustainability information available in the life cycle inventory database. KW - Bridges KW - Decision making KW - Environmental impacts KW - Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool (INVEST) KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Life cycle costing KW - Retrofitting KW - Sustainable development KW - Sustainable Transportation Analysis and Rating System (STARS) UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/bridge-retrofit-or-replacement-decisions-tools-assess-sustainability-and-aid-decision- UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324258 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574104 AU - Renne, John L AU - Tolford, Tara M AU - University of New Orleans AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Louisiana Transportation Research Center AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Minimum State Requirements for Local Growth Management Policies – Phase 1 PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 121p AB - This research entailed the development of minimum requirements for local growth management policies for use in Louisiana. The purpose of developing minimum statewide standards is to try to alleviate some of the stress placed on state and local governments by uncontrolled development, while improving state and local governments’ ability to meet current and future demand for transportation infrastructure and effectively implement existing state transportation policies and programs. This study evaluated the current state of growth management practice, evaluated statewide trends, existing conditions, and opportunities, and solicited extensive local participation feedback. In addition, this study included evaluation of the potential economic, social, and environmental impacts of implementing selected growth management policies. This was achieved through a mixed methods approach that includes both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis, including the following components: a review of the literature, identification of current state-of-practice in Louisiana and analysis of the legal framework underlying growth management policy, a socioeconomic and demographic analysis of the trends at the Parish level, two statewide polls, a series of stakeholder meetings, modeling the effectiveness of potential policies based on transportation and return-on-investment outcomes, and additional workshops with stakeholders to determine the feasibility and demand for implementation of proposed policies. The result of this research was the development of a series of potential Growth Management Guidelines that local jurisdictions, regional agencies, and the State of Louisiana may use to better align transportation and land use planning and facilitate the growth of more livable communities across the state. It includes a set of key guidelines that constitute a “blueprint” for Louisiana growth management policy. KW - Economic impacts KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation KW - Guidelines KW - Land use planning KW - Louisiana KW - Policy KW - Social impacts KW - Stakeholders KW - State of the practice KW - Transportation planning KW - Transportation policy UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-38FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363645 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574092 AU - Ervin, Elizabeth K AU - Aranchuk, Vyacheslav AU - Chambers, James AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - University of Mississippi, University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Rapid Non-contact Measurement using Multiple Point Laser Doppler Vibrometry for Health Evaluation of Rail and Road Bridges PY - 2015/01//Final Project Report SP - 47p AB - Measurement of dynamic responses to ambient stimuli can be used to evaluate as-built structural characteristics. These parameters can be used to determine the overall “health” of the structure; that is, the damage level and location can provide reliability information that aids infrastructure managers in maintenance decision-making. This type of inspection is most practical when it is non-destructive and swift. In contrast to traditional vibration measurement systems, laser technology provides for rapid remote inspection. Laser Doppler vibrometers (LDV) have recently been used to capture non-contact vibration of bridges and are being used in an associated National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness (NCITEC) project. In order to increase inspection speed to a practical threshold, multiple simultaneous laser beams will be employed. The National Center of Physical Acoustics (NCPA) at the University of Mississippi (UM) has been a leader in developing an instrument for parallel vibration measurements at multiple points. Results have been positive for such applications as landmine and tunnel detection. Civil infrastructure has an entirely different frequency range; massive structures with such low frequencies present a unique challenge. In this project, a new method for structural vibration measurements on bridges will be implemented. The overarching idea is that parallel vibration measurements at multiple points using a multi-beam laser Doppler vibrometer will enhance non-contact bridge inspection technology. As proof of concept, the proposed effort will employ available equipment for measurements on a scale model bridge. The multiple laser beams will fan out to make parallel vibration measurements in multiple points on the model. Velocities of all interrogated points are measured and recorded simultaneously and are expected to enhance the accuracy of bridge mode shape calculation. Precise mode shapes lead to improved damage detection and thus more effective inspection results. The structural health algorithm will be modified based upon parallel measurements, and noise levels will be examined for practical feasibility. Civil Engineering and National Center for Physical Acoustics personnel will work together to create a larger field of multi-beam vision and build a vibration isolation support system. Experiments will be conducted on an available scale model reinforced concrete bridge. The UM structural health program will employ advanced signal processing to extract mode shape data for damage detection. Output plots will visibly identify damage level and location and will be evaluated for detection accuracy as well as inspection practicality for bridge maintenance. This project is expected to contribute to undergraduate/graduate courses as well as fund graduate students, which will result in advanced degrees. Technology transfer will include presented conference papers and submitted journal papers. KW - Algorithms KW - Bridges KW - Laser doppler vibrometers KW - Lasers KW - Scale models KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Vibrometers UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-27FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363650 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574013 AU - Kelle, Peter AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - University of Tennessee, Knoxville AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Simulation Model for Intermodal Freight Transportation in Louisiana PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 44p AB - With increased emphasis on intermodal transportation development, the issue of how to evaluate an intermodal freight transportation system and provide intermodal solutions has been receiving intensive attention. In order to improve freight flow efficiency and therefore support economic development in the State, it is necessary to have a systematic tool to study the freight flow over all three major surface modes and their connections and, in turn, to help the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) identify the best way to increase freight transportation capacity and improve flow efficiency. The objectives of this proposed project are to (1) Develop a comprehensive simulation model for an intermodal freight network that considers the dynamics at the connections between transportation modes, and (2) Conduct what-if analysis of the performance of the Louisiana freight network under different scenarios and evaluate the benefits of selected network improvement initiatives. Upon this mid-term report, the research has finished the first two tasks of summarizing the literature for intermodal transportation simulation and developing the simulation framework. A preliminary simulation model has been developed, including all three major surface transportation modes of highway, railway, and waterway. Mobility, a major performance metric, has been calculated in the model. KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Improvements KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Literature reviews KW - Louisiana KW - Mobility KW - Simulation KW - Transportation modes UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-34FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363644 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570257 AU - Imhof, Paul T AU - Chiu, Pei C AU - Guo, Qizhong AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Delaware Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhancing Nitrogen Removal in Stormwater Treatment Facilities for Transportation PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 27p AB - Stormwater from roadways is a point source of pollution. State departments of transportation (DOTs) must comply with Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) regulations for nutrients such as nitrogen, which causes water quality impairment. Existing stormwater treatment technologies, such as bioretention cells, do not remove nitrogen adequately to meet water quality standards. New technologies that can more effectively remove nitrogen and reduce the footprint required for stormwater treatment will result in significant savings for State DOTs. The authors have hypothesized that biochar can be used in bioretention cells to promote microbial removal of nitrate from stormwater and improve bioretention cell performance. The goal of this project is to experimentally test this hypothesis and produce the data necessary to (1) develop a better understanding of biochar-enhanced denitrification and (2) secure multi-year support for a field-scale assessment of the proposed technology. The authors established a culture of the anaerobic bacterium Geobacter metallireducens and ”trained” it to utilize nitrate as an electron acceptor. Batch experiments were carried out to illustrate the ability of a commercial wood biochar, which is being tested in a field detention cell in Delaware, to support nitrate removal by G. metallireducens. This project provided direct or indirect research support for 12 students and resulted in 1 conference paper, 1 conference presentation, 3 seminars/public lectures, and 3 awarded multi-year grants. KW - biochar KW - Biodeterioration KW - Laboratory tests KW - Nitrogen KW - Runoff KW - Technological innovations KW - Water quality management UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-045-final_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359775 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560914 AU - McDonald, Armando AU - McIlroy, David AU - Han, Yinglei AU - Kengne, Blaise-Alexis AU - University of Idaho, Moscow AU - TranLIVE AU - Research and Special Programs Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Upgrading Biomass Pyrolysis Bio-oil to Renewable Fuels PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 20p AB - Fast pyrolysis is a process that can convert woody biomass to a crude bio-oil (pyrolysis oil). However, some of these compounds contribute to bio-oil shelf life instability and difficulty in refining. Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of the bio-oil can upgrade the bio-oil into transportation fuels. Therefore, nickel (Ni) and ruthenium (Ru) catalysts supporting a novel nanomaterial, silica nanospring (NS) showed the best performance for HDO of phenol. In terms of bio-oil hydrotreatment, the bio-oil was fractionated by phase separation by addition of water to obtain a water-insoluble (WIS) and water-soluble (WS) fractions from the bio-oil. The WS of bio-oil can be upgraded into cycloalkanes of 30% wt. and alcohols of 18% wt. over Ni-NS and Ni(65%)/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst. The WIS of bio-oil had been effectively cracked in methanol over Ni(65%)/SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst. A further step of HDO on the cracked oil had successfully deoxygenated the phenolics into cycloalkanes. All the produced alkanes and alcohols can be directly used as drop-in transportation fuels. Future work will focus on upscaling the process to a small pilot operation to fully assess these catalysts for producing biofuels. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biomass fuels KW - Catalysts KW - Oils KW - Pyrolysis KW - Renewable energy sources UR - http://tranliveutc.org/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/UI_TranLIVE_FinalReport_BiooilUpgrading UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348914 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560332 AU - Middleton, Scott AU - Regan, Terry AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance-based Planning and Programming in the Context of MAP-21 PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 33p AB - This report highlights key recommendations and noteworthy practices identified at the workshop on “Performance-based Planning and Programming in the Context of MAP-21” held on March 6-7, 2014 in New York City, New York and via video teleconference. This event was sponsored by the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Peer Program, which is jointly funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The objectives of this workshop were to increase awareness of performance management and performance-based planning and programming; to discuss the planning challenges faced by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC), its adjoining metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and other planning partners in the New York metropolitan area; and to identify action items to help participating agencies prepare for implementation of performance-based planning and programming. This workshop helped agencies to prepare for three key requirements of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21): (1) The development of performance measures and targets; (2) The integration of performance measures into the planning process; and (3) The development of performance-based plans for safety, asset management, and congestion. This workshop resulted in a framework for future discussions between the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and MPOs on the reporting of performance information to USDOT required by MAP-21. This workshop also provided training for NYMTC and its regional planning partners and resulted in the development of action plans for implementing performance-based planning requirements in the New York metropolitan area. KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) KW - New York Metropolitan Area KW - New York Metropolitan Transportation Council KW - Performance based planning KW - Performance based programming KW - Performance measurement KW - Programming (Planning) KW - Transportation planning KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54500/54585/NYMTC_Planning_MAP21_3-6-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344677 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560095 AU - Filosa, Gina AU - Oster, Alexandra AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - International Practices on Climate Adaptation in Transportation: Findings from a Virtual Review PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 48p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) conducted an international review to study how international transportation agencies are addressing issues related to adapting highway infrastructure to the impacts of climate change. The review involved transportation agencies from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Korea, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The review elicited information on adaptation issues associated with all aspects of the transportation project delivery process. This synthesis report highlights the state of the practice of how transportation agencies are addressing climate adaptation through the following: adaptation frameworks/strategies; climate change risk assessments; selecting adaptation measures and strategies; long range planning and land use; changes in design standards; maintenance and operations; asset management; and research. The information collected during the review and presented here is relevant to transportation planners, asset managers, design engineers, and policy-makers. KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - Australia KW - Canada KW - Climate change KW - Denmark KW - Highways KW - Infrastructure KW - Netherlands KW - New Zealand KW - Norway KW - Project delivery KW - South Korea KW - State of the practice KW - United Kingdom UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/climate_change/adaptation/publications_and_tools/international_practices/fhwahep15011.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54492/InternationalAdaptation_SynthesisReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344661 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555800 AU - Berthaume, Andrew AU - Morton, Tom AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - National Multimodal Freight Analysis Framework Research Workshop: Workshop Summary Report, December 11, 2013 PY - 2015/01//Workshop Summary Report SP - 38p AB - This report summarizes a 1-day workshop held to discuss national multimodal freight analysis framework (FAF) research. Participants discussed the state of the art, primary gaps in current capabilities, and strategies for addressing these gaps, particularly in the areas of multimodal freight networks, freight-demand modeling, and origin-destination data disaggregation. The workshop was designed to identify a set of topics for further research and to ultimately inform the development of the FAF version 4, scheduled for release in late 2015, and beyond. The objectives of the workshop were to understand the nature and purpose of FAF, outline a vision for the next generation of freight analysis, agree on primary gaps in current capabilities, and create a game plan to address gaps. Expert speakers presented historical background of the FAF, as well as perspectives on the state of the art in three specialized topics covered in focused sessions. KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Freight demand modeling KW - Freight transportation KW - Multimodal networks KW - Origin and destination KW - Research KW - State of the art KW - Workshops UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54741/NatlMultimodalFreightWorkshop.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342951 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555795 AU - Barr, Paul AU - Betti, Raimondo AU - Cousins, Tommy AU - Dyreng, Paul AU - Fausett, Robert W AU - Halling, Marv W AU - Roberts-Wollmann, Carin AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Feasibility of Bridge Structural Health Monitoring Using Short Term Data Acquisition System PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 127p AB - Long-term testing of bridges can be expensive and result in a large amount of data that is difficult to manage and analyze. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a short-term data acquisition system that used a minimal number of gauges to quantify a bridge's behavior. As a result, a system was developed that could use up to eight sensors and could be utilized in the field for up to two weeks on two marine batteries. Once the system was developed, it was installed on a bridge near Perry, Utah. This particular bridge had a permanent data acquisition system installed so a direct comparison could be performed as well as with data that were recorded during a live-load test. In general, the short-term data acquisition system performed well. It was determined that two marine batteries did not supply enough power to operate the system for the desired two week period. Future work will investigate a sleep mode that should conserve additional energy and prolong the operating life of the system. The measured results were similar to those recorded with the permanently installed system as well as the live-load data. While the testing of the system was successful, additional work needs to be performed prior to implementation. Specifically, the battery issue needs to be resolved to prolong the viable operation time of the system. Additionally, improvements to the software in terms of post processing and capabilities could be improved to make it more useful to the user. KW - Bridges KW - Data collection KW - Electric batteries KW - Equipment KW - Perry (Utah) KW - Short term KW - Structural health monitoring UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-024-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342959 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554446 AU - Segev, Eran AU - Meltzer, Neil AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Carrier Intervention Effectiveness Model, Version 1.0: Summary Report for Fiscal Years 2009, 2010, 2011 PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 32p AB - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in cooperation with the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe), has developed a quantitative model to measure the effectiveness of motor carrier interventions in terms of estimated crashes avoided, injuries prevented, and lives saved. The model, documented in this report, is known as the Carrier Intervention Effectiveness Model (CIEM). This model provides FMCSA management with information to address the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), which requires Federal agencies to measure the effectiveness of their programs as part of the budget cycle process. It also provides FMCSA and State safety program managers with a quantitative basis for improving enforcement processes and optimizing the allocation of safety resources in the field. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Crash rates KW - Motor carriers KW - Safety programs KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54484/RRA-14-011-CIEM_Summary_Report-FINAL-508C.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342390 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554424 AU - Heaslip, Kevin AU - Bosworth, Ryan AU - Barnes, Ryan AU - Sobh, Ali Soltani AU - Thomas, Michael AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Do Changing Prices Portend a Shift in Fuel Consumption, Diminished Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Lower Fuel Tax Revenue? PY - 2015/01 SP - 80p AB - The growing uncertainty about oil prices and availability has made long-range transportation planning more challenging. Rather than relying on trend extrapolation, this study uses market mechanisms to evaluate key long-range transportation planning assumptions. Although the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is pursuing alternative fuels and energy sources, this study focuses primarily on natural gas. In particular, this study will help WSDOT assess the likelihood natural gas will substitute for petroleum fuels and estimate the impact changes in fuel prices will have on travel demand, fuel consumption, emissions, and tax revenues. The results of the modeling show that the impacts of natural gas vehicles (NGV) have the potential to affect vehicle miles traveled (VMT), emissions, and fuel tax revenue. The effects of NGVs are muted by the limited use of them in the fleet. Challenges with widespread integration include the increased upfront capital costs associated with NGVs, decreased power for heavy vehicles, and range anxiety in locations without developed natural gas fueling infrastructure. The NGV market in the state of Washington is hampered by these factors. The modeling and analysis in this report can be used to analyze changing conditions in the market and the effects on key transportation metrics. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Fuel consumption KW - Fuel taxes KW - Market assessment KW - Natural gas KW - Natural gas vehicles KW - Pollutants KW - Revenues KW - Travel demand KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC15-278.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343357 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554398 AU - Lane, Leigh Blackmon AU - Amekudzi, Adjo AU - Fischer, Jamie M AU - Brodie, Stefanie AU - Heller, Adrienne AU - Mansfield, Ted AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Livability Performance Measures to Transportation Plans and Projects PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 161p AB - From July to September of 2014, teams from the Georgia Institute of Technology and North Carolina State University hosted five workshops in the southeastern United States to assist localities in developing performance measures to be used in transportation and comprehensive planning. The workshops were funded by the Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education (STRIDE) Center at the University of Florida, and leverages the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Community Vision Metrics tool to identify context-specific livability performance measures. This report summarizes the workshop methodologies, results, lessons learned, and concludes with reflections on the project. Detailed summaries of each workshop are included as appendix items. KW - Performance measurement KW - Quality of life KW - Technology transfer KW - Transportation planning KW - Workshops UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Livability_Performance_Measures_FINAL.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55309/Livability_Performance_Measures_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343112 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554343 AU - Willis, J Richard AU - Watson, Donald AU - Rodezno, Carolina AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Graduate Level Course in Sustainable Pavements PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 34p AB - The concept of sustainability is growing rapidly throughout the world; however, while many people know the term, they lack an understanding of its implications and how to implement sustainable concepts in common practices. Recent initiatives by both the asphalt and concrete industries have focused on the idea of becoming more sustainable; however, without proper training and education, both practicing and future engineers will not be able to make truly sustainable decisions which will affect this country’s social, economic, and environmental well-being. This report documents an effort taken by the National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn University to begin a program which would educate both current graduate students at the university, but also practicing engineers in the region on concepts related to sustainable pavements. A graduate level course was developed for and taught at Auburn University in the Spring of 2013 which covered topics related to both asphalt and concrete sustainability in all five phases of a pavement’s life-cycle. Additionally, one-day workshops were conducted throughout the Southeastern United States which gave practicing engineers the same opportunity to gain knowledge related to this subject. Overall, approximately 135 engineers were exposed to the idea of making pavements sustainable. KW - Education and training KW - Engineers KW - Graduate study KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Pavements KW - Sustainable development KW - Workshops UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_Auburn_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343107 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554319 AU - Martin, James B AU - Bailey, Nancy R AU - Washburn, Leslie D AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Engineers Change the World: A Hands-On Workshop for 13- to 18-Year-Old Girls PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 27p AB - The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) at North Carolina State University (NCSU) and The University of Florida (UF) collaborated with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) to introduce engineering, particularly transportation engineering, as a viable career option for girls. This project used a series of one-day workshops targeted at middle and high school-level girls in North Carolina and Florida. Girls at these levels are taking classes to meet requirements for college admission and they may decide to take more science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses if they can see a benefit. Experiential hands-on activities, speakers, role models, and mentoring opportunities served to engage and inspire. An accompanying website was created to help market the events as well as continue the learning experience by providing resources to supplement the workshops. A companion piece to this project is to foster the establishment of a student chapter of Women’s Transportation Seminar at NCSU to help provide an additional network of role models for younger girls as well as the student members. KW - Adolescents KW - Employment KW - Females KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering KW - Workshops UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_Engineering-For-Girls-Too-FINALReport_Martin_2012-009S.pdf UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_Engineering-For-Girls-Too-FinalReport_Martin_2013-028S.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343105 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554247 AU - Edara, Praveen AU - Sun, Carlos AU - Claros, Boris R AU - Brown, Henry AU - University of Missouri, Columbia AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Safety Evaluation of Diverging Diamond Interchanges in Missouri PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 57p AB - The Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) has gained in popularity in the United States during the last decade. The operational benefits and lower costs of retrofitting a conventional diamond with a DDI have contributed to its increased use. Existing research on DDIs has focused primarily on the assessment of operational benefits. Unfortunately, formal safety evaluations of DDIs are lacking. This study filled the knowledge gap by conducting a safety evaluation at the project-level (interchange) and the site-specific level (ramp terminals) of DDIs using three types of before-after evaluation methods: Naïve, Empirical Bayes (EB), and Comparison Group (CG). Three evaluation methods were used since the methods involved different trade-offs, such as data requirements, complexity, and regression-to-the-mean. The safety evaluation at the project-level accounts for the influence of the DDI treatment in the entire footprint of the interchange. On the other hand, the site-specific approach focused on the influence at the ramp terminals only. All three methods showed that a DDI replacing a conventional diamond decreased crash frequency for all severities. At the project-level, the highest crash reduction was observed for fatal and injury (FI) crashes – 63.2% (Naïve), 62.6% (EB), and 60.6% (CG). Property damage only crashes were reduced by 33.9% (Naïve), 35.1% (EB), and 49.0% (CG). Total crash frequency also decreased by 41.7% (Naïve), 40.8% (EB), and 52.9% (CG). Similarly, in the site-specific analysis, the highest crash reduction was observed for fatal and injury (FI) crashes – 64.3% (Naïve), 67.8% (EB), and 67.7% (CG). Property damage only crashes were reduced by 35.6% (Naïve), 53.4% (EB), and 47.0% (CG). Total crash frequency also decreased by 43.2% (Naïve), 56.6% (EB), and 53.3% (CG). A collision type analysis revealed that the DDI, as compared to a diamond, traded high severity for lower severity crashes. While 34.3% of ramp terminal-related FI crashes in a diamond occurred due to the left turn angle crashes with oncoming traffic, the DDI eliminated this crash type. In summary, the DDI offers significant crash reduction benefits over conventional diamond interchanges. KW - Before and after studies KW - Crash rates KW - Crash severity KW - Diamond interchanges KW - Diverging diamond interchanges KW - Evaluation KW - Fatalities KW - Missouri KW - Ramps (Interchanges) KW - Traffic safety UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TR201406/cmr15-006.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341982 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554238 AU - Hulsey, J Leroy AU - Xiao, Feng AU - Dolan, J Daniel AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Phase II: Chulitna River Bridge Structurally Health Monitoring Alaska Bridge 255 – Chulitna River Bridge PY - 2015/01//Final Report SP - 96p AB - This study is phase 2 of a two phase research project. In Phase 1 a structural health monitoring system (SHMS) was installed on the Chulitna River Bridge. This bridge is 790 feet long, 42 foot 2 inches wide and has 5 spans. As part of that effort, three loaded dump trucks were used to conduct seventeen static and dynamic loadings on the structure. In addition to studying the bridge using SHMS, two ambient free vibration tests were conducted a year apart. In 1993, the deck on this 1970 five span bridge was widened from 34-feet to a 42 foot 2 inch concrete deck. Increased load was accounted for by strengthening two variable depth exterior girders and converting interior stringers to interior truss girders. Construction documents for the upgrade called for stage construction. At the time of this study, the bridge had five bearings that were not in contact with the superstructure. Feasibility of using Structural Health Monitoring Systems (SHMS) for Alaska Highway Bridges was examined. Also, SHMS data for the load tests of Phase 1 were used to calibrate a three-dimensional model (FEM) to predict response and conduct a 2014 Operating Load Rating. KW - Alaska KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Finite element method KW - Highway bridges KW - Load factor KW - Load tests KW - Sensors KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Vibration tests UR - http://tundra.ine.uaf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Chulitna-River-Bridge-Final-01-27-2015jlh-2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342392 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01552138 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Pocket Guide to Transportation 2015 PY - 2015/01 SP - 64p AB - This guide is a compilation of statistics related to the performance and impact of the United States transportation system. The statistics are arranged in seven categories: infrastructure, moving people, moving goods, performance, economy, safety, and environment. Data covers such topics as: airport runway pavement condition, structurally deficient bridges, transit ridership, airport on-time performance, incoming truck border crossings, U.S. transportation spending, transportation injuries by mode, and hybrid vehicle sales. KW - Air travel KW - Economics KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight transportation KW - Highways KW - Infrastructure KW - Passenger transportation KW - Ports KW - Railroads KW - Statistics KW - Trend (Statistics) UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/Pocket%20Guide%202015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341351 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01622401 AU - Goworowska, Justyna AU - Moore, William AU - Wingfield, Alpha AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - State Transportation by the Numbers: A Compendium of State Summaries PY - 2015 SP - 214p AB - This document presents transportation-related statistics by State for the United States. Data covers State infrastructure, energy usage, vehicles, freight movement, and passenger travel and includes statistics such as miles of public road, number of major airports, miles of waterway, licensed drivers, registered vehicles, how residents get to work, value of freight flow, top commodities, fatalities, alternative fuel stations, and more. The majority of the statistics represent 2013 data. KW - Commuting KW - Drivers KW - Energy consumption KW - Fatalities KW - Freight traffic KW - Infrastructure KW - Passenger traffic KW - Registrations KW - States KW - Statistics KW - United States KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/_entire.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440312 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01616963 AU - Tyrell, D C AU - Llana, P AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Locomotive Crashworthiness Research PY - 2015 SP - 14p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation conducts research on locomotive crashworthiness. The research approach includes four phases: (1) Accident investigations to assemble sequences of events leading to injury and fatality. (2) Locomotive performance is analyzed, and potential improvements are explored. (3) Specifications are developed, using the research results. (4) Locomotives are designed to the evolved standard and introduced into service. As technological advances show promise for improved performance, the phases proceed in an evolutionary fashion, with continuous research leading to continuously improving standards and safer designs. Recent accidents’ consequences suggest that locomotives built to the requirements of U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Title 49 Part 229 Appendix E (Appendix E) are often more crashworthy than would be expected of older locomotives. In the 1990s, FRA conducted research in response to the Rail Safety Enforcement and Review Act of 1992. In 1997, at the request of the FRA, the Locomotive Crashworthiness Working Group was formed. Members of the working group included railroads, suppliers, and labor organizations. Further research was conducted and Appendix E was drafted and recommended to FRA. After the Working Group disbanded, FRA continued research on locomotive crashworthiness. Recently component tests were conducted of energy-absorbing anti-climbers and couplers. Full-scale impact tests are being planned, in part to show crashworthiness compatibility of modified locomotives with a range of freight and passenger equipment. Results of this research are currently being used by the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Tender Technical Advisory Group of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) to develop crashworthiness requirements for LNG tenders and locomotives. KW - Couplers KW - Crashworthiness KW - Liquefied natural gas KW - Locomotives KW - Railroad safety KW - Standards KW - Underride override crashes KW - Vehicle design UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60000/60019/IMECHE_Conf_Locomotive_crashworthiness_research.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1427774 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599292 AU - Issa, Mohsen A AU - Lotfy, Ibrahim AU - Farhat, Maen AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Accelerated Bridge Construction for Railroad Elevated Structures PY - 2015///Final Report SP - 57p AB - In this report, a proof-of-concept for construction or replacement operations for urban railroad bridges was performed using full-scale modeling. Two prefabricated simple span bridges were considered for both freight and passenger rail. The bridges were considered supporting railroad tracks using High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) crossties. The full-scale model was considered for urban environment, specifically a metropolitan city layout as the large traffic density further encourages Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC). The location of the bridge was chosen in the city of Chicago, Illinois; it is a bridge supporting a transfer station located on the "Red Line" of the CTA; Wilson Station. The first system selected was pretensioned U-Girders with full-depth precast panel deck system. The U-Girders have been used for highway bridges in the state of Florida. The system has an efficient cross section that can accomodate prestressing as well as ABC construction methods. Another system, which was also selected for investigation, was the post-tensioned Box girder system. This system was adopted by the California High-Speed Train Project as a typical section for aerial structures. This system can achieve the required structural performance and economy with adequate safety and pleasing aesthetic. It is recommended for implementation with a simple span and a span-to-depth ratio of 10. KW - Bridge construction KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Girders KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad ties KW - Scale models KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R02-Combined_reduced1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405201 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599181 AU - Issa, Mohsen A AU - Shibli, Aiman AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Structural Adhesive Behavior-Experimental and Computational Study PY - 2015///Final Report SP - 18p AB - Adhesive joints are being increasingly used in structural applications due to their unique characteristics and advantages. The traditional bolted joint methods have gone a long way in creating appropriate technologies and gained years of design experience, which cannot easily be replaced. Accordingly switching from traditional joining methods to adhesives bonding in civil infrastructure applications requires a large investment to establish a level of understanding comparable to that associated with traditional joining methods. In particular, it is crucial to characterize and fully understand bonded joint behavior, strength and failure properties, and to be able to predict them for a given geometries and loads. The objectives of this research were to: (1) Investigate the behavior of structural adhesive by characterizing their mechanical properties; (2) Establish a representative material model that can mimic their behavior and can be used in numerical models for computational studies; and (3) Utilize virtual testing using simulation to investigate different design options to utilize structural adhesive to rehabilitate and connect Recycled Plastics composite (RPL) beams. KW - Adhesive strength KW - Composite materials KW - Mechanical properties KW - Rail joints KW - Sandwich construction KW - Simulation UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R02-Combined_reduced1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405202 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599175 AU - Issa, Mohsen A AU - Lotfy, Ibrahim AU - Farhat, Maen AU - National University Rail Center (NURail) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of the Longitudinal Restraint, Uplift Resistance, and Long-term Performance of High Density Polyethylene Crosstie Rail Support System using Static and Cyclic Testing PY - 2015///Final Report SP - 36p AB - The University of Illinois at Chicago conducted a series of studies to assess the feasibility of implementing High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) crossties in both conventional and high-speed rail applications. This report presents an experimental investigation aiming to understand and assess the performance of the full rail support system, i.e. HDPE crosstie with the rail section and the fastening system installed. The objectives of this report were to: (1) Understand the behavior of the full system and the interactions between the rail, the different fastening components, and the HDPE crosstie; (2) Evaluate the performance of the rail support system when subjected to longitudinal loading; (3) Investigate the uplift behavior of the system and the contributions of each component of the fastening assembly to the uplift resistance; (4) Assess the long-term performance of the rail support system; and (5) Identify any weak points in the system and recommend possible improvements/modifications. KW - Composite materials KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Load tests KW - Longitudinal strength KW - Performance KW - Plastics KW - Rail fasteners KW - Railroad ties KW - Railroad tracks KW - Recommendations UR - http://www.nurailcenter.org/research/final_reports/UIC/NURail2012-UIC-R02-Combined_reduced1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1405200 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596833 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Statistics Annual Report 2015 PY - 2015 SP - 217p AB - The Transportation Statistics Annual Report describes the Nation’s transportation system, the system’s performance, its contributions to the economy, and its effects on people and the environment. This 20th edition of the report is based on information collected or compiled by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a Federal statistical agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Chapters include: Extent and Physical Condition of the U.S. Transportation System; Moving People; Moving Goods; Transportation System Performance; Transportation Economics; Transportation Safety; Transportation Energy Use and Environmental Impacts; and The State of Transportation Statistics. KW - Condition surveys KW - Economics KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight and passenger traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Highways KW - Passenger transportation KW - Pipelines KW - Statistics KW - Transportation modes KW - Transportation safety KW - Travel behavior KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/TSAR_2015_final_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1403385 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01593940 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - National Transportation Atlas Databases 2015 PY - 2015 AB - The National Transportation Atlas Databases 2015 (NTAD2015) is a set of nationwide geographic databases of transportation facilities, transportation networks, and associated infrastructure. These datasets include spatial information for transportation modal networks and intermodal terminals, as well as the related attribute information for these features. Metadata documentation, as prescribed by the International Organization of Standards, is also provided for each database. The data support research, analysis, and decision-making across all modes of transportation. They are most useful at the national level, but have major applications at regional, state, and local scales throughout the transportation community. This product is distributed in shapefile format. KW - Databases KW - Geographic information systems KW - Infrastructure KW - Intermodal facilities KW - Metadata KW - Spatial analysis KW - Transportation modes KW - Transportation, hydraulic and utility facilities UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/national_transportation_atlas_database/2015/index.html UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56700/56701/NTAD_2015.zip UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400285 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587711 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation in the United States: Highlights from 2015 Transportation Statistics Annual Report PY - 2015 SP - 30p AB - The analysis contained in this report is taken from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ Transportation Statistics Annual Report. Data includes: extent of the U.S. transportation system, recent trends, bridge condition by age group, moving people and moving goods, system performance, percent of congestion by time of day, billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, transportation economics, fatalities, energy use and environmental impacts, and the state of transportation statistics. KW - Condition surveys KW - Economic impacts KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fatalities KW - Freight and passenger traffic KW - Safety KW - Statistics KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation modes KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/TITUS_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395629 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587708 AU - Chambers, Matthew AU - Goworowska, Justyna AU - Rick, Christopher AU - Sedor, Joanne AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Freight Facts and Figures 2015 PY - 2015 SP - 111p AB - This 11th edition of Freight Facts and Figures was developed by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. It provides a snapshot of the volume and value of freight flows in the United States; the extent, condition, and performance of 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 decisionmakers, planners, and the public understand the magnitude and importance of freight transportation to the economy. Chapter 1 summarizes the basic demographic and economic characteristics of the United States that contribute to the demand for raw materials, intermediate goods, and finished products. Chapter 2 identifies the freight that is moved and highlights international trade. Chapter 3 describes the extent and condition of the freight transportation system; volumes of freight moving over the system; and the amount of highway, air, rail, port, and pipeline activities required to move that freight. Chapter 4 presents information on transportation system performance and its effect on freight movement. Chapter 5 focuses on the economic characteristics of the transportation industry that operates the system. Chapter 6 covers the safety aspects, energy consumption, and environmental implications of freight transportation. KW - Commodity flow KW - Economic factors KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - International trade KW - Transportation safety KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/FF%26F_complete.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1395628 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587669 AU - Bureau of Transportation Statistics TI - Two Decades of Change in Transportation: Reflections from Transportation Statistics Annual Reports, 1994–2014 PY - 2015 SP - 34p AB - This 20th anniversary edition of the Transportation Statistics Annual Report departs from the normal review of current transportation statistics to highlight how the world of transportation and the methods to measure that world have changed over the last two decades. Rather than cataloging trends enumerated in other Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) publications, this report focuses on three questions: (1) Are transportation challenges and opportunities relatively unchanged after 20 years, or have new issues emerged? (2) Do statistics developed over the last 20 years support effective understanding of transportation challenges and opportunities, or are new statistics needed? (3) Will new methods of measurement provide new perspectives on transportation? KW - Annual reports KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Information dissemination KW - Performance measurement KW - Statistics KW - U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/TSAR_2014_reflections.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394934 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01581081 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - State Transportation Statistics 2015 PY - 2015 SP - 142p AB - The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) presents State Transportation Statistics 2015, a statistical profile of transportation in the 50 States and the District of Columbia. This is the 13th annual edition of State Transportation Statistics, a companion document to National Transportation Statistics (NTS), which is updated quarterly on the BTS website. Like the previous editions, this document presents transportation information from BTS and other Federal Government agencies and national sources. A picture of each State’s transportation infrastructure, freight movement and passenger travel, system safety, vehicles, transportation-related economy and finance, energy usage, and the environment is presented in table form. Tables have been updated with the most recently available data. Included in this State Transportation Statistics 2015 report is a brief description of the data sources used and a glossary of terms. Also contained in this publication is a summary table that displays the approximate timing of future data releases and contact information for each State’s department of transportation. KW - Air pollution KW - Economics KW - Energy consumption KW - Finance KW - Freight transportation KW - Infrastructure KW - Passenger transportation KW - Registrations KW - States KW - Statistics KW - Tables (Data) KW - Transportation safety KW - United States KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/STS_2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1375485 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579628 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - National Transportation Statistics 2015 PY - 2015 SP - 465p AB - This document presents information on the U.S. transportation system, including its physical components, safety record, economic performance, energy use, and environmental impacts. National Transportation Statistics is a companion document to the Transportation Statistics Annual Report, which analyzes some of the data presented here, and State Transportation Statistics, which presents state-level data on many of the same topics presented here. The report has four chapters: Chapter 1 provides data on the extent, condition, use, and performance of the physical transportation network. Chapter 2 details transportation's safety record, giving data on accidents, crashes, fatalities, and injuries for each transportation mode and hazardous materials. Chapter 3 focuses on the relationship between transportation and the economy, presenting data on transportation's contribution to the gross domestic product, employment by industry and occupation, and transportation-related consumer and government expenditures. Chapter 4 presents data on transportation energy use and transportation-related environmental impacts. KW - Economic factors KW - Employment KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Expenditures KW - Fatalities KW - Hazardous materials KW - Traffic crashes KW - Transportation modes KW - Transportation safety KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/NTS_Entire_15Q2_rev.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371948 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574067 AU - Eksioglu, Sandra D AU - Clemson University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analyzing the Impact of Intermodal-Related Risk to the Design and Management of Biofuel Supply Chain PY - 2015///Final Report SP - 36p AB - The objective of this research is to design a decision-support tool for identifying biorefinery locations that ensure a cost-efficient and reliable supply chain. The authors built mathematical models which take into consideration the benefits (such as, accessibility to different modes of transportation), and risks associated with locating a refinery near an intermodal facility. These mathematical models capture the impact of facility disruptions on biorefinery location and supply chain design. A visualization interface is developed and connected to the mathematical models. This web-based interface enables decision-makers to input the practical data related to the location problems and display chosen biorefinery locations after calculation of mathematical models. The outcomes of this research are in compliance with the mission of the Intermodal Planning Division of the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) to promote and support intermodal transportation by providing technical assistance which aims to improve and increase the usability of existing intermodal facilities. Through the decision-support tool, users will be able to identify under what conditions locating a biofuel plant near an intermodal facility is advisable; and what are the benefits/costs of such a decision. These results can be used to encourage biofuel plants to use intermodal facilities/transportation and make their investments accordingly. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Biorefineries KW - Decision support systems KW - Intermodal facilities KW - Mathematical models KW - Mississippi KW - Plant location KW - Supply chain management UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-05FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363639 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01565444 AU - Yu, Hailing AU - Jeong, David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Finite Element Bond Models for Seven-Wire Prestressing Strands in Concrete Crossties PY - 2015 SP - 8p AB - Seven-wire strands are commonly used in pretensioned concrete ties, but its bonding mechanism with concrete needs further examination to provide a better understanding of some concrete tie failure modes. As a key component in the finite element (FE) analysis of concrete crossties, macro-scale or phenomenological FE bond models are developed for seven-wire strands in this paper. The strand-concrete interfaces are homogenized with a thin layer of cohesive elements applied between the strand and concrete elements. Further, the cohesive elements are assigned traction-displacement constitutive or bond relations that are defined in terms of normal and shear stresses versus interfacial dilation and slip. The bond relations are developed within an elasto-plastic framework that characterizes the adhesive, frictional and/or dilatational bonding mechanisms in the interface. The yield functions and plastic flow rules specific for the seven-wire strands are presented. The bond parameters are calibrated from untensioned pullout tests and pretensioned prism tests conducted on concrete specimens. The bond models are then verified with (1) the surface strain data measured on actual concrete crossties made at a tie manufacturing plant, and (2) the force-displacement relation obtained in a center negative moment test conducted also on concrete crossties. U1 - 2015 Joint Rail ConferenceSan Jose,California,United States StartDate:20150323 EndDate:20150326 KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Bonding KW - Deformation KW - Finite element method KW - Prestressed concrete ties KW - Pull out test KW - Steel wire UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54800/54835/JRC2015-5758.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355791 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01565443 AU - Marquis, Brian AU - Greif, Robert AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - High Speed Curving Performance of Rail Vehicles PY - 2015 AB - On March 13, 2013, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published a final rule titled “Vehicle/Track Interaction Safety Standards; High-Speed and High Cant Deficiency Operations” which amended the Track Safety Standards (49 CFR Part 213) and the Passenger Equipment Safety Standards (49 CFR Part 238) in order to promote vehicle track interaction (VTI) safety under a variety of conditions at speeds up to 220 mph. Among its main accomplishments, the final rule facilitates the expansion of higher speed passenger rail by revising the standards governing permissible operating speed in curves, allowing for higher cant deficiencies in all FRA Track Classes. To ensure safety is not diminished, the FRA Track Safety Standards require railroads to maintain their tracks to stricter track geometry standards whenever they operate at these higher curving speeds and cant deficiencies. These revisions were based on studies that examined the dynamic curving performance of various representative rail vehicles. This research investigates the steady-state curving performance of truck designs while traversing curves at various curving speeds and cant deficiencies. During steady-state curve negotiation, the axles of trucks generally offset laterally from the track centerline and develop angles of attack increasing the wheel-rail contact forces. Large lateral forces can develop, particularly in flange contact, resulting in increased wheel and rail wear, track panel shift, and the risk of derailment. Depending on the truck design, such forces become larger at higher cant deficiency. An understanding of the steady-state response of a rail vehicle in a curve is essential as it represents a significant part of the total dynamic response. The curving performance of an idealized rigid truck is analyzed using nonlinear analytical methods for a wide range of operating speeds and unbalance conditions. Emphasis is placed on higher speed curving and the results are used to interpret trends observed during recent field testing with Amtrak’s Acela High-Speed Trainset on the Northeast Corridor. U1 - 2015 Joint Rail ConferenceSan Jose,California,United States StartDate:20150323 EndDate:20150326 KW - Car trucks (Railroads) KW - Curved track KW - Curves (Geometry) KW - Field tests KW - High speed rail KW - Operating speed KW - Railroad safety KW - Rolling contact KW - Standards UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54900/54921/Marquis_JRC_5620.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355790 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01565442 AU - Tyrell, David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Liquefied Natural Gas Tender Crashworthiness Research PY - 2015 SP - 11p AB - Research is being conducted to develop technical information needed to formulate effective natural gas fuel tender crashworthiness standards. This research is being performed for the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA’s) Office of Research, Development, and Technology, and intended to facilitate industry efforts to use natural gas as a locomotive fuel. Strategies to assure crashworthiness during moderate accidents, such as train-to-train collisions at speeds up to 40 mph, are being evaluated. This research applies the approach FRA has used to develop technical information on locomotive, hazmat tank car, and diesel fuel tank crashworthiness. There are four primary tasks: (1) Definition of collision scenarios; (2) Evaluation of traditional designs; (3) Evaluation of alternative designs; and (4) Recommendation of effective crashworthiness strategies. U1 - 2015 Joint Rail ConferenceSan Jose,California,United States StartDate:20150323 EndDate:20150326 KW - Crashworthiness KW - Evaluation KW - Liquefied natural gas KW - Locomotives KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad safety KW - Standards KW - Tank cars KW - Vehicle design UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54800/54897/ASME_JRC2015-5815.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355788 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01565441 AU - Llana, Patricia AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Locomotive Crash Energy Management Test Plans PY - 2015 SP - 9p AB - The Office of Research, Development, and Technology of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Volpe Center are continuing to evaluate new technologies for increasing the safety of passengers and operators in rail equipment. The results of vehicle-to-vehicle override, where the strong underframe of one vehicle, typically a locomotive, impacts the weaker superstructure of the other vehicle, can be devastating. Crashworthy components which can be integrated into the end structure of a locomotive have been developed to inhibit override in the event of collision. Recent research has resulted in the development of a design concept, including evaluation with finite-element analysis (FEA), fabrication, and component tests. The design concept developed incorporates two key components: a push-back coupler and a deformable anti-climber. Detailed designs for these components were developed and the performance of the designs was evaluated through large deformation dynamic FEA. This paper describes the tests that are planned to demonstrate the behavior of these components when they are integrated into the end structure of a locomotive. The tests will demonstrate the in-service and crashworthiness performance of the modified locomotives. This research program endeavors to advance locomotive crashworthiness technology and develop the technical basis for generating specifications for push-back couplers and deformable anti-climbers. U1 - 2015 Joint Rail ConferenceSan Jose,California,United States StartDate:20150323 EndDate:20150326 KW - Couplers KW - Crashworthiness KW - Deformation KW - Evaluation KW - Finite element method KW - Locomotives KW - Railroad safety KW - Test procedures KW - Train components KW - Underride override crashes KW - Vehicle design UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54900/54922/Llana_JRC2015-5667.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355787 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01565440 AU - Brecher, Aviva AU - Shurland, Melissa AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Study on Improving Rail Energy Efficiency (E2): Best Practices and Strategies PY - 2015 AB - A recent Volpe Center report for the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Rail Energy, Environment, and Engine (E3) Technology research and development program reviewed rail industry best practices (BPs) and strategies for improving energy efficiency (E2) and environmental sustainability. The review included examples of and opportunities for adoption of international transferrable BPs, and US technologies for equipment, operations and logistics software tools that have measurably improved E2 performance for passenger and freight railroads. Drivers providing renewed impetus for rail industry E2 advances include environmental compliance requirements with US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) locomotive emission standards, US Department of Transportation Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality improvement program grants, state, regional and urban clean diesel campaigns, as well as the FRA National Rail Plan, and High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) initiatives. The report presented comparative rail system energy efficiency data and trends relative to competing modes, illustrated the benefits of energy-efficient technologies, and of alternative fuels use. Based on a comprehensive literature review and on experts’ inputs, the report highlighted models of corporate rail sustainability plans and system-wide BPs and success stories. Available rail equipment and operational practices proven to improve E2 with environmental and economic benefits for all rail industry segments were illustrated. Findings and recommendations for further improving rail E2 and sustainability were tailored to the specific needs and goals of intercity and commuter passenger rail, and freight railroads (Class I-III). U1 - 2015 Joint Rail ConferenceSan Jose,California,United States StartDate:20150323 EndDate:20150326 KW - Air quality management KW - Alternate fuels KW - Best practices KW - Economic benefits KW - Energy conservation KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight trains KW - Literature reviews KW - Passenger trains KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Sustainable transportation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54800/54898/JRC2015_Rail_E2_strategies.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355786 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01565439 AU - Jacobsen, Karina AU - Carolan, Michael AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Results of a Conventional Fuel Tank Blunt Impact Test PY - 2015 SP - 10p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA's) Office of Research and Development is conducting research into passenger locomotive fuel tank crashworthiness. A series of impact tests is being conducted to measure fuel tank deformation under two types of dynamic loading conditions – blunt and raking impacts. This program is intended to result in a better understanding of design features that improve the puncture resistance of passenger locomotive fuel tanks. One reason for performing this program is to aid in development of appropriate standards for puncture resistance to be applied to alternatively-designed fuel tanks, such as on diesel multiple unit (DMU) passenger rail equipment. This paper describes the results of the third blunt impact test of retired F-40 locomotive fuel tanks. The test setup was designed for the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in Pueblo, Colorado, to impart blunt impacts to the bottom of each fuel tank specimen. The specimens tested to date are from FRA-owned retired F-40 passenger locomotives. The objective of this research program is to establish the baseline puncture resistance of current passenger locomotive fuel tanks under dynamic impact conditions and to develop performance requirements to ensure an appropriate level of puncture resistance in alternative fuel tank designs, such as DMU fuel tanks. U1 - 2015 Joint Rail ConferenceSan Jose,California,United States StartDate:20150323 EndDate:20150326 KW - Alternate fuels KW - Crashworthiness KW - Deformation KW - Diesel multiple unit cars KW - Dynamic loads KW - Fuel tanks KW - Impact tests KW - Locomotives KW - Passenger trains KW - Puncture resistance KW - Railroad safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54900/54927/Conv_Fuel_Tank_Blunt_Impact_Test_Results_v3-FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355785 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01561009 AU - Mishalani, Rabi G AU - Goel, Prem AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Public Transit Market Share and Other Transportation Variables on GHG Emissions: Developing Statistical Models for Aggregate Predictions PY - 2015///Final Report SP - 8p AB - This study develops a statistical model that provides an important step towards quantifying the possible benefits that could be derived from potential reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this study, only carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are examined since these emissions constitute 93.4% of the GHG produced in the transportation sector (Energy Information Administration, 2008). In addition, the CO₂ emissions focused on are those resulting from passenger travel and the roles of travelers’ choices within the confines of available infrastructure and existing urban form. The contributions of this study are twofold. First, an aggregate model of urban passenger travel related CO₂ emissions in U.S. urbanized areas that includes a rich set of explanatory variables is developed. Second, in doing so, the roles of policies aimed at improving the environment or enhancing the attitudes of travelers towards making environmentally favorable choices is captured through the use of a proxy variable. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Market share KW - Mode choice KW - Passenger transportation KW - Policy KW - Pollutants KW - Public transit KW - Statistical analysis KW - Urban travel UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Final_Report_0630Y03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349704 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560944 AU - Zhang, Kuilin AU - Saat, M Rapik AU - Ouyang, Yanfeng AU - Barkan, Christopher P L AU - Michigan Technological University AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of High-Speed Passenger Trains on Freight Train Efficiency in Shared Railway Corridors PY - 2015///Final Report SP - 47p AB - This project is to understand the complex interactions between high-speed passenger trains and freight trains on shared railway corridors. The objective of this project is to develop a decision support modeling framework that can help evaluate the impact of high-speed trains on railroad freight corridor capacity and draw technical and policy insights that will address key issues of the proposed U.S. high-speed rail (HSR) plan. This decision support modeling framework includes three types of approaches: (1) analytical approach, (2) simulation approach, and (3) hybrid analytical-simulation approach. The authors conduct numerical analysis using the simulation and hybrid approaches to demonstrate the proposed decision support modeling framework for real-world applications. KW - Decision support systems KW - Freight trains KW - High speed rail KW - Numerical analysis KW - Passenger trains KW - Simulation KW - Transportation corridors KW - United States UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Final%20Report%20100IY04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348925 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01558333 AU - Jones, Robert AU - Tarawneh, Constantine AU - University of Texas-Pan American AU - University Transportation Center for Railway Safety AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effects of Vapor Grown Carbon Nanofibers on Electrical and Mechanical Properties of a Thermoplastic Elastomer PY - 2015///11/2013-12/2014 SP - 3p AB - This research developed a formulation of conductive additives for use in thermoplastic elastomers currently in use in railcar steering pads. Plain elastomers are insulators and prevent transmission of current from rail to frame to signal door or gate opening devices. In addition, the thermal insulating properties of these materials slow heat flow from bearings through the bearing adapter into the side-frame where it can be dissipated. Traditional conductive additives such as carbon black must be applied at high volume fraction and result in substantial increases in pad stiffness and degradation of pad durability. Carbon nano-fibers are extremely efficient conductive additives and can produce the desired conductivity at much lower concentrations and with less impact on mechanical performance. KW - Elastomers KW - Electrical properties KW - Mechanical properties KW - Nanostructured materials KW - Railroad transportation KW - Steering components KW - Thermoplastic materials UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/_files/documents/research/mechanical/conductive-railroad-bearing-suspesion-element.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347328 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01558328 AU - Foltz, Heinrich AU - Tarawneh, Constantine AU - University of Texas-Pan American AU - University Transportation Center for Railway Safety AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Applications of Magnetostrictive Materials for Real-Time Monitoring of Vehicle Suspension Components PY - 2015 SP - 3p AB - The purpose of this project is to investigate applications of magnetostrictive materials for real-time monitoring of railroad suspension components, in particular bearings. Monitoring of such components typically requires measurement of temperature, static load, and vibration, among other parameters. In addition, real-time, long-term monitoring can be greatly facilitated through the use of wireless, self-powered sensors. Magnetostrictive materials, such as Terfenol-D, have the potential to address both requirements. In this project, Terfenol-D will be characterized in three applications: (a) as a static load sensor, (b) as a vibration sensor, and (c) as an energy harvesting device. Currently, piezoelectrics are used for many vibration and energy harvesting applications; however, they are fragile and are difficult to use for static load measurements. Magnetostrictive metals are tougher, and their property of variable permeability when stressed can be exploited to measure static loads. Deliverables for this project include: (a) characterization of Terfenol-D materials over a range of loads and frequencies appropriate for railroad bearing applications, (b) demonstration and performance measurements of Terfenol-D energy harvesting, (c) demonstration and performance measurements of a Terfenol-D load sensor, (d) demonstration and performance measurements of a Terfenol-D vibration sensor, and (e) support electronics allowing integration into a data collection system. In addition, the possibility of using a single Terfenol-D core to perform all three functions was explored, and the viability under conditions typically encountered in a railroad bearing adapter were tested. KW - Bearings KW - Electric power generation KW - Magnetostrictive sensors KW - Performance measurement KW - Railroad transportation KW - Sensors KW - Static loads KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Vibration UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/_files/documents/research/mechanical/applications-of-magnetostrictive-materials.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347330 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01558324 AU - Crown, Stephen AU - Tarawneh, Constantine AU - Jones, Robert AU - University of Texas-Pan American AU - University Transportation Center for Railway Safety AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Single Bearing Test Rig with Vertical, Lateral, and Impact Load Capabilities PY - 2015///11/2013-12/2014 SP - 6p AB - Testing of tapered-roller bearings for railroad cars is an area of active research at The University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA). Current efforts are aimed at bearing health monitoring utilizing emerging temperature and vibration sensor technologies. UTPA currently possesses two four-bearing test rigs that are used to perform laboratory experiments required to support the ongoing development of rolling stock condition monitoring research projects. These two testers only provide static vertical loading that can simulate railcar cargo loads. A thorough literature review revealed that there are no testers with vertical, lateral, and impact loading capabilities in a dynamic single railroad bearing configuration. The need for a single bearing test rig has been motivated by the desire to create a testing environment that more closely simulates the conditions experienced by railroad bearings in field service. To this end, a design has been proposed for a single railroad bearing tester that incorporates up to 5000 lbf of lateral loading as well as a variable frequency (0-4 Hz) impact loading in addition to the applied static vertical loading (up to 60,000 lbf). The fabricated tester will be used to compile a library of bearing defects with the purpose of characterizing bearings based on the acquired temperature and vibration signatures under normal and abnormal operating conditions. The data can then be used to identify defective bearings at an early stage so that appropriate preventative measures can be taken to avoid potential catastrophic derailments. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Railroad cars KW - Roller bearings KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Test procedures KW - Testing equipment KW - Vibration UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/_files/documents/research/mechanical/single-bearing-tester-rig.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347331 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01558318 AU - Timmer, Doug AU - Jones, Robert AU - Tarawneh, Constantine AU - University of Texas-Pan American AU - University Transportation Center for Railway Safety AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling the Residual Useful Life of Bearing Grease PY - 2015 SP - 2p AB - This research developed an analytical model to predict the residual useful life of bearing grease. Modeling techniques that were employed include mechanistic or first principle models based upon process kinetics and empirical models including physics-based reliability models, non-linear regression, and neural networks. The analytical model provides users the ability to predict residual life base upon operational characteristics. KW - Bearings KW - Grease KW - Linear regression analysis KW - Neural networks KW - Railroad transportation KW - Reliability KW - Service life UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/_files/documents/research/mechanical/life-of-bearing-grease.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347329 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01558310 AU - Fuentes, Arturo A AU - Tarawneh, Constantine AU - University of Texas-Pan American AU - University Transportation Center for Railway Safety AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Structural Integrity of Railroad Bearing Adapters with Modifications for Onboard Monitoring Applications PY - 2015 SP - 5p AB - The primary purpose of this project is to study the structural integrity of railroad bearing adapters modified for onboard monitoring applications. The University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) Railroad Research Group funded by a private railroad industry (Amsted Rail) is attempting to provide one of the first economical, reliable sensors for keeping track of both dynamic and static loads on a railcar. The sensor is embedded in a bearing adapter under a thermoplastic elastomer suspension element patented as the AdapterPlus™ Pad. Bearing adapter modifications (e.g. cut-outs) were necessary to house the sensor and, thus, it is imperative to determine the structural integrity of the modified railroad bearing adapter to ensure the safe operation of the modified adapter in field service operating conditions. To that end, work performed under the University Transportation Center for Railway Safety aimed at developing Computer-aided design (CAD) models of the railroad bearing adapters with the suggested modifications, and constructing finite element (FE) models using the ALGOR commercial software. The devised finite element models were used to conduct finite element analyses using some of the expected operational boundary conditions and loads. The FE models were validated with some physical experiments that were carried out in a laboratory setting. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Bearings KW - Computer aided design KW - Elastomers KW - Finite element method KW - Railroad transportation KW - Sensors KW - Structural analysis KW - Suspension system components KW - Thermoplastic materials UR - http://www.utrgv.edu/railwaysafety/_files/documents/research/mechanical/modified-railroad-bearing-adapter-for-onboard-monitoring.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347327 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01556484 AU - Ukkusuri, Satish V AU - Ouyang, Yanfeng AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Decision Support Tool to Locate Shelters in Emergency Logistics PY - 2015///Final Report SP - 72p AB - The objective of this research is to develop a systematic methodology to locate shelters considering both transportation and social factors in the aftermath of disasters. When anticipated demands for hurricane evacuation shelter spaces exceed existing capacity as defined by the preceding standards, there is a need to utilize less preferred facilities. It is critical that shelter selection decisions be made carefully considering both accessibility and facility conditions, and in consultation with local emergency management and public safety officials. While Red Cross and other relief agencies propose strategies to locate shelters, they currently do not consider how evacuees choose facilities based on accessibility to shelters and the in-facility congestion. This was evident in recent disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and Rita where some of the smaller shelters turned out to be inaccessible or unsafe for evacuees to use. This report provides a mathematical model to consider traveler routing and in facility delays in the location of facilities; considers the use of social cost functions to optimize the location of facilities in a network; and provides conclusions and directions for future research. KW - Accessibility KW - Decision support systems KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Evacuation KW - Externalities KW - Location KW - Mathematical models KW - Optimization KW - Routes and routing KW - Shelters UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/074PIY04%20a%20decision%20support%20tool.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344782 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554419 AU - Buttlar, William G AU - Paulino, Glaucio H AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integration of Pavement Cracking Prediction Model with Asset Management and Vehicle-Infrastructure Interaction Models PY - 2015 SP - 55p AB - The main objective of this study is to develop an integrated framework that allows for linking of pavement simulation software with actual pavement cracking, distress and roughness, and to develop a framework that links the pavement roughness and distress information with vehicle maintenance and driver comfort. The objectives of this study are to: (1) predict pavement distress such as low temperature cracking, (2) estimate different types of user costs incurred by pavement roughness resulting from distresses, (3) compare agency investments for different maintenance and rehabilitation strategies and associated roughness-related user costs, (4) analyze environmental impacts of construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation (CMR) activities used in pavement engineering, (5) estimate and compare agency costs, user costs due to roughness, and emission costs due to CMR activities, and (6) estimate emission costs associated with pavement roughness. By considering the cost associated with the environmental impact of CMR activities, a more realistic estimate of the return on investment (ROI) associated with maintaining relatively smooth pavement throughout its service life was assessed. KW - Asset management KW - Costs KW - Environmental impacts KW - Pavement cracking KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pollutants KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Roughness KW - Software KW - Vehicle maintenance UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Integration%20of%20Pavement%20Cracking%20Prediction%20Model%20with%20Asset%20Management%20and%20Vehicle-Infrastructure%20Interaction%20Models.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343897 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01559872 AU - Biernbaum, Lee AU - Price, Megan AU - Wishart, Jacob AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Technical Summary of Airborne Incidents: An Econometric Analysis of Severity PY - 2014/12/31/Final Report SP - 18p AB - This is a technical summary of the "Airborne Incidents: An Econometric Analysis of Severity" main report. Airborne loss of separation incidents occur when an aircraft breaches the defined separation limit (vertical and/or horizontal) with another aircraft or terrain imposed by Air Traffic Control. Identifying conditions that lead to more severe loss of separation incidents can lead to policy implications and future areas of research. Previous research focused on qualitative approaches to analyzing such events, and tended to examine only the frequency of events. This report puts the severity of a loss of separation incident front and center and uses econometric techniques to examine the relationship between severity and conditional factors during the incident. The report utilizes report data from the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP), with a concentration on terminal airspace incidents. A number of other FAA data sources were merged to provide a robust set of information at the time of event in terms of facility, weather, and other operational characteristics. The primary focus of this research was on the use of discrete choice, multinomial logit models to better understand the relationship between these different sets of factors at the time of the event and the severity outcome. KW - Air Traffic Safety Action Program KW - Aircraft separation KW - Airport terminals KW - Airspace incidents KW - Aviation safety KW - Incident severity KW - Multinomial logits UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54487/Airborne_Incidents_-_TECHNICAL_SUMMARY.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344654 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554453 AU - Murillo-Hoyos, Jackeline AU - Ahmed, Anwaar AU - Labi, Samuel AU - Purdue University AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Using Regional Freight Traffic Assignment Modeling to Quantify the Variability of Pavement Damage for Highway Cost Allocation and Revenue Analysis PY - 2014/12/31/Final Report SP - 83p AB - While indicative of a vibrant economy, large volumes of freight traffic have been associated with accelerated wear of pavements particularly. In seeking to adopt operational policies that reduce undue deterioration of their infrastructure, state highway agencies in the United States strive to quantify the damage caused by vehicle loads so that it is possible to update loading polices and to implement fee structures that are commensurate with the pavement damage. An Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)-commissioned research study, SPR 3502, provided a methodology to estimate the pavement damage costs. That study reported these costs on the basis of systemwide average levels of traffic loading. In reality, however, traffic loading and climatic severity at specific road segments can differ significantly from what their systemwide averages suggest. This Nextrans study therefore investigated the issue of pavement damage cost estimation from a purely disaggregate level in order to establish potentially more reliable estimates of pavement damage costs. It is envisaged that doing so would not only increase the efficiency and effectiveness but also would enhance equity in the highway cost allocation and revenue generation. To address the issue at a disaggregate level, the study first established more reliable projections of highway freight traffic volumes at each individual pavement segment on the highway network using the results from a freight assignment and volume prediction tool. Next, for each road segment the expected axle loadings on the basis of the projected traffic volumes, were calculated and the expected pavement damage costs were determined from the expected level of truck volume (and thus, estimated loading). Further, the study quantified the deviation, for each pavement segment, of the damage cost using disaggregate and aggregate approaches. KW - Axle loads KW - Cost allocation KW - Estimating KW - Forecasting KW - Freight traffic KW - Pavement distress KW - Traffic assignment KW - Traffic volume UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Using%20Regional%20Freight%20Traffic%20Assignment%20Modeling%20to%20Quantify%20the%20Variability%20of%20Pavement%20Damage%20for%20Highway%20Cost%20Allocation%20and%20Revenue%20Analysis.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343902 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574047 AU - Qiu, Tong AU - Xiao, Ming AU - Wang, Chaoyi AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Hydraulic Plate Compactor PY - 2014/12/26/Final Report SP - 106p AB - This report presents the results of two parallel field investigations consisting of utility trench backfill compaction tests. The field investigation at State College, Pennsylvania was conducted to establish baseline measurements using a walk-behind vibratory roller compactor and a lift thickness of 8 inches. These baseline measurements were compared to measurements from a field investigation at Harrisburg, Pa. using a hydraulic plate compactor and varied lift thicknesses. The effects of hydraulic plate compactor use and lift thickness on the ability to consistently achieve a minimum specified standard Proctor density of trench backfill, compaction-induced downward earth pressure in the backfill zone, and compaction-induced longitudinal and hoop strains in typical pipes are discussed. A recommendation regarding the lift thickness for hydraulic plate compactors is provided. KW - Compactors KW - Evaluation KW - Field studies KW - Pennsylvania KW - Recommendations KW - Soil compaction test KW - Thickness KW - Trench backfill UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2014-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366492 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560087 AU - Peckett, Haley AU - Lyons, William M AU - Daddio, David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Transportation Planning for Megaregions PY - 2014/12/24 SP - 93p AB - Planning transportation across jurisdictions is a challenge faced in geographic areas throughout the U.S. Researchers identify megaregions as the sub-set of major regions, often multi-state, with the most significant transportation challenges, opportunities, and resultant needs based on forecasts of shifts in demographic and economic trends, freight flows, and passenger demand. These areas present major opportunities for transportation to contribute to national, regional, and local areas through improved global trade and competitiveness and economic development. This report explores innovative ways that metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are working with partners to begin to conduct planning to address the transportation issues of megaregions. The research includes a focus on how MPOs are working within their planning agency roles identified in Federal regulations to explore needs outside of their boundaries. This report explores the benefits that MPOs and their partners receive from participating in megaregions planning, as well as the institutional and technical challenges. The report provides insights on successful planning approaches for peer MPOs, their partners, and policymakers with an interest in advancing similar planning initiatives. KW - Benefits KW - Challenges (Impediments) KW - Freight transportation KW - Megaregions KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Multijurisdictional planning KW - Passenger transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - United States UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54600/54607/fhwahep15010.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344665 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560097 AU - Biernbaum, Lee AU - Price, Megan AU - Wishart, Jacob AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Appendix: Airborne Incidents: An Econometric Analysis of Severity PY - 2014/12/19/Final Report SP - 227p AB - This is the Appendix for "Airborne Incidents: An Econometric Analysis of Severity Report." Airborne loss of separation incidents occur when an aircraft breaches the defined separation limit (vertical and/or horizontal) with another aircraft or terrain imposed by Air Traffic Control. Identifying conditions that lead to more severe loss of separation incidents can lead to policy implications and future areas of research. Previous research focused on qualitative approaches to analyzing such events, and tended to examine only the frequency of events. This report puts the severity of a loss of separation incident front and center and uses econometric techniques to examine the relationship between severity and conditional factors during the incident. The report utilizes report data from the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP), with a concentration on terminal airspace incidents. A number of other Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data sources were merged to provide a robust set of information at the time of event in terms of facility, weather, and other operational characteristics. The primary focus of this research was on the use of discrete choice, multinomial logit models to better understand the relationship between these different sets of factors at the time of the event and the severity outcome. KW - Air Traffic Safety Action Program KW - Aircraft separation KW - Airport terminals KW - Airspace incidents KW - Aviation safety KW - Incident severity KW - Multinomial logits UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54489/Airborne_Incidents_-_Appendix.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344655 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554209 AU - Biernbaum, Lee AU - Price, Megan AU - Wishart, Jacob AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Airborne Incidents: An Econometric Analysis of Severity PY - 2014/12/19/Final Report SP - 163p AB - Airborne loss of separation incidents occur when an aircraft breaches the defined separation limit (vertical and/or horizontal) with another aircraft or terrain imposed by Air Traffic Control. Identifying conditions that lead to more severe loss of separation incidents can lead to policy implications and future areas of research. Previous research focused on qualitative approaches to analyzing such events, and tended to examine only the frequency of events. This report puts the severity of a loss of separation incident front and center and uses econometric techniques to examine the relationship between severity and conditional factors during the incident. The report utilizes report data from the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP), with a concentration on terminal airspace incidents. A number of other Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data sources were merged to provide a robust set of information at the time of event in terms of facility, weather, and other operational characteristics. The primary focus of this research was on the use of discrete choice, multinomial logit models to better understand the relationship between these different sets of factors at the time of the event and the severity outcome. KW - Air traffic control KW - Air Traffic Safety Action Program KW - Aircraft separation KW - Airspace (Aeronautics) KW - Aviation safety KW - Choice models KW - Crash causes KW - Crash characteristics KW - Multinomial logits KW - Near midair crashes UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54488/Airborne_Incidents-final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342484 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560093 AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Hassol, Josh AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Sheridan, Amy AU - Sloan, Suzanne AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Dynamic Mobility Application Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) PY - 2014/12/15/White Paper SP - 36p AB - The report documents policy considerations for the Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) connected vehicle applications “bundle.” INFLO aims to optimize network flow on freeways and arterials by informing motorists of existing and impending queues and bottlenecks; providing target speeds by location and lane; and allowing capability to form ad hoc platoons of uniform speed. The policy team documented the following potential issues for INFLO: (1) Compliance with Speed Harmonization. Relying on voluntary compliance with dynamic speed harmonization (SPD-HARM) notices is likely to produce greatly varying results, at least initially. (2) Planning for Mixed-Mode Traffic. It could take a decade or more before INFLO achieves significant fleet penetration to produce realizable benefits. In the transition period, it may be necessary to plan for operations and maintenance of parallel systems (such as the use of changeable message signs) that must be operated consistently as well as to take other steps to ensure the safe and efficient operation of connected vehicle-equipped and non-equipped vehicles on the same roads. (3) Liability. Liability is a concern in all connected vehicle applications. For INFLO, liability concerns stem from three possible sources: the potential for missed messages because of equipment malfunction in individual vehicles; the driver’s reliance on data provided from multiple sources; and [with Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC)] the proper functioning of automated vehicle controls. While the first and the third issue are likely addressable by the existing legal system (there is precedence for both), the second issue of parsing the multiple sources of data that have been fused together to form the INFLO message in order to understand the chain of liability, is still an emerging area in tort law. Research suggests that tort law will address INFLO liability issues in the future. (4) Public Acceptance and Use of Geo-Location Data. INFLO applications will use vehicle location data to send targeted messages to vehicles in specific areas. Although the geo-location data will not include any identifying information about the driver or vehicle, their use could raise privacy concerns among the public – including concerns about vehicle tracking – that might threaten acceptance of the applications. This issue is germane to the entire set of Connected Vehicle applications. Data privacy policies and best practices exist at the State and local levels and are available to address this issue. (5) In-Vehicle vs. Roadside Signage. INFLO’s use of in-vehicle messages raises a broad legal question of whether in-vehicle messages could take precedence over standard road signs (either static or changeable), or whether in-vehicle messages will always be considered “advisory” from a legal standpoint. It will be particularly important to resolve this issue in the case of SPD-HARM, where in-vehicle speed advisories may differ from posted (roadside) speed limits. (5) Technology Obsolescence. As with other connected vehicle applications, the various hardware and software components of INFLO will “age in place.” There is a risk that they will lose interoperability unless formal update and policies are established, including requirements for backward compatibility. Jurisdictions implementing INFLO would benefit from guidance and standards to ensure ongoing backward compatibility and interoperability. (7) Potential Driver Distraction. Visual devices displaying connected vehicle messaging have the potential to distract drivers and compromise safety. Some INFLO messages, due to their role in helping avoid congestion, may be especially alluring to drivers making decisions about route selection while traveling at high speeds. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued guidelines for developing visual, in-vehicle displays that reduce distraction. (8) Equipment Interoperability and Certification. For INFLO to be fully and ubiquitously functional, standards may be required so that local infrastructure is fully interoperable with infrastructure on interstate highways and major state roads. (9) Messaging Standards and Priority. Under INFLO, new technology will provide in-vehicle messages about congestion and speed advisories. The role of INFLO in providing this type of information raises potential policy issues about the need for message standards, to insure that INFLO messages comply with all applicable Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) standards. KW - Arterial highways KW - Freeways KW - Institutional issues KW - Intelligent Network Flow Optimization (INFLO) KW - Optimization KW - Policy analysis KW - Traffic flow UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54500/54591/FHWA-JPO-14-138_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344657 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587775 AU - Park, Jiyoung AU - Hwang, Ha AU - Cho, DongIn AU - State University of New York, Buffalo AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Game-Theoretic National Interstate Economic Model: An Integrated Framework to Quantify the Economic Impacts of Cyber-terrorist Behavior PY - 2014/12/12/Final Report SP - 36p AB - This study suggests an integrated framework to quantify cyber attack impacts on the U.S. airport security system. A cyber attack by terrorists on the U.S. involves complex strategic behavior by the terrorists because they could plan to invade an airport electronic system without any U.S. border or entry point. At the same time, any defending entity must consider the complex processes that may cause turmoil. The possibility of simultaneous threats from cyber attacks causes another difficulty for defending entities to secure their airports. This highlights the need for improved, integrated inter-governmental collaboration. Collaborative networking requires close intergovernmental coordination to overcome the risk of cyber-terrorist threats. Constructing a new model for strategic cyber-terror security requires a combination of both competitive and cooperative game situations in order to seek specific strategies against cyber-terrorism. Also, the airport shut-down would have ripple impacts throughout the domestic and international economies, which raises the necessity to analyze the impacts with a spatially disaggregate economic model. To combine both competitive and cooperative game situations with an economic impact model, this study suggest a Game Theoretic National Interstate Economic Model (G-NIEMO) framework. G-NIEMO identifies which airport may be most vulnerable in the event that an airport electronic system is subsequently shut-down. Based on the probabilistic costs of airport closure, the model provides the economic importance of cyber security by place of event and by type of industry. From G-NIEMO, equilibrium strategies for U.S. airport protection can be identified and a general guideline for the evaluation of resource allocations can be passed onto the U.S. government agencies. KW - Airports KW - Behavior KW - Computer security KW - Cooperation KW - Economic impacts KW - Game theory KW - National security KW - Risk assessment KW - Terrorism KW - United States UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Economic-Impacts-of-Cyber-terrorist-Behavior.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394947 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554352 AU - Mannheim, Daniel AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Linthicum, Alex AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - National Park Service Primer on the Construction of Ferry Boats and Ferry Terminal Facilities Program (FBP) PY - 2014/12/10/Final Report SP - 13p AB - Many National Park Service units are located in areas which are served by vehicle or passenger ferry. These National Park Service units and their partners may be eligible to use funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Construction of Ferry Boats and Ferry Terminal Facilities Program (FBP) to build or acquire new, more efficient ferry boats or terminals, and to improve existing ferry services already serving the parks. FBP funds are allocated to specific ferry services based on the National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO) conducted by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). KW - Ferries KW - Ferry terminals KW - Government funding KW - National parks KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54412/NPS_WASO_2014_Ferry_Boat_Program.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342220 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560089 AU - Schroeder, Jeremy AU - Smith, Theodore AU - Turnbull, Katie AU - Balke, Kevin AU - Burris, Mark AU - Songchitruksa, Praprut AU - Pessaro, Brian AU - Saunoi-Sandgren, Emily AU - Schreffler, Eric AU - Joy, Barbara AU - Battelle AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Seattle/Lake Washington Corridor Urban Partnership Agreement: National Evaluation Report PY - 2014/12/02/Final Report SP - 344p AB - This document presents the final report on the national evaluation of the Seattle/Lake Washington Corridor (LWC) Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) under the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) UPA Program. The Seattle UPA projects focus on reducing congestion by employing strategies consisting of combinations of Tolling, Transit, Telecommuting/TDM, and Technology, also known as the 4Ts. Those strategies include tolling all lanes of the SR 520 bridge, additional bus service in the SR 520 corridor, implementing active traffic management systems, and real-time traveler information signs on highways and at transit stops and stations. The national evaluation of the Seattle/LWC UPA projects is guided by the National Evaluation Framework, the Seattle/LWC UPA National Evaluation Plan, and individual test plans for various components. This report provides information on the use of the new Seattle/LWC UPA projects. Changes in travel speeds, travel times, trip-time reliability, park-and-ride lot use, and transit ridership are described. The results of interviews and workshops with local stakeholders, surveys of different user groups, and interviews and focus groups with Washington State Patrol officers, bus operators, and service patrol personnel are presented. The air quality, energy, and safety impacts of the Seattle/LWC UPA projects are examined. Information on changes in unemployment rates, gasoline prices, and parking costs is also summarized. KW - Evaluation KW - Public transit KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Telecommuting KW - Tolls KW - Traffic mitigation KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Urban Partnership Agreements UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54470/120214_seattle_upa_final_report.pdf0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344669 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567211 TI - Exploring Links Between Medical Conditions and Safety Performance in Tractor Trailer Drivers AB - We are completing, extending, and expanding an existing program of research (the "Truckers & Turnover Project"), with two incremental components. First component: we have completed initial work and are doing additional work on data already obtained from our initial study carrier, which has a well-established obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) screening, diagnosis, and treatment program. OSA programs are not currently mandated, and in fact the Congress has limited the options of regulators, in part because of concerns about whether OSA program benefits offset their costs (Jaillet 2013; Parker Poe staff 2013; OSA Statute 2013). We published a paper on the relationship between OSA treatment adherence and crash risk in CMV drivers in the journal Sleep (online release on March 21, 2016, during the last reporting period, and print release in May, 2016, during the current reporting period). We are continuing our active analysis of the associated savings in medical costs via an examination of medical insurance claims, and we are also continuing to examine differences in crash costs associated with the OSA program. Credible evidence of the medical cost and crash costs savings accruing to a firm employing an OSA program will make investment in such programs more likely, and reduce opposition to new regulations requiring them. Second component: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Medical Review Board (MRB) has called for better data connecting multiple driver medical conditions with safety performance. Our first component extends current work with the participating carrier using 2005-09 data, but we ultimately need to consider more recent data. We have made progress on re-establishing the legal and security conditions to obtain operational, human resource, and protected health data on drivers from the participating trucking firm. The exact analysis plan may depend in part on the firm's preferences, but the current intended starting point will be completing the acquisition of information from the firm's commercial driver's license (CDL) biennial medical examination records and/or pre-work screening records to analyze the links between obesity and accident risk found in previous work in a new set of drivers. As part of this process we also are establishing the ability to collect medical insurance claim information on the same drivers for future use, laying the basis for further work not in the currently proposed RSI project that will address MRB concerns. KW - Commercial drivers KW - Diseases and medical conditions KW - High risk drivers KW - Insurance claims KW - Screenings KW - Sleep disorders KW - Truck drivers UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015049 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359182 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554455 AU - Shankar, Venky AU - Park, Minho AU - Oh, Junseok AU - Sathyanarayanan, Sudhakar AU - Sharma, Vikas AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Assessment of Interstate Safety Investment Priorities in Washington State PY - 2014/12/01/Final Report SP - 24p AB - The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) commissioned the current study, targeting the entire interstate mainline network in Washington State, to provide strategic direction to multi-biennial investment interstate locations that offer the greatest return in terms of cumulative and annualized safety benefits. The objectives of this study were to prioritize interstate locations strategically in terms of risk of high social cost, while targeting locations that repeat in nature. As such, the methodological questions that arise relate to the following: what measurements are required to comprehensively address the “strategic risk evaluation” aspect, and what measurements are required to adequately address the “repeat location identification” aspect. Using a step-wise procedure to systematically assess mainline interstate accident risk, a multi-objective approach was employed in order to factor in multiple criteria for ranking of segments, while accounting for multiple accident types as inputs in the ranking process. The planned scope of this study produced a target priority list of 202 locations with a total length of 154.5 miles. This list should be evaluated in detail for scoping improvements, associated costs and benefits prior to evaluating locations in the “tracking list.” The next step in ensuring implementation and successful deployment of this procedure will be to carefully evaluate cost improvement strategies and estimate associated benefits. Once costs and benefits are computed, one can systematically proceed to evaluate various measures of cost efficiency and effectiveness using lifecycle and annualized benefits and costs. KW - Crash rates KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Externalities KW - Highway safety KW - Interstate highways KW - Investments KW - Risk analysis KW - Strategic planning KW - Washington (State) UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2012-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342485 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01550218 TI - Dynamic Effects and Friction Values of Bridge Moves for ABC Bridges AB - One Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) technique that is being utilized in many locations throughout the US is the construction of bridge superstructures off site and then moving the bridge into position. This method relies on Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs). The bridge superstructure undergoes both vertical and horizontal accelerations due to lifting and moving. The proposed work is to perform field tests of several SPMT configurations in order to ascertain appropriate coefficients for use of designers for bridges that will be carried by SPMTs. This fieldwork will be supplemented by modeling to broaden the applicability of the results. Another essential question that must be addressed regarding ABC construction is determining the appropriate friction values for bridge sliding and bridge launching. These friction values are crucial in the design process and the variability of the friction must be better defined. The proposed work in this area is an extensive literature search with any deficiencies being filled by laboratory testing conducted in the SMASH lab at Utah State University. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Dynamics KW - Field tests KW - Friction KW - Launching KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Self-propelled modular transporters UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/dynamic-effects-and-friction-values-bridge-moves-abc-bridges UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1340955 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01549670 TI - Initial Evaluation of the Albedo and Solar-Radiation Flux of Asphalt Pavements AB - The goal of this research is to improve the procedures utilized to analyze albedo and solar radiation flux of asphalt pavements. The methodology of measuring albedo and solar radiation flux of pavements has been borrowed from agriculture research and has been applied in two different methodologies to date, the first being in-situ testing which requires lane closures and the second being conducted on large test plots paved in an open space, which limits the type of variation between pavements parameters that can be tested and does not easily allow for three samples to be tested simultaneously due to space, cost, and time limitations. The ability to test three samples simultaneously would allow for measurement repeatability and would provide results with statistical significance, which has yet to be done. In addition, the equipment being utilized has varied from project to project and new equipment has become available that will provide better results. KW - Albedo KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Lane closure KW - Paving KW - Samples KW - Solar radiation KW - Test sections UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/initial-evaluation-albedo-and-solar-radiation-flux-asphalt-pavements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1340076 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01548842 TI - Determination of Field Performance of Thin Overlays Relative to Alternative Preservation Techniques AB - Various overlay materials and preservation techniques are available that are applied specifically to extend the service life of pavements in Texas. These techniques include thin overlays, chip seals, micro-surfacing, ultrathin friction course, slurry seals, Cape seals, scrub seals, etc. While some of these are interim measures applied as stop-gaps before full rehabilitation, others are designed to provide extended service lives. This is the case of the thin overlays that have been gaining increased popularity in recent years due to the budget constraints. In contrast to conventional rehabilitation strategies using thicker traditional overlay, thin overlay and other preservation techniques are used on existing pavements to extend their remaining life. Therefore, these techniques will be subject to the pre-existing failure mechanisms of the underlying pavement, which may serve to accelerate deterioration and reduce their effectiveness. The rate of deterioration of these thin overlays and other alternative treatments will vary depending on the condition or state of the underlying pavement but also other factors including the quality of the treatment applied (type of treatment and material properties) and external influences with regards traffic (in terms of volume, axle loads, and speed) and climate (temperature and rainfall). For this reason, research is needed to provide a better understanding of the effectiveness thin overlays (such as ultra-thin overlay mixes (TOM) and bonded wearing courses (UTBWC), crack attenuating mixes (CAM) and ultra-thin porous friction courses, etc) relatively to other preservation techniques (such as seal coats, slurry seals and micro-surfacing) and how these are impacted by different influence factors. This will serve to optimize the application of preservation techniques and provide proper quantification of the expected lives of various treatments under different operating conditions. The objective of this project is to quantify the field performance of thin overlays relatively to various other popular preservation treatments under varying pavement, traffic and climate conditions towards optimizing the design and application of these treatments in Texas. KW - Chip seals KW - Field tests KW - Friction course KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Preservation KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Service life KW - Slurry seals KW - Texas UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/UTC-Project-Information-Project-10.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1336314 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01548841 TI - Quantification of Surface Micro- and Macro-Texture AB - The effect of the aggregate texture (micro-texture) and the effect of the texture of the compacted hot mix asphalt (macro-texture) on the skid resistance of a highway surface are well recognized. However, there is a lack of a fundamental understanding of the individual effect that each of these two properties, micro- and macro-texture, have on the final skid properties of the road. Most research studies in this regard have been based on theory, assumptions and sound engineering judgment. The individual effects have not been quantified and their contribution to skid under different conditions of moisture, speed and highway conditions are not well understood. Recent developments in optics and computers have allowed the collection of high definition three dimensional (3-D) images of the surface of the highway pavement. In particular, it is now possible to quantify micro-texture in the field in an effective and efficient manner. This can be done with the use of laser-based technology that allows measurements below 0.5 mm. Locally, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute has conducted research using the Aggregate Imaging System (AIMS) to evaluate aggregate properties and to establish relationships with skid. The AIMS combines hardware that captures real-time digital images of paving material samples, and software that analyzes shape, texture and ratio characteristics of aggregates. The AIMS is, however, an optical instrument whose resolution does not allow the accurate quantification of micro-texture to the extent that laser does. Nevertheless, this project offers a unique opportunity to compare the findings of both studies and gain mutual benefit by evaluating the same sections and materials with both technologies and establishing meaningful comparisons. During this study, we will apply 3-D laser technology to quantify the micro-texture and macro-texture of different pavement surfaces and determine their skid characteristics. The project will use a new model Laser Texture Scanner. Through posterior panel data analyses of the information, the project will investigate the relative contribution of micro- and macro-texture to skid resistance in the field and develop guidelines for aggregate and mix selection for improved long-term skid. The project will carry out field measurements in some of the same sections as the recently completed Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) study to continue to improve on the prediction of skid based on texture measurements. KW - Aggregates KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Image analysis KW - Lasers KW - Macrotexture KW - Microtexture KW - Pavement performance KW - Skid resistance KW - Texture UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/UTC-Project-Information-Project-11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1336313 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01592622 TI - Motorcoach and School Bus Fire Safety Analysis AB - The purpose of this effort is to gather and analyze data regarding the severity and frequency of motorcoach and school bus fires from 2009–13 and to update the previous analysis of fires, which focused only on motorcoaches. The John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) analyzed motorcoach fire incidents that took place between 1995 and 2008 and submitted two reports to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). In 2009, Volpe published the very first report in this area—the “Motorcoach Fire Safety Analysis Report.” This report was updated in 2012 with a report entitled “Motorcoach Fire Safety Analysis: The Causes, Frequency, and Severity of Motorcoach Fires in the United States.” FMCSA’s Vehicle and Roadside Operations Division and Commercial Passenger Carrier Division both requested that the most recent “Motorcoach Fire Safety Analysis Report” be updated for fire incidents that occurred between 2009 and 2012, and the latter Division requested that school buses be included in the updated analysis. Volpe will update its latest analysis to include data on motorcoach fires that occurred from 2009–13. In addition, Volpe will include an evaluation of school bus fires, expand on the evaluation of the effectiveness of automatic fire detection and suppression systems, and identify fires caused by replacement of a diesel engine or automatic purging of diesel particulate filters, all contingent on the availability of applicable data. The outcome of the analysis will be a report that identifies potential ways to prevent, reduce, or mitigate the causes, frequencies, and severity of motorcoach and school bus fires with a focus on improving the effectiveness of State and Federal motorcoach and school bus inspection practices. KW - Analysis KW - Fire KW - Highways KW - Motor Coach KW - Safety KW - School buses UR - https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/research-and-analysis/research/motorcoach-and-school-bus-fire-safety-analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1400204 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01590459 AU - Lu, Wei AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimization and Mechanism Design for Ridesharing Services PY - 2014/12 SP - 81p AB - This research studies operations research problems of ridesharing services. In the first part of the research, the large-scale ridesharing optimization problem (RSP) is formally defined with its complexity analyzed. A mixed-integer program is then developed to solve RSP to optimality. Since RSP is NP-hard, heuristic algorithms are developed to efficiently solve larger instances of RSP. The quality of heuristic solutions is evaluated by comparing with benchmark algorithms. Experimental results showed that the solutions produced by heuristic are good-enough approximation of the optimum and outperformed the matching solution by a non-trivial margin. The second part of this dissertation studies the fairness and stability problems in ridesharing. The fair cost allocation problem in ridesharing is formulated as a cooperative game. An algorithm based on coalition generation techniques is developed to efficiently find the nucleolus of this game. Experiments showed that this algorithm could save significant amount of computational resources compared to the enumeration method. The output of this research provides both insights and tools for understanding and operating large-scale ridesharing services. KW - Costs KW - Game theory KW - Heuristic methods KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Optimization KW - Ridesharing UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00034-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1397172 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01576249 AU - Burt, Matthew AU - Cuddy, Matthew AU - Razo, Michael AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation TI - Big Data’s Implications for Transportation Operations: An Exploration PY - 2014/12//White Paper SP - 56p AB - The purpose of this white paper is to expand the understanding of big data for transportation operations, the value it could provide, and the implications for the future direction of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Connected Vehicle Real-Time Data Capture and Management (DCM) Program. Big data is an approach to generating knowledge in which a number of advanced techniques are applied to the capture, management and analysis of very large and diverse volumes of data – data so large, so varied and analyzed at such speed that it exceeds the capabilities of traditional data management and analysis tools. This paper is not intended as a primer or “how to” on big data, per se, but rather is intended to explore the potential value of big data approaches in a future connected vehicle environment. Big data is a process of knowledge generation that features the following approaches: (1) Data capture that includes massive datasets encompassing all or most of the population being studied (as opposed to small samples); use of data from both purpose-specific and repurposed data collection; and utilization of crowdsourced and “electronic breadcrumb” data. (2) Data management that features storage in decentralized and virtual locations (i.e., the cloud) and handles both structured and unstructured data. (3) Data analysis that is often automated, with computers doing more of the work to find complex patterns among a large number of variables. Big data approaches are needed to contend with the coming volume of connected vehicle and traveler data, to: enable a wide range of new strategies that are expected to provide safety, mobility and environmental benefits, and reduce the need for traditional data collection mechanisms (e.g., connected vehicle probes replacing traffic detectors). This paper identifies two additional, broad areas where big data analytical approaches may be able to provide further value: 1) Transportation System Monitoring & Management; and 2) Traveler-Centered Transportation Strategies. KW - Data analysis KW - Data collection KW - Data management KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Real time information UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55000/55002/Big_Data_Implications_FHWA-JPO-14-157.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1369014 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574093 AU - Eksioglu, Sandra D AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Mission Intermodal Excellence PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 11p AB - The main objective of this project is to continue educating K-12 students about intermodal transportation. In 2012, the National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness (NCITEC) funded a K-12 project which aimed to develop tools, such as, lesson plans and hands-on activities that would introduce K-12 students to intermodal transportation. The authors delivered the first summer training program for K-12 teachers during June and August, 2013. The second year had similar planned outcomes including additional lesson plans which will be developed by the principal investigators (PIs) and the teachers. Learning activities were developed and refined through the course of the spring of 2014. A new cadre of teachers were recruited during this time as well and the summer 2014 session was planned and implemented. This second cadre then implemented the curricula in their classrooms. The outcomes of this program include additional learning materials that will be continually available via the program website. These will continue to impact student learning in grades K-12 nationwide. The teachers trained in the program will continue to implement the curricula in their classroom extending the effect impact from year to year. KW - Curricula KW - Education and training KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Students KW - Teachers UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-06FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363640 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570328 AU - Carrasco, Cesar AU - Tirado, Cesar AU - Wang, Hao AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Numerical Simulation of Intelligent Compaction Technology for Construction Quality Control PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 30p AB - Intelligent compaction (IC) technique is a fast-developing technology for compaction quality control and acceptance. Proof rolling using the intelligent compaction rollers after completing compaction can effectively identify the weak spots and significantly improve the uniformity of the compacted layers. Despite many federal and state funded studies to implement the IC technology, there are still obstacles and gaps that need to be explored and overcome in order to fully employ this technology in the day-to-day operations. What is fundamentally missing from most efforts is an attempt to understand the behavior of the IC roller responses and their correlations to the other modulus-based devices, such as the light-weight deflectometer (LWD). To better understand the process of accepting compacted materials to ensure quality, performance and durability using IC technology, a finite element model was developed to document and understand the theoretical limitations and sensitivity of this technology in order to develop more rigorous specifications. The influence depth for both IC and LWD was studied as well as the level of sensitivity of the stiffness or modulus as measured by these instruments. The nonlinear constitutive model parameters seem to have significant influence on the measured influence depth. KW - Compaction KW - Deflectometers KW - Finite element method KW - Intelligent compaction KW - Quality control KW - Rollers KW - Simulation KW - Stiffness KW - Technological innovations UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-029-final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55238/CAIT-UTC-029-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359776 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01562610 AU - Biernbaum, Lee AU - Minnice, Paul AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Integrated Corridor Management Transit Vehicle Real-Time Data Demonstration: Dallas Case Study PY - 2014/12 SP - 35p AB - As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Initiative, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) purchased new automatic passenger counter (APC) technology for its Red and Orange line light rail vehicles to provide real-time passenger counts to its train control center and to provide data to the ICM decision support system. By gaining access to real-time passenger counts, DART hopes to respond more effectively to unplanned incidents on the rail network by enabling more responsive service adjustments. This report summarizes how DART responded to incidents before ICM, addresses what has changed after ICM deployment, and identifies constraints to optimum responses. KW - Before and after studies KW - Case studies KW - Dallas Area Rapid Transit KW - Data collection KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Passenger counting KW - Public transit KW - Real time information KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/FTA_Report_No._0077.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54768/FTA_Report_No._0077.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352130 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560858 AU - Salem, Ossama (Sam) AU - Syracuse University AU - TranLIVE AU - University of Idaho, Moscow AU - Research and Special Programs Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Work Zones in Arterial Improvement Projects PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 89p AB - Preservation treatments help in extending the remaining service lives of pavements, but at the same time, they may have substantial environmental impacts due to the acquisition of raw materials, transportation of the extracted materials, manufacturing of the final product, and the use of various equipment during the treatment process. Traditional and accelerated maintenance, repair and rehabilitation (MRR) techniques were identified for both flexible and rigid pavements. Environmental impacts of the commonly used MRR strategies were calculated. A life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was used, taking into account the life extension of the pavement for each type of strategy. The scope boundary included only the construction activities relevant to pavement MRR. LCA results showed that for flexible pavements, accelerated rehabilitation techniques like partial or full depth reclamation have less life cycle environmental impacts than traditional techniques like milling and overlay or total reconstruction. For rigid pavements, all the rehabilitation techniques are comparatively new. The environmental impacts were found to be similar for both traditional techniques like concrete full depth repair and accelerated techniques like precast concrete pavement systems. Minor treatment processes for both flexible and rigid pavements like fog seal, crack seal, concrete seal joints, diamond grinding, and concrete partial depth repair have minimum impacts with maximum benefits when the corresponding life extensions are compared. The results obtained can assist highway construction management professionals to select environmentally sustainable MRR solutions. KW - Arterial highways KW - Environmental impacts KW - Flexible pavements KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Rigid pavements KW - Work zones UR - http://tranliveutc.org/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/SU_TranLIVE_Final%20Report_Assessing%20the%20Environmental%20Impacts%20of%20Work%20Zones%20in%20Arterial%20Improvement%20Projects UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348915 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560237 AU - Epstein, Aexander K AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Cooper, Coralie AU - Segev, Eran AU - New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Truck Sideguards for Vision Zero: Review and Technical Recommendations for Safe Fleet Transition Plan Pilot Deployment PY - 2014/12 SP - 81p AB - Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) partnered with the New York City (NYC) Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) in establishing recommendations for implementing large truck side underride protection as part of the landmark Vision Zero program. This report details findings and recommendations from the study. Large truck crashes are more likely to result in a pedestrian or bicyclist fatality than crashes involving passenger vehicles and more likely to be side-impact crashes. Sideguards are vehicle-based safety devices that prevent pedestrians and cyclists, and in some instances motorcyclists, from falling into the exposed space between the axles of trucks with high ground clearance. Volpe’s review of available information related to sideguard design and crash outcomes in countries requiring these safety devices for up to three decades indicates that the safety effectiveness of sideguards has been well established. The fatality rate for bicyclists and pedestrians colliding with the side of a truck decreased by 61% and by 20%, respectively, following a national sideguard requirement in the United Kingdom in the 1980s. Volpe reviewed regulatory and voluntary sideguard precedents, as well as existing international technical specifications, to develop a foundation for New York City-based sideguard standards. With input from the City’s Fleet Federation, the Fleet Specifications Committee, and constituent DCAS fleets, Volpe tailored the recommendations to focus on the most relevant types of vehicles in NYC’s municipal fleets. These recommendations build upon existing European and United Kingdom sideguard standards and are intended to advance the Safe Fleet Transition Plan for DCAS fleet vehicles, the largest potential truck sideguard pilot deployment for bicyclist and pedestrian safety in the U.S. The recommendations may also inform future regulatory requirements. KW - Bicycle crashes KW - Fleet safety KW - New York (New York) KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Recommendations KW - Safety programs KW - Side crashes KW - Truck crashes KW - Underride override crashes KW - Vision Zero UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54711/Truck_Sideguards_NYC.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348740 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560094 AU - Schneeberger, J D AU - Jacobi, Amy AU - Torng, Gwo-Wei AU - Noblis AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transit Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) Applications: Near Term Research and Development; Transit Bus Stop Pedestrian Safety Application: Operational Concept PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 58p AB - This document serves as an Operational Concept for the Transit Bus Stop Pedestrian Safety application. The purpose of this document is to communicate user needs and desired capabilities for and expectations of the Transit Bus Stop Pedestrian Safety application. This document also serves to build consensus among transit user groups and stakeholders concerning these needs and expectations. The Transit Bus Stop Pedestrian Safety application will alert nearby pedestrians indicating the transit vehicle’s intention of pulling into or out of a bus stop. The application allows messages to be sent from transit vehicles to instrumented transit stops that in turn provide audible or visual alerts to pedestrians in the vicinity of a bus stop. This Operational Concept describes how the application applies to motor buses; however the application is also applicable to other transit types such as light rail. Three scenarios are described, including: Scenario 1. Motor Bus Approaching the Transit Bus Stop; Scenario 2. Motor Bus Departing from the Transit Bus Stop; and Scenario 3. Warning to Pedestrians of Oncoming Vehicles when Alighting the Motor Bus at the Transit Bus Stop, This document is intended to convey at a high-level how the application may work, so others may design and implement systems in the future. As such, the Transit Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) Operational Concept documents are “generalized” and not specific to a geographic area, an operating entity (e.g., transit agency), existing systems that may be in place for a region, agency operating procedures, nor political environment. KW - Bus stops KW - Operational concept description KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Transit buses KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Warning systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54483/FHWA-JPO-14-174_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344674 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01559870 AU - Strauss, Rachel AU - Middleton, Scott AU - Nash, Logan AU - Peckett, Haley AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - 2013/2014 Eco-Logical Program Annual Report PY - 2014/12//Annual Report SP - 61p AB - The Eco-Logical approach offers an ecosystem-based framework for integrated infrastructure and natural resource planning, project development, and delivery. The 2013/2014 Eco-Logical Program Annual Report provides updates on the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA's) Eco-Logical Program, in particular the Implementing Eco-Logical initiative funded through the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) in coordination with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Transportation Research Board (TRB). The report discusses program accomplishments of Implementing Eco-Logical as well as from Implementing Eco-Logical Implementation Assistance Program recipients and past Eco-Logical Grant Program recipients. The report provides findings and updates on recipients’ projects and shares recommendations for next steps for the FHWA Eco-Logical Program. KW - Ecological highways KW - Ecosystems KW - FHWA Eco-Logical Program KW - Highway planning KW - Implementation KW - State of the practice KW - Strategic Highway Research Program 2 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54500/54588/2013-2014_Eco-Logical_Annual_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344651 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01557311 AU - Perry, Ernie AU - Zietlow, Ben AU - Jermier, Aaron AU - Wagner, Steve AU - Umentum, Andrew AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Brown County AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Wisconsin Commercial Ports Development Initiative: Strategic Development to Grow PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 196p AB - The National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE)-led team assessed Wisconsin's commercial port infrastructure, the current and potential port markets, and related freight and maritime policies, planning and programs. This information was then combined with input and direction from the state’s port leadership, industries, agencies and the logistics sector. Combined, the assessments and stakeholder input are then used to create a strategic action plan to attract sustainable markets, encourage community development, and direct policy and programs in support of the state’s ports, communities and overall economy. KW - Economic development KW - Infrastructure KW - Market assessment KW - Policy KW - Ports KW - Stakeholders KW - Strategic planning KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_09-02_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345897 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01556718 AU - Huseth, Andrea AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Anticipatory Guidance Provision Related to Driving Safety/Cessation for Older Drivers: A Rural-Urban Comparison PY - 2014/12 SP - 32p AB - Older drivers are overrepresented in motor vehicle crash fatalities. As the U.S. population continues to age, this problem will grow. Health care providers (HCPs) are in a position to provide their older patients with education which may prevent further motor vehicle fatalities. Rural older adults are more likely to equate driving with mobility and quality of life due to a lack of alternative transportation options, often leading them to continue driving longer. This study sought to compare the frequency of mobility counseling provision among rural and urban HCPs to older adults, in addition to determining barriers to providing this information. Surveys were administered to HCPs and older adults in rural and urban areas in the upper Midwest. Older adults in general received little counseling from their HCPs in regard to driving safety or driving cessation, with a majority of respondents having never received any information on this topic. Frequency of mobility counseling provision related to driving cessation as offered by HCPs in general increased with patient age. Rural HCPs were less likely than their urban counterparts to provide this type of information to their patients. One of the greatest barriers HCPs listed to providing mobility counseling was the lack of time during a patient visit. Rural HCPs were also less likely than urban HCPs to feel there are adequate resources for older drivers in their communities, and were less likely to know where to refer their patients in need of testing for their fitness for continued driving. KW - Aged drivers KW - Counseling KW - Driving cessation KW - Health care KW - Medical personnel KW - Midwestern States KW - Mobility KW - Rural areas KW - Surveys KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-277.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345409 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01556497 AU - Kim, Yong-Rak AU - Im, Soohyok AU - Ban, Hoki AU - Aragão, Francisco Thiago Sacramento AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Truck Loading on Design and Analysis of Asphaltic Pavement Structures-Phase IV: Mixed-mode Fracture Characterization PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 47p AB - Cracking in asphalt concrete pavements causes primary failure in the pavement structure. It is considered one of the key issues to be addressed when selecting paving materials and designing sustainable pavement structures. Due to the diverse nature of truck loads and pavement geometry, the asphalt mixture in the pavement is subjected to complex cracking behavior, such as mixed-mode fracture, which is a combination of opening mode and shearing mode of fracture. For a better understanding of asphalt fracture and a more accurate design of pavement structure, mode-dependent fracture behavior needs to be characterized. This study presents integrated experimental-numerical efforts to characterize the mixed-mode fracture of a fine aggregate matrix (FAM) which is the primary phase of cracks around stiffer coarse aggregates when typical asphalt concrete mixtures are subjected to heavy truck loads at intermediate service temperatures. Experimentally, semicircular bend (SCB) fracture tests were conducted by varying the geometric-loading configurations with different initial notch inclination angles and supporting spans to achieve different fracture modes (opening, shearing, and mixed). The SCB fracture test results were then integrated with the extended finite element modeling which is also incorporated with mode-dependent cohesive zone fracture to properly identify the mode-dependent fracture properties. The test and model simulation results indicated that the cohesive zone fracture toughness of mode-II (shearing) is quite different from mode-I (opening) fracture toughness. The critical fracture energy was related to the mixed-mode ratio, which presented a power relationship between the total fracture toughness and involvement of mode-II fracture in the total. Findings and observations from this study, although they are limited at this stage, imply that the mixed-mode fracture characteristics are significant and need to be considered in the structural design of asphalt pavements with which multiaxial cracking is usually associated. KW - Aggregates KW - Asphalt concrete pavements KW - Finite element method KW - Fracture properties KW - Fracture tests KW - Mix design KW - Overweight loads KW - Traffic loads UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Kim_ImpactofTruckLoadingonDesignandAnalysisofAsphalticPavementStructures-PhaseIV.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344945 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555794 AU - Barr, Paul J AU - Halling, Marv W AU - Pettigrew, Christopher S AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Utah Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Forensic Testing of a Double Tee Bridge PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 240p AB - This report describes an investigation to quantify the behavior of precast, prestressed concrete double-tee bridge girders made with lightweight concrete. As part of the investigation, three bridge girders were salvaged from a decommissioned bridge in Coalville, Utah. Each girder was subjected to a cracking test to determine the residual prestress force after approximately forty-eight years of service life. Once the prestress losses were quantified, a flexural capacity test was performed on each girder, as well as shear capacity tests performed at various distances from the support. The measured losses and capacities were compared to estimated values calculated according to procedures in the AASHTO LRFD Specifications. It was concluded that the AASHTO LRFD procedures for calculating prestress losses were accurate and the calculated shear capacities were conservative. However, the calculated flexural capacities were not conservative, which is believed to be a result of deck deterioration. In addition to the physical tests, a nonlinear finite-element analysis (FEA) was conducted using ANSYS that was found to replicate the experimental behavior, failure mechanism, and magnitude. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - ANSYS (Computer program) KW - Coalville (Utah) KW - Finite element method KW - Flexural capacity KW - Girders KW - Lightweight concrete KW - Precast concrete KW - Prestress losses KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Shear capacity UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-044-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342953 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554450 AU - Pankow, James AU - Figliozzi, Miguel AU - Bigazzi, Alexander AU - Portland State University AU - National Institute for Transportation and Communities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Bicyclists Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution along Distinct Facility Types PY - 2014/12//Draft Final Report SP - 97p AB - While bicyclists and other active travelers obtain health benefits from increased physical activity, they also risk an uptake of traffic-related air pollution. But pollution exposure for urban bicyclists is not well understood due to a lack of direct measurements and insufficient analysis of the determinants of exposure. This knowledge gap impedes pollution-conscious transportation planning, design, and health impact assessment. The research presented in this report generates new connections between transportation system characteristics and pollution exposure for bicyclists. The primary research questions are: 1) How does urban bicyclists’ exposure to air pollution vary with roadway and travel characteristics? and 2) To what extent can transportation-related strategies reduce exposure? Novel methods to collect and integrate bicycle, rider, traffic, and environmental data are also introduced. Bicyclist exposure concentrations and travel characteristics were collected on a wide range of facilities in Portland, Oregon. High-resolution trajectory and pollution data were then integrated with roadway and traffic data. Models of exposure were estimated from the on-road data. Important new quantifications in the models include the effects of facility type, average daily traffic (ADT), stop-and-go conditions, and industrial corridors on multi-pollutant exposure. Findings from this research and the literature are distilled so that they can be incorporated into bicycle network design guidelines. KW - Air pollution KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Cyclists KW - Data collection KW - Evaluation KW - Health KW - Portland (Oregon) KW - Transportation planning KW - Urban areas UR - http://ppms.otrec.us/media/project_files/NITC-RR-560.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343864 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554406 AU - Cantor, David E AU - Osborn, Ethan AU - Singh, Prabhjot AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Midwest Transportation Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Firm Size and Safety Performance Profile of the U.S. Motor Carrier Industry PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 59p AB - The purpose of this study was the development of a driver-focused truck crash prediction model with a particular focus on the size of the carrier that the driver is associated with at the time of a state reportable crash. While previous studies have shown that the characteristics of the driver affect driver involvement in reportable crashes, scant attention has been paid to how the size of the carrier affects crash rates. Generally speaking, smaller carriers do not have the resources to invest in monitoring and implementing sound safety practices to ensure safe operations in the U.S. motor carrier industry. This represents a significant problem because the majority of carriers in the industry are small carriers. This study seeks to enhance the understanding of how the characteristics of carriers contribute to driver involvement in state reportable crashes. KW - Crash rates KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Motor carriers KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety KW - United States UR - http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1078&context=intrans_reports UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/motor_carrier_firm_size_safety_performance_w_cvr.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56600/56663/A_Firm_Size_and_Safety_Performance_Profile_of_the_U.S._Motor_Carr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341977 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554394 AU - Qin, Xiao AU - Wang, Kai AU - Wang, Zhiguang AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - South Dakota Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Selection of Interest and Inflation Rates for Infrastructure Investment Analyses PY - 2014/12 SP - 62p AB - Engineering economic analyses (EEA) apply economic methodologies to engineering problems for decision-making support. When conducting an EEA, interest and inflation rates are the two critical factors. Using inappropriate values for interest and inflation rates could affect decision-making, such as unfairly favoring specific industries (e.g. concrete over asphalt or vice versa), over- or under-budgeting future projects. It is necessary to identify the appropriate methodology to measure interest and inflation rates to enhance the credibility and reliability of investment decisions. The current assumption of a zero interest rate in the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) EEAs may be problematic. Zero interest rate is unable to differentiate projects with various life cycles but in reality interest rates vary by time. Additionally, the use of a general inflation rate may be debatable because the price of materials and labor can vary by type and area. In this research, SDDOT's current uses of interest and inflation rates were identified through interviews. The new approach to establishing interest and inflation rates was developed from the combination of basic economic principles and state-of-the-art methodologies. Specifically, a non-zero interest rate was calculated by the treasury and state-issued bond yields; the region- and material-specific inflation rates were measured, calculated, and applied to the SDDOT Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) studies; and the composition of the South Dakota Construction Cost Index (SDCCI) was re-examined and modified. In conclusion, this study introduced improved methodologies to calculate the discount rate for an EEA, presented the advantages of using a more specific inflation rate over a general inflation rate, and illustrated the consequence of selecting inappropriate rates. KW - Cost indexes KW - Decision making KW - Economic analysis KW - Inflation KW - Infrastructure KW - Interest rates KW - Investments KW - Life cycle costing KW - Methodology KW - South Dakota Department of Transportation UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-275.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341461 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554346 AU - Dong, Jing AU - Albrecht, Chris AU - Johnson, Patrick AU - Makaiwi, Micah AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Study of the Regulatory Issues Affecting Truck Freight Movement in the Midwest PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 51p AB - This project investigated regulatory issues that may affect or limit freight movement in Iowa and other Midwest states: Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Current state regulations for the following are reviewed and summarized: vehicle dimensions, vehicle weights, speed limits, weight compliance enforcement, fees and taxes, driver qualifications, medical certification, Hours of service, and oversize-overweight permits. KW - Certification KW - Drivers KW - Fees KW - Freight traffic KW - Hours of labor KW - Iowa KW - Midwestern States KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - Permits KW - Policy KW - Regulations KW - Speed limits KW - Taxes KW - Trucking KW - Vehicle size KW - Vehicle weight UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/18652/1/MATC_CTRE_Dong_Regulatory_Issues_Affecting_Truck_Frieght_Movement_Midwest_2014.pdf UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/midwest_truck_regulatory_issues_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341975 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554248 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - U.S. Air Force TI - Operational Implications and Proposed Infrastructure Changes for NAS Integration of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) PY - 2014/12//Technical Report, Version 0.1 SP - 143p AB - The intent of this report is to provide (1) an initial assessment of National Airspace System (NAS) infrastructure affected by continuing development and deployment of unmanned aircraft systems into the NAS, and (2) a description of process challenges attendant to timely infrastructure changes in response to a growing demand for safe and efficient air traffic control services for unmanned aircraft systems. KW - Air traffic control KW - Airspace (Aeronautics) KW - Assessments KW - Drone aircraft KW - Infrastructure KW - National Airspace System KW - Remotely piloted aircraft UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54491/Volpe_NAS_Integration_of_RPA.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342277 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554152 AU - Stavrinos, Despina AU - Ross, Lesley AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Alabama Department of Transportation AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Naturalistic Driving Study Across the Lifespan PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 83p AB - In high-risk populations, the ability to drive safely requires striking a balance between maintaining independent mobility and the avoidance of unsafe driving. In the United States, where alternative transportation is often limited, motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are one of the leading causes of death for individuals across the lifespan. The Senior and Adolescent Naturalistic Driving Study (SANDS) investigated the complexities surrounding driving in two high risk age groups (teens and older adults). We employed naturalistic driving technologies to measure unbiased real-world driving mobility (amount traveled throughout environment), driving safety (crashes/risky driving behavior), and driving behavior (how/when travel occurred). SANDS participants were recruited to participate in the following stages: (1) a comprehensive baseline assessment of demographics, cognitive, sensory, and physical/health functioning; (2) installation of a Naturalistic Data Acquisition Device (N-DAD) into participants’ vehicles for two weeks, providing objective driving data via photographs, high g-force events (i.e., MVCs, near MVCs, and critical incidents), and Geographical Positioning System (GPS); and (3) a post-test assessment during which participants provided self-reported information about driving safety, mobility and behavior and removal of devices. Overall, due to limitations with the N-DAD, the results should be interpreted with great caution. Results indicated a general lack of association between self-reported and objective data, with one exception: there was a significant relationship between self-reported and objectively measured interaction with cell phones. Several possible demographic, cognitive, sensory, and physical predictors of driving emerged for the sample, with different predictors for older adults and teens. Qualitative data suggested that participants were satisfied with the N-DAD overall and see its utility for other’s to review their driving behavior, particularly if incentives were involved (e.g., discount on car insurance). Implications of findings and possible future directions are discussed. KW - Aged drivers KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Behavior KW - Cellular telephones KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Demographics KW - Driving KW - Mobility KW - Teenage drivers KW - Traffic safety UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Stavrinos_Ross_STRIDE_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343109 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554095 AU - Mielke, Jon AU - Winchell, Dick AU - Murphy, Ashley AU - Eastern Washington University, Cheney AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Emergency Preparedness Handbook for Tribal Governments PY - 2014/12 SP - 40p AB - Many Native American tribal governments are lacking in emergency preparedness, a part of the emergency management cycle where planning for disasters happens. These governments need assistance planning for future disasters. Federal, and state governments, along with other agencies and organizations, have the knowledge and resources to help tribal governments develop emergency response plans. This handbook is a resource to help tribes develop and implement an emergency preparedness plan for responding to natural and man-made disasters if and when they occur. KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Handbooks KW - Native Americans KW - Planning KW - Tribal government UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-276.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343070 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01552186 AU - Iseki, Hiroyuki AU - Ali, Rubaba AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Net Effects of Gasoline Price Changes on Transit Ridership in U.S. Urban Areas PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 133p AB - Using panel data of transit ridership and gasoline prices for ten U.S. urbanized areas from 2002 to 2011, this study analyzes the effect of gasoline prices on ridership of the four main transit modes (bus, light rail, heavy rail, and commuter rail) as well as their aggregate ridership. It accounts for endogeneity between the supply of services and ridership, and controls for factors that may influence transit ridership. This study also examines short- and long-term effects and non-constant effects at different gasoline prices. The analysis found varying effects, depending on transit modes and other conditions. Strong evidence was found for positive short-term effects only for bus and the aggregate: a 0.61-0.62 percent ridership increase in response to a 10 percent increase in current gasoline prices. The long-term effects of gasoline prices, on the other hand, was significant for all modes and indicated a total ridership increase ranging from 0.84 percent for bus to 1.16 for light rail, with commuter rail, heavy rail, and the aggregate transit in response to a 10 percent increase in gasoline prices. At the higher gasoline price level of over $3 per gallon, effects were more substantial, with a ridership increase of 1.67 percent for bus, 2.05 percent for commuter rail, and 1.80 percent for the aggregate for the same level of gasoline price changes. A positive threshold boost effect at the $3 mark of gasoline prices was found for commuter and heavy rails, resulting in a substantially higher rate of ridership increase. Results suggest that transit agencies should prepare for a potential increase in ridership during peak periods that can be generated by substantial gasoline price increases over $3 per gallon. KW - Bus transit KW - Elasticity (Economics) KW - Gasoline KW - Prices KW - Public transit KW - Rail transit KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Regression analysis KW - Ridership KW - Urban areas UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1106-gas-price-changes-and-transit-ridership.pdf UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/project/1106.html UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm57d48k4/1/producer%2FMTI1219.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334691 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551441 AU - Lu, Pan AU - Bratlien, Andrew AU - Tolliver, Denver AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) for North Dakota Implementation PY - 2014/12 SP - 59p AB - North Dakota currently designs roads based on the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Design Guide procedure, which is based on the empirical findings of the AASHTO Road Test of the late 1950s. However, limitations of the current empirical approach have prompted AASHTO to move toward the new mechanistically based pavement design procedure described in the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), which was released to the public for review in 2004 under National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 1-37A. MEPDG combines mechanistic and empirical methodology and provides more realistic characterization of in-service pavements. Its mechanistic approach is both more thorough and more computationally complex than the existing AASHTO design method, and as a result the method can require an extensive number of detailed material, foundational, traffic, and environmental inputs. This and other factors can present a challenge to agencies wishing to implement the new method. Because AASHTO has adopted the MEPDG and highway agencies across the nation are moving towards its implementation, it is critical that North Dakota becomes familiar with the MEPDG documentation and software and identify input data requirements for design. This report summarizes the findings of MEPDG implementation in North Dakota, identifies input data needs and research steps of the MEPDG implementation in the state and also prepares North Dakota for successful implementation of the MEPDG statewide. KW - Calibration KW - Implementation KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - North Dakota KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Software UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-274.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1340557 ER - TY - SER AN - 01548656 JO - Research Results PB - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Sharma & Associates AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Prototype Design and Test of a Collision Protection System for Cab Car Engineers PY - 2014/12 IS - RR 14-37 SP - 4p AB - Advancements in the design of rail cars can potentially prevent the structural collapse of space occupied by a cab car engineer during a train collision. With adequate survival space maintained, the next crashworthiness objective is to minimize the consequences of any resulting secondary impact between the engineer and the control stand. A conceptual Engineer Protection System (EPS) has been developed to meet these design objectives and requirements, using finite element analyses and component-level tests. The system was fabricated and dynamically tested using an instrumented Hybrid III 95th percentile male anthropomorphic test device (ATD). The scope of the effort was as follows: (1) Design and fabricate an EPS to meet the performance requirements, (2) Design and fabricate a baseline cab console to which the EPS components will be installed, (3) Evaluate the design performance using computer model(s) and component tests, (4) Conduct a sled test to verify EPS performance, and (5) Compare the test performance of the EPS with the analysis predictions. KW - Crashworthiness KW - Dummies KW - Finite element method KW - Locomotive engineers KW - Occupant protection devices KW - Prototypes KW - Railroad cars KW - Sled tests UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14244 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334398 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548512 AU - Llana, Patricia AU - Stringfellow, Richard AU - TIAX, LLC AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Development, Fabrication, and Testing of Locomotive Crashworthy Components PY - 2014/12//Final Report SP - 73p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) are continuing to evaluate new technologies for increasing the safety of passengers and operators in rail equipment. In recognition of the importance of override prevention in train-to-train collisions in which one of the vehicles is a locomotive, and in light of the success of crash energy management technologies in cab car-led passenger trains, the Volpe Center seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of components that could be integrated into the end structure of a locomotive that are specifically designed to mitigate the effects of a collision and, in particular, to prevent override of one of the lead vehicles onto the other. The research program described in this report aims to develop, fabricate, and test two crashworthy components for the forward end of a locomotive: (1) a deformable anti-climber and (2) a push-back coupler. KW - Couplers KW - Crashworthiness KW - Design KW - Fabrication KW - Impact tests KW - Locomotives KW - Railroad crashes KW - Technological innovations KW - Train components KW - Underride override crashes UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14245 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54413/Locomotive_Crashworthiness_20141110_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334396 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548628 AU - Kreis, Doug AU - Sturgill, Roy E AU - Howell, Brian K AU - Van Dyke, Chris AU - Voss, D Steve AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Inland Waterway Operational Model & Simulation Along the Ohio River PY - 2014/11/21/Research Report SP - 232p AB - The purpose of this report is to 1) develop a comprehensive profile of the Ohio River that provides an overview of how it is integral to U.S. economic security 2) identify salient river characteristics or externally-driven variables that influence the amount of water flowing through the main channel which consequently impacts vessels' capacity to navigate 3) use this information (along with a 10-year data set encompassing over 600,000 observations) to develop an inland Waterway Operational Model (IWOM). The IWOM objective is to provide the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, shippers, carriers, and other interested parties with access to a robust method that aids in the prediction of where and when conditions will arise on the river that have the potential to significantly impact lockage times and queue times (i.e. how long a vessel has to wait after it arrives at a facility to lock through). After qualitatively reviewing different features of the river system that affect vessel traffic, this report outlines two approaches to modeling inland waterway system behavior – a discrete event simulation (DES) model which uses proprietary software, and the IWOM. Once completed, the IWOM was used to parameterize a simulation model. This provided a graphical representation of vessels moving along the river. This information will be of great use for stakeholders wanting to gain a better understanding of what conditions lockage times will increase or decrease, why delays emerge, and consequently how these impact traffic flows on the river.  KW - Channel flow KW - Commodity flow KW - Inland waterways KW - Locks (Waterways) KW - Ohio River KW - Simulation KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic queuing KW - Water traffic UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2014/12/KTC_14_13_MTIC3_14_1F_.pdf UR - http://www.mticutc.org/assets/pdf/FINAL_Inland_Waterway_Operational_Model_Simulation_Along_the_Ohio_River_Final_Report_MTIC.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333209 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548599 AU - Kreis, Doug AU - Gibson, Bryan AU - Van Dyke, Christopher AU - Wallace, Candice AU - McCormack, Sarah AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Inland Waterways Funding Mechanisms Synthesis PY - 2014/11/21/Research Report SP - 34p AB - The inland waterway system is a vital part of the nation’s multi-modal freight network. Although less visible than other modes, inland waterways allow shippers to transport bulk commodities in a relatively cheap and environmentally-friendly method. To ensure this transportation mode remains a feasible option and accommodates growth, it must continue to be safe, efficient, and functional. This synthesis provides comprehensive perspective on the financial prospects of the inland waterways system. It analyzes current funding levels, along with proposed funding changes and reforms. KW - Financing KW - Freight transportation KW - Inland waterways UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2014/12/KTC_14_14_MTIC4_14_1F_.pdf UR - http://www.mticutc.org/assets/pdf/FINAL_Inland_Waterways_Funding_Mechanisms_Synthesis_Final_Report_MTIC.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333208 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548526 AU - Kreis, Doug AU - McCormack, Sarah AU - Van Dyke, Christopher AU - Gibson, Bryan AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Audit Template for Inland Port Sustainability PY - 2014/11/21 SP - 290p AB - This report serves as an assessment of port sustainability and its potential applications for the inland river ports of Kentucky and the surrounding region. The report discusses and defines sustainability, both generally as it relates to business and industry and specifically as it relates to the port industry.  Given the unique nature of the inland port industry, the report reviews lessons learned from 11 port site visits conducted by Kentucky Transportation Center in 2012, primarily at major U.S. coastal ports but also representative inland ports. The Kentucky Transportation Center's (KTC’s) analysis identifies the sustainability challenges facing various domestic and international ports, and what policy and operating initiatives are being undertaken to meet these challenges. This report then discusses KTC’s progress in tailoring the sustainability process identified during these visits to the inland port industry. Field visits to 13 public ports along the Ohio River were conducted in order to develop a sustainability self-assessment tool, which took the lessons learned at coastal ports and large-scale inland ports and applied them to the inland ports of Kentucky and the surrounding regions. From these visits and the associated research, an audit template has been developed that allows inland port operators to assess and improve sustainability levels. The wealth of information compiled in this report, along with the associated appendices, will prove invaluable to the inland port industry. The research relayed to the industry has already proven to be a boon to the ports that participated in the project. The preliminary results indicate that ports along the region’s inland waterways would have little difficulty improving their sustainability profiles at low expense, so long as they follow the advice laid out by this report and the audit template.    KW - Assessments KW - Field studies KW - Kentucky KW - Ohio River KW - River ports KW - State of the practice KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2014/12/KTC_14_11_MTIC1_14_1F_.pdf UR - http://www.mticutc.org/assets/pdf/Port_Audit_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333211 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567212 TI - Using GIS to Improve Tribal Traffic Safety AB - Transportation safety is a significant concern among tribal motorists and pedestrians. Among American Indian populations, motor-vehicle-related injuries are the leading cause of death for those 5-34 years old. Over the last three decades, the number of fatal crashes on Indian reservations increased dramatically, while declining nationally. Moreover, several recent reviews have noted that potentially effective approaches have been hampered by a lack of timely data and robust tools to guide appropriate strategies on tribal lands. This study is investigating the potential of new advances in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to enhance the collection, availability, and use of transportation-safety-related information. In partnership with Esri, this project is conducting a preliminary assessment of geo-related traffic safety information and, through collaborative analysis with tribes, will develop prototypes for potential use, the value of which will be determined through a series of stakeholder assessments. The study also provides spatial analyses of severe and fatal crashes in and around tribal lands that can be used to better understand local trends and conditions. KW - Fatalities KW - Geographic information systems KW - Indian reservations KW - Native Americans KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015048 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359183 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544613 AU - Edwards, J Riley AU - Lange, David A AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation of Material Improvements to Mitigate the Abrasive Wear Mechanism of Concrete Crosstie Rail Seat Deterioration (RSD) PY - 2014/11/10/Final Report SP - 32p AB - To meet the increasingly stringent design and performance requirements due to increasing cumulative gross tonnages from heavy-haul freight operations, along with increased high-speed inter-city passenger rail development, improvements in concrete crosstie designs are needed. Rail Seat Deterioration (RSD) continues to be identified as one of the primary factors limiting concrete crosstie service life in North America. RSD refers to the degradation of material at the contact interface between the concrete crosstie rail seat and the rail pad that protects the bearing area of the crosstie. Industry experts consider abrasion to be a viable mechanism leading to RSD. A lack of understanding of the complex interactions affecting the severity of abrasion has resulted in an iterative design process for concrete crossties and fastening systems. The objective of this study is to quantify the abrasion performance of rail seats by using a variety of concrete admixtures and materials. To simulate the abrasive wear mechanism of RSD, a Small-Scale Abrasion Resistance Test (SSART) was designed by researchers at UIUC. Additionally, a theoretical framework to model and predict abrasive wear was developed using statistical techniques. Data obtained from the SSART and the statistical model will help the rail industry mechanistically design concrete crossties by improving the current understanding of the performance of concrete crosstie mix designs. Preliminary results show that the addition of metallic fine aggregates (MFA), steel fibers, and the application of coatings improve the abrasion resistance of concrete specimens. KW - Abrasion KW - Abrasion resistance KW - Admixtures KW - Concrete ties KW - Deterioration KW - Fine aggregates KW - Mix design KW - North America KW - Railroad ties KW - Service life UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/093IY04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330772 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01563863 TI - HumanFIRST Operations Budget FY15 AB - The Roadway Safety Institute is a regional University Transportation Center (UTC) funded by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). The Institute plans and conducts activities that further the mission of the UTC program of the USDOT. That mission is to advance Roadway Safety and develop expertise in the many disciplines that make up transportation through education, research, and technology transfer activities at university-based centers of excellence. The Institute's activities are guided by its theme of enhancing the safety of road based transportation through a focus on human-centered technology. The HumanFIRST Laboratory (Human Factors Interdisciplinary Research in Simulation and Transportation), established in 2001, is the primary human factors research laboratory of the University of Minnesota's Roadway Safety Institute. The mission of the HumanFIRST Laboratory is to reduce the rate of injurious and fatal crashes by improving the understanding of driver behavior and by supporting the design and evaluation of usable intelligent transportation systems to improve traffic safety. The HumanFIRST Laboratory Operations Budget is provided by the Roadway Safety Institute and supports program related tasks that include operations management and staff coverage, facilities management and upgrading, strategic research planning and fund leveraging, research outreach and publications, and the conduct of internally funded projects that increase the breadth and quality of program research. KW - Education and training methods KW - Highway operations KW - Highway safety KW - Human factors KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Simulation KW - Technology transfer UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354969 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556302 TI - Development of an Acceptance Test for Chip Seal Projects AB - Chip seal is a preventive maintenance method performed by many departments of transportation (DOTs), county road departments and cities. In this method, the deteriorated pavement surface is covered by asphalt binder and uniformly graded aggregates. Typically, asphalt emulsion (sometimes cutback asphalt) is sprayed on the surface and aggregates are embedded into the emulsion. After compaction and curing of the emulsion, loose aggregates are removed by sweeping (via rotary power brooms). The primary role of the asphalt binder is to serve as a waterproof membrane that protects the pavement surface from sun, oxidation and moisture infiltration. The role of the aggregates is to act like a 'bridge' so that sufficient skid resistance is provided. In general, chip seal is applied on roadways with low to moderate traffic. Also, the condition of the existing pavement should be suitable for application of chip seal. Chip seal is not applied to heavily distressed and rough pavements. Pavements with low to moderate raveling, transverse cracking, block cracking and smooth surfaces with low skid resistance are optimal for chip seal applications. One of the most important parameters of a chip seal design is the binder aggregate embedment depth. Transportation agencies typically specify an embedment depth on a percentage basis. The embedment depth is typically defined as the height of the asphalt binder divided by the average height of the aggregates. Specifications require the embedment depth to be assessed after construction and initial curing of the chip seal emulsion. Cold weather states generally require a 60-70% chip embedment depth while warm weather states require a 50-60% embedment depth at the time of initial acceptance. If percent embedment is too high, then 'bleeding' problem may be experienced, typically along the wheelpath. Conversely, insufficient embedment depth may lead to insufficient bonding between the cover aggregates and the binder, leading to aggregate loss. Other factors contributing to problems like bleeding and aggregate loss include the aggregate aspect ratio, angularity, softness/stiffness of the substrate etc. Considering the wide variety of the pavement surface conditions as well as aggregate shape characteristics, and new asphalt binders (e.g., polymer modified), it is very important to be able to measure the percent embedment of aggregates in the field. While the original chip seal design is based on a given percent embedment, an objective method to quantify and confirm percent embedment after placement does not exist. Currently, evaluation of the appropriateness of the aggregate embedment is heavily based on the experience of the field inspectors. An objective field test is needed to support a more uniform method of acceptance for a chip seal treatment. Therefore, the objective of this research project is to develop an objective test method to measure the percent aggregate embedment in chip seal projects. This test method can be used as the basis for an acceptance specification by the roadway agencies. It can also be used to validate/refine chip seal design procedures in the future. KW - Acceptance tests KW - Aggregates KW - Asphalt emulsions KW - Chip seals KW - Cracking KW - Deterioration KW - Pavement distress KW - Preventive maintenance KW - Skid resistance UR - http://www.chpp.egr.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/UTC-Project-InformationForm_Chipseal.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345563 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01553711 TI - Program for Vehicle Regulatory Reform: Assessing Life Cycle-Based Greenhouse Gas Standards AB - Current greenhouse gas emissions standards and energy economy standards for passenger vehicles only address vehicle operation, omitting vehicle production emissions and other life cycle emissions. Non-operation emissions are more dominant in electric drive vehicles and many other advanced technology vehicles, technologies seen as critical to achieving significant greenhouse gases (GHG) reductions from the light-duty vehicle (LDV) sector. This research examines the need, effectiveness, and policy strategies for capturing life cycle vehicle emissions in LDV GHG emissions standards. The research will develop and use a coupled system dynamics model and a time-based life cost analysis (LCA) model for vehicles and fleets to examine net changes to GHG emissions from the LDV sector when life-cycle standards are not in place, the scope of life cycle emissions standards required to best reduce life cycle emissions, implementation strategies for life cycle-based policies, and the effect of product-oriented GHG standards for vehicles when coupled with cap-and-trade or other regional, national, or international policies for managing industrial sector emissions. The time-based LCA model will reflect changing vehicle production, operation, and disposal emissions over time by capturing changing resource use for primary materials, changing fuel and electricity GHG intensity over time, and changes to recycling infrastructure and rates. KW - Electric vehicles KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Light vehicles KW - Pollutants KW - Standards UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/ucd-dot-03/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344128 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01548845 TI - Analysis of Energy Efficient Highway Lighting Retrofits AB - The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) wishes to identify commercially available cost-effective retrofits for existing highway lighting that reduce energy consumption while meeting American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Lighting Design Guide and NYSDOT standards. To do so it is necessary to analyze existing highway lighting and identify retrofit technology that provides reduced energy use, lowers maintenance costs, and a cost/benefit ratio greater than 1 within a reasonable payback period. The present Exhibit II document describes the tasks to be performed by the Consultant under the management of the NYSDOT Project Manager (PM) that will assist NYSDOT in the identification of suitable lighting system options that meet NYSDOT's objectives of reducing energy use and maintenance costs while meeting AASHTO and NYSDOT standards. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Energy consumption KW - Lighting KW - Lighting systems KW - New York State Department of Transportation KW - Retrofitting UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/analysis-energy-efficient-highway-lighting-retrofits UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1336317 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547902 TI - Numerical Modeling of Asphalt Crack Resistance AB - Over the past few decades, most of the state departments of transportation (DOTs) have used stiffer hot mix asphalt (HMA) to mitigate rutting in early service life. The shift toward stiffer mixes has resulted in asphalt pavements that are more prone to reflective and fatigue cracking. Cracking in asphalt usually results in much faster pavement deterioration rates. The Overlay Tester (OT) has been implemented by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to predict an asphalt mix's resistance to cracking. However, most of the research related to the OT test has focused on its variability and its correlations with field performance. The objective of this study is to develop a Discrete Element Model (DEM) of the resistance to cracking exhibited by asphalt mixtures using the Overlay Tester (OT). The model will be developed to study the effect of mix type, aggregate type, and testing temperature. Dense graded Superpave, Porous Friction Course, and Coarse Matrix High Binder mixes will be studied. A wide range of aggregates will be included, such as hard limestone, granite, soft limestone, sandstone, and gravel. X-Ray computed tomography images will be used to account for aggregate distribution and shape properties within the mix. The model will be further implemented into parametric studies to evaluate testing parameters such as: load cycle configurations, notch width and depth, and binder type/grade. Additionally the effect of low temperatures (adverse weather) will be studied numerically, which is capable of providing the interrelated effects of aggregate strength, gradation, shape, and asphalt grade on asphalt mix crack resistance. Approach implementation will be beneficial to state DOT asphalt design programs KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Deterioration KW - Discrete element model KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Mix design KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Rutting KW - Service life KW - Temperature UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335550 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543447 TI - Temperature Effects in Bridge Condition Evaluation and Capacity Rating in Oklahoma AB - Oklahoma's climate ranges from humid subtropical in the east to semi-arid in the west. While summers are long and usually hot, periods of extreme cold during the winter months are infrequent. The daily and seasonal temperature variations acting on a bridge can lead to nonlinear temperature distributions through key structural elements due to low thermal conductivity of concrete and temporal/spatial variation of ambient temperature. For statically indeterminate or geometrically skewed bridges, this temperature variation may induce stresses that represent a significant percentage of the direct stress capacity of the bridge, and may lead to unacceptable performance in service. Finite Element Analysis will be used to perform heat flow and thermal stress analysis. Simplified structural models will be developed in MatLab to obtain accurate and time-efficient thermal stress analysis. Daily and seasonal temperature profiles will be developed for Oklahoma counties based upon Oklahoma Mesonet data to support the consideration of temperature effect in bridge evaluation. Reliability-based assessment of thermal stress development under temperature extremes will be performed. Guidelines that are specific to Oklahoma bridge construction practices and climatology that incorporate temperature effects in bridge evaluation and capacity rating will be developed. KW - Bridge members KW - Condition surveys KW - Humidity KW - Load factor KW - Seasonal variations KW - Structural analysis KW - Temperature UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330903 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01539894 TI - Network-wide Impacts of Eco-routes and Route Choice Behavior/Evaluation of AERIS Applications AB - The objective of the Applications for the Environment: Real-Time Information Synthesis (AERIS) research program is to generate and acquire environmentally-relevant real-time transportation data, and use these data to create actionable information that support and facilitate "green" transportation choices by transportation system users and operators. The specific goals of this project include: (1) identifying AERIS applications that have potential network-wide benefits; (2) creating simulation testbeds for the evaluation of various forms of integration of AERIS applications; and (3) evaluating the various AERIS applications on the different testbeds and make regional and national recommendations for the implementation of these applications. In achieving these goals the following research is proposed. Virginia Tech;s (VT's) proposed research team will develop predictive Eco-Routing algorithms under the CV environment. A key component of the predictive Eco-Routing system entails predicting the onset of congestion before it occurs so that Eco-Routing operation can be provided to approaching vehicles in order to reduce the fuel consumption and congestion. In previous research efforts, the research team developed Eco-Routing algorithms and evaluated the system-wide impacts of the Eco-Rouging system. Traffic state estimation and prediction are critical components of traffic management and advanced traveler information systems. The team developed a particle filter approach which can accurately predict freeway traffic conditions using measured traffic speed data. Currently the team is developing a real-time monitoring system that can continuously evaluate energy and environmental impacts on transportation facilities using real-time traffic data. Utilizing the results of the previous research efforts, the proposed system will provides optimum vehicle routing information using a multi-step traffic state prediction algorithm that a driver may follow in order to minimize his/her vehicle's fuel consumption level. Further, the research will develop a micro traffic simulation model to assess the potential network-wide impacts of the predictive Eco-Routing implementation. The simulation model will build on the CVI-UTC test-bed in Northern Virginia. The study will quantify the impacts of the overall Eco-Routing benefits, the levels of market penetration (LMPs) of the Eco-Routing system on network-wide performance, the levels of traffic congestion on the system performance, and vehicle types on Eco-Routing system performance. VT's proposed research develops algorithms that can characterize the optimum Eco-Lanes operational conditions. The Eco-Lanes was introduced as one of six AERIS Transformative Concepts. Major innovative research efforts related to Connected Vehicle Environmental Applications has been performed in recent years in the United States, Europe, and various Asian countries. However, few studies have been conducted focusing on Eco-Lanes applications. The Eco-Lanes concept integrates dedicated highway lanes that are optimized to reduce vehicle fuel consumption levels and improve air quality. In eco-lanes, drivers are required to operate the vehicle at recommended or variable speeds to reduce transportation energy consumption and improve vehicle mobility. The research team recently investigated the feasibility of Eco-Lanes applications that attempt to reduce system-wide fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels through lane management strategies. The study focused its efforts on evaluating various Eco-Lanes and SPD-HARM applications using microscopic traffic simulation software. The proposed study will develop a framework that can identify the optimum Eco-Lanes specifications such as the spatial and temporal Eco-Lanes boundaries under various traffic operational conditions. Further the study will develop the optimum eco-speed limit algorithms in Eco-Lanes. Old Dominion University's (ODU's) proposed research will develop robust models and data mining for predicting network conditions from probe vehicle data at recurrent bottlenecks to support eco-route guidance. One of the key aspects of providing eco-routes to drivers entails predicting network conditions in real-time. The ability to estimate downstream conditions accurately is important for determining the true eco-routes in a network. In particular, due to incidents or variation in demand, traffic conditions at recurrent-bottleneck locations are typically more volatile, making reliable prediction a challenge. In this research, probe data from known bottleneck locations (e.g., bridges and tunnels) will be used as the basis to develop robust models that provide reliable travel-time or delay prediction under varying conditions. Spatiotemporal correlation of travel times will be analyzed to build models that capitalize on the predictable patterns. The prediction models will be evaluated for their performance under different prediction horizons and events. The impacts of variation in bottleneck conditions on eco-route selection will be assessed. University of Virginia's (UVA's) proposed research shows how it is expected that route guidance system under AERIS would take full advantage from opted-in drivers equipped with connected vehicle technology. One of key challenges is properly modeling drivers' compliances on the guided routes, in which would vary depending on the time of day, trip purpose, quality of existing and alterative routes, etc. This research will develop a simulation testbed that can evaluate these factors and assess the impact of eco-route guidance at a network level under various AERIS applications. KW - Behavior KW - Bottlenecks KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Real time information KW - Route choice KW - Routing KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Traffic data KW - Travel time UR - http://www.matsutc.org/network-wide-impacts-of-eco-routes-and-route-choice-behaviorevaluation-of-aeris-applications/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326281 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01611965 AU - Wang, Lirong AU - Park, Jinwoo AU - Zhou, Wanlu AU - Ban, Jeff AU - Zuo, Lei AU - Stony Brook University AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - On-Road Energy Harvesting for Traffic Monitoring PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 26p AB - A new type of large-scale on-road energy harvester to harness the energy on the road when traffic passes by is developed. When vehicles pass over the energy harvesting device, the electrical energy can be produced by the mechanical motion even after the vehicle passed by, which solves the difficulty in regeneration energy from impulse vibration. Design approach and dynamics modeling are presented to reveal the working mechanism of the energy conversion. In-field test with a sedan car is carried out and the regenerated power up about 24 Watts can be produced, which is much larger than the existing highway energy harvester in the published literature. This large-scale energy harvesting mechanism using the proposed mechanical motion rectifier (MMR) mechanism can help to develop harvesting device to build up self-power energy source for highway transportation monitoring system. KW - Dynamic models KW - Electric power generation KW - Energy conversion KW - Field tests KW - Highways KW - Vibration UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-On-Road-Energy-Harvesting.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1423194 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570327 AU - Fan, Chunlei AU - Clark, Kelton L AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Morgan State University AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation Of Waste Concrete Road Materials For Use In Oyster Aquaculture – Field Test PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 44p AB - The overall objective of this study was to determine the suitability of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) from road projects as bottom conditioning material for on-bottom oyster aquaculture in the Chesapeake Bay. During this Phase of the study, the research team placed RCA on test plots in the Chesapeake Bay to evaluate the impact on the benthic community. Miniature oyster reefs were also built to determine potential impacts or disruptions of RCA on the use of traditional harvesting gear. The results of this project showed that 1.) There was no significant difference between substrate type (RCA, oyster shell) on benthic community structure, oyster recruitment, and the abundance and size distribution of key faunal species, demonstrating that RCA, as an alternative material, was generally similar to natural oyster shell with regard to ecosystem services provided, and 2.) RCA makes a suitable substrate for supporting oysters for aquaculture operations but would require a veneer of old shell to be placed on top so as not to introduce additional weight to the catch when using shaft tongs. KW - Aquatic life KW - Chesapeake Bay KW - Concrete aggregates KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Recycled materials KW - Substrates (Waterways) UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MSU-2013-03.pdf UR - http://www.roads.maryland.gov/OPR_Research/MD-15-SHA-MSU-3-12_Waste-Concrete-for-Oyster-Aquaculture-Phase-II_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54757/MD-15-SHA-MSU-3-12Final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55254/MSU_2013-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360045 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01556504 AU - Morcous, George AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimizing Concrete Deck Removal in Concrete I-Girder Bridges PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 117p AB - Wide flange precast/prestressed concrete I-girders have been widely used by several State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) in the last two decades. These girders have many advantages over standard American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) I-girders. Their wide and thick bottom flange accommodates a large number of prestressing strands and their wide and thin top flange provides a shorter deck span, reduced girder weight, greater stability in construction, and adequate platform for workers. Despite these advantages, the wide and thin top flange might be disadvantageous when it comes to deck removal, as it is more susceptible to damage. Therefore there is a need to investigate the impact of deck removal methods on the performance of the supporting wide flange I-girder. In this study, two deck removal methods are presented: saw cutting and jackhammering. These two methods were implemented on the Camp Creek Bridge over I-80 in Lancaster County, Nebraska before demolition due to its functional obsolesces. Different saw cutting and jackhammering techniques were performed for deck removal between girders and on top of girders. Data obtained from using similar techniques on three other projects were collected and analyzed. Two girders from the Camp Creek Bridge were taken to the lab for testing in flexure after applying different levels of deck removals around shear connectors and re-decking. Test results indicated adequate performance of the new composite section even when partial deck removal around shear connectors is applied. Another investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of top flange width on the performance of bridge I-girders. The top flange was longitudinally saw cut and its width was reduced by fifty percent. The effects on geometrical properties, flexural capacity, horizontal shear capacity, and deflection were investigated analytically and experimentally under construction loads and service loads. Investigation results indicate that in some cases top flange width does not have significant impact on the structural performance of I-girders. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge decks KW - Flanges KW - Flexure KW - Girders KW - Nebraska KW - Prestressed concrete bridges KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Morcous_OptimizingConcreteDeckRemovalinConcreteI-GirderBridges.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344948 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01556500 AU - Klabunde, Kenneth J AU - Shrestha, Khadga AU - Kansas State University, Manhattan AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sustainable Asphalt Pavements Using Bio-Binders from Bio-Fuel Waste PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 22p AB - Asphaltic binders that are used for asphalt pavements have been traditionally obtained either from fossil fuels or from natural sources. However, due to growing interest in sustainability, a search has been initiated for a non-petroleum binder that could be used for asphalt pavements. The objective of this study is to develop a modified asphalt binder from bio-refinery byproducts and wastes that can be used as a replacement for bituminous adhesives/binders derived from fossil fuels for asphalt pavements. The chemical structures of the residue from fossil fuel processing and bio-fuel processing proved to be somewhat different. The Bio-Oil contains more oxygen (therefore, oxygen bearing organic functional groups, such as alcohols and ketones [-OH and C=O]). The Bio-Oil is more functionalized and polar in nature. Chemical structure studies were carried out by spectroscopic methods (nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)), infra-red, and thermal gravimetric analyses, as well as solubility in a series of solvents. Future work would involve (1) studying a wider variety of Bio-Oil derived samples, (2) employing further analytical techniques, and (3) determining how the Bio-Oils can be converted to chemical structures more similar to the petroleum derived oils. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Binders KW - Biomass fuels KW - Chemical analysis KW - Oils KW - Recycled materials KW - Spectroscopic analysis KW - Sustainable development KW - Waste products UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Klabunde_SustainableAsphaltPavementsUsingBio-BindersfromBio-FuelWaste.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344946 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555327 AU - Botha, Jan L AU - Neighbour, Marissa K AU - Kaur, Satnam AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Approach for Actions to Prevent Suicides on Commuter and Metro Rail Systems in the United States PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 70p AB - This research explores measures to prevent suicides on commuter and metro rail systems. Based on a review of the literature and data from the Metrolink system in Southern California, it was found that most suicides occur near station platforms and near access points to the track. Suicides occurred most frequently when relatively more trains were in operation and in areas of high population density. There do not appear to be suicide “hot spots” (e.g., linked to mental hospitals in the proximity, etc.), based on data analyzed for U.S. systems. Prevention measures range from relatively inexpensive signs posting suicide hotline information to costly platform barriers. Since few suicides occur on rail systems, a cost-effective strategy for preventing suicides on rail systems should focus on suicides occurring on the rail systems themselves. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Metrolink (Los Angeles Metropolitan Area) KW - Prevention KW - Rail transit KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Rapid transit KW - Suicide KW - Surveillance UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1129-2-preventing-suicide-on-US-rail-systems.pdf UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/project/1129-2.html UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5xw602w/1/producer%2F897229010.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334392 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555248 AU - DiPetrillo, Stephanie AU - Lubin, Andrea AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - San Jose State University AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Exploring Transportation, Employment, Housing, and Location Issues for New Jersey Veterans with Disability PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 127p AB - Access to transportation, particularly public transportation and paratransit options, is essential to working-age veterans with disability. This report explores the intersection among transportation, housing, and employment to successful veteran reintegration in New Jersey. The authors found that pursuit of transit-oriented development (TOD) for this population in suburban and urban settings is an excellent model. Next steps for implementation are presented. KW - Employment KW - Housing KW - Location KW - New Jersey KW - Paratransit services KW - Persons with disabilities KW - Public transit KW - Transit oriented development KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons KW - Veterans UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1144-transportation-issues-veterans-with-disability.pdf UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/project/1144.html UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5tm8rdj/1/producer%2F895677253.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331707 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01549009 AU - Hallmark, Shauna AU - Chrysler, Susan AU - Oneyear, Nicole AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Validation of Traffic Simulation Model Output for Work Zone and Mobile Source Emissions Modeling and Integration with Human-in-the-Loop Driving Simulators PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 36p AB - The next generation motor vehicle emission rate model used in the U.S., the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES), requires second-by-second vehicle data in order to fully utilize model capabilities. However, field data collection of this type of data is resource intensive and frequently not realistic for local agencies. Some microsimulation models have the capability of outputting instantaneous speed and acceleration, which can be used in MOVES. With these capabilities, microsimulation offers a valuable tool to conduct analyses requiring a large number of data. However, simulation models usually employ theoretical profiles for the relationship between acceleration and speed. The algorithms were intended to model gross measures of traffic activity, such as changes in cycle length or the effect of an incident. Model output, however, remains unvalidated for predicting the level of vehicle activity output required for MOVES. Collecting field data to calibrate Vissim models is often expensive and not always feasible. The use of a driving simulator provides an additional way to provide these data. A simulator has advantages over field data in that it can be used to collect data for new projects where field data cannot be collected. Simulators also allow for complete control over interactions between the driver and other vehicles. Two case studies were used to assess the utility of the microsimulation model, Vissim, in developing output that can be used as input to MOVES. In one scenario, drivers were selected to drive an instrumented test vehicle along a test corridor. In another scenario, five drivers drove through a roundabout in the University of Iowa National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS). Models for each scenario were also developed in Vissim. Model output was compared to field collected speed/acceleration profile data to assess the accuracy of microsimulation models in providing realistic estimates of vehicle activity as input to MOVES. Results were summarized to demonstrate the applicability of linking microsimulated vehicle activity data with emissions models to better estimate the emission impacts of different transportation strategies. KW - Case studies KW - Driving simulators KW - Microsimulation KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Traffic simulation KW - Validation KW - VISSIM (Computer model) KW - Work zones UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/MATC_Vissim_traffic_simulation_model_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1336268 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548629 AU - Gabree, Scott H AU - Chase, Stephanie AU - Doucette, Ann AU - Martino, Michael AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Countermeasures to Mitigate Intentional Deaths on Railroad Rights-of-Way: Lessons Learned and Next Steps PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 91p AB - Trespassing is the leading cause of rail-related fatalities in the United States. A large proportion of these trespasser fatalities are from intentional acts (i.e., suicides). With a lack of systematic research and evaluation of the countermeasures that are currently in place as well as those that have been proposed, it is difficult for railroad carriers and communities that seek to select appropriate countermeasures that are likely to be effective at mitigating suicides. This report discusses the current information available on trespasser fatalities and the implementation of countermeasures in use internationally to prevent suicides on the railroad right-of-way. The paper presents a discussion of each countermeasure according to various intervention points along the path to complete suicide on the railroad right-of-way. These intervention points include: preventing individuals from reaching a suicidal state, making the railroad environment appear to be a less viable means for attempting suicide, deterring access to the right-of-way, avoiding collisions with trespassers and pedestrians, reducing the lethality of a train-person collision, and improving the quality of data and reporting standards. Each of these intervention points provides an opportunity for a countermeasure to potentially divert the individual from the path towards a suicidal act. KW - Countermeasures KW - Fatalities KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroads KW - Suicide KW - Trespassers KW - United States UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14240 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54427/Countermeasures_Mitigate_Deaths_20141124l.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333143 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548597 AU - Young, Peg AU - Notis, Ken AU - Firestine, Theresa AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Services Index and the Economy—Revisited PY - 2014/11//Technical Report SP - 14p AB - The Transportation Services Index (TSI) is the broadest monthly measure of U.S. domestic transportation services and, as such, provides the best snapshot available of the current state of these services. As an index, the TSI reflects real monthly changes in freight and passenger services in the United States. The TSI consists of three component indexes: a freight index, a passenger index, and a combined (or total) index. In 2007 the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, published a report entitled: Transportation Services Index and the Economy, on the relationship of the freight portion of the TSI to the growth cycles in the U.S. economy. Since that time, BTS has re-engineered the TSI to improve processing of the monthly data and to improve the methodology and data sources used in the calculation of the index. This report provides details on the updated methodology and data, along with the resultant changes in the turning points of the TSI due to these improvements. KW - Economic indicators KW - Freight transportation KW - Information processing KW - Methodology KW - Statistical analysis KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/TSI_Economy.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335543 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548537 AU - Horton, Suzanne AU - Segev, Eran AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Roadside Intervention Effectiveness Model, Fiscal Year 2010 PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 36p AB - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in cooperation with the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, has developed an analytic model to measure the effectiveness of roadside inspections and traffic enforcements in terms of the number of crashes avoided, injuries prevented, and lives saved. Traffic enforcements and roadside inspections are considered interventions; this analytic model is known as the Roadside Intervention Effectiveness Model (RIEM). This model provides FMCSA management with the information needed to address the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, which requires Federal agencies to measure the effectiveness of their programs as part of the budget cycle process. It also provides FMCSA and State safety program managers with a quantitative basis for optimizing the allocation of safety resources in the field. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Crash rates KW - Government Performance and Results Act KW - Inspection KW - Measures of effectiveness KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucking safety KW - U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54100/54126/13-062_-_RIEM_FY2010_-_FINAL_-_508C.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334682 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548524 AU - Knapp, Keith K AU - Hallmark, Shauna AU - Bou-Saab, Georges AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Systemic Safety Improvement Risk Factor Evaluation and Countermeasure Summary PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 91p AB - The majority of crash fatalities in the United States occur along rural roadways. These roadways typically have low volumes and widespread crashes. In other words, no one location generally has an unexpectedly high number of crashes. Systemic safety tools/methodologies can be used in this type of situation because they evaluate and prioritize expected crash risk through the consideration of regional data patterns, research results, and engineering judgment. This project investigated two systemic safety tools/methodologies: the approach followed to produce Minnesota county road safety plans (and now described in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool) and United States Road Assessment Program (usRAP). Both tools/methodologies were applied with data collected from two counties in Iowa and a sensitivity analyses completed on their results. It was concluded that changing the “weight” of the safety risk factors considered as part of Minnesota approach could have an impact on some of the locations in the “top 20” of the rankings and subsequent decision-making. However, the amount of that impact varied and a correlation analysis of the original and alternative rankings developed found a statistically insignificant difference. The change in acceptable benefit-cost ratio for the application of usRAP showed that it impacted the type and number of countermeasures, along with the benefit-cost ratio of the plan suggested by the software. It is recommended that additional research be completed to consider similar input variable changes on transportation systems with a higher level of variability in their characteristics. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Iowa KW - Minnesota KW - Rural highways KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Traffic crashes KW - U.S. Road Assessment Program UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/matc_systemic_safety_improvement_w_cvr1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335545 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01546186 AU - Dao, Thang AU - van de Lindt, John W AU - Colorado State University, Fort Collins AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Safety Factor Increase to Fatigue Limit States through Shear Spiking for Timber Railroad Bridge Rehabilitation – Phase I PY - 2014/11 SP - 18p AB - The overall project is to demonstrate the effectiveness of shear spiking (technique already developed through a previous project). Many timber railroad bridges are deficient but it is too costly to replace them; hence, inexpensive repair techniques are needed. The proposed project will provide the necessary documentation of the effectiveness of this newly developed mitigation technique under realistic loads using new equipment available from a National Science Foundation grant to Colorado State University. This will ultimately be accomplished through a series of spatio-temporal fatigue tests on stringers for both non-repaired and repaired. The timing and locations of the loading will be determined from influence line analysis of a typical freight train(s). The results will be used as leverage and/or proof-of-concept to approach the American Railway Association for additional funding. This report presents the intermediate results of the project, which is designated herein as Phase I. Phase I focused on development of the actuator control algorithm, which was successfully tested in the Colorado State University Structural Engineering Laboratory in the spatio-temporal test frame using seven actuators simultaneously in force control. KW - Algorithms KW - Fatigue tests KW - Railroad bridges KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Safety factors KW - Spikes KW - Wooden bridges UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-273.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331988 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544675 AU - Lin, Jane AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Green House Gas Emissions Models PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 10p AB - The objective of the project is to evaluate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions models used by transportation agencies and industry leaders. Factors in the vehicle operating environment that may affect modal emissions, such as, external conditions, vehicle fleet characteristics, vehicle activities, vehicle gasoline specifications, inspection and maintenance programs and anti-tampering programs, etc. are considered. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA’s) newly released Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator 2010 (MOVES2010) is recommended. KW - Evaluation KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Pollutants KW - Vehicles UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0224.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331610 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544614 AU - Edwards, J Riley AU - Lange, David A AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improved Concrete Railway Crosstie Design and Performance PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 28p AB - The approach for the proposed concrete tie research under the NEXTRANS Center funding was to characterize the abrasion demand on the concrete-tie rail seat, as well as the abrasion resistance of different rail seat materials and designs (e.g. concrete strength, porosity, admixtures, surface treatments, etc.) and tie pad materials (e.g. polyurethane, plastic, steel, etc.). The approach and methodology for this project included a thorough literature review, interviews with industry experts, concrete tie performance data collection, modeling, experimental testing, and ultimately the development of laboratory tests to objectively evaluate different rail seat materials based on their resistance to abrasion. The investigators are confident that the abrasion-related knowledge gained in this project will benefit other modes of transportation that utilize concrete as a construction material, as well as the field of materials engineering. KW - Abrasion KW - Abrasion resistance KW - Concrete ties KW - Design KW - Laboratory tests KW - Literature reviews KW - Performance measurement KW - Properties of materials KW - Tie pads UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/070IY03%20Improved%20Concrete%20Railway%20Crosstie%20Design%20and%20Performance.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330771 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544565 AU - Galea, E R AU - Blackshields, D AU - Finney, K M AU - Cooney, D P AU - University of Greenwich AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Passenger Train Emergency Systems: Development of Prototype railEXODUS Software for U.S. Passenger Rail Car Egress PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 180p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), is sponsoring a research program, which includes investigation of the applicability of time-based egress performance requirements to U.S. passenger rail cars. This report describes the development of a new prototype railEXODUS computer software (Prototype Software) that can be used to evaluate the applicability of time-based egress requirements to U.S. passenger rail cars. The new Prototype Software is based on modifications to existing railEXODUS prototype software, which were implemented to adapt the EXODUS model for use in accurately predicting U.S. passenger rail car egress times. All movement and behavior data for individuals (agents) within the new Prototype Software are derived from analysis of U.S. passenger rail car egress experimental trials conducted in 2005 and 2006. The experimental trials included egress of individuals from commuter rail cars using end- and side-door exits to: (1) a high platform under normal and emergency lighting conditions and (2) low platform and right-of-way locations under normal lighting. (All of the egress trials were conducted under best-case, non-competitive conditions.) This research found that the use of such software is essential for performing thorough analyses of passenger train emergency evacuation scenarios. KW - Emergency exits KW - Evacuation KW - Passenger trains KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Railroad safety KW - Simulation KW - Software UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14201 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331612 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544550 AU - Stanchak, Kathryn AU - daSilva, Marco AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Trespass Event Risk Factors PY - 2014/11//Final Report SP - 62p AB - The Volpe Center has used three sources of data—the Federal Railroad Administration’s required accident reports, locomotive video, and U.S. Census data—to investigate common risk factors for railroad trespassing incidents, the leading cause of rail-related deaths in the U.S. Risk factors found include (1) a disregard for grade crossing warning signs, (2) trespasser intoxication, (3) use of distracting electronic devices, and (4) right-of-way proximity to stations, bridges, and rail yards. This research report offers several suggestions for improved data availability to support future studies. KW - Data collection KW - Fatalities KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad safety KW - Trespassers UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/14160 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54100/54179/DOT-VNTSC-FRA-14-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330890 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01579166 AU - Bender, Donald A AU - Olszko, Evan AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - NDE System for Determining Wood Guardrail Post Integrity PY - 2014/10/31/Final Project Report SP - 59p AB - Wood guardrail posts degrade over time and a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) inspection system is needed to determine the condition of the nearly 2 million posts along our highways to prioritize future investments in maintenance. A robust, cost-effective stress wave technique was developed that addressed deficiencies in current equipment with regard to accuracy, ease of use and worker safety; efficient ways to acquire/store/transmit data; along with heuristics to interpret data and guide decision-making on guardrail maintenance and replacement. The stress wave timing (SWT) technique was judged most promising, and a prototype device was developed with an industrial partner. The system includes wireless communication features and can be operated with a smart phone app. The system was validated with over 200 guardrail posts that were removed from service and tested at the Washington State University (WSU) campus. Field-testing of the device occurred on December 18, 2014 with Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) personnel in a western Washington location. Internal conditions of the posts were accurately detected in 86% of the specimens. The device also successfully detected the internal condition of all posts inspected during a field test. An inspection procedure was recommended for implementation using SWT in conjunction with drilling of posts that are suspected to have decay. Field inspection protocol, training materials and final report were developed and presented to WSDOT staff in Olympia on June 1, 20 15. A final project report was submitted to WSDOT on June 29, 2015. KW - Field tests KW - Guardrails KW - Inspection KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Posts KW - Washington (State) KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-31-WSU-Bender.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370901 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548609 AU - Goodchild, Anne AU - Wygonik, Erica AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Changing Retail Business Models and the Impact on CO2 Emissions from Transport: E-commerce Deliveries in Urban and Rural Areas PY - 2014/10/31/Final Project Report SP - 61p AB - While researchers have found relationships between passenger vehicle travel and smart growth development patterns, similar relationships have not been extensively studied between urban form and goods movement trip making patterns. In rural areas, where shopping choice is more limited, goods movement delivery has the potential to be relatively more important than in more urban areas. As such, this work examines the relationships between certain development pattern characteristics including density and distance from warehousing. This work models the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Particle Matter (PM10) generated by personal travel and delivery vehicles in a number of different scenarios, including various warehouse locations. Linear models were estimated via regression modeling for each dependent variable for each goods movement strategy. Parsimonious models maintained nearly all of the explanatory power of more complex models and relied on one or two variables – a measure of road density and a measure of distance to the warehouse. Increasing road density or decreasing the distance to the warehouse reduces the impacts as measured in the dependent variables (vehicle miles traveled (VMT), CO2, NOx, and PM10). The authors find that delivery services offer relatively more CO2 reduction benefit in rural areas when compared to CO2 urban areas, and that in all cases delivery services offer significant VMT reductions. Delivery services in both urban and rural areas, however, increase NOX and PM10 emissions. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Delivery vehicles KW - Development KW - Electronic commerce KW - Freight traffic KW - Land use KW - Linear regression analysis KW - Nitrogen oxides KW - Pollutants KW - Rural areas KW - Urban areas KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Warehouses UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-23-626637-Goodchild-Anne-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334572 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01559952 AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Hassol, Josh AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Sheridan, Amy AU - Sloan, Suzanne AU - Stuart, John AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Dynamic Mobility Applications Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Enabling Advanced Traveler Information Services (EnableATIS) PY - 2014/10/30/Policy analysis white paper SP - 26p AB - This report documents policy considerations for Enabling Advanced Traveler Information Services, or EnableATIS. EnableATIS is the traveler information element of the Dynamic Mobility Applications program, and it provides a framework to develop multi-source, multimodal data into new advanced traveler information applications and strategies. The policy team has documented four policy issues for EnableATIS, none of them high-priority. In conclusion, the policy team finds that additional policy research, outreach, and other steps may be needed, including investigation of public-private partnerships to broaden the reach and improve the effectiveness of ATIS implementation. In summary, the four issues and recommended next steps include: 1) Inequitable distribution of ATIS and other connected vehicle functionality may need to be evaluated for the level of potential impact on underserved populations; 2) Driver distraction—an issue shared by many connected vehicle applications—is among the central concerns of connected vehicle policy research. Analysis is currently under way by USDOT and industry experts; 3) Data integration may result from market forces or from standards development organizations becoming involved in the ATIS application market. The USDOT may choose to provide support if the private sector is motivated to work with public agencies; 4) Similarly, tools for providing ATIS data to transportation management centers may evolve if private-sector stakeholders are motivated to work with USDOT towards greater system-wide efficiency and effectiveness. Based on the results of this analysis, the policy team does not foresee a need for any new policies to be enacted or any major issues that will stand in the way of successful private sector ATIS development. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - ITS program applications KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Plan implementation KW - Policy analysis KW - Policy making KW - Public private partnerships KW - Technology assessment UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54600/54616/FHWA-JPO-14-135_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348679 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01559951 AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Hassol, Josh AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Sheridan, Amy AU - Sloan, Suzanne AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Dynamic Mobility Applications Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Freight Advanced Traveler Information Systems (FRATIS) PY - 2014/10/30/Policy analysis and white paper SP - 28p AB - This report documents policy considerations for the Freight Advanced Traveler Information System, or FRATIS. FRATIS applications provide freight-specific route guidance and optimize drayage operations so that load movements are coordinated between freight facilities to reduce empty-load trips. The analysis identified the following potential policy issues: 1) Data Privacy. There may be inherent trade-offs for users between the desired functionality of FRATIS and the need to protect confidential information, such as location data, company proprietary information (e.g., pricing, customer lists), and financial transaction data. A privacy impact assessment using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-53 Rev 4 is underway to identify the minimal amounts of data necessary for FRATIS functionality, and to assess any data sensitivities. 2) Data Security. Given the multiple existing systems involved in generating FRATIS data (including the vehicle themselves), FRATIS faces the threat of spoofing or hacking that is intended to corrupt, falsify, disrupt, disable, or end-run the system. Examination as to whether existing freight logistics security offers enough protection against these common security threats is underway. 3) Data Quality and Compatibility. As use of FRATIS expands to involve more carriers and larger geographic regions, the system may find it beneficial to integrate both proprietary and public data from varying sources and formats to have a common set of protocols for data exchange. This raises three potential concerns. First, some needed data elements may be unavailable, reducing the overall quality and usefulness of the data. Second, in cases where data are available, they may exist in incompatible formats. Finally, certain limitations may exist on the collection and use of data. 4) Oversize/Overweight (OSOW) Permitting and Routing. The FRATIS ConOps identified OSOW permitting as a possible capability. However, this capability is not being tested as part of the FRATIS demonstrations. Based on stakeholder outreach, there is some industry interest in exploring use of OSOW for route planning in FRATIS. This capability could be demonstrated with states that already have OSOW routing maps that could be incorporated into FRATIS. This would likely be a technical issue moving forward and would not have any policy implications, but would require institutional coordination to enable any demonstration. 5) Assigning Loads to Unsafe Drivers or Carriers. In theory, the container-load matching capabilities of FRATIS could result in loads being assigned to carriers, drivers, or vehicles that have safety violations or poor overall safety records. Existing FMCSA safety regulations are effectively used by enforcement personnel to identify unsafe drivers, vehicles, and carriers. 6) Conflicts with Existing Intermodal Terminal Policies. Initially, there were concerns that the variable gate capacity needed at intermodal terminals to enable FRATIS drayage optimization would conflict with union shift-work rules. This issue has been resolved by the development team by modifying the FRATIS drayage optimization algorithms to ensure that they do not result in schedules that conflict with established terminal work rules. Based on the results of this analysis, the policy team does not foresee a need for any new policies to be enacted or any major issues that will stand in the way of successful market adoption and use by industry. Ultimately, guidance on installation, integration, operations, and maintenance will be produced by the technical teams when completing their technology transfer to the marketplace. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Drayage KW - Freight traffic KW - ITS program applications KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Policy analysis KW - Policy making KW - Route guidance KW - Technology assessment UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54600/54617/FHWA-JPO-14-139_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348690 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554464 AU - Yao, Tao AU - Friesz, Terry AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Computational and Data-Enabled Analysis for Sustainable Transportation Systems PY - 2014/10/30/Final Report SP - 64p AB - Transportation planners and traffic engineers are faced nowadays with immense modeling challenges arising from several emerging policy, planning, and engineering developments. In fact, the recent emergence of mobile sensing and traffic monitoring technology has provided an unprecedented amount of information and data for traffic analysis, demanding the adaptation of mathematical and physical models to a new generation of cyberinfrastructure. Some of the major challenges that traffic models meet include: computational tractability, very large-scale deployment, real-time application decision support, multiple time scales, and fusion of dissimilar data. This research takes a major step in developing analytical, holistic mathematical models and traffic analysis tools capable of addressing data-enabled traffic modeling, estimation, control and optimization problems, leading to a more efficient, reliable, and sustainable transportation system. In the project, the authors constructed: (1) a class of Mathematical Programming with Equilibrium Constraints (MPEC) problems to understand and mitigate congestion externalities and mobile source emissions, and (2) a class of Mixed Binary Integer Programs (MBIPs) for data fusing, real-time traffic estimation and prediction, as well as data-enabled traffic control. KW - Congestion pricing KW - Data fusion KW - Mathematical models KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Pollutants KW - Tolls KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic estimation KW - Traffic models KW - Traffic signal control systems UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2011-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342486 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544053 AU - University of Central Florida, Orlando AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Semi-annual Program Progress Performance Report for Electric Vehicle Transportation Center PY - 2014/10/30 SP - 20p AB - The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) supports the U.S. Department of Transportation’s strategic goal of planning for near-term integration of alternative fuel vehicles as a means to build a sustainable transportation system. The project will evaluate technologies, standards and policies to ensure seamless integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into a complex transportation network and electricity grid. The EVTC will bridge the gap between deployment of electric vehicles and the traditional transportation system. The EVTC’s goals were described in detail in the previous Program Progress Performance Report. These goals have not changed significantly and this report provides updates to each of the following areas: Research and Development, Industry Collaboration, Education and Workforce Development, Technology Transfer and Diversity. Project performance metrics are also identified to drive improvement and characterize progress and effectiveness. KW - Education and training KW - Electric power KW - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center KW - Electric vehicles KW - Performance measurement KW - Research projects KW - Strategic planning KW - Technology transfer KW - University Transportation Centers Program UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/reports/EVTC-PPPR-02_2014-10-30.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329529 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556881 TI - Community2Go! - Pilot of a Community-Based Voluntary Travel Behavior Change Effort AB - Traffic congestion and the associated environmental impacts continue to adversely affect Floridians. According to the Texas Transportation Institute's annual Urban Mobility Reports, Florida's population increased 15% in the seven largest urban areas over the past decade (2002-2011). However, peak period travelers increased even more (21%) and the annual cost of congestion in these areas increased by 38%. This cost was incurred despite a growth rate in freeway miles and arterial lane miles that exceeded population growth rate. These urban areas had a total of 26% increase of freeway lane miles and 16% increase in arterial street lane miles. Demand for freeway daily vehicle miles of travel in these same urban areas increased by 25%. This growth in demand wasn't limited to highways. Florida public transportation systems in those urban areas saw their annual passenger miles and passenger trips increase 40% and 32%, respectively. There has been some progress as the overall annual hours of delay increased only 7% overall but the average is misleading. Some Florida urban areas experienced much larger increases in delay. For example, Tampa Bay increased delay by 23% while Miami saw only a 4% increase. All this growth in demand has severe environmental consequences, too. In these seven urban areas, the excess emissions of CO&#8322; would fill over 150,000 Goodyear blimps. The amount of annual excess fuel consumed in 2011 alone from these areas would fill nearly 260 Olympic-sized swimming pools. This pace is not sustainable. The Florida Commuter Assistance Program (CAP) evaluation found the current process has room for improvement. Overall, when the CAPs provided customers with a list of potential carpool partners only 37% of customers actually attempted to contact the potential match. However, when they did reach out, 45% of those customers (8 percent of the total) actually formed a pool. Clearly, getting more people to take action should increase the effectiveness of the effort. Combined with the introduction of new services like carsharing and bikesharing and new travel incentives such as managed lanes, CAPs are being presented with more opportunities to influence commuter travel behavior and reduce congestion and pollution. Simply, passively distributing information has not changed behavior of the majority of CAP customers. Florida needs different approaches that complement its commitments to public transportation and introduction of managed lanes to help manage demand. The following proposal outlines a method for combining community-based social marketing (CBSM) approach with technology-enabled tools to facilitate follow-through and evaluation. This project will reduce household vehicle miles of travel and vehicle trips in the peak periods by applying the following strategies at the household level: (1) Reducing the share of car driving, especially single occupant vehicle travel; (2) Increasing the frequency and duration of carpooling; (3) Shifting car driving to off-peak periods; (4) Increasing the frequency and distance of walking trips; (5) Increasing bicycle use; (6) Increasing use of transit; (7) Increasing vehicle occupancy; (8) Increasing the use of technology as substitute for travel; and (9) Increasing frequency of trip chaining. KW - Bicycling KW - Commuting KW - Environmental impacts KW - Florida KW - Modal shift KW - Ridesharing KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel demand management KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/2015/02/community2go-pilot-of-a-community-based-voluntary-travel-behavior-change-effort/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346129 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01542937 AU - Payne, Amanda AU - Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Hatfield McCoy Regional Recreation Authority TI - CSX Rail Trestle Conversion to ATV Trail PY - 2014/10/24 SP - 6p AB - The Hatfield and McCoy Trail Authority (HMRRA) operates the Rockhouse all terrain vehicle (ATV) trail between Man and Gilbert, West Virginia. Prior to this project, trail riders wishing to cross the Guyandotte River had to ride the streets of Man, WV. The project goal was to promote trail use by providing ATV riders a means of crossing the Guyandotte River that would minimize conflicts with automobiles. HMRRA secured a license agreement from CSX to adapt an ‘inactive’ existing railway bridge in Man, WV for recreational ATV use. The bridge is a plate girder structure that, following conversion, directs ATV traffic away from high-traffic streets. It should be noted that the bridge is rail banked by the CSX Corporation. As such, CSX continues to own the structure and can reclaim it for railroad use at a future date. KW - All terrain vehicles KW - CSX Transportation KW - Railroad bridges KW - Railroad tracks KW - Trails KW - Trestles KW - West Virginia UR - http://www.mticutc.org/assets/pdf/MTIC_-_CSX_Rail_Trestle_Conversion_-_FINAL_10-24-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329327 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548659 AU - Langfitt, Quinn AU - Haselbach, Liv AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessment of Lube Oil Management and Self-Cleaning Oil Filter Feasibility in WSF Vessels Phases II and III: Part 1 Report PY - 2014/10/22/Research Report SP - 86p AB - Washington State Ferries (WSF) has proposed an alternative of the propulsion engine lubricating oil (lube oil) filtration systems on some vessels in their fleet. Currently, WSF uses disposable cartridge filters for oil filtration on most vessels. Self-cleaning oil filters could be installed which would eliminate the need for disposable filter cartridge changes and might raise the particle removal efficiency. WSF began with a pilot installation on one of two engines on the M/V Chetzemoka in early 2014 and is interested in utilizing a three pronged perspective in their decision making on whether to install more of these filters in their fleet, considering operational performance, cost savings, and potential environmental benefits. These three perspectives are the focus of this research endeavor, with operational performance considered through lube oil analysis of samples taken from the M/V Chetzemoka, potential cost savings through a life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), and potential environmental impacts through a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. This report covers the first stage of this research effort: a background on lube oil analysis, a rough order of magnitude life cycle cost analysis of lube oil and the filtration alternatives, and an overview of environmental impacts of lube oil and some disposal methods through life cycle assessment methodologies. The preliminary LCCA shows that for a retrofit vessel such as the M/V Chetzemoka, cost savings would likely be achieved by installation of a self-cleaning filtration system, considering a 50 year life cycle. These savings would be even greater for installation on a new vessel. The environmental impact data assembled and modeled herein gives WSF a simple tool for approximating environmental impacts from an LCA perspective separately for acquisition and disposal by distillation. It can be applied directly to the filter problem, or in other capacities when oil use and disposal volume changes are involved. For the acquisition of lube oil, the most significant impact category with respect to US daily normalization per capita is Human Health Non-Cancer. For disposal through distillation to other products, the benefits gained from offsetting these products are always higher than the impacts of the disposal process. Future work is ongoing to gather more information on the oil analyses with the self-cleaning oil filter over extended periods. With this additional information, the work herein will be updated. For the environmental analysis, future work might relate the gallon functional unit to different functional units relevant to WSF operations such as passenger/vehicle capacity, etc. Additional future research could be to expand the analyses to consider other vessels in the fleet. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Environmental impacts KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Ferries KW - Filtration KW - Life cycle costing KW - Lubricating oils KW - Oil filters KW - Vessel operations KW - Washington State Ferries KW - Waste disposal UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-44-739428-Haselbach-Liv-Small-Project.pdf UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/PacTrans-44-WSU-Haselbach.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334573 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01587768 AU - Haider, Zulqarnain AU - Nikolaev, Alexander AU - Kang, Jee Eun AU - Kwon, Changhyun AU - State University of New York, Buffalo AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Real-time Dynamic Pricing for Bicycle Sharing Programs PY - 2014/10/15/Final Report SP - 39p AB - This paper presents a new conceptual approach to improve the operational performance of public bike sharing systems using pricing schemes. Its methodological developments are accompanied by experimental analyses with bike demand data from Capital Bikeshare program of Washington, DC. An optimized price vector determines the incentive levels that can persuade system customers to take bicycles from, or park them at, neighboring stations so as to strategically minimize the number of unbalanced stations. This strategy intentionally makes some unbalanced stations even more highly unbalanced, creating hub stations. This reduces the need for trucks and dedicated staff to carry out inventory repositioning. For smaller networks, a bilevel optimization model is introduced to minimize the number of unbalanced stations optimally. The results are compared with two heuristic approaches. One approach involves a genetic algorithm, while the second adjusts route prices by segregating the stations into different categories based on their current inventory profile, projected future demand, and maximum and minimum inventory values calculated to fulfill certain desired service level requirements. It is shown that the latter approach, called the iterative price adjustment scheme (IPAS), reduces the overall operating cost while partially or fully obviating the need for a manual repositioning operation. KW - Bicycle parking KW - Bicycle travel KW - Capital Bikeshare KW - Genetic algorithms KW - Optimization KW - Pricing KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/Final-Report-Real-time-Dynamic-Pricing-Bicycle-Sharing.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1394940 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548652 AU - Cuddy, Matthew AU - Epstein, Alexander AU - Maloney, Cynthia AU - Westrom, Ryan AU - Hassol, Joshua AU - Kim, Anita AU - Damm-Luhr, David AU - Bettisworth, Caitlin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - The Smart/Connected City and Its Implications for Connected Transportation PY - 2014/10/14/White Paper SP - 52p AB - This white paper outlines the potential for the emerging connected transportation system to interface with smart/connected cities. Its aim is to lay the foundation for defining steps that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Connected Vehicle Program should take to identify and exploit opportunities to help ensure that connected vehicles and connected transportation fulfill their potential to improve safety, mobility, and environmental outcomes in future complexly interdependent and multimodal environments. The paper describes a framework for understanding the dynamics that animate smart/connected cities: intelligent infrastructure, new knowledge-generating processes, and a smart grid to power it all. In the process, it contextualizes and connects emerging and established concepts that describe technology-enabled changes such as “the sharing economy” and “crowdsourcing.” Drawing on that framework, the paper argues that two trends are likely to predominantly shape the opportunities for connected transportation in future cities: 1) the rise of the Internet of Things and the essential role that vehicles play as nodes in that network, and 2) a transition away from achieving mobility through asset (car) ownership and toward accessing mobility as a service. The paper concludes by recommending eight research objectives to structure future USDOT research in this area. KW - Cities KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Mobility KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Recommendations UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54200/54204/smart_connected_city_FINAL_111314.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334681 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544552 AU - Sage, Jeremy AU - Casavant, Ken AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Performance Measurement Approach to Benefit/Cost Freight Project Prioritization PY - 2014/10/14/Final Project Report SP - 141p AB - Future reauthorizations of the federal transportation bill will require a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of the freight benefits of proposed freight system projects. To prioritize public investments in freight systems and to insure consideration of the contribution of freight to the overall system performance, states and regions need an improved method to analyze freight benefits associated with proposed highway and truck intermodal improvements that would lead to enhanced trade and sustainable economic growth, improved safety and environmental quality, and goods delivery in Washington State. This project develops a process to address this need by building on previous and ongoing research by some project team members with the goal of developing an agency-friendly, data-supported framework to prioritize public investments for freight systems in Washington and Oregon. The project integrates two ongoing Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) funded efforts: one to create methods to calculate the value of truck and truck-intermodal infrastructure projects and the other to collect truck probe data from commercial global positioning system (GPS) devices to create a statewide Freight Performance Measures (FPM) program. This integration informs the development of a framework that allows public agencies to quantify freight investment benefits in specific areas such as major freight corridors and across borders. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Construction projects KW - Freight transportation KW - Global Positioning System KW - Infrastructure KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Oregon KW - Performance measurement KW - Washington (State) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-4-739428-Casavant-Kenneth-Multi-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329342 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544515 AU - Trejo, David AU - Barbosa, André R AU - Link, Tim AU - Eberhard, Marc O AU - Roeder, Charles W AU - Lehman, Dawn E AU - Stephens, Max AU - Tran, Hung V AU - Stanton, John F AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - New Strategies for Maintaining Post-Seismic Operations of Lifeline Corridors PY - 2014/10/14/Project Report SP - 177p AB - This project furthered the development of three strategies that could positively impact maintaining post-seismic operations of lifeline corridors. In Year 1, most of the focus was on the development of the three individual strategies. In Year 2, a follow-up project will include more formal assessments of the situation in which each strategy might be preferred. The first part of the investigation, performed at Oregon State University, assessed the use of high strength reinforcement (HSS) for use in reinforced concrete (RC) columns.HSS is not currently allowed in RC due to lack of information on the material characteristics and lack of performance information when used in columns. But potential benefits in construction, performance, and economics justify the need for research, especially for critical corridors. Results indicate that a column constructed with Grade 80 HSS reinforcement performs similar to column constructed with conventional Grade 60 reinforcement. The second part of the investigation, performed at the University of Washington, focused on a new type of connection between a precast concrete column and a cast-in-place drilled shaft. The column is precast with a roughened outer surface at the bottom of the column which will be embedded in the cast-in-place shaft. The connection can be built rapidly and allows generous construction tolerances. Building on two previous tests, a third quasi-static scaled connection test between a precast bridge column and a drilled shaft was performed to investigate the seismic performance of the new connection. The geometry of the test specimen was based on the minimum practical difference between the diameters of the shaft and the column, and so represented the most critical cases. The performance of the system was investigated up to a drift ratio of 10%. The experimental results showed that, if adequate confining steel is included in the splice zone, the plastic hinging mechanism forms in the column, without incurring damage in the splice zone or shaft. If the confinement is insufficient, the strength of the splice zone deteriorates rapidly with cyclic loading. Recommendations for transverse reinforcement in the transition area are provided to ensure desirable performance. The third part of the investigation, also performed at the University of Washington, focused on the performance of concrete filled steel tubes (CFST), with specific focus on connections to precast concrete piers and pile caps. CFSTs have the potential to improve performance in seismic events and decrease overall costs. CFSTs may be used for bridge piers, shafts, caissons, and columns, but their use is limited because American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design specifications for CFSTs are dated and few validated, constructible connections exist. Part 3 of this report (Part 3) compares current CFST design provisions to experimental results, noting limitations and deficiencies. Improved provisions proposed for the AASHTO specifications and partly based on the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) provisions are summarized. CFST connections are also addressed. A foundation connection capable of developing the full composite capacity of a CFST was evaluated experimentally and initial study of CFST column-to-cap beam connections was conducted using numerical simulation. Both are effective in developing and transferring the full capacity of the CFST and are summarized. KW - Columns KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - High strength steel KW - Piers (Supports) KW - Pile caps KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Structural connection KW - Tubing UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-1-739437-Trejo-David-Multi-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329341 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01558270 AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Puckett, Sean AU - Petrella, Margaret AU - Minnice, Paul AU - Ray, Rosalie AU - Lappin, Jane AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Effects of Full-Facility Variable Tolling on Traveler Behavior: Evidence from a Panel Study of the SR-520 Corridor in Seattle PY - 2014/10/03/Final Report SP - 115p AB - This paper uses a two-stage panel survey approach, with roughly 2,000 respondent households, to analyze the impacts of a federally sponsored variable tolling program on SR-520 in the Seattle region. The focus is on corridor users’ daily travel choices and opinions. Key survey findings include a marked decrease in respondents’ travel in the corridor after tolling, particularly on SR-520, and significant diversion to nearby toll-free I-90. There were also increases in transit mode share in the corridor, while carpooling and telecommuting levels were relatively stable. In the post-tolling survey, respondents registered an overall increase in satisfaction with their commutes and less stress associated with driving. Reported satisfaction with the speed and reliability of individual trips on SR-520 also increased substantially, and personal attitudes shifted slightly in favor of tolling. KW - Attitudes KW - Commuting KW - Modal split KW - Panel studies KW - Route choice KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Travel behavior KW - Variable tolls KW - Washington State Route 520 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54000/54063/UPA_Panel_Survey_Seattle_Final_Report_Volpe.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347054 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567210 TI - Older Driver Support System (ODSS) Usability and Design Investigation AB - Older drivers represent the second-highest injury and fatality rate, next to younger drivers, per 10,000 licensed drivers and are first in fatalities per 100 million miles driven. Furthermore, a 286% increase in older driver fatalities is projected from 1995 to 2025. This disproportionate fatality risk is linked to several known factors ranging from maladaptive driving behaviors such as failure to yield, cognitive limitations such as poor visual search, to poor survivability such as lack of seatbelt use and overall fragility. In an effort to reduce older crashes, an in-vehicle support system is proposed from an adapted version of the Teen Driver Support System (TDSS). The adaptation of the TDSS into an Older Driver Support System (ODSS) requires careful consideration of multiple factors to cater to the needs of an aging population. The investigation of the system adaptation will require a two-year approach. Year 1 focused on information-seeking interviews, an interface display survey, and a usability test with driving video. Information gathered from older drivers through their exposure to the iterative design of the system revealed interesting trends in acceptance of the technology. Overall, users who were technologically savvy tended to reject the system's design if catered specifically for older drivers rather than for all drivers. Older drivers with less technology experience tended to show more acceptance for the targeted design of the system for an older population. The usability study conducted in the driving simulator revealed positive feedback about the system's design. User feedback will be integrated into final system design on-road testing. Year 2 will focus on a controlled field study with older drivers using the functional prototype. The controlled field study will utilize intended users of the system to allow them to drive a pre-defined route while experiencing the in-vehicle feedback. The outcome of the study is expected to better outline the needs of older drivers and is intended to prepare the prototype for a field operational test. KW - Aged drivers KW - Cognition KW - Decision support systems KW - Fatalities KW - High risk drivers KW - In vehicle sensors KW - Teenage drivers UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015054 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359181 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566135 TI - Multimodal Transportation Facility Resilience Index AB - A new paradigm for complex systems performance and maintenance decision making is developing in the form of resilience engineering. Depending on the subject area, different definitions of resilience exist. This project will adopt a definition appropriate for resilience in transportation systems: the ability of the system to recover and adapt to external shocks, which include natural, intentional and technogenic disasters and failure due to poor designs. These disturbances can ultimately affect the smooth and efficient operation of systems and may demand a shift of process, strategies and/or coordination. In most cases, transportation facilities are interconnected and the analyses should consider properties of this strong interdependency. These interdependencies and uncertainties of multimodal transportation facilities are addressed through the development of a resilience index in this project. Development of this index will be formulated by addressing the following: What aspect of the system should be resilient? To what kind of change would we like the system to be resilient to? What variables are changing? How fast are the variables moving from threshold levels? Is the system resilient to external shocks (natural or artificial) or to technogenic disasters? Finally, the project will employ probabilistic graphical models to develop multimodal transportation facility index. KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Resilience (Materials) KW - Safety KW - Terrorism UR - http://www.matsutc.org/multimodal-transportation-facility-resilience-index/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357223 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566134 TI - Structural Enhancements to Adapt to Impacts of Climate Change AB - Changing climate is expected to considerably impact the health of civil infrastructure systems. As extreme weather events such as hurricanes, tropical storms, prolonged intense temperatures occur more frequently, state transportation agencies are in need of strategies to avoid, minimize or mitigate potential consequences. The potential adverse effects of the extreme events on civil infrastructure include but are not limited to premature deterioration of infrastructure system; extra stresses through thermal expansion in bridges; damage to roads, coastal highways, and tunnels due to heavy precipitation and increased runoff; increased fatigue problems in sign, signal and bridge structures due to extreme winds; and increased scouring problems in bridges due to higher stream runoff and rising sea levels. The objective of this research is to reduce the vulnerability of civil infrastructure systems in light of expected climate change and associated increase in extreme weather events by developing and integrating advanced composite materials into sustainable structural design. In particular, shape memory alloy-based composites and ultra high performance fiber reinforced concretes will be explored, both independently and as a hybrid composite. Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) have unique properties such as high strength, very good fatigue and corrosion resistance, large damping capacity, re-centering capability, and ability to undergo large deformations. SMA materials will be used to reinforce a thermoset polymer matrix to produce SMA Fiber Reinforced Polymers. SMA materials have superelastic properties that will overcome the brittle behavior of carbon or glass fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) and provide ductility. SMAs are expected to enhance the damping capacity and toughness of the matrix and provide re-centering ability. SMA composite panels will be fabricated using the vacuum assisted hand lay-up technique. A metal plate will be fixed in place, on the lay-up table, to ensure fabrication of flat panels first. Then, a non-porous release film will be attached to isolate the SMA composite panels from the metal plate. Peel ply will be added over the non-porous release film to facilitate peeling of the SMA composite panels after epoxy curing. Afterwards, SMA strips will be placed on the peel ply and impregnated in the epoxy using a roller. Another peel ply will be applied over the SMA and then a porous release film. In order to provide an air bath to facilitate absorbing the excess of the epoxy, a breather ply layer will be added over the porous release film. Finally, nylon bag with an opening for the vacuum port will be attached to a sealant tape over the metal plate to seal the entire system. A vacuum pump will be connected to the vacuum port and a vacuum pressure will be applied for 24 hours to remove air bubbles and excess epoxy. After 24 hours, the vacuum pump, nylon bag, and release films will be removed. The SMA composite panels with peel plies will then be left to cure in air at ambient temperature for another 24 hours. After 48 hours of fabrication, the peel plies will be removed and the SMA composite panels will be cured under the same conditions for another 12 days before being tested. SMA composites with different reinforcement volume fractions will be prepared. A Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA) will be used to measure tensile properties of the fiber and the damping properties of the resin, fiber, and composite. To determine the transformation temperatures of the SMA fibers and the degree of cure in the resin and the composite, a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) will be used. Monotonic and cyclic tensile testing of the test coupons will be conducted at different strain levels. To measure the damage resistance of the SMA composite, the impact tests will be conducted as per ASTM D7136 [82]. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) will be performed on various polished surfaces and the fracture surfaces of damaged surfaces to study the presence of voids, fiber pull-out, fiber-matrix debonding, and the interfaces between SMA fibers and resin. Ultra-high Performance Concrete (UHPC) can be classified as a cementitious composite with fiber reinforcement. The cementitious matrix is extremely dense and provide very high strength, but more importantly a compact microstructure that is virtual impermeable to contaminants, making the material extremely durable and robust. In addition, the fiber reinforcement provides resistance to micro-cracking, analogous to conventional reinforcement at the macro-scale. Transportation agencies have explored the applications of UHPC for a number of years, but its integration into standard practice has been limited by skepticism surrounding the proprietary formulation of commercially available products and their costs; however, in recent years, a number of formulations have been developed with an emphasis on non-propriety designs and locally sourced materials. While these formulations have shown promise, their consistency and performance have not been proven to be comparable to the commercially available products that have dominated the UHPC market in recent years. UHPC test specimens will be developed from both non-proprietary and proprietary formulations for evaluation of both mechanical (e.g. compressive, tensile, flexural, and both) and durability (e.g. chloride ion, freeze-thaw, scaling) characteristics. Much of this information is available in literature, but no studies have included comparative evaluations under similar conditions. These mechanical properties will provide the basis from which decisions on material application can be formulated (e.g. which material is appropriate for new and rehabilitation applications in infrastructure). In addition, to providing mechanical and durability properties, the comparative analysis is expected to provide considerable insight into the challenges associated with implementation, such as batching/mixing complexity, curing requirements, and cost. Hybrid Composite - SMA Reinforced UHPC, while these two materials alone provide a great deal of promise for transportation applications, their hybridization has the potential to provide even more benefit to the end user. Following the individual material assessment, designs integrating the combination of these materials (SMA and UHPC) will be explored and refined for applications to transportation infrastructure systems. The objective will be to leverage the unique performance characteristics of the base materials to develop sustainable transportation design solutions that are sustainable, adaptable and resilient to environmental change and multi-hazards. The results of the project have potential applications for implementation and/or deployment that can be used by state departments of transportation (DOTs) and others, where the project team can perform additional studies to apply advanced composites for rehabilitation of concrete structures. The results of this research will enable the improved damage resistance and increased service life of civil infrastructure systems, and lead to more efficient infrastructure design under extreme weather events. These activities are potentially transformative since it could promote the use of advanced composites with unique properties such as high ductility, high corrosion resistance, high workability, self-centering and self-sensing abilities, and good fatigue resistance in a wide range of civil engineering applications to design more sustainable structures. KW - Climate change KW - Coastal engineering KW - Corrosion KW - Disasters KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - High performance concrete KW - Infrastructure KW - Runoff KW - Sea level KW - Shape memory alloys UR - http://www.matsutc.org/structural-enhancements-to-adapt-to-impacts-of-climate-change/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357222 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566133 TI - Environmental and Safety Attributes of Electric Vehicle Ownership and Commuting Behavior: Public Policy and Equity Considerations AB - Electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to reduce climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions. Maryland promotes EVs by subsidizing purchases of them, invests in charging facilities at rail transit stations, and assists in funding such facilities for local jurisdictions. This research would discern whether charging facilities at rail transit stations enhance market penetration of EVs and affect commuting behavior and mode choice. This research posits that there is a nested automobile choice between using plug-in hybrid electric (HE) or battery electric (BE) cars and using conventional cars and that owners of EVs have a lower propensity to choose rail transit for commute trips than owners of conventional cars. Research would also discern attitudes toward safety and demand for in-vehicle safety technologies. This research will survey current registered HE and BE owners in Maryland regarding attitudes toward environmental and safety considerations, demand for safety technologies, commuting behavior and use of rail transit before and after purchase. The survey will also query a random sample of non-EV owners about their attitudes, demand for safety technologies, commuting behavior, and propensity to buy EVs. According to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), as of November 1, 2013 there were 2,793 EVs registered (C. Burke, MVA, personal communication, Feb. 6, 2014). MVA will identify EV owners by county and develop a random, geographically stratified sample of a similar number of non-EV owners. MVA will then notify the owners and non-owners by letter of the survey objectives and a web link that would take owners to the on-line survey. Morgan State University (MSU) will reach a privacy agreement between the university and MVA. All information regarding participation in this survey will be confidential. Mode choice behavior will be incorporated into state-wide traffic models and charging infrastructure plans. The social equity issues resulting from public charging facility investment would be addressed through policy recommendations for EV promotion by income group. The survey results and statistical analyses of data will lead to policy recommendations for EV promotion, funding and placement of public charging facilities, and traffic safety considerations. The survey analyses could be incorporated into state and local transportation planning processes and calibrations for travel demand modeling. KW - Automobile ownership KW - Climate change KW - Commuters KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Environmental impacts KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Maryland KW - Mode choice KW - Rail transit stations KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.matsutc.org/mode-choice-between-electric-vehicles-and-rail-transit-for-commute-trips/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357221 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543446 TI - Characterization of Asphalt Binders Exposed to Extreme Temperatures Through Simple and Effective Test Methods AB - Temperatures in the lower 48 states are projected to increase about 2.3C (4.1F) by 2050 relative to 2010 according to the NCHRP Report, "Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events and the Highway System: A Practitioner's Guide". As average temperatures increase, so will extremes. Consequently, the extreme climate/temperature-based performance grading (PG) of polymer modified asphalt binders will be affected. The polymer characterization in a modified asphalt binder is currently performed by PG Plus tests (e.g., force ductility test, AASHTO T300). However, force ductility, elastic recovery and some other PG Plus tests are time and material consuming processes. The results are subject to reproducibility difficulties and methods are mostly empirical. Therefore, there is a need for better methods. The main objective of this research is to develop a simple and dynamic shear rheometer based test method that can be used as an alternative to PG Plus tests (elastic recovery and force ductility) to accurately determine high temperature performance of asphalt materials. Toward meeting the objective of this study, asphalt binders from different sources in the southern plains region will be collected for mechanistic evaluation. Further, binders will be recovered from reclaimed asphalt pavement and tested in the laboratory. In particular, multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) and extensional rheometer tests will be conducted on asphalt binder samples. Research outcomes will include MSCR guidelines for the southern plains states and a new laboratory test method for polymer network characterization in extreme temperature asphaltic materials. The guidelines will provide guidance regarding the use of combined shear and extensional rheology platform to replace the ductilometer based force ductility test (AASHTO T300). This new method is expected to save cost by significantly reducing test time and sample size. Implementable specifications for commonly used extreme temperature asphaltic materials will be developed for immediate implementation or DOT's internal pilot projects. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Binders KW - Climate change KW - Creep KW - Performance grade KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Temperature KW - Test procedures UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330902 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543181 AU - Mannheim, Daniel AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Alternatives Analysis for LCM Replacement PY - 2014/10/01/Final Report SP - 36p AB - This report documents a study which analyzed various transportation options for Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (APIS) to pump toilet systems and perform construction support activities. The report presents the background of the study; describes the required missions for the transportation options; analyzes the costs and labor hours of the various transportation options; and presents the study's findings and conclusions. The estimated costs for each operating model were analyzed based on the initial cost, total costs, and labor hours for the 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 year periods. The costs were also separated to describe the operating cost to the park as well as the total ownership costs to the National Park Service. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (Wisconsin) KW - Costs KW - Lake Superior KW - Landing craft UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52854/DOT-VNTSC-NPS-14-06.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329313 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543141 TI - Monitoring Extreme Loading and Climate Impact on Infrastructure AB - Infrastructure must endure the aging effects of weather and loads throughout service life. Extreme temperature changes and overloading are known to cause micro-damage in concrete structures, which reduces the concrete material's ability to withstand design loads. As they commence and cumulate, the effect of these forces is difficult to detect and assess within the structure. Typical condition assessment efforts involve mobilizing personnel to conduct lengthy visual inspections and take multiple samples, which offer limited information about the overall condition of the structure. Moreover, by the time visual signs of material degradation appear, the problem is often systemic requiring costly rehabilitation measures to maintain serviceability. The objectives of this project are to evaluate climate and overload impact on transportation infrastructure, determine damage extent and monitor damage progression. First, the study will develop climatological profiles for strategic areas based upon freight transportation. Data will be obtained from Oklahoma Mesonet to identify local, relevant weathering conditions that are detrimental to concrete properties so that they can be evaluated. The experimental exposure conditions for testing concrete material will be based upon critical temperature and humidity ranges (freeze/thaw, wet/dry, high temperature variance), and the number of cycles per annum. Second, the study will seek to qualify and quantify damage accumulation in concrete material exposed to various loading conditions that will simulate material overload and fatigue deterioration at design loads. The residual structural performance of the concrete will be evaluated using sensing technologies, primarily acoustic emission (AE) and ultrasonic methods. Consequently, signature wave parameters will be developed to provide insight regarding temperature change, moisture change or microstructural changes (e.g. , microcracking). Last, evaluation and monitoring guidelines will be developed, including the use of sensing technologies, to assess deteriorative process due to serviceability loading conditions and climate conditions. The guidelines will be validated through evaluation of a field structure. Implementation will facilitate the development of an effective condition assessment system that will provide the transportation industry a monitoring tool so that infrastructure problems can be detected and corrected sooner, resulting in improved public safety and reduced maintenance costs. KW - Acoustic emission tests KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Concrete structures KW - Deterioration by environmental action KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Guidelines KW - Humidity KW - Monitoring KW - Oklahoma KW - Temperature KW - Weather and climate UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330249 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543091 TI - Validating Field Employed X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) on Stabilized Subgrade Projects to Assess Impact of Extreme Precipitation Events, Improve Construction Quality Control and Facilitate Geotechnical Forensic Investigations AB - Prior to pavement construction, extreme precipitation events can impact subgrade strength. Additionally, the amount and distribution of stabilizer in the subgrade soil can significantly impact the long-term behavior of the roadway. The desired amount of stabilizer is specified in the design phase, but currently, there is no reliable way to verify that field stabilization values are consistent with specified design values. There is also no standard process for determining how well the stabilizer is distributed, both spatially and throughout the required design depth. The goal of this research project is to validate the portable field employed X-Ray Fluorescence (PFXRF) test by assessing its detection accuracy on selected roadway stabilization projects. In addition, the PFXRF will be used to assess the depth and spatial heterogeneity of the stabilization across a site. At the end of the project, recommendations will be developed for transportation officials regarding how to employ PFXRF and how to implement a laboratory XRF testing protocol for job site quality control applications. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) can be utilized after extreme precipitation events, in which stabilizer leaching is suspected. It can also be used during forensic investigations, where the presence or lack of additive in a stabilized layer needs to be determined. KW - Forensic engineering KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Portable equipment KW - Quality control KW - Soil stabilization KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Subgrade materials KW - X ray fluorescence UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329822 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543089 TI - Sustainability and Training Materials for In-Place Recycling AB - Hot and cold in-place recycling techniques recycle one-hundred percent of a hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement during the maintenance and rehabilitation process. The three most common agency reported drawbacks to in-place recycling usage are: 1) lack of data on performance benefits, 2) lack of guidelines on construction procedures (training materials), and 3) limited information on input parameters for pavement thickness design. There is a need to provide pavement design professionals and highway agencies with the knowledge and tools necessary to use in-place pavement recycling as a feasible, sustainable, competitive alternative to traditional pavement maintenance and rehabilitation strategies. The two main objectives of this study are to develop (1) a sustainability calculator for in-place recycling and (2) training materials regarding in-place recycling for use in web-based training courses. The study will quantify the on-site fuel consumption and emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO&#8339;), particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO&#8322;) resulting from various asphalt recycling procedures, including cold in-place recycling (CIR), hot in-place recycling (HIR), and full-depth recycling (FDR). The major outcome of this study will be a methodology that compares the on-site energy and environmental impacts of each of the recycling procedures to conventional asphalt construction. The major output of this study will be a spreadsheet-based fuel use and emissions calculator that will be made available for widespread use by owners, contractors, practitioners, policy-makers, and other asphalt industry stakeholders. Additionally, an interactive web based training course will be made available to students and agency personnel working with or wanting more information on hot-in-place recycling and full depth reclamation. Implementation will provide pavement design professionals and highway agencies with the knowledge and tools necessary to use in-place pavement recycling as a feasible, sustainable, competitive alternative to traditional pavement maintenance and rehabilitation strategies. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - In place density KW - In-place recycling KW - Policy making KW - Pollutants KW - Recycled materials KW - Sustainable development KW - Training programs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329820 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543051 TI - Development of Mixture Designs for Pumpable Concrete for Extreme Weather AB - With the recent budget crisis, U.S. Departments of Transportation (US DOTs) are trying to extend their construction funds while still providing long lasting and durable infrastructure. This is especially challenging in locations where there is extreme weather, as infrastructure is often replaced more frequently. In concrete structures, cement is the most expensive ingredient and the largest contributor to the carbon footprint. It can also lead to increased cracking through shrinkage.The initial cost and long term performance of concrete would benefit from the reduction of cement in concrete mixtures. One area where states have begun to economize their construction materials is in the use of "optimized graded concrete". These concrete mixtures are designed to use less cement, and use proportionately more aggregate with a more controlled distribution of aggregate sizes. This aggregate control allows a concrete mixture to have increased workability and strength. However, research has shown that historic design techniques for optimized graded concrete do not work for all aggregate sources and that current DOT specifications are inadequate and do not ensure the benefits of optimized graded concrete. Another study has aimed to improve optimized graded concrete specifications for slip formed paving concrete. This research will extend the study to a larger number of materials and focus on the performance of these materials in extreme environments, specifically freezing environments. To provide freeze thaw durability to concrete, microscopic bubbles are added with specialized admixtures during the mixing process. These bubbles provide places for freezing water to escape once the concrete has hardened. During pumping it has been widely documented that the pressure cycles cause the bubbles to implode and then reform when the pressure is removed. Past research has shown that this process can coarsen the air void system in fresh concrete and ultimately threaten the freeze thaw durability of the concrete. This study will seek to better understand this process and ensure that frost durable concrete can be achieved. Implementation will allow immediate changes to be made to the optimized graded concrete specifications for structural concrete. KW - Admixtures KW - Concrete structures KW - Durability KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Mix design KW - Pumped concrete KW - Service life KW - Shrinkage KW - State departments of transportation KW - Temperature KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329707 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01539926 TI - Mitigating Pollutants from Highway Infrastructure for Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Compliance: Monitoring Efficacy of Best Management Practices and Advancing Decision Support AB - The protection of waters within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is of critical regional importance and strategic significance to state highway programs. State agencies must assist in the effort to meet multi-jurisdictional stormwater regulations within the watershed. Stormwater runoff from to roads, highways and other infrastructure, such as bridges, carry debris, oil, heavy metals, suspended solids and other compounds often directly into waterways. The resulting runoff may have detrimental pollutants that often goes untreated into waters and can damage ecologically sensitive habitat. Adjacent vegetation, buffer areas, and best management practices have become very important to controlling pollution. As stormwater regulations and total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) are implemented, guidance for effective stormwater controls with highway infrastructure has become essential. The main purpose of this research is to provide guidance to state highway agencies to prioritize activities and resources for TMDL compliance. In order to meet this overall goal, the project proposes the following objectives for this research, to: (1) analyze existing literature and resources to identify guidance for stormwater management and TMDL compliance. Engage and survey appropriate stakeholders to gain further insight; (2) identify stormwater impacts of highways based on vehicle usage, roadside management, and designated TMDLs for tributaries within the University Transportation Center (UTC) Region 3 states; (3) field monitor critical water bodies for contribution to pollutant loading from nearby highway infrastructure with and without best management practices (BMPs) in place; (4) develop TMDL protocol and identify BMTs. Determine the load reduction strategies for point and nonpoint source pollutants to meet TMDL regulation by analytically identifying through use of flow and load duration curves and other means; and (5) develop decision support system and tools for watershed delineation and modeling, as well as, BMP screening, evaluation, and maintenance via online geographic information system (GIS) interface. This effort will make information and guidance regarding highway appropriate BMPs available to those directly managing highways. By getting this information to these professionals and officials, best practices will become more widely understood, accepted, and implemented, helping our partner departments of transportation (DOTs) and related stakeholders meet their water quality goals. Dissemination of results would impact those individuals who are likely to influence policy and management decisions. The project envisions the involvement of state DOTs and other watershed stakeholders in the study design and dissemination of resources to ensure practical use and effective implementation. Multiple benefits to for State DOTs will be met through the work achieved in this collaborative research. An overall benefit is that stakeholders would be provided analysis on stormwater management practices and information needed for selecting and implementing effective practices to achieve TMDL compliance. Monitoring and decision support tools will help to standardize the process to determining priorities, specifications, and delegating prescriptive actions to ameliorate impacts highways have on the water quality of the nearby tributaries. Other expected benefits are: (1) Highway specific and watershed scale approach for targeting strategies for pollution control measures and identifying critical source areas. Critical sources are the pollutants that intensively contribute to non-point source pollution loading. (2) The information afforded by the effort should encourage a greater appreciation and knowledge of the benefits of green highway infrastructure. The research will provide opportunities to view case studies, understand models to measure the benefits, and understand tradeoffs yielded by integrating green infrastructure components and management practices. (3) Development of web resources and decision support tools to inform the transportation agencies and engineering professionals of stormwater management for highway infrastructure. KW - Best practices KW - Chesapeake Bay KW - Compliance KW - Debris flows KW - Decision support systems KW - Geographic information systems KW - Habitat (Ecology) KW - Regulations KW - Runoff KW - Total maximum daily loads KW - Water quality management KW - Watersheds UR - http://www.matsutc.org/monitoring-of-highway-pollution-runoff/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326359 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01539893 TI - Enhancing Traffic Control Systems to Reduce Emissions and Fuel Consumption AB - The tasks completed within this project will address all aspects of traffic signal timing - design, optimization, deployment, and monitoring - with a focus on the reduction of emissions and fuel consumption. The reductions will be achieved directly through the optimization of signal timing plans to minimize emissions and fuel consumption and indirectly through the improvement of emergency vehicle preemption (EVP) control by reducing travel time for the emergency vehicle and decreasing the delay for other vehicles at the intersections impacted by the EVP. Each task will be completed by a different PI, but some information will be shared among tasks. The study corridor for this project is a heavily congested 4-lane roadway in Morgantown, WV (WV-705). The traffic signals along this corridor are collecting high resolution traffic data with a system managed by Marshall University. A VISSIM simulation model of this corridor will also be utilized in this research for various tasks. Each of the tasks will be integrated through the use of the common study corridor. Task 1. Monitoring EVP Performance with High Resolution Data (Nichols): Many traffic signal controllers are now capable of logging all events that occur at the intersection to a tenth of a second resolution. These events include common events, such as phase changes and detector calls, and rare events, such as coordination alarms and emergency vehicle preemption. Research efforts in previous years have focused on how to turn this data into useful information for traffic engineers to make decisions on signal performance and modifications. This type of information is already being produced for the WV-705 corridor and will be utilized in Task 3. To date, no one has used this data to evaluate EVP operations on a corridor. These events are difficult to observe and evaluate in the field because they do not occur on a frequent or regular basis. This task will investigate field data from the WV-705 corridor to determine EV travel time along a corridor and quantify the impact (duration) of the preempt call on each intersection. Simulation that produces high resolution data will also be utilized in this effort to conduct sensitivity analysis of the system performance. The EVP performance data will be utilized in Task 2. Task 2. Designing Signal Timing for EVP (Abbas): The current state-of-practice implementation of EVP interrupts normal operation of traffic signals on an intersection-by-intersection basis, causing degraded signal system (e.g., corridor) performance. Geographic Positioning System (GPS) based and similar emerging area-wide priority systems are currently experimented with to provide a solution to this problem, but can also introduce other issues related to false priority calls. Both systems need background timing plans that are specifically optimized to work with the priority system. An on-going Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) research project being conducted by Dr. Abbas is looking into the need for tools and guidelines to determine: (1) the conditions under which each system should be used and (2) the optimal timing plans and compatible configuration for the selected system. The purpose of this Mid-Atlantic Transportation Sustainability Center (MATS) project is to leverage the high-resolution data for the WV-705 corridor from Task 1 to investigate the potential use of GPS-based and similar priority systems to provide a prioritized right-of-way to EVs through signalized intersections while optimizing the overall system performance. The project will analyze the performance and robustness of timing plans that are designed with the preemption patterns in mind, under real field conditions. Task 3. Optimizing Signal Timing to Minimize Emissions and Fuel Consumption (Rakha): Currently, traffic signal timings for an isolated traffic signal or coordinated traffic signals are based on the minimization of delay (in the case of isolated traffic signals) and minimization of the combination of delay and stops (in the case of arterials). However, at this point no attempt has been made to optimize traffic signal timings with the objective of explicitly minimizing fuel consumption and vehicle emissions. The objective of this task will be to initially focus on isolated traffic signal timing and identify the optimum signal timings associated with fuel consumption and various emissions and then develop an analytical formulation for the computation of the optimum signal timings. Future work will entail working on the arterial level to identify the optimum offsets from an environmental standpoint. This effort will utilize the high resolution data from Task 1 and supplemented with simulation runs for the WV-705 corridor. Task 4. Investigating Advanced Controller Settings to Minimize Emissions and Fuel Consumption (Park); In the US, there are more than 300,000 traffic signals. Among these, more than 90% of signals are being operated under actuated control. However, none of existing off-the-shelf optimization tools optimize the impact of advanced controller settings including extension time, detector recall mode, dual entry, simultaneous gap out, etc. The objective of this task will be to investigate these advanced controller settings in terms of its emissions and fuel consumption as well as mobility measures. This effort will also utilize the high resolution data from Task 1 and supplemented with simulation runs for the WV-705 corridor existing signal timing plans. This task will also consider utilizing either software-in-the-loop or hardware-in-the-loop simulation to emulate/implement actual traffic controllers. The SILS/HILS equipment available at the Traffic Operations Lab. at the University of Virginia will be utilized in this task. The WV-705 corridor in Morgantown, WV will be used as the study corridor. Actual data being collected by the signal system will be utilized in this research. A VISSIM simulation model exists of this same corridor, which emulates the field operation through software-in-the-loop. Modifications to existing EVP parameters and signal timing plans will be evaluated in the simulation environment. Marshall University manages this signal system, so these modifications could be deployed in the field if the simulation performance is positive. Expected benefits and impacts: Task 1. Ability to leverage high resolution data being collected by many existing signal systems in order to evaluate the performance of EVP and provide information for designing signal timing plans to better account for EVP. Task 2. Optimal and robust timing plans that are designed to work in tandem with preemption will result in improved system coordination by avoiding disruption to signal operation logic and will lead to reduction in system delay, fuel consumption, and emissions. Task 3. Development of analytical formulations that explicitly consider the environment in the optimization of traffic signal timings. Task 4. Preliminary guidelines providing how to set advanced controller settings to minimize fuel consumption and emissions at intersections KW - Emergency vehicles KW - Global Positioning System KW - Highway traffic control KW - Morgantown (West Virginia) KW - Multilane highways KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic signal priority KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Travel time KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - http://www.matsutc.org/traffic-control-systems-monitoring-to-reduce-emissions-and-fuel-consumption/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326280 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01534355 TI - Nondestructive Evaluation of Pavement Structural Condition for Rehabilitation Design AB - The Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) is most commonly used to evaluate highway pavement structural condition for estimation of pavement remaining service life and overlay design. Recently, the need to accurately characterize layer material properties of the existing pavement has increased with the implementation of the new American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). Although a number of studies have been conducted for using FWD data in rehabilitation design, several challenges still exist due to the complex nature of pavement system. These challenges include but are not limited to: (1) the viscoelastic modulus of asphalt mixture that varies depending on temperature profile in the pavement and loading frequency; (2) the nonlinear anisotropy of unbound material; and (3) dynamic analysis of pavement behavior under FWD loading. The primary goal of this research project is to develop an integrated method for pavement in-situ condition evaluation and rehabilitation design based on modeling and analysis of FWD deflection data. To achieve this goal, the research objectives include: (1) developing an advanced model to simulate pavement behavior under FWD loading that consider viscoelasticity of asphalt layer and nonlinearity of unbound layers; and (2) assessing relationship between existing layer condition, critical pavement responses, and deflection basin parameters. It is envisioned that the proposed methodology can be used by state highway agencies in practice for assessing existing pavement condition and selecting appropriate rehabilitation strategies. KW - Condition surveys KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Properties of materials KW - Service life UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/nondestructive-evaluation-pavement UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319876 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599885 AU - Ashtiani, Reza S AU - de Haro, Gabriel AU - University of Texas, El Paso AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Performance Determination of Precast Concrete Slabs Used for the Repair of Rigid Pavements PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 72p AB - The safety of civilians is of paramount importance during the construction and repair of concrete pavements. A complete understanding of the pavement distresses that compromise the structural stability and performance of rigid pavements are required for a proper selection of the repair method. Additionally, the time required to complete the repair process should be minimized to reduce the delay imposed on the users of the transportation facilities. The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in association with the Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency (AFCESA) developed a state of practice protocol for the repair of damaged runways using precast concrete slabs. The current study tends to extrapolate the previous research on this topic to civilian highway pavements. In the AFRL study, three installation techniques, widely used by the transportation industry, were incorporated in the experiment design. The original study did not consider the influence of temperature fluctuations, humidity and the stresses induced by environmental conditions for the performance evaluation of the precast slabs. This study tends to capture the influence of the climatic conditions on the orthogonal load bearing capacity of repaired sections. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Humidity KW - Load tests KW - Pavement performance KW - Precast concrete KW - Repairing KW - Rigid pavements KW - Slabs KW - Temperature UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-017-final_0.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55308/CAIT-UTC-017-final_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407816 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555791 AU - Shariati, Ali AU - Schumacher, Thomas AU - Ramanna, Nakul AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Delaware Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Exploration of Video-Based Structural Health Monitoring Techniques PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 40p AB - Structural health monitoring (SHM) has become a viable tool to provide owners with objective data for maintenance and repair. Traditionally, discrete contact sensors such as strain gages or accelerometers have been used for SHM. However, distributed remote sensors could be advantageous since they don’t require cabling and can cover an area rather than a limited number of discrete points. Digital image correlation (DIC) has been used successfully but has disadvantages in terms of complexity and computational costs when applied to videos. In this research project, the authors investigated and proposed a different approach. The basic concept is that small changes in the intensity value of a monitored pixel with fixed (or Eulerian) coordinates caused by the vibration of structures can be captured, even if it is not visible to the naked eye. In this research report, the authors explain the basic concept and mathematical theory for their proposed so-called virtual visual sensors (VVS), present a set of laboratory experiments to demonstrate the accuracy of the approach, and provide two practical monitoring examples of in-services bridges. Finally, the authors discuss future work to improve the current methodology. KW - Bridges KW - Case studies KW - Digital video KW - Eulerian coordinate systems KW - Pixels KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Vibration KW - Virtual visual sensors UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-038-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342954 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554413 AU - McCarthy, Charlie AU - Harnett, Kevin AU - Carter, Art AU - Hatipoglu, Cem AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Assessment of the Information Sharing and Analysis Center Model PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 46p AB - An Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) is a trusted, sector-specific entity that can provide a 24-hour per day and 7-day per week secure operating capability that establishes the coordination, information sharing, and intelligence requirements for dealing with cybersecurity incidents, threats, and vulnerabilities. An ISAC can serve as an industry resource by which to gather key information about cybersecurity events and issues and identify, communicate, and analyze potential impacts of such concerns to the sector. This report presents findings from an assessment of the ISAC model, and how ISAC’s are effectively implemented in other sectors. The report also explains how a new sector ISAC could be formed by leveraging existing ISAC models. This publication supports the goal of facilitating the establishment of a cybersecurity information sharing forum in the automotive sector (Goal 2). KW - Assessments KW - Automobile industry KW - Cybersecurity KW - Implementation KW - Information dissemination KW - Information Sharing and Analysis Centers KW - Risk management KW - Safety and security KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crash Avoidance/Technical Publications/2014/812076-AssessInfoSharingModel.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341933 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554345 AU - Heiselt, N Eric AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Family Engineering Nights PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 17p AB - In an effort to increase interest and understanding of the fields of engineering, with particular emphasis toward transportation, the College of Engineering at Mississippi State University sponsored five Family Engineering Night events. Each of these events were held at an elementary school and attended by families of the students. 585 families (parents and their children) participated in activities that simulate the work and ideas of engineering. Activities spanned the fields of engineering in order to give a more broad perspective of the role of engineers in everyday life. During the activities, participating parents gave feedback on the activities and what they learned from completing the tasks in order to assess the learning that occurred. Additionally, at the conclusion of the events, parents were asked to identify their perceptions about the efficacy of the event. Analysis of the responses, the impact of these events on the understanding of both the parents and the k-6 students’ understanding seems to have been significantly impacted. Many families commented that their understanding of the work of engineers was very limited prior to the event but they felt that they could explain at least some facets of their lives that were affected by the work of engineers. KW - Education KW - Elementary school students KW - Engineering KW - Engineers KW - Parents UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Heiselt_K-12_Workforce_Development_at_MSU_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343110 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554253 AU - Martin, James B AU - Bailey, Nancy R AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - LEGO Robot Vehicle Afterschool Workshops: Transportation Engineering Problem Solving PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 20p AB - “LEGO® Robot Vehicle Lesson Plans for Secondary Education – A Recruitment Tool for Transportation Engineering” was a workforce development project that was used to introduce students at the middle school level to congestion mitigation solution research, describing the importance of modeling and assessment of advanced technologies and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) with respect to congestion mitigation; and improvements of traffic signal systems to reduce delays in urban corridors. Students used computers, basic computer programming, mathematics, and robots as tools. They were introduced to transportation engineering as a career and were shown how Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects apply to the field. Through the material presented in the lesson plans, the students developed an understanding of the work involved in transportation engineering. The lesson plans were used to show the students how transportation affects society as a whole and teach them how the use of advanced technology is integral to solving current and future transportation problems. Students were able to relate what they were learning about technology and engineering through hands-on exercises that employed elements of math and science. KW - Education KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Middle school students KW - Technology KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering KW - Workshops UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_LEGO_Robot_FinalReport_Martin_2912-FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343111 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554250 AU - Ay, Suat U AU - TranLIVE AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Research and Special Programs Administration TI - A High-Speed Trapezoid Image Sensor Design for Continuous Traffic Monitoring at Signalized Intersection Approaches PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 59p AB - The goal of this project is to monitor traffic flow continuously with an innovative camera system composed of a custom designed image sensor integrated circuit (IC) containing trapezoid pixel array and camera system that is capable of intelligent future extractions. The new trapezoid complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor IC was designed, fabricated, and tested. New feature extraction algorithms for moving object monitoring was developed and implemented in field programmable gate array (FPGA) platform. A camera system composing of FPGA platform to run the algorithms and control the trapezoid imager was developed. KW - Algorithms KW - Cameras KW - Image processing KW - Integrated circuits KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic surveillance UR - http://tranliveutc.org/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/UI_TranLIVE_FinalReport_High-SpeedTrapezoidImage UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1341976 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01552185 AU - Kumar, Ashok AU - Kim, Dong-Shik AU - Omidvardborna, Hamid AU - Kuppili, Sudheer Kumar AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - University of Toledo AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Combustion Chemistry of Biodiesel for Use in Urban Transport Buses: Experiment and Modeling PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 108p AB - Biofuels, such as biodiesel, offer benefits as a possible alternative to conventional fuels due to their fuel source sustainability and reduced environmental impact. Before they can be used, however, it is essential to understand their physical properties, combustion chemistry, and characterization of the exhaust due to a number of issues associated with fuel properties. High viscosity of biodiesel may lead to poor atomization of the fuel spray and inaccurate operation of the fuel injectors. Biodiesel may produce high NOx emissions and variations in chemical properties may also be an issue. During this study, physical properties such as flash point, cloud point, and kinematic viscosity of different blends (B0, B10, B20, B50, and B100) were measured on three different feedstocks (soybean methyl ester or SME, tallow oil, or TO, and waste cooking oil, or WCO) while ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) was used as base fuel. The research applied the standard methods of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). For the study of combustion chemistry and characterization of the exhaust, various tests, such as gravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, elemental carbon/organic carbon (EC/OC) analysis, and gas chromatography (GC) analysis, were conducted for PM emission samples collected from buses, as well as from the laboratory setup. In the field, emission samples were collected for both hot and cold idle conditions. Gravimetric analysis showed a decrease of 17% in PM emissions from the transit buses running on B20 compared to ULSD (B0). Eleven elements were detected in the exhaust samples collected from the laboratory experiments, and fifteen from the field experiments. Results also indicated that the use of biodiesel could effectively reduce EC and increase the portion of OC/EC emissions. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was used to identify all possible sources of the elements from the transit buses. A simple chemical model was also proposed on PM formation from transit buses, as well as the emission from the laboratory experiments. The emission of carbon was also investigated, and the results confirmed that lower emissions of CO and CO2 are related to lower ratios of carbon to oxygen in biodiesel fuels compared to ULSD. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Chemistry KW - Combustion KW - Exhaust gases KW - Particulates KW - Transit buses UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1146-biodiesel-bus-fuel-combustion-chemistry.pdf UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/project/1146.html UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5863wnb/1/producer%2F893875301.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329128 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548763 AU - Noland, Robert B AU - Ozbay, Kaan AU - DiPetrillo, Stephanie AU - Iyer, Shri AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - Rutgers University, New Brunswick AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Measuring Benefits of Transit Oriented Development PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 301p AB - Transit-oriented development (TOD) in New Jersey is evaluated using a variety of methods and different outcome measures. Qualitative analysis focused on the perceptions of the benefits of TOD and any shortcomings that are seen. Analytical work included an analysis of travel behavior, including frequency of walking, driving and using transit; potential health benefits associated with living in proximity to a train station; social capital or civic engagement in areas proximate to the train station; traffic safety associated with proximity to the train station and other built environmental measures; residential property valuation associated with train station access and TOD amenities; benefits to users of rail transit for commute access to New York City and other destinations; and, an analysis of regional impacts using a regional travel demand model to examine changes in train usage and highway congestion. Beneficial effects of TOD and development near train stations is found in most of the results. KW - Benefits KW - Economic analysis KW - New Jersey KW - Pedestrians KW - Public transit KW - Rail transit stations KW - Redevelopment KW - Transit oriented development KW - Travel behavior UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1142-measuring-TOD-benefits.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5hq5d5c/1/producer%2F893874810.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328568 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548760 AU - Shaheen, Susan A AU - Martin, Elliot W AU - Chan, Nelson D AU - Cohen, Adam P AU - Pogodzinski, Mike AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Public Bikesharing in North America during a Period of Rapid Expansion: Understanding Business Models, Industry Trends, and User Impacts PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 234p AB - This study evaluates public bikesharing in North America, reviewing the change in travel behavior exhibited by members of different programs in the context of their business models and operational environment. Twenty-three interviews were conducted with IT-based bikesharing organizations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2013. The authors also conducted two kinds of surveys with bikesharing users, an online member survey and an on-street survey. Results show that bikesharing is causing a diverse array of modal shifts within the different cities surveyed. Bikesharing was found to reduce the number of respondents using the bus in four of the five cities. The survey also found that bikesharing reduced respondents driving by large margins in all cities. The appendix examines bikesharing rebalancing through an analysis of the Hubway bikesharing system in Boston KW - Automobile ownership KW - Canada KW - History KW - Mexico KW - Modal shift KW - Travel behavior KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1131-public-bikesharing-business-models-trends-impacts.pdf UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/project/1131.html UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm50s13kj/1/producer%2F893879896.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329131 ER -